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April 4, 2016 0 Comments

Interview with HireMyMom.com Success Story: Joy Bastawrous

Name: Joy Bastawrous

City / State: Katy, TX

Kids & Ages: 3 daughters: 12, 9, and 2 

What’s your success story with HireMyMom? 

I have been a member of HireMyMom.com since 2010.  I left a high level corporate position to spend more time with my kids because the commute was eating up about 3 hours of my day and I felt like I was missing out on special time.  It only took me a few months to find a job on this site.  And over the years, the amount and type of jobs have just gotten better and better!  I have secured at least 7 positions using this site over the course of the last 6 years.  I have been able secure remote positions so I do not have to waste any time in the car commuting and sitting in horrible Houston traffic!  It has been a dream come true for my family and I.  

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I have a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and over 15 years’ experience with much of that being in corporate marketing and more recently working with small businesses and entrepreneurs on their marketing efforts.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

Just look for what you want and are qualified for, be honest and open about what you are looking for when speaking with the prospects and make sure it’s a perfect fit for both of you.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

My favorite thing about HireMyMom.com is that it gives me the opportunity to still work in a field that I enjoy while having some flexibility to attend my kids events and activities!  Secondly, as I mentioned before, the caliber of positions has increased over the years and I am looking forward to utilizing it more and more.  

What’s one fun fact about you?

I have always dreamed of being an astronaut.

 

 

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January 28, 2016 0 Comments

4 Ways to Stay Focused While Working From Home

As the number of employees in remote and work-from-home positions continues to skyrocket, technology has stepped up to help freelancers and telecommuters stay focused. A 2015 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that half of employers who allow flexible work arrangements, 60 percent of those allow telecommuting. The percentage will continue to rise, according to Global Workplace Analytics, which reports ever-increasing numbers of those working from home at least part of the time.

Technological innovations make it easier than ever to work from home, but tools that help you stay focused and harness your willpower ensure your success. Here are four ways to marry technology with time management to keep you concentrated on the task at hand.

Wake up in the Right Frame of Mind

The tone of your work day begins when you wake up, so make sure it’s off to a positive start with an alarm you love. From having your favorite upbeat playlist from iTunes play to customizing a message in the voice of a loved one, apps allow you to rise and shine to what you want to hear.

Have a habit of pressing snooze? Look for an option within the alarm that disables the snooze button, or search for an alarm that forces you to solve a puzzle or math problem before it deactivates. You’ll be more likely to get out of bed now that you’re up.

Head to a Welcoming Home Office Environment

Working on a kitchen table that’s cluttered with dirty dishes diminishes a clear state of mind, and writing in a room that has a television playing decreases productivity. Designate a work-only space you’ll love getting to the grind in. Find a place that comfortably fits all the apparatus you need and one that features ergonomical furniture that prevents slouching.

Save space by using multifunctional tools, like an all-in-one printer, fax machine, scanner and copier that is easily transportable and works with your smartphone. A desktop organizer that includes USB charging also allows you to multitask and stay organized.

Turn off Distractions

Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is an emotionally draining cultural disorder that plagues more than 55 percent of those who use social media, reports Aeon magazine. To mitigate negative feelings about having to work instead of joining in on the fun your friends are having, use a smartphone with expandable memory, like the LG G4, to power your device with all the information you need. Then, set it to airplane mode, so you don’t receive disturbing notifications while you’re working.

There also are free distraction-blocking applications, such as the Freedom app, that allow you to choose websites you don’t want to see while it’s enabled. It also lets you plan freedom sessions in advance for a variety of devices.

Stay on Schedule

Never miss an appointment or phone call by using a reliable calendar application that syncs across all your devices. Customize reminder notifications so you stay on track, and use a virtual assistant to save time with administrative tasks that prevent you from accomplishing more meaningful assignments. Integrate cloud storage into your desktop and smartphone devices, so whatever you input while away is instantly available when you work from home.

Measure your task management by using a productivity app, such as Life Graphy. This app shows you your work habits and helps you discover better ways to use your time. You’ll become more efficient and improve your work-life balance.

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January 18, 2016 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Roxanne Doche

What’s your success story with HireMyMom?

I first started with HireMyMom as a recommendation from a friend back in 2009. We were trying for our second child and I really didn’t want to commit to a 9-5. Especially in my field, Marketing, since most jobs require long hours and a lot of traveling. I landed my first two consulting jobs within the first week. As it turned out, I did accept another full-time position, so I stopped consulting. Three years later, my older daughter was diagnosed with kidney cancer so I was forced to quit my job. We also had our third baby that year. Now that everyone is healthy and the youngest just started preschool, I decided to subscribe to HMM just to see what’s out there. I’m always so impressed by the amazing quality of people that post here. By the end of that week, I had interviewed with two companies that I completely fell in love with (both run by talented and successful moms) and they both hired me on the spot. It’s been four months and I’m still working with both of them, and I have picked up two more from HMM! And those moms have referred me to their friends and colleagues and I am now at the point where I have to turn down work. Considering the money that I would need to spend for full-time daycare for three, HMM is actually helping me earn more than I could in any office position, and I’m able to volunteer in my kids’ classrooms and attend every school performance … all while running the dishwasher and doing laundry. I owe this “dream” lifestyle to HMM!

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I majored in Communications at Northeastern University in Boston. I spent 15 years in various Marketing roles, most recently as a Marketing Director. I worked in Technology, Real Estate and Nonprofit. My emphasis is in online marketing, social media and copywriting/content management. I am also proficient in graphic design.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom?

Honestly, just be yourself. I am so honest in my cover letters. I personalize every single one of them and I tell the employer what I think I can offer their company. I am also very selective with which jobs that I apply to. I research the company to get a feel of the dynamic and the CEO. If I get a good vibe, I apply. Also, if you’re applying to a creative position (or even an admin job), build a website. It’s so easy to make a free web template on sites like Wix and Weebly. It helps the employer connect to you if you have a photo and a more in-depth bio available, as well as samples of your work. For non-creatives, LinkedIn works too!

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom?

Everything. I love how easy it is to apply for jobs. It’s so affordable and has an amazing community of employers. Even though I’m completely full right now, I won’t cancel my subscription. It’s reassuring to know that if I end up losing a client or two, I can easily rebuild my pipeline with just one click!

What’s one fun fact about you?

Graphic design started off as a hobby. I loved to edit and play with photos when I worked in analytical marketing for a major commercial real estate company. Occasionally, they would ask me to assist the creative team by adding a filter to a cover photo or importing stock photos into their brochures. That was so fun for me, so I started editing all of my personal photos. And then, I took a class, and eventually a few more. Now, graphic design is where I make the most money and it’s my absolute favorite part of the job!

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December 7, 2015 0 Comments

5 Tips for Home Based Work During the Holiday Season

It can be a challenge to juggle working from home during the holiday season. You’re doing your best to complete your tasks, but since your workspace is your home environment, this can get tricky this time of year. However, working from home has its flexibility perks, and you’ll be able to attend those Christmas concerts and holiday events with just a few tweaks of your schedule.

The holidays are a special time of year, so it’s important to recognize that and participate fully. On the other hand, work can pick up before the end of the year, so read along for some tips to manage both effectively.

Keep a normal daily schedule

As much as possible, plan ahead and keep a normal daily schedule. The more you can do this in the days surrounding the actual holidays, the more relaxed you can be on your days off.  Create a schedule now and do your best to prioritize as the holiday season moves along.

Hire some help

If your workload is too demanding right now or you want more time for friends and family during the holidays, consider hiring some help. You can find a great virtual assistant right here at HireMyMom.com. Need help with kids? Look for college students home for the holidays. They can also help with wrapping gifts, organizing your home / office and even help with some home office tasks that you’ve gotten behind on. 

Make time for what’s important

Work will always be there – but the holidays won’t be. Make time for what’s important, especially this time of year. If you have to work a weekend afternoon to be able to attend a holiday event, it’s worth the extra effort. Cherish the memories that the holidays help create. You’ll look back someday and be glad you did!

Schedule something special

Since your home is your workspace, it can feel like the day goes from work to celebration central in a matter of ours! Schedule some special outings, occasions, shows, and so on for this time of year. It feels good to get out of the house, and you can still use your home for those cozy nights over hot chocolate, good movies, and gift wrapping.

Don’t stress out

Overall, don’t stress out too much! It can seem like the work is piling up this time of year and that it will never stop.  2016 will be here before we know it, and all we can do is our best to complete the rest of 2015.

Create your schedules, make time for what’s important, and minimize stress for a fun and efficient holiday season!

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November 30, 2015 0 Comments

3 Ways to Make Money Over the Holidays

There are three simple ways to make money over the holidays – and they will all put some extra cash in your pocket this upcoming holiday season! Not only will you come out with more money, you’ll gain different experiences and ways to create more income on a regular basis.

 

The holidays are known for being a time when we spend money, not make it. Although this is common as we’re giving gifts to loved ones and donating to charities we support, you can still make money around the holiday season.

 

Utilize the Online Sites

 

Online job search sites such as HireMyMom.com are great for extra income. Not only do they provide job opportunities, but all jobs can be completed remotely – or from home.

 

The holidays are already an incredibly busy time of year, and avoiding an extra commute is key to keep stress at bay. When you join HireMyMom.com, you can easily search for jobs from the comfort of your own home.  In a matter of days, you could be getting paid to do what you love in a virtual environment.

 

HireMyMom.com works with top notch companies and potential employees who are looking for genuine, legitimate jobs. Take a look around and find that job that might be helpful for the holidays – and possibly even into the New Year!

 

Find Something Seasonal

 

Seasonal work is common this time of year, as the stores need a lot of extra help with increased customers and demand. Between department stores and small local businesses, it’s typically fairly easy to find places looking for seasonal workers.

 

Also, as the job is seasonal, you can simply see it as a way to bring in extra funds.  If you also work another job, the extra hours will not last forever.  If you have a bit of extra time, finding seasonal work is a great way to supplement your income, spread some holiday cheer, and stay busy during the season.

 

Clean It Out

 

This is a great time of year to clean out your closets! Many items can be donated, but brand new items or more obscure items may be better off as sold.

 

There are numerous ways to sell your items – online via eBay, Craigslist, and so on; in person via local Facebook “buy and sell” groups, and of course, the ever-popular garage sale, which is really only applicable if you live in a warm climate!
Selling items that you aren’t using is a great way to make room for the new items you’ll likely gather from the holidays, as well as bringing in some extra cash.

 

Taking some time to look through used clothing, new clothing that you won’t use, or various household items – there are bound to be several things that you don’t need anymore.

All in all, making money over the holiday season is a relatively simple task.  Go through your unused items, inquire about potential seasonal work, and go online for home based options at sites such as HireMyMom.com. You’ll find the holidays less stressful on your bank account in no time!

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November 23, 2015 0 Comments

3 Keys to Facebook Fan Page Success

Not only is Facebook important on a personal level, it’s even more crucial for business. How many times do we look up a business online and look to see if they have a Facebook page?  Websites are great and informative, but Facebook pages show how a company interacts with customers and clients, as well as how the communicate on a more frequent basis.  In a word, it sets the tone of the business.

 

In addition to giving more information to your prospective customers, your Facebook page can give great insight into how you do business on a personal level. Read along for some tips to keep your page professional, engaging, and successful.

 

Be Consistent

 

Consistency is key with social media! If you can’t post on a consistent scale, don’t bother having the page. You don’t need to post daily (or multiple times per day), but a good place to start is 2-3x per week.  Once you can do this consistently for several months, feel free to bump it up. As long as you have quality content available – and you are willing to post consistently – post as often as you’d like.

 

Consistency also shows customers that you’re relevant.  If your last post is from 2 years ago and you are in the habit of posting approximately once every few weeks, it can show that you’re a bit out of touch.  Again, if you aren’t willing to post to your page(s) consistently, it’s better not to have one at all.

 

Be Valuable

 

Providing value has become a type of buzzword these days – and for good reason. Valuable content brings potential customers to you, and it also keeps them coming back for more. We often think that hoarding our information until someone buys is the key to sales, but it’s actually quite the opposite. When we give a lot of free, valuable information away, we are seen as the trusted, expert source in our industry.  When you take the time to provide a lot of value, it’s clear that you know your subject matter, and customers feel much more trustworthy in buying from you.

 

Your customers will come to appreciate this value, and will also look to you when they’re ready to purchase something. How do you feel when a page you follow consistently posts about selling?  It gets to be obnoxious, and you don’t feel that you’re receiving anything from them.  Put this into practice and you’ll likely see an increase in engagement as well as sales.  To entice people to “like” your page, you can even offer special discounts to “Fans only” or something similar.

 

Be Personable

 

Lastly, be personable! Facebook is not as serious as your website, and you’re allowed to have a little bit of fun. Post inspirational, humorous, and fun posts from time to time, along with your value-added posts.


Also, there are many businesses that you’re able to review on Facebook.  You may get a review that isn’t so nice, and whether it’s warranted or not, do your best to stay calm and respond to it kindly.  This is your chance to shine! How you respond to reviews says a lot about you and your business, and customers like to see you take the high road.  Respond in a calm, rational way, and your future customers are far less likely to hold a few bad reviews against you.  Additionally, do your best to respond to comments and questions as quickly (and as often) as possible.  Being personable and kind goes a long way!

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November 18, 2015 0 Comments

Career Advice from Leading Mom Executives

According to Pew Research, women only make up five percent of CEOs in the nation’s Fortune 500 companies and only 17 percent of their board members. For a woman, running a corporation while balancing a family is rife with issues from business acquisitions to missing school functions. Meanwhile, no one thinks much about how CEOs who are fathers manage to do both.

 

In a business world dominated by male leaders, the advice from leading mom executives resonates with women everywhere. Whether you’re hoping to gather some inspiration to get back into the workforce or calculate your next career move, these women leaders have insights to share.

 

Hilary Schneider

President of LifeLock, Hilary Schneider, oversees all aspects of the company’s business strategy from operations to growth and formerly held an executive role at Yahoo. Despite Schneider’s role as a business leader with a focus on strategy, she gave a speech with Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum on the necessity to focus on employee culture as a means for transformation and engagement. Schneider knows that strategy isn’t everything. Ignoring a new generation demanding a better work-life balance is detrimental to business.

 

LifeLock aligns itself with that same point-of-view with a challenging work environment that still fosters and honors work culture. Wellness rewards, four weeks of paid time off from year one, an anniversary recognition program and tuition assistance are just some of the perks extended to employees to help integrate a balance of work and play into their culture.

 

Ann-Marie Campbell

President of Home Depot’s Southern Division, Ann-Marie Campbell started at the corporation as a cashier in 1985. Campbell told Georgia State University’s alumni magazine that she loved the personal family atmosphere of Home Depot and being given challenging opportunities. She credits speaking up and staying open to opportunities as a means to get seen and mentored by people who could help.

 

Campbell believes the world is a community and developing others is truly when you succeed. Home Depot’s job page reflects those sentiments with everything from hiring events to military job seekers, volunteer opportunities and job postings. Moms looking to align themselves with a family-friendly company and emulate the success of their female leaders can set up a Google job alert to keep tabs on positions that get them closer to their goals.

 

Indra Nooyi

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi shook off criticism when she focused on healthier snack and drink options and pivoted the company. Not one for hiding behind corporate rhetoric and marketing trends, she publicly proclaimed Pepsi needed to address obesity and stuck her ground on the long view instead of what investors wanted to hear.

 

Nooyi is fearless, but told “Fast Company” that some of the best advice she ever received was to improve yourself in order to improve your organization. Much like any mom, whether a top executive or not, it’s integral to improve yourself in order to help guide the family and create an environment poised for growth.

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November 16, 2015 0 Comments

3 Key Personality Traits in Home Based Workers

Working from home takes a special personality, as you aren’t working within the normal confines of a traditional workplace. Although anyone can learn and adjust their strategy to be successful, certain innate traits will make a home based career much simpler.

 

The traits below are most suited for working from home, so if you see yourself in them, rest assured that you will likely be successful working from home. If not, you’ll know what to work on if a home based career is your ultimate goal.

 

Independent Self Starter

 

The ideal work from home employee is highly independent and not afraid to be a self starter. They are used to working by themselves, save for some phone calls, video chats, and emails between employees and clients.

 

Since you aren’t in an office, you’ll have to motivate yourself, and sometimes, without someone giving you direct feedback and orders, it can be tough to stay focused.  Independent self starters are very capable of handling these long stretches of alone time, and they can get work done while they do.  They aren’t hesitant to start work and often work ahead to make sure they stay productive and on task.

 

Organized

 

Those who work from home must be very organized. Organization in an office environment is also incredibly useful, but for home based work, it is crucial. First of all, it’s highly likely that you’ll be working with a variety of employers and/or clients, so keeping them straight and tasks complete is first and foremost.

 

Organization can be as simple as task and to do lists, or as complex as employing a third party system to keep things in place. The ideal home based worker knows that they’ll need to be organized, and they’ll likely already be working this way in a traditional setting.

 

Time Manager

 

Time management comes along with organization, but it’s a separate component all its own. You can be organized without having a good concept of time management and working from home requires both.

 

Organization is the process of keeping everything in order and completed, while time management ensures that everything is done in a reasonable time frame that still leaves you time to lead your life.


When you work from home, it can be easy to get caught up in distractions and other items in your house.  The TV, radio, and so on are much more easily accessible in a home office.  Time management is one task that you can’t take too seriously.  If you make it a priority, you’ll be able to work the same amount of hours as an office job, while in the comfort of your own home.

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October 26, 2015 0 Comments

4 Best Work From Home Admin Tools

Working from home often leaves you without a lot of the administrative help and tools that are available in a traditional office environment.

 

Although your job may not come equipped with the necessary admin tools, the digital marketplace has an abundance of options to keep you organized – as well as efficient. Read along for some of the top administrative tools to make working from home much more effective.

 

Basecamp

 

Basecamp is a project management tool that is web-based. It allows you to work much more effectively in a team environment, as well as keep track of tasks and items to do.  Although Basecamp would keep any work from home employee on task, it’s especially great for teams. You can create collaborative to do lists, check off tasks, assign tasks to others, and so on. It’s a place to see everything in one place, as well as easily add your input, files, photos, and so on, to any discussion or project. Basecamp offers a free trial and then starts at $20/month.

 

Trello is a similar project management tool that also allows you to collaborate and keep to do lists organized.

 

Billings

 

When you work from home, you often have to create and send your own invoices, as well as keep track of your time. Another difficult task can be finding this type of program for a Mac – this is where Billings comes in.  It’s a downloadable program that allows you to track time on your desktop, as well as send invoices and manage your clients in one place.

 

Billings is also affordable, ranging from $5-10 per month, and you can backup your past invoices to your computer.  Overall, the program allows a simple method for tracking your time, sending invoices, and managing your financial workspace in one simple application.

 

Sprout Social

 

Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management tool.  Another tool that’s also excellent for groups, Sprout is a useful tool for anyone posting to numerous social media profiles and accounts. Link your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn business and personal, Google+ business and personal pages, and so on.  

 

This way, you can schedule posts, post to more than one profile at a time, and even pull reports. With the click of a few buttons, you can export detailed reports for yourself or for your clients. This allows them to see crucial data in a simplistic way, as well as beneficial information for comparison of campaign effectiveness.  You can see interesting things such as location and gender of followers, new followers over the time frame requested, and which day is most popular for posts on that particular page.

 

Hootsuite is a similar social media management tool that allows you to schedule postings across various profiles and accounts.

 

Evernote

 

Evernote is the place for all of your ideas to become organized and also presented, if need be.  It’s designed to be a place for you to take and organize notes, archive them, write lists, clip articles from the internet, and so on.  It also allows you to create presentations from your notes (without creating slides), making it an ideal business collaboration tool as well.

 

It’s helpful to have a place to keep all of your notes and web interests, making it an organizational dream and productivity tool.

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