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March 14, 2022

How a Great Elevator Pitch Can Win You New Clients

Imagine entering an elevator and finding that the only other person in the lift is your dream client or the hiring manager for your dream job. It’s just the two of you, and you are both riding to the 20th floor. You have about 30 seconds to introduce yourself and explain all the reasons why you–or your business–are the perfect fit for her needs.

You take a deep breath, smile, and deliver your best elevator pitch. 

As you reach the 20th floor, the person hands you her card and asks you to call so you can talk more. Success! 

If imagining this scenario has you wondering what in the heck an elevator pitch is and how to write one, this blog is for you. 

The HireMyMom team has seen firsthand how an elevator pitch can launch a career or change the trajectory of a business. Here we explain what an elevator pitch is, and share our best tips for creating and delivering one that works for you.

What’s an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short, well-rehearsed introduction of yourself and your skills/business. The pitch conveys all the vital information about you in around 30 seconds, using about 75 to 100 well-selected words.

It’s called an elevator pitch as a reference to a time when people generally worked in offices, and catching an executive in the elevator was an opportunity people sought.

Of course, the world has changed. In all likelihood, neither you nor your dream client is riding an elevator up to an office. But, the need for an elevator pitch remains as strong as ever, even if the pitch is delivered over Zoom or at a local networking event.

A good elevator pitch shows that you are comfortable taking the lead in conversations, makes it easy for you to introduce yourself to potential clients and employers, and helps you proceed with confidence when someone asks you to tell them about yourself.

The key is to develop an elevator pitch before you need it and then rehearse it, so you are ready to go when the opportunity arises.

How to Create an Elevator Pitch

Developing an effective elevator pitch is a process, and it takes some work and attention. But, the good news is that you are the world’s foremost expert on the topic of why you are a great find.

Write down some key points you want to include in your pitch to get started. In general, your elevator pitch should:

  • Start with an introduction. Include information about yourself. Share your name, add something about your education, and highlight your prior professional experiences.
  • Move on to a clear description of the problem your skill/business can solve.
  • Mention the customer/business who would most benefit from your skill/product.
  • Describe the benefits the customer/employer would enjoy from working with you.
  • Ask for a follow-up meeting.

Tell a (Short) Story

Once you identify your key points, start working them into a narrative that feels comfortable for you.

Here’s an example of an elevator pitch that someone launching a Virtual Assistant business might use.

“Hi, I’m Kate. It’s so nice to meet you! I have a degree in business administration and run a thriving Virtual Assistant business helping small business owners free up more time and space to focus on their core business. I do that by taking all the back-office tasks off their plates in a seamless way. I can book meetings, respond to customer requests, or take calls–I offer a fully customizable suite of services based on your needs. I’d love to talk more with you about how I can help make your business run more smoothly.”

Here’s another example of a pitch for a freelance graphic designer.

“Hi, I’m Lisa. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve always been interested in graphic design and recently earned a degree in the field. I’m particularly interested in creating gorgeous e-commerce sites for small business owners. I use my design and photography skills to make your products stand out. I’d love to talk with you about how we could work together if that’s Ok. Let me get your card or jot down your email and I’ll send you some additional information.” 

Here’s an example of a pitch that would suit someone looking for a full-time job.

“Hi, I’m Joanna. After several years of bookkeeping, I earned a certificate in Accounting and am eager to find a full-time position where I can use my skills and experience. Your company has a great reputation in the industry. I’d love to join your team to contribute while I continue to learn and grow. Do you have a card to share? I’d love to send you a follow-up email or set aside time to talk about opportunities.” 

Once you have a narrative you like, start saying it aloud. Try it out on a friend and make tweaks to sections that don’t feel comfortable. Pick up a pen (or keyboard) and make changes to sections that don’t feel natural or need a little polish.

After your tweaks, get out a timer and see how long it takes to deliver your pitch. 

  • If it runs more than a minute, sharpen it a bit so you can comfortably deliver the message in under 60 seconds.
  • If your message takes less than 30 seconds, look for a way to beef it up.

Practice Make Perfect

Once you have your pitch ready to go, you are confident in the content, and you know how long it takes to deliver it, it’s time to practice. The more times you say it, the more comfortable you’ll feel delivering it. 

As you say it out loud, you’ll get a sense of where you might stumble, the words you most want to emphasize, and the cadence that feels most comfortable. To get there faster:

  • Deliver the pitch to your spouse.
  • Share it with a friend.
  • Practice in the mirror.
  • Say it to yourself in the car.
  • Recite it as you pet the dog.

Tell Us

We’d love to hear about your elevator pitch. Tell us how you developed it, where you used it, and how it worked. We can’t wait to hear about it!

 

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March 7, 2022

Embrace change: Top 3 Talent Acquisition Trends for 2022

The lasting implications of the pandemic and ongoing digital transformations within our working cultures mean that HR managers are dealing with more challenges than ever. Government payouts and forced remote policies are complicating hiring processes, while reimagined trends and new standards for consumer interactions are shaping what employees have come to expect. This leaves us with the decision to lay off employees, reposition them, or hire people with different skill sets.

It’s undeniable that finding talent might get quite expensive and time-consuming. According to Employee Benefit News, employers spend around 33% of a worker’s annual salary during the replacement process. And it takes approximately 24 days to hire someone—not including reviewing resumes to find the best candidates.

Due to the Great Resignation, the talent pool is wider than ever. The crux of the matter is that many of millions of job seekers don’t have enough experience to do the new jobs requiring new skills. Employers are facing a maze of challenges—and they need to find a way out to stay competitive in the market.

I have worked for years to upskill women and help them find flexible work opportunities. But the current work market needs are broader than that. Here’s my take on what you should do to navigate today’s recruitment challenges, only aggravated by the Great Resignation, pandemic, and global competition over talent.

Upskilling and reskilling to optimize employee performance

Transitioning existing employees into new positions is more cost-effective than recruiting. Furthermore,  workforce training allows companies to maximize employee potential and workers to keep their jobs by expanding their skills to different areas.  

A Gartner report shows that 33% of the skills listed in a typical job posting in 2017 are no longer necessary, and new job posts require 10% more skills than previous years. For instance, collaboration platform management, data engineering, being bilingual, and customer empathy are some of the skills in demand for tech companies.

The first step is to identify what kind of skill sets you need to have to run your business effectively and successfully. Then, you can pinpoint what’s missing and find out whom you need to train to close current gaps. Ultimately, team leaders should outline the roadmap towards growth—employee plans should include goals, training schedules, and a target date for completion.

Second, inspire your employees to join upskilling programs. You might want to avoid employee burnout. Remember that they are already very busy and often feel that they don’t have time to learn new skills. By setting learning time into the workload, you can encourage your employees to improve their skills. 

This way, you can have more qualified employees as well as foster loyalty. According to research by IBM, employees are 42% more likely to remain with a company long-term if they received training that helped them perform their work at a higher level.

As an added benefit, upskilling increases employees satisfaction and retention. The statistics are astounding. Companies with a comprehensive training program have a 218% higher income per employee than companies that don’t. They also have a 24% higher profit margin than companies that spend less on this kind of employee development. 

Industry giants have already put a significant amount of money into upskilling. For instance, Amazon invested  $700 million in training programs. I can hear you saying, ”After all, they have all the money—it’s Amazon.” You also have many options. Encourage knowledge sharing and empower collaborative work in your organization. Workshops can be more informative and inspiring than you might think. Creating a safe zone where constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated will help you point your employees in the right direction.

Take your time to explore platforms like Udemy, edX, or Coursera if you don’t have in-house training opportunities. Besides, some Ivy League universities share their lectures on YouTube. When you have the budget, you can offer to pay a certain percentage of tuition and fees towards a certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study.

Advance recruiter expertise for a better employer brand

According to Glassdoor, 86% of job seekers look at a company’s reviews before applying for a job—your reputation precedes you. But an interview with recruiters is the first personal connection with the company, putting significant responsibilities on recruiters’ shoulders. Not doing the job well means time and money lost as well as employer brand damage.

Make sure that your brand ambassadors—recruiters—represent the company in the best way possible. People say that ‘’The best interviews flow like a conversation rather than an interrogation.’’ It might be true—but it has some issues. You can go off the topic and leave some important questions unanswered. Moreover, being like-minded and having common interests can cloud one’s judgment. 

A structured interview helps you be clear about the role, set your expectations and non-negotiables in a candidate, such as skills and traits. This way, it’s more likely that you provide a better candidate experience. Why does it matter? Because 26% of people decline an offer because they had a negative experience during the interview process. 

Along with the skill sets, it’s key to identify if the candidate is a cultural fit for the team. In this context, I refer to goals and missions for both employers and employees. Choosing someone who is skilled but not a good match for your team can impact overall performance, success, and even disrupt company culture. 

Ask the candidates what type of work environment they are most productive in and what management style motivates them. You can also ask if the candidate has any concerns about your company culture based on their research before the interview. The answers will help you understand what the applicants are looking for. 

Lastly, word travels fast. Any negative experience will come back to you as comments on social media accounts, affecting your employer brand. If this has happened to you before, make sure that your HR team gives the appropriate answers. Job seekers are more likely to apply if your company actively manages its brand by responding to reviews and communicating on social media.

Remote work for freedom and flexibility

After getting a taste of freedom, many employees don’t want to go back to the office. One of the most notable benefits of working from home is being able to have a better work-life balance. On top of that, people can plan their days, have more flexible and appealing childcare and eldercare options as well as reduce some expenses. 

From an employer’s perspective, offering remote work is rewarding. Some recruiters simply realize that virtual interviews and remote recruitment are time-saving and efficient methods. Most importantly, offering remote work makes your talent pool the talent ocean.

Even if we’ve been talking about the benefits of working remotely for some time, 44% of companies still don’t allow it—and these companies are limiting their talent pool by simply not offering remote work opportunities. Your ideal candidate might be miles away from you—don’t let distance come between you and top talent. 

Digital nomads are living proof of rising remote work culture. There are more than 15 million digital nomads from the US alone. The ability to work from anywhere in the world, higher salary expectations, and flexibility won’t let digital nomad growth slow down.

Besides offering remote work, consider paying a competitive salary, offering out-of-the-box incentives and bonuses—while creating a work culture that attracts ideal candidates, you can boost employee satisfaction.

The bottom line is that the talent is out there, and you need to ensure that you set a productive environment for the arrival of future candidates and employees.

 

 

 

 

 

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January 17, 2022

How to Win During the Great Resignation so Your Business Can Grow

If you are a small business owner, you may be feeling dizzy from all the economic news of the last year. Inflation is rising. Labor is in short supply, Americans are quitting jobs in record numbers and workers are asking for more from their jobs–more money, more flexibility, and more meaning. We expect these trends to accelerate into the new year.

To help you prepare as we head into 2022, we’ve gathered the HireMyMom team to round up the most common questions we hear and the answers from our team of pros. This Q and A style blog offers a window into what we see across clients and from our mom professionals. At the end, we include our best advice to make this strange moment work for your business. With knowledge about what’s happening and a solid strategy, your business could emerge stronger than ever and with your best staff.

Are people really leaving jobs, or is the Great Resignation a media term?

According to HireMyMom’s concierge team, the Great Resignation is genuinely underway. 

People are leaving their jobs in record numbers for a variety of reasons. Our recruiting team reports that people are parting ways with employers to earn more money and find better work environments. People who are being called back into an office full time or those losing work-from-home options or flexible hours are especially prone to packing up and moving on.

Kelly, who works on our recruiting team, said mom professionals tell her that working from home is no longer a perk but a requirement. She’s also seeing many highly-skilled women start a small business, so they have more flexibility to define their work lives. 

Many people used the time during the pandemic to reassess properties and take a fresh look at professional ambitions. 

Tesia, who also works in recruiting, recalled a woman she interviewed earlier this week. She said that had it not been for the pandemic and her experience working remotely, she never would have left her job. But, now that she’s back in the office, she misses the family connection and flexibility of her work-from-home job, so she’s looking for new opportunities. 

Our team is not alone in noticing the trend. According to data released by the Labor Department, about 4.2 million people abandoned jobs in October, which accounts for about 2.8% of the U.S. workforce. In September, a record 4.4 million people left a job. 

Is it really tougher to hire new people than it’s been in the past?

According to our CEO and Founder, Lesley Pyle, this is the most challenging hiring environment she’s seen in her 15 years of running HireMyMom.com. She observed that it’s truly an employee’s market. She said it’s more difficult to fill common jobs–like virtual assistant roles–than it was just a few months ago.

The National Federation of Independent Business Job Report said that 93% of small business owners reported few or no candidates for open jobs in November. And that was a slight improvement over the 95% of business owners who reported the same for October. 

Tesia said she’d seen this first hand, explaining that applicants are scarce for some jobs but stronger for jobs that offer higher pay and managerial responsibilities. High-quality candidates are getting snapped up quickly, she said.  

Overall, the Labor Department reported 11 million job openings in October and estimates almost 5 million more open jobs than people seeking work. 

Part of the shortage is that many mothers are still on the sidelines. According to the Associated Press, when the pandemic started in the spring of 2020, about 3.5 million moms with school-age children left the workforce, lost jobs, or took leaves of absence from work. 

And, many working women are still out of the workforce as child care and school schedules remain in flux. According to McKinsey & Company, one in three mothers may be forced to scale back or opt out of work because of the increased demands the pandemic puts on mothers.

What advice do you have for companies that need new employees or want to grow?

Building a team is one of the most important things you can do as a small business owner. Obviously, there are some headwinds as you start to hire. 

But, there are plenty of upsides, too. If you can offer the right combination of opportunity, pay, and flexibility, you could nab a superstar who has left another employer. The first step is to make your job stand out in a crowded market.

As you prepare to hire, here are a few tips:

  • Move quickly. Employers are snapping up top applicants fast. Hold off on posting your opening until you have a window of time to look at applications and move quickly on an interview and offer. It’s OK to take a few days to decide, but if you leave applicants hanging for weeks as you make your decision or get pulled in other directions, you are likely to miss out on your top choice. 
  • Make it easy to apply for your open role. Applicants with many options may not invest hours completing an online application or doing a skills test upfront. Save that for a final round of interviews. Also, consider if those activities actually yield better candidates and help you decide. If not–or if you aren’t sure–this may be the time to retire those practices.
  • Take a critical look at pay. Offering low pay will extend the time it takes to find the right person and reduce the pool of high-quality applicants for you to consider. Paying a bit more could save you money in the long term and reduce your turnover. 

 

Pay is tricky, but generally, higher pay attracts stronger candidates. Be realistic about the skills you are looking for and what the market is paying for those skills. You can talk with the pros at HireMyMom to help you find the proper pay range for your job. 

  • Be flexible. Candidates often look for flexible hours, which can mean many different things, from part-time hours to a shared job. For some applicants, it’s the ability to work different hours on different days. 

Before you post a job, think about what you need and be clear in your posting about your flexibility. The more flexibility you have, the greater the number of candidates you will likely attract. If you don’t think there’s much flexibility in your role, run your thinking by others and see if you can’t find some wiggle room to make the job more attractive to candidates.

  • Cast a wider net. As a small business owner offering flexible and meaningful jobs, there is a tremendous pool of workers that you can tap into–moms who are ready to leave the rat race and find work-from-home positions that meet their needs. 

To find mom professionals interested in remote job opportunities, partner with a niche job site like HireMyMom to access a dedicated pool of professionals looking for remote work. Because HireMyMom charges job seekers a fee to access job listings, all our job seekers are serious about finding work. And, the volume of resumes that flow in is more manageable than the numbers that arrive when jobs are advertised on free job sites.

And, follow these tips to help you tap into that resource.

What are you experiencing as you try to hire new team members? Drop us a line and share your experiences.

 

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December 13, 2021

Ready to Change Your Work Life? Check out These Top Secret Job Trends

If you’ve turned on the television, listened to the radio, or opened a newspaper lately,  you’ve likely heard about the labor shortage in the United States. Even if you’ve managed to escape the news in the media, you’ve probably seen help wanted signs hanging from virtually every shop, restaurant, and service provider in town.

What’s more, remote teams and work-from-home jobs have never been more popular with employers or employees. When the pandemic sent workers home, many employers were forced to rethink operations and have turned to home-based staff to get work done. And, many people–especially moms–found that working from home improved the quality of their family life and they want to stick with it.

The confluence of these trends means it’s a great time to find a work-from-home job. While a tight labor market can be challenging for employers, it offers an opportunity for job seekers. 

HireMyMom has been helping match small businesses with professional women who want to work from home for decades. Through our concierge service, we also help employers find the right candidate quickly. All of this hiring action gives us a good look at trends.  

Bottom line: It’s a great time to be looking for a new job. We see hourly rates creeping up and an increasing number of job posts as people leave their current jobs and look for better ones that offer more pay, greater flexibility, and the freedom to work at home. And, employers are moving quickly to snap up talent before candidates move on to other possibilities.

We talked with the HireMyMom concierge team members to find out what types of jobs are hot right now and what those employers are looking for in candidates. Consider this blog your secret job-hunting weapon as we head into 2022.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistant or VA jobs are perpetually popular, but we’ve seen a noticeable uptick in postings for these roles lately. As businesses grow, many entrepreneurs are eager to find support for administrative tasks. 

VA’s take care of many tasks, including email response, appointment setting, travel planning, and calendar management. It’s a great business model because it solves a problem so many business owners have–squeezing more tasks into a day. Small business owners looking for on-demand support or help with administrative tasks find VA’s indispensable.

It’s also an excellent lifestyle for moms who want to control their own time, skip the commute, and put family first while still keeping professional ambitions alive. For many moms, launching a business that provides economic security and flexibility is a top 2022 priority. 

VAs can work for more than one client on a part-time basis or for a single client. Some are employees, but it’s more common for a VA to work as a contractor. 

If you are interested in launching your own business, consider starting a VA service. There are some great opportunities for free training for aspiring VA’s who want to begin the journey. If you’re interested in exploring this career path with additional training, we’ve rounded up the best VA training options so you can find the one that works best for you.

Bookkeepers and Accountants

We are seeing an increasing number of posts for bookkeeping and accountant roles. These jobs are quickly moving to work-from-home positions.  

These jobs generally require a degree of expertise and training is available to help you learn more and decide if this is the right career path for you, even if you don’t have experience in the field.

Check out this YouTube video of our founder, Lesley Pyle, and founder of Stay at Home Bookkeeper, Tiffany Higgins, talking about getting started with a bookkeeping business. 

Online Business Manager

We are seeing strong and growing demand for Online Business Managers (OBMs). An OBM  takes over the daily operations of a business, freeing the founder and other executives to concentrate on growing the business and pursuing new ventures. The OBM steps in as the Chief Operating Officer for the company, managing day-to-day tasks across a broad spectrum of functions.

At the most basic level, OBMs lead a team. They understand the company’s objectives for the business and are focused on leading all elements of the team to understand that vision. Many businesses use OBM’s, including those that operate online and those with more traditional operations. OBM’s have a skill set that can be used to help run any type of business.  

OBM’s often have administrative backgrounds or experience in logistics. We see many work-from-home moms start as VA’s and grow their businesses to serve as OBM’s by adding additional services. 

Here’s a closer look at what OBM’s do and why growing small businesses love them. 

Social Media Manager/Specialist

Using social media to promote their business and specific offerings is a crucial strategy for many small businesses. But, managing social media accounts and conducting promotions require time and expertise, which are often outside of the business owner’s area of expertise. Because social media is a powerful and ubiquitous force that changes frequently, many small business owners are hiring social media managers to increase the quality and effectiveness of their social media efforts.

Social media managers work with clients to develop a social media strategy, set short- and long-term goals, select the right platforms based on those goals, offer promotional ideas, create social media content and assess results.

We are seeing robust demand for people with Google Ads expertise as company’s work to make their posts stand out in a crowded marketplace. Social media managers with solid Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experience are also in high demand.

To learn more, link to the Complete Digital Marketing Course.

What Are You Seeing?

Drop us a line and tell us about the jobs you think will be hot next year.

 

 

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September 13, 2021

How to Hire a Superstar in a Sizzling Job Market

Hiring is tough for everyone right now–big and small businesses alike are struggling to find the right people. But, as a small business owner, there’s a tremendous pool of workers that you can tap into–moms who are ready to leave the rat race and find work-from-home positions that provide flexibility and meaning. 

The pandemic forced many families to re-evaluate the work-life balance equation and prompted people to reconsider their career trajectories to determine if they are on the right track. Prudential, the global financial services giant’s latest Pulse of the American Worker survey, found that 48% of Americans are rethinking the type of job they want post-pandemic. According to the research, work-life balance is one of the drivers behind the shift.

These changes are leading to the “great resignation” or the “great reshuffling” that you may have heard about. Many are willing to trade the perks and income of a large employer for a more flexible job where they can contribute in a meaningful way. 

As a small business owner looking for a remote team, you are perfectly positioned to scoop up these workers who can bring a wealth of knowledge and resources to the job and your business.

Here’s your guide to tapping into this valuable talent pool to grow your business and add talent that might not ordinarily be available.

 

Focus on Moms 

Focusing on moms is a great place to find your next superstar employee. As the light starts to appear at the end of the pandemic tunnel, many large employers are plotting return-to-work plans. But, many moms who have been working at home for the last year and a half are looking for an alternative to going back to the office and are turning their notice into large employers rather than reshuffle family life to accommodate a commute. 

If you can offer flexibility and a remote job opportunity, you are well-positioned to find an experienced hire who can help your business grow.

To find mom professionals interested in remote job opportunities, partner with a niche job site like HireMyMom to have access to a dedicated pool of professionals looking for remote work. Because HireMyMom charges job seekers a fee to access job listings, all our job seekers are serious about finding work. And, the volume of resumes that flow in is more manageable than the numbers that arrive when jobs are advertised on free job sites.

Employers love us because they know they can find high-quality, highly motivated candidates who want to work from home by partnering with HireMyMom.

 

How to Make Sense of Corporate Speak on a Resume

Once you have created a post and applicants start to roll in, finding the right person may take a little detective work. 

As people transition out of jobs with large employers, resumes may be full of unfamiliar terms and titles that don’t seem to match your needs. But, a few tricks can make those resumes easier to decipher.

As you review resumes, look for department names and activities that line up with your needs. For example, suppose you are looking for someone to do online marketing. In that case, you may review candidates from a diverse pool of experiences that include departments that range from marketing to public affairs. Likewise, titles can vary.

You may see titles as varied as a project manager, marketing associate, or vice president of marketing. Try not to get hung up on the title. 

The key is to look at the person’s specific activities to find the fit for your role. As you look through that list of accomplishments for each job, keep your eyes peeled for the types of skills you need. 

For example, if you know that you need someone with marketing experience, look past the title and department and see if the skills you need are listed. It may be tempting to only look at the most recent job the applicant has held. But, looking back a little can reveal how the applicant’s career has unfolded and provide essential clues about overall abilities and learning agility. Review the cover letter for additional insight.

If all this sounds daunting, you may prefer to use HireMyMom’s Concierge service. We created the Concierge Service for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners, like you, who need to hire help but don’t have the time or desire to go through the time-consuming process.

With our full-service Concierge Service, our HR Specialists will do it all for you from start to finish and present you with the top candidate(s) sourced from a wide array of qualified applicants who will be dedicated to helping your business succeed and grow. 

 

Confronting Common Fears

Many employers look at a resume full of corporate experience or stuffed with fancy titles and decide to take a pass for one of several reasons. Here are some of the most common concerns I hear from employers and some additional things to consider:

Fear: The pay requirements for that person will be too high. 

Reality: The applicant saw the pay range in your posting and decided to apply for the job. Some people value flexibility and opportunity more highly than money at different life phases.

Fear: Experienced workers won’t be happy and might leave quickly.

Reality: Workers with a lot of experience know that it takes time to learn a new job and likely have the breadth of perspective that helps them persevere through the first few months on the job. 

Fear: Experiences at a large organization aren’t transferable to my business.

Reality: Many experiences at large employers still involve small teams, so the experience of a small team is unlikely to be foreign. Also, an experienced employee from a large company may be able to share new ideas or best practices with your team. 

 

Interview to Screen Out Concerns

If you have some of the concerns above or others, rest assured that the proper interview strategy can help you sort through your concerns and find the right person. During the interview:

  • Ask the candidate about her intentions.
  • Inquire about the specific things she is looking for in a new job.
  • Ask about the type of flexibility she is looking for in a job.

These questions can help put your mind at ease and make it easier to feel confident in extending a job offer.

 

Go Ahead, Leap!

If you’ve never hired an experienced person before, the prospect of doing so can feel daunting. But, with a bit of leg work, the right questions, and a partner like HireMyMom, I’m sure you can find the right person to help your business grow.

Once you find your superstar mom employee, send me a note sharing your experience.

 

 

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August 30, 2021

Employer Success Story: Jessica Blasingame

What is your top advice for small business owners looking to hire remote talent?

Be patient. Sometimes it takes time for the right candidate to apply to your position.

What is your top tip for working with a virtual team?

Set up clear policies and procedures from the start. This includes knowing exactly when everyone on the team will be available for communication. This also allows for a proper work/life balance for team members and avoids the feeling of being “connected at all times”. Set clear ground rules for working remotely so everyone on the team understands the expectations.

Why did you decide to use HireMyMom.com for your hiring needs?

I am a mom myself and I love being able to support other moms with flexible work options.

What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your business career?

I wish someone had told me to give myself more structure when I was first starting out. In the early stages of my business I felt stressed and disorganized mostly because I didn’t know what to focus on and when. There is so much to learn when you are a new business owner. Now I plan both my goals for the upcoming months and the year as well as my calendar for each week so I have a sense of calm surrounding what needs to be done.

What do you see as your greatest success in life?

Building my business from the ground up while having the flexibility to care for my daughter and family.  Beam Financial Group, is a full-service bookkeeping and accounting firm supporting Creative Service Providers!

 

 

Let us feature you as one of our Employer Success Stories or Job Seeker Success Stories!

 

 

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May 24, 2021

Top Tips to Make Your Job Stand Out in a Crowded Market

As the job market heats up, you may be looking for new team members but finding it difficult to attract applicants. In this market, it’s essential that your job posting stands out for all the right reasons. Job seekers have more choices now than they have over the last few years, and with school and child care options still in flux in many places, job seekers are taking their time to find the right mix of pay, flexibility, opportunity, and work activities. 

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a great person to fill your open role. It simply means that you’ll want to make sure that your job posting stands out from the crowd and attracts quality applicants. With the right strategy and a few tricks of the trade, you can craft a job post that attracts applicants and results in a solid hire for your team. The key is knowing what’s most important to you, preparing a suitable job description and posting, and avoiding red flags that might make job seekers pass on your opportunity.

 

Know What You Need, Specifically

Once it’s clear that you need to hire someone, think carefully about what you need from the contractor or employee. 

Start by considering the desired skill set. Consider what you want this person to do and the skills needed to do it. Focusing on skills vs. experience is an important distinction because you may not find an experienced applicant in a hot job market. However, you may find people with transferable skills who can quickly come up to speed.

Then, think about how willing you are to spend time training. If you are willing to teach the job to a person with the right skillset and advertise that willingness, you will likely increase your applicant pool. 

Finally, as you consider skills, ask yourself if all the desired skills are essential or if you could work with someone who possesses 80% of the needed skills and teach the rest. You may find a gem in the rough, and with a bit of investment, could have a solid, long-term employee.

 

Flexibility Factors

Next, consider the hours you need and the working conditions. Candidates are often looking for flexible hours. But, the idea of flexible hours can mean a lot of different things. For example, it could mean part-time hours or a shared job. For some applicants, it’s the ability to work different hours on different days. And, in some cases, flexible hours can mean having a deadline and working toward it without set hours. Think about what you need and be clear in your posting about your flexibility. The more flexibility you have, the greater the number of candidates you will likely attract.

If you don’t think there’s much flexibility in your role, run your thinking by some others and see if you can’t find some wiggle room that may make the job more attractive to candidates. This is especially true if you are replacing an employee who worked a particular schedule. For example, you may have had someone who worked from noon to five every weekday. You may naturally think you want the replacement employee to work from noon to five. However, many mothers with school-age children won’t apply for that as the after-school hours tend to be very busy. But, maybe you could shift the hours from 10 to 3 each weekday. That’s a much more attractive schedule to busy mothers who could be an excellent fit for the role. Also, by being open to different hour configurations, you are expanding the pool of likely candidates to different time zones, increasing the number of applicants for your post.

 

Determine What You Can Pay

Pay is tricky, but generally, higher pay attracts stronger candidates. Be realistic about the skills you are looking for and what the market is paying for those skills. You can talk with the pros at HireMyMom to help you find the proper pay range for your job. Focus on the value the employee brings to your company and how having that person on board might increase your revenue or productivity.

When thinking about pay, it’s easy to focus on dollars and cents. While money is a huge part of the pay equation, it’s not everything. Employees consider flexibility, hours, personal time, stress levels, and working conditions when thinking about pay satisfaction.

As an employer, your role is to create a competitive pay package that balances your need for profitability with the desire to attract and retain your staff. When you are looking for team members, it’s essential to convey the total package you offer to attract applicants.

 

Consider a Signing Bonus

Another way to stand out from the crowd is to consider offering a signing bonus. Offering this one-time payment can help make your job stand out from the rest and encourage people to apply and give it a try. 

Even a modest signing bonus of $150 can move lookers to applicants because it shows that you are serious about moving quickly to fill the job and demonstrates a commitment to your team. You could even stipulate that the bonus will be paid out 30 (or 60) days after the hire to ensure it’s a good fit for both parties. 

 

Create a Compelling Job Posting

With questions about skills, flexibility, and pay settled, it’s time to write the actual job post. The key is to find the right level of detail–not too much, not too little. Aim to describe the job thoroughly, but not with so many details that job seekers are discouraged from applying. Focus on the big picture work; don’t include every task this job could include at some point in the future. 

Likewise, don’t go so light on details that job seekers aren’t sure what the job entails or what your business does. A good check is to show the post to a trusted friend who doesn’t know much about your business and ask her to explain to you what the job entails. This will give you a good sense of how job seekers may read your post.

As you draft your post, put your best foot forward and make a compelling argument that your opportunity is worth pursuing. Think of the post as a resume for the role and your business. When you finish the post, review it as you would a resume. Make sure it:

  • Highlights the results you want the new team member to produce and the critical skills needed to achieve desired results.
  • Describes the best features of the job and the company. 
  • Explains why the role is essential to the company.
  • Avoids a long list of every task that may be required at some point but aren’t central to the job.

Reviewing your job post like you would a resume can help you gauge if the tone is right. For example, if you read a resume that says, “I’m an all-star and only want to work with all-stars,” you’d likely put that resume in the trash bin. Yet, many job postings include that type of phrasing, and it turns off many job seekers. Instead, try something like: We strive to create a culture of success and support for our business and our team members. We think work should be fun and rewarding. 

 

Make Your Application Process Easy

The proper application strategy can increase your chances of attracting applicants. There are few key components to the application strategy:

  • Make sure your application directions are straightforward and easy to follow. 
  • Make it easy to apply. One way to do this is to simply request a resume and cover letter via email and skip the online application or additional forms at least for now. Quality job seekers have options and can be turned off by long job applications that require them to enter everything on their resume manually.  Once you’ve received some quality resumes, consider then having them complete additional forms. Once they know they’ve made the shortlist, they will be much more willing to spend the additional time completing additional steps. 
  • Skip the addition of attention-to-detail tests that are often time-consuming and stressful. For example, don’t ask job seekers to find the 40th word on a particular page of your website and respond with certain fonts and colors. Save those types of tests for later in the process when you have quality applicants and are choosing between them. The same goes for video responses. Many times applicants won’t take the time to apply if there are many steps or a lengthy process. However, if you narrow down your applicants to 5 or 10 then you can ask for those videos or other special requests once they know they’ve made it to the shortlist. 

 

Avoid Red Flags 

As you review resumes, you likely look for certain red flags-things that serve as automatic disqualifiers. Job seekers see red flags in job posts, too. Here are some red flags to avoid:

  • Listing too many skills in the requirements section. Including a laundry list of desired skills that includes everything the person may need to do to the job can be discouraging. Instead, focus on three to five essential skills that are critical for the job. During the interview process, you can probe for additional skills. Another strategy is to include a required and desired skill section in your job posting. Point out the areas where you are willing to train the right person.
  • Requiring strict scheduling. This is a tough needle to thread, because in some cases, schedules matter greatly, and it’s best to be honest. But, if you can find flexibility, look for it and note in your posting that you are open to discussing a mutually agreeable schedule.
  • Offering pay that’s low relative to the skills needed. Pay is tough. But, if you aren’t getting any nibbles on your post, you may need to up your pay range. Pay rate is especially important for jobs that require specific skills, if you are looking for experienced applicants or if you have particular hours requirements that may require people to pay for child care or incur other expenses that must be weighed against the pay rate.
  • Describing the opportunity or your business in absolute terms can turn off a job seeker. For example, saying that “everyone at the company is a rockstar” or that “we never make mistakes” may cause a conscientious applicant to pause and consider how difficult it could be to achieve rock star status on a learning curve or to think about the stress she might feel striving for complete perfection as a new team member. It’s more attractive to say that the company offers a supportive environment that values excellence. 
  • Letting typos or other errors stay in your post. While typos happen to everyone, seeing one in a job post is a red flag that perhaps you aren’t that serious about the job or the work. This rule is especially important if you are advertising that attention to detail is a key skill needed for the job. Be sure to have a trusted co-worker or friend review your post. Then, review it again. 

 

Keep Trying!

Great employees are out there and they are looking for work. Try not to be discouraged as you seek new team members. Like all relationships, it can take some time to find the right fit. But, investing the time to find a new team member will pay off in the long term.

 

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November 2, 2020

What is the Best Human Resources Solution for Your Small Business

Having a thriving business can be extremely rewarding especially when a company’s growth results in expanding to onboard extra help.

If a company owner has a managerial background, they will have some knowledge and/or experience when it comes to onboarding, training, and evaluating employees and their work. 

For the entrepreneur who is used to working for themselves and themselves alone, it’s a different story. 

This is where having human resource personnel can be beneficial. The biggest question when it comes to a company’s HR is whether to outsource or insource.

 

Outsourcing vs Insourcing HR

An internal human resource department would be a good decision if a company is mid to large size in scale. Typically this applies to companies with more than a handful of employees.

For small businesses, however, it wouldn’t make sense to hire a full HR department within the organization if they are only dealing with just a few key staff. In this case, it’s much easier and faster to outsource instead. 

 

Why is HR important for small businesses

Having some form of HR in place is necessary for the function of any business that employs others. 

But human resource tasks are redundant, time-consuming, and don’t contribute to the bottom line of a company’s profits. 

Left up to the owner or core staff members to take care of could lead to a negative impact on a business’s productivity and cost the company a lot of money in the long run.

The realized benefit of having an outsourced human resource system in place is immediate. 

The newfound time allows small business owners to focus on the tasks that bring them the most ROI and significantly improve the function of the company’s operations overall.

 

The Top 3 Benefits of HR Outsourcing

  1. Time-Saving 
  2. Cost-Effective
  3. Less Staff Turnover

 

A good HR company will set up a consultation with their client to learn about their needs and help determine the role they are looking to fill for their expansion. They will usually handle all aspects of the job posting itself and screen applicants as the resumes come in.

When it comes to interviewing candidates, the HR company can help write the interview questions, schedule, and conduct them. 

They will select only the most qualified to move forward for the final interview with the company owner. They will even send out courtesy emails to applicants who were not selected for the job.

An outside human resource organization can save small businesses time, money, and result in less staff turnover due to the thorough pre-screening and onboarding process that takes place.

If you’re a small business owner looking to expand your organization and think that outsourcing your human resources would be a good fit for you, Hire My Mom does offer an excellent Concierge Package for consideration. You can learn more about this service here.

 

 

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August 31, 2020

Which Time Tracking Software is Right for You and Your Remote Team?

Which time tracking software is right for you and your remote team?

Having an accurate time tracking system in place is crucial in order to successfully manage remote work. It’s one of the best ways to monitor your team’s progress, understand your productivity rates, and properly measure your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators).

The three main reasons for time tracking are to gauge client work, to manage your remote team, and to help improve productivity and profitability.

This article covers the benefits of having a time tracking system in place plus our top 5 recommendations for time tracking software.

 

Benefits of Time Tracking For Remote Teams

Accountability

With remote work, it’s easy to become distracted. The freedom, though wonderful – can become a playground for bad habits to be developed (like going on your social media accounts when you should be working).

By using a time tracking software, you’ll be able to monitor your team’s time on and time off each task and catch any issues early on before they become much bigger ones. 

From the worker’s perspective, time tracking is a great way to help you keep to your schedule, stay on track with tasks from start to completion, and it gives you the chance to celebrate the wins and milestones of your job performance. 

It also gives you the confidence so that if your work were to ever come into question, you have a track record to explain the situation to the management department.

 

Project Management

The many offers of time tracking software make it easy to manage any project from virtually anywhere (or any device). Time tracking software contains many features that help you keep track of projects. From quick reports to visual dashboards that provide you with real-time project views, it’s easy to see everything in one place. 

It helps team leaders manage the projects within their team and provides the opportunity to make decisions about priorities, tasks, and project shifting at-a-glance.

 

Less Stress

Tight deadlines, misplaced files, uncertainty with team progress, and miscommunication can contribute to stress. Stress on the workers, the employer, and overall health of the company.

Time tracking software can do a pretty great job dealing with all of the above pain points. It helps you keep on track with due dates, can act as a hub for file tracking, provides team progress in a visual snapshot, and allows for stronger communication and clarity.

 

Cost-Efficient

There are many ways that a time tracking software can help the productivity and cost-efficiency of a company’s operations. It can eliminate wasted time that takes place in an office environment where employee socialization can steal from productivity. It can help monitor project progress and once completed, can help determine the baseline of tasks and their costs to create a better pricing structure for future clients/projects. Finally, because time tracking is automated, this can free up time on your management teams end which you can use towards other aspects of running your business.

 

5 Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams

Review our picks for time tracking software and evaluate (include pricing): 

Time Doctor

  • What it is: Time Doctor is a Software As A Service (also known as SaaS) platform which provides time tracking and productivity tools. It’s owned by the team at Staff.com and was founded in 2012. It has the ability to easily integrate with the most commonly used CRM systems.
  • What it does: Time Doctor provides time tracking and employee monitoring, online timesheets and payroll, project budgeting and management, distraction alerts, allows for screenshots, website and app monitoring, client login access, and more.
  • What it costs: Time Doctor offers a FREE 14-Day Trial with no credit card required. Packages range on a per user basis between $7 – $20 per month.

Wrike

  • What it is: Wrike is an online project management platform that provides a simple way to plan projects, streamline communication, and workflow. The company was founded in 2006 and has accomplished some noteworthy “street cred” including; 2020 TrustRadius Top Rated Award, 2019 and 2018 Customer’s Choice Awards, and is also mentioned as one of the Top Places to Work between from 2015 – 2019 consecutively.
  • What it does: Wrike offers task management, Gantt Charts, workflow management, task prioritization, workload views, custom reports, real-time activity, shareable dashboards, document collaboration, file sharing, real-time activity, custom calendar, and integration with calendars, dropbox, Google Docs and more.
  • What it costs: Wrike offers a Free Trial and plans ranging from $0 to $10/month per user. 

Clockify

  • What it is: Clockify is an attractive time tracking software because it’s the only software that is entirely FREE. There are no user restrictions, it’s simply free. But there must be a catch right? Clockify does charge to upgrade and allow for additional features. The additional features do make it hard to resist. Clockify was founded in 2009 and has over 2 million users, over 100 employees, and a substantial amount of glowing reviews.
  • What it does: Some features that Clockify offers include timesheets, time-off tracking, hourly rates, real-time tracking, time reports, multiple users, exports and share reports, and more.
  • What it costs: Clockify is FREE and their plans start at $0 per month and range up to $29.99/month with a combination of user and/or flat-fee pricing depending on the package you select.

Toggl

  • What it is: Toggl is an app for time tracking. It allows you to track your activities on a daily basis across different platforms. It gives you detailed insights so you can identify the areas you need to improve on.
  • What it does: Toggl offers a way to easily organize your team through their 3-Stage Hierarchy, provide a continuous backup of data, offer no signup or termination fees, allows for easy integration with FreshBooks, Basecamp and more. It provides real-time synchronization between web apps, desktop apps, phone apps, and more. Because Toggl is open source, it allows accessibility users need to build different third party integrations into it.
  • What it costs: Just like it’s competitors, Toggl provides a Free Trial with plans ranging from $10 to $20/month per user with Enterprise Packages for more complex situations.

Harvest

  • What it is: Harvest is a cloud-based time tracking software. It is built to handle small to large-scale businesses. It has invoicing and timesheet features. Harvest was founded in 2006 by Danny Wen and Shawn Liu who were looking for their own ways to solve some of their growing web design studio pain points. 
  • What it does: Harvest features time and expense tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, time-based reporting, and more.
  • What it costs: Harvest is free to try with no credit card required. The free trial includes 1 user and 2 projects. After the Free Trial, Harvest is $12 per user. 

 

We hope you’ve found this article helpful. You also might like our “How To Effectively and Successfully Manage Your Remote Team” here. 

 

This site contains affiliate links to courses and resources. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

 

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August 24, 2020

5 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Independent Contractor

5 Things You Need to know Before Hiring an Independent Contractor

Hiring an independent contractor is a big step. It often means that your business is growing and that you are ready to take the next step to bigger and better things. Now that you’ve found the right person and agreed on a scope of work, it’s time to roll up your virtual sleeves and get to work, right?

Not so fast.

While the paperwork required to hire a contractor is much less than a regular employee, there are still important documents that must be completed and collected. Here’s an overview of the who, what, why, where, and how of forms needed when you hire an independent contractor. 

 

Who Qualifies as an Independent Contractor

Let’s start with the who. Any person or business you hire to do work on your behalf, but not as an employee is an independent contractor. 

Usually, independent contractors are in a different business than your own. For example, freelancers like artists, editors and writers are often independent contractors. Independent contractors can also include outside companies doing work for you on an ongoing basis. Think cleaning service, an attorney, or a tax prep person. Basically, independent contractors include anyone you are paying for services and who is not an employee.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has set guidelines for determining if someone is an employee or an independent contractor. As a rule of thumb:

  • You pay independent contractors for the result of their work. 
  • You pay employees for the ability to control how the work is done.

 

Why Independent Contractor Status Matters

When you hire an independent contractor, you aren’t required to withhold federal or state taxes or Social Security and Medicare taxes (collectively known as payroll taxes) from their pay. That’s because rather than paying them a salary or a wage, your business is paying another business for services.

Independent contractors are self-employed/owners of their own business and are responsible for reporting their income and paying the associated taxes. (You can learn more from irs.gov.)

When you hire people as employees, you are responsible for withholding the appropriate payroll taxes. This applies for part-time, full-time, and seasonal employees.

 

When to Call the Pros

Issues around employment status and taxes can be thorny.  The IRS offers some guidelines for making this determination. But, it’s wise to consult an attorney or accountant with specific questions or for advice when hiring people or businesses to do work on your behalf. While this article is a good overview of your obligations when hiring independent contractors, we aren’t attorneys and we don’t practice law here at HireMyMom.com. 

 

Start a File for Each Contractor

Before we talk about which forms to collect from your contractor and when, let’s take a step back and consider why it’s important to collect them. While you aren’t required to share information about your independent contractors with the IRS, there are still good reasons for keeping a file on each contractor. 

  • Maintaining project overviews and any feedback you share with the contractor, helps you keep good records about your projects– including how and when they were completed, who did the work, and what you paid to have the work done.
  • If you are ever audited, you can easily pull information about each contractor to share, as needed. 
  • Keeping a contractor file makes it easier for you to connect with contractors in the future. 

 

Collecting the Right Forms

Collecting the correct forms from independent contractors is often an overlooked step that offers important benefits for your business and the contractor you are hiring. Securing the correct forms at the beginning of your relationship can set you up for greater success later. It’s easier to have the information on file before the project begins when you and your contractor are in more constant communication. 

Collecting the forms early gives you peace of mind that you’ve checked all the boxes with your independent contractor.  According to The Balance Small Business, there are several forms to collect and keep on file, including: 

  • A completed W-9 tax form. This form and directions to complete it are both available online at irs.gov and should be on file before you pay the contractor. Once you collect the W-9 form, hold on to it for your files in case you need to share it with an auditor. (You don’t need to send it to the IRS.)
    • While you don’t need to withhold payroll taxes from an independent contractor, you are responsible for issuing them at 1099 Form for Non-Employee Compensation at the end of each calendar year. 
    • Independent contractors use the 1099 Form to report their business income to the IRS.  
  • A contract. When you start a new relationship with an independent contractor, establish the terms of your engagement with a written contract. The contact should:
    • Outline that the person you are hiring is an independent contractor and not an employee. It’s important that the person you are hiring understands that you will not be withholding payroll taxes because he/she is not an employee.
    • Stipulate who owns the finished work product. (This is especially important for creative services such as art work or design.)
    • Outline the scope of work to be performed.
    • Document billing rates, invoicing, payment processing and timing. Settling on this at the beginning of the project can make for a more productive relationship.
  • A resume and reference information. You know why you hired this person to do work on your behalf, but keeping a resume and reference information on file makes it easier for others to review, if needed. You may even have your contractors complete an application so you can easily access pertinent information about them in the future.

 

Additional Forms to Consider

In addition to the items outlined above, your business may dictate the need for additional forms, according to The Balance Small Business. For example:

  • A non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Sometimes called a confidentiality agreement, this gives you confidence that your independent contractor is not sharing your business plans or trade secrets with competitors or other businesses. 
  • A non-compete agreement puts restrictions on the contractor’s ability to take your customers or clients to a competitor. These documents tend to outline specific actions and timeframes where the restrictions apply.  
  • A non-solicitation agreement keeps an independent contractor from working for your competition while also doing work for you. This can be tricky because sometimes you want a contractor with expertise in your industry, which means he/she also works for other similar businesses.

Consult a lawyer if you are considering asking your contractor to sign any of these items. State laws vary considerably. Working with an attorney can help make sure that any steps you’re considering are legal and advisable based on your state, objectives, and situation.

 

We’d Love to Hear From You

Tell us how you found your independent contractor and the success you experienced.

 

 

Disclaimer. The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this site without seeking legal or other professional advice.

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