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July 24, 2017 0 Comments

5 Top Tips for Work From Home Success

Working from home is often the goal of many moms.  It affords flexibility, more time with family, and a comfortable work environment.  While it’s a goal that can lead to a big increase in the quality of your life, it also comes with challenges.

Between distractions and the lack of traditional work environment, it can take a while to find your footing in the home based working world.  Read along for some best practices for a smooth work from home life.

Separate your spaces

While it might be comfortable to work on the couch for a while, it can lead to posture issues and a lack of focus.  It’s better to establish an office or a separate space in your home specifically reserved for work.  If you don’t have the extra space to make a bedroom into an office, you can set up a space at the dinner table, or place a small desk in another room.

It’s best to eliminate as many distractions as possible, while keeping the environment as “businesslike” as possible while being from home.

Get out of the house

Some people find home based work too isolating and mundane.  If you start to feel this wya, it’s best to get out of the house as much as possible.  You can even work from a coffee shop, park or office space daily.  Even if you obtain a “work from home” job position, you might still look into something more social like a coworking space.

Coworking spaces combine people from a variety of industries and businesses into one location.  This provides the social, office environment while allowing you to keep a flexible schedule and unique working arrangement.

Treat it like work

Working from home is still work! It can be easy to see it as a way to work less and spend time all day with family or friends, but unfortunately, work still needs to get done.  Use the first few weeks to find a good balancing act between the two, and then be sure that you’re working when you should be.

Of course, the benefit of home based work is flexibility, so there will be times when you can use evening or early morning hours to work.  Going outside of the schedule is more than permitted, but a routine work schedule (most days) makes for more effective, productive work.

Unplug

While you should treat your home based career like work, it’s also important to unplug! As home based workers, it can be tough to turn it off.  Your computer is essentially your workspace, but it needs to be turned off once in awhile.

This is why it can be helpful to establish specific work times, so it’s not too tempting to work well into the evening.  Use your off time for friends, family, and personal time, and work on a schedule that works best for you.  Avoid the trap of working around the clock – it can cause unnecessary burnout, stress, and fatigue.

Set your boundaries

Boundaries are important when you work from home.  Since you typically become the point of contact, person who’s there for appointments in the home, caregiver, and so on, it’s important to maximize your schedule and set boundaries so you can still get work done.

Working from home requires some forethought and effort between you, your employer, and your family, but it can be done.  It’s a wonderful working arrangement that affords more flexibility and less missed good times, but ensure that you’re being smart about it and setting boundaries that keep you healthy, happy and productive.

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May 30, 2017 0 Comments

5 Ways to Get Your Employer to Let You Work From Home

While there are plenty of work from home jobs out there, sometimes it takes a less traditional route to get there.  If you’re currently in an office setting, but would like to make the case for working from home with your employer, read along.

We’ve compiled some best tips to work with your boss on a home based arrangement.  While it’s becoming more and more common, there are still traditional bosses who see the office as the only way.  Fortunately, we know that working from home offers flexibility, increased productivity, and other benefits that may sway their decision.

Present the benefits

This is the time to make your case! It’s proven that working from home increases productivity by a large margin.  According to remote.co, “two-thirds of managers say employees who work remotely increase their overall productivity.”

According to Forbes.com, productivity increases can be attributed to more well-timed distractions, the environment of working at home, and optimized communication, to name a few.  One might initially think that productivity would decrease, but it’s exactly the opposite.  Additionally, sick days are reduced – yours and your kids’.  You might still be able to work from home while ill, and also care for a sick kid without taking hours away from the office.  There are a host of work from home benefits that directly benefit your employer!

Give a demonstration

If you can get your boss partially on board, now is the time for a demonstration. Ask if you can set up a trial for 2-3 days per week for a couple weeks.  This is the time to be productive, show that you’re still available for communication, and generally show why you should be allowed to work from home.

Show the costs

Since saving money is a large benefit with remote workers, you can also give statistics on monetary savings from an employer’s perspective.  From commuting, to office space, to computers and office supplies, a lot of money can be saved by remote workers.

Additionally, there are fewer travel costs, far less sick days, and higher retention rates, due to higher job satisfaction reported in remote workers, according to Entrepreneur.com.

Show your productivity

Show what you can do! While it’s important not to go all out and exaggerate the amount of work you can get done from home, really focus your efforts during your trial period.

It’s important to show that while you’re not in a traditional office setting, you can still get your work done – and then some!

Negotiate

If your work from home experiment goes well, do your best to negotiate something that makes everyone feel comfortable.  Since your boss may be more traditional, a full-time home based arrangement may not be best in this case.  Working from home doesn’t need to be all the time, but perhaps begin with 1-2 days at home per week.

If this arrangement continues to go well, and your employer is seeing your productivity and the benefits, you may be able to arrange it into a full-time position.

If your goal is working from home, it’s worth the effort to have an honest discussion with your employer.  It might not fly for everyone, but it’s worth the conversation.  Working from home saves money, boosts productivity, and allows for better work-life balance and happiness!

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May 22, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Prepare for Summer Break

As the school year winds down, we’re all starting to prepare for one of the best times of the year – summer break!

While this is a great opportunity to spend more time with family, it also takes a bit more juggling.  As work from home moms, we have the flexibility to adjust our schedules and truly make the most of this time of year.

Childcare

Since the kids are home now, it’s important that you have readily available childcare.  Look into options now – whether it’s family, friends, or outside help.  Make sure you discuss scheduling and see where you might need some time for yourself.  Depending on the ages and schedules of your kids, you might need more or less help, but it’s always a positive to have people you can call on.

It can also be helpful to look into activities and set up carpool to help during these times as well.  Look into fun things for your kids and see if some of the other parents can alternate driving obligations.  This gives you more time to get things done and manage your workload!

If you need to take a conference call during the day, or you need a few days to get a big project done, you’ll be glad you’ve pre-established some options for your kids.

Review your workload

Some businesses are less busy in the summer, and you may be prioritizing differently and rearranging your workload.

This is a great time of year to review everything on your plate for the next few months.  Does it look the same as always, or are there gaps?  Do you want to fill this time or allow for more space with family?  Sometimes taking on more hours is a good thing if work is sparse, and this is common in the summer months.

This analytical process will help you to better manage your work schedule in the summer, as well as the schedule of your family.

Summer schedule

Once you’ve taken a look at your summer work obligations, delegate some time off in the afternoons for your kids.  This doesn’t necessarily have to be the afternoon, but any time that works best in your schedules.

It’s a unique time of year when your school-aged kids are home, so it’s nice to take advantage of this when you get the chance.  It’s also a great time to rearrange your schedule a bit, so that you have that free time each day, or a few days per week.

Plan some fun

Summer is full of fun! Spend an afternoon by the pool, go for hikes, and generally enjoy the summer months.  It’s also perfect to plan a vacation or staycation, and enjoy more time with friends and family.

You don’t have to leave your area to have fun either! Schedule work meetings outdoors, or in coffee shops with outdoor seating to enjoy the weather.

Summer is a fleeting time of year and one that brings a lot more fun – and juggling.  Review your schedule, make time for family where you have it, and enjoy their time off!

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May 15, 2017 0 Comments

4 Types of Content to Post on Social Media

We all know how important it is to have an online presence – especially on social media.  It’s a place where we can share information, tell others about our businesses, and hopefully make some sales.

Unfortunately, a lot of business owners utilize their pages incorrectly, and don’t post content that intrigues the reader to build a relationship.  Today, we’re sharing tips to build your page, keep consistently posting content, and eventually – make that sale!

Value

When readers come to your page, they’re likely somewhat interested in you and/or your product or service.  They want to know that you’re an expert, and that you know what you’re talking about.  Make this easy for them!

Use your page to post thought-provoking, valuable content that answers their most burning questions.  You can post your own blogs, syndicate articles and blogs from outside sources, and do tips, advice, and Q&A posts that will share your knowledge with your readers.  While it may seem counterintuitive to give away your knowledge for free, it gives your readers some trust in you, making it easier to hire you someday.

About You

Whether it’s a behind the scenes post, news about your business, or information on your latest hire, readers like to get an inside glimpse into your business.  Social media can be fairly casual, so it’s the perfect place to go live with tips, share something personal (but relevant), and communicate with customers.

Share some personal things about yourself and your business – it doesn’t always have to be so formal!

Inspirational

We’ve all seen the inspirational quotes and graphics going around social media.  They might seem simplistic, but they’re easily shareable and provide your readers with a “feel good” message.  As we mentioned before, not all content has to be so heavy and information-filled.  It’s fun to mix in positive messages, tips on a graphic, or other fun content that will be easily shared.

When your graphics are shared, it’s more likely that more people will like your page, growing your following.  Be sure to include your website and business name on each graphic, and work to create your own content versus taking from others.  It’s fine to share directly from another page (with proper attribution, of course!), but creating your own graphics is much more powerful.

Sales

Last but not least, we come to sales.  This is because very little about your social media profiles should include sales information!  Once you’ve given lots of good content, it’s fine to ask for the sale.  You can run an interesting promo, offer a discount code to social media followers only, or something else that involves a direct ask to your products or services.

Again, this should be a small, small part of your strategy! Don’t drive away sales by constantly asking for them.  It’s important to strike a balance between value, solid information, fun information about your company, and finally – the sale.

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May 8, 2017 0 Comments

5 Tips for Hiring for the First Time

Hiring can often come with a lot of pressure – managing the job posting, interviewing, and hiring the right person can be a daunting experience.

Although many managers and employers are pros at this, what if you’re hiring for the first time?  Read along for some best practices in hiring as a novice.  With the right preparation and mindset, you can be sure that you’re on your way to hiring successful candidates. If you prefer to have someone do this for you, check out HireMyMom’s Concierge Service.

Create the right post

Creating the right job posting is key in attracting the right candidates and fully understanding what you’re seeking.  It’s important to be thorough when creating the position, including necessary skill set, education, experience level, pay, and more.  If you forget key components or realize too late that you are seeking a certain type of person, you may have to go through several rounds of the hiring process.

Save yourself some time, effort, and expense by nailing the job description from the beginning.  This also includes using the right posting sites that avoid spam.  More reputable sites help to weed out spam hirees, as well as have your post seen by serious applicants.

Be prepared

When it comes time for the interviews, be sure that you’re prepared.  This will also reduce time spent on interviews that weren’t properly organized and stalled the hiring process.  Begin by asking the right questions, which would feature a good mix of past experience, knowledge of the job position and company, and personality fit questions.

Be prepared for conversations and negotiations around pay as well, and know which response is appropriate for your company.

Make sure you’re thorough

By being prepared and organized, you’ll be well on your way to being thorough in the hiring process.  It might be helpful to start by coming up with your own screening process, and create a checklist around this.

To begin, ensure that each applicant has contributed every material that was asked for.  If they have, look at every aspect of their cover letter and resume for keywords and matching qualities and experience that fit the job position.  You might have a kind of criteria that must be met, which allows you to adhere to your posting and make smart hiring decisions.

Be a great listener

It takes more than a checklist to make smart hiring decisions – you also have to be sure that you’re hearing everything accurately.  Listen to what each applicant says – or doesn’t say.

Do they know about your company and enough about the position?  Are they a great person but not a fit?  Listen closely to ensure that you’re truly hearing what the prospect is saying correctly.  It can be easy to jive with a personality, when the skills or lacking.  On the other side, someone might be great on paper but not a personality fit to your brand.  Listen closely to what is being said!

Set expectations

Unmet expectations can be the cause of many problems, especially in hiring.  It’s best to let your potential hire what’s going on from the very beginning.  Is there a trial period for this position?  How are tasks evaluated?  Does this position require tracking time? Do you report daily?

Make sure job and communication expectations are set up early to avoid any issues. Also, be sure to let your new hire in on time frames and deadlines for starting up, since that’s typically the most frantic part of any new job.

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May 1, 2017 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Anza Goodbar

What’s your success story with HireMyMom?

Hire My Mom has been a wonderful tool for me to find clients over the years.  I have been an active member off and for more than 6 years.  Every client I have found on this site has been wonderful to work with and flexible with my schedule. Whenever my business is in a lull, HireMyMom is the first place I go to find new clients.

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I have a degree in communications.  I have been a business owner since 2004.  I have owned a mortgage company, a video rental company, a wholesale distribution company, a branding and packaging company as well as my online business services company.  I have recently started a coaching certification program to enable me to grow my virtual company by including business coaching, masterminds and webinars to teach entrepreneurs business basics.  I work primarily with coaches who want to grow their businesses. I also enjoy writing articles and blogs.

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

Take your time to answer the questions the potential employer is looking for.  Also add a cover letter and follow their instructions for applying. Many small business owners will use a sequence of directions to see who can pay attention to detail and follow directions, if you don’t follow their directions you’ll be disregarded before you even have the chance to sell yourself.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom?

The ease of use on their website.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I’m a competitive ballroom dancer.

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April 24, 2017 0 Comments

5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

We all hear about the elusive “work-life balance” concept.  It’s the place where our careers and personal lives become balanced.  We don’t feel overworked, we have enough time for friends and family, and so on.  While this is a great concept in theory, and one we should strive for, it can be quite difficult to make it happen.

Since reducing stress and making more time for those things that are important to you is truly crucial, read along for some of our best tips in increasing your work-life balance, and hopefully, your quality of life.

Declare your priorities

When you figure out what’s most important in your life, it becomes easier to figure out where to place your time.  If you’re working very hard to advance your career, perhaps that’s your priority for the next six months.  On the other hand, if you’ve been pulling 60 hour weeks and your priority is family time, you may have to re-evaluate a bit.  Everyone will have different priorities, and they will often change depending on the season of your life.

To start to create that feeling of satisfaction and balance in your life, start by examining priorities and place more of your time there.

Take time for yourself

It’s important to unplug when you aren’t in “work” mode! And it should be noted that work mode should not be 24/7.  This can be difficult as work from home moms, but it’s a necessity in gaining balance.

Take time for yourself: schedule something exciting, keep weekends for friends, family, errands, and fun, and generally create space for the good things in life.  Yes, work is important and a huge part of our lives, but if that’s all you do, you’ll quickly feel out of balance.  Don’t feel guilty about making yourself a priority; you’ll be a better mom, friend, and employee for it!

Manage your time

Are you spending more time than you thought on work tasks?  Keep track of your time for a while – both business and personal.  Once you see some patterns forming, create a solid schedule.  This will allow you to keep things in order and allow you to see where your free time is.  WHen you know where you’re spending too much (or not enough) time, you can readjust.

A lot of the work of establishing a solid work-life balance is in seeing where your time is going.  If you don’t keep track for a while, how will you know?  Put in some of the effort in the beginning and you can truly see where your time is being spent.

Make time for fun

For most people, a large part of work-life balance will include relaxation, family and friends.  You still have to have fun, even if your current priority is work or career advancement. It’s crucial to stay social, especially if you work from home.  Keep those social appointments and work them into your busy schedule whenever possible!

Take breaks

It’s important to stick to your guns regarding vacations, time off, and breaks.   Vacations and breaks don’t need to be elaborate, but there needs to be a definitive break from work on a consistent basis.

In our current culture, it’s easy to put these things off because so much needs to be done.  Fortunately, these things will still be there when you return! This isn’t to say that a great work ethic isn’t a wonderful thing, but too much of anything isn’t useful.

Work towards a balanced sense of work and life by following the tips above.  When you see where your time is going, focus on your priorities, and stay committed to what’s best for you, you’ll find these things are much more balanced in your life.

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April 17, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Manage Home Based Employees

Working from home provides a lot of opportunity for flexibility and work-life balance, but it also presents unique challenges.  One of the main obstacles can arise in managing employees, as there’s not quite the amount of accountability that occurs in a traditional work environment.

Although management of employees can be tricky, it’s something that can be sorted out with a bit of forethought.  Read along for our best tips for successfully managing home based employees.

Management Software

There are several options out there for managing your employees and projects from a distance.  Basecamp is a very popular option, but there are others out there as well.  These programs allow users to log in remotely, complete tasks, share documents and checklists, and general stay in contact on a daily basis.  It’s easy to see what your employees are getting done, as well as seeing if they remain active on the site.

They can start as low as free and go up in price, typically depending on number of employees.

Click here to view a list of options that are comparable to Basecamp.

Timesheet

When your employees work remotely, it’s important to keep track of their time on a consistent basis.  Whether they’re project-based, hourly, or salaried, have them document their tasks in a detailed timesheet.  This doesn’t necessary need to be an ongoing practice, but it helps to establish the relationship and expectations in the beginning.

Determine how you’ll calculate time: by 10-minute intervals, 30-minute intervals, hour-long intervals, or simply project-based.  This establishes trust between you and your employees, and allows you to see how quickly they’re able to complete the work.

Additionally, some of the project management options allow you to track time and see which tasks employees are working on in real-time.   Timecamp, ClockSpot and MyHours are examples of this option, and it can be an easy way to keep track of time.

Weekly communication

Weekly calls and email communication are key to managing a remote team.  In general, having home based employees will require more communication.  Set up a time that works for everyone that includes a weekly call with the entire team.  This is a great time to review client obligations, any issues, and obstacles that might be in the way.

When you have a regular appointment for communication, you avoid issues before they get out of control.

Manage expectations

Remote employees don’t have to be a challenge to manage, as long as the correct expectations are set from the beginning.  If you’re requiring management software, take the time to explain and train any new employees in using it.  If a timesheet is required, be sure that they know what that needs to look like.

Additionally, ensure that they’re given every chance to succeed.  It can be an adjustment to work in a home based environment, and expectations do vary from traditional offices.

While you may have more flexibility in a work from home position, you may have to put some more checks in place to ensure that work is being completed effectively.  Luckily, with the advances in technology and communication, this is not only possible, but much more simple!

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March 27, 2017 0 Comments

6 Signs of a Great Website

In this day and age, everyone has an online presence.  Especially if you have a business, you know the importance of a quality website.  It’s a known fact that every business has (or should have) a website, but do you know what makes one better than another?

Although you can spend a lot of time and money on specific designs and fancy templates, it’s really crucial that you have the basics down first.  Read along for some best tips and advice to ensure your website is helping your business.

Make Your Contact Clear

Is it easy to contact you on your website?  You should feature a phone number and/or email address at the top of your page.  A “Contact Us” button is great, but people often want something even more accessible.

Ensure that this information is prominently displayed, easy to read, and accurate.  Think of it this way: if someone was ready to buy or order something from you, you would want to make it very easy for them to contact to order from you or hire you.

Professional Photos

Quality, professional photos are truly key to a solid website.  Especially when it comes to photos of you and/or your team, it’s important to make the investment in good headshots.

Additionally, utilizing professional photos gives readers and potential customers a glimpse at you.  Not only does this humanize your brand, but it allows for a brief connection before any business is done.

Let Them Get to Know You

Just as a professional photo allows us to connect visually, information and content allows this as well.  If you feel up to it, include some personal or fun information on your site.  If nothing else, share some of your story about why you are where you are, as well as the “why” of your business.

This really helps people connect beyond simply purchasing or hiring you, and these days, people want to do business with people they like and trust.  When someone feels like they know you, or can relate or appreciate something personal you said, they’re more likely to give you a call.

Include Calls to Action

It’s great to have a nice site, but if you’re not prompting visitors to do anything, you’re losing any chance to gain their contact information or work with them further.

Can you offer a free download or free one-on-one session for email addresses?  Create a sidebar prompt for this and collect those email addresses.  You could also have an information-gathering form, which typically works best for service-based businesses.  Since the person visiting your site is already likely interested in hiring you, obtaining more information about them and/or their need makes it all the easier to hire you.

Consider the Design

Beautiful design is very important.  Old, outdated websites aren’t pleasing to the eye, and it may show that you’re a bit out of touch.  We buy with our eyes, and if we don’t like what we see, it’s very easy to discard products and services as well.  Web design can be quite an investment, but there are plenty of do-it-yourself sites, or sites that offer design at a discount rate.

Although it’s tempting to try to do-it-yourself, it may create more headaches if it’s not your expertise.  It’s better to go into a web design meeting with an idea of what you want, then shop around a bit for designers who can bring it to life within your budget.

Nothing is more frustrating than a website that’s tough to navigate! This includes broken links, incomplete sentences, sites that won’t load, and so on.  Make sure that each move is intuitive, and that someone without any knowledge of your business can understand it.

Make it Mobile

Everyone is checking websites on their phones these days! If your site isn’t mobile-ready, it becomes a very frustrating experience for readers and potential customers.

There are sites out there that offer to make your website mobile, but more often than not, most templates are mobile-friendly.  This is absolutely something crucial to ask your web designer, as well as ensuring that every important feature functions well on a phone.

It’s not enough to look good on a phone – it must also function perfectly!

These are just a few basic steps to ensure that your website is beautiful and not frustrating to your visitors.  Take the time to get these things down, and then introduce more fun, fancy features that may bring that something extra to your website!

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February 20, 2017 0 Comments

6 Tips for a Stand Out Job Application

We all know what’s needed to apply to a job – a strong cover letter, resume, and great references.  Unfortunately, this isn’t enough to secure an interview or the job!  Those hiring today are truly looking for quality applicants, and that doesn’t just include your experience.

Quality applicants take the time to truly invest themselves in the hiring process, and in turn, receive much more response from these applications.  Check out our top tips for a job application that stands out!

Read the description

First and foremost, take the time to really learn about the position for which you are applying.  When you really want a job, it’s best to focus on those positions that excite you while playing to your professional strengths.

To stand out on your application, include words and skills that you have that match the job description.  This presents your qualifications in the best light, while showing that you paid attention and took the time to apply specifically for that position.

Learn about the company

If you want to be a stellar applicant, you must take some time to learn about the company.  Read their website, visit social media profiles, read press releases, news articles, and so on.  It’s also helpful to read about the industry, especially if there isn’t too much information available from a specific company.

This helps you to prepare for the interview, but it also allows you to be more connected to the application process.  This exercise might also help you realize, one way or another, if you’re the best fit for this particular company.  In speaking with a hiring manager, you may have to answer questions that include a bit about the company and why it’s a fit, so take the time in the beginning to really get to know them.

It’s also helpful to ask yourself, “How can I best contribute?”  Learning about the company will also show you where they shine and where they struggle, allowing you an opening to show where you would best fit in.

Be precise

Make sure your grammar and and spelling is impeccable! Your application should truly have zero mistakes and put your best foot forward.

To avoid any errors, run all spell check and grammatical checks in your word processing program, but also send your resume to friend and/or family members who may be willing to help.  Having a few extra sets of eyes look over your work can truly be the difference between a stellar and mediocre application.

Be prepared

When you decide to embark on your job search, gather all of your information into one place.  In addition, create a checklist that ensures that you have everything you need to be successful.  Create or edit your resume, draft a brief (but bulleted) cover letter, contact your references, and be specific to the position in all of this.  With all of these materials ready to go, you’ll be set to go when the right position presents itself.

It’s much easier to set aside time before your job search, and it avoids procrastination in applying, as well as forgetting anything when you come across an ideal opportunity.

Be specific

Create each cover letter and resume for each job position.  You shouldn’t have to change your resume too much, but you can still spend some time focusing on specific sought-after skills and experience to highlight.   Focus on the best attributes for this particular position, not simply which results or experienced that you liked best.

Also, ensure that your cover letter is specific to the job position.  Hiring managers and employers don’t want to feel like you aren’t a good fit, nor do they want to feel like you’ve just sent your information in a mass spree to dozens of other jobs.  Show that you took the time to highlight what they’re seeking, and your response should be much greater!

Put in your best effort

The ultimate hiring decision is up to the company or hiring manager, but you can send the time to put forth your best self.  It’s very apparent when an applicant takes the time to do their best, which will reflect in you receiving more calls and interviews.

It can seem daunting to create separate documents and edits for each position, but that’s why you should truly pick positions for which you’re qualified for and very interested in.  Invest the time and care in those applications that will be a great fit for you, and you’ll find that you might be the ideal match for your future employer!

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