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September 6, 2021

How to Ditch Office Life and Land a Great Work-from-Home Job

After more than a year of working from home due to COVID-19 mitigations, you know that the work-from-home lifestyle has many advantages. The short commute, increased family time, and flexibility during the day are things moms appreciate. And, as the virus continues to spread, putting school plans up into the air, you may have additional reasons to love your home office and want to stay in it.

 

But, many employers are busy planning return-to-the-office strategies. If the prospect of returning to the office has you looking for another option that lets you work from home all the time, read on. After decades of helping moms like you make the jump to work-from-home jobs, here are my top tips for making the leap.

 

Make a Plan

Start by considering what you want in your work-from-home job. Think about the things you enjoy about your current job and make a list of the tasks and responsibilities you wish to transfer to your new role. For example, do you excel at project management? Maybe you have an eye for detail and are a great proofreader, or perhaps you are a spreadsheet whiz or a design guru and want to use those skills in your next role. There’s no right or wrong answer, just the ones that make the most sense to you.

 

Next, catalog your skills and abilities. Think big picture here to identify the skills you have that can be transferred to another job. (Sometimes HR people call these transferable skills.) For example, if you set up webinars for your current company, identify the skills involved in that task–such as negotiating contracts, issuing invitations, managing conflicts, and carefully reviewing invoices. These capabilities comprise your set of transferable skills.

 

If you aren’t sure what you want to do or how your skills may translate to different types of jobs, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. HireMyMom offers resources to help.

 

 

Then, take the online Job Seeker 101 class offered by HireMyMom to learn more about the job search process. 

 

If all this has you feeling overwhelmed, find inspiration from a recent success story.

 

Create a Job Search Strategy

Now that you are ready to search for an at-home job, it’s time to find the right partner in your journey. If you’ve spent any time on the big job boards, you know how tough it is to find good-quality leads there. 

 

There is a better way. 

 

When you join HireMyMom, you have exclusive access to a curated list of legitimate work-from-home jobs. Moms love us because they know all applications are going to real businesses looking for help. Employers love us because they know they can find high-quality, highly motivated candidates who want to work from home. 

 

Yes, we do charge a small fee. But, that works to your advantage in five ways:

 

  • No commissions from job seekers. Once you find a job, all the money you earn is yours to keep. We don’t take a commission of your earnings. Often, free job sites are only free until you find a job. Then, they help themselves to 10% to 20% of your pay as long as you have the job. 
  • The fee keeps the number of job seekers down, so it’s easier for you to stand out in the crowd. It also weeds out those who are not serious job seekers.
  • Businesses prefer to use HireMyMom because job seekers who have paid the fee 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. One business owner cited she received over 900 applicants in 24 hours on one of the free job sites. 
  • When you see a job post on HireMyMom, you can be assured it’s exclusive. We don’t pull jobs off the internet to fill our site. We only post positions that can’t be found elsewhere online.
  • You can feel confident when you apply for a job on the site because we aim to keep HireMyMom 100% scam-free. Our team reviews each job post to ensure that the company (or person) looking for help is legit. We have a list of red flags we look for, and don’t hesitate to say no if we aren’t confident.

 

Still have questions? Check out Why Does HireMyMom Charge Job Seekers. 

 

Find That Job

Once you have your strategy in place, designate time and space to identify job leads and apply. It can take some time to apply for jobs, so be sure to set that time aside and treat your job search like a job. Otherwise, it’s easy to get frustrated that you aren’t making progress.

 

One of your first tasks will be to update your resume. Small business resumes are different and more personal than corporate resumes. In addition, cover letters are a big part of the process. So, invest the time to get a solid cover letter base that you can customize for each opportunity. You can learn more about both techniques in the Job Seeker 101 class. 

 

Once you land an interview, start to practice and prepare. Ask a friend or family member to help you rehearse. Find a nice quiet place in your home and do a dry-run with the technology used during the interview.

 

As part of your prep, think about the questions you’ll ask. The right questions are an essential tool in finding out if the job is a good fit for your skills, interests, and lifestyle, so be prepared to ask the right ones. 

 

As you practice your interview, prepare a strong close. A strong finish can distinguish you from the crowd. Set yourself up for success with these steps:

 

  • Thank the interviewer.
  • Express your level of interest honestly.
  • Summarize why you are a great candidate.
  • Ask about the next steps and timing.
  • Send a follow-up email within 48 hours of the interview.

 

Avoid Common Job Search Mistakes

When you apply for several jobs, it’s easy to make mistakes that can cost you an interview and an opportunity. It may seem counterintuitive, but being picky about the jobs you go after can help increase your success rate. Casting too wide a net can lead to rejections while sending you into a frenzy of activity, applying for jobs, and following up with employers only to be disappointed. Remember, you want to find the right job for you, not just any job. Before you apply:

 

  • Carefully read the job description. Consider whether you are qualified for the bulk of the work and whether the position genuinely interests you. 
  • Tailor your resume for the specific job. Make the tweaks needed to fit the job description, but don’t do a total rewrite. Be sure to review your revised resume carefully.
  • Write a customized cover letter. Clearly express your interest and qualifications in the letter.

 

Finally, hang in there. Finding a job can be hard work. Don’t get discouraged. You’ll be working at your new home-based job in no time. When you find success, send me a note so we can celebrate together.

 

 

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March 22, 2021

5 Job Search Tips to Get Hired During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Guest Contributor: McLean Mills

Winter is headed out! And unlike Game of Thrones, it’s not the night walkers that everyone’s afraid of – it’s the second coming of the coronavirus and how it’ll stiffen job opportunities in 2021.  With many employers taking their workforce virtual during this pandemic, so too has much of the hiring process. 

Many Employers have taken all of their hiring efforts virtual and the skills they value in employees have heavily shifted as well due to the pandemic. To really optimize your chances of finding a job this new year, you’ll need to adjust your game plan to account for this unique job search landscape. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind:

 

1. Prepare for the virtual interview marathon

Virtual interviews are the new normal. To truly optimize your hiring chances, it’s no longer good enough to simply have a laptop with a cam ready. With the likelihood of tons and tons of virtual interviews headed your way, you’re going to want to optimize your setup and use top of the line equipment. This means a quality webcam, clear microphone, and professional office background behind you.

Of course, getting the right equipment is just the first step, performing well during your virtual interview is where it gets tough. You’ll want to become an expert with all the popular video conferencing software employers typically used. Practice beforehand with a friend or family member so you’ll really have things under control. Also avoid typical pitfalls like:

  • Avoiding eye contact by mistakenly looking at your computer screen and not the webcam 
  • Accidentally sharing your screen instead of activating your webcam
  • Bad camera angle and focus
  • Messy background and poor background lighting
  • Poor connectivity and buffering issues

Though usually not necessary, you’ll also want to be prepared to share your screen. Depending on the situation, you never know if it may be beneficial for you to give employers a live performance of some of the projects and things you’ve worked on recently. In fact, it’s this type of showmanship and additional effort that can allow you to distinguish yourself from other candidates during the virtual interviewing process.

 

2. Already recovered from COVID? 

Afraid that talking about your experience with COVID-19 will scare away employers? Think again! In a recent survey conducted by Resume Writing Services, 154 hiring managers were surveyed to gain a better understanding of how they were adapting to the pandemic. In a question that asked if they’d be more or less inclined to hire job candidates who have already got and recovered from the coronavirus, 67% of them said they’d be more inclined to do so.  Why is this the case? Likely, it’s because COVID-19 survivors are far less likely to get the infectious disease again. 

 

3. Emphasize your telecommuting skills and remote experience

Don’t forget to update your resume and LinkedIn! With employers forced to go remote with their workforce, any experience you have with remote work is a plus. The top video conferencing software according to a survey by ResumeGo on job interviews found Zoom, Google Meets/Hangouts, and Skype to be the most used video conferencing software – so be sure to mention them on your resume if you have experience with them. 

Document sharing tools like Google Docs and Dropbox, as well as remote soft skills like time management, strong written communication skills, and ability to adapt are all more valued than ever due to the pandemic. If you forgone mentioning these skills on your resume in the past, it’s worth to do so now.

 

4. Seek out growing industries and expand your horizons

Everything is less than ideal during a pandemic. Finding your dream job in your designated field might not be a realistic option at this time. To really optimize your hiring chances, it’s important to expand your horizons into other industries that are still doing just fine or even surging during this pandemic. Industries such as delivery services, Ecommerce, digital content services, home fitness, and obviously healthcare have been thriving as a result of COVID. Keep in mind that temporary jobs and freelance opportunities are also avenues to pursue.

 

5. Develop your skills

If you’re finding yourself with more time than usual due to the pandemic, it’s always a good career move to develop new skills that are relevant in your industry. Whether it’s getting an online certification or learning new hard skills that you can brag about on your resume, these are all ways of increasing your personal stock in the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers. If you’re worried of an extended work gap as a result of the pandemic, taking this time to do something productive for your career is also a way of showing employers that you’re serious with your work.

Don’t stress out over not finding a job

Finding a job in the midst of a pandemic is tough – that’s just the reality of it. If you’re finding yourself struggling to secure interviews, that’s to be expected and not a cause for concern. Carve out time in the day for breaks and maintain a positive mindset. Things are bound to look up eventually.

 

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McLean Mills is a career coach and blogger. He was also a career counselor for the University of Florida. When not on the work grind, you can catch him rereading Harry Potter for the billionth time.

 

 

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March 1, 2021

How to Get a Returnship For Stay-at-Home Moms

By Christopher Manske

Many stay-at-home moms are unaware of the corporate resources that can help them return to the workplace.  Programs like this are called returnships because they are similar to an internship, but not for college students.   How do returnships work and what should mothers expect from companies offering them?  Are they beneficial and how can you find one?  For these answers and more, read on!

What is a returnship?  In its simplest form, returnships are training programs offering stay-at-home moms (or any professional returning from sabbatical) a straight-forward path for getting comfortable again with the pace and expectations of their new job.  The best returnships allow returning professionals to speed up or slow down as they accomplish specific goals on their way to a well-defined completion point.  Even if the word returnship isn’t in the title, like the Path Forward Return to Work program at Amazon, the offering focuses on attracting women who temporarily left the professional world to concentrate on family.

What should I expect from a returnship and the companies offering them? These programs are not simple to execute because they require the firm’s time and attention.  Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect companies offering returnships emphasize taking care of their workforce.  It also suggests the work is teachable and the firm desires teammates with certain characteristics more than they need highly specific skills.  Returnships are common in finance, but regardless of the industry, here’s what to expect from any solid returnship program:

  1. A meaningful wage.  This isnot an internship in the old sense of the word.  Companies expect to pay you for your valuable education and useful experience.  Sometimes that’s an hourly wage until the program is done and you’ve “graduated” to the full-time, salaried position you seek.  Other times, you’ll receive a salary right away and, upon completion, a bump in pay or a bonus.
  2. A clear progression toward an agreed-upon completion.  This isn’t busy work or fetching coffee.  Returning professionals receive a well-defined goal list which progressively gets more challenging so that, at the end of the program, both the company and the new teammate are confident about their success going forward.
  3. Flexibility.  Companies understand you’ve been at home tending to every last-minute emergency and unexpected family difficulty.  It takes time and discipline to separate from that and the returnship allows for the occasional distraction as you transition to your new role.  Remember how it took some adjustment to get comfortable staying at home?  It’s normal for that to happen again going back to work and excellent returnships help make the transition easier.
  4. Mentorship. A leader within the firm formally guides you and answers questions.  This person wants you to succeed and can easily answer most of your questions.  Companies taking this seriously will repeatedly dedicate specific time for you to sit down one-on-one with this leader/mentor.

What are the benefits of a returnship and how can I find one?  These programs have a lot of benefits for both the returning professional and the companies offering them.  Different organizations will have a variety of reasons why they find a returnship beneficial. Managing one of Houston’s largest investment firms, Lien Busby of Manske Wealth Management says, “We offer a returnship because we don’t want to have the typical dog-eat-dog, Wall Street culture.  If we hire within the industry, those candidates typically bring habits with them that won’t fit in with our team.”  She goes on to say, “We are glad to teach all the skills needed to be a successful Financial Advisor on our team.  But we’re not going to bring on someone who doesn’t share our values.  We’re convinced that a sharp, well-educated woman who left behind a paycheck for a few years to accomplish her personal goals will fit right in with our team because the best investment professionals put people first.”

Here are a few returnship benefits for stay-at-home moms looking to go back to work:

  1. Training.  It takes some effort to get into the new routine and training on your new job’s requirements makes that a lot easier.  It’s not reasonable for a company to expect you to know everything the first day, and returnships provide the buffer required to close that training gap.
  2. Stability.  Companies that invest in you with a returnship are interested in keeping you onboard for the long haul.  Hard-working, coachable moms can expect a lot more long-term stability at companies offering these programs.
  3. Financial security.  When you have a clear path to future promotions, it’s a lot easier to see that next pay raise and ultimately seize it.  Money isn’t everything, but your time and expertise deserve compensation and programs like this make sure you understand how your efforts will lead to a raise in pay.

In the end, finding these programs is as easy as a Google search.  All the major job search sites will be able to find the key word, “returnship.”  Whenever you are talking about your future job, explain that you expect to enter a program specifically tailored to provide a comfortable transition back to the workplace.  Corporate America has a lot to offer a stay-at-home mom returning to work, so take advantage of it!

 

A graduate of the United States Military Academy, Christopher Manske has been praised, published, or quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and many more.  His thoughts can be seen online at Yahoo! Finance, ThinkAdvisor, MSN.com, CEO World, and others.  Manske and his team have also worked directly with leaders at IBM, GE, Microsoft, Exxon, Accenture, Boeing, to name a view.  His book, The Prepared Investor: How To Prevent The Next Crisis From Affecting Your Financial Independence has been compared to Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and challenges Wall Street’s typical approach to investing during crisis.  For more information, visit www.manskewealth.com.

 

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November 27, 2018 0 Comments

5 Secrets to Landing that Dream Work From Home Job

 

Working from home is attractive to so many, especially moms. The freedom to set your own schedule and work around your family is such a wonderful benefit. However, landing that perfect job can be tricky if you are not prepared. So here are our 5 tips to landing your dream work from home job.

Resume Ready

Take a look at your resume. What does it say? Is it engaging? Does it stand out? Or is it just black and white letters on paper? Today’s resumes have gotten more creative and allow you to show some of your creative side and personality. Include a photo and some color! Click here to see some sample templates. Be sure too that your resume sells you to potential employers. A well-written resume is worth gold in your job search. If you need help in this area, consider getting check out our Resources here.

Take Initiative

As an applicant, take the initiative and show the employer you are not only qualified but sincerely interested in their job. Educate yourself on the their business by visiting their website. Read their “About Us” page and get to know about the company and their owner(s). They can tell if you’ve looked at their website and took some time to familiarize yourself with them. Bottom line is you will stand out if you show you are willing to go above and beyond what you are asked to do.

Be Detail Oriented

Read the job description thoroughly 2 or 3 times and make sure your application, resume and / or cover letter addresses everything they are seeking or requesting. If you leave key things out of your application, it tells the employer you may do the same thing in your work. In that case, your application may go straight to the virtual trash can.

Don’t Waste Your Time or Theirs

If you don’t have the experience the employer is asking for, don’t apply. You waste your time and their time and leave the impression that you didn’t read the job description very well. Many employers state how annoying this is for them to go through applicants who clearly do not have the skills or experience they are looking for. And if you are finding your skills and training lacking, consider some of the Training Resources we have.

Respond Quickly 

Many busy entrepreneurs are looking to hire now! They post a job and are ready to hire someone ASAP.  If you are not logging in daily to check for new jobs, you may miss out. Some jobs are taken down after 3-5 days or sooner because they have enough applicants.  Now you know, timing is of the essence.

So now, get that resume polished up and incorporate these tips. You may find your dream job just got a whole lot easier!

If you’re not currently a member of HireMyMom, click here to see how we can help you find that dream work at home job!

 

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June 25, 2015 0 Comments

5 Tips to Land the Job of Your Dreams

When it comes to stressful moments in life, the big job interview is near the top. Author Lemony Snicket wrote, “Besides getting several paper cuts in the same day or receiving the news that someone in your family has betrayed you to your enemies, one of the most unpleasant experiences in life is a job interview.”

But a job interview does not have to be a harrowing experience. If you are adequately prepared, it is an opportunity to show your worth. That being said, here are five tips on how to impress at your upcoming job interview:

Dress Accordingly

You should dress for the pay grade above the job you are interviewing for. So, if the position calls for khakis and a polo, wear slacks and a button-up shirt. Dressing for the part also builds your confidence and helps you get into a professional mindset prior to the interview. You may think you’re safe to interview online wearing your pajamas, but keep in mind that your interviewer will be scrutinizing you closely, and that you may need to unexpectedly move from your staged position. This is also true for Skype interviews.

Make Eye Contact

Looking your interviewer in the eyes projects confidence and honesty. This simple task can prove challenging during a virtual interview, though. It’s natural to want to watch the screen during an online interview, but instead you should be looking into the camera.

Speak the Language

You already know that you need to research the company you are interviewing with beforehand to become familiar with the terminology used in that field. But, there are also several grammar cues that interviewers look for that indicate what kind of worker you are. According to Business Insider, when asked a question, never respond in second person point of view. If you are asked, “What would you do in this situation?” do not say, “You want to make customers happy, so you try to understand what they want.” Instead, first person point of view shows a more active approach and implies responsibility. A high performer would respond to this question by stating, “I want to make customers happy, so I try to understand what they want.”

Use Appropriate Body Language

You may have been told not to talk with your hands during an interview. If you are an excessive hand-talker, this is not bad advice. However, you want to use your body to show that you are engaged and alert, especially during virtual interviews where your complete stillness may make the interviewer think the screen has frozen. Measured use of body language conveys your interest without becoming distracting. Lean slightly forward, nod when appropriate and, if you use your hands, move slowly and deliberately, not frantically.

Breathe

Take a deep breath before responding to each question. Too long of a pause may indicate indecision or trepidation, but in the few seconds it takes to breathe deeply and exhale, you can calm your nerves, consider the question and respond confidently. If the interviewer seems to pause for a long time, do not be intimidated into filling the silence. The long pause is a tactic often used to see if you will become uncomfortable and begin rambling just to break the quiet, notes Business Insider.

For even more tips on how to to nail an interview, check out DriveTime’s blog has an excellent article helpful tips as well as Best Interview Practices for Job Seekers.

That dream job is not hopelessly out of reach. Consider the interview as an opportunity to shine, not an obstacle to overcome. That job can be yours with the right preparation and a few helpful tips.

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