work from home

July 27, 2015 0 Comments

3 Steps to a Successful Job Search

A thorough, successful job search can seem like a part-time job! To do it correctly and effectively, you often have to dedicate a lot of time and effort into the process.

Although creating a professional is first and foremost, it is just one of several components of a successful job search; the others include: materials, preparation, and mindset. With these three tools at the ready, you’ll be well-equipped to succeed in finding your ideal position.

Materials

As we mentioned before, materials are the first thing you must nail down. A professional, grammatically correct resume, cover letter, and any portfolio pieces are all important. Include information that is specific and provides numerical support, or includes recommendations as part of the package.

Your cover letter should specify the desired position, what you bring to the table, and any applicable job experience. Portfolios are necessary for most jobs these days, and you can either build one in a binder or via an online portfolio option. Create your materials first, as you’ll need to be ready to send them at a moment’s notice.

Preparation

Preparation is the all-encompassing theme of a solid job search, and it’s something that starts at the beginning of your search and ends with the follow through.

You start preparing by creating your materials, reviewing them yourself and with a friend or family member, finalizing them, then beginning the actual search. Your search is also something to prepare for! What kind of job are you looking for? Do you want to work from home? THere are specific work-from-home job sites like HireMyMom out there, for the specific purpose of working from home. There are also industry-specific job sites which can be helpful if you’re looking to stay in a particular field.

Following up is the last part of the puzzle, but one to look into right away; don’t wait until your first interview and realize you aren’t prepared with any sort of follow-up. Start by creating the content of an email inquiring about the status of the job position, as well as the content of a thank you note for your interviewer. Once these are at the ready, all you have to do is add in a bit of personalization for each interview.

Come up with a list of sites to search, a materials-needed checklist, and a list for follow through.

Mindset

Mindset is #1 in almost everything we do, and the job search is no different. It can be tough out there, and sometimes job searches can go on for a very long time. Prepare yourself mentally that it could take a while, and determine what you really want from the get go. While your dream job might not show up immediately, it’s important that you don’t settle and take a job that you cannot see yourself enjoying or succeeding in.

Know what you want, persevere in your search, and stay positive. If you have solid materials in place, additional necessary preparation completed, and a great mindset, your next job is closer than you might think!

Written by Lesley Pyle

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.

Written by Lesley Pyle

June 25, 2015 0 Comments

Top Tips for Juggling Working from Home and Kids in the Summer

School is officially out in most parts of the country, and that means that your kids will now be home for the summer! It’s a great, fun time of year for moms, but it can also be complicated if you work from home.

Since your work life is very closely connected to your home life – quite literally! – it helps to have a plan in place to keep kids busy and juggle the demands of kids and work.

Plan ahead

You can prevent a lot of chaos and stressful days by doing some simple planning head! Begin your search earlier in the year, and now if you haven’t started yet.

Are your kids interested in summer camps? Some type of swim or tennis lessons? Get together with them and schedule a time to discuss what they’d like to do this summer. Although summer is a more spontaneous time of year, it doesn’t mean you can’t plan and make everyone’s time more efficient and productive.

Look into your local colleges or schools for free or inexpensive classes and discovery sessions of various activities. There are also inexpensive sports leagues that only take place in the summer and often run for most of the day. If your kids are older, talk with them about potentially getting a summer job or scheduling some activities they may enjoy.

Work ahead

Just as you can plan your kids’ activities ahead of time, you can do your best to get some work done ahead of time. Determine the time(s) of the week that you’ll be spending time with your kids over the summer break and work around that. If you know Monday mornings are your time to hit the pool or an activity together, put in a little bit of extra time on Friday to make your morning less stressful.

Another helpful tactic is to add 15-20 minutes per day so that you don’t have to spend hours at the end of the week working ahead. If you dedicate a small portion of your week to this every single day, it’s not overwhelming and can truly give you that free time that you so desire with your kids.

Allow for some space

Despite your best planning, things don’t always go as planned in the summer. Whether a storm comes up that cancels swim practice, or you have to reschedule a call to pick up your kids in the middle of the day, it’s important to allow some space for the unexpected.

This can’t really be planned for, but by working ahead as in the aforementioned tip above, you can be much more prepared for those unexpected times. Another way to allow space is to be sure that your kids understand your job, and that it requires you to work during most of the day. This is much more effective for those with older kids, as they’ll be able to entertain themselves. Create times of the day where you can do things together or offer a ride, but let it be known that you are working and you do have tasks that need to be accomplished.

When you allow for some space, keep in mind that schedule is always the #1 tip to keep things under control and juggle it all. Create a family schedule that everyone can see, along with a personal work schedule so you know you’re completing all of your work task

Written by Guest Blogger

April 23, 2014 0 Comments

The Working Stay-At-Home Mom: Turning Passions Into Paying Positions

Compared to the societal ideals of 50 years ago, women today can choose independence by choosing at home professions. Women are no longer cast into the roles of housewife or stay-at-home mom. Modern day independence provides women with opportunity, whether they choose motherhood, a career or both.

In 2011, working mothers served as breadwinners for 40 percent of family households, according to 2013 Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends analysis. Breadwinner moms were comprised of married mothers who earn a higher income than their husbands (37 percent) as well as single mothers (63 percent). The trend of breadwinning mothers has understandably been linked to an increasing presence of mothers in the workforce. Nearly half of the U.S. labor force is made up of women, and the employment rate of married mothers has increased by 43 percent between 1968 and 2011.

Even so, stay-at-home moms and working moms typically remain polarized. In motherhood, you’re either pro stay-at-home mom or pro working mom—never both. The discord fosters resentment, judgment, envy and guilt from both groups. With all of these harbored negative feelings, why do women have to choose either/or? Here are four ways stay-at-home moms can not only participate in the workforce, but nurture their passions by choosing at home professions—an even greater reward.

Etiquette Consultant

For a mother raising her children to be upstanding members of society, teaching manners and morals are invaluable lessons. Take your family lessons on decorum and start an etiquette consulting business. Etiquette expert Catherine Holloway teaches professionals, adults and children how to create opportunity by acting with diplomacy and civility in social situations. Jacqueline Whitmore coaches professionals on business etiquette and protocol designed to spur business growth. Fine-tune first impressions, conversation skills and even body language. Etiquette services can also include advice on proper thanks yous and gift-giving customs, from writing traditional thank you cards to ordering flower delivery for professional settings.

Health Entrepreneur

If you love to color your refrigerator with greens and stay active with the family, delve into a business dedicated to health and wellness. Not only can you make a difference in your family’s lives, you can change the lives of others. Brand and build a website that features your family’s nutritious recipes and inspirations for staying healthy. Other business outlets for a health-passionate advocate include establishing an online retail store for T-shirts and tanks crafted with unique wellness-related designs. Or perhaps you have an idea for a marketable nutritional product or supplement. Entrepreneur Joyce Emily fueled her passion for nutrition by creating the superfood drink Basic Greens. The juice drink became Emily’s brand, empowering people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Professional Organizer

You may as well call yourself an organization pro. You constantly return misplaced toys to bins and rearrange cupboards to fit an influx of plastic cups and bowls. You’ve developed the problem-solving skills to declutter, downsize and maximize space. Why not earn some cash with your craft of expert organization? Sara Pedersen offers hands-on organization assistance and simplification services through her business Time To Organize. She cites U.S. News and World Report and states professional organizing as one of 20 hot jobs for the future workforce. On Pederson’s Career FAQs, you can learn how to enter the professional organizing industry, including how much you can make and required certifications and training.

Wardrobe Stylist

Inundated with motherhood and homemaking demands, a woman can lose her sense of style. Perhaps you’ve been in her (worn out) shoes before. Ya know, when heels are inconceivable and sneakers have even replaced cute ballet flats. By starting a styling business venture, you can offer sensible fashion advice and inspiration for real women who are just like you. Urban Darling provides in-person and virtual styling services, as well as online lookbooks for an “elegant young professional” and many other types of women. Help the fashion-impaired with closet audits, personal shopping and event styling. If you have the look and eye to be a professional fashion stylist, check out Complex Style’s list of tips on how to make it happen.

Now, it’s your turn. Choose one of these at home professions or select from the countless others available to you as a stay-at-home mom. You’ll find so much reward and satisfaction.

Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.