tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56269530503566122722024-03-13T10:34:31.905-04:00{balanced careers. successful lives.}a blog from Momentum ResourcesWhitney Forstnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14423609392079011025noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-65807677208228317492013-04-24T13:04:00.001-04:002013-04-24T13:04:08.313-04:00Other people think it too...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not just us. Others continue to weigh in on the importance of LinkedIn for professionals or in the job search.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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Five Things Your LinkedIn Profile Says about You (published by the <a href="http://www.littlepinkbook.com/little-pink-book/5-things-your-linkedin-profile-saying-about-you" target="_blank">Little Pink Book</a>). </div>
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<a href="http://www.littlepinkbook.com/" style="color: #97b55d;" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="Image" border="0" src="http://www.littlepinkbookassets.com/2013/april/4.24_MAIN.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 190px; width: 135px;" /></a></div>
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Apathetic, unprofessional, inconsistent and outdated – is your Linkedin profile implying all the wrong things?</div>
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LinkedIn is the best way for people to <strong><a href="http://www.littlepinkbook.com/little-pink-book/career/job-search-when-youve-got-one%20" style="color: #cc6719;">get to know you professionally</a></strong> to get an accurate representation.</div>
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Here are the five most common profile mistakes and how they translate, according to Julie Bauke, career strategist and president of <strong><a href="http://thebaukegroup.com/" style="color: #cc6719;">The Bauke Group</a></strong>.</div>
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<strong>You have a profile, but it' not 100 percent complete.</strong> "You don't want employers and other professionals to think you're not committed to finishing what you start," says Bauke.</div>
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<strong>You have family or a dog in your profile picture.</strong> "There is a big difference between LinkedIn and Facebook," she adds. "This is one of them."</div>
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How to keep your <strong><a href="http://www.littlepinkbook.com/little-pink-book/career/face-remember" style="color: #cc6719;">picture</a></strong> professional? "No kids, spouse, dog, boat or wine," says Bauke.</div>
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<tr><td align="right" valign="top" width="24"></td><td width="135"><a href="http://littlepinkbook.com/" style="color: #97b55d;"><img align="left" alt="Little Pink Book" border="0" src="http://www.littlepinkbookassets.com/2013/april/4.24_SupportingImage_1.jpg" style="border: 0px;" /></a></td><td width="135"><a href="http://littlepinkbook.com/" style="color: #97b55d;"><img align="left" alt="Little Pink Book" border="0" src="http://www.littlepinkbookassets.com/2013/april/4.24_SupportingImage_2.jpg" style="border: 0px;" /></a></td><td width="135"><a href="http://littlepinkbook.com/" style="color: #97b55d;"><img align="left" alt="Little Pink Book" border="0" src="http://www.littlepinkbookassets.com/2013/april/4.24_SupportingImage_3.jpg" style="border: 0px;" /></a></td><td width="24"></td></tr>
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<strong>You have five connections.</strong> "Making consistent, ongoing LinkedIn connections as you meet new people and reconnect with former contacts will steadily build your professional network," advises Bauke.</div>
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<strong>Your information is outdated.</strong> Old or irrelevant information on your profile implies that you're not detailed or don't care about your professional life.</div>
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<strong>You don't have a profile at all.</strong> Bauke says it's even more important to have a profile if you're <strong><a href="http://www.littlepinkbook.com/resources/my-career/leadership/generation-y-in-the-workplace" style="color: #cc6719;">over 40</a></strong>. "If you're not up to date in using technology tools, one may wonder if you're up to date in your ideas and knowledge about your profession and industry."</div>
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Show that you're proactive and strategic about your career, and create a profile.</div>
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Bottom line? She says creating a strong profile shows that you're proactive and strategic about your career.</div>
Whitney Forstnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14423609392079011025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-33247882067935797412013-04-16T14:14:00.000-04:002013-04-16T14:14:04.605-04:00LinkedIn - make it a must do in your job search. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's true... your job search will suffer if you do not have a LinkedIn profile. It is hard to admit that social media is so prevalent in today's job search process, but there is no denying that it plays a big role. A role that is getting bigger and bigger every day. There are tons of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/08/linkedin-tips-how-to-use_n_2257788.html" target="_blank">articles</a> on career websites about how to leverage social media to connect with companies and recruiters who are hiring in today's market. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, let's not forget or underestimate just how much recruiters use social media to find and cross reference candidates. We do. We collect as much information as we can about someone through an interview, background check, reference check AND taking a look at someones LinkedIn profile. Now, for us the social media component is secondary to the information that we gather first hand about a candidate, but it does not go unnoticed when a job seeker does not have a profile or if the profile is vague at best. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recruiters are looking to these social media tools to help paint a picture of who you are (like it or not). So, don't let the opportunity pass you by. Create a LinkedIn profile and make it a good and thorough picture of who you are and the work that you have done. Otherwise, the right job just might pass you by. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Whitney Forstnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14423609392079011025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-38993956737206449912012-11-30T06:17:00.002-05:002012-11-30T06:17:16.922-05:00Why Your Job Search is FailingOne of the hardest parts of our jobs is when job seekers approach us and say "I don't care what job I do, I'll do anything, I just want to work." I get that, I really do, but you're lying.<br />
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To be an effective job seeker, particularly in this market, you absolutely need to know the type of organization that you want to work for, one or two different roles that you would like to have and any other relevant parameters such as maximum commute time. Until you know this, spending hours online applying to job boards or sending out resumes is a complete waste of time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.brazencareerist.com/">Brazen Careerist</a> shared a terrific article on <a href="http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/11/21/6-reasons-your-job-search-is-failing-big-time/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Brazen+Newsletter+November+29+2012&utm_content=Brazen+Newsletter+November+29+2012+CID_23b64304e8c6d9dd996475989654cc16&utm_source=email%20campaign%20monitor&utm_term=6%20Reasons%20Your%20Job%20Search%20is%20Failing%20Big%20Time">6 Reasons Your Job Search is Failing Big Time</a>. While none of these tips is earth-shattering new, it's a reminder that you need to know what you're looking for and how to find it. Effective job seekers know the job they want, can easily connect the dots for hiring managers as to why they're the best fit, and network themselves into those roles.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-38176247948132259872012-11-26T07:04:00.001-05:002012-11-26T07:04:28.802-05:00More Tips: The Perfect InterviewThe good people over at <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> shared some really sharp interview tips this week and we wanted to share them with you. In <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121121171031-20017018-the-perfect-job-interview-in-8-simple-steps?ref=email">The Perfect Job Interview in 8 Steps,</a> Jeff Haden shares some obvious and some not-so-obvious tips to getting the interview right. <div>
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My favorite tip? Be likable! Sounds so obvious, right? But you'd be surprised how many job-seekers get this wrong. Employers want to hire people they want to work with. And they want to work with people they like. This speaks to your "fit" into the organization's culture, the surest determination of a long-term success story. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-86314074529074212682012-11-20T07:05:00.000-05:002012-11-20T07:05:00.938-05:003 Tips to Rock Your Next InterviewIn a hiring market as quirky and challenging as this, you have to rock the interview to get the job you want. Every day we say what works, and most importantly, what doesn't work, in interviews across various industries and job families.<br />
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Here are 3 tips to nail your next interview:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Have an Insider</b>. Use social media (either <a href="http://linkedin.com/">LinkedIn's </a>"6 degrees of separation" or <a href="http://facebook.com/">Facebook's</a> status update "anyone know someone at XYZ Media?) to find someone in your network's network that works at that company. Buy them lunch or coffee. Ask 10 questions about the culture, values and present-day challenges. Then send a well-written thank you card in the actual mail.</li>
<li><b>Cyber Stalk.</b> No really, find out everything you can about the company. One tip that I love is to follow the company on <a href="http://linkedin./">LinkedIn.</a> Analyze the current employees, particularly the recent hires, and notice if there's anything they share in common that you don't have listed on your resume. Share that in the interview. Or conversely, is there any special skill-set, experience or certification that they're missing in house that you bring to the organization?</li>
<li><b>Ask Really Good Questions</b>. <a href="http://inc.com/">Inc Magazine</a> ran a great article on <a href="http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/5-questions-great-job-candidates-ask-interviewers.html?goback=.gde_93904_member_184955426">5 Questions Great Job Candidates Ask</a>. Read them. Ask Them.</li>
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And back to that thank you note. Send an email that day, and a written one in the mail. Sure fire way to stand out in a crowded hiring market.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-50313451866314774082012-10-30T11:25:00.001-04:002012-10-30T11:25:42.075-04:00Why Workplace Flexibility is a Business Issue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7pLfkXzEGr4/UI_rKevp1qI/AAAAAAAABN4/RUBeRRxJ4M8/s1600/3+boys+in+office+picture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7pLfkXzEGr4/UI_rKevp1qI/AAAAAAAABN4/RUBeRRxJ4M8/s320/3+boys+in+office+picture.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
There has been quite a lot of talk in the Presidential election about workplace flexibility. While I am encouraged to hear the topic has received so much attention, I think the focus of the debate has been all wrong. Workplace flexibility isn't a women's issue, not really even a family issue, it's a business issue.<br />
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One thing <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources </a>has spent the last five years proving is that this is a profitable, successful, high-growth business model. Not only do employees want and need flexible and reduced-hours roles, but that businesses benefit from them as well.<br />
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As we've worked through these challenging business cycles, <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources</a> has helped non-profit organizations with very lean budgets hire exactly the help they need, often matching the expense of that employee to a grant or contract. We've helped businesses lure hard-to-find talent away from non-flexible organizations by offering the one thing that money can't buy and doesn't cost employers a dime: schedule flexibility.<br />
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<b>But bottom line, we've kept people working and organizations operating.</b> Through an historic recession and through multiple natural disasters (Snowpocalypse? Derecho?), by establishing workplace flexibility in our engagements from the beginning we've proven - with an astounding 2,169% growth over the last three years- that is a very smart move for successful businesses.<br />
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And the workplace flexibility hit home this week with the East Coast bearing the brunt of Hurricane Sandy. After securing my home for the storm and getting the boys settled, I conducted candidate interviews via <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a> Chat and <a href="http://www.skype.com/">Skype</a> until we lost power. I kept our clients informed as to the status of current and pending placements so that all of our people were safe, preparing for the storm, and working where they were able. Without power at home today I'm spending a few hours in the <a href="http://www.connect113.com/">office </a> catching up on emails while charging our electronic devices and the boys have an rainy day movie on the iPad.<br />
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<b>Workplace flexibility isn't a benefit, it isn't a nice-to-have in a stronger economic climate, it's a smart way for businesses to operate.</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-83785898968825670212012-10-24T11:03:00.001-04:002012-10-24T11:03:56.761-04:00Fitness in the Halloween-Holidays Death Spiral<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ov459By0mJc/UIf-L__g3hI/AAAAAAAABNo/LM1P2WQrOmE/s1600/Krista+Riddley+Imagine+Me+Fitness+web+photo+standing+red+shirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ov459By0mJc/UIf-L__g3hI/AAAAAAAABNo/LM1P2WQrOmE/s320/Krista+Riddley+Imagine+Me+Fitness+web+photo+standing+red+shirt.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Fitness and wellness are important to me for a number of reasons, but mainly to keep me sane in this crazy life I'm leading. Finding time for exercise while raising three busy boys and growing a company is not easy, but with accountability (running partners) and goals (races) I have for the most part been successful.<br />
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But with my last race behind me, colder temperatures outdoors and the impending doom of that Halloween-to-Holidays death spiral, I was starting to panic.<br />
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I turned to Krista Riddley of<a href="http://www.imaginemefitness.com/"> Imagine Me Fitness</a> for a few tips on how to incorporate exercise in even the busiest of schedules. As an athlete, wellness coach, certified trainer and recovering perfectionist, Krista loves seeing women light up at the achievement of tighter buns, more energy and the coveted Michelle Obama arms.<br />
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Read what Krista has to say!<br />
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Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about perfectionism, and the
havoc it can wreak if I’m not careful.
My new motto is, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is especially important given the busy
lives we are leading today. That brings
me to the subject of the “perfect” workout. </div>
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I’m reminded of a former client. She was a busy professional who was
writing her first book and she was on a tight writing schedule. On top of that, she had two small children,
one of whom had been diagnosed with a developmental disorder and she needed a
school and skilled professionals to support him. Her writing required travel, and her husband
also traveled for work. She wanted to
maintain a serious exercise routine, stay fit and healthy, look good and feel
good. She realized, however, that the best laid plans could change in an
instant if her husband was suddenly called away, the nanny got sick, or one of
her children needed attention. Over
time, however, she learned that a less than “perfect” workout could make all
the difference. </div>
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For my client the motto
became “seize the moment”. If she
unexpectedly had 25 minutes on her hands, she could go to the basement and get
on the treadmill. If her husband had a
non-working weekend, she could hand over some household responsibilities and
squeeze in a short workout at the gym. The
point is, there is always enough time to do a less than “perfect” workout, if
you seize the moment.</div>
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So here we are at the beginning of the potentially slippery
slope from Halloween to New Year’s Day, when all bets are off. With
all of the activity that happens during this time frame, you could easily ditch
your workout all together. If you are
anything like me, you don’t want to be in the hole on January 1, making another
one of <i>those</i> New Year’s
resolutions. What can you do to make
year different? Here are some ideas:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Be
creative</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">:</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Who said that a workout
has to be at a sweaty gym on an elliptical machine? </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What about going up and down your stairs at
home 10 times, and finishing up with some pushups (hands on the lowest step you
can handle, feet on the floor). </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you are
watching TV, get up during the commercials and do jumping jacks, or better yet,
high knee march and squat throughout the program.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Make it a
family affair:</b> Enlist the family to
join and support you. Walk to your
errands with the stroller, play catch in the back yard in between leaf raking,
put on some music and dance with the kids in the living room. Get your husband to make a grocery run while
you do a quick yoga session. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Plan for
it:</b> Put it in your calendar, just
like all the other activities in your life.
See a free hour in your schedule? Fill it in with an exercise date. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Make it
easy on yourself:</b> Choose the activities that require little set up,
commuting or changing. Think walking, an
exercise DVD, or a workout from your favorite fitness magazine. There are some great 10 minute workouts on
YouTube.</div>
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Most importantly seize the moments! Click <a href="http://imaginemefitness.com/2012/03/put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-five-steps-to-get-you-moving-today/">here</a>
for some additional tips on how to get moving today!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-82354756592580913862012-09-11T10:00:00.000-04:002012-09-11T10:00:00.469-04:00Advice to 18 Year Old MeI spent some time last week on the campus of my undergraduate alma mater. I marveled at all of the changes in the last 20 years, and yet how much things stayed the same. Students were walking around with laptops (we had pencils and notebooks!) and smart phones (our hall phones were anything but smart) but otherwise, pretty much looked like college students from any time or place. You know, that laissez-faire attitude you can only get when your biggest worries are: English exam at 10AM, what the dining hall is serving for dinner and whether or not you have a date for Saturday's semi-formal.<br />
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But what I know now is that despite their carefree attitudes, these young men and women face a momentous decision in something as seemingly benign as choice in a college major. What you choose to study as an 18 year old (teenager!) largely informs your professional career trajectory and largely whether or not women with children remain in the workforce.<br />
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What did I study? Business and Economics with minors in Accounting and French. I was going into finance, gosh darn it. Nevermind that I didn't particularly enjoy the field of study, or know anyone in the industry, I thought it was the "best" so I was going for it!<br />
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Fast forward through my early career, Business School, 9/11 and having twins, investment banking just didn't work for me anymore. I wasn't prepared to have two shifts of nannies raise my children, or to ask my husband to quit his job, so that I could stay in a career that I didn't really love.<br />
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So I read with interest <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manoush-zomorodi/work-life-balance_b_1861183.html">Manoush Zomorodi's 3 Careers That Don't Work for Women With Children.</a> What was on the top of the list? Investment Banking. Naturally.<br />
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While it's not impossible to be a working mother in investment banking, there aren't many role models. You could do it, but there were going to be big tradeoffs. It's just not the kind of job you have if you want to have dinner with your family every night. It's a culture of face time, internal competition for working the most weekly hours and being at a client's beck and call, largely via air travel.<br />
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<b>So what advice would I give 18 year old me? </b><br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Find something that you love, and work towards that.</b> You're going to be working for a long, long time, you might as well enjoy at least portions of it. I never loved finance. It's an important skill that serves me daily, but as a career choice it was a disaster from day one from a work-life balance perspective. Even before I was married and had children, it didn't leave me time for the things I loved: yoga class after work, weekends away, book club. </li>
<li><b>Find some role models</b>. While I did the "right" thing in pursuing 3 different finance internships as a college student, I never found anyone like me. That should have been my tip off! I never found women rising in the ranks of corporate finance or parents leaving after the closing bell to take kids to soccer practice. Those were important to me, and I'm still looking for those role models to help make this working-parenting dream a reality.</li>
<li><b>Prepare for the trade-offs.</b> Bottom line: the people making the big bucks work the big hours. Six figure salaries largely belong to those willing (and wanting!) to sacrifice a lot of free time for work. Is that you? Awesome, go for it. If it's not, own it, and have a great time at book club!</li>
</ul>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-50921819930456816632012-08-24T09:37:00.002-04:002012-08-24T09:37:49.575-04:00Finding the Time for Balance<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKM-iCk0ybU/UDd_BXTtywI/AAAAAAAABNI/QTGr7tcYUy0/s1600/Potomac+sunrise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKM-iCk0ybU/UDd_BXTtywI/AAAAAAAABNI/QTGr7tcYUy0/s400/Potomac+sunrise.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over the Potomac River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First of all, let me be clear, the 4:45 AM alarm never gets easier. Ever. But a couple of years ago I got some great advice from <a href="http://www.organizingforyourlife.com/">time management guru Terry Monaghan </a>who told me to pick the 5 most important things on my to do list and block off 2 hours of uninterrupted time on your calendar to get them done. The 5-7AM work block emerged, and I'm all the better for it.<br />
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But I'm a morning person, and not everyone is. <a href="http://mom-entum.com/index.php?/story_bios">My business partner Tanya Cummings</a> is certainly not (but she's getting better!) and I often wake up to emails from her sent just a few hours before. But she gets energized after she puts the girls to bed and does great work then.<br />
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The point is, not all business gets done between 9AM & 5PM. Certainly if you're working in a larger organization you're bound to core hours and corporate policy, but I think the amazing thing about <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources'</a> success over the last 5 years is that 7 women with a combined 16 children have grown a company that works around OUR schedules.<br />
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But that's the work piece, and the whole point of our business is balance. How on earth do you spend the time you want with your family? Respond to your manager's emails in a timely manner? Squeeze in some exercise? No matter where you are in life there are never enough hours in the day.<br />
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There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but for me the key has been the early alarm. I am exhausted by 9:30pm, I watch practically no TV, but I'm getting in the things that are most important to me right now. 3 days a week I meet neighbors for a run, the other 2 days I dedicate to early, uninterrupted work hours. I eat breakfast with the boys and put them on the bus every day. And <i>then </i>I<i> </i>head to work.<br />
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Lessons Learned:<br />
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<ul>
<li>There will always be more work to do, emails to answer, calls to return. Prioritize and let it go.</li>
<li>Be accountable. I won't hit the alarm snooze if I know 3 ladies are waiting on me to run on the corner.</li>
<li>Block off the most important things on your calendar. This includes family meals and exercise.</li>
</ul>
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If you want to hear more early morning success stories, check out <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/how-to-be-successful-before-breakfast/2012/08/22/3e109cde-ec6b-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html">How to Be Successful Before Breakfast.</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-27123805386330629522012-08-22T07:08:00.003-04:002012-08-22T07:08:40.745-04:00Pausing to Look Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xcVymx7jmDY/UDS4tMcq8sI/AAAAAAAABM4/dgQ10JD2e0E/s1600/mountain+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xcVymx7jmDY/UDS4tMcq8sI/AAAAAAAABM4/dgQ10JD2e0E/s320/mountain+photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
I have been lucky enough to tag along on my husband's annual work trip to Vermont three out of the last four years while my children spend the week at their godparents. This arrangement allows for a little work, a little fun, and lots of good food.<br />
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Each year I'm there I like to explore different parts of the Green Mountain State, trying challenging hikes, bike climbs we don't get in Washington, D.C. and generally looking for perspective and outdoor solitude that I can't get in my crazy daily life.<br />
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This year I went down to the village of Stowe to climb Mount Mansfield, the tallest peak in the state. Not an experienced hiker, I followed the advice of a nice couple in the parking lot who told me to just hike straight up, right under the gondola. Sure there was a gravel path with switchbacks, but that would take much, much longer!<br />
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So hiked I did, one vertical step at a time, till I was completely winded.As I stopped to catch my breath I looked back at how far I came. Wow! I did that! I turned back to look at the summit, still very far away, but again- wow- I did that. And if I've come this far, I can certainly make it to to the top.<br />
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Maybe it was all that clean mountain air but I was making all kinds of business-hike analogies, that we're sometimes so focused on the end-game that we don't pause - even for a moment- to see how far we've come. That sometimes the gravelly path that goes from side-to-side gets you to the same place in better shape (and certainly more fun!) than head-down white knuckling it up to the top.<br />
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Just as I was stopping to jot some of these thoughts down on my iphone, I got a call from one of my business partners, <a href="http://mom-entum.com/index.php?/story_bios">Whitney Forstner</a>, with some big, big news. <a href="http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/momentum-resources">We debuted on Inc. 500's Fastest Growing Companies List at a stunning #156. </a><br />
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About to turn 5 years old, <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources</a> is a great idea with a strong team, clients we love, and incredible candidates that just want better balance in their lives. It is the result of hard work, blood, sweat and tears (and other unnamed bodily fluids from our combined <i>sixteen</i> children across a team of 7) and right now, we're taking a moment to look back on how far we've come.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-12024616364159049152012-07-17T08:25:00.000-04:002012-07-17T08:27:25.252-04:00Sleeping With The Enemy (Your Smart Phone)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2QrWvHdQTU8/UAVWY1o1xXI/AAAAAAAABMo/47IhWHAKNhk/s1600/Rain+Camping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2QrWvHdQTU8/UAVWY1o1xXI/AAAAAAAABMo/47IhWHAKNhk/s320/Rain+Camping.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
A recent <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> article by Leslie Perlow on <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/step-away-from-the-smartphone/2012/07/11/gJQA3AhDdW_story.html">Why 'Work-Life Balance' Doesn't Work </a>caught my eye this morning. Perlow takes a great angle on this, that when the argument is work-life balance it's a mom issue, but when it's being "on" 110% and connected to your smart phone (even during sleeping hours!) it's human issue, one that affects men and women, parents and non-parents alike. And apparently, me, as although I forbid the iPhone from entering the inner confines of my bedroom at home, I found myself answering a work email from a rain-soaked tent during a family camping trip at 10pm on a Sunday night.<br />
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Perlow studies the Boston Consulting Group, a hard-charging management consulting firm that makes money on billable hours by attending to their clients' needs at any time of day or night, often with weekly travel involved. That doesn't sound like a lot of balance, but they've recently instituted some fairly progressive policies that value "predictable time off" to maximize efficiency, client satisfaction, employee retention and of course above all else, profit.<br />
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This takes me back to my own management consulting days, and ultimate demise, as I just couldn't find a way to make the billable hours model work. If I didn't ask for flexibility, I was losing my head with young twins at home. If I did ask for it, I was mommy-tracked. By participating in company-sanctioned programs I was getting passed over for promotions by my non-parent colleagues. If I used even half of my allotted paid time off I wouldn't meet my utilization goal, the holy grail of billable hours.<br />
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But all's well that ends well, as I set off on a series of freelancing gigs that eventually led me to <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources</a>, where we not only help our clients fill key roles and our candidates achieve their desired level of work-life balance but I now have what I dreamed about while sitting in interminable corporate meetings. I sometimes have to remind myself that I finally have what I always wanted.<br />
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So despite the fact that I answered my first work-related email at 4:48am today, I am able to have breakfast, afternoon pool time AND dinner with my kids today. I had to answer that work-related client email at 10pm on Sunday night while dodging rain drops in the tent because I was off Friday with the boys, engaging in all manner of summer fun. It's harried, my iphone is ALWAYS with me, but - for me- it's better than it was when I had before. I can always go back to a clear delineation of work vs. home hours in a traditional corporate environment but I like the fact that I'm constantly straddling both worlds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-45563661900769068142012-07-12T13:18:00.005-04:002012-07-12T13:18:30.327-04:00Summer Time Job SearchIt's been traditionally held that the summer time is a terrible time to search for a job, what with everyone's vacation schedules, focus on all things recreation and generally lack of growth in the third quarter. And while that may be true, and doubly hard for parents job-searching while the kids are home from school, there are some reasons why it's a terrific time to actively search for a new role.<br />
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<a href="http://www.brazencareerist.com/">Brazen Careerist</a> published <a href="http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/07/03/5-reasons-summer-is-the-best-time-to-job-hunt/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Brazen+Newsletter+July+11+2012&utm_content=Brazen+Newsletter+July+11+2012+Version+A+CID_0505cf344e7e6e7ecae432fd066ee2d6&utm_source=email+campaign+monitor&utm_term=Read+more">a great list here</a>, but I'd like to add one more parent-specific advantage to a summertime search: in the fall, when the kids are back in school, you'll be competing with all of the OTHER parents that waited till September to look for a job. It's already a very competitive, crowded labor market, use the warm months to stand out now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-46158142793286162982012-04-03T10:48:00.006-04:002012-04-04T05:21:26.547-04:00Your Balance Needs Change, Trust Me<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5D7cOi02dE8/T3sP1X2v3pI/AAAAAAAABJ0/CDQClZvjje4/s1600/Folsom%2Btwins%2BMarch%2B2012%2Bbrother%2Bpose.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5D7cOi02dE8/T3sP1X2v3pI/AAAAAAAABJ0/CDQClZvjje4/s320/Folsom%2Btwins%2BMarch%2B2012%2Bbrother%2Bpose.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727188760742846098" /></a><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " >A friend sent me an interesting article in <a href="http://www.forbes.com/">Forbes</a> with the tantalizing title, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2012/04/02/shattering-the-worklife-balance-myth/">Shattering the Work/Life Balance Myth</a>. The author describes a mentoring session with a group of women MBAs who asked nervously about post-graduation work/life balance. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " >The author decided to lead the group on a quest for the definition of work-life balance (none could be derived) and how that changed over the course of a woman's life.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >My older two children were born during my second year of MBA studies at <a href="http://www.msb.edu/">Georgetown University</a>, a month a half early, cluing me in pretty early that this Type A, plan everything woman was no longer in charge. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Upon graduation, I thought I had it all figured out: a somewhat-flexible schedule for both me and my husband and a full-time nanny so that we each were in charge of the babies for equal 8 hour increments. Then, upon their second birthday, the speech pathologist strongly urged us to enroll the boys in preschool. OK fine, but preschool tuition x2 AND a full-time nanny meant I was in the red for working. So a new daycare solution, and work schedule were in order. Fast forward two years, and the twins head to kindergarten and we've added another son; once again, new work schedule, new care solution.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >My twins turned 10 this weekend and a decade into working motherhood I can say without a doubt: <b>your flexibility requirements and work/life balance goals will change, </b>sometimes monthly!</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Come September, 4 <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum</a> babies will head to kindergarten, including my youngest son. Again, new schedule, new care scenario. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >If these needs evolve annually (monthly? daily?) and even a bunch of super-smart women MBAs can't derive a definition of work-life balance , how can working parents negotiate the best flexibility scenario with their employers?</span></div><div><ul><li><span ><b>Remember, it's still an employer's market.</b><span> When developing a flexibility request plan, address all potential concerns your manager might come up with up front, head on. Build in metrics for evaluation, propose a 30 day trial period and be gracious and appreciative. </span></span></li><li><span ><b>Knock their socks off</b>. Be the best in your job, deliver consistently above-average results, be responsive, and don't give your boss any reason to say "no" to a specific request.</span></li><li><span ><b>Be Patient.</b> Even if the answer is "no" to a current flexibility request, chances are your business environment will change (management turnover, policy change, etc) or your needs will change. </span></li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-71815778036555345522012-03-29T06:44:00.005-04:002012-04-04T05:15:35.127-04:00Try These 3 Simple, Healthy Recipes<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfzvl1dLrk0/T3Q9kpwUpvI/AAAAAAAABJU/pKKv6qJbIp0/s1600/Roasted%2BChick%2BPeas%2Bpic.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfzvl1dLrk0/T3Q9kpwUpvI/AAAAAAAABJU/pKKv6qJbIp0/s320/Roasted%2BChick%2BPeas%2Bpic.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725268726187861746" /></a><br /><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>As promised, here are three easy recipes that work in our busy household. In order to make the cut for the Folsom house they have to be: affordable, plentiful, healthy, nutritious and most importantly---DELICIOUS! I promise you each of my boys (including my husband) eats all of these. Give them a try!</span></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><ul><li><span><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">White Bean Dip.</b> Take a can or two of white northern or cannelloni beans, rinse and drain. Toss in the food processor or blender with olive oil and kosher salt, add in garlic and chopped rosemary to taste and<i> wwwwrrrrrrr</i>. Rosemary is a cheap, easy and hardy perennial to grow. Even the brownest of thumbs can pick one up at Lowe's garden center and plop it in a sunny spot in the garden. Excellent for dipping veggies and pita chips.</span></li></ul><ul style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><li><span><b>Roasted Chick Peas</b>. Blot rinsed and drained garbanzo beans with a paper towel, toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and kosher salt, and add garlic and cayenne pepper to taste. Roast at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Using parchment paper means they crisp up really nicely and there's no clean up, I sometimes sort of fold the paper into a clever, disposable serving dish.</span></li></ul><ul style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><li><span><b>Kale.</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Forget what you think you know about this giant bag of leafy greens in the far corner of the produce aisle, I promise you my crew loves this. The wok works best for this but you can use a cast iron skillet or big saute pan, as it starts out HUGE and shrinks down (the boys love to watch this kitchen magic trick). Saute 1-2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, add kale and stir stir stir till it cooks down to desired level, you might need to add some water to help it steam down depending on cooking method. When you remove from heat, toss with kosher salt and a dash of balsamic vinegar. You can saute/steam fish on the next burner or grill up some chicken while this cooks and I swear you have a really yummy dinner in 15 mins.</span></span></li></ul></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-5846528449129871752012-03-29T06:41:00.002-04:002012-03-29T07:15:01.636-04:00Healthy Eating Tips for REALLY Busy People<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span >We recently had a <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com" style="font-weight: normal; ">Momentum</a> team meeting that took us on a tangent for a particularly vexing problem for all busy families: <b>how do you get nutritious, convenient food in your busy lifestyle</b>? My business partners felt a bit overwhelmed after hearing from an excellent nutritionist speaker at a recent event.</span></div><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: small; "><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><span >I totally get the overwhelm factor, and for us this has been 5+ years in the making. And the caveat is that I still love my Five Guys and Chipotle, but they're treats, not a daily occurrence. But the odd thing is, the healthier you eat, the more you crave more healthy food. Your taste buds change, you become more aware of how much better you all feel with better fuel for a busier lifestyle.</span></span><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: small; ">It started out when we began to discover food allergies and sensitivities in our boys, and has spread as we became more conscious about what we were eating. I am sure a trained nutritionist or environmentalist might look at my steps as falling short of ideal, but to really make this work in real life I think it makes sense to just break it down into smaller steps as you become more conscious about what you're buying, and thus eating. Pick one thing and just keep it in mind as you're strolling the grocery aisles, even if you don't always stick to it you're more aware. And bottom line, you (parents) bring food into the house. If you skip the junk for your pantry, when the kiddos have it at a birthday party it's a treat and not really a big deal in the long run. </span><div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: small; ">For us, the steps went something like (but every family's goals are different):</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: small; "><ul><li><b>Stop buying food with high fructose corn syrup. </b>Hint, any organic food won't have this, so that's an easy cheat, but you really have to limit processed and packaged foods. </li><li><b>Eliminate red food dye.</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> Buy organic ketchup, skip the Spiderman gummy snacks, buy nitrate-free turkey hot dogs. </span></li><li><b>Buy organic if it's reasonably affordable and easy.</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> ALWAYS with eggs, mostly with chicken, typically with tree fruit and root veggies. There are a dozen lists of what to buy organic, this is just the simplest for us.</span></li><li><b>Keep it really simple.</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> This was our <a href="http://www.kellydorfman.com">nutritionist's</a> advice when she banned dairy, soy, and eggs (in addition to the peanut allergy. "None of that casserole crap. Grilled chicken, steamed salmon on the stove top, fresh fruits and veggies for every meal."</span></li><li><b> Prep Work!</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> You have to make it as convenient as grabbing a baggie of Goldfish. I make the veggie/fruit tray part of the evening kitchen routine. Pack lunches, make coffee, start the dishwasher and replenish the crudite tray. That way if we're having Bus stop happy hour or running out the door to lax practice, I just grab that container and nibble on it when we go. I set it out while I'm cooking or warming up dinner so the first thing my hungry boys eat is fresh fruits and veggies. I usually have carrots, celery with sunflower seed butter (get it from Trader Joes, $5/har, less sugar and fat than peanut butter and more protein and fiber), sugar snap peas, cucumbers, red pepper strips, basically whatever's on sale that week. Same thing for fruit, whatever's on sale, strawberries "with a hair cut" (as my 4 year old says), washed grapes, sliced apples. If you want to slice apples in advance and keep them from browning, use the slicer/corer thing but LEAVE IT ON THE CORE and wrap a rubber band around it so the "meat" of the apple doesn't oxidize. </span></li><li><b>Make your own to go dips</b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">. Kids love to dip darn near anything. It's not the most earth-friendly option but I haven't found reusable dipping containers small enough ....so I buy the pack of 100 plastic disposable dip/top containers at the party store (like you get in a to go box from a restaurant) and reuse them when I can. I put in organic ranch, white bean dip, hummus or sunflower seed butter. When I make a batch I put a few dozen in the fridge so they're ready to grab and go. Sunbutter and an apple to "peel" off when sliced and dipped? That's a good time. Messy in my car, but that's why I have a 7 yr old minivan!</span></li></ul><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-37788609919380225942012-03-20T10:11:00.002-04:002012-03-20T10:22:57.663-04:00Dream Job? It's All About the Results<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">It's not news to faithful <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com">Momentum Resources</a> <a href="http://mom-entum.blogspot.com">blog</a> readers that flexible work arrangements are in force and working every day across most industry sectors and job families. These aren't nice-to-haves and are no longer considered merely perks for attracting and retaining top talent (though it works for that, too!) but are business-driven solutions to real-life problems like uncertain revenue projections, limited budgets, hard-t0-fill roles and a recovering economy. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">We sat down and talked to </span></span><a href="http://www.forbes.com" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Forbes</a><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"> last week about trends in the flexible workplace, and you can </span></span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/03/14/how-to-get-a-4-day-work-week-and-summers-off/" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">read the full article here</a><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"> but suffice it to say:</span></span><div><ul><li><span ><b>Results, baby!</b> Outperform in your job, blow away metrics and make your boss look good and you've just nullified every argument against schedule and location flexibility.</span></li><li><span ><b>Technology, use it to your advantage</b>. Don't let it run your life, use it to work wherever and whenever you like. We love <a href="http://www.dropbox.com">Dropbox</a>, <a href="http://www.skype.com">Skype</a> and the <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a> productivity suite like Gmail, Calendars (multiple colors and users!) and Docs.</span></li><li><span ><b>Remember, it's still an employer's market</b>. Figure out what matters most to your current or prospective manager (IM availability? dedicated office hours?) and work your flexibility requests into that framework.</span></li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-62212046101413758742012-03-01T05:47:00.002-05:002012-03-01T06:15:42.433-05:00Why Women (and we!) Love Pinterest<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">No one would call the </span></span><a href="http://www.mom-entum.com" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Momentum Resources</a><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"> folks technology gurus, but it's well-documented that we were all very early adopters of </span></span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Pinterest.</a><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;"> Wildly pinning away while our husbands glanced over our laptops in the evening, my business partners and I have spent the last year or so building Boards on everything from <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/?q=bake+sale">bake sale recipes</a> to the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/158329743119250485/">perfect business casual meeting outfit.</a> Which is harder than a plain ol' navy suit any day!</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">And why have we spent so much time - our most precious commodity- on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a>? Because we just don't have enough time to be creative for all of the demands in our life. While taking a break from planning a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/183662491023510500/">dinner part</a>y with business associates I look for new recipes for next week's <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/183662491023489098/">Meal Swap</a>. When my four year old begs to dress up like a star-bellied sneetch for Dr. </span>Seuss<span style="font-size: 100%;"> Week in Pre-K, I'm scanning the Boards to see if anyone else out there has had to come up with </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/133559945168702239/">Seuss costume </a>after bedtime with materials already on hand. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Sure I can eek out a little creativity on my latest knitting project or even on a driveway chalk masterpiece with my boys, but <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> allows me to be way more fabulous than I already am. Look no further for<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/143200463121076295/"> juice-box robots </a>for your next 5 year old birthday party, or exactly the right <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/129267451773866262/">hammock for your garden</a> this summer. Someone else has already figured it out and shared it openly with the world. This wide-open community approach to solving all of our (admittedly first world) problems has taken what used to exist in neighborhood coffee klatches and list servs and expanded it into a large social network that's displayed in a clean, visually appealing format. Or, more dangerously, on your smart phone. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >I know that the business model is untested (revenue anyone?) and copyright issues abound for artists, but right now <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> helps me solve many of my daily challenges that had otherwise taken up significant brainpower and emotional energy. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >No, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> can't revive the fried share drive in the office or get my 9 year old to focus on his darned math homework, not yet anyway, but somehow lending ideas and inspiration to the other challenges in my day-to-day activities breathes new life for solutions to my offline problems. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/02/29/147596063/nailing-down-the-appeal-of-pinterest">Here's what I had to say about Pinterest</a> to <a href="http://www.npr.org">NPR</a>. What's the best way you have used <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a>?</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-27207194199656023672012-02-21T09:01:00.002-05:002012-02-21T09:14:54.801-05:00Balance Yourself FirstThe one downside to having a job you really, truly and passionately love is that you want to do it a lot- like- all the time a lot. We call it an occupational hazard around <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com">our offices</a> but it's sort of not the whole point of our business, the whole work-life balance piece. <div><br /></div><div>But <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com">we've</a> discovered over the last nearly 5 years is that everyone has a <i>very</i> different definition of balance. And because kids and life change so darned fast, what you need this year in terms of balance and schedule flexibility is not likely what you'll need next year. Your work and your life should fit your personal goals for balance.</div><div><br /></div><div>Knowing that there really never is a perfect "balance," a moment in time where you have just the right amount of work and just the right amount of life, how the heck do you get off the hamster wheel and start enjoying more of both?</div><div><br /></div><div>A good place to start is Annie McKee's article in today's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com">Huffington Post</a>,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/annie-mckee/life-balance_b_1284613.html"> Balance Yourself, Not Work and Life. </a> Although Ms. McKee cites a lot of grim statistics about the effects of "power stress" on our economy and lives, she gives a lot of great examples on bringing a little more balance inward. She acknowledges that it's not realistic to hit a yoga class before work, but that you can create mindfulness by taking just a few moments every day to breathe, take in nature and focus on hopefulness and gratitude. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-24493620958523450392012-02-08T13:06:00.004-05:002012-02-09T05:50:35.050-05:00Stand Out With a GREAT Thank You Note<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYpoazW3zVI/TzK5rgqxV6I/AAAAAAAABEQ/3XFQG48C8II/s1600/Great%2Bthan%2Byou%2Bcard%2Bphoto.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYpoazW3zVI/TzK5rgqxV6I/AAAAAAAABEQ/3XFQG48C8II/s320/Great%2Bthan%2Byou%2Bcard%2Bphoto.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706827834986682274" /></a>I'm a huge advocate of all things technology-related and my OCD compulsion to rid the world of paper products is strong, but there's one place in the world for good old fashioned card stock: the thank you note. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">We</a> always encourage our candidates to email a thank you note the day of the interview with a paper thank you the day after. After all, it's the best way to stand out in a very, very crowded labor market.</div><div><br /></div><div>But yesterday I received a spot-on thank you note for a candidate in our process and wanted to share why it was so terrific:</div><div><ul><li><b>Stood out</b>: The bright pink envelope matched our corporate graphic scheme, something maybe only a designer like this candidate would've noticed. But it certainly brightened up my desk today and stood out in the mailbox. Obviously you need to match your communication to the audience and most investment banks or corporate law firms won't appreciate a polka-dotted card, but this was just right for us.</li><li><b>Message</b>: Short, sweet and sincere, 3 great attributes of a great thank you note. This candidate wrote a brief expression of gratitude that also demonstrated she "got" us, our business model and what we do.</li><li><b>Business Cards</b>: Smart job-seeker move of the week! This job-seeker is a freelancer so she already had cards, but she included not one but two in her thank you note. What a clever way to make sure you stay top of mind! If you don't already have cards, march your fingers on over to <a href="http://www.vistaprint.com/">VistaPrint</a> and get some cheap cards today. </li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-53074632779709632222012-02-08T06:24:00.005-05:002012-02-10T06:43:26.538-05:00Interviewing? Don't Forget to Look Inward<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span >There's one thing <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">we</a> know for sure: if we can get our people in front of our clients, they're likely to get the job. <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com/">Momentum Resources</a> has a very high success rate with our candidates receiving strong offers after the interview process. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span ><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span >Why is this the case? Because we coach our candidates through the interview process to not only conduct the standard external research (website, industry news, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> bios and connections) but also to look inward.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span ><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span >We advise our candidates to do a little:</span></div><div><div style="font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><ul><li><span ><b>Inward Analysis</b>: What does the candidate bring to the organization? How does that align with the organizations' mission statement? </span></li><li><span ><b>Problem Solving</b>: How do our candidate's skills and strengths help solve the organization's short-, intermediate- and long-term problems? Address industry challenges?</span></li><li><span ><b>Muster Sincere Enthusiasm:</b> How can you clearly convey that you are excited about the potential opportunity to work with this client? Don't be aggressive, but demonstrate passion and commitment to the role and make it clearly that, if offered, you'd jump at this opportunity.</span></li></ul></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-64732311227607473912012-02-07T05:50:00.003-05:002012-02-08T06:23:56.012-05:00Rate Expectations, Part 2<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span >Employers, ever wonder why you can’t snag the best talent in a “flush” job market? We understand where you are coming from – budgets are still limited and economic uncertainty looms, impacting your ability to lure potential employees with top dollar compensation packages.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span >If you try to capture top talent with a low rate – you are not likely to get the talent that you are looking for and quite frankly your company deserves. Yes, we have had companies come to us asking for a bookkeeper at $13/hr because the “market bears it”. Not really. Quality talent doesn’t come at that rate. And in the off chance that someone says yes, they are likely to move on to another job next month for $20/hr. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span >But if you want to attract a super star, you have to be financially competitive. NO, this doesn’t mean that you have to get into the bidding wars and signing bonuses of the late 90’s, but it does mean that you have to be fair and thoughtful.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span ><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span >So, be realistic and creative in your offers. Offer non-financial compensation to get the best talent for your limited budget.<b> Flexible hours and partial telecommuting don't cost you a dime and have a real economic benefit to job-seekers</b>. Uncertain about your economic outlook? Consider a contract or contract-to-permanent arrangement to minimize your hiring risk and match your employment expense to an anticipated grant, contract or revenue stream.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-45750192149668005412012-02-07T05:44:00.003-05:002012-02-07T05:49:24.692-05:00Rate Expectations<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span>A funny thing has happened over the last six months or so: hiring has picked up and pay rates have leveled out. People are getting paid fairly, very fairly in fact - but just not as high as pre-recession rates. This is causing a fundamental disconnect between job seekers and the people that want to employ them, making for a very inefficient- perhaps even stalled- hiring market.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span><br /></span></p><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span>Job seekers, it's time to really think about what you can reasonably expect in this market. Is your company downsizing and eliminating your high six figure salary role? You may be worth it, but that salary level isn’t sustainable. So, as you begin your job search, be prepared for a bit of sticker shock – it will be hard to match six figures no matter how good you are. So, be reasonable – don’t sell yourself short, but don’t say NO to a job because it is not six figures. And you may find a great job is right under your nose.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span>And if you're returning to work after a hiatus (child rearing, unemployment, you name it) your last salary level is almost irrelevant. Compensation is determined by supply and demand. That's why there are lawyers working for $30/hr and app developers making $130/hr. Don't take a salary offer as a personal affront, it's the job, not you.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><br /></span></p></div><div class="im" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span>What can you do to correct this disconnect?<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><ul type="disc"><div class="im"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; "><span>Use your tools: Check resources like Salary.com and your industry professional associations to determine market and role specific compensation information. If you're really confused or in a niche industry, it might be time to bring on a compensation consultant to point you in the right direction.<u></u><u></u></span></li></div><div class="im"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; "><span>Job Seekers: Do your homework. Know your value, research comparable salary levels and be flexible in your expectations. Let potential employers know if you won't be using certain benefits or if you're open to a lower salary now for a performance and salary review 6 months down the road.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; "><span>Consider contract roles. If you don't need corporate benefits, consider a contract position that can sometimes (but not always!) offer you a higher hourly rate. If the rate is really unattractive, negotiate for an intermediate contract length: not so long that you're locked into an unappealing rate forever but long enough to knock their socks off so that you're in a better position to negotiate a higher rate at contract renewal time. That contract opportunity might just be your foot-in-the-door to your perfect next job.</span></li></div></ul><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><u></u> </span></p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-18011809128384411382012-01-30T07:10:00.002-05:002012-01-30T07:16:25.935-05:00Great Meal Planning ResourceRegular blog readers know I've solved the weeknight what's-for-dinner question with a <a href="http://mom-entum.blogspot.com/search?q=meal+swap">neighborhood meal swap</a> and I'm making chicken taco bowls for tomorrow's dinner. I found this recipe from a terrific resource called <a href="http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/">Budget Bytes</a> which of course I found on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> (the website that allows me to be much more creative and fabulous than I actually am!).<div><br /></div><div>This website has a whole host of recipes with reviews and the cost per serving. It's really well-organized (including 181 vegetarian recipes and 18 gluten-free meals!) and really demonstrates that with a little planning, healthy, delicious meals are much less expensive than anything from a package or out of the freezer.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-87727417179058485892012-01-17T06:44:00.003-05:002012-01-17T06:48:46.942-05:00Now... Be Focused But Flexible<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span>Now for the follow up! Just because you have set parameters for your job search like this candidate doesn't mean you should rule out a great opportunity because it is not <i>exactly</i> what you are looking for. Instead, <b>try an acceptable range for roles, hours and compensation.</b><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span>Although hiring is steady-to-brisk and the labor market is tightening, it's still a very tricky market. Compensation ranges vary widely and job titles are changing in response to dynamic market conditions. Stay open-minded.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); "><span>This doesn’t mean throw caution to the wind and accept a project management role when you are really looking for a communications gig. It means be focused on and search for jobs within your parameters, but be flexible enough to see when something outside of that scope is a great fit. Project coordinator vs. project manager, 30 hours a week instead of 25. $20 per hour instead of being set on $22 per hour. Be open to what comes your way and you will find a great opportunity.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626953050356612272.post-84722221310330373482012-01-16T15:31:00.002-05:002012-01-16T15:40:58.457-05:00You Need to Tell Me What You Want<span >Want to know the least helpful response to the question "what kind of work are you looking for?" </span><div><span ><br /></span><div><b><span >I'll do anything.</span></b></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Because it's not true, that's why. Because if you're a seasoned marketing professional and I say terrific, I've got a fantastic opportunity for you digging ditches for $10/hr, you're going to tell me no, actually, what I'm looking for is .......</span></div></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >If you're a job-seeker, you need to be able to tell any- and everybody (including the good folks here at <a href="http://www.mom-entum.com">Momentum Resources</a>!) what role you're seeking, how much you'd like to work, what you think is fair compensation for that work and bonus points if you can list a few organizations on your target list. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >I recently had a conversation with a new candidate who gave me a terrific set of job search parameters that really helped me help her focus her job search. She said, "I<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; "> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">am open to any marketing, writing, communications, project management or executive admin position in the Northern VA area (Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria). </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">My ultimate goal is to find a permanent role working 20-25 hours per week virtually or onsite 3-4 days a week between the hours of</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; "> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">9:30 am - 3:00 pm</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">.</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; "> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">My s</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">alary range is $30-35 per hour, negotiable."</span></span></div><div><span ><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span >Now <i>THAT</i> we can work with.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0