CareerMums: Family and work flexibility

If not a “Working Mum”, then what?

2012-02-07T09:56:00.003+11:00

By Kathryn Hocking, Reverie Coaching

My mother hates the term “working mum” so you can imagine my concern and her unease when I unveiled my business to her, one that was based around the concept of “Coaching for Working-Mums” and by that I mean coaching for women in paid employment. My choice to coach this niche doesn’t mean that stay at home mums are not welcome in my practice it just means I have chosen to target my marketing efforts towards “working mums”.

This got me thinking about the term “working mum” and the fact that my mother, who has been ‘stay-at-home-mum’ (SAHM) most of her adult life, hates the inference that SAHM’s don’t “work”. As an aside I could also dissect the implications of the term “SAHM” but I will leave that for another time!

My argument to my mother was that:
1. Given “working mum” is the recognised term for mothers who return to paid employment sometime after having a child; and
2. Given that so much of online business and marketing is based around ‘key words’ and Google searches that I had to use the popularly accepted terminology whether I agreed with it or not.

However, the recent release of the book “Career Mums” by Kate Sykes and Alison Tait really got me thinking about how the term “Career Mum” may be a far more appropriate term to move forward with in my business.

Let us for a moment consider a few definitions:

According to Dictionary.com the word “work” is:

1. Exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labour; toil;
2. Something on which exertion or labour is expended; a task or undertaking;
3. Productive or operative activity;
4. Employment, as in some form of industry, especially as a means of earning one's livelihood;
5. One's place of employment.

So based on the above definition SAHM’s would certainly be considered to use exertion or effort to accomplish a task and certainly undertake productive activity even though it may not always feel like it!

It does get a little tricky when considering that the word work relates to ‘employment’ which typically relates to earning a living rather than non-paid work. However despite this I would certainly agree that SAHM’s do “work” and so the term “working-mum” is certainly problematic.

When considering the word “Career” Dictionary.com defines it as:

1. An occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework;
2. A person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking;
3. Success in a profession, occupation, etc.

I feel more comfortable with the term “career mum”, however, I personally feel that having a career (requiring special training and it being one’s lifework) and having a job can mean quite different things and this is the advantage to the term “working mum” which encompasses both.

So consider whether a SAHM has a career by asking the following questions:

Is being a mother a profession (definition: a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science)?
Could being a mother be conceived as one’s lifework? and
Isn’t being a mother a progress or general course of action through a phase of life (i.e. your children’s childhood)?

It would seem at least two elements of the word career could apply to SAHM’s, As I hope I have demonstrated here, there really is no perfect terminology for the mother who spends time in paid employment either working from home or in a specified workplace (what a mouthful!).

I personally think the core of the issue is not about terminology but gets down the lack of respect, or perception of lack of respect, that SAHM’s feel they receive in comparison to “working mums” or “career mums”.

Being a full-time working mother or career mum myself I have come to realise that this lack of respect is not one-sided. I have seen many instances of SAHM’s not respecting and out rightly judging working mums as bad or selfish mums who are damaging their children permanently and on the flipside seen career mums disrespecting SAHM’s thinking that they are unmotivated, unintelligent or lazy.

There seems to be a lack of respect of the choices that women in Australia are lucky enough to have combined with a lack of support among women about the fact that everyone must make this choice based on what is best for them and their family.

While out to drinks with a large group of women recently (incidentally I was one of only 1-2 full-time “working mums” in a group of 15) a friend said to me when I asked her about her job:

“I’m only working part-time because I am choosing to put my child first”.

Now as someone who works full-time because:
• Firstly, one income doesn’t cover our mortgage and bills;
• Secondly, I am trying to build a more flexible long term future for my family; and
• Thirdly, because I really enjoy having a career

I could have taken this statement to mean that I do not put my child first and been extremely hurt, however, considering her a friend I gave her the benefit of the doubt and respected her position despite the fact her words were poorly chosen. Interestingly this shows there is even a divide between mums who work 1-3 days a week and mums who work 4+ days a week!

My experience to date has been that women are quite divided on what is best for their kids and quite judgemental of mums who make a different choice to theirs.

I think we should stop getting hung up on the terminology, and start supporting each other to make the choice that is right for them. I know for a fact that I am a happier, less stressed and more loving mother when I am undertaking paid employment than I was when I was at home full-time. At the end of the day my family benefits in many ways from my participation in the paid workforce yet I have the utmost respect for my mother who was an amazing SAHM and I have many memories of outings, craft projects and creative games with her. My daughter may not grow up to have as many of those types of memories but I hope she will grow up with a sense that she can be or do anything she puts her mind to, that she can pursue her dreams and that she can have a career and still be a great mother if she chooses!

I am, however, considering changing my programs to “coaching for the career mum”…..

Kathryn Hocking, © Reverie Coaching 2012, www.reveriecoaching.com

Kathryn is the Director of Reverie Coaching and uses her passion, forward thinking and creativity to inspire, motivate and encourage working mums and mumpreneurs to pursue their dream careers and dream businesses in a way that does not compromise their identity as mothers.

Kathryn offers the following face-to-face and online coaching Programs “Dream Career Kickstart”, “Coaching for the Working Mum, “Life Coaching” and will soon be offering a “Coaching for the Mumpreneur" program. Kathryn also publishes a weekly blog “Ambitious Mummy” and monthly newsletter “The Inspired Mummy”, you can view her website at www.reveriecoaching.com

Don't forget your network and find jobs that are not advertised

2012-02-04T13:41:00.004+11:00

Depending on how long you have been out of the workplace, your network can be your lifeline to paid work again.

Your network is made up of friends, family, colleagues, ex-colleagues, staff, managers, and other people you know in your community (including local businesses and shops). These people know you, your work habits, your capabilities, and your personality so you already have an advantage.

Before you start looking, get your resume up to speed, know what you want to do, know your key skills, how many hours/days you can work each week, and how much your are worth. Then start approaching your network.

If you don't have a profile on LinkedIn (www.linked.com.au), get one. You can then start tracking down ex-bosses that you have lost track of. Then send word out on Facebook, email others in your network, and call the rest.

Some of the best leads come from close by. Try it.

Top tips for being a part time mum

2012-01-27T14:13:00.003+11:00

Blogger Sarah Wayland from That Space In Between considers her new existence as a part time mum and what works for her.

A lot of mums re-entering the workforce after the fog of maternity leave choose to work part time. It's akin to having a few secret identities you have to have an ability to wear different masks at different times. Working part time is not only a juggle in terms of how you separate your week but it can be a little tricky in terms of how you fit into the workplace.

I returned to work part time a few months back. I stepped back into the workforce gingerly as Id gone back full time after my daughter was born 6 years ago (full time over 4 days) and I had really found the pull to be at home unbearable some days. This time I wanted to ease myself back into it so that I was home more than away. Working one day in the office and one day at home is an opportunity that not many are provided with but I must admit some weeks I feel like I'm there so little that I don't feel connected to the workplace so here are a few tips I've developed for myself with some input from other PTMs (part time mums....I'm a public servant so it goes without saying that I love an acronym)

1. Get to work early on the day you're in the office. It gives you a few more minutes to pop around and say hi to people without feeling guilty that you're not using your limited time to the best of your ability.

2. Have a really clear outline of what you want to achieve on the days you're at work. You don't have the luxury of staring out the window and working back late when small people have to be collected from various places.

3. Pop in randomly for work social activities that fall on days you're not there. At Christmas time I packed up my littlies and went in for a morning tea. Sure there were some people with their mouth hanging open that you'd come to the office on a day off but it made me feel like I belonged a little more than my name on my door.

4. Check your emails on the night before you return to work. It helps to offset any nasty surprises when you've forgotten you're interviewing a job applicant at 9am and you might be swanning around drinking a coffee and reading the paper online (this has never happened to me).

5. Send your boss (and any other colleagues it affects) an email when you finish up at the end of your work week. Just a bit of a heads up while you're not there, an update on where you are at and even a gentle reminder when you wander back in the following week feeling like it's been months since you were there last.

Part time work is great but remember it's just that, it only makes up part of your week so the camaraderie, the connectedness and the engagement you felt when you lived there before you had kids won't be the same. On the flipside it also doesn't mean that the work day is devoid of laughs and the occasional opportunity to eat the birthday cake of someone you barely know.

Sarah Wayland has been working as a Social Worker in the missing persons field for the last 10 years. She is currently a part-time stay-at-home mum, part-time public servant and part-time postgraduate student in the field of hope and loss at the University of New England. She blogs at thatspaceinbetween.com.

Are you a victim of your own perspective?

2012-01-17T09:03:00.002+11:00

By Emma Grey from WorkLifeBliss

There was news last week that a family who had lived through the ravages of last year's Queensland floods had won $5million in the lottery. This time last year, the newsagent where the ticket was bought was submerged.

What a difference a year makes. Bad things happen. Sometimes several bad things happen in a row. Good things happen. Sometimes great things happen.

Your house doesn't 'always' flood, and nor do you 'always' win the lotto. In reality, we have a mix of experiences - positive and negative - but we tend to pick a side and either focus on lows or highs.

It is said that we're bombarded with two million 'bits' of information at any one time. The conscious mind cannot hope to process a sensory load of this magnitude, so it triages the input - deleting much of it, distorting some and generalising a lot. This is why you and your sibling may have entirely different recollections of that family holiday when you were little.

In the end, you can comfortably manage about seven (plus or minus two) 'chunks' of information at any one time. There are times in life when we're dealing with more than this - like when we start a new job or course of study and we experience that steep learning curve. We're exhausted at first, from the juggling of more chunks of input than usual - and gradually, as we become more comfortable with it, we start chunking the information together.

Think back to when you first learnt to drive a car. All of your seven chunks were fully occupied in learning to drive - working out the gears, the pedals, the road rules, watching for other motorists, keeping an eye on the blind spot, listening to your instructor and obeying the speed limit.

If you've been driving for a while, you're probably only using one chunk to do all of that now - while you plan your shopping and talk to your passengers, listen to music, do your pelvic floor exercises ... you get the drift.

How we choose to fill our seven conscious chunks is enormously influential on how we experience our lives. Imagine you're heading into a job interview and filling your seven chunks with this:
• I hate interviews
• My clothes don't fit right today
• I didn't get enough sleep
• I never know how to answer the questions
• There's no way I'm going to get this job
• They've probably already given it to someone else
• Why doesn't anything work out for me!

Seven negative chunks, and it's not hard to predict the outcome.

If all of the experiences in your life - good and bad - were kept in a large, dark warehouse, and you got to go in there each morning wearing a miner's hat with a headlight on the front, and focus your light on something that would set the tone for the day - where would you focus?

Some people zoom in only on the corner of the warehouse where the 'failures' are kept. The pile of things than went wrong. The time the house was flooded. The jobs that fell through. The relationships that didn't work out. It's no wonder the story becomes 'nothing ever goes right for me'.

If you tilt your head slightly to the left, though, you may notice the times things went well, the time you won the lottery (if you're lucky!), the promotions you had, the relationships that brought you joy.

Turn your head again, and there's a pile of dreams for the future. Ambitions, hopes, plans...
It's up to you how you behave in your warehouse, how broad your view is and whether you choose to limit that view or not. You're at the mercy of your perspective on life and you can change your future because of this. One way or the other.

Emma Grey is a Life Balance specialist and runs WorkLifeBliss. Through a suite of innovative concepts and tools, Emma offers organisations and individuals practical solutions to the modern challenge of ‘having it all’.

Emma holds a BA (Hons), Graduate Diploma in Education and Advanced Practitioner certificates in Coaching, Training and NLP. She is a published author, speaker and freelance journalist. Her book, Wits End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum (Lothian, 2005), was reviewed as ‘fresh, witty, hilarious, sharply-observed and relentlessly truthful.’ Emma writes regularly on a range of social issues in the national media, including for Mia Freedman’s ‘Mamamia’, The Punch, Australian Women Online and HerCanberra. She is a mother of three and has two step-children. When she can sneak the time – she’s writing a vampire-free novel for young adults.

How will you manage your energy in 2012?

2012-01-11T10:48:00.002+11:00

By Emma grey from WorkLifeBliss

Lining up at the starting gates of 2012, how would you rate your energy level on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)?

If you've been able to properly switch off over the holiday season, perhaps you're still floating on a blissful combination of high energy and low stress. Maybe you're wondering how long that state-of-mind is going to last once you're back in the swing of 'normal life'.

How can we capture that post-holiday balance and keep it flowing as the year marches on?

Take the WorkLifeBliss challenge for a high-energy, low-stress year:

1. Flick the switch
Imagine that you have with you at all times a personal remote control. When you're engrossed in one 'channel' for a long block of time (particularly at work), you may notice things becoming a little 'fuzzy'. Thoughts aren't as sharp as they were and you're irritable or drowsy.

This happens because our brains have a natural 'ultradian' rhythm that allows for concentration blocks of 90-120 minutes. After this - whether you want it to or not - your brain will disengage and wander. Performance drops, and often we make the mistake of reaching for caffeine or a chocolate bar and pressing on.

Instead, take the remote control, flick the switch and find a channel that uses another part of your body. That might mean a brisk 30-minute walk, or a chatty lunch with friends or sitting on a park bench, escaping into a novel.

After resting your brain, flick the switch back again and notice how much clearer that concentration channel has become. Repeat this throughout the day whenever you start to flag, even with short breaks of 5-10 minutes and notice your rise in mental energy.

2. Stop colouring in the title page
Do you experience 'compulsive preparedness'? You've got something challenging to do and, rather than do it, you get everything 'ready'. It's that 'I'll just tidy my desk, put the washing on, make a cuppa...' syndrome.

We've only got a certain number of waking hours and a long list of tasks. We could go on indefinitely, ticking off the minor, easy stuff that won't make a big impact. At the end of the day, we pay for it with more pressure to get things done, and a sense of failure over our procrastination.

The simple decision to tackle the hard stuff when you're fresh and the no-brainers afterwards can make an enormous difference to your day. Manage 'energy' - as opposed to time - and throw yourself at the most challenging tasks when you're at your peak.

3. Plan your next holiday
People who take proper holidays organise them early. People who don't, tend to blame 'no time and no money'. Spontaneous breaks are great, but they rarely happen - particularly once weekends are taken up with social and kids' stuff, and when there's not enough money in the account.

This January, sit down with your partner, or a friend, and your near-empty 2012 diary and lock something in. Make it far enough away to be able to save for it comfortably and think about what you'll cut from your weekly budget in order to squirrel some cash away. Seek leave well in advance.

If it's not time or money that's stopping you, perhaps its a belief that: 'I'm too busy/too important/the place will fall apart without me...' While it's nice to think this way, and gives us a sense of significance, the 'nobody does this as well as I do' notion is just one of the ways that we manufacture our own busyness, to our detriment.

Start now
Choose whether you will power strongly through 2012, or drag yourself through it. It's then a matter of selecting the circumstances that will either boost or drain your vitality. This could be about getting more or less sleep or changing what you consume or the amount that you move. These are all choices within our control (noting the sleep one can be tough with littlies - I'm there right now!)

What it's not about is getting it right all of the time - just enough of the time to make a positive difference.

Emma Grey is a Life Balance specialist and runs WorkLifeBliss. Through a suite of innovative concepts and tools, Emma offers organisations and individuals practical solutions to the modern challenge of ‘having it all’.

Emma holds a BA (Hons), Graduate Diploma in Education and Advanced Practitioner certificates in Coaching, Training and NLP. She is a published author, speaker and freelance journalist. Her book, Wits End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum (Lothian, 2005), was reviewed as ‘fresh, witty, hilarious, sharply-observed and relentlessly truthful.’ Emma writes regularly on a range of social issues in the national media, including for Mia Freedman’s ‘Mamamia’, The Punch, Australian Women Online and HerCanberra. She is a mother of three and has two step-children. When she can sneak the time – she’s writing a vampire-free novel for young adults.

How to make job sharing a success

2012-01-09T19:03:00.001+11:00

CareerMums spoke to Angela from Canberra about her successful negotiation to job share a full time high school teaching role. This case study will give you confidence to explore and negotiate an opportunity, despite the position being advertised as a full time role.

What do you do?

I am a high-school teacher returning to work after being on maternity leave for 4 years with my two boys. Returning full-time was not an option for me. My husband is away frequently and I felt that my boys needed some consistency in their lives which I would not be able to offer with the commitments involved in teaching.

Was the role being offered as a job share role?

The role was not advertised as a job share. I had spoken to a close friend who taught the same subject areas that I did about the idea of job-share. As she also has young children, the job-share idea was also an attractive alternative to part-time teaching which usually involves attending school every day due to the nature of time-tables in a high-school. A job which suited both of our teaching areas was advertised so we decided to give it a go. We handed our resumes and answers to the selection criteria in the one application with a cover letter addressing our intention to job share.

How did you negotiate a job share role?

We spoke to Kate from CareerMums about the position and asked for some advice about negotiating a job share role if we made it to the interview stage. During our interview (where we were interviewed together) we discussed the benefits such as experience over many fields in our teaching area, and the fact that we were able to cover each other on the days which the other needed to take off for various reasons. This is an attractive feature as relief staff are very difficult to get and creates disruptions to the students. We also mentioned our child-care arrangements which allow flexibility. I am teaching the Monday and Tuesday, my partner the Thursday and Friday and we will alternate the Wednesdays. It was also our personal decision to both be present at the school on the Wednesday for planning, marking and contact time with each other when there isn’t classroom contact.

What do you think are the benefits of job sharing?

Flexibility to be at home with my children while still continuing my career is the main benefit. With teaching, it is not just the student contact, it is the planning, assessment and administration involved which takes up many hours. Having another person sharing this responsibility makes a huge difference in the stress involved with the occupation.

What makes the partnership with you co-worker so successful?

We are very alike with a similar work ethic. Both of us are committed parents and wives yet also career minded. For this arrangement to work, both members need to put in an equal effort so it is important to know about your partner. Communication is a huge factor, especially with teaching. It is vitally important that the students have consistency with their subject matter and that we are providing fluid delivery of the information. The fact that we are both at school on the Wednesday provides an opportunity for discussion. It has taken us some extra work to develop a system for each subject so that we can go into school and pick up from where the other left off. This means always being a week ahead planned in detail as well as a term outline. We also call each other frequently. The only disadvantage of the job-share arrangement is it has destroyed our social life and we can no longer meet for coffee during the school term!!

The Motherhood Merry-Go-Round

2012-01-04T13:06:00.002+11:00

Every 6 months, WD and I have the same fight discussion. It normally starts when I am so exhausted I turn into Snappy Tom Tuna lady and he finally bites back after ignoring the tantrum I have had about the state of the kitchen drawer (the second one down....it's always the second one down).

Our conversation goes something like this:

Me: I'm just so tired. You don't know what it's like being a mum and being at home with this all day (point to 1YO and 4YO who are drawing on each other and the wall while simultaneously pulling each other's hair...my kids are nothing if not multitaskers!)

WD: And you have no idea what it's like being a Working Dad.

Me: Yes I do. You get to go to your office for 12 hours and escape all this (point to kitchen which has turned into a bomb site after 1YO ripped his way through the first three shelves of the pantry and the tupperware drawer).

WD: Yes, I get to go to the office and deal with adults who have similar behaviour patterns to this (points to 4YO). And then I get to come home to you complaining about my long hours and how tired you are (points to me).

I look over my shoulder just to make sure that he actually IS pointing at me and my alter-ego,the screaming banshee, isn't standing behind me.

And then we synchronise our watches and make an appointment to have the same conversation in 6 months time.

Recently, after our bi-annual conference on who has it tougher, I got to thinking about what it feels like to be a mum.

And this is my theory.

It's like starting a new job every 3 months.

Sometimes, it's just like changing departments within an organisation. But mostly it's like starting a new job.

Just as you and Stella get your groove on, something changes.

A behavioural milestone is reached like eating with a fork and spoon.

You start to enforce a behaviour like toilet training.

Your job situation changes. As a contractor this happens to me regularly and I have to be so flexible.

Child minding situation changes.

The kids go on school holidays.

The kids go back to school.

And you go through the whole rigmorale of the household adjusting to these changes, only to have everyone settled for....oooh, about 8 weeks......then to have it change again.

The past few months I got my time management sorted out with the whole work and home integration. I set boundaries about how often I worked out of the home office. I planned ahead and mostly all went to plan. The boys were in daycare on the same 2 days. We have fallen into a rhythm.

That's about to change. Next year, 4YO is enrolled into pre school, which is on different days to 1YO's daycare.

I am restructuring (can you restructure when there's only one of you?) my business to support this.

And once again we'll go through the whole new job thing again.

This is what I feel when I start a new job:

- a little bit of anxiety around meeting new people
- a little bit of anxiety around 'proving' myself and my capabilities
- a few scheduling hit and misses as I settle into a new routine and schedule
- that feeling of being on 'probation'
- the borrowing of the 'communal' mug because you haven't brought yours in
- getting stuck outside without your security pass
- no stapler

Now in the working world, generally it takes a few months to settle in. You do all of the above. You may even get your own hole punch. And work up the courage to heat up a curry in the microwave in the kitchenette.

You are normally given an induction, undertake an OHS course for those dangerous paper cuts and you may even have a performance appraisal a few months in to make sure you are happy and to see if you need any additional support.

Not motherhood. Talk about perpetual motion.

Your routine is changing all the time.

You're meeting new people / cliques all the time - soccer mums, preschool mums, canteen mums.

And you can never find the garlic crusher (metaphoric representation of the workplace stapler).

And an induction? Forget about it. The closest you get to an induction is asking your mum how she did it in 1976.

So when WD and I get set for our next discussion about whose job is harder - working mum or working dad - I'm going to use that analogy.

I'll let you know how I go.....in March.

In the meantime, I'll use this strategy. It's as good as any on some days.

Penny Webb loves being a mum. And working. It’s when she put the two together that she ran into trouble. When Penny had two children within two years and tried to keep her career and her sanity intact, she discovered it was one of the more difficult things she had ever tried to do. That’s when the Working Mums MASTERCLASS was born, followed closely by the Sshh Mummys on the Phone blog.

Post-Baby Careers - Bush Style!

2011-12-13T09:09:00.002+11:00

By Ally

What does a mother of three who lives on a farm near Cowra do when she decides to go back to work after 8 years?

Panic?

Despite my Dads best advice to the contrary, I am not trained as a nurse, teacher, accountant, physio, doctor, dentist or any of the other careers that are in high demand in country towns. My qualifications are general – project management, facilitation, mediation, research, training, writing.

Relocating wasn’t an option as we operate a bulk haulage business based at Cowra. And we like living here. It’s a great part of Australia to live in.

I started out by scanning the local papers. Plenty of jobs for truck drivers, accountants and engineers but nothing that quite suited my skill set or interests. I moved to the web and sought out recruitment and job seeking sites. I’m sure these sites are great for urban dwellers or those with specific skill sets but regional Australia is less well represented and web- listed job opportunities in Cowra were basically non- existent.

Thankfully I received an email from Kate Sykes of Lift Recruitment. She suggested that due to my location and skill set, I might try utilising old contacts.

Waa laaa!

I’m back at work three days a week, school hours (well mostly) working for a Tamworth based rural communication business. It’s nice to think that in this techno-crazed world that it can actually work in reality. I can work with colleagues all over the country simply and easily from home.

It has been a seamless transition and one I was very ready for. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work and use my skills.

So – if you’re a country based Mum with pre-baby skills, perhaps the best thing to do is search through the memory database for who ever might spring to mind. And then put together a cv and a brief email and see what happens! Good Luck.

“Putting the Family Last.” (WARNING: Major Rant Ahead).

2011-12-02T13:38:00.002+11:00

By Jenny Wynter from comicmummy.com

FOR THE RECORD…

I was a Vegetarian for 7 years. During this time, I noticed an interesting, if slightly irritating, phenomena.

When certain people would discover my lifestyle of choice, they would leap to a, shall we say “offence as defence” strategy of listing all the reasons why eating meat was better for you and the many foibles of vegetarianism.

I was at first, rather perplexed by this. Namely cos I could not have given a flying f whether they ate meat or not. Seriously. I was not there trying to convince anybody to come across to my way of life, I was simply living it the way I wanted to. I could not understand why people would take such offence to my lifestyle, to the point where they felt compelled to present their own case to bring mine down and prop their own up.

This week, I noticed a similar phenomenon in Planet Parenting.

In light of me having just completed a 2-week stint in the USA while my kids were here in Oz with their Dad, I was accused of putting our children last.

I was mad.

Last.

LAST?

WTF?

Here we go…

1. Saying You’re “Old Fashioned” doesn’t make “Sexism” acceptable.

I have friends whose partners have spent weeks away working, while they stayed home with the kids. I also have friends who have travelled abroad with their little ones, leaving the male partner behind.

I have zero problem with either scenario, by the way.

What I have a problem with is when somebody implies that the kids being apart from Mummy for a couple of weeks is so much worse than being apart from Daddy. Is the daddy-child bond unbreakable? Is it only the mummy-child one that is susceptible to damage?

What a crock.

It peeves me no end that if it is the man being separated from his child, nobody bats a freaking eyelid, or if they do, it’s a super-mild bat. A tiny flutter.

But the moment that a MOTHER dares do the same, even if it is an irregular occurence (I, for instance, certainly don’t jet off to LA every month), then she is subject to “I think you’re taking a real risk with your children,” or “You’re really hurting them by doing that,” or even the well-intentioned “I could NEVER leave my kids for that long!” Good for you. I respect your feelings. But just because I can, doesn’t make me less of a parent than you.

I have also heard this: “Well, I just believe that the mother is the most important one. Call me old fashioned….”

You know what?

NO.

Unless you wear curlers to bed, dress up in Pinafores and quote “Little House on the Prairie”, I’m not gonna call you “old fashioned.”

I’m gonna call you “sexist.”

2. My Way Is Not Best (and neither is yours)

Like with the Vegetarian stuff, I have never tried to imply that my parenting way of life is in any way better than anybody else’s. I’m not on an evangelical mission. I don’t work for Amway (though given our bank balance lately, I am considering it). All I’m doing is living my life the way that’s right for me and my family. And you know what I believe? THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO DO PARENTING.

I could seriously not give a stuff about how you parent. I draw the line at abuse, naturally, but short of that, whether you’re stay-at-home, working mama, part-time mama, part-time working mama, single, married, whatever, what business of it is mine? I trust that you’re doing the best you know how, as am I. We’re all messing up. We’re all succeeding. Whatever.

What I cannot abide, however, is judgement, that I believe stems from insecurity about one’s own mode of parenting.

Whether it’s judgement from the stay-at-home mother who is threatened by the idea that somebody else could actually leave their children for that long, because that might mean that actually, she could too and that her personal sacrifices are actually for nothing. Therefore, she instead tells herself that “that person’s children must be really being damaged,” so that she suddenly feels better about her decisions and sacrifices. She is validated.

Or whether it’s judgement from the working mother who is threatened by the idea that the kids might be better off with a stay-at-home parent, because that might mean that actually, her family sacrifices for her career are damaging. Therefore she tells herself that “my kids love daycare” and “that mother’s life must be so boring” so that she suddenly feels better about her decisions and sacrifices. She is validated.

Regardless of what your own situation is, ENOUGH WITH THE CRITICISING OTHERS TO VALIDATE OUR OWN CHOICES!

Whichever point of view you come from, anybody judging anybody else’s “putting the kids first/last” is essentially saying the same thing: “If that person is doing things so radically differently from me, then surely their kids (or the mother herself) must be getting messed up in some major way that I can feel at liberty to criticise, so that then I feel better about my own clearly superior choices?!”

Seriously?

If you need validation for your own parenting, or your own life, via way of putting down other people’s, then I am sorry. But YOU are the one with the issue.

3. Implying That “Leaving Your Kids With Their Dad is Neglectful” is an INSULT

For the record…

When I leave, my kids are with their DAD. He loves them. JUST AS MUCH AS I DO. I am not shipping them off to some unknown promised land of abuse, I am not abandoning them never to return, I am leaving them under the supervision of their God-given PARENT who LOVES them and to whom I shall RETURN with much gift-giving, celebration and awesomeness.

To imply anything otherwise is unbelievably insulting and again, sexist.

Again, I point out: I know countless Dads who have spent significant (and regular) time away from their offspring for work reasons. Nobody seems to ever question this. I have NEVER heard anybody even utter for a moment “Wow, those poor kids.” “Oh, I could NEVER do that!” or “That is such a risk to take.”

Yet the moment a mother dares do such a thing, oh my word.

My husband, bless his darling soul, also finds this incredibly insulting. Is he such a dreadful parent that leaving our darlings in his care for even a couple of weeks is neglectful?

Please.

Again, I really do believe that such criticism just reflects on the accuser. What is it in themselves, in their own parenting, in their own life, that makes them feel better by denouncing the choices of another family who does things differently?

Would their own partner be such a horrifying choice as a primary care-giver?

(If so, I am sorry. That sucks.)

And finally:

4. Just because somebody’s life looks different from your version of ‘putting family first’, does NOT mean they’re ‘putting family last’.

I do not put my family last. I have made countless sacrifices to put them first.

Does that mean that I will say no to incredible opportunities that arise? No.

Does that mean that they are first every single hour of every single day of every single year? No.

But most of the time? Yes.

Case in point:

I live in Caboolture. CABOOLTURE. No offence to the place, but this is NOT my habitat of choice. And that’s saying a lot. I love flannel as much as the next bogan.

But this is where my hubby has found his dream job, in which he is unspeakably happy. My kids are at a school which is utterly fantastic for them. If it were up to me, I would live…pretty much anywhere else. Okay, I draw the line at Timbucktoo, but only cos the immunisations look scary.

This is the most tangible sacrifice I make, day upon day, to put my family’s wellbeing first.

To insinuate that by taking the odd segment of time here and there to pursue opportunities that are elsewhere is somehow neglectful is ridiculous. It is insulting. IT IS UNTRUE.

If and when I have to answer to anybody about my choices, it will be to my family. And though I’m sure I’m making tons of mistakes along the way, I know I have done my absolute best to love them the best way I know how, while doing what I need to do in this life. Because, shock horror, I believe that my needs are worthy too. And I believe that I am setting a great example for them to pursue their passions in life. You don’t have to believe that, by the way. You are more than welcome to your own beliefs and values on this front.

At the end of my life, I will face my family with my head held high. I know I am a great parent. I don’t need anybody to tell me that I am.

What I do take issue with is the implication that I’m a BAD one just because I am pursuing some big dreams at the same time, dreams that occasionally take me away from them.

If you think negatively of me because of that, or any other parent doing things differently from you for that matter, then I challenge you to really ask yourself point-blank:

What is it inside YOU that is finding this so hard to cope with?

Jenny Wynter is a comedian, cabaret performer, writer and mother of three. You can find tales of her attempting - with varying amounts of success and glorious failure - to juggle motherhood with a globe-trotting performance career at www.comicmummy.com

Trial and Error

2011-11-24T10:47:00.003+11:00

Sometimes it takes a few tries to find exactly what you need as a working mum, as guest blogger Kristyn from Mummy K discovered…

As a journalist and having done freelance work before, I was pretty optimistic about being able to work from home or negotiate with my employer after my maternity leave finished two years ago.

I knew the ins and outs of the magazine and have figured out various ways to make the job work for both me and the company without compromising quality. But I was quite disappointed when I was told that they required someone to be in the office the “entire time”. It wasn’t negotiable and I didn’t really know how to push it. Personally, I didn’t think there was any big advantage to working from the office all the time in that specific role. But they’ve already decided.

So there I was, scrambling for freelance work because the one I was banking on fell through. I knew we couldn’t survive long on one income. But I couldn’t go back to work full time too. I’m one of those mothers – the non-clingy one at the start who ends up realising I couldn’t survive without seeing my child for hours. Obviously, full time work wasn’t an option for me.

So I pushed for freelance work every now and then, contacting everyone I knew from the industry and putting my name out there as a freelance journalist/sub editor/photographer and writer (anything I could do, I put it in my CV). For a while, I was able to scrounge up some work here and there, but finances were tight and I needed something more regular.

The thought of full time work and full time pay became appealing. When a fashion magazine contacted me to do around two months of full time work, I said yes. I’ve never done full time after having my daughter. I’ve never been out all day everyday before. I’ve never placed her on daycare everyday before. I’ve never juggled motherhood and full time work before. There were a lot of fears, uncertainties, and doubts – add to that the usual insecurities about whether or not I’d remember how to do my job. But money was an issue so I had to give it a go. I thought briefly that maybe I could be one of those mothers too – the one who could do it all.

Two weeks into the new life and I was ready to give up my full time employee hat. I realised I so wasn’t one of those women – you know, the one who can work full time and be a full time mother too. Hubby was commuting two hours each way to work so I couldn’t ask him to do a lot of stuff like pick up/drop off our daughter to and from daycare. Basically, I was doing it all on my own. Working, preparing my daughter’s daycare things, making dinner, getting her ready for bed, feeding myself, doing chores and so on. And I felt I was missing out on my daughter’s milestones. She’d come home one day and use a big word properly and I would just be gob-smacked.

After the full time period ran out, I felt a huge thorn come off my chest. In a way I was lucky that I could dip my toe into the full time world before deciding. I also know I’m lucky to have finally found a regular freelance work that I can do from home. Although the woes of working from home are also present, it is something I can handle far easier than when I’m working full time. It took a while, several trials and errors, but I’m happy I was able to find that balance – and the family is happy too.

Kristyn aka MummyK is a freelance journalist/photographer/editor and a first time children’s book author. She is mum to one little girl and two little dogs, and wife to her IT consultant/musician husband. She blogs at http://mummyk.com and tweets as @themummyk.

Etiquette vs Manners

2011-11-19T13:24:00.005+11:00

By Omania Terry, Effectiveness Specialist

In today's world of speed, technology, everyone wanting everything now, we often forget about the small things that matter. The small things that can help you when returning to the workforce. The whole corporate minefield can be a scary place when you have been out of the whole working game. And yes, it is a game.

When you take it back to basics, it isn’t that difficult and lot of these tips will help you in both your personal and professional life.

Use peoples name – it is the magic password. Not only at work, but why not at the supermarket. I love using the person’s name with I see a name tag. It really makes their day.
Be interested in others – but don’t’ fake it. People know when you are not sincere.
Say hello – saying hello makes everyone feel better, including yourself. The CEO is a person too so say hello if you cross their path.
Say thank you – it works wonders. How simple is this statement, however you will be surprised how people have forgotten to say it.
Be gracious – let others take the credit, pass through the door first. They’ll love you for it.
Make a fuss in a nice way – praise someone when they have accomplished something special to them. It may not be important to you, but could be a major achievement for them.
Put others in the spotlight – ask about them, their lives, but remember to be interested. Everyone needs a little spotlight to shine.
Listen, listen, listen – this is one of the hardest things for people to do. If you keep hearing your voice, close your mouth! To know if you are listening, repeat some of what the other person has said back to them.
Never make someone feel like they are a bore – even if they are. Usually these people don’t realise they are a bore, but they may be lonely and really need someone to talk to.
Be compassionate.
Avoid sarcasm – people notice, really, they do.
Be generous – shout lunch or coffee, even if it is your boss. This speaks mountains about your character.
Be big – apologise when you have done something wrong, get it over and done with and move on. You will gain more respect. We are not perfect you know.
Be observant – notice the small things that people have done ie new haircut, new dress.
Let things go – know what battles are worth fighting. At the end of the day, is it worth the grief.

By taking it back to basic manners will make the transition of going back to work that little bit easier. It will give you the confidence to get back into the swing of things. Good luck.

Regards
Omania

About Omania: Originally from New Zealand, I have lived in Australia for 15 years and I love it here. I have had a diverse professional career that has taken me to various parts of the world. I have been a fashion designer and had my own clothing manufacturing company; I was a professional model and had a grooming and deportment school; as a woolclasser I travelled the world working for various shearing contractors; I have worked for some incredible companies including a gold mine, an engineering firm, a recruitment agency, telecommunications company, farming consultant, accountant and opened a weightloss centre. My life has never been dull and I really don’t think that will ever change. So what can I take from these experiences? It has given me the knowledge and experience to look at a business, assess what is going on and see what it needs. Whether it is structuring the office management, professional development for the team or putting an event together. I enjoy working with others to make things happen and to pass on the knowledge that I have gained over my personal and professional life. Visit www.omaniaterry.com.au

Please don’t send in the clowns.

2011-11-17T13:23:00.003+11:00

Blogger Sarah Wayland from That Space In Between (http://thatspaceinbetween.com) thinks that working mums overuse the word 'juggle'. She's come up with another word she prefers. Do you agree with her?

I was meandering through the online world the other day reading bits of this and bits of that and I noticed something - articles relating to mums tend to overuse the world juggling.

Mums use it when talking about themselves and writers use it when describing the simple act of parenting, working or about mum’s just finding a moment to be.

I was never one to enjoy the circus as a kid. I hated the way the animals were treated, I was anxious about the trapeze artists and clowns…don’t get me started on clowns (jeez I must have been a fun kid to be around!)

When I read the word juggling two things come to mind – things flying through the air all at once and a stupid clown with make-up in all the wrong places. Some days I might be known for a random smear of the mascara wand but in the art of managing all those balls through the air juggling suggests to me that we might drop something. So I’ve decided to replace the word juggle with thrive.

Thrive suggests resilience, its suggests a strength rather than a deficit and it suggests a little bit of mastery – because that’s what we’re all doing, we’re the ring masters of our lives.

I’m not a person that likes to be idle, I work part time as a project manager (yay flexible employers), I study for my post-grad qualifications externally, I do some freelance writing, I blog and I mop up vomit for 2 small people and sometimes for 2 bigger stepkids…I’m no SJP (and yes, I really don’t think we should ask how she does it) but juggling just might be one of those words we insert for parenting. I asked some mums on my online uni forum about the use of the word juggling and needless to say 91 comments later I think it might be something we all have thoughts on it seemed that most thought that doing lots of things is just par for the course. One of the uni mums said to me..

I am proud of being a working, studying, performing, directing, mummy and my family is proud of me! I don't juggle! A slightly less present mummy is better for my family than a sad bitter mummy who is there all the time.

In saying we can have it all doesn’t necessarily define what all is…. we can have what we want and we can thrive in all of those things if we make the choice to, its all about options, its about making the most of your day and its about doing what you love. I do often doubt that I can do it all but the words of one of the mums rang through my head when I was pondering this…

Juggling implies that you are actually keeping the balls up in the air…. I would say it is more like a colourful ball pit, lots of fun, but you have to keep yourself from going under

So go forth mums…work, study, play and be who you want to be but don’t just say that you’re juggling because in thriving we don’t have to drop something, we might just pop it down for a while.

What do you think of the word juggling – does it irk you as much as it does me?

Sarah Wayland has been working as a Social Worker in the missing persons field for the last 10 years. She is currently a part-time stay-at-home mum, part-time public servant and part-time postgraduate student in the field of hope and loss at the University of New England. She blogs at thatspaceinbetween.com.

Getting your wardrobe ready for work

2011-11-09T20:05:00.005+11:00

By Nikki Parkinson, stylingyou.com.au

Getting dressed for work used to be easy. If you weren’t issued with a uniform then most offices seemed to have an unwritten “uniform” of tailored pants or skirt with a shirt.

Such a “uniform” made getting dressed each day less stressful but it was boring. With a capital B.

The only problem with taking the boring out of corporate is that it becomes a bit of a fashion minefield. One that’s a bit trickier to navigate.
Key corporate wardrobe tips:
1. If starting from scratch, you need to form a basic capsule work wardrobe: tailored pants, tailored skirt, two tops, tailored dress, jacket, shoes.
2. Gone are the days when a two-piece suit has to match. A lighter jacket with a feminine top and dark pants is a more interesting work look.
3. Embrace the dress – I love the combination of a patterned dress with tailored jacket.
4. Add at least one accessory to give the outfit a lift

If you thought getting dressed for a corporate office took a degree in fashion merchandising, then spare a thought for the work-from-homes.

I now fall into this next “generation” of working mums: women who previously dressed for the office but who now run a business or work freelance from a home office. Or in my case, a corner of the lounge room.

Now, while staying in your pyjamas might seem like an easy solution for this one, your pyjamas (no matter how fancy) will not cut it for a client meeting.

You need to find that fine balance between comfort and style so that you’re prepared for a diverse day that could involve everything from school drop-offs to a coffee shop meeting or networking function.

Key work-from-home wardrobe tips:

1. Build your capsule wardrobe from key “lifestyle” basics. By lifestyle, I mean garments that don’t require ironing or drycleaning but look amazing every time you pull them out of the cupboard. Think garments in jersey, viscose or modal.
2. In winter, make your “uniform” a smart casual slim pant or dress jean, worn with ballet flats, tee, blazer and scarf.
3. In summer, embrace the dress. It’s one garment and all you need to add to it each time you pull it from the wardrobe is at least one accessory. A statement necklace is easiest. For shoes, wear wedges or dressy flats.
4. Have at least one go-to black frock that can be pulled out time and time again to wear to a networking event, either on its own or with a jacket. You can change your look each time with different accessories.

Key tips for all working mums

1. Only buy garments that are easy care and wear – getting out the door in the morning for work is battle enough; let alone if something’s not ironed and ready.
2. To speed up the morning rush, have your clothes hanging and ready to go the night before.

Author’s note: I couldn’t do this blog post without mentioning the wonderful work that charity organisation, Dress for Success, does for women returning to the workforce around the world. In Australia, there are offices in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. You can help by donating new and good condition workwear to this organisation. They are always on the lookout for black work shoes and black handbags but check with your nearest location for what they might need right now.

Nikki has long spent a disproportionate amount of her income on clothes and beauty products. She blames her politically correct mother who never let her have a Barbie doll as a child. The former journalist “stumbled” into blogging in 2008 as a way to keep up her writing skills and market new styling business. Styling You offers fashion and beauty advice for busy women and this year was judged Best Australian Blog by the Sydney Writers'.

For more great tips for working mums and updates on the Career Mums book, join the Career Mums Facebook page

The Art of Conver-Hasten

2011-11-03T09:37:00.002+11:00

Who has had a meaningful conversation recently? I mean a real conversation.

A conversation that doesn't include the words poo, wee or booga.

A conversation that does not include some sort of logistical plan around after-school activities and getting home from work.

Or a conversation that doesn't include a cartoon character, a piece of Disney/Pixar merchandise or a request to play:

a. Playstation
b. DS
c. X-Box
d. Your iPhone

Not me.

Are we too busy to have decent conversations now?

And how many of us talk fast?

And how many of us tap our feet impatiently when it takes someone FOR. EV. AH! to spit their words out?

Or do we finish someone else's sentence because we don't have time for them to do it?

I have been a little guilty of this.

I am moving so fast in all parts of my world that my conversations have turned into conver-hastens. (see what I did there ;-) ?

The faster the better.

Or is it?

My conver-hastens with WD include comments like:

"Can you be home by 6pm tomorrow night to take over from Mum? Am working in the city."
"Here is the quote for the new door. Shall we get 4 panel windows or 6?"
"Sorry. Have run out of Up'n'Go!"

Not to mention the conver-hastens that may be one-sided and under my breath and normally involve socks on floor, taking the bins out and only washing up one plate when there is a pile of dirty dishes underneath it in the sink.

My conver-hastens with my mum, who helps out a lot with the kids, hover around:

"The tuna mornay is on the top shelf of the fridge."
"WD will be home by 6pm."
"It's bath night tonight. Good luck!"

Usually these comments are shouted over my shoulder as I am running out the door dislocating my shoulder with the weight of my laptop bag.

And conversations with friends. I miss them. Now we have to make special time to have REAL girlie conversations. Twice a year I have a weekend away with my high school girlfriends. Every now and then I try and catch up with my other girlfriends over coffee, or at someone's house.

But what starts out as a meaningful conversation ends up being punctuated by:

"1YO! Don't sit on 4YO's head!"
"Don't climb up there."
"Don't swing off that!"
"Where's your pants??????"

1YO still hasn't grown out of the habit of pulling his pants down in public.

The only meaningful conversation I have had recently is with my kids and that involved an emotional debate about which Octonaut had which accent, which divided the camp indelibly.

We also had a very interesting conversation in the car yesterday about why Mario doesn't have a station wagon. And I just love talking about all things cars and mechanical......bleuurrrgh.

The other meaningful conversations I have are with my clients, and seeing I was delivering training in Advanced Financial Management for Events last week, discussing the GST, cash flow forecasting and contingencies aren't exactly up there with my idea of scintillating dialogue.

So, I will struggle along, booking in time here and there with WD, Mum, my wonderful girlfriends so we can have decent conversations that don't include references to bodily functions.

And hope that when my kids are a little older and I have (maybe) a little more time to myself, that I will still be able to string a sentence together.

Penny Webb loves being a mum. And working. It’s when she put the two together that she ran into trouble. When Penny had two children within two years and tried to keep her career and her sanity intact, she discovered it was one of the more difficult things she had ever tried to do. That’s when the Working Mums MASTERCLASS was born, followed closely by the Sshh Mummys on the Phone blog.

Motherhood, shift work and sanity – Yes, you can make it work!

2011-10-28T13:47:00.002+11:00

Holly Bicknell wrangles two small children, works part-time and studies part-time. She also writes what she calls an 'inappropriate blog' about motherhood called Good Golly Miss Holly. But mostly she juggles. And with her partner also working shifts, it's quite the juggle.

In my household, we have two preschoolers, a cat, a dog, a Mama and a Papa. Suffice to say, our house is bursting at the seams with toys, laughter and chaos!

Earlier this year, I traded in stay at home motherhood for part time study at university and part time work, doing night shifts at a local pub. My partner, Ryan also works 40+ hour weeks on a seven day rotating roster. Yes you read right, we are both shift workers! We never planned it this way but with a mortgage, car repayments and a never-ending stack of bills, like most families, we needed a way to manage it all without adding an enormous weekly childcare bill to the budget.

Shift work, particularly with two preschoolers, is hard work. Sleep is but a distant memory, our body clocks are out of whack and on weekends, my partner and I are basically two ships passing in the night with me getting home at 3:30am and Ryan getting up at 5am. It is not uncommon for us to see maybe 20 minutes of each other between bedtime on Thursday night and dinnertime on Monday evenings.

People are often amazed when I tell them about our home life and ‘Supermum’ is a word that is quite often thrown about too. “All Mums are Supermums,” I tell people “I’m just organised and extremely tired!” This is not to say that I do not struggle. Some days are just horrid and I find myself a wee bit overwhelmed, choking out “I give up!” in between sobs. Such is life, right? That said, there are a few things that help me to keep juggling those balls without losing (too much) of my sanity!

1. Do the happy housewife thing and meal plan: Some days it is an absolute blessing to be able to know what you need to cook so you can just slip into autopilot mode! Meal planning also helps us on the money side of things too because I only buy what we need and I don’t load the trolley up with impulse buys or 10 packs of Tim Tams because they’re on special!

2. Freeze a few meals. It definitely comes in handy for those nights where all you can think about is hitting the hay!

3. Invest in a day planner or diary: Motherhood and sleep deprivation have jumbled my memory something shocking! If I want to remember something, I need to write it down and that way, I don’t forget an appointment or feel the wrath of my four year old daughter when I send her to school in shorts and a t-shirt when it’s pyjama day!

4. Be prepared for the next day: My kids go to preschool on Mondays so on Sunday nights, they help me pick out their clothes and we pack their bags. Doing this makes getting out the door on mad Mondays mornings that little bit calmer!

5. Remember, the housework will still be there later! This isn’t the part where I tell you to just forget about the housework because seriously, who are we trying to kid here? I am a sucker for a clean house but there are times where I need to remind myself that going to bed and getting a decent sleep is more important than attacking the ever expanding Mt. Washmore in the laundry.

6. Schedule in Mama and Papa time: This is a really important one for us! It is so much easier to find something to argue over when you’re exhausted and Ryan and I often find ourselves snipping at one another. Whether we are able go out on a actual date or just steal thirty minutes together on the lounge, abit of couple time does our relationship wonders!

7. Bring on the family fun: Time is tight so we make sure as much of the spare time we have goes on family fun. Sometimes we might only be able to squeeze in half an hour at the park or watching “Hoodwinked” for the fiftieth time before bed but the kids still go to sleep happy and we know we’ve done our jobs well!

and perhaps most importantly,

8. Don’t forget to look after yourself! Sneak in abit of sleep where possible, eat well, make time for the simple pleasures you love and treat yourself when you can. You deserve it!

Pretty simple points too, aren’t they?

Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s preschool day and uni holidays so I might just go steal an hours worth of uninterrupted sleep!

- www.goodhollyholly.com
- Twitter.com/Holly_Homemaker
- Facebook.com/goodgollymisshollydotcom

Please keep your germs to yourself

2011-10-19T19:57:00.002+11:00

MultipleMum blogs about frugality, green living, parenting, and other musings at And then there were four (pilesofwashing.blogspot.com). She has four children, aged 6 and younger, including a set of boy/girl twins (Dew Drop and The Minx), and works outside of the home 3 days a week. There is never a dull moment in her busy and contented life.
Don't get me wrong. I get how hard it is to be a working Mum. I struggle into the office three times a week.

My kids trip the light fantastic with their long day care teachers.

We juggle the drop offs and pick ups and the crazy scheduling.

We deal with the tantrums that result from looooong days out of the house. And dinner at 6.30pm. And the hurried race to the bath. And the rush through the stories and homework and everything else that needs doing before we can tuck our precious bundles into bed.

And it is because of this that I am so annoyed. I am pissed with parents who only think of their own needs. I am referring to parents who send their children to daycare when they are sick.

I am not talking about a cold (would any of us get out of the house in winter?), I am talking about fevers. Chesty coughs. Conjunctivitis. Hand, foot and mouth and the plethora of other viruses my kids have contracted from going to daycare.

If your child is sick, keep them home. It is as simple as that.

I know it sucks being unreliable at work. I know how hard it is to shuffle meetings and appointments and priorities. I know what it is like to be on a deadline and not be able to meet it. It is embarrassing and frustrating. I know. I have to have days off to attend to my sick children.

But I can't help but think that if more parents put their children's needs ahead of their own and kept their kids at home when they are sick, that fewer others would be impacted. If parents followed the rules.

It is not good enough to say "They had a vomit this morning but they seem fine now". Sorry parent. Leave it 24 hours. It is not good enough to mask the effect of a fever by dosing your child with paracetamol. They could be infectious. Please leave them at home for 24 hours.

The Minx and Dew Drop have been seriously ill for the past two weeks with a virus that I suspect they got from daycare. To the person who thought it was a good idea to 'share the love', I want to throttle you. If only you knew the pain you have caused. If only.

Please keep your germs to yourself.

Is your daycare strict on infection control? What are your thoughts on people who don't play by the rules?

Career Girl Me (updated....)

2011-10-12T20:39:00.002+11:00

By Lucy Mulvany

Lucy is a mum of three primary aged children. She lives in Adelaide, with her lovely husband. In her life before children Lucy was a successful marketing project manager. She currently works part time from home on various freelance projects and has a blog called Diminishing Lucy. She is also studying for her third career, as well as being committed to exercise and healthy living, whilst still trying to lose the final kilos!

I first published this post a year ago. So I am posting again - with an update...

Someone asked me the other day, about what my life was like before children...

Before I had children, I was a career girl. I worked for a leading telco, from the mid 1990's, as a sales manager, as a marketing manager and as a project manager. In Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin. I worked full time. Full full full time. It was where I met my lovely husband. And good job I did - I was working so hard, I had little time for much else!

I was never the clicky clacky heals corporate suit flicky hair type of career girl. I was not a glamour of the Sydney business world. But I did get recognised for objectives really well executed. And dare I say it, I was promoted more quickly that my better dressed, more beautiful counterparts...

I loved my work. I was lucky to work with the best talent that the telco industry had at the time. Without a doubt, I was paid extraordinarily well for campaigns well done. I thrived. I worked really long hours and was on schedule and on budget every time. I was lucky that I found a knack of getting the best out of other people, and I repeatedly was lucky enough to experience the thrill of making things happen, seeing things evolve, through the hard work of some phenomenal teams of people.

I was lucky that I had some amazing mentors through my whole career. Men and women that saw flickers of potential in me that I could not see in myself. I always knew I could and would work hard. Other people saw the occasional flashes of "brilliance". I put that in inverted commas because I always doubted myself. Lucky for me, they didn't.

I worked, and played, to win.

At the peak of my career, I finally fell pregnant. And whilst riding that high, I lost my baby. It was a late, late loss and the most heartbreaking thing I have ever had to deal with.

We, the lovely husband and I, we chose to retreat for a while, to the Northern Territory.

For his career, this time; and so that I could lick some wounds and heal: we left Adelaide for the Darwin adventure.

Again, I scored. And landed an amazing role working on a huge construction and IT project. With the best in the business across government and private enterprise, I blossomed again. Crackled with the energy and vibrancy of success. And felt some peace in my heart and mind, up there, in that amazing tropical land.

And I fell pregnant again, this time with my beautiful eldest daughter.

I got huge. I got hot. I got happy. I got my project, me and my pregnant belly, in my hard hat and steel capped boots.

I finally waddled away at eight months pregnant.

It is now over seven years since I worked on my career. I have always managed to work part time, usually from home, around the kids. As a method of keeping my marketing skills and my brain ticking over. But such part time work has been secondary to my main "job" as Mummy to my three kids.

I miss the passion, and the cut and thrust of being really good at something, something external to my personal world.

I miss the thrill of the negotiations, the thrill of the wins. The completions. I miss the life cycles of projects. I miss that secret internal feeling I get: "They think I can't do that,but I know I can and will, and I cannot wait to prove it."

Lexie starts at school in term four of 2011.

Time to start investigating what to do next...

Making time for friends

2011-10-08T14:52:00.003+11:00

Our guest blogger this week is Nicole Avery (aka Planning With Kids ). With five children aged 12, 10, 7 (only girl!), 5 and two, Nicole has managed to turn her blog into her job, thanks to phenomenal organisation skills. Fortunately for the rest of us, she shares her secrets in her book Planning With Kids, showing working parents how to become more organised - and leave more time for parenting. (Check it out here.) Today, Nicole talks about how to make more time for friends.

During July 2011, 671 women across Australia aged between 25-49 took part in a survey conducted by Ipsos Marketing. It looked at how women were spending their time and how they felt about their division of time. The survey was commissioned by Baileys and the report has some interesting findings: Only 5% of an Australian woman's week is spent with friends; 59% of women would go to the female friends for support; 70% of women would like to spend more time with their friends.

Of late I haven’t spent as much time as I would like with some of my closest friends. It isn’t because I don’t think my family can’t cope without me, but because I haven’t prioritised very well. Something a couple of friends and I have done recently to make sure we see each other more regularly is to book in a regular morning each month. Blocking it out in the calendar makes sure it will happen.

Every time I catch up with my girlfriends I feel recharged, connected and calmer. I have known them for so many years (one since when I was in kinder!) and they make me feel grounded no matter how crazy everything might be at the time. Love them lots – just need to see them more!

I did a quick calculation to work out what percentage of time I spend on my own interests. If you don’t include blogging, then it is about 7%, but I love blogging and spend some of my “work” time reading blogs etc so it is hard to determine if that is not part of personal interest too??? But in our house I think Mr A would only spend about the same amount of time on his personal interests as well. That is when he is not training for a really ridiculously long bike race, of course!

I know many women who feel this stress, but I have always had the support of my husband to make sure I take time out for myself. This time for me is at the gym and it has been the best way for me to manage the stress – because I do get stressed when I have looming deadlines, sick kids, personal commitments all happening at the same time.

Do you have the balance in your life that allows you to spend enough time with your friends?

Discount clothes shopping - Does it really save you money??

2011-10-05T21:03:00.002+11:00

Joanne is a Personal Stylist and consultant Brand Manager for small business, based in Sydney with over 20 years experience in the fashion industry, Contact Joanne for more info on Joanne.becker@bigpond.com

With the global financial situation still very precarious, our position in Australia is at the least nervous, as a result. Retail is taking a huge hit in response to this belt tightening, and most particularly Apparel. Not surprisingly children’s clothes are still selling well. With our children often being the only ones in the family really having any money spent on them when things get tough. This together with the fact that our kids never stop growing, so this elevates buying their clothes from the level of want to need!

The retail industry is now all about discounting incase you haven’t noticed? Every shopping center and mall is awash with discount offers, most notably the Department Stores. Some large retailers have changed their entire Brand proposition to be about price and being the lowest in the market. Clearly this is a smart business move and it allows customers to side step all the smoke and mirrors of confusing offers, and know that if they are shopping based on getting the lowest price alone, then that would certainly be the place to go. For things like children’s clothes that are grown out of this is perfect, but is this really the way to save money in the long run for you personally??

I am a firm believer in buying quality investment pieces, particularly for work. Over time these quality basics can be added to and expanded on with some on trend pieces thrown in to feel current and fashionable. These type of pieces don’t need to last and can be purchased from chain stores where it is all about disposable fashion. Your working wardrobe needs to work for you, it needs to breath and not crush and not shine after too many wears. This is only achieved when good quality natural fibres are used and garments are cut and made beautifully. In my opinion the temptation to skimp and buy cheaper clothes is a false economy as they won’t last nearly as well and will simply need to be replaced.

The smartest way to take advantage of the retail situation at the moment is to find a couple of stores where you really love their clothes and sign up to their email lists. I know it can be annoying to get lot’s correspondence but remember you can unsubscribe anytime. You will be the first to know about their direct VIP activity such as a category promotion ( i.e 30% off pants ) or even a total store event such as 20% off all stock for 2 days. These events are happening more and more at the moment and you can pick and choose what works for you. If you simply wait for the end of season sales you will not have your choice of sizes and the stock will be very picked over.

So there are some important things to think about when you hit the shops; Do I want to be wearing this for while or am I happy to replace it next season? Do I feel comfortable and great in this? Am I portraying the right message for myself in the work place wearing this? I know that things are tough at the moment for most of us particularly once you have recently added a child to the mix. I’m not suggesting sending yourself bankrupt on clothes outside your budget, however sometimes we can waste money by buying more of the wrong things and less of the best options.

It’s about integration, not balance

2011-10-01T14:35:00.001+10:00

I was never particularly co-ordinated, but I just know that if I tried to work on my ‘work / life balance’ I would fall off. ‘Balancing’ motherhood and work suggests two things to me. One, that there is a perfect alignment that is ultimately achievable if only we tried harder. Two, that working is one thing and life is another.

Both statements are ridiculous.

For me, the best way to make it work is to accept that both parts of my life are important to me. Work is important because it’s part of my livelihood and my demanding job means that it’s often more lively than I’d like. My job will never come first to me (sorry job – never) but realistically I have an obligation to give it my all and it’s really hard to manage sometimes. How can I give my job my all when at least 50% of my brain is permanently focused on my family? I found this particularly hard when I first became a ‘working mum’ almost seven years ago. Everyone seemed to want a piece of me and some days my head was screaming under the pressure of being asked to give my all to too many things. There was just not enough all to go around, especially when there was no way I was giving less than 100% to my family... you can see the problem I have with ‘balance’. Thinking back on my early attempts at working and mumming, I’m surprised I didn’t go postal.

Over time I learned that the more I blurred the lines between ‘home’ and ‘work’, the easier it became for me. Fast internet and my iPhone (and my employer!) have allowed me to do my work wherever I need to and the same is true for organising my home life. I just get the job done, whenever, wherever. These days I base my success at work on outcomes, rather than the hours I work or how far I’ve climbed on some made-up ladder. I don’t care about my job title anymore, I just want to have interesting conversations and have the flexibility to give my family the 100% of me that they deserve. This wasn’t just handed to me by my company, of course. I had to work out what I wanted, go and ask for it, trial it and prove that I could do what I said I would. I have never looked back. These days I work four days a week – three in the office and Fridays from home. I also arrive late on a Thursday as I do reading in my daughter’s classroom until 9.45am. My work supports me because they know that I will deliver to my job specifications without interruption, issue or problem. I work independently and I just get the job done.

There are important parametres, of course. Aside from a quick email here or there, I haven’t ever tried to mind my children while I’m on the job. I have childcare throughout my working week, even on Fridays when I work from home because I don’t think trying to do both jobs at the same time is fair on anyone. My advice to mums who do work from home and are stressed to the max is to question whether you really can be committed to two full-time jobs that require your attention at the same time. Look for loving childcare alternatives to help you make it work. Or ensure your work knows that you will be working from the hours of 7pm until 1am or whatever works for you. Otherwise, you're really not doing either your babies or your work a favour and it's not fair on anyone. Especially your little ones because if you're anything like me you really like the work you do and can get totally absorbed in it – such that a little voice saying "Mummy can I?" becomes like nails down a blackboard and it takes everything you've got not to snap bile at your little needy dearheart for interrupting your day... yikes, I am showing my true colours here, I know.

Which makes you realise why I believe in the maxim "you can have it all, just not all at the same time."

Maxabella Loves working and mumming and combining the two as artfully as possible. I love making stuff. I love that I'm really bad at baking and sewing but I do them anyway. I love moving things around at home and organising everything far more than is strictly necessary. I love writing and curiosity and adventures. I love sitting down. I used to love sleeping , but the Tsunamis (my three children) cured me of that.

How (not) to have a sick day as a work at home mum

2011-09-22T10:37:00.003+10:00

It's hard to have a day off when you're a work at home mum. I was out of sorts this morning. Tired, headachey, blah. I decided I'd call in sick, put my feet up and read a book. Of course.

I got home to my quiet house after school drop-off. I readied myself for a sick day. Coffee at hand. Book at hand. I got onto the sofa. I assumed the correct 'sick day' position.

Nothing doing.

I remembered the three emails I needed to send to follow up interviews for later in the week. I got up. I sent my emails.

I assumed the correct 'sick day' position.

Nothing doing.

I remembered a feature story I'd forgotten to begin. I got up. I went through my contact list. I sent emails requesting interviews later in the week.

I assumed the correct 'sick day' position.

Nothing doing.

I noticed the pile of towels at the end of the sofa, remnants from a frantic folding session the night before. They bothered me. I got up. I put the towels away.

I assumed the correct 'sick day' position.

Nothing doing.

I glanced at the clock. I remembered an interview was scheduled in 10 minutes time (hey, at least I remembered in my pale and wan condition). I got up. I wrote questions. I made a phone call. I made intelligent conversation.

I assumed the correct 'sick day' position.

I won't go on (well, not any more than I already have). You get the picture. I will say this, however. I feel better. And not because of the five minutes an hour I spent in the 'sick day' position. More for the fact that I will get to the end of the day knowing that, while I haven't done much, I've at least done enough to keep things ticking over. That's what it's all about, isn't it? The ticking over.

How do 'sick days' work at your house?

Allison Tait is a freelance writer who blogs at Life In A Pink Fibro about writing, being a work at home mum to two boys, and… whimsy. She was thrilled to work with Kate Sykes on their new book: 'Career Mums: A practical guide to returning to work' due out January 2012!

Case study: Negotiating a pay rise while on parental leave

2011-09-16T06:26:00.001+10:00

Recently, a CareerMums user asked about requesting a pay rise while on maternity leave. It was the second time she had been on maternity leave around the end of financial year when her work awards pay rises. She mentioned that she had not received a pay rise in quite a while and if she missed out again, she would be earning considerably less than her peers.

Our view on the issue is the following: Pay rises in general come with performance appraisals. If you have every intention of returning, your pay rate should account for the hard work you have carried out before going on parental leave. Ask to view their performance appraisal guidelines first so you have the facts. Then ask. If you don’t ask, you won’t know – or in some cases, you won’t get it.

We recently received feedback from this woman on how she then handled the situation:

"I just wanted to update you on my progress with asking for a pay rise while on maternity leave. I checked the policy and then organised a phone call with my boss. I indicated to him that I would like a pay review based on my (very good) performance review conducted at the end of last year before I went on leave. I was advised that this would be taken into consideration and I would be advised of the outcome. Yesterday I was advised that I would be awarded a 4% rise (slightly over CPI for the year I think) which I am quite happy with - though I think if I had been still working and had a full year's performance review to help make my case it would have been better - but it's definitely better than nothing! Thanks for your advice regarding this - it gave me the confidence to ask!"

Reviewing your job description

2011-09-16T06:01:00.000+10:00

How long since you or your manager has reviewed your job description? It is an interesting exercise that could produce the following results:

- Fine tuning exactly what your tasks and duties are. You may feel less overwhelmed and more focused on the outcomes. All of this has a impact on work life balance as it can help you to feel more organised about your work load.
- You may find an opportunity to build a case to work flexibly. For example, some components of your work may be done outside of work hours, or from home. Or there may be an opportunity to job share your role, or make it part time.

work life balance and your relationship

2011-07-27T14:56:00.000+10:00

When people talk about work/life balance, the focus is often on work versus family. Where does your relationship (love, togetherness and sex) with your partner fit in to the mix? So often it's easy to feel like ships passing in the night... We're looking for a case study for the Career Mums book (due out January 2012, through Penguin Books Australia). If you've got a story to tell about how your relationship fits in to your work/life balance - perhaps you went through a rough patch and found your way through, or perhaps you and your partner have a terrific plan for making it work - then we'd love to hear from you! We can change your name if that makes it easier to talk. Email kate@careermums.com.au

Share your story: Negotiating flexibility before and during parental leave

2011-06-02T19:38:00.003+10:00

CareerMums is co-writing a book for parents returning to work. It will be published by Penguin later in the year. Here is your chance to share your experience and tips via our blog. We need career mums to provide comments on the following topics:

1. Did you have an idea of how and when you wanted to return to work before going on parental leave, and then change your mind while on parental leave? How did you negotiate what you wanted with your employer and how did it turn out?

2. Tell us about your experience with negotiating flexibility before going on parental leave. How did the conversation go, and how did it turn out?

Please send us your comments via our blog.

Thanks for your time!

The state of the workforce

2011-04-14T14:26:00.002+10:00

Last week, I met with one of the Big 4 banks to discuss recruitment issues. This bank's biggest challenge is finding quality candidates for a huge number of roles they have across the country - in particular regional areas. Some of these roles include branch manager roles that come with a six figure salary. And they are willing to consider job share.

Basically, their current candidate sourcing channels are not working - hence our discussion. They are looking for alternative channels to tap into people like you. This is one of many business examples that demonstrate that there is a shortage of quality candidates.

What does this mean for you? Better opportunities to negotiate flexibility and the opportunity to find better quality flexible roles that reflect your qualifications and expertise.

The cost of childcare and going back to work

2011-04-14T14:05:00.002+10:00

I have noticed that a common view held by mums is that if your salary does not cover the cost of childcare, it is not worth going back to work. I think this view needs to be challenged for the following reasons:

1. Your experience and desire to work should not be ignored or compromised. You have invested in your education and have built up a strong career. You should not be made to feel like you have to sacrifice your career. The longer you stay out of the workplace, the more challenging it is to return. Childcare is required for a finite period of time (at the most, 4 years). You can access a 50% childcare rebate (not means tested). You may also be able to tap into your extended family to assist your family with caring duties.

2. The cost of childcare should not be associated with your salary only. View it as an expense that needs to be covered by your combined salary (you AND your partner's salary). This expense is necessary to mantain your skills and support your future earning capacity.

I have no doubt that the cost of care is a huge problem for families. The Federal Government offers a 50% childcare rebate but they have no long term solutions for the rising cost of childcare. This is because most childcare centres are privately owned. This in turn impacts on the skills shortage in this country - the cost of care is forcing many people to stay at home rather than work.

If you can make it work as a family, and you want to return to paid work, I would encourage you to do it. I have met and spoken to too many women who have opted to leave the workforce for a longer period of time and have subsequently lost their confidence to return to paid employment.

Interim results from our recent pulse survey

2011-03-20T12:32:00.000+11:00

CareerMums continues to attract skilled and flexible workers. Interim results from our latest survey (250+ respondents) again reinforce the high calibre of candidates:

- Over 60% have either a Bachelor degree, Masters degree or MBA. Another 30% are Diploma or Certificate qualified.
- Over 90% have between 5-20 years experience in their field of expertise.

The continuing challenge for this group of skilled candidates is finding flexible roles that suit their qualifications and expertise. Consider the roles you are currently advertising for right now. Is there an opportunity to offer some degree of flexibility (this can also mean full time flexible) so you can access this group of skilled candidates?

Feedback from recent DEEWR Family Friendly Workplaces Seminar

2011-03-20T12:31:00.001+11:00

Last week, around 300 delegates from all major Australian industries and employer groups attended this seminar. I was on a panel discussing key strategies for overcoming barriers to implementing a flexible and family friendly workplace. During the panel discussion, I was very interested to hear about the current challenges of the delegates. Interestingly, it is no longer the challenge of digesting the concept of flexible working. It has moved on and now focuses on the following challenges:

- Knowledge to design flexible roles;
- Training for management on how to manage a flexible workforce;
- Designing specific employee programs for attraction and retention purposes;
- Looking beyond traditional recruitment channels to locate skilled flexible workers.

Talk to us about our HR products and services if some of these challenges are yours.

Steps an organisation needs to take to embrace flexibility

2011-02-16T19:23:00.002+11:00

How do you successfully integrate flexibility into your workplace? Review the successful businesses and see what they have in common. The following are common strategies used by businesses that have embraced flexible work practices. How does your business compare?

Research or workforce planning

Find out who you employees are. Do you know who works for you? Are they happy? What would make them more productive?
For example finding out:
•the proportion of women to men
•the most common age group
•the average retirement age
•the average length of employment

Managers at Pepsico Australia asks their staff the following question once each year: “What is the one simple thing I can do as your manager to improve your work-life quality?”

Policies and procedures

Do you have a teleworking policy, a flexible work policy and a parental leave policy? Are they accessible to all staff? Have they been updated lately?
Do you have procedures to turn theory into a reality?

Cultural change

Do senior level management support flexible work practices? How many senior managers work flexibly? Do senior level management have knowledge or experience with flexible work practices? Is flexibility only being offered to parents?

Regular training and workshops

Managers are continually named and shamed as the roadblocks to flexibility – help them. Look at the trends within your organisation. Do some teams seem to have more flexible workers than others? Why?

How many managers have training in how to manage a flexible workforce? Probably none.
How do you design flexible roles? How do you assess if a flexible role will work or not?

Ramping up technology

Simply having access to email and the intranet isn’t enough. Technology now needs to consider 2 things:
1. Maintaining productivity of workers in and out of the office
2. Connecting team members when they are not in the office together.

Recruitment strategies and channels

As the skill shortens worsens with an ageing population, where do you look? What will recruitment strategies look like? Be open to hiring flexible workers. Look at other channels.

What you need to know about Australia's workforce

2011-02-15T21:18:00.002+11:00

There is a growing trend towards a more remote and flexible workforce. Why?

General population trend and subsequent skills shortage

By 2050, 26% of the population is projected to be aged 65 years and over.

What is driving workforce ageing?
1. longevity - we are living longer, 20 years longer than 8 decades ago. males into late 70's, females into mid 80's on average;
2. fertility - despite recent increase in birthrate, it is still almost half of what it was in the 1960's when the average was 3.6 per family;
3. retirements - over 4m baby boomers (born 1946-64) are entering the retirement zone and if organisations do nothing to stop them, they will move out of the workforce, often prematurely.

Caring duties

41% of all employed people provide care (2009 ABS survey results). 75% of these people provide care is for children aged under 15 years. The next most commonly cared for age group was 75 years and over.

Transport and traffic problems

Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are facing huge traffic problems. Many employers are now offering core work hours from 10am-4pm. Outside of these hours, employees are allowed to work from home. This offers employees the option to log in from home earlier in the morning and leave later to avoid traffic delays.

Proven success of businesses that have a remote and flexible workforce

It is becoming a common workplace offering. Back in 2007, 31% of employed people worked some hours from home. Most of these people worked from home for 15 hours or less per week. IBM has 140,000 staff worldwide working from home.

Handling employers that have disregarded your career

2011-02-03T14:20:00.003+11:00

Yesterday, I spoke with a a highly qualified and experienced woman who is being treated badly by her well known employer. Prior to going on parental leave, she negotiated (in writing) a 4 day week. On her return, she was told that the person filling in for her role had been doing a great job and she was no longer required to work in that position. They offered her a more junior role (a role that had orginally reported to her) but at the same salary level she was currently on.

Very cunning indeed. They know they are doing the wrong thing but have attempted to smooth it over by offering the same salary for a more junior role.

This example highlights a few things about this employer:
- They are not looking after the career development of employees;
- They are potentially in breach of the anti-discrimination act - now this woman is a mother, her career is no longer important;
- They obviously don't care about loyalty when it comes to their employees;
- They are not aware of a well publicised skills shortage in Australia.

The woman was very angry and disappointed with her employer. I recommended that she pursue one of two paths;
- Firstly, take the more junior role and settle back into the workplace. Use them while she prepares to springboard herself into a better role.
- Find a better role now with a better employer.

I also suggested that when she finally leaves this employer, she should outline potential breaches of employment and discrimination law in the resignation letter (start with www.fairwork.gov.au) as well as a breach of trust. This letter should then be given to her manager, and her manager's manager. It is then a formal document on record.

Women on Boards

2010-10-26T20:01:00.000+11:00

I am continually delighted at the amount of talent we see at CareerMums. Which is why you should consider board positions. There has been media coverage recently on the need for more gender diversity on boards. Boards require a range of knowledge and expertise. Some pay for your services and some don't. Board positions can also be remarkably flexible. Boards tend to meet monthly or quarterly. Your input is required throughout the year and this can be done by email, phone, fax, skype etc. For more information on board positions, visit Women on Boards or the Institute of Company Directors. Approach the Office for Women in your state and see if they have a register for you to add your details.

Letter to Julia Gillard

2010-10-20T06:57:00.000+11:00

14 October 2010

- PRESS RELEASE -

335 working mums table ‘6 barriers to returning to work’

Dear Ms Gillard

This is a letter from 335 working mums from around Australia.

Recent changes to the National Employment Standards letting parents request flexible work arrangements and take 24 months parental leave, have been welcome news for most of us working parents around the country.

However, Federal Government support to help parents get back to work is still short of the mark.

According to a national Careermums.com.au survey of 335 working mothers aged between 25-50, conducted in August 2010, there are six key barriers stopping mothers from returning to work. These are:

* The rising cost of childcare
* Lack of flexible work options on offer from employers
* Lack of childcare centres/after school care in high demand areas
* The need for more qualified and better trained childcare workers
* Limited options to take extra (unpaid) holiday leave for parents of school aged kids
* No sick leave entitlements for employees’ children

While the 50% childcare rebate is appreciated, it is not keeping pace with inflation or rising childcare costs.

Childcare fees have gone up over the past year for almost half of our respondents. And 60% of respondents said the childcare rebate made no difference to their return-to-work plans. In fact, only 11% stated that it had made a huge difference. Many of us feel that it would help greatly if the rebate was paid monthly.

The rising cost of care is forcing families to use a mix of childcare options to reduce the financial burden and more grandparents are taking on carer responsibilities and leaving the workforce earlier to do so.

Limited flexible work arrangements and lack of senior part-time roles are also big issues. While more needs to be done by companies in this area, Government needs to take the lead and promote job-sharing and flexibility in the workplace.

Many more mums want to work – but they need access to better conditions.

Regards
Kate Sykes, on behalf of Careermums.com.au survey respondents

Dads: Practical tips and advice for supporting your partner at home

2010-08-15T20:07:00.000+10:00

Keeping your relationship strong in the early years of parenting can be challenging. In a landmark Australian study about families in the early stages of parenthood, it was found that by the time their babies were 18 months old, almost a quarter of the new parents reported that their marriage was in distress. An additional 12.5% were separated or divorced by this time. The extent of ‘genuinely shared’ parenting in Australian families hovered somewhere between 1-2%. Relationships Australia has a quiz on how your relationship rates.

More and more dads are doing a great job at sharing parental responsibilities. And they are keen to understand how they can better support their partners at home.

Here are some practical and common sense tips and advice to help support your partner while she is at home caring for the kids:

- Put the shoe on the other foot - Consider how you would feel if your career was put on hold to be at home with a little baby. Women are having children later in life. They are used to working and earning an income. Being at home with a child is very different.

- Help at night - Don't assume that you need more sleep because you need to get up and go to work. The workloads are the same. Often to get a cup of tea or do the nappy change furing the night. If you baby is being bottle fed, offer to take turns. It is a lovely part of the day to get to know your little one.

- Your partner is still working - the difference is that she is no longer receiving an income for her work.

- Being at home is not one big party - Don't assume that life at home involves trips to cafes, tennis and endless social gatherings. Her life is dictated by your child/childrens needs, not hers.

- Praise her for her hard work - cleaning, caring, preparing dinner, ironing, washing, shopping and countless other domestic chores. In a work situation, you have a team assisting you and praising you for the work you do. At home, there is no one.

- Don't argue about who works harder. Both of you need to be respectful of each other's roles in your new life together as parents.

- Get home on time and early enough to help with (or take over) bathing and feeding. Talk to her about her day. It can sometimes be very lonely and isolating at home.

- Prepare dinner once or twice each week. It is so easy to prepare in advance (on the weekend) a lasagne, casserole or curry.

- Give her time to exercise. Exercise is a great stress reliever and contributes to mental health.

- Be aware of the symptoms of Post Natal Depression. It affects up to 30% of new mums. Don't ignore it. If you are concerned about your partner's health, seek advice from your doctor.

- Tell her that you love her. And then do something to show it. For example, take her out for dinner, organise a facial or massage, or organise a weekend activity to get everyone out of the house.

Love, trust, respect, communication and sharing parental responsbilities will ensure a strong relationship that will endure the challenges and joys of parenting.

CareerMums Q&A on negotiating flexibility

2010-07-29T11:52:00.003+10:00

This week,a CareerMums user emailed me with the following question (specific details have been changed to protect privacy):

"I require some assistance to negotiate flexibility when returning to work in a few weeks. I am a Sales Manager and would like to work 3 days in the office, 2 days from home as I am struggling to get childcare for my 5 month old. Any assistance would be appreciated. I would like to send my request in writing to my boss this week to ensure that it is actioned prior to returning to work."

My response was the following:

"Thanks for getting in touch with CareerMums. Your challenge sounds very common!

Importantly, don’t communicate to work that you need to work from home because you don’t have childcare yet for those days. You will have to work that problem out but it is important not to indicate that your child will be at home while you are working. It just doesn’t work.

Instead, dissect your role immediately into the following groups:
• What can be done inside or outside of office hours
• What can be done at work or at home

Also, get a copy of your employer’s flexible work policy. If they don’t have one, refer to the new employment law (Jan 2010) stating that working parents now have the right to request flexibility if their child is under school age. See www.fairwork.gov.au for more information.

This will be the foundation of your business case in line with needing more flexible work arrangements because you are a parent with a young child.

Refer to the following web page for tips and questions to answer in your business case proposal: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/negotiatingflexibility

Mention that you are happy to offer a 3 month trial period to prove that it can work for yourself and the business.

Stick to the facts. Don’t be emotional. You will find child care for those 2 days eventually, and in the meantime, you would have set yourself up to work 2 days from home. It is important to understand that working from home does not negate child care. A sales role implies constant communication with customers and potential customers. If you have a child at your feet demanding attention, it doesn’t look good. The upside is that if you work from home, you can drop your child later to childcare and pick your child up earlier making it an easier day for all of you."

Recruiters - make way for talent!

2010-07-26T14:02:00.003+10:00

Unfortunately I spoke to yet another talented and experienced parent who was turned away from one of the large recruitment firms because she had taken time out of the workplace to do a job that is harder than any job going in the workplace - being a parent. The recruiter simply told her that her clients would not be interested because she has not had any recent work experience (she had, but the recruiter just heard 'parent').

In my experience, employers are having huge problems in finding good employees. Flexibility is a common workplace offering these days, and after reviewing this woman's resume, I shook my head in disbelief that they had discarded her without even a telephone discussion.

It reminded me of something I experienced when I was in my 20s - without children. I had gone to Boston USA to work for a start-up. My experience was priceless, however, another large recruitment firm didn't seem to think so. "You haven't had any Australian work experience for over a year so it may be hard to place you." I got up and walked out of that meeting.

The time has come to own the relationship when it comes to recruiters. Start asking recruiters questions like 'Do you know what flexible work means?', 'How many flexible jobs do you have on your books?' and 'If there was a suitable role for me but it was full time, would you submit my resume?'. If the recruiter is not listening to your needs, take your resume elsewhere.

To be confident in asking these questions, you need to be confident in your own abilities, skills and expertise. Be proud of your career to date and your parenting and role, and know what you want your next step to be.

Applying for a new role - having the 'flexibility' conversation

2010-07-01T09:19:00.002+10:00

- Know YOUR story - Before having the conversation, be confident in your skills and abilities. Know what you are worth, what you want to do, and know what you are goods at. Employers like motivated and confident candidates.

- Do some research - Google the employer. Find out if they are aflexible employer. Do they have a flexible work policy? Connect with your networks on LinkedIn and Facebook - ask if anyone has had any involvement with the employer. The more information you can gather, the more prepared you will be.

- Always ask - If you see a job advertisement that looks perfect for you but it is full time, always find out if the employer if happy to explore flexible work options. The talent pool is getting smaller and the quality of the applicants may not be strong. If you don't ask you will never know.

- Be upfront - Don't wait to get a job interview before finding out if the employer would consider flexible work options. Be upfront about your requirements so your time and the employer's time are not wasted.

- Work with the right recruiters - If you are enlisting the help of recruiters, make sure you are talking to recruiters who understand your needs - and who undertand what flexibility means. Read our tips on dealing with recruiters.

- Be proactive - if the role is similar to another role you previously worked flexibly in, prepare a business case as part of your application.

- At the interview - Treat the interview process as a 360 degree interview. In other words, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. You are at a stage in your career where you have accrued experience and expertise. Remember that.

It must be acknowledged - Prime Minister Gillard

2010-06-24T10:46:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to Julia Gillard on becoming the first female Prime Minister of Australia. Put politics aside and celebrate a wonderful milestone in our country's history. Talk to your children about the importance of this occasion and reinforce gender equality.

Read Natasha Stott Despoja's article on 'Are we ready for Julia?'
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Are-we-ready-for-Julia-pd20100624-6PVQL?OpenDocument&src=spb

Start owning the role of being a parent

2010-06-23T20:15:00.002+10:00

Raising and caring for the future of Australia can attract strange comments and inuendo at times. Apparently we don't take work seriously anymore, we shouldn't be working now because we have children, and while at home we are having coffee with friends all day.

What a load of crap. Personally, I have never worked harder and been more tired in my life but I am happy. We need to start changing these perceptions and turning them on their head. This means communicating to people around you about how much you do in your day (both at work and at home).

Stop accepting pathetic comments about it being your choice to be a parent... and the one about it being unfair that tax payers have to foot the bill for childcare subsidies and a paid parental leave scheme. What these people will contribute in tax is minimal compared to what you will pay to raise a child (at least $1 million I believe!). In monetary terms, non-parents are contributing to a blue-chip investment (your children) who will eventually be paying taxes towards their health and retirement funds.

So stop apologising for leaving on time to be with your children. Stop accepting more junior roles because you are now a parent. Stop saying that you do nothing because you are a stay-at-home parent. Take pride in how much you can achieve in your day, including raising responsible and well adjusted little human beings. And take time out for yourself.

Returning to work after 10 years

2010-06-18T12:57:00.002+10:00

Louise's story is inspiring. After 10 years caring for her 2 children, Louise took on another challenge - returning to work. Eventually, she found a great role and wishes she returned years ago.

"I am currently working for a building inspection company. I am based in the office managing the diary and liaising with owners & tenants 3 days a week. For the past 10 years I have been at home ( my children are 10 & 7 years ).

It was always the plan to return to work when the youngest started school. Easier said than done! I suddenly realised, that in the blink of an eye, it was 20 years since I had applied for a job. Writing an application & dropping it in the mailbox had now been replaced by technology. There was no human contact – everything was done by e-mail & online IQ tests. I was totally lost. My skills were less than none, my self confidence was below zero. Throughout 2009 I did my best to answer ads but to no avail.

Then one day I accidently met a woman around my age who runs her own business. She happened to be looking for a “part-timer” & asked if I was interested. Of course I was, but had to admit my skill level was extremely low. She offered me a casual position for 6 months. I have been there since February and I can’t believe how much I have learnt. I am thoroughly enjoying it & my confidence is rising by the day. It also works for my children as they can walk home from school & I am there 20 minutes later.

I think we mothers bring an abundance of attributes to the workplace - as we all know raising children is the most demanding job ever. I can honestly say I am more focused, more organised & more accepting than ever & that’s a bonus for any employer. I am delighted to be part of the work force again & my children feel the same. Now I am like “everyone else’s Mum”. I wish I had done years ago."

CareerMums Webinars

2010-06-06T15:32:00.002+10:00

CareerMums understands the challenges you face as a working parent. We are dedicated to helping mums return to the workforce with confidence. How do you start building that confidence? With the best information.

This week, we have 2 webinars:

Webinar 1: Adjusting to motherhood

Time: 8.00pm-9.00pm | Date: Wednesday 9 June 2010 | Free | Email: info@careermums.com.au to register

This webinar is for mums who are adjusting to motherhood for the first time (or even second or third time around!). It can be a big transition moving from work into motherhood and sometimes the experience of having a new baby is overwhelming. Postnatal depression is more common than people think and affects 16% of Australian women in the first year. This session will be interactive and provide opportunities for women to share their experiences, if they wish to. Strategies for coping will be discussed in detail. It will be facilitated by Dr Mataji Kennedy, a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in helping women transition into motherhood.

Webinar 2: TechTalk

Time: 8.00pm-9.00pm | Date: Wednesday 9 June 2010 | Cost: $49

TechTalk – Love it or hate it, technology is here to stay! In this 60 minute, unplugged TechTalk class, you’ll learn about current technologies used in business today. Learn about Facebook, the web, online marketing, blogs, VOIP, remote set-up, LinkedIn, YouTube, podcasts, twitter, RSS, Microsoft Office, Goggle Docs and more.

As part of our updated TechTalk series we will also be looking at how to setup your Facebook profile to keep your personal information private.

To register for this webinar: http://inspecht.com.au/store/products/CareerMums-TechTalks-%252d-9-June-2010-Evening-Session!.html

Career resilience

2010-05-26T20:11:00.005+10:00

Today I spoke to two separate women on the issue of self confidence. Their stories are very different but there were parallels; their self confidence was damaged and they have made personal decisions to start to re-build it. More examples of career and personal resilience!

The first woman I spoke has been out of the workplace for 16 years. She called to talk to me about how to re-skill herself to get back to work again. Asking for help and seeking a game plan is such an important step to make. We spoke about the issue of self confidence and she acknowledged that this was her biggest barrier in getting back to work. I offered the following guidance:
- Work out what you want to do. Only you can. This means assessing your core skills, what you love, what you are good at etc. Talk about it with a trusted friend or spouse and write it down.
- Do some charity or volunteer work. Get used to working with adults again while using a computer, email, and phone.
- Talk to friends and family about possible job options. The greatest leads come from close to home.
- No negative talk. Practice being nice about yourself in front of a mirror.
- Google 'Productivity Places Program' and find a suitable course to complete. The Federal Government is currently offering job seekers the opportunity to skill-up. The discounts available on courses offered by Registered Training Organisations is worthewhile investigating.

The other woman I spoke to had a completely different story to tell. She had a successful career in senior management positions until recently when she requested to come back to work flexibly after having a baby. This request was met with a redundancy payment. Her self confidence was shot but her ability to be career resilient (a common characteristic shared by parents) has enabled her to hold her head high and attract some wonderful consulting work that will not only challenge her but also give her flexibility.

Stay-at-home mum extract from a great resume

2010-05-12T11:26:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I received a resume to review for a CareerMums user. I was blown away. It was perfect. It highlighted her career objective, and for her previous roles she included both duties and achievements. It was under 4 pages, well presented, and had no spelling or grammatical errors. Probably the most impressive part of the resume was how she handled her stay-at-home period which was for 3.5 years. See below:

Oct 2006-Apr 2010: Parent and voluntary worker
During this time I have been proactive in seeking opportunities to exercise my skills, volunteering my time to various organisations as well as ongoing and extensive reading to ensure I maintain up-to-date awareness of developments and practices in marketing and communications.

Achievements
- Currently researching opportunities in the x energy market for a major energy consultancy targeting large commercial and industrial clients.
- Currently discussing with major charity my suggestion and operational strategy for the launch of x to increase revenue and market awareness of its cause.
- Developed strategic internal communications plan framework, internal communications audit plan and ‘communications planner’ proforma to assist x business in improving communications with their 200+ staff and 2000+ volunteers.
- Developed comprehensive and creative marketing plan for a local portraiture photographer seeking to increase her client base on a tight budget, then assisted with implementation.
- Wrote a series of x books designed to encourage x development in young children, endorsed by x speech pathologist.

She has kept herself in touch with the workplace, and has on occasions, utilised her skills to gain further experience.

The key to the stay-at-home mum section is to transform non-paid work into 'work speak'. The most basic example to work from is tuck shop duty. This involves customer service, handling money, and workng in a team. Make it all count. In addition, bring to life the new skills you have acquired from being a parent.

Tips for handling telecommuting requests

2010-05-07T14:45:00.000+10:00

With the introduction of the 'right to request flexibility' National Employment Standard in January 2010, employers have been paying closer attention to their policies and procedures for handling flexible work requests.

The ability to telecommute or work from home is a popular choice for flexible working, but many employers understandably become nervous about creating a benchmark for others to follow.

How should you deal with telecommuting requests?

* Firstly, ensure you have the following policies: a Flexible Work Policy, Telecommuting Policy and an OH&S Policy.
* Create a procedure for employees to follow to have the requests reviewed appropriately.

Considerations:

* What percentage of their work time are they wanting to work from home? Is it half the time, a quarter of the time, or all the time? This will impact on your decision.
* What is their role? Is it feasible? Break the role down into different components and tasks. What could be done outside of office hours from home? What can be done by accessing the work system and using a telephone during the day?
* Does the employee have an adequate work space at home?
* Is the employee working from home to save on childcare costs? Distractions can be an issue if the employee has to be 'on call' during the day. This should be addressed in the Telecommuting Policy.
* Can staff members login from home easily? The key to to working from home effectively is to ensure employees can just as productive outside of the office, and be able to communicate with other employees easily.
* Does the employee have a track record for working either at home or flexibly? Is the employee the right style of person to work from home. Ask the question to the employee.
* Implement a communication plan to keep tabs on productivity.
* Offer a trial period so you don't lock yourself into a long term arrangement if it doesn't work out.
* Ensure everything is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you have procedures and paperwork to back up your decision, it will make it easier to be transparent when you are making decisions for other requests.
* In general, people who request flexibility are at a point where the current status quo is not working for them. Be careful not to dismiss the idea quickly or you may be looking at recruitment costs and training for a new starter.

For assistance in creating telecommuting procedures and a flexible work handbook, ask us about our Flexible Work Proposal Toolkit.

Paid parental leave update - help get it through Parliament

2010-05-07T10:04:00.002+10:00

After many decades of campaigning, Paid Parental Leave is finally within reach. As we are all aware, the Federal Government has introduced the PPL bill into the parliament.

However, there has been some recent uncertainty regarding the opposition parties' response to the bill and there remains concern as to whether the passage of the bill will be supported.

In order to make it clear that the general public expects a fully operational scheme to be up and running by 1 January 2011, the ACTU proposes to present a petition to the federal Parliament in early June.

To have maximum impact, they are inviting you and/or your organisation to take part in collecting signatures on the attached form over the next 4 weeks.

The aim is to have at least 10,000 signatures to deliver to the Parliament and media during the PPL debate.

Attached is a properly constituted petition, complying with the parliamentary rules, to ensure it can be officially tabled in Parliament.

Please gather as many names and signatures as you can and post them back to Giulia Baggio at the ACTU, Level 6, 365 Queen Street, Melbourne, 3000. Giulia can be contacted on 0409 141 038 - by 26 May.

Please note that under parliamentary rules, no photocopied signatures are allowed.

On behalf of all participating organisations, the ACTU will deliver the petition to an appropriate MP to table in parliament and will organise media activities to support the launch of the petition.

Download the petition form here: http://www.careermums.com.au/resource/33/Petition%20PAID%20MATERNITY%20LEAVE%20April%202010.pdf

More on cost of childcare

2010-04-23T09:28:00.002+10:00

The cost of childcare is getting out of hand, and in some cases, is forcing women out of the workplace. Even if it does not directly affect your circumstances, it is an important issue that impacts on our children (now and in the future) and workplace productivity.

This week, the Government has decided not to build anymore childcare centres because there are too many childcare places available - see the following article: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/govt-wont-build-more-childcare-centres-20100422-tetl.html

No doubt there are childcare places available because families can no longer afford the cost of childcare. And yet, there has still been no discussion on the cost of care or the locations of these childcare centres that have places available. The Federal Government should have purchased ABC childcare centres when they had the opportunity. This would have enabled the Government to streamline education requirements of carers, pay them a decent wage (public service scale), and keep a cap on childcare fee increases.

If you would like to register your concern, send us your comments to info@careermums.com.au. We will collate your responses and send them to Minister Kate Ellis who is in charge of Early Childhood Education.

What is the Government doing about childcare?

2010-04-13T19:00:00.002+10:00

I am very interested in what plans the Federal Government has for childcare. The cost of it is a major obstacle to parents returning to work - and yet Australia is facing an ageing population, and a skills shortage. Furthermore, women now account for nearly half the workplace.

For the interest of CareerMums users, I recently wrote to Kate Ellis and Jenny Macklin about the cost of childcare and how the Government plans to tackle it - see below.

I will keep you informed of the response I receive.

"I run www.careermums.com.au. I now have over 15,000 registered users on CareerMums and we are very proactive in providing information to our users on a range of topics including Government policies.

I don’t believe the Government is doing much at the moment on the issue of cost of childcare – unless you can convince me differently.

The cost of care is going up by more than double the inflation rate every year. The 50% child care rebate will be eroded shortly but the cost increases. There is an ageing population, half the workforce are women, and more than 50% of graduates are women. In countries with more advanced child care systems, 70-80% of their child care centres are owned by Government so they are able to monitor pricing and regulation very closely. In Australia, 70-80% are privately owned. What is the Australian Federal Government’s long term strategy on the cost of childcare? Particularly as childcare costs are set to raise with changes to childcare regulations.

I look forward to your response and I will share it with my database."

Working parents and school aged children

2010-04-09T14:06:00.002+10:00

We often talk about the challenges of parents returning to work when their children are under 5. These challenges are real and difficult at times.

However, the challenges keep coming after school starts. The ability to work flexible hours becomes even more critical as parents face school hours and school holidays (at least 12 weeks per year and only 4 weeks of holiday days if you work full time).

If you are in the school zone, CareerMums users would love to hear how you are handling the work and family balance. Do you have any tips for handling work, and also for handling family? How have you coped with changing flexibility needs? Is your employer understanding of your challenges?

Return to work stories

2010-04-09T14:02:00.002+10:00

CareerMums users want to hear your experiences with returning to work.

Was it an easy transition? How did you cope with childcare? How did you cope with the work and family balancing act? In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

Sharing your experiences will help other women about to head back to work.

How did you negotiate flexibility?

2010-04-09T13:36:00.002+10:00

CareerMums users want to know about the success stories when it comes to negotiating a flexible role.

Many people find the 'negotiation' bit the most difficult, but it doesn't have to be if you change the way you think about it. Negotiation is about reaching an agreement by presenting a clear business case and demonstrating that you have considered everyone - not just yourself. Don't forget that parents with children under 5 and parents with disable children under 18 years of age have the right to request flexibility if you have been with the same employer for more than 12 months.

Do you have tips on how you secured a flexible job with your employer?

Childcare costs set to rise

2010-04-02T15:34:00.001+11:00

Childcare costs are on the rise. New childcare regulations (fair enough) are coming and this will only add to childcare cost increases that constantly outstrip CPI increases. The trouble is that most childcare centres are privately run so the Government has no influence over price rises. The child care rebate for many parents now provides little or no assistance. So what is the Government doing about it? To get up to speed, read the following article: $125a day to care for kid as childcare sours: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/a-day-to-care-for-kid-as-childcare-costs-soar/story-e6frf00i-1225845593661

If you have any feedback or comments on this issue, go direct to the source:

Kate Ellis, Minister for Early Childhood Education - View contact details: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=DZU

Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families - View contact details: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=PG6

Parental leave checklist for employers

2010-03-19T11:50:00.000+11:00

Retaining employees is becoming a priority for employers as the talent pool starts to shrink. Retaining working parents should be a priority and it doesn't have to be difficult. Showing that you care and identifying how you will stay in touch are key to their return.

Use our checklist below for guidance. View our Working Parents Toolkit and Parental leave Program Toolkit - these tools may be perfect for your organisation: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/hrtoolkits

Use this summary checklist to help managers prepare for an employee’s parental leave:

* Provide your staff member with the company parental leave information and parenting pack.

* Establish a communication plan with your staff member.

* Discuss the prospect of flexible work arrangements with your staff member on their return to work. (NOTE: The employee and the manager need to be aware of the flexible work arrangements policy, and procedures they need to follow to request a flexible working arrangement when the time comes to return to work.)

* Discuss and plan the gradual transition from work to parental leave e.g. finding a replacement and insuring instructions have been written so the replacement person can transition into the role effectively.

* Discuss with your staff member how they would like to be communicated with while on leave. What information would they like to be kept in the loop with and how often?

* Send out a communication to the team and others before the staff member leaves notifying them of the finish date and what will be happening to the position during your staff member’s absence.

* Plan which meeting minutes the staff member would like to have distributed to them while on leave.

* Seek out if the staff member can have remote access to work systems such as the internet to keep abreast of company news and changes as they occur.

Flexible work panel - tip for employers

2010-03-18T13:50:00.002+11:00

Create a 'flexible work panel'. Managers typically don't have a thorough understand of flexible work practices or how to manage a flexible workforce. So, in an effort to help managers, create a panel to assess flexible work requests that includes the manager of the employee requesting flexibility, an HR representative, and a member of the senior management team. The manager will learn about how to assess a flexible work arrangement, and senior management will have a direct insight into the needs of their employees with the intention of creating a more flexible workplace culture.

Talk to us about our Flexible Work Proposal Toolkit for all employees. It provides your business with a solution to managing employees' flexibility requests.
http://www.careermums.com.au/content/hrtoolkits

Game plan - What to ask your employer before going on parental leave

2010-03-17T21:21:00.000+11:00

Parents who have taken parental leave will tell you that being prepared for your departure and potential return to work in advance makes the whole experience much less stressful for everyone involved - baby included! “I wish I had thought more about this before I went on leave” is a common response from working parents.

The benefit of planning in advance means that you can gradually hand-over work commitments, enjoy a safe pregnancy at work, explore possible return to work options, and review your career aspirations to factor in family and maintaining personal balance.

Some of the immediate questions that may spring to mind include:

* When will I finish work?
* Who will look after my workload?
* How will my work and career plans be impacted?
* How will my needs be accommodated post-baby?
* Should I be planning my return to work now?
* When will I return and in what capacity?

Discussion tips:

You need to understand your rights and obligations, in addition to your employer's policies and procedures when it comes to going on parental leave.

Questions for your HR representative -

- If you haven't already, request a copy of the Flexible Work Policy, Parental Leave Policy and the Telecommuting Policy. If they have all three, you are in good hands.
- Ask if there are any working parents programs or flexible work programs you should know about.
- Do they have a parental leave program to ensure you will stay in touch with work?
- Are parental leavers given internet access to access thw rok intranet and emails?
- Is there a register that your name should be on so you don't miss out on company annoucements or mailouts to all staff? Give HR your preferred contact information.

Questions for your manager -

- Talk to your manager about flexible work options. All parents with children under 5 years of age have the right to request flexible work arrangements.
- If you are interested in doing ad-hoc project based work after a while, find out if your manager would be interested in using you as a resource when you are ready.
- How do you intend to stay in touch with your team? Talk about attending team meetings occasionally. What team emails will you continue to be copied in on? Ask you manager about other ideas to stay in touch.

If your manager or HR representative has shown no interest in any of your questions above, you may need to start looking for a more flexible employer.

A new cloud of confusion over paid parental leave scheme

2010-03-09T20:47:00.003+11:00

Over the weekend, I was disgusted to hear of Tony Abbott's grand plans for a paid parental leave scheme if Liberals win the next election.

Over the past couple of years, this country has debated the pros and cons of paid parental leave and who should pay for it - even though we are one of 2 OECD countries who still does not have a formal Government funded paid parental leave system.

The Productivity Commission was tasked to work with interest groups to find a solution. Initially, it was planned that business would initially fund the paid parental leave payments until reimbursed by Government - and they would have to pay superannuation contributions. Business groups were extremely critical of this approach because most Australians are employed by small businesses who could not afford to fund the paid parental leave scheme upfront or the ongoing superannuation contributions.

So now Tony Abbott wants big businesses to pay without reimbursement, and they don't even employ most of Australia. Talk about creating confusion and prolonging this issue.

Start reading about how other countries have successfully implemented a Government paid parental leave system. Yes, it is public money but start considering the return on investment.

Getting back to work after 17 years

2010-03-02T11:21:00.002+11:00

Every week, I receive many questions from CareerMums users asking for advice on getting back to work. Here is a recent question and answer:

Q: I've been looking after my children for 17 years. I'm in a position now where I need to find work. I would like to work in womens fashion but because I have 4 children I really need to work mum hours. Can you help me or maybe point me in the right direction.I am hard working, reliable, and honest.

A: My advice is to contact a preferred women’s fashion outlet and ask for flexible hours. Employers are starved for good workers and they are quite willing to offer flexible hours for the right staff now. Be confident and ensure you add your non-paid work to your resume – even though you have not been getting paid, you have still been working so think about things that you have done that can be transferred into work speak. For example, Tuck shop duty – customer service, handling money, working in a team. I know that Sportscraft is now targeting employees aged 30 and over because the clothes they sell attract women of this age group - it makes sense!

Courses/training options with compliments of the Federal Government

2010-02-24T12:06:00.002+11:00

If you are looking to expand your skill base or refresh your existing skills, there has never been a better time. The Government is currently running a program called the Productivity Places Program. It is for job seekers and employees. A range of courses have been subsidised in an effort to upskill the workforce. This program is not means tested so find out what is available.

Resources you need to know about:

- About the Productivity Places Program:http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/ProductivityPlaces/Pages/default.aspx

- Browse Registered Training Organisations and the courses they offer: http://www.ntis.gov.au/?rto/all

Government assistance and employment law changes for working parents

2010-02-24T11:42:00.005+11:00

Changes to employment law and child care rebates over the past couple of years have provided parents with more incentive to re-enter the workforce. With an ageing population and women now making up for half of the workforce, these changes are long overdue.

There are 4 key changes - both current and pending – that will positively impact working parents. Make it your business to know the following:

Right to request flexibility
parents with children under 5 years of age or disable children under 18 years of age now have the right to request flexibility, Ask your employer about this new employment law and refer to www.fairwork.gov.au for more information. Or else, view the Fair Work Information Statement that employers must give all new employees from 1 January 2010 onwards: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Pay-leave-and-conditions/Conditions-of-employment/Documents/Fair-Work-Information-Statement.pdf

Right to request up to 24 months of parental leave
Parents now have the right to request a further 12 months of unpaid parental leave beyond the normal 12 months. For more information, refer to the National Employment Standards (part of the Fair Work Act) found at www.fairwork.gov.au. Or else, view the Fair Work Information Statement that employers must give all new employees from 1 January 2010 onwards: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Pay-leave-and-conditions/Conditions-of-employment/Documents/Fair-Work-Information-Statement.pdf

Government paid parental leave to be introduced Jan 2011
The Government will soon be introducing paid parental leave. Eligible employees will be entitled to 18 weeks of pay at minimum wage. This is means tested. To find out more about it, visit the following web page: http://www.familyassist.gov.au/PAYMENTS/FAMILYASSISTANCE/PAID_PARENTAL_LEAVE/Pages/default.aspx

50% child care rebate
The Child Care Rebate is not income tested.If you are using approved child care for work, training or study-related reasons the Government will provide you with 50 percent of your out-of-pocket child care costs, up to $7778 (indexed) per child per year. For more information, go ot www.mychild.gov.au or view the following fact sheet on the child care rebate: http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Resources/Pages/ChildCareRebate.aspx

Returning to work and the challenges of childcare

2010-02-20T09:16:00.004+11:00

It's quite simple really..... when a child starts going to childcare, he/she will most probably catch everything going around the centre. The upside is that in the process, they are building up their immune system.

This is not always comforting to know when you have work deadlines, limited sick days and unlimited guilt because you should be with your child but your pile of work is building up as well.

How can you take control of this situation?

Firstly, it won't last forever. After a few months, the runny nose ceases and the ear infections go.

Approach this challenge in a practical manner. Consider the following tips:
- Talk to your manager. Pre-warn him/her that there will be a few more sick days taken over the next couple of months and talk about how you can organise your workload.
- Talk to your manager about easing yourself back into work. For example, you may work 2 days per week for 1-2 months. Then increasing your days to 3 days for 1-2 months then moving to 4 days.
- Save holiday leave for days you may not to take off.
- Utilise your sick days.
- Create the option to work from home when your child is sick.
- Share the load with your partner. Get your partner to pre-warn his/her workplace that childcare is about to start.

Use common sense to find solutions to your challenges. You now have the right to request flexibility if your child is under 5 years of age so ask.

Start asking questions

2010-02-09T21:38:00.002+11:00

I had an interesting discussion with a woman the other day about negotiating flexibility. She, like many others, was ready to throw in the towel because her manager was not willing to consider her proposal.

I wanted her to fight for a better work arrangement with her existing employer - it can happen if there is a game plan to work with. To get her moving, I decided to use her children. I asked her if she typically encouraged her children to give in at the first sign of trouble. Her answer was no and it got her moving in the right direction.

One thing we seem to stop doing after having kids is asking. How long since you have asked for the following things:
- a salary review
- a performance review
- a career path
- training and education
- flexible work arrangements
- a more senior position

Change the story today. Approach things differently. Back yourself and see how you go. My guess is that you will see some action.

Negotiating flexibility - don't give in

2010-02-03T10:20:00.002+11:00

I spoke recently with a woman on the phone who called asking for advice on finding a new job. She is currently employed but is having difficulty in securing a better flexible work arrangement with her existing employer (A Government body who should know better) as her children are all at school now. There was no request to reduce hours - it was simply to change her arrangement from 3 full days to working her hours over 4-5 days. The manager said that it would not work for the team so her request would probably be denied.

I have persuaded her to push on and try to secure the flexible arrangements she is looking for. I talked her through the following game plan:

- Review the flexible work policy
- Follow our guide on how to negotiate flexibility which includes writing a business case on how the new flexible arrangement could work. See the followiong web page for more info: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/negotiatingflexibility
- Question your manager on their views in a non-confrontational way. If your manager says 'it just won't work', ask them why they hold this view and ask them for a detailed explanation on how they arrived at their decision. Make sure you take a pen and paper so you can record the conversation.
- If you are disatsifed with your meeting, request a meeting with a representative from human resources.
- Stick to the facts, ensure you have your business case written, and show no emotion.

Lessons for employees
- Don't give in and don't be bullied.
- Always ask questions, don't accept statements from your manager that are not considered opinions.
- Don't become emotional.
- There is a shortage of skilled workers and we have an ageing population. Retention is becoming imperative so use this to your advantage.

Lessons for managers:
- Show structure and thought in your decision making. If you don't know how to assess flexible work arrangements, ask HR for advice.
- Treat everyone on a case by case basis.
- Show empathy and be willing to trial flexible work arrangements. You never know when you will need one.

Government subsidied training

2010-01-23T16:19:00.002+11:00

Anyone looking to complete a course this year should explore the Government funded Productivity Places Program. it is for both job seekers and employees. It does not seem to be means tested. Check out the courses available and the Registered Training Organisations in your area. Courses can be done either online or face-to-face or both. It is extremely flexible to suit parents! I recently signed up to complete a training course. The course would have normally cost me $3,500. Instead it is costing me $400 through the Productivity Places Program.

Look at the following website: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/ProductivityPlaces/Pages/default.aspx

Turn every job interview into a positive experience

2010-01-11T21:20:00.001+11:00

Getting a job interview after being out of work for a while can be exciting and frightening at the same time! If you are feeling nervous, start focusing on some simple tasks that will prepare you for the interview. Google the employer and prepare some questions for them about their business activities. Read the job description again – be clear on how your skills match the requirements of the role. Always talk positively about yourself. Try talking about yourself in the mirror and see how many nice things you can say about yourself. Get a new outfit. Looking good and feeling good about yourself go hand in hand.

Above all, make sure you interview the prospective employer about their flexible workplace policies, career advancement opportunities, and how they measure and compensate performance. After all, the job interview is just as much about whether you want to work for them. If the interview is unsuccessful, ask for feedback, and move onto the next challenge. You may receive some useful tips for the next interview.

New parental leave ruling: A game plan for employers

2010-01-04T19:30:00.003+11:00

As of 1 January 2010 parents are now entitled to up to 24 months of unpaid parental leave as part of the National Employment Standards. Parents also have the right to request flexibility if they have a child under school age. This is a positive outcome for working parents. Children are the future of this country so it is important that they are loved, nurtured and cared for. It can only create a better society.

Business groups and employers are reacting nervously. What businesses need to understand is that most women return to work within 9 months of giving birth to their child. Some parents may opt to take the extra 12 months, but if the employer offered flexible work arrangements, there is a high chance that the parent would return to work much sooner.

For a business to succeed, you need human resources and productivity. If you know the following, you can become more confident in the recent employment changes for parents:

- Flexible work arrangements is by far the bigger carrot than up to 24 month of parental leave because income is the #1 reason for parents returning to work.
- If you offer flexible work practices, most of the time you will be paid back with loyalty, productivity, and a much happier workplace.

Sharing parental duties - Change the story in 2010

2010-01-01T20:52:00.003+11:00

How does your partner rate when it comes to sharing parental responsibilities? If there is inequity in your relationship, start a new years rsolution to change the story.

In over 65 per cent of Australian households, both parents work. Sharing the responsibility of raising children is critical to achieving a satisfying work and family balance. Both parents are responsible for children they bring into the world. If one parent in a two working parent household is solely responsible for child rearing, pick-up and drop-off, cleaning, and preparing meals, in addition to maintaining their career and supporting their family financially, it can create an unsatisfactory, unbalanced home environment.

A good starting point is to write down all the chores and domestic duties that need to be performed throughout the week. Make sure you include the drop-off and pick-up times for the kids at child care or school.

Talk to your partner about how you can divide these responsibilities. If necessary, create a weekly calendar so family members know what their responsibilities are. If the children are old enough, assign chores to them. Other ideas are pre-cooking meals for the week on the weekends, and hiring a cleaner once every two weeks.

Loving and respecting one another’s life challenges and sharing parental responsibilities will create a more happy and harmonious home environment and loving partnership. If this doesn't make sense, seek relationship counselling!

If you are a single parent juggling work and family, you are amazing. If you don’t have a full-time partner to help you, search for networks or associations for single parents in your community. There may be opportunities to assist each other with before and after school care, for example.

Flexible recruitment for tips for employers

2009-12-30T09:25:00.000+11:00

- If you are considering flexibility in your business, look beyond customer service, telemarketing and administration roles. There is a huge amount of untapped talent offering marketing, accounting, legal, media and creative (just to name a few) expertise. Consider this: skills, experience and expertise in exchange for flexibility.

- In a job advertisement, steer clear of the line 'ideal for students or mothers returning to work'. Quality candidates will run from you. The two market segments are worlds apart when it comes to experience and salary range.

- Recently, I have been talking to more and more employers who are offering training to prospective employees. The national skill shortage is making it harder for employers to find the exact personality and matching skill set for the job. So the idea is to find quality candidates who offer some of the skills you are looking for - and then provide them with on-the-job training to meet the skill requirements for the job. When you think about it, it takes any new employee around 3 months to settle in, understand the processes, and follow procedures.

- As the skills shortage tightens, it will become more important to consider how your business can utilise mums returning to work. The skills and experience you are tapping into is enormous. Consider how flexibility can be incorporated into ALL areas of your business, rather than administration, customer service and telemarketing roles only.

- Job share is an ideal option if you are having trouble filling a full time position. It can work particularly well if the 2 employees know each and their work styles are similar. Communication is critical in a job share role so ensure a communication plan is in place to ensure a smooth transition of work during the week

A Game plan for your career in 2010

2009-12-20T20:51:00.001+11:00

The holidays are a great time to start planning your career in 2010. Sit back, take a fresh perspective, and make work work for you.

View our guide for parents returning to work or our guide for working parents.

http://www.careermums.com.au/content/guide_returntowork

We want to hear from you

2009-12-20T20:50:00.000+11:00

- Do you have a good story about how you negotiated flexibility at work?
- Have you progressed your career as a working parent?
- Do you have some great tips on balancing work and family?
- Have you embarked on a completely new career since becoming a mum?
- Have you started your own business?

Please contact us if you would like to share your story for a book to be launched next year. We will send you some questions to answer via email.

http://www.careermums.com.au/index/contact/

Coming in January 2010 - TechTalk webinar

2009-12-20T20:46:00.002+11:00

Lost when it comes to today’s technology? Clueless as to how to re-establish your network? CareerMums’ newest resource – Expert Training – allows you to brush up on business, networking, and technology trends in just one hour.

In partnership with renowned technology consultant Michael Specht, our interactive Expert Training webinars will bring you up to speed on what you may have missed while on the off-ramp.

Just $49 a course – you cannot afford to miss the opportunity to review the skills crucial to today’s workforce.

TechTalk – Love it or hate it, technology is here to stay! In this 60 minute, unplugged TechTalk class, you’ll learn about current technologies used in business today. Learn about the web, online marketing, blogs, VOIP, remote set-up, LinkedIn, YouTube, podcasts, twitter, RSS, Microsoft Office, Goggle Docs and more.

More info and register now: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/careermums_webinars_returntoworkmums

National Employment Standards - Update

2009-12-07T20:34:00.001+11:00

The Federal Government has released the Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS). The FWIS can be downloaded from Fair Work Online at www.fairwork.gov.au.

The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act) requires that a copy of the FWIS be given to all new employees who commence employment after 1 January 2010. For casual employees, who may be engaged a number of times during the course of any year, the employer is only required to provide the FWIS once in any 12 month period.

For more information, visit:
http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Pay-leave-and-conditions/Conditions-of-employment/Pages/Fair-Work-Information-Statement.aspx?role=employees

Tap into your network

2009-12-04T13:34:00.002+11:00

Women are the most natural networkers. In general, we have the gift when it comes to communicating with others. Think of the people we meet through our children, school, pre-school, child care, exericising, our neighbourhood, at work, the local shops etc etc.

At some stage, the efforts we have made to build our network will reap rewards in many ways. One of the ways you can utilise your network is to find a job. We regularly recommend to our users to use their networks to look for work opportunities. Send an email to everyone you know (social, ex-managers, ex-colleagues, family etc) letting them know that you are looking for work. You may also want ot use Facebook and LinkedIn. Be clear on the type of work you are looking for and your flexibility requirements e.g. can only work 3 days per week. Drop into local businesses and see if they have any work available.

Using your network can be the most effective way of finding a job because people know you and they can recommend you through word of mouth.

If you are not ready to find a job yet, use your network to learn more about a particular industry you would like to move into. Your confidence and self esteem will bounce back once you start meeting people and gathering information.

Valuable advice for women about to become parents

2009-12-02T14:05:00.004+11:00

Very few women give their careers any attention in the lead up to taking parental leave. And why would you? It is such an exciting (and tiring) time awaiting the arrival of your first child. However, The benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing and the gift of experience is being able to share it with others about to embark on the same journey.

1. Talk to your manager about flexible work options before going on parental leave. Review the flexible work policy and the parental leave policy.

2. Write down your 5 year plan and discuss this with your manager.

3. Have a game plan for keeping your skills up to date while on leave. This will help to maintain your confidence when it is time to return. For example, attend work meetings once each month, have lunch with colleagues, ask to be emailed any internal newsletters and other company information.

4. Talk to other employees at your work who are return-to-work parents.

5. Start talking to your partner about how you will share parental responsibilities.

6. Know that in over 65% of families, both parents work. You are not alone.

Are employers becoming more flexible in general?

2009-12-02T14:03:00.001+11:00

Bosses are certainly becoming more flexible for the following reasons:
- There is an ageing population – by 2050, 26% of this country will be aged 65 and over.
- Women now account for half the workforce.
- More than 50% of graduates are women.
- 1 in 4 people in the workplace care for someone. The most cared for group are aged 15 and under. The second most cared for group is people aged 75 and over.
- National Employment Standards – one of the Standards is on the ‘right to request’ flexibility for parents with children under school age.

2009-11-24T20:26:00.002+11:00

Recently, I was speaking with a career mum on the complexities of furthering her career and juggling family responsibilities.

We came up with a game plan on the work front on how to re-think her role and how to work more efficiently - with the focus being on quality not quantity.

Step 1:
Change the way you think about your role. Treat your role like your own business. You need to manage the workload, your stakeholders / customers, and your brand (in this case, how others perceive you and your role in the organisation).

Step 2:
Think about the following ideas to inject clarity into your role:

- Compare your job description to your current tasks. Write down everything you do over a 2 week period to help you identify typical tasks and how long it takes you.
- Do you need to re-define your role?
- Are you performing work that someone else should be doing?
- What are your business objectives for the next 6 months / 12 months? Do you have a business plan? What are the key deliverables?
- Compare your current tasks to your key deliverables. Are they aligned?
- Do you have access to learning and development opportunities? Incorporate this into your business plan.
- Tie your key deliverables in with your performance measurement criteria to ensure your have a productive and informative performance review.

The key is to make your objectives (e.g. 3-5 objectives) and associated deliverables (for each objective) manageable and meaningful. It is more important to under-promise and over-deliver.

Step 3:
Ideas to promote yourself:

- Define what you do in simple terms on paper. Always think that you are talking to someone outside of your business so it is imperative to keep it simple and meaningful.
- Investigate if you have an internal communications team. Do they produce a staff newsletter? What about the intranet? Start contributing to these communication forums.
- Start collaborating with your counterparts in your organisation. Instigate a monthly meeting (phone hook-up) and a face-to-face workshop every 6-12 months to share ideas and streamline processes and procedures.
- Manage up; manage yourself; manage down.

Top 5 tips on advancing your career as a parent

2009-11-21T09:24:00.002+11:00

Progressing your career tends to naturally happen for most people in their mid to late thirties. For most women, this is around the time that we are having children so the challenge is far greater.

Take a deep breath. You can still achieve your career goals. it is about adopting a different mindset. You are raising the future of Australia (yes, think about it like that!). Think about where you are at right now in practical terms. The workforce is changing. 4 in 10 workers in Australia have caring duties so you are not alone. Use your resilience that comes from parenthood and get creative.

Here are my top 5 tips for advancing your career post children:

1. Be aware of your career aspirations. Have a 5 year plan.

2. Know that working flexibly does not mean working part time. Be creative when you write your business case proposal. Offer your manager a trial period.

3. Know your flexibility requirements. How does this fit with your current role? And know that your requirements will change throughout parenthood.

4. Do a health check on your career. Have you progressed, plateaued or regressed? Ask the hard questions to your manager/HR: Will working flexibly affect my career path? What opportunities are available to me moving forward? How will my performance be measured? Organise a meeting every 6-12 months with your manager on career progression. Make it happen – don’t wait for it.

5. Think outside the square. Experience and children create resilience and creativity in a person. Can you create a new niche role at your organisation? Can you return as a consultant?

A guide to the right to request flexibility

2009-11-11T10:00:00.002+11:00

The National Employment Standards (NES) will come into effect in January 2010. It will provide 10 new minimum entitlements for all Australian workers. The NES are to replace the Australian Fair Pay and Conditions Standard (AFPCS) currently in force under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (WR Act). One of the National Employment Standards will provide working parents with children under school age the right to request a flexible work arrangement.

CareerMums has compiled an easy guide to understanding your rights and obligations on the right to request flexibility.

If your employer has not started preparing for these changes, provide them with the following link. It also includes how to create a flexible work policy and how to implement process and procedures to ensure they are compliant with the Standard on flexibility.

http://www.careermums.com.au/content/right_to_request

Working tips for the Christmas period

2009-11-04T19:38:00.002+11:00

Christmas and new year is a great time to plan a return-to-work strategy or change your current work flexibility requirements. If you are returning to work, make sure you think about updating your resume (cover all of your non-paid work while on leave!), investigating short courses if your skills need fine turning, and communicating your return to work intentions to your family, friends and old work colleagues. Great leads often come from people you know.

If you are returning to a job, get in touch with your team and go out for lunch. Catch up on the office gossip. What has been happening while you have been away? Catch up with your manager. Have a chat about flexible work options if you haven't already. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The National Employment Standards, due to start in January 2010, give parents with children under 5, the right to request flexible work arrangements. Talk to your HR manager / manager about this new legislation and find out how they are dealing with it.

If you are currently working and you are going to need more flexible working hours to manage work and family, start preparing a business case for your manager. The business case should consider items such as working hours, work that will be performed at home versus the office, and how clients needs will be affected. Early next year, you should meet with your manager to discuss your needs. If it is a fair and reasonable request, you may have a good chance in getting what you want thanks to the National Employment Standards being introduced in Janauary 2010.

Importantly, the national skills shortage and Australia's aging population are starting to impact on employers so they are more willing to explore flexible work options to retain good employees.

Job sharing successfully

2009-10-28T19:32:00.002+11:00

Job sharing is a fantastic flexible work arrangement for a role that cannot be done part time, or requires someone to be in the office providing face-to-face contact 5 days per week. For employers, it can mean retaining 2 valuable workers in a part time capacity.

Unfortunately, everyone always seems to have a bad job sharing story to share. Most of the time, when we have dissected why it did not work well, it comes back to how the job sharing arrangement was managed (or not managed) in the first place.

Here are some guidelines to creating successful job share roles:
- Make sure the job share partners are at a similar life stage e.g. parents with young children.
- Ensure each candidate has similar skills and experience so there are no issues with one taking on more work than the other.
- Both people should share a similar work ethic, have good communication skills and be clear on workloads and outcomes.
- Make sure there is a cross over period during the week so there is an opportunity to de-brief each other.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate with each other and your manager.

Use these guidelines in your business case proposal to negotiate a job share role.

Your first 12 months back at work

2009-10-23T09:24:00.002+11:00

Let's face it, it's tough! We are instantly thrown into the work and family juggling act often without help and support. There is separation anxiety (more from mum!), mother guilt (isn't it relentless!), and then general guilt for not being at work because your child is permanently sick for the first 2-3 months of child care. And generally, there is even more guilt handed to you from your employer because you need to take time off to care for your child.

Take a deep breath - it will be ok. You cannot do this on your own so enlist the services of your partner to share parental responsibilities. Put a schedule on your fridge door. Conquer and divide chores such as food shopping, cooking, drop-off, pick-up, cleaning and washing.

Your child will pick up illnesses from child care but it won't last forever. What they catch now will make their immune systems stronger.

It is our view that employers are currently not providing enough support for working parents in their first 12 months back at work. Employers tend to breathe a sigh of relief on your return to work - it is assumed that everything will pick up from where it was left off. It will, but there is an adjustment period.

What can employers do to provide support? They can put into place a gradual return to work strategy (e.g. start with 2 days, then move to 3 days, then 4 days for example), and allow for more sick days in the early stages of child care. These are short term supportive measures that will pay long term dividends in the way of a happy, productive and loyal employee.

Talk to your employer about your return to work strategy. Open up the lines of communication and see what flows.

Get smarter in how you return to work

2009-10-15T11:26:00.002+11:00

Recently, I have come across many women who have returned to their employer after parental leave as a consultant. Obviously, not everyone can do this and it does depend on the role you currently perform.

One example is a women who was in a senior HR role prior to having children. She wanted to return to work but required flexibility. She did not want to be relegated to a junior HR role within the team she used to run. So instead she re-created herself as a training consultant and offers her services to the same employer on a regular basis.

If you are in a position to request this change in your employment conditions, the benefits are enormous. Think about the following:

- Consultants are often given project based work with deadlines. This allows you to create your own flexibility/hours and still be challenged in the work you are performing.

- The business knows you and understands your capabilities. They would be more interesting in hiring back someone they know who understands the business and will get the job done.

- You can charge on a per hour basis and potentially get paid more. Factor in superannuation, sick leave, holidays etc.

CareerMums Webinars

2009-10-01T09:16:00.001+10:00

Finally, we have decided to create some discussion forums. Join us to talk about everything to do with work and parenthood.

CareerMums understands the challenges you face as a working parent. We are dedicated to helping mums return to the workforce with confidence. How do you start building that confidence? With the best information.

Our discussion forums are limited to 15 people. We run our forums at night after the kids go to bed. The forums are free - all you need to do is dial in.

For more information: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/careermums_webinars_returntoworkmums

Flexible work options

2009-09-29T13:43:00.001+10:00

What is working flexibly?
A flexible work arrangement is a variation to the standard full-time core job functions and hours you would otherwise normally perform. Flexible work arrangements come in all shapes and sizes and are often innovative in design and structure. They can vary for each individual employee depending upon the type of work, work pattern variations available to employees, and the effect flexibility has on the organisation.

There is no absolute definition for flexible work. A flexible work arrangement might mean a starting time of 10 am for three days a week, or work from home between 9 am – 11 am every day before heading into the office, or job share the same job with another part time employee, or have reduced rostered hours, or finish at 7 pm for two days a week and take a half day off each week. The list of possibilities is endless depending on what suits the role and the organisation.

For a flexible work arrangement to be implemented, an agreement must be reached between you and your employer to ensure that the arrangement is feasible and satisfactory for all stakeholders.

Determining what your goals and requirements are is the first step in deciding which flexible work arrangement will work for you.

Types of Flexible Arrangements:

Part-time Work
Typically in Australia, part-time work is considered to be less than 35 hours a week. Part-time work can be five days a week with shorter than usual hours, or working on certain and agreed days a week. For example:

2, 3 or 4 days a week instead of 5
5 x ½ days e.g.10 am – 3 pm
5 day fortnight e.g. 3 days one week, 2 days the next
Regular core hours that vary during exams or school holidays.

Flexible Working Hours
This arrangement is tailored to meet individual and business needs and can apply to full-time and part-time employees. It requires employees to negotiate their working hours with their employer. For example:

- Staggering start and finish times
- Longer hours per day for fewer days work (also see Compressed Working Week)
- Weekly number of hours agreed upfront and employee completes hours based on own work schedule (with employer’s consent) e.g. employee keeps their own hours.

Rostering and Flexi Time

Rostering: A variable arrangement where the working hours of the employee are agreed around specific work patterns and shifts that may fluctuate. e.g. Hours and days are negotiated on a regular basis 12 noon – 9 pm shift versus 8 am – 4 pm
Flexi Time: Where an employee accrues paid leave based upon additional hours being worked over an extended period. e.g. 1 day paid leave accrued per month by the employee working additional hours each week.

Compressed Working Week
An employee may elect to work nine days in a fortnight instead of ten, on the condition that they work the same number of hours in a normal fortnight over nine days. For example, you may elect longer than average working hours e.g. 8 am – 8 pm for 4 days instead of 5. Or work longer hours over 9 days instead of 10 in a fortnight.

Job Sharing
Job sharing is an arrangement where one full-time position is shared between two or more people. Each person in the arrangement works part-time in a regular and on-going basis, usually so that at least one of the ‘team’ is present on any working day. Conditions for people in job share arrangements are usually the same as those for part timers. Companies will consider this option in a situation where a job requires a person to be available full-time, but it need not be the same person.
For example, employee A works Monday-Tuesday.Employee B works Wednesday to Friday. Or employee A works 8 am -1 pm.Employee B works from 1 pm to 6 pm.

Job Splitting
Where responsibilities of one full-time role are separated logically and allocated to two or three people. For example:

- Employee relinquishes elements of job duties in return for other duties that allow them to be able to leave at 3pm each day.
- Employees share the team workload with one another to allow each team member some flexibility in working days and hours. E.g. one employee agrees to cover the workload of another team member so they can start work at 10 am and in return swaps and covers for the other as agreed.

Working from Home
Working from home arrangements can either be on a regular basis or an agreement where working from home can be done when required. For example:

- Employee has fully sanctioned work from home office which allows them to work at home.
- Employee has work from home access to some elements of their job e.g. report writing, which allows work at home e.g. 8 am – 10.30 am, 5 days per week or 2 days per week.

The Purchase Leave or 48/52 Option
This is referred to by different names in different companies and may vary in detail, but generally means that an employee can elect to take additional annual leave (i.e. in addition to their annual entitlement), in return for a pro-rata reduction in their salary. This reduction is then averaged out over the year. For example:

- Employee purchases 2 weeks extra annual leave to use at their leisure (with manager approval).
- Employee elects to reduce salary by percentage each week to allow them to work 4 days instead 5 on a temporary basis e.g. during school holidays, leading up to parental leave, during exam time, whilst phasing into retirement (also see part year / variable year work arrangements)

Variable Work Location Mobile / Email / Tele-Commuting
Mobile work on the road, from home, in the office, from a client’s workplace, via email and phone. Employee, manager and client agree variable work location and hours to meet the demands of the job which requires flexibility from the employee. Employee manages own weekly work schedule and location around work requirements.

Career Break
Where an employee is granted leave of absence or sabbatical for an extended period of time on a full-time or part time basis (usually unpaid) e.g. up to 12 months. For example, employee may request a career break for reasons such as travel, school holidays, care for family, grandparent leave, study, or illness.

Gradual Return to Work
Where an employee gradually returns to ‘normal’ working arrangements on an incremental basis over a period of time e.g. after illness or parental leave. For example, employee is due to return from parental leave e.g. starts back 2 days for the first 6 months then 3 days after that, then 4 days after 2 years.

Part-Year or Variable Year Employment
Where an employee works for a certain number of months a year and then is granted unpaid leave for the remainder of the year (works for employers with seasonal work demands and employees needing more time off than the average 4 weeks annual leave). For example:

- Employee / employer agrees that they will work for only part of the year.
- An employee works for 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) of the year and is granted unpaid leave for the remaining 3 months. E.g. employee takes 1 month off every 4 months to look after children during school holidays.

2009-09-29T13:34:00.000+10:00

Here are some ideas that can help you achieve an improved balance between work and family.

At work
- Make a daily ‘to-do’ list and prioritise the tasks.
- Break large tasks into smaller parts and action these one at a time based on the priority.
- Periodically review your work and ask yourself, “is this the best use of my time?” “what can I do to save myself time yet achieve the same outcome”?
- When feeling stretched, ask yourself, “would anything terrible happen if I didn’t do this today?” If the answer is “no,” then re-prioritise during busy periods.
- Ask for support when you need it and seek feedback on how you and your manager / team can work together better to support one another.
- Plan quiet time during the day when you can put your head down and focus on getting your work done – this is particularly important if you have a busy work schedule with many interruptions!
- Don’t try to pack too much into one day. Have realistic expectations of what you can achieve.
- At the end of the day, review your ‘to-do’ list and re-prioritise your work for the next day.
- Delegate!
- Because circumstances change don’t be afraid to re-negotiate expectations and flexible arrangements with your employer as required.
- Remember that if the homefront is organised, you will be more effective at work.

At home
- Plan, shop and prepare meals in advance when possible, making it easier to attend to when you get home. Consider shopping online to save time.
- Keep a family calendar to schedule holidays, events, appointments and other important times so you can plan work and other family commitments around these dates.
- Establish a family routine and share the household chores. e.g. if you do child care drop-off one day, your partner does the following day.
- Get help when you need it for the chores you can’t find time for. Eliminate unnecessary chores.
- Make time to relax. Reward yourself with the things that you enjoy doing in your personal time. This might include walking the dog once a week, going to yoga or seeing a movie with a friend.
- Don’t do too much and run yourself ragged, lean on your partner and family to help you when things get really hectic.
- Look for ways to manage your working week more simply, e.g. allocate a day a week that you have a takeaway dinner, change the sheets or do the shopping.
- Prepare yourself and the children the night before for the day ahead e.g. packing lunch, preparing clothes to wear etc.
- Plan nice things to do with your family on days off work, something to look forward to for both you and your children.
- Find time to exercise. Even a 20 minute walk twice a week can work wonders. This can be done to and from work, during lunch or with the family when you get home.

Sharing parental responsibilities
In over 65 per cent of Australian households, both parents work.

Sharing the responsibility of raising children is critical to achieving a satisfying work and family balance. Both parents are responsible for children they bring into the world. If one parent in a two working parent household is solely responsible for child rearing, pick-up and drop-off, cleaning, and preparing meals, in addition to maintaining their career and supporting their family financially, it can create an unsatisfactory, unbalanced home environment.

A good starting point is to write down all the chores and domestic duties that need to be performed throughout the week. Make sure you include the drop-off and pick-up times for the kids at child care or school.

Talk to your partner about how you can divide these responsibilities. If necessary, create a weekly calendar so family members know what their responsibilities are. If the children are old enough, assign chores to them. Other ideas are pre-cooking meals for the week on the weekends, and hiring a cleaner once every two weeks.

Loving and respecting one another’s life challenges and sharing parental responsibilities will create a more happy and harmonious home environment and loving partnership. And there may be time leftover for you and your partner to go out for dinner once a month!

If you are a single parent juggling work and family, you are amazing. If you don’t have a full-time partner to help you, search for networks or associations for single parents in your community. There may be opportunities to assist each other with before and after school care, for example.

Tips for dealing with recruiters

2009-09-25T12:41:00.000+10:00

Like it or hate it, recruiters tend to be one of a few employment channels we pursue when looking for a new job. CareerMums surveys have shown repeatedly that parents have not been impressed with recruiters, particularly post-child.

Why is this?

Typically, recruiters are young and have very limited understanding of the challenges and issues working parents face.

Their salaries tend to be minimal however they do get paid a commission based on the number of roles they place. This in itself presents a problem for flexible workers - they don't have time to understand your needs and match you with a suitable employer.

The recruitment fee structure is based on the placement of a full time role so employers are more interested in full time candidates to ensure they get the best bang for their buck.

Fortunately, there are some boutique recruitment firms who offer a differerent pricing model and focus on placing flexible roles.

To ensure you don't waste your precious time, here are some tips on how to deal with recruiters:
Before you approach a recruiter, ensure your resume is complete, you are clear on your skills and experience, you know what types of roles you are looking for, you can communicate your flexiblity requirements, you know what you are worth, and you have a positive 'can-do' attitude.

Ask the following questions to gauge if the recruiter is interested in helping you to find a suitable role:

- Are you interested in helping me to find a flexible role?

- What do you know about flexible work arrangements?

- How many flexible or part time roles do you have on your books right now?

- How often do you see flexible roles come up?

- Would you be willing to put me forward to suitable employers knowing what my flexible work requirements are? Even if the role is specified as full time?

- What is a reasonable timeframe for me to hear back from you?

Key learnings at RecruitTECH conference

2009-09-20T18:54:00.004+10:00

Lat week, I spoke at a conference in Canberra called RecruitTECH. The conference was about how employers and recruiters are changing the way they source talent - specifically by using technology. I spoke about using technology to access a flexible and remote workforce.

I want to share with you some interesting information I picked up at the conference.

Good-to-know statistics:
- 41% of all employed people provide care (ABS, 2009), i.e. you are not alone!
- Back in 2007, 31% of employed people worked some hours from home. 81% worked from home for 15 hours per week or less.
- By 2050, 26% of the population is projected to be 65 years and over, in comparison to 15% of the population being 0-14 years.
- IBM allow 140,000 employees around the world to work from home i.e. it can be done

Technology you should be aware of:
- Cloud computing
- Online demonstrations, presentations: www.gotomeeting.com
- Share powerpoint presentations: www.slideshare.com
- crowdsourcing: www.elance.com
- crowdsourcing: www.99designs.com
- VOIP

The latest benefit to working remotely for your business case proposal:
- Green IT. It is about saving energy and reducing your carbon footprint

Social networking
- Whether you are working or not, set up a LinkedIn account (www.linkedin.com). It may become your resume in future. Connect with friends and colleagues. Use it as another channel to find employment. LinkedIn is now being used by recruiters to research candidates so keep the content professional.
- Facebook is more of a social medium. Still, be very careful about what you post. You can never recall content you add to Facebook so don't bother being rude or crude. You never know when it might go against you, in particular, employment opportunities.

Interesting websites for employment opportunities:
- www.freelancer.com
- www.glassdoor.com
- www.translators.com
- www.99designs.com
- www.elance.com

Managing your career and your sanity

2009-09-15T14:09:00.001+10:00

Many working parents feel somewhat frustrated and exhausted meeting the demands of work and family commitments.

A working parent is a project manager extraordinaire. Effectively managing your workload, both in the workplace and at home will ensure you remain sane. Setting clear and firm expectations is an important part of this process.

Set Clear Expectations

As an ongoing practice, it’s important to continue to keep the communication lines open with your family, colleagues and clients to manage expectations. In many cases you can avoid conflict and stress by initially setting firm boundaries.

Once you’ve been back at work for a couple of months, take time out to reflect on how your arrangements are working. Where necessary, re- communicate expectations regarding your deliverables and availability.

Avoid making compromises that may encourage your colleagues to expect more from you than you’re prepared to give.

Personal Efficiency

Not having enough hours in the day is a common complaint of many working parents. Being effective and efficient with the time you have will help you achieve more in each day. ‘Time management’ is the often prescribed remedy to feeling out of control. Consider though that time is not something we can control. What we can control is ourselves, how and with whom we use our valuable time.

Consider these following tips:

Prioritise all your activities and commitments – at home and at work - and focus your time on your most important ones first and foremost. Remember the world is unlikely to end if you don’t get to respond to everything by the day’s end – the reality is that this too happens to non-parents!

Say no! This will become easier once you have completed the prioritising. Assess individual requests and demands of your time and determine how important they are. Say no to the non-important requests. Manage your email at work, don’t let it manage you. Learn to really use whatever email application you have. Many of us don’t use even 40 per cent of the available functionality. Try only checking your emails twice a day at two regular and specified times, for example 10 am and 4 pm. You can use the ‘out of office’ function to inform people that these are the times you check email and that if their request is urgent they should contact you on your mobile. Otherwise you will respond at that specified time.

Outsource where possible. Using your annual income as a guide, determine how much your time is worth per hour. If you can outsource tasks (e.g. the house cleaning) and pay less for a service than your time is worth, then do so.

Look after number one – that’s you. If you aren’t fit and healthy the chances are you are not being as effective at work or at home as you would like! Take the necessary time out to look after yourself, even if that means spoiling yourself with weekly and monthly rewards that involve your wellbeing.

Are you feeling under-valued? Change the story

2009-09-08T19:07:00.003+10:00

Welcome to 21st century motherhood! Every week I talk or speak to women that feel under-valued and under-utilised in their working lives. My theory on it is this: We are educated and professional. We have spent our 20's and some of our 30's building our skills and experience. Parenthood temporarily takes us away from our professional careers at a time when we are ready to ramp up. When we do return to the workforce, we are seeking flexible work arrangements and the roles we are given do not always match with our experience and expertise.

How can we change this? You have to be comfortable with your decisions. If you choice is to take time out of the workforce for a few years, keep up to date with your profession. Make time to do a course/workshop or attend an event every year and read industry journals. It's all about networking and buzz words - really.

If you are returning to the workforce within a year or two or having your child, initiate a discussion with your manager. Question him/her about career advancement and learning opportunities. If you don't, you will probably get bored and leave. Most employers are very concerned about the retention of good staff so play your card.

Working flexibly does not have to mean a career nose dive so monitor your situation every 6 months. Don't be grateful for flexible work arrangements. It is becoming a common offering in organisations around Australia so don't feel like you are asking a huge favour. Just make sure you present a solid business case proposal to demonstrate how it will work. Talk to us if you need some assistance.

2009-09-01T19:43:00.002+10:00

Recently I was contacted by a concerned husband and father-to-be. He expressed concern for his wife's career after they had their baby. How long could she take off and how was her career going to be affected? My response included the following information:

- In over 65% of Australian families both parents work. The key for parents is to negotiate flexibility on their return.
- Paid parental leave (for 18 weeks) is due to begin January 2011.
- In Jan 2010, the National Employment Standards will commence. Parents will be able to request a further 12 months of non-paid leave after their initial 12 months of parental leave. In addition, employees with children aged under 5 will have the right to request a flexible work arrangement.
- Always ask your employer for the flexible work policy and parental leave policy so you understand your rights and obligations.
- Talk to your manager about flexible work options before going on parental leave.

The change is coming

2009-09-01T13:55:00.002+10:00

This month, I will be talking at a conference in Canberra on using technology to access a flexible and remote workforce. While researching my presentation, I have been inspired by employers that are embracing a flexible workforce - and this means good news for you. Take IBM for example; 140,000 IBM staff work flexibly/remotely. it is not just about the flexibility requirements of their workers, it is also about 'Green IT'. 'Green IT' is the new buzz word and it means embracing work practices that cut energy costs, commuter travel time, and the carbon footprint.

Other information I have picked up in my research includes:
- In 2007, 3.2 million or 31% of employed people worked some hours from home. 81% worked from home for 15 hours or less per week (ABS);
- The number of people aged 65 years and over is projected to outnumber children aged 0-14 years in 2018. By 2050, 26% of the population is projected to be aged 65 years and over, in comparison to 15% of the population being aged 0-14 years. (ABS)
- One in six US cities with more than 25,000 residents now operates a reduced working week. They found the rewards are not just in saving energy: a shorter working week boosts morale and productivity and at the same time cuts overtime, absenteeism, staff turnover and utility bills.

This information may not help you right now in getting back to work, but sometimes it is important to see what is happening at a macro level and know that a change is coming.

Learn some workplace attitude

2009-08-25T19:07:00.002+10:00

I love CareerMums. It is my passion and my business. I speak to wonderful women every day who are inspiring, intelligent and resourceful. Which is why I am continually perplexed at the stories of workplace mistreatment of women returning to work. Why is it that many women, after returning to work after parental leave, put up with so much crap in the workplace? Many of us accept lesser roles for lesser pay. We feel 'grateful' for being allowed to come back to work again. We get the run-around from recruiters who don't know what flexibility means.

Think about it like this - what would you do if your child was being bullied at school? You would act. You would try to turn a wrong into a right. Why don't we feel this way about our own challenges?

My favourite saying is 'feel the fear and do it anyway'. Always challenge yourself and your capabilities. After having children, this should be an automatic response for women everytime.

Are you happy with your job?

2009-08-21T12:16:00.002+10:00

Many parents who have returned to work are no longer satisfied with their career. Career can sometimes play second fiddle to the demands of raising a family, or perhaps your career path has flat lined because you have decided to return to work part time.

If you are happy with your career and the choices you have made, that's great. You absolutely have to be happy with your situation. For those that aren't, you can change the story. Start thinking about doing a health check on your career.

Some tips to get started:

- Talk to your manager if you have been doing the same job for a long period of time and you are dissatisfied. Create a change for yourself.
- Make sure you apply for suitable internal jobs that match your experience. If a full-time person is required, build a case for job sharing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- Also, make sure that your salary is in line with salaries being offered for similar roles in the job market. Refer to online jobs boards, newspapers, or talk to a recruiter. If your salary is below average, put forward a case to your employer.

You are skilled and experienced. More than likely, you have invested time and money in educating yourself. Start talking and be heard.

How long do you take off?

2009-08-18T19:24:00.002+10:00

Unfortunately, you may as well be asking ‘How long is a piece of string?’ because only you can decide how long to take off. You know yourself and your child better than anyone, and therefore what would work best. Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks. What do you honestly feel would work for you and your family?

Hopefully the fact that there is no ‘right’ answer comes as somewhat of a relief. But if you’re still ‘anguishing’ ... to help you think through possible contributing factors, here’s a few questions you may like to consider for your individual situation. From there you can create an action plan to help you make your decision.

- How much time do you want / need to spend with your baby?
- Are you breastfeeding – how long do you envisage (roughly) you will breastfeed for?
- Is breastfeeding / expressing at work something you’re comfortable with?
- What type of care (aside from you) are you comfortable using for your baby?
- Are you emotionally, physically and mentally ready for a return to work?
- What level of responsibility / authority do you have at work – and therefore what would be a reasonable length of time to be on leave?
- What’s your financial situation – do you need your income?
- Are flexible work arrangements openly supported and encouraged? What are your partner’s expectations?
- Are you communicating regularly with your partner about your feelings and expectations regarding returning to work?
- Does your partner share the same responsibilities of parenthood and housework?

Returning to work and self doubt

2009-08-11T19:30:00.002+10:00

I spoke to a lovely woman today who is looking to return to work. Her daughter is 8 months old. After a few minutes of chatting with her, we narrowed on on the main obstacle to her finding a great job - self doubt.

Some critical things we spoke about were:
- letting all of her network (social and work) know that she is looking for a job
- Understanding her skills and what she is good at
- Being clear on flexibility requirements
- Not talking about your children at a job interview - apart from the flexibility discussion
- Knowing that parenthood is so much harder than any task a manager will give her

Apart from getting your self confidence back on track, you need to also think about child care options, child care costs, drop off and pick up, sharing domestic duties etc etc.

What I can share from my experience is that within a week of returning to work (after my first child), I wondered why I had spent so much time doubting my abilities. In fact, I returned to work as an even more productive employee.

Give yourselves a break and enjoy the new challenge of finding a good job that ticks your important boxes.

Sharing parental responsibilities

2009-08-07T20:45:00.001+10:00

In over 60 per cent of Australian households, both parents work.

Sharing the responsibility of raising children is critical to achieving a satisfying work and family balance. Both parents are responsible for children they bring into the world. If one parent in a two working parent household is solely responsible for child rearing, pick-up and drop-off, cleaning, and preparing meals, in addition to maintaining their career and supporting their family financially, it can create an unsatisfactory, unbalanced home environment.

A good starting point is to write down all the chores and domestic duties that need to be performed throughout the week. Make sure you include the drop-off and pick-up times for the kids at child care or school.

Talk to your partner about how you can divide these responsibilities. If necessary, create a weekly calendar so family members know what their responsibilities are. If the children are old enough, assign chores to them. Other ideas are pre-cooking meals for the week on the weekends, and hiring a cleaner once every two weeks.

Loving and respecting one another’s life challenges and sharing parental responsibilities will create a more happy and harmonious home environment and loving partnership.

If you are a single parent juggling work and family, you are amazing. If you don’t have a full-time partner to help you, search for networks or associations for single parents in your community. There may be opportunities to assist each other with before and after school care, for example.

What you need to know about the changes to employment law

2009-08-04T20:27:00.002+10:00

In January 2010, the Federal Government will introduce the National Employment Standards. Two out of the 10 Standards are of direct interest to working parents.

They include:
- Parental leave: Employees will have the ability to request a second 12 months of unpaid leave, so 24 months in total. Currently it is only 12 months.

- Right to request flexibility: An employee who is a parent of or has responsibility for a child under school age can request flexible working hours. An employer may refuse on 'reasonable business grounds'. The request and refusal must be in writing and provide reasons.

For more information, view the following web page: http://www.careermums.com.au/content/uk_experience_flexibility

Be proactive about your career progression

2009-08-01T18:34:00.003+10:00

A common fear for parents when they return to work is that they may be sidelined for promotion or somewhat marginalised because they work. Your fears might be real or perceived; the only way to find out is to ask. Yes, ask.

The reality is if you don’t have confidence in your own capability, you can’t expect others to. If you don’t have an idea of your career direction you can’t expect others to create it for you.

In other words, no one can give you confidence or develop your career for you, you need to nurture and develop it yourself (leaning on others for input and support when required). It’s about harnessing your strengths and drawing on your experiences so you can put your best foot forward whether it’s about negotiating a pay rise, the next promotion, or flexible work arrangements. If you undersell yourself and your capability, you not only do yourself a disservice, you effectively permit other people to stereotype you or discriminate against you. Your level of job satisfaction is likely to take a nose drive.

Be proactive and review your career plan, discuss options with your manager, partner and other relevant people to support your continued learning and development. If you are focused on the next career promotion, be upfront, so your manager knows your intentions and aspirations rather than leaving them to guess or assume.

Mum's the word

2009-07-30T21:46:00.002+10:00

Has anyone noticed that when you become a mum, no one seems to ask you about your professional life anymore? How could you possibly be a parent and have another interest in your life?

Let's stick together. Next time you are at a social function, make a point of asking the person you are talking to about their career and interests outside of family.

Overcoming a lack of self confidence before returning to work

2009-07-26T18:58:00.004+10:00

Daily, the issue of women losing their self confidence while away from the workforce perplexes me. Don't get me wrong - I understand it because it happenened to me. But after my 2rd child, this issue no longer consumed me. Probably because I had gone back to work each time and found that feeling insecure about returning to the workforce was a waste of head space. What I found (post babies) is that the workforce is full of time wasters. I discovered that my contribution was so much more valuable - even in a part time capacity. And you don't lose your skills; on the contrary, they are enhanced.

The other angle to this problem is how confident we can become as parents, and why this confidence is not transferred to the challenge of returning to work. How can we be so confident and responsible for the lives of little human beings, but crumble when it comes to talking to an adult about a job? Think about it.

I have the benefit of hindsight now. Here are my tips to maintain your self confidence:
- Talk to your manager before you go on leave about returning to work flexibly
- Stay in touch with work - go for lunch with your colleagues, attend team meetings etc.
- Read publications related to your industry - keep up with the terminology
- Ensure lots of adult conversation if you are a full time carer
- Take time to write down your non-paid work and your achievements as a carer for your resume
- Know what you are good at and what you are worth

Are you getting knock-backs from employers?

2009-07-23T15:24:00.002+10:00

If you have been out of the job market for a while, it may take a while for you to become workplace savvy again. If you are getting knock-backs from employers, consider the following advice:

- Re-visit your resume. Employers have been known to bin resumes that don’t appeal to them or whose information does not look relevant to the role they are advertising.

- Re-think the employers you are targeting. Maybe they are not family friendly.

- Perhaps you are exhibiting a lack of confidence. Talk to your family and friends about what you said in the interview or to the recruiterand get some feedback. You may need reinforcement that you are great!

- Don't talk about your family siutation in a job interview. You are there to demonstrate your suitability to the position you have applied for. Be clear about your skills and how your experience is relevant to the position.