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CONTRIBUTORS Dreena Armstrong, Kimberly A. Benjamin, Thejenda BS, Pamela Burks, Pamela Byrd, Stephanie C. Harper, Carol Haynes, Courtney A. Hammonds, Traci Morgan, Biba Pedron, Tasha Demery, Reginald Brown, Ted Moss, Christopher Williams, Jim Stroud, Otis Collier, Tracy Laswell Williams, Niakesha Woodley, Andretta Greer, Tia Goodwin, Lucinda Cross.
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CAREER Magazine | 4 | March / April 2010
IN THIS ISSUE...PAGES 18-23
COVER STORY: The Business of Being A Mom CM talks to Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens, Founders of Little Busy Bodies, Inc. in Beaverton Oregon about how they went "from moms to millionaires" by developing a saline nose wipe product that is now in 50,000 retail stores across the U.S. and Canada including Walmart, Target, Walgreens and Toys "R" Us.
32 SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS 17 ASK THE EXPERTS / Q&A How much is too much on a resume? Meet Dr. Robert Watkins Founder, Kings and Priests, Intl. 6 PUBLISHER'S PERSPECTIVE How Do I Become and Entrepreneur? 33 I LIVE ONLINE I'm Every Woman, It's All In Me! 24 CAREERS AND CHRIST How to Embed Your Voice By Stephanie C. Harper, PHR Expert to Entrepreneur Inside a Resume 7 PUBLISHER'S PAGE By Stephanie C. Harper By Jim Stroud Books Are A Business 26 FAVOR FOR YOUR LIFE 35 LIVE AFTER LAYOFF 8 YOUR VOICE IN PRINT There's an Opportunity Around Keep It Moving: 5 Things to Do Reflections and Reactions Every Corner When You Are Laid Off Millennial Maddess Issue By Pastor Reginald Brown By Otis Collier 10 BLACK AND WHITE TERMS 27 CAREER TIPS 36 COMPENSATION CORNER Discrimination 10 Tips to Secure Your Dream Job Is Your Payroll Department 11 BUSINESS OWNER BOOT CAMP By Stephanie C. Harper, PHR Keeping You Safe? Is your I-9 Leading to a Fine? 28 MOMENTS OF MOTIVATION By Niakesha Woodley, MHRD By Stephanie C. Harper, PHR From Personal Branding to 37 CAREER MAKEOVER Career Standing 12 BUSINESS AS USUAL 5 Questions to Connect With By Christopher Williams Entrepreneuers the Engines Your Passion That Could 29 EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE By Tai Goodwin By Pamela Burks The Worst Resume CAREER Magazine Employers Sound Off 13 SPOLIGHT ON SUCCESS (a StephanieHarper.com Publication) is a green Meet Janice Robinson Johnson 30 EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE publication written by career industry professionals for job seekers (employees, employers and CEO, Moruwa Consulting The Worst Interview 4 EDITORIAL PAGE Meet CAREER Magazine
14 HR NEWS When Discretion Becomes Discrimination By Tasha Demery, PHR
Employees Sound Off 31 OFFICE TIPS Lifestyle of a Corporate Mom Dropout By Lucinda Cross
entrepreneurs. Published bi-monthly, no part of CAREER Magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Publisher. The opinions expressed by our contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher. All articles are intellectual property of CAREER Magazine and/or its contributors. All rights reserved. Copyright 20082010.
CAREER Magazine | 5 | March / April 2010
Publisher's Perspective
IT's ALL IN ME! This issue of CAREER Magazine is so very special to me because there was a time in my life when EVERYTHING had to be done around my career. I have been blessed to accomplish some amazing things in my career, but NOTHING is more important than my newest role, taking care of home! Everything I learned in Corporate America including multi-tasking, progressive discipline, decision making, effective communication, work/life balance and even hiring the right person has been a transferrable skill for motherhood. It's been an amazing ride and I wouldn't trade it for all the milk duds in the world. In my line of work I meet countless people who say, “I don’t know what my passion or purpose is!” That’s often because they haven’t allowed themselves to dream. They have already decided they cannot do it. But I am living proof that the choice to make a profit from your passion or to give up on your dreams is strictly up to you. If it is in your heart, there must be a way to do it! There are millions of women who have mastered motherhood while remaining in Corporate and a million more who will become what some term “Mompreneurs”. Once you read the cover story, I guarantee you will be encouraged to reach new heights. And while this issue focuses primarily on the “mom”, I want to acknowledge that dads certainly do it too! Increasingly more men are becoming single parents and/or taking on the reverse roles even in two parent families. So don’t let the title fool you, this issue is for everyone who has a desire to turn their passion into a profit. There is a way to get paid for who you are. You just have to master the art of showing up in the world! You’ll find the most effective way to do this is to “commit” to making the most out of the cards you were dealt. Don’t worry about “how” when you get there, you will figure out just what to do (trust me!). When you open up and explore your options, you give yourself permission to find the answer. The biggest lesson I have learned is mom's can have it all, we just can't do it all (in one day)! Mompreneurially yours,
Stephanie C. Harper-Haynes, PHR, CCP, CHRM Author, Career Expert, Speaker, Radio Host Publisher, CAREER Magazine CAREER Magazine | 6 | March / April 2010
Publisher's Page
Product of the Month Most business experts will tell you do not proceed in business without a business plan, but who's telling you that BOOKS ARE A BUSINESS™? Developed by Author and Publisher, Stephanie C. Harper this BOOKS ARE A BUSINESS™ writers kit covers the business side of writing books. Utiliziling line items in a traditional business plan, this kit is a MUST for those who want to climb the success ladder of Authorship and create a profit from book writing.. If you're not ready to have a business, then you are not ready to write a book! However, if you are going to be a successful author, you might as well plan for it. Because the bottom line is BOOKS ARE A BUSINESS™!
SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE :
ABC’s of Entrepreneurship Adding Instant Credibility Connecting with your market The “right” release date Creating Residual Income Avoiding Common Mistakes
Order At StephanieHarper.com CAREER Magazine | 7 | March / April 2010
Your Voice In Print
GEN Y (why?)
GREAT FACTS
Thank you for covering the Millennials. This is some group of individuals. Unfortanately, I was one of those Boomers forced into retirement after giving over 20 years of service to the same employer so I can see how the Gen Y worker would be less trusting to an employer these days. Just a great piece information.
Jim Stroud is a genius! After reading his "I Live Online" Column, I Googled him only to be wowed by his funny but enlightenting videos. You have a great "cast" working on your production. If CM was on Broadway, I would be in the front row gleaning from its' expert characters.
K. Martin, Lansing, MI
MONEY OR PERKS A GREAT FIND! If I were Oprah this would be one of my new favorite things. I read the 2 copies of your magazine on line and am now hooked. This was definitely a great find. L. Becton, Fayetteville, GA
HANDS DOWN! This is one of the best career magazine's I have ever laid eyes on hands down! In fact, you are in a class all by yourself. Thank you for covering topics that others dare not touch. We needd this stuff from people who know what they are talking about. M. Johns, Fairfax, VA
The Money or Perks poll was quite interesting. I have never really taken the time to weigh the options in the past and always went with the highest bidder. Now that I have a family, I realize that money is important, but perks can be as equally valuable. Thank you CM for keeping us challenged.
JB. Cleghorn, Elk Grove, CA
TRICK QUESTIONS OMG! I am so embarrassed. I am guilty of using all of the answers you discussed in your article. Now I understand why I have struggled in interviews. So duh, it's not about me, it's about being the ideal employee the employer is looking for. Thank you so much, I will write you later to tell you how I nail my next interview. G. Clover, Brea, CA
X. White, Hazelwood, MO
GREAT WORK
YES, WE WANT TO
CAREER Magazine is one of the most HEAR FROM YOU! imformative publications I have seen on career development. Please keep Due to the overwhelming amount of up the great work!
emails that we receive, we are
J. Roseburg, Joliet, IL
THE SECRET IS OUT
unable to respond to email personally, but will do our best to
Thank you for the "Secret to include your comments. If you have Reclaiming Lost Motivation". I was a comment, questions or an so bumbed out after losing my job that I just stopped trying. Thanks for observation, please emails us the push. yourvoiceinprint@thecareermag.com S. Smith, Detroit, MI CAREER Magazine | 8 | March / April 2010
CAREER Magazine | 9 | January /February 2010
In Black and White Terms
DISCRIMINATION Source: Wikipedia Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group that is taken in consideration based on class or category. The United Nations explains: "Discriminatory behaviors take many forms, but they all involve some form of exclusion or rejection." Discriminatory laws such as redlining have existed in many countries. In some countries, controversial attempts such as racial quotas have been used to redress negative effects of discrimination. In 1856 Australia was the first country that introduced the 8-hr working day. 1904 Conciliation & Arbitration Act, but Separate State industrial structures. In 1907 the basic wage was introduced this age was for Living wage for male worker, dependent wife, 3 children in rented house. For the next 15 years no major changes happened other then increased agreement flexibility and work practices. In 1988 a new part to the industrial relations was brought in called the “structure efficiency principal” • Trade off between productivity and pay risers. • Change from cost of living to ability to pay. In 1997 the “workplace agreements was created, which potentially removed third party’s (unions) from entering negotiations in the work place. This new agreement also increased enterprise bargaining/ flexibility and social discrimination. Types of Discrimination Ÿ Ages Discrimination Ÿ Gender Discrimination Ÿ Caste Discrimination Ÿ Employment Discrmination Ÿ Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender variant people Ÿ Language Discrimination Ÿ Reverse Discrimination Ÿ Disability Discrimination Ÿ Religious Discrimination Protection Against Discrnnation Civil Rights Act of 1964 - CRA - Title VII - Equal Employment Opportunities - 42 US Code Chapter 21 Title VII is the principal federal statute with regard to employment discrimination prohibiting unlawful employment discrimination by public and private employers, labor organizations, training programs and employment agencies based on race or color, religion, sex, and national origin. Retaliation is also prohibited by Title VII against any person for opposing any practice forbidden by statute, or for making a charge, testifying, assisting, or participating in a proceeding under the statute. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 expanded the damages available to Title VII cases and granted Title VII plaintiffs the right to jury trial. CAREER Magazine | 10 | March / April 2010
Business Owner Bootcamp
Is Your I-9 Leading To A Fine?
By Stephanie C. Harper, PHR TheCarerMag.com
NON-COMPLIANCE CAN RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES!
Changes to the I-9 form When was the last time your company updated the form it uses to verify that new employees are eligible to work in the United States? If the answer is any date before April 3, 2009, then your business is not in compliance with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations. The USCIS revised the socalled I-9 form to improve the security of the employment verification process and now all employers must use the new form to verify new hires and re-verify the eligibility of any employee whose work authorization has expired.
Form I-9 Details Employers are required to fill out and keep a Form I-9 for every person hired after November 6, 1986. It is important for every company to have internal procedures for I-9 compliance. Self audits performed by HR departments should be performed annually. Separate files should be maintained for all Form I-9s and procedures should be in place to make sure that records are maintained and reviewed regularly. Forms I-9 must be maintained for all current employees and all required terminated employees. If errors or omissions are found during internal audits, corrections must be made properly to avoid liability. Worksite Enforcement Details Federal immigration laws provide for civil and criminal penalties against a company or its agents, officers or management if Form I-9s procedures are not properly followed. Civil penalties can be enforced against anyone who knowingly accepts of provides any forged or false documents to satisfy any of the hiring or employment verification requirements. Criminal penalties can be enforced against any employer found using “(1) an identification document, knowing (or having reason to know) that the document was not issued lawfully for the use of the possessor (2) an identification document knowing (or having reason to know) that the document is false, or (3) a false attestation, for the purpose of satisfying a requirement of section 274A(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Civil penalties range from $250 to $2,000 per violation. Criminal penalties range from fines and/or imprisonment for not more than 5 years. Please see this recent press release from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding recent worksite enforcement civil and criminal suits. Forms can be found at www.uscis.gov/I-9. Legal Disclaimer: None of the information provided herein constitutes legal advice on behalf of CAREER Magazine
The Business Owner HR Bootcamp is designed to help business owners with day-to-day HR Decision Making Processes CAREER Magazine | 11 | March / April 2010
Business As Usual
THE "WAIT" OF THE WORLD
By Pamela D. Burks BurksConsulting. net
Entrepreneurs are the “little engines that could” and they also move the economy. The economic turnaround depends on entrepreneurs and if they're up to the challenge. Over the past few years one could say “it is the best of times and it’s the worst of times but NOW is OUR time! Recently the economic situation has seen a lot of small businesses disappear.… entrepreneurs seeking the shelter of large businesses through large business buyouts, small business mergers and sadly small businesses closing their doors. But the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving! With every small business closing the entrepreneurs have shifted into new markets and industries. Entrepreneurs are leading the path to new energy options, eco friendly products and services filling life’s gaps with services that add convenience, quality, enjoyment and entertainment to our daily lives. “It is often said that small The entrepreneurial spirit stirs our stagnant economy one state, city and community at a time. Generating a flow of business is the backbone dollars among local merchants and local consumers at a grass of America’s economy. You roots level which ripples out like a pebble in a pond to larger employ more than half of markets that combine to create a wave of increased GNP. our country’s workforce. These may start as small businesses but they are not small You create the majority of efforts and not for (the faint of heart) those lacking diligence, the nation’s new jobs. You perseverance or determination. To be truthful, being an spark the engine of entrepreneur takes courage and a lot of it! Courage to keep working at your new business when your “trusted friends” tell economic growth.” you to give it up and get a job. Courage to endure fluctuating Remarks of Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Small Business Summit, revenue while your business takes (a foothold) root. Courage Washington, D.C. March 13, 2003 to risk a bi-weekly paycheck and medical benefits while collateralizing the family home not to mention the sacrifices, cutting your own hair, spending LESS time with the family and only buying what you absolutely need. Entrepreneurship also takes faith. Faith that you can successfully offer new products or services to a stalled economy that will start it moving again. Faith that consumers will support their neighbor entrepreneurs and big business will financially support the entrepreneurial engines that start and fuel our economy. Entrepreneurs, like tug boats, move our economy and big business out of local ports and into the global waters which doesn’t mean being an entrepreneur does not have its (glamorous/spotlight) moments. Being an entrepreneur gives you the thrill of deep sea diving, the excitement of the Thunderfest races and the enjoyment of exotic ports of call. Big Business may be in the headlines as “captains of industry” but they owe it all to entrepreneurs who start the economy’s engine and keep the economy going. Entrepreneurs....start your engines, the world is waiting! CAREER Magazine | 12 | March / April 2010
Spotlight
Janice Roberson, President and CEO of Moruwa Consulting, has more than 20 years of Christian experience with roles ranging from teaching, to media, to event execution, and over fourteen years in leadership positions. Offering a rare blend of spiritual balance and corporate success, Janice has utilized her gifts to greatly impact businesses and ministries around the world. She is recognized for her success in branded marketing, corporate communications, and team building through leadership enhancement training. Janice also has had significant impact on the profitability and brand awareness of many organizations including Streaming Faith while serving in this role, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, she created and launched original programming which is setting the standard for entertainment in the faith community. Programs such as: StraightTalk: Up Close and Personal with Today’s Most Inspirational Leaders, It’s Time 2 Laugh, The Global Gospel Network, are but a few of her many accomplishments. A native of Savannah, GA, she received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communication and Business and her MBA from Wesleyan college. An active member of the American Marketing Association her community activties include public speaking and training in the areas of online marketing, email marketing and new media. Janice has recently written and published a book entitled Expanding Your Reach without Emptying Your Pockets: A Practical Guide to Ministry Marketing.
www.Moruwa.com
CAREER Magazine | 13 | March / April 2010
HR News
Are your employment practices placing your organization at risk?
By Tasha Demery, PHR
In 2010, where jobs are scarce, the number of Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) claims have almost doubled. Five years ago, when an employee lost a job, they just went across the street and got another one. Now, when an employee is terminated, passed over for a promotion, or personally offended, they just might take their chances with the EEOC, DFEH or even worse….Superior Court. Some employers leave employee practices up to the discretion of their managers, which means they can handle tangible employment decisions in whatever fashion they deem appropriate. While this may make managers feel empowered and contribute to their professional development, it may also leave employers at risk of costs associated with defending themselves, compensatory and punitive damages and poor public opinion. This ultimately leads to loss of market share and sometimes significant hits to the bottom line. The EEOC is the state agency responsible for enforcing anti Dictionary.com defines discretion as follows: discrimination laws. The concept of Equal Employment Dis·cre·tion –noun Opportunity is the basic premise of federal antidiscrimination 1. the power or right to decide or act legislation. It states that employers should not make according to one's own judgment; freedom of employment decisions on the basis of an applicant/employee’s judgment or choice: It is entirely within my race, gender, ethnicity, religion, age, color, military/veteran discretion whether I will go or stay. status or disability status. In all tangible employment actions, including hiring, promotions, compensation, terminations and 2. the quality of being discreet, esp. with even work assignments, there must be a job and businessreference to one's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum: Throwing all discretion related decision. to the winds, he blurted out the truth. —Idiom
Many employers believe that their “At-Will” status will protect them in the case of claims with the EEOC. Under the 3. at discretion, at one's option or pleasure: Employment At-Will (EAW)doctrine, employers have the right to They were allowed to work overtime at hire, fire, demote and promote whomever they choose for any discretion. reason or no reason, with or without prior notice and at any —Synonyms time, except in cases where there is a law or contract in place. 2. judgment, wisdom, discrimination, sense. Under states laws, in some cases, this may be true, but in all circumstances it may not. Depending on the circumstances of the alleged discriminatory act, an organization may find themselves in a costly battle to defend their employment One might find it interesting that practices, public reputation and finances. For example, if an organizations would include the employee has had a workers’ compensation claim, but has word discretion in their employee performed exceptionally and is passed over for a promotional opportunity, the employee may claim that the decision was a handbook, or other printed policy result of their filing a workers’ compensation claim. Another and procedure manuals when it is example, would be an African-American female scores higher synonymous with discrimination. than Caucasian males on a pre-employment test and is otherwise more qualified, but is not hired. CAREER Magazine | 14 | March / April 2010
HR News
The applicant may claim that the decision was based on ethnicity and not on the most qualified candidate for the role. In both cases, discretion could be challenged with the EEOC and cost the organization money in addition to a huge headache. There are some things employers can do to protect themselves and minimize their exposure to claims of discrimination. 1. Have an “Open Door” Policy. Encourage employees to come to management with any concerns they may have. Allow them the opportunity to discuss their feelings in a safe environment, free of threat of retaliation. When possible, take action to show the employee that their concerns are taken seriously and you value their opinions. This creates a loyal, productive work force and minimizes the risk of employees seeking resolution with an outside employment agency like the EEOC. 2. Ensure managers are well-trained. Train managers on Harassment Prevention and make sure they have a basic understanding of state and federal employment laws. It is essential that they understand the implications of the decisions they make and how they might affect the organization as a whole. When tracking performance, ensure that managers are detailed and document areas of opportunity as well as success. Assist managers in understanding how to create high performing teams and how to maintain them. This will bring about awareness and ensure that organizations are holding the individuals that handle their employees ethically and with a duty of fairness. 3. Create policies that are consistent with the culture of the organization. If the organization is striving to be recognized as an Employer of Choice, create policies that support that. It is ethical to create promotional and disciplinary policies that support the organizational goals. While this may create an expectation on the part of employee of fair dealing and subsequently an expressed contract that they will be terminated only for cause. Making performance and behavioral standards public, ensures all involved understand those expectations, and is just the right thing to do. Some legal experts contend that this practice may compromise an organization’s At-Will status and leave them vulnerable. All circumstances considered, the Employment At-Will can be viewed as a façade and a risk if taken literally. 4. Consult a Human Resources Expert or Employment Law Attorney. Human Resource Professionals and Employment Law Attorneys are skilled in interpersonal intricacies of the workplace. They are knowledgeable about State and Federal employment laws and previous court decisions associated with them. Having as solid HR Business Partner can benefit an organization in more ways than one. Decisions based on discretion, also known as discrimination, can be costly to defend. Whether an employer is ordered to pay thousands of dollars or not, the time, energy and expense of defending such a claim is often underestimated. An organization would be smart to ensure that their practices are consistent and legally blessed to avoid their day in court. References: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/discretion SHRM, Learning System, 2009
CAREER Magazine | 15 | March / April 2010
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CAREER Magazine | 16 | March / April 2010
Ask the Expert
Ask The Expert Q.
Q.
Dear Ms. Harper,
How far back should one list their work history on a resume? ~A. Reese, Atlanta, GA
Dear Ms. Harper,
I am a graphic design major interested in starting my own company. What steps did you take to get your company going and how long did it take to become successful? ~Shane M., Joilet, IL
A.
Dear A Reese:
10 years (if you have it). However, once should be prepared to share their full employment history during the interview process (and have all the supporting information for the application). For example a person with 20 years of experience can use a good "cover up" statement for the professional profile: "A seasoned professional with more than 15 years experience ..." Here's why...an employer wants to see that you have spent some tme in your craft. However, age discrimination exists on both ends of the spectrum and you never want to date yourself. Secondly, most employer enjoy an easy reading resume. If they have to read 3 pages to qualify you for a position, chances are they wont! Remember the purpose of the resume is to get an interviewm so your objective when submitting your resume is to be invited for a face to face meeting. Great resumes = great interviews. Great interviews = great offers! All the best. ~Stephanie
A.
Dear Shane:
Congratulations on taking the first step in creating the career you want! To answer your last question first "Success is personal and you are the only one you can define what success looks like to you". (smile) Business ownership is a big responsiblity. My first recommendation would be to seek out business start up programs in your area and take a course to understand the business of business (this will give you an overview of business plans, taxes, setting up a business entity, etc.) Once you have a clear understand of business acumen, set up your marketing materials and barter with some local business owners to get your name and brand out in the community. To remain an entreprenuer, you must have clients. The best way to keep them coming back is to provide a stellar product and exceptional customer service. All the best.
~ Stephanie We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions to Publisher@TheCareerMag.com CAREER Magazine | 17 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
Mom Business Moguls, Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens, Owners of Little Busy Bodies, Inc. And Inventor s of Boogie Wipes ] [
CAREER Magazine | 18 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
Friends Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens developed the first ever saline nose wipe, called Boogie Wipes, as a solution for their kids' sore, red, runny noses. Using the idea, their business backgrounds and mompreneurial spirit they formed Little Busy Bodies, Inc in December, 2007 and started selling Boogie Wipes out of their living rooms. Sales went on to reach $1 million their first year of business and $3 million their second year. This year, managing their team of 13 employees, Julie as CEO and Mindee as CMO will reach $8 million in revenue. They currently distribute 11 saline nose wipe products, including their newest adult line, Achooz, to 45,000 retail locations across the US and Canada. CM: Greetings Ladies, thank you for taking the time to share with the readers of CAREER Magazine. As
the Publisher of CAREER Magazine is very special to me as I have been an entrepreneur for several years, but just crossed over in the role of Mompreneur last year. With that being said, what is “The Business of Being A Mom ®”? BM Mindee: For us, the Business of Being a Mom is a 100% unique persona. No one else but a Mom has had the experience of physically carrying and then nurturing a completely dependent infant life into a unique self-sustained adult. From day 1, without a handbook, Moms begin the journey of trying to grow her baby into a happy, successful being that can survive without her. This is exactly the same thing you do when you birth a business. The emotions and instincts you own having been through this process already as a Mom are invaluable and immeasurable. We created the message of the Business of Being a Mom to remind more Mothers that by just being themselves - flexible, humble, creative, resourceful and confident risk takers - they have gifts no one else does to help them run a business. Talents that, when they embrace them and not try to hide them, they can find success like we did. CM: You both have impressive backgrounds. How did you decided who would hold the role of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. BM: Julie: I worked in sales for a majorn Distributor, calling on retailers for many years and also owned and operated several franchise restaurant locations . I grew up in our family distributor business working with national brands. I learned quickly how to maneuver the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur working alongside my Dad for many years. BM Mindee: I was fortunate to work in marketing for some powerhouse global brands. I came from a more structured corporate background and worked next to Brand Managers and CMO’s spending millions on marketing. Through this I picked up a lot of first hand knowledge on what to do and not do in building a brand. Julie settles better in the unsettled and remains calm and strategic with the numbers game and risks entrepreneurs take. I on the other hand love the consumer psyche, what motivates them and how they perceive messaging and I like work with a more clearly defined path. We feel so fortunate in our partnership and know its unique. The business overall has also benefited from having the two founders in these specific roles, so much critical decision making goes on in them and the background of having been here from the start comes in very very handy. We can’t imagine it any other way really. CAREER Magazine | 19 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
CM: You developed your business around a “mom moment”, describe what a mom moment is and how to create a business around it? BM Mindee: “Mom Moments” are one of two things 1. An honest frustration at a broken process or system (usually developed by a non-mom.) 2. A new way to reach a goal in a style more conducive to parenting. Really any time when you stop and say those magic words “there has got to be a better way to do this.” A Moms time, capacity and sanity is maxed out every day so in the struggle to survive, we often stumble on to inventions or services that would help us. Those are Mom Moments. A few other inventions that came from Mom Moments like ours are the windshield wiper, disposable diaper, ironing board and front pack! CM: As a mom and entrepreneur, I certainly identify with the multiple hats that you wear. But tell us what it feels like to wear the hat of inventor? BM Mindee: I think we still stare in amazement at the sales volume we are at these days. To see a complete stranger using an idea you had in your own personal moment is really impactful. I was at Target the other day and I was buying Boogie Wipes (just because my heart still skips a beat when I see them come up on the register screen). This woman behind me saw them in my cart and said “Aren’t those just the best things ever.” I smiled and said “Yes, I love them.” She went on to tell me about how they were invented by two local Moms and even how I could get a coupon on their website. I thanked her and spent the rest of the day on cloud 9. What a fantastic feeling to know you created something that is helping other parents to the point they want to share it with strangers? Its really really rewarding when your idea (with a lot of blood, sweat, tears and money) becomes a tangible product that is a part of other peoples every day lives.
CM: Can you walk us through some of the steps you took to create your business? (I would love to hear about the research & development process, working with a chemist, surveying consumers, and interviewing manufacturers) BM Julie: We laugh at our R&D process. At first, it was pretty much our kids and friends kids and any random person who would let us touch their nose. We could not pay for fancy consumer focus groups so one afternoon we just invited a bunch of Moms to lunch and sat them down for candid Boogie talk. We paid for lunch and picked up some very valuable feedback that helped us make decisions on the brand direction. I don’t think we will ever do our consumer research any other way. Working with a chemist was fun, it still is when we are developing new products. We would try to be so serious when he was explaining these highly technical things to us but we were dying on the inside because we both knew the other did not have a clue either. Slowly, though we began to pick things up and learn how ingredients worked together, what a wipe had to be made of to be effective and how we could take out CAREER Magazine | 20 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
some of the junk other products are made of and still have it work well. We get asked a lot about finding a manufacturer; it’s a lot about trust and ignorance. Find someone you feel good about that will work with you and gets that you are an inventor/entrepreneur. I wish we could say we had lots of choices in the beginning too but truthfully we could not afford to order that many so we only had a few small contract manufacturers that would even talk to us. Overall though, it’s a really fun point in your business and one I wish we had enjoyed more at the time- kind of like parenting, you miss the stages when your out of them. They grow up so fast! Ha! CM: Little Busy Bodies, Inc. opened officially in 2007, but what was your actual time line to take your product from research to reality? BM Julie: About 8 months. BM Mindee: Yes, we played with the idea for a while first and once we decided to commit and break open the kids piggy banks for it (don’t think we are joking) it was about 4 months in research, planning and finding a manufacturer then another 4 months until we actually had them in our hands to sell. That was the hardest 4 months because you don’t have anything to show for the money you have spent and you are trying to market, sell and promote something that people cannot touch and feel. We got some sample sizes in quicker and could at least tell people to look for them soon. CM: I love the advice you give of “don’t be afraid to be a mom and don’t make excuses for being a mom”. What are some suggestions for would-be Mompreneurs who have a home office? BM Julie: Start as you mean to go. If you want a lifestyle that your kids are a part of and a business culture that accepts you as a Mom, start it that way from the beginning. We are not ashamed to admit it when we need to leave a meeting to pick kids up from school and we don’t apologize when we need to excuse ourselves from a conference call to settle a dispute over the last bag of Doritos. I have been known to leave a message that says “ feel free to call me back this afternoon, I will be in carpool to cheerleading so there may be giggling in the background but I would like to connect today.” If someone is turned off by that then they can just call me the next day or we can schedule a quiet time. I think Mindee and I just do a good job of not trying to hide who we are and when you are the business owner, that’s your right and privilege that’s why you take all the financial and well being risks you do. It’s the whole reason you started the business was to have your own freedom and flexibility to be you. CM: How do you find balance? BMMindee/Julie: We don’t! We are never balanced. We get asked this alot. Some days are full of work and some full of family. It’s being IN the moment you are in that we try to do the most. We are not always the best at it but try to remind each other to take time off for ourselves and our families. Running your own business will require a lot of you, whether its a big one or small one and most Mompreneurs really do enjoy their work. CM: Your promotional literature has a very interesting phrase “How moms found success raising their business like a baby”. Can you explain what that means? BM Mindee: This really refers to the way we coddle, nurture and guide our kids early on to the transition of adolescents when we are training them to have a moral compass and make good decision. Next you move into the rebellious, worry filled teenage years (about where we are now). This is when you are taking your hands off the wheel and watching to see if they can keep the car on the road. CAREER Magazine | 21 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
Last is the fruition of the ultimate goal of adulthood. A person that can re-light her own fire when it burns out and start to carve out a path for having their own kids someday. Anyone who has run a business of their own and has kids will tell you the emotional roller coaster is parallel. When it succeeds, you succeed, fails and you fails, it’s your heart on your sleeve, your biggest love and biggest vice. CM: What is your approach to networking with other moms? BM Mindee: Shop, don’t sell. From a tradeshow full of new moms to a high end leadership conference full of seasoned moms in business, we have something in common with them all and no matter what age, level, experience or career path they have chosen we can learn something from them so we ask a lot of questions when we meet other moms. Its not all about us and what we have to offer and how much we can cram Boogie Wipes down their throat. The product is good, it works. The name is fun, it sells itself. To develop long term equity with moms we want them to know us and we want to know them. CM: Advertising and marketing are so important to any businesss. How do you select where/how to advertise and market yourself creatively, effectively, and economically? BM: We have a checklist of what we want to achieve with our advertising efforts and weigh the answers for each opportunity against the budget we have available. A few questions on our checklist are: 1. Does it attract MY consumer? 2. Will the audience of the advertising easily be able to purchase my product? 3. Does this build my brand? 4. Have I already reached this audience? CM: Ok! Inquiring minds want to know the secret to getting your product in retail giants like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and Toys “R” Us. How much can you tell us? BM Julie: We can tell you everything. People think there must be a secret code to break because it is hard to get retail distribution like Boogie Wipes has but truly, its just what you would think - the right product, at the right price, with the right support sold to the right person. Right Product: A product, packaged well that fits a void in the marketplace. Something that you can easily find a place for on the shelf where even without marketing; it would sell and make a retailer money. Right Price: Retailers want a certain margin, if you can’t produce something you can sell to consumers taking that into account and still making some money for yourself, you’re out of business. Right Support: Retailers want to see how you are going to get people into their store to buy your product with your advertising and marketing plan and even more what additional money you will give them to do this for you through ads, demos and promotional programs. They also need to see you are set up with a team and the systems necessary to service them. They leave little gray area when it comes to what is acceptable for shipping and receiving and replenishment. CAREER Magazine | 22 | March / April 2010
Cover Story
Right Person: Just like anything in business, it is of course, a lot about relationships too, who you know and how you treat them. Retail reps want someone who understands how valuable their time is, how busy they are and how many people call them. Manage your business for them and never let them forget that you are doing all you can to make them money. They should all feel like your most important account. Lastly know what your retailers want. Be prepared to answer their questions. Be unique with your presentation and your ideas for driving their business. CM: What are some common mistakes most people make with new business ventures? BM Julie: I think one of the most common mistakes is that people fail to plan. I would encourage anyone interested in entering into a business to first create at very least a small business plan. I think this scares people and they feel “how will I know everything I need to know to create this document”? The beauty is that you don’t need to know everything. Our business plan is a working document with many moving pieces, much like your families. However you have to start somewhere and planning is critical. The other mistake is underestimating the amount of work and capital it is going to take to get your idea off the ground. This is where creating a business plan will help you. It will give you an idea of everything it is going to take to get your business to take off. You will be better prepared for the challenges ahead. CM: What are some mom skills that you find you must use in the business dailly? BM Julie: With my role in our company I tend to have to be tough at times. I find myself negotiating deals working with attorneys and making decisions around strategy and financial matters that are best for the company. Sometimes those aren’t always the most popular decision. It’s funny how sometimes this type of work lines up so well with what I do at home. My two oldest daughters are in HS and Middle School and daily I am not very popular with my “no you can’t do that, or maybe when you are a little older.” I have had to learn to be tough on them at times and realize that eventually they will understand some of my decisions. Understandng that negotiiation is an art, I use it both at home and in office. CM: What final words can you leave with our readers that have a product in them that they want to bring to the marketplace? BM Mindee: Devise a plan that works for you and your lifestyle, don’t wish for distribution in Walmart unless you are ready for a full time job, employees and warehouses. Know that there are many options out there for you. Sometimes a patented idea will have value to a company, sometimes you can license a concept, hire a distributor or you can choose to do it yourself. Find an expert in every critical area of your business, tell them your plan and ask for their input. Don’t be afraid to move on it. If you feel better with NDA’s, then give them out but always spend more time looking forward than over your shoulder. If your idea is good and part of your purpose, have faith it will play out just like it should. Be tenacious. For Additional prooducts and information visit www.TheBusinessofBeingofMom or www.BoogieWipes.com
CAREER Magazine | 23 | March / April 2010
Careers and Christ
By Stephanie C. Harper StephanieHarper.com
Are you ready to become the creator of your work life? Ready to shape your future instead of reacting to it? Ready to take what your know as an expert in your field and become an entrepreneur? Let's examine a few characteristics Jesus possessed that every successful entrepreneur should exhibit. Jesus asked questions They found Him sitting in the Jesus was tempted He was led the Spirit to be temped temple, sitting in the midst of teachers both listening by the devil. He was shown all the kingdoms of the and asking questions. Luke 2:46 As you continue to world and their glory. Matthew 4:8 As you go after master your trade, buy your weaknesses and sell your prosperity, remember, prosperity is not always riches. strengths. Being the boss, does not mean you Prosperity occurs when you have enough for yourself automatically have the all the answers. If you ask and some for another. All that glitters is not gold and questions, in most cases, people will be glad to there is a high price to pay for falling prey to temptation. answer. Jesus was tempted He was led the Spirit to be temped by the devil. He was shown all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Matthew 4:8. As you go after prosperity, remember, prosperity is not always riches. Prosperity occurs when you have enough for yourself and some for another. All that glitters is not gold and there is a high price to pay for falling prey to temptation.
Jesus learned obedience Although He was a son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. (Hebrews 5:8 As an entrepreneur, you must learn to take the high road. You were not called to be successful (by the world's standards), you were called to be obedient (by God's standards).
Jesus slept As Jesus journeyed, there was a great tempest in the sea. In the middle of the storm, Jesus did not worry; He slept. Matthew 8:24 There will never be enough hours in the day to conquer the entrepreneur storm. Rest so you will have a renewed perspective on what to tackle and what to walk away from.
Jesus was weary Jesus being weary from His journey say by the well. Going through Samaria was not merely a geographical consideration, but a divine compulsion. (John 4:6) The mandate God places on your career may not always be an easy road, but it is divinely appointed, and God will honor you when you honor Him.
Jesus loved Jesus loved the rich young ruler who lacked an allegiance to God. Mark 10:21 Jesus' love for him is expressed in a challenge when is both stern and gracious. As God blesses your business to prosper, be careful to continue your quality time with God, your family and those who truly support you.
Jesus was troubled He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled. John 11:33 Running a business is challenging, But God provides a solution for every challenge you face. When God owns your enterprise, the risk falls on Him.
The expertise of Jesus is an invaluable lesson plan for today's entrepreneur. As you make your way prosperous, continue to follow the profile of Jesus, the ultimate entrepreneur who became the world's most recognized expert. CAREER Magazine | 24 | March / April 2010
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The Hand that Rocks The Cradle Rules the World! Being a Mompreneur is all about having control of our schedules and our time. In my quest to leave the traditional workforce and become a Mompreneur I founded Urban Midwifery, Inc., a non-profit agency dedicated to offering all women access to midwifery care, but particularly underserved women. As a midwife, I have the opportunity to work with many moms who have left the workforce to begin their own businesses, while simultaneously doing the same. Why? Midwifery is a very individualized service that allows women to have their prenatal care, and eventually the birth of their child(ren) in the comfort of their homes. Midwifery means “With Woman”, and fittingly, the very nature of midwifery care is woman-centered. A Midwife is a professional that has been trained to provide healthcare services to low-risk women , including prenatal care, family planning, and well-woman services. Midwives believe that pregnancy and birth are normal life events, and we midwives have known for ages that homebirth is a safe option. Even though my personal journey in midwifery began over 10 years ago, I realize that I became more passionate about midwifery when I came face-to face in 2005 with the positive influence and power that I have as a midwife. The power to reach a woman at a time when she is nurturing a new life making a new person. The power to give her critical information… It was in 2005 I learned about the alarming, and disproportionately high infant mortality rates in the Black Community. I can remember the first time I read about the research in the San Francisco Chronicle. It was an article titled, “Too Young To Die”. That article explained that Black Babies die three times more than White Babies in the United States. These deaths (miscarriages, fetal demises and newborn/infant deaths) happen from the time that a woman is pregnant, until the time her baby reaches one-year old. Hearing that ‘cut like a knife’, and since hearing that I have been working hard to make sure that everyone that can hear me is aware of this alarming rate… It was hearing about Black Infant Mortality that inspired me to found Urban Midwifery, Inc. where we are dedicated to addressing the disproportionately high infant mortality rates. In response to the crisis, Urban Midwifery, Inc. provides services that address many of the believed causes of infant mortality such as high stress levels, unhealthy relationships, poor nutrition, poor prenatal care, etc… Urban Midwifery, Inc. does this through comprehensive education. At Urban Midwifery, we have been connecting the dots, and have developed a belief that the disproportionately high “Baby Mama” rates in the Black Community (women having babies with men that they are not married to, or not even in a relationship with), have a direct relationship to the disproportionately high infant mortality rates. Also, that as mothers of teenaged girls, we are falling short when it comes to providing complete education about relationships and sex. Notice I said Relationship BEFORE Sex. As a result, I have written two books, and hope to continue a series that will better educate our girls, and our community, effectively addressing the Baby Mama epidemic, and eventually saving our www.JayVonMuhammad.com babies.
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Favor For Your LIfe
There's An Opportunity By Pastor Reginald Brown gccvv.org
One of the greatest challenges for people facing hard times is to discover that there is an opportunity of a lifetime waiting around the next corner. After all who could blame people for losing hope and feeling frustrated? There’s no doubt that the world we live in today is so different from the world we lived in nine or ten years ago. The economy has been rocked by legislative decisions over the past decade that has us facing harsh economic times. The unemployment rate is moving closer to being higher than it has been in history as people are continuing to lose jobs at a rate that is mind boggling. The question most of you are asking is how long are things going to remain this way and when am I going to see a change that is beneficial for my life? The truth of the matter is I cannot answer that for you and I do not believe anyone can. The only person who can answer that is you. Napoleon Hill said, “Opportunity often comes in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat.” In the story found in John 6:1-15, Jesus was faced with a crowd that had followed Him for some time and was hungry. In the face of the hungry crowd, Jesus asked, His disciple, Philip, where bread could be purchased to feed the crowd. Taking the challenge, Philip was restrained by traditional methods saying that even if they worked over 200 days, the pay wouldn’t be enough to cover the cost. The mentality of Philip can be found in our contemporary times. It’s a mentality that looks at situations from a defeatist attitude. It says companies are downsizing, I wouldn’t be able to get a position making what I made, or there are people who are much more qualified than I. The solution to Philip’s question was only discovered after the limits of the box were removed when Andrew discovered a young man with two fish and five small loaves and took him to Jesus. It was here, in the hands of Jesus, that Philip and the people discovered that with Jesus nothing is too small for Him to work with. What looked like an impossible situation was made possible with God. Before Jesus asked Philip the question, being Omniscience, He knew Andrew would find a young boy with a lunch. Remember, even in the face of toughest times take time out to look for your next opportunity. Jesus could be testing you to prove to you how He’s going to bless you and those around you. CAREER Magazine | 26 | March / April 2010
10
Career Tips
TIPS TO SECURE YOUR DREAM JOB
READ NEWSPAPERS (not just the help wanted section). Read feature stories to find out what is going on within organizations. You will find out about expansions, new offices openings and new opportunties.
1 2 3 4 5
USE YOUR CONTACTS Send your resume to everyone in your email database and ask them to forward it to their HR Department. This is a direct connection between you and the those who can hire you!
NEW BUSINESS LICENSE Every new business requires a business license. The owners contact info is there. Use it to your advantage. Start with them as they start a new business venture. FOLLOW THE MONEY Publications such as Venture Reporter list when companies recieve fundng for new business development. This may very well lead to a wave of hiring.
HIRE A COURIER Well...who do you know what delivers to businesses everyday? Ask them to take in a resume for you while delivering the mail, a package, or other items they drop off daily.
By Stephanie C. Harper, PHR TheCareerMag.com
6 7 8 9 10
NETWORK PROMOTIONS Let's say you work as a repair technician. Be upfront, let them know you are job hunting and ask them for clients who need additional hands for extra or overflow repair work. FIND A MENTOR Ask them if you can tag along to industry events to met people you would not ordinarily have contact with and make crucial connections, but remember "asking about work" starts AFTER the event. WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW Become a freelance writer and submit your expertise to as many websites /blogs as possible. Be sure to include "looking for a position as" in your byline next to your contact information. TALK TO YOUR BOSS Use your evaluation to share career goals and ask your boss if they would recommend you to other departments that would offer you an advancement in your career. TAKE THE JOB It may not be the title or pay you wanted, but it's a foot in the door. Get in and connect with people in other departments and apply for new opportunties from within.
CAREER Magazine | 27 | March / April 2010
Moments of Motivation
By Chrisptopher Williams ChristopherMichaelInc.com
What is the value of your personal brand on your career? Personal branding is a very natural part of how people evaluate one another. It's important to recognize how others perceive you in the workplace. Do you exhibit arrogance or confidence? Are you considered a social butterfly instead of a quality relationship-builder? Sometimes being talented can yield mediocre results when it comes to your career. Especially when you don’t actively work on it! How, you ask? Consider the story known as the Parable of Talents. One day the master of the household gathered his three servants a certain number of talents. To the first servant he gave 5 talents; to another he gave two; and to the third he gave one talent. The master returned to his servants and inquired about what they had done with the talents. The first explained how he wisely traded the five and earned 5 more. The master said, “well done!” The second servant also stated that he wisely traded his two talents and earned 2 more. Again, the master said, well done! Finally, the third servant stepped forward and told his story. “Fearing that he might lose the money, he buried it in the ground.” The master took one look at the single unused talent and said, “take the one talent and give it to the one who now has ten.” Essentially, firing him! What is lost in this story is how the third servant exhibited a weak and timid brand in comparison to his competitors. This lack of confidence in his brand caused his business to be acquired by another “company”. It is important to recognize, establish and ignite your personal brand into a standing career. To do this, you must first become self-aware. What does self-awareness mean? Self-awareness involves understanding your passions. It starts with defining your level of success and not relying on what dictionary.com states. The average person has only a general sense of what words like success, passion, responsibility and happiness mean. Self-awareness ignites the personal branding process! The act of being self – aware is one of the many transferable life skills that can translate in to career success. How do u become self-aware? By asking yourself tough questions, for example: What are my strengths and/or weaknesses? What do I desire now, 3, and 5 years from now? Am I currently doing the type of work I love to do? Any successful organization understands the importance of knowing what it’s good at, where it lacks, where it wants to be in 3, 5, 7 years. It spends a tremendous amount of time and money building on that to establish a household brand, which translates into increased revenue. Are you worth it? Why is self-awareness important? Becoming self-aware and showing dedication and commitment to growing your career starts with your personal. With a solid brand you an actively seek the career levels you desire. Now that’s, Career Standing (passionately pursuing the career you love). Don’t allow the wrong personal brand message to position your career right out of the standing! CAREER Magazine | 28 | March / April 2010
Employer Perspective
THE WORST RESUME?
CAREER Magazine talked to a few employers and here's what they said...
lengthy "personal statement"
The worst possible thing is a using lots of buzzwords and telling you little of relevance to the job concerned. Even if the rest of the CV looks good this leaves me cold - but then I'm not a recruitment professional, juat a recruiter.....
Well, the worst thing is lying, hands-down. Typos are forgivable---saying
you graduated
when you didn't...isn't. The worst thing: lying. Especially with technology; if you have only heard of something or "dabbled" with it, don't put in on you list of skills. Employers can and will ask about every single thing on your resume so be sure that it's all legit The worst I have seen, was when a candidate decided to put his wedding dayat the top!
a picture of himself from from
A Candidate decided to detail all of his contract positions in length, which made his resume
35 pages long, and he kept refreing to himself in the 3rd party, then changing it back to "then i worked" Very confusing. Its safe to say after 2/3 pages i gave up. Worst things: fussy formatting or so much detail that tit has a save some of it for the interview!
cluttered appearance – please,
There is nothing I hate more than to look at a resume and
have no clue what
they are applying for or what their qualifications are. Worst - to not put contact details on, or to exagerate the truth! - Employers clearly would prefer an honest solid applicant rather than a "dishonest
star" There are far too many templates online to keep submitting template resumes. Get wth the program, I don't need a two paragraph
explanation of what your
company does, that is what their website is for! CAREER Magazine | 29 | March / April 2010
Employee Perspective
THE WORST INTERVIEW?
CAREER Magazine talked to a few employees and here's what they said...
Inappropriate questions in the interview. I'll never forget. He was very concerned about our working closely together and having often to work late. He also wanted to know if I could handle office gossip. Washington DC and he was the executive director of something. Another interviewer talked for about 10 minutes then commented that "I was black and a woman, somebody's gonna hire you." I was shocked silent. I left. I’m a mature workforce professional and was asked “what year I graduated high school?” I guess she saw the shocked look on my face, because she backed it up with "I just wanted to know what else you had been doing since high school?" I was really angry that a person in the career management/human resources field would ask such an illegal questions. I guess I really blew the interview when I asked her in a not so friendly way, "Would I be reporting to you if I were selected for this job?" It was a very demoralizing,
humiliating experience.
I went for an interview, and the person I would have replaced we got along great. Matter of fact, we talked for a real long time and just really liked each other. She told me, "You have to meet my boss he'll love you." I waited while she went to get him. He walks into the room, takes one look at me for all of 2-seconds, looks at me sternly, and says "You're exactly what we're not looking for." I was
dumbfounded, in disbelief, and still don't know what to say when I think of that interview to this day. I don't have any personal examples but I can share what happened to my candidate during a client interview. My client took my candidate out to lunch and secretly told the waiter to spill water on the candidate to see how he would react. My client told me the first candidate he interviewed actually was very upset at the waiter which of course was the test. He was not hired. 2nd candidate was given the same test the next day and he passed. Waiter spilled waiter on his pants, candidate had minimal reaction, excused himself and came back to the table as if nothing had happened. He was offered the job. Once the candidates heard what the client pulled, they both were very the hiring manager.
disappointed in
There is nothing worse than a person with other stuff on their minds or going through the motions of an interview. I got the job in this last case but the HR Director I met with could of cared less if I was there or not. Did not leave about taking the job.
a good impression of the company and I thought twice CAREER Magazine | 30 | March /April 2010
Office Tips
Lifestyle of the Corporate Dropout Mom
By Lucinda Cross
CorporateMomDropout.com
Many dream of working from home but don’t know where to begin or are not aware of what to expect while working as a work at home mom. If you are one of them, here's some help you to understand it.
Traveling is a thing of the past Working as a work at home mom, you do not need to travel any longer in the mornings and in the evenings to and from your employer’s offices. What you need to do is just be organized and can create a favorable work schedule for the projects you are working on just from your home office.
Be Your Own Boss Thank God for there is no longer a boss to push you around with burdens of work with stringent deadlines! All you need is self discipline and your days through out the week will run smoothly without being harassed by anybody.
VARIETY OF WORK TO DO If you are individual who has a wealth of skills in varying fields, then you have plenty of work for you to do. A work at home mom can do all the work that does not need one to be in the client’s office to be done. Therefore, it depends on you on whether to specialize in one or several services.
NO sick pay, Holiday Pay or Benefit Retirements This is the point where a work at home mom differs from an onsite employee. As a work at home mom, what you earn is based on the work you have done. Therefore, planning, spending and saving are crucial especially for the unforeseen misfortunes and time when you are no longer working. This is the main point of attraction for majority of employers to utilize work at home moms in that they will be able to cut down on costs.
CREATE CLIENTS AND CASH As a work at home mom, you can work for several clients at any one time depending on the kind of projects or services you are providing. This means that you will not be depending on one source for your earnings thus making you more stable financially because of the various sources of income.
With drive, self discipline, determination and focus , you can achieve in every area of your life. CAREER Magazine | 31 | January /February CAREER Magazine 31 | March / April 2010
Spotlight
Robert Watkins is the Chairman and Founder of Kings & Priests International, a ministry and business training, consulting and membership organization that empowers and equips individuals to maximize financial, leadership and business potential. Under his leadership, Kings & Priests has evolved into a global, multi-faceted network of influential business and ministry leaders with ministry operations, materials and businesses in Israel, Malaysia, South Africa and other countries. A popular conference speaker, best-selling author and a leading voice for marketplace leaders, Robert Watkins’ practical and proven valued-based teaching has established him as a well sought-after authority on business, financial and leadership, ministry success. In 2005, Robert Watkins received a doctorate degree of business and theology from the Ministry International Institute in Knoxville, Tennessee. Since then, he has spoken at many of the world’s leading institutions including Harvard School of Business, West Georgia University and Emory School of Business to name a few. Dr. Watkins also founded Young Leaders Unlimited, an effective entrepreneurial program designed to create teenage leaders so they can take care of their families and America’s future. He is the author of several books, including his best selling How To Hear From God, and the powerful and life-changing Be Your Own Boss Program and the upcoming release, Never Chase A Paycheck Again. With all his success, Dr. Watkins’ greatest achievement is that he has been married to wife, Evelyn, for 17 years. They have two beautiful young daughters and live in the Atlanta area. www.Kings-Priests.org
CAREER Magazine | 32 | March / April 2010
I Live Online
By Jim Stroud ILiveOnline.com
Let’s imagine that you are a Recruiter (Third Party Recruiter, Corporate Recruiter or a Retained Search Firm) and you are excited about a particular candidate that you will just bust if the hiring manager does not review the resume. However, the Hiring Manager is very, very busy and does not have the luxury of time to look at the resumes they asked you to produce, much less listen to all of the reasons why they should interview your candidate right away. So what do you do? Well, you might want to try embedding a voice message into the resume you send in; that way they can hear your excitement and pay closer attention to the document that were planning to quickly scan over. Sounds interesting but you don’t know how to do that? No worries, all you need is a copy of Microsoft Word and a microphone.
STEP-BY-STEP 1. Make sure you have a microphone that works with your computer. No biggie, as you can pick one up at Wal*Mart for $10.00 (more or less). 2. Open up a new Word document 3. Pull down the Insert Menu and click on: “Object” 4. From the Object window scroll down to “Wave Sound.” 5. Highlight “Wave Sound” and click “Okay.” 6. A little window that looks like a tape recorder pops up. 7. Click on the red dot button and begin recording your message. By default you get sixty seconds, but if you stop the recording before it gets to the very end and start recording again, you get sixty more seconds. 8. Once you’re done recording, close out that window. 9. Like magic, a speaker icon appears in your Word document. 10. To play back the sound file, simply double-click on the speaker icon. 11. Add a message next to the speaker to remind the reader that an audio message is embedded. (You might also want to mention in your cover letter that they should be sure to have their speakers on.) CAREER Magazine | 33 | March / April 2010
Just The Facts
Did You Know? MAY 8TH IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY...
In 1911, more than one million women and men attended International Women's Day rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold publc office and end discrimination.
40% of JOB SEEKERS REMAIN UNEMPLOYED BECAUSE... They Don't Match Up To The Employer's Expectation. What are the factors? The Way you LOOK, SPEAK, WRITE AND BEHAVE (check your appearance!)
62% of ENTREPRENEURS HAVE EXPERIENCED JOB LOSS... Job loss includes laid off, down-sized, and fired. It's been said that while the Corporate world struggles to find its footing, entrepreneurs are stepping up!
CAREER Magazine | 34 | March / April 2010 CAREER Magazine | 34 | March / April 2010
Life After Layoff
By Otis Collier OtisCollier.com
When there is little work to be done and no place to go, often times downsized individuals will treat their new “free time” as an extended loafing off moment. Too many productive hours are spent watching mid-day television or playing video games. This lost time can never be recovered and is better utilized doing selfimprovement activities that produce vocational competence. Consider the following five activities: ONE - BUILD YOUR NETWORK Now is the time to catch up on that networking that you never seemed to have time to do when you were employed. This is the perfect opportunity to dust off the address book and catch up with old colleagues. Better yet, dig into your LinkedIn account and connect with individuals with whom you have not spoken to in some time. TWO - UDATE YOUR WORK SKILLS (formal or informal) Now is the perfect time to take some classes to update your work skills. Most local community colleges offer short term classes that can sharpen your proficiency in many different types of computer applications or other vocation building competencies. If you cannot afford to attend these classes, check with your unemployment office, oftentimes there are programs that you qualify for that can provide you with free re-training that can help with landing a better job. There are also plenty of books and training videos that can be found online or at the library. Make use of this free time and resources that you have to capitalize off of this learning opportunity. THREE - VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME Now is the best time to volunteer your time and expertise with a favorite charity or community service group. This allows you the opportunity to meet new people and potentially discover other employment opportunities that are outside of your primary field of work. You may find out that the charity or community service group you are volunteering with has a paid position that you qualify for. Volunteer work can also help you with filling in that gap of employment in your resume. FOUR - TRY FREELANCING Most of us have a skill that can be outsourced to others. There are several places where you can offer your services on a contractual basis. Try looking at websites such as www.elance.com or www.getafreelancer.com. These sites match make small businesses looking for short projects with those individuals skillful enough to accept and complete those assignments. Craigslist is another powerful website where you may post your experience and find short term work. FIVE - EXERCISE Take a little bit of time to work on something you probably haven’t been paying much attention to… your health. Unemployment can be a stressful time in your life. This is not the time to start eating everything in the pantry or taking up the unhealthy habit of drinking or smoking (even though the temptation may be there). Start a workout routine and exercise your body. This will give you more energy and you will be amazed what routine exercise can do for your mind and thought process. The most important thing to remember when you have been laid off is to continue doing activities that create positive activity in your life. While things may seem bleak and dire, it has been proven that those who continuously work at it WILL find a job. Statistically, people who lounge around after a lay off take a lot longer to find a job than those who stayed in constant motion. Magazineplan: | 35 | March / April 2010 in your contingency Here are some things to considerCAREER
Compensation Corner
By Niakesha Woodley
By Niakesha Woodley, MHRD CareerEventPros.com
Payroll is one of the most critical regulated areas of business. Accurate payroll processing requires extensive theoretical, practical, and applicable knowledge of IRS mandates, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, just to name a few. An effective payroll department will keep your organization in compliance with federal and state laws governing minimum wage and overtime and ensure quality operation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This act also known as SOX was passed in response to high-profile business failures, such as Enron and WorldCom, in order to reinforce investment confidence and protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosure. As a result of past corporate corruption , Sarbanes-Oxley has made payroll a priority more today than ever before. According to the American Payroll Association, the IRS assessed 13 billion dollars in penalties and interest for noncompliance with payroll tax laws last year. To prevent your company from being in noncompliance you should find out if your payroll department whether in-house or outsourced is keeping your company safe. In order to ensure your payroll is operating in full quality control and compliance mode, you should ensure your payroll professional has the competency and training of a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP). A great investment in your company is to hire only certified payroll professionals to handle this critical role. As illustrated in the IRS Data Book, FY 2006, payroll department calculates, withholds, and deposits payroll taxes for federal, state, and local jurisdictions-1.6 trillion yearly on the federal level alone. This is why payroll processing should be left in the hands of an experienced, skilled, trained, and certified payroll professional. The Certified Payroll Professional designation is given to individuals who have successfully passed a comprehensive exam covering the full range of payroll knowledge. In order to provide a return on your investment, employers should seek out only certified payroll professionals to lead your payroll department. This will decrease the chances of your company facing penalties and payroll litigation as a result of an untrained and inexperienced payroll staff. Bottom line- require and demand a Certified Payroll Professional to handle your organization’s payroll functions.
Sarbanes–Oxley contains 11 titles that describe specific mandates and requirements for financial reporting. Each title consists of several sections: Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Auditor Independence Corporate Responsibility Enhanced Financial Disclosures Analyst Conflicts of Interest Commission Resources and Authority Studies and Reports Corporate and Criminal Fraud Accountability White Collar Crime Penalty Enhancement Corporate Tax Returns Corporate Fraud Accountability
Source: Americanpayroll.org
CAREER Magazine | 36 | March / April 2010
5
Career Makeover
Questions to Connect To Your Passion By Tai Goodwin
CareerMakeoverCoach.com
What does career burn out and being laid off have in common? Both situations are opportunities to explore what you are passionate about. While there is pressure if you are laid off to find another job as soon as possible, for some markets and industries the opportunities may be far and few between. Savvy professionals benefit from tapping into not only their talent, but also their passion in order to find work that feeds their soul and their pocketbook. After years in a particular field or profession, it can be hard to differentiate between what you are good at and what you are passionate about. Put another way: it can be easy confuse what you’ve gotten really skilled at with what you love. If this is the category you fall into here this article offers five questions you can use as you begin to explore what you are really passionate about. Avoid starting your exploration with the notion that there is only one passion that you must pursue for the rest of your life. If there are several things that you are passionate about you can look for a way merge the things you love. Or it may be a matter of deciding which one you will pursue first. The point is to stay open without trying to force a single path for your self. 1. Who do you most admire? Are you moved by people working to preserve the environment? Or maybe you are fascinated by innovative technology leaders? This doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to do what they are doing, but it may be an indication of the type of people you’d enjoy working around. 2. What accomplishments are you most proud of? People may acknowledge you as an excellent accountant, but if you are more proud of the fact that you are a certified professional trainer, that could be an indicator that your passion lies elsewhere. 3. What topic or subject could you talk about for hours? Consider topics that you have become an accidental expert on like landscaping, flash development, car repair. 4. What would you do if money was no object? Meaning you didn’t need additional income and it’s something that you would do for no pay, simply because you loved it. 5. What opportunities or experiences would you regret not having? Have you ever found yourself wishing you had said yes to an offer or experience from your past? The key here is to identify what you’d regret and then work towards making it happen so you don’t look back 5 or 10 years from now thinking, “I wish I had”. Journal your responses and then lay what you have written aside for a few days. When you come back to what you have written, see if you notice any patterns. Pay attention to the events or thoughts that stand out to you and anything in your responses that sparks an emotional response. CAREER Magazine | 37| March / April 2010
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