Find Your Passion Fast with These Four Easy Steps

A lot of career and business advice starts by advising that you “find your passion” and go from there. But, despite a widely held idea that passions strike like a bolt of lightning, for most people, passions are uncovered through a process of self-discovery.

Whether you dream of launching a business, would like to find a job that aligns with your passions, or are thinking of expanding an existing business, a few simple exercises can provide the insight you need to identify your passions.

In this blog, we offer our best ideas and some easy-to-do exercises to guide your journey of self-discovery.

What is Passion?

In our experience, people often misunderstand the meaning of the word passion. 

Many people associate passion with doing something for a greater purpose. Sometimes, passions do evolve out of a desire to solve a problem or accomplish a goal. But, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, passion is simply “a strong feeling or emotion” or a “strong liking or desire.”  

As you start to go through the process of finding your passion, don’t be discouraged if the things you uncover feel mundane. Passions that spring from pure enjoyment are just as valid as passions aimed at solving a problem.

We think that’s a critical perspective to keep in mind when exploring your passions. 

Know Yourself

For all the romantic ideas associated with “finding your passion,” for most people, reflection and self-assessment pave the way to revealing passions. While this process may sound very serious, it’s usually fun and interesting.

Start by setting aside some quiet time to think about your life–as you’ve experienced it and how you hope to experience it. As you reflect, make a list that includes:

  • Moments that stand out. Include everything from a fun party you planned to a charity race you participated in to advice a manager shared with you that shaped your career.
  • Topics that interest you. You likely have a wide variety of interests that span several realms and could include everything from crafting to cooking to hiking. Write all of these interests down, no matter how obscure or ordinary they seem.
  • Things you enjoy doing. Consider the type of professional work you enjoy and activities that bring you joy outside of work. For example, maybe you love to cook or organize closets. Perhaps creating the perfect PowerPoint deck brings you joy. Don’t edit out anything that brings you joy–jot it all down.

Check-in with Others

After you take inventory of your important moments, topics that interest you, and activities you enjoy, talk to people close to you to get their impressions of you. Ask:

  • What do you see as my strengths?
  • When do I seem most engaged?
  • What topics/activities do I talk about most often with you?

The insights that come from others can yield important clues for you. To get the wisdom of others, ask three to five people the same questions, and look for themes in their answers. 

Then:

  • Write down the answers you hear.
  • Compare what you hear to your list. For example, if your friend says you seem most engaged when discussing recipes and your list reflects cooking as an interest and something you enjoy, that’s a powerful clue about where your passion lies.
  • Make a new list that reflects all the intersections uncovered and the themes you found.

This list is likely a good representation of the areas where you have passion.

Get Down to Business

Next, review the list of your interests and consider how those activities could translate to a business opportunity or a job. 

Here are some examples of how you can use your list to generate potential business opportunities:

  • If you identify that you enjoy organizing events and your friends say you seem happiest when pulling together parties, you may want to launch an event-planning business.
  • Suppose you notice that managing a family calendar is something you enjoy and your friends note your skills in keeping things organized for others. In that case, you may want to pursue a Virtual Assistant business or look for a job that uses those skills.
  • If you identify writing as something you enjoy and your friends point out that you produce stellar newsletters for the soccer team, blogging may be in your future.

Pay Attention to Your Journey 

Regardless of what you find through this exercise, it’s essential to remember that your passions may change over time as your life changes. Those life changes can bring new passions. 

For example, our founder, Lesley Pyle, found her passion through motherhood. Like many moms, she planned to return to work after her baby arrived. After her six-week maternity leave ended, she tried to return to work but found that she desperately missed her baby girl. 

She loved her job but when her manager turned down her request for flexibility, she knew she had to leave. 

Suspecting that she was not the only mom in this situation, she launched a website for moms working from home–or those who wanted to work from home–as a resource for networking, learning, and support. Her first site, Home-Based Working Moms, ran from 1996 to 2010. 

In 2007, she launched HireMyMom.com, changing her website and business as the business world began to slowly embrace hiring off-site contractors and team members. More companies started seeing the benefits of hiring off-site workers, including choosing from a national pool of talent.

Through the process, she found her passion–connecting moms who want to work at home with businesses that need them. If her first boss had granted her the flexibility she asked for, her life would have taken a different path. 

As your life changes, take stock of your interests, poignant moments, and the activities you enjoy. A new passion could be just around the corner.

 

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Business Need a Boost? A Complementary Partnership Could be Your Secret Sauce

If you’ve ever visited a fast food restaurant and purchased a kids meal with a movie-themed toy or bought a box of cereal to get the special gift inside, you understand the power of complementary partnerships. While many people think of these types of partnerships as strategies for large businesses, as a small business owner, you are perfectly positioned to harness their power and reap important benefits.

The right complementary partnership can change the trajectory of your business and open up a world of opportunity for you. The HireMyMom team has seen several small business owners successfully pursue this strategy with great success. In this blog, we share why these arrangements are so powerful and offer some tips to help consider if this approach is right for you.

Understanding Complementary Partnerships

Simply put, complementary partnerships happen when businesses team up to promote each other’s products or services. The terms complementary partnership and co-branding are generally interchangeable. 

Complimentary partnerships allow businesses and organizations with different strengths to create something better than either could offer alone. It’s also a chance for sellers of products that are sold separately but used together to join forces and pursue customers together.

There are many ways to create these types of partnerships.

  • A business that offers a product can partner with a company that provides a different product that’s similar or different.
  • A business that offers a service can partner with another service provider or a company that provides a product. 
  • Small businesses can team up with other small businesses, larger businesses, local groups, nonprofits.

Here are some examples of complementary partnerships for small businesses:

  • A bakery opens up a corner of the shop for a coffee kiosk, allowing customers to pick up coffee and pastries in one stop.
  • A t-shirt shop creates a partnership with a nearby school to provide spirit wear for students and families. The school promotes the shop, and the shop promotes the school with joint social media posts, signs, and other promotions.
  • An Etsy shop owner pairs up with an animal rescue organization to create a product line celebrating the organization’s work. The rescue organization sells the merchandise, and the two groups promote each other’s work.
  • A virtual assistant specializing in creating mailing lists creates a partnership with a writer who specializes in writing blogs and a social media manager who promotes small business accounts. The three promote each other’s services to clients but operate independent businesses. In many cases, they serve the same client and refer each other to clients who could use the services each provides.

There’s no limit to the ways you can work with your partners. In addition to promoting each other, you can jointly sponsor events, run contests where you feature each other’s business, share resources, introduce a shared rewards program, and even share a website or back-office service providers.

Benefits of Creating Complementary Partnerships

Creating complementary partnerships offer many benefits to business owners, including:

  • Increasing revenue through more business.
  • Helping small businesses survive and compete with more established companies by gaining a competitive edge and boosting brand recognition.
  • Offering opportunities to acquire new customers, engage more fully with established customers and provide a seamless experience.
  • Retaining current customers through enhanced offerings.
  • Sharing resources for greater reach with lower costs for each business.
  • Reducing the loneliness that often goes along with entrepreneurship.
  • Creating access to additional expertise from the partner and opportunities to share expertise.

Keys to Success

If you are thinking of entering into a complementary partnership, it’s important to do your homework before you begin seeking a partner.

Start by taking a critical look at your business to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what you bring to the table and what you’d like to find in a partner are essential to successful partnerships. 

With a clear vision of what you have to offer and what you need, look for a partner business that fits the bill. 

Networking is a great way to find potential partners. Attend local business meetups, reach out to the Chamber of Commerce, and attend trade shows to find potential partners. Also, be open to finding a partner closer to home. In some cases, a nearby business may fit the bill perfectly.

As you engage in conversations with potential partners, make sure that you feel comfortable with the partner personally, her approach to business, and her business practices. Even though you’ll be running separate business enterprises, as complementary partners, you will be working closely together, and that will be easier if you are comfortable with each other.

Once you and your patterner settle on a plan for a potential partnership, work together to create an agreement for your work together. Outline:

  • The parameters of your work together.
  • How you will communicate.
  • The level of transparency you plan to maintain.
  • How you will define success.
  • Who will manage which tasks.
  • Checkpoints where each business will assess the partnership’s future to determine if it still makes sense.

Please share!

Forming a complementary partnership is a fantastic way to move your business forward. If you enter into one, please drop us a line and share your experience.

 

 

 

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How a Great Elevator Pitch Can Win You New Clients

Imagine entering an elevator and finding that the only other person in the lift is your dream client or the hiring manager for your dream job. It’s just the two of you, and you are both riding to the 20th floor. You have about 30 seconds to introduce yourself and explain all the reasons why you–or your business–are the perfect fit for her needs.

You take a deep breath, smile, and deliver your best elevator pitch. 

As you reach the 20th floor, the person hands you her card and asks you to call so you can talk more. Success! 

If imagining this scenario has you wondering what in the heck an elevator pitch is and how to write one, this blog is for you. 

The HireMyMom team has seen firsthand how an elevator pitch can launch a career or change the trajectory of a business. Here we explain what an elevator pitch is, and share our best tips for creating and delivering one that works for you.

What’s an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short, well-rehearsed introduction of yourself and your skills/business. The pitch conveys all the vital information about you in around 30 seconds, using about 75 to 100 well-selected words.

It’s called an elevator pitch as a reference to a time when people generally worked in offices, and catching an executive in the elevator was an opportunity people sought.

Of course, the world has changed. In all likelihood, neither you nor your dream client is riding an elevator up to an office. But, the need for an elevator pitch remains as strong as ever, even if the pitch is delivered over Zoom or at a local networking event.

A good elevator pitch shows that you are comfortable taking the lead in conversations, makes it easy for you to introduce yourself to potential clients and employers, and helps you proceed with confidence when someone asks you to tell them about yourself.

The key is to develop an elevator pitch before you need it and then rehearse it, so you are ready to go when the opportunity arises.

How to Create an Elevator Pitch

Developing an effective elevator pitch is a process, and it takes some work and attention. But, the good news is that you are the world’s foremost expert on the topic of why you are a great find.

Write down some key points you want to include in your pitch to get started. In general, your elevator pitch should:

  • Start with an introduction. Include information about yourself. Share your name, add something about your education, and highlight your prior professional experiences.
  • Move on to a clear description of the problem your skill/business can solve.
  • Mention the customer/business who would most benefit from your skill/product.
  • Describe the benefits the customer/employer would enjoy from working with you.
  • Ask for a follow-up meeting.

Tell a (Short) Story

Once you identify your key points, start working them into a narrative that feels comfortable for you.

Here’s an example of an elevator pitch that someone launching a Virtual Assistant business might use.

“Hi, I’m Kate. It’s so nice to meet you! I have a degree in business administration and run a thriving Virtual Assistant business helping small business owners free up more time and space to focus on their core business. I do that by taking all the back-office tasks off their plates in a seamless way. I can book meetings, respond to customer requests, or take calls–I offer a fully customizable suite of services based on your needs. I’d love to talk more with you about how I can help make your business run more smoothly.”

Here’s another example of a pitch for a freelance graphic designer.

“Hi, I’m Lisa. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve always been interested in graphic design and recently earned a degree in the field. I’m particularly interested in creating gorgeous e-commerce sites for small business owners. I use my design and photography skills to make your products stand out. I’d love to talk with you about how we could work together if that’s Ok. Let me get your card or jot down your email and I’ll send you some additional information.” 

Here’s an example of a pitch that would suit someone looking for a full-time job.

“Hi, I’m Joanna. After several years of bookkeeping, I earned a certificate in Accounting and am eager to find a full-time position where I can use my skills and experience. Your company has a great reputation in the industry. I’d love to join your team to contribute while I continue to learn and grow. Do you have a card to share? I’d love to send you a follow-up email or set aside time to talk about opportunities.” 

Once you have a narrative you like, start saying it aloud. Try it out on a friend and make tweaks to sections that don’t feel comfortable. Pick up a pen (or keyboard) and make changes to sections that don’t feel natural or need a little polish.

After your tweaks, get out a timer and see how long it takes to deliver your pitch. 

  • If it runs more than a minute, sharpen it a bit so you can comfortably deliver the message in under 60 seconds.
  • If your message takes less than 30 seconds, look for a way to beef it up.

Practice Make Perfect

Once you have your pitch ready to go, you are confident in the content, and you know how long it takes to deliver it, it’s time to practice. The more times you say it, the more comfortable you’ll feel delivering it. 

As you say it out loud, you’ll get a sense of where you might stumble, the words you most want to emphasize, and the cadence that feels most comfortable. To get there faster:

  • Deliver the pitch to your spouse.
  • Share it with a friend.
  • Practice in the mirror.
  • Say it to yourself in the car.
  • Recite it as you pet the dog.

Tell Us

We’d love to hear about your elevator pitch. Tell us how you developed it, where you used it, and how it worked. We can’t wait to hear about it!

 

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Embrace change: Top 3 Talent Acquisition Trends for 2022

The lasting implications of the pandemic and ongoing digital transformations within our working cultures mean that HR managers are dealing with more challenges than ever. Government payouts and forced remote policies are complicating hiring processes, while reimagined trends and new standards for consumer interactions are shaping what employees have come to expect. This leaves us with the decision to lay off employees, reposition them, or hire people with different skill sets.

It’s undeniable that finding talent might get quite expensive and time-consuming. According to Employee Benefit News, employers spend around 33% of a worker’s annual salary during the replacement process. And it takes approximately 24 days to hire someone—not including reviewing resumes to find the best candidates.

Due to the Great Resignation, the talent pool is wider than ever. The crux of the matter is that many of millions of job seekers don’t have enough experience to do the new jobs requiring new skills. Employers are facing a maze of challenges—and they need to find a way out to stay competitive in the market.

I have worked for years to upskill women and help them find flexible work opportunities. But the current work market needs are broader than that. Here’s my take on what you should do to navigate today’s recruitment challenges, only aggravated by the Great Resignation, pandemic, and global competition over talent.

Upskilling and reskilling to optimize employee performance

Transitioning existing employees into new positions is more cost-effective than recruiting. Furthermore,  workforce training allows companies to maximize employee potential and workers to keep their jobs by expanding their skills to different areas.  

A Gartner report shows that 33% of the skills listed in a typical job posting in 2017 are no longer necessary, and new job posts require 10% more skills than previous years. For instance, collaboration platform management, data engineering, being bilingual, and customer empathy are some of the skills in demand for tech companies.

The first step is to identify what kind of skill sets you need to have to run your business effectively and successfully. Then, you can pinpoint what’s missing and find out whom you need to train to close current gaps. Ultimately, team leaders should outline the roadmap towards growth—employee plans should include goals, training schedules, and a target date for completion.

Second, inspire your employees to join upskilling programs. You might want to avoid employee burnout. Remember that they are already very busy and often feel that they don’t have time to learn new skills. By setting learning time into the workload, you can encourage your employees to improve their skills. 

This way, you can have more qualified employees as well as foster loyalty. According to research by IBM, employees are 42% more likely to remain with a company long-term if they received training that helped them perform their work at a higher level.

As an added benefit, upskilling increases employees satisfaction and retention. The statistics are astounding. Companies with a comprehensive training program have a 218% higher income per employee than companies that don’t. They also have a 24% higher profit margin than companies that spend less on this kind of employee development. 

Industry giants have already put a significant amount of money into upskilling. For instance, Amazon invested  $700 million in training programs. I can hear you saying, ”After all, they have all the money—it’s Amazon.” You also have many options. Encourage knowledge sharing and empower collaborative work in your organization. Workshops can be more informative and inspiring than you might think. Creating a safe zone where constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated will help you point your employees in the right direction.

Take your time to explore platforms like Udemy, edX, or Coursera if you don’t have in-house training opportunities. Besides, some Ivy League universities share their lectures on YouTube. When you have the budget, you can offer to pay a certain percentage of tuition and fees towards a certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study.

Advance recruiter expertise for a better employer brand

According to Glassdoor, 86% of job seekers look at a company’s reviews before applying for a job—your reputation precedes you. But an interview with recruiters is the first personal connection with the company, putting significant responsibilities on recruiters’ shoulders. Not doing the job well means time and money lost as well as employer brand damage.

Make sure that your brand ambassadors—recruiters—represent the company in the best way possible. People say that ‘’The best interviews flow like a conversation rather than an interrogation.’’ It might be true—but it has some issues. You can go off the topic and leave some important questions unanswered. Moreover, being like-minded and having common interests can cloud one’s judgment. 

A structured interview helps you be clear about the role, set your expectations and non-negotiables in a candidate, such as skills and traits. This way, it’s more likely that you provide a better candidate experience. Why does it matter? Because 26% of people decline an offer because they had a negative experience during the interview process. 

Along with the skill sets, it’s key to identify if the candidate is a cultural fit for the team. In this context, I refer to goals and missions for both employers and employees. Choosing someone who is skilled but not a good match for your team can impact overall performance, success, and even disrupt company culture. 

Ask the candidates what type of work environment they are most productive in and what management style motivates them. You can also ask if the candidate has any concerns about your company culture based on their research before the interview. The answers will help you understand what the applicants are looking for. 

Lastly, word travels fast. Any negative experience will come back to you as comments on social media accounts, affecting your employer brand. If this has happened to you before, make sure that your HR team gives the appropriate answers. Job seekers are more likely to apply if your company actively manages its brand by responding to reviews and communicating on social media.

Remote work for freedom and flexibility

After getting a taste of freedom, many employees don’t want to go back to the office. One of the most notable benefits of working from home is being able to have a better work-life balance. On top of that, people can plan their days, have more flexible and appealing childcare and eldercare options as well as reduce some expenses. 

From an employer’s perspective, offering remote work is rewarding. Some recruiters simply realize that virtual interviews and remote recruitment are time-saving and efficient methods. Most importantly, offering remote work makes your talent pool the talent ocean.

Even if we’ve been talking about the benefits of working remotely for some time, 44% of companies still don’t allow it—and these companies are limiting their talent pool by simply not offering remote work opportunities. Your ideal candidate might be miles away from you—don’t let distance come between you and top talent. 

Digital nomads are living proof of rising remote work culture. There are more than 15 million digital nomads from the US alone. The ability to work from anywhere in the world, higher salary expectations, and flexibility won’t let digital nomad growth slow down.

Besides offering remote work, consider paying a competitive salary, offering out-of-the-box incentives and bonuses—while creating a work culture that attracts ideal candidates, you can boost employee satisfaction.

The bottom line is that the talent is out there, and you need to ensure that you set a productive environment for the arrival of future candidates and employees.

 

 

 

 

 

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Is Your Team Member Struggling? Here’s How You Can Help

As a leader, you know your team. You see them succeed and help to celebrate triumphs. But, sometimes, you can see that a team member is struggling. Not just a bad day or an off week, but an evident struggle. You may notice missed deadlines or a decline in work quality. Sometimes you may see tardiness or a reduction in overall attentiveness. As a leader, this can make you feel frustrated and helpless. And it can also harm your business.

When everyone sits together in an office, it’s often easier to know what’s happening with team members, making it easier to offer support. But, when your team is virtual, it can be challenging to know what’s up beyond feeling that the person is struggling.

Sometimes, employees face personal issues ranging from health concerns to family issues. In some cases, childcare issues or fraying personal relationships make it difficult for employees to concentrate. And, sometimes, your team member may be thinking of moving on to another job.

As a leader of a virtual team, there are tips and tricks you can use to help offer support to employees who are struggling, so you can steer your team members back to the right path, or in some circumstances, help her find the right off-ramp.

Here are our best tips to help support an employee who appears to be struggling.

Listen

The first step is to talk with the employee. Don’t assume you know the nature of the issue.

Set up a time to talk. Make sure the time you set aside is free of other distractions and is not bound tightly by meetings or other obligations at the start or end.

Begin your talk with a friendly chat. After a few minutes of pleasantries, ask how she is and how things are going. Don’t say that you are worried about her or that you sense a struggle. Just tee up the conversation with a casual chat and some general questions. Then, listen in a non-judgemental way.

You may be surprised by what you learn. The employee may provide important clues about the struggle you sense. For example, the employee may share that her kids have been home from school due to quarantine or that she’s had to take on care of an older relative. You may also hear that she’s struggling to learn a new skill that she needs for the job or that she’s wrestling with a work capacity issue.

Whatever you hear, avoid offering solutions right out of the gate. Instead, reflect on what you’ve heard and show empathy.

If you don’t hear anything that could cause the struggle, it’s OK to say something like, ‘You don’t seem like yourself lately, and I’ve been a little worried about you, so I wanted to have this check-in.’ This could open up a new line of conversation.

Some people are super private and will choose not to share concerns openly. That’s ok, too. But still, listen for clues as you can.

Consider options

Once you know more about the issue, consider if it’s something you can help resolve or if there are ways to alleviate the issue leading to the struggle. 

If you learn that the struggle is rooted in family care or other time-based issues, consider:

  • Offering time off or a short leave of absence.
  • Looking at ways to make the work day more flexible.
  • Asking if scaling hours up or down could help.
  • Looking into online or phone-based mental health resources that could help.

If the issue appears to be skills-based, consider:

  • Spending extra time with the employee to offer hands-on support.
  • Providing a training program.
  • Getting a coach to help.
  • Assigning a more seasoned employee as a mentor.

In some cases, the issue could be thornier. For example, the employee may be thinking of changing careers or looking for a different type of job. In this case, consider if you want to retain the employees and what it might take to do so. Sharpen the pencil and see if you can offer more compensation or other benefits to keep the employee. 

You may consider if another role on your team might be a better fit for the employee and explore if a role change could solve the problem.

In some cases, your conversation may make it clear that it may be better for you and the employee to part ways. The prospect of losing a valued employee can prompt feelings of sadness or anxiety about finding a replacement, But, don’t take this development personally.

People leave jobs for as many different reasons as there are jobs. As an employer, some of the transitions are expected and outside of your control. For example, an employee who finishes a degree may decide to move on to a job in her field of study. Sometimes people have new family obligations–or family commitments change–and they choose to scale back or increase work obligations. Likewise, sometimes interests just change or curiosity drives people to try new things. 

In these cases, there’s not much you can do as an employer. But, there are things you can do to smooth the transition by helping the employee find a mutually agreeable off-ramp, thank the employee for her service and end the relationship positively. Doing so means you are poised to continue a good relationship with that person. In some cases, the employee may return to you later or suggest a friend as a resource.

Circle back

Once you’ve had a chance to think about options and how to support the employee, set up some time to talk again. In some cases, you may want to send an email in advance that says you’ve been thinking about ways to support her based on your last conversation and that you’d  like a chance to discuss. You can even preview some of your ideas in the note.

When the call starts, begin with a check-in to see how things are going. Then, offer that you have been thinking about the situation and outline the support you have in mind. 

Give the employee a chance to consider them and offer a follow-up call to discuss more fully, if needed.

Step Back

As an employer, you can’t solve everyone’s problems. But, it is in your best interest to help make sure that each employee can offer her best each day by removing obstacles that can make it difficult.

Tell us about a time you helped an employee through a difficult time or what recommendations you have.

 

 

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How to Avoid Common Scams and Find a Legit, Work-from-Home Job You’ll Love

Over the last few years, it’s been virtually impossible to miss news about the remote work revolution. It seems like everyone is working from home–either as a continuation of an arrangement that started due to the pandemic or as part of the great reshuffling.

According to a late 2021 Gallup poll, employees enjoy working from home and want to keep doing it. Many say they would leave a job if they had to be in the office every day.

But, despite the hype, you may be having trouble finding a work-from-home job. You know the one that lets you flex your hard-earned skills, develop new capabilities, set your own hours, eliminate your commute, and reduce the cost of child care. 

Indeed, more and more employers are actively recruiting home-based staff members, and the list of jobs done at home grows every day. But, there are also some scammers out there hoping to take advantage of moms who want to work from home.

So, what’s the secret to finding a “real” work-from-home job and avoiding scams? This blog spills the tea on how to find a legit opportunity and shares some red flags that a job posting may not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

Avoid red flags

Just like relationships, job posts can throw up red flags that mean it’s time to bow out. Here are some warning signs to look for:

  • Offers for jobs that you never applied to do. If someone reaches out with an immediate job offer after claiming to have found your resume online, it’s probably not legit. Proceed with caution and don’t give any personal information.
  • Jobs that sound good to be true–especially offers that arrive via email or phone calls. It’s easy for unscrupulous people to send out a batch of emails or make calls to job seekers promising a great job that doesn’t require experience. In many cases, the message asks for access to your bank account or Social Security Number to verify eligibility or asks for some other kind of personal information. Consider this approach a red flag and walk away.  
  • Jobs that require you to purchase specialized equipment or supplies from the company before you can start work. The same goes for employers who want you to send them money before you start working there. We’ve never heard of an employer who required you to make a significant investment in their products to start working for them. Consider this a warning sign.
  • Jobs that seem to pay much more than their competitors or ask you to start at a very low starting wage and then promise a significant raise if certain (yet unclear) requirements are met. Also, steer clear of jobs that want to send a “test deposit” to your bank account or propose paying you in an alternative currency, such as gift cards.
  • Recruiters who are unprofessional in their communication with you or don’t readily share details about the organization offering the job are often bad news. The same goes for unprofessional communication or high-pressure tactics to get you to move forward in the interview process. Consider these red flags and do more research before moving forward.

If you aren’t sure about a company or a job, do some research.

  • Conduct a Google search about the company. Do they have a website and a physical address? Do search returns list problems or issues, especially from job seekers?
  • Ask the person you are working with for references from other contractors. Legitimate companies are happy to provide references and more information about their operation.
  • Check with the Better Business Bureau to find out more about the company. Also, check out this helpful article about job scams from the BBB. If you think you may have been approached by someone running a scam, report it on their ScamTracker.

 

Look in the Right Place to Avoid Issues

Although there are scammers online, the internet remains a great place to look for jobs. One sure-fire way to make sure your job search is productive and as free of scams as possible is finding a job search partner that helps you narrow in on the right type of job with the right type of employer.

Signing up for a niche site like HireMyMom.com can save you time and hassle in the job search process because you get exclusive access to a curated list of legitimate work-from-home jobs offered by vetted companies. 

This cuts down on the legwork you’ll need to do to find a job, limits the pool of other applicants, and gives you peace of mind that the listing you are pursuing is legitimate.

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

To help keep the jobs legit and keep the pool of potential applicants exclusive, we charge job seekers a small fee. Based on our years of experience, we’ve found this is the best way to ensure the service works for everyone. Here’s why:

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

In addition, HireMyMom offers helpful resources to help you in your job search. Offerings include:

You can also use our full menu of Resources and Training and join our popular Coaching and Mastermind groups to find like-minded people who share your values and professional drive.

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

We can’t wait to help you find your work-from-home job!

 

 

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How to Make Your Freelance Business Soar

Here are our Top Secret Tools

Congratulations on your decision to launch a freelance business. Whether you are launching a social media business, starting a bookkeeping business or starting a virtual assistant business, you are about to take one of the most rewarding journeys of your professional life. The HireMyMom team is excited to help you take the first steps.

If you are like most freelancers, you have questions as you get started. Likely, you have lots of questions–because that sense of curiosity (combined with a healthy dose of courage!) led you to this point. You are eager to see your business succeed–and so are we! 

We suspect a lot of your questions center around logistics–questions like:

  • What tools and apps are most helpful for me and my business?
  • How to find good people when I need to outsource parts of my business?
  • How do I grow personally and professionally through this process?

We are here to help! This blog answers many of those questions for you. Let’s get started.

Use the Right Tools

Today, many people rely on online tools and apps to help with their work, but choosing the right tools for your business can be challenging. We get that! 

The HireMyMom team has gathered our collective experience to compile a list of the best online tools we’ve found to help you run your business smoothly. We’ve put them all into one document where you can quickly learn more–and it’s available for free right now.

Our Online Tools & Apps Every Entrepreneur Needs download is chock full of tips that make it easier for you to select the right tools for your business. It covers:

  • Organizational tools that let you share your personal and work to-do lists and a tool that reduces email spam with just a few clicks. (We know, it sounds too good to be true!)
  • Collaboration and online storage programs that can help make your business sing and ensure that your whole team is singing the same song.
  • Options for email marketing–including ways to find leads, manage lists, and send messages out to customers and prospects.
  • Social media resources that give you more control over your posts.
  • Resources for creating great graphics to help craft an image for your business.
  • Apps to manage phone calls and scheduling like the pro you are.
  • Payments and accounting tools that help make payments and bookkeeping a snap.
  • Online resources to help you up your blog game, describe your business with greater precision and increase your SEO scores.

This guide is free and easy to use. It shares our best tips to save you the hassle of trying different things. Download it today and let us know which tool saved you the most time.

Find the right people and clients

It may seem far-fetched to think about hiring people when you first start, and many freelancers are solo operators. However, you may find that you need to bring in targeted expertise early–possibly much earlier than you expect. If you need to find administrative support, writing help, or social media expertise, look to HireMyMom for great people who share your passion and commitment to working moms. When you are ready to make your first hire, use this free downloadable Top 10 Interview Questions To Ask to help guide you.

HireMyMom is also a great place to find small businesses looking for the types of services you offer. Many small business owners depend on the HireMyMom site to find freelance talent. When you are ready for new clients, check posts frequently to grow your business. You can also find links for training opportunities to help you build your business and expand your client base.

Visit our website each week and check out our blog for the latest thoughts on workplace issues and working motherhood. Also, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest,  YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest news. 

Cultivate Resources 

As a new freelancer and business owner, support can help you navigate the early days of your business. One great way to do this is to connect with the U.S. Small Business Association. The federal government operates the SBA. The service and information are free and top-notch. Its excellent website features information to help you plan, grow and manage a small business. Visit the local assistance tab to find out more about resources in your area. There’s even a special section for women-owned businesses and an opportunity to get free business counseling from a partner organization. 

Also, check your local Chamber of Commerce as another good source of information and contacts. Often, the chamber keeps a list of retirees or seasoned executives who are willing to mentor new freelancers and business owners.

Consider Coaching

When you launch a business, hang out your own shingle as a freelancer, or transition to working at home, it’s easy to second guess yourself. Confidence is essential as a business owner and freelancer. Rather than waste time fretting, take action by finding a coach or a group of like-minded people to help you move through this phase confidently.

An experienced, independent, outside voice can help provide feedback on what’s not working and give you the clarity you need on the best way to use your time and energy.

A coach can help you define what success means for you, guide you as you start or grow a remote career or business, and help you work through any fears that hold you back. 

HireMyMom’s Coaching & Masterminds program can help bring out the best in your business and in your life. We currently offer two options:

Elevate You: CULTIVATE: Mastermind & Coaching for Women can help you gain the clarity and focus you need to pursue your dreams while connecting you with a community of like-minded moms. You’ll find the path for meaningful growth and success through the program based on what matters to you. You’ll create deep and authentic relationships with women on the same path and benefit from coaching from our founder and HireMyMom CEO, Lesley Pyle.

Best of luck with your new business–we are cheering for you!

 

 

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How to Expertly Blend Homeschool and Work from Home

As more parents choose to work from home, many also choose to educate their children at home. School closures, pandemic disruptions, an opportunity to design learning around particular interests, and a desire to have more control over time and learning are all factors driving the trend. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, homeschooling increased sharply in 2020 when the pandemic abruptly changed the face of school. And, parents report being increasingly open to different types of schooling beyond neighborhood schools–a sign that homeschooling is a trend that will likely continue to grow.

Homeschooling can offer many benefits–like the flexibility to take time off when it suits you and the opportunity to have more direct influence over what, when, and how your children learn. It can also reduce the chaos that marks the mornings as families scramble to get everyone dressed and off to a day at school.

But it also comes with a fair number of challenges–especially for parents who work. Adding homeschool to the mix can be challenging for moms who work from home. But, with some patience, a plan, and a big helping of grace, it’s totally possible. Here are our best tips for merging home life with working at home and homeschooling.

Set goals

If you are already homeschooling and adding work to the mix, or if you are already working from home and adding homeschool, take a few minutes to set some goals. 

Your goals don’t need to be lofty. In fact, you might make establishing a baseline routine one of your goals or select a set amount of books to read by a specific date. But any goal, no matter how large or small it is, will help direct your actions and give you a greater sense of control over your time.

 Allowing enough transition time and space to feel a little uncomfortable can help you adjust to the role you are adding to the mix. 

Set up a school space and a workspace

We’re big fans of designated workspaces. Having a space set aside to do your professional work is key to helping you focus and feel ready to tackle your to-do list. The same goes for your kids. 

Identify an area where homeschool activities will take place and make the space conducive to learning. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need a dedicated school room in your house. But, having a place where you gather to do school work with supplies and books at the ready will increase your effectiveness as you embark on your school lessons and help your children know when it’s time to work.

If you don’t have an extra desk or table to set up a school area, consider a portable desk, a box or a backpack to store all schoolwork and supplies, so it’s easily accessed when it’s time to dig into lessons.

Create routines

When you work at home, it’s essential to give your days a rhythm. When you work at home and homeschool, a routine is doubly important because it helps your kids know what to expect. 

You don’t need a routine that’s as rigid as a school uses, but giving shape to your days will help you and your kids function on a more automatic level and reduce some of the cognitive load that goes into working and schooling at home.

For example, a routine for a day when everyone is home may start with breakfast, kitchen clean-up, and bed making. From there, have a short family meeting to discuss what’s on the docket for the day. Try to keep the general shape of the day similar to the previous day, so your kids know what to expect. This makes it easier to fit everything into the day.

Also, don’t hesitate to add outside free time, a quiet reading hour, or a rest period to the day so that you can carve out quiet time to do work that requires deep concentration. Adding these periods to each day can make it easier for your kids to go along with the plan because they know what to expect. In our experience, it’s easier to front-load the day with academic work rather than trying to pull kids into work later in the day once they settle into free-time activities.

Plan

Once you establish routines, layer a weekly and daily plan over the routine. Many homeschool curriculums lay out a week’s worth of lessons for you. Others let you pick what to cover in a week. Before each week begins, look over your plan. Then:

  • Consider if the outlined week is feasible based on your other responsibilities for the week. If so, great. If not, identify what needs to change and write it down.
  • Gather all the supplies you’ll need for the lessons and have them handy.
  • Consider your work responsibilities and make sure you have everything you need to succeed, including support from your spouse or childcare, if required.
  • Communicate with your kids about how the week will work and outline how they can help the family meet objectives for the week.

Be flexible

Despite creating routines and planning efforts, things will happen that require flexibility. Someone may get sick, an emergency house repair could pop up, or a work situation could change the way you funnel your attention for the week. 

This is all normal and part of life. Sometimes days and weeks will go great, and you’ll marvel at your efficiency and accomplishments. Some days and weeks will be more challenging. The key is to be flexible and go with it. Trust that your efforts will come together to achieve your professional goals while giving your kids a solid educational foundation for the future.

Find support

Working at home can be lonely–many moms miss the camaraderie of the office and the support that comes from co-workers. When you work at home, it’s crucial to build a professional network that can help support you.

Networks are also essential to your role as an educator and your children’s role as a student. Many communities now offer homeschool enrichment classes, library services, co-ops, and other ways to connect with local homeschoolers. You can also find support online. 

Making these connections will help you and your kids feel more comfortable learning and growing together.

Share the load

Remember that you are one person trying to do a lot of things. When you work at home and homeschool, you are a mother, wife, teacher, and professional. It’s essential that you communicate with your spouse and discuss ways to share the load. 

But, know that even the best team needs outside help from time to time. There may be times when you need to call in support to help you manage the load. Here are some ideas:

  • Tap extended family members to help with teaching. If grandparents or aunts, or uncles are nearby, see if one (or more of them) can help pitch in for teaching duty. 
  • Consider a tutor for some aspects of school work. Bring in a tutor if you struggle in an area or prefer not to be hands-on for a subject. Many tutors are available during the traditional school day, and having that help can help lighten your load, free up time when you can work, and introduce your children to another partner of their learning journey. This works exceptionally well with older kids.
  • Use childcare for a portion of the day. If your children are young, a few hours of childcare can really help free up time for you to get work done. There are plenty of options beyond traditional daycare centers–especially for homeschool families. Check out these ideas.
  • Outsource home tasks, such as grocery shopping or hire help with laundry or cleaning. Here are some tips to get started.

 

You tell us!

We’d love to hear your top tips. Drop us a line and tell us how you manage the responsibilities of work and homeschool.

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How To Write An Invoice For Freelance Work

Freelancing is an emerging industry, as many companies realize that outsourcing saves money, but outsourcing to freelancers saves even more. The 2010s became the decade of freelancers and as more money was involved in the field that is yet to grow and mature, so did the interest of different countries into new sources of money to be taxed. While an average freelancer is no expert in finance and taxation, practice proves that ignorance can cost more than a month’s wage for those who are self-employed. 

How to write an invoice for freelance work? – becomes a question asked more often than not. An invoice is a form of the official statement of earnings for a specific job that has been done and is as far from your regular contract or a paycheck. As such, the law sees an invoice as a form of communication between you and the taxing bodies in your country and should follow a more or less specific form that ensures all the relevant details are there. 

How to form a clear invoice

Making, writing, or raising an invoice are all the terms you may hear. In a sea of (mis)information, let us sift through those and see what we can make out. Read on to find out all about the required invoice information: 

  1. Title,
  2. Name and Logo (optional),
  3. Contact Details,
  4. Client’s details,
  5. Invoice Date,
  6. Invoice Number, 
  7. List of Services charged for, 
  8. The Amount Charged per Unit of Work, 
  9. Tax Rate (if applicable), 
  10. Total Amount due, 
  11. Payment Details, and 
  12. Signature (optional, in some cases, a digital signature applies).

Obligatory parts of an invoice for a freelancer

Title

All invoices must clearly state that they are an ‘invoice.’ Always check with your local authorities, the municipality office, or a bookkeeper for a more detailed explanation. Paying for an hour to consult a professional can save you thousands of dollars in fines further down the road. 

Name and Logo 

Every invoice should contain the name of the freelancer who did the work and who is getting paid. The invoice should also contain your agency’s name if you have one, as well as the logo. You should also sign your invoices if you keep them in printed form. 

Contact Details

Your invoice should contain your contact details as well. The 2020 standard is the email, although it can also contain your phone number in some cases. Ensure that the email stated on the invoice and the phone number are registered if you have registered an agency, and make sure that they are correct. The contact details of the client should be present as well. 

Client’s Details

The client’s name, address (if available), and contact details, are all of paramount importance. They signal to the IRS that they can verify your invoice on both sides of communication – you and your client being at the opposing poles of the transaction. This is simply a good practice in doing any business, having clear paperwork that you can rely on at times of need. Being able to quickly and efficiently retrieve client data can save you a lot of time and stress in the long run. 

Invoice Date

Dating your invoices is an important thing as well. The invoice date should follow the standard format of MONTH / DAY / YEAR. However, if you work with clients from elsewhere, such as Europe or Australia, be careful not to confuse them:

  • 2/3/2021 – the third of February 2021 in the USA, but: 
  • 2/3/2021 – the second of March 2021 in Europe and the majority of the world. 

You can avoid the ambiguity by using the first three letters of the name of the month instead of the number, so: 

3rd MAR 2021 – this would be a more appropriate and international standard. 

Invoice Number 

Every invoice should be numbered in the following format: THE NUMBER OF THE INVOICE IN THE CURRENT YEAR / YEAR. So, the first invoice you write in 2021 should be numbered as 1/2021; the second should be: 2/2021, the forty-seventh: 47/2021, etc. 

List Of Services Charged For

This list can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Maybe you work for a writing service and have done one more service that makes your client come back for more. In that case, you can list Social Media Marketing Services (usually charged by the hour), or online research (either by volume or by the hour). You can group your services under these headings or be more specific, adding details about Milestones and individual segments of work. 

The Amount Charged Per Unit Of Work

Besides this, you can also write the quantity (1, 2, 5, …) and the price per item. You can also charge per page, word, 100 words, or even 1000 words to standardize your practice. In this case, the quantity should state 2.5 for 250 words or 134.6 for 13,460 words. Be as specific as you can with these. 

Tax Rate 

Always bear in mind that the tax rate comes ON TOP of your service charge. You should never include it because this would mean you are getting paid less for your work. Always charge your worth. 

Total Amount Due

Total Amount Due is the sum of all the services you have provided to your client. This amount is the amount that you expect your client to pay and the amount you will present to your local authorities. 

Payment Details

Nothing to be scared of when speaking about payments, as this can be as simple as the number of your bank account number you want to be paid to, as well as your PayPal account. Since PayPal is a recognized means of payment in the USA, you should have no issues entering these details in an invoice in a legal way. 

Simply type in your email and let the clients use it for money transfers. In some cases, you can even leave several options, if you have several ways to get paid. This gives your clients comfort and can even save them some money, as they will choose the option with the lowest fees. 

Author:

Nicole Garrison is a part-time contributor to TrustMyPaper. A busy, aspiring person, she works on her skills pretty much daily. She hopes to establish her own writing agency one day and understands that managing skills are a must to do so. 

 

HireMyMom does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared by a guest author for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

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How to Improve Your Health and Fitness While You Make Money From Home

As a new year dawns, many people set health and fitness goals. It’s certainly a popular theme around our virtual water cooler, and we bet it’s trending in your life, too.

You know the basic advice–make health and fitness a priority, move more, sleep better, plan meals. But, working at home throws up some challenges to even the best-laid health and fitness plans. 

With years of collective experience working at home and working to stay fit, we’ve put our heads together to share our best tips for success. In each category, we include our favorite small changes that make health and fitness success easier from a home office and build up to more significant changes that have helped us find success on our fitness journeys.

It’s easy to let caring for yourself slide down the priority list as you manage home and work concerns. Sometimes slipping 15 minutes of extra work into your day instead of doing something for your wellbeing is the difference between meeting a deadline or missing it. We get that. But, we also know that ignoring your health can backfire, which is why it’s critical to make it a priority. We hope these tips help you on your journey.

Move more

Working at home offers many advantages, including the 10-second commute, the flexibility to address family issues, and the ability to work comfortably in casual clothes. But, it also offers challenges, like easy access to a kitchen and fewer reasons to go outside or move much. 

At home, it’s easy to avoid the type of incidental movement that happens organically when you work in an office. For example, you don’t have to walk in from the parking lot or train station. You never need to stroll down the hall to see a coworker or dash across town for a meeting. In addition, popping outside for a quick walk is more difficult if you have a sleeping baby or a young child who needs you nearby.

Scheduling a workout as part of most days is the surest way to prioritize exercise. We understand this doesn’t always work–and can be a little demoralizing if you miss a workout. But, it’s still essential to move. Here are some of our tips for quickly adding movement to your day:

  • Prop your computer up so you can stand for a portion of your workday. Standing while responding to email or doing light reading can help you feel more powerful and in control of your time.
  • Walk around your house while chatting on the phone. You’ll be surprised how many laps you can take around your home office during a 10-minute chat. Bonus: You won’t be tempted to multi-task by checking emails or sneaking a peek at your favorite website.
  • Set a timer to remind you to get up each hour. When the timer goes off, walk around or stretch for five minutes.
  • Learn two yoga poses you can do in your home office space. Do one when you start working and one when you stop working. If you work in spurts throughout the day, this light approach to exercise can pay off while helping you get more focused.
  • Keep light dumbbells next to your desk. Pick them up for some curls or chest presses when your hands are free. 
  • Do 20 jumping jacks between tasks. You’ll get your blood flowing, switch tasks more quickly and find that your focus is better when you return to work.
  • Start and end your workday by doing planks. Use the time to transition from mom mode to work mode.
  • Use your office wall to do standing push-ups.
  • Sprint up and down your stairs a few times between calls or projects.

When you finish work, scoop up your kids and head outside for fresh air and fun. Even if it’s not a full-on workout, a little light movement with your kids can help you transition back into family mode and give everyone a chance to reset and destress from a busy day.  

Plan your meals and snacks

Working at home means unfettered access to your kitchen. This can be a great money saver because you can always brew your coffee and make your lunch. But, it can also lead to mindless snacking and stress eating. Paradoxically, we sometimes find ourselves skipping lunch because we are really in the flow of work. This sets the stage for heavy (and often unplanned) afternoon snacking, sabotaging health and fitness goals.

Here are our best tips to avoid the pitfalls of having such easy access to all of your groceries all of the time.

  • Make a list of healthy snacks and meals that you find satisfying and have them on hand. We like pre-portioned items because they are easy to grab and having a pre-portioned amount makes it easier to control your portion size.
  • Pack your lunch and snacks the night before so you don’t have to make eating decisions during the heat of the business day.
  • Take a planned lunch break, especially if you work a full day. Leave your home office to avoid eating at your desk during your lunch break and multi-tasking through your break. You’ll enjoy your lunch more and will feel more refreshed. Bonus if you do a few exercises at the start and stop of each work period, as you’ll add two workout segments to your day.

Also, we have found that it’s essential to have a meal game plan at the start of each week to avoid a scramble for an evening meal. Apps, meal planning services, and grocery delivery can help you work smarter, not harder, in the kitchen and make it easier to achieve your fitness goals. Check out these tips to help ease family meal planning.

Finally, let’s talk about how the food needs of other family members can derail your plans for healthy eating. If your kids are like ours, you likely frequently answer questions about what’s for dinner and what snacks are available. Stops and starts to field snack inquiries can distract from your work and make you hungry. 

We’ve found that creating a weekly menu that covers all meals and snacks and hanging it on the refrigerator helps make this easier.

Direct your children to the menu when hunger strikes. (Make sure that some of the snacks can easily be grabbed and opened by young kids. For really young kids, include pictures of items they can select and make them easy to reach.) Having a posted menu reduces the discussion around what’s available to eat, eliminating a distraction for you as you work. Frankly, this one action will buy you untold peace of mind, help you reclaim time every day and make it easier not to snack every time a kid asks for one.

Maintain a good sleep schedule

We often advise rising early or burning the midnight oil to squeeze extra work into the day, reduce child care expenses and make the most of your days. However, that advice comes with an asterisk that you are still getting the sleep you need to be productive. Sure, it’s possible to rise before dawn or stay up well past your bedtime occasionally. However, making a habit out of it will leave you feeling depleted and tired. Here are some of the ways we make sure to get enough sleep:

  • Set a bedtime for yourself and stick to it. If you know you need to get up at 6 to add some work time to your day, be sure to count back and make sure you get to bed early enough to get enough sleep.
  • Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time most days. This will help you feel better and make deviations easier when they do happen.
  • Turn off all screens an hour before bedtime. Transitioning to a book or other non-screen activity makes it easier to fall asleep.

Please share!

Please tell us what tricks work for you! How have you found success working from home while focusing on health and fitness? 

 

 

 

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