Feeling Fearful? Parents Going Back to Work Needn’t Worry

I’ve been having babies - and then bringing up our young children - for the last 6 years. It’s been an extremely enjoyable (and challenging!) time. I should post another time about my parenting experiences; it will make for an amusing read!

During this delicious period of changing nappies; breastfeeding tired and hungry babies at 3am; potty training; nurturing; teaching; growing in pride; and having numerous stressful meltdowns (that’s me, not just the kids) I’ve tried very hard to juggle both working with parenting and, in more recent years, have taken a career break to focus solely on the children. 

But the time is coming where I want to go back to work and over the last 12 months or so I’ve started tuning in to the conversations at the school gate. 

Many parents, just like me, are looking into the career options available to them. And most are sharing their fears about re-entering the workplace. 

They talk about having a lapse in self confidence; a fear of being able to function again in a corporate environment; and reveal the doubts they have about their skills and abilities. 

Parents with young children might be surprised to learn that they aren’t the only people who take time out of work to pursue other priorities.

Although the largest group of ‘career breakers’ are those who want to care for young children, many other adults take time out from their careers to travel; look after elderly or unwell relatives; take on an internship, to try out a new potential career; or take sabbaticals. 

So if you’re a stay at home parent, looking to go back into work at some point, you will be thrilled to know you aren’t alone and your concerns are also not uncommon. 

Here are some simple tips to get you thinking positively as you make the next step into ‘career world’:

The Role

1. Consider the next role you’d like to move into. Is it the same role you previously had or do you want to try something different? Do you need greater flexibility than you had before? What sort of role would really energise you? What salary would be needed? 

2. Consider the skills required for this new role. You might go online and review current job ads. You might talk to people in the industry. See what skills and qualifications are being asked for. Do you have them? If not, could you acquire them? Are there courses or qualifications you could complete now to help you hit the ground running once you are ready to interview?

Your Strengths 

1. Brainstorm your own offering. What value can you add? Brainstorm what you really enjoying doing (tasks; how you like spending your time at work; what energises you most). Brainstorm your skills. Your qualifications. The courses you’ve completed. Think about what you do really well. Write all these things down and review what you uncover. 

Just because you’ve been at home for some time doesn’t mean you’re suddenly unemployable! Many parents go back to work after a career break and lead very fulfilling professional lives thereafter. 

Don’t listen to the wimpish voice in your head! Take action and start outlining everything you DO have to offer. It’s a great first step to getting yourself back into the swing of working. 

Rebecca

At A Career Crossroads? Use Your Values To Guide Your Decision.

Andrew Penn, CFO Telstra

Last week I attended a networking function, co- hosted by The Financial Review and The University of Sydney's Business School.


The CFO of Telstra, Andrew Penn, was the keynote speaker who offered a series of very honest thoughts about a range of topics, most notably for me: his views on effective career management.

Being an individual and coach who believes deeply in the power of values - and the importance of seeking outcomes that support those values - I was thrilled to hear what Andrew had to say about his own career choices.

He told us that he realised early on how important both 'challenge' (a value) and 'opportunity' (a value) were to him: any role he has taken, since starting out as a clerk in a shipping business, had to meet these criteria.


What a simple strategy: to ensure your values are met.


Consider your career today and where you want to go. What do you really want to get out of it?


Might it also be 'challenge' or 'opportunity'?


Or perhaps to broaden your 'knowledge' or deepen some specialist 'expertise'?

(These are all values: they are factors that are important to you).


Perhaps you need your work to bear 'immediate results' or maybe you enjoy seeing 'results over a longer time frame'?


Whatever your values, be mindful of them. Basing your career choices on them will bring you untold fulfilment and success.


Rebecca


Rebecca Wells is a Career and Executive Coach with a specialism in Personal Branding for Corporate Women. She believes that women are phenomenal and add long lasting commercial value to business and yet often struggle to understand their value or believe deeply in their abilities to succeed. Her coaching programs are designed for talented and savvy professional women who simply need that extra push to achieve their greatest fulfillment and success.

The Top 4 Reasons Employees Quit

This post, written by Kazim Ladimeji of the Career Cafe, struck a chord with me.

So much so, I wanted to share it word for word with you. It's written with a recruiter in mind but the learnings are just as important for a candidate seeking out a new job.

Here's what Kazim had to say:

"A few years back, PwC published some interesting findings of 19,000 exit interviews within their organization, where one of the key questions that was asked of employees was the simple question, “What was their reason for leaving?” The four most common reasons for leaving their organization were, in order of rank:


1.Limited career/promotion opportunities

2.Supervisor lacked respect/support

3.Compensation

4.Job duties boring/no challenge.

These findings resonate well with a later and similarly expansive Gallup Poll, which took into account the views of employees from 44 organizations and 10,600 business units. Gallup found an almost identical top four reasons for employees voluntarily leaving. Between these two substantial surveys we have a fairly good grasp on why good employees leave voluntarily.

Of course, ordinarily staff retention is a key focus of the ‘at work’ HR Business partners and employee relations team. However, upon knowing these top reasons for employees leaving it becomes clear that there are real steps that recruiters can and should be taking to not only hire staff well, but to hire staff in a ‘sticky’ way so they stay for the long term. Thus, putting recruiters in a strong position to be able to say that they make a meaningful contribution not just to staff attraction, but staff retention. This also raises their profile within the organization they work in or serve.

Listed below are the top four reasons that employees leave and four corresponding actions that recruiters can take during the recruiting process to help counteract these issues.

1. Limited career/promotion opportunities. Recruiters should check that the candidate’s career development and advancement expectations are closely aligned with what the organization is able to offer. That is, can the business meet the career development needs of the candidate? If the answer is no, then this candidate may be a risky hiring prospect who may be likely to leave prematurely.

2. Supervisor lacked/respect support. Recruiters should develop job descriptions with detailed manager profiles so the employee can see their potential supervisor’s management style and team culture – and see if it will be a good fit. Ensure that the candidate’s preferred style of being managed matches up with the manager’s preferred style of management as a mismatch could lead to an early voluntary exit by the employee.

3. Compensation. Be concerned about candidates who are singularly focused on compensation. Why? Because, if, as a subsequent employee, they become dissatisfied with their pay, the fact that they don’t place much value in other areas of the brand offering like culture, training and career development opportunities, means these other perks will not serve as retention devices. This type of ‘money fixated applicant’ will be much more vulnerable to premature departure than a candidate who places value in many of areas of the brand offering.

4. Job duties boring/no challenge. Clearly, recruiters should be encouraging line managers to produce comprehensive job descriptions that accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities, scope of the role, flexibility, and key contacts in order to provide an all-round feel of the role. Also, make use of Realistic Job Previews (RJP) which is a process where you give the employee a view of both the positive and negative aspects of the job. Research shows that use of RJPs means the employee will be better able to cope with the stresses and strains of the job and be more satisfied.

I believe that the modern recruiter or talent acquisition professional can add greater value to the organizations that they serve or work for by placing an emphasis on hiring ‘sticky’ employees who are selected to not only be good, but to actually stay for the longer-term and enable the employer to fully realize the investment they made in the new recruit."

Thanks Kazim!

At a Career Crossroads? Define Your 'Meaningful Contribution'...

Fulfillment in life, and at work, often boils down to your contribution. And more particularly, your meaningful contribution.

Both terms 'contribution' and 'meaningful' will mean different things from person to person.

'Contribution' might be about...
... the time you offer to others
... the financial input you give
... the thinking you provide

And 'meaningful' might be about...
... who you help
... how you help them
... or why you choose to make that difference.

What I have discovered, working with hundreds of people now in the areas of career change and career fulfillment, is that 99% of the time, it boils down to needing to feel prouder of the inputs and outputs of your day.

Quite simply most of us are looking to make a more 'meaningful contribution' and feel as though we are adding greater value to the world around us. Perhaps the key to professional happiness is understanding how you would define this idea?

- Rebecca

Personal Branding Quick Tip 1: Your Personal Brand Depends On Your Happiness

When we look at personal branding strategy for a client, who wishes to raise his or her profile at work, one of the most important factors to understand is whether or not they like what they do for a living. Imagine standing infront of an audience of 500 people - their eyes fixed on you, waiting for you to speak. I am sure you'd agree that task would be a whole lot easier if you were about to speak on a topic you were passionate about. All too often people are looking for quick fixes: ways to bring fulfilment to their work without addressing the biggest question of all: "Am I happy in my job?" Effective personal branding starts when you feel aligned with the goals you are setting; enjoy the environments you find yourself in; get energy from the people you work with; and love the outputs of your day. So before embarking on a personal branding journey ask yourself how happy and fulfilled you are at work. And if you're struggling to find anything positive to say, your first step should be to understand your personal and professional values to see what really matters most to you. - Rebecca

Is Income Linked to Fulfilment?

According to Management Today magazine (Oct 2011 issue), the 'magic number', after which job satisfaction and fulfilment are no longer affected by income, is $71, 675.

It's not clear how this number is calculated...

I would have thought that in reality, there is no magic number. Certainly not a number we would all agree to.

What I do think is important however is having clarity of what really gives you satisfaction at work.

Of course income is important but I don't believe it is the most relevant measure.

The Australian Institute of Management (AIM) conducted an Employee Engagement survey last year to understand the impact of monetary incentives. The study showed that employee satisfaction is most heavily dependent on 'being valued and understood' with over 40% of respondents marking this as their primary need. Other key factors included:

'good relationships with co-workers'
'good relationships with my manager'
'new and interesting challenges'
'feeling valued by the organisation'

Pay ranked 10th on the list.

So whether there is a 'magic number' or not, what is apparent is that pay should never be your sole focus.

At the end of the day if you aren't performing tasks that energise you or are not producing an output that you are proud of, what good is more money?

I'd welcome your thoughts as always!

- RW

Are You Repeating The Same Year or Enjoying New Experiences?

Have you been repeating the same year at work over the last 2-3 years or has every year during that period brought you new opportunities, learnings and growth?

Too many people get stuck in a rut professionally, doing jobs or tasks they could perform in their sleep. Where's the fun in that?

In my view, a much better use of your time is to use every month and every year as opportunities to grow; to challenge yourself; to seek new experiences; build new networks; and take on different responsibilities.

With every new opportunity, your self-esteem and confidence both enjoy a huge boost and you enhance your employability ten fold.

- RW

Be Careful Who You Share Your Dreams With

How often have you set out to try something new, or do something you believe will bring greater happiness and fulfilment to your life, only for someone else to try and knock you back? The conversation might have gone something like this:

YOU: "I am so excited! I'm going to quit my job and pursue my dream career."

DREAM SNATCHER: "Oh really? Why would you want to do that?"

YOU: "Well I hate my job and I've always dreamt of being a chef."

DREAM SNATCHER: "Oh really? What about your mortgage - how will you
pay that?"

YOU: "Well..."

DREAM SNATCHER: "And what if it doesn't work -you've no guarantees. It's a huge risk, you must see that."

YOU: "Well actually I was thinking more about the benefits but... now you say that...."

STOP!

Before this conversation happened, you were coming from a place of abundance and opportunity. You were looking for ways to make your life as you wished it to be. You love food, creativity and get high every time someone simpers over the food you have cooked.

The Dream Snatcher is always going to come from a place of scarcity and fear: What if this goes wrong? How will you cope? What if you fail? What if you run put of money?

Be careful who you share your dreams with.

When you're pursuing a change in your life, however big or small, surround yourself with people and environments that support you. Seek out people who have done what you are looking to achieve already, listen to what they have learnt, learn from their experiences and successes. Dream Snatchers have never dipped their toe into the sea of opportunity before... why on earth would they have useful opinions to offer you?

THink of it this way: If you wanted to buy an investment property would you ask your dad for advice if he had never bought one before... or someone with a portfolio of property worth over $10m?

When embarking on a new path, whatever it may be, there is no room for doubt or for doubters. -RW

Your CV: Why Your Experience to Date Is Just Not Enough

Take the average CV. Here's a snapshot:

1. Personal details

2. Executive summary (always good but only a handful of candidates seem to include this)

3. Professional experience (with some detail of each role performed, including dates)

4. Qualifications (professional, then university, then secondary school)

5. The fun stuff (a brief insight into your personality and interests)

That average CV tells me, and a recruiter, about where you've come from but it tells me very little as to where you want to go.

One of the most powerful additions you can make to your existing CV is a quick summary of where you'd like to take your career. It's a means to explain how the job you are applying for fits into your overall strategy and career plan. Not only does this forward-thinking demonstrate a care for your own professional progression, it also shows 'maturity' and 'leadership', both traits that recruiters and employers are looking for.

Here are some tips to finesse your CV:

1. Do the basics well: have a clean layout with plenty of white space around your words; keep your CV to 2 pages; use a legible font size; use your computer's spell checker first and then proof read it yourself.

2. Use a similar structure to that outlined above. Include an executive summary which should comprise of a few bullet points outlining your experience to date.

3. After your executive summary add a brief overview of your vision for your current and future career; 2-3 bullet points will suffice. Explain how the role you are applying for fits in and how it will be a stepping stone towards this future path. Offering even a rough idea of your career plan is a valuable, and must-have, addition to your CV.

- Rebecca


Read related posts written by Rebecca:

3 Questions To Help Your CV Stand Out From the Competition

The 5 Keyword Types To Use in your LinkedIn Profile

The Number 1 Mistake Women Make On Their CVs

The Importance of Mindfulness At Work

There are countless studies that demonstrate how much ‘presenteeism’ costs business.

“What is ‘presenteeism’?” I hear you ask.

If you are at work but spend a lot of time scrolling through facebook; chit-chatting about American Idol; or staring blankly at your computer screen then you are physically ‘present’ but not mentally so.

We can all ‘do mindlessness’ from time to time but this lack of engagement doesn’t just cost companies – you lose out too.

When I used to work for large corporates, I certainly welcomed doses of ‘presenteeism’ to give me some respite from my daily tasks. I have since realised that the reason, certainly for my own ‘mindlessness’ at the time, was the lack of fulfilment my job gave me.

Now, as my work involves either helping clients to achieve their goals or developing my own business, my passion and enthusiasm ooze out of every pore. There is no need for respite, there is no need for ‘a breather’… by finding my purpose, I have fulfilment and as a consequence, enjoy a conscious mindFULness in all that I do.

If you find yourself spending far too much time pushing your pencil around your desk; find excuses to avoid going to work; are dashing off for too many cigarette breaks; or making extra chocolate runs for your workmates, I’d ask yourself this one simple question:

Is it ACCEPTABLE that I am ALLOWING my time to be spent this way?

If it is, that’s fine. Only you can choose to make a change if you want it.

If it isn’t ok and you want to fill your time with projects, tasks and opportunities that excite you, thrill you, make you want to jump out of bed in the morning, and feel completely absorbed and passionate about what you do… then how about booking an Introductory Coaching session with me to explore who you really are and what you really want to do for a living.

You spend a third of your life at work – wouldn’t it be wonderful if that time gave you much greater fulfilment and you looked forward to each and every instalment?

Chat to me today to find out how.
- RW

© Rebecca Wells, Ask Rebecca How 2010.