Published:

01/23/2012 08:37pm

New Year? New Plans?

http://www.stilllivingthedream.com/2012/01/new-year-new-plans.html

Regardless of whether or not you have a list of resolutions or goals you want to work towards in 2012, the beginning of a new year is a good time to pause….maybe even for just a minute.
Do you like where your headed professionally or personally?
Have you tackled things you said you would last year?
Do you want to make changes?

I made a big change in my professional life by leaving a full-time job and starting my own business several years ago. As a freelance writer I worry about when the next job will come along and sometimes don’t juggle work and home well when everything is done from the same dining room table! But I’m happy to be able to be home for my kids and work for myself.
I’ve noticed that many people have looked for other working arrangements outside of the typical 9 to 5, commute an hour twice a day in rush hour type deal. More and more people are working from home and/or working part time to achieve a work/life balance.

I recently learned about a company that actually specializes in placing people in flexible jobs called Mom Corps. I sat down with Houston-area President, Meera Naehr to find out about what the job front looks like, what’s out there for moms and how her company is different from other staffing firms.

Houston-area Mom Corps President, Meera Naehr
Q: How is your staffing firm unique from others and in what way do you cater to moms?
Mom Corps: We’re different because we specialize in flexible workplace solutions. For example, if a start-up company needs an amazing marketer but doesn’t have the cash to hire one full-time, Mom Corps can offer them a flexible resource who can work fewer hours but contribute more because of their experience. We cater to Moms (and Dads!) in that parents often seek flexibility in their work so that they can meet familial obligations. There are so many talented people out there who want to contribute to the economy and will give it their all if they have some flexibility!
Q: What kinds of jobs do you offer?
Mom Corps: We source professional-level jobs in finance, accounting, HR, general management, IT, and most everything else. We do get some telecommuting positions — especially for smaller companies that are being economical with their office space.
Q: What are moms who are looking to rejoin the work force looking for right now?
Mom Corps: They want flexibility! This can mean several things: some want flexible hours like part-time, job-sharing, or designated ‘offline’ hours; some want flexible locations such as options to telecommute; and some want flexible duration such as working contract assignments in the Fall and Spring. I also find that many Moms are just looking for more family-friendly companies in which the results of their work will be held in higher regard than their face-time. They are willing to work full-time but would like to be able to work a few of those from home after the kids go to bed so they can be available for after-school events and family mealtimes.
Moms come looking for jobs for a variety of reasons. For some, the need is purely financial while some are looking to reclaim the person they were before they had kids. This is especially true for Moms whose youngest kids have started school. I also hear from Moms who are currently working but are looking to scale down their hours or commute times.
Q: Can moms make a lot of money…even working part time or from home and if they’ve been out of the workforce for a while?
Mom Corps: It’s important to remember that part-time work usually equals a part-time salary, so the biggest hurdle is getting over the fact that pay will be less in a part-time position than a full-time one. However, pay doesn’t necessarily have to be less in a flexible position. Moms can certainly make lots of money working part-time — it just depends on their skillset. Consultants and accountants working contract assignments on an hourly basis do really well. People who have been out of the workfor