Think Green: Living in a Nightmare Economy

Let's face it; standing in the unemployment line is devastating. Nation wide, it's no short line either, wrapping around like The Great Wall of China. Getting the infamous pink slip can be terrifying, but even with the devastation of losing one's job, some people are turning their lives around and doing some serious soul searching to make sure that their next job is their dream job.

Is it possible to find your dream job? I posed this very question to Kim N. Carswell, who specializes in career transition and resume branding, "It is a very provocative question because most people want to work, feed their family and that's it. In other words…regain their dignity after losing their job. This is like the 2009 Box Office hit "Up in the Air", where a traveling executive's sole purpose was to fire employees. These times are a wake up call. This is a rebirth. After the global economy breakdown, we were forced to acknowledge that the era when one could work at the same company for thirty years has vanished."

But can you get a dream job in this nightmare economy? Kim believes that you can find what you want even in this tough economy by adding personality to your resume and searching for green jobs. "Although the current job market is full of talented, well educated professionals, it is easy to get discouraged with the job search process, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. No, it’s not a train; it's an opportunity to rebrand yourself for the vibrant 'Green Job Market'," she insists.

According to Newsweek magazine's 2009 Green Rankings (http://greenrankings.newsweek.com/top500) of America's Fortune 500 largest companies; Hewlett Packard, Nike, and Starbucks received top ratings for their environmental performance and changes in operations. Kim continued, "Keep in mind that all companies need marketing, accounting, communications and so on. Next time you go shopping look for the Energy Star symbol and visit their website to see if their hiring. So, let’s explore a positive approach to regenerating your employment dreams. Take a past or present downsizing, layoff, or outright termination and dream…Dream Green."


About Kim N. Carswell: Specializing in resume writing and personal branding for professionals in career transition, Kim N. Carswell, author and Chief Executive Consultant of Persona Affairs, brings forth cutting-edge marketing strategies and introduces the power of resume branding in a tough and dwindling job market.
Carswell’s new book, Resume Branding 101: Strategies for Getting Noticed in 10 Seconds or Less, guides readers to determine their true market value while creating an "employer friendly" resume. Visit: http://www.personaaffairs.com

Published in Elephant Journal

Working Moms: 6 Tips for Success

1. Absolve yourself of “mommy guilt.” You are doing the best that you can.
2. Remember that a desire for a career does not make you a bad mother, nor does a desire for work/life balance make you a bad employee.
3. Be proactive and creative. Many supervisors are open to considering creative solutions when they are presented, but will not be so conscious as to offer them unasked.
4. If you have a partner, ask that partner for help and unconditional love and support.
5. Find a community of mothers who also work outside the home. So much mom support is based on the stay-at-home crowd, and while some of our issues are the same, some are very different.
6. Remember that raising children only comes once in a lifetime.

Elephant Journal

Balance Work & Motherhood: Making Work…Work for Us.

The best days of my life weren’t when my future husband, Roland asked for my phone number, or when I defended my master’s thesis. I thought nothing could be better than the day I said, “I do!” and jumped the broom. It was when I gave birth to our sons, Roland Jay and Joshua.

Now, three years later, I think back to when I was in the hospital sending text messages just moments after giving birth to our first son. I’ll admit that I was a workaholic. I worked over 10-hour days and responded to work-related emails on the weekends. My life was my job and work came first. I skipped family functions and sorority meetings to work. I completely sacrificed my social life.

Being on maternity leave was truly a blessing. I had time to collect my thoughts and prioritize life. I struggled with returning back to work, but enjoyed my job and wanted to fulfill my dreams. Before returning, I did the following: 1) changed my work hours to 8am – 5pm, in order to pick up our son from daycare, 2) found a daycare where I could view our son online, and 3) promised myself that I would leave work on time every day.

After giving birth to our first child, I had fears of returning back to work. Fears, such as not being able to juggle my new life. Although an extremely good multitasker, having the responsibility to take care of another human being was a huge deal. Sleep deprivation and pacing up and down the same hallway ruled my whole universe. The arduous task of juggling work and motherhood probed me to find out how other moms balance work and motherhood.

Claire Jaramillo, associate director at a nonprofit organization states, “My job has given me a flexible working schedule. I telecommute two days a week, which really helps me maintain my milk supply. It also lessens the amount of time that I’m separated from my baby. My job has also created a space for me to pump.”

There are several options that can help women balance every day life. If your job does not require regular face-to-face communication, then telecommuting may be a great option. Certain companies may allow various start and end times for salaried positions. Sometimes, employees have the option to choose to work a compressed work week, in which they work longer hours during the week and have a full or partial day off. Colleagues may also be interested in job sharing, in which they share the same job and each work part-time.

The key to balancing work and motherhood is creating boundaries and making sure that your family is first priority. Teresa Hernandez, Human Resources Generalist at a west-coast university, changed positions at the university shortly after returning back from maternity leave. “I felt comfort in my community of friends/mentors at the university, who encouraged me to consider transferring jobs. They helped me find a position in Human Resources that fit my skills and goals. I transferred in January of 2008 and have been very satisfied; my work ends at the end of the day, and I can go home to my family.”

I think it’s also important to take time out of each day to get centered. Below are several tips to make your day more enjoyable.

* Personalize your space. Make your workspace a place that makes you smile.
* Take a (virtual) vacation. (I close my eyes and pretend that I’m 21 years-old again, vacationing in Jamaica).
* Try to get the annoying things off your to-do list before lunch.
* Take a walking break in the afternoon and get some fresh air or visit a friend in another department.
* During lunch, pray, exercise, take a nap (rest), play some tunes, or meditate.
* Add a fountain in your office. The sounds of running water can be soothing.
* Dress up! Wear something that makes you feel and look good!

There are more than 83 million moms in the United States, and 61% are striving in the work place. Everyday mothers are successfully accomplishing this great balancing act: work and motherhood.

The women’s movement suggested that mothers can have it all. From a personal experience, I would have to agree. The topic and discussion of stay-at-work moms is profound, yet it is our living within the presence of these moments that tremendous accomplishment and self-confidence are gained.

Excerpts from The SACRAO Journal article, Working Moms: Finding a Balance Between Work and Motherhood.