Hi all!
So I've decided to move to WordPress. Its an easier platform and more robust for tracking visitors. I'm also going to be changing the focus of my blog to one that includes my personal passions and interests as they impact my career transformation (and the many, many transitions I've experienced over the past 20 years). You can find me at AccesibleSanity.wordpress.com from now on!
I will move over posts as they come up but the new blog will be focus on all the the different influences in my life at this given phase of my life, from cooking and teacher conferences to professional networking and math classes at the Montgomery College, the blog will be a look at my journey for personal and career fulfillment as it happens.
I hope you stop by and read or drop a comment and share your experiences if the posts resonate with your own lives!
Best,
Becky
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Unexpected Networking Opportunity at the Local Park? Yes!
So today was my first day back at a local parent resource center, where I took my two older boys when I was at home with them 5 years ago. This was my daughter's first visit and she LOVED it! Its basically a preschool classroom that is financed by Health and Human Services and supported in partnership with Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers Program. Now that Maddy's at home with me full-time it was important for us to keep her engaged in age-appropriate activities.
So to explain the unexpected networking opportunity part of this story. I looked out the window and saw a mom I hadn't seen in person in almost 3 years! Kim is a blogger and currently a blogger community manager for a Collective Bias. We met at this parent resource center when our oldest were too young for preschool and we wanted to connect with others in our community.
Note: I have been friends with Kim but haven't seen her in person in almost 5 years so when we reconnected, it was great on personal and surprisingly professional levels (keep reading). Between catching up with the basics (husbands, older kids, basic career, etc.), laughing at our crazy personalites and lives, and watching our kids play, we talked. We talked about the challenges we face as moms and families and about the opportunities and plans we have for the future. We gave each other advice, she on monetizing blogging, and I on career transitions (she's looking for a full-time gig where she can remain working from home) for those interested in a bright and engaging community manager contact her, you'll be glad you did, and it was a great morning. We're planning to see each other again tomorrow since the center is opened T, W and F from 10-2:30pm.
She and I are now reconnected and I'm thinking about transforming this blog to a lifestyle blog. She happens to be a lifestyle blog community manager so upon telling her my passions (mentoring/career advice, kids and food), and her encouragement that expand the scope of this blog to include those things, I listened.
Did I know I was going to spend the morning with my daughter in my community meeting other families? Yes. Did I think I might make the transition from this blog to a lifestyle blog? No. Did I think I'd end up with a potential opportunity to use my ramblings as a way to bring in a few dollars and flex my muscles in the blogging space? No.
But am I happy I went with my gut to spend the time with my daughter? Absolutely. And look how the Lord rewarded that commitment to my family? I reconnected me with a smart, funny mom whom I haven't talked with in years in a position of influence in the potential next step in my career transformation. Not bad for day-2 as a full time Stay-at-home-mom.
So now to finish my take-home test for my Algebra/Statistics class at Montgomery College tonight. Never a dull moment!
So to explain the unexpected networking opportunity part of this story. I looked out the window and saw a mom I hadn't seen in person in almost 3 years! Kim is a blogger and currently a blogger community manager for a Collective Bias. We met at this parent resource center when our oldest were too young for preschool and we wanted to connect with others in our community.
Note: I have been friends with Kim but haven't seen her in person in almost 5 years so when we reconnected, it was great on personal and surprisingly professional levels (keep reading). Between catching up with the basics (husbands, older kids, basic career, etc.), laughing at our crazy personalites and lives, and watching our kids play, we talked. We talked about the challenges we face as moms and families and about the opportunities and plans we have for the future. We gave each other advice, she on monetizing blogging, and I on career transitions (she's looking for a full-time gig where she can remain working from home) for those interested in a bright and engaging community manager contact her, you'll be glad you did, and it was a great morning. We're planning to see each other again tomorrow since the center is opened T, W and F from 10-2:30pm.
She and I are now reconnected and I'm thinking about transforming this blog to a lifestyle blog. She happens to be a lifestyle blog community manager so upon telling her my passions (mentoring/career advice, kids and food), and her encouragement that expand the scope of this blog to include those things, I listened.
Did I know I was going to spend the morning with my daughter in my community meeting other families? Yes. Did I think I might make the transition from this blog to a lifestyle blog? No. Did I think I'd end up with a potential opportunity to use my ramblings as a way to bring in a few dollars and flex my muscles in the blogging space? No.
But am I happy I went with my gut to spend the time with my daughter? Absolutely. And look how the Lord rewarded that commitment to my family? I reconnected me with a smart, funny mom whom I haven't talked with in years in a position of influence in the potential next step in my career transformation. Not bad for day-2 as a full time Stay-at-home-mom.
So now to finish my take-home test for my Algebra/Statistics class at Montgomery College tonight. Never a dull moment!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Endings and Beginnings
Endings have always been hard for me, but spending these last weeks talking to folks I've been working with and their genuine excitement and support for the next step of my career have made what might have been a difficult transition that much more affirming.
Thank you for all those who have stopped at my desk for sent emails of support.
I think one of the things that you must keep in mind when ending one chapter of your life is to make sure the next chapter is a step to get you closer to who you really are and who you want to be. If you keep the below in mind, endings can be empowering experiences that can propel you happily into your next adventure.
1. Remember your future is always being defined by the decisions you make today.
2. Surround yourself with those who love and know you better than anyone else in the world. They will be your best sounding boards when you want to make a change (professionally or otherwise).
3. Believe. Believe in your gut instinct of what you are meant to do. That instinct is often the Holy Spirit pointing you in a direction you are meant to go.
4. Enjoy the journey and try to be as present as possible in whatever you do. You only have one life.
5. When in doubt, pray. Pray for patience and wisdom in your actions and thoughts.
6. Be thankful for all the opportunities you have to grow and change. Someday you will look back and it will seem like a distant memory.
Thank you for all those who have stopped at my desk for sent emails of support.
I think one of the things that you must keep in mind when ending one chapter of your life is to make sure the next chapter is a step to get you closer to who you really are and who you want to be. If you keep the below in mind, endings can be empowering experiences that can propel you happily into your next adventure.
1. Remember your future is always being defined by the decisions you make today.
2. Surround yourself with those who love and know you better than anyone else in the world. They will be your best sounding boards when you want to make a change (professionally or otherwise).
3. Believe. Believe in your gut instinct of what you are meant to do. That instinct is often the Holy Spirit pointing you in a direction you are meant to go.
4. Enjoy the journey and try to be as present as possible in whatever you do. You only have one life.
5. When in doubt, pray. Pray for patience and wisdom in your actions and thoughts.
6. Be thankful for all the opportunities you have to grow and change. Someday you will look back and it will seem like a distant memory.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
New Beginnings (Again)
I was inspired last month when I attended a Google Analytics training course (generously paid for by my contract company) and was excited about learning again! That training crystallized something I had been thinking about for a long time, that Content is King!
So when I realized there would be no room for me to grow that interest where I was working, I submitted my 3 weeks notice. Thank you Lord for giving me the wisdom to walk away from my job and to my husband who has been my rock and encouraged me to take this leap. I love you, honey!
While my plan is to primarily spend these last brief years with my kids before they become too cool for their parents, I recognize the need for me to move forward in my career even if I'm not formally working for anyone so below is my plan.
My youngest is going to be in kindergarten in two years so my goal is to be consulting on my own in 5 years.
Goal: Content strategy consultant in 5 years
Short-term actions:
1. PRAYER. Lots of it, asking for God's wisdom for all those conversations and next steps.
2. Networking: I'm talking with select people in my LinkedIn and work network that are making decisions about communications, are in the digital marketing space, are programmers themselves, or are in a strategic leadership position (e.g. in government, private industry, advertising, PR, marketing, consulting, programming, etc.) about what they see as a need in content management AND whether I can do projects with them in the future related to their digital marketing activities.
3. Taking needed classes: I've started taking a statistics class at my local community college at night and plan to take some computing classes next. One thing I've been hearing is that the production and the "strategists" are not talking to each other in an efficient and meaningful matter for providing users the best experience online with their companies. I am taking the right classes to ensure I have the right mixture of skills necessary to step into that gap when I'm ready to make the career transition.
4. Research: I am asking for reading recommendations from my networking contacts above about content strategy, following influencers who are the thought-leaders in the space through their professional and personal blogs and writings. I can do that when my kids are napping or I'm waiting for the bus on my iPhone.
Longer-term actions:
1. Start thinking about the types of projects that will complement what I'm learning and already know and begin mapping out how to get that experience.
At the end of the day, I leave every day in His hands.
Are you going through a career transition? Please share!
So when I realized there would be no room for me to grow that interest where I was working, I submitted my 3 weeks notice. Thank you Lord for giving me the wisdom to walk away from my job and to my husband who has been my rock and encouraged me to take this leap. I love you, honey!
While my plan is to primarily spend these last brief years with my kids before they become too cool for their parents, I recognize the need for me to move forward in my career even if I'm not formally working for anyone so below is my plan.
My youngest is going to be in kindergarten in two years so my goal is to be consulting on my own in 5 years.
Goal: Content strategy consultant in 5 years
Short-term actions:
1. PRAYER. Lots of it, asking for God's wisdom for all those conversations and next steps.
2. Networking: I'm talking with select people in my LinkedIn and work network that are making decisions about communications, are in the digital marketing space, are programmers themselves, or are in a strategic leadership position (e.g. in government, private industry, advertising, PR, marketing, consulting, programming, etc.) about what they see as a need in content management AND whether I can do projects with them in the future related to their digital marketing activities.
3. Taking needed classes: I've started taking a statistics class at my local community college at night and plan to take some computing classes next. One thing I've been hearing is that the production and the "strategists" are not talking to each other in an efficient and meaningful matter for providing users the best experience online with their companies. I am taking the right classes to ensure I have the right mixture of skills necessary to step into that gap when I'm ready to make the career transition.
4. Research: I am asking for reading recommendations from my networking contacts above about content strategy, following influencers who are the thought-leaders in the space through their professional and personal blogs and writings. I can do that when my kids are napping or I'm waiting for the bus on my iPhone.
Longer-term actions:
1. Start thinking about the types of projects that will complement what I'm learning and already know and begin mapping out how to get that experience.
At the end of the day, I leave every day in His hands.
Are you going through a career transition? Please share!
Monday, May 27, 2013
Deja Vu and Pressures
Wow! Its been a while since I posted. I thought about starting a new blog but remember its more important to move forward than to start all over, especially in the blog world.
So here I am. Almost a year later, with the same question, whether I should be at home as an at home mom or continue to work? This time, though, I'm being honest about the pressures that can shape our decisions when it comes to our careers. Because many times our choices are defined heavily by pressures either from ourselves, others, or the circumstances of our lives.
My husband is the pressure point that is helping me to focus my career choices right now.
Pressure: "Becky, you should quit your job. 3 kids is a lot when we get no help from family." (He would also like to move closer to the water so he can have a boat and a dog.)
I would have to leave my job and stay at home full-time since we'd no longer live 10 minutes from work and the kids. Daycare for 12+ hours/day (not acceptable to me).
To be honest, I'm not quite ready to let go of my career (or at least this part of it) and we can't afford to stay where we live if I do leave my job. He's working on a Ph.D. and is getting fatigued after 2 years and is threatening to quit the program, which would tie us to the DC metro indefinitely.
Outcome: Neither of us wants to stay here forever.
So we've made a deal. Once he finishes his Ph.D., I will quit my job and move to the water. That will give me two years to acclimate to the idea of leaving work and him the incentive to finish his program so he can be closer to the water and have a dog (someone has to be at home to walk the poor guy/gal).
So here I am. Almost a year later, with the same question, whether I should be at home as an at home mom or continue to work? This time, though, I'm being honest about the pressures that can shape our decisions when it comes to our careers. Because many times our choices are defined heavily by pressures either from ourselves, others, or the circumstances of our lives.
My husband is the pressure point that is helping me to focus my career choices right now.
Pressure: "Becky, you should quit your job. 3 kids is a lot when we get no help from family." (He would also like to move closer to the water so he can have a boat and a dog.)
I would have to leave my job and stay at home full-time since we'd no longer live 10 minutes from work and the kids. Daycare for 12+ hours/day (not acceptable to me).
To be honest, I'm not quite ready to let go of my career (or at least this part of it) and we can't afford to stay where we live if I do leave my job. He's working on a Ph.D. and is getting fatigued after 2 years and is threatening to quit the program, which would tie us to the DC metro indefinitely.
Outcome: Neither of us wants to stay here forever.
So we've made a deal. Once he finishes his Ph.D., I will quit my job and move to the water. That will give me two years to acclimate to the idea of leaving work and him the incentive to finish his program so he can be closer to the water and have a dog (someone has to be at home to walk the poor guy/gal).
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Opportunities: Career Shift Silver Lining
Deciding not to take a job is often be as difficult as taking a job.
Why? Because it forces us to re-evaluate what's important to us. It makes us commit to a new direction that is in essence, "starting over again with no mistakes." New jobs are "do overs."
Choosing to stay in a job when your focus shifts from that of your employer to your own personal goal such as family or career development, however, is an even tougher decision. That compounded with this economy can make shifting careers a scary prospect with those at any part of their career.
My Story
I am currently in the process of re-evaluating whether I should stay in my current position or taking a step back from my career and focus on my family as a full-time at-home-mom. (A career on every level but unpaid.)
Rather than focusing on the uncertainty of my job (there is only funding for 6 months for my position), I've chosen to focus on the opportunity this is presenting for me and my next career transition. Turning what could be a negative situation into a positive opportunity is one way to look at how you move from one phase of your career to the next.
You may be thinking, "is she nuts in this economy?" I've interviewed and applied to other positions (federal positions so it could take months upons months for a decision and interview to be set up - seriously), so its not the lack of potential new career opportunities that is making me consider leaving the workforce at this time.
To add another twist, I'm not sure when or how I might reenter the workforce once I leave. For the first time in my life, however, I'm not worried or scared.
Some things I am certain about:
- The Lord is fully in control of every aspect of my life (including my career).
- Each time I have wanted to return to work, an opportunity has arrived.
- I'm the only wife and mother for my family.
- Not knowing the future isn't a bad thing if you're focused on the moment in front of you.
So for now, I am continuing to do my job. I am ready, however, to move on to the next phase of my life. Where will that be, you may ask? I don't know. You'll have to stay tuned :)
Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"
Choosing to stay in a job when your focus shifts from that of your employer to your own personal goal such as family or career development, however, is an even tougher decision. That compounded with this economy can make shifting careers a scary prospect with those at any part of their career.
My Story
I am currently in the process of re-evaluating whether I should stay in my current position or taking a step back from my career and focus on my family as a full-time at-home-mom. (A career on every level but unpaid.)
Rather than focusing on the uncertainty of my job (there is only funding for 6 months for my position), I've chosen to focus on the opportunity this is presenting for me and my next career transition. Turning what could be a negative situation into a positive opportunity is one way to look at how you move from one phase of your career to the next.
You may be thinking, "is she nuts in this economy?" I've interviewed and applied to other positions (federal positions so it could take months upons months for a decision and interview to be set up - seriously), so its not the lack of potential new career opportunities that is making me consider leaving the workforce at this time.
To add another twist, I'm not sure when or how I might reenter the workforce once I leave. For the first time in my life, however, I'm not worried or scared.
Some things I am certain about:
- The Lord is fully in control of every aspect of my life (including my career).
- Each time I have wanted to return to work, an opportunity has arrived.
- I'm the only wife and mother for my family.
- Not knowing the future isn't a bad thing if you're focused on the moment in front of you.
So for now, I am continuing to do my job. I am ready, however, to move on to the next phase of my life. Where will that be, you may ask? I don't know. You'll have to stay tuned :)
Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Negotiating: Why and How
So why negotiate? If you're looking for a job, check out how to find a job, or where to look for communications jobs to see my posts on those subjects. This post is about negotiating.
The Huffington Post did an article following a recent college graduate for her first job offer. Women do approach the negotiation component of jobs differently then men. I could do a whole blog on the differences so for the sake of brevity, I'll focus on some highlights for you to consider.
When it comes to salary negotiations, there are many studies that indicate that men are paid more than women for the same job. Harvard and Carnegie Mellon published a paper in 2007 which discussed some reasons why women don't ask for more money (I would like to add that I think this goes for overall negotiating as well). For me, I find negotiating for flexibility is more important than money for women with other personal obligations (e.g. working moms, single moms, women taking care of parents, etc.), though the salary should be competitive as it relates to your previous jobs and/or positions.
University of Colorado also has a forum where they discuss negotiation styles that might be of interest. While I don't know much about this entity, I think keeping up with this site might be helpful for those interested in learning the whys for how we negotiate (or not).
So how does negotiating influence Changing Career Tacks? In every way!
Before you go on an interview consider the below questions:
1. What are your personal priorities? (For me, its being there for my husband and children first, and the job second.)
2. What is the lowest pay you're willing to accept (and add 5-10% to that number -- this is to allow for them to counter your offer)? You should, however, have a ballpark based on a preliminary screening call with the recruiter or HR manager who contacted you for an interview. If they are reluctant to tell you, stay alert, this is an indicator of their character as a company. You should be looking for transparency (as much as possible) during your initial contact with a potential employer.
3) What are other ways which the organization can meet your quality of life perimeters? (e.g. flexible schedule, part-time, part-time to full-time, a family friend culture, flexible boss). Now I have to caveat this with a Bible verse. If you ask for this flexibility, honor that by doing your best if you are rewarded with independence and trusted with that job flexibility. Do so with integrity but also with an eye to balancing your responsibilities at home as well. (I have to admit, I struggle to not be immersed with work when I work from home at the expense of my kids and my husband, so I avoid working from home as much as possible.) Know your limits and be honest about what you can handle.
These are just some of the questions that you should consider if you're looking for a job that will be a good fit for you wherever that is in your life. These are really issues of quality of life. I've been there, where I've changed jobs because of more money or title changes. Instead of seeking for satisfaction with just the job, consider something outside of your work for that (gasp!). Maybe a relationship with God, a spouse, children, etc.
It took me 4 sectors and 8 different positions to realize that careers will evolve but it needs to be done strategically so each step gets you closer to being content with where you are in life. Each step you take in yours should be to achieve a higher and higher level quality of life. For me, it was flexibility to meet my #1 goal, serving God; my #2 goal, serving my husband; my #3 goal, serving my kids; and my #4 goal,
everything else (e.g. jobs, friends, activities).
Ecclesiastes 9:10
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going."
The Huffington Post did an article following a recent college graduate for her first job offer. Women do approach the negotiation component of jobs differently then men. I could do a whole blog on the differences so for the sake of brevity, I'll focus on some highlights for you to consider.
When it comes to salary negotiations, there are many studies that indicate that men are paid more than women for the same job. Harvard and Carnegie Mellon published a paper in 2007 which discussed some reasons why women don't ask for more money (I would like to add that I think this goes for overall negotiating as well). For me, I find negotiating for flexibility is more important than money for women with other personal obligations (e.g. working moms, single moms, women taking care of parents, etc.), though the salary should be competitive as it relates to your previous jobs and/or positions.
University of Colorado also has a forum where they discuss negotiation styles that might be of interest. While I don't know much about this entity, I think keeping up with this site might be helpful for those interested in learning the whys for how we negotiate (or not).
So how does negotiating influence Changing Career Tacks? In every way!
Before you go on an interview consider the below questions:
1. What are your personal priorities? (For me, its being there for my husband and children first, and the job second.)
2. What is the lowest pay you're willing to accept (and add 5-10% to that number -- this is to allow for them to counter your offer)? You should, however, have a ballpark based on a preliminary screening call with the recruiter or HR manager who contacted you for an interview. If they are reluctant to tell you, stay alert, this is an indicator of their character as a company. You should be looking for transparency (as much as possible) during your initial contact with a potential employer.
3) What are other ways which the organization can meet your quality of life perimeters? (e.g. flexible schedule, part-time, part-time to full-time, a family friend culture, flexible boss). Now I have to caveat this with a Bible verse. If you ask for this flexibility, honor that by doing your best if you are rewarded with independence and trusted with that job flexibility. Do so with integrity but also with an eye to balancing your responsibilities at home as well. (I have to admit, I struggle to not be immersed with work when I work from home at the expense of my kids and my husband, so I avoid working from home as much as possible.) Know your limits and be honest about what you can handle.
These are just some of the questions that you should consider if you're looking for a job that will be a good fit for you wherever that is in your life. These are really issues of quality of life. I've been there, where I've changed jobs because of more money or title changes. Instead of seeking for satisfaction with just the job, consider something outside of your work for that (gasp!). Maybe a relationship with God, a spouse, children, etc.
It took me 4 sectors and 8 different positions to realize that careers will evolve but it needs to be done strategically so each step gets you closer to being content with where you are in life. Each step you take in yours should be to achieve a higher and higher level quality of life. For me, it was flexibility to meet my #1 goal, serving God; my #2 goal, serving my husband; my #3 goal, serving my kids; and my #4 goal,
everything else (e.g. jobs, friends, activities).
Ecclesiastes 9:10
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going."
I sleep better now than before. I'm less unsure of where my life is going than ever before. When you negotiate for terms of your contract/job offer, remember...this is your life we're talking about. Knowing what you need to meet personal obligations will go a long way to helping you ask for those features when you're negotiating the terms of your next job.
Happy negotiating!
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