For many working moms, back-to-school time also means back to networking!  Most professional organizations slow down their events over the summer and gear up again after Labor Day.   Plus, now that the kids are back in school, busy moms may have some extra time to spare for networking or professional development.  Here are some upcoming events in the Greater Cincinnati area that we think are worth attending!

WE Share – Power of Mentoring

September 14, 3-5 p.m.
Cost to attend: $35 for Cincinnati Chamber members, $50 for nonmembers
Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (4930 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242)

You already know how important having the right mentors can be to your success. Finding the right mentor can be difficult. But much of that difficulty is caused by myths about mentoring. Learn how to overcome those myths to unlock new possibilities for mentoring relationships.

• What should you really look for in a mentoring relationship?
• Who are your mentors and who are you mentoring?
• What makes those relationships work?

NKY Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Initiative: Business Women Connect Happy Hour
August 30, 4-7 pm
Grandview Tavern and Grille(2220 Grandview Drive, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017)

AND
September 27, 4-7 p.m.
Grandview Tavern and Grille (2220 Grandview Drive, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017)
Cost to attend: FREE

Attend and network with dynamic women during Happy Hour. Feel free to invite friends and coworkers to mix, mingle and meet new friends while enjoying happy hour drinks and appetizers. This casual gathering is open to all area professional women.

Bizwomen Breakfast
September 10, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Cost to attend: $35
The Madison (700 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011)

This is the third of the Business Courier‘s 2010 breakfast event series for Tri-State businesswomen. Participate in discussions, network with your peers, and hear from keynote speaker  Peg Moertl, Senior Vice president, Territory Executive Community Development Banking, PNC Bank. Bizwomen is about connecting, supporting, learning and growing our region’s women’s marketplace. Enjoy a wonderful breakfast, walk away with new connections, and a boxed lunch!

Of course there are many, many other professional organizations hosting events this fall.  If you are interested in finding more opportunities to network and develop, we encourage you to review this post we wrote last year, which lists(and links to) many of the local professional organizations around town.

Mom Corps Cincinnati’s online efforts to find top-tier professionals in the greater Cincinnati area have attracted the attention of local marketing experts. One of those experts, blogger and internet marketing guru Rob Bunting, recently interviewed Mom Corps Cincinnati’s regional owner, Eisha Armstrong, to find out more about the franchise and Armstrong’s web-focused marketing efforts.

Watch the interview and read the blog post here.

Crystal Faulkner and Tom Cooney of Cooney, Faulkner, and Stevens hosted Mom Corps Cincinnati’s owner, Eisha Armstrong, on BusinessWise, their daily radio show on 89.7 FM WNKU.  Eisha appeared on the show May 17, 18, and 19.  It was great opportunity to discuss workplace flexibility.  You can listen to the interview here: WNKU BusinessWise for the Week of May 17.

By:  Julie Shifman, President Act Three (guest blogger)
www.actthree.com

Women leave the work force in large numbers to raise children and many at some point in their lives want to go back to work.   Usually, they go back when their family responsibilities have lessened to allow adding a job to their busy lives.  But, the current economic situation (retirement plans decreasing in value, husband’s income down, college education more expensive), is causing many women to ask themselves whether now is the right time to return to work. 

Bobbie is just such a woman.  After her second child was born, she left her good job as an analyst for a brokerage company to become a stay at home mom.  Over the last ten years, she has been very active in her children’s school, her church and in community work.  She always thought she would go back to work when the kids were in high school but now that her husband’s bonus was reduced, she is wondering if she should start looking now.    On the other hand, her children are still in middle school and she wants to be home after school. 

Janet, like Bobbie has been a stay at home mom for eight years.  Previously she had been a marketing director at a major PR firm.  Lately as her children have needed her less, she is feeling the need to be more intellectually engaged.  In her words, “We are lucky enough that I don’t really have to work for the income, but I just feel that there is something more I want to accomplish”.

We asked Bobbie and Janet to use the following quick and easy test to help assess whether they were ready to go back to work.   Their answers are noted next to the questions.

ARE YOU READY

Scoring: on a scale of 1-5, rate how much you agree with each statement, with 5 being totally agree and 1 being I don’t agree at all. Write the number next to the statemen

1. My children don’t need me as much anymore  (Bobbie – 2, Janet-5)
2. I sometimes feel as if I am wasting time             (Bobbie-3, Janet -4)
3. I worry that I will not accomplish all I am capable of   (Bobbie -4, Janet -5)
4. I am willing to work for less money than I used to make (Bobbie -4, Janet-3)
5. If a job dropped into my lap, I would take it             (Bobbie-3, Janet-5)
6. I do not have volunteer work that keeps me fully engaged   (Bobbie-2, Janet-4)
7. I want to feel like I am contributing to my family income   (Bobbie-4, Janet-2)
8. I am willing to give up some of my hobbies/volunteer work    (Bobbie-3, Janet-4)
9. My family would fully support me returning    (Bobbie-5, Janet-5)
10. We could really use an extra income right now     (Bobbie -5, Janet -2)

Add up the total, (counting the answer for number 10 twice). 

A score of 40-55 indicates a strong motivation to return

A score of 30-39 indicates substantial thinking to truly assess readiness

A score of 29 or below, indicates putting it off for now as motivation is low

Bobbie scored a 40, at the very low end of “a strong motivation to return.”  But when we closely examined her answers it was pretty clear that the high score came almost entirely from monetary concerns… from her husband’s desire for extra money (and therefore his wish for her to return to work) and her desire to help out more financially.  Through coaching and more exploration, Bobbie realized that she really wasn’t ready just yet.  Instead, she came up with a plan to reduce household expenses for the next year.  Then she made a pact with her husband that after that year she would seriously begin to think about returning.  And in the meantime, we made a plan so that Bobbie could find ways to improve her skills so that she would be ready to jump back in when the time was right. 

Janet also scored a 40.  In examination it was clear that even though Janet only scored a 40, she actually had a very strong desire to return to work.  It is just that her motivation is coming for reasons of self fulfillment and not for monetary reasons.  So we worked with Janet to create a “back to work” plan.  This included assessing her current skills and interests, matching those with particular jobs she would enjoy, creating a resume’ and helping her learn to network and interview effectively.  Her goal is to land a new position by September.

If you are, like Bobbie or Janet, considering returning to work, take the above test and see if your score indicates that you are Ready to Return to Work.  If you want a free evaluation of your answers, take the test on my website, being sure to put your name and email in the comments section to the first question, so that I can respond to you. Click here to take the test: http://www.actthree.com/news_and_events/take_the_back_to_work_readiness_test.html

Mom Corps Cincinnati wants to wish all of our candidates and clients a very Happy Mother’s Day.  A very dear friend of ours shared this poem with us and we wanted to pass it a long as a gift to you.

Words of the Wise Woman

By Cassi Christiansen

It is in loving myself; I can share my love with others.

It is in creating my own health and well-being; I can be of service to others.

It is in being grateful; I can freely give to others.

It is in listening to my inner wisdom; I can teach others how to hear their own.

It is in owning my individual greatness; I can honor the greatness in others.

It is in shining my own bright light; I can illuminate the path for others.

It is in transforming my own pain into power; I can give others the right to do the same.

It is in letting go of my fears; I can inspire others to be courageous.

It is in believing in my own strengths and uniqueness; I can lead others to be strong by believing in their own.

It is in courageously speaking my truth; I can give others permission to speak theirs.

It is unleashing my own power; I can set the example for others to follow.

It is in living joyfully; I can show others how to experience their own joy.

It is in being me; the space will be created for others to be so much more.

I am one and yet I am so much more.

We know that professional women with busy lives don’t have a lot (OK, any) time to spare. But if you’ve been thinking about getting out there to do a little networking or some professional development, consider one or more of these upcoming events in the greater Cincinnati area. They might just be worth a precious spot on your calendar!

WE Share – Getting to Your Goals
March 25, 3-5 p.m.
Cost to attend: $35 for Cincinnati Chamber members, $50 for nonmembers
Hofbrau Haus (200 East Third St. Newport, KY 41017)

Your professional success depends on reaching goals and in these challenging times what worked in the past may not now or in the future. Come and share best practices, tips and strategies with your peers in small roundtable discussions facilitated by the region’s senior women leaders. You’ll leave with tools you can use right away.

Women’s Initiative: Business Women Connect Happy Hour
March 29, 4-7 p.m.
Metropolitan Club (50 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 1900 Covington, KY 41011)
AND
April 26, 4-7 p.m.
Grandview Tavern and Grille (2220 Grandview Drive, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017)
Cost to attend: FREE

Attend and network with dynamic women during Happy Hour. Feel free to invite friends and coworkers to mix, mingle and meet new friends while enjoying happy hour drinks and appetizers. This casual gathering is open to all area professional women.

Bizwomen Breakfast & Showcase
May 14, 7:30-11 a.m.
Cost to attend: $35
The Savannah Center (5533 Chappell Crossing Blvd., Cincinnati, OH 45069)

This is the second of the Business Courier‘s 2010 breakfast event series for Tri-State businesswomen. Participate in discussions, network with your peers, and hear from keynote speaker Maribeth Amyot, Vice President for Financial Administration at Xavier University. Bizwomen is about connecting, supporting, learning and growing our region’s women’s marketplace. Enjoy a wonderful breakfast, walk away with new connections, and a boxed lunch!

This breakfast also includes the Bizwomen Showcase, the latest addition to the Business Courier‘s acclaimed Bizwomen program.  This showcase will feature a unique exhibitor experience tailored to the needs of the busy, career-minded woman.

Spring is just around the corner, and so are these job opportunities for Cincinnati professionals seeking flexible work. Check them out and see if they might be right for you — or someone you know!

Copywriters

Mom Corps is looking for mid to senior-level copy writers for upcoming opportunities. These will be part-time, full-time flexible and/or contract jobs. Experience writing for interactive media is preferred.

Project Managers

Mom Corps is looking for mid to senior-level interactive project management professionals for upcoming opportunities. These will be part-time, full-time flexible and/or contract jobs. Experience managing external teams is preferred.

Business Development

Our client is an award-winning full-service creative agency based in Cincinnati. Services offered include digital (web design, SEO, etc.), print, brand identity, copy writing, social media, and implementing brand strategy. Our client is seeking a full or part-time business development consultant to grow their market presence. The starting salary is commission-based and base salary will be implemented based on performance.

Non-Profit Development

Mom Corps is looking for Non-Profit Development Professionals with 3+ years experience for upcoming opportunities. These will be part-time, full-time flexible, and/or contract jobs. Experience diversifying funding streams is a plus.

Sales (for Mom Corps!)

Mom Corps, Cincinnati is seeking a full-time commission-based VP of Sales to help expand our market in Cincinnati. We place highly qualified and experienced professionals into contract and flexible permanent positions with some of the nation’s leading firms. Experience and proven success in a business to business environment and the ability to work independently is required. The position will offer the opportunity to work from home.

To get weekly email updates on Mom Corps’ newest flexible jobs, register here.

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is more than just a place to check out books, magazines and DVDs. It’s also a free resource for anyone who’s looking for a job or professional development. The latest addition to the library’s job resources: two new databases available to all library patrons.

JobNow

JobNow provides access to live career coaching, expert resume assistance, and a vast library of material to assist you at every stage of the job hunt—from career assessment to resume writing to interviewing—all in one spot, and all for free, whether you’re at one of our library locations or logging in from home.

This database’s features include:

• Resume analysis by a JobNow expert within 24 hours of submission
• Downloadable resume templates for the most common resume types
• Live, one-on-one interview coaching from online instructors, including simulated interview practice

Career Transitions

Another recent addition to the library’s job resources is Career Transitions. This guided, self-paced resource walks you through the job application process–assessing strengths and interests, preparing a resume, finding educational opportunities and networking advice, performing a job search, and applying online.

The database is divided into five different areas that allow you to:

• Explore occupational interests and match them with career paths that will be fulfilling and productive
• Investigate thousands of career paths, industries, companies and states and target the fastest growing ones
• Build, save, retrieve and update a professional resume and a list of references
• Find educational opportunities and take classes to brush upon skills and increase hiring chances
• Access job listings from around the country and an application wizard

In order to access either database, you’ll need a valid library card number and PIN.