Return to Work

Work flexibility can seem like a fairytale—with a happy ending for only a lucky few. It really does exist in large scale ways at some big, progressive companies. It can also be found in smaller-scale, sometimes under-the-radar ways at many companies of every other size. This is a note I received from one woman who feels…

If you tell me you’re lost in a seemingly unending job search, I probably won’t say, “it’s a really tough job market”. Instead, I’ll try to find out if you’re engaged in a tenacious, strategic search generated by a powerful networking engine. If you tell me you’re not, I won’t be surprised. In more than…

As Jane (a 56-year-old woman from California navigating her way back to the workforce) realized that she needed to network far out of her comfort zone, she asked me this question:“I have connections at organizations where I would love to work—but they are either people I am not close to or feel uncomfortable approaching. Call it…

I just don’t buy the fact that thousands of women are desperate to break the glass ceiling. In the last 15 years of working with women, I’ve met very few of these high-flyers. I’ve met lots of MBAs who became mothers and then ran away from inflexible employers. I’ve met lots of young women gung-ho…

One of my blog readers sent me this note—inspiration for any woman who thinks she has been out of the workforce too long to land a significant job… “After more than 20 years at home, with a long resume of volunteering at my children’s schools and at three non-profits, I am about to start my first…

One of my blog readers wrote to me recently to share her success story. I, in turn, have to share it with all of you because it’s proof positive that women can find the work that fits their lives—whether they’ve been climbing the corporate ladder for decades or volunteering for 20 years. Here’s her note:“After more…

Lynn, a professional woman in Minnesota, read a post on Linked that mentioned the book I have underway, The Flexible Work Fix: A Caring Woman’s Guide to Blending Family, Work & Financial Security. She then posted this comment that shows both the challenges and rewards of going with the flow and trying hard to always find a…

In this early stage of Jane’s job search, she has witnessed the power of Linkedin. To up her chances of having a few online job applications noticed, she has contacted several first and second-degree connections who have in turn contacted influential insiders on her behalf. She has also found “ins” to companies that are on…

While Jane (the 56-year-old California woman navigating her way back to full-time work) has been laying the foundation for her job search, she tells me she can’t help but apply to some interesting jobs that she sees online. That’s OK, as long as she focuses only 5% of her job search time in what is all…

Jane (the 56-year-old woman navigating her way back to work) is just about ready with all her job search sales tools (primarily her resume and Linkedin profile), and she is researching companies that she’d like to target. This is when the job search must become very proactive—you can’t wait around for desirable job postings to…