Working At Home - The Importance Of A Schedule For Work At Home Mothers

Working At Home - The Importance Of A Schedule For Work At Home Mothers
For stay at home mothers with young children, starting a
home based business means they can stay at home to care for
their kids and still make an income at home. Working at
home enables you to have a completely flexible routine but,
in order for this to work, you need to set yourself a
workable schedule when you start your home based business.

The first thing to do is to devise a schedule for each day
of the week. This needs to be a written schedule so that
you know at a glance what you are supposed to be doing at
any given hour of the day and nothing gets overlooked.
Having a schedule means you know exactly what you are going
to do when you complete each task; there is no time wasted
by sitting and trying to decide which task you should
tackle next.

The beautiful thing about being your own boss is that you
can do what you want when you want. However, that also
means you have to bear the consequences if something is not
done. As an oversight could potentially cost you money,
your schedule needs to be as detailed as possible. Of
course, the first items to go on the schedule will be fixed
commitments such as taking the children to school or
nursery or other activities. This gives you the framework
into which you can slot playtime with the kids, going out
with your partner, pampering yourself, shopping for
groceries, doing household chores and (last but not least)
the time you will devote to your home based business.

It is worth spending some time drafting your timetable
carefully. It will probably take several drafts before you
come up with a fully workable schedule but the more time
you spend on the first draft, the sooner you will achieve
the finished timetable.

As your first step, write down what you want to achieve in
your home business over the next year. Then break that
goal down into smaller steps that you need to reach on a
monthly basis to get you to where you want to be in 12
months' time. Next, divide your monthly goals into weekly
goals. Finally (the nitty-gritty), work out your daily
schedule. Your daily schedule should have slots for
dealing with email, filing, making phone calls, meeting
customers, attending seminars and anything else to do with
your business. As well as the business-related slots,
there needs to be time to spend with the kids and for
performing household duties, plus some free time which you
can fill as you wish.

You should immediately cultivate the habit of making your
work fit into the time slots allowed. If you spend longer
than allocated on any one part of your business, another
part is bound to suffer. Your schedule will have some
spare time built in but that is supposed to remain spare
time which can be used as a buffer against unforeseen
events. If you allow it to be swallowed up by day to day
matters, your spare time will be lost forever and your
timetable will cease to function as soon as even a minor
emergency crops up.

Your schedule will also need to be varied to take into
account the different family activities through school term
time and vacations; the spare time built into your
timetable will make this easier to accommodate.

Remember: "Failures don't plan to fail; they fail to plan".
If you plan properly, your schedule will not be a
straightjacket; it will be more like those famous pajamas
supposedly worn by everyone working at home.

----------------------------------------------------
Elaine Currie is the owner of the Free Work At Home
Directory at http://www.huntingvenus.com and author of the
book Ezine Article Writing - 10 Steps To Success. You can
download the book free of charge in pdf format at:
http://www.huntingvenus.com/free_ezine_articles_writing_eboo
k.shtml

Network Your Way To Your New Job - Using Three Easy Techniques

Network Your Way To Your New Job - Using Three Easy Techniques
Networking is the new buzz word – it’s
everywhere these days. It used to be known by catch phrases
like, “It’s not what you know – but who
you know” or being part of “The Good Ol’
Boys Club”. Business-focused networking today can
really be a powerful career management tool but it takes
time and effort to make it effective. Amazingly, it is
estimated that than 70% of jobs are being found through
word of mouth – networking is vital! There are many
forms of networking some are very informal and others are
strategically developed for optimal outcomes. Described
below are three main strategies to launch your networking
plan.

CONTACTING ALL THOSE YOU KNOW - The probably most obvious
form of networking is done by going through your entire
address book and business card collection. Setting up an
organized routine of systematically working through your
list; communicating with friends, family, coworkers,
colleagues, and acquaintances keeps you on track. Make sure
to also include association members, church friends, people
you volunteer with, and your children’s
friends’ parents, coaches, and teachers on your
contact list. Stay aware for opportune moments to mention
you are looking for work, start with those in similar
industry or field so they can keep their ears open and
maybe make a few calls to others who can make a few calls
to others – and so on – and so on - and so
on…

Be honest with those who you don’t usually socialize
with and let them know you’re interested in talking
with them about your search for the perfect job. Invite
them out for coffee or lunch, email if it is more
convenient for them and explain what you are looking for
and what you have to offer. This is when an Online Resume
comes in handy. You can give them your card and write the
address of your resume on the back of the card so they can
easily pass along the site to other interested parties who
can immediately see your qualifications and have your
contact information waiting.

REFERRALS - My personal favorite networking clients come
from referrals. Working in a service oriented profession;
every referral to me, feels like a compliment or award. It
means someone liked my work enough to tell others about it
and positively pass my name on when someone is looking for
assistance writing a resume or preparing for their job
search. Referrals like all networking, work in a pyramid
fashion, it just keeps expanding and reaching further to
more potential clients. The happier my clients are the more
they will pass my name to others looking for help and I
make sure to keep that in mind with every client or
potential client I speak with.

In terms of looking for a job, referrals can be the
strongest and fastest way to an interview. The referring
contacts can do the selling of your qualifications for you
and the employer will assume you can provide a high quality
of work because the referral is coming from a reliable
source. So, talk with your contacts and let them know you
would appreciate them passing on your name to others.
Keeping in touch with contacts using a newsletter, emails,
phone calls or personal note keeps your name and service in
their thoughts.

ONLINE NETWORKING – The newest form of networking is
done by utilizing websites specifically designed to promote
networking such as www.LinkedIn.com, www.Ryze.com or
www.Xing.com. These are a great way of getting in touch
with professionals you are interested in working with or
for. There are smaller networks for individual industries
such as www.nursegroups.com or www.teachersnetwork.org.
With sites like www.LinkedIn.com and www.CraigsList.com you
can even post your resume for employers to view. More
social networking sites are gaining professional use such
as www.MySpace.com and www.ClassMates.com. All these sites
are free, easy to use and worth your time to cut and paste
your resume or parts of it for viewers to see.

Remember that networking is an ongoing process, one that
should be worked on daily. You will need to build a rapport
with your contacts you are asking for help from and make
sure you reciprocate assistance when you can. Keep records
or some type of spreadsheet to monitor contact visits,
effectives and responsiveness, and any notes or tips gained
from these contacts. Navigating through these networking
tips will definitely expedite your job search.

----------------------------------------------------
Kris Plantrich is the owner of ResumeWonders Writing and
Career Coaching Services and is certified in resume writing
and interview coaching. She offers wide-range of career
management tools and services at
http://www.resumewonders.com .

Keeping Talented Employees – Discover what Makes Them Tick

Keeping Talented Employees – Discover what Makes Them Tick
Organizational Behavior is a field of study that seeks to
understand, explain, and improve the behavior of people who
make up organizations.

Two major areas of focus in OB are an employee’s Job
Performance & their Organizational Commitment.

Someone’s level of Job Performance is directly
related to their ability to help the company achieve its
goals. Job Performance is much broader than simply doing
what you’re told by a manager or following your job
description to the letter.

Job Performance is comprised of 3 very important
components: Task Performance, Citizenship Performance, and
Counterproductive Behaviors.

1. Task Performance is how well an employee completes their
job duties. Required tasks are obviously very different
for different jobs – but could include abilities such
as problem solving, keeping others informed, technical
proficiency, handling crises, completing paperwork,
innovation, or doing data entry. Task performance comes
down to the efficiency and effectiveness with which one
does their job.

2. Citizenship Performance is seen when an employee goes
above and beyond their formal job requirement to insure
that the organization is running smoothly. Good citizens
show a conscientiousness to do what is needed to make sure
company goals are met. When Citizenship Performance is
demonstrated consistently by many employees, it can be a
major sustained advantage for a company.

3. Counterproductive Behavior is any intentional action of
an employee that is contrary to the company’s best
interests. Examples range from inappropriate conversations
such as arguing with customers to destruction of company
property or theft. Good citizens rarely show
counterproductive behaviors, however, high task performers
may demonstrate counterproductive behaviors.

Take a moment to think about the best and worst people
you’ve ever worked with. The best co-workers or
subordinates I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with
are so great because they show high Task Performance, high
Citizenship Performance, and no Counterproductive Behaviors.

The worst people I’ve ever worked with have
unfortunately shown the exact opposite. They were low Task
Performers, poor corporate Citizens and showed a wide
variety of Counterproductive Behaviors.

Now let’s turn to the other major component that
Organizational Behavior seeks to understand and improve
– Organizational Commitment. This is the degree of
loyalty that an employee demonstrates to their company.
It’s why they want to stay where they are instead of
moving on to a different organization. Commitment tends to
increase as employees get older and as they stay with a
company for longer periods of time.

Imagine you’ve been with a company at least 5 years,
and a competitor to your current company approached you for
employment. What would cause you to stay with your current
company instead of deciding to leave it?

There are 3 different types of Organizational Commitment
that we see people embrace: Affective Commitment,
Continuance Commitment, and Normative Commitment.

1. Affective Commitment is desire to stay with an
organization due to an emotional attachment. Going back to
the hypothetical job offer from a competitor – if you
would stay with your current company simply because you
want to stay, you would be experiencing Affective
Commitment.

2. Continuance Commitment is desire to stay with an
organization because of the costs of leaving. These could
be perceived financial costs or long-term career damage.
You would deny the hypothetical job offer from the
competitor because you need to stay.

3. Normative Commitment is desire to stay with an
organization because of a sense of moral obligation to the
company. You would deny the hypothetical job offer because
you feel you ought to stay.

Many professionals question whether commitment even exists
in today’s corporate culture.

When asked if employees are less loyal today than they were
10 years ago, a large survey revealed that 63% answered
affirmatively. When asked if they would change employers
in the next 5 years, 50% answered yes.

When asked to identify factors that would make them more
likely to remain with their current employer, the top 3
responses were training & mentoring, earnings potential,
and a positive work environment.

“Losers make promises they often break. Winners make
commitments they always keep.” -Denis Waitley

----------------------------------------------------
Laura Adams is the host of the popular MBA Working Girl
Podcast. The content combines brainy business school theory
with real-world business practice from her career as a
business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. Subscribe
for FREE to this top-rated show and get the useful MBA
Essential Tip at
http://www.mbaworkinggirl.com

Holding Effective Meetings: nine simple rules

Holding Effective Meetings: nine simple rules
Most people in business complain that there are just too
many meetings. That may be true, but business meetings are
a fact of life, and the best we can do is learn to make
them worth the time and effort they require.

Effective business meetings are an exercise in
communication: we speak, we listen, we discuss, we decide.
Meeting rules may vary from one situation to another, but
holding effective meetings is essential to getting things
done. If you want to learn how to conduct a meeting, here
are my nine simple rules to help you through the process.

1. Call only necessary meetings

Before you begin the whole process of calling and holding a
business meeting, ask yourself if it is really necessary.
Do certain people actually have to gather in the same room
to accomplish your purpose, or could a series of phone
calls, an e-mail or a memo serve the same purpose? Develop
a reputation for calling meetings only when necessary, and
people will be more willing to devote their time to them.

2. Invite the right people

Invite people who have something to contribute or who need
to be involved in the discussion. If you have to consult
someone for information or authorization about an agenda
item and that person is not there, it's frustrating for
everyone. Consider inviting them just for a specific agenda
item. On the other hand, don’t invite people just
because they are at a certain level in the organization.
Busy people appreciate your consideration of their time.

3. Create an effective agenda and distribute it well before
the meeting

An effective agenda is much more than a list of topics. It
can function as a meeting announcement, as well as a tool
to help the leader control the discussion. Sending it out
in advance lets people know what will be discussed and
gives them an opportunity to gather information they will
need and prepare their input. Effective meetings begin with
effective agendas.

4. Start and finish on time

Don’t wait for latecomers --— start on time
without them. You should also avoid the temptation to bring
latecomers up to date on what has taken place before they
arrived, a practice that penalizes those who came on time.
People shouldn’t be rewarded for upsetting everyone
else’s schedule. Allot a time to each subject on the
agenda and stick to it. Effective business meetings start
and finish on time.

5. State the objective at the start of the meeting

State an objective that is results-oriented rather than
discussion-based. e.g. “We are meeting this morning
to approve the final budget for next quarter.” This
is a measurable objective, towards which you can work
during the discussion. Don't say, "We are meeting to
discuss.....". After all, you could discuss for hours and
technically you would have met your objective, but you
could hardly describe it as an effective meeting.

6. Keep the meeting moving towards its objective

Don’t let people drag the discussion off track. Keep
reminding them of the objective and redirect the discussion
back when they stray. Your communication skills come to the
fore as you lead a business meeting.

7. Don’t just sit there --— say something!

But what if you are attending someone else's meeting? Can
you still contribute to making it an effective meeting?
Yes, you can. Assuming you have received an agenda in
advance, carefully consider what materials you should take
with you, any information you have that would be important
to the discussion and make notes of any points you might
make at the meeting. Having something to say and saying it
is the best way to contribute to a successful meeting. Do
your homework in advance and you will know what role you
should play.

8. Arrange for appropriate notes

Even informal meetings need notes to summarize what
happened and, even more important, to set out any actions
that are to be taken and by whom. Names of those who are to
take the actions should be included in the notes and, if
possible, someone designated to follow up on the actions.

9. When the objective has been accomplished --— stop!

If you have been successful in completing discussion of
your agenda within the allotted time, don't be tempted to
start a discussion about something else. Finish early and
you’ll be a hero, so don’t spoil it by starting
to discuss other issues. Congratulate participants on a
successful meeting, and move on.

If you follow these rules, you will not only be observing
proper meeting etiquette, but you will also be on track to
an effective business meeting that delivers results.

----------------------------------------------------
Helen Wilkie is a professional keynote speaker, workshop
leader and author. To book Helen to speak on "Helen's 9
Rules for Meaningful Meetings" at your conference or
training event, call 416-966-5023 or e-mail
hwilkie@mhwcom.com Subscribe to her free monthly e-zine,
"Communi-keys" at http://www.mhwcom.com and receive your
free e-book, "23 ideas you can use right now to communicate
and succeed in your business career!"

Where to Look for the Right Product Online

Where to Look for the Right Product Online
When you are just starting your online home business
finding the right products to sell online is the number one
problem. Knowing where to look can help. If you don’t
have a great product to sell then more then likely
you’re not going to make any money.

After all nobody wants to waste their hard earned money on
complete junk, and I’m sure we’ve all done that
one time or another and know its not a good feeling. So
having a good solid product to sell will only help your
profits grow. Below I have some great ways on how you can
find the perfect products to sell online.

1. Drop Shipper Directories: Drop shippers are wholesalers
that will ship the products you sell directly to your
customers so that you don't have to invest in any store
inventory. Directories of drop shippers are for sale
online, but make sure you're buying a reputable one. Try to
find a place that has been doing business for years, and
has good reviews.

2. Local Businesses: You may find businesses in your very
own backyard that offer just the right products, but are
not yet into e-commerce. Offer to sell their product online
in exchange for a percentage of any profits you make.

3. Crafters: Local crafters are a good source of unique
products, and may be willing to reduce their prices for you
if you purchase in quantity. Either buy the item outright,
or set up a consignment arrangement with them. Crafters
usually have unique products that you will not find
anywhere else. So if you can come to an agreement with them
you should be well on your way to success.

4. Garage sales and flea markets: Garage sales are a good
place to look for items to sell online. Do some research
into categories that interest you, and then start scouring
sales for good prices. You can easily buy something from a
garage sale and always turn around and sell it on e-bay for
up to 10x what you paid for it.

5. eBay: eBay itself can be a source for products. Look for
wholesale lots that can be broken down for individual sale.

6. Wholesaler Directories: Your local library will probably
have directories of manufacturers, wholesalers, and/or
distributors. Most directories are organized by SIC code so
that you can zero in on the product categories that
interested you.

7. Trade Shows: Trade shows are a great way to find
products. Lots of merchants gather in one place to look for
resellers. So this will be the perfect opportunity to find
a that solid product you want to sell only. To find trade
shows in a particular industry, contact trade associations
and industry publications.

8. Importers/Exporters: You might want to consider
contacting companies that import goods from overseas. It's
possible to source directly from overseas. This requires a
lot of expertise, but many companies do it successfully.

----------------------------------------------------
Chris Rohrer has been working online for over 3 years, and
has been helping people make extra money working online. To
learn more about Chris and how he can help you visit
http://www.arbtrader.net