Women Who Work: Some Facts
By 2005, women are projected to make up 48% of the labor force in the U.S., up from 46% in 1994.
Jobs offering the highest weekly earnings for women in 1998 were pharmacists, $985; physicians, $966; lawyers, $951; electrical and electronic engineers, $931; computer systems analysts and scientists, $890; and physical therapists, $887. (Based on occupations with at least 50,000 employed women)
In 1998, 74% of working women were employed full time, and 26% worked part-time.
The largest share of employed women work in technical, sales and administrative support jobs.
More women work as teachers (excluding post secondary); secretaries; and cashiers, than any other lines of work. One out of every five employed women are in one of these careers.
Families with the wife in the paid labor force have the highest median income of all family types.
Of the 70.2 million families in the U.S., 18%, or 12.9 million, are maintained by women. Fourteen percent of white families, 47% of black families, and 24% of Hispanic families were maintained by women in 1997.
One third of all families maintained by women are living below the poverty level.
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Five Top Tips to Get Your Resume Noticed Online
by Heather Stone, president, myjobsearch.com
Becky Hart needed a job.
She was returning to the workforce after a year off to have a baby. She is only 27 years old, has her masters in business and experience as a buyer for a large west-coast retailer. Piece of cake, right?
After 3 months and nearly 100 resumes later, Becky is weary in her job search and worried if she will ever land the right job.
We hear this far too often.
"I felt like I was throwing my resume into a black hole." one job seeker recently wrote to myjobsearch.com. "I would respond to a job posting and nothing happened. Never would I hear what the outcome would be. I would attempt follow up and never did I get a response from that either. And this is after spending the money to be professionally coached to create a strong resume!"
A survey of job seekers at myjobsearch.com recently revealed that 90% of all resumes sent online never get a response.
Lots of Fishes In The Sea
The cut-and-paste technology of the Internet has made sending a resume faster and more convenient than ever. Job seekers have taken to it in a big way. At monster.com, a popular Internet job board, the tally of online resumes stands at well over a million.
Companies like the idea too. Development Dimensions International released a study this month indicating that 76% of employers are using the Internet to recruit.
This embracing of technology has lead to an explosion of online sources for posting jobs and resumes. According to Computer Economics, it is estimated that online resumes will balloon to more than 16 million by 2002.
How does the job seeker get noticed in all the madness? Is the answer to just to send even more resumes?
Job seekers must have a crafted strategy for the job hunt. Listed below are specific actions that job seekers can take online to make their resumes have a greater impact online.
Tip #1- Drive The Superhighway
The Internet is changing some fundamental habits. Fewer people are writing letters on paper and going to stores to buy things. But the one true benefit of the Internet is the one habit the job seekers need to master: researching information.
According to the United States Internet Council, there are more than 1.5 billion web pages on the Internet. Job seekers have more information available to them in researching a company and a career field than ever before. Researching an opportunity before submitting a resume for it will cut down on the number of resumes that need to be sent.
A human resources professional recently wrote to myjobsearch.com: "I can't handle the amount of resumes I get from the Internet. One major problem for me is dealing with those that have no business sending me a resume. They don't qualify and can't qualify any time soon. But they send their resume anyway and I have to deal with them."
Tip #2- Connect With Employers
As companies transition their business to the Internet they make use of several interactive venues such as discussion forums and chat rooms. Job seekers can use these venues to make connections within a company. We call this internetworking.
There is great power in the principles of internetworking. By making an online connection and being able to "link" through email, web pages, and online portfolios a job seeker can demonstrate skills long before a resume is ever sent.
Company connections are everywhere on the Internet. Many companies have their own web page. Some partner with major web portals like Yahoo to sponsor forums or clubs. Others provide leadership in their industry in newsgroup discussions or via free electronic newsletters.
The research a job seeker takes the time to do on a company will reveal ample opportunities to find companies interacting online.
Tip #3- Give Them What They Ask For
Many people view the resume as a travelogue or a brief biography. Most job seekers create a resume once and then duplicate it for every job opening that interests them. Many use an "objective statement" that serves only the job seeker's interest. This is a critical error.
The resume is a marketing piece. It is supposed to answer an advertisement. It is an inducement to buy. If an ad says, "I want to buy a Mustang!", you would not respond by sending a picture of a minivan. But that is in essence what many people do.
The resume needs to be restructured to meet the needs of every employer that receives it. If they are advertising for a "Sales Manager" then that is the positioning statement put at the top of the resume. A hiring manager is more likely to read the resume that says "Sales Manager" than the one that says "seeking employment with a progressive, growth- oriented company".
Tip #4- Go Low Tech!
As target employers are identified, job seekers need to find the names of hiring authorities and get on the phone. This old fashioned approach is simple and surprisingly effective. Some job seekers work under the mistaken assumption that people are unwilling to be bothered on the phone. But the job seeker working with a professional approach can arrange for connecting meetings with a hiring manager by simply asking for information.
The Development Dimensions International study provides a crucial clue for job seekers. They say that while employers are expanding their budgets to locate a bigger variety of candidates, more than 80% of employers prefer connecting with job seekers by referral.
Referrals come from people that have taken the time to help you. Holding connecting meetings with employees of target companies or members of associations can be a great way to get the attention of someone who would rather not go through the traditional process of finding a new hire.
For the job seeker looking to be more effective with their online resumes it will be necessary to find ways to connect with employers the old fashioned way- by actually talking to them!
Tip #5- Manage Email Religiously
The world moves pretty fast. The Internet moves even faster.
When a job seeker receives an email as a result of a submitted resume there needs to be a timely response. Perceptions online are far less forgiving than they are offline. People demand instantaneous results.
Critical care needs to be taken in the format and protocol of email. If you are an active user of the Internet it may be wise to set up an email address specifically for use in the job search. This will avoid messages getting caught up in the clutter of other online activity.
When opportunities present themselves for email contact with a hiring manager, be certain to include and invite offline contact information.
It is easy to get overwhelmed and out of control in a point and click environment. If a job seeker is new to the software being used then careful attention needs to be made that things don't get out of hand.
In a job search, it is critical to track every contact and to manage correspondence with them. Nothing is more embarrassing than to get a return call on a resume that you cannot even remember sending!
The online resume- like an offline resume- is only a tool. There is no substitute for getting the job seeker in front of a hiring manager. But resumes sent to a targeted audience with an appropriate message have a far greater chance of success.
Heather Stone is president of myjobsearch.com, publishers of the largest independent career resources directory on the Internet. After receiving her BA from BYU and MBA from the University of Phoenix, she has established herself as a career industry expert through the operation of her own career training company and continual consultation with employers and job seekers on the Internet job search.
Copyright © myjobsearch.com inc. http://www.myjobsearch.com. All rights reserved. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file as long as this notice is included in all copies.
How To Run A Successful Small Business
by Mary Ann Elliott, president and CEO, Arrowhead Space and Telecommunications Inc., a woman-owned, Native-American small business, incorporated in January 1991 and admitted into the Small Business Administration 8 (a) program in June 1995. The company has been included in the Washington Technology Fast 50 for the past three years, and in the 1998 INC 500, an independent compilation of America’s fastest growing private companies. Elliott recently spoke to the Small and Disadvantaged Business Opportunity Council’s 2000 Small Business Conference and Trade Fair in Arvada, Colorado.
Running a business is like going on a diet...it sounds like a really good idea until you have to do it. When I started my company nine years ago, little did I understand just how hard it was going to be. My first piece of advice is to understand your target market. If you don’t know your target market, then go to work for someone else and learn. It is far too risky on your own even if you are very competent and capable.
If success means:
Staying up all night to get a proposal out
working at the office seven days a week
getting 45 e-mails in one hour—half marked "Urgent!"
taking the red-eye to make a meeting
carrying your cell phone and laptop everywhere you go (like to the beach)
...then I definitely have a successful business.
But seriously, with all the hard work, long hours and frustration, Arrowhead has
grown from 1 to more than 80 employees
revenue has increased from $65 K to $10 M
achieved valuable name recognition
reveived numerous awards and honors
was the top technology firm in Virginia in 1999.
I was able to stay aloat in the early days due to No Debt. My children were grown and on their own. I did not tak e a pay check to speak of for two years. All income was poured back into the business. I used investment certificates to guarantee a letter of credit.
My question is, Are you willing and able under difficult circumstances to stay the course to success?
Mary Ann’s Recipe for Success
You will need each of these ingredients for success:
capital
infrastructure
technical proficiency
sound management
people skills
quality products/services
A stable financial base for your business is paramount. More businesses get themselves into trouble early on over finances than any other factor. You should have accounting processes for cost control, minimize overhead costs, establish a good relationship with a savvy banker, establish a line of credit, and understand risk management.
By infrastructure I mean, first, accounting, and then defined roles and responsbitilities. Some of my biggest problems in the early days were brought on by this issue. I felt that employees knew what needed to get done and would do it. What I found instead was that you must define employees' roles, your expectations, and have a method of measuring their efforts. Computer networks must be standardized, and rules and regulations must be set up and enforced. Do not wait until you have a problem to act.
Sound management is key. No matter how much of a genius you may be in a specific technology or proudct area, that does not mean you have business skills. Use expert consultants in legal, tax accounting, human resources, cost estimating and other areas. hire only those skills essential to your business seuccess. I still use a contract management firm rather than a full-time staff person. Yes, it does cost, but not as much as salary, benefits, office space, PC, etc. You have to consider all of your costs when hiring a full—time person.
People skills are very important. people do business with people they like. you cannot gain corporate visibility by sitting in your office. Accept speaking engagements. Write articles and attend professional seminars. Have a good web site. On your business card, have what type of company you are, for instance, SBA-8a, women-owned business, hub zone, etc. Sell your self, join organizations, and spend your money with organizations. Have folders with corporate literature. The lowest cost to gain recognition is writing articles and public speaking. They establish you as an expert and promote your business.
Regarding technical proficiency: Bet the best, not second best. Study, and be the known expert. Your preparation, perspiration, inspiration and luck will equal opportunity and success. I real and study about Satcom and IT-related issues every evening to stay up on my business. I tis OK once in a while to say I need to do a little research before giving you an answer, but do not let that happen often. However, make sure you hear and understand the question. My technique is to say, let me see if I understand the question and then repeat it back to them. If you don’t understand the question, you won’t be able to give a satisfactory answer.
Technical proficiency is not enough without udnerstand the business aspect. Even if you ahve built the best mousetrap, you may not be succcessful at brigning it to the market profitably. our motto is, "On target with quality solutions."
Directions: Stay Focused
Focus on closing the sale. Focus on two to three agencies or two to three opportunities. Understand your competition and your specific skills for the task. Focus on cost analyses and pricing, as well as risk.
Develop your market niche (small cannot do it all)
develop a business plan: one year, three years, and update regularly
recognize your weaknesses/strengths
don’t give up
make the commitment.
Willing Government Contracts
Identify agencies that have a need for the services or products you offer
Meet with the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SADBU) Office and the Contracting & Program Managers
If the SADBU is not proactive for small business, run for the door.
Government Contract Hints
Don’t depend on getting sole source small business set-aside awards
Review target agency’s existing contracts (note when contracts will be up for recompete or renewal)
Look for "full and open" competitions that could be done by a small business
Encourage (nag) the SADBU office to promote carving out a piece of the work as a small business set-aside.
Our company, Arrowhead, has recently won several contracts as prime by following these steps. First, though, we were well-known at the agency. The SBO was comfortzble that we could live up to the task. On contract, at $2.1 billion, is the largest SB procurement in the history of the federal government.
Stir in a Little Fun
Running a small business is hard work
People need recognition and rewards
A little spice is not an option—it’s a necessity.
Rewards can be monetary as well as status or titles. We have hot wings and drinks for staff and customers twice a month, as well as a birthday party once a month. Employee stock options are very important in promoting pride and ownership. Newsletters are another way to give recognition and keep folks informed.
Whatever your faith, don’t neglect the power of faith and the Golden Rule. It pays to help others. Many others have helped you achieve successes. Pass it on.
Additional Links of assistance, they are off Woman's World....so bookmark our site first so you can find your way back. Links to help you prepare and find jobs:
Preparing to work: This site is VERY Extensive: The Riley Guide
Employment Opportunities and Job Resources on the Internet
Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW)
Career Path.....search through 275,000 jobs now!
Still More helpful Links:
A mom's network of stay at home work at home mom's: http://www.momsnetwork.com/mnemainpage.shtml
A woman's world.....explore womens businesses: http://www.awomansworld.com/
Now.....Woman friendly workforce campagin: http://www.now.org/issues/wfw/index.html
Affirmative Action - Civil Rights.org