well, here i am almost eighteen months into mamahood and i can't seem to figure out how to make a new career for myself. sound familiar?
pre-kid, i worked for about ten years in advertising/design as a project manager and due to the stress and time-consuming nature of that beast, i had to (somewhat thankfully) leave that career behind. but, what now? i've been toying around with grad school, but the thought of dropping $50K in this economy just to find a new "me" doesn't sound feasible at this time. i have access to wonderful childcare three days per week, set that up months ago because i thought for sure i'd be back to work by now --- but, here i am in a crap job market, looking for a P/T flexible job with a decent wage. impossible?
wondering if any other mamas out there have been through this ringer and if so, where have you found success? certain job posting sites (craigslist is simply depressing), how to shift gears, ect, ect....
my issue is part monetary (we could use some extra income for sure, but it's not code red), but mostly i feel like i've lost myself and all i am feeling way too much like a 1950's housewife. yuck.
Your kids are an endless source of funny stories and often inspire you to get creative about your parenting skills. So why not share these stories and ideas with other parents, and earn some extra money at the same time?
Portland writer Teri Cettina and her colleagues Kris Bordessa and Jeannette Moninger are successful freelance writers who contribute to national magazines like FamilyFun, Parents, Parenting, and Real Simple Family. The trio recently released a guidebook for parents interested in learning more about working as freelance parenting writers: Cash in on Your Kids: Parenting Queries that Worked. (through lulu.com).
Here, they answer some common questions about freelance writing:
Is parenting writing something I can do part time or on a flexible schedule?
Absolutely! We all started as part-timers. However, when you need to do an uninterrupted telephone interview or a deadline is looming, it’s smart to have a back-up plan: A neighborhood babysitter, a supportive fellow mom, or a drop-in after-school program that will watch your kids while you work.
Can I write about my own kid or my personal parenting experience?
Often, yes. But first study the magazine you’re pitching to see whether they use first-person anecdotes in their stories (i.e., “When my child was 2, he shoved a penny up his nose…”). If they don’t structure stories that way, craft your pitch accordingly. And remember: Even if you write about your family’s experience, you’ll still need to provide research and/or advice from experts. How do I learn more about publications that run parenting articles?
Start with The Writer’s Market (www.writersmarket.com). You can pay a monthly fee for the online version, or see if your library carries the book. Cash in on Your Kids: Parenting Queries that Workedalso lists American publications that accept parenting articles, along with e-mail codes for reaching editors (that's truly "insider information"!).
Do I need to be a professional writer to break into writing about parenting and kids?
Not necessarily. However, before you write for national newsstand magazines, you must have “clips,” or samples of other articles you’ve had published. Weekly or monthly community newspapers are often open to new writers, as are regional parenting publications.
What should I send an editor: A completed article or just a proposal?
Most editors want to see a proposal (a “query”) before they decide whether to assign an article to you. The exception is an essay--a first-person account of an event, without interviews or quotes from experts. Editors prefer to see completed essays before they decide whether they’ll publish them.
How much can I make writing about parenting and kids?
Local parenting publications pay less than national magazines but writing for them is a great way to develop a portfolio of your work. These “clips,” as they’re called, are crucial if you want to break into larger, better-paying magazines. National magazines—like Parents and Parenting—pay anywhere from $250 for a short item in the front or back of the magazine to more than $3,000 for longer features.
Tess Fields writes with an opportunity to serve as ED of this new, excellent organization called Emerge Oregon.
Emerge Oregon is a training program for Democratic women who want to run for public
office.Our mission is to identify,
educate and inspire Democratic women to pursue elective office at the local,
state and national levels.Emerge
originated in the San Francisco Bay Area (www.emergeca.org) six years ago and
currently has state-based programs in seven other states.
Cracked Pots, an environmental non-profit organization, seeks new, innovative projects in the reuse and recycling field for funding.
The Scope:
Projects may be small or large-one time or ongoing.
Projects must center on waste reduction, recycling or reuse.
Projects should have educational components.
Projects should focus on the Portland metro area.
Projects may be created by an individual, group or business.
Our Purpose: We seek to seed or encourage bright new ideas, in any stage of development, which open up the recycling "box" and which provide clever ways to deepen creative reuse and waste reduction.
Our Belief: We live in a vibrant community committed to recycling....yet we know we can do even more to reduce waste here. We know there are "fab" ideas out there which haven't seen the light of day and we want to shine that light. We need you.
The Money: We are open to proposals for funding ranges anywhere from $500 to $10,000. We are interested in projects occurring in 2009.
Friends
of the Children - Portland, a nationally recognized, dynamic non-profit mentoring organization
serving high-risk children in our community, has a current opening for a Part-Time
Senior Accountant. This is a fantastic
opportunity to join an organization that gives children an opportunity to
realize their unique potential.
If you are
a CPA or CMA with two to three years accounting experience and are interested
in working 32 hours a week, we would love to talk with you.
As a Sr.
Accountant, you will provide accounting, payroll and finance support to the Portland office of Friends
of the Children. Day to day tasks
include but are not limited to:
·Prepare
monthly financial statements and analyze budget variances.
·Maintain
accounting records on a monthly basis in accordance with the generally accepted
accounting principles.
·Oversee
accounts receivable, including the preparation and posting of deposits.
·Perform
timely bank reconciliations for review on a monthly basis.
·Prepare
semi-monthly payroll, verify semi-monthly, quarterly and year-end reports for
accuracy.
·Verify
documentation for employee contributions for insurance, flexible spending
account plan and 401(k) plan from payroll records.
·Perform
month and fiscal year end financial account reconciliation and closings.
·Prepare
schedules for auditors.
·Assist
the Finance Director on grant budget writing and reporting.
·Maintain
current, secure and organized fiscal and administrative files.
Qualifications Required:
·CPA
or CMA
·Bachelor’s
Degree in Accounting, Finance or Business required.
·One
to three years accounting experience, preferably in a non-profit environment.
·Must
have strong computer skills; proficiency with Word and Excel.
·Experience
processing payroll with 3rd party payroll service.
·Experience
with Financial Edge software a plus;
·Demonstrated
excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills;
organizational and time management skills;
·Ability
to work independently with limited supervision, as well as be a team player;
·Ability
to solve problems, manage several issues/tasks concurrently and meet deadlines.
Friends of
the Children offers competitive pay and a generous benefits package for all of
our employees.
To Apply:
If you would like to bring your
expertise to our team, please submit your cover letter and resume to “jobs4 at
friendsofthechildren.org”. You can learn
more about Friends of the Children at: www.friendsofthechildren.org/portland. Employment Opportunities are listed under the
“Contact Us” tab.
We are committed to our community, to
equal employment opportunity, and to diversity in our workplace.
Position: Diaper Therapist to the Eco-Savvy, part-time 20 hours a week (aka Customer Care Representative)
Who we are: gDiapers is a socially responsible, environmental and family- centered company. We care about babies and we care about the planet. Our Diaper Therapy Department offers more to customers than the average customer service. We, as parents, extend to other parents, grandparents and caregivers our personal experiences, our friendly humor, and our desire for healthy children and a healthy planet. We appreciate that “going green” may take some getting used to. We’re here to listen, and here to help.
Hi- I live in Palo Alto, CA and am part of the Palo Alto/ Menlo Park Parents Club which seems a lot like your group and am a mom of three. I have a couple of things I'm interested in connecting on: I recently started working part time for an internet start-up called Center'd, which is extremely useful in helping busy moms organize and plan online (I used the site for a school picnic, liked it so much that I wanted to work for them!) To that end, I'd love to introduce you to the site, which is completely free to users and can help cut down on the back and forth emailing that takes place when trying to organize anything kid related.
Secondly, I am looking for someone in the Portland area for a part time (10 hour a week) position that would be perfect for a mom with young kids. I'm simply interested in spreading the word about Center'd which can also help schools and other organizations handle all of their volunteer sign up's online! Please get back to me if you want any further information. I have a job description that I can email. I hope it is okay to post here, I am just trying to think of different ways to get in touch with the exact group that we're after - we really can help! You can also forward my email address to any one who might want to know more. Thanks so much for your time!
The Pfeifer MusicWerks Studio is now hiring experienced piano teachers for immediate start. We are looking for some great teachers to share our love of music to last a lifetime teaching philosophy. The positions are part time in the mornings or afternoons after school between 3-8 PM depending on the day.
teachers wanted for: baby music classes -mornings/early afternoon preschool piano classes mornings & after school teaching students in home -after school small group piano lessons - 2-4 students -after school
Can you help a mama put a baby in a sling? We need you!
Seeking energetic, out-going part-time sales person for baby boutique. Needs to adore children, be able to work with limited supervision, and be computer literate. Knowledge of babywearing, cloth diapering, and breastfeeding are huge pluses. Recent retail experience is also preferred but not required.
Approximately 12-20 hours a week. Weekend work is required of this position.
07.24.09 Activistas Summer Playdate Join us to drink coffee, chat, and learn about Family Forward Oregon while the kids play quietly and calmly at our feet (ha!). @ Posie's in NoPo
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