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It’s 2011 and women are still fighting for their voices to be heard in the workforce.

The New Zealand Herald recently reported that Avivah Wittenbert-Cox, an international expert on gender balance and best-selling author is fighting the good and all too familiar fight for female equality in the workplace. This goal is to start hiring more women and stop sending the few already there to training courses designed to teach them how to work like a man.

With more and more women graduating with college degrees in their field, there is an expectation that these numbers cannot be ignored and organizations will begin to adapt to them and to their needs and working styles. But many companies still use the glass ceiling metaphor in how far women may advance on the management train. Should you get sidetracked by family or personal reasons that women and men alike cannot help, Wittenbert-Cox says that this is the case where, “the career train passes only once and if you miss it, you can’t get back on -ever.”

What is happening here?

Granted this is an international publication I’m quoting from, but that should not make this sort of practice acceptable. I should not have to state that women are making progressive strides in business because it should be a given. There are Renaissance women all around us, wearing and working with different hats all day long. Not one of those women should have to change their working style if it has been proven to be successful because it isn’t like a man’s. In order to survive in the future, companies throughout the world had better listen to the sound because women today aren’t going anywhere but to the top- we’re Renaissance women you know!

Be Your Own Renaissance Woman is a post from She Takes on the World

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Hire Smart Now So You Don’t Have to Fire Later

One of the best things you can do for your company is hire quality employees — and don’t take their word for it. Whether you are a businessman or a businesswoman, you want to create the best possible staff for your company. There are several ways a company can determine whether an employee will be a good fit without taking a blind leap of faith; one being background checks.

Background checks allow you to know exactly who you are hiring before making the job offer. According to hrscreening.com, over 35% of job applications and resumes reveal a distortion, and according to William M. Mercer, Inc., turnover costs a minimum of $10,000. Although background checks are becoming more and more popular (and unfortunately more necessary) with companies, performing a Google search or checking a potential candidates Facebook simply isn’t enough. The best way to avoid these types of unnecessary costs is to catch the problem before it starts and complete a few simple checks.

What to Check and What to Avoid

There are several types of records that you should check before hiring a prospective employee and some that have to be avoided:

The reason that some records should be avoided is because they are not always accessible to just any company, and in many states these kinds of background checks are not supported. In some states an employer is allowed to ask about things such as criminal records, while other states cannot. If you feel you need to check someone that is typically avoided, the best thing you can do is check with a lawyer to determine your states policy.

Tips to Hiring that Perfect Employee

1. Consent – An employer must always get the consent of the applicant before performing any sort of background tests. If an applicant has nothing to hide, this should not be a problem. The easiest way to do this is to create a portion of your job application that asks whether or not the applicant would be willing to undergo a list of specific background checks. This way, if there is an issue it will come up before all the formalities of an interview.
2. Pick and Choose Your Battles –When conducting a background check, make sure that your tests and checks are related to the job position your candidate is applying (you are not expected to conduct every test you can). For example, if you are looking to hire an office worker, driving records would not be necessary. It is up to the employer to decide which tests make sense for the position. In fact, if your tests are unreasonable you run the risk of being sued.
3. Credit Report Issues – The background check that would probably give you the most problems would be credit reports. In some states, looking at an applicant’s credit is not allowed. If this is allowed in your state and you want to use a credit report to make your decision, be advised that the applicant has a right to challenge your decision if they are not hired.
4. Use Public Record Databases – Much of the information you need to conduct a background check, such as driving records or court records, can be found online. Other things you need, such as drug tests or past employment references, can be done in your office.
5. Double Check Those Resumes – It is worth your time to call Universities for education verification and past employers for work history confirmation. Many applicants can come in for an interview and smooth talk their way into your good graces, but once the job starts you may find yourself spending too much time on the training a past education or job seemed to “miss.”

Unfortunately, many start-up companies see backgrounds checks as confusing and intimidating, and therefore ignore them. This is sure to cost you more trouble in the future if you do hire an employee who is bad news, so follow a few of the simple tips listed above. After all, you can NEVER be too safe with your business.

How to Perform a Successful Employee Background Check is a post from She Takes on the World

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Short on time? No problem!

It’s rare to have a whole day to devote to your passion projects, so make the most of the time you do have. Last month, I explained how you can use short increments of time to make a difference in productivity. Now, we’ll figure out what to do with that time.

Here are a variety of things you can do in 15 minutes during your breaks at work, long lines at the DMV, and other downtime -like waiting to pick up your kids at school -to take your productivity and your business to the next level!

Read

• A book or magazine about your industry.
• Research relevant websites.
• Email blasts from competitors.

Stay on top of what’s happening in your field. This gives you a competitive edge and increases your level of expertise.

Write

• A to-do list, grocery list, or quick journal entry.
• A query, blog post, or blog and social-networking comments.
• Your bio, press release, or a draft of your business plan.

Instead of spending a lot of time mulling  over the items you have to write, write them quickly. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effective focused writing-time can be. You can always edit queries, blog posts, and publicity materials later.

Relax

• Take a walk, exercise or power-nap.
• Cook, garden, meditate.
• Sketch, take photos, work a crossword puzzle or Sudoku.

Do whatever it takes to do a personal “system re-boot.” You will feel refreshed and will be more productive when you head back to your daily routine.

What Can You Do in 15 Minutes? is a post from She Takes on the World

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Autumn is just around the corner and before the clock makes us fall back for Daylight Savings, savvy business ladies and moms need to be sure they don’t fall behind on their priorities. With the kids going back to school, interns heading in for another year of college, and the office hours (and attire) changing over to be a bit longer and a bit more bulkier than the light-hearted nature of summertime, it’s all about balancing out work, school, and if there is time, the good ole personal life again.

Balancing acts are never easy to handle but become even more difficult to work with when a company is rigid on the rules.

Tardiness for work once school starts up again is all the more frequent. If you’re a college student working as an intern, your blame could come from the commute being filled with traffic or a class running late. For employees with children, it could be that they missed the bus and had to drive out of their way to school. Some afternoons, kids get sick at school or have unexpected half-days and if someone can’t be there to pick them up, the parent has to leave work early. For college interns and parents, the more frequently these instances turn up could cause employers to become irritated and ultimately affect the rest of the office, particularly if the office is rule-abiding.

In the defense of parents and students, these things happen and most of the time nothing can be done about it.

As a mother myself with a busy office filled with parents and students alike, I understand what they’re going through and do my best to accommodate to different schedules. It’s all about flexibility. Discuss with your employee or intern their upcoming schedule and work out times that are comfortable for them to come in and do their work and still balance classes and kids. If possible, especially in the case of those working with social media, see if working from home is an easier option. Be wary of anyone who tries to take advantage of your kindness though- not coming in to work because you had to audition for American Idol isn’t going to fly with anyone. So long as you have a strong team on-board though, I can’t foresee this one happening. Also, keep your communication lines open too in the event of a new semester schedule change.

I believe a happy worker is a good worker.

If your boss works with you to help create a schedule that fits all of your needs, stay focused while on the job and give it 150% percent of your effort. What goes around comes around. By supporting your team of hard workers, they’ll support you and the business overall and stay loyal to the company for years to come.

Made the balancing act a lot less harder, huh? It’s a win-win situation all around!

Staying On Schedule: The School and Work Balancing Act is a post from She Takes on the World

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There is always that moment in the life of a working woman in which the babysitter gets unexpectedly sick or the nanny takes the day off. The grandparents are out of town and school is having a half-day. I think you can already tell where I’m headed with this one – the kids can’t go home because you can’t be there to supervise them. So they’re coming to work with you for the day.

Yay?

For children, this is awesome! I get to see where mommy works and hang out in her office! She’ll probably take me to lunch too and let me bring my toys along! Maybe she’ll buy me a present too! Meanwhile, depending on how her work embraces children onsite, Mom will either be excited for the event or worried about the liability her kids bring along with them.

Kids only see the positives of going to work with their parents.

This is an outing to a place they seldom get to visit, in a world where mom works with the other “grown-ups.” Many children also have a vague idea of what their parents actually do for a living and taking them to work these days is often seen as a learning experience – one that even has an entire organization dedicated to the movement.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work is an entire day of the year (with the next one slated to be on April 26th, 2012) in which workplaces and organizations throughout the country and overseas work to produce the program of showing boys and girls a sneak peek into the working lifestyle. Appropriately enough for this blog, the day first originated for daughters only and was founded by Gloria Steinem and the Ms. Foundation. Children get the day off from school, as allowed by the administration, to attend a day in the life of 9-5 with their parents. The organization itself has been around for over 18 years and employs hands-on interactive activities in the workplace that teach children the early basics of looking into their future and the balance between work life and home life.

So if you get the opportunity to, should you encourage a take your daughter or son to work day at your workplace?

I’ve done one before with the company I own, MyCorporation. While it was a fun event (we made stuffed bears together) and great to see the employees and their children interacting and working together, I’ll admit that it isn’t an event I could host every year. Having children in the workplace makes it difficult to stay on task with your workload for the day and keep them preoccupied and busy in the meantime. For this type of event, your child would know in advance that it is a special day and to be on their best behavior. The bigger problem at hand though is the legal liability children present in the workplace. The other days of the year, the ones where the nanny is sick or you have to bring your children in for the afternoon, are the ones where you’ll bring your child in for a short burst of time – perfectly fine if done a few times. Some corporate offices offer daycare centers, but many of these have been phased out due to the liability issue.

If you can’t host a ‘take your daughter or son to work day’ during an actual workday, you might want to consider holding an outside family event instead. Plan a picnic outing or attend a baseball game and offer employees discounted tickets. It might not be in the workplace, but when it comes to the balance of work life and home life, it’s always important to ensure that your home life is just as strong as your work life!

Should You Participate in Take Your Kid To Work Day? is a post from She Takes on the World

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Everyone has long suspected that the purse strings are held by women. How many times have we heard that its women that make 85% of the buying decisions in their households?

But the thing we are seeing emerge now is that women are not just the chief purchasing officers, they are also the earners – a reality that has enormous consequences across global economies.

The emergence of a global “She-conomy” will have a major impact on everything from education to marketing and branding to fertility levels. While it’s true that most women still earn less than men, are far less likely to be in the highest-salaried executive positions, there are numerous positive indicators on the horizon in the U.S.:

There are already many more women than men enrolled in and graduating from universities:

• Women account for more than half of college students and half the work force, which has delayed motherhood and marriage.
• For the first time, a majority of mothers, 54 percent, have a college education, up from 41 percent in 1990.

Women increasingly serve as household breadwinners and white-collar executives:

• Women are widely considered the most powerful and growing demographic with respect to global consumer power. In fact, about a third of women out-earn their husbands.
• Many women have suffered less than men in this recession. They were more likely to be in health care and other sectors/jobs that were not hit as hard as construction and manufacturing. They are also increasingly likely to have the education required. One in five men 25 to 54 is not working, and the jobs that many of these men once had will not return.
• Many indicators point toward women comprising a greater percentage of white-collar professional positions going forward, while men who have been displaced will need to find alternatives – perhaps through vocational training or entering trade professions.

What about the global economy?

• 1 billion additional middle class women are expected to enter it over the next decade. If China and India each represent 1 billion emerging participants in the global marketplace, then this “third billion” will be made up of women, in both developing and industrialized nations, whose economic lives have previously been stunted, under-leveraged, or suppressed.
• Globally, women total $13 trillion in yearly earnings and could reach $18 trillion in the next five years, representing a growth market twice as big as China and India combined.

What will this mean in the workplace?

• In the “she-conomies” that are emerging, communication and leadership styles that resonate with, inspire and include women will also be in greater demand. As will financial planning products and services.
• But it also means, we are on the precipice of a massive economic power shift!

Women in Charge: The Emerging Global “She-conomy” is a post from She Takes on the World

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Remember when you were ten and it was so easy to ask for an extra dollar in your allowance if you pulled a few extra weeds or washed a couple more dishes? Being a young lady at the ripe age of ten, if you worked hard you’d earn the right to play hard.  That sweet, sweet vision so vivid in your imagination of playing with the latest Barbie became a little closer to reality upon asking your parents for a temporary raise with sugar on top.

30 or 40 years later, asking for more money doesn’t seem to be such an easy task—you’re no longer able to bat your eye lashes and take on some of your brother’s chores in order to attain more money.

When I was a manager at Intuit (prior to becoming MyCorporation) I saw first-hand how woman beat around the bush when it came to asking for a raise.

Based off various studies, it’s a known fact that women have a more difficult time asking for raises in the work-place than men. Why is that?
 

Women find the good in things.

Even if a woman isn’t getting paid the salary she thinks she should or is getting paid less than a co-worker, she will take into account other benefits of her job to balance out the lack of salary.  Things like benefits (i.e. health and dental), flexibility, and vacation time all seem super great when what you’re getting paid isn’t at the top of the list.  A person could think, “Well I’m not getting paid what Sheila is, but I get to take time off to go to my kid’s soccer games so it evens out.”
 

Women don’t want a bad rep.

If a woman marched into her boss’ office and confidently laid out why she should be receiving more money she would come off as hostile and bitchy.  Whereas, if a man did the same thing, he would be complemented on his strong, no-nonsense behavior.  Women want to please people and most shudder at the thought of negative gossip frolicking around the office concerning what an arrogant piece of work they are.
 

Women don’t want to cross others.

Most women would rather not take a raise if it meant having to step over other people to receive the money. If conflict can be avoided- it will be avoided.  Minimizing conflict makes for a peaceful, productive work environment—who wouldn’t want that?

However, I fully believe all things no longer apply when asking for a raise if a) the woman thoroughly believes she honestly deserves a raise to be paired with the amount of work she puts in and b) there is a financial need at home.  If a mother has kids to feed you better believe she’ll be asking for a raise despite any gossip uttered about her.
 

Here’s what you should do when asking for a raise:

Be prepared with reasons as to why you deserve a raise.

 
Coming into your boss’ office being ready to explain why you ‘need the money’ is not affective nor is it appropriate.  Actually lay down what you’ve done and how the company has benefited from you as well as plans for the future. Once you’ve done that, all you can do is prove your hard work.  Don’t over ask—once is plenty, the seed is planted.

That being said, I do feel if a person is putting in the hard work on her own, good things will come without having to ask because it will just be so painfully evident how well she’s doing.  When I worked under Intuit I definitely had the ‘mommy label’ slapped across my forehead—which was paired with the thought that because my attention was split between being at work and being a mother I was less of an employee.  Well, I worked my butt off and because of that maintained and excelled at being a manager and now the CEO of the new company, all while being a mother.

I leave you with the words of Thomas Jefferson: “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. “

I Need a Raise: With Sugar on Top is a post from She Takes on the World

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Getting Things Done

You have visualized what you want, determined your goals, and figured out how to make the time to put toward your business, project, or career. Fantastic! Let’s kick things up a notch.
 

Deadlines & Benchmarks

Deadlines are great for keeping your projects on track.

• Decide what steps you need to take to accomplish one of your larger goals. A benchmark for redesigning your website would be to do research. If you are writing a book, each chapter can be a step. If you are trying to advance your career, you might want to try one new networking event per month.
• Look at a calendar and determine what would be a reasonable deadline for accomplishing each task. Factor in a cushion for time when you know you will be less productive: family vacations, school holidays, seasonal crunch-time at work.
• As with your goals, write these deadlines down. Put them in your calendar, as well as in a place you look at frequently.

Rules & Rewards

Set up your own personal system of rules and rewards.

• What do you like to do? Are you a yogi, an entertainment fan or a foodie?
• What do you need to accomplish? An hour of work, a written document, a business makeover?
• What will encourage you to get your work done? A walk on the beach, a movie, dinner out?

Examples

Make a list of each task and the reward you will receive after you complete it.

• One hour’s worth of work allows you 15 minutes of social media time.
• After you accomplish your weekly goal, enjoy a movie or a yoga class.
• Once you accomplish a monthly goal, treat yourself to dinner out.

Celebrate every victory … big and small. And, remember, living your dreams is the greatest reward!

Goal Setting: Making it Happen with Rules and Rewards is a post from She Takes on the World

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Determining your Tasks

Now that you have visualized your future and set goals for achieving your dreams, it’s time to break things down into manageable tasks. What do you need to do to reach each goal? As with goal-setting, write everything down and prioritize. Then, do your to-dos. It’s that simple.

Taking Time

• Set an appointment with yourself every day. It could be 15 minutes or an afternoon. Hint: 15 minutes is more reasonable, especially for those who have a day job, family, other responsibilities, and are building a business on the side.
• Put it in your calendar … in ink! If you skip a doctor’s appointment or a spa date, they’ll charge you. You deserve the same respect. Keep the appointments you make with yourself.

Marking Time

• If your schedule is such that you are unable to nail down specific times to work on your business, that’s okay—as long as you still find pockets of time every day. Then, enter what you worked on and for how long into your calendar. Hint: Use time spent in traffic or waiting in long lines to think about your business.
• Tracking your progress will keep you focused and help to build-up momentum.

Tools

• Invest in a kitchen timer. This way, when you only have a limited time to work, you are not spending it looking at the clock.
• Get a notebook or voice recorder. There’s nothing like them for capturing inspiration on the go.

 
Whether you are starting a business, growing a career, or taking your passion-project to the next level, it is essential to take time on a regular basis to work towards your future.

Project Management: Time to Get Things Done is a post from She Takes on the World

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Ready, Set, Goals …

Position yourself for success. Set realistic goals – you can overshoot a little, but not so much that there’s no way you can achieve them. Then, look at them regularly, so you stay on track.
 

Setting Goals

• Write down what you want to achieve. Everything.
• Separate your goals into list two lists: personal goals and professional ones.
• Then, review your lists and prioritize. Pick the top three things to achieve this week, this month, this summer, and this year. The little goals you set should work towards the big picture.

Personal Goals

In order to be successful in business, it’s essential to put your personal life in order.

• How’s your living situation? Do you have a difficult roommate? Inconsiderate neighbors? If that’s the case, finding a new place to live should be Goal One.
• Is your home office a mess? Do you even have a home office? Putting your workspace together should be a top priority.
• When was the last time you took a real vacation? Saving money, so you can treat yourself to a few days away, is a good three- to six-month personal goal. It will leave you refreshed and ready to “take on the world.”

Professional Goals

What do you need to do to achieve your business success? Here are some examples.

• Goals for the Week: Get business cards, register a domain, start a blog.
• Monthly Goals: Develop a new logo, redesign your blog, attend regular networking events.
• Summer Goals: Write a business plan or the first draft of a book, create a new product.

Remember, goal-setting isn’t something you just do at the beginning of the year. Take a goal inventory regularly … adjust if necessary. And always keep your eye on the prize.
 
 
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Goal Setting: Turning Your Vision Into Reality is a post from She Takes on the World