Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Flexible Work Arrangements

When I was pregnant with my first child and working full time, my husband found a fantastic job opportunity that meant we would relocate. A perfect scenario for a pregnant wife? For some. After the birth of our daughter my challenges included sleep deprivation, a limited knowledge of my new city, and lack of adult interaction. Going from full time work in an industry that I loved to become a full time stay at home mom was a shock to the system. I stayed at home for a year. A long, rough year.

After dusting off the ‘ol resume I had a question in front of me: Should I go back to work full time or part time? Not only is this a financial choice for most families, but the question of daycare and professional fulfillment compound the weight of the decision.

During my months of searching for my next great opportunity I found a company that opened my eyes to a new world: The flexible work market.

Kella Hatcher and Maryanne Perrin, founders of Balancing Professionals, believe that a “one-size-fits-all” workplace model is no longer sustainable for businesses, individuals, or communities. The inspiration for starting their business was shaped by many things including their personal experiences working in successful part-time leadership roles and the growing pool of high-caliber talent they encountered seeking flexible work arrangements.

After reformatting my resume into a skills-based resume rather than chronologically, I had the pleasure of meeting 1:1 with Maryanne who got to know me, my skills, my expertise and what I was looking for in my career. From there, the Balancing Professionals team goes to work looking to pair candidates with employers seeking the same talent.

I had a fantastic experience with the entire process. I even got as far as a 3rd interview with a marketing agency who was really interested in hiring me. Simultaneously, as part of my own job search, I was called into interview for a Full Time position within a large pharmaceutical company looking to expand its marketing team.

From my bio, you’ll know that I ended up taking the position with the pharmaceutical company, but it wasn’t without gaining a profound respect for the flexible work market as well as the folks over at Balancing Professionals who matched me with a great potential employer. If you are in the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill area and are contemplating a flexible work arrangement, I highly recommend checking out the team over at Balancing Professionals.

2 comments:

  1. And I was lucky enough to be working at that same pharmaceutical company. So grateful to have worked with you, am enjoyed your new venture - love Kath

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks so much for your support Kath! Love that you are following my blog. You make me want to go buy some tulips. Happy Friday.

    ReplyDelete