Working Mums in the UK
Working Mums in the UK

For Shirley Mertz, continuing to work throughout the past 14 years as she battled breast cancer was not only natural but also critical to her well-being.

“After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, continuing to live a normal life was extremely important, and for me, normal meant working,” said Mertz, a former assistant superintendent for a public high school district in suburban Chicago, Ill., who is now 59 and a full-time breast cancer advocate. “I was fortunate enough to have a sympathetic employer and compassionate co-workers, but I had to look outside my office for the support and information I needed to cope with cancer. I never really considered that workplace resources might be an option.”

Mertz’s experience is echoed in the results of a national Harris Interactive survey of working women diagnosed with cancer, which, astonishingly, found that a mere 1 percent of them consider their company a source of information or support in coping with their illness. Although they are generally satisfied with interpersonal support and report an ability to balance the demands of their illness and their careers, many survey participants are in fact suffering treatment-related difficulties on the job, such as fatigue, nausea and hair loss, but are not finding help in workplace programs. The survey was initiated by Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation’s (CEWF) Cancer and Careers program and supported by a grant from Roche.

Carlotta Jacobson, President of CEW, a leading trade organization in the beauty industry, says it’s essential for employers to find ways to anticipate and address the needs of their employees who have cancer.

“Our survey shows that, despite their stoic attitude, women with cancer often struggle with physical, emotional and other issues in the workplace,” said Jacobson. “To address their needs, we’ve developed the Cancer and Careers program, which includes free information, guidance and tools for both employees and their managers.”

Cancer and Careers is an online and offline resource for working women with cancer and their employers. The program’s Web site, www.cancerandcareers.org, includes more than 100 online articles, downloadable tools, charts and checklists, and a searchable database of 400-plus cancer resources. CEWF also offers the Managing Through Cancer program to help managers, HR professionals and CEOs initiate policy changes, develop supportive ser-vices, and design flexible work arrangements.

CEWF’s survey also revealed that women with cancer need more than just workplace support to help them address the challenges they face on the job. Nearly three-fourths of women surveyed expressed a desire for a less intrusive treatment to a working woman’s lifestyle. Citing convenience and fewer side effects as rationale, 86 percent of women said they would prefer an oral chemotherapy treatment to intravenous administration.

“Because I took an oral chemotherapy pill instead of going to the clinic all the time for IV treatment, I missed fewer days of work and felt more like myself,” said Mertz. “I also didn’t have any hair loss, which helped me to maintain my self-esteem.”

I recently responded to a young woman’s thread on another site regarding what it takes to enter the world of freelance writing. The questions she asked were probing — which is good — and something that everyone should do if exploring whether to jump into this dynamic field.

Without going through all the 5 questions again, these were some of my responses to her:

When asked about hours worked per week, I told her I average between 55-70 hours.

When asked the type of work that I am doing now, I responded that I was updating someone’s web site. Nope, I do have other jobs to do besides writing…I have to pay the bills, right?

When asked what I like best about freelancing, I mentioned not having a boss to answer to and being able to pick and choose the projects that appeal to me.

Finally, when asked about the down sides of freelancing I mentioned the long hours as well as the ups and downs of the business: feast or famine!

So, I guess I have this to say to anyone who is considering entering the freelance world: it ain’t all glamour but if you don’t mind working hard you can make a go of it.

That’s it!

When you think of the word “model”, images of men and women with perfect complexions, incredible bodies and wonderful wardrobes are probably the first things to come to mind. But modeling is much more than that and the need for “non-traditional” models is probably more prevalent than you imagine. If you consider advertising, media and books that use photos of real people and places, you can see that you don’t have to be a perfectly-proportioned person with a flawless look to find modeling opportunities. That gives rise to the question, “Do you have what it takes to be a model?”

If you’re interested in modeling but you need experience, you should likely begin your search locally. Every city that has an advertising company probably needs models. In the larger cities where magazines and other media are produced and printed, you’ll also find a need for people willing to model. Almost every catalog, flyer and circular that arrives in your mailbox includes photos of at least a few people who were willing to model for that publication. The opportunities are out there but you have to be willing to go after them.

Consider the local advertising agency. Especially if you’re talking about an agency in a smaller city with limited financial resources, the search for quality models is continuous. They need people willing to model with and be spokesperson for area businesses that are intent on producing commercials with local faces.

Magazines are also a good source of modeling opportunities. For example, a magazine accepts a story from a freelance writer about mothers to be printed in the Mother’s Day edition. Stories are always more appealing if there is art to catch the reader’s eye and the magazine begins its search for appropriate models for this story. They don’t need a cover girl - they need a mother (or at least a woman who can look like one).

Think you don’t have the figure for modeling? Catalogs are another good source of modeling opportunities. Apparel companies don’t just sell clothing for the men and women with perfect bodies. The fact that not every woman is a “perfect size six” means that not all clothing offered will be a size six. What better way to entice the smaller than normal woman (or those larger than normal) to choose a particular product than by showing how it looks on other small or large women? This creates an excellent opportunity for those who will never fit into a size six dress to give modeling a try.

If you are fortunate enough to have the perfect body, complexion and look for traditional modeling, you still might need to start with the less-traditional modeling jobs. No matter what kind of modeling you want to do, remember that it boils down to hard work in sometimes less-than-ideal conditions. Catalogs, magazines and advertisers will do photo shoots well ahead of the season. That means that you could find yourself modeling swimsuits on the beach while it’s still too cold to be on the beach, or wrapped up in ski gear in front of a crackling fire in mid-summer. But if modeling truly appeals to you, you might just find that you do have what it takes to become a model.

Copyright 2005 by Lynn Walls. All rights reserved.

If you’ve just begun your search for a work at home job, you probably have a beautiful concept of what working from home is like. You probably imagine yourself waking up whenever you want, sliding your feet into fuzzy slippers and shuffling to the kitchen to get some coffee, then shuffling along to your office to put in another wonderful day at work, then later going to the mailbox to pick up your weekly paycheck of several thousand dollars. I hate to burst your bubble, but it doesn’t work that way. Actually, let me clarify that and say it doesn’t always work that way.

The truth is, working at home is usually a lot harder than working in an office somewhere. Scammers and hyped-up business opportunity ads have given us the belief that working at home is oh-so-easy. We just relax on a tropical beach, then go collect our paychecks. I’m sure you’ve seen ads like that. Those of us who already work at home know better!

Here are some things you should consider before jumping into a work at home job:

How much do you want to earn? - If you want to work for an employer as a telecommuter, be prepared to earn less than you would at a job outside the home. A job that pays $11.00 an hour in the regular workforce might pay $7 or $8 an hour at home. There are exceptions of course. Some jobs, like virtual assisting, web design and graphics, medical transcription and coding and other professional jobs will probably pay more than a simple data entry or customer service job. Many work at home jobs don’t pay hourly either. For data entry work, you might get paid per piece, and for telephone jobs you might get paid per “talk minute” (only those minutes you are actually on the phone with a customer.)

Do you need benefits? - The majority of work at home jobs do not provide benefits like health insurance or life insurance. Again, there are exceptions.

Taxes - There are companies that will hire you as an actual “employee” and they will take taxes out of your pay. But some will only hire you as an “independent contractor,” and you are responsible for paying your own taxes.

Work availability - If you are hired as an independent contractor, it’s important to understand that your employer is not obligated to provide any work for you. Most companies have busy seasons and slow seasons. During a busy season, you might be working 40-50 hours a week, and then the slow season arrives and suddenly you’re fighting to get even 10 hours of work per week. If your income is especially important to your household, definitely keep that in mind. However, many people choose to work more than one job at a time. If one slows down, they simply start working more for the other.

How motivated are you? - If you are the type of person who usually needs a kick in the rear to get moving, working at home will be very hard on you. You have to be extremely disciplined to sit down at the computer, log in and actually WORK each day. There are so many distractions in the home that will pull you away from work if you let them. You have to be very focused and set a schedule for yourself, just like you would at a job outside the home.

Do you mind solitude? - Working at home can be lonely. If you thrive on social interaction, working alone can be difficult to adjust to. However, you can ease this by spending time with friends frequently, or joining some online groups to chat with like minded people.

Flexibility - Some employers require you to work a specific set schedule, while others might be more flexible, allowing you to choose your own hours. Give some thought to which type of schedule would work best for you. When I first decided to work at home, I made the mistake of choosing a job that had a rigid schedule, and I hated it! I had forgotten that that was one of the things I disliked about working outside the home - living by someone else’s schedule. Think about how you work best, and choose accordingly.

Childcare - So many mothers want to work at home so they can raise their own children, rather than sending them to a daycare. However, working at home with small children underfoot is no easy task! It’s not impossible, and it depends greatly on the ages of your children and what type of work you are doing at home. If you work a telephone job, most employers will require a very quiet background, which is impossible if you have small children. You also can’t stop working every few minutes to entertain the kids, unless you want to put in a very long day at the computer to make up for all the interruptions. There are certainly things you can do to make it easier, like have a neighborhood teenager come in for a few hours to watch your children while you work, or work only when your spouse is home and can keep an eye on the kids.

Choosing work that fulfills you - This is SO important! Right now you’re probably thinking, “I don’t care what type of work I do, as long as it brings in a paycheck.” I guarantee that attitude won’t last long. Like I said, you will need to be extremely self-motivated and self-disciplined to work at home, and your job will be a lot easier if you actually like what you do! Think about the type of person you are, and the type of work that suits you best. Are you creative and free-spirited, or nose-to-the-grindstone efficient? Give some thought to your “vision” of working at home, and try to find a job (or business) that will complement that.

Do you even want a “job?” - When some people decide they want to “work at home,” they don’t want a regular J-O-B at all. What they want is the freedom to set their own schedule and do work they love. It’s certainly possible to find those qualities in a job, but it can be difficult. If this describes you, consider starting your own business instead, focusing on your existing talents and abilities. I think many people shy away from this idea because it seems so overwhelming. But people do this every day! It’s not hard at all. If you don’t know much about business but have an interest, start learning! There are so many great resources on the internet today. If you’re still not sure what type of work at home is best for you, get out a pad of paper and a pen. Write this sentence along the top of the page: I want to work at home because . . . and then write down as many endings to that sentence as you can think of. If most of your answers have to do with freedom and passionate, fulfilling work, a “job” might not be the best thing for you.

Regardless of what type of work you decide on, understand that working at home can be difficult and challenging. But for most of us who do it, it is also wonderful. Personally, I wouldn’t trade it for anything! And once you find the right job or business, you will probably feel the same.

If this article has given you the impression that working at home might not be for you, remember that you can change if you want it badly enough. If you’re not very motivated, work on that. Give yourself little challenges every day and strengthen your level of self-discipline. If you need health benefits, keep searching for a job that provides them, or research other possibilities like affordable health insurance for the self-employed. If your resolve is strong enough, you can make it happen! Never give up on your dreams.

Millions of people worldwide are enticed by the opportunity to work at home. A job from home allows individuals considerably more flexibility, extra time with family and generally alleviates the immense stress which may result from an active career. At home jobs are also desirable for individuals who wish to make an extra income in addition to their day job, college students, disabled persons, at home mothers and senior citizens.

Thousands of people search the internet everyday in hopes of finding financial freedom from the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, the internet is plagued with work at home scams. There are hundreds of companies which promote ‘get rich quick schemes’ or ‘guaranteed’ opportunities to make a living from home. Scams include, but are not limited to, envelope stuffing, mail order, pyramid schemes, medical billing, typist jobs and numerous other ways to make money. The FTC has already charged several individuals involved in managing and promoting fraudulent work at home opportunities. “The dream of owning a business is as American as apple pie, but business opportunity scammers spoil the recipe for success,” said FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras. According to the Better Business Bureau, consumers may lose amounts ranging from $10 up to $70,000 or more in their search to make money from home. So how do you know which opportunities are legitimate and which are not?

Fortunately, there are actually legitimate money making opportunities available on the internet. A large number of individuals actually do earn a good living on the internet. There are people who make millions on the internet and are living the life all of us would like to live. Many more, however, earn an income comparable to their salary or, in many cases, higher.

Many legitimate telecommuting jobs from qualified employers exist. A significant number of them do require some type of skill, but that does not mean you need a college degree to earn a living on the internet. The World Wide Web is full of opportunities, and all types of persons from all over the world are making their dreams come true by working at home.