The Parent’s Guide to Family Friendly Work

The Parent’s Guide to Family Friendly Work

Released July 2007
Publisher(s): Career Press
ISBN: 9781564149442

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Book description

Work and family are often opposing forces that cause stress and conflict for parents. The demands of work spill over into family life, while personal responsibilities create hurdles in succeeding at your job. However, you can solve this problem—and this book can help.

The Parent’s Guide to Family-Friendly Work is a career guide to assist you in finding a job that allows a balance between work and family. The book will help you overcome the barriers you might face in your job search, understand flexible work options and supportive benefits, and learn strategies to search for and negotiate an arrangement that works for you and your family.

Written by a human resource management professional, this book provides advice with a clear understanding of the limitations and legal concerns of most employers. If you decide to forgo traditional employment, you’ll find here lots of creative ideas on work you can do on your own.

The Parent’s Guide to Family-Friendly Work will also show you how to:

• Target family-friendly careers and jobs.

• Improve your resume and assure potential employers of your future success.

• Evaluate the family-friendly claims of a potential employer.

• Negotiate an alternate work arrangement with your current employer.

• Keep your skills sharp if you choose to stay at home.

Packed with helpful tips, success stories, and resources, The Parent’s Guide to Family-Friendly Work is a must-have for any parent who wants to take control and find more family time.

Lori K. Long, Ph.D., SPHR is the president of LK Consulting, LLC, a human resource management consulting firm. Long holds a Ph.D. in business and has more than 15 years of experience in human resource management, career counseling, and business consulting. She lives with her husband, David, and their two children in Cleveland, Ohio

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. Part I: Planning Your Future
    1. Chapter 1: What You Weren’t Told About “Having It All”
      1. Work and Family As Opposing Forces
      2. How to “Have It All”
      3. Resources
    2. Chapter 2: Preparing for Family-Friendly Work
      1. Know Your Priorities
      2. Keys to Success
      3. Resources
    3. Chapter 3: The Resources You Need
      1. Your Partner and Your Kids
      2. Domestic Services
      3. Childcare
      4. Your Financial Needs
      5. Resources
    4. Chapter 4: The Value of Expertise
      1. How Expertise Leads to Family-Friendly
      2. Opportunities to Develop Expertise
      3. Resources
    5. Chapter 5: Knowing Your Rights
      1. Fair Labor Standards Act
      2. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
      3. Laws Important to Working Mothers
      4. State Laws
      5. Resources
  8. Part II: Understanding Your Options
    1. Chapter 6: The Family-Friendly Workplace
      1. Common Dimensions of a Family-Friendly Workplace
      2. Evaluating the Claims of a Family-Friendly Employer
      3. Resources
    2. Chapter 7: Characteristics of a Family-Friendly Job
      1. When You Work
      2. Overtime Work
      3. Where You Work
      4. How You Communicate With Others
      5. Demand for Work
      6. Other Characteristics
      7. Can Managers Make Alternate Work Arrangements?
      8. Resources
    3. Chapter 8: Full-Time Work Options
      1. Compressed Workweek
      2. Flex-Start Schedule
      3. Flexible Schedule
      4. Nontraditional Work Schedule
      5. Tele-Work or Work From Home
      6. Resources
    4. Chapter 9: Reduced-Schedule Work Options
      1. Part-time
      2. Job Share
      3. Contract Work
      4. Seasonal Work
      5. Determining Pay for Reduced-Hour Schedules
      6. Resources
    5. Chapter 10: Family-Friendly Benefits
      1. Helping With Your Children
      2. Time Off
      3. Help Managing Your Life
      4. Career Development
      5. Resources
    6. Chapter 11: The “Boss” Matters
      1. Why the Boss Matters
      2. Why Your Boss May Work Against You
      3. Working With Your Current Boss
      4. Evaluating a Potential Boss
      5. Resources
  9. Part III: Conducting Your Search
    1. Chapter 12: Networking for Success
      1. Building Your Network
      2. Keeping Your Network Active
      3. Resources
    2. Chapter 13: Searching for Family-Friendly Work
      1. Why Networking Works
      2. Researching Potential Employers
      3. Tapping the World Wide Web
      4. Using a Job Search Firm
      5. Final Job Search Thoughts
      6. Resources
    3. Chapter 14: Getting the Job
      1. Your Resume
      2. Initiating Contact
      3. The Interview
      4. Resources
    4. Chapter 15: Asking for More Flexibility in Your Current Job
      1. Evaluating if Flexibility Will Work for Your Job
      2. Your Approach
      3. Working Out the Details
      4. Building Relationships
      5. Resources
    5. Chapter 16: Writing and Delivering Your Proposal
      1. Writing the Proposal
      2. The Delivery
      3. Negotiating
      4. A Flat Out No
      5. Resources
  10. Part IV: After Your Search
    1. Chapter 17: Making It Work Day to Day
      1. Be Firm, but Flexible
      2. Communicate
      3. Take Control of Your Time
      4. Working Together
      5. Involve Your Kids
      6. Resources
    2. Chapter 18: Managing a Family-Friendly Career
      1. Your Own Beliefs
      2. The Perception Problem
      3. Organizational Barriers
      4. Lack of Planning
      5. Lack of Support From Others
      6. Resources
    3. Chapter 19: Going It Alone
      1. Working for Yourself
      2. Family-Friendly Business Ideas
      3. Working Together
      4. Success on Your Own
      5. Resources
    4. Chapter 20: Staying Home—Staying Marketable
      1. Taking On a New Direction
      2. Actively Keeping Sharp
      3. Returning to Work
      4. Preparing for the Interview
      5. Resources
  11. Bibliography
  12. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: The Parent’s Guide to Family Friendly Work
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: July 2007
  • Publisher(s): Career Press
  • ISBN: 9781564149442