NEW BOOK
“Comeback Moms: How To Leave Work, Raise Children, and Jumpstart Your Career Even If You Haven’t Had a Job in Years,” by Monica Samuels and J.C. Conklin, Morgan Road Books, $23.95
From a woman’s perspective, the glass ceiling seems to be double-paned once kids enter her life. There are two good reasons mothers decide to stay home: guilt and love. They feel guilty they have a only few hours each weekday to spend with them. They wonder about personality development during the formative years too.
So if you decided to quit and want to come back in a few years, make sure your work skills are current before starting your job search. The place to start is your former employer. Don’t start with human resources; if your former boss is still there, call. If not, talk with other managers that know you and former co-workers.
If that proves to be a dead end, other routes include staffing firms and volunteer work. Why not hit the general job market? You need recent work experience on your resume to break that iceberg.
Don’t forget networking. While you’re a stay-at-home mom, you need to plan your return. Get involved with groups.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
NEW BOOK
“If Harry Potter Ran General Electric: Leadership Wisdom From the World of Wizards,” by Tom Morris, Doubleday, $24.95
Don’t expect a magical parody; it’s not even about General Electric per se. Its magic comes from applying the fundamentals underlying J.K. Rowling’s stories to business.
When Dumbledore says, “It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our ability,” it makes you think about how business is done. Hiring the best and the brightest won’t work if they don’t make the right choices.
Professor McGonagall to Neville Longbottom: “There’s nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence.” If you don’t believe in yourself, you become your own obstacle. You refuse to take even the smallest risk; you can’t grow. As a result, you fall short of your potential. If you don’t believe in yourself, don’t expect others to believe in you.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
