FIRMS FIND FLEX WORK FOR MOMS
Of working mothers, 60 percent say they wish they could find part-time jobs, but only 24 percent of them do, according to a recent survey. Good news: Two new Valley businesses are trying to connect working mothers with the companies who want to hire them. The owners believe a niche market exists, and statistics back it up. Pew Research Center's latest survey about working women in America said that 60 percent of women with preschoolers are working, as are 75 percent of mothers with school-age children.10 til 2
Five years ago, a group of mothers in Denver realized they'd all like to go back to work part time. They all knew businesses that needed professional help, not just full time. So the women founded 10 til 2. "Other staffing firms weren't doing (this)," founder Liz Norwood said. "They just were not placing people in longer-term part-time positions." A distinction exists between "part time" and "temporary placements." Part-time work is a permanent or semi-permanent position with a six-month minimum commitment on the part of the candidate and employer. Temporary work is intermittent, assigned as needed in stopgap positions.
"Our companies agree to flexible schedules and sometimes they don't pay benefits," Norwood said. "Our candidates must have one year of college, at least. "We do not work with retail, restaurant or medical placements, instead focusing on engineering, IT, design and some legal placements." 10 til 2 essentially functions as a human-resources office for many of the businesses with which they work. They prescreen all candidates before qualifying a limited number to send on to direct interviews. Once a business makes an offer to a candidate, 10 til 2 takes over all new-hire paperwork and details.
Jodi Towns opened a Scottsdale office for 10 til 2 this summer after being a stay-at-home mom for four years. "I always worked full time in the financial world and in training and development management," she said. "I wanted to go back to work, and was holding out for 'the right thing.' But when I saw this opportunity, I couldn't let it go." 10 til 2, which has a branch office in the West Valley, too, operates in seven states and has a database of about 6,500 potential candidates.
A Professional Find
Cheri Jefferies and Laurie Wallace wanted to place seasoned professionals in part-time positions to help women re-enter the workforce. A Professional Find officially will open for business this month. The two Scottsdale residents have been establishing their base of potential candidates and companies they can work with. "We believe that the real trend is that women want to work," Wallace said. The two based their ideas about linking women and part-time positions on that professional women often exit their careers for two to three years as they begin to raise families. When they're ready to re-enter, they also want to seek positions that offer the flexibility they need to keep their families as their primary focus. "Cheri and I both live this, and we also know that employers are looking for professionals who want flexibility," Wallace said. A Professional Find, she said, will not only screen candidates but identify organizational cultures to find the best match of business needs with the needs of candidates. "We want candidates to see us as a trusted adviser helping to identify opportunities that will meet their needs, and we want potential employers to be certain that our candidates have been thoroughly reviewed for both hard and soft skills, so that the skills and the culture both fit."
Where to find them:
10 til 2: tentiltwo.com, (602) 741-3190
A Professional Find: aprofessionalfind.com, (480) 306-6566
By the numbers:
- In 57 percent of married couples, both husbands and wives work.
- Wives' earning contribute 35 percent of family income.
- In one-third of marriages, the wife brings home a bigger paycheck.
- Full-time work has grown less attractive to moms with children younger than age 18 in the past decade.
- Patricia Bathurst, Special for The Republic, Arizona Republic
Sources: Pew Research Center, USINFO, U.S. Department of State