Meet Kate Sykes Of CareerMums.com.au

Welcome back!

	My guest today is Kate Sykes. Kate runs a website called CareerMums.com.au. This website connects skilled mothers to flexible employers. The website is only for the Australian market. If you are a mum and are looking for a part time job or a home based job or flexible work times then this is the website for you. Since its launch, CareerMums.com.au has been growing leaps and bounds in its popularity. It has become the first stop for many Australian mothers looking for a home based job or a part time job. Read and Be Inspired…



What were you doing before your current business venture? Why did you start CareerMums.com.au?

	I have always had a desire to run my own business. After 12 years in the corporate sector working in marketing and communications management roles in Sydney and Boston USA, and becoming mum, an idea sparked my interest. I subscribe to an enewsletter generated by www.springwise.com. This website searches the globe looking for new business ideas. In July 2006, I received a Springwise enewsletter that covered a website in the US that catered to women returning to work after taking time of out of the workplace to care for their children. As a mother myself, I thought this was a great concept because I became aware of how much talent was going to waste. I immediately starting researching the Australian market and realised that there were no services like this. On further investigation and research, the following facts made it clear to me that there was potential in pursuing this business idea:

• There are over 2.2 million women with children under the age of fifteen (ABS data) • There has been huge investment in women’s education in the last 20 years. Girls have a higher retention rate in year 12, and females now represent over 50% of all higher education students and tertiary education gradates. • Women now account for just under half of Australia’s labour force (ABS data). I viewed www.careermums.com.au as a portal to connect this untapped group of skilled parents to employers offering more flexible roles.


What are some of the challenges mothers returning to workforce or contemplating returning to workforce face?

The top 3 challenges facing women who are re-entering the workforce include: 1. The cost of child care 2. Finding a flexible job 3. Lack of self confidence


Looking back, if you could have done something different in the start-up phase, what would that be?

Nothing. This doesn’t mean that it has been smooth sailing. There have been many challenges and many steep learning curves - that is what it is all about. But to answer your question, I would have been more prudent in choosing an IT provider to build the back-end of my website. My design team was wonderful and so you instantly trust the choices they make in choosing a 3rd part provider to build the back-end. We should have been better armed with questions relating to their qualifications, competency and communication skills.


Do you think employer’s attitude towards creating a flexible work environment is changing? What are some of the things you normally do to educate the employers about the benefits of having a flexible work environment?

Employer attitudes are changing mainly due to a national skills shortage and that women now account for half of the workplace. Many businesses are now winning national awards for offering their staff flexible work arrangements. Interestingly, a common barrier to working flexibly is not the industry but rather the personal views of a person’s immediate manager. The concept of flexibility is frequently misunderstood by employers. All it means is that work is not done during core business hours over 5 days. So a full time job can still be flexible with some of the hours being worked from home. In addition the jobs board, CareerMums has launched two HR toolkits for employers over the past few months – the Working Parents Toolkit and the Flexible Work Proposal Toolkit. These products are assisting employers to implement attraction and retention strategies. Employers know where they need to be to harness the future workforce – these Toolkits are providing them with practical solutions to get there.


What is the most enjoyable part of your working day?

It would have to be receiving emails and phone calls from parents thanking me for this service and helping them to find a flexible job. I never lose sight of why I started this service.


How do you balance raising family and running a business?

Partnership and planning. I have a wonderful partnership with my husband. Everything is a team effort. We discuss where we are at and what is coming up all the time so we can manage the organisation of the children and work. Also, because it is my business, I name my own hours. Nights can be very productive for working mums. It is amazing how many women are working and emailing each other after 8pm at night!


Finally, your five keys to success?


• Love what you do. Without passion, it won’t work. • Be efficient with your time – don’t waste it. • Have a support network around you – particularly if you have children. • Have a healthy mind and a healthy body. Going for a run keeps my stress levels down. • Patience and persistence. Children have taught me patience and it can bring clarity.

To read more stories about women in the service based industry click Idea Home Based Service Business

Sites Of Interest
http://www.careermums.com.au/



This interview was published on 30th October 2008

Visit Kate’s website to get more information about how Kate helps mothers find part time or home based jobs….