Flexi-Star series pt 2: Vicki Psarias (a.k.a Honest Mum)

Meet Vicki, who has been on an incredible flexible working journey, carving out a remarkable career for herself which works for her and her family. Vicki is #1 Bestselling Author/ Blogger/ Vlogger/ Filmmaker/ TV Director & Founder of Honest Mum® honestmum.com .....just how does she fit it all in?

1. Tell us who you are and a little about yourself…

I'm a mum of two, former award winning filmmaker and full time blogger and vlogger. My debut book Mumboss became a number 1 bestseller on Amazon when it was released earlier this year, and in it, I share all that I've learned over the 7 years moving into this gloriously democratic and nourishing digital space.  

2. What’s your flexible working purpose?

Directing proved to be inflexible (12-15 hours on set doesn't work with kids) so after briefly returning to direct some commercials when Oliver was 1, I felt incredibly lucky when my blog organically became a business and I could pivot into blogging and vlogging in a flexible, well paid career that worked for my family.

3. What encouraged you to start your flexible working journey?

The inequalities and inflexible nature of the traditional media industry I was working in.  

4. What’s your top tip for those seeking flexible work or those who need to ask for this at work?

Speak to HR at work, explain your requirements and negotiate. Consider starting a digital side hustle that could become your full time job. Follow your passions.  

Register here to attend our National Flexible Working Day on 12th September to join in the conversation around flexible working, see how it works in action and talk to business' who are doing this already. If you can't attend in person, why not join in online, posting your comments and questions (and we'd love to see your pictures too) using our hashtag #LetsAllFlexTogetherDay - see you there!

Returning to work....finding my way back

Six years. 

Six years of baby groups, teething, weaning, sleep deprivation, nappy changes, playdates, Cbeebies, endless snacks (for the kids…and me), potty training, coffee gone cold, epic meltdowns (for the kids…and me) and cuddles. LOTS of cuddles. 

I have loved my time away from the workplace, embracing the role of Mummy. It’s never been an easy task, nor one that I instantly felt secure in, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I left my full-time job as Head of Communications back in February 2012, to have my daughter, Daisy who is now six. I was more than ready to ditch the 9-5, and the gruelling 90 + minute commute into central London (I had a ‘triple event’ commute, encompassing a 45-minute train journey, a tube ride and a significant walk). Making that mental shift from enjoying a professional full-time career, to becoming a stay-at-home mum definitely took a while to get my head around. Suddenly, strategy meetings and photoshoots were replaced with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in a village hall with a bunch of strangers and a crying baby.   

I had intended to return to work once my maternity leave ended. However, life had other plans for us, and our little family of three ended up swapping the hustle and bustle of Essex for rural Northamptonshire. I instantly loved our new surroundings, and relished life being mum: the world of work seemed a lifetime ago. I soon fell pregnant again, and in September 2014 our little hurricane Henry was born. 

It was when Daisy started school that I started to wonder: logistically, how would I return to the workplace again? Without family close by to help, will the numbers stack up once we’ve paid for childcare? Are my skills, experience and knowledge still relevant? But, just as that particular psychological shift took a while, so has the shift from being a stay-at-home mum to working mum of two. You can find your way back. 

Over time, I briefly flirted with the idea of going freelance, but my heart wasn’t really in it, and with two young children, there were just never enough hours in the day. And so an acute lack of confidence started to creep in. But (and this is where the sisterhood really comes into its own), over lots of coffee, wine and conversation with some brilliant women I’m proud to call friends, I realised the following:

• I still have those skills, I’m just not using them at this moment.
• I am capable and intelligent.
• My kids won’t hate me for returning to work.
• Sometimes, you just have to jump in and see what happens. 

And so I did! 

The opportunity to work with Helen and the team at 9-2-3 came up, and I knew it was too good to miss. Working flexibly, over three days with some home-working, has allowed me to roll up my sleeves and get stuck into a job that is varied and interesting. 

First day nerves

For us mums, the return to work can be nerve-wracking and overwhelming. However, I couldn’t have asked for a better first day back. The team were welcoming, friendly, and inspiring. There was hot coffee and chocolate, and I even managed to set up a gmail account! From chatting to other mums in a similar situation, I know that a fear of technology is something many struggle with when contemplating their return to work. I can honestly say that it hasn’t been an issue. Your standard office and email systems are all pretty intuitive, and they really don’t change that much, regardless of how many years it’s been since you last set up your out of office. Importantly, if you’re unsure, it’s OK to say, “I need help!”. Even if you do make a mistake, or get in a muddle, it’s rarely a disaster and there’s always some support available. I’ve managed to get to grips with a database that I’ve never used before and navigate MSOffice without too much drama - proving to myself that full-time motherhood had not rendered me completely useless! In fact, it’s the ability to juggle and project manage a dozen things at once (a daily requirement with children and a household to run) which makes mums and dads returning to the workplace so valuable. We’re not phased by much, and know that given an hour or two, we can blitz whatever is in front of us!

Driving home from the office that day, I felt exhilarated and so grateful for the opportunity to be working again. Job hunting can feel depressing when everything is the standard full-time, 9-5 gig. It excludes so many talented, enthusiastic, and skilled individuals. A few months ago, I was beginning to feel a little defeated as I knew those hours and rigid approach to working wouldn’t fit in with my family life.

I’ve now been back at work for a month, and it has been fabulous. I love using my brain in a different way and have realised that those skills from my ‘previous life’ in PR are still there; a little rusty maybe, but alive and kicking nonetheless! Returning to work has given my self-esteem a huge boost, and I can still take my children to school and pre-school. I was able to attend Daisy’s celebration assembly, and I can even squeeze in the odd early-morning run before I start work for the day. Flexible working has enabled me to contribute ideas, be part of a brilliant team, and champion a cause that I truly believe in. All of this, and I still get to spend enough time with my children for them to drive me slightly nuts - because that’s part of their charm!

Across the UK, professional women and men are waking up to the reality that the traditional 9-5 is not working for everyone.  On 12th September 2018, 9-2-3 Jobs would love you to join us as we launch our National Flexible Working Day. It's a chance to join in with our panel discussions about the benefits of flexible working, see it in action and give you a chance to network with like-minded people and forward-thinking businesses. Register here for the event or join in the conversation online using our hashtag #LetsAllFlexTogetherDay. Share your own journey and pictures on the day across our social media platforms. Help us to really shout about Flexible Working and all its benefits!

Flexi Star series pt 1: Meet Katie Dickerson....

Katie Dickerson, better known as SquirmyPopple online, shares her flexible working journey with us as part of our Flexi-Star series, celebrating flexible work in action. Here, she fills us in on how flexible working benefits her family and how she makes this work....

1. Tell us who you are and a little about yourself…

I'm Katie, a Glasgow-based digital content/service designer with a three-year-old daughter, an archaeologist husband, a very loud ginger cat and a pretty serious cheese habit.

I'm really passionate about flexible working and write about it a lot on my blog, The Squirmy Popple, where I also write about feminist issues and funnyish parenting stuff.  

2. What’s your flexible working purpose?

I work four days a week, Monday to Thursday, which allows me to stay home with my daughter on Fridays. I can flex my starting and finishing times, work from home when I need to, and stay at home with my daughter if she's sick, so I feel like I have a pretty good work/life balance.

3. What encouraged you to start your flexible working journey?

When I was returning to work after maternity leave, I knew that I didn't want to work full time. Not only could I not afford childcare for five days a week, but I also wanted to spend more time with my daughter.

I submitted a flexible working request after discussing my options with the management team, and we eventually agreed on four and a half days a week. My husband and I starting off splitting the childcare on Fridays. After my husband got a new job and could no longer watch our daughter on Friday mornings, I asked my manager if I could work four days a week instead and submitted a formal request to change my working hours, which was accepted. 

4. What’s your top tip for those seeking flexible work or those who need to ask for this at work?

When you make a request for flexible working, don't make it all about you - make sure you show your employer how flexible working can work for both of you. Instead of saying, "Working from home would be easier for me," say something like, “Working from home will mean I don’t have to do a long commute to the office every day, which will mean I have more time to work on my projects.”

If your employer seems reluctant to agree to flexible working, ask for a trial period of a few months so you can prove that the arrangements can work and iron out any issues. There are also plenty of articles about how flexible working can benefit employers and examples of companies that are using it - don't be shy about giving them evidence to help back you up!

Across the UK, professional women and men are waking up to the reality that the traditional 9-5 is not working for everyone.  On 12th September 2018, 9-2-3 Jobs would love you to join us as we launch our National Flexible Working Day. It's a chance to join in with our panel discussions about the benefits of flexible working, see it in action and give you a chance to network with like-minded people and forward-thinking businesses. Register here for the event or join in the conversation online using our hashtag #LetsAllFlexTogetherDay. Share your own journey and pictures on the day across our social media platforms. Help us to really shout about Flexible Working and all its benefits!

Could coding be your new flexible career?

When thinking about your flexible work options or a new career change, have you ever considered coding?  

Most of the websites and apps you use every day have been built from code. Essentially, coding is telling a computer how to perform complex tasks through different programming languages. Everyone can learn to code, you really don’t need to be a maths genius or tech geek - these are just outdated stereotypes. 

23 Code Street is a women’s coding school. For every paying student, we teach digital skills to a woman in the slums of India. Below, we’ve rounded up our top 4 reasons about why coding makes a great flexible career. 

1. Work remotely and banish the 9-5

How does no longer working from 9-5 sound? 

To be able to code you just need a laptop and some good wifi!  Due to this, lots of coding jobs can be done remotely either at home, in a cafe or wherever you prefer within the hours that suit you. If you don’t want to work for a specific company, you could freelance and work with different clients that interest you. Lots of our graduates are working mums who learnt to code to be able to work from home flexibly and have a better work/life balance. 

    2.  Learn an in-demand skill

There’s currently a huge digital skills gap; employers are looking to hire people who know how to code and have a technical understanding. As our world becomes more and more digital, the number of tech jobs is increasing. This report found there are over 7 million jobs which require coding skills and programming jobs overall are growing 12% faster than the market average. By learning to code, you’ll know an in-demand skill and have plenty of jobs to apply for. 

3.  Put your previous skills to good use

Coding is a great way to combine your old and new skills. All our students come from different backgrounds and apply the skills they’ve gained from their previous jobs when learning to code. One of our current students is a language teacher which is helping her understand the syntax and functions of the code. Some of our graduates have gone on to use code to enhance and upskill their current professions too. 

4.  Enjoy a rewarding career

Let’s face it, not all flexible working options are that rewarding. Coding definitely is. You can’t help but feel excited after you’ve started to learn to code and build your first webpage or feel proud after you’ve been working on a project for weeks and see the finished outcome. You’ll definitely feel a sense of achievement and want to show off your work!  Read how passionate our graduate Halimatou felt after learning to code. 

If you're interested in learning to code, click here to find out about  our new pilot webinar course starting in July and if you’ve  got any questions just drop us an email via hello@23codestreet.com

#dadsflextoo - A blog by Greg

Written by Greg, dad to two, husband to one...doing the best he can!

I spent last weekend with my family, enjoying the weather ( a lot) and the cut and thrust of Chessington World of Adventures (a lot less...). This weekend, however, I am working late shifts both days and will be home from work long after my two young children have gone to bed. And so it goes with shift work…

When most people hear that I work 6 on, 3 off shifts, they normally comment on working six consecutive days. Usually, it goes something like this:  “You work SIX days per week?! I couldn’t do that.” But it doesn’t take long for people to soften their view. As a result of my shift pattern, I work fewer days per year than someone on a more ‘standard’ Monday to Friday pattern and my leave goes further too. These two revelations get people’s attention but there are other benefits too… 

I’m sitting on my sofa, it’s a Thursday, and in addition to shoehorning in a bit of NETFLIX I have done half the school run, taken my son to his swimming lesson, enjoyed a meal out with my family, helped with homework, read a bedtime story, put the bins out and worked a 7.5 hour shift. Oh, and cobbled together this badly written diatribe... A good example of how you can make shift work...work, and work well. 

I have had a number of jobs over my relatively short working life most of which have maintained what you would call normal business hours, apart from the odd temp job in retail-there is definitely therapy in stacking shelves.

You know when the best time to do almost anything is? On weekdays. Everything is a touch less crowded, which makes the shops nicer, the roads quieter and taking my daughter to the park a little bit more peaceful (sometimes). Admittedly I quite like spending time by myself and also seek quieter environments with my family so perhaps I am a little biased but I find I spend less time in competition with others for space, or jostling for my place in the queue... 

I don’t know how people get to the doctor or dentist or get their car serviced etc when at work during the traditional work pattern, I find an awful lot more flexibility in my work rhythm despite essentially being contracted to the same number of hours a week. These more mundane tasks tend to be far easier to sort with my current regime.

If there is a downside, perhaps sleep patterns are one of them. Don’t get me wrong, I get enough sleep, but the timing can change depending on work. Some people probably benefit from greater routine on that front. Also, the rest of the world arranges many things for the weekend (obviously) which means I can regularly miss them unless I deem them vital enough to take annual leave... 

Work-life balance. I will finish with this as this is what most people strive to achieve when it comes to their lives. I certainly have it and consider myself very lucky as a result and get this, it certainly doesn’t involve a 9-5.

#whereskat competition - terms and conditions

Thank you for entering our exciting competition. Please check below for the terms and conditions relating to this. Please note that by entering this contest, you agree to a complete release of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from all liability in connection with this competition.

    1. How to Enter

1.1. Facebook - To join in the competition on Facebook, entrants will need to like AND comment on a photo posted via 9-2-3 Jobs of our colleague Kat. She’s been photographed at numerous landmarks in and around Manchester and Greater Manchester and you have to guess where she is by liking and commenting on the post with your answer, using the hashtag #whereskat to enter the competition.

1.2. Twitter - To join in the competition on Twitter, entrants will need to ReTweet a photo posted via 9-2-3 Jobs of our colleague Kat. She’s been photographed at numerous landmarks in and around Manchester and Greater Manchester and you have to guess where she is by liking and ReTweeting with comment on the post with your answer, as well as using the hashtag #whereskat to enter the competition.

1.3. Instagram - To join in the competition on Instagram, entrants will need to like AND comment on a photo posted via 9-2-3 Jobs of our colleague Kat. She’s been photographed at numerous landmarks in and around Manchester and Greater Manchester and you have to guess where she is by liking and commenting on the post with your answer, using the hashtag #whereskat to enter the competition.

1.4. One winner who has guessed the correct answer will be chosen at random over all three platforms – entrants can enter the competition more than once and comment on any of the photo’s we post over the two week period.

1.4. The winner will be announced on Monday 5th November 2018 on 9-2-3 Jobs Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media channels.

    2. When to Enter and Who can Enter

2.1. The Competition opens on Monday 22nd October and closes Sunday 4th November 2018

2.2. Entrants can enter at any point between these dates

2.3. Entrants can enter the Competition as many times as they would like, across any of the platforms to be in with a chance of winning. 

2.4. The Competition is only open to UK residents aged 21 or over, excluding employees of 9-2-3 Jobs and anyone professionally connected with the administration of the Competition.

2.5 Automated or bulk entries from third parties will be disqualified.

2.6 We reserve the right to exclude serial competition entrants who have entered more than 4 competitions in the last month

    3. Prizes

3.1. The prizes for winning the competition will be one hours free coaching from Power of the Parent  - coaching and talent consultancy services

3.2. The prize winner will be invited to share their story of why they entered the competition, which will be shared on both Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platforms.

3.3. The prize is as stated and they cannot be sold or exchanged for cash, goods or services. The winners details will be passed on to Power of the Parent  - coaching and talent consultancy services who will then make contact with the winner to make the arrangements.

    4. Data Protection and Publicity

4.1. You consent to your surname, photograph and basic information about you being disclosed on 9-2-3 Jobs channels or other media if you win any Prizes under the Competition

4.2. Any personal data relating to participants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. By entering the Competition, you agree that 9-2-3 Jobs may contact you in relation to the Competition

4.3. Competition winners will be contacted by 9-2-3 Jobs. You must provide accurate contact details on notification.

4.4. 9-2-3 Jobs reserve the right to use the voice, image, photograph, name and likeness of the winners for publicity and in advertising, marketing or promotional material without additional compensation or prior notice to the winners. In entering the Competition, all participants consent to such use of their voice, image, photograph, name and likeness

    5. Competition Rules

5.1. The Competition will be run as a sweepstake draw and a prize will be awarded at random by 9-2-3 Jobs for one entrant.

5.2. We reserve the right to change the Competition rules and these Terms and Conditions from time to time. If we do so, we will always have the most up to date terms and conditions on the Website and in the case of a discrepancy between these terms and conditions and those on the Website, the Website terms and conditions will apply. Your continued use of the website will constitute your acceptance of the new rules and/or Terms and Conditions

5.3. All intellectual property rights in the images and materials on the Website, and used in the services provided by 9-2-3 Jobs and no person may make any use of them without 9-2-3 Jobs express permission.

    6. Liability and Indemnities

6.1. Except in the case of death or personal injury arising from its negligence, or in respect of fraud, and so far as is permitted by law, 9-2-3 Jobs and its associated companies and agents and distributors exclude responsibility and all liabilities, whether direct or indirect, arising from:

6.1.1. any postponement or cancellation of the Competition;

6.1.2. any changes to, the supply of or use of the Prize; and

6.1.3. any act or default of any supplier, which are beyond 9-2-3 Jobs’ reasonable control.

6.2. 9-2-3 Jobs does not accept responsibility for any liability arising from technical incompatibility, problems relating to the internet, or technical difficulties of any kind

6.3. 9-2-3 Jobs shall not be liable, whether in tort, contract, misrepresentation or otherwise for loss of profits, loss of anticipated savings, loss of goods, loss of use, loss or corruption of data or information, or any special, indirect, consequential or pure economic loss, costs, damages, charges or expenses

6.4. You agree to indemnify 9-2-3 Jobs against all liabilities, claims and expenses that may arise from any breach of your agreement with 9-2-3 Jobs

    7. Jurisdiction

7.1. The Competition and these Terms and Conditions are governed by English Law. England & Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim that arises out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions.