Featured Member- Avery Blank

For this featured member, impact strategist Avery Blank, the biggest risk imaginable is missing out on an opportunity. A self-proclaimed “bulldog ballerina,” she is fearless and driven, elegant and persevering,  a solid example of how to chart one’s career with passion and integrity, how to work for a client or company without getting worked over. The scope of her experience speaks as much to her talent as it does to her insatiable curiosity. We are so excited to introduce you to her here.

 

Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do? 

I help organizations advocate and strategically position themselves for opportunities. I am a Contributor with Forbes and the World Economic Forum, as well as an advisor to The Wilson Center’s Women in Public Service Project.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment? 

Taking control of my career and steering it in a direction where I could leverage my legal training and combine it with my passion for strategy, leadership, and women’s issues.

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work wise? 

Owning my integrity and saying “no” to people in power about things I felt were inappropriate.

What advice do you have for other women who are looking to make a career change but are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side?
“Risk is losing the opportunity, not failing in the attempt.” This is the mantra by which I live my life. Rethink risk. The risk may be greater in staying put than making the change that you want. You know more than you think. And you are smart enough to figure out what you don’t know.

Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
Learn as much as you can about the organization (potential client) to identify their challenges and priorities and be able to address them.

What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?

One of my core beliefs is fairness. This is what energizes me to support women in male-dominated professions and organizations that are committed to the advancement of women.

If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her?

“Your degree does not define you, it enables you.”

What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

Focus on them, not you. Think about how you can add value to the client, user, or customer.
How do you make work work for you?

Doing work that I am passionate about.

Do you want to be a Second Shift Featured Member? Submit your photo and fill out the questionnaire today!

 

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Hide Your Phone When You’re Trying to Work

I checked my phone 2x during the time it took me to read this NYTimes article about how your phone is cognitively distracting you from working. The article references a study from 2017 that shows, “mere presence of your phone — even if it’s powered off, and even if you’re actively and successfully ignoring it — “reduces available cognitive capacity,” which the study’s authors call “brain drain.”

 

As our phones become our clocks, schedulers, weight trackers, family managers it is harder than ever to truly disconnect. In fact, the author actually went to the lengths of locking his phone in a drawer so he would not be distracted from his task. What can we do to help ourselves focus and work more productively?

 

  • Awareness: realize that your phone is designed to distract you and is calling to you. If you know this you can fight it the urge to check more easily.
  • Lock it away– leave your phone somewhere else for a set period of time that you will work uninterrupted and don’t sneak! It can take a half hour to get your concentration back once broken.
  • Don’t bring phones to meetings. Even if it is turned over on your desk it is still there chirping and buzzing away. If possible take notes longhand and leave your laptop on your desk.

 

Okay, sounds good right? Easier said than done but it’s a good place to start. Oh, and don’t forget to take off that watch!

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Meet Super Woman/Lawyer/ Entrepreneur Laura Wasser!

Laura Wasser is most often referred to as LA celebrity divorce attorney with clients like Angelina Jolie, Maria Shriver and Britney Spears; she is one of the most powerful matrimonial attorneys in the country. These days Laura is also trying on a new role, entrepreneur, as the founder of It’s Over Easy, an online marriage dissolution tool that takes her knowledge and experience and democratizes it for anyone to use. Laura will be joining our founders, Jenny and Gina,  for a talk on Dec 12th in NYC (info at the bottom) – in the meantime, we have a lot to learn about career and finances from someone who has seen the mistakes women make and how to avoid them.

 

You are a high profile divorce attorney charging big bucks— where did your entrepreneurial spirit come from?

 

I’m not certain that I actually have an entrepreneurial spirit. I am and have always been, a problem solver. This serves me (and our clients) well in my private Family Law practice as the more efficiently conflict is resolved, the less acrimonious and costly the dispute will be.  After about 20 years of working in this field, it became clear to me that a larger overarching problem to be dealt with is how divorce is perceived and approached. Our system is broken and as parents, couples and humans, in general, we cannot put our fates into the hands of others when we are or could be equipped to amicably and cost-effectively resolve issues near and dear to us on our own. I want to change the face of divorce. If my startup can do that, I guess I’ll embrace my entrepreneurial spirit!

 

How has the transition from a full-time lawyer to the owner of a tech-enabled business platform been? The transition has been awesome! I love this new world and the possibilities it holds. Marrying (excuse the pun) my knowledge of the Family Law field with the needs of a wider user base is really exhilarating. Educating families as to how they really can do things better is gratifying and I am passionate about it.

 

What are the top 3 questions you get from your female clients worried about divorce and starting over?

 

-Will my kids be ok?

-Will I be ok?

-How long will it take to get to a new normal?

 

Money is obviously a huge part of splitting up— what should women know about their finances that they don’t? What mistakes do they make in the negotiation process? How should they think about the next phase when they are a single parent?

 

Often women do not know enough about finances at all. What the family makes, spends, owns and owes are items that we should all check into now and again. One of the bright spots about divorce is that we have access to all of this information and are unlikely to ever live in the dark again once we have gone through it. A big mistake in the negotiation process is not seeing things from the perspective of the other person. As insecure as you are about finances he may be about custody (and vice versa). Think about who this person is on the other side of the table. It’s likely you know them better than anyone. How can this be used to your advantage?

 

For women out of the workforce or not the breadwinner, getting a job to support their families is a necessity, yet the demands of being a single parent vs the price of childcare make navigating that divide tricky? What have you seen as a successful path?

 

Get a job! It is an amazing opportunity to recreate yourself outside of your home/comfort zone. The first six-twelve month period may be tough but once you have gotten into your groove and made yourself indispensable you will likely earn more and the child care balance will make more financial sense. Also, it takes a village. Don’t be afraid to ask friend or family for help. Then, reciprocate!

 

You are a single mother of two— how do you make work work for you??

 

You have to try to find a balance. Kids are super adaptable, particularly those of working moms. Sometimes it works seamlessly, sometimes it is a disaster. There is an excellent Ralph Waldo Emerson quote which I often cite:

 

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

 

That and a lovely glass of wine usually helps at the end of one of the crappy days.

 

Come hear Laura speak live on this topic and more at our NYC area member event– 12/12 at Luminary. Register here to join us. We will be live streaming on Instagram if you are not in NYC. We will be live 9:30-10:30! Join us!

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Featured Member Monday! Meet Lidia Varesco Racoma

There is a calm, collected steadiness to Lidia Varesco Racoma’s work worldview that’s impossible not to admire; a steadfast commitment to taking the long-term approach to building a professional life, brick by brick by brick. This kind of perseverance surely accounts, at least in part, for her extraordinary longevity in an ever-changing field, as this year she’ll celebrate being in business for eighteen years. Let the festivities begin here!

 

Tell us your work story: Who are you and what do you do?

 

I empower organizations and entrepreneurs to make a change. I create branding and marketing design that is targeted and content-driven.

 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

 

Being in business for almost 18 years (this year).

 

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?

 

Deciding to focus on a single niche for my business, rather than being more of a generalist. It’s a little scary to potentially turn down work, but I know focusing will help me be stronger in that area.

 

If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be, and why?

 

I want to eliminate the stigma that designers—and especially women—shouldn’t earn as much as other industries (or that we should give away our work for free or at a discount).

 

What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side?

 

I can speak to working moms and say: your working world will be turned upside down when the baby arrives. But with patience and support from fellow working moms, you will make it—and even become inspired along the way.

 

Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?

 

Short, specific and friendly/personal.

 

What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?

 

I want to bring more awareness to branding and how it can positively affect an organization or business. And I want to make branding accessible to everyone, not just larger organizations.

 

What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

 

Ask for help.

 

Who has been your biggest cheerleader // supporter // mentor? (We love to spread the love here at The Second Shift!)

 

My dad—also a small business owner—has been a mentor and positive influence since I started my business in 2000 (on his birthday, by the way).

 

How do negotiate the balance between life and work when you are the one setting the boundaries?

 

I have fairly set working hours due to childcare and school pickups, so I have to be efficient and focused during my workday (i.e. social media only during lunch breaks) and I try to be present for my family in the evenings (i.e. minimal work time or phone usage until after bedtime).

 

If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her?

Don’t rush, you’ll get there!

 

How do you make work work for you?

 

I have my own branding and marketing design studio, but I also take on contract, short-term or PT jobs as my schedule and workload allows—both for steady cash flow, as well as variety and learning opportunities.

 

Check out Lidia’s work http://facebook.com/lsvdesign and if you know someone who should be a part of the Second Shift member community please reach out to us at members@thesecondshift.com today!

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Mind the Gap

There is a really interesting article in Fortune about why the pay gap persists in lucrative fields where with plentiful female talent. For example:

 

“The difference is even more pronounced for financial managers, where there’s a 35% gap. And in the legal field, the average salary for men is $140,270—a full 24% more than the $106,837 women earn.“

 

Why? We know why:

 

-sexism and discrimination

-women having children during the most demanding years to get ahead

-women taking lower paying less high-profile jobs to juggle career and family

-women negotiating poorly for themselves

 

What is interesting is seeing what is being done about it, not enough!

 

-many tech firms doing yearly salary audits and leveling up gender pay inequity

-pay equity laws in 40 states

-20 states do not allow employers to ask salary history

 

With 100 women in Congress in 2019 it will be exciting to see if more female/ family friendly legislation is passed. in the meantime, we encourage employers to learn about how The Second Shift can help you retain and attract critical, mid-career professional women to #superchargeyourwork.

 

Reach out to info@thesecondshift.com

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Tech Bridging the Equality Gap

How is technology keeping women in the workforce? Second Shift member Marie Thomasson outlines how she is able to use key tech products to work for Microsoft and others remotely and productively in the newest issue of Techonomy magazine.

 

Whether you are video conferencing or sharing files through the cloud, there are myriad ways for hiring managers to think outside the box and hire top level women for remote work–that’s where The Second Shift comes in:

 

“Thomasson also relies on technology to find compelling work opportunities like this one. She connected with Microsoft on The Second Shift, our online marketplace of expert women interested in on-demand projects. By choosing to forgo upfront fees for members and companies, and instead screening experts and opportunities our service is home to a range of curated talent and projects across disciplines. It helps makes freelancing viable for women like Thomasson.”

 

Want to #makeworkworkforyou? Sign up for The Second Shift! Want to #superchargeyourwork? Post a job today!

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Year of the Woman!

2018 has been dubbed the Year of the Woman and the results of the midterm elections certainly back up the title! What a thrill to wake up to see the historic election results: 

– A record 117 women were elected to office

– 42 are women of color and 3 are LGBTQ

-The first Native American and Muslim woman will serve in Congress

It will be interesting to see what happens in the national government when there are more women calling the shots. What do we hope for at The Second Shift– a focus on parental leave, universal pre-k, childcare subsidies– the building blocks that help working women remain engaged in the workforce because work = empowerment! It’s time to shift things forward for all women and #makeworkworkforyou. 

In the words of Ayanna Pressley, the first African- American woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress: 

“When it comes to women of color candidates, folks don’t just talk about a glass ceiling; what they describe is a concrete one. But you know what breaks through concrete? Seismic shifts.” 

Photo: @morganpansing @voteyourchange @sarilehrer

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Featured Member Tara Barnes!

Little makes us happier at The Second Shift than watching women successfully reimagine their professional lives, shift gears, and set their own terms. And when they do that while trying to make positive changes for women and workers everywhere, we get downright giddy. That’s why Tara Barnes is this month’s featured member. Add to that her tremendous work ethic, laser focus, and clarity of vision, and we think you’ll find her every bit as inspiring as we do.

Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do? 

I am the Manager of Operations at an event and incentives agency, managing a team of eleven full-time Account Managers and Project Managers. I have had a bit of a unique career arc, as I spent the first ten years working in marketing and brand strategy, but within the last 3 years have shifted more into people and business operations after completing my MBA.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

Getting my MBA. I was an admittedly poor undergraduate student, with terrible study habits and a lot of procrastination. I wanted to elevate myself and my career when I was 31 and decided that more depth in business was the way to go. I worked full-time almost my entire MBA program, and also got pregnant and had my first baby. It was an immense amount of work, but I learned so much, both by way of actual knowledge and about myself as a professional.

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise? 

My hardest challenge was trying to improve a negative company culture in a small organization where my co-leadership was contributing to the problem and making decisions that I didn’t agree with. I did my best to present business cases for changes and programs I was recommending, but I ultimately ended up leaving because my position was eliminated and I was asked to move into a role I’ve left behind in my career path. I was very close to my team and to their needs, so it was a sad decision to have to make.

If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be, and why? 

I’m in the unique position of working for a women-owned (and dominated) company in a field (hospitality) that trends toward being more women than men. One thing I wish I didn’t see in this field is how often women are judged and accepted for their appearance and not for their work performance. This judgment is non-discriminatory, as both men and women do it.

What advice do you have for other women who are looking to make a career change but are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side?

Find a company you believe in and someone who believes in you. I had over a decade in marketing when an MBA classmate offered me a role in people/culture, and while it was a big leap of faith, I tapped into a passion and skillset I didn’t know that I had.

What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?

I like the energy of the hospitality industry, and there a lot of fun, creative problems to solve even in the realm of logistics and resourcing. I would like to broaden my operations experience across various departments, but I don’t necessarily see myself staying in this particular industry forever. I am very drawn to industries (non-profit) and companies making a positive impact on the world. I want to wake up inspired every day. My daughter has Down Syndrome so I would love to find my way into work that supports individuals with disabilities.


What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
Know when to zoom in and zoom out. It’s just as important to get into the weeds on details and tasks as it is to step back and consider bigger picture strategy, and knowing when to do each is crucial.

Who has been your biggest cheerleader // supporter // mentor? (We love to spread the love here at The Second Shift!)
My current manager Shelley White has been such a breath of fresh air in my career. She supports, trusts, challenges, and empowers me, and is such a strong role model for a working mom who’s worked hard to get where she is today.

How do negotiate the balance between life and work when you are the one setting the boundaries?

Because I have two young children, work-life balance is incredibly important to me. I rely on crystal clear expectations and communication, both with my manager and staff. People know when I’m available when I’m out of the office, and that in general, I am offline and unavailable between 5-8 pm so I can focus on my family. I also respect my team’s family lives as well, so I try not to email or reach out to them in the evenings and on weekends.

How do you make work work for you? 

I set my own limits and communicate them clearly. No one ever wonders where I am because my calendar is up to date. Because I manage the largest team in the company, I’m in the office 4 days per week, but I will ask for more remote days if I need them. I create time to take my kids to the pediatrician, drop my daughter off at preschool once a week, and work at her preschool once per month. My work from home day means I get to nurse my baby on that day, which is really special because he’s only 6 months old (and it’s one day I don’t have to pump!). I also make sure to shut down at the end of every day and focus on my family, and my team knows to expect that and text if there are ever emergencies. My family is incredibly important to me, as is being present with my kids and partner. I’m laser-focused at work and often work through lunch, so it’s all a balance.

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Professional Summary Do’s and Dont’s!

Advertisements for Yourself: The Dos and Don’ts of Creating Your Professional Summary

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Remember that classic commercial one-liner? True then; true now. And most definitely true when it comes to writing your professional summary. It’s the very first thing an employer will see, and although it’s not public, it’s external facing, an enticement to learn more. Bold, confident, concise, and chock full of experience, this is your opportunity to celebrate your best self. Think of it as the highlights reel of your C.V., your most baller work face. In other words, if your professional summary doesn’t draw in the employer, your professional summary isn’t working hard enough for you. Here, some pro tips for how to get it to work harder. 

Do …

Think in terms of your professional brand value. Connect the dots for your audience between your value and their needs. This is the ultimate answer to that horrible perennial cocktail party question, “So … what do you do?”
Stop apologizing! Emphasize the skills you have that will get you hired. You don’t need to explain why you’ve stepped away from the traditional full time work force, or why you’re pursuing new avenues. Your career is a marathon with different paces at different markers, don’t treat it like a sprint.
Have a friend read it over. Because your best friend knows how amazing you are and will make sure you are selling the most badass version of yourself versus burying the lead.

Don’t …

Simply reiterate your resume. This shouldn’t be a copy and paste job. Nor should it be the 5000 word corporate bio crafted by a professional at your last place of employment. Rather, it’s the story of your professional life in a few fast and punchy sentences, the top line highlights.  
Talk about what you want. This isn’t about what you’re looking for; it’s about who you are.
Be long-winded. This is your elevator pitch, not a cover letter. Brevity is key.

Personal Summary Do Example: Specific about where she has worked and her particular expertise and experience in house and as
a consultant.

I have provided insights and analysis for customers in pharmaceuticals, consumer package goods and financial services since 2002. My experience spans from the
most elite advertising agencies such as EURO RSCG Tatham and DDB to premier Fortune 500 clients, Pfizer, P&G, JNJ, Novartis, Microsoft and many more. As an
independent professional, I am a qualitative moderator, strategic planner and marketing consultant. 

Personal Summary Don’t Example: Not enough specifics— use names of companies and metrics to prove your success. Reads
stream of conscious not tight and cohesive. Unnecessary to put in personal social work unless it works in with professional story and/
or goals. 

Media and tech industry leader with extensive experience across the US, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. An accomplished strategist, business
developer, product leader, marketer and researcher having led strategic initiatives for numerous leading media brands, negotiated partnerships, established new
business ventures, managed cross-functional project teams and launched products and services all over the world. In addition to my extensive career in the media
sector, I am also the founder of Pebbles of Hope, a non-profit formed to help premature babies thrive through parent education. I am also a full-stack developer
with programming skills in Python, Java and Ruby. I am seeking a senior level strategic part-time or project-based role focused on product development and
management, particularly for a consumer-focused product in the technology sector. I love exploring and evaluating growth opportunities for a business, launching
new products, conducting research and developing strategic plans.

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How to Update Your Profile

Since our re-launch in early August, we have asked you to be sure your profile is updated. Thank you to those members who have gone in and do this already! However, many of you have not yet completed your updates, even though you are still pitching for projects.

Here is why profile updates are important:

1. We are refining the way in which we match projects. 

Based on your feedback we are starting to limit your matches to your geographic area. As we continue to grow our client base, an increasing number of projects require some time in office. If your geographic area is not up to date, then you will miss out on matches. 

So if your profile lists your location as “Springfield”, your street address, or “New York”, please go and update it to include your City and State. Also, you must select your nearest metro area to be sure you are matched accurately. 

Here’s how:

When you log into your account, click on the little arrow beside your name in the upper right corner. Then click View My Profile.

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Here, you will see your profile. Click “Edit” in the section marked Summary.

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Now you can properly enter your City and State. Be sure to select the correct option that appears as you type. Also select your nearest metro area to ensure you are being matched properly.

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While you’re here, tell us if you’re interested in a full-time job (with flexibility!), and check that your Professional Summary is up to date. Remember that employers see this summary, so make sure that it is relevant and (briefly) describes your experience and interests. Remember that employers are short on time, so they don’t want to read your autobiography, so keep it brief and to the point. 

Once you’re finished with this section, click “Save”.

2. Employers are looking for more detailed information about you.

Next, add, your resume and your website if you have one, and most importantly your LinkedIn profile. We know that employers want this information the most, so if you don’t have it on your profile, they may look past you to another member who does. 

Click the “Edit” button beside the Additional Materials section to add these critical elements. 

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3. We added 20+ new skills (and removed many as well!)

When we rebuilt our system, we added many new skills that reflect what employers are looking for. You may have lost a few skills in the transition, so please go and make sure you have properly selected the right ones. PLEASE only choose skills in which you have subject matter expertise. 

Because this drives your matches, select only those skills that you would want to work on as a project. For example, if you once did some hiring at a previous job, but you are not a professional recruiter, or if you do not want to do a recruiting job, do not select it as a skill. 

Think about your strengths and interests. What would you hire you to do?

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4. We have added Work History and Education to help with matching

Finally add your Work and Education histories. Note that in some cases, we may have lost your school information in the transition, so be sure that this information was not cleared out. If you’re adding a new company in your work history, or a new school, select the “Add new:…” menu that appears while you are typing. Not doing this may prevent you from saving your information.

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Once you’ve updated all of this information, then your profile is updated! While it seems like a lot of steps, it should only take you 5-7 minutes to get everything done. We recommend you do this on your computer or iPad, not your phone! It will be faster and easier to manage.

Don’t delay! 
Log into your account and get updating! 80% of the projects we have posted since the new platform launched have gone to members with updated profiles!!!

Have questions or issues? Contact us.

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