Need great employees? Then go back to school

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

I have recently had a brilliant idea highlighted to me from someone who uses this very system. He is a friend of my dad’s and he was looking for someone to do his accounts but he didn’t want a fulltime account, he just needed someone to do 3-4 hours per week. He then had a flash in inspiration when he looked at his own family situation. His wife was a qualified lawyer but she was currently not working because they had a young son who she looked after full time. The child then started at nursery school and suddenly she had a lot of free time on her hands and she wanted to get back to work.

With the idea of his wife wanting to get back to work he visited his son’s nursery and spoke to his teacher and the head. He put up a poster for the parents advertising that he wanted an accountant to do some part time book keeping and it hours to suit. He got several responses in the first day from really highly qualified accounts that were in the same situation as his wife in wanting to get back into work.

He took on a lady to do his books for 4 hours a week, she was highly qualified and knocked them into shape and saved his about £8000 on his tax return. As her child got old she did more and more hours and now she works fulltime for him and they are building up the business together.

This is a brilliant system where everyone benefits, you get highly qualified people at a fraction of the normal cost and they get back into work. If it works out you could end up like my dad’s friend here and find a great employee for good.

I hope people do read this and think it is a good idea and I hope that you put it into action. What do you have to loose? If you do please let me know how it goes.

Matt, MK Printing

[bitsnstuff]

Warning long waffle alert!!! :lol:

It is a MASSIVE untapped market, as most prospective employers want the woman to fit around their business schedule, which is ok to a certain degree, but doesn't take into considerable all the other time consuming things that a mum has to do.

I am already talking to mums in my Mother and Baby group about doing a few hours here and there to help me, give them something new to think about, but without any real deadline pressures. In my group alone of 8, we have an accountant, a solicitor, an Arcadian buyer, a travel consultant, bank manager and event co-ordinator.

Most of the mums I talk to, would like to do something other than discuss nappies, teething, deals at the supermarket etc., however, they became SAHM for a reason and the options to go back to work, do not fit in with those reasons and also the cost of childcare.

My daughter is about to start pre-school for 3 hours on a Tuesday and on a Friday morning, so I am going to chat to the mums there and see who I can get to help out. I am certain I will find qualified and experienced people to help with various tasks.

From a SAHM's point of view, I started Bitsnstuff simply because I wanted to do something which exercises my brain, was my own project, if success would employ me fulltime in the future, but allowed me to stay at home and also be a full-time mum with no childcare. If someone had offered me a little job which I could do without any unrealistic deadline pressures and could be done outside of working hours, say evenings, weekends or even when baby is asleep then I probably would have taken it. I originally started a VA business, as I thought that would fit the bill, however, all of my clients started on my terms and then wanted more time, tighter deadlines and even overseas travel from me!!

Anyway, waffle over, I definitely agree with you and think more business owners should look into this option.

Kate :lol:

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

Also to go on a bit from here, students are also a great source of workers. If you need websites, design (scrap that one and come to me!), powerpoint presentations and all things like that, then students will do it for a pack of fags and a 4 pack! Some perfer money.

Just a simple poster put up in a 6th form can do you wonders. Remember that students are always looking to build up their CVs, so what better way than working with a trading company that they can also get a reference from!

Matt

[bitsnstuff]

I used to have a student come in and turn my Piling System into a Filing System - it was great, as I could then get on with more important tasks and only needed to give her a call when I had enough to warrant a day's work.

Kate

[Joyous]

Ooh - don't get me started!

Have to agree with Kate that there is a massive untapped resource in terms of stay at home mums. A lot of potential employers have this out of date, misguided perception that SAHM's are just ditz's who couldn't possibly manage the intricacies of "real work". What they forget is that a good proportion of SAHM's actually had well paid, highly pressurised and often specialised careers before they were forced to make the choice between giving their children the best start in life or continuing on the corporate treadmill.

When I was on maternity leave I would quite happily have worked for free when I could, but found that unless employers had first dibs on your time they just wouldn't give you the time of day.

If I had a pound for every ex-accountant/solicitor/bank manager etc that I stand next to in my son's playground when doing the school run I'd be a rich woman.

Regards

Joy

[Cornish Steve]

I agree with your observation. There are so many smart women who could be productive workers if only they could work from home and during flexible hours. It's a crying shame that their professional skills are going to waste because we need more women in senior management positions.

It's not just mums at home either. It's also many in the disabled community. It's people who live in remote locations. It's seniors who have masses of useful experience. It's students looking for a source of useful income...

In the summer, we are launching a major initiative that is, in part, designed to meet this need. Not only will it provide work opportunities, but it will allow these untapped resources to start and create their own business at no charge. It's our sincere desire that those who want to perform professional work from any time and place will be able to do just that.

[bitsnstuff]

I know it is laughable!!

I was sitting in the baby pool with by daughter after Little Fishes swimming the other week and started chatting to one of the other mums. We eventually got around to the "What were you in your previous life?" question and I was stunned that she was an international corporate lawyer with 5 languages and the most interesting conversation topic we had managed to drum up previously was "what is the best make of armband?"!!!!

Hey ho, hopefully people will catch on eventually.

Kate :lol:

[Tazuk]

Ok i will have a look around but there is a government scheme for companies to employ a graduate whilst they complete thier university exams. Not sure of the full terms but i believe it is on the DTI website.
I will research it further and let you all know.

TAZ

[SillyJokes]

There must be more to this than meets the eye.

For instance the cost of employing someone part time is not the peanuts mentioned above. They still have rights, paid holiday, sick leave, pensions etc.

If it takes you over 5 employees there are those implications for health and safety/pensions and other stuff that I get someone else to worry about for me.

However I am glad that this work force is being considered.

I do know a lot of mums who do work within school hours and have great jobs, not just a bit of book keeping.

It seems likely we would also be able to employ someone like this as much of what we do must be completed before 3pm and is therefore perfect timing.

Kate, you should be a bit careful of employing friends though as this can lead to problems, particulalry if they don't take your business as seriously as you obviously do.

[bitsnstuff]

Yes, that is a good point Silly, but as I am the sort of person who finds it very hard to delegate, I wouldn't be passing over anything important just admin type tasks at the moment. I will bear that in mind though.

Kate :lol:

[Asteeleleith]

Also to go on a bit from here, students are also a great source of workers. If you need websites, design (scrap that one and come to me!), powerpoint presentations and all things like that, then students will do it for a pack of fags and a 4 pack! Some perfer money.

Just a simple poster put up in a 6th form can do you wonders. Remember that students are always looking to build up their CVs, so what better way than working with a trading company that they can also get a reference from!

Matt

yes i agree with that one, i am getting some to resell for me at a few local unversites :-)

Al
ps, sometimes it is not from golf, or football where u get the best contacts, its through being an Amateur Astronomer!!!!!

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

Taking on staff part time can be done quite easily if you talk to the Inland Revenue. If you hire a book keeper or accountant they will sort all this out for you anyway!

Glad to see people like this idea and I hope the people do use it.

Matt

[hunny]

Taking on students & graduates is a great idea for all concerned, from personal experience of my son recently graduating and sending out numerous letters to prospective employers - only to be told they want at least 2 years post grad experience - any work experience is a real asset to them.
Anne :D

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

I do believe that it is a win win situation. I am still involved with live music and band nights, I hire out a venue in Manchester complete with PA and engineers. I offer students the chance to come along and get a bit of experience with a real sound desk etc.

My uni course was a bit rubbish, I did Media Technology (I know, crap) and we were promised lots of exciting experience that we just didn't get. Now I offer it to those who are on the course I did because I found it impossible to get a job in TV because I did not have any experience.

Matt

[Asteeleleith]

Taking on students & graduates is a great idea for all concerned, from personal experience of my son recently graduating and sending out numerous letters to prospective employers - only to be told they want at least 2 years post grad experience - any work experience is a real asset to them.
Anne :D

Well the lad i have working for me now is 16. He is editor of the easy as it magazine as i do not have time to do it.
I told him to make the mag profitable by the time he goes to uni, and he will prob not have to take a job at tescos or sainsburys.
in short this means getting him to find paying advertisers, and to find a sponsor. You should see him move on it now!

you se thew problem is the lad also wantewd to do an IT course at school, now he feels let down as there were not enough to justify doing it. This way he gets the expereince on his CV, training as he will also record for me. And wen it comes in, a wage!
I will be emailing the mag to the local rag next week wen its done. might be worth a mention in the chronical don;t you think?


plus he is acting as agent selling my courses.

into the bargain i put an ad in down at the jobcentre today asking for resellers to apply

I will let you know how it gets on

Al