Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart
A popular excuse for not making a big change is money. You don’t have enough money – training for new skills, career coaching, whatever support you need for the big change cost more than you have. You need the income you have – you don’t have any left over to save for the big change and you certainly don’t have the option of quitting to focus more time on the big change. However, although money is a legitimate consideration, it is not an obstacle you can’t overcome. It comes down to the math: how much do you need and where will you get it.
Think Robin Hood. Take from one place to give to another. Look at your discretionary income after the fixed bills are paid. Where can you shave off dollars to allocate towards your career change?
Raise your income. Can you start a side consulting business and use the proceeds for the big change? The graphic designer can create websites, the financial planner can give Quicken tutorials. I know a marketing director who did a brand strategy for a start-up to pay for her kids’ new swing set. However, remember that you need your energy for the big change — this job is just for money so pick something you know you can do in which you won’t get too invested.
Challenge your assumptions. Still don’t have enough? Have you really separated out discretionary income or are non-essentials still in there? (Cable TV is not an essential when you are questioning all expenses.) Are you sure you need this money? (Can you take a workshop instead of getting a long-term class?) Are you sure you have itemized all expenses? (When you are trying to find the wasted dollars, you need to take a microscope to your spending.) There are always gaps between what you actually spend and what you think you spend, so be willing to challenge your memory and actually look.
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm comprised exclusively of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Prior to launching SixFigureStart, Caroline recruited for Accenture, Oliver Wyman, Time Inc, and others. Email me at caroline@sixfigurestart.com and ask how you can attend a free SixFigureStart group coaching teleclass.
100 Women in Hedge Funds: The Future of Hedge Funds
NewsFollowing one of the worst periods in history for the hedge fund industry, some question its continued survival.
Undoubtedly there will be ramifications for the industry in terms of its risk management, liquidity, leverage, regulation and its relationships with service providers and investors going forward. Alexander Ineichen of UBS will present his recent research into this subject and we will receive the industry and investor perspective from our panel. Participants Alexander Ineichen, UBS Global Asset Management
Adam Sorab, CQS
Claire Smith, Albourne Partners
Jean-Charles Crouzet, Banque Heritage
Lindsey Clavel, Moderator, Hedgebay
Networking and cocktails following session
Register here
Talent Matters: Self-Improvement During an Economic Downturn
NewsIn times of economic downturns, talent management initiatives tend to go by the wayside. Many companies don’t invest in developing their people, and individuals focus more on survival rather than long-term improvement. Yet for companies, focusing on talent retention and development efforts can lead to more engaged employees who go the extra mile during tough times. For individuals, now is precisely the time to think about how you can improve as a manager or leader to position yourself for opportunities down the road. What managerial or leadership skills are companies most in search of? Where are the “competency gaps?” Greg Janicik, a Principal in Korn/Ferry’s Leadership & Talent Management Consulting practice, will address where the biggest gaps occur and why and discuss ways for you to increase your potential in the current economy.
Register here
NBA Annual Convention
NewsThe National Bar Association Annual Mid-Year Conference and Gertrude E. Rush Award Dinner will be held April 22-26, 2009 at the Hilton New York Hotel. Panel discussions will include the following topics:
“Meltdown: A Case Study in the Failures of Board Leadership and its Impact on your Practice” The financial market debacle did not start with a few bad loans. It started because some members of corporate boards did not ask the right questions. A case study analysis of themeltdown of the financial market will be our starting point to learn how to be a leader in a corporate or not-for-profit board. The panel will then discuss the impact of the financial marketmeltdown on litigation, corporate, and employment practices.
“Board Leadership: Unleashing Your Power”Are you ready for the task? Are you ready to take your seat at the table of a prominent board? Building on the Financial Market Meltdown case study panel, panelists will prepare you to take on the task. Topics to be discussed: using recruiters to obtain a position on corporate and not-for-profit boards, effectivelyhandling board meetings, strategically choosing committee positions, and understanding regulatory requirements.
“Board Leadership: Navigating Ethical Landmines and Employing Best Practices”Objective: The strength of a leader is measured by how that leader manages and survives conflicts and challenges. Building on the earlier panels, panelists will give you tools to rise to the challenge. Topics to be discussed: fiduciary obligations, director and officer insurance coverage, handling restatement of financial statement, and managing sensitive public relations situations.This panel will provide 1.5 CLE credits of ethics. “Waging a Successful Litigation Campaign: Leadership in the Courts-A Case Study on the Fall of Segregation”Objective: The walls of segregation were not felled in a mighty swoop. The walls were chipped away through the leadership of thousands who challenged segregation in the courts. Panelists will explore the leadershp of Charles Hamilton Houston, and analyze his litigation campaign that tore down the walls of segregation in education. Topics will include: the power of precedence, the strategy of seizing upon “low hanging fruit,” the need for the right public face of the campaign, and the value of community support. Register here
Corporate Development Conference: Strategies for a Challenging Economy
NewsWith the global economy working through a severe downturn, corporate development officer (CDOs) and their teams have much to contribute to their organizations—but face a range of tough issues and constraints.
The Corporate Development Conference: Strategies for a Challenging Economy offers corporate development professionals and other transaction leaders and team members an opportunity to learn from some of the nation’s leading CDOs. They are finding new ways to structure transactions, refine process, add value to their enterprises—and many are rethinking their roles.
Please visit this website for details
Women on Boards: St. Louis
NewsCurrently, women represent only 15.2% of Fortune 500 company board membership and we are out to change that!The event will educate and prepare women for board service. Our panelists are top-level executives with extensive board experience and a desire to share their knowledge and necessary tools for serving as a director.
Topics include: being an effective board member; how to position yourself to get on a board; how to transition from serving on non-profit boards to for profit boards.
Media Myth Busting
Expert Answersby Liz O’Donnell (Boston)
The mainstream media continues to grind out traditionalist messages about women, even though the economic recession has created some very untraditional realities for women at work and attitudes about working women are starting to shift. So say Rosalind Barnett and Caryl Rivers. Barnett is Research Director, Community, Families & Work Program, Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University. She is considered an international expert on women’s issues and has written seven books and many articles on the topic. Rivers, a professor of journalism at Boston University, is the author of “Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women” among other books. The two spoke recently at the Women Action Media Conference in Cambridge, Mass.
Consider this new reality: women now outnumber men on the national payroll. This means more women are juggling work and family responsibilities. It also means more families are being supported with less income. After all, these facts haven’t changed: women still do more hours of housework than their husbands and women still earn, on average only .78 cents for every dollar a man earns. Recent findings from the Families and Work Institute2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce, however, are encouraging and demonstrate a shift in the traditional reality of working couples. For example, women in dual-earner couples are contributing more to family income. The earnings of women in the workforce have increased from 39 percent in 1997 to 44 percent in 2008.
Read more
CIO Perspectives: Local Connections on Global Issues
NewsDifficult times generate more extreme challenges for business leaders, often calling for a shift in leadership tactics, emphasis and skills employed. That’s certainly the case for IT leaders in the New York region, where CIOs are swiftly redirecting priorities, doing more with less, shoring up staff morale and working to stay focused on the strategic end goal.In this one-day CIO Perspectives Forum in New York, we’ll tackle head-on what it takes to survive and succeed as leaders in these troubled times.
CIO Perspectives Forums are regionally focused one-day executive events for senior IT leaders at mid- to large-sized organizations in the private and public sectors. Produced by CIO magazine in partnership with sister organization, the CIO Executive Council, these Forums provide compelling, content-rich networking events where CIOs and senior executives can collaborate on a broad range of business and technology issues. They also empower local CIOs to build sustainable professional communities, determine the most relevant conference content for their region, broaden the scope of their partner/supplier networks and update them on the latest technology solutions and services their businesses require.
The agenda for each CIO Perspectives Forum is designed by the 12-member Regional Leadership Council in each event location. These powerful advisory councils, comprised of CIOs from the most respected companies in America, work directly with CIO magazine’s event staff to guide and approve the selection of topics for all agenda sessions, interactive workshops, keynotes and featured speakers. CIO magazine and the CIO Executive Council are pleased to partner with the local chapters of the Society for Information Management (SIM) for this exclusive, invitation-only event.
Register here
Ask-A-Recruiter: Financing Big Changes
Ask A RecruiterA popular excuse for not making a big change is money. You don’t have enough money – training for new skills, career coaching, whatever support you need for the big change cost more than you have. You need the income you have – you don’t have any left over to save for the big change and you certainly don’t have the option of quitting to focus more time on the big change. However, although money is a legitimate consideration, it is not an obstacle you can’t overcome. It comes down to the math: how much do you need and where will you get it.
Think Robin Hood. Take from one place to give to another. Look at your discretionary income after the fixed bills are paid. Where can you shave off dollars to allocate towards your career change?
Raise your income. Can you start a side consulting business and use the proceeds for the big change? The graphic designer can create websites, the financial planner can give Quicken tutorials. I know a marketing director who did a brand strategy for a start-up to pay for her kids’ new swing set. However, remember that you need your energy for the big change — this job is just for money so pick something you know you can do in which you won’t get too invested.
Challenge your assumptions. Still don’t have enough? Have you really separated out discretionary income or are non-essentials still in there? (Cable TV is not an essential when you are questioning all expenses.) Are you sure you need this money? (Can you take a workshop instead of getting a long-term class?) Are you sure you have itemized all expenses? (When you are trying to find the wasted dollars, you need to take a microscope to your spending.) There are always gaps between what you actually spend and what you think you spend, so be willing to challenge your memory and actually look.
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm comprised exclusively of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Prior to launching SixFigureStart, Caroline recruited for Accenture, Oliver Wyman, Time Inc, and others. Email me at caroline@sixfigurestart.com and ask how you can attend a free SixFigureStart group coaching teleclass.
Negotiating Compensation: The Secrets to Establishing Your Worth
NewsAssociation for Women in Computing, Puget Sound Chapter
Many of us believe we are underpaid, or simply have no idea what to respond with when asked what our salary requirements are. Find out how to know and claim your market value for a new role or prove your value to your current employer. We will show you how to prepare yourself to effectively counter an offer, request a raise, or make changes to your existing role.
We will cover:
How to prepare
Relevance of timing
Importance of reflecting the company needs
Presenting value
Negotiating for money or other points/requests
Thinking out of the box
Register here
The Green Supply Chain Summit
NewsLeading companies such as IKEA, Danone, Airbus will discuss the challenges and opportunities they face when implementing a greener supply chain.
Confirmed speakers so far include:
IKEA – Thomas Bergmark, Head of Social and Environmental Affairs
Danone – Guillaume Benezeth, Supply Chain and Operations Director
McDonald´s – Keith Kenny, Senior Director Supply Chain Europe
Johnson & Johnson – Jo Tierens, Environment, Health & Safety Director External Manufacturing
Airbus – Ana Porto, Head of Environmental Compliance and Eco-efficiency
Kimberly Clark – Dave Challis, Head of Sustainability EMEA BT – Donna Young, Head of Environment and Climate Change
Deutsche Bank – Ron Herbst, Head of Energy Management Svenska Cellulosa – Yogi Pillay, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes
Aggregate – Miles Watkins, Director of Sustainable Construction
National Express – Nick Coad, Head of Group Environmental Strategy
Accenture – Jonathan Wright, Senior Executive, Global Supply Chain Practices
Ricoh – Tim Taylor, Environmental and Compliance Manager
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – Alistair Clark, Corporate Director, Environment and Sustainability Department
NPower – Robert Harper, Product Manager, Environment & Renewables
L´Oreal, Ariane Thomas, Supply Chain Purchasing Director
Register here