The Best of Both Worlds ─ How Mothers Can Find Full-Time Satisfaction in Part-Time Work

How can mothers bridge the gap between the worlds of "mom" and "career woman" to find work-life balance? By working part-time. This informative guide tells both stay-at-home and full-time working mothers how they can reengage or redefine their careers while still having time to care for their children. The author--a mother and a former business executive, entrepreneur, and self-employed writer--provides all the information moms need to find the ideal employment solution in today's job market. For some women that means returning to the job market, while for others that means reducing hours with a current employer or changing jobs to obtain part-time work. The author also offers suggestions for defining personal objectives, networking, approaching job-sharing, and starting a business to help land part-time jobs.

Based on interviews with over one hundred part-time working women from a large cross-section of vocations, the book is rich with examples of what women in a variety of careers did to gain part-time employment. A majority report that working part-time gives them the "best of both worlds." By retelling their stories, the author has created a book that is realistic, useful, and an excellent reference.

This is the perfect starting point for mothers who want to learn how they can fulfill family needs, earn income, and gain self-satisfaction.

Beth Brykman is the author of The Wall between Women: The Conflict between Stay-at-Home and Employed Mothers and Second Wind: The Resilience of Women. She has also written for the New England Journal of Public Policy. She has managed her own part-time consulting business, Brykman Consulting Services; has held senior marketing positions at Kraft General Foods and Pittsburgh Brewing Company; and has worked in product management for Ralston Purina, HJ Heinz, and Frito-Lay.