These women made the transition from one working style to another. Here, they share their suggestions for success.

From Full-Time Work to Part-Time

Pat Milo
Broadcast business manager, Merkley and Partners Advertising, New York City
About 10 years ago, after my maternity leave, I decided I wanted to try a job share. I had read about the idea, and I had a friend who worked at a company that offered it, so I thought I’d look into it. Libby, the woman who covered for me, had worked out well in my position when I was out, so I asked her if she would be interested in this type of situation. She was, so we drew up a proposal to "sell" to my boss. We listed all the positives and how they would benefit the company. We also anticipated any questions my boss might have and outlined exactly how we would cover her concerns. We stressed communication; we would talk every day. We would share the same phone line and have everyone we work with copy both of us on all correspondence. We showed how each piece of our business would be covered and sorted out all the details, such as a schedule (I worked three days; Libby two), vacation time (we’d never take vacation at the same time), sick time (the other person would help to ensure there wasn’t a long absence), and pay.

Finally we were both lucky in that we didn’t need benefits, because we both get benefits through our husbands’ employers. So hiring two people wouldn’t cost more than splitting the salary. My boss was very happy with the work that I had done, and my track record was a big part of why she went for it. Now it’s a decade later, and this flexible situation continues to work well for all of us.

From Freelancing to a Staff Job

Patricia Cobe
Senior editor of Restaurant Business magazine and cofounder of www.mompreneursonline.com, New York City
I started working on editorial staffs at consumer magazines. When I had my first child, I decided I would start freelancing. I built up a business and did all kinds of writing, and I worked at home for 15 years. But then I decided that I needed to get back into the work world, because I felt isolated and I wanted more of a steady income and better benefits.

While I was freelancing, I had a lot of contacts in women’s magazines, so when someone went on maternity leave or medical leave, they would call me to "sit in" to relieve that editor. I got my first taste of going back into the work world with these temporary assignments, and one eventually grew into a full-time job. I feel those opportunities arose for me because I always kept up my contacts — not just by e-mailing or calling people but by meeting face-to-face.

I also connected with other women in my area to form a group called Westchester Women Who Write. We would meet for lunch in the city once a month and exchange war stories and help one another network with different editors. I also kept up memberships in professional organizations, which was important. I would go into the city once a month for meetings, and when people saw me, they would realize I was out in the world and not just hiding in the suburbs somewhere. Networking is so key if you are a freelancer, whether you want that next freelance job or want to break back into a staff position.