All posts by Ellen Hunter Gans
Sorry About That, Mom
This Mother’s Day, I have a story for you. It has an apology, and a big twist. So stay tuned. I’m a freelance writer. When I was growing up, my mother was also a freelance writer. She attempted the impossible: ... Read More »
Should We All Be Contractors?
Let’s start with a provocative line: Would you be better at your job if you were a contractor? If you were paid hourly, or at least per project? I worked for an hourly wage when I was fourteen: I ... Read More »
On the Boston Marathon
This is supposed to be my Awe and Blah. I try to be some combination of mean and funny in my Awes and Blahs. I don’t have much of either in me today. This week went a bit differently than ... Read More »
News Flash: It’s not going to fall in your lap.
I know someone who isn’t satisfied with his job. He’d like to change jobs, but instead of hitting the pavement to make it happen, he keeps hoping that the perfect job will land in his lap. Sure, sometimes head hunters ... Read More »
Are You in the Clone Zone? Be Brave, Be Bold, Be Marketable.
For so long, we’ve been taught not to make waves in the workplace. Keep your head down. Tick the boxes. Do the work. Don’t upset anyone. Be the best at fulfilling that job description. Don’t color outside the lines. And ... Read More »
Let’s Call a Truce
Over the last few months, I noticed a Huffington Post blog: Stay-At-Home Moms: What You Should NEVER Say to Them. A short while later, there was another one: What Not To Say to a Working Mom. Both posts went ... Read More »
Pricing Yourself
My last post, about getting a raise when you don’t have a boss, ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger: “There will always be cheaper writers.” It’s true. I’m not the least expensive writer out there. I know that, ... Read More »
Getting a Raise When You Don’t Have a Boss.
When I made the decision to turn down “real” job offers in favor of self-employment, the lack of structured promotions and raises was a major drawback. Was it the money? Who doesn’t want the chance of 2% more per year? ... Read More »
Learning to Say “Yes.”
As capable, post-modern women, we hear it a lot: be willing to say “No.” Prioritize. Delegate. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep things manageable. This is all sound advice — but a funny thing starts happening when ... Read More »
