Professional Development Resources for Women in High Tech Firms

We all face the challenge of succeeding in our businesses and careers in today’s tough marketplace, but women often have the additional burden of raising children and maintaining the homestead to boot. Luckily, there are some fantastic resources online to help women wear their many hats with grace.

Bnet

Staying current on business news is important no matter what your industry. This is where bnet comes in.  Bnet is part of CBS Interactive, which includes other sites you might know and love like CNET, Find Articles, MoneyWatch, Tech Republic, TV.com and ZDnet, just to name a few. Registration is free and gives you access to industry articles, advice and information that can help women stay competitive. This search string brings up several articles that businesswomen will find helpful.

Women For Hire

Success in business often depends on the connections we make with other professionals. This is where Women For Hire can make a decisive difference in your career. The site links you to hundreds of professional organizations, both national and local, helping professionals and jobseekers make vital connections. The site also connects you with educational workshops, networking events, mentoring programs, job opportunities, career support and more.

The Office of Women’s Business Ownership

The Small Business Administration (SBA) sponsors the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, working with several organizations making it easier for women to find the resources they need to succeed as entrepreneurs.  Working closely with women and offering valuable resources, the Office gives women an edge in starting their own business. The site covers topics like getting small business loans and federal grants, how to get started in a business and find investors to support your business.

Fly Conferencing

Women professionals – and all professionals for that matter – need to have communication tools that let them conference with business partners, potential employers and clients. What makes Fly Conferencing different from other conferencing providers is the outstanding service, coupled with a rock-bottom cost. This company employs US-based customer service professionals who go out of their way to contact you and walk you through every step of the conferencing dashboard set up, making sure you are up and running in no time. Best of all, you only pay for the time you are actually conferencing, with no monthly subscription fees.

Staying on Track

As working women, we thrive when we can share our concerns and advice with like-minded friends. This is where Mommy Track’d excels.  The site is funny, irreverent, edgy and just plain fun. It offers a break from the day with advice and humor focused at working mothers, while also providing useful free organization tools. One of the site’s best features is “Mommy Moments,” a section devoted to sharing personal stories that illustrate the challenge of working and mothering at the same time. Reading through these snippets, most mothers will find humor and commiseration in the trials of others.

Another site to check out is the National Association of Professional Women.  They have great content on their NAPW Twitter page; their NAPW Vator page and more.  Check it out now.

Subscribe to each of these sites and go back often. You’ll find new information, advice, tools and tips that will keep your career or business on track while still maintaining your sanity!