Khalilah Starks is a fairly recent transplant to Champaign-Urbana who came to the area to work at the University of Illinois Business Career Services office. Drawing from her extensive background in corporate human resources and university career services, she recently founded highpoweredprofessional.com, a blog dedicated to providing professionals with advice about job search and career development strategies. She can also be seen on the WCIA Morning Show every month discussing career success strategies. More than anything, she is proud to be mom to her 7-year-old daughter.
See why we think Khalilah Starks is a Chambana mom to know.
Thank you! It’s been an amazing experience. I started highpoweredprofessional.com because there are so many people that are currently trying to land employment and enhance their career potential. And, I truly feel that I can add value to that process. My blog focuses on providing professionals with simple and sound advice that will help them accomplish their career goals. I’ve always been the go-to person for anything career related, so I felt that this was a great opportunity to share my knowledge with professionals beyond my established network. In the end, I love helping people reach their full career potential and my blog helps me achieve this!
My advice to moms who are trying to reenter the workforce would be to get active in the community. Volunteer at schools and local organizations to develop your networks. Networking and employee referrals continue to be the largest sources for landing employment, so you should be developing your networks to find out about opportunities. If people see that you’re doing a great job for an organization or a school, they’re more apt to recommend you for opportunities within their companies. You should join professional organizations in your desired field (i.e. Society for Human Resources Management) which can also facilitate the meeting of professionals in that particular field. Again, it’s all about expanding your network.
Taking a course or attaining a certification in your desired field can show your commitment to achieving your career goals. And, it shows that you’ve brushed up on the latest skills that are relevant to your career. And last, but not least, don’t be shy. Let everyone know that you’re looking for employment and be prepared to tell them exactly what you’re looking for. Moms have great transferable skills, you just have to know how to communicate and leverage the skills that you use on a daily basis.
My biggest challenge as a single parent is getting it all done. I need a clone. It’s a constant balancing act between my daughter’s priorities and my own. My ultimate goal in life is to raise my daughter to be a responsible young lady who will make great decisions and live an awesome life. So, while I have my own professional endeavors, she always comes first. A great positive for me is that I have wonderful friends and family that are always ready to pitch in and help when I need them. And, she loves spending time with her dad which is extremely helpful and further allows me to balance our priorities.
You’re absolutely right! I love what I do! It is truly my passion. I’ve always been intrigued by career success strategies and it’s always been a natural conversation piece with my friends and colleagues. I’m on a constant quest to find the formula for career success. And, as I learn, I share with others! I get goose bumps when I hear career success stories. I think that’s the secret…find that one thing that gives you goose bumps when you think about it!
I love the simplicity that Champaign offers. It takes me three minutes to get my daughter to school and an additional seven minutes to get to work. The pace is much slower and I appreciate this since I spend so much time in Chicago. Champaign is a great family-oriented community with lots of great activities for children. The parks are wonderful too!
The lack of restaurant options certainly takes a little getting used to. What I wouldn’t give for a Portillo’s here in Champaign! My wish is for more outstanding dining options here in Chambana.
Do you know of a Chambana mom or dad to know? We love nominations!