5 Reasons Why Taking a Holiday is Good for Your Career

5 Reasons Why Taking a Holiday is Good for Your Career Its summer  and the beach is calling! You love the idea of jetting away somewhere slightly more exotic than the grey interior of your office, but youre snowed under at work and theres no way you can deal with the workload thatll be left to pick up when you return. Sound familiar? STOP! Youre on track to working yourself into the ground. We all need a break from time to time, or youre putting yourself  at risk of stress and believe it or not, a bit of RR can actually benefit your career. If youve recently started a new job, or are trying hard to make a good impression, its a temptation to forgo your annual leave out of fear of it reflecting badly on you, or causing you to fall behind with  work. You may feel like its actually benefiting your career at the time, however it can in fact be damaging to your productivity if you dont give yourself a break. So if you think about it, taking a holiday is actually GOOD for your career. Just keep in mind that you should always give plenty of notice before taking time off and prepare any work or necessary cover ahead of time, so that your boss is not left in the lurch when youre gone. Here are a few reasons why taking a holiday can be beneficial. 1.  Taking breaks improves productivity You might think that working late and not taking  time off means you will get more work done, but  research has actually found that when working longer hours, employees arent as creative and find it hard to maintain the same intensity level in their work. So by working yourself too hard, it could actually be detrimental to the quality of your work. Week by the pool anyone? 2.Youll be healthier If you dont take the time off to relax and unwind, you are putting yourself at risk of becoming stressed. Stress can have negative implications for your health, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and depression. So its important to look after yourself, as well as  your workload! 3. Quality time with loved ones Chances are that if youre working long hours, you dont get to spend as much  time with your loved ones as youd like to. By taking some annual leave from work, you can set that time aside to spend quality time with them, whether it be at home or on a trip together. Spending time with your friends and family may be just what you need to unwind  and improve your mood after a stressful period at work. 4. New experiences There is so much to do and see in the world, which just isnt going to happen from the confines of your office. Take a break  and experience new things, or you may regret it later. If youve been meaning to take up a new hobby, this could be your chance to give it a go and you never know, it may even open doors to new opportunities in the future. So step away from the computer and go enjoy yourself! 5. Work-Life balance is important If a good work-life balance is not met in your  job, its likely that you will start to build negative feelings towards work or your employer, and it could also take its toll on your  health. In order to be happy at work and maintain the drive to work at the best of your ability, its important for you to be able to balance work and your personal life, so that you are not deprived of doing things you enjoy outside of work and are living  a healthy lifestyle. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Common Mistakes When Writing a Resume For Graduate School Admissions

Common Mistakes When Writing a Resume For Graduate School AdmissionsWhen you write a resume for graduate school admissions, it is important to make sure you go about the process with some form of planning. If you do not plan your writing, you may end up making some mistakes that can take years to correct. Read on to learn about some mistakes to avoid and how to properly set your writing goals for your application.The first mistake many individuals make when writing a resume for a successful applicant is simply not being organized. When you are beginning your career as a student, there is no point in procrastinating over the details of the application process. You need to start by developing a plan of action. You need to know what steps you are going to take and when you are going to take them.Do not use software that automatically generates a resume for graduate school. This type of program is not needed. Instead, use a paper resume to plan your writing. Some software programs will g ive you the information that you need to know, but you should also learn how to write a paper resume. Having a plan helps you avoid making common errors and wastes of time.There are two types of academic writing that graduate school applications commonly require. These types of writing are academic papers and a research paper. In order to write an academic paper, you will need to list your primary area of interest. Once you have completed this step, you can work on the research portion of your paper.The second type of writing that graduate school applications often require is a thesis statement. This is an explanation of the specific interest or research that you will be writing about in your academic paper. Without a strong and clearly written statement, it is not likely that your application will be accepted for consideration.Research and editing are crucial parts of the writing process for your resume for graduate school admissions. There are many small and large grammar and spel ling mistakes that can occur during your writing process. Research is a critical part of the application process. It shows your potential school that you have a previous history of research and that you have experience applying for graduate admissions.Writing a letter of recommendation is another key element of the application process. The letter should be brief and to the point. Make sure you focus on the achievements of the applicant as opposed to writing an article or essay. The letter is meant to support your application for admission and should never be a form of advertisement.As you can see, there are many mistakes that are easy to make when writing a resume for graduate school admissions. The best advice for beginners is to develop a plan of action before you begin to write. Also, remember that you will need to edit your resume for graduate school admissions and that research and editing are crucial parts of the process.

Slides for Covering Letter Basics for Postgrads University of Manchester Careers Blog

Slides for Covering Letter Basics for Postgrads University of Manchester Careers Blog Thank you to everyone who attended todays session. Although it was outwith my control, I do apologise for the temperature in the room too warm to be conducive to both teaching and learning (digression if you are curious about the psychology of learning environments, read this article: bit.ly/2earkXJ ). Here is a no frills version of the slides for Career Essentials: Covering Letter Basics for Postgraduates covering-letters-dfg-2016-web-version Dont miss Tuesdays session (in a much cooler lecture theatre) on interviews: Career Essentials: Interviews for Postgraduates October 18th 2016 1pm-2pm Zochonis Lecture Theatre A A successful interview is all that stands between you and your dream job. This one hour workshop will introduce you to the basic skills and knowledge you need to prepare for a successful interview. All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate Applications and interviews careers postgraduate

Rocket Your Resume to the Top of the Pile

Rocket Your Resume to the Top of the Pile There has been lots of speculation in recent months that the resume is ‘dead’ (sparking much debate), but that extreme statement  is simply not true. Yes, the resume has evolved a lot in recent years, and yes there are many new approaches to consider in today’s job search, but the resume remains an essential tool in every job seeker’s tool box.So how can you make your resume blast to the top of a large pile of applications to get noticed? These four tips will help launch resume success: Use a format that works for YOU Too often people are stuck formatting their resume in a rigid or traditional manner, following templates or old-fashioned layouts. Ignore advice on the ‘right way’ to format your resume because there are no hard or fast rules to creating a resume. Apply a format that works best for you and your situation. Order content in your resume from most relevant to least relevant throughout, ensuring more critical points are listed closer to the start. If you are making a career change you may need to strategically place an earlier career position sooner in your resume or add an achievements section near the start of the document to emphasize  transferable  skills. Old school resume rules do not account for strategy. You are unique, therefore your resume must be too.  Tailor content towards the target job Avoid falling into the trap of using just one resume for every job you apply for. To be  effective,   modify and tailor your resume content for every unique job. If you do not tailor your resume content for each job the reader may have a hard time grasping how your skills relate to their requirements and you could be overlooked. In addition, if your resume does not contain custom keywords it may be screened out by the ATS.  Get creative Think outside the box with content and design. Today’s resumes are maturing in style, content, strategy,  and  design. Consider adding a bit of color or customized headers in your resume and when appropriate graphics, charts, or testimonials to add value and pizzazz!Marry content and design in your networking resume (one that is created specifically for human eyes) but keep the design simpler for resumes going through ATS. Does your resume look like everyone else’s? Well it certainly won’t stand out.   Above all else, avoid using a resume template â€" these are easy to spot, limiting in design, sometimes hard to read by ATS, and will not score you any points with scrutinizing employers. Keep content lean and clean Todays resumes need to say more in less space. Recruiters and employers are inundated with applications so they must be able to scan your content quickly to easily glean key facts and hard impacts (results!). If resume content is too dense, important details run the risk of being  buried and passed over. Finally, remember that the resume is a marketing tool, not a job  description.  Sharp and concise (relevant) statements will have greater impact, as will shorter and easily scanned sections. Achieving the fine balance of condensing details while still offering up a wealth of information takes a concentrated effort.    See my follow-up article: Resume Strategy What Format to Use and When.

Resume and Cover Letter - Secrets to Hiring the Right People

Resume and Cover Letter - Secrets to Hiring the Right PeopleWhen you are creating a resume and cover letter for an upcoming job search, you want to make sure that you are using the correct format. This is a key element in landing the job that you are seeking.You have an opportunity to put a resume on your application when you fill out the application form. While the person who is hiring you will read your resume, it is wise to make sure that you know what you are putting on it.You must be honest about your personal qualities and skills. You need to be able to relate these to the job description you are applying for.The first thing you should look at is whether you have taken the time to write a job description that covers all of the areas that you want. You can refer to this in the rest of the resume and cover letter to make sure that you have it prepared.The second thing you want to do is to identify if the job requirements are general or specific. For example, you may need to write a resume and cover letter in order to apply for a sales position that requires the ability to market the products you sell.Or, you may be applying for a sales position that requires that you identify the market in which you sell products that are generally available to the general public. The key here is to be able to show that you know what you are doing and that you are a valuable asset to the company.Remember that a resume and cover letter should not be designed around a particular work history or skill set. Instead, you want it to be tailored to reflect the skill sets you have acquired and that you have proven that you are an asset to the company.A resume and cover letter should be self-explanatory and easy to understand. You should also have the confidence in your abilities to create a resume and cover letter that will be suitable for the job you are applying for.

Become A Local Giant And A National Hopeful

Become A Local Giant And A National Hopeful All great empires have had to do one crucial thing before they assert their dominance around the world. That is, to conquer home first. All businesses have a story, and that story originates with the people who first started it. Your surroundings can play a strong role in the history of your business too. Whether it be your city, district or region, you have to conquer it first before you can become a nationally acclaimed business. Its easy to distinguish cities and districts, but regions are historically influenced. If you can understand your city you can then understand your district. What kind of people live and work here? What is the income level, aspirations and cultural views of the people that live and work in your vicinity? The striking thing about businesses that are nationally recognized, is that they understand each part of the nation is different. Therefore how you present yourself and your behavior in one region will not work on another. Those living in metropolitan New York will have differing attitudes to those living in sleep middle America. Your city If you are a business that is operating from Los Angeles, you should know the demographics of the local people. For example, if you’re a roofing company, you should know the average income level of the populace. Many people from the east coast have traveled to the city to relocate. What are the traditions of the area with regards to your respective industry? Could you tie in your business with the city colors, buildings, festivities and logistical needs? The closer you can identify with the potential customers that surround your business with their physical presence the more real you become to your city location. Your district and region Taking your first baby steps outside the city walls is the next step to cementing your name in millions of people’s minds. Setting up multiple locations is the obvious route but what if you’re perfectly happy with your location but have expanded your operational strength and capabilities? Getting advertising space on regional television and radio channels is one way to enter into people’s homes and forming a relationship. Online video sharing websites can also broadcast your video advertisements for people in the region who are using the platforms. Your nation Spreading out like an octopus is a great tactic to cover the whole nation with your name. Content marketing is with superb SEO is viable strength that’s strength is determined on the quality of the content and keywords. Companies should be taken up on their offer of seo packages which are comprehensively going to increase your Google search results to page 1 status. In a bid to increase organic traffic, the company keeps a firm finger on the pulse of keywords important to your business. As much as 125 keywords can be active for just one thing, so picking the best of the bunch as quickly as possible before they are taken is paramount to being heard. The three evolutions of notoriety for any business, will be city, region and then nationwide. First, conquer your local area and establish a firm base. When you are ready, strengthen and widen your reach and begin to slowly permeate into the computers of consumers around the country.

Time Management Tips - Too Many Balls in The Air - Jane Jackson Career

Time Management Tips - Too Many Balls in The Air - Jane Jackson Career Too Many Balls in the Air?   Here’s how to cope!Almost everyone makes ‘To Do’ lists in order to keep track of what needs to be done.   It feels good to tick items off one at a time.   However no matter how well you plan your pipeline, there are times when everything happens at once, everything is due at about the same time and you feel control, and deadlines, slipping away.   Maybe you start to wish that it was time for another holiday and the exhaustion sets in.   What should you do?How does it work in the Accident and Emergency Departments in hospitals?   Every patient who comes in through the door is an urgent and important case.   What the emergency ward medical professionals do is to determine which victims are the ones who need the immediate help, those who need it the most, then they figure out whom to treat and in what order. Here’s what will help you in less life threatening situations:1. Write down everything that needs to be taken care ofIt’s possible for us to r emember only a few things at a time.   According to an article published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the average person can only hold 3 or 4 things in mind at once.  The danger with multiple projects is we tend to spend the most time on the projects that are going really well (and are enjoyable) or on projects that appear to be doomed and we can’t let it go just yet.   That means we don’t devote enough time to projects where perhaps just a little effort would have mattered a lot â€" and all because we forgot all about it. 2. What can be outsourced?Now is the time to give an assistant the opportunity to shine or to find someone to take charge of one or two items that will free up your time to devote on the more urgent and more important stuff.   Make sure check in on how things are going at regular intervals. 3. What can you do away with or negotiate around?Deadlines may be logical however there are times when they are totally arbitrary.  See if there is room for negotiation regarding delivery dates.4. List the steps necessary to complete your projects and the timeframeTackle projects with the longest lead times now â€" and also some of the ‘low hanging fruit’ you can complete relatively quickly and easily.5. Modify your list regularlyCertain priorities may change, how it is important to ensure you keep track of everything that is still outstanding.   Follow up with the team who is working with you if any key component is missing.   Take a minute to breathe, think and identify problem spots in advance.  Remember PPPPP Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.6. Rally your home based troopsThere are times when it will be impossible to avoid working long hours and you may need more help.  Make sure you communicate effectively with your partner or family members so that they understand the deadlines you are working to.   Having support at home makes it much easier.  7. Remember your mental and physical healthPressu re helps us to perform and sometimes exceed expectations.   However what is the cost?   If we are tired and emotional everything seems so much harder and if we feel guilty about not having time for loved ones it hinders our coping mechanism. Perhaps you cant tuck your kids in every night during busy periods however can you manage it two or three times a week?  Your triathlon aspirations may need to be placed on hold for now but what about a 30-minute run every other day?  A brisk walk in the fresh air, taking deep breaths and focusing on the present moment will help to clear your head and keep everything in perspective.   Jane Jackson is a career management and life coach.   If you need help balancing your life, visit www.janejacksoncoach.comor contact jane@janejacksoncoach.com