What Industries are Lagging When it Comes to Unlimited Holidays

What Industries are Lagging When it Comes to Unlimited Holidays Did somebody say unlimited holidays? Believe it or not, the concept does actually exist in some industries and its becoming more popular amongst employers. But despite the rise in popularity of unlimited holiday policy schemes across the UK and the increased conversation around work-life balance needing more attention, taking too many holidays is still frowned upon in 28% of UK workplaces. This was revealed in some new research launched today by Perkbox. The research, which surveyed 1,342 UK employees, revealed that it’s the Legal industry where ‘taking holidays’ was the most taboo, with 39% of those surveyed believing this to be the case. This was followed closely by the Sales, Media and Marketing industries, with 36% of employees believing the same. But perhaps the most surprising stat comes from the HR industry, where 35% of respondents believe that ‘taking holidays’ is frowned upon too. It’s often said that unlimited holidays can only work if companies know how to implement them properly, and can encourage employees to do so. Could this alarming figure in the HR industry signal that HR departments are struggling to adopt such policies in the workplace? On the flip side, the Architecture, Building and Engineering industry was most relaxed when it came to holiday policies, with only 16% of employees feeling taking too much time off is frowned upon. Professional Services was similar to attitudes to holiday policy, coming in at 21% and Arts and Culture followed closely at 22%. Whats more, it seems that when UK employees get around to finally taking holidays, another worrying trend arises taking a holiday that is over seven days long is something they feel uncomfortable doing. And that happens mostly in the industries mentioned above where taking holidays was most taboo. Only 19% of those in the Legal profession take over seven vacation days on average, followed by one in three in Sales, Media, and Marketing at 34%. Meanwhile, in Architecture, Building and Engineering taking an extended break seems to be the norm. 65% of respondents belonging to these industries are taking over seven days of holidays on average. This figure was also high in the Travel and Transport sector at 59%. One in three employees surveyed believes anti-holiday sentiment in some industries may be down to the belief many holds that unlimited holidays enable more office slacking. What’s more, in an indication that “unlimited holidays” becoming the norm may be further away than we think, this figure rose to 35% in the HR industry, 39% in Professional Services and 40% in Arts and Culture. Overall, it seems more education is needed on the benefits of holidays in many industries before policies like “unlimited holidays” can be considered at all. Chieu Cao, Co-founder of Perkbox says: “It’s worrying to see how many industries don’t seem to be grasping the link between employee productivity and a well-deserved break. With the rise of new technologies making our workplace environments faster paced than ever before, many employees need at least a couple of days to switch off at the beginning of a holiday. Taking a minimum of a week’s holiday at a time should not be something frowned upon but rather encouraged” About the author:  Perkbox  is a platform that provides a unique employee experience, enriching the personal and working life of employees. It offers a suite of products including a platform with access to best in class Perks,  Perkbox  Medical,  Perkbox  Recognition, and  Perkbox  Insights. It serves companies of all sizes from SMEs to large companies such as Whole Foods, Nando’s, Caffe Nero and Levi Strauss Co. Headquartered in London, with offices in Sheffield and Paris,  Perkbox  has raised over £11.0 million in funding from the leading European venture capital firm Draper Esprit.

How to Get Your Career Resume Ready

How to Get Your Career Resume ReadyWriting a career resume is something that a lot of people get into. Maybe you've seen it at your previous job, or maybe you're just intrigued by the idea of starting your own business. Either way, it's a great chance to flex your creative side and turn your goals into a reality. Here are a few tips to make this task easier.Many people think they need a career resume and writing co for a full-time job. While this is true for many jobs, it's not true for any of the many 'job hunt' projects. Of course, it's great to have a resume but getting a job without one is like hitting a brick wall. If you really want to get your foot in the door, just write up a resume and not worrying about it.If you're looking for a great resource to help you write your resume, look no further than an online resume writer. These programs are extremely easy to use and are designed to help you put together a resume in minutes. You can take your time when you use a good program a nd be confident that your application will be turned into a hiring manager.Another tip for writing a career resume is to do a little research. The more you know about the specific industry you're targeting, the better your chances of landing the job. This may mean looking into a certain geographic area, the hiring managers that work there, or simply knowing a little bit about the company. Any time you can dig up information that may help you in the application process, you will get a leg up.One way to get a feel for what other people have to say about you is to talk to previous employers and former bosses. Ask them to give you some of their personal references. If they can't be contacted, simply send an email or send a letter via snail mail. If they can't be reached, you'll be able to get some idea of how well you did in your previous work environment.When you are able to get your resume to the right people, make sure you take the time to read through it carefully. Don't skip any de tails because you were told to put them in the application. Make sure everything looks up to par. You don't want your resume to look off-putting in front of someone.Once you've made the effort to get your resume ready and put together, give it a professional look. Most online programs make it easy to do this so you won't have to worry about putting the paper together. Also, make sure you use proper grammar and spelling.When all is said and done, don't hesitate to pass on a resume that you feel isn't up to par. It might be because of something that was written on the paper or something that didn't make sense. So make sure that you take the time to write your resume with care and see if it works.

How to Protect Your Side-Hustle Business From Fraud

How to Protect Your Side-Hustle Business From Fraud With enough motivation and understanding of your target audience, your side-hustle business could go from something you started so you’d have a little extra spending money to a very healthy supplemental income. What’s even better is that there are plenty of ways to earn money part-time while doing something you’re passionate about â€" from baby-sitting kids or dogs, to baking, making crafts, or writing blogs. No matter which money-making route you choose, it’s crucial to safeguard your business from fraud. Taking precautions and thinking ahead could greatly reduce the chances of going from side-hustle success to a side-hustle shutdown. Equip Your Computers and Tablets With Anti-Virus Software and Updated Firewalls Many fraudsters try to snatch your bank account information from the outside by hacking e-mail accounts and hoping to find the respective details there. You can hinder those practices by making sure all your computers and tablets have active anti-virus software and current firewall protection. Furthermore, if you have employees, train them on how to recognize potentially fraudulent e-mails that could be attempts to get sensitive information. As a rule, banks never ask for account details via e-mail. Neither do most websites or businesses. Limit Administrative Access If you rely on people to handle money received from your side-hustle business, be very specific about which individuals are allowed to do those tasks. Ideally, conduct background checks on employees, and keep the level of access as limited as possible. That way, if you do suspect a case of internal fraud, it should be relatively easy to pinpoint the person or people responsible. At the very least, it will likely be pretty straightforward to determine what went wrong, and when. Be Mindful When Storing and Disposing of Paper Bills It’s arguably safer, not to mention more convenient, to pay as many bills as possible through a secure online platform. However, if you still receive bills in the mail, store those in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet. Also, rather than just tossing those bills into the trash once they’re paid, invest in a paper shredder so there’s no chance your account details or other personal information could be seen by prying eyes. Keep Public Areas Well Maintained If your side-hustle business has areas that are accessible to the public such as foyers, parking lots or even your driveway and front steps, keep those spaces tidy and free of things that could cause a person to slip and fall. If you don’t, the lack of attention could make you liable for fraud related to personal injury, brought by either a customer or employee. In regards to the latter, statistics say one in 10 small business owners are concerned their employees will fake ailments to receive worker’s compensation. Besides doing what you can to keep public areas as safe as possible, it may also be a worthwhile investment to install security cameras on the premises. Get a Lawyer on Your Side Even when you’re still in the stage of pondering setting up a business, it’s very smart to hire a lawyer you can depend on for information and insight as you run your venture. When speaking to a law professional, you may be surprised to learn about the various types of financial fraud that exist â€" even those types involving fraud against the government. Although you may not deal directly with the government within the scope of your business, there are other types fraud you may not have considered, such as those relating to falsified invoices or exaggerated business expenses. Talking to a legal representative who is familiar with different kinds of small business fraud may be able to help you evaluate risks and learn how to minimize them. Hire an Auditor In addition to adding a legal professional to your side-hustle business team, it’s a good idea to consider working with an auditing firm, too. An auditor can spot inconsistencies in your processes or other factors that may leave you liable to fraud, plus they can help you protect your business assets. After getting an assessment from an auditor, you may find you’ve virtually eliminated things that were potential fraud risks and have made your current processes much more efficient â€" your side-hustle business will be even more productive and profitable. Research Your Resources If you have a credit card specifically used for business purposes, find out whether the issuer offers fraud protection measures you can request. Furthermore, check to see if business insurance plans within your budget offer coverage against fraud cases, or if you can add onto the insurance you already have by purchasing something that compensates you after you’ve been victimized by fraud. Whether you get fraud protection for a business charge card, business insurance with fraud protection or both, consider those things good investments. Initially, you may not be crazy about the idea of paying for something you might never have to use, especially if your side-hustle business is still relatively small. However, when you realize a fraud case could be the thing that converts your efforts from profitable to pointless, it should make sense why preventative measures against fraud are very wise to take â€" even if they cut into your earnings. Don’t Ignore Suspicious Circumstances Getting informed about types of small business fraud and using some of the suggestions above are worthwhile ways to spend time. However, it’s also important to trust your gut instinct. If something seems amiss, thoroughly investigate it right away. Even if your suspicions turn out to be unfounded, it’s still crucial to act quickly to minimize damages of potential fraud cases. Hopefully you now feel much more prepared to take action against fraudsters who may threaten your side-hustle business. Consider revisiting your fraud protection plan on an annual basis (at least), and stay abreast of new types of fraud so your methods remain relevant and current. If youd like to learn more about how to prevent online fraud, visit  www.onlinescam.net  as they have some great resources.

How Your Job Makes You Fat, Sick and Stressed Out [INFOGRAPHIC]

How Your Job Makes You Fat, Sick and Stressed Out [INFOGRAPHIC] The past 40 years have seen a lot of changes to the American lifestyle, including the way we work. People are sitting more, getting less exercise, engaging with computers on a daily basis, and finding new ways to get stressed out. So how has this shift in the way we work affected Americans? A lack of exercise coupled with sitting down for eight or more hours at a time have contributed to a variety of health issues in America, not the least of these being the obesity epidemic. People sitting at a computer all day are at a heightened risk for packing on pounds, developing heart disease, and dying youngâ€"and yet over 80% of Americans report to a desk job every morning. In a nation that extolls working hard and working often, many may be displeased to find that at the end of the day, all that work just might be killing you. Some shocking stats from this infographic: 292 million Americans do not get the minimum level of exercise for good health Americans burn 140 fewer calories a day than they did 50 years ago This adds up to 51,100 calories for an average weight gain of 14.6 pounds per year In the 1960s nearly half of all jobs required physical activity, today its less than 20% People with sedentary jobs are twice as likely to die from heart disease When you sit down at your computer your calorie burning slows to 1 calorie per minute Three out of four Americans say work is stressful One out of four say its the most stressful thing in their lives 1 million workers call in sick to work every day due to stress Workplace stress costs employers $200 billion per year Is there anything we can do to be healthier at work? Yes, hit the gym before or after work, sit back in your chair and keep your hands clean with sanitisers to avoid catching germs. RELATED: Job Satisfaction and Happiness in the Workplace (Infographic). Source: OnlineUniversity.net

Resume Writing This Year - How to Write Resumes That Stand Out

Resume Writing This Year - How to Write Resumes That Stand OutResume writing this year is more about how you word your resume than it is about the content. The rules have changed and how you are perceived has changed. This means that if you want to stand out from the crowd, you have to know how to write a resume that will get you the best results.You can definitely write something impressive but you also have to have flair and learn to write this. There are several tips that are associated with resume writing this year. What you do and what you leave out in your resume is what makes or breaks a candidate. With the new methods of search engine optimization, job seekers now know exactly what keywords and key phrases they need to use.If you really want to stand out from the crowd, you will need to take a look at this and master the art of utilizing the keywords. You don't have to be an SEO wizard to be able to write quality resumes. This is the best way to stand out from the rest.Keywor ds are not everything that makes a great resume. They may only be one of many things that make your resume outstanding. While using them may help some companies find you, they are not the only thing that determines who is a great candidate for a certain position.In addition to the keywords, you may be required to add the following information as well. For example, let's say that you are applying for a job as a technician. You are going to be asked about the technical skills and knowledge that you may bring to the table. You will be required to write a few sentences that show what you may bring to the table.For example, you may be asked about the specific job description and specific equipment that you may be familiar with. You may also be asked about any other specialties that you may be familiar with as well. Your resume is not just about the position you are applying for; it is also about showing the recruiter that you are able to demonstrate skills that will be needed in this spe cific position.As stated earlier, there are some tips for writing a resume that will stand out this year. You have to learn to write resumes that show your knowledge of the job requirements. This should come before the keywords and it should be displayed throughout the resume. If you can do this, then you have written a great resume.Remember, every individual company has different guidelines for which resumes they are going to consider. As such, they will likely be searching through a variety of resumes that are in front of them. So, be sure to research each individual company and what is expected of you as a candidate to get the best possible outcome.

The Alumni Networking Solution - Pathfinder

The Alumni Networking Solution - Pathfinder The Alumni Networking Solution This blog post was provided by John Muscarello, who started  Start Networking Today. John is an expert networker and career development expert who remembers how frustrating job searching was when he was looking for his first job.  It wasn’t until John started networking that he started to see success in his job search.  After he found a job using networking as his main approach he continued to network and made lot of connections that helped him advance his career. ________________ If you are frustrated searching job boards, sending resumes into black holes, and not getting responses from prospective employees, what I call “The Alumni Networking Solution” is for you. New research from Jobvite found that “Employees hired through referral are hired 55% faster than those who come from a career site.” I have personally used The Alumni Networking Solution to find job leads, interviews, and most importantly job offers.  The 5 simple steps below are effective in tapping into alumni networks to find a job in the worst job market in history. The Alumni Networking Solution: 5 Simple Steps Alumni Networking Solution Step 1: Make sure you have your resume and LinkedIn profile updated. Alumni Networking Solution Step 2: Join your college alumni group on LinkedIn. • Change the search setting to groups instead of people. • Type in the name of the college you attended and your alumni group should show up in the search results. Click on the group. • Then hit join group. • An email confirmation will be sent to you confirming your membership to the group. Alumni Networking Solution Step 3: Create a simple customized introduction letter like the example below to get started. Subject Line: Quick Question Dear (Name), I graduated from ABC College with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing. I see that you work in public relations and was wondering if you would be willing chat on the phone. I am seeking an entry level opportunity at a dynamic organization where I can grow. I would love to hear more about what you do and any insights or advice you might have on breaking into the industry. Your help would be extremely appreciated! Thank you for your time. John Smith Email Cell Number Alumni Networking Solution Step 4: Send you pitch letter to members in your alumni group. • Click the members tab in the LinkedIn group to see who is in the group. • You want to reach out to Alumni who work in the industry in which you want to get a job and Alumni who work in the location where you would like to work. • As soon as you find a fit, send the alumni member your customized introduction letter. Alumni Networking Solution Step 5: Start setting up informational interviews, coffee dates, and responding to the messages alumni send you! I want you to do one simple thing. Use the LinkedIn Alumni Solution. Send 5-10 customized LinkedIn message to your alumni. I guarantee you at least 2-3 people will respond willing to help you with your job search. When was the last time you asked your alumni network for help with your job search?

Your Visibility On LinkedIn What You Need To Know

Your Visibility On LinkedIn What You Need To Know Did you know that changes to LinkedIn could be impacting your visibility? No matter why you use LinkedIn- for job search, to promote your business or just to stay connected, you should know how people find you and learn how to improve your profile and status updates for increased visibility.   Most Dont Use LinkedIn Regularly Overall, most people are not using LinkedIn regularly. If you hope to get noticed or stay on someones radar, youll have to be active in groups, publish long-posts and post  status updates. Pew Research found (image below), found that only 13% of LinkedIn users interact with the site daily. Are Your Status Updates Getting Seen? Fewer people are seeing my updates  and this is probably happening to you too. Ive been watching the stats on who visits my site from LinkedIn, and Im not liking what Im seeing. As you can see from the graph below, there has been a steady decline in referrals from LinkedIn to my blog.  I havent made any other changes to how or what I am sharing on LinkedIn, so that isnt a factor. Referral traffic from LinkedIn How Do You Know Whos Looking At Your Status Updates? UPDATE: You can no longer see the views, shares and comment stats  from each of your status updates. What you can see is either a list of all your activity or sometimes (not sure why only sometimes), the number of people who liked  a  recent post. As you can see here, all Im seeing is how many people viewed my profile and where my profile ranks. Quick Tip:  You can increase the number of views by sharing your update in groups. Ideally, choose to post in professional groups related to your desired occupation. Sharing content within groups creates an awareness of you and helps develop a brand. Always think about what you want to be known for and share that type of content, either that youve written or someone elses work. Show Me Top or Recent: LinkedIn Decided for You LinkedIn has made changes to the order or priority of your home feed. Many people, some with LinkedIn publishing access, have also noticed a decline in views. Katrina Collier of The Searchologist wrote this post with her conjecture and tips to improve post views here: You bet it matters that LinkedIn have set your updates to Top. Without telling us, LinkedIn decided to change how they prioritize  your home feed. (By the way, Facebook made this change to your home feed awhile ago.) By default, you will see the Top status updates. This means, you will see the updates with the most likes, shares or comments before you see other updates. I dont know about you, but I want fresh news. And if someone I know shares something, but no one likes it, Im not likely to see it. So heres what I have to do each time I log into my LinkedIn account to ensure I see what my network is talking about at that moment! There are three dots (very easy to overlook) immediately under the status update section. Choose Recent Updates to see real-time updates. You will have to do this each time you log into LinkedIn if you want to see recent updates. Improved Data on Whos Viewed Your Profile This is what your stats look like when you click on Whos Viewed Your Profile. This shows that 608 people have viewed my profile within the last 90 days. But I want to know moredont you? UPDATE: Sometime after April, 2015, LinkedIn changed the analytics. You still have access to valuable data, if you use it! Here is what you data will look like today. Now you can see a summary of the actions you took each week. In early April, profile views spiked, so it is worth taking a look at what I did that week on LinkedIn to see if there is any correlation. My actions were down, but my profile views sky rocketed. I cant explain this, other than perhaps my profile was shared somewhere or I was mentioned somewhere else. You should monitor your views and see if you notice a correlation between your activity and views. The general assumption is, the more actions you take on LinkedIn, the more views  your profile will receive. Keyword Search Results 6/18/2015 UPDATE: This data  is no longer provided! But you can see titles, industry and geographic location still. The next invisible tab to the right, shows the keywords people used to find me (pink circle) and where the viewers came from (purple circle). When you move your mouse over the circles, you can see more data. This keyword data helps you see if the wording in your profile is effective in attracting people. The number of views for keywords should be higher for your summary or job description. Quick Tip: Review your profile and make sure you have a comprehensive summary and full description under each job which should increase the likelihood your profile will get found. Heres a 20 point checklist to improve your profile. The purple circle shows where people found my profile. The majority of people  found my profile because of something I posted (a status update) and showed up on their homepage. Quick Tip: By posting status updates, you have a huge opportunity to increase the number of people who view your profile. It is almost like you are listing a new houseeveryone wants to see inside! Here are 10 status updates to get you more visibility. Viewers Titles The next invisible tab to the right shows information about who the viewers are by their job titles and industries. Quick Tip: As a job seeker, you might see more Human Resources and Recruiter job titles or at least want to see those titles. You will also want to see the titles of Hiring Managers who may be scoping you out. The industry circle helps you see if you are attracting views from the correct industry. This may also help you increase the types of companies you look for opportunities within. Viewers Cities The next set of data is tells you about the people who have viewed your profile- where people live and work! The green circle is pretty valuable in understanding who is viewing my profile because I dont have the paid version to see the names of  people. There are numerous views from UofR (and related branches) because I do some work there. These views are likely from people I meet with. Quick Tip:  The company stats could help you determine if your application has been received or that an interviewer is checking you out. To Pay or Not To Pay For Advanced Insights I am not a paying member of LinkedIn, so I cant see the names of people who viewed my profile. Arnie Fertig, a colleague, was kind enough to show me his results as a paid subscriber.  For every circle of data, Arnie can see the profile information of people who viewed his profile. As a job seeker, paying for this is only worth while, in my opinion, if you are going to actually do something as a result of having access to the information. In other words, if you see someone has viewed your profile and you are curious, then you should In-mail them a message. One thing is for surewell continue to see changes across all social networks. It helps to keep your toe in the water so you know whats happening.