Survival Tips for Parents Who Now Must Work from Home

Survival Tips for Parents Who Now Must Work from Home On the afternoon of Friday, 20 March, schools across the UK were ordered to close ‘until further notice’ to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. At the same time, organizations that have avoided being shuttered under the directive of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have moved their operations online or instructed their employees to work from home for the duration of the stay-at-home order. While the intention behind these efforts is to flatten the curve, they create another major issue for working parents across the UK: How do you work remotely â€" and effectively, at that â€" when your home has also become a school and nursery? Below are several tips that I’ve implemented in my own household to help our family navigate these uncharted waters. Keep the lines of communication open If your home has suddenly become your new workplace and your children’s school or nursery, then your communication skills will be in greater demand than ever before: both with your boss and your family members. Have an honest conversation with your boss as soon as possible to understand their expectations and discuss your availability whilst working from home. Depending on the needs and ages of your children, you may need to adjust your working hours to reflect something that’s realistic. For example, you may find it more productive to work early in the morning before your household is awake and then return to work later in the day. Once you’ve both agreed on an arrangement, share your availability with your coworkers, reschedule meetings if necessary, and block off time on your diary when you plan to be offline. It’s equally important to speak with your family about this new situation so everyone is aware of when mum or dad can play, and when they are ‘at work’ and should not be disturbed (barring an emergency, of course). Create a new ‘norm’ Children of all ages thrive on structure, and in these uncertain times, it’s never been more important to create one for your entire family. Based on the job demands of your family and your amount of child-care coverage, create a schedule for your household that loosely blocks off time for meals, quiet time, playtime, online schooling and homework, and so forth. The more you can standardize your weekly diary, the easier it will be to manage your children and allow you to be productive. However, don’t stress over maintaining a strict schedule, especially in the beginning. Remember, this is new for everyone â€" your schedule will be a work-in-progress for some time until you sort out what works best for you and your family. Sometimes, it helps to give your older children some options (e.g. ‘You can choose to practice your maths at either 10 a.m. or after lunch’.) so they feel as though they have more control over their days. Re-evaluate your meetings Thankfully, we live in a technological age when it’s easier than ever to conduct business from your home. However, I can tell you firsthand how challenging it can be to participate in a video conference when you have a toddler squealing in the background or climbing up your back. Consider this new situation to be an opportunity to determine which meetings truly need to take place and which could be handled via email or a short Slack exchange. For the meetings that must take place, try to schedule them during one block of time in your diary each day, preferably when you have someone to mind the children. If your meeting attendees work in a different time zone, take advantage of this fact by scheduling your calls early in the morning or later in the evening when your children are sleeping. If all else fails, have snacks and movies at the ready when you need to take a call. I’ve found that the same devices and activities I use to occupy my little one on an airplane flight also work well at home when I need quiet time to participate in a work call. Seek support In this stressful time, it’s important to stay connected with others, especially whilst practicing social distancing. Call your loved ones, schedule Google Hangouts, FaceTime gatherings or Zoom meetings to touch base with your friends and family. In addition, reach out to other working parents to share tips, show support for one another and commiserate when necessary. I’ve personally found solace (and much-needed laughter) from Facebook groups such as Parents Keeping Sane During Coronavirus. With the help of technology, the support of your friends and family, a little creativity and organization, and lots of patience, you’ll be able to cope with turning your home into a workplace, school, and nursery. About the author: Amanda Augustine, is a career expert for TopCV.

Resume and CV Writing Services in Wellington

Resume and CV Writing Services in WellingtonProfessional resume and CV writing services in Wellington offer a number of benefits to potential jobseekers. Some of the benefits are:Writing a well-written CV is the first step to landing a job. It is not sufficient to say that you have a good CV; it is more important to be able to demonstrate why your skills are best suited for the job at hand. Writing a good CV can take some time, but it is worthwhile and well worth the effort.If you have successfully written a resume, you may also find that your CV is well-received by an employer. When a potential employer comes across your CV, they may not have ever seen one of your resumes before. This makes CV writing services in Wellington a very important and useful tool in your quest to land a job. Employers will not want to be wasting their time on a CV that has been written by an amateur.Resume and CV writing services in Wellington are specifically trained in writing business-to-business resume s and cover letters. They can also help you design and manage your CV and other documents in a professional manner. This can make all the difference between being referred to the employment office or not. The right CV and cover letter can help you get a job over your competitors.Resume and CV writing services in Wellington understand that there are numerous advantages to having a professional resume and CV on hand. There are several advantages to having this type of document to hand. These include:When you have your resume professionally drafted, you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle. Your resume should be an attractive and interesting document. Most employers will prefer to read a resume overa cover letter, which means that your resume must also be good.You do not have to become a writing pro in order to have a successful business-to-business resume and CV. Writing a good resume is not as difficult as it sounds.A well-written CV demonstrates your ability to meet high stand ards of professionalism and sincerity. It can greatly improve your chances of being referred to the employment office.

Should I Connect with Someone I Interviewed with on LinkedIn

Should I Connect with Someone I Interviewed with on LinkedIn My answers to your career questions continue.   Keep sending your career questions my way! I went into full fledged job hunting mode last summer, which resulted in 3 interviews but sadly none of them turned into offers. Now, a number of names from these companies are showing up as people you may know on LinkedIn. The interviews all went well, and I felt like I clicked with these people at the time, but the job offer just wasnt in the cards for me. So does it make sense to keep connected with them via LinkedIn? -Eileen Eileen, This is a GREAT question and one I receive often.   Since LinkedIn is a professional network, I think it is appropriate to connect with anyone that you would exchange business cards with in person. Think of LinkedIn as your professional Rolodex but better because this Rolodex sends out regular updates (and wont get lost in your old purse!). Make LinkedIn connections a habit.   Request a LinkedIn connection within 48 hours of leaving a great interview or exchanging business cards. Even though its been a while since Eileen interviewed with the people who are coming up in her people you may know suggestions, she should still request to connect with them.   But, DO NOT USE THE GENERIC LINKEDIN REQUEST EMAIL.   Make sure you write a short, personal note such as: Hi Sarah, We met last summer when I interviewed for the ABC position at your firm.   Id love to connect with you here on LinkedIn. A personal note is much more likely to jog your connections memory and consider you than more than just another random connection. Companies frequently get openings   that they are be passively looking to fill.   Dont be surprised if the person you interviewed with a long time ago sends you an email saying they now have an opening that they think youd be a great fit for.   In fact, this happened to me last week. And I hadnt talked to their firm in 2 years! Connecting with a previous interviewer allows them to check out your profile, pay attention to your professional updates, and keep you top of mind when new positions open.   If you dont send out a (personalized) LinkedIn request, you wont even have the chance of being considered. Good luck!

Live video chat How to find the hidden job market

Live video chat How to find the hidden job market This video chat will take place Friday, March 12, 1pm eastern. (Sign up here.) This chat will be about how to get a job by looking in the right places. (And, I am experimenting with mysterious titles for my video chats. Do more people sign up if the title sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery?) The last video chat was so out of control that I actually got reprimanded from just about everyone in the company. Except Andrew Shell, who said it was funny and funny is all people care about. So I have a choice of doing a private chat for Andrew, or I can switch up the format to be less obnoxious. And, as I am trying to be more likable, being less obnoxious will be good for me. So this week Im doing the video chat alone. And for those of you who are disappointed that Ryan Paugh wont be there, take solace in this: The headset for doing the video alone is much better with my hair than the headset for doing a video with Ryan. Sign up here to join the video chat on Friday.

How to Use Images in Writing a Resume

How to Use Images in Writing a ResumeWriting a resume is not the same as writing a resume without images. When it comes to getting your dream job, good resume writing and cover letter writing are essential components that go hand in hand with each other. You see, good writing skills combined with a well-written cover letter can get you an interview invitation or a job interview as long as you have the right resume and cover letter.In order to write a resume, you first need to create a document that has your skills and knowledge on it. In order to create a good resume, you need to write the resume on its own. As you begin writing the document, you will be able to get rid of the documents many grammatical and spelling errors. This can also be done by using resume editor software.If you want to write a resume that will stand out, then it is recommended that you add some images to your resume. Images can definitely help you convey your message that you want to convey to the employers. It can also help you in creating an eye-catching resume. There are hundreds of job listing sites, which can be used for this purpose.It is important that you find the best services that can help you find the best images for your resume. You need to do this before you submit your resume to get the best results. However, you need to do this while having the best resume services that can help you with finding the best images to use.Before using any images for your resume, you should know about its legal rights and copyright. The best way to find out is to check the copyright information. You can always check these out on the company's website. But if you cannot find them, then you can always consult a professional image search company.There are thousands of such companies that are specialized in finding the right images to use for your resume. You should also take advantage of these services to find out the best images and get the best deals available in the market. Using these services can also help you in creating an eye-catching resume.After you have found the best resume services that can help you find the best images for your resume, you can start adding these images to your resume. This is the time when you need to check for copyright information before you can add these images to your resume.There are many other aspects that need to be considered in order to write a resume. Images can help you in doing just that. But, you need to keep in mind that this must be included on your resume first before you can use it in your resume.

Looking for an Internship

Looking for an Internship We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Did you know that 59.3 percent of students complete two or more internships before entering the entry-level workforce? As internships rise in popularity, so does the level of competition for landing one. If youre on the hot pursuit of an internship, youve got to go above and beyond to stand out to employers. One simple way to get ahead in your internship search is to check out what employers are currently offering and what they expect from their intern candidates. There is a wide range of online platforms to helps students find internships as well as helping companies to hire talented students. Internship seekers can gain insight into several trends taking place in regards to internships if they do their homework (no pun intended). Keep these points in mind as you search for your internship: Large companies begin intern recruiting and hiring early. Its best to begin your internship search as soon as possible. This is because 37.7 percent of companies with 251+ employees start recruiting their interns more than a year in advance. Even if youre not planning on interning at a large company, kick off your search at least three months in advance to ensure you find a great opportunity. Prepare for your job while in college Its best to avoid unpaid internships. Paid internships are on the rise, but unfortunately 36.9 percent of companies still offer unpaid internships or internships that pay less than minimum wage. Dont settle for an unpaid opportunity during your internship search. Internships, Apprenticeships, Volunteer Opportunities If you havent visited the Riley Guide in your quest for a job or summer internship then youve been missing one of the best career sites on the Internet. Known for their vast listings of career links, their Summer Intern section will not disappoint. Starting with a list of Internships and Fellowships sites, the site lists additional resources for both study and non-study experience abroad. And, while getting paid would be nice, you should also consider looking at the volunteer opportunities sites listed here as well. Employers are looking to improve diversity. Just 10 percent of companies see their intern program as being highly diverse. If you want to gain the attention of employers, tout your unique background and fresh perspective when applying for the company. Lists of companies by industry Wikipedia has very good list of companies by industry. Find your industry, take a deep dive on your company and make a list of companies that meet your criteria. Theres an under-utilization of international interns. Fifty-six percent of companies dont hire any international students for their internship programs. If you live abroad and are searching for an internship in the U.S., look to the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) to get upfront information on the complexities of U.S. companies hiring an international intern and make your process easier. Interns have limited flexibility. If youre juggling a busy schedule, its important to know 62 percent of companies dont allow interns to work from home or a coffee shop. Success during your internship will rely heavily on managing your schedule, and its in your best interest to only take on a position that matches your needs. Seek out virtual internships or internship programs with a greater understanding for flexibility. Stand out during your internship by paying close attention to these noteworthy aspects of the current state of the internship. Additional Resources 5 Steps to a Great Internship We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by

Four Tools You Need To Land a New Job - CareerEnlightenment.com

Second Stop: Where do you want to live and how much do you want to make?Once you choose a new career that fits your needs, you’ll need to decide where to live and factor in the average salaries of that area for an occupation. Sorting jobs by their salary and location can seem like a daunting task. However, if moving is an option in your job search, it’s important to know where you’ll get paid the highest for your skills.Many new careers will require new qualifications, unless you are looking within your current profession. If a new career peeks your interest, don’t hesitate to look into graduate degree programs. The New York Times reports that with a graduate degree, you can earn up to 25 percent more on average than a bachelors-holding colleague. However, among the top job prospects based on BLS reports are biomedical engineers, network systems and data communication analysts and financial examiners, occupations which require a bachelor degree if you’ve chosen that area of study.Third Stop: Making Job Websites Work For YouJob websites help organize your search, making new careers more accessible and saving you time. Though most job websites focus on all industries, several are industry-specific: Monster, Employment Guide and Career Builder list all industries, while Mediabistro focuses on media and PR, AllRetailJobs focuses on Retail and HigherEdJobs focuses on university and graduate level teaching and research jobs.Fourth Stop: Your new jobYou should now have plenty of data, tools and resources to help you make an informed decision about your future job prospects.   Take the time and do the research, after all, this is your job and your future.   If you’re stuck in a dying industry or unhappy with your current job, there has never been a better time to make the leap and find a new career.   Confucius’ saying has held true for thousands of years: “chose a job you love and you will never work another day in your life.”