One in five of us working an extra day a week in overtime

One in five of us working an extra day a week in overtime by Michael Cheary One in five of us working more than eight hours overtime every weekOnly half of all UK staff get paid for working extra hoursNearly 84% happy to work overtime23% of UK staff work more than eight hours of overtime per week. What’s more, only half of those who work overtime get paid for it, representing a £19billion saving for UK employers.We asked more than 1,000 UK jobseekers about their working habits to find out how many extra hours we put in and how we really feel about overtime.The vast majority of us work longer than our contracts demand, with four out of five workers admitting to working some form of overtime. Almost half of all UK employees work four hours overtime or more every week, which adds up to around 192 hours extra worked every year â€" over 21 full working days per person. Once again, half of this is unpaid.But why are so many of us prepared to work extra hours without getting paid for it?The majority of those surveyed attribute their ext ra hours to workload demands. And whilst other explanations include staff shortages (19%), and financial pressures (11%), 59% felt their professional responsibilities obliged them to stay in the office after hours.Furthermore, it seems as though none of this extra time is having an adverse effect on office morale.Three quarters of us don’t think we work too many hours, and an overwhelming 85% don’t mind working overtime.Mark Rhodes, Marketing Director at reed.co.uk comments:‘This is yet more evidence of how hard the UK works. The extent to which people are prepared to work extra hours to get the job done is a positive reflection of our attitude to work and testament to how much we value our jobs.This is great news for employers although businesses should always be cautious of becoming over reliant on the heroic efforts of those members of staff who are always prepared and able to go the extra mile’.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Employee rights Employment Law

Business Card for People In-Transition - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Business Card for People In-Transition - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In America, if you don’t have a business card, you’re a nobody. And nobody likes to be a nobody. I’ve been using that catchy phrase for years because I want people to remember the importance of having a business cardâ€"especially when in transition. Why so? Because more than ever, those in transition absolutely have to connect and communicate with as many people as possible. The more lottery tickets you buy, the more chances you have to win . . . Employed people higher than a certain level get company business cards as a matter of practice. But whom do you represent when in transition? Yourself! Therefore, a personal business card of your own is one of the most importantâ€"and yet somehow among the most overlookedâ€"pieces of marketing collateral. As the American Express ad used to say, “Don’t leave home without it.” That certainly applies in this case. And hasn’t it been embarrassing for youâ€"and ineffectual lookingâ€"when someone hands you a business card and you can’t reciprocate? For those in transition, the purpose of a business card is onefold: you want a person with whom you had a brief chat to have your contact information so that the two of you can keep the communication going. I’m talking about the short termâ€"right after that initial connection. The chances are 80% that something will happen within days. But if not then, the chances are only 20% that further communication will ever happen. That’s why, after a business card exchange, one wants to get back to the other person for that re-connection. A business card sums up your brand. It should includeâ€"besides your name, of courseâ€"a phone number where you can be reached and other information regarding the places that the person can find out more about you. For instance, the short-version URL of your LinkedIn profile provides lots of added value, and if you have a personal or other professional Web site, it, too, can add to your credibility. A home address is not necessary unless you have a good reason to include it. Your business card should be simple looking, uncluttered, very attractive to the eye, and memorable. You want to be remembered in a positive way. Nice colors and an engaging design on thick, matte-finish paper stock work best. Remember that you are represented wholly by way of that two- by three-and-a-half-inch card. And yes, please keep it the standard size. An oversized card or a folded card might stand out but perhaps not in a favorable way for those who have to file it. Obtaining business cards is easy. Cards from Vistaprint printing company are very inexpensive; the Web site provides tools for creating a business card online. Another company is Moo. Frankly, there’s no good excuse not to have a business card. My advice is that the production of a business card is not a place to try to save pennies. Get it done right, because it represents you and nobody else. Are you the type who always buys the cheapest? Make an exception here, and you’ll be happy you did.

Lunch Ideas for a Busy Career Girl and a Giveaway!

Lunch Ideas for a Busy Career Girl and a Giveaway! Let’s face it, many of us often plan to take a break for lunch to get a bite to eat and maybe take a stroll outside if the weather permits. But all too often, our lunch break falls by the wayside the minute an unexpected deadline or meeting pops up. As a busy career woman, I can identify with the frequent lunchtime crunch, despite my attempt to prepare nutritious and healthy lunches as often as possible (I am also a big fan of not eating out at lunch and splurging on dinner instead). Today, I’m going to share with you a few tips for sneaking in lunch (there is no excuse for not eating!) on busy days and share a surprise at the end too! A recent Barilla survey showed that more than half of Americans say they find it difficult to find the time to eat lunch throughout the day, leading them to become “hangry” (a combination of hungry and angry), which doesn’t do anyone in the workplace any good. Luckily, there’s a solution to avoid “hangry.” Barilla’s Italian Entrées are microwaveable meals that can be heated up in just 60 seconds and kept in your desk drawer, making them easy to grab on the days when you are strapped to your desk. Their new Meat Sauce Gemelli Entrées have 2-3 grams more protein than similar meals, helping you to feel fuller longer and keeping your “hangry” out of the picture for the rest of the day. Barilla’s survey has got me thinking about the other food essentials that I keep around for busy days. Here are the things that I can’t live without: Snacking on almonds and other nuts When working from home, I love a protein shake with frozen fruit, spinach, flaxseed, and chia seeds. Blueberries and apples Granola bars LOTS of water! So now for my little surprise I’d like to hear what you keep in your drawer to help you get through the day, one lucky winner will receive 10 Italian Entrées to  eat! Here are the ways you can win this pack using Rafflecopter  below: Like  Classy Career Girl on Facebook Leave a comment below telling us  what makes them “hangry” (a combination of hunger and anger as a result of missing lunch) and why you need solutions like this to help you get through busy days. Follow me on Twitter  @classycareer Tweet about this giveaway (make sure you mention @classycareer) a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is open to all residents in the US only. It begins NOW and ends on September 27, 2013. The winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Good luck! *Note: I was provided the product for review but this did not change what I wrote about it.

Workplace news you cannot use

Workplace news you cannot use I collect data points constantly, and I index them by topic, and I always hope that they will come together in an interesting, useful way. Lots of times, that doesnt happen, and I just have to throw ideas away, because I have a rule for myself that I have to be useful in every post. But today Im trying something new. Im doing a post that is useless to you. Here are four ideas I was just about to toss out as incurably useless, but instead, I bring them to you: 1. Law firms are making concessions for women. One of the top law firms in the world, Allen Overy, just announced they are letting people become part-time partners. This would be news if no one had tried it before. But many firms that have already done this in response to the extreme brain drain in the legal profession due to women leaving law firms because they are so inflexible. So now there is the idea that there can be a part-time partner. Fortunately, like most things in workplace reform, Gen X-ers have already been the guinea pigs. My friends, in fact, have tried this. And it turns out that if you give a lawyer a part-time job, she ends up working 50 hours a week instead of 80, and gets part-time credit, which isnt exactly encouraging. 2. People live together instead of getting married. This is not news you can use because you already know it. This is what I said to Hannah Seligson, who asked me to write about her new book, A Little Bit Married: How to Know When its Time to Walk Down the Aisle or Out the Door. I like Hannah. She wrote a great piece for the Daily Beast, about the orgasm gap between men and women. I also like Hannah because when I told her that I thought her book was not news, she exhibited a charming relentlessness about publicizing her book, and she told me: Co-habitation is a bigger step in the marriage direction for women than men. Women are ready to get married before men, even when theyre already living together. This mostly seems like things have not changed. In fact, the most surprising thing about this news is that women are earning more than men, and men have seen a generation of women with fertility nightmares from putting off having children in favor of building their career, yet still, nothing changes in the marriage equation. So I dont know about this book. Im not sure how useful it is. And I think a book on the orgasm gap would have been more useful, but maybe Hannas got a few orgasm pages tucked into this book 3. Texting while driving is bad. Already 19 states prohibit texting while driving, so thats gotta make you think twice about doing it in the other 31. Also, its clear that even if youre great with just one-finger on the keyboard, texting while driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. I would never drive drunk. But I text in car all the time. I tell myself not to, and then I do just one more quick one. Which is why this falls into the category of news you cannot use: Texting while driving requires the same rules for oneself that driving drunk require. We each self-police, and its an issue of self-respect, but also, a social contract with the other people on the road that we will not endanger each others lives. You decide where you are and then no amount of scaring you changes you. So, I read the data, and then I texted that very day. I know Im a terrible person. But Im not ready to make the change. 4. Pig sex is on the demise. The farmer went to grad school for pig genetics, and he has a lot of pigs on his farm. The farmer buys boy pigs to impregnate the girl pigs. But the last batch of boys he bought did not know how to have sex. They would mount the girl pigs, but their penis didnt go in where it was supposed to. The farmer tells me that so much of pig reproduction is by artificial insemination now that farmers arent breeding for pigs who know how to have sex. This is amazing to me. Though I cannot think of how to use the knowledge in any work except farm work. Okay. So were at the end of my post. I thought it would be fun to write about stuff I wish was useful but it is not. I thought it would be fun to break the rule that I have to be useful. But you know what? It wasnt fun. My blog is about me doing something nice for you, and then, in turn, you doing something nice for me, by talking about what I want to talk about. But if I am not trying to be useful to you in some way, then Im not really in a relationship with you. Im just writing like its my diary. There is something really fulfilling about being useful. So heres my tip: You should be useful to readers each time you post. It feels better. For everyone. This post is supported by San Diego Defense Lawyers: Find the best San Diego DUI Attorney for professional help and expert advice.

Proven Methods To Get More Out Of Estimates For Resume Writing

Proven Methods To Get More Out Of Estimates For Resume WritingThe only people who should use estimates for resume writing are those individuals who are already employed and have a resume to present. If you're considering applying for a new job, it's crucial that you develop a personal statement, a cover letter, and a resume.Resumes can be very intimidating to write. This is particularly true if you've never been given the opportunity to create one before. With estimates for resume writing, you'll be able to get some great tips on how to make your resume stand out from the rest of the pack.One way to take full advantage of your resume is to customize it. The best way to do this is by using estimates for resume writing. You will find that there are many free tools available online that will allow you to enter your resume and search for customizations for the details on it.You can also use these templates to focus on specific information that you want included in your resume. Some of th e tips that you will find include including your address, your name, and your email address.Another great way to customize your resume is to look for reliable job boards that can help you take a first glance at some of the job listings that are posted on their site. Many of these job boards have packages for resume writing that will allow you to customize your resume for each individual listing that you're interested in.You should also check with your local career services office as well. You can go into any human resources or employee assistance center in your area and speak to someone about what they offer. They may even be able to send you to a mentor who can help you customize your resume.Job boards and resume services are both great places to find free information on how to improve your resume. The only thing that you have to remember when doing so is to do some research to see what other people have done. It is your responsibility to do so and then you should feel confident th at you're going to be able to improve upon it.Once you are familiar with the basics of resume writing, you will be ready to start making the most of your job seeker's experience. You should be able to give yourself a leg up on the competition and you will have the confidence that you will be able to write a great resume.