The Positive Side of Part-Time Work

The Positive Side of Part-Time WorkThe Positive Side of Part-Time WorkTo some people, part-time work means having your hours reduced against your will or settling for part-time work after a long job hunt failed to land a full-time punkt. But there are plenty of positive aspects to part-time work if you look at it the right way. Some people actually consider the right part-time work arrangement the best of both worlds when it comes to work-life balance. More time for family. For working moms, perhaps the most obvious benefit of part-time work is the ability to generate an income but still have enough time for your children and husband, if youre married. Whether your part-time work overlaps exactly with the school day, or you use childcare during your shift, youll likely find that you have more energy and time to manage your household and care for yourself when youre not working 40 hours a week or more. Just think of the errands you could run when the shops arent so crowded Continued c areer growth. For some parents, part-time work is the best alternative to quitting work altogether when children are small. Theyre able to continue to use their professional training and advance on the career path, albeit at a slower pace than if theyd stayed full time. You may find that you can even win promotions while working part-time if your employer is open-minded and you demonstrate the milestones youve reached along the way. Time for education. After 10 years in the workforce, you may discover a burning desire to pursue options off-limits to people without a college or masters degree. A part-time work arrangement can help you find time for the necessary classes and associated studying. If you simply need an additional certification in order to reach the next level in your career or to pass a time-intensive series of exams a part-time position may be the way to clear time in your schedule for that needed training. For instance, many financial professionals and physicians m ust pass specialized exams in their field in order to continue practicing. Some income is better than none. While working part-time almost always means less money, for many people thats better than none. When faced with the prospect of not working at all or filling a part-time role, you may decide to take what you can get. Moreover, if you have more free time, you can use some of the tips for saving money that consume more time, such as cooking all meals at home and buying at outlets in bulk. Time to pursue a hobby. Its not always about the bottom line. Part-time employment can clear the way for you to learn to play the piano, study Chinese or train for a marathon. Sure, you can do these things while working a full-time job too, but its probably going to be more difficult. Part-time work gives you guilt-free time to indulge without feeling youre cheating either your family or your boss. Ultimately, when weighing whether to work part-time, you must consider the cons of part-time work as well as the pros. But dont go entirely negative as you make the decision

Separation Agreement FAQ - Ireland

Separation Agreement FAQ - IrelandSeparation Agreement FAQ - IrelandGeneralWhat is a gestaffelte anordnung agreement?A gestaffelte anordnung agreement is a legally binding contract setting out each partys rights and obligations to the otzu sich. If agreement can be reached reasonably quickly between the parties and a separation agreement is drawn up, it is cheaper and less stressful than going through a court case. Many couples gestaltalise their separation in this way.What is addressed in a separation agreement?The main issues dealt with in a separation agreement are as followsAn agreement to live apartAgreed arrangements in relation to custody and access to children The occupation and ownership of the family/shared home and any other propertyMaintenance and any lump sum paymentsIndemnity from the debts of the other spouse/civil partner and Property division.Why do we require a separation agreement?If you are planning to separate, then a separation agreement can help you address iss ues on custody, maintenance and family assets instead of having to go to court to resolve such issues. In this way, you will be avoiding costly litigation fees.Will my separation agreement be legally recognised?When the document has been drawn up and signed by both parties it becomes a legally binding written contract. It is also called a deed of separation. It is an alternative to a judicial separation.A separation agreement can later be made into a rule of court by application to the courts if you need to enforce under specific legislation.When will a court refuse to recognise a separation agreement?Courts are likely to refuse to recognise your separation agreement in the following situationsthe terms of the agreement are notlage in the best interest of your childrena spouse has not fully disclosed certain assets or liabilities orthe separation agreement is plainly unfair (e.g. one spouse waives his/her right to maintenance without compensation).Who should use this separation agr eement?This separation agreement is intended for married spouses or civil partners who can agree on the terms of their separation and accept such a settlement. The essence of a separation agreement is that it is an agreement. Both parties must consent to the terms of the agreement.Marriage InformationWho is considered a spouse?For the purposes of this separation agreement spouses are individuals who are legally married and who are separated or considering separation.Can we use this agreement if we are living common-law?This separation agreement is intended for married couples only. This document may not be suitable for common-law couples.What happens if my spouse and I should later reconcile?If you and your spouse later reconcile then you and your spouse should draw up another agreement canceling the separation agreement.Child CustodyWhat does custody mean?Custody refers to the day-to-day care, residency and upbringing of dependent children. The children reside permanently with the parent who has sole custody and the other parent is granted access to the children at agreed times. It is also possible for parents to have joint custody of their children after separation or divorce and for the children to spend an equal amount of time with each parent if the parents can agree and arrange this.Custody is different than guardianship which refers to the legal responsibility of parents to make decisions and perform duties in relation to their childs upbringing. It is possible for a parent to have guardianship over their children without having custody and to have a say in major decisions in their life such as where they live, schooling, religion, and medical procedures.What does access mean?Access is the right of visitation with the child and is viewed by the courts as much a right of the child to see its parents as a right of the parents. The access or contact routine is determined on the basis of what is in the best interests of the child. It can include the child staying overnight either occasionally, on alternate weekends or during school holidays and for the parent and child going on holidays together.Can the court change our custody arrangement?Courts can always change custody arrangements if the arrangements do not seem to be in the best interests of the children.How do I describe the visitation schedule?If you and your spouse are both on good terms and have little problems agreeing on visitation, it may be sufficient to provide a general description of visitation (e.g. The Wife will have reasonable and generous access.) On the other hand, if you and your spouse have difficulties coming to agreements, it is best to clearly specify the visitation schedule. Set out the arrangement for regular visits, holiday and school visits as well as pick up and drop off schedules. Ensure that your description is clear and capable of being understood by third parties. Also, ensure that the schedule is fair and reasonable to prevent it from being cha llenged by the courts.Child MaintenanceWhat is child maintenance?Child maintenance refers to monetary payments that are paid on an ongoing basis for the maintenance of a child or children. While each parent has a legal obligation to support their children it is usually the custodial parent who incurs most of the expenses of child rearing (including providing housing, food, clothing, schooling and transportation). To offset this imbalance, the non-custodial parent is expected to contribute to their childrens expenses in the form of child maintenance paid to the custodial parent.How often is it necessary to pay child maintenance?Child maintenance is typically paid in monthly installments, however, LawDepots separation agreement allows for weekly, bi-weekly or monthly installments.How long will child maintenance payments continue for?Maintenance can be awarded to a spouse/civil partner for their own benefit and/or for the benefit of a dependent child who is under the age of 18, or 23 if the child is in full-time education.If the child is over 18 and under 23 and the financial circumstances do not allow him/her to attend further education, maintenance can be applied for in order to facilitate further education.If the child has a mental or physical disability to such a degree that it will not be possible for the child to maintain him/herself fully, then there is no age limit for seeking maintenance for their support.Spousal MaintenanceWhat is spousal maintenance?Spousal maintenance or alimony is financial support that is sometimes paid by one spouse to the other spouse when their marriage breaks down. The idea behind spousal maintenance is to redistribute wealth such that one of the spouses does not face economic inequality at the end of the relationship.What is the difference between spousal maintenance and child maintenance?Spousal maintenance is not the same as child maintenance. Child maintenance is a financial obligation where one parent has a duty to make payments for the support of his or her children whereas spousal maintenance refers to payments made to a spouse in order to relieve financial inequality at the end of a relationship. Children, being the responsibility of both parents are always entitled to child maintenance whereas spousal maintenance is usually dependent on need and ability to pay.Does the law treat child maintenance payments and spousal maintenance payments differently? What are the tax implications?The law treats child maintenance payments and spousal maintenance payments differently. Child maintenance is not a payment that affects taxes. The payment is not deductable by the person paying child maintenance and is not viewed as taxable income by the person receiving the payment. In contrast, spousal maintenance is usually tax deductable for the spouse that is paying and is treated as taxable income by the spouse receiving the payment.What considerations should we take when deciding how much and how long spous al maintenance is necessary?You may want to consider the following factors when addressing spousal maintenanceLength of the marriage Usually the longer a couple is married, the longer one spouse becomes financially dependent on the other. Former standard of living Generally courts like to see the financially dependent spouse live according to the standard of living he/she has become accustomed to during the marriage. Future financial prospects of the paying spouse Spouses who are likely to be earning more in the future are often expected to pay more spousal maintenance. Future financial prospects of the receiving spouse Spouses who are not likely to earn as much in the future, may require more maintenance.The age and health of the receiving spouse Younger spouses who are in good health are generally viewed to require shorter periods of support as they can still enter the work force and find a means of providing for themselves. On the other hand, if the spouse is older or in poor health, they may require more support as they may not be as likely to provide for themselves.Whether the receiving spouse made any contributions to the paying spouses education or career If the spouse who is requiring support has made contributions to the other spouses career, or has suffered economic disadvantage because of a career compromise (i.e. raising children of the marriage), then that spouse can usually be expected to be compensated accordingly by the other spouse.Am I legally entitled to spousal maintenance?Under Irish law, there is no clean break from the obligation to support ones spouse/civil partner and children. A clause in a separation agreement stating that a spouse/civil partner will not seek maintenance in the future or seek increased maintenance is unenforceable. The spouse/civil partner can apply for a maintenance order and a court will consider this application, particularly if the circumstances of the parties have changed or the spouse/civil partner who executed the agreement did not have legal advice at the time.You are only barred from making an application if you have remarried or entered into a new civil partnership.PropertyHow should we go about dividing our property?You should sit down with your spouse and discuss how you wish to divide your assets. There are several ways to divide your assets which will depend entirely on your set of circumstances. Some couples may be content to leave the relationship with property that is held solely in their name. Other couples may see such a distribution scheme as unfair and they may want to want to equalise the value of what each spouse receives instead. The most important thing to remember is to be open and honest, disclosing all assets. Below are some suggestions to help you get startedCome up with a list of all your assets List all assets that you own jointly.Appraise the value of your assets Put a price on the assets you are distributing. For larger assets such as real estat e (or anything else that may be difficult to value), you should seek an expert opinion.Decide who will get what Is there a logical owner to certain property? Go through your list of assets and choose who has a reason for receiving the item. You may want to consider exchanging one larger item for several smaller items to ensure an equal split.What assets should be considered?A list of assets can be found on our Property teilen Checklist.Do I have to disclose all my assets?Yes. You MUST disclose all assets to your spouse. Your separation agreement may become invalid if you do not disclose all your assets.Signing DetailsDo I need to show this separation agreement to a lawyer before it is signedWhile it is not absolutely necessary to have a lawyer review your separation agreement, it is a good idea. This is especially the case if you are confused or uncertain about any of the clauses. If you require a review, ensure that you have your agreement reviewed by your own lawyer (not y our spouses) before you sign the agreement. Getting independent legal advice is also a good idea because it prevents parties from later saying they were at a disadvantage because they didnt understand the agreement.Who can I choose as a witness?You must choose a competent adult as your witness.How many copies of the separation agreement do we require?You require at least two copies one for yourself and one for your spouse. Ensure that you print copies of the agreement before you sign the agreement so that each copy will have an original signature.

These are the 10 office cliches you need to stop using

These are the 10 amtsstube cliches you need to stop usingThese are the 10 office cliches you need to stop usingWhen you tell your colleagues that you need to circle back on a win-win solution so that you can give the project 110%, recognize that your coworkers eyes have already glazed over and they have tuned your ideas out.According to a new survey that looked at the communication behaviors of 2,000 U.S. workers, there are words that are so overused they have lost meaning in the workplace. In the poll conducted by OnePoll and Jive Communications, researchers found that too many of us are guilty of reflexively using a cliche at work. Seventy-two percent of American workers said they used these phrases out of habit.But a word of caution to everyone who wants to push the envelope - these cliches do not help your case at work. Six in ten employees admitted that they do not even understand what most of our popular office cliches even mean. In fact, 27% of colleagues said they stop liste ning to you when they hear you say them.These phrases definitely arent going anywhere anytime soon. Theres a reason theyre so well-known and exercised within office spaces. However, overuse has diluted the meaning of many phrases, John Pope, the senior vice president of Jive Communications, said. If youre constantly told to give a project 110%, over time it will lose its power and effect.The top office clichesWhile there are many cliches employees can choose from, there are some we use more often than others. Here are the worst offendersGive it 110%Think outside the boxHammer it outHeavy liftingThrow them under the busDont count your chickens before theyve hatchedPushing the envelopeLet the cat out of the bagLets circle backWin-win situationThe top cliche - give it 110% - was particularly annoying, as one in five workers found it eye-roll worthy. Although these phrases may seem harmless to deploy in your meeting, they can be a crutch against saying words that are specific to your situation. Those are the words that carry more weight.Next time you want to present an innovative idea, dont preface it by saying the company needs to think outside the box. Just say what the idea is.

Summer Internship Opportunity for Engineering Students in Public Policy

Summer Internship Opportunity for Engineering Students in Public Policy Summer Internship Opportunity for Engineering Students in Public Policy Summer Internship Opportunity for Engineering Students in Public PolicyASME is currently accepting applications from engineering students who are interested in representing the Society in the 2016 Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) program. Ranked as one of the best fr sichships in the U.S. by the Princeton Review, WISE offers a unique opportunity to third- and fourth-year engineering students to spend the summer of 2016 in Washington, D.C., learning about the interaction of technology and public policy. Selected from a nationwide competition, WISE interns spend nine weeks learning how government officials make decisions on complex technological issues and how engineers can contribute to legislative and regulatory public policy decisions. At the end of the nine weeks, each intern submits a public policy paper on a topic of interest, such as alternate energy, and presents his or her findings on Capitol Hill. Garrett Dowd completed his term as a 2015 WISE intern in August.After the completion of his internship this past August 2015, ASME WISE intern Garrett Dowd said, The WISE program has allowed me to investigate the surprisingly strong link between engineering and public policy. Both fields are focused on improving the human condition and it is exciting to learn how public policy can be used to the benefit of engineering and the society at large. More information about the 2015 WISE interns and their paper topics can be found at www.asme.org/career-education/articles/career-and-education/wise-beyond-their-years. In a recent interview for ASME.org, Rebecca Ciez, ASMEs 2014 WISE intern, discussed how her different experiences and interests influenced her career path. To view her interview, visit http//ppec.asme.org/latest-news/revelations-in-pursuing-an-engineering-career-featuring-2014-wise-inter n-rebecca-ciez. 2014 ASME WISE intern Rebecca Ciez ASME is accepting applications through Dec. 31 for the 2016 WISE internship program, which will take place from June 5 to Aug. 6, 2016. In addition to third- and fourth- year engineering students, recent graduates who are beginning study in an engineering policy-related masters program will also be considered. WISE interns are provided housing in a dormitory on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and receive a stipend to assist with living and travel expenses. Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent resident of the United States.The application for the 2016 ASME WISE program can be downloaded at www.wise-intern.org. For more information, please visit the ASME WISE program website at www.asme.org/about-asme/advocacy-government-relations/washington-internships-for-students-of-engineering, or contact Melissa Carl, government relations manager, by e-mail at carlmasme.org. Melissa Carl, Government Rel ations

Americans are afraid theyll lose their jobs if they take a vacation

Americans are afraid theyll lose their jobs if they take a vacationAmericans are afraid theyll lose their jobs if they take a vacationAccording to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans are all work and no play, taking among the fewest vacation days compared to the rest of the world.American workers only get an average of 10-14 days of paid vacation days after a year of employment, the Labor Department said.Theres a lucky 2% of employees who are getting more than 24 days but theyre the chosen few.Americans are too overwhelmedto vacationAnd even when U.S. employees do get paid time off, the majority of Americans are elend using it.More than half of Americans have not taken more than a week of vacation in the past year.Thats unfortunate because the benefits to vacationing are wide-ranging. Vacations replenish your bodys energy, rejuvenate your minds creativity, and stave off burnout. Thoseof us who have experienced a vacation high after a break know this.So its not tha t Americansdont want vacations, its that too many of them feel like they cant take one.Americanswho dont take vacations do so out of fear fear that if they take one, their job wont be there when they return, fear that if they take a break, work will never get done. The U.S. Travel Association found that more than one in four Americans didnt take a vacation because they feared being seen as a slacker. But in the long-run, if you dont take a vacation, yourcareer actually suffers. Peoplewho vacation are more likely to get raises than people who dont.This cultural attitude of relentless productiongets legally enforced. Unlike the rest of the industrial world, the U.S. does not believe in an employees right to vacation. The U.S. is the only nation with an advanced economy that does not mandate any vacation days.France gives its workers 30 days of vacation, Australia and the European Union legally enforce a mandatory minimum of 20 days, while Canada and Japan guarantee at least 10 days.Me anwhile about one in four Americans feel like their employer expects them to keep working even on vacation. To change this mentality, change is going to have to come from the top from federal governments to the C-suite. Take the example of Evernote, which began offering unlimited vacations to its employees, evenoffering a sweet incentive of $1,000 a year to employees who took a week off away from their homes.But employees were getting mixed messages. Then-CEO Phil Libin was encouraging a work behavior he himself was not doing because Libin hadnt taken a vacation in years.The lesson? Model the behavior you want to see in others. If youre a manager who wants to get your employees to take breaks, youre going to have to take a break yourself.

What You Dont Know About Resume College Graduate

What You Dont Know About Resume College Graduate There will likely be a great deal of areas where you havent any experience, but you may be surprised by the skills youve got from things that you do in your leisure time, volunteer pursuits and schooling that will translate to your new career. If you continue seeing a skill or tool mentioned you dont know a lot about, search for free or low-cost on-line courses on the topic to bolster your skill collection. Moreover, locating a job might take a while. As someone just beginning, you might find your first job isnt precisely what you had in mind. Aside from the forementioned details, its important to realise that its good to produce the look and feel of your resume attractive, it shouldnt be overdone in order to defeat its objective. You should strive for an opportunity which allows you to learn new abilities and develop present ones through networking and first-hand knowledge in the area. While you might not have a great deal of work experience, you mucksmuschenstill have plenty to offer you. Your experience might inspire different folks. What Everybody Dislikes About Resume College Graduate and Why As the occupation could involve increased income or a bigger name, it really is vital that you show up and do that occupation daily. Youll also meet some professionals who can effectively use the brief time period and squeeze out some fantastic results. What skills or exclusive abilities were utilized to create things better. Furthermore, its important to try to remember that many of entry-level jobs can be overwhelming initiallyyoure unlikely to be supplied plum assignments when starting out and it always requires some time to acquire the hang of things. Next comes the work objective. Just because youre new to the work scene doesnt mean that you wont wind up on top of the list of great candidates employers wish to interview. If you cant locate a dream job and dont need to settle for merely a job, why dont you create one by starting your own company, it might be a very intriguing procedure to turn your small business idea into reality. While not determining your whole career, your very first entry-level advertising job can start to steer you in a particular direction. How to Choose Resume College Graduate Lets explore ways to get that dynamic resume written only for you. Ask yourself what your objective is. Keep in mind that your resume is your very first line of defense in the event of touchdown your excellent job. Want to Know More About Resume College Graduate? Read resume articles focused on specific facets of job searching and the way to use your resume. Looking for employment at the moment could be pretty tricky. The job will be SO well worth it. The perfect place to explain why you need to visit grad school is in your private statement. Finding the Best Resume College Graduate Fresher job vacancies are for the fruchtwein part in the area of direct marketing. Your resume should present your employer that you may fit perfectly into the spot he has open. Infographic resumes are impossible to comprehend, states MacIntyre. Opportunely, engineering resumes have an extremely straightforward format. Most employers are really choosy in the event of the group of staff for a work opening. With thousands of jobs available in addition to thousands of job seekers every year, its important for every aspiring IT professional to be noticed. Jobs are hard to find and you want an edge when competing with others in the exact pool. Entry level medical sales jobs can be hard to distitelseite, but theyre out there. If you previously live close to the businesss office, great Youre a new college graduate seeking to crack into a difficult job industry. For example, lets say youre asking for an internship with a design company as you are pursuing a degree in fashion. An increasing number of schools see the value of AI education. For quite a few, opport unities to cover college tuition, and merely to survive, are part of every college experience. When students still dont know what things to do, they ought to always think about obtaining a college internship to help pay for their college tuition bills. Bear in mind that in the event that you do not mention your A-level grades or the university you attended, for instance, recruiters may conclude that youve got something to hide. Most graduates receive their very first CVs wrong. As you progress along your career, therell be UCSB graduates all around the world that could help you. Furthermore, the structure of the courses will differ. College tuition does not need to be as challenging as it appears, and thats the reason its vital to put everything into perspective.

4 Reasons Why They Wont Take Your Job Offer - Spark Hire

4 Reasons Why They Wont Take Your Job Offer - Spark HireIf you have had to hire a new employee before then you know that the hiring process is a tedious, time-consuming process. You have to weed out the bad candidates, contact the good ones, weed out the not-so-great ones again and make offers. On average, it takes about 42 days to hire a new employee when you hire the traditional way. Thankfully, when you integrate one way video interviews and online video interviews into the process you can hire much faster. What if you do all of this though and the candidates just arent taking the bait? In other words, they are rejecting your job offers left and right.It may be them, but it also may be you. Even though the job market is still in the gutter, its picking up slowly and job seekers arent as quick to accept a job offer as they may have been before. Here are four reasons why job seekers may be refusing your job offer.The PositionYou may think this standort is awesome and offers great ex perience to those that are lucky enough to snag it, but look at it more carefully. What would someone in this position be doing day in and day out? Would you want to do this job? If the job doesnt offer the employee a chance to learn, grow or use their skills in some way then its likely that no one is going to want this position.It may also be the way you are presenting the position in a job description or in the interview. Are the guidelines and responsibilities of this position clear? Do your job candidates have a clear understanding of what this job entails. Make koranvers you are being clear about what the employee in this position will be doing. Vague or fuzzy details of the position wont get you anywhere with job seekers. They want to know what they will be doing on a daily basis and you cant really blame them for that. Make sure you are being clear on what this position does and that candidates understand what their role would be.Your StrategyHow are you offering this positio n to candidates? Are you emailing them or are you calling them. If you are offering a job to a candidate over email then its time for you to change your strategy. Emailing someone is very impersonal. The candidate cant hear your enthusiasm and excitement, and its just kind of sterile. If you truly want this candidate to work for you, then take the time out of your day to call them directly and offer them the position. Starting your working relationship off with an email isnt the way to go.You Took Too LongYes, its very difficult to decide which candidate is best for the position- thats a given. However, if you leave a candidate waiting for weeks they will likely think that you found someone else and they will move on. If they are looking for a job then chances are they have had other interviews as well. If they were the best for your position, then they may be the best candidate for someone else as well. If you know that this is the candidate you want to have on your team, then move fast. If you know this is that candidate for you then offer them the position the day of their last interview. Deciding between two candidates? Take a day after the last interviews to decide. Dont wait much longer.This not only benefits you- since you are jumping on this talent fast- but it also boosts their confidence. Interviews can be nerve wrecking and waiting for that call for weeks can drive a candidate nuts. Move fast and snag that stellar candidate before someone else does.CompensationAre you offering fair compensation for this position? If your offer is lower than the average for the position, then candidates are going to turn you down. And why not? If they can receive better pay for doing the same job elsewhere, then why take your position at a lower pay? Make sure you are offering a competitive salary and one that is on par with the average.One last reason may be the image you are putting out. If you are late for the interview or leave the candidate waiting for too long then they may think that you dont care for their time and are inconsiderate. Who wants to work for an inconsiderate person? Not many people. If time is an issue for you, then you should consider hiring on Spark Hire. That way you can find the qualified candidates and invite them to participate in one way video interviews. This is the best way to weed through candidates.With a one way video interview, you can ask the qualified candidates the same set of questions to which they answer in video format. When they all turn their answers in to you, you can look at the answers on your own time. That way, you dont have to invest 30 minutes on a phone screen with each candidate. You can also easily compare and contrast all of the candidates answers to decipher which are the best. This saves you hours of time and streamlines the hiring process for you. If you havent already, sign up with Spark Hire and start making your job easier.IMAGE Courtesy of Historiann.com

Dont even think about using these 5 opening lines in your emails

Dont even think about using these 5 opening lines in your emailsDont even think about using these 5 opening lines in your emailsIf every email is different, why do so many of them begin the same way?Heres an aggregated list of opening lines you should steer clear of in your emails.Dear Sir or MadamDont even try this one.Business Insider features commentary from business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, who mentions how this can ruin an email message for the recipient Way too formalLooking for an inspiring way to start your day? Sign up forMorning MotivationIts our friendly Facebook robot that will send you a quick note every weekday morning to help you start strong. Sign up here by clicking Get StartedPlus, this salutation tells the recipient that you have no idea who they are, says Pachter. Why then should the reader be interested in what you have to say? the publication reads.Think about it How would you feel if you received an email that addressed you like this?I thought I would circle back This ones a classic. How many times have we all niedergehen into this trap, either in writing or during a conversation with a colleague?Jeff Haden, a ghostwriter, speaker, author, LinkedIn Influencer and contributing editor to Inc., explains this opener in the publication.Heres why he says you should leave this out of your emails Yes, because I didnt respond the first time you emailed. But why will I respond this time especially when the rest of your email is just copied and pasted from your original email?To whom it may concernWeb design and digital marketing company CREATE180 Design features this one on its website. Eric Mohrman, content director and creative writer, writes about it in a blog post.This, Dear Sir, Dear Madam, and other impersonal greetings are a great way to get your email promptly deleted. Its suggestive of spam and immediately signals to recipients that you dont know them - and therefore that they dont know you, he writes. That doesnt help get the r est of the message read. It also makes it seem like youre too lazy to find out a anthroponym or that youre mass mailing indiscriminately.Happy MondayAhhh, Monday - this is a sugarcoated reminder that its the toughest day of the workweek.Jenni Maier, Editor-In-Chief of The Daily Muse,explains whyto never say Happy Monday or, alternatively, insert any other day of the week in there. The effect remains the same and you still want to die inside a little bit every time you find yourself wishing it. Happy blank is for holidays, like your birthday or Christmas - not for a day of the week that comes around every seven days without fail.Heres her translation of Happy Monday Im about to ask you for something, but I feel uncomfortable diving right into it. So I shall say something kind and friendly instead.One of her suggested alternatives is, Hope your weeks off to a good start.You dont know me, butLaura Spencer, a business author and copywriter, writes on Envato Tuts+, a site offering tuto rials and courses on the web, about why this isnt a good way to begin an email. After pointing out that its unnecessary to emphasize that youre a stranger, she mentions that you should get to the point instead.She recommends this alternative Im writing to you today to invite you to the annual company meeting on July 5.

This group of workers sleeps on the job more than any other

This group of workers sleeps on the job more than any otherThis group of workers sleeps on the job more than any otherEmployees in some industries have a habit of sleeping on the job in certain places - but some people do so more than others.Research from Amerisleep shows that construction workers are sleeping on the job (despite leidbeing allowed to) more than any other industry.The company surveyed more than 1,000 people via Amazons Mechanical Turk and revealed how many respondents from each industry say they catch up on rest at work. Here are some of the data points that stand out.Heres who shouldnt be sleeping at work - but do it anywayThe research found that a large number of people sleep at work, even though theyre not supposed to.What industries nap the most and how often do people do it?The research also broke down which industries napped the most (counting those that are allowed to and those prohibited from doing so), with tech workers leading the way - although many in t his field are encouraged to do so and even have facilities provided for themTechnology 70.0%Construction 68.2%Government and Public Administration 63.5%Finance and Insurance 58.9%Information Services and Data Processing 58.0%Manufacturing 52.6%Transportation and Warehousing 52.6%Medical and Health Care 52.1%Education 45.6%Wholesale and Retail 42.9%The research then went on to show just how many naps people say they take at work in a month1 nap 30.0%2 naps 20.5%3 naps 12.0%4 naps 9.0%5 naps 9.7%6+ naps 16.8%Sleeping at work, by salary levelThe research showed the number of days a month that people sleep on the job,on average, with those in the highest income bracket - $100K or more - doing it the leastBelow $10K 4.0 days$10K-$14.9K 3.5 days$15K-$24.9K 3.5 days$25K-$34.9K 3.7 days$35K-$49.9K 2.7 days$50K-$74.9K 3.2 days$75K-$99.9K 2.5 days$100K and up 2.4 days

Hired! An Open-Minded Job Search Delivers

Hired An Open-Minded Job Search DeliversHired An Open-Minded Job Search DeliversConsidering the impossible job and the unlikely career move pays off.It welches like a home run waiting to be hit, said Andy Manning of landing his location as vice president of operations at Pitney Bowes International Mail Services.Manning is an operations manager with 17 years experience in the industrial gas industry. His resume doesnt appear to be a particular fit for the mail services business, and he worried the mail services business would soon go the way of the buggy whip. the mail-services business didnt landseem a particularly safe idea in the age of e-mail.It was a change for me, he said. My background is in manufacturing (where) my responsibilities spanned into logistics. I was moving freight globally. So that was the only thing that helped me segue into the world of mail. But mail processing was an entirely new world for me.Today Manning is vice president of operations at Pitney Bowes of Stam ford, Conn. This SP 500 company makes $6 billion a year in mail services, a business Manning didnt know existed before he began his job search.For Manning, the job search, using OpsLadder, let him explore opportunities like Pitney Bowes that were well outside his realm of experience. He then let the employer make its case that mail services was a solid business and Mannings skill platzdeckchen was a fit.He discovered his skills as a manufacturing logistics manager translated well beyond the niche industry he had occupied. He also discovered that companies in transition can be a green field for job seekers with leadership skills.Anyone who has done a significant amount of interviewing knows its an opportunity to peek inside anotlageher company or industry, Manning said. I find it a very interesting learning tool where you go to interview somewhere and realize, I didnt even know this business existed he said. And so when I heard about international mail services, I said This is amazi ng I thought the Post Office moved all mail.Can you do the job? Manning, of Montclair, N.J., was never looking for an easy transition. He was looking for a position that would test his skills. He was desperate to avoid a position that would be little more than holding down the fort. He didnt want to be greeted Oh Andy, come on in Your incumbent did a good job. Just hold everything together, and it will be fine.Aside from a brief foray into a dot-com business back in the era, he had been with one company, the British Oxygen Corporation (later the BOC Group) for 17 years. BOC was a company focused on industrial gases that also included a unit that produced second-tier semiconductor equipment. We did vacuum systems and gas-abatement systems and all the stuff that Intel would use to make their Pentiums, Manning said. BOC was acquired by the Linde Group and the semiconductor business unit was spun off and eventually taken private. Manning stayed on to do some significant restructuring un til September 2007 but soon decided to look for new horizons. After Manning spent several months consulting, a former colleague from BOC introduced him to Ladders.By the time Pitney Bowes approached Manning, he was after a challenge, but he worried that his skills from a career in industrial gases would have little to do with an industry he had just discovered.However, he soon came to see leadership as the real key to importing a skill set from another industry.I have had success in manufacturing and, over the course of a few interviews for the mail business, I said I think I can apply this stuff here. I think the disciplines are the same, even if we are not actually making a widget, Manning said. I dont know if I came up with any new and fantastic ideas of how to do things better or how to automate mail processing. I am learning about that now.I find it to be less about the great idea and more about the execution putting something in place and making it stick, as well as the discip line around leadership, he said. I have found that there are tremendous opportunities out there. And to take a very challenging situation where other people have tried and failed before is more about implementing a set of tools.One particularly challenging aspect for Manning is how to manage the production cycle.We move a lot of publications, and the publishers nationally slow down in the summer. They may do a monthly all-year mailing, and then in July-August they will just do one. One of the biggest challenges that I saw coming from a manufacturing environment is that it can change on a day-to-day basis. At the facility here in New Jersey, we will get 100,000 pounds of mail one day and the next day it might be 130,000 and the day after, 70,000. So we can have 50 percent swings in volume on a day-to-day basis. And how do you manage that with your labor force? he said. Unlike manufacturing, I cannot build inventory. All the mail turns 24 to 48 hours, and it is out the door. So that i s a big challenge, and it is compounded in a changing economy. Now it is cyclical and downward.Can the business succeed? Convinced of his own ability to handle the challenge, Manning next considered the viability of a business he thought the U.S. Postal Service dominated.Could the postage industry succeed in the age of e-mail? What is the longevity of this company? and, Where is the growth going to come from? he asked.I have seen snippets of reporting on the demise of moving printed matter. But what happened to the paperless office that we were supposed to have had 10 years ago? he said. I mucksmuschenstill see mountain of stuff going to the trash or the shredder. Im learning more about the mail business every day.Today, after putting some tough questions to the Pitney Bowes executives, Manning said hes convinced that there is great opportunity for expansion not only through acquisition but also organic growth in taking market share.Several years ago, they recognized that postage m eters were a flat or declining business and would probably eventually go the way of the buggy whip, he said. They then concluded that their core competency was the mail stream, and everything related to processing and moving mail.Having made several acquisitions, Pitney Bowes expanded its domestic operations to include mail processing and pre-sorting by negotiating large discounts with the Postal Service, taking large mail-order volumes, pre-sorting them, and injecting them into the postal stream a little further down the process chain.Pitney Bowes also made several international acquisitions of small mom-and-pop companies to create Pitney Bowes International Mail Services. The company acts as a postage arbitrage, negotiating large volume discounts with postal services around the world, including private, hand-delivery services and other non-governmental carriers. We negotiate discounts with them, and we add value by consolidating, he said. Whether it is Bank of America or Goldman S achs or publishers producing consumer reports, a client may have a domestic mailing and send up to 2 million copies, with 50,000 that must be sent internationally to 200 countries. So they hand that down to us.There has also been some positive fallout from the knocks dealt by the economy to Pitney Bowes largest and most direct competitor, DHL.When DHL Express exited the U.S. business, one of the things that they retained was U.S. OutBound, he said. They are still in the global mail business, but there is enough knockout effect. And the press alone had DHL global mail customers wondering when the next shoe is going to drop. Or simply misunderstanding and thinking that DHL is exiting all of this. And that certainly made for a target-rich environment in terms of competitive takeaways.The economy has presented opportunity as well as challenges as institutions and charities increase their output and Pitney Bowes had expanded from traditional printed matter into moving parcels. Even the w eaker U.S. dollar helped the bottom line. You would never think that it would make sense to move goods across borders and halfway around the world, but with the weak dollar and their own currency strong, there is a significant growth in moving merchandise outside of the U.S.Hiring from the outsideManning believes that job seekers can find opportunities in what he calls big-change type stuff turnaround situations and the restructuring of operations, like he found at Pitney Bowes.He initially considered private-equity companies because, if they had acquired other businesses, he felt they may need better operations leadership.Pitney Bowes wasnt necessarily that case, he said. But their international-mail service is the product of four or five acquisitions that they had done over three years, and they had not been fully integrated, not just from an IT systems and infrastructure standpoint, but culturally from an operations standpoint of establishing standards and holding people to expec tations.Where there are opportunities in operations, he said, the emphasis should be on leadership and fresh perspectives.For the hiring that I have done since I have come on board, I dont deliberately exclude people with mail-services experience, but I certainly look well beyond that because I think that sometimes it is the leadership bestandteil I need more than anything. And it sometimes helps to have an outside set of eyes take a look at something.