10+ Ways to Mentally Detach from Work on Holidays

10+ Ways to Mentally Detach from Work on Holidays 10+ Ways to Mentally Detach from Work on Holidays As a professional, while at work you know to leave personal issues at the door.However, the reverse should be true, as well. While on vacation, you need to give yourself and your family your full attention too.To do this properly, you need to unplug and detach yourself from work, but this is easier said than doneUse this guide as a checklist to effectively disconnect from work and give you and your travel mates the attention you all deserve.1Configure a Perfect Out-of-Office ReplyAn out-of-office email auto-response is the first tool fruchtwein employees use to alert others of an ongoing leave of absence.However, it might not do much to allay any anxiety over whats coming in, as well as how youll be able to cope with the deluge of emails awaiting you upon your return.So, its up to you to craft one that helps you out mora effectively and efficiently.First, add an associates contact info rmation (after clearing it with them, of course) to take some of the workload off of your hands. This will also ensure that any urgent priorities get the attention needed. Also, kindly request that they re-email you when you get back to the office. You could also think about auto-forwarding emails, especially from specific email addresses. Finally, consider starting the OOO reply a day early or adding an extra day onto it at the endthis will give you some free time to take care of thingsOh, and dont forget to apply an O response to your personal email accounts, as well2Make Sure They All Know Youre OffA great out-of-office reply is, well, great, but thats more for clients and those in your company that might email you. For your colleagues that dont email you, how would they know?Make sure you platzset your days off on your companys calendar, especially. Also, set a status on any chat or other applications you use, such as Slack or Skype.3Silence Work NotificationsFor most of us, our personal phones double as another portal into our work life. To give yourself a real holiday from the office, turn off all your work notifications. Keep a note with a list of the accounts youve muted, and set yourself a calendar reminder for the day after you return to re-enable all the notifications youve silenced.Lauren, of Health Labs, goes even further. I remove all work apps from my phone. We use Slack as the messaging system for employees within our company to communicate with each other. Previously, I would mark my status as away and put my notifications to snooze, but I would still find myself checking it. In an effort to combat that, Ive begun removing the app from my phone completely. While Im on vacation, I know I wont go through the trouble of downloading the app, figuring out my two-step verification and re-logging in.4Pack Personal Devices OnlyIf you were given a work phone or other device, leave it at home (unless you are obligated to keep it on you). Strategically g ive a few key people at work your personal cell number to reach you only in the case of the most dire of emergencies. Oblige them to stick to this rule by mentioning that you may be out of network, or the international roaming fees will be exorbitantly preposterous.5Go on the OffensiveIn addition to setting that great out-of-office reply, consider being proactive. The day before you leave the office, send out an email message to your most-contacted clients and coworkers to inform them of your upcoming plans. You can add the same info that you would in your out-of-office response. This will help cut down on the total number of emails you return tonow thats a vacationLaura Handrick, an HR Analyst for FitSmallBusiness, emphasizes the importance of this technique. Two weeks prior to my extended time off, I work with my kollektiv to determine who will be the go-to person for each of my areas of responsibility long before Im out of the office. Then I put that information in an auto-reply email response so that its crystal clear who the emailer (or caller) can talk to or forward their question to for whatever the issue.Dont forget to set a vacation voicemail and chat message, as well, if they apply.6Win the MorningTo successfully win the day, you have to first win the morning. Thats the advice from Colorados top retirement planner, Matthew Jackson.I have found that I must completely disrupt and replace my work kenntnis with a routine specific to vacationing. During my focused free thinking I set the intention of what Id like to accomplish that day. I visualize it vividly. What I focus on depends on the type of day I want to have relaxing, adventure travel, laying in a hammock, getting sun, meeting new people, exploring new places, followed by the visualization of the perfect evening all the way to bedtimefeeling happy, refreshed, and relaxed.7Unplug From More Than the OfficeSometimes, to properly get yourself into vacation mode, you may have to go further than just s topping directly work-related items. If youre in finance, avoid your routine news briefing on the stock market, for example. Another thing to avoid might be your Google Feed, or any machine learning-based news feed these get to understand your interests and topics over time, and they could often include items thatll get you thinking about work.Jeff Walsh of Nomo-FOMO (a true expert for this article) adds, Delete authentication if possible on your phone so even if you want to plug back in, you dont have the temptation.8Set Up a Plan for Your ReturnA great way to conquer any anxiety about all that awaits you upon your return is to have a plan in place of how youll tackle your first day back. On a more detailed level, you can plan out how youll knock out specific tasks in segments.For example, for handling my inbox after I get back from a holiday, I immediately delete all newsletters that have come in this usually lowers my unread emails by half or more. Then, I start from the most rec ent, because sometimes a problem will have fixed itself (like email B saying, Oh, never mind, I figured out email A).Another thing to plan for is to have a coworker designated who can spend 5 to 10 minutes briefing you on whats happened when you get back. If you feel guilty that you are enjoying the sun while that colleague gets double the work, bring them back a nice souvenir and tell them youll do the same when its their turn.9Commit (And Stick to It)At the end of the day, youre the one responsibleyou can give yourself the restful vacation you deserve, or you can be your own worst enemy.Set boundaries, and stick to them.10Consider an Emergency Email AddressSeb Dean, founder of Imaginaire Digital, gives this advice Set-up an urgent email address sometimes youre going to have to be contactable as the head of the business. I generally set up an urgent email address which I can access on my phone which is only for the crucial emailsi.e. a disaster strikes. I tell my team not to email anything else to this address.When youve got your urgent email setup, temporarily remove your normal email address from your phone so that you cant check it and give somebody in your team access to check it. Unfortunately, if you leave it active, youll find yourself checking your emails even if theyre not important. By having a team member checking your main email account, theyll be able to forward anything truly urgent to your urgent address.11Pick a Different DestinationSometimes the problem isnt you, but rather its the destination. Ketan Kapoor, CEO cofounder of Mettl, says this Your vacay destination must allow your brain to acclimatize and adapt all over again to external conditions such as culture, environment, weather and dietary preferences. Going to the local cafe and sipping your routine cup of coffee isnt going to help at all. Instead, you must choose a location that is completely different from the places that you generally visit that will instigate your mind to rewire completely around new factors, thereby allowing you to unplug in a true sense.Anthony from the Travel Tart adds, When cell phone towers were proposed to be installed on Lord Howe Island, the community overwhelmingly opposed it. So the entire island doesnt have cell phone coverage. When I went there, it was so refreshing to not be able to receive mobile phone calls, and I didnt miss it at all The only way I could be contacted was by old fashioned landline at the hotel. Everyone should try it sometime12Have Someone Hold You AccountableIf you are taking a trip with someone, like a group of friends or your significant other, have them shoulder some of your burden.If you know you cant do this on your own, and you are traveling with someone, have them hold you accountable to your commitment of not doing any work while on vacation. Do something that will make you think before you reach for the phone and check work emails, something like pay your travel partner every time you do any work, s ays Theresa Nguyen, RN MSN.So, what do you think?To effectively detach yourself while on holiday, you need to do so physically, mentally, emotionally, and digitally.I hope these tips will allow you to unplug from the office on your next trip

How to Respond to Requests for Reference Checks

How to Respond to Requests for Reference ChecksHow to Respond to Requests for Reference ChecksYoud think that supplying a reference for a former employee should be a simple, straightforward activity that managers and Human Resources practitioners routinely handle. But, in the US, in the litigious environment that exists, providing a simple employment reference, in response to a reference check request, is no longer widely practiced. In fact, fruchtwein companies assign reference checks to the Human Resources staff. This means that obtaining a reference that reveals any information about the candidate you propose to hire is increasingly difficult. Traditionally, managers and supervisors of candidates are your best sources of information. In an earlier article, the different approaches available for reference checks for former employees were discussed. The recommended approach to a verbal employment reference differed based on the employees wertzuwachs while he or she worked for your o rganization. The recommended response to a request for a written recommendation, especially the forms that request numeric responses that rate employees, remains the same. Send the form to your HR staff person. Informal Verbal Reference Checks These sample employment reference and verification of employment policies are suitable for the majority of reference checks, especially those checks requested in written format. In the earlier article, an unwritten, more informal reference discussion, that the immediate supervisor might hold with the potential employer, was described. Especially in the case of a valued, performing former employee or current employee, you may want to informally discuss their contributions with a prospective employer. In this way, you assist your former colleague to select and receive an appropriate employment opportunity. You enable the prospective employer to experience a certain comfort level with his or her employee choice. Since a reference check phone call comes late in the employee selection process, rest assured that your comments are confirming what the prospective employer has decided through the application and interview process. You are not, at this point, providing a lot of new information for the prospective employer if their hiring process was comprehensive. Guidelines for Informal Reference Checks Research online indicates that certain employers, especially universities and government entities, still appear to allow managers to provide responses to reference checks. (Policies of private employers are only rarely online.) Employees of companies that require employees to send formal, written reference checks to HR may also feel comfortable talking with a prospective employer informally. These themes about reference check content are worth noting for readers who decide to respond to a verbal reference check for current or former employees. Managers need training to provide these responses to reference check requests. P lease note the recommendations for when and whether a manager should provide a response to a reference check. Managers May Respond to Requests for Reference Checks Using These Guidelines When responding to a reference check request, managers may answer these questions and heed these warnings. Identify the job title, final salary, dates of employment, and major job responsibilities of the former employee.If you decide to provide any information about the employees performance, make sure that your response is balanced. The employee exhibited mostly positive work performance in these ways, but you had some concerns in these areas. These areas may or may not be relevant in the new job in any case, they are insufficient to preclude the employees hire. (Especially with a former performing employee, you want to boost the chances that they will receive a job offer.) Answer only questions about which you have information. Use the employees file including performance evaluations and other wri tten documents to provide specific, truthful examples that highlight the employees performance. Stay away from opinions, hearsay, and predictions.If you decide to provide negative information about the employee, provide information about which the employee has had feedback. Provide specific examples from the written documentation that have been shared with the employee. Questions Never to Answer About Former Employees You may refuse to answer these questions directly or deflect them with an answer that sidesteps the problematic components. (Example would you rehire the employee? Answer If all aspects of the employees experience, education, job performance, and interests remained consistent with the requirements of the position, yes, I would rehire the employee.) Watch out for these questions Any question that would reveal information about any aspect of an employees protected class for potential discrimination or civil rights protection. Examples of such questions includeQuestions about marital or partner status, family matters, personal health, disabilities, medical or attendance records, race, national origin, age, religion, gender, and so forth.Any question that would identify the political or legally protected employment-related activities of an employee such as union organizing, serving as a union steward, filing a grievance, political party affiliation or activities, worker compensation claims, insurance utilization, or employer-related lawsuits. Questions that are unrelated to the work setting or to work performance. These might include questions about the former employees interests, hobbies, volunteer associations, or association memberships. These are not the potential new employers business.Any question that asks you to predict the future performance of an employee. All you are qualified to respond to areemployer questions about the performance that you experienced, backed up with examples you have in writing. You cannot predict the performance of a n employee in a new job, in a new environment, for a new employer, in a set of circumstances that you cant define or know. With care and consideration, you can give valued performers an employment boost. Your informal, truthful, documented performance assessment may provide the tip of the scale in favor of your former employees next opportunity.

Learn How to Find a Female Business Mentor

Learn How to Find a Female Business MentorLearn How to Find a Female Business MentorIt would be a gross generalization to say that all women think like women and all men think like men, so does it matter whether your mentor is male or female?That depends. Women encounter a specific set of problems in the workforce more frequently than men dodiscrimination based on gender and age and, even to some degree, discrimination based on their physical appearance. A female mentor is likely to have encountered some discrimination in the workplace and may be better able to tell you how to crack a male-dominated industry or how to deal with gender discrimination issues that a man has bedrngnis had to deal with. However, women who isolate themselves in an all-woman environment are missing out on the male perspective, and, because the majority of the geschftliches miteinander world is male-dominated, it is important for all businesswomen to understand how to play the game to win. Finding a Mento r There are many women-helping-women organizations that have mentor programs, but if you already know a professional who might serve as a good mentor, approach the subject casually at first. Being a mentor can be time-consuming and is something that must work for both mentor and protg. Before you ask someone to become your mentor make sure you are willing to take direction from them, otherwise you will just be wasting everyones time. Remember, you are looking for solutions, guidance, and concrete advice, not an executive to wow with how great your ideas are. If all your ideas are truly that great, you do not need a mentor- you should consider becoming one. To find a mentor in your industry, contact a professional association or call your local social or human services department to see if free mentor programs are available in your area. You can also register with Micromentor and see if they can match you with a volunteer mentor. The service is free, but the application takes about 30 minutes to complete online. Why Choosing a Friend to Be Your Mentor Isnt a Good Idea While it is helpful if you and your mentor get along on a personal level, a mentors role is to serve as your professional guide, not as a personal friend. It is critical that you be able to accept advice from a mentor and stay focused on the business aspect of the relationship, not the friendship aspect. Itis much harder to do if you choose someone already close to you to be a mentor, especially if you see your mentor friend as a peer instead of as a professional resource to help you further your business interests.If you want to avoid conflict with your mentor, it is better to save friend and family resources for networking.That way, if the mentor relationship does not work out, you wont have to fire your friends.

14 Pieces of Timeless Career Advice

14 Pieces of Timeless Career Advice14 Pieces of Timeless Career Advice5Have you ever shared your job search plans with others to find that you are suddenly full of unsolicited, and fruchtwein times outdated, job search and career advice from friends, relatives, and coworkers?Here at, we have asked our experienced team members for their two centson tackling a job search. No matter where you are in your career, these 14 pieces oftimeless career advice are worth remembering.Here are 14pieces of timeless career advice1. Find a mentor.Looking for a job can feel like a full-time job. Its important to find a mentor, someone you can turn to when things get tough or just to listen to your ideas. A good mentor wont tell you what you want to hear but what you need to hear.-James, Director of Content Strategy2. Smile when you talk on the phone to prospective employers.Even though the hiring manager cant see you smiling, the tone of your voice changes into a mora positive one, and they will hear that positivity through the phone. Smiling also helps reduce your anxiety so you sound less nervous and more confident.-Brie, Senior Career Specialist 3. Take every opportunity to learn something new.Whether a big skill or a small one, learning something new gives you the opportunity to grow as a professional, to add something to your resume, and to be of even greater value to potential employers. If youve got the time, always say yes to learning something new.-Kristin,Director of Employer Engagement4. Fake it till you make it.-Kristin,Director of Employer Engagement5.Your network is one of the most important parts of your career.Who you know will likely get you your next gig. Dont burn any bridges, and make an effort to stay in touch with people.LinkedIn Also, dont be afraid to take some risks- there really isnt a better time in your life to do so. Go for it. Kristin, Director of Employer Engagement6. Follow directions.If the employer says in their job description to answer three s pecific questions, then answer the questions, and do so very clearly. Theres a reason they are asking for that information up front and if you dont answer, you might unknowingly eliminate yourself from consideration.-Christy, People and Culture Coordinator7. Your resume is your calling card.We have all read the blog posts about what to include and not include on your resume, but these threetips bear repeatingAs a recruiter, when Im reviewing hundreds of resumes at a time, it becomes more important than you think to have a resume that is pleasing to the eye. Update your format with one of the thousands of free templates available online, so you look like you are job hunting in 2016.Keep your resume to one to two pages. There are very few people who need a resume longer than twopages.Make it easy to read. A surprising number of resumes are simply hard to read, including sentences that dont make any sense. There are many low-cost resume services available, but at the very least, have a friend or family member read it andprovide feedback.-Christy, People and Culture Coordinator8. Apply for the job that youre not 100percent qualified for.Aside from my next tip on resumes, this is the advice I offer the most to people looking for jobs. If there are 10 requirements in the employers job description, and you have most of them, apply You have no idea if there will be applicants that have all 10 requirements, so throw your hat in the ring and let the employer be the one to possibly rule you out, instead of the other way around. They might even decide to interview you, and perhaps consider you a better fit for their culture than the other applicant who has all 10 of the requirements, but isnt a great cultural fit.-Christy, People and Culture Coordinator9. Dont stick to just one specific specialty- broaden your skill setI think too many people graduate college with one specific major or field of interest, and when years pass, they feel stuck in that field because that is a ll they know or feel comfortable with. Christina, erreichbar Job Researcher10.Dont play it safe, kiddo.Nows the time for risk and discovery, so dont be afraid to put yourself out there Adrianne, Writer11.Remember that the world is not as big as you might think.Never burn a bridge as you move through your career. You never know when someone will have the opportunity to help you, or not. Carol, Director of People and Culture12.Never be afraid of rejection.Know thatyour pathis unique from anyone elses, and for that reason, many people (especially those closest to you) might not understand why you would want to pursue certain interests. And if you have a desire to do something professionally, you absolutely MUST go for it. If not, youll be unhappy in any other career, and ultimately at some point later on in life decide to pursue it and then kick yourself for not having done it earlier. Jennifer, Career Writer13.Stop worrying what people think.I was once told that what people thought of me was none of my business- and it was eye-opening. Not everyone will like you, and I feel like I spent too much time trying to be the nice girl that got along with everyone, while compromising myself. Its always important to be polite and compassionate, but it doesnt have to mean worrying about what someones opinion of you is. Jess,Managerof Client Services14.Try new things.Dont be afraid to venture out into new fields. I think its so important to keep an open mind. Also, dont over-pluck your eyebrows. Thats not career advice, but still important. Karen, Online Job ResearcherFind a Flexible JobReaders, whatpieces oftimeless career advice do you have for our members? Please share in the comments belowJennifer Parris contributed to this post.

The Ultimate Scientist Resume Trick

The Ultimate Scientist Resume Trick After that, connect with those who work at the business youre seeking employment at. The capability to work independently will be important for virtually any employer. Theres contradictory information available when it concerns the career objective section of technical resumes. Make certain the provider accepts PDF resumes. A hiring manager is just likely to rapidly scan your resume, and numbers stick out. Waiting for your prospective employer wont help you receive work. Employers will seek candidates that are in a position to conduct research. A prospective employer is going to be inundated with resumes and are leid going to have the opportunity to read through paragraphs of information. By the moment you sit down to compose your cover letter, you ought to be a specialist on the business and their moves in the industry. Most important of all, you need to always tailor your resume to the place of interest. Whenever you give your resume over to someone it ought to be tailored to the particular job which youre applying for. Including things like that actually makes the remainder of your resume look worse, since it emphasizes that youve been focused on plenty of things apart from data science, and worse that you dont really understand what the team is on the lookout for. To demonstrate you will be a superior fit you must demonstrate that you know the significance of results, and to do that you must have results in your resume. A resume cannot simply be a list of your previous experiences. Resumes are just a page in length (if you dont own a variety of years of experience in a special field), and space is at a premium. If youre not that much qualified then make sure you have enough knowledge in statistical and scientific fields. The Scientist Resume Cover Up Recruiters yawn at education, so you need to too. Environmental Specialist Resume Objective Environmental Specialists give important services relevant to the wellness of communities and work to guard the surroundings from serious hazards. Employers typically search for soft abilities, along with technical abilities, in their research assistants. You also could have done Volunteer Work or independent Projects that it is possible to include. The Most Popular Scientist Resume Environmental scientists could also be requested to build programs to reduce the effects of industry on the surroundings or outline production plans that cause the smallest amount of damage to the ecosystem. Among the mora important but underrated skills an environmental science major can have is to be in a position to organize the things that they perceive and know to be able to share their analysis with other people. To attract attention, you will need to compose a terrific computer science resume. Environmental science may be lucrative and fulfilling career. Life After Scientist Resume A referral gets you placed on the cover of the pile, but should you get a terrible resume full of mistakes, all of the work which you put in to find the referral wont matter. There are really three major questions here. You can select the standard chronological format, the modern-day functional format, or a mix of the two. Top Choices of Scientist Resume Research assistants review print and internet resources to collect information. To learn more on what it requires to be a Research Scientist, have a look at our complete Research Scientist Job Description. Research scientists work in practically every field of science possible. Specifically, you can place in your capacity to determine methods for certain research projects. As an employee, you might want to make research proposal structures, you could possibly be tasked with managing delicate samples, or you might even be set into a supervisory capacity, which will require that you manage entire projects or groups of individuals. Putting an objective statement at the peak of your resume won t help you receive an industry job. A good resume tells a story thats targeted to the work description and business.

Video Interviewing and The Discrimination Question

Video einstellungsgesprching and The Discrimination QuestionWhen it comes to video interviewing, the discrimination question often looms large in the minds of employers. Companies might be afraid to try out video interviewing due to discrimination concerns. The truth is, these companies would be missing out on a great new hiring tool for no reason. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), video interviewing is 100 percent compliant with all regulations.The best way to protect against discrimination, after all, is to be informed and vigilant. Here are some common questions and answers about how to spot discrimination in the hiring process and the compliance of video interviewsWhat is Hiring Discrimination?Clearly, discrimination can occur at all levels of a workers career. In the hiring process, discrimination often takes the form of decreased opportunities for certain individuals. For instance, if a candidate isnt considered for the position because of their r ace or religious background, this would be a clear case of hiring discrimination. Aelendher example of hiring discrimination occurs when candidates arent considered for a job due to a disability which would have no impact on job performance.Asking discriminatory questions is another huge problem during the hiring process. Employers want to steer away from questioning aspects of a candidate which have no impact on job performance, like gender or religion. Discrimination can seem tricky, but essentially it occurs when employers are looking at attributes besides skills, qualifications and fit to bar a candidate from moving forward in the process.How Compliant is a Video Interview?Heres the good news an online video interview is 100 percent compliant with all EEOC regulations. This means online job interviews can be performed without worrying about opening up the company to litigation worries.Using online video shortens the hiring process and makes it faster and more efficient, but it d oesnt up the odds of discrimination in any considerable way. In both 2004 and 2010 the EEOC supported the use of online video as a non-discriminatory tool in the hiring process. This makes a lot of sense if you think critically about the role of online video interviews. Video interviewing is just a component of the overall hiring process. Your webcam and video platform cannot make decisions for your company- discriminatory or otherwise. Technology doesnt have opinions or biases, which is why online video is only as good as the people using it.How Can We Guard Against Hiring Discrimination?First and foremost, stop blaming your technology. Video resumes, one way video interviews and live video interviews do not hold discriminatory points of view. Your webcam doesnt care who is sitting on the other side of the computer monitor. To truly safeguard your company against discrimination concerns, you must first release the idea that technology is in some way impacting discrimination during hiring.Once youve stopped playing the blame game, its time to take a good look at the human side of the equation. After all technology doesnt discriminate, people do. To fix the discrimination problem, you need to look at the human elements of your hiring process. Has your staff been trained properly to spot discrimination and avoid discriminatory policies? Training your staff in hiring best practices is one easy way to avoid discrimination and find the best candidates for the job.Another way to avoid discrimination in the hiring process is to use a standard set of evaluating criteria. This is a good idea, not just for avoiding discrimination, but also for making the lives of hiring managers easier.Before you open up your webcam, ask yourself exactly what youre looking for from an ideal candidate for the position. Write down the skills, personality attributes, and qualifications you want this superstar employee to have. Now you have a wish list of evaluation criteria on which to jud ge potential candidates. This will help you take better notes on each candidate and will make it easier to compare your applicants to decide who will be the best fit for the position.Avoiding discrimination is supremely important for employees, candidates, and even for the future of your company. Discriminatory attitudes could rob your company of a great potential employee with top notch ideas to share. If your company adheres to hiring best practices and focuses on the human element instead of blaming technology, youll be well on your way to avoiding discrimination pitfalls.Video interviewing can be a powerful tool for finding great candidates, but its just a tool. Make sure to invest time and energy into the people wielding this tool for the best and most fair results.What do you think? What are some ways your company can avoid discrimination in the hiring process? Share in the comments