How to Explain a Sabbatical If You Were Taking Care of an Ailing Parent or Loved One

How to Explain a Sabbatical If You Were Taking Care of an Ailing Parent or Loved One Last week I was doing a LinkedIn consultation with a professional who had taken time (a couple of years?) off to care for her father. She has had a fantastic, awesome career, but didnt know how to explain her years off.  She asked me how to explain this, and I reached out to career professionals in the Career Directors LinkedIn Group  for advice.  The experience these professionals have is broad and deep, which is why I like getting input from different professionals.  Below is what I learned. I hope this can help you if you are in this situation: Don Goodman, Certified Resume Writer, GotTheJob.com,  and reseller of my video course: LinkedIn for Job Seekers I would say, Sabbatical (Date) Attended to urgent family matters now fully resolved, or Sabbatical (Date) Attended to needs of ailing parent now fully resolved, It is perfectly OK to help family members in need and all the employer needs to know is that it is completed. Mary Schumacher, Writer and Coach, CareerFrames.com   Hi Jason I would also use a sabbatical statement such as the ones Don provided. I also might just insert a statement such as: Took two-year leave to serve as caretaker for parent. Stayed current on industry trends and learning to remain fully prepared for next corporate challenge. Employers want to know that your knowledge is up-to-date as far as their needs, and that your skills arent rusty. There are plenty of free online courses to help even those very immersed in their caretaker roles. Irene Marshall, Executive Resume Writer and LinkedIn Profile Writer, ToolsForTransition.com Jason I dont think it requires a big explanation. I would either put Family sabbatical, Personal Sabbatical or Professional Sabbatical without adding anything else in either resume or cover letter. It just accounts for the time. And I only use years, not months/years. There are millions and millions of Baby Boomers taking care of parents (myself included). And over the past several years I have worked with many people who have relocated, quit their jobs or took part-time work to handle what their parents need. It is very common now and nothing your client should be nervous about. You never know that maybe the person reading would have given their eye teeth to be able to take time off work rather than feeling guilty that their job was keeping them from doing it.. I moved my mother with Alzheimers into assisted living in January. I was at part-time work until about the end of July because none of her affairs were in order. And Im still dealing with two attorneys, etc. even though Im close to full time work now. I would have had to quit a corporate job. But in the first half of the year there was absolutely no way I could have been doing anything related to my work for keeping up with my industry or anything else. I was up to 3 am, 5 am and more trying to sell my mothers home and everything else. I would not have been able to even think about online coursework because it frankly was not my top priority and I was exhausted. And I wouldnt include fully resolved because I think it then puts the reader in a slightly awkward position of assuming that mom or dad actually died. Christine Robinson, CPRW, ChristineRobinsonCPRW.com Jason, I try to be as straightforward as possible, composing a quote based on the clients circumstance. Also, I usually refer to it as a professional leave or career break because I feel the word sabbatical has some nuances that dont necessarily apply to every situation. I place the quote under the Professional Experience heading. 2012 to Oct. 2014: I took a professional leave to attend to my terminally ill brother; following his passing, I engaged in a variety of professional development opportunities to maintain credentials and volunteer roles to keep abreast of industry trends. You get the gist. It may be wordy and it may be slightly shocking, but on the other hand, it leaves nothing to the imagination of the reader. Plus, the dates will (ideally) be captured by ATS. Thanks to Don, Mary, Irene and Christine for sharing their thoughts if you have a different idea, please share it in the comments below! How to Explain a Sabbatical If You Were Taking Care of an Ailing Parent or Loved One Last week I was doing a LinkedIn consultation with a professional who had taken time (a couple of years?) off to care for her father. She has had a fantastic, awesome career, but didnt know how to explain her years off.  She asked me how to explain this, and I reached out to career professionals in the Career Directors LinkedIn Group  for advice.  The experience these professionals have is broad and deep, which is why I like getting input from different professionals.  Below is what I learned. I hope this can help you if you are in this situation: Don Goodman, Certified Resume Writer, GotTheJob.com,  and reseller of my video course: LinkedIn for Job Seekers I would say, Sabbatical (Date) Attended to urgent family matters now fully resolved, or Sabbatical (Date) Attended to needs of ailing parent now fully resolved, It is perfectly OK to help family members in need and all the employer needs to know is that it is completed. Mary Schumacher, Writer and Coach, CareerFrames.com   Hi Jason I would also use a sabbatical statement such as the ones Don provided. I also might just insert a statement such as: Took two-year leave to serve as caretaker for parent. Stayed current on industry trends and learning to remain fully prepared for next corporate challenge. Employers want to know that your knowledge is up-to-date as far as their needs, and that your skills arent rusty. There are plenty of free online courses to help even those very immersed in their caretaker roles. Irene Marshall, Executive Resume Writer and LinkedIn Profile Writer, ToolsForTransition.com Jason I dont think it requires a big explanation. I would either put Family sabbatical, Personal Sabbatical or Professional Sabbatical without adding anything else in either resume or cover letter. It just accounts for the time. And I only use years, not months/years. There are millions and millions of Baby Boomers taking care of parents (myself included). And over the past several years I have worked with many people who have relocated, quit their jobs or took part-time work to handle what their parents need. It is very common now and nothing your client should be nervous about. You never know that maybe the person reading would have given their eye teeth to be able to take time off work rather than feeling guilty that their job was keeping them from doing it.. I moved my mother with Alzheimers into assisted living in January. I was at part-time work until about the end of July because none of her affairs were in order. And Im still dealing with two attorneys, etc. even though Im close to full time work now. I would have had to quit a corporate job. But in the first half of the year there was absolutely no way I could have been doing anything related to my work for keeping up with my industry or anything else. I was up to 3 am, 5 am and more trying to sell my mothers home and everything else. I would not have been able to even think about online coursework because it frankly was not my top priority and I was exhausted. And I wouldnt include fully resolved because I think it then puts the reader in a slightly awkward position of assuming that mom or dad actually died. Christine Robinson, CPRW, ChristineRobinsonCPRW.com Jason, I try to be as straightforward as possible, composing a quote based on the clients circumstance. Also, I usually refer to it as a professional leave or career break because I feel the word sabbatical has some nuances that dont necessarily apply to every situation. I place the quote under the Professional Experience heading. 2012 to Oct. 2014: I took a professional leave to attend to my terminally ill brother; following his passing, I engaged in a variety of professional development opportunities to maintain credentials and volunteer roles to keep abreast of industry trends. You get the gist. It may be wordy and it may be slightly shocking, but on the other hand, it leaves nothing to the imagination of the reader. Plus, the dates will (ideally) be captured by ATS. Thanks to Don, Mary, Irene and Christine for sharing their thoughts if you have a different idea, please share it in the comments below!

6 Simple Ways To Find Inner Peace Amidst Chaos - Classy Career Girl

6 Simple Ways To Find Inner Peace Amidst Chaos Our life is put to the test when we are dealing with chaos. Whether youre stuck in horrible traffic and running late or you can’t find something youre looking for, your mind is in havoc. Chaos is inevitable. But what you need during a time like this is a calm mind, even though it may seem impossible to maintain any peace. Chaos comes with uncertainty, insecurities, fears and an inability to control the situation. That’s when you need to channel your inner peace to reduce stress. All that outer chaos merely represents our mental state, and by calming that chaos, our inner peace is found again. With all the drama and tension in everyday life, its hard to maintain peace amidst the challenges of life. 6 Simple Ways To Find Inner Peace Amidst Chaos 1. Take a Breather In a chaotic situation, one way to instantly trigger a calming response in a chaotic situation is by taking deep breaths. It works more efficiently than you think. When things start getting out of hand, what you need is a break â€" a break to breathe in fresh air and collect all your thoughts. Just go for a walk or sit quietly with your eyes closed and breathe deeply. At this moment you can be with yourself but also become aware of your thoughts. Once you regain clarity, you can get back to the situation at hand. 2. Visualize The Situation When you experience chaos, the first thing you need to do is to remain calm and visualize the situation. Envision the outcome you want, and spread down all the ideas you have. Visualize a situation that is a win-win for everyone or something with a more friendlier approach. This way, you wont jump to conclusions and make decisions that youd regret later. Always remember to stop and think. Taking a minute to organize your thoughts can help you handle the situation better. 3. Have Faith That Things Will Turn Out Okay Don’t give up as soon as chaos hits you. The best way to create peace in your life is to have faith and believe with conviction that everything will be okay. You just need to give it time and assess the situation and youll be able to see more clearly. There will always be a solution, so don’t let chaos scare you away. You may wonder how faith can help deal with the chaos, but it gives you the feeling of knowing things will be okay. Without you realizing it, faith can calm you down in a chaotic situation. 4. Focus On The Task At Hand Don’t clutter your mind with too many things at once. Step away from everything and keep your eyes and heart focused on one unique mission. Cling to your purpose in life, and don’t let the chaos get to you. Letting it get to you can disrupt your peace and dull your dazzle. Focus on how you can add value to the mission and how to improve your situation. If you let chaos take over, you will move away from your purpose. 5. Take A Break To Reconnect Sometimes, you work too much, and it starts to get to you. Thats when chaos strikes, even between work. Prompt your brain to take a break to do other things like listening to music or reading a book. Its a great way to de-stress and relax. And with your stress taken care of, you don’t need to worry about a chaotic situation. Use this time to reconnect with someone or do something that relaxes your body and mind, like yoga or meditation. When you get back to work, youll have a revitalized attitude from restoring yourself. 6. Find Your Place of Serenity No matter what chaotic situations you have to deal with, always have a few serenity triggers that can give you instant relaxation. They will help you find a peaceful place whenever the need arises. It could be exercise or just laughing with a group of friends. Having a light-hearted approach to the chaos can help you return to a tranquil place. These are a few simple ways in which you can find your inner peace amidst chaos. Don’t let chaos control you! Take charge of the situation. Whenever you feel a chaotic situation heading your way, act immediately to avoid triggering full-blown chaos. Just remember: everything will be okay!

How can I get a job in the Civil Service University of Manchester Careers Blog

How can I get a job in the Civil Service University of Manchester Careers Blog Written by Kim Bailey, Careers Consultant at the Careers Service What are the main routes into working for the Civil Service? Fast Stream The Fast Stream is described as the ‘fastest route to real leadership,’ and is typically a three year programme where you move round departments, working on varied projects. Sadie graduated from the University of Manchester in 2017 with BSc (Hons) Management and is now on the Project Delivery Fast Stream “The best thing about the Fast Stream is the wide variety of roles, teams and departments that you will be involved in, whilst being given responsibility to work on projects that make a real difference in society. My first placement was in HMRC working on the EU-EXIT Contingency Programme within Customs and Borders. Following this, I went on secondment to a women’s charity and became responsible for progressing their regional development strategy and opening a centre in a new city. The scheme is challenging due to the diversity of roles, but it is always rewarding and ensures I am continually developing new skills and capabilities.” Some of you may have applied for the Fast Stream last semester, but try not to be too downhearted if you didn’t get in this time, as the Fast Stream had 40,570 applications last year for 1,330 vacancies. It is very common for students to try again in subsequent years and have more chance of success with more work experience under their belts. If you want to apply in 2019, for a Sep/Oct 2020 start you can pre-register your details here https://www.faststream.gov.uk/ for a notification when the application window opens, which is highly recommended so you don’t miss out Direct Entry However, a less frequently known route is to enter the Civil Service by applying directly for a job here https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk. You may choose this route for many different reasons. Perhaps you want to ‘try before you buy’ and get some exposure to the Civil Service before you apply for the Fast Stream, or you want to gain more experience before applying for the Fast Stream a second time, which you can do as an internal candidate. Or perhaps the Fast Stream isn’t of interest to you and you want to know about alternatives. A little known fact is that once you get your foot in the door and get your first job at the Civil Service, all the internal vacancies will be open for you, meaning you can create your own path in the Civil Service, and move onto new jobs at a pace you are comfortable with. Ben is currently studying his MSc in International Disaster Management at the University of Manchester on a career break from the Civil Service, where he works in the Crown Commercial Service “For me, direct entry has worked perfectly. I wanted to develop a career in my own vision rather than on a set programme. Direct entry has allowed me to develop skills that will be crucial as I progress in my career, in commercial and project management, but also soft skills such as building relationships with your managers and colleagues, public speaking, and networking. Also, holding a permanent role has allowed me to become a specialist in my area of work and make great contacts in the sector. Importantly, building these strong relationships allowed me to take a year off to study for my Masters here at Manchester â€" if I was on the Fast Stream this may have been less certain. Direct entry is great if you are driven and want flexibility in your future options â€" if you put the work in, you can go to the very top â€" and the first step is to get your foot in the door!” Internships Keep your eye out for internships to gain experience! The Civil Service Fast Stream offers an Early Diversity Internship https://www.faststream.gov.uk/early-diversity-internship-programme/ and a Summer Diversity Internship Programme https://www.faststream.gov.uk/summer-diversity-internship-programme/ and you’ll need to check eligibility to apply. However, many departments across the entirety of the Civil Service offer internships too, but you’ll need to check https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk regularly to find them! Events on Campus Want some exposure to the Civil Service this semester? These two opportunities are open to all students! Foreign and Commonwealth Office Roadshow, 19 February 13:00-15:00 Would you like the opportunity to live and work overseas?  Would you like to work at the cutting edge of Government policy?  Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding career?  Then the FCO could be for you…! Panel Session with diplomats and FCO staff: 13.00-14.00 Informal networking opportunity and skills workshop: 14.00-15.00 Confirm your attendance here and use the following password: FCO@manchester2019 Behind the Black Door: Win a trip to Westminster, competition takes place on campus 06 March 13:00-17:00 but you need to APPLY by 22nd February Now into its fifth successive year, enter this competition to win a day in Westminster, exploring Britain’s corridors of power and meeting Senior Civil Service professionals. You’ll even get the chance to stand in front of the famous No.10 Downing Street door! Trip to be held during Easter break (date TBC) Working in teams, students will be given a real life government problem to solve and suggest a solution for. Apply as an individual or as a team of 5 people (no more, no less) by sending a written statement stating why you want to take part to events@manchester.ac.uk by midnight on Friday 22nd February (max 250 words for individuals, max 500 words for teams) Search CareersLink events, event ID 5126 for more information One of our former winners said: “I would sincerely recommend applying to this competition because it offers a great opportunity to understand what a career in the civil service entails and the variety of roles available. The trip to Downing Street is a great experience (particularly standing outside of No. 10). And the competition itself is interesting, thought-provoking, and fun”. All Careers advice civil service

Is Marketing Communications A Good Major Pros And Cons From An HR Expert - Algrim.co

Is Marketing Communications A Good Major Pro’s And Con’s From An HR Expert - Algrim.co Marketing and Communications has always been a major that students go into when they don’t have a clear path for their careers after graduation. This is what guidance counselors often suggest because “Communications” can encompass a lot of potential job functions and opportunities. So is “Marketing and Communications” still a good major? The short answer is that it absolutely is. But you need to understand what you’re getting into before you decide to major in this. Let’s take a look at the job outlook for marketing professionals, first. Marketing & Communications Job Outlook In general, based on a cumulative total of averages from the US Department of Labor, we are seeing marketing positions have an average of a 2% increase per year into 2020. This means that there is a growing number of jobs projected to be available. While this might not mean that it is easy to get a job because it doesn’t indicate how many recent graduates are going into the job market with a Marketing background, it does help to know that there are companies looking to employ professionals in this sector. What Types Of Jobs Are Hiring In The Marketing & Communications Profession (Recent Graduates) It’s vital to know what types of jobs are hiring in the marketing department. Primarily, marketing has moved to digital marketing. This means running PPC ads, running SEO campaigns, running display advertising campaigns and knowing how to integrate those into a unified strategy that impacts business objectives. Here are a few jobs that are in high-demand as it pertains to 2019 numbers and statistics: Product Marketing Specialists Product Marketing Managers Marketing Analyst General Marketing Specialist Marketing Director Marketing Assistant Direct of Digital Marketing Chief Marketing Officer These jobs are most commonly seen posted on job boards. Most notably a new type of position, the product marketing specialist. This is someone who has a keen understanding of knowing how to market digital products (software, SaaS products, digital forms of business). What Do These Jobs Pay On Average (Salary Ranges) It’s helpful to know the median average pay for these positions, so you can better judge how you might want to spend your college tuition as well as what to expect when you depart from your graduation. Here are the US median averages for the positions we spoke about: Product Marketing Specialists: $125,290 Product Marketing Managers: $91,300 Marketing Analyst: $63,000 General Marketing Specialist: $48,800 Marketing Director: $109,000 Marketing Assistant: $15 per hour Direct of Digital Marketing: $176,000 Chief Marketing Officer $175,900 While some of these numbers can be helpful for you to understand what compensation you might receive, it’s insightful to know that there is upside opportunities in your job search, as well. This includes the opportunity to advance yourself and become a director-level professional. Pro: Where You Might Work Is A Creative Environment When it comes to your work environment, one great pro to getting a degree in Marketing & Communications is that you’ll be able to work in creative environments. A majority of the environments that are hiring marketing professionals are either digital agencies or software organizations. These companies usually pride themselves on creating a collaborative and educational environment. These environments are conducive to those who want to accelerate their careers, learn quickly, and advance themselves. This is absolutely one of the major benefits of getting into this sector. Con: Higher Degrees Of Competition In This Sector A major con for this sector is that the competition is increasing. More specialists or young professionals who decided to hone in on their talents outside of the workplace are becoming common. And those individuals possess skills that you might not if you depend on your college education to teach you everything. You’ll need to find what makes you a unique candidate and how you might be able to position yourself in your future interviews as a unique talent, in order to land a job. The higher degrees of competition for this job function could also mean a more stagnated salary range for the foreseeable future. Meaning, more professionals who are willing to work at lower compensation rates, simply because there is a glut of professionals available in the market. What Schools Should You Attend For Marketing If you’re trying to figure out what school you should attend for marketing, it’s going to be a challenge because most schools offer it. The best advice I can provide is to think through what outcome you want for your career. What position do you think you want to start applying for? And what position is best for you? Once you have those answers, look up their average salaries. Use tools like Salary.com to help you with this research. Once you’ve done that, you might choose to go to a less expensive school so that you can save yourself from high student loans. U.S. News has put together a really helpful guide which outlines the best universities and private schools where you can attend for Business Programs such as Marketing & Communications. Other Perks Of Having A Job In Marketing Here are some perks that you wouldn’t know unless you’ve had years of experience working in a professional environment already. Perk #1: Marketing departments often have the largest budgets as it pertains to the business. This is helpful because, during times of stress on the business, marketing departments are often the ones who are the safest. Meaning, you have increased levels of job security. Perk #2: Marketing professionals are often highly respected in the work environment. Marketing is seen as a critical function of the business. This means that your executive leadership team will spend more time with you. That’s a benefit because it gives you more opportunities to learn. And more opportunity to advance yourself and your career. Perk #3: You’ll be exposed to all of the other departments. Marketing is absolutely a cross-functional position. That means you’ll have to interact with Product teams, legal teams, and all other teams in order to do your job effectively. This exposes you to a lot of portions of the business which can be a wonderful value for your career. Those are three of the top perks I would advise anyone to consider before they decide to get a major in Marketing & Communications. Is It Worth It? Should I Get My Major In Marketing? The answer is yes. Getting a major in marketing will help you no matter what. Even if you decide you’d like to go into engineering or some other form of job function, having a marketing background will be beneficial. And for the time being, at least into 2020, the Marketing & Communications major is still very transitional. This means that it can be a valid form of requirement for many types of job functions, even those that aren’t necessarily in the Marketing Department. Good luck with your career!

Ways of Writing Phone Number on Resume

Ways of Writing Phone Number on ResumeKnowing the ways of writing a phone number on resume is a vital for those who are having an intense and urgent business call and have to write down the details about the phone number they received. These details will play a very vital role in the interview process of the person you are trying to hire. The ability to write down the details in a well organized manner will surely help you get a good job opportunity. So let's discuss a few tips on how to write down the details about the phone number.o Start with a name - The very first thing you need to do is name the telephone number. You may use either first or last name. This is very important because it will create a link between the phone number and the real name of the individual. For instance, if you are getting the information from an answering machine, then you will not be able to get the name of the individual.o Next you need to look up the phone number - This is the most basic step in writ ing down the details of the phone number. You will be using the search engines like Google, Yahoo and Ask. If you don't know how to use the search engines then you can take the help of internet search by key words.o Go through your phone book or if you don't have one at home then you can go through the yellow pages of the phone book to find the number. But before doing this, you need to be careful as you will be using the wrong number.o By typing the number in the search engine you will be able to find out the owner of the number. So make sure that you input the correct telephone number in order to have a more accurate result. You need to type the same number as it was in the phone book.o After you find the details about the phone number you need to give the details about the number. This includes the carrier of the number, city and state. You can also include the area code.o With the information about the phone number you are going to write the details about the owner of the number . Now after the details have been given, you need to decide whether to include them in the resume or leave them out. If you leave them out, then you can try to consider a number search or a reverse cell phone lookup.Know these ways of writing the phone number on resume. It will help you get a good job opportunity.

Should I Explain in My Cover Letter Why I Was Laid Off - Sterling Career Concepts

Should I Explain in My Cover Letter Why I Was Laid Off Should I Explain in My Cover Letter Why I Was Laid Off? When writing cover letters, it’s best not to mention any facts that could be taken out of context or used against you. Stick to selling points about why you are a strong candidate for the role. Wait until the interview to get into explaining why you were laid off or left your last position. These conversations are best had as a two-way dialogue when you can explain yourself and address any questions or clarify any concerns.

Could A Career In Photography Be Perfect For You - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Could A Career In Photography Be Perfect For You The photography industry is booming, with more and more opportunities opening up every day. If you’ve always had an eye for taking beautiful photographs, a role in the photography industry could be perfect for you. The great thing about this type of career being that there are limitless possibilities when it comes to what sector you can work in. Every industry needs photographers, from the wedding planning industry to journalism. Believe it or not, there’s not one sector that doesn’t require photographers. So whether your passion is capturing sport’s images or taking beautiful family snaps, a role as a photographer could be ideal. Want to know more about what a role in photography would entail and how to be successful? Then keep reading, for everything that you need to know. What skills do you need? Like with any role, to become a successful photographer, you will need to have a certain set of skills. You’ll need to have a unique and creative flare; you’ll need to be technically minded, and you will need to be patient. If you plan on working with people for example, as in as a wedding or family photographer, you will need to be a good communicator. You will also need to have the ability to help people relax. Depending on the industry that you go into, such as journalism, for example, you may need to perfect certain skills. However, you can pick those up as you go along. What are your career options? You have two options when it comes to working in photography; these are to work for a company or to work for yourself. Most photographers choose to work for themselves by starting their own businesses. However, if you’d prefer more stability, you could consider working for a company instead. For instance, businesses need photographers to capture products for their advertisements. Magazines, newspapers, and blogs need photographers to take photos for their stories. Larger photography studios often need photographers. There’s plenty of options to choose from, it’s just a case of finding a role that suits you. How can you get the training/experience that you need? Of course, before you can start looking at roles, you need to get the training and experience that you need. The best place to start your career is with a photography course. This can be a general course or a niche one, depending on whether you know what area you want to work in. If for example, you want to become a wedding photographer, it makes sense to take a specific wedding photography course. However, if you’re unsure about the sector you want to go into, it’s best to take a general one that way you cover all bases. What area would you specialise in? Lastly, take the time to think about if there’s an area that you would like to specialise in. There may not be one, it all depends on what your hobbies and interests are. If for example, you’re a sports fanatic, then a career in sports photography could be ideal for you. If you love kids, working as a family photographer could be perfect. Whatever your hobbies, there’s sure to be a type of role that suits you, it’s just a case of finding it. You dont have to specialise right away, but in time, it pays to do so. This is because specialist photographers tend to get paid more than normal ones. The photography industry is booming, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities available. Get your training right and choose a sector to work in that you love, and you’re sure to be a success.