Avoid using lunch hour for work

Published on Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009

With the growing fad of grabbing a quick bite on the go or even working right through your lunchtime, most people can be forgiven for growling, “Lunch hour? What’s that?”

Well, truth is that the lunch hour still exists, though many companies have taken to cutting the actual duration.

And apart from eating lunch, there is much more you can squeeze into the allotted time.

Contrary to what this appears like, we in no way commend beating the recession demands by making the lunchtime an extension of your work. Conversely, you should make it a point to respect the almost inviolable ‘sanctity’ of your midday break.

This is a time to relax and relieve at least some of the stress of the otherwise totally hectic work schedules. And this is possible only when you get away from that binding desk of yours! No more tapping away at the keyboard, browsing the Internet, checking emails or taking calls while you gobble down your food.

In other words, the golden rule is, never ever lunch at your desk.

Next, actually sit down in the cafeteria or some other relaxing place and savour your meal.

Slowly enjoy the respite sans your laptop, files or notes to spoil the pleasure. Some experts actually advocate scheduling your regular lunch hour on your calendar to make sure that you are left undisturbed.

Apart from relishing your lunch, there are ways in which you can creatively maximise the limited free time at your disposal.

Step out – Like most employees, you are most likely stuck indoors all day. So, the lunch hour is your only chance to escape the confining brick walls. Stepping out for a few minutes of fresh air in the park or walking down to your favourite restaurant will do much to recharge your batteries. Else, the least you can do is step into the hallway or balcony as you chat with a friend or colleague.

Again, ensure that the conversation is strictly non-work.

Pack your own lunch – Most people habitually head straight for the nearest cafeteria or vending machine as they munch-and-rush through the food. Not only do you waste precious time waiting for your turn in serpentine queues, but such a meal is also loaded with excessive salt and calories. The end-result is a drowsy mind and unproductive body that is incapable of getting much done.

Instead, why not spend a few minutes on packing a low fat and low carbohydrate lunch for yourself in the morning? You can choose varied healthy options like grilled food, whole grains, sandwiches, salads and fruits that will keep you alert and productive.

Start a lunch group – Try to lunch together with a group of friends/co-workers where you can relax and enjoy your food over some friendly banter. Again, strictly steer clear of work-related topics. If you have to talk about work, try to be positive and let the creative juices flow as you explore ideas or discuss how to tackle problems.

Catch your beauty sleep – Many employers have also started believing that a short nap during the day leaves employees feeling quite refreshed.

Published on Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009

So, if you get a chance, curl up for a catnap. Else, you can even while the time by reading a book or listening to your iPod – a sure shot way to break the work tension and return to work feeling invigorated.

Running errands – Some people deem that the lunch hour is the perfect time to finish personal errands like paying bills, buying groceries or making phone calls.

While this does hold true, do keep in mind that the running around can often leave you more tired than usual.

So, keep in mind that the lunch hour is your personal space where you can disconnect from work and de-stress yourself.

Try the above simple tips and you will surely slide back into your cubicle with greater concentration, motivation, positivity and efficiency in tow.

As a top consultant and trainer puts it, “That 30-60 minutes can really give a much-needed break and be very beneficial to those you work for and for yourself!”

PAYAL CHANANIA

Keep your e-resume in popular format only

Published on Wednesday, Mar 04, 2009

In today’s information age, online resumes have become the new job search standard everywhere. A well-written e-resume - with the information stored in a database and available in multiple formats - is a vital and dynamic tool for jobseekers.

What’s more, with most of the employee hiring moving to the cyberspace and many companies actually requiring candidates to apply online for their open positions, an electronic resume is an absolute necessity for those seeking employment.

As writers Susan Whitcomb and Pat Kendall emphasise in their book,E-Resumes: Everything You Need to Know about Using Electronic Resumes to Tap into Today’s Job Market, “It’s nearly impossible to conduct a job search these days without some type of e-resume. In fact, it’s a safe assertion that the only job-seekers who won’t need an e-resume are those who want to work for an employer that doesnotown a computer!”

Yet, there is no need to panic for our not-so-net-savvy friends, as an online resumedoes not differ much from the traditional one. The major variation lies in the mode of delivery – over the Internet as opposed to the usual post or fax. Besides, not only is an e-resume easy to build and timesaving, it is also the most impressive way to share, manage, track and update your professional minutiae.

The online resume opens the door to a versatile set of options. You can use it in different ways like emailing to an employer (as an attachment or in the body of the email), submitting applications for job openings on company websites or uploading it as your own personal web page.

You can also post it on various job portals either in its entirety or piece-by-piece based on the profile forms. These job board databases are searched daily by thousands of employers, providing mind-boggling exposure to infinite employment opportunities.

Formats

The web provides new and more effective means of processing and working with resumes. The basic format is a text-based (ASCII) resume. It is developed in a text-editor with plain text sans any formatting, like the text in an email. This is the most-widely used format as it can easily be emailed or posted on job boards.

If you are using a word processor, like Microsoft Word, it is advisable to skip the formatting of varied fonts, indents or rule lines as it may end up quite disfigured when posted. Keep it content-driven without any appealing formatting or graphics. But you can still make it look fetching by using different headings, bullet points or emphasising with capital letters.

To cover every contingency, net-savvy users prefer to create various formats like Rich Text (RTF), Portable Document Format (PDF) and Web-based (HTML).The HTML web page version is visually pleasant and helps you to control the layouts, colours, margins, tables, links and several other items on the web page. But the fallout is that it can display quite differently based on the type of browser and other settings.

Even the PDF format offers embedded documents with improved formatting for viewing text images, more like a graphical picture. But again it requires specific software for viewing.

Yet, there is no universal resume format as many companies have a rigid setup and accept only specific file formats like Microsoft Word or HTML, rejecting other versions outright. If there is no specific mention, it is best to send a word document as an attachment. But make sure that you name the document with your own name to avoid any confusing mix-ups.

As such, an online resume does not have to be limited to the traditional one or two pages format and can also demonstrate skill development and growth over the course of your career. But be careful as companies and even job boards often limit the number of words and file size.

You can either develop your own resume with the help of the abundant resume layouts, styles, templates and other writing tips available on the web. Else, hire the services of resume writers to create a professional and efficient one.

By now it’s quite clear that an online resume is an utter must-have – the best way to toot your horn and realise your full potential. But while it’s true that employers prefer to receive electronic resumes and most paper-based ones are immediately consigned to the dustbin; you still cannot afford to completely do away with it. In fact, experts constantly exhort that candidates should always print out their resumeand carry hard copies to job fairs and interviews.

PAYAL CHANANIA