Ask most workers how they feel about vacation, and they’ll tell you they don’t get enough time off – unless they’re one of those curious souls who seems to prefer toiling to time at the beach. Of course, things are not always what they seem: an apparent workaholic might be someone who fears losing her job, or whose workload seems too heavy to permit even a few days’ reprieve. This week’s roundup looks at what managers can do to help reports feel comfortable taking a much-needed vacation; plus, the things we’re most likely to regret when we’re older, and the important differences between a resume and LinkedIn profile.
(Photo Credit: koalasandco/Flickr)
Alison Green at Ask a Manager: How Do I Get My Report to Take Vacation?
This might seem like a nice problem to have: a reader writes in to Green to ask, “How can I get an employee to take a full week of vacation?”
The details:
I’ve been a manager for 10 years, and have one employee who has not had an entire week off for over eight years. About two years ago, I started to encourage her to take PTO, and she often takes off Fridays. However, she has yet to take a whole week off, and this does not seem right to me. I’ve asked HR, and the company does not have rules around this. HR tells me I cannot require her to take a week off. She has banked about six weeks of PTO, and just takes enough off not to lose any. The latest wrinkle is that the company has lost a major contract, and I may not have another staffer next year to fill in while she is out. I would really like her to take an entire week off sometime – any time! – this calendar year. Can you give me any advice about how to seriously encourage this?
If you’re a manager, you probably know why the reader is concerned – no matter how much a dedicated employee loves their job, they can’t do it 24/7/365, without running into burnout sooner or later. Green’s advice will help you navigate this tricky problem, even if HR isn’t willing to intervene.
Jamie Lynn Neal at Journey to No Regrets: The 14 Things You’ll Regret When You’re Older
Not quitting a terrible job: I stuck around in a terrible job way longer than I should of. DON’T DO IT – the paycheck isn’t worth your sanity.
Not all of the regrets on Neal’s list are career-related, but all of them are worth considering – and avoiding – if you want a happy life, at home and at work.
Don Goodman at Careerealism: 4 Things Employers Look For In LinkedIn and Resume Comparison
Most employers will go beyond your resume to see what the internet has to tell them about your skills and experience. If you’re on LinkedIn, chances are that hiring managers will eventually get to scanning your profile – and what they’re looking to see is something far beyond the bulleted lists of accomplishments on your CV.
For example, they’ll be looking for expertise.
“Anyone can write on their resume that they have over 10 years of experience in the field of XYZ, but does that really mean you have expertise and knowledge of the practice?” writes Goodman. “Employers will be looking at recommendations received, endorsements to specific skills, groups you’ve joined and even links to any published content you have. In particular, someone with a lot of recommendations and skills endorsements will be contacted first.”
Read on to see what else they’ll be looking for.
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This article gives some good tips on how you can get your employees to use their vacation time http://bit.ly/1O21rFF