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Category: Career

Craft a better résumé for 2011

Lose your job, and it will take about nine months to get another one, reports The New York Times. You might just shave some time from the process by updating your résumé now. A few tips: Embrace technology; avoid overused words that make you blend in; differentiate yourself by replacing the summary.

Think twice about quitting in a huff

In the world of baseball recently, the manager of the Washington Nationals suddenly resigned. The Nationals had just beaten the Seat­tle Mariners when Jim Riggleman quit. If you’re considering quitting your job, Riggleman’s case of­­fers at least three things to consider:

Take 5 minutes a day to work smarter

Peter Bregman consults and writes about achieving your priorities by finding your focus. “I believe that most of us get smarter as we get older,” Bregman says. “But somehow, despite that, we often make the same mistakes.” Here’s a five-minute strat­­egy for getting smarter every day:

Staying in the moment

You may be thinking about stepping into a supervisory role or onto a more exciting team, but the best way to grab that shiny prize is not to focus on it during day-to-day work and conversations:

When the work isn’t reward enough

Think carefully about taking on increased responsibilities if a raise isn’t in the offing, advises Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. Consider requesting a compensation review in six months or discussing other perks. Hosking identifies five beyond-pay incentives:

Wednesday is dine-out day

Are you eating out of the office on Wednesday? Emily Pines and Inna Kurbatsky, of the Take Back Your Lunch campaign, are pushing for workers to schedule lunch outside the office at least one day a week during summer.

Your admin guide to summer reading

Round out the summer with one (or more) of these book selections ideal for admins: Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power; Making Peace With Your Office Life; Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire; What Men Don’t Tell Women About Business; Back to School for Grownups.

Get paid what you deserve

If you suspect you’re underpaid, the topic is worth broaching with your boss. But build your case first. Five guidelines: 1.  Check online salary calculators. 2.  Leave co-workers out of it. 3.  Realize need isn’t a credible reason for a raise. 4.  Quantify your worth. 5.  Seek creative solutions.

Tallying OT? A new app for that

Before you go to court with a claim that you’ve been shortchanged on payment for overtime hours, you’ll first have to prove how many hours you actually worked. Proving it just got easier, though, thanks to a powerful new Timesheet app for smartphones from the DOL.