New workplace pension laws What you need to know

New workplace pension laws What you need to know by Michael Cheary It’s no secret that workplace pensions are one of the best ways to save for the future.In order that no employee misses out, a new pension auto-enrolment system was introduced in 2012 to provide employees with an easy, hassle-free way to save into work ­place pensions, and to ensure that employers contribute too.If you are eligible and aren’t already paying into your company’s pension plan, your employer must automatically enrol you into a scheme.Not sure how you’ll be affected? We spoke to Legal General’s Peter Elliott, who explains the key things you need to know about auto-enrolment:EligibilityIf you’re aged between 22 and the state pension age, work in the UK, don’t belong to a pension scheme already and earn more than £10,000 a year then you are eligible for auto-enrolment.By now many people will already be signed up to their employer’s scheme, but if your company only employs a small number of people you might be among those yet to be enrolled. Companies of all sizes must have enrolled their employees into schemes by 2018. There is more information on enrolment on the GOV.UK website. You can opt out of the scheme if you want to, but remember that if you do this you won’t benefit from your employer’s contributions.How auto-enrolment worksOnce in the scheme, you make regular contributions from your salary and your employer pays in too.  This will contribute to your personal pension pot to provide for your retirement.You’ll also get tax relief on your contributions, which makes your money go a little further.By 2018, assuming you don’t opt-out, it’ll be compulsory for an amount equal to at least 8 per cent of your qualifying earnings to be put into your pension. Your qualifying earnings is the amount you earn before tax up to a current maximum limit of £42,385 per year and less the lower earnings threshold of £5824; limits change at the start of every tax year. At least 3 per cent of this must be paid by your employer.Remember, you can always choose to pay more than the minimum and your employer may also offer more generous contributions as part of their benefits package.Moving jobsIf you’re changing jobs, don’t worry, your previous pension won’t suddenly disappear. You may be able to combine your old pension with your new one.However there may be fees involved in a transfer so it’s worth asking for independent financial advice before going ahead.Tracking your pensionThe pension company will provide you with a personal statement once a year showing how your pot is progressing, and will usually provide a secure online account management facility so you can monitor it 24/7.If you think you may have a pension with a previous employer, contact the Pension Tracing Service and they’ll try and find it for you.For more information, download Legal General’s free eBook, Rough Guide to Work and Money at www.roughguidefinance.com to find out more useful tips on how to minimise y our workplace costs and make the most of your benefits.  For more news from Legal General, follow them on Twitter  @landg_ukFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the Salaries

Medical Receptionist Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Medical Receptionist Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Medical Receptionist Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

Behavior-Based Interviewing (Part 1)

Behavior-Based Interviewing (Part 1) Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century. Perelman The proliferation of books and consultants ready to prep candidates for the traditional interview process has many employers working on getting away from the “usual”   questions.  Ask any candidate worth his or her salt what her greatest weakness is, and you’re likely to get a response that goes something like this:  â€œI sometimes struggle with getting too involved in my work.   I have to force myself to take time off and relax occasionally.”   Surely a weakness any potential employer could live with. With traditional interview questions becoming stale, many recruiters believe that behavioral-based interviewing   (BBI) is the key to predicting how a candidate would perform on the job and fit into the organization. The driving concept behind BBI is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. BBI has been around since the late 1970s.   Industrial psychologists studied the effectiveness of traditional interviews and concluded that they arent very effective in predicting a candidate’s ability to do a job. The questions are often hypothetical. Job candidates end up giving hypothetical answers that sound great but arent a true representation of what they would do in real work situations. An example of a traditional question might be: How would you address an angry customer? It isnt difficult to figure out what the interviewer probably wants to hear, so candidates end up saying something like, I would politely ask them to tell me the problem, then I would offer my assistance in solving the problem. That doesnt sound too bad, but it doesnt represent what someone would actually do in that situation. The primary difference between traditional and behavioral based interviewing is that traditional interviewing asks generalized questions such as, “What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?” while BBI asks for specific examples from the recent past, such as: Give me an example of a time recently when you needed to adjust quickly. What did you do and how did it turn out?  Next:   How to handle the BBI.   Structure your answers for maximum impact in your next interview.

10 Last-Minute, Low-Budget Gifts for Recruiters

10 Last-Minute, Low-Budget Gifts for Recruiters You dont always outlay money and buy people gifts to show your appreciation. Sometimes, a genuine thank you, personalised email or phone-call is really all it takes to  make someone feel special (warm fuzzy).  Agency recruiters are hard workers and arent the type to expect gifts, anyway. However, if youre working with an excellent recruiter or have a colleague you simply couldnt bare to not have by your side, a little gift might catch them by (pleasant) surprise and is a really nice way to show you notice the value they add  to your career.  Stuck for ideas with  a relatively modest budget?  Check out these 10 simple ideas: 1. Table pot plant A bit of greenery  is usually a very welcome addition to someones workplace! If you think they have the time to look after a live one, go for that (just make sure you pick a species that survives indoor environments). Another alternative is a fake pot plant, which while it wont omit any fresh odour, will still brighten a desk up, without the maintenance! 2. Chocolate This one speaks for itself. And Im not talking about just a standard chocolate bar here. People arent really used to going and  buying themselves a gourmet selection of chocolate treats for the office, so delectable cocoa concoctions  tend to make for great, indulgent gifts. 3. Stationery While recruiters spend hour after hour in the office, stationery tends to be a bit whatever goes. Recruiters are forever needing to jot down quick notes, attend meetings and file bits and pieces away so why not go for  some nice notepads, pens or folders, that have a pattern on them you know theyll like, based on their personality? 4. Coffee mug Recruiters tend to be huge coffee and tea drinkers it kind of comes with the territory. No one likes using a stained old mug from the kitchen cupboard so why not buy your recruiter a nice mug for their desk? You can personalise it if you really want to go for it or even get  one with a biscuit holder. How cool? 5. Bottle of wine Sometimes its nice to receive a carefully chosen bottle of wine. Its an easy thing that will always be used probably sooner rather than later! 6. Tea-light candle There is always room for a candle, whether be on someones desk, or at home somewhere. Go for the ones with really nice smelling fragrances like chair spice or vanilla coconut! 7.  Hot water bottle When the weather outside is frightful, why not make their desk time delightful? A hot water bottle is the perfect thing to keep recruiters warm in the office in the colder months. For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere experiencing a heat wave, why not opt for a desk fan instead? You know, one of the battery-operated ones you can clip onto the side of your computer? 8. Cinema  vouchers Everyone loves going to the cinema! Cinema vouchers will always get used, and fit nicely in a card, so youll save $$$ on wrapping paper. Bonus! 9. Cookbook With online recipe sites and cooking hubs, people are less likely to go out and buy themselves a brand new cookbook, leaving a great opportunity open for you! Go the extra mile and grab them a cook book stand as an extra, so they can choose their favourite page and have it open on their kitchen bench as a feature piece. 10.  Puzzles Recruiters often spend a lot of time on long conference calls on the phone, which can result in severe levels of boredom. Why not opt for a jig-saw puzzle that they can keep at their desk, or something else to keep them entertained / mesmerised? Perhaps you could opt for a Rubiks cube or Newtons Cradle. I do hope these gift ideas help. Have any other ideas? Let us know in the comments or tweet me!

4 Steps to Building a Killer Résumé

4 Steps to Building a Killer Résumé I have reviewed a ton of résumés over my 33+ year career as an executive leader; most of them are not very well done; they all look the same.Most people research the templates that are out there and select the boiler plate they think is the best. This normally means the one that is the quickest and easiest to complete!evalThere are two “moments of truth” when you submit your résumé to an organization.The first is when the human resources folks get it. This is the 3rd party bottleneck you must pass through if you want a shot at the person who is filling the position. HR people don’t really have a detailed knowledge of what the position requires. They are assessing the incoming résumés from a position outline provided by the hiring manager. How is your résumé going to capture the HR guy’s attention if it doesn’t stand out from the others; if it isn’t special and unique in some way?The second moment of truth is when the hiring manager gets your résumé and decides w hether or not to invite you in for an interview. Now the scrutiny is at a much more granular level in terms of your background and qualifications. Again, if your résumé is no different than everyone else’s why should you earn the right to a face to face meeting?Before you engage with any organization to explore opportunities, you need a résumé strategy.The process most people use is to shop their look-alike résumé around to the organizations that appear to have an opportunity available. They flog themselves with the hope that their capabilities will somehow resonate with the recipient. This approach has a low probability of success.Here are the 4 steps to develop your résumé strategy:1. Be clear on your TARGET MARKET; those organizations that you are interested in whether they have a current opening or not. Name them; be as specific as you can.?2. RESEARCH each organization thoroughly. Determine as best you can what their strategy is; the challenges they face. This will gi ve you insights on the skills and competencies they may require.?3. Build a CUSTOMIZED version of your résumé for EACH organization you approach. Don’t flog your boiler plate résumé to as many organizations as you can. It’s about customizing a version of your résumé that addresses the specific needs of each company and the attributes they require. If you are interested in 10 companies, you should prepare 10 versions of your resume.?4. Answer the question “WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?” This is always the killer question given the many other people interested in the same opportunity. The answer can’t be vague. It should declare as specifically as possible why YOU and no one else should be recruited. It can’t be, for example, “I have significant marketing experience”; many others could (and will) make the same claim. The way to do this is to create your personal ONLY Statement: “I am the ONLY one that…” (http://www.bedifferentorbedead.com/blog/item/257). This will clearly communicate the unique value you offer relative to others.?Remember, you are marketing yourself; your résumé must make you stand-out in the crowd.

Alternative Career Options for When You Want to Escape the 9-5 - CareerAlley

Alternative Career Options for When You Want to Escape the 9-5 - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Are you staring at your computer screen, stuck in a dingy office, counting the seconds till the clock strikes 5pm? Have you been daydreaming of[easyazon_link asin=0060393084 locale=US new_window=default nofollow=default tag=caree07-20 add_to_cart=default cloaking=default localization=default popups=default]alternative careers[/easyazon_link] where you can escape the daily grind, and really throw yourself into something new, fresh and exciting? If youre desperate to escape the monotony of 9-5, but think every job is the same; think again. There are a whole host of weird and wonderful alternative career options that wave goodbye to set working hours, the constraints of an office, and the ever-depressing same old, same old. And the best thing? Most of these jobs arent looking for a whole host of qualifications and experience in the field; theyre just looking for passionate folk who are ready to take on whatever challenges get thrown their way. Here, we take a look at five of these alternative career options that can help you escape the 9-5: 1. Become a carer If youre caring, compassionate and crave to make a difference; a job in care in the perfect career. This career path goes well beyond the 9-5, and you can rest assured that no two days are the same. Whats more, you can spend your days transforming the lives of vulnerable children and adults in your area. If youre looking to escape the 9-5, there really is nothing better. A job in care can also take many forms, which is way its such a sought after career option for so many people. For example; if you wanted to bring the laughter of a child into your home and help improve a childs quality of life, you could become a foster carer. With generous fees and training included; its a surprise that so few people view fostering as a career option. Parenting is a full on, 24/7 career but is a great way to develop new skills and escape the 9-5. If fostering isnt for you, you could consider a career in a residential home, or even providing respite or domiciliary care for the elderly. These are just some options you could explore, but these jobs are certainly a far cry from the 9-5 grind. Obtaining a Master degree in Social Work online will open several more doors for you. Not only will you be viewed as an expert in the field (and thus far more likely to be hired by any potential employers) but youll also learn more skills on the way. If you already work a 9-5 job, but dont have a way to escape just yet, then consider online school, as youll be able to balance your education with working. In a couple years, youll be a certified expert and capable of applying to a plethora of carer positions with a resume and cover letter anyone would be proud of. 2. Teach English abroad Another way you can kiss goodbye to your office job and experience a completely different world would be to teach English abroad. Not just for graduates and gap year students, working abroad opens up a whole host of opportunities. You can escape your desk job and set working hours, for a new country and culture; you can meet a diverse range of people, and really enrich your life. You can choose to work in just about any location imaginable, and as long as you have people skills and a good grasp of the English language you could be considered for a role in this field. Take a look at the TEFL website for support, advice, and guidance on taking your first steps in this new career. 3. Dog walker Our third and final alternative career option for those looking to escape the 9-5 routine is to become a dog walker. So many families that own dogs struggle to give them the adequate walks they need; after all, this clashes fiercely with their own 9-5 office job. If you love animals, fresh air, and fancy giving your neighbours a helping hand; this could be ideal. While you will need to do some groundwork initially to build up the client base, this could be a hugely rewarding career or addition to a part time or freelance job. Just make sure youre business savvy, in-tune with dogs, and completely dedicated yes, you still need to work even if theres a blizzard outside. If youre interested in becoming a professional dog walker, working your own hours, and spending your day looking after peoples pampered pooches; check out this article on WikiHow for some top tips on getting started. These are just a small proportion of the amazing jobs out there that break the 9-5 mould. If youre looking to escape the office, why not look into trying something completely different with one of these great careers? Core Assets Fostering is a leading childrens Organisation, offering careers in childcare for those looking to foster children. Also take a look at 9 Reasons Why I Wont Hire You We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by

Chief executive optimist - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Chief executive optimist - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Kareem Mayan emailed me to say that he couldnt believe hed never heard of Life Is Good, a company whose founders Bert and John Jacobs go by the respective titles chief executive optimist and chief creative optimist. I cant believe I havent either, but now that theres a great article about them in inc magazine, I have. From the article: Sixteen years ago they hawked $10 T-shirts featuring their own artwork from a card table on the corner, making themselves scarce whenever the cops swung past. Its a one-way street so one of us could always keep watch, says Bert Jacobs, who is now 41, the older brother by three years. We had a folding table so we could pack up quickly. Its great to hear the founders of a $100 million business saying things like: Dont determine that youre going to be happy when you get the new car or the big promotion or when you meet that special person, explains John. You can decide that youre going to be happy today. John also points out that the assertion is, in fact, a modest one. Its important that were saying Life is good, not Life is great or Life is perfect,' he says. Theres a big difference. We know that there are lots of bad things in the world. But overall life is good. You have to focus on the good things and help others to focus on the good things. I agree, life IS good :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related