Guru

This week’s guru

Sticky-backed plastic addicts need not apply

Guru was pleased to learn that the EU wants to introduce a standardised
European CV, which will make it easier for employers to recruit from other
countries.

A survey into CVs by recruitment website forum3 shows the introduction of a
standard CV format is much overdue. It reveals that some UK jobseekers list
irrelevant achievements such as Blue Peter badges among their qualifications.

One jobhunter included a picture of his DIY bathroom as evidence of his
initiative and another sent his half-torn wedding photo to highlight his
divorced marital status.

David Lale, MD of forum3, said: "Many people go into too much depth and
have superficial facts that are simply irrelevant."

Guru agrees but obviously really vital information – like his 1999 Train
Spotter of the Year Award (northern district) – can only help an employer make
the right choice.

Skills monopoly which bypass Go

The importance of ensuring staff are trained to do all aspects of their job
was brought home to Guru last week when a flight from Newcastle to a foggy
Stansted had to be diverted because one of the two pilots was not trained to
land when visibility was less than 200 metres.

Guru has always been a nervous flyer so sympathises with the passengers who
were understandably unhappy with the situation.

A spokesman for Go explained both pilots had to be trained to land in poor
visibility to touch down in fog which was why the plane eventually landed at
East Midlands airport.

Guru is not impressed – he would have thought landing in poor visibility is
one of the more basic piloting skills for the UK.

Teutonic workers caught napping

Guru was disappointed to learn that the Nasa research he highlighted last
week, which claims a 45-minute power nap can significantly boost staff
performance, is already old hat in Germany.

Apparently the German Institute for Sleep Research has been arguing the
benefits of siestas for some time.

Not only are companies providing quiet areas and sofabeds for staff to lay
their weary heads but apparently Regensburg University has opened a sleep
school to teach employees how to relax.

Maybe the German economy is no longer the envy of Europe because our
Teutonic cousins are so busy sleeping or learning how to sleep.

Employment rights extend to animals

Guru welcomed plans to extend the
Working Time Regulations to ensure all working animals, excluding police and
armed forces animals, which count as serving officers for the purposes of the
law, will soon be entitled to regulated work breaks.

The current edition of our sister magazine Occupational Health
outlines the new regulations, which mean keepers and handlers are responsible
for ensuring their animals receive proper breaks during the working day.

All organisations which use working animals will also need to
have an occupational health service or access to one.

Under the separate EU Living Animals Directive the word
‘mongrel’ should not be used in reference to any cross-bred creature and the
term ‘bitch’ should only be applied to females of certified pedigree.

All very sensible Guru thought until the penny dropped and he
realised he was reading the 1 April issue of OH magazine.