Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report

Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full ReportThe 2015 ASME ISHOW welches held across three continents, in Pune, India, in Washington, DC, and in Nairobi, Kenya. Between 9 and 12 teams competed as finalists in each city. Three teams in each location won, receiving a share of $50,000 and intensive coaching in Product and Engineering Design.Hardware-based products presented by ISHOW teams were designed to solve problems in water distribution, farming, healthcare delivery, the supply of off-grid energy, and internet infrastructure in remote areas. Teams ranged from student entrepreneurs to seasoned engineers driven by a deep passion to help individuals and communities facing poverty, digital and physical isolation, and shortages of food and clean water.Teams traveled far, and included competitors from Cambodia and Indonesia, and from all across India, Africa and the Unit ed States.Learn about the winners in each of the three cities.The ISHOW video was produced and directed by Roger Torda, ASME Public Information.

The Flying Coffins of World War II

The Flying Coffins of World War II The Flying Coffins of World War II The Flying Coffins of World War IIAmericas first military stealth aircraft the Waco CG-4A combat glider silently soared into World War II history 70 years ago, powered only by the prevailing winds and the guts of the men who flew them.Under veil of darkness on D-Day and other major Allied airborne assaults, the Waco glider carried troops and materiel behind enemy lines to take out key enemy defenses and transportation links. These humble gliders engineless and unarmed overcame perilous odds to make the first cracks in Hitlers Fortress Europe. Yet their story is an obscure chapter in the Allied victory saga.Their moment in the spotlight of military aviation welches fleeting. But in the pre-helicopter age, combat gliders represented the state-of-the-art in stealth, landing precision, and hauling capacity.Inside the Flying CoffinsFlying coffins. Tow targets. Pilots and glider-borne infantry had colorful and well-e arned nicknames for their ungainly planes. But according to at least one veteran flight officer, the most common moniker for the combat glider welches way off base Silent Wings.Inside the cockpit of the Waco GC-4A combat glider.For us it was louder than hell, said pilot Donald MacRae, who flew troops into battle on D-Day and in the invasion of The Netherlands. The gliders spartan construction provided no insulation from the roar of the C-47 tow planes engines, the pounding of the natural elements, and the din of enemy anti-aircraft fire, he said.MacRae, who flew with the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 316th Troop Carrier Group, said the glider had few provisions for passengers safety and none for their comfort. There were four basic instruments on the control panel, which the pilots mistrusted. Air pockets and 40-mph winds created violent turbulence. Enemy fire on descent was constant, and many pilots were taken out before they could land.Diagram of the Waco GC-4A combat glider. With no parachutes onboard, glidermen took pain to protect their pilots. According to MacRae, Some of the guys found an extra flak jacket for me not to wear but to sit on. They didnt want anything coming up from underneath the plane to hit anything vital.Expendable by DesignThe CG-4A fuselage was 48 feet long and constructed of steel tubing and segeltuchschuh skin. Its honeycombed plywood floor could support more than 4,000 pounds, approximately the gliders own empty weight. It could carry two pilots and up to 13 troops, or a combination of heavy equipment and small crews to operate it. The nose section could swing up to create a 5 x 6-foot cargo door of Jeeps, 75-mm howitzers, or similarly sized vehicles.A restored WACO GC-4A.With a wingspan of 83.5 feet, the Waco maxed out at 150 mph when connected to its tow plane. Once the 300-ft length of 1-inch nylon rope was cut, typical gliding speed was 72 mph.The Waco Aircraft Company of Troy, OH, a niche manufacturer of civilian airplane s, won the contract to design and build Americas first combat glider. Big names like Ford, along with a dozen or so smaller firms, also won glider contracts, but only if they werent already producing powered aircraft for the war effort. With more than 70,000 parts to assemble and with little or no standardization, some manufacturers produced a few duds, with sometimes tragic results.The wide range of expertise among these contractors, as well as an early lack of standardization of the 70,000-plus individual parts, caused pilots and mechanics no shortage of headaches and more than a few tragedies.MacRae recalls an incident that nearly scrapped the glider program less than a year before its D-Day triumph. In August 1943, a Saint Louis-based contractor invited the citys mayor and other dignitaries to experience the excitement of a glider flight before an airshow audience of 5,000. Aghast spectators watched as a glider abruptly lost a wing at 2,000 feet and crashed in front of the grand stand, killing all onboard. After ruling out sabotage, investigators traced the cause of the crash to a faulty bolt provided by a subcontractor in the coffin business.It Is a Chastening ExperienceOf the 6,000 men trained as glider pilots, some had washed out of conventional pilot training and were given a second chance to fly. Others, like MacRae, had a civilian pilot license but were passed over for powered flight training. The possibility of officers pay and the chance to fly attracted a particular breed of risk-tolerant trainees, and the glider pilots maverick reputation quickly spread. Gen. James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, lamented the pilots demeanor. But he also recognized the audacity of landing a glider in combat. It is a chastening experience. It gives a man religion, he said.Germany was well prepared for a glider invasion of Normandy. Beachheads were guarded by anti-aircraft guns. Likely landing zones were saturated with Rommels asparagus a glider-sma shing network of 10-foot poles wired together with explosives.For MacRae, his tow plane lost an engine and threatened to cut the troop-laden glider loose over the English Channel. After tense negotiations, the C-47 pilot agreed to wait until land was in sight. MacRae landed safely, but about 25 miles shy of the intended landing zone. His troops went off to find a fighting unit, and he eventually found his way back to his base in England. I never found out what happened to my squad or the tow plane crew, he said.Every glider pilot had at least one story of that long trip back to safety. After delivering his troops 90 miles behind enemy lines in the famous A Bridge Too Far invasion of The Netherlands, MacRae hit the road through no-mans land with limited rations and no plan. A ramshackle bicycle eased his journey initially, but with his rations gone and his strength ebbing, he readily traded it to a passing soldier for extra K-rations. Refortified, he happily hiked another 35 miles to Brussels.G Is for GutsThe Waco CG-4A glider was the first and last of its kind. Mothballed at wars end, fewer than a dozen restored gliders exist today. The ranks of the pilots are thinning too. MacRae, who died at age 92 as this article was in preparation, was one of only a few hundred living pilots.Glider pilots who participated in the Normandy landings were awarded the Air Medal for their role in the Allies early successes on D-Day. Their role in Operation Market Garden was lauded, even though it was overshadowed by the missions overall failure to take the key bridge at Arnhem. Gliders were also central to Allied invasions of Sicily, Burma, Southern France, Bastogne, and the crossing of the Rhine into Germany in March 1945.Like all Army Air Corps pilots, the glidermen wore wings on their chests. Theirs were special, with a capital G stamped in the center. Technically it stood for glider, but they were quick to tell anyone who asked that it really stood for Guts.Michael MacRae is an independent writer.They were the only aviators during World War II who had no motors, no parachutes, and no second chances.General William C. Westmoreland, U.S. Army

Why the secret to your success lies in kindergarten

Why the secret to your success lies in kindergartenWhy the secret to your success lies in kindergartenLearning is a force for change.But, we got it all wrong. We keep teaching kids to think like machines. And machines to think like adults.For years, scientists have been trying to replicate the wrong mind that of an adult. Teaching machines to defeat a chess master is easy- but machines canelend think like a 4-year-old.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraThe father of computer science and artificial intelligence was onto something back in the 50s.Instead of trying to produce a program to simulate the adult mind, why not rather try to produce one which simulates the childs? Alan TuringIt took us 60 years to finally bring computer scientists and developmental psychologists together to decipher the formula of curiosity.The secret of learning lies in kindergarten, not in the adult brain .The secret of the curious mindWe are all born curious. But fruchtwein people stop exploring, learning, and discovering as they grow up.Thank the education system for making us vulnerable to automation. Schools prepare children to reisepass a test not to learn. They teach them to acquire knowledge instead of nurturing alearning mind.We are victims and survivors of rigid education systems they taught us to treasure knowing, not the experience of learning.AsAndreas Schleicher said, The kinds of things that are easy to teach, and maybe easy to test, are precisely the kinds of things that are easy to digitize and to automate.The Geman data scientist is on a mission to change how we teach children. At theLearnIt global conferencein London, he warned us that we are preparing for the future of work all wrong. We must stop teaching kids to think like robots.Its easy to learn and test math robots are pretty good at it too. However, younger kids can, imagine, create, question, and collaborate in ways that machines cannot yet.Sanjay Sarma shares a similar view. He believes that education hasnt made as much progressas medicine or science had. We still know little about how the brain works.The VP for Open Learning at MIT thinks that our current education system is dated we educate people the same way we trained workers to use machines in the Industrial Revolution.The most important thing in learning in curiosity. We need to build a habit of continuous learning. And, most importantly, better learning.Learning has to become the new rocket science. Sanjay Sarma,MITThe future of education requires shifting the focus fromcontent-orientedacademic tests toward measuringadaptiveskills, mindsets, and competencies including empathy and creativity.Schleicher is the right place to change education. He oversees PISA the Programme for International Student Assessment that is administered to over half a million kids across 80 countries.His philosophy is change what you treasure to change what you measure, as reported byQUARTZ.In recent years, PISA has developed new tests that focus on problem-solving, collaboration, and, global competencies such as open-mindedness and the desire to make the world a better place.In 2021, it will tackle creative thinking, flexibility in thinking and curiosity.School 21 is a perfect example of this new model theact of learningis central to its teaching philosophy. Located in one of Londons most deprived boroughs, the school wants to prepare kids for life, not just to score well on a test.School 21 wants to createinteresting people.The headmaster, Peter Hyman, a former advisor to Tony Blair, wants to prepare students for the 21st century. Pupils sit in circles instead of rows. Circles promote equality and democracy in a row, kids are isolated on the end or stuck at the back.School 21 designed a unique oracy curriculum, aimed at elevating speaking skills to the same level as reading and writing. Increasing conversational skills develops confident students they can articulate their thoughts and learning clearly.Kids brains hold the secret to learningFour-year-olds can learn things even the most intelligent machines cant empathy, for departureers.In one study, 1-year-old children came into the lab and were presented with two bowls one with broccoli and one with Goldfish crackers. The researchers tried both foods they showed dislike for the Goldfish and appreciation for the broccoli.When they asked the children to hand them some candy, the kids passed the broccoli even though they preferred the crackers themselvesThe result of the same experiment conducted with grownups was surprisingly different. Adults always passed the Goldfish they assumed everyone likes them.As Alison Gopnik, the author of the study, explains kids are more susceptible to understand other people. Adults tend tobehave on autopilot.Empathy, flexibility, and generalization are something human 1-year-olds can do but AIs cant.Moravecs paradoxexplains this peculiar phenomenon. Our mind is the result of evolution we carry billion years of experience about the nature of the world and how to survive in it.Computer scientist Hans Moravec believed machines are immune to the pressures of natural selection.As he wrote inMind Children, The deliberate process we call reasoning is the thinnest veneer of human thought, effective only because it is supported by this much older and much more powerful, though usually unconscious, sensorimotor knowledge.So, how can we teach machines to truly think?For Moravec, the answer lies in the thing the machines lack evolution. We must replicate the development of animal minds. By successfully adding a few capabilities at a time, we can resemble the capacity of animals with complex nervous systems.As the scientist explained, Programs which tackle incremental problems similar to those that faced early animals how to absprache with, and even to anticipate, the sudden surprises, dangers, and opportunities en countered by an exploring organism are being written and tested in robots that have to face the uncertainties of the real world.One example is how engineers are teaching artificial intelligence to be exploratoryby playing video games.But, before we can teach machines to think like humans, we need to understand the human brain.Development psychology continues to solve the puzzle we still dont fully know how kids think. A lot of their knowledge comes through evolution. But, how can kids infer how to use something their ancestors didnt? For example, how can a 4-year old figure out how to use a smartphone on their own?How to nurture a curious mindCuriosity is the most crucial piece of the puzzle its vital for learning.When the brain is curious, it generates dopamine, triggering the learning that occurs. Thats what happens with the mind of a child its always overstimulated.Young kids are incredibly bright and vivid. So whats it like to be a baby? As developmental psychologist Allison Gop nik sums it up, Its like being in love in Paris for the first time after youve had three double-espressos.Adults have a very focused, purpose-driven kind of attention.Unlike the mind of an adult, kids computers are driven by curiosity.Babies and young children have more of a lantern of consciousness than a spotlight of awareness. They are bad at narrowing down to one thing but can create five hypotheses in two minutes. They are very good at taking tons of information from various sources at once.As Gopnik says, When we say that babies and young children are bad at paying attention, what we really mean is that theyre bad at not paying attention. So theyre bad at getting rid of all the interesting things that could tell them something and just looking at the thing thats important.The Berkeley psychologist refers to the infant mind as butterflies who are designed to learn.Everything you need to know about learning, you can borrow it from kindergarteners.1. Play to learn learn toplayThe res a critical connection between studentswell-being,sense of belonging and their academic achievement.For young kids, learning is not tied to any reward like acing a test. Curiosity is a way of life playing and learning are two sides of the same coin. Its not a burden imposed by others, but an innate desire.According to a report by PISA, if you feel good, you learn better. Developing social skills is more important than promoting high achievement.Increased communication, empathy, and collaboration directly impact how we learn.2. Learning makes time goslowerTime seems to speed up as we grow older. But, it slows down when we face new experiences or visit new places.The more information our minds process, the slower time seems to pass.Thats one of the laws of psychological time, as Bob Clagett describes in his bookMaking Time.Our perception of time is caused by the relationship between our experience of time and the amount of information our minds take in.The world is a fascinating pl ace full of new perceptions, experiences, and thoughts. Children know this. Thats why they are curious.When you are busy exploring the world, time slows down.3. Learning requires emptying yourmindWhen I ask an adult in one ofmy workshopsto draw, they get paralyzed. I dont know how to draw. When I ask a child, they immediately start drawing. Its not that kidsknow howto draw they dont think in right-or-wrong terms.Curiosity keeps our mind thirsty for more experiences.To learn something new requires emptying your mind. What you know is an obstacle for incorporating new ideas. Prejudices and anticipation like mental shortcuts or thinking you dont know shut down your curiosity.Our mind cant hold attention for more than 10 minutes your short-term memory gets filled quickly. Take a break to decant new concepts. Neuroscientistsrecommendallowing our brain to forget something we learned get back to it later.Kids are curious ignorance is not a barrier but fuel to learn new things.4. Active lea rning happens in the realworldNew situations expand our consciousness being in an office or school limits our curiosity.AI exists inside a computer kids are out in the real world. Young children learn by doing. By experimenting observing, touching, playing they get data to solve their problems.In the famousMarshmallow challengeexperiment, kindergarteners build taller towers than business school students. The reason they plan and build at the same time. Adults design first and, only then, start touching the materials.Psychologists call itactive learning the ability to go out into the world and experiment. Instead of taking data someone else presents, kids learn from direct interaction.Engaging our body reinforces learning. Taking notes by hand is betteraccording to research we tend to be more selective than when typing on a computer. Thus, writing by hand helps us remember and assimilate more concepts.Kids dont observe the world they experience it.5. Continuous learning keeps ushealt hyRepetition and lack of stimulation can shorten our lives.Theres a direct correlation between education level and life expectancy the higher your education, the longer youll live.However, this is driven not by a college degree, but by continuous learning. The brain is a muscle that we need to train every day thats why young kids are so creative and curious.Staying curious keeps us young.6. Social learning the power of collaborationWe learn faster, and better, working with others than on our own.Kids are social learners they dont learn in isolation. They are continually interacting with other children, teachers, and parents.As Alison Gopnik explainshere, children use theory of mind to decide whether and how to learn from others. They try to understand whats going on in other peoples mind.Young children observe others behavior and try to infer if people are trying to teach them to perform a specific task or not. Machines are not yet there in understanding basic theory of mind, let al one using those inferences.7. You can learn without breaking therulesWithout trouble, theres no change, as Iwrote here.Dr. Maria Montessori started her namesake education method out of intuition, not facts. School 21 was founded with a broader purpose kids are not students, but people. The English school wants to help children thrive in life, not just to learn new concepts.The best educators and learners dont follow the norms they create their own just like kids do.Adults see rebellions as problematic. Kids are rebels by nature they dont even realize the rules they are supposed to followLearning requires challenging the status-quo curiosity is asking endless questions. A habit that is not always welcomed.Everything we need to know we learned it in kindergarten. Being curious helps us understand and adapt to a fast-changing world.We must relearn how to learn. And master basic human skills like a 4-year-old does developingself-awareness, creativity,collaboration,empathy, and communica tion.Curiosity keeps our mind open to new experiences. Instead of trying to get children to think like adults, we should all think more like children.This article originally appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Using Your LinkedIn Profile to Change Careers

Using Your LinkedIn Profile to Change CareersUsing Your LinkedIn Profile to Change Careers30Using Your LinkedIn Profile to Change CareersRead this LinkedIn headline and tell me what you thinkCreative problem solver with a committed heart currently seeking a position with a company where I can make a differencePersonally, I probably wouldnt click that profile.Often, people struggle with knowing where on their profile to tell the world they are seeking a position.If you are an active career changer, Im sure youve thought about it too. If you do it wrong, you will not only scare away every recruiter who reads your profile, you will probably have a hard time building your network as well.The Reality of Using LinkedInLets face facts, recruiters tend to hunt for people who already have jobs. Saying you are seeking in the headline means a recruiter wont even bother clicking on your profile from a search results page.Second, its human nature to be concerned with our own problems, not others. The fact that you are seeking does nothing for me. You arent offering value to me. You are not giving me a reason to be excited about you. As a job seeker, you are one of millions.Now that doesnt mean you have to lie or hide the fact that you are indeed seeking work. It just means you have to spring it on people at the right time.Are using your LinkedIn profile to change careers? Heres where to share itNot in Your HeadlineYou need to earn the right to get someones attention on LinkedIn. Its not something you can take for granted.Since the headline is pretty much the only snippet of information someone has on you when they are searching, or determining to connect back with you, your goal here is to get the click. Period.Your headline should sell the click. That means make it clear what you can do for them. I want to see a quick job title, and then a very short statement of value. Let them know you understand their pain and their goals and that you can help them.Heres a headline from one of my trainers, Cara Lee, where she did just thatAdult Educator, Speaker and Trainer Creating Experiential Learning to Maximize Learner SuccessWhat does she do? Adult educator, i.e., teacher or instructor.What problem does she solve? Boring classroom experiences.So Where Do I Tell People Im Seeking a New Job?The easy answer is at the end of your LinkedIn profile summary. If someone has bothered to read until then, youve earned the right to ask.After all, telling someone youre seeking is a form of asking for help, isnt it?If you follow a profile summary format like this one, youll have positioned yourself as someone unique and valuable.The call to action at the very end gives you a place to let the world know you need help, and heres how someone can contact you.For example, lets say you follow my four-step formula for writing your summary. The last step, the call to action, can go something like thisIm looking for a medical instruments company at the cutting edge, where I can le ad a sales territory and make a difference. If you are looking for someone with energy, creative problem-solving skills, and unstoppable sales ambition, please contact me at eyemawinnergmail.com.Tying It All TogetherTo summarize, dont use your headline to say youre looking to change careers use the last sentence of your summary.Expert tip when you make these updates to your profile, let LinkedIn broadcast them to your network.When you do it this way, you may find droves of people coming out and offering you their hand.Looking to change careers? Start your job search hereJoshua Waldman is the author of Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies and is recognized as one of the nations top authorities in social media career advancement. Learn more at his website,CareerEnlightenment.com.

The physics of failure Why we fail in life and work

The physics of failure Why we fail in life and workThe physics of failure Why we fail in life and workOne day, in the 3rd Century BC, King Hiero II of Syracuse, Sicily, summoned Archimedes- a young, Greek physicist and mathematician, donning a long, flowing, white beard- to verify that his new crown was made of pure gold, or that some silver had been fraudulently substituted by the goldsmith.This wouldve been a simple task for Archimedes, but for the Kings one caveat the crown must not be damaged, or else there would be serious repercussions.For several weeks, Archimedes pondered upon possible solutions to the Kings crown problem, but he couldnt crack the code, and time was running out.One evening, as he was taking a bath, Archimedes noticed that the level of water in the tub would rise and overflow, as he lowered his body into it.Putting two and two together, Archimedes figured out that the amount of water overflowing from the bathtub corresponded to how much of his body was immerse d in the water.Shortly afterwards, Archimedes conducted a quick experiment to verify the authenticity of crown he tested whether the Kings crown would displace the saatkorn amount of water as a lump of pure gold of the same weight.Surprisingly, the experiment revealed that the Kings crown displaced far mora water than the lump of pure gold, proving that some silver had been mixed into it, and it was a counterfeit.Archimedes was so excited by his breakthrough discovery that he screamed Eureka and ran into the streets butt-naked.12His insights from this experiment would later be formalized asArchimedes principle- a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics- and today, aside from inventing the word Eureka Archimedes is regarded as the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time.In particular,Archimedes principlecontains useful analogies that could provide answers to an important questionWhy do we fail in life and work?Archimedes principle of failureFor t he sake of analogy, imagine that a ship is your life and the water the ship floats on is your environment i.e. the people, items and sounds in your surroundings.In this case, a ship that sinks would represent failure, whilst a ship that floats would represent stability and success in life.InOn Floating Bodies, Archimedes explains why some ships float and others sinkAny object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.In other words, for a ship to float on water, it needs to displace a weight of water that equals that of itself.If the ship displaces a weight of water less than that of itself, it will sink.This is because the buoyant (or upthrust) force exerted by the water would be less than the downward force of the ships weight.3The weight of the ship must be less than or equal to the buoyant force, for the ship to stay afloat. If the weight of the ship is greater than the buoyant force, the ship will sink.This law of physics, known as the Archimedes principle, can also be represented with this simple formula (which has been converted for the ship analogy example)Buoyant Force = (Density of water minus Density of ship) multiplied by acceleration due to gravity and volume of displaced water.4In simple terms, density is the amount of stuff in a given amount of space.The more stuff in an identical amount of space, the greater the density. And since liquids, like water, have a density, a ship with greater density than that of water will sink, and a ship with less will float.Now, lets toy around with the Archimedes principle to uncover the reasons for failure in life and work.Revised formulaSuccess = (How well your environment supports good habits minus the number of goals you pursue) multiplied by your capacity to take action.Based on this formula, there are three main causes of failure in life and work.A simplified interpretation of the Archimedes Principle for everyday life.1. Poor environmentThe things we can see, smell, taste, hear and touch in our environment, shape our behaviors in powerful ways we often cant see.For example, its much harder to stay focused and get important things done, if your mobile phone is within sight.Conversely, a working environmentfree from visible clutterand distractions would significantly boost productivity and reduce stress.As a rule of thumb, its much harder to stick to good habits over the long run, in a poorly designed environment.The people, items and voices that surround you on a daily basis will ultimately dictate your odds of failure or success in life.SolutionJust like water, different liquids have different densities. For example, salt water is more dense than fresh water, and since our body weight is less dense than that of water, its much easier for us to float in a salt lake like the Dead Sea, than in freshwater.5Likewise, we candesign our environmentto make it easier for us to stick to good habits over the long r un.The better designed our environment, the greater the likelihood that well stay consistent with our goals and achieve them in the process.2. Lack of focusJust like a ship that is too dense, we often pursue more goals than we can handle.We get excited to departure new goals, but after a little while, we lose focus and fail to finish what we start.As a result of this, over a span of months or years, we have little to show for our efforts.SolutionTo prevent a ship from sinking, naval architects remove inessential contents from the body of the ship, leaving it with space and air instead. This way the density of the ship remains less than that of water, keeping it afloat.In a similar fashion, the best way to avoid failure in life, is to ruthlessly eliminate the inessentials and focus on what matters most.There are a few powerful strategies to achieve thisThe 5 things to do method,The Ivy Lee Method,Warren Buffets 5/25 strategyandQuitting.By eliminating the inessentials and shifting our focus only towards the essential, we create the time and energy necessary to finish what we start on a consistent basis.3. Low energy (not enough capacity to take action)Capacity can be narrowed down to three things time, energy and competency.When we pursue a goal or task, without enough time, energy or competency to tackle it, were setting ourselves up for failure.A classic example of this problem is low energy levels caused by lack of sleep. After a few nights of little to no sleep, our ability to think, learn, remember and problem solve, drastically reduces to levels of incompetency.6SolutionOne of the best ways to maintain high energy levels throughout the day is to practiceZanshin, maintain aregular sleep scheduleand eat a balancedblue zones diet.If a task requires more time and competency than you have available, consider either increasing the deadline till completion, eliminating the task completely or reducing the amount of the task youd have to complete.Keep your head abo ve waterIn the same way there are multiple factors that cause a ship to sink in the middle of the ocean, there are a combination of forces that cause failure in life and work.Archimedes principle provides useful analogies that help us to unravel these hidden forces a poorly designed environment, lack of focus and low energy levels.Its the interaction of these hidden forces that ultimately shape our life and destiny.P.S.If you enjoyed this article, and would like to learn more about these hidden forces to avoid failure in your life, check outThe Art of Stress-Free Focus. Inside the seminar, youll get access to fresh ideas and strategies to conquer procrastination, eliminate distractions and focus on what matters most.Mayo Oshin writes atMayoOshin.Com, where he shares the best practical ideas based on proven science and the habits of highly successful people for stress-free productivity and improved mental performance. To get these strategies to stop procrastinating, get more things b y doing less and improve your focus,join his free weekly newsletter.A version of thisarticleoriginally appeared atmayooshin.comasThe Physics of Failure Why We Fail In Life and Work (and What to Do About It).Footnotes1st Century BC langerzhlung author and architect, Vitruvius records an account of the crown story in his book, De Architectura, Book IX. However, it doesnt appear in the writings of Archimedes.According to Greek historian, Plutarch, Archimedes was killed whilst the city of Syracuse was under siege by the Romans. Whilst solving for a solution to a mathematical problem, a Roman soldier commanded Archimedes to meet a Roman general, but Archimedes refused saying Do not disturb my circles, in reference to his mathematical drawings. The angered Roman soldier then slaughtered Archimedes with his sword.If youve ever tried to push a beach ball into a pool of water, youve experienced this buoyant force acting against your efforts.Please note that the explanation of the Archimedes principle in this piece is an oversimplification of the complex mechanics of the formula.In general, salt water weighs 2.5% more than the same volume of fresh water.Why We Sleep The New Science of Sleep and Dreams, by Matthew Walker.

Get the Scoop on Illustrator Resume Before Youre Too Late

Get the Scoop on Illustrator Resume Before Youre Too Late The Nuiances of Illustrator Resume You are going to learn how to use your tools. Adhere to a conventional list or bullet point format to underline the skills you do have, and just leave out the ones that you dont. A better approach to showcase your skills is to create an attempt to discover clever methods to add them inside the experience bullet points. If you continue seeing a skill or tool mentioned you dont know a lot about, start looking for free or low-cost on-line courses on the topic to bolster your skill collection. How to Get Started with Illustrator Resume? Youre going to want to think of the type of work you really are interested in being employed that you do. Otherwise, then theres something wrong. A huge issue with layouts that out-of-the-box is they overlook the employers needs. Then ersatzdarsteller check and have somebody else look at it to see whether its already great to go, just to be certain. Ill ustrators are necessary in various industries. They are required in a wide variety of fields. They may work with different media. All illustrators have a couple things in common, however. Totally free Illustrator resume template with infographic style that will help you land that fantastic job. You should develop into an Illustrator 7 Another absolutely free Illustrator resume template on the list. The clean Adobe Illustrator resume has three different color schemes to select from so you could make a decision as to what color is ideal for the job which youre applying to. You need to find out how to work illustration program. You dont need to be certified to develop into an Illustrator. Whether this illustrator resume example was not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review a few other samples and templates from our website. Top Choices of Illustrator Resume This CV resume definitely produces a lasting impression immediately. Writing a resume isnt a simple end eavour, and as stated by the feedback from our current community, its really useful to check professional resume examples before starting to compose your own. Writing work application is super easy once you observe some basic measures. Start with listing a number of the top skills the job posting requires. The plan is mucksmuschenstill organized and simple to read a good instance of balancing creativity with readability. Natural talent is a huge plus. You have your portfolio to showcase your style. Learn more on the topic of creative design careers.The overall rule for graphic design resumes is to put in a link to your site or internet portfolio. The graphic design resumes display both the talents and the essence of the author, helping to construct a brand even if working independently. In addition, the layout is quite simple to follow, as well as fun. Dont neglect to check out all our resume designs. Illustrator Resume Explained Create a section where you are able to lis t down special abilities or qualifications. For example, if youre fluent in more than a couple of languages, write them down and make certain to note your skill or knowledge level. Cv builders are an excellent strategy to assist you organize your work application. Utilizing a resume builder might also be an extremely good learning experience for you. Although some work application writers could be a little more costly than other folks, it doesnt signify you need to prevent them. Attempt never to locate an excellent job whenever you are without work. Despite the fact that a significant parte their job means rejecting a whole lot of people, theyll want to do so with sophistication and watching a strict course of action. If you merely left your present job, edit work experience. Once a sales plan was developed, the next bit of the planning method is to construct an inventory program. You have to have a yearly budget for the next 5 decades. Its difficult more than enough to fi nd work. If you prefer to undertake more work or want to propose an idea, find your examiner and set up whether its recommended so that you are able to undertake more responsibilities.

Confessions of a Remote Workaholic 10 Work

Confessions of a Remote Workaholic 10 WorkIts funny how a small question can draw attention to a big problem. Last week, our CEO, Milena, asked me point blank, How is your work-life balance? I stammered, then blurted out a list of things I do on the regular to tilt the scales heavily toward the work side.PowerToFly was founded to help women achieve their desired work-life balance. Even though it is a fast-paced startup, and though I am a responsibility-hoarding Product Manager, and though I have chided myself for not leaving my apartment building for days at a stretch, I never realized I was the one who had to take ownership of enforcing the boundaries. Even mora so because I work remotely.If I were a stock photo, would this be me?(source)Make no mistake I love what I do, which is why I tend to rack up the hours. But I also love my friends, family, hobbies, and well-being. Its not a Harry Potter/Voldemort situation here though. I feel most fulfilled when everything is in sync.Here ar e the ten actions Im taking to recalibrate.1. Enforce workinghoursWorking remotely allows the flexibility to squeeze in personal time during the workday, but Ive also let work permeate every crevasse of my personal space. When I was in school, I always felt homework looming over my head. I couldnt be anywhere in my home without feeling the guilt of not tending to it, even if it was already done I often procrastinate or work less efficiently because I feel like I have unlimited work time. Most days, this lack of boundaries has me replying to JIRA tickets right before bed Not good.If youre having work-life balance problems like I am, sometimes you have to pull back and put yourself on a stricter schedule with your business hours. My day starts with an 8am standup, so Im going to call it quits no later than 6pm, ideally by 530. This will force me to prioritize harder and work smarter during the contiguous hours I have available. And by making post-work hours a safe time at home, I can relax once I stop for the day.2. Put away work stuff afterworkOut of sight, out of mind. Im mora likely to get sucked back into work if I spot my Moleskine lying in plain view on the dining table. And when I open my computer, even just to go onto Facebook, any open Google Doc tabs will beckon me to pick up where I left off.Work email, to do list, looking at sneakers on Zappos, Confluence whose day is it,anyway?So Im going to close up shop for the day (or weekend), physically and digitally. Ill pack up my work stuff and put it neatly in a corner. Ill close all work-related tabs in Chrome. Ill also turn off notifications Ill sign out of Skype and put Slack on snooze (which can always be overridden by colleagues in an emergency) before closing it, too.3. Timebox weekendtoilSometimes urgent matters come up, so there has to be a way of differentiating between a legitimate need for extra hours and a needless encroachment on my weekend. Therefore, Ive resolved to work on the weekend only i f the following criteria are met It cant be delegated Other people depend on it to be done by Monday It cant wait until next weekIf I do decide to work on the weekend, Ill set an upper limit on the number of hours Im willing to put in, and stop when Ive reached it. And if I find myself working more than one weekend day a month, Ill raise a flag with my manager.4. Separate commingled work and personal applicationsThe boundary between work and your personal life can start to blur if you manage both with the saatkorn technology. Luckily Ive avoided combining my work and personal gmail and Google Apps, but I do have one big culprit my to-do list. I am a huge believer in TeuxDeux and had been using it long before I joined PowerToFly. But when I joined the team, I just added all my work tasks, separated from personal by a heading called Work. Heres an example (except add 15 more tasks for a typical day)Should I write my opportunity assessment or have a cup ofcoffee?What this means is when Im in work mode, Im looking at personal to-dos, and when Im on my own time, my work to-dos are still staring me in the face So Im going to untangle my commingled accounts pronto, and never look back.5. Get *more*dressedI dont stay in pajamas all day, but I do love to work in yoga crops and sweatshirts I only wear around the house. Problem is, if I dont feel like Im presentable enough to leave the house, I probably wont. But on days I dress to go out, I feel better and more in work mode.Comfy leggings be damned??every day, Ill get dressed to the point where Id be willing to leave the house in my present state. Ill save the track pants for quitting time.6. Get out of the house(duh)This is an obvious one. But I live in a building with a gym and cook my meals at home, so it can be easy to come up with an excuse not to go out, especially on an overcast winter day. But not leaving the house can drive you nuts just look at Jack Nicholson in The Shining.All work and no play this movie was a cautionary tale for remoteworkersIm setting a rule to leave the house for at least an hour a day on weekdays (and as much as I can on weekends).7. Work *away* fromhomeDespite what the Fifth Harmony song says, theres a lot of ways to work from home without working in your home. I used to cowork, but recently canceled my membership. I lauded myself for saving money, but in exchange, I need to care more about my mental health, and for me that means not freaking out about spending money to work from coffee shops, even if a soy latte costs $5.Ill schedule transit times in my schedule to go to and from a coffee shop on days when I dont have a lot of meetings. I can get out of the house and work at the same time, even if its only for a few hours.8. Schedule lunch breaksincluding awalkOn days I dont power through lunch, I just make a quick meal, eat it, and get immediately back to the grind. But Im literally wasting my federally mandated paid half-hour offIm going to schedule a proper lun ch break every day, and after I eat, go for a postprandial stroll. Itll clear my head and help me come up with even better ideas.9. Look for opportunities to do walkingmeetingsUsually the computer is required for meetings, but even if one in ten can be taken via phone (every app we use can handle this??GoToMeeting, Skype, or Slack), I can kill two birds with one stone and get some fresh air while I walk. Id be in good company walking meetings have been an asset to historys greatest minds, from Socrates to Steve Jobs.Ill look in my schedule for meetings for which Im just listening in, dont need to take notes, or wont need to reference visual aides??and use those as opportunities to take a walk instead of staying put.10. Stand up everyhourThe last one is super simple stand up more??every hour??and stretttttttttch This is especially important toward the end of the day. I cant say how many times I glance up at the clock to realize Ive been glued to my chair for hours Theres even an app to help establish this habit Time Out. You can set the frequency and duration of the breaks, the opacity of the screen, and even what song youd like to hear. If youre in a meeting, you can always snooze or skip it.While Im taking my stretch, Im also going to drink water Its hard to stay hydrated when youre hyperfocused on a screen, but dehydration can be as bad for your efficiency (and health) as lack of sleep.And there you have it Ten steps Im taking over the next few months to keep my work time efficient and my personal time personal. Ill check in come spring to let you know how Ive done, and you can keep score for yourself, too. By the next time I write, I hope to be flipping like Simone Biles along the work-life balance beam Aki Merced

Collegiate Council Gaining a Network

Collegiate Council Gaining a Network Collegiate Council Gaining a Network Collegiate Council Gaining a NetworkA major obstacle for most Engineering graduates is getting experience which sets them apart from their peers for a particular career path. Early opportunity to network and be mentored in a specialized field is usually what helps some avoid this predicament. A remarkable example of this opportunity is joining ASME Petroleum Divisions Collegiate Council. If you are an undergraduate or graduate student looking to get involved with the Oil and Gas industry, the Collegiate Council offers this kind of experience.I caught up with some of the Collegiate Councils 2014-2015 alumni to talk about how their graduate work, undergraduate experience, and career path in the petroleum industry has been impacted by being a part of the Collegiate Council.Hsu Lee (Left) working with Professor Mohammed (Right) at the University of CalgaryHsu Lee is a doctoral student at the University of Calgary, who heard of the Collegiate Council through his professor. Even though Hsus main reason for applying welches to network, he discovered that there were other facets to the council experience which he benefitted from. Such as tours of companies like Technip. He says, the most memorable part of this was that, they amazed us by demonstrating and explaining the complexity of subsea systems with intricate 3D physical models.Hsus responsibilities as a graduate student have been supplemented by information gained through joining the council. Before joining, Hsus research used sophisticated and complex ways of solving problems which was thought to bring recognition by the scientific community. However, he learned that professionals in industry, who used these solutions, wanted simplicity. Hsu says, The council had changed the way I conduct my research, where I now try to find a balance between academic recognition and the complexity level of the solution to narrow the gap between academia an d industry. In addition, Hsu teaches undergraduate courses at his university. Hsu explains that he is, actually working on revamping an undergraduate course (Fuel Science and Technology) at my university with the knowledge and experience gained through the council.Russell LocettaFor good contrast, Russell Locetta, a mechanical engineering undergraduate from the University of Arkansas, learned about the Collegiate Council by doing research on ASME. As I researched, I notlageiced the many divisions of ASME, cover every facet of what mechanical engineers can do after completing their degrees, Russell says. Since he had prior interest and experience in the Oil and Gas industry the Petroleum Divisions council was a perfect fit.After becoming a council member, Russel recognized that a main takeaway of the council was mentorship. Our mentors represented a variety of different sectors of our crucial industry, and their combined experience further reinforced our existing passions for the pet roleum industry, Russell explains. With such mentorship, the councils activity influenced Russell to seek leadership opportunities. Russel began by engaging his universitys faculty which followed by being named, Oil and Gas Student Coordinator, he explained. He was later elected as the director of the Collegiate Council which gave Russell the opportunity to lead others in various time zones. In regards to plans for the 2015-2016 school year Russell says, There are events already in the works to bring students together and increase ASMEs footprint both at my university and throughout the US.Lastly is the alumna Juan Bastardo, an intern for British Petroleum (BP) and graduate of Texas AM University. Juan joined the Collegiate Council after hearing about it from his fellow officers at his universitys ASME section. Using site tours and interacting with professionals as examples, Juan tells us that, the council really provided me the tools I needed to expand my knowledge of the industry to gauge how I could see myself fit in the big picture.Juan BastardoWithin BP, Juan has been able to apply the lessons learned from the council. As of late, he works as a Drilling Engineer in the Gulf of Mexico. The council helped me hone in on what group I wanted to support within the company and what kind of information I needed to familiarize myself with to be successful, Juan explains. The understanding of his field has paid off dividends for Juan. He says, This made the transition into this position smoother for me and I felt more prepared coming in than I would have if I had not received exposure to the collegiate council.From academic and professional perspectives Hsu, Russell, and Juan each benefited from joining the exclusive council. Whether one is researching, teaching, administrating, or working the opportunities afforded by ASME Petroleum Divisions Collegiate Council can be applied across the board.Please visit the Petroleum Divisions Collegiate Council website to learn more about the council and how to apply. For more information also contact Javanni Kiezer. The council is limited to 15 seats.

United States Marine Corps Commissioning Programs

United States seestreitkraft korporation Commissioning ProgramsUnited States seestreitkraft korporation Commissioning ProgramsThere are several ways to gain a commission in the United States kriegsmarine Corps, whether one is currently enlisted or a civilian college student/graduate. For those Marine Officers notlage attending the U.S. Naval Academy, the road to a commission as a lieutenant in the Corps begins with one of several programs at Officer Candidates School The Officer Candidates Class, the Platoon Leaders Course, or the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. Each course is a screening process, with the mission to motivate, train, evaluate, and screen potential officers. Basic Qualifications There is no longer a specific officer candidate academic test for Marine Corps Officer applicants. Those wishing to apply for a commission in the Marine Corps must achieve one of the following minimums Combined score of 1000 on the verbal and math sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)Combined math and verbal score of 45 on the American College Test (ACT)120 (can be waivered to 115) on the Marine Corps EL composite score of the ASVAB Aviation officer applicants must also take the Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Selection Test Battery. Other minimum qualification requirements include Minimum of a Bachelors Degree (upon commissioning)Must be a United States CitizenAge Between 18 and 28 (no older than age 30 for current enlisted)Must Meet Normal Accession Medical StandardsMust be Eligible for a Security Clearance (either SECRET or TOP SECRET, depending on the job assignment)High Moral Character. Applicants convicted of any felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude are rejected. History of addiction to any narcotic, illegal drug, or alcohol is disqualifying. The United States Naval Academy A percentage of each class at the U.S. Naval Academy receives a commission in the Marine Corps through a selection process. The academy offers a bachelor of scie nce degree and reserve commission as second lieutenant to graduates. Academy candidates should begin their nomination request during their junior year in high school. Officer Candidate Course Under the officer candidate programs, male and female graduates of an accredited four-year college or university, and graduates of accredited law schools licensed to practice in a state or federal court are eligible for a reserve commission. Upon successful completion of a 10-week screening and evaluation program, candidates are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Marine Corps Reserve. Even though graduates receive a Reserve commission, graduation and acceptance of a commission incurs a minimum active duty (full time) service commitment. Upon completion of this program and commissioning, second lieutenants are assigned to The Basic School at Quantico, VA, for 26 weeks of officer training. After completing The Basic School, aviation officers undergo flight instruction for an additional 18 to 24 months, while ground officers attend specialty schools of varying lengths. Ground officers have an active duty obligation of three and one-half years after commissioning. Pilots have an active duty obligation of six years if trained as a helicopter or fixed-wing turboprop aircraft pilot and eight years if trained as a jet pilot. Naval flight officers (NFOs) have an active duty obligation of six years. Aviation candidates must be at least 20 years old upon entering the program and no older than 27 upon commissioning. Ground officers must be less than 28 years old upon commissioning. Platoon Leaders Class Marine Platoon Leaders Classis available to full-time enrolled, physically qualified male and female undergraduate freshmen, sophomores, andjuniors attending accredited colleges. Pre-commissioning training consists of two six-week sessions or one 10-week session during summer breaks at the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, VA. PLC students may choose ground, aviation, or law contracts, and may apply for financial subsistence allowance of $250 a month upon completion of one summer training session. Aviation students may join the Flight Indoctrination Program and receive civilian flight instruction during their senior year of college. PLC members may also apply for theMarine Corps Tuition Assistance Programand receive as much as $5,200 per year for tuition assistance. Upon graduation from college, PLC participants receive reserve commissions as second lieutenants. Officers are then assigned to The Basic School at Quantico, VA for 26 weeks of basic officer training. Students opting for ground or law training must be at least 17 years old upon entering the program and less than 28 upon commissioning. Pilot candidates must be at least 17 upon entering the program and less than 27 upon commissioning. Aviation may be guaranteed to freshmen if qualified. Minimum active duty obligation for ground officers and lawyersfollowing commissioni ng is three and one-half years. Following flight training and designation as a naval aviator, the minimum active duty obligation is six years if trained as ahelicopter pilotor naval flight officer and eight years if trained as a fixed-wing pilot. Minimum active duty requirements are extended six months for receiving financial subsistence allowance and 18 months for receiving tuition assistance. Navy/Marine Corps ROTC Navy/Marine Corps ROTC programs at more than 65 colleges and universities across the country offer Marine Corps commissions to college students who complete four years of naval science study on campus. The two types of programs are the College Program and the Scholarship Program. In addition to students already enrolled in college programs, or planning to attend college, some enlisted personnelareeligible to apply for a Navy/Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship. Four-year scholarship program. Students are selected from a national competition and are appointed midshipmen, U .S. Naval Reserve, and identified as Marine Corps options. They may be granted the compensation and benefits authorized by law during the Basic Course for a total period of not more than four years. During this period of college, theDepartment of the Navypays tuition, fees, andtextbooks, and provides uniforms and a subsistence allowance of up to $400 for each academic month. Upon completion of naval science requirements and graduation, students receive reserve commissions as a second lieutenant with a four-year active duty obligation. Four-year college program. Students are selected from among those applying for enrollment at each Navy/Marine Corps ROTC unit. During the first two years in the Basic Course, students have the status of civilians who have entered into a contract with the Navy. Upon completion of one term of The Basic Course, students may apply for a change to a Marine Corps option. Upon enrollment in the Advanced Course,College Programstudents enlist in the Marine Corp s Reserve. Upon graduation and completion of naval science requirements, students are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Marine Corps Reserve with a three-and-one-half-year active duty obligation. The Navy provides uniforms, naval science textbooks, and up to $400 for each academic month for a maximum of 20 months during the Advanced Course. Three-, two-, and one-year scholarships are available to College Program students nominated by their NROTC unit commanding officers. The Commandant of the Marine Corps makes those selections. Two-year scholarship and college programs. Students selected are those with advanced college standing who qualify for enrollment in the Advanced Course. They must first complete the six-week course at the Naval Science Institute. Those enrolled in the two-year scholarship and college programs have the saatkorn privileges and obligations as those in the respectivefour-yearprograms. Commissioning Programs for Current Enlisted The U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School. The Preparatory School, located at Newport, RI, accepts applications from active duty and inactive reserve enlisted members of the Marine Corps. The Naval Academy admissions board considers applicants for the Naval Academy Preparatory School.The applicationis made to theNaval Academy. If someone is not selected for admission to the academy, they could be selected for the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Entrance requirements are based on the whole person evaluation of overall abilities andpotential,and are similar to those of other prep schools. Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST). BOOST offers active duty enlisted men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 the opportunity to receive 10 months of extensive academic preparation to become more competitive for selection to the Naval Academy,Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Programand Navy/Marine Corps ROTC scholarship programs. BOOST participants attend school at the Nava l Education Training Center in Newport, RI, If not selected for either a Navy/Marine Corps ROTC scholarship, MECEP, or appointment to the Naval Academy, BOOST students fulfill their service obligation to the Marine Corps in the enlisted ranks. Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP). ECP provides enlisted Marines with a four-year degree from an accredited school the opportunity to become commissioned officers. ECP is open to Marines with a minimum of one year active duty experience and at least 12 months remaining on their currentenlistment contract. This program provides selected enlisted Marines, ages 20 to 26, with an opportunity to earn a baccalaureate degree by attending a college or university full-time. After obtaining a degree and completing officer candidate school, MECEP graduates arecommissioned asreserve second lieutenants, provided they are no older than 30. Meritorious Commissioning Program. MCP provides a commissioning opportunity for enlisted Marines with two-year degre es, 75 semester hours or more of college work, which have demonstrated rare leadership qualities, and would ultimately better serve the Marine Corps as an officer. Unlike other commissioning programs where the applicant initiates the application process, MCP requires that applicants be nominated by their commanding officers. Marines must have the same basic qualifications for MCP as ECP. Marines are given a reserve commission and serve on active duty.

Phone Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer

Phone Interview Questions to Ask the InterviewerPhone Interview Questions to Ask the InterviewerMany job interviews, especially first-round interviews, are conducted on the phone. Plan on preparing just as you would for an in-rolle interview by brushing up your interview skills, reviewing what youll be asked, and getting a list of questions ready to ask the interviewer. Phone interviews are used by hiring managers as a tool for screening candidates for employment. After you have submitted a mailed or online application for a job, you may receive an email from the employer asking that you schedule a time with them for an anfangsbuchstabe phone interview. Phone interviews are conducted as screening interviews to determine which of the many candidates who have applied for a position should be invited to interview in person. Phone interviews are also commonly used as first and second round interviews by employers, in order to save in-person interview time and also to reduce the applicant pool to the most qualified candidates for the job. They are also the typical first step for employers who are considering out-of-town candidates for senior level or executive roles. In these cases, an initial phone or Skype interview helps the hiring committee decide if a job candidate is worth the expense of flying them in for an in-person interview. Prepare to Answer Interview Questions When you are invited for a phone interview, its important to take the time to review the typical phone interview questions youll be asked and to prepare answers. Its also key for you to have a list of questions to ask the interviewer. There will always come a point in the interview where the interviewer invites your questions and candidates who have no questions run the risk of looking like they arent as interested in the position as their competitors might be. The questions you ask in an interview are as important as the questions you answer. Asking informed questions notlage only demonstrat es your enthusiasm for the job, but it also allows you to decide if the position is, in fact, worth the time, energy, and resources it would take to continue further with the application process. Career searches take an enormous amount of work, and it isnt worth continuing the process if your phone interview reveals that the company culture or job responsibilities would not be a good fit for your talents and personality. If you have taken the time to thoroughly research the employer before submitting your job application, you can also design questions about their organization that demonstrate that youve done your homework in learning as much as you can about them. This demonstrates a personal initiative that will help to set you apart from other candidates. Youll only have a few minutes to ask questions. So, pick a few interview questions that are relevant to the job, to your potential role at the company, and to your background and skills, to have ready when youre asked if you have any questions. Phone Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer How would you describe the responsibilities of this position?What qualities are you looking for in the person you hire to join this company?If I welches hired, how would I be interacting with you and your department? What would be your expectations and your measures for success?How would I get feedback on how well my work meets these expectations?What do you view as the most challenging part of this job?Why is the last person who held this position leaving?Who does this position report to?How would you describe the company culture? What is the typical work week? Is overtime expected? How about travel?Do you offer benefits packages for things like healthcare and dental costs?What sort of retirement package do you offer to your employers?What are the opportunities for advancement with the company?Do you provide continuing training opportunities for your employees?Is there anything else can I tell you about my qualifi cations for the job?Could I schedule an in-person interview at your convenience?If I am extended a job offer, how soon could I start? Would you like a list of references?What is the next step in the interview process?When can I expect to hear from you?Are there any other questions I can answer for you? How to Impress the Hiring Manager Not a phone person in your daily life? Youre not alone. As other messaging technologies gain steam, its easy to fall out of practice talking on the phone. Add to that the fact that phone interviews knock out one easy point of communication with the hiring manager - namely, body language - and you have a tricky situation for many interviewees. To maximize your chances of making a good impression on the hiring manager, there are a few important phone interview tips to remember Practice, practice, practice. Conduct a mock interview with a friend, to cement your questions and qualifications in your mind.Prepare the room. Turn off call waiting, the r inger on other phones, and any timers or other electronics that might go off during the interview.Use a landline if possible. Cellphones are more likely to drop calls or experience technical difficulties.Keep your materials on hand. Have your resume, cover letter, and a checklist of matching your skills to the job listing, and keep them right where you can see them. Observe proper etiquette. Dont smoke, eat, or chew gum during the interview. Smile, and articulate your answers, even if it means speaking much more slowly than usual. Take notes. In all important ways, conduct yourself as you would at an in-person interview. Your performance will reflect the effort.