How to Get Your Work Life Organized

How to Get Your Work Life OrganizedHow to Get Your Work Life OrganizedAre you frequently overwhelmed by your workload and suffering from information overload? Are you frustrated that you dont know how or where to start? Dont worry. Lets take a look at the areas of your work life that need organization and tackle them one at a time. Organize Yourself The most important time management secret is that you must do the right things first. Its easy to spend too much time on things that are urgent but not important. The trick is to stay focused on the important things and not waste precious time on anything else. Here are a couple of ways to do that. First, follow the 80/20 Rule, also known as Paretos Principle. Applying it to time management, you might conclude that 80 percent of your time is spent focusing on only 20 percent of your real job responsibilities. Or, that devoting 20 percent of your time to one big goal will take make 80 percent of your job run more smoothly. Thinking thr ough how the 80/20 rule applies to your work life can help you manage your time more effectively. Secondly, prepare a to-do list. Keep it reasonable. Checking off those items one by one is oddly rewarding. It tells you that youre getting the job done. Organize Your Desk Every day more information is thrown at you. Youre too busy to deal with it right away, so you let it pile up. Its a bad habit. Instead, set aside just a few minutes out of every day to go through the mess. This is another oddly rewarding task. See how much smaller the pile is now? Organize Your Space Whether you have a corner office with an expansive view or a windowless cubicle, there are always things you can do to organize your space that will help you be more productive. Dont just accept it as it is. Think about what would work for you. If you prefer to work standing up, invest in a standing desk. If an erasable whiteboard would help, get one. If youre intrigued by the concept of Feng Shui, read up on it and apply those principles to your workspace. Organize Your Incoming Info Most email programs give you tools to manage your email and reduce clutter. The time spent using these tools can save you hours down the road. Badly organized people tend to have one massive email inbox, and it is the plague of their lives. Create folders with titles that match your major responsibilities. Sort through your inbox and stow every message in the one that fits. If you have a horror of deleting mail, create a miscellaneous folder and dump everything that fits nowhere in it, just in case you ever need it.

Bringing Harvest with Driverless Tractors

Bringing Harvest with Driverless Tractors Bringing Harvest with Driverless Tractors Bringing in the Harvest with Driverless TractorsDevelopers tinkering with driverless, or autonomously operated, vehicles are steadily moving toward commercialization. Although driverless automobiles wont be seen on highways any time soon, manufacturers of off-road tractors and trucks are successfully testing their ordnungsprinzips in the field. By the time this seasons harvest begins later this summer in the Midwest, some farmers could be using the first autonomously operated tractor and grain cart system to bring in the crop.Using ever-more sophisticated software coupled with off-the-shelf technology including sensors, radar, and GPS, the system allows an operator working a combine to set the course of a driverless tractor pulling a grain cart, position the cart to receive the grain from the combine, and then send the fully loaded cart to be unloaded. Developed by Kinze Manufacturing, Inc., Williamsm burg, IA, and Jaybridge Robotics, Inc., Cambridge, MA, the system takes precision agriculture to the next level.Jaybridge Robotics Jeremy Brown leads the software team that developed autonomous controls.The trick is to take all of these components that are now robust and cost effective and integrate them with our software to squeeze out every last ounce of data, says Jeremy Brown, president of Jaybridge.This is a giant step from existing technology in that it is truly autonomous and there is no human override in the cab, says Susanne Kinzenbaw Veatch, Kinze vice president and chief marketing officer. The systems allow one farmer to operate multiple systems at the same time, vastly increasing efficiency.Precision agriculture, or farming, developed over the past 25 years as farmers, especially large-scale ones, implemented satellite global positioning systems, geospatial tools, and information technology to more accurately plow, plant, fertilize, and track the volume of harvest even t o individual areas within a field. Using soil maps and static sensors, for instance, farmers can measure air and soil temperature, humidity, and even stem diameter. Equipment now allows for variable seeding and fertilizing based on soil conditions.All of this also coincided with declining numbers of farm workers. One of the biggest challenges facing farmers today is an inadequate supply of skilled labor during planting and harvesting, says Kinzenbaw Veatch. We developed our autonomy system to help farmers get their fields planted and harvested within the narrow window of spitze opportunity to plant and harvest crops.The driveless system will allow farmers to work the fields around the clock to take full advantage of limited windows of planting and harvesting.Driverless tractors and autonomous systems free farmers from the most repetitive and boring work and allows more acreage to be worked for longer time periods, elendes Brown. Rather than having people work a field over a 12-hour time period or longer, the task can now be automated. It also eliminates human error in being able to drive a straight line for planting or harvesting, or in putting down only enough fertilizer.We had to work with farmers to find out how farming is done, says Brown. This was one big workflow analysis.The driverless tractor and grain cart are positioned from commands given by the combine operator.Founder (and farmer) Jon Kinzenbaw began pursuing the idea of an autonomous system about 10 years ago, then brought in Jaybridge to help flesh out the software.They already had tractors capable of self-starting and things like flyover maps of nitrogen flow, says Brown. When they harvest, theres a record of what was harvested for each portion of the field. This was a great building block. This is a data-driven business. These farmers are smart.Brown says Jaybridges task was two-fold develop more sophisticated software control of the vehicles and greater precision in obstacle detection. For in stance, automatic startup did not include backing up, so we needed greater motion control, he says. With a grain cart, you have to go around things like ponds and react to a combine. There was a lot of interesting dynamic routing work we had to do.The biggest technological challenge was determining how to recognize a true obstacle from a false obstacle such as a stray corn stalk, says Kinzenbaw Veatch. That task was aided by the refined development of sensors and radar systems, adds Brown.Similar systems are being developed by other manufacturers, including John Deere and CaseIH. Kinzes system is the only commercialized guidance system that will be operated without a driver in the tractor, however. The tractor and grain cart will work with a combine. Theres nobody with their hands on a joystick, says Brown.Smaller autonomous systems also have potential to allow around-the-clock planting and harvesting. Large-scale farm equipment was developed to allow more acreage to be handled by o ne operator. Several smaller autonomous systems could prove more economical, especially if they work continuously.Kinzenbaw Veatch says the firm hopes to bring the technology to market very soon, starting with a limited release of the autonomous harvesting system this fall. Prices have not been released.The farmers who have seen the technology in use want it now, she says.This is a giant step from existing technology in that it is truly autonomous and there is no human override in the cab. The systems allow one farmer to operate multiple systems at the same time, vastly increasing efficiency. Susanne Kinzenbaw Veatch, VP and chief marketing officer, Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.

3D Printing A Blank Canvas for Creativity

3D Printing A Blank Canvas for Creativity 3D Printing A Blank Canvas for Creativity Last fall, the global species world was awash in exhibitions featuring the latest in 3D printed prints, sculptures, photographs, and other manufactured works of techno-aesthetics.Artists are training their additive manufacturing (AM) sights on subjects ranging from Andy Warhols hair to the formerly unseeable phenomenon of motion, displaying their 3D wares in elite galleries.Sculptor Frank Stella and designer Maya Lin are among the best-known established artists who have adapted AM technologies to express their creative vision. They and mora than 80 other digital DaVincis are featured in Out of Hand Materializing the Post Digital, billed as the worlds first major museum exhibition exploring the impacts of digital fabrication technologies on art and design. Running through June 2014, at New Yorks Museum of Art and Design (MAD), the collection showcases works from around the world produced during the med iums first transitional decade.David McFadden, MADs chief curator, says the exhibits importance goes beyond aesthetics. By examining these trends through the lens of artistic expression, MAD is opening up a dialogue on the significance of digital technologies to ur larger culture and global society.Frank Stella K.162, 2001, epoxy resin, lacquer. Courtesy of FreedmanArt, New York. Image Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS)ArtAcross the pond, Britains second annual 3D Printshow took over the London Business Design Centre in November with what it claims to be the worlds largest collection of 3D-printed artworks. The event, and its repeat performances in Paris and New York, surveys the state of the art in AM in industry and medicine. For example, last years attention grabber was the worlds first 3D-printed car, Urbee, from KOR EcoLogic and Stratasys. But more and more focus is being devoted to fine art and design, its organizers say.The shows website emphatically states that 3D P rintshow is not a tradeshow. But in borrowing some of the traditional trappings such as an exhibition and professional conferences, the fair underscores the integral commercial and technological aspects of the discipline. Any art buff knows thats Andy Warhols territory.The man who called his studio a Factory and famously elevated soup cans into fine art would have embraced 3D printing, say the proprietors of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. In June, the museum unfurled Factory 2.0, a collection of 3D-printed reinterpretations of Warhol or Warhol-esque works. From absurdly enormous depictions of Warhols signature fright wigs to copies of iconic artworks such as Eight Elvises, the exhibit explores the artists fascination with mass production, mass marketing, and mass consumption. Belgian 3D printer Materialise joined in the fun, displaying the 3D-printed Pop Art-inspired works of five finalists entered in its online Andy Warhol Contest.DesignFew companies in the world symbolize t he synergies between business, design, and technology better than Nike and even fewer take the trouble to create stunning works of art to celebrate those connections. Nikes recent art exhibit, The Art and Science of Supernatural Motion, is a perfect case in point. To coincide with the launch of new high-tech running shoes, Nike enlisted digital artist Daniel Widrig to capture the essence of the body in motion in a sculpture.Widrig, designer of the first 3D-printed dress, chose to create a 4-meter-long spiraling wall sculpture based on a series of digital images showing a figure in motion. Due to its size, the work had to be created in three pieces and invisibly bound together. Working with Materialises experts and its mammoth stereolithography machine, Widrig had to print the huge design in three pieces, but his vision required it to look like one harmonious structure. That required intricate design algorithms to create unseen snap-together connection points and other support featu res strong enough to hold the components together discretely. The finished product briefly toured galleries in Milan, Tokyo, London, and New York before landing in its permanent home at Nike headquarters in Oregon last fall.Michael MacRae is an independent writer. For Further Discussion We are opening up a dialogue on the significance of digital technologies to our larger culture and global society.David McFadden, chief curator, New Yorks Museum of Art and Design

Environmental Engineering Division Introduces New Education Su...

Environmental Engineering Division Introduces New Education Su... Environmental Engineering Division Introduces New Education Su... Environmental Engineering Division Introduces New Education untersttzungsangebot ProgramASMEs Environmental Engineering Division has launched a new program that will offer financial support to innovative new education programs that encourage students and educators to become engaged in environmental engineering and promote the importance of environmental engineering education in communities around the world. The deadline for students, teachers and Environmental Engineering Division (EED) members to submit a program proposal is Nov. 1.Through the new initiative, called the Environmental Engineering Education Support Program, the division intends to award a total of $25,000 each year to support programs that advance the impact of environmental engineering worldwide. The division expects to fund up to five proposals with a maximum of $5,000 per award to stud ents, educators and EED members who propose interesting ways to support environmental education in their communities.By establishing this new program, EED hopes to realize several objectives, which include encouraging students to both appreciate the significance of environmental engineering in society and to pursue careers in mechanical and environmental engineering. The program is also intended to motivate members of the division to become mora active in the communication of engineering principles and practices that can identify and solve environmental issues in their communities, and to inspire educators to become better acquainted with ASME and mechanical and environmental engineering.Proposals, which should be a maximum five pages in length, must be submitted by e-mail to Martin Edelson, EED Executive Committee, at edelsonm2asme.org no later than Nov. 1. For more information on the Environmental Engineering Education Support Program, or to see some examples of possible environme ntal education programs, visit www.asme.org/engineering-topics/environmental-engineering/eed-program-funds-environmental-education.

Dealing with needy people at work A guide for managers

Dealing with needy people at work A guide for managersDealing with needy people at work A guide for managersAs a manager, it may feel like some important tasks were omitted from your job description. You expected to be a manager, but needy employees, colleagues, and baboes can leave you feeling more like the sekretariat mother.To do less mothering than managing, learn how to coach needy people at work to become more self-reliant. Consider the advice below to find ways to inspire change in your most problematic office partiealities.What to do when people need help with things they can do on their ownWhen someone asks for help with a task that you know they can do on her own, its easy to think theyre being lazy, they believe the task is below their pay grade, or they have no respect for the amount of work you have to do. But the reality is most people want to be able to do things on their own they just dont know how.When someone asks you for help with something they should be able to d oAssume the request is out of ignorance, not maliceTeach the person how to do the taskCreate step-by-step instructions and distribute themPoint people to the instructions when they ask for helpOnce youve shown everyone how to do the task at least once, firmly - but politely - point them to the instructions for future requests. This may go against your instinct to be helpful and responsive, but its the only way to prevent constant interruptions. Youve helped by creating detailed instructions. Now you have to balance being helpful with getting your own work done.Take time to document instructions for all of the tasks youre routinely asked to perform and provide them to people when asked so they can do the work themselves. You can even use a support bot to automatically distribute instructions and answer FAQs.Provide people with the information they need - and enforce the use of that information - to train needy employees that your job isnt to solve their problems.Most people will feel a little bit ashamed for asking when you point out that the solution was in the instructions all along. This will encourage them to try their best the next time before asking for help.What to do when people need too much of your time and attentionDocumented instructions work well for uninformed employees, but they may not satisfy the needs of insecure employees. Insecure employees are those who abuse your open door policy by stopping by multiple times a day to ask questions or request reviews of their work.While constantly seeking approval may seem like a form of extremely annoying narcissism, Harvard Business School prof Linda Hill says theres usually a very specific reason why needy employees need extra handholding.In all likelihood, the employee feels confused, intimidated, or overwhelmed by the process of using one of the office tools or systems but doesnt want to admit it outright. Hills recommendation is to try to get to the root cause of the issue by bringing it up, aski ng the right questions, and listening to the answers.Make them comfortableApproach the topic by saying, Its my perception that Im in your work too much, and Im worried I might be a bottleneck. This places the blame on you - not the employee - and may make the employee feel more comfortable being honest in his answers.Set boundariesHill also suggests setting boundaries to establish an appropriate time for employees to come to you with feedback. If your work is suffering because of constant interruptions, consider establishing office hours set aside a specific time each day for employees to drop by and chat.If employees come to you outside of that time, ask them to come back during your office hours. This helps establish boundaries, and it forces needy employees to make decisions on their own.Help them help themselvesIt also helps to refuse to provide needy employees with direct answers. Instead of giving them the solution, ask how they will solve the problem. Ask employees not to come to you with a problem until they have several possible solutions to propose.Again, this may feel like an unhelpful response, so you may feel uncomfortable with the approach initially. But it trains employees to think for themselves and shows that you approve of the conclusions they come to.In the end, coaching employees to think more independently is the most helpful thing you can do for yourself, the employee, and overall office productivity.What to do when people think youre the office therapistManagers tend to be friendly, caring, and effective problem-solvers. While these traits make you great at your job, they also tend to attract emotionally needy and clingy colleagues. Here are some strategies for dealing with this.Delay the conversation. If you have a lot of work to do, ask the person if you can talk about their issue at some specific time later in the day. This teaches people that youre not always available just because youre at your desk. And unless the issue was very important, the person may not even bother bringing it back up later.Schedule time for venting. If youre friends with the people you work with or manage, it can be even more difficult to separate work and personal relationships. Consider proposing a rule that personal issues have to be discussed outside of the office - during lunch, on a coffee break, or after work at happy hour.Change the subject. Try to transition the conversation to something work-related. Take advantage of having the persons attention to follow up on something youre waiting on, get an opinion, or ask for help. Once the persons mind is back on work, she may be less likely to loop back to a personal conversation.For many people, these subtle cues are effective in helping them understand you cant devote your work time to listening to their problems, but there is always someone who doesnt understand subtle hints.If people continue to interrupt you with non-work-related conversations even after you try these strateg ies, you may have to tell them that youre swamped with work and cant give them your full attention. Explain that you want to listen to their issues even though you dont have time at the moment, and ask if you can catch up during a break or after work.If you want to make it less uncomfortable, blame it on your babo. Say your boss is giving you too much work or noticed that you were having too many personal conversations at your desk. Have a conversation with your boss to let her know you plan to use her as a scapegoat if youre uncomfortable making up an excuse.What to do when its your boss whos needyWhen its coworkers and employees who are needy, there are simple ways to guide and coach them to change their behaviors. When its your boss whos needy, the resolution becomes more complicated.There are different types of needy bosses, and different ways to deal with eachDemanding Demanding bosses are needy because they think everything is urgent. They set unrealistic deadlines and overwh elm you with tasks. The best way to deal with a demanding boss is to keep a prioritized to-do list and ask your boss to help you re-prioritize when adding new tasks. This will help your boss see the impact of his or her requests.Indecisive Indecisive bosses are needy because they require lots of information before making a decision. Coach indecisive bosses by encouraging them to take a small first step. For example, if you want to save on office costs by letting people work from home, dont ask to transition everyone at once. Ask if people can work from home once per month so you can monitor their productivity before making a bigger decision.Insecure Insecure bosses need constant approval. They may seek praise from you, or they may take credit for your work to earn the approval of company leaders. To help lessen your boss insecurities, look for opportunities where you can collaborate on projects. This should allow you both to share the credit for accomplishments.Insane Insane boss es take neediness to an extreme that suggests they need a psychologist more than an office manager. Maybe they call you at home on the weekend to discuss both work and personal matters, or they demand that you help with things like babysitting when that was definitely not in your job description. To avoid feeling miserable at work, your best bet is to get help from someone in HR.Often, even the neediest bosses will calm down after time passes and youve earned their trust. Even so, the more you can show your boss the implications of his neediness, the more likely he will be to work on changing his behaviors.And if it never changes, it becomes a simple matter of deciding whether or not you can live with your boss behaviors long-term.Dealing with needy people at work requires perseveranceWhen someone is needy, its unlikely that you will be able to fix the root cause of their issues. The best you can do is coach the person on what behaviors are and arent acceptable with you, and that co aching requires commitment.If you dont want someone interrupting your work with stories of their personal problems, end those conversations swiftly every time. If someone constantly asks for help with tasks that youve created instructions for, point that person to the instructions every time. Making exceptions simply encourages the behavior.Use these tips to coach your needy employees, coworkers, and bosses. Encourage them to adopt less distracting behaviors, and enjoy a little more productivity and sanity at work.Jessica Greene is a staff writer at Spoke. Built from the ground up to power the on-demand workplace and deliver immediate access to knowledge and support, Spokes AI answers the repetitive questions (more than half of all requests in some cases) - so support teams can focus on people.

The Tried and True Method for Resume Example 2019 in Step by Step Detail

The Tried and True Method for Resume Example 2019 in Step by Step Detail Job seekers deserve to locate decent content quickly. Numbers add context and draw the interest of recruiters. Whether you prefer to submit an application for a designers job in a creative agency, or desire to submit an application for a hot job in a major bank, professional resumes are going to have you covered. If you are interested in an instance of amazing messaging in a resume, have a look at the digital advertising and marketing executive resume sample among our completely free downloadable resume templates. You may have to adjust the description based on the geschftliches miteinander or job. Make sure that every talent is applicable to the work description. Youre likely going to want to include things like a Technical Skills section too. Writing an attention-getting, interview-capturing resume is an overwhelming job, but one that pays off in the very long run with a work offer. Finding that real- world experience proves that you are able to stay informed about the day-to-day operation of an organization. Writing a strong application is a difficult procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Computer skills on resumes are becoming more and more vital for accountants. Customer service is a critical element in many jobs and its vital that you concentrate on that in your resume. You may also understand the Student Resume Template. You should supplement your resume with different achievements. Also, make sure to incorporate any distinctive honors or achievements you have gotten. It is thus very important that youre ready to emphasize the skills that cause you to stick out from your peers. Even without prior history, its still true that you have the skills, education, and individual qualifications necessary to create a good case for why youd be a fantastic candidate. Every trade position has a certain tischset of skills that are needed at work and its crucial that you highlight your technical training in your resume. The area of business is huge and theres a wonderful number of positions out there in it. The health care industry can be quite competitive. Distinct kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with a number of the exact skills. Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a couple of minutes. A resume summary is a fast means of obtaining a recruiters interest. Infographic resumes are impossible to comprehend, states MacIntyre. Even if it is a super impressive school. The very last thing you would like to do is flood the recruiter with plenty of detailed info. In case you have some college but no degree, you can list the college and the plan of study. Youre probably 1 degree of separation from a person who can offer expert design tips. For instance, you might attempt to send out a particular number of resumes weekly. Try and locate a balance between using enough specific keywords an d phrases to send prospective employers to your world wide web page, while not over utilizing buzzwords to spell out your skills if you are not truly experienced. Below, you will discover a list of resume examples that may assist you with your work search. Utilizing a resume template is now an acceptable and smart practice for numerous explanations.Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples about how to compose your resume summary. Write your complete name and offer the ways an employer may utilize to contact you, including a telephone number and email address. The recruiter shouldnt be confused and wonder about the info in the resume. Contact Information Place your entire name in the resume together withA your existing phone number so the prospective employer knows how to get in touch with you.

To Succeed in Retail, Find a Career Where You Create Experiences

To Succeed in Retail, Find a Career Where You Create Experiences Think about the times when youve been turned off by an in-store shopping experience. Has a disorganized sales floor or a rude associate ever dampened your day?Now, think about the times youve been impressed by an in-store shopping experience, like an unforgettable display or an associate who had all the time in the world to assist you. Did you feel much more loyal to the store afterward?As a retail employee, you have the chance to directly influence customers experiences on a daily basis. Retail doesnt always get the best rep in the media, but one need only look at todays booming industries to see where the fields kompetenzprofil lies. Americans are spending more on experience-driven industries, with travel, recreation, and restaurants now accounting for more than 20 percentof consumer spending. If retail can learn from these industries and apply the lessons to itself, there will be an o pportunity to bring people back to brick and mortar stores.To compete with the convenience of online shopping, the new goal for physical retail locations is to become destinations that offer experiences shoppers just cant find on the internet. Consequently, the key to future success in a retail career is to find the roles where you can create such experiences.Add Value Beyond the MerchandiseWhat physical stores have over eCommerce outfits is the element of humanity. All of the chat assistants in the world cant replace the interpersonal relationships between customers and in-store associates.While every online shopping experience generally follows the same, generic model of search, add to cart, and check out, each in-store experience has the opportunity to be different. For many shoppers, it is the relationships they develop with sales associates and the special treatment they feel they receive that establish brand loyalty. Associates can add value to each step of the shopping experi ence, whether by aiding customers in making decisions, offering styling advice in the dressing room, or wrapping impeccable holiday gift boxes at checkout. Its crucial to provide an experience customers will remember because that is what will bring them back.To have the greatest impact in retail, look for the roles that are the most customer-facing. If youre just starting out, try a role as a cashier or sales associate. As you gain more experience, you can move into roles like floor leader and customer service representative on your way up to sales management.Adapt to New Shopping HabitsStores wont become ever completely obsolete because humans are sensory beings. We like feeling the different fabrics at HM, comparing the array of fragrances at the Macys counter, and observing the newest window displays at Anthropologie. However, the way we shop has changed, and retail employees must adapt to meet new expectations.The shift to experience-based spending among American consumers is la rgely due to social media. People teenagers and young adults especially choose their experiences based on what makes for the best Instagram posts or the most interesting Snapchat stories. Retail outlets must keep in mind that visual appeal will be key in getting customers to come. Lighting, color, and unique design details are chief components of the visual story.Once customers have been enticed in by visual appeal, stores must take their experiences to a new level through things like memorable scents (think Abercrombie) or in-store coffee bars (think Barnes Noble).If youre more interested in the sensory experience than in customer interaction, look for roles in visual merchandising, retail design, or boutiques. These careers require more creative and analytical thinking. Professionals in these roles must find ways to appeal to the senses and speak to the specific experience the brand wants associated with its merchandise. It is someones job to design store layouts, window displa ys, and mood lighting and that someone could be youGlenn Laumeister is the CEO ofAllWork, a talent-matching platform for brands and retailers.

Elastic Connections May Aid Bridge Design

Elastic Connections May Aid Bridge Design Elastic Connections May Aid Bridge Design Shape shifting materials sound like the stuff of science fiction, but theyve been known for decades and are used in a wide range of applications, from bio and mechanical engineering to dentistry. Seismic engineering researchers now have latched on to the material and promise to expand its use even mora by designing elastic bridge connections that would deform during an earthquake but then spring back to its original shape. If successful, the design would prevent serious structural damage or collapse and allow a bridge to remain open after a quake, a time when roads and bridges are critical for emergency response.Nickel titanium is the primary Shape Memory Alloy civil engineering professor M. Saiid Saiidi is working with at the University of Nevada, Reno, because of its superelasticity, he says. Other SMAs are generally only temperature sensitive, requiring a heat source to return to its original shape . Nickel titaniumis a bit different and has 10 to 30 times the elasticity of steel or other standard metals. In many ways it performs like steel, but it differs in its ability to undergo a large deformation and come back to its original shape, Saiidi adds.Building robust bridges and other significant infrastructure in highly seismic areas such as California and the western U.S. could significantly lessen damages after a large quake. The 1994 Northridge earthquake in southern California caused an estimated $20 billion in damage to roads and buildings.Completed plastic hinge zone with SMA bars. Image WSDOTShake TestsWith funding from the National Science Foundation using the foundations George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation, Saiidi and colleagues tested the material at Nevada-Renos shake table. They used bridge models of 120 feet to 130 feet long, with three types of columns standard reinforced steel and concrete, nickel titanium and concrete, and nickel t itanium and engineered cementitious composites, with cement, fiber, water, and chemicals. The columns were first tested using OpenSEES, and earthquake simulation program developed at the University of California, Berkeley, and then built and tested on the shake table. The columns with nickel titanium outperformed the standard design under forces equaling or exceeding those of a magnitude 6 quake on the Richter scale, Saiidi says.In bridges, typically the column is most susceptible to seismic shaking, specifically at the end zone at the top and at the bottom, by the footing, he says. Because nickel titanium is much more costly than standard steel reinforcing bar, the researchers specified its use only in those zones, a little more than one-tenth the length of the overall column. Nickel titanium bars were assembled into cages just as a standard rebar cage, and connected to the columns main cage in the plastic hinge zones, he says.Saiidis test caught the attention of the Federal Highwa y Administration and Washington States Department of Transportation, which funded similar research. The agencies are using the design for a highway ramp that is expected to begin construction in 2015, he says.Shake table testing of a quarter-scale bridge. Image UNR.edu HistoryNickel titaniumthe generic personenname for the family of alloys is nitinohas been around since the early 1960s from work at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory. It has many applications in a number of disciplines. Among other applications, the U.S. military has used nitinol couplers in F-14 aircraft to join hydraulic lines. In medicine, the material is used as a guide for catheters in blood vessels and anchors to attach tendons to bone in orthopaedic surgery. It also is used in robotic actuators and micromanipulators to simulate muscular movement.The first time I learned about it was from a mechanical engineer building an actuator, says Saiidi. Later, the question I asked myself was, What if we used it inside a con crete column in a bridge in a high seismic zone?That was about twelve years ago, and Saiidis research has progressed, also using other copper-based shape memory alloys. He says copper holds promise but civil seismic work is hampered by its scarcity. Only one manufacturerin Japancurrently fabricates the material.Cost-BenefitNitinol also costs more than standard steel and suffers from limited sourcing. Saiidi says a bridge built with columns incorporating nickel titanium will cost about 3% more than a structure with standard materials. The savings will come in reduced maintenance costsnickel titanium is highly resistant to corrosionand its ability to withstand seismic forces, he says.Several manufacturers make SMA wires, he says, noting nitinol is commonly used for orthodontic braces and eyeglass frames that bounce back to their original shape if bent. Only a few make bars. In Washington, the bridge design using the material calls for sizes up to 30 millimeters, he says.But if you loo k at lifecycle costs, it will become economical after an earthquake. You wont have to shut the bridge down, he says. After an earthquake is when you need bridges the most. For Further DiscussionThe first time I heard about nitinol was from a mechanical engineer. Later, the question I asked myself was, What if we used it in a concrete column in a bridge in a high seismic zone?Prof. M. Saiid Saiidi, University of Nevada-Reno

Generation Z How employers can prepare for this ambitious group

Generation Z How employers can prepare for this ambitious groupGeneration Z How employers can prepare for this ambitious groupCompanies around the globe will soon undergo a demographic shift with the first wave of Generation Z entering the workforce alongside Millennials, Gen Xers and the remaining Baby Boomers. Similar to their predecessors, Gen Zers will require their employers and colleagues to understand their distinct needs, skills, and habits.The post-Millennial generation, born between 1995-2010, is vastly different from previous generations. Unlike Millennials who are often associated with negative professional characteristics such as entitlement and apathy Gen Zers have developed a reputation as hard-working, dedicated and passionate workers.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAs a business expert and someone who has worked with this cohort, I would like to share several insights behind the entrepreneurial mind and drive of Gen Z. Based on my experience, its crucial for todays employers and other business leaders to learn everything they can about this success-oriented generation of workers to remain competitive in the coming years.Inside the mind of Generation ZOne of the biggest population segments since the Baby Boomer generation, Gen Zers were raised during the Great Recession and the Student Loan Crisis understandably they are quite conservative with their money. On a similar note, they are hyper-focused on landing stable jobs and establishing lucrative career paths and frequently opt to grow their savings over time than spend money they dont have in the bank.Also, their paths to success look very different compared to other generations. For example, Gen Z is much more conservative with money than Millennials as they were raised during a recession and often have relatives that are struggling to pay back student loans. To avoid dealing with the ir own student debt, many Gen Zers are opting out of the traditional high education route and plunging straight into the workforce, or pursuing more affordable online degrees at their pace.Regarding their financial future, Gen Z approaches money-related concerns cautiously, taking a cue from the often-extravagant spending behaviors of older generations. Gen Z is also more skeptical about traditional investments that are stock market-related. They tend to select alternatives, such as the gig economy, cryptocurrency or solopreneuring like Uber, Airbnb, and other popular gigs.Finally, Gen Zs self-reliance is more about autonomy. Its in their nature to fend for themselves because they think its a safer bet than depending on others. They typically do things for themselves because they are proactive and want to ensure stability for their future. Gen Zers prefer to invest and handle matters themselves with self-directed accounts, create their own jobs in the gig economy, and, mentor or te ach others online about what they do (and often make money doing it).Preparing for Gen ZToday, many business leaders are reevaluating fundamental elements of their workplace in an attempt to attract Gen Z employees. They should also focus on understanding how to retain them to remain competitive.Employers should realize that Gen Z is defined by its competitive nature they prefer to work independently and be judged on their merits versus those of their colleagues. In fact, many Gen Zers request to have their own office space, rather than work in an open, collaborative workspace. They also have developed a reputation for managing projects so that their personal skills and abilities can shine through.Its important for business owners to understand that Gen Zers desire ongoing, constructive feedback and personal face-time with management. They want reassurance that their boss is willing to invest time and effort into their career development. And theyre not simply seeking a pat on the back - they want to face their strengths and shortcomings head-on, and develop ways to evolve and progress. They also look to management as mentors, aiming to establish strong relationships over time.The bottom line Todays employers must adapt quickly. They can start by enabling Gen Zers behaviors of self-reliance and entrepreneurship, and supporting their ambition by developing strategies that will allow them to evolve and thrive.I also recommend reframing traditional approaches its no longer good enough to show them the path to success, but its more about creating an environment for Gen Z to forge their own way.Ultimately, Generation Z is set to take the weltumspannend business world by storm. If you are an entrepreneur, business owner or industry leader, the time is now to prepare for the competition ahead or risk getting left behind.Brazilian immigrant Marcos Jacober is an investor, author, international speaker, and teacher. He is the CEO of Life Hacks Wealth and the founder of Airbtheboss. Jacober moved to the US in 1998 with only a dream and $100 in his pocket. Against the odds, he achieved the American dream using the gig economy to fuel his success. Father of two beautiful children, Jacober has helped thousands of individuals from different countries start their careers here in the US. His new book Eat This Mr. President was released in 2018.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

Video Chat Recap Spring Clean Your Job Search

Video Chat Recap Spring Clean Your Job SearchVideo Chat Recap Spring Clean Your Job SearchA follow-up on some of the fruchtwein popular questions asked during our spreecast on cleaning up your job search.Thanks to everyone who tuned in to the spreecast on spring cleaning your job search. Click on the following link to view this spreecast and check out the hashtag AmandaLIVE on Twitter for additional tips.Before I dig into some of the topics we discussed, Id like to share a few stats on a job seekers online presence. According to a Jobvite social recruiting survey86% of recruiters admit to reviewing candidates social network profiles, whether or not the candidate provided that information70% turned down a candidate based on something they saw on their social media profiles85% said a positive social media presence has influenced the hiring decisionQ1 What is online presence?As a job seeker, you need to develop a absatzwirtschaft campaign that will advertise your skills to employers in a variety of formats. These include how you are represented on paper, in person, and online. Take a look at the following articles to learn how to monitor your online brand, eliminate or push down bad results, and build a strong online presence that aligns with your resume.Overhaul Your Online BrandGet Back to Social Media BasicsQ2 Im relocating for work so my wife can attend medical school and trying to make a career switch since I recently got my MBA. How can I stand out to employers when Im applying from so far away?If you have an MBA or important certification in your field, add this acronym after your name on resume and profiles so recruiters cant miss it. If youre relocating, let recruiters know theres a good reason for the move. In other words, make it clear you didnt make this decision on a whim and that youre not an expensive flight risk. Utilize your professional and alumni networks in your desired location to build your connections in the new area. Also, be prepared for a phone or Skype interviewIs Relocation Right for You?Go the Distance with Your Job SearchQ3 I owned my own business for the past few years but I want to go back to the corporate world any suggestions?Stay away from calling yourself the owner or CEO of your latest venture, since you want to avoid any assumptions or stereotypes recruiters make about entrepreneurs (basically that you wont play nice with others, etc. in the corporate setting because youre used to running the show). Take a look at these articles for other pointers.Self-Employed to Employee Making the SwitchResume Example Consultant Targets In-House WorkQ4 What should I do if my most recent job doesnt isnt as relevant to my current job goals as some of my earlier work?Think of your resume and your online presence as an ad. You only have so much real estate to work with, and you want the most relevant information to go above the fold. Spend less real estate on the jobs that dont support your job goals so that your more re levant roles will make it to the first page of your resume (or the top half of your profile).