Flying on Mars

Flying on Mars Flying on Mars Flying on MarsA helicopter that could fly in Mars thin atmosphere99 percent less dense than Earthsseems an impossible dream. Yet NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab has developed a lightweight, autonomous, helicopter that does just thatwhile surviving night temperatures down to -160F.Such mobility would open vast horizons to scientists trying to understand the potential of Mars to support life. Starting with Pathfinder in 1997, the United States has landed four robotic rovers on Mars. Yet the most successful of them, Curiosity, traversed only 13 miles since landing in 2011.Greater exploration will require more mobility. The small helicopter developed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory promises to do just that. The 2.1-kg helicopter consists of a fuselage with power and control systems, dual counter-rotating rotors, solar cells for recharging the battery, and landing gear. Members of the JPL Mars Helicopter team mount the unit to a test system that will simulate the red planets low gravity and thin atmosphere. emPhoto Jet Propulsion Laboratory/emThe concept dates back to the late 1990s, when models showed that a fast-spinning ultralight helicopter could fly on Mars. It has taken 20 years to develop small and powerful enough batteries, computers, flight control systems, and solar cells that make this possible, said MiMi Aung. She is the helicopters project manager at JPLs Solar System Exploration Directorate.Still, it is a lot to fit into one package.You May Also Like Apollo 500 Years AfterWhen we began the project, I told everyone that they had to be good at their disciplinebut they also had to be a systems engineer, Aung said. Everything you do individually touches everything else, especially when were making something so small and so light. So you cant just design the best control system or rotor for you. It has to balance mass, volume, power, and energy for the mission.That led to many unique designs, starting with the rot or. In order to achieve lift in the thin Martian atmosphere, the rotors needed to be large (1.2 meters) and rotate rapidly (40-45 revolutions per second). Yet the designers could not afford the mass and volume of a tail rotor to cancel the torque of the main blades. So they opted for a pair of counter-rotating rotors whose torques cancelled out one another.JPL worked with NASA Langley Research Center and AeroVironment to build a custom motor that could achieve those speeds. Using advanced algorithms developed at JPL, AeroVironment built a 23-pole-pair brushless d.c. motor. It included square wires to squeeze out every possible gain in efficiency. The first prototype took 100 hours to hand wind.The fuselage consisted of a central battery surrounded by five circuit boards, which formed a cube that opens on top to connect with the drive. Aungs team modeled everything, even the insulating air gap between the circuit boards and the fuselage skin, then wrapped the skin with a DuPont Kapto n polyimide film spray-coated with four different metals to modulate the amount of heat that entered and escaped.The heart of the fuselage also contained temperature sensors and a resistance strip for heating.The rotors, solar cells, and landing gear were designed to survive the Martian night without heating, Aung said. We needed to keep the fuselages battery, computer, and sensors warm enough to function.The system also needed a sophisticated degree of autonomy. On one hand, it needed to translate general commands from flight controllers on Earthphotograph these spots, sleep and recharge at this point, wake up at this timeinto operational commands.Yet it needed to navigate flying conditions on Mars. Because the atmosphere is so thin, it provides less of a blanket. As a result, the helicopter must respond faster than any human could to changing air dynamics.Testing a prototype also posed a challenge. We had to invent how to test a flying helicopter in thin air, Aung said.To do that, they filled a large, hermetically sealed room with carbon dioxide (95 percent of Mars atmosphere), then dropped the pressure to Mars levels. Working with Caltech, they built a bank of fans that, despite the low pressure, simulated winds in a thin atmosphere. Then they attached a robotic arm to the helicopter, giving it additional lift to emulate Mars low gravity.After instrumenting the helicopter, they flew it through a series of maneuvers, some in simulated wind storms, to see if its flight behavior matched their models predictions. It did well enough to earn a place on the upcoming Mars 2020 mission.Recommended for You Iron Man LivesOn Mars, its primary mission is to prove it can fly, take photos, recharge, and follow commands autonomously. Aung estimates that the helicopter is capable of flying nearly 1 kilometer at 9-10 meters/second for 90 seconds before recharging.For Mars 2020, however, NASA will throttle it back. It will move 2-3 meters per second for 300 meters while flyin g no higher than 5 meters.That will change in the future. She envisions helicopter scouting ahead for rovers and eventually humans. But helicopters are unlikely to every carry humans on Mars.The dynamics get sloppy because you need much larger rotors, and the blades get sloppytheres a resonance problemwhen you get that big, she said. But we think a future helicopter with a 3-to-3.5-meter rotor could carry a 10-to-15-kilogram payload at up to 20 meters per second and fly five to eight minutes before it has to recharge. Thats a large enough payload to do significant science.Alan Brown is senior editor.

Changing Careers How to Look For a New Job

Changing Careers How to Look For a New JobChanging Careers How to Look For a New JobAre you tired of your current career? Whatever the reason behind your dissatisfaction, youre not alone. Numbers on career changes can be difficult to pin down, because different people define a career change in different ways. Employee tenure, though, is easy to measure, and the median length of time that American employees have been with their current employer is 4.6 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Its clear that we no longer live in an age where people remain with their first company untilretirement.Changing careers can be scary. It can mean competing against people with far more experience than you have, and trying for positions that may not pay as much as youre used to.Perhaps the most intimidating part of the process is finding those new jobs.Here are a few tips for finding that new dream careerLinkedInLinkedIn can be one of the single greatest resources for anyone looking to m ake connections in a new industry or land a newjob.LinkedIn is built to help recruiters find candidates, to help candidates find opportunities, and to help professionals in almost every industry find each other. This makes it a powerful tool for anyone interested in changing careers.Join groupsLinkedIn groups are extremely useful for anyone wanting to connect with professionals in their field of choice and gain a better understanding of the challenges and rewards of that industry. Groups are also a great way to network, learn how to prepare for interviews, and more.Use the job search featureLinkedIn also has a built-in job search feature where users can apply to jobs with a single click. LinkedIns jobs section is a great place to find job postings, and highlights positions that match your qualifications. Obviously, though, these suggested positions may be less relevant to career changers. This is where thefilters can come in handy- they allow you to filter out industries you arent i nterested in.Once you have found a job of interest, you can apply directly from LinkedIns site using your own profile. This enables you to skip past much of the typical data entry common to submitting job applications online.Premium servicesLinkedIn has a number of premium servicesto make it easier for users to achieve their goals. For example, Job Seeker is a premium service that enables direct messaging to recruiters makes you a featured applicant so you are more easily discovered and gives you insight into who has viewed your profile.If you are actively seeking employment in a new industry, a premium account with LinkedIn is one way to help you stand out.Establish a list of transferable skillsThis is a key step for all job seekers considering changing careers. A lot of work-related skills can be applied tomultiple career paths.A teachers experience managing a classroom of students and tailoring how they relay information to people comes in handy for someone seeking a career in ma nagement.A web developer can learn a lot about ordnungsprinzip administration and networking on the job that would be an asset if they later sought to work in an IT department. A background in graphic design would provide the perfect foundation for a branding-focused marketing role.Once you have created your list of transferable skills, refine it for use on both your resume and your LinkedIn profile.Build your personal brandThis sounds like a lot of work, but it is really pretty straightforward. If you want to up your chances at finding a job in a field you dont have work experience in, you can put in some work during your off hours.Set up a blog, or publish posts on Facebook or LinkedIn that relate to the industry youre moving into. Share knowledge youve gained from your research into that career, and establish yourself as someone who knows a thing or two about it. Better yet, because youre changing careers, you might be able to bring a fresh perspective to topics. Sometimes it pay s to be an outsider.Connect with leaders in the industryOften, who you know is just as important as what you know. If you want to get started in a new industry, consider reaching out to established figures. Learn as much as you can from the material theyve published, network at local industry events, and even- once youve established a rapport- ask for advice to help you get started on your new path.Want to know where to find people in your area? Meetups are a great place to start. Meetup.com is one site commonly used to organize meetups for professionals, free seminars, etc.You might be surprised at how easy it is to meet the movers and shakers in a given industry by attending a few meetups. These meetings often create networkingopportunities for attendees, especially during the times before and after the guest speaker, when everyone is crowded around the snack table. Dont forget your networking resumeGain experience by doing it on your ownIf you want to get into a career in radio o r television, figure out how to put together a production using what you have on hand at home and get to work. One idea would be to start a podcast.If your dream is to work as a graphic artist, there is nothing stopping you from sitting down at your computer and coming up with designs. You could start an on-demand t-shirt company using one of the many free services that print shirts to order. Once you comeup with some witty designs, post them online. Share them on your website and/or social media pages, and dont be afraid to include them in your portfolio.Often, it isnt what youve done for a paycheck that makes up a hiring managers mind. Its what you do when no one is paying you. This establishes passion, willingness to learn, and gives you something to put in your portfolio related to your desired field.In short Just do it

Work From Home for American Airlines

Work From Home for American AirlinesWork From Home for American AirlinesAmerican Airlines offers work-from-home opportunities in certain states across the U.S. in the customer service agenting arena. The position offers a measure of freedom and flexibility, as well as excellent travel benefits. But the pay is relatively low, and sometimes you may be working hours you wont find ideal. American Airlines is a major U.S. airline employing approximately 122,300 people as of May 2017, allowing a small fraction to work from home. The company offers generous benefits packages to all of its employees. Types of Work-at-Home Positions The airline mainly hires work-from-home reservation agents in three locations Fort Worth, Texas Cary, North Carolina and Miami, Florida. These agents are required to provide schedules, fare, and flight information during their calls. What You Will Need Applicants should be at least 18 years of age and have a high school or General Educational Development ( GED) diploma. Previous reservations or customer service experience in a call center environment is preferred but not required. Agents must live within a 75-mile radius of American Airlines offices in the Texas, North Carolina, and Florida locations. Paid training for the first 10 weeks takes place onsite at the office in the respective locations before work-from-home can commence. Agents must be able to work a variety of shifts including weekends, nights, and holidays. Employees must own a computer with a high-speed internet connection and a phone that can be used for the position. Salary and Benefits The pay scale starts at just above the federal minimum wage in 2018 on an hourly basis, but after a six-month probationary period, employees are eligible for a small raise. Employees enjoy free or low-fare travel benefits as perks. Health and dental insurance and paid vacation are among the others. There is also a 401(k) plan with some company matching. Past employees have said th e best parts of the job, aside from working from home, are the flexible hours and flight benefits. The cons were not always being able to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Applying at American Airlines Available positions can be found by searching the American Airlines career page using home or home-based or work from home as the keywords. To apply, submit an application through the American Airlines website. Candidates who are contacted for a phone interview will be asked five questions. Upon successful completion of that initial test, you will be sent an email with a packet that includes city codes of the airports and cities American Airlines travels to that you will need for a domestic city code test. Subsequent to the successful completion of that test, you will be invited in for a face-to-face panel interview with the other candidates. A background check withfingerprinting and drug screening are the brde phases of the hiring process.

Ho-hum job creation mixed with a surge in higher wages

Ho-hum job creation mixed with a surge in higher wagesHo-hum job creation mixed with a surge in higher wagesHo-hum job creation mixed with a surge in higher wagesOn Friday, November 4, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly employment situation report for October, which is a widely used indicator for the health of the labor market. The October report met with modest job growth while the real story was a surge in higher wages.Key InsightsU.S. adds 161,000 new jobs in October below expectations but reflecting an economic recovery that still has plenty of lifeThe unemployment rate fell below 5.0% again to 4.9% as the labor market tightened sending employers scrambling to fill open positions by boosting pay at the fastest pace in seven years average hourly earnings were up 2.8% over the yearThe labor force participation rate changed little, returning to 62.8%The size of the labor force has increased by more than a million people in the past five months3rd-quarter GDP picked up the pace expanding at an annual rate of 2.9%, the best quarterly advance in two yearsWant to know more about the top trends in the job market? Check out the US Labor Market Update from Intelligence.

ESFP Careers - Your Myers Briggs Personality Type and Your Career

ESFP Careers - Your Myers Briggs Personality schriftart and Your CareerESFP Careers - Your Myers Briggs Personality Type and Your CareerESFPis one of 16schriftarts theMyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)assigns to individuals after they take thispersonality inventory.The four lettersstand for Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving and represent an individuals preferences for how he or she energizes, perceives information, makes decisions, and lives his or her life. Career development practitionersoften administer the MBTI to clients who are trying to find a suitable career or make other related decisions. Theybelieve that for someone to be satisfied with their occupation, it must be a good fit for his or her personality type, among other traits. Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers based the MBTI on the 16 unique personality types psychiatrist Carl Jung identified.As an ENFP, you are different from someone who is one of the other types- not better, not worse, just different. T hink of each of your four preferences as an ingredient in a recipe. Its not only that each one is different from the other three, the way they combine and interact with one another makes each type unique. Because of the differences between them, particular careers and work environments are more suitable for individuals with some personality types than they are for others. ESF, and P What Does It All Mean? Lets now dissect your MBTI type to try to understand each of your four preferences E (Extroversion) When you read the word extroversion (sometimes spelled extraversion), friendly and outgoing come to mind. While that may be true of many who prefer extroversion, what it means, in this context, is that you get energy from external forces, for example, other people. Those who prefer introversion instead of extroversion have more internal motivations.S (Sensing) A preference for sensing means you tend to use only your five senses to decode any information you receive. You dont make assumptions beyond what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. F (Feeling) Your decision-making is guided by your feelings and values. You are sensitive to the needs of other people and consider how your actions will affect them. Your beliefs are fundamental to your choices.P (Perceiving) Flexibility and spontaneity are hallmark traits of someone with a preference for a perceiving lifestyle. You dont like deadlines and prefer not to have to plan to meet them. You are, however, skilled at dealing with change. When you think about your preferences, keep the following in mind Most people do not entirely favor one preference in each pair over the other. While you may prefer to do things a certain way, you can adapt and use the opposite preference, for example, introversion vs. extroversion, when in a situation that requires it. Your preferencesmay change over time. They are not set for life. Finally, as mentioned before, each preference in your type doesnt operate in isolation. It is affected by the other three. Making Decisions What Careers and Work Environments Are a Good Fit for Your ESFP Personality Type? In addition to using your personality type to help choose a career, it is imperative to consider yourvalues,interests,and aptitudestoo. Conduct a thoroughself assessmentto get all the information needed to make an educated decision. While every letter in your personality type is significant, when it comes to choosing a career, focus primarily on the middle two letters, S and F. Occupations that involve dealing with concrete things will appeal to your preference for sensing, but dont forget that your values and feelings guide your decision-making. Here are some occupations to consider Athletic CoachCosmetologistDental Hygienist ?Licensed Practical Nurse Reporter ?Social Worker ?Teacher ?Mental Health Counselor ?Producer Dancer News Anchor ?Camera Operator ?Customer Service Representative ?Retail Salesperson ?Chef/Head Cook ?Veterinarian ?Environmenta l ScientistGeoscientist When you are deciding whether to accept a job offer, take your preferences for Extroversion( E) and Perceiving (P) into account. They will play a significant role in your success in a particular work environment. You are motivated by external forces, as your preference for Extroversion (E) indicates. Flexibility and spontaneity are important to you. You thrive when you have to adapt to change. Sources The Myers-Briggs Foundation Web Site.Baron, Renee. (1998)What Type Am I?. NY Penguin Books.Page, Earle C.Looking at Type A Description of the Preferences Reported by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Center for Applications of Psychological Type.Tieger, Paul D., Barron, Barbara, and Tieger, Kelly. (2014)Do What You Are. NY Hatchette Book Group.

The Hidden Truth About Resume Cover Letter Tips Revealed by an Expert

The Hidden Truth About Resume Cover Letter Tips Revealed by an Expert Resume Cover Letter Tips - the Story Finding out more about an organization is another fantastic method to work out the way to tailor your cover letter. Everyone is searching for success, including those who want to employ new employees. People today hire people they like and wish to work with. Utilizing precisely the same language as those who do a specific job is a great way to convince people youre suited to the job. The Tried and True Method for Resume Cover Letter Tips in Step by Step Detail How to make the ideal white letter Write the necessary annual national cricket to begin your individual. If youre asking for a position out of town, you may think about listing only your telephone number and email address. You can also produce an outstanding impression over the telephone, which isnt an option once you just send electronic documents. If at all possible, you might attempt to find someone who its p ossible to send a concise follow-up email highlighting a number of essential points about your application. If youre searching for information about how to compose a cover letter, youre in the perfect location. When you write resume cover letters, you will have to play a small detective work. Just as critical as the things which you need to include on your cover letter are the things which should never be on your cover letter. Sometimes you are going to be requested to send your cover letter as an email rather than a distinct document. You are able to relay the very same message by merely indicating that youve got extensive experience. Volunteering helps you meet new people, learn new abilities, and receive a better feeling of the form of work you would like to do. Even though most people today assume youre applying for at least 1 job at a moment, it is a great idea not to act as if you are. For some folks, its simple to get carried away with writing about yourself. The M ost Popular Resume Cover Letter Tips Being a real recruiter may be satisfying and exciting career. Explain what special abilities and qualities youre able to bring to the job. The hiring manager doesnt have time to sit down and read a memoir, they may just have a few short minutes to assess your application completely. The hiring manager is not going to invest hours into reading your entire life story even if its in the e-mail. The Characteristics of Resume Cover Letter Tips Implement the next teacher cover letter writing tips to be sure you complement your resume and boost job interviews. Resumes and cover letters are often the very first opportunity you will get to earn a positive impression on a possible employer. Less is more when it has to do with your resume and cover letter, especially if youre a mature job seeker. More than every other job seeker, you are in need of a dynamic cover letter to prove how you would result in an employer. Up in Arms About Resume Cover Letter Tips? The concept isnt to load up on keywords, but rather to demonstrate that youre attuned to the changing needs of the industry along with the work position itself. Youre attempting to convince people you really need the job. In the modern economy, a great deal of people have the proper abilities, so employers want somebody who really wants the job, states Glickman. Frankly, hiring managers know of thatwhat they really need to understand is what youre likely to bring to the position and business. Make certain that you clearly state how, exactly, hiring youd enrich the firm. Leave the hiring manager free of doubt you could do the job duties at the maximum level. Recruiters and hiring managers wish to find you know what youre getting yourself into. If you mention an organizations name, make certain you get it right. A well-written cover letter can deliberately grab the interest of recruiters by offering interesting information concerning the applicant. You usually c an get a suitable contact name at the business fairly easily. If you are in possession of a personal relation to the organization or somebody who works there, also mention it in the very first sentence or two. So now youve got two possible job hunting options if youre an expert mid-life job hunter. Convey enthusiasmMake it clear why you are interested in getting the position. You also have to communicate the explanations for why you ought to be considered for a position in a new field. Finally, obtaining a position in another city might be more challenging, but its not not possible. The Unusual Secret of Resume Cover Letter Tips Make certain you compose an ideal introduction. To assist you craft the ideal cover letter, were supplying you with a few examples to examine. Review our examples and make use of what you learn to develop job-specific cover letters for all your applications. At the other times you should have a cover letter. A cover letter has key parts that you have to include. Your cover letter is only an introductory document. It should be well written, and should be targeted to the position for which you are applying.

How to Choose Leaders in the Classroom - Spark Hire

How to Choose Leaders in the Classroom - Spark HireIdentifying leadership traits in teachers is an essential part of the hiring process. You want teachers who will help to shape your school community into a positive place for children to learn and grow. When youre looking to hire educators who are also leaders, here are some traits to pay attention toThe ability to work around difficult situationsSometimes issues come up at school overcrowding limits resources, or you have to help cover for another teacher who suddenly went home sick. A teacher whos a true leader will be able to adjust to these circumstances and continue to perform well, regardless of added pressure.An interest in learning about each students unique preferences and differencesNot all students learn the same, and a childs background can shape their classroom experience. Good teachers take the time to work with their students as individuals to ensure that they find success in the classroom. If a student is struggling, the teacher figures out the root of the problem and helps the child overcome the issue so that they can keep up with their classmates.The desire to get parents involved in the learning experienceUltimately, children learn best when parents are involved and aware of whats going on in the classroom. This helps to ensure that theres consistency between life at home and whats happening in the classroom, which aids in the developmental process.They get involved in the school community beyond the classroomEducational leaders do more than teach and go home. They betreuung their students outside of the classroom by coaching sports, attending school talent shows, and chaperoning dances. When students see that their teachers care about the various activities they have going on beyond the classroom, the school community becomes tight-knit.It can be hard to determine whether someone will be a leader in the classroom simply by reading their resume and a cover letter. For schools that dont have t he resources to pay to fly teachers out for an interview, video interviewing can be a powerful tool that enables school administrators to get a better sense of what this teacher is all about. By seeing how this person talks about their educational philosophies and expresses their passion for the field, its easier to identify whether this individual truly has the ability to lead and encourage students.Image monkeybusinessimages/BigStock.com

A Global Resume to Land International Jobs

A Global Resume to Land International JobsA Global Resume to Land International JobsAn international public health program manager receives a resume makeover. Easy-to-read over easy-to-forgetHis old CV welches written in an outline format with epos numeral headers and job roles delineated by lettered subsections or bulleted lines. The design was neither visually attractive nor easy to read. It looked like the outline of a senior-class theme paper, not a resume. We overhauled the format and brought in the paragraph/bullet style to highlight important points.We also reorganized the education section to highlight the degrees it contained. Dates in the education were eliminated because they betrayed his age and showed a date gap of seven years that followed his first degree. Then we streamlined the information to a much more informative and concise two pages rather than a slack three pages. The new visual appearance is much more inviting and reader-friendly. Word choice is criticalThe cl ient had led the old CV with an objective statement that did not really say anything of valueMaking use of my experience and skills to ensure good management of public health interventions targeting fruchtwein vulnerable and underserved population.We replaced that with a very clear branding statement that immediately positions him for the type of work he was targetingSenior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor Project OfficerWe also expanded the opening profile to paint a sharper portrait of the clients strengths. The core-competencies section captured important keywords and concentrated them at the top of the resume for added emphasis. We also trimmed the training section to eliminate redundant phrasing and simplify the message. Dont ask the recruiter to read between the lines.Remember Work history should be transparent. The chronology of the old CV was confusing, making it difficult to follow the clients career progression and geographical moves. In the new resume, we standardized the orga nization and grouped the positions by employer to clarify the career history while still showing the wide geographic supervision responsibility he had in Africa.Jargon and awkward wording made the old CV difficult to understand, especially by recruiters and other readers who may not be medical professionals. We eased up on acronyms, abbreviations and jargon and replaced them with content that was still professional but much more clear and concise.Demonstrate cutting-edge skills by expanding on only the fruchtwein recent role. The job descriptions received a complete overhaul. In the old CV, he had only briefly described his roles, so we expanded on the more recent experience. In his field, research, treatments and methodologies are ever-evolving, so we concentrated on recent activities to show he is current in the field and versed in all elements of the health crisis. We placed more emphasis on the achievements/highlights in each position so his resume will stand out among other can didates as someone with a record of getting things done in highly political situations. Passive language such as assisting in and working with was replaced with stronger action verbs, and the incorrect use of the narrative was eliminated.Finally, there was an inconsistent use of English versus French on parts of the old CV. Since the new resume was to be presented in English, it was important that terminology and wording be consistently written in English therefore, some translation was required. Good mechanics are essential in all languages, so we made sure his presentation was grammatically sound.The fruits of the rewrite a new document in the modern weltumspannend resume format that will work for him in the U.S. and around the world. A former mish mash of information in a format that was academic at best is now a career marketing document that shines the spotlight on him as a great candidate.

Social Media in the Job Search 5 Tips for Using Facebook to Find a Job

Social Media in the Job Search 5 Tips for Using facebook inc to Find a JobSocial Media in the Job Search 5 Tips for Using Facebook to Find a JobTypically when it comes to social media in the job search, you probably think of LinkedIn as your number one professional source for finding contacts- and a potential new job. But beyond posting cute pics of your kids and your recent vacation photos, you can utilize Facebook to find a job, too Heres how.Start networking. While many people have a LinkedIn profile, everyone is on Facebook. As youre looking for a job that offers a flex schedule, find out who the hiring manager or your potential boss might be. Then see if you have any mutual friends in common. If youre good friends with the mutual friend, reach out to her and see if she can put in a good word for you.Meet connections in the marketplace. Instead of perusing your friends photos, take a look in Facebook marketplace. You can see who posted the listing and reach out to them directly i f youre interested in applying. Post status updates. You post what you eat for lunch each day (pastrami on rye with deli mustard) so why notlage post that youre looking for a telecommuting job, too? After all, hiring managers will reach out to friends first if theyre looking to hire new talent. But remember that no one will know youre looking for a job unless you say you are. Youd be surprised how many FB friends will be quick to guide you in the direction of a potential new job.Get social. Fan pages on Facebook are not just for expressing how much you love 80s music. So turn your passion into a career by finding topics that relate to your area of expertise and join the groups. Answer questions and post conversational topics as well. Be sure that what you say adds value to the page after all, negative comments and critiques are not going to garner you a job interview. Once youve established a rapport with some fellow group members, you can reach out on LinkedIn and see if they know of any job opportunities, too.Create an ad. You always see the ads that line the wall of your Facebook feed. Now youre about to become one. Write a short, to the point title and text to accompany the ad. Your headline can be 25 characters, while the text of your ad offers 90 characters to impress potential employers. Include a professional photo of yourself in the ad. Facebook will even help you create an audience for your ad, so you can be sure that its seen by the right people.The next time youre logged into Facebook and about to update your profile status, utilize some of these tips to help you find the job of your dreamsReaders, how do you use Facebook in your job search? Let us know in the comments section below

Engineering Styles

Engineering Styles Engineering Styles Engineering Styles The number of problems we each can solve alone is getting smaller. Not only are there more problems than any one person can handle, but no one person has the brainpower to coveron his or her ownthe wide range of knowledge and expertise that is so often required. It is equally clear that different approaches to problem solving are needed along the way, ranging from those that strengthen and refine the systems we create to those that shake up those systems and replace them. To gather all the knowledge we need to solve complex problems, we know that we must collaborate. Paradoxically, in order to collaborate and solve problems effectively, we need to know even moreand about different things. Level and Style Two key variables are problem solving level and problem solving style. Problem solving level (also called cognitive level) refers to a persons mental resources for solving problems; its a measure of a persons cognitive capacity, or how much a person knows about different things. This is the area that concerns us when we talk about intelligence or talent, for example, as well as about someones knowledge, experience, or skill. Most people have a good understanding of level. We routinely assign projects and design teams based on who knows what and on how well each person performs certain tasks. We reward and promote individuals based on how much they do and how quickly they get it done. All of these forms of level are reasonably easy to measure, which may explain why we depend on them so much for assessing performance and for constructing teams. But level is only one piece of the puzzle. Problem solving style is equally important, but unfortunately, it is more often misunderstood and mismanaged. Problem solving style (also called cognitive style) is a persons preferred cognitive approach to solving problems. It is the way a person prefers to use his or her cognitive resources when it comes to problem solving. For engineers and engineering managers, one particularly useful way to view problem solving style is through its relationship to structure. In general, the more adaptive a person is, the more structure one prefers when solving problems. The more innovative a person is, the less structure one prefers when problem solving, and the less one is concerned about reaching consensus first. The value of Adaptive problem solving is clear: It provides continuity and stability. In contrast, Innovative problem solvers are liable to think tangentially and to question a problems definition and core assumptions because of their preference for working with less structure. The value of innovative problem solving is also clear, supplying radical breaks from tradition when they are necessary and solving problems through restructuring and increased flexibility. Innovative problem solvers often will change a system first, in order to solve challenges. Over time, a team or an organization without Innovation will also fail, but the path to failure looks different. Sorting Out Level and Style In order to understand the situation fully, its important to realize that problem solving level and problem solving style are independent. Sorting out level and style isnt always easy, because a person may be using coping behavior to perform in ways that differ from his or her preferred style. When first presented with Kirtons work, many people ask: So, given the Adaption-Innovation continuum of problem solving styles, is there one style thats best? The short answer is: in general, no. Every problem solving style has its own advantages and disadvantages in the face of a particular problem. In general, adaption has the advantage when the solution to the current problem (or subproblem) can be found within the established system, but it may fail if it hangs on to that system too long. Likewise, there is no best combination of styles in a problem solving team. Teams of individuals with similar styles may be easier to manage because the team members get along more readily, but their breadth of problem solving is narrower. They may be able to solve a certain kind of problem very well, but they will be less effective with other types of problems. In contrast, teams with dissimilar style have a wider array of problem solving style and, therefore, can solve more kinds of problems well. Still, they are typically more difficult to manage. The need for this kind of diversity arises from the nature of structure itself. In the end, the challenge for a leader is to manage the level and style diversity of the team in ways that balance the value and cost of its members diversity and keep the ultimate resolution of its goal in mind. [Adapted from The Substance of Our Styles, by Kathryn Jablokow, for Mechanical Engineering, February 2007.] Every problem solving style has its own advantages and disadvantages in the face of a particular problem.