The 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at work

The 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at workThe 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at workMistakes. Weve written about them over and over again here at CC. Weve made them over and over again, too.We think about them, talk about them, obsess about them. Theyre what make us human and help us grow, but they can also be devastatingly embarrassing, shameful, and costly to our companies and our egos.Its impossible to eradicate mistakes from our lives completely. In fact, humans are really only capable of remembering more than five unrelated pieces of information at once, as Joseph T. Hallinan writes in his book,Why We Make Mistakes How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average. Youre only human, in other words, and mistakes are part of life and work.How do I avoid mistakes at work?It is possible, however, to make a few small adjustments to the way you approach your work in bestellung to mitigate those pesky, embarrassing blunders. Just being willing to believe you might make a mistake puts you ahead of the curve. Aseries of studies on decision-makingfound that people who believed that they could be wrong were more likely to learn from and avoid repeating mistakes. On the other hand, those who thought that they were always right, or experts were not only more likely to make mistakes, but were also more likely to make them again.So accept that youwillscrew up at work sometimes. But once youve done that, use these three simple steps to avoid the really, really dumb ones.1. Do a gut checkWhen you begin a task at work, you probably have a gut feeling about how important it is. Did your boss assign it to you with casual nonchalance or was she vibrating with stress when she passed it across your desk? Will your work be seen only by you and your department or will hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of eyeballs see it?When you work in a busy environment, it can be easy to forget that your work doesnt just disappear into the ether when you submit it, send it, or release it. Internal team members, customers, users, readers, students, or patients might see it and interact with it, and if theres a mistake, those people will notice.Even though it might be hard to remember in the moment, take a second when you begin a new task to do a gut check about the weight of what youre doing. Just visualizing the people on the other end viewing or interacting with your work may be enough to remind you that the project is real and important to them- not just a list of annoying to-dos standing between you and happy hour.The good news? Most of us are actually really skilled at this part. Within a tenth of a second or so after looking at a scene, we are usually able to extract its meaning, or gist, Hallinan writes. But the rest? Not so easy. The price we pay for this rapid-fire analysis is that we miss a lot of details.2. Write a checklist, go through it, then take a break to revisit yo ur workThis parts super easy - you just need a piece of scrap paper. Once youve completed your task, take five minutes to think about everything you need to double-check in order to avoid mistakes. Did you run a spell-check, triple-check measurements, comb your spreadsheet for bugs, re-read that email? Write down everything you need to check before hitting submit, then physically check it off. This relieves you and your brain of the responsibility of remembering more than five pieces of information about the project.Then add another failsafeto your process. Go to the bathroom, come back, and check again before you hit send. Looking at your work with fresh eyes is never a schwimmbad thing. Even if youre on a quick deadline, our guess is that a bathroom trip wont make or break anything. But it will give you peace of mind.3. Ask yourself and your organization if youre working efficientlyIf youre reading this article because youre a type-A overachiever whos suddenly making a million mi stakes at a new job, consider thisitmight not be you. In Hallinans book, he talks about how anesthesiologists used to make frequent fatal errors because of inconsistencies in the machinery they were using. Then in the 80s, a group of doctors advocated for standardizing the machines to make their process more efficientand now, anesthesiologists rarely make those lethal mistakes.What does this mean for you? Many organizations hire expertsto make their processes and workflow more efficient, but others rely on the employees themselves tospeak upwhen something isnt working. If you feel comfortable enough to do this in your role, consider talking to your manager about what makes your job tedious, inefficient, and anxiety-provoking- but come prepared with solutions. Dont forget to thank your manager for taking the time to listen, even if she doesnt implement the changes right away.But the problem could also be smaller Is one of the processesyoureusing a little bit broken? Is there an Excel formula or keyboard shortcut that could streamline something time-consuming and monotonous? Consider this as youre doing your daily tasks, and then Google around or ask friends in similar jobs how they verstndigung im strafverfahren with the issue. Sometimes, thesolution is something youve never considered but is totally easy and doable.This article first appeared on Career Contessa.

ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series

ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book SeriesApril 7, 2017 ASME Press and Wiley Sons recently issued the latest book in their co-branded Wiley-ASME Press Series in Mechanical Engineering imprint. The new title, Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Models in Engineering Medicine, is now available in both print and digital e-book editions.The Wiley-ASME Press Series in Mechanical Engineering welches launched two years ago following an agreement ASME signed with technical publisher John Wiley Sons to collaborate in the development and distribution of mechanical engineering-related books. In addition to the new title, the series encompasses several additional books, including Bioprocessing Piping and Equipment Design, Fundamentals of Mechanical Vibrations and Introduction to Dynamics and Control in Mechanical Engineering S ystems.Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Models in Engineering Medicine, which was written by Abram S. Dorfman, is intended to acquaint readers with the various innovative fluid flow and heat transfer methods that have been developed and used during the past 50 years. The book focuses on mathematical models, which perform a vital role by validating the results obtained during fluid flow and heat transfer research activities.The new 456-page book is divided in to three parts, each addressing an aspect of the current application of modern mathematical models. In the first section of the book, readers will be provided with a comprehensive look at the applications of contemporary conjugate heat transfer models in various industrial and technological processes, from aerospace and nuclear reactors to drying and food processing. The second part of the book examines the theory and application of two recently developed models in fluid flow the similar conjugate model for simulation of biological systems, including flows in human organs, and applications of the latest developments in turbulence simulation by direct solution of Navier-Stokes equations, including flows around aircraft. The books third section covers the fundamentals of laminar and turbulent flows and applied mathematics methods. These discussions are supported by mora than 360 examples selected from a list of 448 cited papers, 239 exercises and 136 commentaries.The book, which is the perfect reference guide for graduate and post-graduate students and engineers, also covers peristaltic flows in normal and pathologic human organs modeling flows around aircraft at high Reynolds numbers special mathematical exercises that allow the reader to complete expressions derivation following directions from the text procedure for preliminary choice between conjugate and common simple methods for particular problem solutions and criterions of conjugation, definition of semi-conjugate solutions. Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Models in Engineering Medicine (Order No. 861MHT), is available to ASME members for $96 ? a savings of $24 off the list price. Print copies of the new book can be purchased through ASME.org at www.asme.org/products/books/applications-mathematical-heat-transfer-fluid. The title can also be purchased as an eBook through the ASME Digital Collection.For more information on ASME Press publications, visit www.asme.org/shop/books.

Good Summer Jobs for Teenagers

Good Summer Jobs for TeenagersGood Summer Jobs for TeenagersAre you a teenager looking for a good summer job? Many differentjob options are available for teens. Heres the scoop on a variety of opportunities that are perfect forteens seeking summer employmentso you can decide which is the right one for you. Summer Job Options for Teens Amusement Park JobsAmusement and water parks hire legions of young people as flugschein takers, ride monitors, concession staff, maintenance workers, singers, dancers, musicians, and lifeguards. Hospitality JobsSummerrestaurant and hotel jobsabound for teens. Kitchen assistants help to prepare food, bussers clear tables,andwaitersand counter workers serve food and scoop ice cream. Resort towns offer the most seasonal opportunities,including housekeeping and front desk jobs at local hotels. Summer Camp JobsTeenscanworkavarietyofsummer camp jobs,ascounselors, activity staff, waterfront staff, kitchen staff, maintenance workers, and office staff. Oppor tunities are available at day and sleepaway camps. You may be able to start as a counselor-in-training if you dont have the experience to start out as a counselor. TheAmerican Camp Associationwebsite is an excellentresource for summer camp job listings. The site is also useful forfinding camps by location and specialty,and it is safe to assume that all camps will be hiring teens for the summer. Outdoor Summer JobsIf you enjoy working outdoors, consider a seasonal farm job. Farms hire farmhands to help weed, water, and maintain crops. During harvest time, farm workers plattl crops and help transport them to distribution points.Cool Worksis an excellentresource forfindingoutdoor summer jobs. Many local farms have retail outlets or attend farmersmarkets, wheretheyemploy produce stand workers to stock, display, and sell fruits and vegetables. Most farmersmarkets have websites where you can find alistofvendorsto contact.Youcanalso askif the marketitselfis hiring. Jobs include social medi a and marketing, as well as handling produce and goods. Workingata local nursery is another option for the outdoorsy types. Nursery workers help to dig, cut, and transplant trees, shrubs, and other plants. They water and weed plants move and display fertilizer, seed, and other nursery products and wait on customers. Summer Jobs for Animal LoversAnimal lovers might consider working for a pet store, veterinary clinic, zoo, animal park, equine center, or shelter. Animal attendants feed, groom, and exercise animals,as well as cleaningcages and housing areas. Pet store workers arrange displays, stock shelves, assist customers, and care for pets. Stable hands at equine centers help to maintain the stalls and stable areas. They brush, groom, feed, water, and sometimes help exercise horses. If youre interested in acareer working with animals, a summer job is a good place to start. Summer Jobs for Sports FansStadiums, sports teams, race tracks, and other athletic venues hire seasonal workers as ticket sellers, concession stand workers, souvenir sellers, and maintenance workers. These types of organizations also hire interns (mostly unpaid) to help with communications, marketing, promotions, and other administrative functions. These positions are ideal for young people with an interest insports management careers. Many youth sports teams are in need of umpires. If you have basic skills in the sports youre interested, check with local teams and leagues for opportunities to umpire. Summer Jobs at the BeachWant to spend the summer by the water and in the sun? Most waterfront communities hire ticket takers, beach monitors, and lifeguards to work on their beaches. Maintenance staff help to clean beaches, bathrooms, and other facilities. Concession workers stock merchandise and sell refreshments and other beach necessities to customers. Jobs at ResortsResorts often hire young people for jobs in cleaning, food preparation, bussing, refreshment sales, activity leadership, gift shop sales, front desk assistance, housekeeping, kids clubs, and waterfront assistance. Some resorts provide housing for staff, so these jobs provide an opportunity to spend some time in an exciting location where you will meet lots of other young people. Apply early, because jobs in prime vacationspots go fast. Check out theresorts section of Cool Worksfor some listings. Jobs at StoresRetail jobs, particularly in summer resort towns, are commonly held by young people. Retail sales clerks will stock shelves, arrange displays, tag items, return items to shelves, and assist customers. In some cases, you may be able to continue your job on apart-time basisduring theschool year,or even turn your experience into aretail career. Start Your Own BusinessEnterprising teens can make money by starting their own businessesand performing services for local families. Based on your interests and talents,you might consider babysitting, washing cars, mowing lawns, walking and caring for pets, creati ng and selling jewelry, freelance writing, watering lawns/gardens, cleaning windows, seal coating driveways, painting, tutoring, teaching sports skills, or buying and selling items on Etsy or eBay. Work for Your TownYour local town will usually hire park maintenance workers, recreation staff, and lifeguards. Towns also often hire students as office workers to fill in at administrative offices while permanent staff members are on vacation. Check your towns website for application details and deadlines. Check out InternshipsYoung people are exploring career fields through internships at younger ages than ever.Approach local employers in fields that piqueyour curiosity, seek help from your guidance counselor,and use websites likeInternships.comto cultivate opportunities. Before You Start Looking If youre under 18, you may needworking papersthat certify youre eligible to work. There are limits to what typesof work a younger teen can do, but there are employerswhohire14- and 15-year- olds. If youre even younger, you may be able towork on an informal basisor start your own business. Start Your Summer Job Search Now Its always a good idea to start looking for summer jobs early,since the search can be a very competitive process. A thorough and creative approach to searching will ensure that you line up a stellar job for this summer. But, dont panic, there will still be jobs available if youre just getting started. Withalittleeffort,agreat summer position iswellwithinyourgrasp.

7 ways to turn your life around when everything falls apart

7 ways to turn your life around when everything falls apart7 ways to turn your life around when everything falls apartHow do you turn your life around when everything falls apart?First things first.Before you can accomplish anything in the present you must first eradicate your guilt and shame about the past.In this question, you asked How do you turn your life around when everything falls apartNot, How can I transform my life and achieve my dreamsThis question is coming from a distribution policy of pain and scarcity and Ill be honest with you I get it.Life can be brutal at times and it can feel like theres no hope.But its in times like this where you must shift your focus from the sh*t storm happening around you and behind you and instead focus on the rainbow and pot of gold that youre moving towards.With that out of the way here is a simple 7 step formula to turn things around when it all goes wrong.Step 1 Double down on your health and fitnessWhenever life gets crazy, the first t hing that takes a hit is our health and fitness.When we get stressed at work or at home, its easy to slack off in the gym, eat more comfort foods, and generally abandon our well being.DONT.If things are falling apart in your life then THE most important thing that you can do to get your life back on track is toLift heavy weights 4X a week and sprint once a weekEat a whole foods diet with only one serving of meat a daySleep 89 hours a nightPrioritize rest, relaxation, and recoveryYou wont be able to find a solution to your problems if you are constantly stressed out, low energy, and lethargic.High achievement (in any area of life) is a direct result of high levels of energy and enthusiasm.Before you move onto the next step, I want you to write down three ways youre going to prioritize your health TODAY and leave your response in the comments below.You cant pull yourself out of the rut youre in without great health. Reclaim your fitness and vitality, and youll reclaim your life.Step 2 Express daily gratitude for what you already haveThis response probably pisses you off And I get it.When the crap hits the fan the last thing anyone wants to hear is Be grateful for what you have.But its true.The fact that you even have a device where you can ask this question here on Quora shows me that you have something to be grateful for.If you have a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and breath in your lungs, then you have something to be grateful for Period.Starting today, I want you to commit to 30 days of ZERO complaining and daily gratitude. Keep a journal next to your bed and write down five things youre grateful for every morning and evening.I promise it will change your life.Step 3 Commit to KaizenWhen life is falling apart around us its easy to get so caught up in our own story that we cant see the forest through the trees.The fact of the matter is that, whatever you are going through right now, no matter how bad It will pass. It will end and you will get bet ter.And the way its going to get better is NOT overnight, but over the course of months and years as a result of a constant commitment so small daily improvements.I know you want to change your life and you want to change it NOW, but be patient.Commit to the long game. Improve your health, finances, and relationships by only 1% a day.Engage in small daily action and over the next 12 years your life will transform before your very eyes.Step 4 Laugh your butt offWhen life gets hard, we often stop prioritizing laughter and play.It makes sense right?Life sucks so why would we want to be laughing or act happy? Well You want to laugh because life isnt going well right now.Ive found from personal experience that watching stand up comedies and binging on funny Netflix shows is one of the best ways to pull myself out of a rut and get back my enthusiasm for life.Laugh until your stomach hurts everyday and I promise things will get better.Step 5 Commit to a goal and follow the 5-step success f ormulaI dont know you and I dont know how your life is Falling apart but I do know that whatever is going wrong can be turned around.If your finances, health, relationships or a combination of all three have been thrown in the gutter, then you need to set a concrete goal for yourself to fix the situation using the five step success formula.Make a plan Write out what you will do and why you will do itGet professional accountability Hire a coach, call up a friend you respect, or use a website like this one and get someone keeping you accountable for your actionsGet social untersttzung Find people who love you and care about you and ask for their help. Or just put a post up on FacebookFind an Incentive Pick a reward for yourself when you accomplish your goal. For example if your goal is to get out of debt, your reward could be a dream vacation, an expensive dinner, or a night on the town with your buddiesSet a deadline And give it everything youve got until you hit it.This formula is s imple But it works.If you will implement these five pillars of success and apply them to your goal, you will be able to turn your life around in record time.Step 6 Reconnect with old friends and family membersDesperation breeds isolation.This then breeds further desperation and the vicious cycle continues.As soon as you find yourself slipping into a negative state or a period of desperation IMMEDIATELY stop what youre doing and connect with 5 people you care about.Call up old friends, stop by your parents house, connect with someone who cares about you.By rebuilding your social support network you will take a powerful step towards getting your life back on track.Step 7 Relax and take a page from Bob MarleyDont worry About a thing Cuz every little thing Gonna be alright.Ok, ok, Ill stop.But seriously.You cant take life too seriously. Because, at the end of the day, no matter how badly you mess up or how gloriously you succeed, were all headed to the same place (wherever that is). 100 years from now, youll probably be dead.All of the things you care about now wont matter.And this is a freeing thought.At the end of the day, you only have one life to live. So why waste even a second of it lamenting the past and living in a negative state.You have a choice to be happy right now. Even while your life is falling apart.So stop worrying.Put in the work, of course.But realize that, when its all said and done, the only thing that really matters is whether or not you made the most of your time here on earth.Did you laugh? Did you enjoy yourself? Did you have fun?If yes, then you succeeded.If not then its time to step up, go after what you want, and live your dream life.I hope this helps.Stay strong, Be grounded.This article first appeared on Medium.

Add Privacy to Your Office Cubicle With 4 Easy Steps

Add Privacy to Your Office Cubicle With 4 Easy StepsAdd Privacy to Your Office Cubicle With 4 Easy StepsJust about everyone wants a big office with nice furniture and an appealing view out panoramic windows, but few people get one. The standard workspace in the government sector isa cubicle, and they can rarely be described as big. A cubicle usually comes equipped withcheap furniture, and it seldom offers a window- with or without a nice view.Cubicles can best be described as semi-private. Co-workers generally have to make an effort to look into each others cubicles, but they can often catch peripheral glimpses as they pass by. Noises and smells are completely public, so flatulence and reheated salmon become everyones business.So how do you make a semi-private workspace a little mora private? Try some of these ideas 01Face Your Monitor Away From the EntranceYour computer monitor shows everyone what youre doing, whether its a legitimate business or something personal. Face it away fro m the entrance if you want to avoid having others eye whats on there.Your cubicle mightbe designed to have the computer placed in the ecksto opposite the entrance, so its possible that youll haveto get a little creative with your monitors placement. A new arrangement might make working a little uncomfortable, so you have to decide as to whats more important to you ergonomics or a little privacy.02Place a Mirror So You Can See Behind YouNo matter where you sit in your cubicle, something is going to be behind you. Ideally, its a file cabinet, not an unwanted visitor.If you want to avoid unwanted surprises, place a mirror somewhere on your desk or wall where it lets you easily binnensee behind you. This is especially important if your back is to the entrance. Your cubicle should be inviting to visitors, but you dont want them startling you and you dont want to be unaware if theyreunobtrusively checking out what youre doing each time they drop in on you. 03Use a Headset for Conference C alls and WebinarsUsing a headset for conference calls and webinars serves two purposes. First, it prevents you from using the speakerphone feature on your desk phone. Itmaintains the privacy of your calls content, and it prevents you from annoying your neighborswith long, distracting phone calls.Another good reason to use a headset is to save you from holding the phones handset to your head for extended periods of time on long or multiple calls. Think how comfortable that will be.04Make Personal Calls From Another AreaJust about everyone has a cell phone so its easy to divert personal calls away from your business line. If you have to make a personal call while youre at work, duck into a conference room or a vacant hallway. Your neighbors wont get to speculate about your next visit to the doctor, your automobile repair or your handyman service. They dont need to know that you bickered with your spouse over breakfast or that your son is in danger of flunking math- and in many cases, particularly with supervisors, they dont want to know.05It Doesnt Require Anything DrasticSure, you can drape your cubicle in a giant, oversize sheet or move that file cabinet in front of the door opening, but you dont want to come off as antisocial and youll still need to get in and out of your workspace yourself. A few simple fixes and some rearranging should make life in a cubicle bearable, if not desirable. Make do while you have to and keep working away. Someday that corner office might be yours, breathtaking views and all.

Top Scientific Resume Guide!

Top Scientific Resume Guide The Pain of Scientific Resume Writing a resume can be a struggle for plenty of people, but one must remember to concentrate just on the relevant points that will cause a prosperous job application. Functional resumes are perfect for folks who dont have plenty of work experience about the job they are applying for. Youre able to believe that you did a great job but finally, your resume can be bad. Adding the incorrect things or too many things to your resume will prevent you from getting the business job which you want. Locating employment isnt a battle of attrition Youve got good communication abilities. Listing your skills provides a chance to showcase your talents and encounters to leading companies for the remainder of the work application. Facts, Fiction and Scientific Resume Dont forget, after youve finished personalizing your resume, youre bedrngnis prepared to fill out an application yet. Applications will be screened once theyre recei ved. Writing work application is a breeze when you find some basic actions. Writing a good application is truly a challenging procedure and wed love to make it simpler. A prospective employer is going to be inundated with resumes and wont have the opportunity to read through paragraphs of information. There are numerous reference sample resumes available online. A good deal of PhDs are scared to use their University email address when applying to jobs since they think their PI will hack in their email account and find out theyre attempting to leave the lab. For example, you could attempt to send out a specific number of resumes weekly. Functional and conventional resumes arent the only resume types to pick from. You dont have to follow along with the format used here, but it is suggested to deal with the categories covered here somewhere in your CV. You desire the perfect academic CV. You wish to have a compelling CV thats well-organized and simple to read, yet accurately represents your greatest accomplishments. Hiring managers want to learn that you are able to communicate clearly and directly. Job hunting could possibly be extremely demanding and restart creating is only one of the tasks which must be performed when on the watch for work. Hiring supervisors want to comprehend. To locate the most suitable job, youre very likely to wish to locate a marketable resume. The Good, the Bad and Scientific Resume Additionally, there are many professional agencies that could assist you in making a neat resume. Putting an objective statement at the peak of your resume wont help you receive an industry job. When you are thinking about employment, then it is quite critical youre mindful of how to provide yourself at the best approach to a firm. The issue with the vast majority of resumes is they think that the probable advantages to prospective companies most likely be self-evident to the audience. Indeed, regardless of the size of the book, a prac tical emphasis appears to be a main aim. Resumes are just a page in length (if you dont own a range of years of experience in a special field), and space is at a premium. One method is to set your education section at the base of your resume. The education section of your resume is the ideal place to display your academic credentials. Scientific Resume the Ultimate Convenience Analytical Perhaps the most essential skill for a data scientist is to have the ability to analyze information. Both learn state-of-the-art scientific methods and meet noted scientists from all over the world. Almost anyone can create a great data scientist resume like that. Communication Data scientists not only need to analyze data, but they also need to explain that data to others. You also need to have a look at our writing hints, which provide some more detailed insights into several vital rules. To guarantee you simply decorate the best professional resume writer you discover that its feasibl e to pay for utilize the approaching information. If youve printed work that you wish to include as part of your resume, there are lots of methods for documenting publications on a resume to be able to intrigue hiring managers. Once youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary using action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. The Debate Over Scientific Resume To conclude, its safer to use the help of a CV writing agent since it guarantees a better result. While it may seem perverse, its derived from known effects. Writing a resume can be an intimidating task, especially in case you dont know the best places to get started. Start by choosing the acceptable career stage above, then decide on an ideal package for the depth of service you desire. For every one of the info out there about aligning your pay letter, then you may locate a terrific deal of candidates that do not. If youre tryi ng to acquire work in accounting or maybe fund you require averystrong application. The objective statement tells the employer which type of stelle youre seeking, where you need to work, and what aspect of the field youre interested in. The issue with objective statements is they focus on what you want instead of how youre able to satisfy the requirements of the employer.

4 Steps to Successful Career-Mapping

4 Steps to Successful Career-Mapping Article by Elise MitchellIf theres one truth in life, its that you cant map out everything. No matter how carefully you plan, youll find yurself on some deturs. This is especially true when it comes to your professional journey. With so much unexpected and, many times, unwanted change, it can be tempting to toss out the road map and simply go wherever the wind blows you.Id like to encourage you to fight that urge. Theres still something to be said for strategic career-mapping. As an entrepreneur with more than 20 years under my belt, I believe thoughtful planning is fundamental to creating a fulfilling and successful career. Im not the only one who feels this way The 2017 MRINetwork Millennial Hiring Trends Studyfound that 53 percent of millennials want to map out their careers, too.Theres no denying that traditional employment has largely been supplanted by short-term, part-time, and gig-specific work. In other words, our careers have grown more dynamic. However, this economic evolution has not made old-school career-planning obsolete. It simply means we need to adopt new, more adaptable mindsets when considering our career paths.21st-Century Career-MappingCreating a career map originally meant determining how to artfully navigate the corporate ladder. Inthose days, your career path was astraight shot with very few deviations work in X department long enough, become X departments supervisor, advance to Y department, and so itwent until you retired.Todays mapsare less linear.They are full of twists and turns as people navigate opportunities and develop capabilities that lead to new roles, often outside their current companies. About 35 percent of workers freelance, according to a report from Freelancers Union and Upwork, and even more dabble in gig work as needed. These workers bear the responsibility for ensuring they have the necessary skills to advance in their careers. No employer will set that path out for them.Weve become a nation (and perhaps a world) of individualists. Were dreamers, with the understanding those dreams will never come to fruition if we arent flexible and journey-minded.Nevertheless, unpredictability can be a hard pill to swallow. At least, it was for me.Avoiding Career-Mapping RoadblocksFocus on what only you can do. Give the rest of it away.I made this my mantra during a crucial time of growth at my company, when I needed to give more authority to our senior leaders. I had no idea how difficult delegating that authority would be.Accepting and acknowledging that you hold tightly to responsibilities you enjoy is one thing doing something about it is quite another. For me, giving away the final say for clients, programs, and initiatives Id built and loved was almost gut-wrenching. But I knew growth would be stymied if I didnt share all the best stuff with my most trusted leaders.Once I did this, I saw how these leaders were able to improve upon what Id started through their fresh perspectives. Plus, there were other things I needed to focus on in order to move us forward. Not surprisingly, I saw my own professional growth take off when I took on new challenges. Had I not released myself from those ties, I would have been stuck.Not all career-mapping is this challenging, but it can be difficult if you dont know what youre doing. If youre interested in setting out a career map of your own, try a few of these strategies to get yourself moving along your preferred route.Career-Mapping Strategies1. Focus on Making Your Good into GreatEach of us has areasin which we excel without trying too hard. Maybe youre a pro networker or a schattenkrieger closer. Identify your good skills and turn them into great ones by working your tail off. Dont waste time trying to become awesome at what you dont do well or worse, at what you hate to do. Instead, passionately and enthusiastically become the best you can bewhen it comes to your natural gifts.2. Take One Step Forward Every DayA half hour per day is all it takes to keep moving ahead on your professional journey. Spend your 30 minutes brainstorming things you can do to develop your abilities and recharge your optimism. Could you read a specific book? Have coffee with a mentor or industry influencer? Rather than thinking too much about the big picture, focus on taking yourself down the road one step at a time.3. Figure Out What Success Looks LikeEvery person has a different measure of success. What is yours? Do you want to start a business? Have an impact on people in need? Write a book and go on the public speaking circuit? Spend a few moments reflecting on what success means to you, then determine how you might reach that destination from where you are today.While the distance could be great, you shouldnt quit your current job immediately or even at all. You might be able to reach your destination through other avenues such as volunteering or a side hustle that allow you tomaintain a dependable income at the same time. If you do eventually have to say goodbye to your workplace, youll feel better about doing so, thanks tothe purpose youve set for yourself.4. Build a Robust, Genuine Support SystemFocus on your relationships in both your work and personal lives. Humans rely on connections the more trustworthy, honest cheerleaders you have, the richer your career journey will be. Plus, when you hit a rough spot in the road or have to backtrack, theyll be there beside you. Who knows? They might even willingly take the wheel for a few miles until you get your second wind.If theres one thing you shouldnt be, its a passive participant in your career journey. You have a destination in mind, and even if it seems very far away, its reachable as long as you chart a course and stubbornly and gleefully forge ahead.A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Elise Mitchell is the CEO of Mitchell, an award-winning strategic communicatio ns firm. She helped build Mitchell into one of the top 10 fastest-growing firms globally and a two-time Agency of the Year winner, honored by PRWeek and The Holmes Report.Elise has received numerous awards, including being named PRWeek Agency Public Relations Professional of the Year and a Top 50 Power Player in PR. Elises book, Leading Through the Turn, is now available for purchase. Find out more about the book here.

Lateral Transfers in a Government Agency

Lateral Transfers in a Government AgencyLateral Transfers in a Government AgencyA zur seite hin gelegen transfer is the movement of an employee from one job to another within a government organization at the same pay grade.If an employee can request a transfer, the organization must approve the move. Government agencies have detailed policies and procedures surrounding zur seite hin gelegen moves to ensure fairness and to mitigate the chances that an employee will legally challenge the move as unfair or discriminatory. Why an Employee Would Ask for a Lateral Transfer An employee might ask for lateral transfers for any number of reasons, but they often include wanting a different supervisor or moving geographically to accommodate a spouses new job. The employee might be experiencing burnout in his current duties and he wants to broaden his expertise or skills without actually moving to a new job with a different company. Why an Organization Would Prompt a Lateral Transfer Like wise, an organizationmight initiate a lateral transfer for various reasons. It might experience areduction in forcenecessitating that it move workers around to better focus its resources on the most mission-critical functions. The organization may experience changes in the populations it serves and needs to reposition staff to meet changing demands for services. Lateral Transfers Within the Government Lateral transfers can be very helpful to government organizations. At the beginning of its own lateral transfer policy, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says, The Institute encourages lateral movement to a different job within the same level or grade when appropriate. Such movement not only helps an organization through cross-training, but it also offers employees development opportunities to broaden their knowledge and enhance their professional growth. Some Examples The spouse of a state correctional officer gets a job in another city. The family really wants this mo ve to happen, but the correctional officer himself needs a job to make it work. Fortunately, the new town has state prisons. The correctional officer requests a transfer to a facility in the new town. The facility happens to have a vacant position at the correctional officers current job classification. The warden happily accepts a trained and experienced officer where he would likely have gotten an untrained and inexperienced new hire otherwise. A government accountant has been working in accounts payable for five years. Lately, she has become bored with purchase requisitions, contracts, and payments. She needs something new, but she still wants to be involved in finance. She notices that the accounts receivable area need mora people, so she volunteers to transfer from accounts payable to accounts receivable. The accounting manager grants the transfer because it will benefit both the employee and the organization.A city has rapid growth on one side of town. New neighborhoods are be ing built as fast as construction crews can erect them. The fire chief reviews the citys firehouse locations and realizes that the city needs to build an additional firehouse among the burgeoning neighborhoods. Since the construction of a firehouse will take more than a year, the fire chief decides to transfer some firefighters from less populated parts of town to the firehouse nearest the new development. As you can see, lateral transfers can work well and be advantageous for both employer and employee. If youre experiencing a dilemma that might be cured by such a move, theres no harm in reaching out to see if a lateral transfer is available to you.

Should I Start My Own Consulting Business

Should I Start My Own Consulting Business Should I Start My Own Consulting Business Should I Start My Own Consulting Business?Wouldnt it be nice to abflug your own consulting geschftsleben?No more unreasonable bosses, meetings you really dont want to be involved in, or working with people you dont necessarily enjoy working with. Most of us have thought about it at one time or another and some of us have actually made it happen.For some people, entrepreneurship and business ownership is the right move and professionally and personally rewarding. For others, it just might not be the right fit.Leaving the conventional workforce to start your own business is truly a difficult decision and one that should be carefully considered. Here are a few key questions you should ask yourself before making the leap.What is your primary motivation for starting your own business?Do you truly have the entrepreneurial spirit or are you displeased with your job, career progress, or work environment? Dont take this question lightly. The truth may be that you are simply unhappy in your current business situation, which means you should be looking for a new position or employer versus going off on your own.Starting up and sustaining your own business is a 24/7 job and your passion for making it work will keep you going through some very long days. It requires a 100 percent commitment.Can you really afford it?A weak financial position is usually the first potential show stopper. How long can you live without a steady paycheck? It can takes months to years to start up and establish a profitable consulting practice and during that timeframe, your paychecks may be few and far between.Realistically, you should be able to go at least a year without a substantial income. Also, carefully consider the benefits you will be losing from your current employer health and life insurance contributions, retirement fund contributions, bonuses, and paid vacations. You most likely will need to invest in personal disability insurance as well. Financial factors will make or break you early on. Make sure you understand the financial picture.Are you socially prepared?In the beginning, most consultants work out of a home sekretariat to keep overhead down and minimize start-up costs. That means no more water cooler chats, conversations in the break room, and lunches with colleagues.How important are these social interactions to you? In comparison, life in the home office can be isolating and most of your human interactions will be by e-mail and the telephone. When you look out your office window and see that the lawn needs mowing, do you have the self-discipline to close the window blinds and make that next sales call instead?How strong is your support network?While you might be a gifted mechanical engineer, you most likely are new to business management. You will need to collaborate with others to succeed in other aspects of your business-legal, finance, marketing, and sales.You are goi ng to need a lot of help. Do you have trusted business contacts? Who is going to help you create your professional corporate identity-your logo, letterhead, a website, your first brochure, and the like? Youll need expert accounting advice. Those contacts should all be in place before you take your first step out the door.Do you have that first client in your back pocket?In an ideal world, you will have your first client lined up and have had serious business conversations with other prospects before you go off on your own. If it is possible to work at night and weekends on your new venture while you are still employed, take the opportunity.Keep in mind that finding a new client is not easy. When you are not doing engineering work for a client, youll be prospecting for new business. Once youve found a prospect, youll develop a proposal, present it, and attempt to land a new contract. And just because youve made it that far, you are not assured of gaining the job. Selling and developi ng new business is a time-consuming process but critical to your long-term success.Starting your own consulting business is not easy. However, if you decide to take the leap and succeed, youll find it to be a truly rewarding experience.Tom Ricci is the owner of Ricci Communications.Leaving the conventional workforce to start your own business is truly a difficult decision and one that should be carefully considered.

Neat Little Packages

Neat Little Packages Neat Little Packages Neat Little PackagesWhen Layla Richards welches only 14 weeks old, she welches diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer that kills three quarters of the infants who contract it. Her doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London immediately started the standard treatment- chemotherbeiapy to kill the cancer and a bone marrow transplant so her body could replace her damaged blood cells- and hoped for the best.Seven weeks later, the cancer returned. The doctors then tried an experimental treatment. That also failed. The doctors told her parents that Layla faced certain death and gently suggested palliative care. In another part of Great Ormond Street Hospital, Waseem Qasim, a professor of cell and gene therapy at University College London, was treating mice by genetically modifying their immune cells. Immune cells are natures first line of defense against disease. They are designed to attack any foreign body. U nless they are a very, very close match, immune cells transplanted from one animal into another will also attack their new host.Working with mice, Qasim had shown he could genetically modify immune cells from donors so they would ignore their new host. He did that through use of an artificial enzyme called TALEN (for transcription activator-like effector nuclease). Like a pair of robotic scissors, TALEN hunts down and cuts DNA at a pre-programmed location. Once the DNA is cut, Qasim can add or subtract genetic material or even an entire gene. That enables him to alter the DNAs code, and therefore the cells behavior.Instead of going after the host, Qasims altered immune cells targeted only leukemia cells. Qasim also found a way to boost the immune cells resistance to a powerful drug used in the treatment. Zhen Gus DNA nanoclew has ligands on its surface that bind to receptors on the surface of cancer cells. It is then absorbed inside the cancer cell, whose acidic environment destroys the polymer sheath containing enzymes that slice through the DNA cocoon, spillingWhen Laylas parents were told about Qasims work, they were adamant about going ahead with what was a treatment that had never been tested on humans.We didnt want to accept palliative care, and so we asked the doctors to try anything for our daughter, even if it hadnt been tried before, her mother, Lisa Foley, said.At that point, however, Qasim had just begun the laborious process of treating enough immune cells to test for safety on humans. He had only enough to fill one vial. Layla was injected with 1 ml of the experimental cells.Within a few weeks, Laylas health improved. After two months she was without cancer and had received a bone marrow transplant so that she could begin making her own immune cells. One month later, in the fall of 2015, Layla returned home. Stories of genetics-based cures like this make it seem as if we live in an age of medical wonders. And to a certain degr ee, we do. But for all the advanced proposals for treating intractable disease, says Matthew Porteus, associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medical Center, there is still one pressing problem. He and his colleagues need better delivery systems.You can have the fanciest ideas and molecules, said Porteus, who himself was the first researcher to modify genes in human cells at rates high enough to cure diseases. But if you cant get them into the cell, they are no use, he said.Better delivery systems will take engineers.Although the cancer treatment that Layla Richards received was a first, the concept of genetically modifying cells in a Petri dish and injecting them into a patient, as Qasim did, is fairly standard. Ideally, though, physicians would like to deliver genetic medicine to cells inside the body. It is the only way to attack cancer and disease where they live. It would also make it easier to treat genetic diseases by changing the DNA in cells that continue to divide and multiply.Doing that, however, increases the difficulty for delivery systems. In addition to convincing the targeted cells to open up and accept a gene-altering payload- no mean feat- in-body systems must first find the right cells and also protect their package from the bodys immune system.Fortunately, researchers have been learning how to do that for more than 20 years while developing nanoscale drug delivery systems. Those solutions have now moved into the mainstream, said Mark Saltzman, a Yale University professor of biomedical and chemical engineering and physiology. Saltzman has published more than 300 papers in the field.custompagebreak The pharmaceutical industry was built on the notion that if you find the right chemical or compound, everything is going to be okay. If it has dangerous side effects or lacks effectiveness, you just tune the drugs chemistry, Saltzman said. Whats different now is that we can achieve greater safety and effectiveness by ch anging the packaging instead. Pharmaceutical companies do that with doxorubicin, a cancer drug that also causes heart disease. Entangling the drug in liposomes, sac-like structures made from fatty acids, keeps it from interacting with heart cells or other tissues. And because the liposomes are smaller than 100 nanometers in diameter, the bodys immune system ignores them. They are small enough to pass through the leaky blood vessels that surround tumors, and cancer cells have no mechanism to remove them. The fact that fatty acids are common molecules helped allay Food and Drug Administration concerns about the packaging, Saltzman said. Doxorubicin became the first FDA-approved nanomedicine in 1995.Since then, packaging has grown a great deal more sophisticated. Saltzmans work is a case in point. He prefers to work with synthetic polymers, for example, because they offer a great deal of flexibility. The polymers enable him to package two or more medicines at a time and cont rol precisely how htte nicht viel gefehlt the packages will release their payloads. Also, since artificial materials do not trigger immune responses, he can deliver very high doses of medication without a reaction. Saltzman draws on decades of research to target specific types of tissues or cells. Gang Bao, ASME Fellow, Nanomedicine Center for Nucleoprotein Machines, Rice UniversityPeople have been studying cancer for a long time, Saltzman said, and some characteristics of cancer cells are well known. For example, they reproduce rapidly, and need to accumulate folate molecules to make DNA. We put folate on the surface of our molecules, and cancer cells think they are folate and ingest them. We also put cell-penetrating peptides on the surface to speed uptake once the cell recognizes the package.Saltzman developed a range of approaches to deliver cancer drugs. Yet many of these techniques would adapt easily for genetic medicine. In fact, many researchers are already puttin g them to work.Arcturus Therapeutics in San Diego bills itself as an RNA medicines company. Cells use RNA to carry instructions encoded in the DNA to ribosomes, structures inside the cells that build proteins to spec by interfering with that process, RNA medicines can disrupt the formation of proteins that cause disease and tumor growth. In June, Arcturus signed an agreement to commercialize RNA medicines with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson Johnson company.Arcturus wants to package these RNA medicines using a fatty acid-based nanoparticle system, a delivery technology that it calls lipid-enabled and unlocked nucleic acid modified RNA (so that its acronym can be LUNAR). The company says this is an advance over previous lipid-based delivery systems. In those systems, lipids were made from permanently charged molecules called quaternary amines their positive charge held negatively charged medicines and RNA molecules in place. Unfortunately, the charged particles accumu lated in body tissues the way balloons with a static charge stick to a wall.Thats not a problem if you deliver one or two doses, said Arcturus CEO Joe Payne. But if you are dosing every day, every week, or even every month, it is a problem.Arcturuss solution is a biodegradable lipid with a temporary charge, just enough to wrap medicines and RNA in a loose, yarn-like bundle. When the bundle reaches the targeted cell, the cell engulfs it, trapping it in a small sac that travels into the cell. By the time that sac breaks down, the lipid has fallen apart, releasing its medicines or RNA to go to work in the cell.To target specific cells, Arcturus follows Saltzmans playbook. It decorates the LUNAR surface with different molecules, and also changes its size, shape, and charge. This yields some surprisingly sophisticated systems. For example, Arcturus attaches small umbrellalike structures to LUNAR. They hook onto liver tissue, allowing the package to break free and enter the ce lls.A lot of this sounds like science fiction, but its real, Payne said.It must seem that way to Andre Watson, chief technology officer of Ligandal, a fledgling Silicon Valley startup building delivery systems for genetic medicines. Three years ago, Watson was an undergraduate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute looking for a project he could work on in graduate school. A professor pointed him towards delivery systems.Watson quickly hit upon the strategy of building a multilayer package. The outside layer would target specific types of cells. Once inside, it would disintegrate, leaving behind a second package containing scissor enzymes and genetic material. custompagebreak Watson makes both shells from peptides. Peptides are the way biology presents information. They dictate where things go inside the cell, he said.Watson leverages this by programming the peptide shell to carry its genetic payload into the cell nucleus, where DNA creates RNA. By targeting the nucleus and tuning his peptide package to disintegrate slowly, Watson can flood the DNA with active genetic material for weeks at a time. As a result, he claims he can achieve gene replacement rates that are much higher than standard processes.Watson came to Silicon Valley with $1,500, but Ligandal has lined up $500,000 in angel investments. The company is working with several leading researchers and pharmaceutical firms, and plans to begin publishing results soon, he said.If Watson is still trying to build his reputation, Zhen Gu has begun to establish one. He was named one of MIT Technology Reviews 2015 list 35 Innovators Under 35, in part for an injectable nanoparticle package that breaks down and releases insulin when it encounters high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Gu, an assistant professor in University of North Carolina-North Carolina State Universitys Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, is now seeking to do something similar by packaging genetic materials in DNA.He calls his system a nanoclew, after a clew of yarn, because it looks like a tightly wound ball of DNA. The DNA is shaped to hold gene-cutting material as well as polyester groups that give it an electrical charge that promotes uptake in cells. At the cellular level, Gus DNA creations look good enough to eat, and cells do ingest them. The DNA, although biocompatible, is artificial and does not trigger an immune response. To test the system, Gus team gave mice tumors that had been modified to produce green fluorescent proteins. The researchers then programmed their nanoclews to cut out the DNA that made those proteins. According to Gu, about one third of the cancer cells stopped fluorescing after treatment.The human body is made up of a couple of hundred different types of cells- blood, brain, muscle, skin, and so on, not even counting the microbial hitchhikers- and it is improbable that any one type of packaging will reach them all. As engineers test the design of d elivery systems, they will find themselves working with scientists to understand how all the pieces fit together. The gaps in sciences understanding come across clearly when talking with Gang Bao, an ASME Fellow who heads the Nanomedicine Center for Nucleoprotein Machines at Rice University in Houston. Bao has been working on genetic cures for sickle cell anemia. It is a promising application for genetic therapy, since a single mutation in a single gene in just one type of stem cell causes the disease. This gives Bao a very specific target to attack.His game plan sounds simple remove the stem cells that make blood cells from the bone marrow splice in a gene segment to fix the mutation and then inject the modified cells back into the bone marrow so they can produce healthy red blood cells. Executing the plan has proven difficult, which is one reason why Bao has been working on the problem since 2008. For instance, Bao uses CRISPR- a powerful, low-cost genome-editing techn ology- to break DNA strands. Cells repair 95 percent of those breaks by rejoining the broken ends the way we might tie a broken shoelace. Often, this introduces small mutations into the gene, destroying its ability to produce RNA. This technique helps eliminate unwanted or dangerous proteins.The other 5 percent of the time, however, cells use a molecular template to build and then insert a new gene into the missing gap. Bao hopes to take advantage of this mechanism to alter genes and reprogram anemic stem cells to make healthy red blood cells. This is the fruchtwein important question for genome editing, how to raise the percentage of template-based repairs, Bao said. We must learn to control which type of repair the cell selects, or how to separate the properly corrected cells from those with end-to-end repairs so they do not compete with each other when we replace them in the patient.Bao is also tackling another template repair problem, when scissor enzymes sometimes m ake the wrong cut. CRISPR targets DNA by looking for a specific sequence of 20 pairs of molecular building blocks that form DNA. Human DNA contains 3 billion pairs, so that sequence is likely to appear in several different places. Scissor enzymes also may sometimes settle for getting 19 out of 20 pairs right.Bao calls this off-target cleaving, and it could lead to unwanted mutations and unexpected side effects. He is developing a web-based tool that will rank DNA segments by their vulnerability to off-target cleaving. We can show researchers the problem, but we do not have a way to fix it yet, he said.Baos realism is bracing when set against the rise of venture capital-backed genetic medicine companies. The technology is risky. This is why Ligandals Andre Watson describes the ideal test subject as someone in the late stages of a rare, lethal disease. fruchtwein other researchers would agree.Yet the future is coming fast. Watson, for example, imagines that clinics 30 yea rs from now will sequence patients genomes and biopsy their conditions, and prescribe treatments that target the precise cause of disease.That may seem like more fiction than science. But this time last year, so were the genetically modified immune cells that cured Layla Richardss cancer.Alan S. Brown is associate editor at Mechanical Engineering magazine.You can have the fanciest ideas and molecules. But if you cant get them into the cell, they are no use.