Ask the interview questions that will find your ideal candidate

Ask the vorstellungsgesprch questions that will find your ideal candidateTodays work world is undergoing a rapid paradigm shift, thanks to massive waves of technological, economic, and cultural change, and the old ways of doing business are being upendedmaking hiring for all sorts of positions across industries a greater challenge. Todays job market is also more competitive than ever before, with a crowded field of companiesranging from lean and hungry start-ups to global multinational conglomeratesall drinking from the saatkorn candidate pool.When your business is in hiring mode, your objective is clear you want to source and retain the most qualified candidates for your open positions in order to stock your teams with the best talent available and be a leader in your industry. You also want to prevent hiring mistakes that can cost your business in terms of wasted time and money spent onboarding candidates who ultimately turn out to be a poor fit. The professional world is littered with horror stories revolving around bad hiring decisions, and its in your companys best interest to not fall into this trapespecially since its an avoidable one if you approach the hiring and interview process the right way.So, what does all of this mean? Simplyput, if you want your business to be competitive in the job market and attractand retain candidates who are the right fit for your team, you need to makekoranvers that your hiring procedures are razor sharp.Regardless of your industry, theinterview phase is without a doubt the best time to determine which candidatesare ideal for your hiring needsprovided that youre asking the right questionswhen candidates are in front of you. As someone in charge of hiring new staff,youve certainly been on both sides of the hiring equation, and you know thedifference between an effective interview and one that fails to do the job ofweeding out the wrong candidates and making sure the right ones shine through.So are you asking the right que stions on interviews? Hopefully you are, or else you run the risk of weeding out good candidates and failing to catch bad ones early on. Its simply too important to leave up to chance. Consider using the following strategies to help you make sure your interview questions are right on target.

10 Reasons To Ditch Offices For Open Work Spaces

10 Reasons To Ditch Offices For Open Work Spaces Having worked both behind closed office doors, within a cubicle and in open work spaces, I believe strongly that the best work environment for the best work outcome is the open-plan office. Here are 10 reasons why1. If youre a manager, you see your team. This helps you understand who they are, how they work, and no, this isnt about policing. Its about really using behavior to understand what makes people tick and how to motivate (and lead).2. If youre being managed, you get to see your manager work. In the days past, apprenticeship was something most people in the labor force had experience with. Now, it leise happens, but it tends to happen in much more specific professions. Theres a reason why medical residents follow physicians around. Theres no substitute from seeing how your manager talks, works, and behaves.3. It increases the chances of mentorship.Dont get me wrong Im notlage saying you cant get a job if you work in a cubicle, o r behind closed doors, in an office. But I think it does mean its less likely youll get out as much. Part of the way that natural mentorship relationships develop is through, well, interaction. And interacting by phone or digitally isnt the same thing as seeing someone -- even from across the room. The sheer number of times and opportunities you have to run into someone just multiply when youre in an open office plan setting.4. If you dont like noise, you can put on a headset. Or just duck out.One of the most common complaints lodged against open-plan offices is that introverts or people who dont work well with a lot of background noise around them are distracted from doing work that requires a lot of concentrated focus. But nothing about working in an open-plan space means you cant tune out with some noise-cancelling headphones or popping on your favorite zen soundtrack to tune out your neighbors phone calls.5. Its democratic without undermining hierarchy.While work isnt democratic and probably shouldnt be, having decision-makers and management structures can translate into rigid hierarchies and leadership that is removed from whats happening on the ground. Just visualize, for a moment, the CEO office in the corner of a skyscraper tower, and youll instantly understand why simply giving that CEO the corner desk (sans walls) changes the tone of company culture and makes it feel much more that employees have a say.6. It prevents leaders from getting out of touch.While Fairygodboss is still a young and small team, Ive seen leaders of much larger organizations get quite distant from the people who are making things happen on the ground.These people work in sales, customer service, the back-office and see important things about the health and direction of the business that can be missed if youre too far removed from the guts of operations. 7. It saves money.Simply put, you can put more bodies in an open space if you dont have standard layout cubicle pods that dont account for the cost per square foot of real estate being different in Omaha versus San Francisco. You can can save on real estate and funnel that money into things that make your customers or employees happier.8. It allows for more aesthetic konzeption options.If you dont have offices and walls, suddenly an open-plan room can have desks configured in many different ways, central lighting options and artwork possibilities open up. You may consider these things nice-to-haves but they can improve morale among your team and also impress clients who visit your office.9. Natural light has fewer barriers.Assuming you started with workplace real estate that had windows and access to natural light, offices and cubicles obstruct it so that the further you move into the center of any given space, the less light there is. Open space offices let in the light for everyone10. Open work spaces fosters collaboration.In this day and age, technology makes being physically present in the same location not nearly as pressing as it used to be. Skype, video calls and omnipresent chat rooms allow teams to be connected remotely and work flexibly. Therefore, getting together physically in one place requires more justification. Why get everyone together if youre just going to put walls between them when they get there? Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person Help!

Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person Help The responsibilities you yourselves custom your existing job ought to be present tense. Custom writing means a severe company with high standards. The remedy is to make sure that your CV is tailored to your precise circumstance. Writing the perfect CV is a significant step towards gaining your fantasy job. What You Need to Know About Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person The actual folks highly praise our essay help site. Since you are able to see, students will definitely face many challenges should they wish to turn into a member of the buy essay club. You may easily depend on us to find essay help as we have a tendency to assist and guide the students with the assistance of our professional experts. You can depend on the ideal essay help online. What is Truly Happening with Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person You should bedrngnise which you are not in a position to speak about the inner thoughts of your characters. What you should do now is describing what youve observed from the character. The writer is centered on his own character, their feelings and emotions. Additionally, you must decide whos telling the story. The first refers to the circumstance, as soon as a storyteller knows of all of the information regarding the ideas and emotions of the character. Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person What all you will need is getting the assistance from a specialist and EssaysChief is going to be the expert that you seek out. Pay attention at first to the experience youve got. If youre fighting with choosing either the very first or the third individual, wed counsel you to go with the latter. The Importance of Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person If you wish to purchase a research paper, online writing service like ours is exactly what you will need. Utilizing third-person writing can earn a huge difference in giving your essay the proper tone. There are several different forms of formats for functional resumes. Wha tever They Told You About Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why reservierung top-notch essay at this time and certified specialists will do their very best to supply you with higher quality at fair price. There are a lot of reasons why you need to prefer our services. The customer will know the purchase price of the order till they place it and ensure it is definite. A Secret Weapon for Custom Resume Writing 3rd Person If youre looking for top essay writing companies, try out the mentioned above. You are going to be surrounded by writing professionals throughout the plan of order placement, and once you opt to purchase essay and pick an allocated writer, things are likely to get even mora exciting. To be certain, individuals are somewhat more comfortable reading present-tense fiction now precisely as it has become more common. So far as the students are involved, writing a research paper is among the toughest and frustrating endeavor in their opinion.

This is why its a good idea to step out of the office and head outside

This is why its a good idea to step out of the office and head outsideThis is why its a good idea to step out of the office and head outsideWhen the busy workday gets to be too much, some of us go outside for a much-needed breather to go look at the nature surrounding us. Something about looking at the green world outside of our cubicles refreshes us. Now, theres new science to back up why nature walks help us reset and feel good about ourselves.In the latest issue of Body Image journal, an analysis of five separate studies found that exposure to green spaces like a park has a greater effect on boosting our self-esteem than man-made spaces like sidewalks in cities.Feeling down about yourself? Head outside into natureTo test the mood-boosting powers of nature, researchers recruited adults in London and split them into groups. One randomly assigned group was told to take a walk through Hampstead Heath, a 790-acre green space filled with ponds, hills, and woodlands for them to wander th rough.The other group was told to take a walk through an urban environment filled with high-rise buildings, garages, and parking lots. The group that got to walk through greenery experienced a boost in their reported self-esteem, while the group that got stuck walking through traffic on roads experienced a decline in body satisfaction.But if you are not near a natural oasis, do not fret. In a separate experiment, the researchers found that just looking at pictures of nature was enough to improve our self-esteem. While participants who looked at urban images of factories and city streets experienced no self-esteem boost, participants who looked at nature images of forests and mountains significantly increased their body satisfaction. They were mora likely to report feeling more comfortable in their bodies.Nature is proven to captivate usWhy does looking at nature help us feel at ease with ourselves? The researchers theorize that nature creates the right environment towards helping us reflect and think happier thoughts.Natural environments may capture ones attention in an effective but gentle manner, a process termed as soft fascination, the study states. This undramatic fascination is generally accompanied by feelings of pleasure, such as when one is drawn to the sight of a setting sun or green vistas.Such surroundings may be ideal for promoting more positive state body image because they effortlessly hold ones attention while allowing for simultaneous thought and reflection to occur.This conclusion backs up previous studies on the power of nature. One study found that just watching nature documentaries was enough to captivate our attention and make us feel better about ourselves. Participants who watched virtual nature experienced higher levels of amazement and decreased theirnervousness, anxiety, and fear.So next time youre having a tough day at work, get up from your desk and cheer yourself up with a walk in a nearby green space. Or if thats an impossibili ty, find a photo of nature where you can marvel at the greenery within its frame.

Here are 185 books Bill Gates has read and thinks you should too

Here are 185 books Bill Gates has read and thinks you should tooHere are 185 books Bill Gates has read and thinks you should tooLike many prolific business leaders, Bill Gates is a great reader. Gates reads about 50 books per year which means he is going through one per week. And not only is he reading about them, but then he is writing recommendations for them on his blog and encuraging the world to adopt his vociferous appetite for books (sometimes with the help of puppies.)In an interview with The New York Times Gates said reading is one of his main tools for learning.These days, I also get to visit interesting places, meet with scientists, and watch a lot of lectures online, he explained.But reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.Quartz put together a list of all the books he has ever mentioned on his blog in the last eight years, Gatesleides.com. It came out to 185 different titles spanning multiple genres. Here is the full list of b ooks Bill Gates has written about on his blog categorized by different genres.Political history and biographyA Full Life Reflections at Ninety, by Jimmy CarterBeing Nixon A Man Divided, by Evan ThomasThe Bully Pulpit Theodore Roosevelt and the Golden Age of Journalism, by Doris Kearns GoodwinDeng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China, by Ezra VogelA Nation of Wusses How Americas Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great, by Ed RendellTitan II A History of a Cold War Missile Program, by David K. Stumpfmenschengerecht evolution and civilizationHomo Deus A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah HarariSapiens A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah HarariThe Vital Question Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life, by Nick LaneEnlightenment Now The Case for Reason, by Steven PinkerThe Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven PinkerThe Sixth Extinction An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth KolbertThe World Until Yesterday What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?, by Jared DiamondCollapse How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared DiamondGuns, Germs, and Steel The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared DiamondAbundance The Future Is Better Than You Think, by Peter Diamandis and Steven KotlerBig History From the Big Bang to the Present, by Cynthia BrownOrigin Story A Big History of Everything, by David ChristianLimits to Growth The 30-Year Update, by Donella Meadows, Jorgen Randers, and Dennis MeadowsBig technology and inventionThe Grid The Fraying Wires Between Americans and our Energy Future, by Gretchen BakkeSustainable Materials with both Eyes Open, by Julian M. Allwood and Jonathan M. CullenSuperintelligence Paths, Dangers, Strategies, by Nick BostromThe Master Algorithm, by Pedro DomingosThe Most Powerful Idea in the World A Story of Steam, Industry and Invention, by William RosenThe Grid A Journey Through the Heart of our Electrified World, by Phillip F. ScheweThe Path Between the Seas The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914, by David McC ulloughThe Box How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, by Marc LevinsonMath and science thinkingHow Not to Be Wrong The Power of Mathematical Thinking, by Jordan EllenbergThe Magic of Reality How We Know Whats really True, by Richard DawkinsWhat If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, by Randall MunroeHow to Lie With Statistics, by Darrell HuffThing Explainer Complicated Stuff in Simple Words, by Randall Munroe13 Things that Dont Make Sense, by Michael BrooksFactfulness Ten Reasons Were Wrong About the World- and Why Things Are Better than You Think, by Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rnnlund, and Ola RoslingThe Signal and the Noise Why So Many Predictions Fail- but Some Dont, by Nate SilverBusinessBusiness Adventures Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street, by John BrooksShoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil KnightTap Dancing to Work Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, by Carol J. LoomisPoor Ch arlies Almanack, by Peter D. Kaufman and Ed WexlerHit Refresh The Quest to Rediscover Microsofts Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone, by Satya NadellaBiographyEinstein, by Walter IsaacsonBroken Genius, by Joel ShurkinLeonardo da Vinci, by Walter IsaacsonSteve Jobs, by Walter IsaacsonMemoirBorn a Crime, by Trevor NoahThe Best We Could Do, by Thi BuiBelieve Me, by Eddie IzzardHyperbole and a Half, by Allie BroshOn Immunity An Inoculation, by Eula BissWhen Breath Becomes Air, by Paul KalanithiEverything Happens for a Reason and other Lies Ive Loved, by Kate BowlerThe Cost of Hope, by Amanda BennettFictionThe Heart, by Maylis de KerangalThe Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh NguyenSeveneves, by Neal StephensonThe Rosie Effect, by Graeme SimsionThe Rosie Project, by Graeme SimsionPatriot and Assassin, by Robert CookTurtles All the Way Down, by John GreenThe Hunger Games, by Suzanne CollinsThe Cats Table, by Michael OndaatjeThe Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. SalingerA Separate Peace, by J ohn KnowlesLincoln in the Bardo, by George SaundersBooks by Vaclav SmilEnergy and Civilization A History, by Vaclav SmilShould We Eat Meat?, by Vaclav SmilMaking the faulen World Materials and Dematerialization, by Vaclav SmilHarvesting the Biosphere, by Vaclav SmilEnergy Myths and Realities, by Vaclav SmilJapans Dietary Transition and Its Impacts, by Vaclav Smil and Kazuhiko KobayashiMade in the USA The Rise and Retreat of American Manufacturing, by Vaclav SmilPrime Movers of auf der ganzen weltization, by Vaclav SmilThe Earths Biosphere, by Vaclav SmilEnergy at the Crossroads, by Vaclav SmilEnergies An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization, by Vaclav SmilGlobal Catastrophes and Trends, by Vaclav SmilEnriching the Earth, by Vaclav SmilWhy America is Not a New Rome, by Vaclav SmilTransforming the Twentieth Century, by Vaclav SmilEnergy Transitions History, Requirements, Prospects, by Vaclav SmilCreating the Twentieth Century, by Vaclav SmilDevelopment and foreign aidPo or Numbers How We are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do About it, by Morten JervenGetting Better Why Global Development is Succeeding- and How We Can Improve the World Even More, by Charles KennyBehind the Beautiful Forevers Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, by Katherine BooThe Man Who Fed the World Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger, by Leon HesserThe Last Hunger Season A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change, by Roger ThurowHowever Long the Night Molly Melchings Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph, by Aimee MolloyIn the Company of the Poor, by Paul Farmer and Gustavo GutierrezMighty be Our Powers How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War, by Leymah GboweeOne Billion Hungry Can We Feed the World?, by Gordon ConwayPoor Economics A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty, by Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee and Esther DufloHow to Spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place, by Bjrn LomborgThe Foundation How Private Wealth Is Changing the World, by Joel L. FleishmanGive Smart Philanthropy that Gets Results, by Thomas J. Tierney and Joel L. FleishmanJim Grant- UNICEF Visionary, by Richard Jolly (Ed.)Tomorrows Table Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food, by Pamela Ronald and Raoul AdamchakThe Great Escape Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality, by Angus DeatonThe Idealist Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty, by Nina MunkInterventions A Life in War and Peace, by Kofi AnnanEducationWhy Does College Cost So Much?, by Robert B. Archibald and David H. FeldmanA World-Class Education Learning from International Models of Excellence and Innovation, by Vivien StewartAcademically Adrift Limited Learning on College Campuses, by Richard Arum and Joshipa RoksaWhy Dont Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions about how the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom, by Dan T. Willingha mChange.edu Rebooting for the New Talent Economy, by Andrew RosenUnlocking the Gates, by Taylor WalshClass Warfare Inside the Fight to Fix Americas Schools, by Steven BrillWhos Teaching your Children?, by Vivian Troen and Katherine C. BolesStretching the School Dollar How Schools and Districts Can Save Money while Serving Students Best, by Frederick M. Hess and Eric Osberg (Eds.)Where Do School Funds Go?, by Marguerite RozaLiberating Learning Technology, Politics, and the Future of American Education, by Terry M. Moe and John E. ChubbWork Hard. Be Nice How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America, by Jay MathewsValue-Added Measures in Education What Every Educator Needs to Know, by Douglas N. HarrisScienceThe Gene An Intimate History, by Siddhartha MukherjeeFor the Love of Physics From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time, a Journey through the Wonders of Physics, by Walter LewinFeynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. 1 Mainly Mechanics, Radiation, and Hea t, by Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, and Matthew SandsFeynman Lectures on Physics, Vol 2 Mainly Electromagnetism and Matter, by Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, and Matthew SandsFeynman Lectures on Physics, Vol 3 Quantum Mechanics, by Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, and Matthew SandsThe New Science of Strong Materials, by J.E. GordonThe Hair of the Dog and Other Scientific Surprises, by Karl Sabbagh13 Things that Dont Make Sense The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of our Time, by Michael BrooksModernist Cuisine The Art and Science of Cooking, by Nathan MyhrvoldThe Emperor of All Maladies A Biography of Cancer, by Siddhartha MukherjeeI Contain Multitudes The Microbes within Us and a Grander View of Life, by Ed YongClimate change and energyThe Quest Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, by Daniel YerginSustainable Energy- without the Hot Air, by David J.C. MacKayUnlocking Energy Innovation, by Richard K. Lester and David M. HartWorld on the Edge How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse, by Lester R. BrownGlobal Warming The Complete Briefing, by John HoughtonBeyond Smoke and Mirrors Climate Change and Energy in the 21st Century, by Burton RichterHot, Flat, and Crowded Why We Need a Green Revolution- and How it Can Renew America, by Thomas FriedmanEconomics and wealth inequalityHillbilly Elegy A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, by J.D. VanceEvicted Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew DesmondThe Power to Compete An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy, by Hiroshi Mikitani and Ryoichi MikitaniThe Rise and Fall of American Growth The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War, by Robert GordonHow Asia Works Success and Failure in the Worlds Most Dynamic Region, by Joe StudwellCapital in the Twenty-First Century, by Thomas PikettyStress Test Reflections on Financial Crises, by Timothy F. GeithnerThe Bet Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and our Gamble over E arths Future, by Paul SabinThe Price of Inequality How Todays Divided Society Endangers our Future, by Joseph E. StiglitzWhy Nations Fail, by Daron Acemoglu and James A. RobinsonThis Time Is Different Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth RogoffBeyond the Crash Overcoming the First Crisis of Globalization, by Gordon BrownToo Big to Fail, by Andrew Ross SorkinThe World Is Flat A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, by Thomas FriedmanThat Used to Be Us How America Fell Behind in the World it Invented and How We Can Come Back, by Thomas Friedman and Michael MandelbaumThe End of Poverty, by Jeffrey SachsIn Fed We Trust Ben Bernankes War on the Great Panic, by David WesselSuperFreakonomics Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance, by Steven Levitt and Stephen DubnerThe Rational Optimist How Prosperity Evolves, by Matt RidleyDisease and public healthEradication Ridding the World of Diseases Forever?, by Nan cy Leys StepanThe Fever How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years, by Sonia ShahHouse on Fire The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox, by William H. FoegeSmallpox The Death of a Disease, by D.A. HendersonInfections and Inequalities The Modern Plagues, by Paul FarmerReinventing American Health Care How the Affordable Care Act Will Improve our Terribly Complex, Blatantly Unjust, Outrageously Expensive, Grossly Inefficient, Error Prone System, by Ezekiel EmanuelThe Checklist Manifesto How to Get Things Right, by Atul GawandeGlobal Health An Introductory Textbook, by A. Lindstrand, et al.Health Care Will Not Reform Itself, by George HalvorsonDirt and Disease Polio before FDR, by Naomi RogersThe Making of a Tropical Disease A Short History of Malaria, by Randall M. PackardPriorities in Health, by Dean T. Jamison and Joel G. BremanVaccine The Controversial Story of Medicines Greatest Lifesaver, by Arthur AllenTropical Infectious Diseases, by Richard L. Guerrant and David H. WalkerMountain s Beyond Mountains The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man who Would Cure the World, by Tracy KidderPolio An American Story, by David OshinskyEpic Measures One Doctor. Seven Billion Patients, by Jeremy SmithLeadership and managementThe Myth of the Strong Leader, by Archie BrownMindset The New Psychology of Success, by Carol DweckHow Children Succeed Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul ToughThe Art of Being Unreasonable Lessons in Unconventional Thinking, by Eli BroadMeasure What Matters How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World With OKRs, by John DoerrChange by Design How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, by Tim BrownHappiness, psychology, and purposeThe Road to Character, by David BrooksWhere Good Ideas Come from, by Steven JohnsonAwakening Joy, by James Baraz and Shoshana AlexanderWhistling Vivaldi How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do, by Claude SteeleOutliers, by Malcolm GladwellShowing up for Life, by Bi ll Gates Sr.Life Is What You Make It, by Peter BuffettTennisString Theory, by David Foster WallaceA Champions Mind, by Pete SamprasOpen, by Andre AgassiMiscMoonwalking with Einstein The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by Joshua FoerThe City that Became Safe New Yorks Lessons for Urban Crime and Its Control, by Franklin ZimringFrank Stewarts Bridge Club, by Frank StewartH/t Quartz

Questions to Ask at a Conference - The Muse

Questions to Ask at a Conference - The MuseQuestions to Ask at a Conference My golden rule of networking is to be ready. When you have great questions for the people youre talking to, you have even better conversations. And you dont waste your or others time with idle chatter where no one learns anything new.Thats why, when it comes to attending events that feature speakers or panelists, I believe in preparing great questions. People who speak at these types of events are typically leaders in their field, and thus are the crme de la crme of networking contacts. And the best way to show that youre worth connecting with is to look like you know what youre looking for and what help you need from others to get it.So, when there is a break for questions, seize the moment But before you take the mic, heed the advice of the late great ESPN anchor Stuart ScottAsk one question. You dont have to ask a long question. You dont have to ask a question where youre using so many words because you th ink that it shows that you know the subject matter. Ask a question that really warrants an answer.Here are some questions that will show speakers your thoughtfulness, add knowledge for the whole group, and ultimately help you make a lasting impression.Questions to Learn About Their JourneysWhen people agree to join panels, theyre making it clear that they enjoy talking about themselves and what they know. Show that youve paid attention to what theyve said and that you want more context about who they are. Dont be shy about a little ego-strokingWhen did you know you wanted this job?How did your earlier career choices lead you to where you are now?What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?What research did you do to prepare for this role?What was your first win that made you confident that you were doing the right thing?How do you avoid being complacent in your role?What is the biggest risk that youve taken?What did you do at work yesterday? (This is a spin on the what is a typical day question that will yield more specific, informative answers.)Questions to Get Their AdviceThis is probably why youre attending this event in the first place, right? Try not to stand up and ask Whats a guy/gal gotta do to get a job around here? These questions will get you better results.How did you set yourself apart from others who wanted the same job?What is the best career advice youve ever received?What advice would you give to your younger self at the start of your career?What impresses you the fruchtwein when you are considering hiring someone?How does your team (or company) define success?What is the biggest challenge to achieving that success?Note that all of these questions require more than a yes or no answer. Thats intentional. You want people to go a little deeper. This way, what they share will give you useful insight about their work and help you know more about what it takes to be successful at it.When the event is over, feel free to approach the panelist s, but do more than just ask for a business card. Tell them that you appreciated their answers, and share how their words will impact you. Then, when you reach out to connect, be sure to put the question that you asked in the subject line (e.g., Follow-up from Adrian I asked about your advice to your younger self). These little steps will go a long way in helping you be remembered.Photo of raised hands courtesy of Shutterstock.

Improving the Internal Combustion Engine, Part 2

Improving the Internal Combustion Engine, Part 2 Improving the Internal Combustion Engine, Part 2 Improving the Internal Combustion Engine, Part 2Part 1 of Innovative Valves Drive Greener, More Efficient Engines looked at the some of the problems with todays internal combustion engines. In this part, we take a closer look at the solution.There are many experimental laboratory versions of fully selectable valve systems available today, and engineers have been working on similar systems for internal combustion engines for years. But the technology has long been held back by two critical variables complexity and cost.Selectable systems like the one that Khajepour has developed can cost mora than a million dollars at the prototype stage, and the solenoid valves that they are based on can be extremely complex to work on. This is a reliability issue at the commercial stage, especially for trucks, which ideally dont see significant service until the engine reaches half a million miles, limi ting the commercial applicability of the technology to date. A view of the improved valve system. Image University of WaterlooThe Waterloo team has addressed these shortcomings, and cut the overall cost of the technology, by switching from a solenoid structure to a rotary valve that is connected directly to the crankshaft. In this type of system, the timing is controlled by the rotation of the valve. So, controlling the opening and the closing of the valve is done by phase shifting, in which the valve opens and closes for set durations as the rotary valve spins, depending on how large or small the valve opening is. It offers performance that effectively matches solenoid-based valves in a much simpler, much cheaper package.What weve done is replace the solenoid system, control system and magnetic field of todays VVTs with a rotary system that is driven by the crankshaft, Khajepour says. Even if it fails, because it uses just an electric motor, it would default the valv es back to a fixed timing, rather than completely fail the whole engine and the vehicle.Powering Big IronTo start, Khajepour is targeting this technology at large commercial engines like heavy construction equipment, ships, long-haul trucks and other large engines as they stand to realize the most savings from efficiency gains.In the long term, I do elend see any reason that this system cannot be used on any combustion engine.Prof. Amir Khajepour, University of WaterlooIn the long term, I do not see any reason that this system cannot be used on any combustion engine, he says. However, from a practical perspective, we are starting by putting it on larger engines where fuel efficiency and fuel cost is significant. Because, not only will they be able to save the more, but space in the engine and packaging for these applications is not as critical as in smaller cars.For example, in the cases of the large engines that are used in ships, fuel costs may be on the order of several hundred thousand dollars per year. So, even a small savings in fuel expense at the end of the year, as the result of a selectable valve system, could end up saving the operator tens of thousands of dollars. That kind of impact could help drive commercial adoption, eventually bringing this technology down into mid-sized and consumer vehicles.Were always working toward commercial solutions, Khajepour says. The idea is to join with a company, and design and make the system specifically for their application. We are already in contact with some companies and hopefully we will be commercializing this technology and putting it on real applications in the near future.Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer.Read MoreNASAs Alien TireSuperalloy Rescues MEMS SensorsRing Around the Thumb for Easier Data Input