The 15 Most-Read Job Search Articles on FlexJobs in 2018

The 15 Most-Read Job Search Articles on FlexJobs in 2018The 15 Most-Read Job Search Articles on in 2018Companies with work-from-home jobs. How to follow up on job applications. Avoiding job scams. Great jobs for stay-at-home moms. These are just some of the most popular and widely read articles from the blog in 2018.And since theyre so popular, we thought it might be helpful to compile them all in one place, so you can get the same info that lots of other job seekers were interested in this yearOne thing to note some of the articles below include flexible and remote job listings that have expired since it welches published. You can search all the current job listings on here. 15 Most-Read Articles of 20181. Top 25 Companies Hiring for Part-Time, Work-from-Home JobsTwo of the most desirable flexible work options are working from home and having a part-time schedule. The 25 companies in this article posted the highest number of part-time, remote job listings, based on an analysis of the job posting histories of over 50,000 companies.2. 10 Great Work-at-Home Jobs for Stay-at-Home MomsA survey of working parents found that a flexible job is one of the top contributing factors to having healthy work-life balance. This article details 10 remote jobs that would be a great fit for stay-at-home moms (and dads), such as marketing specialist, health coach, online teacher, and social media consultant.3. 100 Top Companies with Remote Jobs in 2018Every year, analyzes the remote job posting histories of the over 50,000 companies in its database to determine which 100 companies posted the most over the course of the last year. Some, such as PRA Health Sciences, Toyota, and Williams-Sonoma, are newcomers to the list, while others, such as Xerox, Kaplan, and UnitedHealth Group, have been featured on the list since 2014.4. 10 Companies with Legitimate Work-from-Home JobsBecause working from home is the most popular form of work flexibility, we like to highlight the companies hiring for remote jobs. In this article, youll learn about companies such as Amazon, Deloitte, UnitedHealth Group, the Walt Disney Company, and others that regularly hire remote workers.5. 23 Resume Titles That Helped Members Get Hired members have the opportunity to fill out a resume profile that will help them pinpoint the best jobs for them, but it can also let employers know what they have to offer. These 23 members wrote excellent resume profile titles and were hired for flexible jobs, so we want to help other members learn from their great profile titles6. How to Follow Up on Job ApplicationsMost job seekers know they have to follow up with an employer after they submit a job application, but the question is how to do it well. This article helps job seekers figure out the when-where-who-what-how of following up after applying to a job.7. 100 Top Companies with Remote Jobs in 2017Our annual list of the top companies for remote jobs is so popular that even last years list was popular this year Read about the top remote-friendly companies, watch a video about what they have to offer, and learn some interesting remote work stats in this article.8. How to Answer Would You Rather Work on a Team or Alone?When youre searching for flexible work, this question may come up during job interviews because flexible and remote working can be a bit isolating. Future employers want to know how you handle working alone and on a team. This article offers several ways to approach answering this potentially tricky interview question.9. 10 High-Salary Work-from-Home JobsSome of the most common myths about remote jobs are that they offer low pay or are only unskilled jobs. To help dispel that notion, this article details 10 remote jobs that pay about $90,000 or more annually, including positions like clinical regulatory affairs director, supervisory attorney, and environmental engineer. And yes, they can all be done remotely.10. Why Employers Dont Always Respond After Job In terviewsOne of the most frustrating experiences a job seeker can have is interviewing for a job, and then not hearing from the employer afterward. Learn eight common reasons why employers may not contact you even after a job interview.11. How to Find a Real Online Job (and Avoid the Scams)In the market for flexible and remote jobs, scams do unfortunately exist (especially with work-from-home jobs). Learn to spot common job scams with the tips in this article so you can keep yourself safe as you search online for a legitimate, high-quality flexible or remote role.12. What to Do When You Cant Find a JobThis article offers nine coping strategies for when your job search just isnt paying off. If youve been actively looking for work but havent found a job yet, consider some of these suggestions, such as rewriting your resume, upping your networking game, and adding to your skill set.13. 9 Legitimate At-Home Jobs in Data EntryData entry is one of the top career fields for remote jobs, and this article offers details for nine real data entry jobs that were posted on . Job seekers, take note of how many different job titles a data entry job can have While the jobs in the article have since expired, you can find all our latest remote data entry jobs here.14. 4 Big-Name Companies Now Hiring for Hundreds of Work-from-Home JobsAnother common myth about remote jobs is that they arent available at bigger, more well-known companies- that only startups and obscure companies offer them. Thankfully, the truth is quite the opposite Learn about the remote job opportunities at Amazon, Dell, Humana, and Williams-Sonoma.15. Top 15 Companies for Remote Jobs in HealthcareDid you know that healthcare is the top career field for remote job listings? In 2018, these 15 companies in the healthcare field posted the most remote job opportunities, including Aetna, Cigna, CVS Health, Merck, Sodexo, and moreLooking for a flexible job in 2019?BROWSE OPEN FLEXIBLE JOBS

Is no really the worst answer you can get from a boss

Is no really the worst answer you can get from a bossIs no really the worst answer you can get from a bossSelf-Assessment Quiz True or FalseThere are instances when I need to place my needs ahead of others.I know how to follow up on a closed-ended response.I am not afraid to gently challenge authority.A part of being self-aware on the job is not being afraid to ask for what you want, setting boundaries, and teaching people how to treat you. This includes bosses. If you answered TRUE to the questions in this weeks self-assessment quiz, you probably dont have a problem in this area, but your cousins might need a little bit of help. So do me a favor, and forward this weeks post on to them.If you arent asking for what you want on a regular basis, especially at work, whats stopping you? Is it fear? And what specifically are you afraid of? Is it the word No?If you ask your boss for a day off so that you can go to your daughters chess match, whats the worst thing your boss can say?A. You s uck Youre the worst team player EVAH I hate you, and I wish I had never hired you.B. The timing isnt the best, but youve asked in advance, so let me think about it.C. No.Some might think the worst response is A. But my goodness, think of all the money youd earn with that lawsuit (Ive had friends who are bosses and have been sued for far less.)Some (like me) might opt to select B as the worse answer because its a non-answer. A passive-aggressive non-answer at that. On the one hand, you were offered praise and acknowledgment because you planned ahead with your ask. This shows a certain level of respect. On the other hand, this answer sucks rocks because if the boss doesnt get back to you after thinking about it, you have to circle back and ask her again. Sigh Why cant people just make up their minds?But those of you who selected C as the worst answer, well, youre just flat out WRONG At least with a No you have something to work with. Where some might see the response as one and done, I see it as an open-ended response. A chance to negotiate Oh, goodyWhen it comes to negotiating, Ive been taught to softly repeat the response, with a question mark at the end. Then stop talking.No?Wait, silently. Usually, the boss wont give you the same one-word response again. More than likely, she might take the time to explain her answer a bit more. If she does say a curt No again, eingabeaufforderung her (gently) for a more specific reason.May I ask why? Again, using your softest Valley Girl Becky-voice.Is your boss overworked? Has she been chewed out for being too soft and handing out too many days off? Does your boss resent that she cant take time off to spend with her own daughter?The point is you gently press until you have an answer. This strategy is usually a win-win for those of you who arent used to asking for what you want because it forces you to be a tad bit dogged IRT about getting a final answer. Youve demonstrated to your boss (and hopefully to yourself) that you deserve a fully thought-out response. After one or more encounters like this with you, your boss will recognize that youre nice, but youre not a pushover. And she hasnt strung you out on some dubiously defined future timeline after shes thought about it like she did in response B.By the way, if you are truly afraid of getting a response like that in answer A, you obviously work in the television industry or in politics (And yes, Im straight up throwing shade at unterstellung industries because Ive worked in them and know what Im talking about). But for the rest of the working world, its a response so far removed from reality that you need to just get over yourself, open your mouth, and ask for what you wantCheryl Grace is the sassy aunt, best friend, and mentor youve always needed in your life. The successful jet-setting, global corporate executive founded the aspirational lifestyle brand Powerful Penny LLC. Her products, workshops and speeches probe, inspire and empower to ensure t hose who really want to can get to their next level of best. Her blogs on careers, prosperity, relationships, family, looking and living fabulously, and living a five-star life can be found atwww.powerfulpenny.com.

Every Simulation Has a Cloud

Every Simulation Has a Cloud Every Simulation Has a Cloud If you upload family photos or videos on a social network, share documents through a virtual office, store tax records online, or use web-based email, you are already in the datenwolke. These are just some examples of cloud computinghardware and software resources made available on the Internet as managed third-party services. Now engineers can also ride this wave of cloud computing by leveraging the processing power of multiple computers in the cloud to visualize, konzeption, and simulate their ideas.One example of such cloud-powered technology is Autodesks Inventor Optimization (IO), a web-based simulation tool recently launched as part of Autodesk Cloud service, which allows design engineers to optimize their designs. The optimizations occur as users can change the parameters of weight, cost, and safety for stress analysis of a productby working in parallel with other programs on a computer. At the same time, they are able to simulate different design configurations in parallel by accessing the cloud.Optimizing DesignCurrently available to subscription customers, IO focuses on the untapped potential of design optimization, which, according to Bob Williams, the product marketing manager for Autodesk Simulation, is an area of simulation that hasnt been leveraged enough. The problem has always been that simulations take a while to perform, so companies typically do two, three simulations in the development cycle for validation or product behavior prediction. While simulation is perfect for optimization, there just wasnt time to do it. He believes cloud computing will allow simulation users to move past simple validation of parts to their optimization, because the actual number-crunching can now be pushed to the cloud.Cloud computing allows simulation users to move past simple validation of parts to their optimization. Image courtesy of Autodesk Simulation.This is where the power of the cloud takes over b ecause hardware is no longer a bottleneck. Now instead of running two or three simulations, design engineers can do dozens, hundreds, possibly even thousands of simulations and have the computing power they need. Instead of a company needing to invest in that hardware themselves, the same or greater computer power is available without investment by leveraging the cloud. This way, users can minimize their upfront costs in terms of hardware and study more detailed models than theyve ever been able to, says Williams.Design engineers can now do more than they could before. During a typical simulation workflow, a computer is tied up when its doing pre- and post-processing. However, now, since number-crunching is being done separately on an infinite set of computers in the cloud, users can continue to do other work on their desktops. When results are ready, IO informs the users via email. Because users are off-loading simulations, there is enough memory to handle different design configur ations in parallel. In addition, that computing power can expand as you need, says Williams.Security WoesUsing cloud-based services can save a lot of money in terms of capital investments and labor and provide other advantages such as global access, disaster recovery, and better interoperability between operators, but many companies are wary of handing data to third parties, fearing hacking or accidental data loss due to server crashes.A simulation of a spacer plate using Autodesks Inventor Optimization software. Image courtesy of Autodesk Simulation.Security was also the number-one concern of organizations mulling a move to the cloud, with more than half of respondents worried about malware outbreaks, hackers stealing their data, and insiders sharing sensitive information, according to the survey of 5,300 organizations carried out by Symantec, as recently reported by Reuters.Dr. John Michopoulos, head of Computational Multiphysics Systems Lab at the Naval Research Laboratory, agree s that the benefits of cloud computing are appealing for mechanical engineers, but security is a big challenge, especially for government organizations. There is reduced overhead in terms of expenses for IT people, storage devices, services, and personnel. However, each one of those has a flip side and introduces challenges, he says. Network security can be compromised and nobody can guarantee 100% that you can get your data back.Dr. Michopoulos also questions the reliability of the cloud. Consider a situation when you have a report to prepare, you try to connect, and the cloud is down. If you cant access the server that has your data, it can result in delays. According to him, transition is also an issue. You cant transition from an organization-centric to a cloud-centric infrastructure instantly. This requires your organization to have a strategy for migrating users and a plan for security and reliability, he adds.We know there are concerns about security and thats probably the bi ggest hurdle that the engineering community has to get through, says Williams. He believes cloud computing is a promising area thats not going to go away. You will landsee a sort of curve where you will have early adoptersand over time, you will see it become more widespread.Now instead of running two or three simulations, design engineers can do dozens, hundreds, possibly even thousands of simulations and have the computing power they need.Bob Williams, product marketing manager for Autodesk Simulation

5 details to consider when moving youre career out of state

5 details to consider when moving youre career out of state5 details to consider when moving youre career out of stateIf you landed your dream job in another state or simply want to abflug a new career in a different city, get excited Youre about to make a big move that could change the entire course of your life.While this is an exciting adventure filled with new people, new experiences and more, moving can be difficult. Especially if youre moving far away, or even across the country. From finding an apartment to moving all of your belongings, its a costly task that few of us- if any- actually enjoy.Before you pack your bags, consider the following details to make the move a little easier.1. Speak to Your EmployerSee if your current- if youre transferring- or new employer will help with your move financially. Some companies offer relocation assistance, and even if the first answer is a no, you may be able to negotiate your way there. If you have to negotiate, Michael Chaffers, a Mon ster contributor, suggests keeping the following in mindMake a list of where you need financial assistance. Before you limit what you ask for, make koranvers you know what you want. Think broadly and do not limit yourself to financial expenses, explains Monster.Find out what assistance is standard This would be in the relocation policy. If there isnt one, ask friends about what their company offers. Note that some commonly covered costs include moving costs, temporary living, and travel back home (for those with a family).Come up with ideas that benefit the company If paying extra to get you into your new apartment faster allows you to get back to work faster, they have more incentive to say yes. Find ways to make this type of case with what you need.Get it in writing Once they say yes, have it written and signed with specific details on what theyre paying for and how much.2. Research the Cost of RentFinancially, youll need to research the cost of rent in your new city. If you dont have a new job yet, you can use this to negotiate your new salary. If cost of living is higher, it makes sense that youll make a larger jump between your old job and new job.If you know where youre going already, check out rent reports like this one for Champaign, Illinois from Abodo. Youll get a full assessment of the local rental market in the city where you plan to live, allowing you to choose the best neighborhood for your preferences and budget.When you know how much rent is, you can start saving appropriately, in addition to using that data for salary negotiations. Plus, living in a new city means youll be spending a lot more to try new restaurants and meet new people. Dont blow your budget on rent if you can avoid it.3. Prep Your ResumeIf you dont have a new job yet, but hope to land one when you arrive, the time to start preparing is now. As you start your job search- which you should do before you leave, unless you have enough money saved to wait- consider the challenges of interviewing from out of town. Here are a few ways to overcome these common issuesLocation on your resume Dont lie put Relocating to location in Month/Year where youd normally put your home base. You can explain in interviews.Network Tap into your network in the new location, if you have one, to secure interviews and referrals. This will make it easier to get in with a company when youre not currently in the area.Interviews Dress like you normally would, and face the camera toward an empty wall. Dont show any boxes or your midst-of-a-move apartment chaos.Be flexible If you can, offer flexibility. If they need someone in two weeks, offer to be there, in-house, in two weeks. This can increase your chances of getting the job since many companies are on a hiring timeline.4. Get Clear on Your DecisionWith any new job, theres an element of risk and uncertainty. When transitioning from one job to another in a different state, that risk is even higher. Before jumping in head first, ask you rself the questions below to make sure its the best move for your career right nowDoes this job get you closer to your ultimate goal?Is the company in good financial standing?Is there room for upward growth within the company?If you can answer yes to most or all of these, theres a good chance this is a great move for your career.5. Address the Cost of LivingIn addition to rent, its important to consider the overall cost of living in your new city or state. This can also play into your salary negotiations, and the price of food and services greatly vary throughout the United States, so the time to prepare is now.Luckily, this is an easy one to research. Start with CNBCs 2017 Most Expensive States to Live In report, which found that Washingtons transportation is 16.9 percent more expensive than the national average and groceries in this state are 7.4 percent more expensive.If you cant get the salary you feel you need, you may need to consider starting a side hustle or saving extra mon ey now to help you better adjust later.Get Ready for a New LifeThe time has come to prepare for your big move. Consider how this change will affect your career and how you can make the most of your time to prepare now. Use these ideas to get your life in order before taking the plunge. Before you know it, youll be driving off into the sunset, with a new career so close you can taste it.This article was originally published on Create + Cultivate.

A Fathers Day reminder from science Your kids arent really growing up quickly

A Fatzu sichs Day reminder from science Your kids arent really growing up quicklyA Fathers Day reminder from science Your kids arent really growing up quicklyI am one of those men for whom it is impossible to find Fathers Day schadstoffs.I dont wear ties. My socks are all the same, in the interest of efficiency. I enjoy cooking, which would seem to open up some possibilities. But I have an annoying habit of buying useful gadgets as I need them, leaving my relatives to purchase paper bags specially designed for storing cheese, say, or devices that carve vegetables into the shape of noodles.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWith sympathy for my family, the truth is that my favorite Fathers Day gift this year has been the gift of time. Or more precisely, a new understanding of how my perception of time is warped by the brain. I am a social psychologist who studies how peoples minds s hape their subjective experiences. And there are few experiences more subjective than the experience of time.A childhood whooshing bySurely every parent has suffered the same pains I am feeling as my daughter turns 9.In her first year, the sleepless nights were eternities passed under the glowing blue rectangles of an LCD clock. The days stretched out too, as I wished for the time when she could be entertained on her own by a toy or a cartoon, for even a few minutes. It felt like climbing uphill in anticipation of that time when we could coast.Now, as she stretches from the roundness of a baby toward the long gazelle lines of a pre-teen, I feel that we have somehow accelerated too fast. Somewhere, we crested the top, but there was no coasting, only a whooshing that I cant slow down.Is this feeling of time whistling past inevitable? Scientists have uncovered startling insights about how the brain registers the passage of time. Understanding them wont make that whooshing feeling go aw ay, exactly, but it can make it less painful.The passage of timeThis feeling of time speeding up or slowing down happens in a lot of areas of life.We generally feel that our moments become more fleeting as we get older. Remember how long summer vacation seemed as a kid? And, ironically, as we get older larger chunks of time like decades seem to fly faster than smaller chunks like days or minutes.Unpublished research by Heidi Vuletich in my lab finds that scarce resources make the future feel further away, which helps explain why poor children make more impatient decisions than middle-class kids. Time also seems to slow down during an emotionally intense event, whether its a car crash or a sleepless night.Does time really go into slow motion during a car crash? Does it really speed up as we age? What these phenomena have in common is that they are all experienced retrospectively or prospectively, not in real time. There is no way to re-experience the car crash without traveling throu gh the doorway of memory. So when we experience time speeding up or slowing down, is that happening in real time? Or is it a memory illusion?Neuroscientist David Eagleman and his colleagues ran an ingenious experiment to find out. They used a sky-diving tower at an amusement park in Dallas. Subjects ascended in an elevator to the top of a 100-foot tower and then let themselves free fall into a net at the bottom.Strapped to their wrists was a chronometer a device for measuring time perception. It was a screen on which numbers flickered back and forth very quickly so quickly that its difficult to identify the numbers. The point of the chronometer is that if time really slows down for the brain when falling, then a person in free fall should be able to accurately perceive more flickering numbers per second, relative to when theyre safe on the ground.So what happened? When asked afterward to estimate how long they were falling, subjects overestimated the time they were in the air by m ore than a third. In their memories, time had indeed slowed down. But, according to the numbers participants reported seeing on the chronometer, time passed at the same ordinary rate as it did before the free fall.This is why even though we seem to experience a car crash in slow motion, the extra time does not allow us any extra ability to steer out of the way. Thats because the slow motion is in our memories, not in the moment. Think of what this means for our experiences of time slowing down and speeding up That whooshing feeling is not in our present, but only in our memories of it.The present is nowSo are we doomed to feel that our childrens youth is speeding away?It is likely to feel that way whenever we reminisce about the past. The more important lesson, though, is not about the past but the present. Now that Im free falling toward her adolescence, its important to understand that time is not really whistling away from me. Each moment lasts the same as it did when she was a b aby. Each moment holds as much joy and as much pain now as it will tomorrow.And so, this insight is a call to let the remembered past and the fretted future go and to return attention relentlessly to the present. Someday I will look back, my head swimming, and remember today like those long, lazy summer days. But right now, a moment is just a moment. Right now she still loves to lay beside me and hear me read to her. Right now I am the big one and the strong one who can scoop her up in one arm when she needs it. Right now, I am not my dad, I am daddy. What more could a father want?Keith Payne, prof of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Java Developer Resume Secrets That No One Else Knows About

Java Developer Resume Secrets That No One Else Knows About If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Java Developer Resume If youve taken any distinctive course mention that in your software developer resume so you can negotiate a greater salary. Should you need some java developer resume examples youre on the ideal website. More important than technical skills in a developer is the sort of developer you will be hiring. Also, bear in mind that, as a programmer, you must be quick and productive. Web developers also need to be consistently learning new tools in order to keep on track with the ever-changing technologies. In addition, you can look for software developer jobs on Monster. Be aware that Technology Platforms arent two-sided markets. The Upside to Java Developer Resume At this time you dont have to get the worlds most unbelievably amazing personal site. Net developer resume sample is the fact that its flexible and easily customizable to boost keyword matc hing on every application. Resumes wont be accepted in place of a completed online application. So after you get learn the fundamentals of web development its suggested you begin to learn the foundations of internet development. Choosing Good Java Developer Resume A software developer is often hired to decrease the management issues in an organization. The present small business procedure is fragmented and manual. Specific programs and applications are frequently used as keywords in the event of a technical resume. Nowadays picking the headway system is dependent on the customer. Some areas of the code might be poorly documented and initial learning can be hard. Fortunately, there are lots of websites where you are able to practice coding questions. All on-line programs and bootcamps usually concentrate on a particular back-end language, and in reality in doesnt matter which one that you learn so much as much time as you understand whats happening and you learn the nuance s of your preferred language. Also be certain that your formatting is consistent. Java Developer Resume Fundamentals Explained If youre a non-technical manager, or a leader whos somewhat divorced from the development procedure, you probably dont have the correct insight to generate a determination about who would make a great fit on a development group, but your developers do. Creating video courses on YouTube or Udemy is a superb method to demonstrate your capacity to explain abstract concepts to other individuals. Being a Full-Stack Developer doesnt indicate youve necessarily mastered everything needed to work with the front-end or back-end, but it usually means that youre in a position to work on either side and understand whats going on when building an application. Be Specific In the world today, Java can signify a number of things. Its also wise to have the capacity to express the exact same to the proprietor. Buyers search for a particular service or product, not a particular seller. Developers should play an important part in your hiring process. Hiring can be a difficult and time-consuming endeavour. Skills ought to be given prominence in accordance with the work description. Recruiters are extremely pushy when it has to do with placing individuals, and that makes for a bad fit for the two parties. Technical recruiters spend a bulk of their time networking, and finding out who is searching for employment in the place. Java Developer Resume - the Conspiracy The task ought to be a very much like the regular working task. If you opt to develop into a programmer, you should create a resume that highlights your abilities and compelling resume. It is possible to also include on your site or internet portfolio in your resume so that you could be in a position to showcase and highlight your skills by your work in addition to your output. Opportunely, network engineer resumes have an extremely straightforward format. How to Find Java Develo per Resume on the Web Hibernate has great characteristics that help back-end developers access data. In terms of the database, the most frequently encountered sort of database is named MySQL. Our data demonstrates that especially skilled Javascript developers are drawn by them. Instead most developers rely on an internet framework, an internet framework is fundamentally a clean means of making your internet application. Design and create the processes using multithreading to help it become asynchronous. With Bootstrap, youve got many templates available in addition to some really oben liegend documentation when you want a question answered. The Hidden Treasure of Java Developer Resume Your Work History section should only consist of relevant work experience for the past ten years, listed with the latest job title first. You may mention a few of the skills in your employment history but you wont have room for them all. Your advice is extremely much appreciated. Our complete guide on the best way to compose an ideal cover letter in 8 simple steps can help you.

Top Interview Questions You Have To Know

Top Interview Questions You Have To Know Theres a lot that goes into preparing for an interview, but what rattles people fruchtwein is the fear of answering a question poorly.Thats why our friends at Comparably put together a list of the 25 most common interview questions and advice on how to answer them. As you take a read, keep in mind that its ok to pause and think before you answer a tough question. A hiring manager will appreciate you wanting to be thoughtful if you rush to a canned response without much thought or sincerity, he or she may decide that youre too rehearsed.As you study and prepare for your interview, dont forget to spend some time researching your potential new employer. Sites such as Comparably offer employee reviews on company culture as well as powerful compensation data that can help you gauge what you should be earning. Showing up to an interview well-prepared will not only ease your nerves, but position you to make a positive first impression. Check out the full article here. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent geschftliches miteinander strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/ a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive vorkaufsrecht for other women. h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build so mething from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Can you actually think yourself into a different person

Can you actually think yurself into a different personCan you actually think yourself into a different personFor years she had tried to be the perfect wife and motherbei but now, divorced, with two sons, having gone through anotlagelageher break-up and in despair about her future, she felt as if shed failed at it all, and she welches tired of it. On 6 June 2007 Debbie Hampton, of Greensboro, North Carolina, took an overdose. That afternoon, shed written a note on her computer Ive screwed up this life so badeanstalt that there is no place here for me and nothing I can contribute. Then, in tears, she went upstairs, sat on her bed, and put on a Dido CD to listen to as she died.But then she woke up again. Shed been found, rushed to the hospital, and saved. I welches mad, she says. Id messed it up. And, on top of that, Id brain-damaged myself. After Debbie emerged from her one-week coma, her doctors gave her their diagnosis encephalopathy. Thats just a general term which means the brains not operating right, she says. She couldnt swallow or control her bladder, and her kralles constantly shook. Much of the time, she couldnt understand what she welches seeing. She could barely even speak. All I could do welches make sounds, she says. It was like my mouth was full of marbles. It was shocking, because what I heard from my mouth didnt match what I heard in my head. After a stay in a rehabilitation center, she began recovering slowly. But, a year in, she plateaued. My speech was very slow and slurred. My memory and thinking was unreliable. I didnt have the energy to live a normal life. A good day for me was emptying the dishwasher.It was around this time that she tried a new treatment called neurofeedback. She was required to have her brain monitored while playing a simple Pac-Man-like game, controlling movements by manipulating her brain waves. Within ten sessions, my speech improved. But Debbies real turnaround happened when her neurofeedback counselor recommended a bo ok the international bestsellerThe Brain that Changes Itselfby Canadian psychotherapist Norman Doidge. Oh my God, she says. For the first time, it really showed me it was possible to heal my brain. Not only that it was possible, that it was up to me.After reading Doidges book, Debbie began living what she calls a brain-healthy life. That includes yoga, meditation, visualization, diet and the maintenance of a positive mental attitude. Today, she co-owns a yoga studio, has written an autobiography and a guide to brain-healthy living and runs the website thebestbrainpossible.com. The science of neuroplasticity, she says, has taught her that, Youre not stuck with the brain youre born with. You may be given certain genes but what you do in your life changes your brain. And thats the magic wand. Neuroplasticity, she says, allows you to change your life and make happiness a reality. You can go from being a victim to a victor. Its like a superpower. Its like having X-ray vision.Debbies not alone in her enthusiasm for neuroplasticity, which is what we call the brains ability to change itself in response to things that happen in our environment. Claims for its benefits are widespread and startling. Half an hour on Google informs the curious webbrowser that neuroplasticity is a magical scientific discovery that shows that our brains are not hard-wired like computers, as was once thought, but like play-doh or a gooey butter cake. This means that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains and that by doing certain exercises we can actually, physically increase our brains strength, size and density. Neuroplasticity is a series of miracles happening in your own cranium that means we can be better salespeople and better athletes, and learn to love the taste of broccoli. It can treat eating disorders, prevent cancer, lower our risk of dementia by 60 percent and help us discover our true essence of joy and peace. We can teach ourselves the skill of happine ss and train our brains to be awesome. And age is no limitation neuroplasticity shows that our minds are designed to improve as we get older. It doesnt even have to be difficult. Simply by changing your route to work, shopping at a different grocery store, or using your non-dominant hand to comb your hair will increase your brain power. As the celebrity alternative-medicine guru Deepak Chopra has said, Most people think that their brain is in charge of them. We say we are in charge of our brain.Debbies story is a mystery. The techniques promising to change her brain via an understanding of the principles of neuroplasticity have clearly had tremendous positive effects for her. But is it true that neuroplasticity is a superpower, like X-ray vision? Can we really increase the weight of our brain just by thinking? Can we lower our risk of dementia by 60 percent? And learn to love broccoli?Some of these seem like silly questions, but some of them dont. Thats the problem. Its hard, for th e non-scientist, to understand what exactly neuroplasticity is and what its potential truly is. Ive seen tremendous exaggeration, says Greg Downey, an anthropologist at Macquarie University and co-author of the popular blog Neuroanthropology. People are so excited about neuroplasticity they talk themselves into believing anything.For many years, the consensus was that the human brain couldnt generate new cells once it reached adulthood. Once you were grown, you entered a state of neural decline. This was a view perhaps most famously expressed by the so-called founder of modern neuroscience, Santiago Ramn y Cajal. After an early interest in plasticity, he became skeptical, writing in 1928, In adult centres the nerve paths are something fixed, ended, immutable. Everything may die, nothing may be regenerated. It is for the science of the future to change, if possible, this harsh decree. Cajals gloomy prognosis was to rumble through the 20th century.Although the notion that the adult br ain could undergo significant positive changes received sporadic attention, throughout the 20th century, it was generally overlooked, as a young psychologist called Ian Robertson was to discover in 1980. Hed just begun working with people who had had strokes at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, and found himself puzzled by what he was seeing. Id moved into what was a new field for me, neuro-rehabilitation, he says. At the hospital, he witnessed adults receiving occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Which made him think if theyd had a stroke, that meant a parte of their brain had been destroyed. And if a part of their brain had been destroyed, everyone knew it was gone forever. So how come these repetitive physical therapies so often helped? It didnt make sense. I was trying to get my head around, what was the model? he says. What was the theoretical basis for all this activity here? The people who answered him were, by todays standards, pessimistic.Their whole philosophy w as compensatory, Robertson says. They thought the external therapies were just preventing further negative things happening. At one point, still baffled, he asked for a textbook that explained how it all was supposed to work. There was a chapter on wheelchairs and a chapter on walking sticks, he says. But there was nothing, absolutely nothing, on this notion that the therapy might actually be influencing the physical reconnection of the brain. That attitude really went back to Cajal. He really influenced the whole mindset which said that the adult brain is hardwired, all you can do is lose neurons, and that if you have brain damage all you can do is help the surviving parts of the brain work around it.But Cajals prognosis also contained a challenge. And it wasnt until the 1960s that the science of the future first began to rise to it. Two stubborn pioneers, whose tales are recounted so effectively in Doidges bestseller, were Paul Bach-y-Rita and Michael Merzenich. Bach-y-Rita is per haps best known for his work helping blind people see in a new and radically different way. Rather than receiving information about the world from the eyes, he wondered if they could take it in in the form of vibrations on their skin. Theyd sit on a chair and lean back on a metal sheet. Pressing up against the back side of that metal sheet were 400 plates that would vibrate in accord with the way an object was moving. As Bach-y-Ritas devices became mora sophisticated (the most recent version sits on the tongue), congenitally blind people began to report having the experience of seeing in three dimensions. It wasnt until the advent of brain-scanning technology that scientists began to see evidence for this incredible hypothesis that information seemed to be being processed in the visual cortex. Although this hypothesis is yet to be firmly established, it seems as if their brains had rewired themselves in a radical and useful way that had long been thought impossible.Merzenich, meanwh ile, helped to confirm in the late 1960s that the brain contains maps of the body and the outside world, and that these maps have the ability to change. Next, he co-developed the cochlear implant, which helped deaf people hear. This relies on the principle of plasticity, as the brain needs to adapt to receive auditory information from the artificial implant instead of the cochlea (which, in the deaf person, isnt working). In 1996 he helped establish a commercial company that produces educational software products called Fast ForWord for enhancing the cognitive skills of children using repetitive exercises that rely on plasticity to improve brain function, according to their website. As Doidge writes, In some cases, people who have had a lifetime of cognitive difficulties get better after only thirty to sixty hours of treatment.Although it took several decades, Merzenich and Bach-y-Rita were to help prove that Cajal and the scientific consensus were wrong. The adult brain was plastic . It could rewire itself, sometimes radically. This came as a surprise to experts like Robertson, now a Director of Trinity College Dublins Institute of Neuroscience. I can look back on giving lectures at Edinburgh University to students where I gave wrong information, based on the dogma which said that, once dead, a brain cell cannot regenerate and plasticity happens in early childhood but not later, he says.It wasnt until the publication of a series of vivid studies involving brain scans that this new truth began to be encoded into the synapses of the masses. In 1995, neuropsychologist Thomas Elbert published his work on string players that showed the maps in their brain that represented each finger of the left hand which they used for fingering were enlarged compared to those of non-musicians (and compared to their own right hands, not involved in fingering). This demonstrated their brains had rewired themselves as a result of their many, many, many hours of practice. Three yea rs later, a SwedishAmerican team, led by Peter Eriksson of Sahlgrenska University Hospital, published a study inNaturethat showed, for the very first time, that neurogenesis the creation of new brain cells was possible in adults. In 2006, a team led by Eleanor Maguire at the Institute of Neurology at University College London found that the citys taxi drivers have mora grey matter in one hippocampal area than bus drivers, due to their incredible spatial knowledge of Londons maze of streets. In 2007, DoidgesThe Brain that Changes Itselfwas published. In its review of the book, theNew York Timesproclaimed that the power of positive thinking has finally gained scientific credibility. It went on to sell over one mio copies in over 100 countries. Suddenly, neuroplasticity was everywhere.Its easy, and perhaps even fun, to be cynical about all this. But neuroplasticity really is a remarkable thing. What we do know is that almost everything we do, all our behavior, thoughts and emotions, physically change our brains in a way that is underpinned by changes in brain chemistry or function, says Robertson. Neuroplasticity is a constant feature of the very essence of human behavior. This understanding of the brains power, he says, opens up new techniques for treating a potentially spectacular array of illnesses. Theres virtually no disease or injury, I believe, where the potential doesnt exist for very intelligent application of stimulation to the brain via behavior, possibly combined with other stimulation.Does he agree that the power of positive thinking has now gained scientific credibility? My short answer is yes, he says. I do think human beings have much more control over their brain function than has been appreciated. The long answer is yes, but with caveats. First, theres the influence of our genes. Surely, I ask Robertson, they still hold a powerful influence over everything from our health to our character? My own crude rule of thumb is a 5050 split in terms of the influence of nature and that of nurture, he says. But we should be very positive about that 50 percent thats environmental.Adding extra tangle to the already confused public discussion of neuroplasticity is the fact that the word itself can mean several things. Broadly, says Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Deputy Director of Londons Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, it refers to the ability of the brain to adapt to changing environmental stimuli. But the brain can adapt in many different ways. Neuroplasticity can refer to structural changes, such as when neurons are created or die off or when synaptic connections are created, strengthened or pruned. It can also refer to functional reorganizations, such as those experienced by the blind patients of Paul Bach-y-Rita, whose contraptions triggered their brains to start using their visual cortices, which had previously been redundant.On the larger, developmental scale, there are two categories of neuroplasticity. They are really different , says Blakemore. You need to differentiate between them. Throughout childhood, our brains undergo a leiter of experience-expectant plasticity. They expect to learn certain important things from the environment, at certain stages, such as how to speak. Our brains dont finish developing in this way until around our mid-20s. Thats why car insurance premiums are so high for people under 25, says Robertson. Their frontal lobes arent fully wired up to the rest of their brains until then. Their whole capacity for anticipating risk and impulsivity isnt there. Then theres experience-dependent plasticity. Thats what the brain does whenever we learn something, or whenever something changes in the environment, says Blakemore.One way in which science has been exaggerated has been by the blending of these different types of change. Some writers have made it seem as if almost anything counts as neuroplasticity, and therefore revolutionary and magical and newsworthy. But its definitely not news, f or example, that the brain is highly affected by its environment when were young. Nevertheless, inThe Brain that Changes ItselfNorman Doidge observes the wide variety of human sexual interests and calls it sexual plasticity. Neuroscientist Sophie Scott, Deputy Director of Londons Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, is dubious. Thats just the effect of growing up on your brain, she says. Doidge even uses neuroplasticity to explain cultural changes, such as the broad acceptance in the modern age that we marry for romantic love, rather than socioeconomic convenience. That isnt neuroplasticity, says Scott.This, then, is the truth about neuroplasticity it does exist, and it does work, but its not a miracle discovery that means that, with a little effort, you can turn yourself into a broccoli-loving, marathon-running, disease-immune, super-awesome genius. The deep question, says Chris McManus, Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at University College London, is, Why do people, even scientists, want to believe all this? Curious about the underlying causes of the neuroplasticity craze, he believes it is just the latest version of the personal-transformation myth thats been haunting the culture of the West for generations.People have all sorts of dreams and fantasies and I dont think were very good at achieving them, says McManus. But we like to think that when somebody is unsuccessful in life they can transform themselves and become successful. Its Samuel Smiles, isnt it? That book he wrote,Self-Help, was the positive thinking of Victorian times.Samuel Smiles Full disclosure Samuel Smiles is my great-great-uncle is commonly cited as the inventor of the self-help movement and his book, just like Doidges, spoke to something deep in the population and became a surprise bestseller. The optimistic message Smiles delivered spoke of both the new, modern world and the dreams of the men and women living in it. In the 18th century, power had all been about the landed gentry, says historian Kate Williams. Smiles was writing in the era of the Industrial Revolution, widespread education and economic opportunities offered by Empire. It was the first time a middle-class man could work hard and do well. They needed a formidable work ethic to succeed, and thats what Smiles codified inSelf-Help.In the latter part of the 19th century, US thinkers adapted this idea to reflect their national belief that they were creating a new world. Adherents of the New Thought, Christian Science and Metaphysical Healing movements stripped away much of the talk of hard work, insisted upon by the Brits, to create the positive thinking movement to which some believe neuroplasticity has given scientific credence. Psychologist William James called it the mind-cure movement, the intuitive belief in the all-saving power of healthy-minded attitudes as such, in the conquering efficacy of courage, hope, and trust, and a correlative contempt for doubt, fear, worry, and all nervou sly precautionary states of mind. Here was the inherently American notion that self-confidence and optimism thoughts themselves could offer personal salvation.This myth that we can be whoever we want to be, and achieve our dreams, as long as we have sufficient self-belief emerges again and again, in our novels, films and news, and TV singing competitions featuring Simon Cowell, as well as unexpected crazes like that for neuroplasticity. One previous, and remarkably similar, incarnation was Neuro-Linguistic Programming, which had it that psychological conditions such as depression were nothing more than patterns learned by the brain and that success and happiness were just a matter of reprogramming it. The idea appeared in a more academic costume, according to McManus, in the form of whats known as the Standard Social Science Model. This is the idea from the 1990s where, in effect, all human behavior is infinitely malleable and genes play no role at all.But the plasticity booster s have an answer to the tricky question of genes, and their heavy influence over all matters of health, life and wellbeing. Their answer is epigenetics. This is the relatively new understanding of the ways in which the environment can change how genes express themselves. Deepak Chopra has said that epigenetics has shown us that, regardless of the nature of the genes we inherit from our parents, dynamic change at this level allows us almost unlimited influence on our fate.Jonathan Mill, Professor of Epigenetics at the University of Exeter, dismisses this kind of claim as babble. Its a really exciting science, he says, but to say these things are going to totally rewire your whole brain and gene functioning is taking it far too far. And its not just Chopra, he adds. Broadsheet newspapers and academic journals have also been guilty, at times, of falling for the myth. There have been all sorts of amazingly overhyped headlines. People who have been doing epigenetics for a while are almos t in despair, at the moment, partly because its being used as an explanation for all sorts of things without any real direct evidence.Just as epigenetics doesnt fulfill our cultures promise of personal transformation, nor does neuroplasticity. Even some of the more credible-sounding claims are, according to Ian Robertson, currently unjustifiable. Take the one about reducing our risk of dementia by 60 percent. There is not a single scientific study that has ever shown that any intervention of any kind can reduce the risk of dementia by 60 percent, or indeed by any percentage, he says. No one has done the research using appropriate control-group methodologies to show that there is any cause-and-effect link.Indeed, the clinical record for many famous treatments that use the principles of neuroplasticity is notably mixed. In June 2015, the Food and Drug Administration in the US permitted the marketing of the latest iteration of Bach-y-Ritas on-the-tongue seeing devices for the blind, ci ting successful studies. And yet a 2015 Cochrane Review of constraint-induced movement therapy a touchstone treatment for neuroplasticity evangelists that offers improvements in motor function for people who have had a stroke found that these benefits did not convincingly reduce disability. A 2011 meta-analysis of neuroplasticity Godfather Michael Merzenichs Fast ForWord learning techniques, described to such thrilling effect by Doidge, found no evidence that they were effective as a treatment for childrens oral language or reading difficulties. This, according to Sophie Scott, goes for other treatments too. Theres been a lot of excitement about brain-training packages and, actually, big studies of those tend not to show very much effect, she says. Or they show youve got better at the thing youve practiced at, but it doesnt generalize to something else. In November 2015, a team lead by Clive Ballard at Kings College London found some evidence that online brain-training games might help reasoning, attention and memory in the over-50s.Its perhaps understandable why crazy levels of hope are raised when people read tales of apparently miraculous recovery from brain injury that feature people seeing again, hearing again, walking again and so on. These dramatic accounts can make it sound as ifanythingis possible. But whats usually being described, in these instances, is a very specific form of neuroplasticity functional reorganization which can happen only in certain circumstances. The limits are partly architectural, says Greg Downey. Certain parts of the brain are better at doing certain kinds of thing, and part of that comes simply from where they are.Another limitation, for the person hoping to develop a superpower, is the simple fact that every part of a normal brain is already occupied. The reason you get reorganization after an amputation, for example, is that youve just put into unemployment a section of the somatosensory cortex, he says. A healthy brain just doesnt have this available real estate. Because it keeps getting used for what its being used for, you cant train it to do something else. Its already doing something.Age, too, presents a problem. Over time, plastic sets, says Downey. You start off with more of it and space for movement slowly decreases. Thats why a brain injury at 25 is a total different ballgame to a brain injury at seven. Plasticity says you start off with a lot of potential but youre laying down a future thats going to become increasingly determined by what youve done before.Robertson speaks of treating a famous writer and historian whod had a stroke. He completely gelbkreuzgas the capacity for all expressive language, he says. He couldnt say a word, he couldnt write. He had a huge amount of therapy and no amount of stimulation could really recover that because the brain had become hyper-specialized and a whole network had developed for the highly refined production of language. Despite what the currents o f our culture might insistently beckon us towards believing, the brain is not Play-Doh. You cant open up new areas of it, says McManus. You cant extend it into different parts. The brain isnt a mass of grey gloop. You cant do anything you like.Even the people whose lives are being transformed by neuroplasticity are finding that brain change is anything but easy. Take recovery from a stroke. If youre going to recover the use of an arm, you may need to move that arm tens of thousands of times before it begins to learn new neural pathways to do that, says Downey. And, after that, theres no guarantee its going to work. Scott says something similar about speech and language therapy. There were dark days, say, 50 years ago, where if youd had a stroke you didnt get that kind of treatment other than to stop you choking because theyd decided it doesnt work. But now its becoming absolutely clear that it does, and that its a phenomenally good thing. But none of it comes for free.Those who over -evangelize emerging disciplines like neuroplasticity or epigenetics can sometimes be guilty of talking as if the influence of our genes no longer matters. Their enthusiasm can make it seem, to the non-specialist, as if nurture can easily conquer nature. This is a story that attracts people in great numbers, to newspapers, blogs and gurus, because its one our culture reinforces, and one we want to believe that radical personal transformation is possible, that we have the potential to be whoever and whatever we want to be, that we can find happiness, success, salvation all we need to do is try. We are dreamers down to our very synapses, we are the people of the American Dream.Of course, its our malleable brains that have molded themselves to these rhythms. As we grow up, the optimistic myths of our culture become so embedded in our sense of self that we can lose touch with the fact that they are just myths. The irony is that when scientists carefully describe the blind seeing and th e deaf hearing, and we hear it as talk of wild miracles, its the fault of our neuroplasticity.

My startup job makes me feel like I have an impact. Google didnt. (The Story Behind a Resume)

My startup job makes me feel like I have an impact. Google didnt. (The Story Behind a Resume)My startup job makes me feel like I have an impact. Google didnt. (The Story Behind a Resume)Last year, we lost a dear colleague here at . But its bedrngnis like shes dead to us, or anything. She just went off to do cooler things. Things like developing a vaginal probe in China (which is bedrngnis exactly true but thats what she told us back then ).But we understand. Developing a resume builder simply doesnt have the same ring to it.Anyway, we thought her story was awesome and everybody would like to hear it too. Which is why we decided to bewerbungsgesprch her for ur blog.By the way, mora interviews are soon to follow. leid just with our former colleagues, but also with other wonderful people we have the privilege of knowing. And most of them come from the ranks of you- our users.Oh, and dont forget to take a look at Barboras resume at the bottom of this page. We though itd be nice, you k now, to attach a full story to a resume like this.Barbora will tell youWhy IT isnt just for boys (that would be just stupid)How girls are developing a device thats going to help women monitor their fertile daysHow they test the device on themselvesWhat is it like to work for an American start up in China and hows life thereHow to get an internship at Google and get invited to their conferencesAnd then some.Who is Barbora Klembrov? (Software Engineer Resume Sample)What would you tell someone if they asked you about becoming a programmer?I think the most important thing is to enjoy it. Studying computer science simply because you can score a well-paid job is stupid because, sooner or later, it will become stale. In retrospect, I understand that school teaches you to think in a certain way. Learning a specific programming language is not a problem, the key is to know how the principles behind it work.Ive heard you did an internship at at Google. Thats pretty cool How did you get there? I managed to get there twice for a summer internship. I sent them my CV because they had a program for college freshmen. Back then I didnt get in. Still, they kept my CV in the database and came back to me when I finished my bachelors. They wanted to know if I was interested in a full-time job.Finally, we agreed on a summer internship. Then the hiring process began, which consisted of several technical interviews. After several successful rounds, one team had to pick me. When I applied for the internship the second time, I did not have to go through the interview process again, as it was within one year.What exactly did you do during your internship there?The first time round, I worked mostly on minor tasks for my team. I worked on internal tools to make the data overview easier/clearer for my colleagues and also on the availability of monitoring and alerts when something goes wrong.The second time, I worked on a great pipeline that handled the user data and it had to be optimized a nd rewritten in another programming language.What is itlike to be a woman in such a male-dominated field?Its great, theres never a long queue for the ladies room at IT events . Personally, I have a good experience. Boys never behaved to me differently just because I am a girl and I never felt like I had any disadvantage.There are plenty of opportunities for us women too. For example, female programmers also have the chance to attend a conference that Google organizes every year in San Francisco. Even I got there twice thanks to the competition called Code Jam to IO for Women, where 150 girls can win tickets for this event. Not only they paid for my ticket, they also covered a large part of my travel expenses.Also, I had the chance to work for Google full-time. But as a coincidence, during that year a friend of mine recommended me to a company based in San Francisco. So, during the conference I met a co-founder of the company and she introduced me to their philosophy and what they ar e working on.That sounds awesome. Did the company appeal to you so much that you decided to work for them right after the meeting in San Francisco?I needed some time to think about it, because originally my friend told me that I could work remotely from Slovakia or maybe it would alternate with San Francisco. But at the meeting, she informed me that I will have to spend a lot of time in China in Shenzhen, which quite surprised me. However, their project attracted me so much that Ive said to myself that it is a unique opportunity. So I went for it.What is the project about and what kind of company is it?Its basically a very fresh startup founded about a year and a half ago. Our first product which we are currently working on is kegg. Its a vaginal probe that helps women get pregnant. Im more invested in it than in any other project that Ive worked on before. Its also pretty diverse, which means that I can keep learning a lot of new things there.So, basically youre programming a softw are for a vaginal probe.Yes, but since we are only four developers in the company, I have more tasks. Partly, I work on a firmware which is a software that helps to run our device and I test it at the same time. Also, I work on a server where are algorithms and data processing. I also manage our website and work in Google Analytics.How does the device work?In the vagina, the woman has the so-called cervical mucus, which changes during the cycle and during the ovulation it changes so it is permeable for sperms. This period can be calculated but calculations are not always accurate as there are many factors that can delay the fertility phase.With our device, we can directly detect the fluid-structure changes and, based on that, determine whether a so-called fertile window has begun. It is a phase when the woman has the highest chance of conceiving a baby.The device works by inserting it into the vagina, turning on the measurement and taking it out after two minutes. The acquired data are sent to the server, analyzed and synchronized with the mobile app in a few seconds. Therefore, the user has all the data within the app and can view all of her cycles in graphs or also check the prediction when she may expect the next menstruation.Does it mean thatits primary use is to tell women when they have the highest chance of getting pregnant?Yes, and its mainly intended for women who have problems getting pregnant and use different methods to succeed. Our first tester already got pregnant by the way. Are you also testing it?Yes, Im also testing it. Basically, we already have an almost functional version of the device, but still, some new issues are occurring and we have to resolve these issues and fine-tune the device before going to the fruchtfleischet.But there are already other similar products on the market that do the same thing. Is your product in any way different?There are many products that can somehow determine fertile days such as bracelets that measure heartb eat, or thermometers for that measure the womans temperature during her cycle, as the temperature increases during the ovulation. However, these forms are often very inaccurate and especially it does not work for women who have an irregular cycle.The point of our device is that fertile days can be determined by direct measurement and it does not necessarily need to know previous cycles. One product that measures cervical mucus already exists, but it is older and looks much worse. Its a probe attached to a device thats about a cell phone size, and it looks really deterrent and outdated. We are trying to create something new, modern and better.Why China when the company was set up in America?Due to the nature of the product and finances. All the necessary parts were much more expensive and it took much longer to get them. Chinas manufacturing is next-gen, they can produce everything faster and more efficiently. So, we go there for business visits for which we receive Visa for a maximu m of two months. During this time, we meet with various factories and resolve business affairs with them. Then, we return for a while to Slovakia or Czech Republic, or sometimes to San Francisco.It used to be that Made in China was a mark of low quality. Is it still true?Of course, we need to be careful about this because we have to meet certain certifications. We put emphasis on purchasing quality components. We always have the opportunity to go directly to the factory and see the whole production process. At the same time, we can identify any shortcomings in the tests that we do.There is also a very good book about the entire process of hardware development, The Hardware Hacker Adventures in Making and Breaking Hardware, written in Shenzhen by the experienced author Andrew Huang. It gave us many helpful tips on what to avoid. The author was very interested in this topic and tested, for example, SD cards that he bought in multiple stores, and then inspected them to see if they were fake, what were the differences between them, and so on.What about work and life there? What do you think are the main differences compared to Europe?I dont know if its just because China itself is so different, but the startup job is definitely different than working for Google. When the deadline is nearing, were working six-day weeks, ten to twelve hours per day. But I never felt like I did not have enough energy. So, its different in the sense that I work a lot more. But we have nothing else to do in China, so most of us dont mind .As for the life, its very different. Ive already experienced a typhoon. Trees were falling and bushes got ripped out. Ive also grown used to the fact that theres no drinkable tap water and that we have to buy bottled water. I was especially surprised to find out that they have cameras everywhere and everybody is being watched, but its not impossible to get used to it. Also, people are always staring at their phones. Almost nobody talks on the subway o r in the street. It seems like everybodys living in their bubble.I guess that working six days a week needs a strong dose of motivation.Its only four of us. That means theres lot of work and its also quite difficult to find someone who would be willing to travel to China and had all the necessary skills. Searching for employees in China is not very logical for us because we want to spend most of our time in the Czech Republic after completing our product.The idea for the future is to have technical team in Czech Republic, travelling to San Francisco for conferences and only part of team working on hardware travelling to China.Youve compared working at a startup vs. Google. Which do you prefer?At Google you usually do just one thing. It is true that you can rotate in the teams or projects, but most of the time you can change it after a year spent in one team. Job for startup is much more diverse and, in particular, I feel like I have a much bigger impact on the world. But of course, Google also has its advantages.You seem to be motivated by the fact that working on such product will help many women.Absolutely. What motivates me the most is the fact that I can influence where the development is going and also the fact that everyone in the company really cares about the product itself.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Carbon Nanotube SuperFabric

Carbon Nanotube SuperFabric Carbon Nanotube SuperFabric Ever since carbon nanotubes were discovered in 1991, they have sparked intense speculation about their potential applications. Materials scientists have long known that carbon-based molecules can possess extreme propertiesafter all, diamonds are pure carbon. But common forms of carbon, such as graphite, are soft rather than strong.At the molecular level, the difference between graphite and carbon nanotubes is similar to that between sheet metal and steel tubing of the same gauge. Thanks to their tubular structure, carbon nanotubes have a measured strength about 50 times that of carbon steel. And because of differences in the way the familiar chicken-wire patterns of carbon atoms line up across the surface, nanotubes can either act as metals (potentially conducting greater current densities than copper) or semiconductors.Using carbon nanotubes to make stronger ceramics, lighter car bodies, or other materials applications could ha ve enormous impact on day-to-day life, similar to the way plastics changed the world in the mid-20th century.These scanning electron micrographs show nanotube ribbons being made at the University of Texas at Dallas. As individual tubes are drawn from a dense thicket of nanotubes (top and middle), they pull away adjoining tubes to create a long, horizontal array.Flexible FibersIn 2000, Phillippe Poulin of the Paul Pascal Research Center in Pessac, France, developed a technique for extruding a fiber from a soup of carbon nanotubes. As the liquid flowed, the nanotubes aligned themselves along the direction of the flow. When dried, the resulting fibers were flexible, but not very strong.In 2003, Ray H. Baughman of the University of Texas spun strong threads made of carbon nanotubes and polyvinyl alcohol the threads were extruded and spun into fibers as thin as a human hair and hundreds of feet long. Tests showed the threads were 17 times stronger than Kevlar and about four times tougher than spider silk, suggesting some potential applications that rely on high strengthcables and protective clothing. Moreover, the nanotube superthreads could conduct and hold electrical charges, suggesting that electronic devices could be directly incorporated into fabrics made of them.Just one problem the process of making the superthreads welches slow.In 2006, Baughmans team discovered a new process that had less in common with spinning yarn than it did with yanking a Band-Aid from a hairy arm. Baughmans group started by growing a carpet of nanotubes on a metallic substrate. The nanotubes, each about 10 nanometers in diameter and 300 micrometers long, grown vertically on the substrate, can pack as closely as one trillion per square inch.In an intuitive leap, Baughmans group, in collaboration with Ken Atkinson, a textile expert at Australias Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Belmont, found a way to make a ribbon of nanotubes in a single motion. A thin ribbon of aerogel unspools across the top of the carpet of nanotubes. Where the aerogel and the nanotubes meet, tubes catch on the aerogel and are pulled from the substrate. Thanks to the close packing of the tubes and to an attractive force operating at the molecular level, a nanotube breaking away from its base will pull away other tubes. Quickly, most of the nanotubes find themselves realigned longitudinally along the surface of the ribbon.Moreover, the process is rapid Baughmans group could produce up to 20 feet of nanotube ribbon per minute.Tartan TapeBaughmans team then layered several ribbons atop one another in a crosswise pattern and dissolved the aerogel substrate, leaving a membrane or thin sheet of nanotubes held together by atomic forces. The sheet was strong laboratory tests showed across its plane, a sheet could support 50,000 times its own weightmaking it stronger pound for pound than a steel sheet of the same dimensions.Moreover, the pure carbon membrane was not only flexible, but an electrical conductor. A swatch of the fabric placed between two electrodes glowed incandescently when a current was applied.The extraordinary strength and lightness of the nanotube sheets suggest they could find use in high-end applications such as military aircraft or motor sports. Also, because the conductive sheets are so thin that theyre nearly transparent when sandwiched between two sheets of plexiglass, they could be incorporated into automobile windshields as antennas or heating elements, or could find a home in photovoltaic cells or in artificial muscles.But the limiting factor is still cost carbon nanotubes are about $1,000 per pound or more, although newer production techniques could bring down the costs under $50 per pound. Although thats a lot for an industrial material, the nanotube supersheets dont require a lot of carbon You could cover an acre with a sheet that weighs only four ounces, Baughman said.Adapted from Wonder Cloth by Jeffrey Wint ers, Associate Editor, Mechanical Engineering, April 2006.Using carbon nanotubes to make stronger ceramics, lighter car bodies, or other materials applications could have enormous impact on day-to-day life.