I Resolve To... Hire Leaders

I Resolve To... Hire LeadersI Resolve To... Hire LeadersFor many employers, it may seem the intuitive choice to look for candidates that are willing and eager to take direction. Especially for those among us who are decision makers or managers already, knowing that youll be adding a hard working and malleable gruppe member provides comfort in knowing that your daily assignments, tasks, and directions will be performed to your specifications.This line of reasoning is all well and good, but it opens the door for organizations to overlook perhaps one of the most vital qualities in longterm, lasting employees. Were talking leadership and the ability for individuals to one day, if not from the outset, guide their own gruppes and provide direction to subordinates. Maybe the ort isnt management or not even on the same track, you may say. Here we lay out why one of your top resolutions as a good hiring manager should be to identify and hire leaders within your teams, regardless of the indivi dual job specification.Leaders Show InitiativeA strong propensity to be a leader will often go hand in hand with a level of independence and confidence in your candidates. While at a minimum you need a group of employees that are willing to take direction, its neither efficient nor an ideal working environment when a single boss is micromanaging a team with individual tasks.Employees with leadership tendencies will feel comfortable striking out on their own. These candidates will be able to work independently and will require far less day to day guidance in order to produce stellar work product that meets the job specifications. Be aya to have weekly or monthly meetings and communicate your goals and the responsibilities of the position clearly and your team members with leadership skills, and your business overall will thrive.Leaders Will InnovateAlong with a strong tendency towards initiative in their roles, leader personalities also can help organizations think outside the box. W hether they are managing a team or working independently, the comfortability with taking on a guiding roll will prompt a leader to always consider whether theres a better mousetrap suited for the position. Depending on the level of the employee you may need to provide guidance or otherwise ensure they havent gotten too far off task with their new way of thinking, but there isnt a business around that couldnt benefit from a fresh set of eyes on an existing structure, process, or problem.Leaders are Able to Step InNeed another reason you should be looking for leadership traits among all of your potential hires? Consider what happens in your day to day business when a manager, team or group head, director or other report person has to step out. Whether its unexpected sickness, employee departure, or plain old vacation time, if you dont have a stock of leaders to pull from in their absence your business can and will face gaps in performance while the person is away. In addition, by havi ng existing leaders on your team you have a built-in recruitment pool when its time to hire. Internal promotes are already familiar with your business model and processes and will save time and money when they step into their new position efficiently and with little lag time.How to Attract LeadersIts all well and good for us to lay down the facts and convince you its in your best interest to hire leaders, but just how do you go about finding them in the first place? Leaders have the ability to think independently and know when to act, when to be flexible and when to seek guidance. Identify these traits and use them in your job listing and recruitment materials to single out quality candidates.Another way to ensure your business is attractive to leaders is to focus your recruitment campaigns on your existing managers and guiding employees. Messages directly from your president, CEO, or senior leadership are great ways to lead on any recruitment marketing video or flyer. Have the mess age regarding company culture, expectations, and opportunities come directly from the top to appeal to leadership personalities.A leader is often recognized as a team member who can think and act independently while considering the teams mission and direction. A leader is astute at knowing when to act when to be flexible, and when to seek guidance. Many organizations have replaced the term manager or supervisor with the term leader to represent a more holistic view of a person who doesnt simply instruct people but also participates in the development of the team and its members. However, leadership is a coveted skill for almost any staff member, regardless of any official authority.Other ideas for making your company and corresponding job positions attractive to inherent leaders includeShowcase videos featuring existing employees including awards, success, and the relationships among existing team members.Train your managers and HR staff in identifying leadership traits in candidate s so that they are better able to identify these candidates in wider employee pools.List the opportunities at your company that includes innovative thinking, an opportunity for growth, and career development. Leaders want to excel and grow and you should highlight just how your company provides those sparks.Set clear expectations of the opportunity and your company from the outset as leaders are attracted to a strong workplace with solid structures.Last but not least, be sure to regularly perform a comprehensive talent assessment at the company level. This will allow you to identify your current talent pool and opportunities for improvement or to shuffle positions or staff to areas where they may be better suited. Consider the leadership or other skills needed every time a new position comes up and use your existing workforce whenever possible to maximize efficiencies and demonstrate loyalty that will only further your employer brand.Read Related ArticlesHow To Avoid The Pitfalls of A Cumbersome Hiring ProcessYour Message or Theirs? Take Control of Your Employer Brand

iPhone Apps for Robot Control

iPhone Apps for Robot Control iPhone Apps for Robot Control We have seen thousands of iPhone applications and can expect to see even more as Apple marches closer to its fall release of theiPhone5. There are multiple apps available for iPhone, iPad, or iPod to remote-control gadgets such as your computer, DVR, digital camera, or even your car. Have you imagined controlling a robot in a manufacturing plant using an iPhone?Dr. Vikram Kapila, professor of mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, and his students are developing apps that allow you to control robots with just a tap or flick of a finger.Currently in the usability testing stage, the iLabArm and iLabBot are part of one of their projects started over two years ago to monitor, command, and control a variety of laboratory testbeds using iPod, iPhone, and iPad over an ad hoc Wi-Fi network. Our goal was to take advantage of an iPhones or iPods berhrungsempfindlicher bildschirm to create an intuit ive interface for interacting with physical devices such as robotic manipulators, mobile robots, and also our own control lab experiments, says Dr. Kapila.A wrist-joint of a 5 degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator being commanded by an iPod Touch held in a users hand. Photo courtesy of Jared Alan Frank and David Lopez.The iLabArm not only uses the touch feature of the iPhone but also embedded sensorsthe accelerometer and gyroscopeto move the robotic arm. As the hand is tilted forward and backward, the iPhones accelerometer data is used to command the wrist-joint to tilt forward and backward, respectively (see videos). The iLabBot can control a mobile robot (Qbot, based on iRobots create platform). As the user touches a specific area on the iPod screen, the Qbot in the real world is commanded to the corresponding location.Command, Control, and MonitorWhen Dr. Kapila and his gruppe started the project in the summer of 2009, the hardware wasnt available in a small footprint and the sof tware features on the iPhone and iPod were not openly available. One of his research students, Jared Alan Frank, addressed the dicke bretter bohren mssen by using an open sound control (OSC) protocol. OSC allows a user to interface computers with electronic musical devices such as synthesizers. The idea was to send the OSC command from the iPhone or iPod to a MAKE microcontroller, which would then interpret it to command motors instead of playing music and other activities of the robot to control its behavior, says Frank.The experiments took several months and attempts during which Frank worked with high-school teachers under NYU Polys Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program, funded by the National Science Foundation. Part of the program required teachers to work in the lab over a six-week period to learn mechatronics and do research. We first tried this with an off-the-shelf monster truck that you normally control through radio control and then we used iRobots Create platfor m and controlled it through the iPhone, says Frank.A Qbot mobile robot (based on iRobots Create platform) being commanded by an iPod Touch held in a users hand. Alternative iPod interfaces allow the Qbot to be commanded to a specified position on the grid. Photo courtesy of Jared Alan Frank and David Lopez.One of the key challenges of the project was that they werent able toreceive any messages from the robotic platform back to on their iPhone app. You dont just want to control the hardware, but also be able to monitor it, says Dr. Kapila. In spring of 2011, they were able to find hardware solutions that were more amenable to this development. Since then, the team moved its development to Arduino microcontrollers interfaced with Wi-Fly shields to create a local ad hoc wireless network. Both of ansicht are smaller than the palm and are mounted one on top of the other. That allowed us to make a more acceptable footprint of the hardware that one could easily connect to the robotic plat form with a total cost of less than $100, says Dr. Kapila.Using hardware and software thatwere already available, it took the team a short time to work through their software protocols and iPhone appsto not only command their robotic projects but also get information back from the projects onto the iPhone or iPod.Robots in Real LifeThe next step was to create an easy-to-use graphical user interface for the apps. We made an interface that allows a user to control a robotic arm. As the user holding an iPhone tilts or turns his or her wrist, the iPhones accelerometer data is used such that the robots wrist mimics the wrist motion of the user (see videos). Moreover, as the user enacts a pinching action on the iPhone screen, the robot gripper is opened and closed, explained Frank. These apps can be used in the medical device field or in a manufacturing plant for a lab automation exercise to control robotic arms of any size.Besides the engineering field, theres plenty of potential for suc h mobile apps to be used in themilitary, says Dr. Kapila. He says the U.S. military has a mandate that by 2025, 25% of its vehicular systems (air, water, and ground) must be robotic. Imagine a soldier in a desert with a robot and heavy gear to control it in his/her backpack, he says. The same soldier probably has an iPhone for keeping in touch or for listening to music. What if he/she could use the same device to control the robots?Such tactile and intuitive interfaces are needed if we want robotics to become common in our society, says Dr. Kapila, who believes that one day robots will work along with humans in workplaces, homes, grocery stores, museums, parks, etc. If a housewife or a grocery store employee, who dont have a scientific or engineering background, are going to use robots every day, they have to be able to interact with these devices almost intuitively, just like the two- to three-year-old kids using iPhones and iPads these days.Such tactile and intuitive interfaces ar e needed if we want robotics to become common in our society.Dr. Vikram Kapila, professor of mechanical engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University

How to successfully network while on the road

How to successfully network while on the roadHow to successfully network while on the roadAny entrepreneur can share countless travel stories of lonely hotel dining and tasteless room service dinners. Combine that with red-eye flights, missed connections and rental car lines, and business trips become more work than fun. Thats how I, too, felt about work trips until I realized how to incorporate business networking dinners as parte of my travels.Im a strong believer in the power of business dinners and enjoy organizing them in my own city. However, rather than limit them to my hometown, I realized I could extend them to every city I visited. With a little advance planning, I now organize dinners wherever my travels take me. These dinners are not only a wonderful way to reconnect with contacts, but also a fun opportunity for the local guests to meet each other. Here are my steps to creating the perfect networking dinnerCreate the ultimate guest listMy contacts move all the time. Its i mpossible to know who is living where. To determine who lives in the destination city, I run a LinkedIn search by clicking Advanced next to the search bar, and filtering for 1st Connections and Location. This identifies all my contacts in that city. From there, I can easily grab their email addresses or send them an invite message directly through LinkedIn.Expand your networkWhen visiting a smaller town where my network does not run as deep, I ask my friends to each invite a like-minded friend or someone else in the industry. This helps expand the inner circle. Ill also reach out to fellow members in entrepreneurial networks, such as Dreamers and Doers. Finally, if there is someone relevant in the industry who Ive been meaning to meet, I will email them directly and extend a dinner invitation.Send the inviteAim to send the invitation three weeks before the dinner date. Doing this any earlier means people might be unsure of their schedule, and if left too late, they may have already made commitments. Not all invitees will be able to attend. If you are aiming for a four-person group, invite six people. If you are going for six people, invite nine or ten. If your goal is to maintain one group conversation, then plan for six guests Six is the maximum number before one group will split into multiple side conversations.Select the perfect venueFinding the right venue is critical to a successful dinner. First, the location should be central and convenient. Second, it should have a fun atmosphere, but be quiet enough that people can hear across the table. The menu should vary and feature food options for those with dietary restrictions. Try to pick a restaurant with $15-to-$25 entrees, so price points will not deter anyone from attending. Finally, make a reservation. In the U.S., its easiest to use a combination of OpenTable and Yelp to find a restaurant that fits the bill. In other countries, Google Places, Facebook Places, a hotel concierge or a local friend might be better resources. Search for OpenTable reservations in the desired neighborhoods and price range. Look at the photos, descriptions and menus of the top results, and then double check the user reviews on Yelp. OpenTable reviews tend to skew positive, so its essential to do a second check on another source before booking.Send a calendar inviteAfter the date, time, and venue are confirmed, send a calendar invite. Many people live off their calendars. If the event is not on their schedule, it does not exist. Save everyone time by sending a properly formatted calendar invite with the restaurant address, your phone numbers, and any other pertinent information.Confirm two days beforeTwo days before the dinner, send a confirmation email reminding the guests of the upcoming dinner. Reiterate the address and your contact information, and remind them to inform you if they are no longer able to attend. At this point, 10-20 percent of people will typically tell you that their plans have changed . Knowing this allows you to update your restaurant reservations accordingly.Introduce everyone and enjoyAs the host of the dinner, start off the dinner with introductions. Feel free to mix the personal with the professional and dig below the surface of common banalities. You can do this by inviting each guest to share one personal and one professional experience happening in their lives. This will help kick off the discussion and bring everyone closer together.Nothing can compare to the deep and powerful connections made breaking bread together, and these connections can even happen even outside of your hometown. Now, whenever you have a business trip, consider hosting a networking dinner to bring together like-minded people.Marlene Jia is the COO of TOPBOTS, a research and strategy firm focused on applied AI and enterprise automation for Fortune 500 companies.BusinessCollective, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North Americas most ambit ious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners.

Become an ATF Special Agent

Become an ATF Special werberBecome an ATF Special AgentThe Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has a long history of service within the United States. Originally established as a regulatory and revenue enforcement agency to collect taxes and tariffs on intoxicating beverages and tobacco products, the ATF has grown into one of the most important law enforcement organizations within the United States Federal Government. Its also become a popular career choice for individuals looking for jobs in criminal justice and criminology, leading many to wonder just how to become an ATF werber. Federal law enforcement jobs in general, and special agent careers in particular, often come with higher relative pay and excellent health and retirement benefits. Because of this, ATF agent careers and other federal jobs are highly sought after and highly competitive. That means there will be a lot of hoops to jump through to get hired. It also means youll have to work hard both a cademically and physically to make sure youre the best candidate for the job. Minimum Requirements for ATF Agents Before you even apply for a job as an ATF agent, youll want to make sure you meet the minimum requirements. These are the bare minimum qualifications you need to have just to be considered. If you dont meet the minimum requirements, your application wont get a second look. To be considered for a job as an ATF agent you must, at a minimum Be a U.S. citizenBe between 21 and 37 years old (some exceptions to the maximum age are granted for military veterans, current federal law enforcement officers, and other federal employees)Hold a valid driver licenseHold either a four-year degree from an accredited institution, three years of relevant professional work experience - such as working as a police detective - or a combination of education and work experience.Be ready and willing to work nearly anywhere. Remember, those are just the minimum requirements. Just because you m eet them in no way guarantees you will get hired, or even advance in the hiring process. There are several steps youll have to take. Meeting the minimums simply gets your foot in the door and a chance to participate in the testing and evaluation process. From here, if you have the credentials, youll progress to the ATF special agent applicant questionnaire, the special agent exam, the pre-employment physical task test, and a polygraph exam and thorough background investigation. ATF Special Agent Applicant Questionnaire One of the first tasks youll have to perform when you apply is complete the ATF Special Agent Applicant Questionnaire. It is a comprehensive supplemental application that provides the foundation for the pending background check. The questionnaire will ask about past drug use, criminal history, previous employers, and addresses, as well as other information relevant to your character and past performance. ATF Special Agent Exam The ATF employs a basic abilities test to ensure its applicants possess the skills and mental ability necessary to the job. The special agent exam is divided into three sections parte A, Part B, and Part C. Each part measures a different skill. Part A tests applicants verbal reasoning and will require applicants to read various paragraphs and then answer multiple choice questions based on the information they read. Part B measures quantitative reasoning and requires applicants to demonstrate basic arithmetic skills. Applicants may have to calculate dollar amounts or other basic mathematical problems based on information provided on the test. Part C of the special agent exam tests applicants investigative reasoning. In this section, applicants are provided information about a case and are asked to apply their investigative skills and demonstrate the ability to deduce information from the facts provided ATF Special Agent Applicant Assessment Test In addition to the written special agent exam, applicants will also participate in the ATF Special Agent Applicant Assessment Test. This exam is a psychological assessment that measures your personality and preference. The purpose of the assessment is to help determine candidates suitability for a career as an ATF agent. Pre-Employment Physical Task Test After successful completion of the examinations, youll need to demonstrate your physical abilities by participating in the ATF Special Agent Pre-Employment Physical Task Test. The physical task test consists of timed sit-upstimed push-ups and a timed 1.5-mile run. Specific requirements vary by gender and age. To help you get an idea of where you need to be physically, heres what the ATF requires 1-minute sit-ups - MenAge 21-29 40Age 30-39 36Age 40 31 1-minute sit-ups - WomenAge 21-29 35Age 30-39 27Age 40 22 1-minute pushups - MenAge 21-29 33Age 30-39 27Age 40 21 1-minute pushups - WomenAge 21-29 16Age 30-39 14Age 40 11 1.5-mile run - MenAge 21-29 12 minutesAge 30-39 13 minutesAge 40 14 min utes 1.5-mile run - WomenAge 21-29 16 minutesAge 30-39 17 minutesAge 40 18 minutes If youre not in shape, you need to be in, start working now to get there. Be sure to check with your doctor before you begin any exercise regimen to make sure your body can handle it, and start working on building your strength and endurance. Youll want to work hard to make sure youre physically able to compete. Oral Interview Panel After the physical assessment, its not over yet. The next step is the oral interview panel, where your communications skills will be evaluated. In addition to the oral interview, a writing sample will also be required, so make sure your English skills are up to speed. Background Investigation Its not all about passing tests. Just because you have the mental and physical ability to do the job, you still need to demonstrate that you have the character necessary to adhere to the high ethical standards that come with the privilege of authority. To make sure of this, a thorough background investigation will be conducted, which will include employment verifications, a polygraph exam and a criminal and credit history check. Medical Testing The dangers of law enforcement careers are everywhere, and agents must be in good health to be able to perform and to survive. Because of this, a thorough medical exam is required. The exam will include a standard physical, and your blood pressure and heart will be checked. Youll also need to submit to a vorstellung test and a hearing test. Your uncorrected vision must be 20/100 and corrected vision must be 20/20 in at least one eye and at least 20/30 in the other. Depth perception, peripheral vision and the ability to distinguish colors will also be tested. Finally, any hearing loss cannot be greater than 30 decibels. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and ATF Academy If you can advance through the hiring process and receive a job offer, you still have a few more hurdles ahead. All newly hired agents - except for those hired from other federal investigative agencies - must attend a 12-week Criminal Investigators Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. After completion of the CITP, agent trainees must then attend the ATF-specific Special Agent Basic Training. This 15-week program is extremely tough, both physically and mentally, and provides new agents with the knowledge and skills they will need carry out the mission of the ATF. Becoming an ATF Special Agent It takes hard work, dedication, and determination to become a special agent with the ATF. Between the lengthy and in-depth job application, the long hiring process, the grueling assessments and the difficult training program, only the best and most qualified candidates will find success in landing one of these exciting and rewarding jobs. If you have what it takes, though, the salary and benefits - not to mention the challenges and rewards of this important career - make it well worth the effort, and you may just find that working as an ATF special agent is the perfect criminology career for you.

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Personal Trainer Resume

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Personal Trainer Resume A personal coach should be honest and perform their position for a leader with integrity. Your own personal trainer resume should additionally have a version for potential customers. A professional personal trainer resume can help you secure work in the dynamic personal physical fitness field. The thriving fitness expert will understand how to sell her or his skills to their customers, and convince them that theyll benefit from the wisdom and instruction a fitness expert can pass onto them through training sessions. Finding a job for a fitness and personal trainer can be hard. Continue reading for some personal trainer resume tips that can help you compose a winning resume. For unique canines, distinctive kinds of training are there so that you can choose from, in order to produce your doggy behave as if you would really like. Personal training can be extremely costly and several folks would prefer a fitness expert. Working with personal trainers is also helpful if you do not believe that you can maintain your motivation all on your own, and find it troublesome to abide by a normal workout schedule at your exercise club. Ultimately you need to have a number of different versions of your private trainer resume. You ought to be able to attain your trainer that has any questions or concerns you might have. Serious personal trainers should additionally have a site. The Hidden Secret of Personal Trainer Resume Most trainers dont understand that there are lots of jobs out there in the market which encompass their expert services. Experience from various other jobs can crossover to the new field youre pursuing and may be an asset. Utilize your resume to emphasize the training, skills, and experience hiring managers want in the expanding fitness market. All the jobs behold the exact same essence and components except a couple that differ depending on the industry selected. Uti lizing a fitness expert is a good idea, particularly if you are a newcomer to working out and exercising generally. It is truly an advantage for you if you are trying to achieve any health and fitness goals. Working with a fitness expert is the very first step to improving your wellness and physical fitness. You may want to be certain to highlight your physical fitness and your achievements, but you will also have to let your skills shine. A fitness expert is hired by fitness organizations to help clients meet their exercise targets. Talk about your own personal goals as a trainer, how it is possible to assist the gym meet company goals as their employee, and the way youve helped clients achieve goals before. If theres one thing your clients want to find in a fitness expert, its instant motivation. Implement healthy fitness promotional and wellness games providing unique and challenging ways to keep they motivated. The snappily titled NordicTrack SpaceSaver E5 si Elliptical trainer is a little bit of a novelty in it has a folding mechanism as a way to enable you to easily store the machine when it isnt being used. Running your own company may be the most rewarding experience of your life, the freedom to do whatever you need and whenever you wish to do it. Personal Trainer Resume Explained The overview of your resume is the area in which you summarize all of the information from the remainder of your resume, therefore its important to pick your most important accomplishments and assets when writing it. Its rather simple to drop an eye on how to compose an up-to-date resume in the most up-to-date format if youve been working hard in 1 job for many decades. In case the program isnt going as expected, the trainer must restructure the program so as to suit the wants and ability of the client they are training. Resume writing may be an intimidating executing for anybody. So youve just finished creating the perfect resume and now require a productive co ver letter to choose it. Everybody knows that writing an excellent cover letter for a resume is very important. To learn what to put in your Personal Trainer cover letter, read and analyse the work advert youre replying to.

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Best Software for Writing Resume

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Best Software for Writing Resume Best Software for Writing Resume Ideas Check that the software you decide on will export your resume into a frequent format such as Microsoft Word, and that means youre ready to do any last tweaks. The best resume software can help you create the ideal job-worthy resume effortlessly. Aside from programs, theres additionally a very long collection of resume making software available. Also highlight your programming abilities and all the computer software youre familiarized with. The target of your resume is to secure you the interview. Essentially, youve nailed work at a unicorn business. Many times youre skilled enough for the job but you might not have something which others have. An individual should begin with the most recent job and after that go on to the anfangsbuchstabe one. Excellent programmers understand how to prioritize clear code. Lets say youre applying for employment at Ai rbnb. Best Software for Writing Resume Explained The Free Resume Builder helps prepare resumes even when you dont possess the slightest idea on the best way to do so employing a seven step practice. Resume Companion is an extremely user-friendly site that delivers a wide selection of tools that may help you compose an outstanding resume and send it to a prospective employer. Resumes arrive in various forms and formats. If you wish to find out more about writing resumes that get interviews, go to a site such as Top Career Resumes where you will discover many articles and suggestions. Companies wish to employ optimistic individuals, so you wish to place a positive attitude out there. Assess how good youre at every one of your abilities and talents. Any resume you write, you first will need to summarize your abilities and expertise in that specific field. Listing skills needed for the position is a no-brainer. Building a resume with online is a simple and speedy procedure to find stunning resume and terrific career advice. Networking is among the most significant details of the job search approach. Top Choices of Best Software for Writing Resume Including an objectives section at the commencement of your resume provides a succinct introduction to the intention behind the resume, highlighting your career objectives and the sort of job you are looking for. When you finish a program, youre get a shareable electronic Course Certificate. Needless to say, you will have to use your very best judgment when deciding if it seems bloated. Lies Youve Been Told About Best Software for Writing Resume Both important things to note are the particular job information and the kind of institution youre applying for. Double-check if youre utilizing the correct abilities and experience keydefinitivs. The program comprises a spell-checker, but it lacks an integrated thesaurus that will help you vary your word choices.