How to Avoid the Hazards of an Unlimited PTO Policy

How to Avoid the Hazards of an Unlimited PTO PolicyHow to Avoid the Hazards of an Unlimited PTO PolicyMerely a few short years ago, the concept of unlimited paid time off (PTO) was reserved only for cool, hip Silicon Valley companies. By 2014 unlimited, and in many cases, untracked PTO has become the norm for an estimated one to three percent of US companies.Companies cite a variety of reasons for removing limits on PTO, but the ultimate benefits to the company boil down to two main factors. When a company gives PTO to an employee, that company must carry the liability of this gift on the books from year to year until the employee leaves the company. At that time, any unused PTO will be paid to the employee at his current salary rate. By offering unrestricted PTO, the employer is no longer giving a quantified benefit to an employee and has no balance to pay off if the employee leaves the company. Second, companies use unlimited PTO as a perk to recruit top talent, believing that it g ives them a competitive edge that doesnt necessarily cost the company more money.Employees at companies that offer unlimited PTO agree that the perk is nice, but some do miss being able to bank their vacation time. Aaron Sagray, director of product designat software startup mPATH, said, Its a good policy, but there are some drawbacks. Because the PTO isnt tied to compensation you cant be paid out on the accrual. Elliot, a senior software engineer at a 3,000-employee enterprise software company said, I like the policy. The only downside is you dont get paid out for vacation time. But its not a huge downside.Detractors of unlimited vacation policies generally cite concerns that employees will abuse the policy and work wont get done. Elliot said that in practice this is not a big concern for his company. If someones taking too much vacation, its likely affecting their performance in other ways, and thats what should be measured (instead of vacation days taken).Even companies that have the implicit caveat take time off as long as your work is getting done dont necessarily have formal processes in place to measure whether or not that work is getting done. Sagray said, My work is measured by whether or not Im meeting deadlines, but a problem always exists of seeing who is contributing. Companies can mitigate this by keeping teams very small with a team lead to keep track of peoples performance.Bob Chen, software engineerat Infer, a 20-person software startup, said that although theres an unspoken expectation that time off will only be taken as long as youre getting your work done, concerns that employees are working are nonexistent because, everyone has a stake in the company.Balancing all of concerns about PTO reveals a deeper issue faced by most companies.At many companies there is a fundamental misunderstanding of how to measure quality work. And this applies not only to the amount of vacation or sick time an employee takes, but also to remote employees and distr ibuted teams. Most managers dont receive formal training on how to set and measure team goals and are expected to evaluate employee achievement of what are often vague un-measurable goals.So how can companies add meaningful measurement to their management structure?1. Know what your goals areCompanies must know what their goals are. And they must communicate these goals to their employees. A company goal of mimic the competition will produce drastically different results than a goal of differentiate yourself from the competition.2. Understand the difference between quantity and qualityIs it more important to judge employees on the quantity of their work? (I wrote 300 blog articles this year.) Or is it more important to judge the quality of that work? (I wrote 20 blog articles that engaged 10 1000000 readers.) Depending on the stage of your work, there could arguably be a case for either. But effective evaluation depends on knowing when an employee should be striving for quantity and when an employee should be striving for quality- and measuring the appropriate outcome.3. Be in constant communicationAnnual reviews are not enough. You must implement a policy of active and ongoing feedback for employees. And while manager feedback may be the best way to evaluate employee progress toward specific goals, 360-degree feedback, which includes comments from managers, peers and subordinates, is also a helpful tool to see a broader view of employee accomplishments.Elliot said, Our performance is measured by peer feedback twice a year. You can solicit feedback from particular peers, but people can also leave anonymous unsolicited feedback. And while your peers may not know what your specific goals were or how close you came to achieving them, Elliot said, My peers know the impact my work has on code quality, whether or not that specifically was my goal.While unlimited PTO and similar flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting can be a good way to attract and reward motivated employees, it does require more active management to understand and evaluate performance. The good news is, as managers improve at setting and quantifying goals and outcomes, the entire business will benefit from having a clearly defined fahrplan and vision of success.Read more articlesMake Candidates an Offer They Cant RefuseWhy Some Recruiters Almost Always Hire the Right Candidate

The 10 toughest majors for finding jobs after college for 2018

The 10 toughest majors for finding jobs after college for 2018The 10 toughest majors for finding jobs after college for 2018So you are trying to decide which degree to pursue in college, but you are unsure which degrees actually land jobs. Dont worry, many students are asking the same question.When you finally get to choose yur own education, it can be daunting by the hundreds of choices available at most colleges and universities. Should you pursue architecture,engineering, secondary education, art and dance,political science, pre-med, orbusiness? What about the lesser-known degrees like forestry preservation and art restoration?No matter what your interests are, you are probably wondering if your passions can also lead to a job that wont make you struggling to pay bills for the rest of your life.AtZippia, we are here to help you figure out the answers to those questions. So which majors actually have the highest unemployment rate?Library ScienceMetallurgical EngineeringNuclear Engi neeringIndustrial Production TechnologiesGeneral Social SciencesGeological And Geophysical EngineeringInterdisciplinary Social SciencesOther Foreign LanguagesCosmetology Services And Culinary ArtsStudio ArtsWith the move to the internet for all of our information, its no shocker that the need for librarians is dwindling. Even the libraries are moving to more cloud-based services like OverDrive and Libby.Seeingsocial sciencesandinterdisciplinary studieson our list is no surprise either, as these degrees are notorious for being difficult in the job market.But what about degrees like metallurgical engineering? Actually, what even is metallurgical engineering? Read on to learn more about our top 10 majors with the highest unemployment rate.How we determined the hardest majors to get a job after collegeUsing Census Data from PUMS, we looked at the total number of people who graduated with each particular major.We only considered people ages 22 25 that were no longer in school - you kno w, people right out of college looking for work.Then using data for which of these people were employed versus unemployed, we came up with percentages for each majors unemployment level, which we then used to rank each major. The higher a major ranks on this list, the lower its employment rating.Thats all - pretty simple for this one. Below youll find a more complete breakdown of our top ten list, along with unemployment percentages for each major.1. LIBRARY SCIENCESUnemployment satz11.77%When is the last time you have been to a library after you graduated college? You likely cannot recall a time. Unfortunately for librarians, tech advances have led to a decline in job opportunity.Librarians have a nearly 12% unemployment rate. Thats a sorry figure for any recent graduate.However, if you do happen to land a job as alibrarian, the pay isnt that bad. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, library scientists make about $54k a year on average.2. METALLURGICAL ENGINEERINGUnemploym ent Rate10.53%So what is metallurgical engineering and why does it rank number two on our list?Essentially, metallurgical engineering is the study of metals. Engineers with this degree learn about mining, extraction, and processing of metals. Sounds important, right?Computerization and mechanizing must be crushing this field, resulting in an unemployment rate of over 10% for degree holders in metallurgical engineering.3. NUCLEAR ENGINEERINGUnemployment Rate10.11%Like metallurgical engineering, nuclear engineering is another super important sounding degree with a high unemployment rate.You would think that with the depletion of fossil fuels and our increased dependence on nuclear energy, we would need nuclear engineers. But somehow they have a 10% unemployment rate.Perhaps the coal industry wants to keep them out until the earth is really in a mega crisisperhaps computers are taking over engineering jobs. Either way, these degree holders are in somewhat of a job pickle.4. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIESUnemployment Rate8.24%Individuals with a degree in Industrial Production Technologies help engineers and other professionals best utilize natural resources. Again, another degree that seems extremely needed as our natural resources are quickly being depleted.Around 8% of degree holders in this specialty are unemployed. Not a good sign for our coal stores.5. GENERAL SOCIAL SCIENCESUnemployment Rate7.65%General Social Sciences quite possibly the vaguest degree category on our list. General Social Sciences is a degree that takes classes from several liberal arts specialties and combines it together.Not bad if you want a well-rounded liberal arts education, but possibly a bad decision for your bank account.6. GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL ENGINEERINGUnemployment Rate7.26%Like Industrial Production Technology and Metallurgical Engineering, this degree also is related to natural resourcemanagement. A person with a degree in Geological and Geophysical Engineering is tra ined in the extraction of natural resources.Again, quite a useful skill in a world where life as we know it is dependent on natural resource use. However, like the former degrees, this one also has a dismal employment outlook. Degree holders in Geological and Geophysical Engineering face a whopping 7% unemployment rate.Perhaps a degree in technology related to renewable energy is the key?7. INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL SCIENCESUnemployment Rate6.88%Like General Social Sciences, this degree pulls from several social science specialties. In theory, a degree that is interdisciplinary should produce more well-rounded students, but employers dont seem to be too impressed.Nearly 7% of graduates with degrees in Interdisciplinary Social Studies are unemployed. Perhaps doubling that with another major would have been a better decision career-wise?8. FOREIGN LANGUAGESUnemployment Rate6.22%Next up on our top 10 list of majors with the highest unemployment rate is foreign languages. Most students c ouple a foreign language degree with another, so what happens if you focus only on learning another language?Apparently a hard time finding a job. People with a foreign language degree on its own face a 6% unemployment rate. Unfortunately, students who study foreign languages also often study social sciences so they may be out of luck in the job department.9. COSMETOLOGY SERVICES AND CULINARY ARTSUnemployment Rate5.91%Interestingly, our database couples degrees that allow you to study makeup with degrees that teach you how to make delicious food. Either way, these are degrees in the professional services sector.Although many of us would probably gladly pay someone to make us amazing food, turns out there is not a huge job market for people with degrees in these fields. Nearly 6% of graduates with these degrees are unemployed.10. STUDIO ARTSUnemployment Rate 5.88%brde but not least comes Studio Arts. Often when you hear people say they are going to study art, you hear the usual, so h ow are you going to find a job?But interestingly, the degrees with the highest unemployment rates are those that seem like a career no-brainer. Were looking at you nuclear engineers.While last on our list, professional artists still face a nearly 6% unemployment rate. That is two times better than those who have Library Sciences degrees, but still not the best.Putting it all togetherThere you have it the top 10 majors with the highest unemployment rates. So what are degrees that have some of the best job outlooks?Pharmacology, Military Technology, Teacher Education, and Transportation Engineers are some of the many degrees that have high employment rates. But that shouldnt prevent you from pursuing a degree in art or the social sciences.Perhaps you just need to double major if you want a better job potential.Detailed ranking of the 100 hardest majors to get a job (with unemployment rate)Library Science 11.78%Metallurgical Engineering 10.53%Nuclear Engineering 10.11%Industrial Produ ction Technologies 8.24%General Social Sciences 7.66%Geological And Geophysical Engineering 7.26%Interdisciplinary Social Sciences 6.88%Other Foreign Languages 6.23%Cosmetology Services And Culinary Arts 5.91%Studio Arts 5.88%Visual And Performing Arts 5.36%Electrical Engineering Technology 5.32%Electrical, Mechanical, And Precision Technologies And 5.17%Miscellaneous Social Sciences 5.14%Environmental Science 5.09%Science And Computer Teacher Education 4.9%Fine Arts 4.87%Public Policy 4.6%Miscellaneous Fine Arts 4.52%Public Administration 4.5%Petroleum Engineering 4.29%Area Ethnic And Civilization Studies 4.21%Applied Mathematics 4.14%Criminology 4.09%Food Science 4.01%Miscellaneous Engineering Technologies 3.97%Oceanography 3.88%Neuroscience 3.88%Advertising And Public Relations 3.87%Philosophy And Religious Studies 3.87%Sociology 3.85%Molecular Biology 3.81%Social Psychology 3.8%Atmospheric Sciences And Meteorology 3.74%Drama And Theater Arts 3.69%Miscellaneous Biology 3.65%Healt h And Medical Preparatory Programs 3.57%Composition And Rhetoric 3.56%Health And Medical Administrative Services 3.53%Naval Architecture And seestreitkraft Engineering 3.52%Art And Music Education 3.46%Ecology 3.44%Actuarial Science 3.44%History 3.43%Geology And Earth Science 3.38%Intercultural And International Studies 3.36%General Medical And Health Services 3.35%Political Science And Government 3.31%Commercial Art And Graphic Design 3.28%International Relations 3.27%Liberal Arts 3.2%Mass Media 3.2%Film Video And Photographic Arts 3.19%Nutrition Sciences 3.16%Chemical Engineering 3.15%Engineering Mechanics Physics And Science 3.12%Information Sciences 3.09%Computer Networking And Telecommunications 3.04%Humanities 3.01%English Language And Literature 2.99%Anthropology And Archeology 2.98%Linguistics And Comparative Language And Literature 2.95%Journalism 2.94%Secondary Teacher Education 2.89%Soil Science 2.85%Community And Public Health 2.84%Communications 2.8%Business Economics 2 .74%Architecture 2.73%Microbiology 2.72%Economics 2.7%Art History And Criticism 2.66%Psychology 2.65%Electrical Engineering 2.64%Hospitality Management 2.63%Physical And Health Education Teaching 2.61%Cognitive Science And Biopsychology 2.61%International Business 2.6%Materials Engineering And Materials Science 2.56%Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 2.56%Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure 2.55%French-German Latin And Other Common Foreign Language Studies 2.53%Business Management And Administration 2.52%Miscellaneous Business Medical Administration 2.49%Criminal Justice And Fire Protection 2.38%Finance 2.37%Family And Consumer Sciences 2.37%Biology 2.35%Theology And Religious Vocations 2.33%Communication Technologies 2.33%Miscellaneous Health Medical Professions 2.27%Early Childhood Education 2.26%Music 2.26%Physiology 2.22%Marketing And Marketing Research 2.22%Biochemical Sciences 2.21%Social Work 2.2%Plant Science And Agronomy 2.16%Statistics And Decision Science 2.15%For estry 2.11%This article first appeared on Zippia.

The Perfect Resume Checklist

The Perfect Resume ChecklistThe Perfect Resume ChecklistThe Perfect Resume ChecklistCourtesy of Taduuda from unsplash.comWhen youve spent days writing a resume, sending it off and hearing nothing is frustrating and discouraging. With hundreds of applications for popular positions, your professional CV could just have been lost in the pile. So you might be asking yourself what canhelp me with my resumeand make aya it doesnt get tossed aside?Weve prepared a resume checklist to make sure youre not making obvious mistakes that could be holding you back.Here we go1. Check your contact detailsIt IS possible to spell your own name wrong, or forget a number in your phone number making you impossible to call back Double and triple-check your important contact details2. Streamline your objectiveWhether or not to include an objective is debated, but if you have chosen to include one make sure it is relevant to the role and specific (but not TOO specific). It should highlight what you can offe r instead of just being about what you want.3. Target your industryEvery professional online resume writer knows that your resume should be personalized for the job or sector at hand. If you are applying for different industries, you should have multiple CVs written to market yourself in each one.4. Highlight your accomplishmentsGoogles head of people operations recommends the following formatAccomplished X as measured by Y by doing ZFor exampleOkay Responsible for negotiating service contracts with XYZBetter Negotiated 30% ($500k) reduction in costs with XYZ to perform post-delivery supportBest Negotiated 30% ($500k) reduction in costs with XYZ to perform post-delivery support by designing and using results from an online auction of multiple vendorsGo through and see how many of your duties you can improve with this format Or, use a professional resume editing serviceto highlight your best qualities.5. Improve your languageWhile writing your story and describing your achievement s, try to avoid first-person pronouns like Me and I. Instead, list what welches done and achieved with action verbs.6. Highlight transferable skillsYour other jobs and hobbies could have transferable skills that improve your candidacy. Time management, organization, budgeting, and public speaking are all things to consider. You can leave off the fishing and figure skating, though7. Format for maximum effectWhile paying for a flashy and colored resume theme is tempting, HR managers can see them as gimmicky (the exception is marketing and design positions). However, careful use of whitespace, tasteful fonts, headings, and bullet points can draw the eye to the most important information. Check your information is clearly readable and the essentials stand out.8. Scan like an employerOne of the best tips weve heard about how to write resume online is that, on average, potential employers spend only 10 seconds scanning your resume. Get a friend or service to scan your finished work and te ll you what stands out and if its whats important.9. Include a titelseite letterA well-written cover letter should be standard unless the posing specifically doesnt ask for one. The combo with your resume will make you stand out much more than other candidates, especially if you use a cover letter writing service.10. ProofreadGrammar and spelling mistakes anywhere in your CV can result in immediate disqualification. The last thing you do before clicking SEND is to proofread twiceNow, send your resume and be sure they will call. Wear the suit, paired with confidence and dont forget to smile

Operations Manager Top Needed Skills

Operations Manager Top Needed SkillsOperations Manager Top Needed SkillsOperations Manager Top Needed SkillsWriting your resume with a target job in mind requires having a clear understanding of the jobs skills and proficiencies.A well-crafted resume skills section, highlighting your relevant skills for an operations manager position, will help your resume beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is the first step to getting your application noticed. Use the operations manager top skills and proficiencies below to help you effectively write your resume.Operations Manager top skills proficienciesLeadershipConflict ManagementBusiness NegotiationOrganizationDecision-MakingPeople ManagementData Entry SkillsData Processing SkillsDependableReporting SkillsDeadline-OrientedBudget DevelopmentCritical Thinking and Problem Solving SkillsPlanning and OrganizingCommunication SkillsPersuasivenessInfluencing and LeadingDelegationTeam WorkNegotiationAdaptabilityStress Tolerance

The Biggest Myth About I Have Attached My Resume for Your Review Exposed

The Biggest Myth About I Have Attached My Resume for Your Review Exposed Writing a killer titelbild letter isnt an easy job to do. After all, its that impression that causes an interview. The short article talks about the value of cover and how can it help you receive a work interview. Best wishes, Samantha Lee Heres another illustration of an interesting yet strong cover letter. Call, in case you have to, and discover out to whom the letter ought to be addressed. The phrase looks archaic, and several may wonder if its even proper grammar. Weave information in the opening to imply that the letter was written particularly for the opening at-hand. One of the absolute most powerful approaches to receive your resume noticed by means of an employer is by including a strong cover letter that speaks straight to the job. So to help raise the chances of getting your resume selected, heres a simple sample cover letter targeted to a particular job that you may use as a template to comp ose your own cover letter. There are a lot of things that may fail with your cover letter in case you do not give it importance. The most apparent thing that you want to avoid is writing a generic cover letter thats unspecific to the job which you are applying to. It is possible to also search LinkedIn to see whether you know anyone employed by the organization and request advice, a referral or even an interview, based on the situation. If youre applying for positions in distinct industries, you can want to compose a targeted resume for each business. Everyone knows that when browsing for work, the very first task youll have to complete for a possible employer is, Send a copy of your resume. If youre applying for work at different place, then mention that youre prepared to shift to the new site. When you have difficulty finding a title and to be sure the title is acceptable, you might want to seek advice from your supervisor in the position. In the current society, competiti on for many jobs is fierce, and you need to make sure that you get noticed by a prospective employer. All the most appropriate for your job search New Step by Step Roadmap for I Have Attached My Resume for Your Review Theres no length requirement for a CV in the usa. If youre using the CV to apply to get a position in a country apart from the USA, check the requirements for that nation. Same to be able to register in Indeed as an employer or consultant he must demonstrate licence ought to be the rule. Nearly all resumes also incorporate a concise work history section. I Have Attached My Resume for Your Review for Dummies Removing your graduation dates from your resume can be a prudent move and supply a little additional anonymity once it comes to your age. Bear in mind, your resume should always emphasize the skills, experience, and accomplishments which are most relevant to your job targets. An excellent job is well worth a few more minutes of work. After that, write a c ouple sentences about your last job or what it is youre currently doing. You have to pay attention to detail, not miss any products. In case you will submit application to numerous companies, you should customize your resume for each firm merely by adding or removing details to create the full piece more pleasing. Your cover letter is a significant portion of a work application and offers you a chance to highlight skills and experience that may otherwise be overlooked. Cover letters which do not deal with pain that should be fixed or the requirements of the firm will probably come across as narcissistic. The Nuiances of I Have Attached My Resume for Your Review Please dont hesitate to call me at 555-555-5555 in case you have any questions or need extra info. It can be useful to organize your document with a section for every one of the qualification. Adhering to the employers guidelines wont only ensure your documents get to the suitable place at the appropriate time, it is going to show that you pay attention to details and follow instructions Your resume has an objective rather than an expert summary Objective statements describe your requirements, rather than how you will satisfy the needs of an employer. You also need to know how to format your cover letter correctly. In case you have any questions or requests, feel free to get in touch with me xxx. Outlined below are numerous methods and examples that demonstrate proper letter formats and the way to compose a prosperous document. Mentioning that youve attached a resume ought to be left until the close of the email.

The Do This, Get That Guide On When Writing a Resume Do You Put Your Current Education First

The Do This, Get That Guide On When Writing a Resume Do You Put Your Current Education First The Tried and True Method for when Writing a Resume Do You Put Your Current Education First in Step by Step Detail Determine what consulting experience you would love to grow your resume. Without plenty of work experience, it can be hard to demonstrate that you have what it requires to find the job. As soon as you graduate, you might locate a full-time job or work at the same time you attend college. Leaving a job after years in exactly the same company leads to curiosity. When writing a resume, it isnt appropriate to include things like an on-line contact address that doesnt sound professional. Its always tempting to compose a titelblatt letter that covers any possible job, but a cover letter thats particular to the provider indicates an interest in the possible work. A cover letter is intended to clearly show your nature and earn a connection between everything outlined in the re sume. When you produce a resume, you need to have a prospective employers attention without embellishing any info. Write a summary statement of your grant writing expertise, and include the particular dollar value of a number of the larger grants your current or previous employers have received owing to your work. Generally speaking, a resume consists of the info that most employers would love to learn about the applicant. Although resumes should give all appropriate information related to previous employment, for example, phone numbers of previous employers isnt standard practice when writing resumes. If youre an experienced worker, you still need to include your career objectives, even should they focus on improving your current skills. Even in case youve never worked before, you might still have relevant experience. For instance, if you have computer skills, list the programs youre proficient in. Continue to the next section, which ought to be education or employment hi story. Developing a professional resume now will help better prepare you once it is time to submit an expert job application. Add any achievements which you feel can let you get the job. In any event, you need to get a solid resume to be able to land the job that is appropriate for you. Review the job posting and determine the crucial words. Type of when Writing a Resume Do You Put Your Current Education First Before you may apply for a new internal position, you should have a quality resume. Although some people today create a portfolio for a particular position, others create a portfolio that is relevant to several positions.

Advertising and Women and Their Objectification in Media

Advertising and Women and Their Objectification in MediaAdvertising and Women and Their Objectification in MediaSince the introduction of advertising many centuries ago, women have been objectified, and in some instances, insulted or degraded. Despite the efforts of many people, its apparent thatsociety is still seeing the same patternsof objectification and the mindless use of sexualized women in advertising campaigns. In many respects, the aufgabe has escalated. With the proliferation of photo retouching software, womens bodies are elend just flawless, they are anatomically impossible. This is harmful on many levels. Advertising False Ideals Advertising, marketing, and the fashion industry have created a new type of woman that does not exist in the real world. The Barbie Doll look theyre selling has some recognizable features She has no wrinkles, blemishes, or scars.She has long, smooth, and shapely legs.Her waist is quite small.Her ample breasts and buttocks defy gravity.Her r adiant hair looks like CGI.Her eyes are dazzling and bright.Her teeth are shining white and perfectly straight. Exploiting Learned Desires At an early age, men are programmed to desire the Barbie Doll woman. This is the woman featured in ads for perfumes and lingerie. She is the centerfold in Playboy. Women, from the same early age, are told they must look like this woman. They should aim to have long legs, perfect skin, beautiful hair, and an impossible body. The problem is That woman does not exist. She is the product of hours in the makeup chairand days of photo retouching, even if shes a supermodel. Every woman has imperfections because every woman is human. A primary goal of advertising is to create a need so that a company can provide a product or tafelgeschirr to meet that need. For example, men may drink certain brands of beer because they associate them with advertisings objectified women. On the other hand, women might buy certain clothes, foods, and makeup products in an attempt to resemble thebeer-drinking girl on TV. Real-World Results Men are taught (programmed) to view women as objects. It may have led in part to the way men view women as objects at work. The extent of this became a public focus in late 2017 with the birth of the MeToo and Times Up movements, which sought to expose the culture of sexual harassment and abuse in Hollywood, and by extension, in the culture. Early Feminists Take When Our Bodies, Ourselves was publishedin 1970, it urged women to love and honor their bodies. Betty Friedan, who passed away in 2006, and Gloria Steinem- alive and active at 84 as of January 2019- were founders of the feminist movement. Both had envisioned and worked toward an egalitarian and enlightened world by the 21st century. That has not happened yet. However, if todays feminist leaders are successful in achieving their goals, advertising will not objectify women moving forward. Changes in Advertising Several brands, including Dove an d Aerie, have moved away from the images of perfection of the past. They claim to be Photoshop-free and celebrate real, diverse women. Beer brands are moving away from semi-naked models. The craft beer movement is on the rise, and they dont need Playboy bunnies to help them sell inventory- although, sadly,the majority of men will still be attracted tocliched sexy images. If you work at an agency, you can try to steer clients away from Photoshopped images of Barbie Doll women. Veer away from the skinny size 2 models, and champion the use of normal-sized women as models for the products you sell.

3D-printed Lithium-ion Battery Could Power Electric Vehicles, ...

3D-printed Lithium-ion Battery Could Power Electric Vehicles, ... 3D-printed Lithium-ion Battery Could Power Electric Vehicles, ... 3D-printed Lithium-ion Battery Could Power Electric Vehicles, Drones We rely on lithium-ion batteries every day to charge our smartphones, laptops, and many other electronics. One day they could power our electric vehicles. But the energy-storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries has struggled to keep up with the surging demands for their use.Now, engineers at Carnegie Mellon University say theyve found a way to significantly extend lithium-ion battery life by using a new method to print 3-D electrodes.The lattice printing 3-D method could not only extend battery life, it could serve to create batteries made from materials like silicon, which would give the batteries faster recharging times and, when used in electric cars, longer sortiment time. The low-weight and high-energy-capacity batteries the printing method create could also power small, light de vices, like drones.For You Making the Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Batteries Safer, Longer-LastingAll batteries contain two metal electrodes, a negatively charged anode and the positively charged cathode, separated by a substance called the electrolyte. A lithium-ion battery, or Li-ion battery, is a rechargeable battery in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge, and then move back when chargingLithium-ion battery electrodes 3-D printed with a lattice provides channels for lithium to move effectively into the electrode. Image Rahul Panat / Carnegie Mellon UniversityThe Carnegie Mellon teams electrodes are printed using Aerosol Jet technology, which assembles droplets one-by-one to create electrodes with lattice-like, interlaced structures with complex geometries that can be created using the current electrode-printing methods, said Rahul Panat, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the university.Right now, lithium-ion battery electrodes are 3-D printed through an extrusion method that lays down fingers of the material one atop the other to form a solid block of material. Lithium has a hard time penetrating that solid block to charge the electrode, Panat said.Lithium has to penetrate throughout volume of electrode for it to be fully utilized, he said. In todays commercially available batteries, you have about 30 to 50 percent of the lithium used.The chemical, on the other hand, can easily diffused throughout the channels and pores of the latticed electrode to completely saturate the electrode. The researchers have found that lithium saturates 100 percent of the batterys electrode when its printed using their technique.A 3-D printed, latticed electrode can make for a smaller battery that leise carries the same charging capability of its larger, solid-electrode counterpart.Prof. Rahul Panat, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPanut worked with Jonghyun Park, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering a t Missouri University of Science and Technology to develop the new printing method.Because it has more energy storage capacity, the latticed electrode can be used to make a smaller battery that still carries the same charging capability of its larger, solid-electrode counterpart.Or it could make the same-size battery that would hold much more charge, Panat said.Another benefit of the new process is that electrodes could now be created from widely available materials like silicone and oxide, which can store five to ten times more energy than the graphite lithium-ion batteries used today, Panat said. But that poses its own set of problems.Because silicon can hold 10 times more lithium atoms, it expands significantly when charged.In the very first charging cycle, the silicon-electrode battery inside the test vehicle would expand to three times its original volume and crack. The battery would be dead, Panat said. The very fact these materials can hold more lithium becomes the reason for their cracking. Its ironic. So stress relief is extremely important.To overcome that, the team added channels and pillars to the electrodes, which keep the battery from expanding. The lithium saturates the electrode, so it has no need to expand.The new electrode-printing method could be commercialized in about four years, Panat said.Right now, were evaluating different materials, different use conditions, and looking at how many recharge cycles these batteries would work for, he said.Jean Thilmany is a freelance writer in St. Paul who frequently writes on engineering topics.Read More Battery CapacityGets a Boost 4D Printing Advances Additive Manufacturing Building Better Batteries

How to Encourage a Discouraged Employee

How to Encourage a Discouraged EmployeeHow to Encourage a Discouraged EmployeeManagement 101 dictates that an employee who has become discouraged will leid perform at the level he or she is capable of. Additionally, they often grip and start to bring other employees down to their level. It is important for a manager to know how to recognize a discouraged employee and figure out how to help them return to their former level of production. Signs of a Discouraged Employee There are many reasons an employee becomes discouraged and the symptoms can be as varied as the causes. Here are a few of the signs to look out for to identify an unhappy worker in need of your help. They complain that work is no longer funThey overreact to minor hassles and are easily irritatedThey complain about being overwhelmedThey question the value of the tasks they performThey are lethargic and often comment about feeling unfulfilled at work Ways to Determine Why an Employee Is Discouraged After you have identified a discouraged employee, you have to find out why they are dissatisfied. Very often employees are afraid to tell their boss, so youll need to be konstant or innovative in your approach. Sometimes even the employee cant pinpoint why theyre discouraged, which makes communication all that much more critical. Here are some steps to take to ensure your team members avoid feeling discouraged Be direct and ask them but pick a quiet time and keep it private.When they make a comment about their job try to really listen, which means listening between the lines, not just to the words coming out of their mouth.Ask their colleagues. The other members of your team may be more aware of the situation than you think.If your efforts fail, ask the Human Resources (HR) Department to get involved. Someone the employee sees as a neutral third party may have better luck than you did.If all else fails, refer the employee to your Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) if your benefits plan includes one. Encourage Open Dialogues and Adjust Workloads, If Needed A discouraged employee may be suffering from burnout, may be suffering from a lack of confidence, or maybe bringing their outside to work. Based on the cause, here are some common suggestions for helping your employee If theyre burned out, and you cant reduce their workload, try to vary it. Give them different tasks or give them more latitude in regards to how they can complete their tasks.If they lack confidence in performing their tasks, give them tasks with some degree of difficulty but make them assignments they can do. Letting them be successful will motivate them to take on more challenging work.Encourage them to talk with you. This will give them a safety valve for their frustrations and help boost their confidence. Dont be afraid to refer them to the EAP if they need professional help. Your job is to keep them a productive member of the team, not cure mental health problems. Take Preventative Steps to Keep Your Group Happy Rather than identifying a discouraged employee and figuring out the cause and cure for their condition, its always preferable to prevent discouragement. Here are some things proactive steps to take to reduce the likelihood of a staff member becoming discouraged Keep your team motivated. Communicate openly and freely with all your employees. Let them know what is going on in the company and inform them why their job is essential. Whether in staff meetings or one-on-one explain to your staff how their efforts contribute to the overall success of the department and the company.Listen, and then listen some more. Listen to what employees say about each other, about their jobs, about the department, and the company in general. If an employee has a grip, let them know youll help them out to the extent that you can. Get out of your office. The best way to keep employees motivated is to be among them. The time you spend out of your office and walking around the department will afford you the time to listen and observe and squelch a potential problem before it arises. Bottom Line Be an Active Manager You can do a lot to prevent discouraged employees, but you cant avoid it completely. Be alert for symptoms of the problem and take action to help the employee as quickly as you can. It will benefit both the employee and the rest of the team.