What to Do After You Get Drunk at Work - The Muse

What to Do After You Get Drunk at Work - The MuseWhat to Do After You Get Drunk at Work Whether you got so intoxicated that you threw up outside the bar where happy hour took place, or you came on too strong to a co-worker, or chatted your boss ear off about your latest dating escapades, you dont need me to tell you that getting too drunk comes with a whole host of issues. Not only do you risk embarrassing yourself and the people you have to landsee every day, but youre also forced to deal with the morning after, a morning in which you may not even fully remember the sequence of events. Why did you send that text? Post that picture? Did you really suggest that your gruppe do a wet T-shirt contest at the next retreat? As you take inventory of the hours, you feel sick all over again. Was it worth it?Of course not. But you dont need a lecture on that or a rundown of the best workplace behavior in social situations you need advice on fixing things fast when you drink too much at a work e vent. 1. Make Amends or ApologiesWhen you wake up regretting things you said or did (even if you cant quite remember any or all of it), the smartest course of action is to own up to it. Get ahead of it before the offended or freaked out party has time to be annoyed at you for sweeping whatever happened under the rug. Try this to a work pal or teammateOof, last night started out so great. I cant believe I ruined a perfectly good time by failing to pace myself. Im really sorry if I said anything not cool or was rude in any way. I definitely need to practice limiting myself in those situations. I hope you can accept my apology and that we can move past this.And if you suspect that you made a scene in front of your boss and are concerned that she finds your behavior questionable or, worse, unacceptable, reach out before she doesI wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. It was so great getting the team together, and I regret having too much to drink. Lesson learned.Since it can b e an awkward topic of conversation, addressing it head on is helpful in getting the elephant in the room out in the open. Unless this is a regular occurrence, your co-worker or manager is probably not going to feel the need to keep talking about it theyll just be relieved that you acknowledged it and are committed to acting more appropriately going forward. 2. Stay SoberUnfortunately, some people have long memories that tend not to easily forget the negative stuff. Assuming your vague or specific apology (depending on your own recollection of the night) was accepted and things are back to normal, use the next outing as an opportunity to prove that youre not about to make a habit of that infamous evening. Its not necessarily super fun to sip club soda while your colleagues are drinking the hard stuff, but it can make the difference in salvaging your reputation in case its truly being questioned by anyone.Plus, youll see how nice it feels to wake up and head to work the next morning w ithout a headache or concern over what mightve gone down. If anyone gives you a hard time for skipping the champagne toast in favor of water, pull out a white lie if you need to Ive got an early morning, but I didnt want to miss the team celebration. Its so awesome to get everyone out of the office. CheersMingle, make small talk, get to know new co-workers. After an hour or two of showing off your sober self, head home. No matter what kind of night youre trying to live down, try not to let it consume you. If its a weeknight happy hour or networking function, force yourself to get into the office freshly showered in clean clothing. How you present yourself the day after will help you deal with how terrible you feel. And taking ownership will help earn you some of the responsibility points you lost while you were bragging about your college keg stand record. Oh, and in the future, figure out how many drinks you can handle on a night out with the crew- and stick to that every time. If you respect your professional self, everyone else will too. Photo of woman looking concerned courtesy of People Images/Getty Images.

Our Professional Writers Share Their Greatest Resume Tips

Our Professional Writers Share Their Greatest Resume TipsOur Professional Writers Share Their Greatest Resume TipsThe Magic Touch of Professional Resume WritersJob search dragging you down? A professionally written resume can build you back up, and then some.The job search seems to come easily to some, doesnt it? One minute those people are employed with a great company, and the next, LinkedIn notifies you theyve landed an upgraded gig. Thanks, social media. And then theres you the job seeker who is struggling to simply put their resume together, with interviews and an offer currently just an unattainable dream. Reality check Youre not alone Most people struggle when looking for a job. We get it, weve been there, and we want to make it easier.So, lets departeure from the beginning At the heart of every job search, successful or not, is a resume. This one little document can help determine yur worth, how long your job search lasts, if your next position is a step up, and if a recruit er feels confident recommending you for a position. So maybe a resume isnt so little after all.But youre stuck. Writing your resume has been the roadblock to getting your job search going, but it doesnt have to be. A recent study conducted by TopResume found that a professionally written resume will not only help you land a job faster, but also position you to make mora money the dreamIt all comes down to professional resume writers who know the ins and outs of positioning your resume to attain that dream. Want to get to know them a little better? Heres what they have to say about making you a superstar candidate.Positioning your resume to make you moreMoney is a very important factor in, well, everything, and it is often one of the biggest factors in the decision to look for a new job. Our recent study found that professional resume writers can help you write a resume that positions you to earn 7 percent more than a resume youve written yourself. Thats nothing to scoff at. When yo u invest in a professionally written resume, its like youre giving yourself a raise.But how do professional resume writers go about achieving this? We asked our writer Laura G. how she approaches this with her clients resumes Sometimes people dont realize that something can be considered an accomplishment, they just see it as part of their job. But its great to be able to show people, Hey, you did lots of stuff in this role that should be recognized.That recognition is key, really. You need to show off your accomplishments in the right way in order to land a higher salary. Our writer Christa R. said, I try to show what a client brings to each of their positions, but better yet I highlight what could not have been done without them that increased business or team performance. This will resonate with potential new companies and show them why they need you.Polishing your resume to attract recruitersDo you know exactly what recruiters are looking for in a candidate? No? Its OK, how coul d you? Many professional resume writers start off as HR professionals, hiring managers, and recruiters so theyve been there ?? theyve been in the room where it happens (the hiring, that is). They take that real-world experience and apply it to your resume.The results? Our study revealed that recruiters perceived candidates with a professionally written resume as more polished and better able to deliver results, and they felt more confident about the prospect of presenting these candidates to clients. In fact, these candidates were 46 percent more likely to be recommended by a recruiter, which means your foot gets in the door.We asked our professional resume writers, What is your secret sauce to creating a more polished, impressive resume for your clients? Writer Laura G. acknowledged that to her, Picking the right format is the most important part. She elaborated If someones resume looks messy and unorganized then you wonder about their qualifications and how quality of a job they w ill do.But a polished resume doesnt stop at format, as our writer Veronica C. points out. She writes her clients resumes as if shes telling a career story. She uses formats that are easy to read and presents the summary (the story) in a paragraph and uses bullets for highlights/impact. Its all about the story Who you are, what you have achieved, what you are passionate about, and, ultimately, how you can bring that to a new company.Preparing your resume to land a job fasterThe best investment you can make is in yourself, and this can mean a lot of different things. From investing in your physical and mental well-being to investing in your job search, being your own biggest cheerleader and making your needs a priority will set you up for success. If your current job, or lack of a current job, is taking a toll, its time to make changes, and fast.The average job search is five months, and for some, thats too long. Applying with a professionally written resume can cut your search in hal f and help you land a job faster. Our study found that job seekers who purchased a professional rewrite reported a 32 percent higher rate of finding a job than those who did not, and 68 percent of those candidates secured that job within three months of having their resume professionally written.The cherry on top of the professionally written resume sundae? 42 percent of them moved on to a higher-level position. We love helping clients land their dream jobs, and so do our resume writers. Our writer Steve G. reminisced, I still remember writing a resume for a client who immediately wrote me back thanking me because they got their dream job with it that felt pretty great. Meanwhile, writer Robert C. told us of the time he had a repeat customer success story. One of the best feelings is when a client has success and comes back for an update. I was able to develop a resume for a client, and he secured a higher-paying position using it. A year later, we replicated our success when he att ained another, better position after I updated his resume with his additional experience.Success stories come in many shapes and sizes, but to us, if we can help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible, weve done our job.Our writers are ready to revamp your resume. Are you? Click here to learn more and find job-search success.Recommended Reading3 Reasons Your DIY Resume is Holding You BackMeet Our TopResume WritersWhat You Get From a Professionally Written Resume

3D Printing a Future of New Metal Actuators

3D Printing a Future of New Metal Actuators 3D Printing a Future of New Metal Actuators 3D Printing a Future of New Metal ActuatorsMarkus Chmielus, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Pittsburgh, sees a future where industry can easily and affordably 3D print magnetic actuators that can accurately move things like robotic hands, parts grippers, folding solar panels, and perform a host of other tasks without the need of a power supply.The National Science Foundation shares that vision, backing up the research with a recent $300,000 grant for the Chmielus Lab to bring its work to fruition. Before that happens, though, this round of funding will support Chmielus first-phase research into how 3D binder jet printing magnetically enhanced metals affects the properties of magnetic-shape memory alloys. So far, he says, that research has been promising.Magnetic shape-memory alloys change their shape when magnetized and revert back to their original form when the magnetic field is removed, Chmielus explains. They can also generate their own power, which eliminates the need for a battery or other power supply to move the actuator when theyre used in a small object.Magnetic-field binder jet printing, he says, uses a magnetic field to align feedstock powder particles during printing to enhance the materials structural and magnetic anisotropy, a property that defines how much the material will react to a magnetic field. Anisotropy is responsible for actuation.For You IoT Puts a New Spin on an Old Product While some researchers are exploring a similar printing process, Chmielus says his team, if successful, will be the first to use the method to print material with large strain and an optimally aligned microstructure. That could facilitate the additive manufacturing of highly precise, large-stroke actuators and magnetic materials with enhanced properties.Magnetic shape memory powder used for additive manufacturing. Image University of PittsburghA Different ApproachThe most common and best performing magnetic shape-memory alloys used today are solid, single-crystal alloys, meaning the materials crystal lattice continues unbroken right up to the edge of the sample. The entire microstructure is the same, which creates an ideal alignment of particles and optimizes their reaction to magnetic fields, Chmielus says. To change their shape or other mechanical properties, the alloys undergo phase transformation depending on environmental factors such as temperature, pressure, or the strength of a magnetic field.But those high-performing alloys also have limitations. Theyre expensive and hard to make. Its also difficult to create robust, complex shapes from them, Chmielus says.To find a mora cost-effective, efficient way to produce complex structures for future applications such as sensors, robotics and mechanical devices used in power generation, Chmielus chose a feedstock of nickel-based alloy powder (a commonly used magnetic shape alloy known for its low twinning stress and actuation properties) that the researchers can make themselves. The lab is also experimenting with feedstocks made from biocompatible materials and titanium alloys.The researchers also built their own 3D binder jet printer, enclosed in a metal box. They use permanent magnets or electromagnets outside of the box to magnetize the material inside of it. A small magnetic field is all thats needed, Chmielus says.A Better SystemChmielus has seen several benefits to binder jet printing system. Unlike single-crystal alloys, the nickel-based powder doesnt have to be melted with a laser before its printed, making the process cheaper and more accessible. The binder jet printer simply lays down a layer of powder and then a layer of glue over that and repeats the process until the object is complete. Its similar to the ink jet printer you use at home, he says.Binder jet printing is also much faster than the laser sintering process common ly used in additive manufacturing, Chmielus says. You dont need the laser dots that scan over the sample, he says. Instead you use huge cartridges that print over entire areas. Its at least ten times faster.The problem with binder jet printing, though, is that it does a lousy job of aligning the powder particles for optimum properties. The researchers overcame that by magnetizing each layer, choosing magnetic fields of different strengths to kollege the alignment of the particles. The magnetic field moves through the powder and aligns the particles for better properties, he says. Its like putting a magnet into a bucketful of nails one nail attaches to another.The researchers are now working to further optimize the particle alignment. In the future, that will help manufacturers print materials with magnetic orientations tailored to specific applications and products, like electric motors and generators.Binder jet printing will also allow manufacturers greater ability to alter or cust omize the porosity of the material.You can create different types of structures with fancy designs and features, like having fluid run through it, Chmielus says. While porosity is not good for some structures, its exactly what you need for others.The printed alloy can also generate its own power because the particles are directionally magnetized. By mechanically deforming the material, the magnetic field changes direction, generates power, and causes actuation, Chmielus says.In the next phase of its research, the lab is planning to print something really boring, like a cube or something that resembles a piston. In a few years though, Chmielus expects the process to enable manufacturers to 3D print complex metal actuators and other advanced structures that they can only envision today.This opens up so many possibilities, he says.Read More4D Printing Advances Additive ManufacturingThe Robotic World of Melonee WiseRobotic Lifeguard Changes Water RescuesYou can create different types of structures with fancy designs and features, like having fluid run through it.Prof. Markus Chmielus, University of Pittsburgh

4 Reasons to Consider Hiring Veteran Candidates

4 Reasons to Consider Hiring Veteran Candidates4 Reasons to Consider Hiring Veteran CandidatesWhen youre making hiring decisions, you can never be quite sure which skills will provide the most value.Critical thinking.Communication.Active listening.Camouflage?Its that time of year when companies observe Veterans Day in the workplace. But some companies are more excited about Veterans Day than others. These companies are not only celebrating those who dedicate their lives to protecting our freedom, they also have discovered the unique value of veterans in the workforce.Whos hiring veterans and why?Did you know that ten Fortune 500 companies currently have CEOs with military experience as officers? Thats no coincidence. Hiring and working with veterans is not only good for veterans, but its good for your company. Veterans represent a demographic of employees that embrace values of hard work, high personal ethics and teamwork.Heres what these companies knowEnterprise companies hire vets. In the most recent Simply Hired data, we counted more than 923 veteran-friendly employers using our services. These companies have shown hiring practices that cater specifically to veterans and were tagged as vetfriendly.While this number represents .09 percent of companies advertising jobs on Simply Hired, most of these enterprise businesses with national reach, so they account for a larger cross-section of jobs. The companies accounted for over two million veteran-friendly job listings at the time of this writing, creating an incredible amount of competition for these worthy job candidates.Veterans have incredibly flexible career capabilities.Veteran-friendly jobs sortiment across all industries and skills, indicating the flexible and talented nature of our countrys heroes. According to the data, heres a sampling of the top occupations and job titles that fall under the vetfriendly tagRegistered NursesSoftware and Applications DevelopersIndustrial Machinery MechanicsHuman Resource s SpecialistsNetwork and Computer Systems AdministratorsMedical and Health Services ManagersLogisticiansChild, Family and School Social WorkersIf youre in the process of hiring a new team, consider interviewing multiple veteran candidates. If you can identify qualified candidates with a veteran background, youll be able to build a team that is already trained in the fundamentals of teamwork and interdisciplinary communication.Veterans have a wide variety of transferable skills.Beyond the wide scope of career capabilities, veterans are also appealing because of their many transferable skills. Heres a look at the top skills veterans use during their military careers that can be applied in the civilian workforceCritical ThinkingMonitoring/AssessingJudgment and Decision-MakingActive ListeningSpeakingComplex Problem-SolvingSocial PerceptivenessTroubleshootingEach of these skills is incredibly desirable and become even more valuable when combined with the others, translating into an incre dibly well-rounded, committed team player.Veterans make up an active workforce.The veteran workforce is actively seeking employment. Over the course of one month over 170,000 applicants sought work using special searches that took into account their veteran status. This data points to an incredibly active demographic. When youre having trouble finding interested applicants for certain job postings, consider expanding your search to entice veteran candidates.If youre wondering if there could be a match between your hiring needs and the local swimming-pool of veteran talent, theres no time to find out like the present.Read Related ArticlesEvaluating Transferable Skills in the Job Seekers MarketBalancing Act Ethical Interviewing That WorksThe Dos and Donts of Evaluating Veteran CandidatesLooking for Something Different? The Military Has a Job for YouJob Search and Career Development Resources For Veterans

Top Tips of Standard Resume Template

Top Tips of voreingestellt Resume Template Resume samples are a helpful way to direct your own writing. If you are able to fit all your important and pertinent details on a single page, thats excellent, but dont be concerned if youve got to go on to a second sheet of paper. Our resume examples can make certain youre prepared in the event you receive a referral. To write decent research papers one needs to stick to the measures mentioned. Standard Resume Template for Dummies Needless to say, you must still mention different skills which could be relevant as well as other qualification which you think they research for. Chronological resumes are the ideal place to highlight your accomplishments. Just add in your details and expertise to demonstrate why your previous history has brought you to the present role If you are in possession of a lengthy employment history, you dont will need to include everything. Writing a successful resume depends upon several factors. If you a re searching for Standard Resume Template Download youve come to the proper spot. Making your resume is critical. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. Thus, lets have a look on new winning structure and the way you could use it in order to secure you job. It ought to be visually compelling without being over the top if youre applying to a conventional firm. The major idea of your resume should concentrate on the valuable addition youll be able to make to a corporation. Unless you happen to be a graphic designer looking for employment, theres no need to over think the plan of your one-pager. Standard Resume Template Help When you have prepared and submitted your resume to an employer the hope is you will be requested to attend work bewerbungsgesprch to go over further whether you are going to be suitable. If youve been in the workforce for virtually any period of time, you most likely dont require an objective statement. It can be difficult to locate the right resume template when you are simply going into the workforce. This format also works beautifully for professionals who have remained with the identical company for a very long time period, and for those that are going into the workforce after an elongated absence, including a parent. Possible companies will likely be scrutinizing the resume and might inform the sort of person you chance to be with what you include and how organized it seems to be. The health care industry can be quite competitive. If youre attempting to obtain work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. To raise your odds of working within this area, you require professional childcare provider resume templates. What About Standard Resume Template? A basic resume is also simpler to read. You should find out the way to create the most effective regular resume format that it is possible to send to the organization and offer good first impact about yourself, understand it he re. Utilizing a resume template has turned into an acceptable and smart practice for several factors. Present a few of your most important skills within this standard resume template for absolut along with a snapshot of your total experience and professional objectives. Standard Resume Template It may be rather tiresome making the resume by yourself. You will have an optimal resume in no moment, providing you with the very best possibility of landing your next job. Everyone can say he or she excelled at their final job. Make certain you didnt miss whatever could cost you the job that you dream about All you need to do is simply edit the document to include your private info. Use the advice below to customize our easy resume template and earn access to that very first interview. There is not anyone golden resume format. If youre using mobile phone, you might also utilize menu drawer from browser. A basic resume may be the ideal format and tool for you once you are wantin g to transition into work from freelancing or self-employment. Basic resumes typically have an extremely classic and standard tone. The Fight Against Standard Resume Template After you have modified the standard resume template that you found on the internet, make it simple on your upcoming self and save numerous versions of your resume. Youre searching for simple resume templates. The majority of the templates are supplied by named, resume writing specialists and thus the quality is extremely good. Resume templates may also be very helpful. Work aspirants will need to think about a resume template as opposed to a programs vitae template. Basic layouts are extremely simple to edit, even when you have never made a resume before. Basic doesnt need to mean boring, as you will notice in the wide range of free basic resume templates we offer. Your basic resume templates is among the main parts of your job application. An excellent resume ought to be standard. Referees If youre prepared to provide hiring manager with references, dont hesitate to add. So your resume must stick out

Successful Techniques for Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume That You Can Use Starting Today

Successful Techniques for Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume That You Can Use Starting Today One of the absolute most important tools for a work seeker is their LinkedIn profile. To begin with, you will likely not get the job, because companies are so specific about the skill sets they are interested in finding. Many resumes go through HR initially and theyre not experts in your area. As you write either document youll wish to think about how to create the most efficient presentation of your abilities and talents, as well as what factors in your experience and demonstrate your capacity to satisfy the demands of the job. The Basics of Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume Like a great stew, you shouldnt rush content. On the opposite hand Twitters short messaging process is the quickest approach to share content. No matter which vorkaufsrecht you select, it is necessary to use the suitable formatting when including publications on a resume. The Key to Success ful Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume So You desire a well-proportioned resume. If you are in need of a quick kick-start on developing a template first, take a look at a resume builder before committing to a professional. Because resumes have limited space, your career objective should be concise. The Birth of Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume Casual articles published in a hobbyist magazine most likely dont will need to get shared. You should come across as a personable expert from the beginning. There are a number of job publications that dont incorporate a contact person. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume A CV for a current Ph.D. graduate will probably be about 3-5 pages. If you wish to develop into a Freelance Writer you have to write all of the moment. If you want to substitute education for experience to be qualified for work, you must incorporate information on relevant coursework. Writing a g reat teacher resume is pretty easy after you learn how to do it right. The Supreme Strategy for Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume In general, your resume education section matters a good deal. Obviously You wont be in a position to put a great deal of professional expertise in your high school resume objective. Second, you dont wish to get screened from an interview due to your age. If you own a college education, omit info about high school. A cover letter also permits you to take charge of the follow-up processes. Your academic CV is an essential portion of your job search and may be the difference between finding your fantasy job and continuing on the hunt. The target of the cover letter is to introduce the intention behind the proposer. The power of the cover letter depends upon the content of its physique. Short Way of Writing Publications in Resume - the Conspiracy When applying for certain positions in the united states, and jobs internationally, you co uld be asked to submit a curriculum vitae as opposed to a resume. You are going to learn about keyword research, link-building, and other beneficial techniques. Include only relevant info to the job that you are applying for. For instance, if you are asking for a job for a lab technician it may not be required to include skills you learned in customer support.

Celebrate Holidays at Work for Motivation and Teamwork

Celebrate Holidays at Work for Motivation and TeamworkCelebrate Holidays at Work for Motivation and TeamworkTraditions are important in companies just as they are in families. And, nothing is more important than the annual traditions workplaces establish around the celebration of seasonal holidays. A holiday celebration builds positive morale which results in increased employee motivation. High morale and motivation contribute to team building and productivity. Productive teams are responsible for the success of your organization. Traditions can range from costume parades at Halloween to food drives for the needy in November and December. Lunch celebrations, evening holiday dinners and the wearing of the green for St. Patricks Day are annual traditions that people can count on and look forward to celebrating at work. You will want to avoid celebrating specific religious holidays to honor the diverse people in your organization. But for positive motivation, productivity improvement, e mployee happiness, and team building, youll enjoy creating seasonal holidays and celebrating secular occasions you designate as special in your company. Here are ideas for the successful organization of events, mistakes to avoid and ideas for traditions you can start and share. Here are holiday celebration ideas for your workplace. fasson a Guiding Group for Holiday Planning In a mid-sized Michigan manufacturing company, a group of people leads the event planning. Known as the Activity Committee, members from across the company plan and orchestrate a diverse series of events throughout the year. Because member continuity is strong in the team, traditions are honored and continued during each passing year. You do need a group, with representatives from across the company, to plan and implement your events.Only by doing this can you ensure that the needs and interests of your employees are well represented and respected. Staggering the groups membership (one year term, two-year te rm, and so forth) allows you to pay attention to the teams institutional memory while still bringing in fresh ideas and new perspectives. Lessons Learned in Holiday Event Planning Some of the lessons the team learned over the years will shorten your learning curvesince they have also been observed in other organizations. Perhaps you will avoid these common mistakes by learning from those who have experimented before you. Longevity matters. Often your committee is dominated by longer-term company members who can find themselves so devoted to honoring traditions, that they do not accept and honor new ideas and diversity. They claim newer members want to come to the meetings but dont want to do their share of the work. Shorter-term employees claim the committee members are platzset in their ways and not open to new ideas. They claim that they volunteer and the longer-term members turn them and their ideas down You need to make sure your committee is reaching out to new and diverse members and that people share the workload. Otherwise, the people who are often the heart and soul of your organization, retire without having developed a committed group of newer employees. This can wreak havoc with your celebration continuity. Honoring diversity can cause problems- if ignored. An annual hot dog lunch welches transformed one year by the last years complaints that vegetarians and certain religion-practicing employees can only eat vegetarian hot dogs that were not provided. The annual holiday dessert table contained no low-fat or sugar-free choices. One group brought all diet pop for their company picnic and parents scrambled to find something for their children to drink. A Thanksgiving luncheon was held during Ramadan and no boxes were supplied for fasting employees to take their lunch home. In a diverse society, attention to these kinds of special needs and details is a necessary component of celebrating holidays at work. Record keeping is essential. You need to be able to answer the questions about how many employees the group fed last year, how much food was purchased, how many pizzas served the whole crowd and how much money was collected for each charity.Your employees will want to know that the food drive brought in 300 more pounds of food this year than last. Exceeding the company record is good for motivation and for team building. Designate volunteers to serve all food. They can wear gloves they serve fair and even portions you wont run out. What? Youve never experienced fifty people descending on a buffet table and filling their plates to overflowing while remaining employees had no food?If you have ever experienced this, youll know why assigned servers are recommended. Learn from the mistakes of others. In one company, servers wear chefs hats and aprons and make serving fun. Pay attention to the endless details. Did someone pick up plates and silverware? Is a serving knife available? Is there room in the refrigerators to store extra food overnight? Lists help. Save last years lists to avoid starting fresh each year. Youll be happy that you did. Many hands make less work for all. The picnic sub-committee tapped volunteers from across the company to help with childrens games, lead nature walks, and organize a baseball game. When many help, few feel burdened. You want your workers and committee members to have fun at the events, too. Celebrate frage and Winter Holidays at Work Fall brings tree color falling leaves bounty from the garden crisp, cool days and evenings apple cider the scent of wood smoke hunding Beaujolais Nouveau wine Halloween Hannukah Columbus Day Yom Kippur Thanksgiving Ramadan and many more seasonal delights to celebrate. Winter brings snow and sleet Christmas Kwanzaa the scent of wood smoke New Years Boxing Day Martin Luther King Day St. Valentines Day St. Patricks Day and many more seasonal delights to celebrate. Teams in various organizations Have organized these events for the celebrati on of fall and winter holidays and traditions. Bring in a Thanksgiving luncheon for all company members complete with turkey and all the traditional side dishes. Local grocery stores are a great source for reasonably-priced Thanksgiving dinners.Hold a food drive for the needy during both November and December.Schedule aHalloween costume contest and paradewith all staff members voting for their favorite costumes.Serve cider and doughnuts from the local cider mill at abreak one day shortly after the first frost.For theDecember traditions and holidays, sponsor a dessert table for all employees. People may bring dessertsif they choose, but the company should also order enough treats to serve all employees. Hold a window decorating contest or a workstation decorating contest that is judged by a committee and award prizes for the best-decorated workspaces.Many organizations sponsor Secret Santa activities. Employees who want to participate, pick the name of another employee. Secret Santa events are scheduled over several weeks during which the Secret Santa slips gesundheitsgefhrdender stoffs in secret to their pal. Or, some groups ask the Secret Santa to supply one gift at an ending event. The gift is often representative of the persons work or hobbies. Always set a price limit, usually less than $25. Serve heart-shaped cookies for Valentines Day during your employee lunch break.For St. Patricks Day, promote the wearing of the green. One companys Activity Committee cooks and serves a traditional lunch of corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes. At this feast, the group sells bottled water with proceeds earmarked for the March of Dimes.Ideas for holiday celebrations that create traditions in your organization are endless. These ideas will help you get started, butyour company cultureand the interests of your employees must guide your holiday celebrations and traditions. Celebrate Spring and Summer Holidays at Work Spring brings trees, grass, crops and gardens in every shade of green yellow pond flowers, crocuses, daffodils, tulips, and other spring flowers cool evenings and warmer days open houses for grads the return of the summer-only birds geese nesting near the pond baby ducks, baby geese, and fawns the first bounty from the garden Womens History Month April Fools Day Earth Day Passover Cinco de Mayo Mothers Day Fathers Day Flag Day Easter Memorial Day, and many more seasonal holidays and traditions to celebrate. Summer brings flowering trees and flower gardens hot days and warm nights beach walking sand castles U.S. Independence Day fireworks parades Labor Day vacations everywhere cottage stays, beach fires, and many more seasonal holidays and traditions to celebrate. Teams in various organizationshave organized these events for the celebration of spring and summer holidays and traditions. Offer an Easter egg hunt or roll for the children of employees. A dessert table featuring spring goodies is always a success, too.Trips to amusem ent parks are popular, particularly if the company helps pay the tab for the bus or entry.Company picnics with catered food, with or without beer and wine, with games and playscapes for the children and organized golf scrambles, softball games, horseshoes, and swimming are a big hit with employees.Hold a hot dog or hamburger roast for employees. Better, encourage your executives and managers to do the grilling. Sponsor a community garden on your company property for employees who live in apartments and want to garden. Provide the rototilling andtopsoil.Hold a company open house for family, friends, customers, and vendors. Serve finger food and provide guided tours.Provide pizza for everyone in the company each time your company successfully avoids any lost time injuries and/or accidents for a whole quarter.Sponsor and help pay for the formation of sports teams that participate in leagues. Encourage employee attendance at games and matches. Softball, bowling, soccer, golf, basketball , volleyball and more sports teams,encourage the teamwork spirit. Raise money any time through silent auctions, 50-50 raffles, the raffle of vendor gifts, and the raffle of items purchased with employee-earned frequent flyer miles. Donate the money to employees with serious health problems or other needs or to your favorite charitable organizations. Your employees will appreciate the celebrations and they add topositive workplace motivationand raiseemployee morale.

3D Printing Bridges

3D Printing Bridges 3D Printing Bridges 3D Printing BridgesThe much-touted benefits of 3D printing affordability, flexibility, and rapid production, have largely been unavailable for large-scale projects. If you want to print something bigger than a breadbox in a single pass, good luck finding the tools. Tables, bridges, and buildings are not going to come out of a MakerBot Replicator, or a Stratsys Fortus 900mc, for that matter.This is the conundrum that faced the folksat MX3D, a furniture and manufacturing company out of Amsterdam. We wanted a printer that could print a full piece of furniture, says mechanical engineer Tim Geurtjens, the companys chief technical officer. We found it didnt exist. So, OK we have to do it ourselves.To be free of the box, they wanted to make a machine that would print in lines, rather than in layers. After some experiments with resin, they realized they needed a stronger material, like steel. The answer to that need was the welding robot. Before long t he team had developed robots capable of spitting out steel in long, curving lines, drawing them in the air like some kind marker for three dimensions.To show off their technology, Geurtjens and his colleagues decided they needed a suitable demo to show off the capabilities of their new technology. It had to be a bridge, says Geurtjens. A bridge is a really symbolic thing, poetically very nice, but it also shows that with our technique you can build really big structures, virtually unlimited in size. Never mind that their town is one with some 60 miles of canals. Sketches of a bridge by Joris Laarman, created using new software. Image MX3DA few snags stood in the way of putting the welding robot to work. Early on, the nozzle would occasionally get stuck if the line it was printing grew faster than the software anticipated. So Geurtjens and his team used a laser distance sensor to continuously keep track of the position of the object and compare that to its theoretical position. In th e future, they want to print their bridge with two robots that could start on either side of a canal and meet, for completion, in the middle. To do that, theyll have to be able to communicate their positions to each other and adjust as they go.Because of the need for all this real-time positional adjustment, the MX3D printer can be tinkered with on the fly, unlike other 3D printers that run until they finish after the start button has been pushed. As Geurtjens puts it, Since we have to constantly adjust, it means we can constantly adjust.Ultimately, though, MX3D wants its welding robot to do its own adjustments. If things go as planned, they want it to do its own design as well. Our idea is to have software design the bridge, says Geurtjens. Theyve already made some strides in that direction. When they first started out, the software drove the robot, and humans had to manually determine the tool path. Now the software creates the tool path automatically. What we are working on now i s expanding that even further so the robot will determine its own strategy. Maybe its Utopian, but we want to have software thats fully automated, he says.However autonomous the printer welder becomes, its already poised to make big changes in big structures. Once the firm prints the final functional bridge it may have to do a few more, as additional bridge orders are already in. Then Geurtjens hopes to tackle the more dangerous parts of construction. Theres a lot of stuff people dont want to do but just have to do, says Geurtjens. What if we can have those taken taken over by robots? Buildings will became safer to build, but also more interesting to look at. If you look at architecture, decoration has gone out it. Its all flat facades, square corners. Its too expensive to decorate, says Geurtjens. With a technique like this, it doesnt mater any more, just send the info to a robot and it will do what you tell it to and it doesnt cost much more.Looking even further into the future, G eurtjens says robots may help us on other worlds. In the unlikely case that we colonize Mars or the Moon, we can send the robots there first, and in a few years we can join them and live in the houses theyve printed, he says. Until then we can still enjoy a nice terrestrial stroll over a canal on a 3D printed bridgesoon.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.Learn more about the latest technologies in 3D printing at ASMEs AM3D. For Further DiscussionA bridge is a really symbolic thing, poetically very nice, but it also shows that with our technique you can build really big structures, virtually unlimited in size.Tim Geurtjens, chief technical officer, MX3D

3 ways to decline a meeting you know you dont need to attend

3 ways to decline a meeting you know you dont need to attend3 ways to decline a meeting you know you dont need to attendIf you feel a pang of anxiousness when a dreaded meeting invitation lands in your email inbox, youre not alone.Heres how to manage requests for meetings that you know you dont need to attend.Emphasize that you wouldnt be able to provide much insightSara McCord, an editor and freelance writer, provides tips in The Musefor when you dont need to be therbeie, meaning, in a last minute meeting.She prefaces her advice by saying that colleagues may invite you out of respect, even if it leaves you with extra work on your end.The best approach here is to both acknowledge their gesture and affirm you wont be offended if the meeting goes on without you. It sounds like this Thanks so much for including me. From the agenda, it appears the meeting will be focused on product, so I dont think Ill be able to add anything to the discussion, she continues. Another benefit of this resp onse is that, if youre wrong and the organizer wants you to contribute, hell be able to correct you- and youll know in advance so you wont be caught off guard, she writes.Dont just say yes all the timeAlison Green, author of the Ask a Manager blog, writes on Quickbase that you should start critically evaluating all requests to meet.Theres something about a meeting invite that seems to compel people to accept even if the items being discussed at the meeting are much lower priorities than the work you would otherwise be spending that time on. Instead of continuing to fall into that trap, ask yourself this about every meeting invitation you receive Is this the best way I could be spending that time, relative to the other priorities on my plate? If the answer is no, consider declining or at least pushing for a shorter meeting time.Heres one of the responses Green recommends Id love to attend, but Im swamped this week with X and Y. Can you move forward without me? If not, maybe we can s chedule it later on this month. (Much of the time when you say this, the person will find a way to move forward without you), she writes.Strategically gather all the detailsDorie Clark, an author, professional speaker, marketing strategist and instructor of Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business, writes about this topic in the Harvard Business Review.One of her featured tips is to make it more difficult for the meeting requesters. Its easy for someone to invite you to a meeting - too easy. One of my executive coaching clients, a media company CEO, welches constantly being pulled into unnecessary meetings. The reason? It was part of her company culture for everyone to share their calendars publicly, so people knew when she was available and would simply put in direct requests to her assistant for her to attend, Clark writes. After I advised her to unpublish her calendar, have her assistant enforce a more rigorous vetting process, and funnel her meeting availability onto particula r days, her schedule freed up dramatically.Clark also writes about how her client would ask meeting organizers questions about why she should be in attendance and what decision needs to be made, among others.Whether or not youll be able to skip out on the meeting in question depends on the nature of both your workplace and the circumstances, but these methods might just work out in your favor.