Tuesday, December 31, 2019
6 Ways to Impress Your Boss
6 Ways to Impress Your babo6 Ways to Impress Your babo6 Ways to Impress Your BossWant to make a good impression at work? Follow behauptung tips to help you stand out from the crowd. Youre a tireless worker. You get your work finished, and you accomplish a lot for your company. But heres a question for you Does the big boss know your name?You may think that your boss doesnt like you. Why else would they skip you for that promotion? Yet, what if its not about disliking you, but actually they just dont notice you? Maybe, your boss may know your name and thats about it. No matter how good you are at your job, it is hard to move your career ahead if your boss isnt taking notice of you and the things you do.The good news is that there is something you can do about it. Take action and make sure that you are on the bosss radar in a good way. Here are some easy tips to help you stand out at work for all the right reasons.1. Be early to work.Thats right. Dont just be on time, but be early. If you can find a way to get up, get your java, and get into the arbeitszimmer at least 10 minutes before fruchtwein of your co-workers show up, theres a good chance youll be noticed. Most bosses didnt get to their position by strolling in late every day. If your boss is in early, theyll notice your dedication, and you may even get some alone time together for casual conversation.If that doesnt happen, there are still a lot of reasons why being early to work is good for your career. Give it a try for one month and see how it goes.2. Make the first move.Why not? It can be as simple as looking your boss in the eye and just saying Hi or How is your day going? as you pass in the hall. Better yet, make an effort to chat with them in a casual atmosphere. Talk while in the break room or at an office event.When chatting, be sure to ask questions and really listen to the answers. What does your boss really care about? Family? Sports? A particular project thats happening in the office? Once you know where your boss focus is, you can relate to them on that level. Dont try to talk yourself up. Just converse, listen well, and keep things positive. Only bring up a work problem if you are prepared to also suggest a solution.Once youve had a few conversations with your boss, regardless of the topic, youre on their radar. Now you can start building yourself up little by little, and start talking about your work and successes.3. Speak up at gruppe meetings.Employees who are silent in team meetings are looked at as employees who have little to contribute. Thats not fair, you say? Perhaps youre an introvert. Regardless, be prepared to start providing input at work meetings. Let your team know when your projects are going well and offer suggestions to problems that come up. Every boss loves a problem solver.By speaking up at team meetings youre sure to get the bosss attention simply by putting yourself out there. If you are consistently offering smart solutions or talking about succ essful projects, youre going to leave a great impression.RelatedInterview Tips for Introverts4. Be involved at work.How can you be more involved at work? Think about philanthropic or team-building events (or both). These types of events take a fair amount of effort to set up and execute. By volunteering to be a part of them, you will come across as a person who is more than a punch in, punch out employee. Youre engaged with the company.If you really want to stand out and impress your boss, volunteer a new idea. Can you think of a fun way to raise money for the companys main charity? Have you seen a cool new activity that would make for a fun team-building event? Take the lead and volunteer to organize something new. Too often companies will find themselves in a rut with these kinds of things because doing something new takes extra work. Be that person whos not afraid to put in the effort to expand their horizons.5. Branch out to other departments.Find ways to use your talents and sk ills to help out departments other than your own at work. If you are able to spare a little time here and there, you can benefit yourself in many ways by working cross-departmentally. You will have the chance to help others while probably learning some new things along the way.Youll also be able to boost your resume, better understand your company as a whole, and boost your reputation throughout the company. Think the boss wont notice that? Think again. If you can get people from multiple departments to comment on how youve helped them, the boss is going to recognize you as a versatile and valuable person.RelatedHow to Build a Positive Reputation at Work6. Be fun.Happy, outgoing, and slightly playful people at work not only show their own happiness, but increase it in others. No boss wants to see employees who act like theyre grinding away at a job that makes them miserable. If you can do your work, do it well, and have fun at the same time, you are a force that will definitely impr ess.There are many simple things you can do to create more fun for yourself and others at work without coming across as silly or juvenile. Find a few ideas that you think would work in your office and start integrating them into the culture.If the fun approach is too bold for you, simply focus on being happy. Try to smile and keep your tone upbeat, even when youre tackling big issues. Its not always easy, but it is effective.If you want to keep your career trajectory moving forward, you need those at the top to notice you and the work that you do. Its not always about self-promotion (which is not a bad thing either) as it is about getting noticed. Even great bosses may not find the time to get to know every person working under her chain of command. Its up to you to find simple ways to make sure that you stand out in great ways that make you impossible to ignore. Once you have the bosss attention, then its up to you to do fantastic work. These simple work tips can help you get the b oss looking your way. The rest is up to you.Click on the following link for more advice on how to get ahead.Want to see how your resume stacks up? Request a free resume review todayRecommended ReadingHow to Shamelessly Self-Promote At WorkDamage Control Have You Been a Fool at Work?Build a Relationship With a Brand New Boss
Friday, December 27, 2019
Resume Outline - The 2019 Guide to Outline of Resume
Resume Outline - The 2019 Guide to Outline of ResumeResume Outline - The 2019 Guide to Outline of ResumeA quick outline designs the first impression, reducing any second thoughts.We understand that writing resumes can be a drag. But writing a killer resume can escalate up your job search, strengthen your status as a top candidate, and increase your chances of landing an interview. It is, in other stimmt genaus, a game changer.To beging writing an excellent resume, you must first know how to choose the design for the basic resume outline. For some of the best examples of well desgined resumes you may try our free resume builder. Secondly, it is important to know the customary resume outlines and how to balance your experiences within the chosen resume format.Your resume outline is as important as the rest of your information as it determines the way the hiring manager perceives you. A good resume outline ensures you pass the 10 second test before the recruiterIt also benefits your ATS score as the machines scans each section of your resume. You have to strategize your resume outline based on the technology. Therefore, your resume format is the first impression of your personality and your professionality.The goal of your resume outline should be to reflect the fruchtwein important information about yourself advantageously at the top. Different resume formats highlight different aspects of your professional skills and accomplishments.So, choosing the correct resume outline that best fits your professional expereinces can invariably impact the recruiters.The first function of a resume outline is finding balance between paragraphs and bullets and between your soft skills and technical skills.Certain soft skills like leadership, negotiation, and communication skills, are okay in moderation. But be selective. Employers are mainly looking for concrete skills. A resume for an engineering position need not comprise skills of Engaging Personality or Classroom Management Skills.Your expert knowledge and your experiences should be as well balanced as your responsibilities and your achievements.Instead of cramming everything from entry-level job and internships you have ever had into one or two sheet of paper, choose the fruchtwein compelling and the most relevant roles for the job description you are applying for. This exercise will also increase your ATS score.Well if you are not quite sure what to include in your resume, review an outline on our resume building tool. A resume outline reflects all the relevant and the important sections you need to fill in your resume and will help save you time when you write.How to use a resume outline?Finding a resume outline is the necessary start of your resume. It helps you understand the correct format that best fits your employment history and experiences.There are majorly two steps once you have your resume outline ready.Collect all your relevant information.Fill the outline with that information.A resume o utline, however, is only a start. After readying your basic resume outline you can, and you should, make changes to it. You may reorder the elements of the resume outline if necessary.For example, if you are currently a working professional, you should include your current profile immediately after your resume summary statement in the standard resume format.You might also remove or add some information. For example, to brand yourself better you may take inventory of your accomplishments in your resume summary statement.You can also change the style of your resume outline in terms of font or spacing. However, before optimizing your resume outline make sure that your resume includes relevant information that highlights your skills and qualifications.Also, ensure submitting a proofread resume. You may find the difference in schablone between a basic resume outline and a professional resume outline among other resume outlines on our websiteThe best format for your resume outlineThe reve rse chronological format is the most traditional format and most widely preferred by recruiters and hiring managers. It lays out your experience clearly in an orderly fashion with the most recent first.For example, your job from May 2017 to April 2019 should be listed above your job from January 2016 to February 2017. Your masters degree should appear before your bachelors degree. This order makes your resume outline simpler and easier for the potential employer to check your highest level of achievements.The reverse chronological resume format comprises the basic resume outline as it highlights focuses on dates and growth in your career.Since hiring manaers rarely take the time to hunt through a resume to find the necessary, the reverse chronological format is also the most straight-forward and easiest format for them to analyze.Functional resume formats are usually most benficial for immediate graduates or ones who have had a gap in their profession or are changing their industry. It showcases your skills rather than employment history and highlights transferrable skills in csse you are shifting.In this format, a separate section is created in which points are grouped under relevant skills. While this is recommended by some resume experts for people who have gaps in their employment history or for people who have changed their jobs a lot, we at Hiration do not recommend using this format.The hybrid resume formats is the best option if you have decent work experience with some notable gaps in employment or if your skills outweigh your work history. It helps minimize employment gaps and lack of work experience without having to hide them.For a more detailed list on resume formatscheck out sample examples. You may try different version on our resume builder toolResume outline ContentResume HeadingThe resume outline section that includes your name, address, personal phone number, and professional or formal email address. It is optional to include the URL of your LinkedIn profile or personal website. You may also list your existing job profile or expected job profile next to your name. The usual resume heading follows the following pattern.(First Name) (Last Name)(City), (State), (Zip)(Phone Number)(Email Address)(LinkedIn Profile URL)It is not important to display your street address in your resume. The following examples will help you.Summary sectionEven in a basic resume outline, your resume objective, headline, profile, and summary and branding statements are different from each other. The following information will help you understand the differencesResume Objective (optional) is a brief statement of your expectations from the career you are going to pursue and your employment goals. It is mainly used by freshers or people changing their industry.Tailor your resume objective to match what the employer is seeking in the job description. However, most employers prefer a resume summary statement.Resume Headline (optional) is a phrase that highlights your value as a candidate. To best describe yourself in a phrase, follow a simple exercise. Write at least ten to twenty adjectives which describe you. Then shortlist at least three and form a grammatically correct phrase.Branding Statement (optional) is a very brief phrase of 15 words or less. It highlights your most relevant expertise and skills. If you choose to include a branding statement, you can elaborate on your skills and experiences in a resume summary statement just below it.Summary Statement (mandatory)A resume summary statement, is a pesonalized section consisting of skills, achievements, experience and traits relevant to the job youre applying for.Professional Experience sectionProfessional experience is mainly your job profile in line with your profession. If case your are a teacher, your teaching experience comprises all tutoring jobs you have had.A basic resume outline includes a list of the most recent companies you have worked for in the Professional E xperience section of your resume. If you have extensive work experience you dont need to include more than the last 10 - 15 years on your resume.Include the name of the company, its location, the dates of employment, and your job title. Also, include a bulleted list of job responsibilities and achievementsCompanyCity, States Dates WorkedJob Title1 Responsibility/Achievement2 Responsibility/AchievementFirst, you must understand that work history comprises all the jobs you have pursued over the course of your life. Your generally provide a detailed account of your work history in your resume.However, it is important that professionals choose their most relevant work experience for their resumes. Relevant work experience is any previous work in the same field as the job youre applying for.This means that in case you are applying for the position of a software engineer, you may refrain from including work experiences that include your skills as a belly dancer.In this case it is helpful to carry a master resume to keep track of all your previous profiles and work history, responsibilities and achievements.However, maintain the following pointsDont exclude jobs that will leave gaps on your resume.Dont exclude jobs which support your prospective job description.Once you have your points, write each bullet point. First, start with an action verb. Next, make a quantifiable point. Finally, musiknote a specific task.For exampleAction hundertprozentig NegotiateQuantifiable Point Saved the company $5,000 annually on office supply costs.Specific Task Order office supplies for the company.There are more examples in theTraining and CertificationIncluding certifications on a resume catches the attention of a recruiter and the ATS. It may also be necessary fora few positions in your respective industries. They suggest that you are as qualified as a perfect fit for the position.Most ATS (Applicant Tracking System) that screens resumes to determine your qualification for the position checks the required certifications.A few possible headers for the certifications section are as followsCertifications (Better to list alone if you have multiple certifications)Professional Development CertificationsCertifications AffiliationsEducation CertificationsYou may also check our online resume builder to best understand where the Trainings section catches the recruiters attention.Education sectionInclude college, graduate school, continuing education, certifications and relevant seminars and classes in the Education section of your resume. If you are a recent graduate, you might move this education section to the top of your resume.You might also choose to include your GPA if you are a current student or very recent graduateCollege, DegreeAwards, HonorsAs a high school student, you should distributions-mix the education section at the beginning of your outline for resume despite having miniscule work experiences. It should then focus on your activities as a student in high school and majorly listGPA (if above 3.0)Relevant Coursework (Preferably courses that are pertinent to the specific position you are applying for)Academic AchievementsAs a college student or a recent graduate, you should place the education section after any relevant work experiences in your outline for resume. In case you do not have any relevant work experience, make sure to include the education section at the top along with bucketed lists of your respoinsibilities and achievements.As a working professional the education section is very straightforward. It is mostly to testify that you have an educational degree of some sort. It is ideally placed below the Professional Experience section. A working professionals educational section format follows the pattern with the name of the most recent graduate schoolName of SchoolSchool LocationType of Degree/Field of StudyGraduation YearGPA (if above 3.5/4.0)The following is an ide al example of the education section in the outline for resume for a working professional. You may also use our online resume builder for more resume outlines.Honors and Awards sectionAlthough your Honors / Awards may be included with your education block yet a separate heading emphasizes the word honors for the recruiters. In case you have fewer than three honors then you may combine relevant activities with honors under a block titled HONORS AND ACTIVITIES.This section may includeAcademic honor societiesCo-curricular or extra-curricular activitiesScholarshipsAwardsMembership and offices held in professional societiesExtra-curricular or Co-curicular sectionNext add a list of qualifications and skills related to the job for which you are applying in this section. A bulleted list is the best way to format this section.Skills are the areas of expertise you have developed and perfected over the years. They are different from qualifications, which are certifications of achieving a partic ular degree of knowledge in the subject.This section is the same in all resume formats. Remember to use this section as a hub for keywords found in the job posting. Regardless of which format you choose, keywords will always help improve your chances of making it through ATS.The following points denote how to include the extra-curricular and co-curricular section that matterYour may add specific honors awards which had directly contributed to your graduation, incase you do not make another section for your awards.Include academic honor societies in this resume outline section. You can include participation in professional societies as long as your rewards do not stand out.Add any academic achievements, such as scholarships, state level participations in various sports, etc.Avoid writing awards and certificates like that of best student, best holiday project, etc. in your professional resume.Resume Outline - The 2019 Guide to Outline of ResumeAdditional InformationWhen you want to include additional information about yourself which is outside the domain of your education and work history you may use the additional information section.The additional information section in your resume outline may include civic activities and important recognitions, relevant volunteering work which does not go in other section, or cultural skills like language or even travel. It is a relevant area to add your areas of interest as well.Maintain these three points while writing your additional informationInclude information that is directly relevant to your prospective jobExclude controversial informationAvoid filler for fillers sakeIt may also comprise interests and activities that may showcase leadership and other beneficial character qualities as shown in the resume outline examples on the website. Community projects managed by you, or technology skills outside of your employment history are other details you can add to this section.ReferencesThe references section in your basi c resume outline enlists your contacts in the industry who may testify your work and skills. You may list any associations or affiliations that meet the standard of your prospective industry.However, you do not need to add References available upon request at the bottom of your resume regardless of not having ready references. Employers will ask specific references, if they require, at the end of the hiring process. HRs do not usually have the time contact all the list of references. So they wait until they have narrowed down to the final applicants.If you are unable to decide whether to add references in your resume then you can just stick to a resume without one. Although it is mentioned in the resume outlines, it is almost a redundant section.You may find out the relevance of references from some resume outline examples from the resume outline templates in the website.Resume Outline Key TakeawaysConclusively, we may note the following pointsNo matter which format you decide to go with, your resume outline should ideally fit one single-sided, well-spaced page for experiences below 10 years and two-sided pages for experiences above 10 years.You must choose a resume outlines which can pass the initial 10 seconds interest of your recruiter.Your outline for resume should comprise professional fonts, such as Sans Serif, Arial, Verdana, Times New Roman, Tahoma, etc.The general rule of any resume outline is to set your margins at one inch on all sides.Your outline for resume can be in three different formatsReverse Chronological FormatFunctional FormatHybrid FormatAll resume outlines essentially comprise the following informationHeaderResume Summary StatementProfessional ExperienceTraining and CertificationEducationHonors and Awards sectionExtra-curricular or Co-curicularAdditional InformationReferencesStill have more doubts around your resume? 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Sunday, December 22, 2019
A Females Perspective of Air Force Basic Training
A Females Perspective of Air Force Basic TrainingA Females Perspective of Air Force Basic TrainingWe arrived in the early afternoon at the Military Reception Center at the San Antonio Airport. But tzu siche welches no Training Instructor (TI) or any military personnel ready to greet us. The next bus to Lackland AFB welches notlage coming until 1700. I was one of the first few people to sit in the pewsand made small talk with the others as mora people started to arrive. The bus showed up an hur late, with a civilian driving a commercial bus.We all were getting a little nervous as we came closer to Lackland. All of us were expecting TIs to suddenly swarm around us the second we arrived and start screaming in our faces about how stupid we were and how dumb we looked. But that didnt happen. When we finally reached the base, a Non-Commissioned Offcer (NCO) stepped onto the bus, calmly told us to bestattungs our bags and get off. There were a couple more outside who rushed us into a train ee processing building - still no screaming. We all filed into a room and sat down at little desks. Another NCO proceeded to brief us, then we filled out a bunch of papers for in-processing. One of the things they told us to write down was 331 TRS - thats when I found out my assigned training squadron. I forgot what I heard about it, though, so I wasnt aya of what to expect. There weresome males from the 319 TRS doing details (the 319th is where med holds and discharges go), and a couple of them were outside with us after we completed the paperwork and fell out into the formation. We were then bused over to our squadron, located all by itself, as opposed to Hotel Row, where 4 TRS is located, and right next to the little Base Exchange (BX) with the Burger King - which was forbidden. We were herded upstairs to the dorm on the second floor and were told to stand next to a wall leger. Each locker had a corresponding bed, so locker 12 was paired with bed 12. We locked up our valuable s in our security drawer. There were several females who were already sleeping. We took showers and got ready for bed, and the lights went out. At 0445 the OJT dorm guards woke us up. These were trainees or airmen who performed dorm guard duties, keeping us in line and telling us what to do during the night hours until we learned to do dorm guard ourselves. But it was not that bad - one of them just turned the lights on and told us to wake up. But not all mornings were like that. And it was that day - our first actual day - that the screaming, shock and terror began. Our TIs let the games begin. A New Reality Most of us started using the supplies we brought with us after the first couple of weeks. But we were told we needed to buy elements like toothpaste, a toothbrush, body wash, and deodorant again. On our first BX run, they told us everything had to be the saatkorn - one of our TIs even said they favored the small travel-sized shampoo and certain razors. Theyre always mes sing with you. Different TIs give you different instructions, so everything conflicts and gets frustrating. Your civilian luggage will be locked up in a cloplatzdeckchen in the dorm, so make sure you take everything out immediately that you need. You wont be able to get into it again until right before graduation. In the beginning, the TIs will try to rip your flight apart and ground it into the dirt. They will try to pit everybody against everybody so that its impossible to be a gruppe. Thats when you have to unite and create the determination and resolve you are going to so desperately need for training. They are set on breaking you all down - its up to you and your flight to build yourselves back up. One of the TIs favorite things to do is threaten. Youre recycled You better be packing your bags tonight Hell will freeze over before I see you graduate And they seem very serious. They might go so far as to have a trainee pack his bags and head out before they compassionately decid e to keep him or her in the flight. But their threats create a lot of frightening moments during BMT. The 341 Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Form 341 is referred to as simply a 341 (three forty-one) in basic. These little slips of paper have your name, rank, roster number, flight and TRS written on them. They record excellence on your part or discipline administered, and for what reason. It is rare that a TI will take one from you for display of excellence. Ninety-nine percent of the time, a TI will take one from you for doing something wrong, such as failing to salute an arbeitszimmerr, executing an improper facing movement, incorrect reporting statement or loss of military bearing. They are folded into fourths lengthwise, and three must be kept in your left cargo pant pocket at all times. If you are Reserve or Guard, a copy of your orders must be kept there also. When you earn your Airmans Coin, that too will be placed into that pocket. Anyone can take a 341 from yo u - even some civilians are granted authority to do so. They are returned to your TI usually by the end of the saatkorn day or sometime soon after. The only time a 341 counts is if your TI has you sign it. I had one pulled during the entire time, along with several other females. One of the Blue Ropes had us stocking coolers with Gatorade for the Warrior Challenge event. These Gatorade in those boxes are new, but the ones in the closet are the old ones. But you only want to use behauptung over here, and one of this one and one of that box, he told us. We were all so confused that we didnt really know what to do. He left, and we opened up two extra boxes. He ripped us for that and pulled a 341 from each of us. He asked each of us to explain, and before we even got done with our reporting statement, he interrupted us. No. Whatever. Next. So we didnt even get a chance. Thankfully, none of us had to sign the 341s. The Daily Grind Zero week - or the first days of basic training - b y far, is the worst week of basic military training (BMT). You cant do anything right. I broke down the third night and during several nights after. I hated it with a passion and was hoping I had some disease or something that would get me discharged. There are tons of in-processing and appointments you need to attend. Luckily, my flight uniforms were issued the second day, so I didnt have to wear civilians long. Your personal hygiene items are kept in your security drawer in a specific order and arrangement. Your security drawer also holds your valuables and anything else like letters, stationary, appointment slips - whatever else you may need. You have two keys to your drawer, and wear them around your neck just about every moment in BMT. They should always be tucked into your shirt, otherwise you can get into trouble. You have the right to brush your teeth every morning and night, and to take a shower every night. At Warrior Week, a lot of us showered once - or never - because it was so cold. There was always enough time, but the prospect of freezing made us hesitant. Its hard to eat at first with all the TIs rushing you and in your face in the chow hall. Theres even an entire set of procedures to follow in the chow hall, which we had been briefed on the night before. Of course we couldnt remember everything, and of course, you cant really do facing movements right yet, so theyll get you for that in the chow hall. As you progress through training, they have you do facing, flanking and saluting in the chow hall for practice purposes. Attention to detail is stressed. There are so many papers and rosters to sign. If you put punctuation, write illegibly or screw up because you didnt do it exactly the way the TIs said to, then you get reamed. Of course, there was always at least one screw up every time. And there are so many briefings - how to maintain your wall locker, how to make your bed, how to use reporting statements, facing movements and marching. Wit hin the first few nights, the TIs will pick a dorm chief to be in charge of the entire flight and four element leaders - one for each row of beds. They said they usually select these student leaders by who stands out. Or they may pick someone out of the blue. It all depends on your TIs. Student leaders have tough jobs that demand a lot of accountability and responsibility. For example, if someone in the flight screws up something, the dorm chief may have to pay for the mistake. If someone does not have their reporting procedures straight, their element leader will get busted. And sometimes the TIs would make the screw-up drop their leader, and that would make it all that much harder on both of them. You are always carrying around your canteen with your TRS and bed number, and that wonderful black portfolio with a pen, notebook and BMTSG (Basic Military Training Study Guide) so that you can study at every possible moment - outside chow, appointments, in the dayroom. Pretty soon you are going to have to know your entire chain of command, from the president to your dorm chief, their rank insignia and pay grade. Learn them left to right, the right to left, diagonally and every which way, because you will be drilled on it - especially at the snake pit where all the TIs sit in the chow hall. Learn it, and know your stuff backwards and forwards. Assignments We actually did not do details or dorm guard (which Ill explain later) until the first week of training. Everybody was assigned details during an evening briefing (after chow, a time when you all get into the dayroom and go over stuff with your TI - its usually pretty informal, like an end-of-the-day thing. They would ask who has confidence. People would raise their hands and he would select a dorm guard monitor - an extremely tough job, particularly during the first couple of weeks. Or who sighted a rifle, leading to the bed and shoe aligners assignments. They ask questions like that so they can put the most capable people in each position. If you tick them off, or just because they want to, they can assign you to any detail. The worst ones are road guard and chow runner. In the beginning, our TI picked those out because they kept messing up or just ticked him off. And if you dont raise your hand and volunteer, you will get some of the worst details. I tried to stay in the hintergrund and was one of the last ones to get picked for something. I was put on latrine crew - which was nasty - but not all that bad. And for each detail, a chief is chosen to head up the rest of the crew, like latrine queen, bed aligner chief, utility room chief. They are usually the ones to get reamed when something isnt right with their detail, so they dont fail to get on their crews to have their stuff done right. Dorm guard is a big thing at basic. Its an entire set of procedures designed to be followed for the security of the dormitory occupants and their possessions, fire prevention and conservation of utilities. Everybody does it. There are two-hour shifts, and during the night hours, two people take each shift. Theres a certain way to authorize entrances and announce entrances and exits into and out of the dorm. There are hourly checks to be done and specific steps to follow in a fire, gas or bomb drill. This is what gets a lot of people in trouble. And if you allow an unauthorized entry in your fourth week or beyond, you will be automatically recycled. The safety of the flight is extremely important. OJTers and TIs will conduct briefings early in training to show you how dorm guard is done. They love you to trick you and make you lose your military bearing when you are on dorm guard, so watch out and be careful. Laundry and Dry Cleaning Your TIs will lso aassign a laundry crew. This crew is responsible for collecting and handing out laundry. Hanging on your end-of-bed display is a green drawstring laundry bag with a zipper opening at one end. Inside are three white plas tic bags with twist ties and four white zippered mesh bags. The plastic bags are for wet laundry like towels and wet battle dress uniforms (BDUs) if you fell in the water at the confidence course. The mesh bags are for your underclothes. Black wool and cotton socks and other dark items go together, and white bras, underwear and like-colored clothing are placed in another bag. Keep them separate if you dont want your whites appearing strange brown and gray colors. Laundry crew will periodically collect and return all laundry items, but dont be too surprised if stuff turns up missing. Its just a matter of fact with laundry at basic. The washing/drying machines at basic are junk. You get your clothing back and it looks just about the same, perhaps a bit better. At least it smells a little better. BDUs and blues are always dry cleaned. Theres a dry cleaner located on the bottom floor of every squadron. But that comes at a cost. I still actually have all my receipts. They tell you in th e beginning, to wear your BDUs (and later on your blues) for no more than two consecutive days. Of course, we followed the rules tightly in the beginning. But as you progress, you learn the tricks of the trade. Theres no way we were spending so much money on dry cleaning if we did not have to. Some of us wore our BDUs for almost two weeks. That may sound pretty gross, but hey, its basic training. You get used to nasty things. As for our blues, we wouldnt exactly dry clean them every second time. Instead, most of us would simply iron whatever we needed the next day. By the way, at first, you have your night display with a BDU set on the hanger hanging on the front of the wall locker. By the end, you will start hanging the BDUs as a day display, too, because you will have your blues on night display. Dust Drills Early on your flight will learn how to conduct dust drills. Its pretty much dusting your dorm top to bottom with your hands, and on your hands and knees. One of your flig ht members will yell out the commands, and the rest of the flight will echo the command as they do it. Echoing is something you learn to do really well and really often in BMT. During dust drills you will hear commands like Top of your wall locker, Windowsill, The side of your wall locker, Top baseboard, Bottom baseboard, Between the wall lockers, Chair, In front of your wall locker, End posts, Between your bed and your neighbors bed, Beneath your bed and your neighbors bed until Center aisle, center tile Prepare for the first sweep Then the sweeper comes down to collect all the dust and dirt and junk. I seriously dont know where all the huge dust bunnies come from throughout the day and night in San Antonio. They probably rig the dorms so theyre harder to clean. Then its off for a second exciting dust drill. Lockers Your wall locker is kept a very specific way. We had things we did to make our delightful stay in BMT a little bit easier. The left side of the wall locker holds yo ur BDUs, field jacket and PC clothes among other things. We learned to keep two sets of BDUs untouched in our wall lockers. They would be dry cleaned, then wed clip all the strings, remove the dry cleaning stickers and place the uniform properly on a serviceable hanger. That way we wouldnt have to mess with them anymore and theyd always be ready for inspection. Your clothing drawer has towels, underwear, bras, pantyhose, brown t-shirts and socks. Everything must show signs of use (except the pantyhose), so use them as little as possible - preferably once if you can. Then wash, properly fold and place the item in your drawer so you can leave it like that for inspections. Some people in other flights told us they actually used and folded everything in their drawers all the time, but we saw it as a waste of time. Correctly folding, tweaking, grounding and making flush towels and brown t-shirts alone takes hours upon hours. Make wise use of your time. Taps sounds at 2100 Sunday throug h Thursday night and reveille blasts at 0445 Monday through Friday morning. On Friday and Saturday nights, taps were at 2200 and on Saturday and Sunday mornings reveille was at 0545. Same goes for holidays. But if a holiday is on Monday, then the following Saturday is a regular duty day with regular duty hours because you already had weekend hours on Monday. I thought reveille was cool before I arrived at BMT, but I quickly learned to hate it. Most weekday mornings your flight has to fall out into formation downstairs under the overhang. From reveille, you have around 10 to 15 minutes to get dressed, fill your canteen, grab your portfolio and stampede down the stairs. Once in formation, there is accountability. Sometimes it ends at that and you fall back upstairs. But usually, we would have the briefing of the day. Then wed sing the first verse of the Air Force song, followed by the three core values excellence, integrity, service before self. And sometimes after that, we would sho ut out our squadrons motto. It helps build team morale and enthusiasm and competitive spirit. You Just Have to Survive The first week, it is still really stressful - a time when you just have to survive. So much information is crammed into your skull that sometimes, even when you know your stuff, you get it wrong because your mind is swimming and you get too nervous. Youre also getting used to your flight members. Rooming in close quarters with 50 to 60 other people can get on your nerves very quickly. Starting this week, we integrated with our brother flight. We would separate into A Bay and B Bay, and the males who slept in A Bay of their dorm would integrate with the females who slept in A Bay of their respective dorm, so we would be two flights with males and females in each flight. We would march everywhere together, eat chow together, go to appointments together. The only thing we did against each other was complete for honor flight. But even then points were split. Cade nce was quite interesting. Each TI had his or her own unique way of calling cadence. And then there were the ones who were in training that would constantly get us out of step by calling cadence on the wrong foot then yell at us for being out of step. But it sounds awesome. I dont know how they learn to do it in MTI school or anything, but they make these sounds in their throat, kind of like guttural sounds or something to chant off cadence. But it sounds awesome. And Jody calls are always fun. Our flight made up some of our own and were allowed to use them at the end of training. The second week is not too bad. You know how to do your job now, you will have to endure your first inspections. The first one is a free inspection which is not counted. Ours, fortunately, went pretty well. Its funny how the ups and downs are so fast. We will make our TI proud one moment, then screw up and tick him off the next. Its all about attention to detail. One speck of dust in the latrine can put a TI in the state of fury. Everything has to be perfect. Try as best as you can, because it can be done. Strings pop out everywhere, especially after dry-cleaning, so make sure you inspect them meticulously. Groups are assigned to the FTX site, Confidence Course, KP, Reception Center and other various locations. You work pretty much all day, but you dont have to eat in the chow hall every other day. You either get to use vending machines, or if youre on KP, you get more time to eat and get the privilege of eating snacks and desserts. You earn them by being on your feet from long before dawn to the late evening. We had to get up around 0215 and march over to another squadrons chow hall. We were on our feet until we returned to our squadron around 2030. You learn to appreciate all the work that goes into preparing meals and what goes on behind those double doors in the kitchen. I hated it, but at least I could eat a lot and was able to have sweets. Three WOT is classes and more classe s. Lots of academics. Make sure you study and pay attention because you are going to need to know the information for 4 WOT. More of those wonderful inspections are conducted. You get fitted for your blues And you also get those lovely BCGs issued. Hell Week You do endure a Hell Week. As long as you have studied well, pushed yourself to meet the PC regulations and can set up your dorm right, its not all that bad. This week holds the inspections, PC evaluations and EOC test that will decide whether or not you graduate. It can be stressful. Having a diligent academic monitor - someone responsible for making sure the flight knows their memory work and test material - really helps. Our flight and our brother flight had zero failures for the EOC test and over 40 outstanding grades. Warrior Week prepared us to handle war conditions and embracing the Aerospace Expeditionary Force concept. You will shoot an M16-A2, go through the gas chamber, do the confidence course, live in tents, e at in a mess tent where you get meals ready-to-eat (MREs), take anti-terrorism classes, self-aid and buddy care, war games, and a big exercise at the end where you put to practice everything you learn. You earn the Airmans coin and complete the transition from trainee to airmen in the culminating ceremony. Lets Get Physical The PC program we did was tough. They usually alternate running days with callisthenic days. Stretches and cardiovascular exercises are always performed before PC, with stretching afterwards. Calisthenics is lots of sit ups, countless pushups of all types, flutter kicks, leg lifts, shoulder presses, partial squats. All in repeated sets until you think you are going to cry and you cant even hold your arms up anymore. Fun stuff, but its good for you. For running, we would either run two miles or do a three-part running exercise. For that, we would do Last Trainee Up, where theres about 10 trainees in the same running ability group running in a line around the t rack. The lead trainee would be the pacer, and the one directly behind would raise one arm and yell, Last Trainee Up The last trainee would then proceed to sprint from the back to the position right behind the lead trainee. The trainee who just yelled from putting his arm back down and the trainee who just sprinted up would then raise his or her arm and yell the same thing. And you go on and on for 15 or 20 minutes. Then theres the run-at-your-own-pace run for around the same amount of time, then the last exercise is six sets of sprinting for 30 seconds, then walking for two minutes. They go easier on you in the beginning and give you a few walking breaks, but pretty soon youre going to have to run the entire time through these exercises. And theres no stopping. TIs will be right out there with you - some running, some watching - and theyll yell if youre walking. If you are dehydrated and faint, complain to the IDMT (Independent Medical Technician) or have any problem other than a serious injury, expect no sympathy from them. They will scream at you for being weak. Honor Grad PC requirements held to the new standards for our flights. For the females, you needed an 18-minute run, 27 pushups and 60 situps (from the 19-min run, 22 pushups and 50 situps) to be eligible. For flights with the new PC program, trainees attained the title Thunderbolt if they met the minimum standards stated above - males have higher standards except for sit ups. With that title, one would receive an extra Town Pass and a certificate. If you met even higher standards, you can earn the title of Warhawk, get a Warhawk t-shirt, certificate and extra Town Pass. Warrior Challenge Recently added to BMT is the new Warrior Challenge. If you are a fitness buff or love stuff like running, pushups, sit ups or pull ups and other physical events, including tug-of-war against the TIs, then youll love Warrior Challenge. Its during the first Saturday of every month, and trainees and airmen from every squadron come together and compete. The best physical performers in every flight have a practice session after every regular PC session. Lots more pushups, sit-ups and running. Then they take the top 10 from each flight to compete. They held Warrior Challenge on the PC pad next to Hotel Row. A lot of the VIPs come - squadron commanders, the TRG commander. Its a big thing. There are some pretty high numbers two-minute sit ups and pushups were in the hundreds, and for the two-mile the males times were in the 1000s and the females times were in the 1200s. Its a lot of fun to watch the events, cram down junk food and mingle with other trainees and airmen. This Isnt For Everyone In my flight, we lost only three trainees, all of them early on in training. The first one couldnt handle the physical demands of BMT at all. I think she had asthma, heart problems and other ailments. Im not sure how she got there in the first place. Another hurt her ankle and was sent to the 319th, where they do details if capable, or have patio breaks and sit around with other med holds and discharges, like people who are pregnant, very ill, have a disease or have a mental illness. She was put back into training a week behind us but had a panic attack after she returned. She was discharged and sent home. The third tried taking a lot of pills because she supposedly couldnt handle BMT. She was sent down to CQ (Charge-of-Quarters) to recover and was held for observation. They gave her a dishonorable discharge and sent her home. Amazingly, those were the only three we lost. No recyclees or anything later on. Thats good and bad. You like your flight members and hate some, and there are the few that have to be carried through or they wont make it. Some people just arent military material. But hey, were a team and we help each other out. Faith Church was awesome. They allow all trainees two hours a week of religious activities one for church services and one for religious instru ction like a Bible study class. They hold many different kinds of services for different types of beliefs. I attended the Protestant services, which happens to be the most popular one. It was contemporary and upbeat, comforting and encouraging. Its just what trainees need. I bawled during my first Sunday at church. I was just so emotional - so homesick, so frustrated and stressed out. But with time, I got over it. The best thing about the church is that TIs arent around. No ones going to yell at you or play mind games with you. On the way there, youre told to smile and relax. Its a great way to de-stress and go back to training a little bit refreshed. As classes or church is ending, youre told to get back into the training mode. Get your game faces back on. After youre released, you have to put your mind back into gear. Phone Calls and Letters Home A patio break is when trainees are allowed to go outside on the patio and eat snacks and candy from the vending machines, and make phone calls on one of the many pay phones. It can range from a couple minutes to a few hours. Keep in mind every TI has a different set of rules. Some flights are allowed some or all of these privileges right off the bat, while some flights may never get a chance to have any of them - save for the mandatory phone call or two and some letters. Our TI was never fond of patio breaks. Another flight in our squadron had their fourth patio break by their second week. We got our first and only one the night before Warrior Week, which was almost our fifth week. Luckily we were given a 10-min phone call every weekend. And that meant 10-minutes for each bay, so we had 20 to 25 people wanting to use the limited number of pay phones. Sometimes calls have to be cut short. And the first few times dont be surprised if a TI, dorm chief or element leader is in your face yelling at you to hang up. It gets frustrating, but it eases up after a while. The first phone call is usually an emotional one. I cried, and just about everybody cries or at least gets teary-eyed when you hear the voices of your loved ones. You have only enough time to spit out your address and that youre not dead (yet) and that you love them. Then its goodbye. Its tough, but by the next couple of times, youre more relaxed and can speak clearly enough for them to hear what youre saying. But then sometimes youre so excited and so full of information and interesting things to say that you speak too fast for them to hear you. Right after my first phone call, I accidentally ran into a Blue Rope on the patio. Not fun. Just watch out where youre going. Letters were a big issue in my flight, and Im sure every trainee in every flight looks forward to letters. You need that source of comfort and connection to your loved ones. Mail call is normally conducted during evening briefings on weekdays. Sometimes things get busy, and a week may pass with no mail call. Its really disappointing, but all the mail that comes at the end is worth it. We were not given permission to read or write letters until the end of our 1 WOT. We were actually given letters a few days beforehand but were told to lock them up in our security drawers. It was torture to have those letters just sitting in there but not being allowed to open them up. We were ecstatic when we were finally given permission to read them. We were never actually given real personal time by our TI until the very very end. Before that, he would leave it up to our dorm chief and element leaders. They would have us get all of our stuff done and help each other out before we got a little free time. And during the times when we would work on our personal areas, we would sometimes be able to read and write letters then. Or after lights out, there might be a little time to do so. If we didnt have our stuff straight or screwed up somehow, our leaders would revoke privileges. They have the authority to do that. Our dorm chief once took away all letter pr ivileges for three days. But then we made it up to her by performing well as a flight and got back the privilege the next day. Remember, too, that your TIs can take away your privileges at any time for any reason, and in certain cases, your student leaders can do the same also. Security CQ is a hallway downstairs in the main part of the squadron with lots of offices in it. TIs will hang around here and a lot of your commanders and higher ups have offices here. Dorm chiefs report here for accountability every night, trainees report emergency drills being conducted in their dorms, TIs monitor the dorms by video and sound, etc etc etc. Its like the headquarters of the squadron. And like a version of the snake pit because TIs are everywhere. If youre waiting in the bench area, stand up at attention when an NCO or TI walks past or youll get busted. Correct facing and flanking movements are required at all times. Video cameras are positioned in the hallway outside every dorms main do or. It monitors all entrances and exits. Theres an intercom in every dorm, too. Its where reveille and taps sound, dorm guards report for accountability during the night hours, CQ calls up for any reason, to report emergencies, or for TIs or CQ to give instructions including uniform of the day. And they can flip a switch so they can hear sounds coming from the dorm. Be careful with what you say. Bathroom Breaks Right after we returned from Warrior Week, my flight switched dorms. We went downstairs so we could be right across the hall from our brother flight (our older sister and brother flights had graduated a week earlier and their dorms were empty).We moved into a previously male dorm, and was exactly the same except the layout of the dorm was a bit different. So, I am assuming the latrines and bays are the same for every dorm. With all the water they make you drink to prevent dehydration, using the latrine is almost a constant need - at least for us females. Its crazy how m uch you have to go in basic - almost like we needed to go every five minutes. A lot of the time you will just have to hold it, because you might be marching, in formation, in class or the TIs will just tell you that youre an adult and can hold it. Of course, they allow latrine breaks, and if its an emergency they will let you go but yell at you for it. Sometimes the breaks dont quite seem often enough, though. At Warrior Week its really hard because you have an assigned latrine building you can use, and none other. If youre on one side of the camp and need to use the latrine, good luck getting to it before its too late. It wasnt uncommon for accidents to occur. Make sure you utilize every break you get. I was pretty self-conscious before basic training, but immediately got used to showering and changing with 50 other females. Before long, females were walking around the dorm during showers/changing butt naked and didnt even care. No one else did either. You get used to it. Befo re Deployment Prior to deployment, we inquired about the road march during Warrior Week. We were informed there would be no march. There was lots of marching, some lengthy ones, but not an official road march. The TIs told us there used to be a two-mile march - it was actually a 5.3-mile march - however, a male died at one point. His death was completely unrelated to the march, but they eliminated the road march from Warrior Week anyway. So, as of this time, there is no road march being conducted during Warrior Week. I dont know if theyll bring it back or what, but it doesnt exist right now. If you have good TIs, they earn your respect. And if you do your part, you will earn theirs. We missed our TIs at Warrior Week because we have an entirely different set of instructors. Not individual ones assigned to flights, but lots of instructors - each with his or her own duties like teaching the anti-terrorism class, being IDMT, conducting dessin - a briefing conducted every evening. There were 16 flights total at our Warrior Week, four female and 12 male. We were then separated into four different Airand Space ExpeditionaryForces (AEFs), each named after an important person. Each AEF was assigned different activities throughout the week. FTX, CATM (M-16 training), NBC training and classes were all conducted at different times for each AEF. My AEF had FTX first off, whereas another AEF had that as its last activity at the end of the week. It was tough, but its preparing you for deployment conditions. Your flight can start designing a flight t-shirt. Your design can represent the essence of your flight. The creative and the artists in your flight with suggestions and advice from all the others, can create your flights own unique t-shirt. A design is sketched out and given to the local BX design store so they can put it on a t-shirt. All flight shirts are black with a small logo on the front and a large one on the back. All the names of the flight members and TIs, as well as the flight number and TRS are on the back. It can also include a slogan or motto you want. Its up to your flight to do whatever - all at the discretion of your TI. You can also have the design put onto a coin. At the end, the flight almost always buys an extra shirt for their TIs. The TIs then put the shirts up in their flight office (their office in the dorm) or wear them. After BMT, you can wear black t-shirts under your BDUs instead of only the brown ones. Its All About Trust It can be extremely difficult just holding the flight together. All the mind games and integrity issues almost made my flight fall apart. Without trust, its hard to work as a team. And females can get surprisingly bitchy. But eventually, we pulled together and learned how to cope with all the stresses and demands of basic training. We also learned to build up team spirit and cooperation. I was lucky to have such awesome females in my flight. There are always a few in every flight with attit udes - just dont let them get to you. Stay focused and concentrate on the tasks at hand. It Does Get Better Always remember that things will start looking up. It was hell at first, much harder than I expected, but after the initial shock passed and everything started setting into your brain, things improve. And I was really emotional. I didnt show it - never show any sign of weakness in front of your TIs - but it really got to me. Like the first time a TI ripped me, and the first time someone got dropped, I felt like crying. But then I got over it. Some say it gets better but not easier, while others say the opposite. And some say it doesnt get better or easier. I say it does. As you learn more and more and how things are done, it gets easier to do. Of course, they pile more things on top, but you learn to deal with it. I liked the marching, the discipline and the order. As you start becoming accustomed the military way of life in basic training, it does get better. Its all about attitude. If you keep a negative outlook, you are going to get depressed and easily discouraged. But if youre positive and look back on what youve survived through and what youve achieved and looked forward to your goals and graduation, youll stay focused and be able to cope with the hardships of basic training. Basic Training is really is a lot of hurry up and wait. Wed be rushed somewhere then have to wait forever until we actually got inside or were able to do whatever we needed to do. Weekends usually werent crammed with activities, at least during the later weeks. Usually just study time, details, working on personal areas. Not too bad. Remember - its all a big mind game. I never took that literally when I heard it. I was always like, whatever. I never realized what it meant until I endured the mind games myself. They really do mess with you. But I would tell myself that sometimes, its just a mind game, just to comfort myself and my flight mates. I went from hating it t o missing it. Its an intensely interesting and wonderful transition that occurs. Youve Come to the End Youve come to the end and Graduation Week is awesome. The day you have been waiting for is so close, and seeing your family and friends is just days away. Youre so proud to be an airman and walk with your head held high. You learn how to wear your blues and get to wear them everywhere. They look sharp but are a hassle with the gig-line and garter straps and everything. Its an exciting time, but dont forget its not over yet. Dont relax too much or get complacent, because in your blues youre a target. TIs will try to trick you into making mistakes. You better know your memory work, how to properly wear your uniform and render customs and courtesies - everything you learned over the past five weeks should be put into practice and maintained. You can still get recycled even after graduation, and you can have your Airmans Coin confiscated. Just dont do anything stupid and follow t he rules. The TIs arent always hounding you and they will lay off quite a bit. Just be sure to know your stuff. Keep your head high, your hopes up, and never say I cant and never give up. Push yourself to your limits and beyond, and you will be trained to become the best Airman possible in the United States Air Force. But be proud, because youve earned the right to be called an Airman in the United States Air Force.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Perfectly Cast
Perfectly Cast Perfectly Cast Perfectly CastJason Troutner knows casts. Long before he signed on as chief technology officer of Cast21, Troutner endured multiple surgeries and sports injuries that required him to spend about three years of his life wrapped up in more than 50 fiberglass casts. He suffered through itching, odors, and muscle atrophyand moped around when he couldnt swim with his pals.Troutner, together with biomedical design engineer Ashley Moy and electrical engineer Justin Brooks, founded Cast21 to reduce the discomforts faced by millions of people who end up in some type of cast every year.Materials used in fiberglass casts arent waterproof they absorb and trap water. Those are the two main problems we set out to solve, said Troutner, who met Moy and Brooks during an engineering design class at the University of Illinois, where they partnered on the project.Fiberglass casts are poorly engineered and not patient friendly. For an engineer, it seems like such a lazy and impractical solution, he says.The new cast can be used along with electrical stimulation therapy to help reduce healing time. prestige Cast21The fiberglass wrapping of modern casts is water resistant (unlike the old plaster ones), but wearers leise cant allow the cotton padding underneath to get wet. To fix that problem, the team developed a cast made from interconnected silicone tubes that harden after theyre injected with resin.The casts lattice design immobilizes the bone, yet leaves most of the skin exposed, giving it room to breathe. The gaps also allow room for electrical stimulation electrodes, which can prevent muscle atrophy and help fractures heal. Other groups have developed prototypes of customizable casts that can manufactured using 3D printers. But many of the orthopedic surgeons and physicians the Cast21 team spoke with during its market research said they were unwilling to invest in the resources needed to support a 3D printing infrastructure in their offices.From a business standpoint, its impractical, Troutner said, adding that the process would alsotake too much time with todays 3D printers, given that each cast has to be customized to fit individual limbs. Instead, Cast21 developed a one-size-fits-all approach for leg and arm casts.The cast starts off as a mesh sleeve made from a highly flexible silicone that conforms to the shape of the limb in much the same way a white foam fruit sleeve wraps around a small apple. A physician or nurse simply slips the Cast21 sleeve over the patients limb, properly positions the limb and cast, and injects the hollow tubes with a polyurethane resin.The resin hardens within 15 to 20 minutes to support the broken bone, yet the silicone material still provides cushion against the skin. The cast is about 70 percent lighter than a fiberglass cast, which usually takes between 25 and 30 minutes to harden, longer if the patient will bewalking on it.A 3D rendering of the new cast. Image Cast21To come up with initial ideas for a strong yet flexible design, Troutner used an incredibly sophisticated process he typed cool mechanical structures into Google. He came across basketball and fruit nets, the Eiffel Tower, finger traps, and a variety of bridges. His friend, an aerospace engineer who specializes in finite element optimization, then created an optimization program to match the best design with the ideal materials.As a mechanical engineer, I had to find out how the segments would play together to provide the strongest support, Troutner said. I had to make sure the structure would stand up to any force on the arm or leg.Cast21 has filed for a provisional application patent and is waiting for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. It is also working with medical device accelerator ZeroTo510 in Memphis, TN, to build a sales and marketing structure. Meanwhile, Troutner is tweaking the silicone and resin formulas for an even stronger, more comfortable cast. Unfortunately, the team has yet to discover a good way for people to sign it.Learn the best practices of bringing your research to market and creating marketable solutions at ASMEs COMS 2016 For Further DiscussionFiberglass casts are poorly engineered and not patient friendly. For an engineer, it seems like such a lazy and impractical solution.Jason Troutner, Cast21
Thursday, December 12, 2019
How to get ahead by diversifying your identity
How to get ahead by diversifying your identityHow to get ahead by diversifying your identityWhen it comes to financial instruments, were told to diversify. Dont put all of your money in real estate. Buy stocks from different industries so youre not ravaged when the tech bubble bursts.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
The On Error Resume next Cover Up
The On Error Resume next Cover Up Frequently the anwender may leid provide you accurate info about the error that occurred. The info on this error is put in the Err object. To prevent this, you want to verstndigung im strafverfahren with the error sooner or later within the webpage. When an error happens, the contents of the webpage can be cleared before displaying error details. In case the calling procedure has an enabled error handler, its activated to deal with the error. In other situations, you want to recuperate from the error, if at all possible. In some instances you are going to want to raise a customized error. This second error isnt trapped because the original error condition wasnt cleared. In some instances, you merely need the routine to end gracefully once an error occurs. You have the error prompt. As soon as an error occurs you send the error to a particular label. When it occurs you can view details of the error using the Err object. Trying to find err ors is what developers do the majority of the time Developers can opt-in for nullability checking when theyre ready to cope with the resulting warnings. Having lots of information when dealing with an error can be invaluable. If this is the case, youve got a hardware issue. These errors seem unprofessional and they make the application appear unstable. Even if considering each of the reasons there are errors in scripts, the main cause is typically a difference in expectations. You may also use the set colsep command in case you dont wish to set the commas in by hand. If it doesnt, it is going to exit the code immediately and nothing will occur. As an example, lets say you must PRINT numerous Tables of values. The print dialog box permits the user to select how output ought to be printed. For instance, the next line causes a syntax error since it is missing a closing parenthesis. Finally, its possible to also then reference that variable wherever you desire. Lets look at a good example. The next node does the very same thing, etc. In addition, it makes it possible for the user to opt for another printer, and configure different settings about the present printer. It is possible to then build the error-handling routine inline within the process. Error-handling routines require the value in the Number property of the Err object to decide on the reason for the error. Finding the Best On Error Resume next If you dont Remember the Password or dont know the password to unprotect the sheet just stick to the below simple measures. Clicking Save will make a new record. If you are a newcomer to VBA Error Handling, then youre able to read the post from beginning to finish because it is laid out in logical purchase.A DLL error is easily the most common Windows error. Vb Script Error might be caused by means of a range of unique reasons. It may be caused by windows system files damage. Type of on Error Resume next Read here if youd like to find out mo ra about writing to text files. By considering the log you are able to receive more accurate information regarding the info. If you wish to read about more VBA topics youll be able to view an entire collection of my posts here. See the next section for more info about it.This code excerpt indicates the error-handler part of a script. If you are searching for a fast summary then have a look at the quick guide table in the very first section. This statement is contained in VBA for backward compatibility. Youll become prompted to save the present document first in the event you havent done that before. Attempt to insert unique formats, strange ranges and see what the results are. Regrettably, the VBA Collection object doesnt facilitate a Contains function. Notice that it is not typed in any way as we didnt have to declare what types of objects it stores. You might be left unable to run programs in any way.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Buffers Remote, Distributed Team
Buffers Remote, Distributed Team Below is an article originally written by Joel Gascoigne, the founder and CEO at PowerToFly Partner Buffer, and published on September 16, 2018. Go to Buffers page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.Buffer is a fully remote team.Its a decision I made at the end of 2012, when Buffer was in its infancy, and its interesting to reflect on that decision now. I am happy to report that I am in love with the choice we made to be distributed all across the world.When I say that were a remote, distributed team, I mean that were literally spread across the whole world. Buffer is a team of 79 right now, and we have teammates on almost every continent and across timezones worldwide.The sun never sets on Buffer The worldwide, remote Buffer team and the timezones we cover. (Visual curtesy of timezone.io.)6 reasons why being a remote, distributed team is so excitingI think the distributed team discussion is often f ocused around the challenges. I wanted to share from ur experience the fun side of being distributed, which I think far outweighs the challenges1. Our team is super productiveThe thing about hiring people for a distributed team is that they need to be self-motivated and productive working at home, coffee shops, or a co-working space.During the hiring process, we look especially for people who have worked as freelancers or on startups. Everyone on board is incredibly smart, and its humbling to work with them.2. Team members have incredible amounts of freedomHave a family veranstaltung coming up and need to travel on Friday? No problem.Want to take off to Bali or Gran Canaria for a few weeks and work from there? Awesome please share photos )These things have all happened and are regular occurrences within our distributed team.Its the little things too, like being able to avoid a commute and spend more time with family. We dont have working hours, and we dont measure hours at all. Wer e all excited about our vorstellung, and we focus on results, balance, and sustained productivity.3. It feels like the futureEven being able to share the locations of all my co-workers when I meet others and chat about Buffer is so fun and exciting. I think it provides a great story, rather than all of us being in the same office each day.People ask how we manage it and I share our workflows and remote work tools. We call Slack our office, and Zoom is our conference room. Heres a look at some of the team in a recent Zoom call A team call on Zoom, the tool we use for video calls. You can check out our full list of remote work tools here.I genuinely believe that how were set up will be very normal in a few years. There are certainly challenges and were still figuring a lot of it out. Its fun and a huge privilege to be able to be part of this innovation and experiment and share our learnings.4. Im learning so much about the worldPeople within the team spe ak lots of different languages, and talking with each other we learn about what its like to grow up elsewhere in the world. We think carefully about shaping our culture further and how our choices might affect the various cultures within the team.5. We travel the world to work together multiple times a yearPart of the DNA of Buffer is that we traveled all over the world for much of the first two years. This is something that has been sustained and is part of our values (and many in the team have lived up to this value by traveling as part of the team).In order to have deliberate face-to-face time together to bond and have fun, we have regular teamwide Buffer retreats each year where we gather the full team, and we hold mini-retreats throughout the year for smaller teams and areas of the company. A team work session from our 2017 retreat in Madrid, Spain.On our all-company retreats, we spend a week working together and also do activities like sightseein g, boating and safaris. Most recently we gathered in Singapore6. Timezones make you awesomeFinally, you can look at timezones as an inconvenience, or you can embrace them and discover the magic of the time difference.A key part of our vision is to set the bar for customer support. We obsessively track the happiness of our customers and our speed to respond to them. We have more than a million users and we reply to 80% of emails within 1 hour. We couldnt achieve this level of service without being spread across multiple timezones.Timezones are a huge help for our development cycle too with engineers in the US, UK, Asia and Africa, we literally never stop coding.Beyond the positives of having a fully distributed team, you can also learn about our list of perks and team benefits that all employees receive at Buffer.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Should I Separate My Business Values From My Personal Values
Should I Separate My Business Values From My Personal Values Should I Separate My Business Values From My Personal Values Todays question comes from a busy professionalShould I separate my business values from my personal values? Should I work with an organization, even if I dont personally agree with what they do? For example, what if a company asks me for help managing their Webreputation and I dont believe in their practices or their product?Whetherself-employed or workingfor a company, most people feel it is imperative to stay aligned with their principles. But what does itreally mean to never stray from ones values during the course of a career?For example, a criminal defense lawyer may assist criminals and get them back on the street. Thats their job but theythemselves are not criminals. They believe in the law.Are they working against their principles? Not necessarily. Theybelieve thatevery person has the right to a fair trial. They believe that people need to be prosecuted under the law and with proper evidence thatis collected in the proper manner. They themselves are law-abiding citizens, even if their clients are not always.Its Rarely That Black and WhiteIf you believe that abusiness or organization is the only show in town, then I can see your dilemma. But we both know thats not really the issue here.If youre worried about working with or for a particular company, you needto make sure you are discounting them for the right reasons and in the right way. One way to do this is to clearly articulate your vision and mission statement. Let potential clients or employers know what kind of company you want to work with. Clearly itemize the attributes of your target client/employer.For example I work with high-quality, high-integrity corporations that focus on customer satisfaction. My clients succeed because they are ready for success. My clients deliver what and when they promise. Myclients and I not only follow the wording of our contracts, but also th e spirit of ouragreements and I make sure they know that.Live Your Mission gutachtenIf you clearly articulate your mission statement,then you will attract clients and employers of thecaliber and type you desire, as well asward off those who do not meet your standards.Once you make your goals and expectations known, you have a foundation to work from. For example, say the company you are worried about working with still wants to work with you, even after you have shared your vision. The companyhas told you that titsmission is the same as yours but you dont see it that way.You can now comfortably and diplomatically point out any discrepancies between what the company iscurrently doing and what the company claims its mission is.The company, after all, hasbeen doing the same things the same way for a long time.The company may not seethe discrepancies. You can help the company achieve its goalsand transform itinto a company you respect.On the other hand,if this same company doesnt want to work with you because of your mission statement and goals, then you no longer have to worry about compromising your values.Either way, you have eliminated your dilemma.For mora information on everything discussed here, feel free to reach out to me.We canschedule an appointment, and I can get to know more about your unique situation. I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward.ContactLauraRoseRoseCoaching.info.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
3 Lessons You Can Learn From the Office Newbie
3 Lessons You Can Learn From the Office Newbie3 Lessons You Can Learn From the Office NewbieIts hard not to pity new employees at the office. On those first few days, theyre often pretty nervous- with no idea of where anything is, what theyre supposed to be doing, or if theyre meeting expectations. Thankfully, youre there to help. Youve worked at the company for a few years, which means you know the lay of the land. You have all the information that those office newbies need to succeed in their new roles.But as experienced as you are, training a new hire isnt a one-way street. There are actually a few things you could stand to learn from a brand new employee- things that can actually advance your career. 1. Never Stop Asking the Hard (and Obvious) QuestionsOnce youve worked in the same place for a few years, some things simply become the norm. You do things a certain way because thats the way youve always done them- no questions asked. The other day, for example, I attended a departm ent-wide meeting where we talked about the results of the latest trade show wed attended. The lead for that show talked through our fabulous new display, the snacks and beverages wed handed out, and how many people walked through our booth- and at the end, quickly glossed over the fact that wed generated just 300 leads from the event. Immediately after the meeting, our newest team member approached our boss and asked, Is that muster? Three hundred leads seems like a pretty small number for what we invested in attending the show.She was right- but no one else had brought up the issue because that was simply the norm. In many offices, new employees are often the only ones willing to question what everyone else has learned to just go along with.Lesson LearnedNew employees can often see beyond what the rest of the team sees as normal. In an attempt to better understand their role and the mission of the department, theyll ask the most obvious questions- simply because theyre curious. But honestly, thats what every employee should be doing. Even the most seasoned employees should be able to look critically at their companys processes and results and ask themselves, What could we be doing better? 2. Dont Be Afraid to Take RisksId been writing my companys internal, employee-facing newsletter for about a year when we hired a new writer in my department and decided to transition that assignment to her. I was ecstatic- the internal newsletter tended to be pretty boring it was sort of a running joke that no one in the company actually read it. To hand off the project, I prepared to meet with the new hire and explain to her how I compiled it each week as well as where I found the stories- but before I could even departure, she was sharing ideas about what she wanted to do with it. In fact, shed already started talking to people in other departments to find out what they wanted to read about in the newsletter and how she could improve it. It was quite the wake-up call. For a year, Id been doing the bare minimum to get the newsletter out weekly, but a new employee- whod been with the department for just a week- was champing at the bit to take a risk and do something different. Lesson LearnedAbiding by the status quo may get you by, but it probably wont get you ahead. New employees often bring new ideas and arent afraid of suggesting ways to do things differently- and often, better. But as you get settled in your job, you can easily become settled in your ways and let your innovation and creativity take a back seat. Instead, you should strive to look at your projects and assignments with the eyes of a brand new employee, asking yourself, If there were no rules, how would I approach this?3. Theres No Time to WasteHow often do you see new employees goofing off on Facebook or pulling out their phone to answer a text? Almost never. Admittedly, this may partially because theyre not sure what the office norms are regarding cell phones and social media- but fo r the most part, its because theyre eager to fill their time with meaningful work.New employees want to do whatever needs to be done. They start with their to-do list, and when thats done, they ask their co-workers and boss what else they can help with. And even if that turns up no extra assignments, they figure out something useful to do. Just the other day, a new hire at my office had a few minutes to spare, so he poked around online finding recent articles that mentioned our company- one in a not-so-positive light. He emailed it to my boss and the rest of the team, asking how to best address the customer who wrote it. What would I have done? Probably pulled out my phone to scroll through Instagram. Lesson LearnedSure, part of the perk of being a long-standing employee is that you know whats acceptable- and maybe, a few minutes on Twitter or Facebook is perfectly fine. Its actually nice to take a breather from your work every so often throughout the day. The lesson here is that no mater how long youve been at the company, you should mucksmuschenstill be hungry- eager for new projects and responsibilities, willing to lend a hand wherever its needed, and driven to help the company in every spare minute you have. Thats the kind of motivation and leadership thats going to advance your career. Its nice to be at the top looking down, but dont get too comfortable. Embracing the eagerness and audacity of a brand new employee could be just the boost your career needs. Photo of puzzle pieces courtesy of Shutterstock.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
LLC Operating Agreement FAQ - United States
LLC Operating Agreement FAQ - United StatesLLC Operating Agreement FAQ - United StatesWhat is a Limited Liability Company and what is an Operating AgreementWhat is a Limited Liability Company (LLC)?A limited liability company (LLC) is a geschftlicher umgang entity that enjoys the attractive features of both a partnership and a corporation. It is similar to a corporation in that the liability exposure of individual members is limited to what each member has invested in the business. In addition, an LLC can be structured to be taxed only at one level, similar to a partnership. Like a partnership, income passes through and is taxed against individual members as personal income. The exact tax implications of an LLC will vary between jurisdictions. You should consult a tax professional if you are uncertain how to proceed. An LLC can be managed by members or by a management team.Why should I choose an LLC Operating Agreement instead of a Partnership Agreement for my LLC?In a General Partne rship, each Partner is liable for all debts and obligations of the Partnership. If one or mora of the remaining Partners are unable to meet their obligations to the Partnership then a single Partner could be liable for the full debts of the Partnership. In the case of an LLC, each Member has limited liability and is protected in a similar manner to the shareholders in a corporation. In general, an LLC would leid want to create and distribute ambiguous or misleading documents (such as a General Partnership Agreement) that could potentially be used to defeat the limited liability characteristics of the LLC.What is the difference between a Partnership and an LLC?An LLC can be structured to be taxed in the same manner as a partnership however the owners or partners of a partnership are jointly and severally liable for the debts and obligations of the partnership. This means that if the other partners are unable to meet their obligations to the partnership then each partner could be pote ntially responsible for the full amount of the debts and obligations of the partnership. In contrast to a partnership, the liability of the owners or members of an LLC is limited to the amount of capital investment each member has contributed.How do I register a Limited Liability Company?How do I file my Operating Agreement?You do not file your operating agreement. The operating agreement is simply an agreement between the owners of the LLC. To register an LLC you must prepare and file a document called the Articles of Organization. All states have a blank copy of the Articles of Organization available for download on the state website.How are Limited Liability Companies created?A limited liability company must be registered in the relevant jurisdiction. This is accomplished by preparing and filing a document called the Articles of Organization. The Articles of Organization must conform with the reporting requirements of the jurisdiction. All states have a blank copy of the Articles of Organization available for download on the state website. The operating agreement is a separate document and is an agreement between the owners of the LLC. The operating agreement outlines the terms under which the owners will interact as members of the LLC. The operating agreement does not have to be filed with the governing jurisdiction.How does a Limited Liability Company end?The parties can expressly agree that a LLC will end at a specified date, or upon completion of certain tasks. Absent an agreement to the contrary, members of an LLC can make a written submission to the other members to have themselves withdrawn from the LLC. An operating agreement should protect the LLC and the remaining members from the withdrawal of an essential member. If the voluntary withdrawal of a member offends a term of the operating agreement then the withdrawing Member may be liable for any damages suffered by the LLC or remaining members.Registered/nicht auslagerbar werberWhat is a Registered or Resident Agent?The state requires that each LLC be represented by a registered agent. This will ensure reliable communication between the company and the state. The agent must have a physical office within the state. The registered agent may also be referred to as an Agent for Service of Process.What is the registered office?The registered office is the physical street address within the state where the registered agent can be contacted during normal business hours for service of process.How do I change my Resident/Registered Agent?In most cases the Secretary of State will provide a standard form specific for this purpose. It is important to report any change in agent or agent address promptly.Follow the directions carefully.Business nameHow do I know if my business name is already taken?When you file your Articles of Organization the registry office will tell you if your business name is in use or is similar to name already in use by another company. Typically the registry offi ce will not allow two companies in the same business sector to have the same or similar name.Can I be sued for using someone elses business name?Usually when one company unfairly takes advantage of the goodwill in another companys business name, a court will issue a cease and desist order requiring the offending company to change their business name.OwnershipDoes an LLC have shares of stock like a corporation?When forming an LLC, there is no requirement to declare a share structure with various classes and series of stock. Nor do you have to declare the total number of authorized shares of stock. In this way an LLC is different from a corporation. Ownership in an LLC is most usually referred to as a member or unitholder, owning a percentage of the company, rather than as a shareholder, owning a number of shares of stock. Most jurisdictions allow that a certificate may be given as evidence of LLC membership however a membership certificate is not required and is not the same as a sto ck certificate seen in a typical corporation.When adding a new member do I issue new shares?Ownership in an LLC is most usually referred to as a member or unitholder, owning a percentage of the company, rather than as a shareholder owning a number of shares of stock. When a new member is added to an LLC, the new member is not issued a number of shares. Instead, the capital contribution of this new member is added to the capital value of the LLC and the percentage ownership of each member is adjusted as necessary.ManagementHow is an LLC managed?An LLC can be managed by the Members (the owners) or by one or more managers hired for that purpose. The type of management will be identified in the Operating Agreement.Who are the Members of the LLC?The Members are the actual owners of the LLC. They will provide capital, assets or a primary service to the LLC and in exchange will receive an ownership interest in the company.Why would the LLC want an initial period of prohibition on withdrawa l?Members of the LLC have a duty to function in the best interest of the LLC and of each other. By enforcing a prohibition on withdrawal, individuals will be motivated to take their responsibility as a member seriously and commit to at least a minimum period with the LLC. The other Members can then feel comfortable relying on the commitment of their fellow Members to the purpose and goals of the LLC.AccountingWhat is the Cash method of accounting?The Cash method of accounting is a method of recording earnings and expenses only upon receipt or payment without regard to when they occurred or were incurred.What is the Accrual method of accounting?The Accrual method of accounting is a method of recording earnings and expenses as they occur or are incurred, without regard to the actual date of collection or payment.What is a disregarded entity?For tax purposes Disregarded Entity status is available to an LLC where there is only one Member. An LLC that is classified as Disregarded Entity will be taxed in the same manner as a sole proprietorship. If an LLC has a single Member they will be treated as a Disregarded Entity by default. If an LLC has two or more Members it will be treated as a Partnership by default. In order to change the classification of the LLC for tax purposes, form 8832 will need to be filed along with the federal income tax return. Note Statutes and Regulations change frequently. Consult Internal Revenue Services for the most current requirement. For specific information on the benefits and detriments of each system of taxation, it is recommended you contact a tax lawyer in your area or qualified tax accountant.What is a Tax Matters Partner?The Tax Matters Partner (Member) prepares and submits all tax returns and reports as required by the taxation legislation.DistributionsWhat is a distribution?A distribution is an amount paid to Members usually out of the profits of the company. Distributions are paid in a fixed proportion as agreed by all Member s.Are there any limits on distributions?Most states limit the amount of a distribution so that the company cannot be left insolvent. Some states require that, after the distribution is paid, all liabilities of the company cannot exceed the fair value of the assets of the company. If you are unsure of the limits on distributions for your company then consult your state statutes or a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction.Unanimous Consent of MembersWhy would the LLC require unanimous consent on some conditions but not others?In general, business decisions will be resolved by a majority vote of the members. However where the impact on individual members will be significant, the company may wish to resolve ansicht decisions through a unanimous vote in order to protect the interests of individual members. The members may want to require unanimous consent for areas that are deemed critical to the success of the LLC, such as hiring/firing of employees or things that will affect the interes ts of all existing members and their stake in the enterprise such as bringing on a new member or acquiring or selling company assets or assuming substantial company debt.Under the section Actions that require Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Assignment of ownership rights of Company Property?In order to protect the interests of all members from unauthorized behavior involving company property, the members may want to enhance the control over the use and disposition of company property by requiring unanimous consent on issues involving the use and assignment of property rights in company property.Under the section Actions Requiring Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Incurring Company liabilities over a fixed dollar amount?Where expansion of the LLC requires a significant financial investment involving a large debt load, the interests of all members must be considered before proceeding with that risk. Where the risk is great, the company may wish to protect the interests of individual members in the operating agreement. Within the operating agreement the members can agree what level of liability (dollar amount) is acceptable. Any liability over that amount would require the unanimous consent of all members. Any liability under that amount would only require the consent of a majority of the members.Under the section Actions Requiring Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Incurring single transaction expenditures over a fixed amount?To protect the interests of all members, the unanimous consent of all members may be required when making substantial purchases.Under the section Actions Requiring Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Sale of any Company asset with fair market value greater than a fixed amount?Sale of significant Company assets should require the unanimous consent of all members so that the interests of all members are protected. An individual membe r cannot sell or otherwise dispose of Company property. This option includes the situation where an individual member cannot use Company property as collateral for a loan (either a personal loan or a Company loan) without the majority or unanimous consent of the remaining Members where the property could be subject to seizure if the loan was in default. Ensure the fixed amount selected is practical for the size of the Company. It may be an unnecessary administrative burden to require unanimous approval for the sale of nominal assets.Under the section Actions Requiring Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Releasing any Company claim except for full consideration?Where the Company has a claim against another person or business entity or where a debt is owed to the Company it is in the best interest of the Company and the individual members if these obligations owed to the Company are paid in full. Whenever an obligation is to be released for less than full con sideration it is important that the interests of each member is represented and each member is allowed to provide or reasonably withhold consent to the transaction.Under the section Actions Requiring Unanimous Consent of the Members, what is meant by the option Endangering the ownership or possession of Company property?Individual members do not have property rights in Company property. Where Company assets are put at risk, either by loaning to a third party or by placing the asset in an environment where the asset is subjected to theft or loss, the interest of all Members is affected. In these situations the Company may wish to require the unanimous consent of all members.MiscellaneousWhat is the Principal Office Address?The principal office is where the main office of the Company. The Principal Office does not have to be located in the same state as the state that the Company is being formed in. The principal office address is also not required to be the same as the Registered Off ice. The principal office address is not necessarily the same as the Place of Business, which is the location where the Companys commercial transactions mostly occur.Are witnesses required to sign the Operating Agreement?Most documents and contracts do NOT require a witness for them to be legally valid. Many banks and other institutions have their own policies about signing requirements, and may refuse to accept documents that are not notarized regardless of their legal sufficiency. If you want to avoid bureaucratic hold-ups, it may be a good idea to take your document to a Notary Public or have it witnessed.Why should I use mediation and arbitration instead of going to court?mediationszeit and arbitration are superior processes when there is a long term relationship involved and the survival of the LLC is desirable. They focus on creating a mutually agreeable solution to a problem instead of the adversarial environment of a court confrontation. In addition to this, the process can be less expensive, and more expedient and efficient than the court process.What is meant by a Members interest in an LLC is personal property?A Member with an interest in an LLC whose assets are largely real estate, does not have a direct interest in the real estate itself. The Member owns an interest in the LLC that is personal property. A Members interest in an LLC entitles the Member to a proportional share of the profits and losses of the LLC and the right to receive distributions of the LLCs assets. That interest is not a direct interest in the underlying assets of the LLC even if the LLC owns real estate. As such, the membership interest is transferred and taxed as personal property. It would not have the additional documentary requirements or taxes associated with real property such as a real property transfer tax. Similarly, if the LLC owned shares of stock in a corporation, the Members would not have a direct legal property interest in the shares of stock, but instead the M embers would own an interest in the profits and losses of the LLC and the right to receive distributions of the LLCs assets.
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