Is College a Worthy Investment

Is College a Worthy Investment Is College a Worthy Investment Ive been surprised lately by the number of people Ive met who arent sure if college is really worth it. Many of these people have told me they believe it would be a waste of money to pay for something they might never use especially if they change their mind about their career path later on.The group Im talking about is made up of millennials in their 20s. Theyve seen their friends go to college and end up with little more than a pile of student loans and a degree that opens zero doors. They see their friends living at home with parents, unable to get their own apartments. As a result, they areunsure if they trust this system.The job market has beenlackluster for years. College tuition is at extremely high levels, creatingcorrespondingly high levels of student debt. Older workers are forced to stay in their jobs longer, leaving fewer good jobs for new graduates.When you think of it this way, the mistrust of higher educa tion makes sense. It can seem that the return on investment doesnt justify the money spent.However, this perspective worries me. In todays workforce, a college degree is often considered the minimum threshold for entry. Its similar to how a high school diploma was perceived in previous generations. Without one, a job seeker will likely be at a disadvantage.Very often, the specific degree one has is less important than having one at all. Ask anyone over the age of 40 what they studied in college. There is a decent weg youll be surprised by their answer because theyended up switching fields along the way.When I hear this doubt about the value of college, I think about a number of the older job seekers Ive met along the way. Early in their careers, they were leaders in their fields. They worked at the same companies for years, building up client bases and very large paychecks. Then one day, the industry shifted. The companies they worked for went out of business, and they were out of w ork.Suddenly, these successful, seasoned professionals felt lost. Employers are less interested in them. They have all the right experience and the right knowledge, but they dont have degrees. They dont meet the basic requirements. They struggle to find work that will pay enough to maintain their lifestyles.If youre struggling to decide about college, remember the long game. Education is expensive, but its almost always worth it. Think of how much youd be willing to pay for a new car because ithelps you get around easily. Education gets you places, too.And if college isnt for you for whatever reason, consider a trade program. Additional training will almost always put you ahead of your competition and help secure your future.A version of this article originally appeared in theMemphis Daily News.Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm,Copeland Coaching.

The Best Advice for Committee Interviews

The Best Advice for Committee InterviewsThe Best Advice for Committee InterviewsEverything from where to sit to who to look at during a panel interview.Walking into a conference room and fielding questions from several interviewers can be nerve-racking. Being well prepared and maintaining eye contact with all the members of the committee are two starting points. Here are some other ways that you can impress the panel during a multi-rolle interview.Whos who?To prepare for the interview, you want to find out who is in the room, said Deborah Brown-Volkman, a professional certified coach ( PCC ) and the president of a career, life and mentor coaching company. Sometimes you have people from different disciplines from finance, from marketing, from operations. You want to know something about them so that whenever asked a question you can tailor the answer to their background. You would, for example, answer the marketing guy with a more marketing bend.Kelly Dingee, a sourcing researcher an d executive coach for AIRS, an executive search firm, agrees I am a source researcher. So when I interview, I do (a) background search (on) the people I am talking to. I want to see what their level of experience is. Professional networks can give you some idea of what they are affiliated with and certainly if they have any other associations. If you are an engineer and you are interviewing with an engineering manager who is very active with a certain engineering association, that will give you a point of reference during the interview.Position yourselfYou usually dont know if it is going to be a roundtable or set up as a panel with you exclusively under the spotlight. You need to position yourself and make sure that you are comfortable, Dingee said, because you want to be able to appear at ease even if you are nervous.Actress Deidrie Henry, who this year appeared on television in Three Rivers, Southland and Lie To Me and will soon be seen in the feature film Beautiful Boy, knows so mething about auditioning in front of a committee. She advises job seekers and actors alike to seek out a familiar or sympathetic face. A lot of times when I will walk into a room, there is someone who knows me or knows my work. So they are on my side already, and my immediate thing is to connect with them whether I know them or not and to bring a sense of who I am to the group.Maintain eye contact with everyoneThe simplest piece of advice is to relate the answer to the person who asked the question but include everyone else through basic eye contact, said actor Douglas Dickerman, who appeared on Numbers, Law and Order and on several national commercials and also understands the pitfalls of walking into an audition. Make sure your answer engages not just the initial questioner but everyone else in the room.Dingee also emphasizes eye contact. Maybe the person on the far left has asked the question. You need to make sure that you turn your attention to them but then also make eye cont act, answer the question and look at everybody else. But light back up on the person who actually asked it. Reflect back and make sure that you answered the question completely.Be yourself, but adjust your energyYou might be tempted to play to your audience and tune your personality to the personalities in the room. Dont, said Risalvato.Although you have to appeal to several different personalities, I subscribe to the school of just being yourself, he said. If you try anything other than being yourself, it is eventually going to come up that they were sold on a different person. I dont subscribe to modifying your behavior but be cognizant of the fact that you are in an interview.Be yourself, Brown-Volkman agreed, but kick up the energy level a notch. After all, you are the center of attention, she said raise your energy a fraction, even if the person asking the question has an energy level a little lower than yours.

5 Astounding Perks at Jobs Youve Never Considered

5 Astounding Perks at Jobs Youve Never Considered5 Astounding Perks at Jobs Youve Never ConsideredWhen most candidates are considering applying for a new position, or even accepting an offer, they often ask to review the employee manual and benefits package as part of their well-considered decision-making process. Health insurance, paid time off, parental leave, and even the ability to work remotely are all common considerations.These types of employment package inclusions are all well and good, but some employers go above and beyond when it comes to keeping up morale and providing an attractive workplace. Benefits are one thing but perks, well those are worthy of posting to your Instagram account about. Check out these five astounding perks at jobs youve never considered to see how some employers are definitely extra in rewarding their top talent.Here are five examples of companies offering experience-heavy perks1. Unlimited Free Gourmet MealsCompany Gotham Bar and GrillSure, your c ompany may let you order from Seamless if youve been in the amtsstube for 10 plus hours. If you work at Gotham Bar and Grill, however, a feinschmecker meal is part and parcel. Every day this upscale restaurant serves its employees a special meal from the menu before their shift even begins. Not a bad way to begin a workday if we do say so ourselves. 2. Drive the Bosss PorscheCompany InDemand InterpretingEver seen your companys executive parking space and been envious over the luxury sports car that occupies the spot? At InDemand Interpreting, well-performing employees can claim the car for their own, for an afternoon at least. Employees that go above and beyond are rewarded with the ability to drive the CEOs Porsche Boxster to lunch in an event dubbed the Box Lunch.3. Beer and Burritos in the Break RoomCompany SendGridSendGrid touts on its website the fact that companies trust their service to send over 45 billion absatzwirtschaft emails a month. It takes a dedicated staff to get th at kind of traffic turned around. To fuel its workforce, fridges are kept fully stocked with beer and freshly baked gourmet cookies are a staple. If the addition of free burritos in the break room doesnt tickle your fancy, weekly yoga classes and free gym memberships round out the list of kickass perks at this connectivity powerhouse.4. Free Flights for Your Travel BuddiesCompany Southwest AirlinesIt seems as if Southwest Airlines is a perennial contender on nearly every Best Place to Work list. Its easy to see why when not only do you get to fly yourself free of charge but your friends and family along with you. Given the cost of tickets nowadays, this is one perk that can add up fast and makes vacation planning all the more exciting. 5. Six Months of Paid Leave to Do Whatever You WantCompany DeloitteEvery company has some form of vacation or leave policy. Accounting and finance powerhouse Deloitte takes this perk to the next level. Long-term employees are awarded varying lengths o f paid out of office time. After several years youll qualify for a six-month vacation where youll still get compensated 40% of your salary. This is on top of their generous parental leave and normal vacation packages. Get paid to sit on a beach and drink maithais? Where do we sign up?

Everyone Should Be Short, Accurate, and Interesting

Everyone Should Be Short, Accurate, and InterestingBe Short, Accurate, and InterestingEveryone Should Be Short, Accurate, and InterestingStop the presses The Blog received its very first content critique on Monday, and we like it This is what Im talking about, submitted by Mary L.I think your posts are usually pretty good, but sometimes theyre just too long. Id love to add some comments here and there, but I rarely make it through the original post because its so long. Sometimes theyre just too heavy, also throw a little more humor out there looking for work doesnt need to be so serious all the time. It can be light and fun, tooWe cant help but agree with you, Mary. Sometimes we have a lot to say and get carried away. So wed like to turn it over to you, our readers, to let us know what you like to read and what youd rather we leave out. And the same goes for those of you out there writing your resumes. Let us know whats relevant to youSofor you, Mary, Ill make the rest of this post s hort and (maybe) sweet.Afriend of mine came over this past weekend. A group of us were headed to the 19th Annual Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks and we had over an hour of drive time to get there. So he brought some reading material with him a two-page resume. A buddy of his was looking to get into Public Relations and wanted some tips on tailoring his resume to fit the desired position. So he asked my friend whos been in the PR industry for years to look at it for him.I asked to look at it, too, and had to choke back a laugh. Wait no I did laugh. notlage only was it two full pages of text in 10-point font with very little white space, but this person had never worked in a Public Relations position before. What on earth did he have to say about his non-PR related experience that required two full pages?Im not an HR representative or a hiring manager, but I can tell you that submitting a two-page resume that has very little to do with the industry youre targeting will surely make you the subject of water cooler gossip. As in, Hey, did you see that resume I got yesterday? It took me 10 minutes to readOK, really, that wont happen. Instead, theyll spend 15 seconds looking at it before they toss it in trash.Now Im not bashing this guy for his resume-writing skills. Instead, Im going to praise him for having the common sense to ask his PR-knowledgeable friend to critique his resume before he submits it.And if this scenario sounds familiar, I encourage you to buddy up and ask for help, but only if you really want the job. Otherwise, learn how to turn away every employer with tips from Not Hired.

5 Ways to Run a Greener Job Search

5 Ways to Run a Greener Job Search5 Ways to Run a Greener Job SearchHelp the planet while you hunt for your next job.Happy Earth Day everyone All around the globe, events are being held to raise awareness of climate changes and global warming. While the issue may seem overwhelming, little changes can be made each day to help protect the environment and live greener, more sustainable lifestyles. Here are five ways you can help the planet while you hunt for a new job.Mobilize Your SearchFrom online applications to virtual to-do lists, there are many ways to conduct a job search without sacrificing a ton of trees. Ditch your filing cabinet and switch to electronic files that can be stored on a computer or USB flash drive. Consider uploading your documents to an online service like Dropbox so you can access them anytime, anywhere. Look into apps for your smart device that can take the distributions-mix of other, less sustainable job-search methods.Green Your WorkspaceThere are a number o f ways to make your home office earth-friendly. Set your computer, printer and other devices to energy-saving settings and be sure to power down when youre done working for the day. Plug all your hardware into a power strip with an on/off switch so you can easily turn everything off at once. Put a few plants near your workspace to absorb indoor air pollution and increase the flow of oxygen near your desk. Also opt for recycled paper and sustainable products to organize your area.Opt for Eco Business CardsIf youre currentlyunemployedor searching on the sly, I highly recommend creating business cards that use your personal contact information. Go green by downloading an app to digitize your business cards or purchase business cards made of recycled paper from online retailers such as Etsy or GreenerPrinter.com.Search for Sustainable StylesBefore you head to the nearest mall to purchase an interview outfit, visit your local thrift store or high-end consignment shop and hunt for lightly worn blouses, suits, and other accessories that are good for your budget and the earth. Better yet, shop online studies have shown that online shopping may result in 35% less energy consumption. Additionally, keep an eye out for clothing made of sustainable materials such as bamboo, linen made from flax, organic cotton and organic wool.Commute with Less CarbonReduce carbon emissions by targeting companies that are within walking distance, allow you to use mass transit for your commute, or offer telecommuting options. If youre interviewing for a ort out-of-state, find out if the prospective employer is open to a Skype interview for the first round this will cut costs and your carbon footprint. Pair up with a local peer mentor and carpool to networking events.Small changes can make a big difference over time. Try to incorporate these tips into your job-search strategy to help the planet during your hunt.

Cool Resume Designs Reviews & Guide

Cool Resume Designs Reviews & Guide Life, Death, and Cool Resume Designs Regardless of what graphic you pick, make sure it is of top quality and that it fits with the content of yur resume. Creative Resume Content Whichever creative resume design you pick, the content has to be no problem to find and logically organized. Exactly like the Envato Elements library, there are several templates to select from that it can help to have a range of the greatest choices. It is possible to also use the best resume examples 2016 using the creative formats if youre in the movie business, if youre an actor or whether youre a creative director. Based on the kind of application process youre addressing, it can be appropriate to include samples of your work in your CV. Whats also cool about our hand-picked selection is the simple fact that numerous packages include bonuses like cover letters or company cards. If you believe an on the internet or video resume can help you stick out from th e competition, go for itjust make sure that you have a paper version handy. Have a look at the following to find out more about these creative samples. Things You Wont Like About Cool Resume Designs and Things You Will Its an issue of fact, the range of applicants utilizing creative resume templates is increasing drastically. Its possible for you to leave every one of them as is or customize a small bit as a way to bring a personal touch to the presentation of your candidacy. Because of the huge amount of applicants, some people today opt to decide on an eye-catching application. There are lots of free resume templates readily available on the web but sometimes it can be very tough to choose the best one that is most suited to you. Since you may see, theres a vast range of freebies to pick from. And theres A LOT of unique techniques to customize your resume. A few of the templates are free while others cost a couple of dollars. Get your fantasy job with the assistance of th is absolutely free expert PSD freebie. The Little-Known Secrets to Cool Resume Designs A gorgeous, minimal and user-friendly template you may edit depending on your abilities and experience. Several sites exist specifically to assist you make an attractive visual resume. Its content-packed layout is fantastic for engaging employers with different facts, from experience to education. A gammeln resume needs to be simple to read and attractively designed. The usage of soothing blues demonstrates that you wish to be noticed, without being aggressive. With easy, cool resume templates that you are able to customize and a bright splash of color, this one is an excellent choice for standing out. In any field wherever your personality or expert appearance is a central part of the job, a photo is a great way to demonstrate that off. Georgia is a particularly excellent choice as it was developed to be readily read on a screen. Ruthless Cool Resume Designs Strategies Exploited It d oesnt offer prospective employers with helpful info about you and might hurt your odds of getting work interview. Should you do book one, you will be certain to receive a firm handshake, a limited-edition small business card and resume hard copies. You also receive an absolutely free job interview tracker for a bonus. Infographic-style resumes have gotten popular, and they may be effective when done well. The Advantages of Cool Resume Designs Resume is quite essential for s one who is searching for work. Whats important is to make sure everything on your resume is crucial. Heres the hyperlink to this distinctive template for resumes that youre able to find on Etsy. All artwork and text are totally customizable. This totally free timeline-based resume template was made by graphic designer Patryk Korycki. The entire assortment of resume templates is composed of an array of creative resume designs. If you would like to be a graphic designer, you can showcase your graphic des ign abilities. As you could have noticed, design is only one of several elements in your resume that may capture attention. Each one of our creative style templates offer you a perfectly balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and a little style. Big number of design style will make sure you will discover a resume template that fits with your taste. Most Noticeable Cool Resume Designs You might get your hands on such templates for just $15. Our creative templates make it possible for you to stick out from the crowd. Lets run through 20 different and distinctive creative resume templates that you may use to create an effect. When deciding on the best template for yourself, follow an additional tip, please.

Career Advice from Job Experts

Career Advice from Job Experts Ive always thought that recruiting is just about the most dynamic profession there is. A great recruiter can offer candidates, internal hiring managers, and clients a wealth of geschftlicher umgang expertise, industry knowledge, and real world experience in sourcing talent. Recruiters are in the trenches- they understand the human side of the business and what it takes to get hiring done. They watch candidates progress in their careers, make great career moves and terrible decisions. Through that unique perspective, recruiters develop a finely tuned sense of how to progress a career. With that being said, weve launched a new service on Recruiter.com for career advice. Resume writers, bloggers, executive coaches, and outplacement experts will find it a good way to contribute to their field, help job seekers, and get known in the business. However, Im hoping that those people most directly involved with hiring (corporate and agency recruiters) will also give writing a try. Ive always felt that that recruiters have a lot to teach professionals about finding jobs, managing their careers, interviewing, and getting ahead. Real job experts are made in the trenches of reading thousands of resumes, hiring, interviewing, and filling reqs. We want to hear from you and we know job seekers do as well.Well be updating and adding features to the new career advice section in the coming weeks but let us know if you have any suggestions. We get a lot of interest from job seekers and candidates looking for recruiters and advice about getting jobs this is one way you can offer assistance to those professionals while getting your name out there. Recruiter.com is of course a site about recruiting for recruiters but we hope it can also serve as a platform to showcase your expertise to job seekers and professionals as well.You can check out the new career advice se ction- its brand spanking new, so if you spot anything funky, we would appreciate a note Thanks and hope you enjoy.

3D Printing Houses for Utopia

3D Printing Houses for Utopia 3D Printing Houses for Utopia 3D Printing Houses for UtopiaLast year, the Italian 3D printer company WASP unveiled the worlds largest 3D printer. Its a giant hexagonal tower 40 feet high and 20 feet wide. The size of the machine, which is called Big Delta, wasnt an attempt to get into the Guinness book of world recordsit was more an attempt to get to utopia (WASP stands for Worlds Advanced Saving Project). The printer is made to build homes, in whatever far-flung places might need them, cheaply and of the material found there.No one has ever printed earth and strawwith this first living module we want to prove, even to ourselves, that you can do it.Maurizio Andreoli,WASPs spokesmanWhat we are doing is an experiment that is somewhat extreme, says Maurizio Andreoli, WASPs spokesman. No one has ever printed earth and straw. With this first living module we want to prove, even to ourselves, that you can do it.They are currently proving just that.In a commune called Massa Lombarda, in Italys province of Ravenna, they have begun building in their Technological Village, dubbed Shamballa. They now have produced a wall the height of an average-sized person.The mixture of dirt and straw is light and strong. Image WASPAccording to WASP, its extruder turns dirt and straw that are combined with a mixer and a motorized hoe into a fiber-reinforced material like a composite. The group claims, using its technology, Two men can build a refuge in a week. And that refuge neednt be box-like, utilitarian, and boring. Walls can curve and undulate, homes can be free of corners, so the worlds neediest may end up in the most cutting edge architecture. The shanty towns of the future may be a bit funkier than their predecessors.Their current wall, a rising cylinder that looks as if its been stretched on a potters wheel, is made of two layers bolstered by wavy or zig-zagging lines inside. Beause it is hollow, it could be filled with insulation or some kind of ventilation system. But this first prototype wont be for living in. WASP plans to tear it down and use the fibrous material for building new structures.A BigDeltaWASP 3D printer. Image WASPWASP isnt the only firm trying to print homes or homelike structures. Berkeley Khoshneviss Contour Crafting has been laying down walls for some time. And researchers at the Netherlands Eindhoven University have been printing some groovy structures with their concrete printer. But the people behind WASP may be the most idealistic. They dont patent their inventions, and they invite anyone who wants to contribute to come help them build in Shamballa. They hope Big Delta will eventually be able to help create the 100,000 new homes a day that the UN has said will be needed throughout the world over the next 15 years.Once the prototype is done, we are going to abflug a very intense studio work on other materials, but always in the direction of sustainabilityenvironmentally and economically, says Andreol i.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.Learn more about the latest technologies in 3D printing at ASMEs AM3D Conference Expo.

3-D Printing Vet Terry Wohlers Sees Endless Opportunities

3-D Printing Vet Terry Wohlers Sees Endless Opportunities 3-D Printing Vet Terry Wohlers Sees Endless Opportunities 3-D Printing Vet Terry Wohlers Sees Endless Opportunities Terry Wohlers was there before additive manufacturing was an established industry. He began developing 3-D printed parts 30 years ago, when the technology was still untested. Wohlers, now president of Wohlers Associates, has written more than 420 books, articles, and technical papers, and delivered 150 keynote presentations on five continents. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of his Wohlers Report, which provides an in-depth analysis of the global additive manufacturing industry. Alan Brown, Mechanical Engineering magazines senior editor, recently caught up with Wohlers.ME You were one the worlds first AM consultants. What got you interested in additive manufacturing? T.W I started Wohlers Associates as a rechneruntersttzte konstruktion consultant in 1986 and quickly stumbled across 3-D printing. I contacted 3D Systems, and they sent me a full-scale distributor cap, back in the days when cars had those. I was just astounded, and I thought Wow, if this is really possible, it could be as big as CAD and a perfect complement to solid modeling.Terry Wohlers sees additive manufacturing helping small manufacturers and simplifying various supply bases.ME Then what happened? T.W I started working with the worlds largest manufacturer of in-ear hearing aids to design and manufacture custom-fit devices. They sent me to events. I was like a sponge, soaking it all up and meeting people. One thing led to another, and eventually I was spending almost all my time in additive manufacturing.For You Additive Manufacturing Requires Different ApproachME That was 25 years ago. Whats the biggest change since then? T.W Additive manufacturing is finally getting the respect it deserves. And with that comes investment. Were seeing incredible amounts of money being spent on this technology, such as Strykers $400-mi llion AM manufacturing facility.ME There is a lot of interest in metal AM. Whats going on there? T.W Metal is smoking hot today. There are many new vendors. Where companies previously bought one, two, or three machines to qualify processes, they are now buying five, 10, or 20 machines to go into production.ME Are the economics changing? T.W The prices are being driven down, and they need to be. You can afford to pay $250 per kilogram for materials to get prototypes right, because thats where changes are least expensive in the design cycle. When you get into production, its a whole different animal. Your costs must be closer to conventional materials and processes. This issue is being addressed, but it will take time.ME Are engineers taking true advantage of AMs flexibility? T.W Engineers who used AM for prototyping didnt really change their designs because they still had to produce them on conventional equipment. To use 3-D printing effectively and affordably, you need to design dif ferently. For example, you can consolidate many parts into one, or optimize a parts topology to increase its strength-to-weight ratio. unterstellung are new ways of thinking, and were just beginning to scratch the surface.ME To gain widespread acceptance, new technologies must turn peoples heads. Has 3-D printing done that? T.W GE did it with the nozzle system for its LEAP engine. That was a real milestone, a critical part that cannot fail. Boeing, Airbus, and Stryker are also great examples. Companies can look at them and say, Hey, we can do that, too. But cost remains an issue. When volumes are low and part value is high, it is easier to build a business case around AM.ME Do you believe AM can transform industry? T.W It has the ability to disrupt the supply chain almost entirely. When you consolidate 500 parts down to 10, you can imagine how that might impact your material suppliers, your part vendors, and the people that assemble and test your products. It introduces the possibil ity of doing more local manufacturing and really simplifying the supply base and making things much faster and more economically.ME What do you think will be making news in five years? T.W I hope costs improve to the point where major automobile companies are adopting this technology in a big way for production.Read More Additive Manufacturing Transform Supply Chain Protecting a New World of 3D-Printed Products New 3D Printer Extruder Takes Manufacturing to Next Level For Further Discussion To use 3-D printing effectively and affordably, you need to design differently.Terry Wohlers

Google looking to profit from orphans

Google looking to profit from orphansGoogle looking to profit from orphansA shorter version of Advantage Google, the essay at the back of yesterdays Times Book Review section, might read Dear Judge Chin Please reject the Google class action settlement, Rakoff-style. The proposed deal would settle the suit brought by authors and publishers against Google for copyright violations in connection with the companys digitization of 1000000s of books. Professor Lewis Hyde makes the case that the settlements treatment of books with unknown copyright owners, (orphan works) violates the public side of the copyright bargain. Of more than seven million books scanned by Google so far, four to five million appear to be orphaned.If the settlement is approved, Google will be permitted to sell and otherwise commercialize these works and split the proceeds with a new Book Rights Registry, where the money will wait five years for absent owners to claim it. After five years, all unclaimed funds will be d istributed to the authors and publishers whose works the registry represents. Hyde points out an obvious problemNothing in the history of copyright can possibly allow for such indenture. In no case are third parties meant to profit, as the Google settlement would allow. To let them do so would be like letting an executor drain an estate whose rightful heirs cannot be found.The orphan works will effectively belong only to Google and the other settling parties. It will be almost impossible for any other online player to get the same right to use them. The only way a potential competitor could avoid the threat of statutory damages would be to do what Google did scan lots of books, attract plaintiffs willing to form a class with an opt out feature, negotiate a settlement and get it approved by a judge. Even for those with time and money to spare, that promises to be an insurmountable barrier to entry. Essentially, Hyde fears that if the settlement is approved in anything like its curre nt form, Google will be granted an unlimited monopoly over electronic books.For anyone who hasread this accountof the metadata problems plaguingGoogles digitization project thus far, such a monopoly is an ominous prospect. -posted by brian