Friday, December 27, 2019
Navy Buddy Enlistment Program
Navy Buddy Enlistment ProgramNavy Buddy Enlistment ProgramThe Navy Buddy Enlistment Program provides for the enlistment of small groups of bedrngnis more than four male individuals or four female individuals who wish to remain together for as long as possible during their enlistment. The program should be conducive to stimulating enlistments among high school graduates and others from a local areaand assists enlistees during the transition period of adjustment from civilian status to military status. The length of mutual assignment is determined by the respective category in which each individual is enlisting. Individuals within a buddy group must all be assigned to the same category. Mixing categories within a buddy group are not authorized. A mutual assignment is made in only one of two categories Recruit training onlyRecruit training and assignment to anfangsbuchstabe duty station Buddies Through Recruit Training Only Enlistment in this category is restricted only in that all individuals start recruit training on the same date. Any mixture of enlistment programs is authorized. Recruiters should make clear that recruit training is for approximately 8 weeks and does not include subsequent apprenticeship training. Because of distribution and assignment constraints, women are eligible for this category only. Buddies Through Recruit Training and Assignment to Initial Duty Station Women are not eligible for this category. All applicants enlisting in this category must be enlisted in the Seaman/Airman/Fireman Program and within the same apprenticeship except as indicated below. Applicants must be enlisting in the same branch and class of the Navy (Example All USN or all USNR.) Buddy groups may consist of Seaman and Fireman apprenticeships only (that is, no Airman apprenticeship may be enlisted Buddy with anyone in the Seaman or Fireman apprenticeships for assignment to initial duty station). Seaman and Fireman in a buddy group may not undergo apprenticeship training together, although they will receive orders to the same initial duty station.Airman apprenticeship buddy groups may consist of Airman apprenticeships only.No expressed or implied guarantee may be made that buddies will not be separated by transfers after reporting to their initial duty station. Restrictions on the Buddy Program No buddy group may consist of more than four individuals.No buddy group may consist of more than two individuals when assignment to initial duty station is guaranteed.All members of anyone buddy group must be enlisted on the same day at the same Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) and arrive at the same RTC together.Applicants enlisting under the Subfarer option will not be permitted to enlist under the Buddy Program for guaranteed assignment to an initial duty station. They may, however, undergo recruit training together. Because recruit companies are all-male and all-female, buddy groups must be all- male or all-female. Separation by Extenuating Circumstances All applicants enlisting under this program are assigned to the same recruitcompany and initial duty station as guaranteed by this program. However, recruiters must explain to all who enlist in the Buddy Program that extenuating circumstances may require that they separate during or after, the recruit training period because of Sickness or other medical reasons.Failure to show satisfactory progress in recruit training or apprenticeship training.Failure of one or more of the group to meet the minimum requirements for regular recruit training or apprenticeship training.Change in the coastof choice by any member of the buddy group.Failure to meet minimum water survival qualifications.Acceptance in another program that requires a different flow of duty assignment between completion of recruit training and first duty station (for example, if member enlists in the Seaman/Airman/Fireman and Buddy Programs for guaranteed assignment to initial duty station and s ubsequently elects to extend his enlistment during recruit classification to be eligible for assignment to Class A School). Request of any member of a buddy group to be dropped from the buddy group. Guarantees remain in effect for the other members of that particular group of buddies.Other circumstances resulting in a delay during or after recruit training. InadvertentSeparation Occasionally, administrative errors may result ininadvertentseparation of Buddies. To prevent such situations, recruiters should counsel all applicants enlisted in the Buddy Program concerning action to take when a recruit believes he or she has been wrongfully separated from his or her buddies. Such counseling should include The importance of reporting to the Liaison Petty Officer as soon as possible after arriving at RTC the fact that of being separated from his or her buddies.That in cases of different assignments to recruit companies the recruit should notify the receiving officer.That is thecaseof r eceiving orders to different duty stations the recruit should notify his or her Company Commander. Information derived from the Navy Recruiting Manual (OPNAV 1130.8F)
Monday, December 23, 2019
The best pet-friendly places to work in 2018
The best pet-friendly places to work in 2018The best pet-friendly places to work in 2018At most workplaces, its still only humans allowed. But in an increasing number of workplaces across America, furry animals can co-exist peacefully with human employees. In an attempt to retain top talent, more workplaces are making their offices pet-friendly, because, for some of us, dogs and cats are not just four-legged beasts, theyre important family we want to keep nearby us. Eighty-two percent of Millennials, for example, see their pet as preparation for having a family.If you would be willing to jump to a different job to keep Fido happy, then this new list compiled byWellness Natural Pet Food may be for you. In honor of Take Your Dog to Work Day, they released a list of the top pet-friendly places to work for in America.1) Titos Handmade VodkaLocated in Austin, Texas, this vodka company not only lets employees bring their dogs to work every day, it also has started Vodka for Dog People, a p rogram that fundraises money for animal charities. The goal is to rescue and protect the animals that have come into our lives, many of whom now thrive alongside us at our distillery and office, the company states on its website.2) PetcubeBased in San Francisco, employees at this startup for pet technology get benefits for their beloved pets like pet insurance and dog walkers.3) Harpoon BreweryAt the Boston-based company, a culture of welcoming dogs comes from the top. Harpoon Brewerys CEO, Dan Kenary, is a dog lover who decided to bring that passion to the workplace by allowing dogs in their office every day,Wellness Natural Pet Food states.4) Bissell HomecareLocated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bissells dog-friendly office has a designated Pet Spot for dogs to play and get bathed, and even get special treats like doggy ice cream.5) GlassdoorLocated in Mill Valley, California, the job-review company has about 30 dogs in its headquarters every day,Wellness Natural Pet Food states.But if youre allergic to dogs, dont worry. There are still dog-free places you can find at Glassdoor.We love dogs and are happy to be a dog-friendly workplace, the company states. We also understand that not everyone loves dogs, may have allergies, or simply prefer a place to work without canines underfoot and are happy to provide a few dog-free zones in the office.6) ZooskAt this San Francisco-based online dating company, dogs are welcome every day. In fact, this company loves pups so much it has a pup of the month award. We welcome well-behaved dogs of any stripe, and recognize a pup per month with a special award, the company states.7) ZogicsThis Lenox, Massachusetts-based online shop has a Pawternity policy to give new pet parents an extra week of paid time off. New pet owners also get a gift card to pet stores and a lifetime supply of Zogics Pet Shampoo. Be right back, gotta go adopt a pet.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
An Unreliable Professional Insanity Test
An Unreliable Professional Insanity Test An Unreliable Professional Insanity Test Youre familiar with the oft-invoked maxim Insanity is doing the saatkorn thing over and over again, and expecting different results.Its trotted out and trumpeted by concerned friends or colleagues when you stick with a sales pitch that never works, refuse to switch your cologne when it attracts only mosquitoes, persist in having crackheadforeverdruggie.com as your employment contact email (without ever getting a reply) or dress too casually for all your job interviews, which lead nowhere.However, as career or life advice, that observation is seriously overstated and likely to cause trouble if taken and blindly followed on blind faith, unless the cases in which it is valid are systematically teased out from the ones in which it isnt. For example, imagine how far Thomas Edison would have gotten with the invention of the filament-based incandescent lightbulb if he quit one test shy of the total that exce ed 1600- just one short of his ultimately successful filament test materials test. The Smithsonian history of Edison and the light bulb would never have been written as followsOne tough piece welches finding the right material for the filamentthat little wire inside the light bulb. He filled more than 40,000 pages with elendes before he finally had a bulb that withstood a 40 hour test in his laboratory. (10) In 1879, after testing more that 1600 materials for the right filament, including coconut fiber, fishing line, and even hairs from a friends beard, Edison and his workers finally figured out what to use for the filamentcarbonized bamboo.(Actually, being really smart, Edison probably would have justified such indefatigable persistence on the grounds that no two of the trials were exactly the saatkorn, either with respect to the materials tested or the protocol followed. More on this, below.)The Cases of Stephen King and Mother NatureHow about water-boarding or electro-shocking in terrogators, if they gave up after only two or three interrogations? Then there are the cases of persistent authors, such as Stephen King, JK Rowling who achieved success only after countless submissions of the same writings, through the same kinds of channels, weathering the same kinds of rejection. Is You gotta do the numbers any less valid as a principle of effort? For example, consider Carrie- Kings first (eventually) published novelHis first published novel was rejected so many times that King collected the accompanying notes on a spike in his bedroom. It was finally published in 1974 with a print run of 30,000 copies. When the paperback version was released a year later, it sold over a million copies in 12 months. (Excerpt from The rejection letters how publishers snubbed 11 great authors?, The Telegraph, June 5, 2014)Even Mother Nature hardly treats the insanity principle as axiomatic. Consider metal fatigue Is it insane to expect a piece of metal to break cleanly after being repeatedly bent and straightened the same way, even though that doesnt happen on the first dozen attempts? Reverse the question Is it insane to be concerned about possible metal fatigue in engineered structures?Statistically Insane?What about a statistical version of the insanity principle?- It is insane to do the same thing over and over again, yet to expect a different result iin more than X% of the attempts. At what value of X does persistence or repetition become nutty? For example, mailing out fliers advertising your job listings and employment services- is a 1% response rate rationally justifiable? In cases like these, in which rationality is gauged in terms of cost-benefit ratios or differences, or break-even points, it is easy to calculate the net gain, loss or break-even response rate- in terms of sales and deals- required to cover the costs.However, in scenarios that lack an easily calculated, monetized measure of net gain or loss, the statistical insanity principle beco mes harder to specify a value of X for. Suppose you know in advance that 1,000 auditions are required on average to land the kind of part you want in a Broadway musical. Is it insane to try even once, let alone 999 times?You could try to tally transportation, head shot, wardrobe, waiting, opportunity and other costs, weighed against the cash and other rewards of landing a part, but the calculation is unlikely to be clean and simple. Besides, there is the (delusional) cockiness that convinces you that the average stats and odds apply only for average people, not for you. This latter consideration can be crucial and serves as a reminder to be as objective and precise as possible when estimating ones own chances, lest the form of insanity that you succumb to is delusional, if not purely statistical.The usefulness of any principle or proverb is bounded and defined by its proper domain, the boundary and background conditions prerequisite for its truth and applicability, and by the instan ces and domains in which it does not hold. A comparison of Haste makes waste and He who hesitates is lostwith respect to the domains and boundary conditions in which they do and do not hold- will amply illustrate that fact.So, what about the repetition-based insanity test? What are the prerequisites, boundaries, conditions and domains in and under which it it does (or does not) hold?Maximal specificity condition Revisit Edisons experimentation with light bulbs and their filaments. If each experimental trial with a filament type differed from the others in some critical way, e.g., degree of electrical conductivity of the material or the material itself, then Edison could not be accused of doing the same thing and expecting a different result, even though at a more abstract level of description he was indeed doing the same thing over and over again- namely, testing light bulb materials to find a winning combination.Hence, a necessary condition for the repetition insanity test to apply to a given case is that the trials be described with the degree of specificity that prima facie warrants conducting them in the first place. If there is no degree of descriptive specificity that distinguishes the trials from each other and the trials are yielding the same (failing) results, a preliminary warrant for calling the persistence insane exists (without being either conclusive or sufficient).Fatigue and threshold dynamics Any series of repetitions that, although as actions are identical, create hidden states (e.g., observable only through micro-measurements or by means of very sophisticated technology or analysis), such as metal fatigue, may be eminently sane- either for the purpose of proving or creating such an effect or of proving it does not exist (when testing flexible wing joints to ensure that the same null result of no snapping is obtained).Neuronal excitation is another illustration of this phenomenon Is it insane to repeatedly stimulate a neuron in the attempt to get it to fire when every isolated attempt to do so fails? No, not if the repetitions are fast enough to create a threshold firing effect. (In this instance the frequency or speed of the repetitions and pulses is a crucial prerequisite or boundary condition for justifying the persistence and repetitions.)Theres nothing crazy about doing that. (A similar line of argument can be framed for critical mass and synergy phenomena- namely, that persisting in adding yet another bit of something, a different result, e.g., uncontrolled nuclear fission, a camel with a back broken by the last straw, or team-based brainstormed success, will eventuate.)Quality control Suppose you manufacture parachutes and decide to test every one of them, e.g., in a wind tunnel or through tensile-strength tests, to ensure safety and reliability. Youre doing the same thing over and over again, but are you expecting a different result? No, youre hoping you dont get one- and are prepared to take steps in case you f ind a defective chute. That seems to be a clearly sane thing to do.But wait- if it is insane to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result, isnt it arguably equally insane to persist in doing that to ensure you dont get a different result? Thats because the same assurance that you rationally should not expect a different result is an assurance that there is no rational need to test for a different result, quality control or no quality control. From the stanpoint of this line of argumentation, running exhaustive quality control tests should be as insane as testing a pail of golf balls to see whether they fall 32 feet/sec2 when released from a given height or sniff testing your egg salad every 10 seconds.However, exhaustive quality control testing is not insane, even though it is costlier than statistical random sampling, at least when the stakes and liability of producing even one defective item are unacceptably high. It may be argued that parachutes and golf balls are different, because some of the former have failed to open, whereas no golf ball has ever failed to fall as predicted by the laws of gravitation and free fall.The takeaway from this line of argumentation is that the sanity of persistence may have to be defined in statistical terms, per the discussion above, with specified threshold probabilities of failure or exceptions determining the degree of sanity or insanity of persistence.If, despite my analysis, you persist in believing that it is insane to do the same thing over and over again, but expect a different result, try re-reading this article many times.You may be surprised by the resulteven though, despite the misattribution of the insanity principle to him, Einstein wouldnt.
Friday, December 13, 2019
The Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Becoming a Full-Time Freelancer
The Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Becoming a Full-Time FreelancerThe Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Becoming a Full-Time FreelancerIs Freelancing Right for You?Is a freelancing career really right for you? Make sure before you take the leap For many professionals, becoming independent and being your own boss is a dream. Developing your own successful business practice gives you a certain sense of security no one can fire you, no one to answer to, and things are done your way. This is the ultimate desire of a large segment of professionals, especially amongst the millennial generation. In fact, the McKinsey Research on Independent work revealed that 70 percent of independent workers chose to become free agents. The question, though, becomes this How many of them actually succeed at having a solid professional freelance career?Do you have what it takes to become an independent freelancer? If this is something youre interested in, here are some questions that you n eed to ask yourself before taking the leap towards a freelancing career.Do you have the financial support to launch your freelance career?Becoming a freelancer rarely begins with an already-established flow of revenue. Sometimes you are lucky and you are in the situation of moving from your full-time job to a freelancer position, bringing with you a solid customer relationship. But fruchtwein likely, you will have to take the leap into freelancing with no certainty of where your next months income is coming from. So, either start freelancing as a moonlighter (at night and on weekends) to get established or make sure you have the funds to support yourself for a few months. Financial support can come from your own savings, your family, or a bank credit line, but know that you will most likely need to finance yourself for three to six months until you reach the required income.Have you explored sources for potential clients?Becoming a freelancer is like starting your own business it re quires a business plan. You need to understand the market you are targeting and identify the potential customers and their profile. What is your value proposition that distinguishes you from the competition? How are you going to reach your potential market? How are you planning to sell your services? Do you have a marketing budget, or are you planning to make cold calls? Do you have a developed network to reach these potential customers? One way or another, marketing your skills on social media and freelance sites, sending emails, or calling requires a budget in dollars and time.Have you projected your potential revenue?Before launching your business, it will be wise to understand your potential revenue. At the end of the day, you are selling your time, and time is limited. So as parte of building your freelance plan, you need to understand the rate at which your skills are sold in your market. You should project your revenues by estimating the number of hours you will need to work to reach your target. But this is not all Dont forget to subtract the cost of operating a freelance business. You will require strong internet, a business phone, accounting software, an accountant or bookkeeper to file taxes, a computer, and a marketing budget. You might even want to consider renting a co-working space which, in addition to giving you a space to work, are a great place to network and get you out of the house. With that, does the bottom line still make financial sense to you?Do you have the complementary soft skills to become a freelancer?Once you have determined that there is a market for your technical skills, that you have the financial means to support yourself, and that your financial projections are acceptable, you must now ask yourself if you have the other additional skills required to make a successful career out of freelancing. A freelancer is another type of entrepreneur. You might not need to manage people, but you do need to be self-motivated. You must a lso be efficient with the limited time you have, have some sales skills to trommel up business, and be able to negotiate your contracts. Negotiation skills are key as well you will need to sharpen your negotiation skills to get the most value possible from each mandate on every new contract.Freelancing is not for everyone, but it is certainly for many. Some figures in the recent McKinsey study show no fewer than 94 million people in Europe are currently engaged in independent work in one form or another, while an additional 50 million are estimated in the U.S. If you have decided to make the leap, just make sure you are willing to do what it takes to become a quasi-entrepreneur.Is your resume ready to be posted on freelance job boards? Check with a free, objective resume critique now Recommended ReadingFreelancing is the New Black Tips on Becoming a FreelancerResume Tips for FreelancersFreelancing Tips Supplement Your Nine-to-Five
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Why Nobody Is Talking About Server Job Description for Resume
Why Nobody Is Talking About Server Job Description for Resume Server Job Description for Resume - the Story Nowadays Web Developers have a couple of potential career path alternatives. To make a productive objective for the server resume is to understand what the employer is searching for in the most suitable person for the position. A server may also acquire a related course or degree to be in a position to land a greater status in the geschftlicher umgang. Most people arent fully equipped for the job of creating a resume that meets all the criteria listed above which is the reason why a professional resume writer is necessary. The need is for a group of men and women who can dedicate their talent in the business and to appreciate their work. An extra reason process servers are a crucial portion of civil society is to be certain that legal papers are served in a very powerful and proper fashion. DevOps engineers are a fairly elite group, therefore it is not surprising that w e found a smaller quantity of businesses creating that title. Want to Know More About Server Job Description for Resume? Below is a succinct overview of your duties and obligations youll have as a Server for Xyz. Servers also finish a wide range of other job duties too. When you make a dishwasher job listing, you should consist of details about the dishwasher abilities and requirements youre searching for and the duties applicants will be expected to manage. A work description guarantees that there isnt any duplication of tasks or duties. When youre interviewing candidates for a position, its vital to be sure you get a crystal clear description of the essential qualifications and duties needed to do the work properly. If you wish to secure a good job within this sector then you have to craft an expert CV objective that attracts employers attention at the very first case. Choosing Good Server Job Description for Resume To be productive, you need a love for people and relish making lasting connections with customers. Previous relevant work experience is frequently a requirement. For someone without experience, youve got to concentrate on your abilities and qualifications. The most essential part of the job is achieving excellent quality in a budget and keeping high standards of hygiene and client satisfaction. Server Job Description for Resume - the Story Our resume builder makes it simple to create an in a couple of minutes. Attempting to locate new ideas is virtually the fun pursuits. however, it can as well be irritated when we cannot discover the essential idea. When its part-time or a whole career, we would like to make sure to get whatever you want out of your Ruby Tuesday experience. Job descriptions should have a list of essential bodily requirements essential to carry out the work, with information specific to the specific restaurant. The Little-Known Secrets to Server Job Description for Resume One of the chief reasons you have to kn ow the server job description whilst in the hotel and catering industry is that you might have to watch performance evaluated business. A prosperous food server is continuously mindful of time, therefore its important to highlight your capacity to think on your feet. Even though a basic serving job is fairly simple to find, servers who need to work in nicer restaurants want in order to demonstrate their abilities and experience. If you adore connecting with people and want to find a job with flexible scheduling, a career as an IHOP server might be a fantastic option for you. An internet developer is accountable for planning, building and maintaining a sites infrastructure. SQL Server is well known for its usability and is among the most liked tools in the community due to its user friendliness. This work description template gives a general summary of the varieties of skills and capabilities an expert SQL Server DBA should possess. Find out mora about SQL Server within this in sightful blog now The Unexpected Truth About Server Job Description for Resume Most times, you take drink orders from various tables at the very same time, so keeping a note of the variety of drinks taken is important whenever it regards the bill. The IHOP server job description has a wide array of perks including money in your pocket in the kind of tips along with discounts on food purchases. Prior auto sales experience isnt required, but might be a plus. You will also monitor the servers in order to be sure theyre meeting the restaurants in-house standards for professionalism and assistance. Type of Server Job Description for Resume As soon as its very probable that you comprehend the fundamental duties of a restaurant server, you might not know precisely how much work and skill enters the job. Therefore, while one may find tons of chances to begin their career for a waiter, they have to settle for the mediocre workplaces where there are actual openings. Interestingly, a standard practice is to allow two people to jointly use the waitress job description and duties. To learn mora about openings in your region, have a look at the IHOP employment page. Once you have produced a dishwasher description, take some opportunity to examine our dishwasher interview questions. Restaurant server job description may also consist of many distinct duties, which might depend on type of restaurant in which theyre employed. Many servers start with working as assistants, and to succeed on the job they ought to be familiarized with general restaurant data in case the guests ask for anything which isnt linked to the food or menu, such as, for instance, a guest asking for a new knife. Chilis servers offer customer attention to restaurant patrons.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Reducing Risk Hiring Startup Employees - Spark Hire
Reducing Risk Hiring Startup Employees - Spark HireRunning a geschftsleben will always include a fair amount of risk. Entrepreneurship itself combines the risk-taking ability of an individual with factors of production to generate profits. Entrepreneurs, however, should aim to mitigate controllable risk wherever possible. One of the biggest risk factors for entrepreneurs and startups comes when hiring new employees. Guidelines are put in place to ensure the hiring process is fair for all candidates. Aside from that, employment laws must never be overlooked in order to prevent lawsuits and protect employees. By establishing the following precautions, new employers can reduce the risk that comes with hiring new members to the team.Avoid Bad HiresEmployees are a key and valuable resource for daily geschftsleben operations. If this resource fails, it can lead toward many business problems. A big risk is taken when hiring someone without any work experience. For a startup, this decision s hould be reconsidered. If a candidate has any prior experience, however, then its better to do some homework by conducting background checks and contacting references. These checks help provide a better picture of how this particular person has performed over the years.Reference ChecksSpeaking with previous employers will shed light on things the candidate may not say in their interview. One question that I believe should always be asked is, Would you re-employ this person in the future? The answer to this question should pretty much sum up the reference. See these tips on how to conduct a proper reference check.Take caution as some people may provide false references. Before making a call, check the references LinkedIn profile and consider calling them on the companys landline number where they work. hintergrund ChecksTechnically speaking, making calls to the provided references is considered a background check. However, this investigation goes a bit further by looking into credit checks, criminal records, and verification of educational certifications. This process must be initiated with the candidates consent. When doing a background check, make sure to check only for the information relevant to the candidates projected job title. For example, it is usually only necessary to do credit checks for those applying for a position where they will be handling finances. Employers must also comply with the federal, state and local laws that limit the type of information attained in a background check. If something concerning is uncovered during a background check, its usually a good idea to let the candidate explain the situation before making any decisions. Check out this infographic to help create an effective policy for screening potential employees.Comply with Employment LawIts essential companies comply with all employment laws. Failure to do so can not only result in hefty fines for the offending company but also result in the eventual shutdown of a business. These laws are related to all aspects linked to employees, including working conditions, compensations, and anti-discrimination practices. Entrepreneurs may overlook these laws or try to fly under the radar for one element of regulation or another. Therefore, some useful advice for all business owners is to consult a lawyer or attend training sessions that teach employers to comply with all employment laws. Handbooks are available with all the codes listed that youre required to follow. A best practice all new business owners should adopt is to issue an employee handbook. This handbook should highlight all the safety measures, rules and regulations that need to be followed by all individuals employed in the organization. As stated in this article by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), this method protects the business and employees since it was already made clear what to expect during their tenure. Institute Fair Practices from the StartIn order to avoid playing an unfair game of favorites, opt to produce sound policies that benefit the workforce as a whole is a good idea. These policies can be made in regards to working hours, code of conduct, use of company equipment, working conditions, etc. Yes, some employees may have more privileges than others, but this should only be the case when following an organizational hierarchy. This hierarchy should clearly include everyone from a senior manager to a machine operator. Consult your local small business helfende hand organizations and legal council to ensure a fair working environment.Fair practices are useful for keeping employee turnover rates low while creating a robust and efficient atmosphere to work in.Wrap UpStartups can be difficult to run as they require double the amount of time and effort a healthy, thriving business needs. Frequently, many business owners lose dedication and end up closing down their business due to heavy losses. However, thats just part of the risk that every entrepreneur n eeds to take. But focusing on these 3 areas of risk when hiring new employees helps prevent entrepreneur burnout.About the AuthorHaku Kapule is a contributing editor at 365 Business Tips, a new blog that prides itself on presenting the best advice and practices for small and medium-sized businesses everywhere. Hes passionate about finding and offering useful tips to small business owners. Haku is an expert in digital PR and absatzwirtschaft strategy and has assisted with the increase of digital presence and customer support for small and large companies alike.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Job Search Advice for Combat Vets from the Founder of SilentProfessionals.org
Job Search Advice for Combat Vets from the Founder of SilentProfessionals.orgJob Search Advice for Combat Vets from the Founder of SilentProfessionals.org Veterans have a unique set of skills that make them successful contributors to the American workforce. From soft skills like leadership, clear communication and tenacity to hard or technical skills like coding, financial analysis and proficiency in multiple languages, veterans have many tools in their arsenal that make them ideal job seekers and candidates.However, many vets face obstacles finding the job that fits their new lives. Combat veteran Adam Gonzalez can attest to the limited job options, hiring manager stereotypes, and the overall job search confusion that his fellow brothers and sisters in arms face.In my own case, the challenge welchesnt that I felt I was too good for the jobs I worked, the problem was in the fact that the only jobs for which I was considered were mindless jobs, says Gonzalez frankly. And combat leadership is anything but a mindless job.This is one of the reasons why Gonzalez founded SilentProfessionals.org, a private security job market. Silent Professionals acts as a translation authority between veterans looking for jobs and recruiters looking to hire unique veteran skill sets.While most of our job requisitions are coming from the defense and private security sectors, we are slowly garnering the attention of other industries such as the oil and gas, hospitality, and tech sectors. Some outstanding examples of companies that have been embracing combat veterans are Halliburton, Amazon, General Electric, US Customs and Border Protection, Hilton Worldwide, and others.As we celebrate Veterans Day this month, we spoke to Gonzalez about Silent Professionals, his job search advice for veterans and what hed tell companies about the power and professionalism of combat vets.Glassdoor Why did you start SilentProfessionals.org?Adam Gonzalez After having faced my own diff icult transition from over a decade of combat, I reflected on the challenges so many veterans face in seeking meaningful employment. This is when I created SilentProfessionals.org a job marketplace specifically for military and law enforcement veterans.I realized that the way companies characterize veteran skill sets are poorly and narrowly defined and almost binary in nature. If you are a veteran with any clearly definable administrative skills, this might fit you into low to mid-level administrative roles in the private sector. If you are a veteran without clearly defined administrative skills, then this translates to a non-thinking and non-decision-making role.In my own case, the challenge wasnt that I felt I was too good for the jobs I worked - the problem was in the fact that the only jobs for which I was considered were mindless jobs. And combat leadership is anything but a mindless job.Making decisions being decisive while taking full and sole responsibility, are skills and/or qualities that are squashed in large swaths of corporate America. After all, it is extremely uncomfortable to make decisions or let others make decisions when the stakes are high. What if the decision is wrong? Who will shareholders blame?Combat veterans, on the other hand, make life or death decisions multiple times a day on a daily basis. The stakes are always high and if a decision is wrong, then self-blame is inescapable. These are the skill sets that hiring managers have difficulty translating to their job requisitions since these qualities are largely absent in corporate cultures.Our veterans today bring a unique spectrum of skill sets to the workforce and, if well-utilized, will be a great boon for our country and economy. Companies are beginning to embrace this idea but are challenged in figuring out how this resource pool can benefit their organizations and how to find the right candidates for the right jobs.Glassdoor What are some of the common challenges vets face in trying to find what you call a normal person job? What are 5 to 7 skills combat vets have that translate into the work world that they may bedrngnis know they have? How can they make their skills translate to civilian life?Adam Gonzalez I think there are great generalizations made in how people think of veteran hires based upon some overarching stereotypes some positive, some negative. The truth is that veterans span an entire spectrum of capabilities, experiences, knowledge, character, and so forth. In public conversations, I hear people talk about hiring veterans as a positive thing. But in private conversations, I hear people speak mora about the challenges of hiring veterans. For the most part I believe that the challenges hiring managers have in assessing veteran candidates have to do with a translation problem.The magnitude in which each individual veteran develops any one skill set varies greatly, but veterans offer more valuable skills to the civilian workplace than th ey might initially imagine.Whether military or civilian, just about anyone inherently recognizes that military veterans have intangible, or soft, skill sets (i.e. leadership, sense of duty, commitment, etc.) that would prove invaluable in any workplace. The problem with soft skills is that they are defined and valued differently by every individual since these are characters and experience-based qualities, making it difficult to quantify. As a result, soft skill sets (arguably the most valuable skills in the workplace), are evaluated secondary to hard skill sets in the recruitment evaluation process. Most commonly, for any job requisition, recruiters have a checklist of skills and credentials for which they are seeking in a candidate . Without these major hard skills filled, there is a high likelihood that you may not even make it through the first round of evaluations.This is why it is even more important for a veteran to first communicate their hard skills as they relate to the job being sought after. Some military occupational specialties (MOS) within branches, such as Finance, Quartermaster/Logistics, Aviation, and others, have more directly translatable hard skills in relation to the civilian sector than others however, veterans from a combat arms MOS feel greater difficulty in selling their skill sets and finding a meaningful and fulfilling job.The good news is that most veterans, regardless of MOS, possess critical and widely fungible skills that can serve well in any number of industries and job roles and are, therefore, highly marketable. The bad news is that veterans often translate their skills in a way that falls flat in corporate recruitment processes.I hear it all the time from veterans, I dont know how my skill sets translate and this is where the core of the problem lies. People often think of translation only in its literal definition and attempt to do a one-dimensional column-A-to-column-B direct match. But translation is actually a hig her form of two-way communication requiring a degree of fluency in two languages, including cultural and contextual implications.For example if the job requisition to which you are applying is a business development role at company X, do you fully understand what this means within the context and culture of company X? While the job description may be seemingly written in plain-English, chances are that, unless youve worked for that company in the past, you might understand the description differently than what company X is actually seeking. The fact is that every company has its own language, culture, and historical contexts.If you feel overwhelmed or even unqualified for a job when reading through a job description, veteran networks and social media (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) make it easier for transitioning veterans to reach out to people who work for the company and/or department in which you may be interested. Silent Professionals acts as a translation authority between v eterans looking for jobs and recruiters looking to hire unique veteran skill sets. But dont be afraid to reach out directly to people who work for the company in order to better understand the context and culture of the job role in question. Be professional and ask for clarity in areas where you are unclear. Is a degree or certain certifications required? Try to understand why these are requirements for the role and how these are valued relative to other requirements. Try to get a sense for any difficulties they may be having in the company or department as well as the successes that they achieve and highlight (ALL companies have both). Gaining a broader perspective in these areas will do wonders in helping you see the job description in a different light additionally, youll also find it becomes easier to help you focus your resume and CV on highlighting specific examples in your military career where you played a direct role in solving similar problems or achieving similar succes ses.For veterans who feel lost in the job search process itself, my advice is to first ask yourself, What type of job and lifestyle do I think would be fulfilling for me? If you are unsure of how to answer that question, dont be afraid to reach out to fellow veterans who you feel are fulfilled in both their jobs and home lives. With the nation being at war for over 16 years, the community of veterans in the civilian sector is larger than ever and represented in every segment of corporate America. SilentProfessionals.org can help you find your footing if youre running into a wall.Glassdoor Can you share one or two of the stand out examples or vets who have been hired through SilentProfessionals.org?Adam Gonzalez Absolutely, although its difficult to pick just one or two individual examples of veterans who are shining examples of recent hires through SilentProfessionals.org. Recently, we had a client request resources that could help secure their staff and guests at hotels in Puerto Rico, post-Hurricane Maria. We ended up hiring and sending 32 combat veterans to assist in a growing humanitarian crisis. Temperatures were well into the upper 90s and 100s, with high humidity, and little to no essential resources like water, fuel, electricity, or food. Every single brde member of our hired team of combat vets took it upon themselves to bring extra essentials and medical resources to the disaster-stricken island, and even saved a life of an individual who suffered a massive heart attack. These duties were well outside of their job descriptions, but combat veterans do not see their duties restricted to their own silos when dealing with real-world crises. In addition to performing their stated duties, our teams were able to professionally assist the client and local authorities under harsh operating conditions and long 18-20 hour days.Glassdoor What should companies know about hiring vets? What would you tell companies if you have 15 minutes to make your case for h iring combat vets?Adam Gonzalez Proportional to the population of the entire work force, very few non-veterans ever serve in direct leadership roles. When most civilians think of the concept of leadership, they think of the person in charge. We know as veterans that leadership is not a role rather, it is a blend of character traits, behaviors and actions that every servicemember is expected to develop and demonstrate every day throughout their careers. This is also why it is a critical part in every Soldiers performance evaluation. As they say in the military, to be a leader, you have to first learn how to follow. There is not a recruiting team out there that isnt having a discussion about the challenges of leading and managing millennials in the workforce.My wife, a West Point graduate, was quickly hired by ExxonMobil Corporation when she discharged from active duty service back in 2008. The company disclosed to her that they faced a huge challenge in filling a mid-level leadership gap. They were looking for with people with demonstrated leadership skills who could effectively bridge the gap between senior leadership and the newest generation of hires. They looked towards US tafelgeschirr Academy graduates as the test pool for solving this problem. And it worked.When it comes to enlisted veterans, many people secretly (or not so secretly) view it as a path reserved for those without a promising future otherwise. This couldnt be farther from the truth. People join the military for a myriad of reasons. Levels of intelligence and abilities span the entire spectrum however, seldom did I meet a service member who didnt have good reason, or ambition or purpose in serving.Im not claiming that all veterans are rock stars, but the ones that are will knock your socks off in just about any way you can imagine. A veteran isnt entitled to a job after serving however, its worth it to give them a chance to present their case. Unfortunately, without checking off the boxes on certain credentials, a veterans name wont even make it to the list of possible candidates on a job requisition.Glassdoor Can you share 5 to 10 companies who embrace combat vets and set the voreingestellt you hope other companies follow?Adam Gonzalez I initially envisioned my job board as an efficient way to reach quality candidates to resource the jobs I needed to fill, being the Director of Operations for a small private security firm. But this rapidly grew beyond my initial vision. Other colleagues began asking for help in finding people to resource their job requisitions. Shortly after that, other companies were referred to me to help find the right skilled resources that were too difficult to find through other methods.While most of our job requisitions are coming from the defense and private security sectors, we are slowly garnering the attention of other industries such as the oil and gas, hospitality, and tech sectors. Some outstanding examples of companies that have been em bracing combat veterans are Halliburton, Amazon, General Electric, US Customs and Border Protection, Hilton Worldwide, and others.With less than four months running, Silent Professionals has put over 450 combat veterans to work in meaningful jobs. This may not be an impressive number to some, but a number isnt always what matters. When it comes to finding good people, having the right stuff is everything. We hope to expand our reach to companies who havent typically looked at hiring combat veterans in this fashion.Glassdoor Lastly, what are 2 or 3 pieces of advice youd give combat vets who are currently job hunting and interviewing at companies?Adam Gonzalez Interviews are not multiple-choice tests. While an interviewer may have a mental checklist of specific points he or she is looking for a candidate to fulfill, the point of an interview is to get a better sense for how you think, solve problems, and how you will play a positive (or negative) role in the organization. Veterans b ring many strengths to the table, and while you should directly answer the interviewers questions, its important that you give the interviewer deeper insight into your own rationale and values.The mid and senior-level leadership in our armed forces are of distinctly different generations than the newest (and also largest) segment of our military. But principles of leadership are timeless and generational challenges have little influence in the creation of strong, cohesive and driven teams.Directly answering your interviewers questions while providing contextual experience-based examples will demonstrate your leadership (and followership) abilities and values, which will certainly set you apart from other candidates who may largely lack these types of experiences.One word of caution dont frame your views in a way that portrays veterans as better than non-veterans. Everyone has a unique set of skills and veterans bring their own unique set which can be valuable, just as civilians bri ng theirs. Many companies are actively seeking to incorporate the skill sets that veterans potentially bring to a civilian workforce. As such, veterans should take an active role in helping companies better interpret that potential.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
The Managers Guide to Understanding Strategy
The Managers Guide to Understanding StrategyThe Managers Guide to Understanding StrategyStrategy is one of the key disciplines of management, complete with its own vocabulary and tools and no shortage of expert opinions on what it means and how to best develop it. And like everything else in management in this era of accelerating change and increased volatility, ur understanding and our approaches to developing and executing on our firms strategy must evolve as well. The purpose of this post is to help you understand the concept of strategy and some of the key terms. Bringing Strategy to Life with Your Favorite Restaurant Think about a special restaurant in your life. Perhaps its wzu siche you and your significant other go on your anniversary. Or, perhaps its the go-to location for great local cuisine when you have out-of-town guests staying with you. Regardless of location, your favorite restaurant has made some key choices, including Menu, including style of cuisine and feature d or rotating specialsTypes of customers they are most interested in attracting and retainingPricingLocationAmbiance or feel, including dcor, lighting, noise level, temperature and moreExperience, including the tone and tenor of the host or hostess and waitstaff. These and other key decisions reflect the restaurants core strategic choices. And of course, since there are so many options for us to choose from for eating, ranging from staying home to all manner of casual, fast, fine-dining, independent or chain restaurants, the owner makes her decisions based on her targeted customers and taking into account how she wants to be unique or different from competitors. Its the choices of what to do and what bedrngnis to do, focused on a specific audience that defines the restaurants strategy. The same goes for your firm. An independent, high-end, fine-dining restaurant targeting an affluent audience interested in a great dining experience will not offer a discount or budget menu option. Th e pricing will reflect the core strategy and audience. What Strategy Is Not In the corporate world, strategy is often a term and concept that is widely misapplied. For example Growth is not a strategy, its an outcome. Our strategy is simple. Were going to grow by 20% for the next three years. This is definitely not a strategy.Lofty goals and numbers such as, Over the next five years, well move from 1,000 to 10,000 customers, or, Well move from 10-percent to 40-percent market share, are not strategies.Your companys mission statement isnt a strategy, although, it is often a factor in choosing strategies.Strategy doesnt have to be something all-new or never-been-done-before. Its a misnomer that strategy must equal innovation. What Strategy Is and What it Provides It is a description of how your firm is going to find and keep customers.It is a description of how your firm is going to establish a meaningful (in the minds of customers) difference versus your competitors.It is a s eries of coordinated actions in pursuit of building anadvantage over your competitors with specific customer targets.It is a description of how your firm will compete and win.It is a description of how your firm will make money.A clear strategy provides a filter for decisions. It helps decide what your firm will and wont do. A clear strategy provides a playbook for everyone in a firm on selection actions, investments and setting goals. What a Proper Strategy Includes Theres a great book on strategy we encourage all managers to read and keep, entitled Good Strategy/Bad Strategy The Difference and Why it Matters. Author, Richard Rumelt, does an outstanding job offering a clear, simple description of the components of a good strategy. These include 1. The Diagnosis A clear assessment and statement of the situation. Imagine that you are suffering from a number of ailments and you go to a doctor for help. Your doctor will spend time assessing many different factors before arriving at a diagnosis and certainly before selecting a treatment. The same goes for corporate strategy, where a team will work to assess and describe the current and expected future conditions in their markets. 2. The Guiding Philosophy Drawing upon the medical example, after completing a diagnosis, your doctor will suggest an overall approach for dealing with your ailments. In a corporate setting, we do the same with strategy. After assessing market and customer conditions and our own firms situation, we define a general approach that will help us compete and win in select markets with specific customer groups. 3. The Coherent Actions Your medical treatment regimen will include a series of specific steps or actions designed to cure or minimize your malady. In a corporate setting, we define the specific, coordinated actions necessary to implement the guiding philosophy. Thats it. The explanation is simple, but the development and execution of a strategy are by no means simplistic. The Bottom-Line for Now While strategy is filled with terms and approaches and tools and discussed mostly by executives, consultants, and academics, you dont have to let the topic frighten you away. On the contrary, the most valuable and successful managers and leaders work hard to simplify this complex topic and help their teams and firms develop clear, relevant and widely understandable strategies.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
9 Companies With Cool Benefits Perks
9 Companies With Cool Benefits Perks9 Companies With Cool Benefits Perks Transportation subsidies, tuition assistance, pet insurance, 3 months parental leave- companies today are offering some pretty enticing benefits and perks. Whether youre looking for a contract gig with benefits, an geschftszimmer with cycling classes during lunch, or just want to bring your dog to the office, here are nine awesome companies with cool perks.Survey Monkey Benefits & Perks In April, Survey Monkey announced that contract workers and vendors will now receive employer-sponsored medical, dental and vision plans, 70 hours of vacation leave per year, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a monthly subsidy of up to $260 for public transit. Open Roles schlussverkauf Compensation Manager, Finance Manager, Director of absatzwirtschaft Web, Sales Engineer, Senior Salesforce Administrator, Marketing Analyst & more. What Employees Say Frequent exposure to upper management, collaborativ e & supportive work environment, work perks (unlimited vacation, flexible work hours, gym, free breakfast/lunch, 16wk maternity leave, 4 week sabbatical after 4 years) positive fun people - Current Product Marketing ManagerExperian Benefits & Perks Paid time off including flexible time off (15 days per year for those with less than two years of service, 20 days off for those with 2-6 years of service), 5 sick days annually, 10 company-paid holidays. Employee extras including voluntary benefits programs, education assistance, corporate discounts, adoption assistance, tax free commuter passes & more Open Roles Data Analyst, Senior Project Manager-Scrum Manager, Senior Financial Analyst, Senior Performance Engineer, Graphics Designer, Automotive Account Manager, Analytics Consultant Lead (Remote) & more. What Employees Say The company supports work arrangements that allow for life balance and they offer amazing benefits. - Current DirectorPeloton Interactive Benefits & Perks Peloton offers a top-quality health care package, commuter benefits, maternity/paternity support, a 401k program, and more. We work hard but always make time for some fun, like office happy hours, team rides, and company-wide events. Pelotons ride anytime ethos extends to our team, too. Ride for free in our NYC studio, or on our in-office bikes. Open Roles Sales Specialist, Strategy Associate, Brand Manager of Acquisition, Member Support Associate, Director of Global Communications, Senior Manager of Demand Generation, Manager of Member Experience, Sales Specialist, Showroom Leader, Warehouse Associate & more. What Employees Say Excellent pay for work involved. Really fun product to sell. Home riders are awesome and after awhile I had not only met amazing people but made a lot of friends. - Former EmployeeActivision Benefits & Perks Activision has considered every facet of their employees lives when crafting the benefits program. Perks include tuition assistance, up to $5000 of adoption assistance, fertility and new parent support, ergonomic benefits, veterinary pet insurance and even legal assistance. Open Roles Video Editor, User Research Moderator, QA Tester, Senior DevOps Systems Engineer, Product Director, Designer, Lead Data Scientist, Manager of Software Engineering & more. What Employees Say Proud to work for one of the best companies in the gaming industry. - Current EmployeeWVU Medicine Benefits & Perks The eight hospital-system in West Virginia will begin offering tuition reimbursement for employees and their children this fall. WVU aims to hire 200 nurses and will also offer free housing to some of its nurses as part of its commuter program. Open Roles Home Care Registered Nurse, Anesthesiology Technician, ICU Registered Nurse, Hospital Coding Specialist, Pharmacy Care Coordinator, RN Clinical Manager, Ambulatory Care Assistant & more. What Employees Say Excellent work environment, and able to work your schedule how you need to. - Current EmployeeInstacart Benefits & Perks In addition to discounts on Instacart deliveries, full=time employees enjoy annual retreats, weekly events, free lunch and dinner. Plus, the San Francisco headquarters boasts a yoga room for stretching and unwinding. Open Roles Director of Product, Strategic Partner Manager, Junior Analyst, Senior Data Scientist, Quality & Risk Operations Associate, Operations Research Scientist & more. What Employees Say Tremendous scope of responsibility- you can have as much impact as youre capable of generating. Colleagues are very humble and smart and well-intentioned. - Current EmployeeTrupanion Benefits & Perks Our office contains two pet playrooms that allow dogs to exercise and socialize with other pets during the day. Each dog receives one walk per day, provided by the five in-house dog walkers on staff. We have a Pet Emergency Team, made up of mostly former veterinary technicians, who respond to animal pet issues if they arise. Open Roles Digital Marketing Acquisition Specialist, Regional Director, Account Manager, Retention Specialist, Customer Care Specialist, Territory Sales Manager, Accountant & more. What Employees Say Open atmosphere. Strong message of be yourself. This is evident in no dress code, people are truly individuals within the walls of Trupanion. - Current Account ManagerRyan LLC Benefits & Perks Employees working in a regular, full-time capacity (minimum of 30 hours per week) are eligible to take time off at their discretion, guilt free, consistent with the needs of clients and the Firm, as long as their work gets done. Because Ryan measures performance on results achieved, not hours worked, traditional vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO) programs are not in place for exempt (salaried) employees. Open Roles Senior Data Engineer, Consultant of Property Tax Compliance, Communications Director, Consultant of Sales and Use Tax, Administrative Assistant, Senior consultant of Credits and Incent ives, kundenbeziehungsmanagement Coordinator & more. What Employees Say myRyan (our program for work-life balance) is what sold me from the very beginning and it has been everything I hoped for and more The ability to work from home and take off when needed for vacation, appointments, general life/home maintenance makes me feel appreciated and respected as an employee. Im so grateful to have a CEO and manager who understand and respect that we all have lives outside of work - Current EmployeeOpendoor Benefits & Perks Opendoor offers flexible PTO, 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both parents, plus they provide catered meals, personal growth stipend, and regular game nights. Open Roles Software Engineer, Data Scientist, City Launcher, Senior Brand Designer, Technical Program Lead, Salesforce Developer, Operations Manager SF, Recruiting Coordinator & more. What Employees Say Ridiculously high caliber talent across the board. Empathetic leaders. Team members that go above a nd beyond to be supportive and collaborative. - Current Employee
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