Underwater Drone Hunts Coral-Eating Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Underwater Drone Hunts Coral-Eating Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Underwater Drone Hunts Coral-Eating Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Underwater Drone Hunts Coral-Eating Crown-of-Thorns StarfishThrough the azure waters of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia, slowly glides a killer. Its body, tubular and yellow, about a meter in length, hovers over its victim, unsuspectingly sprawling atop a coral formation. Once it zeroes-in on the target, the killer pauses brieflyand then dives down quickly, striking the prey with its protruding stinger like some sort of underwater wasp.The whole encounter takes just five seconds.Within a few hours, the injected poison takes hold, not only killing the victim but also causing it to fall aparte limb by limb by limb.The killer is neither an insect nor a rare marine monster. Its not even a living thing.It is instead an autonomous underwater robot equipped with artificial intelligence software, built by Matthew Dunbabin and Feras Dayoub, who study and build autonomous ordnungsprinzips at the Institute for Future Environments at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.Dunbabin and Dayoub built it to help fight one of the biggest marine disasters in progressan outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, the voracious coral-eating organisms that are decimating the Great Barrier Reef faster than that it can rebuild itself.You can think of it as a Starfish Terminator robot, although its creators opted for COTSBot, a personenname derived from the acronym for the crown-of-thorns starfish COTS.Editors Choice Solving World Hunger with 3D-Printed FoodHaving a few COTS feasting on a large coral reef isnt a bad thingthey are natural inhabitants of the sea and keep fast-growing corals at bay so that the slower species can flourish, too.One COTS feeding on 2.5 acres of coral, or about 1.5 football fields, wont do much damage. Fifteen COTS feeding in the same space is considered unsustainable.During outbreaks, an acre can have doub le and triple that, and even more, says Ciemon Frank Caballes who studies COTS ecology at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. You can have a carpet full of COTS covering the reef, he said. We have seen that on the Great Barrier Reef over the years.Register today for ASMEs Offshore Wind SummitMatthew Dunbabin (left) and Feras Dayoub in the lab where they developed an underwater robot to assist efforts to save the Great Barrier Reef. reputation Queensland University of TechnologyThe consequences are severe. About 40 percent of all coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef over the past 30 years is due to crown-of-thorns starfish. The exact reasons for outbreaks are still debated, but there are several theories. They could be triggered by agricultural runoffs that fuel algae blooms, which starfish larvae feed on. Or they could be caused by the lack of COTS predators, which menschengerechts have overfished over the years.It could also be that COTS are simply excellent breeders. E ach creature can lay 65 thousand eggs, Dunbabin said. And you need a really small number of eggs fertilized to create a really big problem.The Australian government employs a gruppe of 15 divers who scout for COTS on the reef and inject them with poison to keep the numbers down. The reef, however, stretches for about 1,500 miles and covers much more area than the British Isles, far more than the divers could ever hope to reach.COTSBot can stay underwater for up to eight hours at a time and can search and destroy in the dark, which is an advantage because starfish are nocturnal creatures and actively feed at night. The robot can carry two liters of poison, enough for 200 lethal injections.The kollektiv doesnt think COTSBot will replace human divers, but rather work alongside them. There are limitations in terms of depth and how long divers can stay in the water, Caballes said. Thats where the robot has a very good potential.The bot also has a slightly different modus operandi than hu mansfor example it doesnt wander about like divers, but scouts within a set area and moves in straight lines.Were not trying to replace the current method, but rather facilitate upscaling of the current tools, Dunbabin explained.Designing a HunterCOTSBot has undergone a number of changes since Dunbabin began working on the project in the early 2000s. Back then, destroying a starfish required injecting poison into each of its arms, and the spiky, sprawling crown of thorns starfish has 20. It was a job too complex for an unmanned underwater vehicle, so initially, the robots role was surveillance, spotting the starfish and reporting their location to human divers.Dunbabins early detection algorithm identified crown-of-thorns starfish by their spiky texture. The bot reached about 65 percent accuracy, but improving on that was difficult. Some corals are themselves spiky, and COTS often nestle in between corals.Readers Choice Seven Coolest Rescue RobotsSo Dunbabin and Dayoub switched tact ics, looking for shape, structure, and color instead. Dayoub gathered hundreds of starfish pictures from YouTube and other sites, and used machine learning techniques to teach the robot to recognize the culprit. That was a bit tricky too. Most COTS pictures were starfish glamor shots aimed to draw tourists rather than terminator bots. The team needed shots of real starfish in their natural settings.We put GoPro on the divers equipment and got a huge number of images that way, Dunbabin said. It was really valuable data.While the machine learning system was boning up on starfish identification, there was a breakthrough in the COTS killing method. Researchers at James Cook University found that starfish are allergic to bile, a substance that humans and all vertebras produce as part of their digestion to break down fat. COTS are so allergic, in fact, that one injection of bile was enough to make the starfish fall apartquite literally.Rather than developing a simple robotic spotter, rese archers realized they could create a complete killing system equipped with a pneumatic injection system, the robot could not only detect but also terminate the starfish.Testing the detection and termination systems was easier said than done. COTS venomous spikes can produce harmful stings, so tossing a few of them into a tank for prototypes to take stabs at wasnt a safe option.Listen to ASME TechCast latest podcast Breakthrough Could Bring New Cancer TreatmentInstead, the team 3D-printed a bunch of imitation starfish, based on a few live specimens observed in a local museum, and set up a fake reef covered with starfish on the labs floor. The robot sat on a stand, with its camera looking down, and signaled to the team where it wanted to move next.Eventually, however, the machine learning tool was so adept at identifying real starfish that it rejected the 3D models as too fake to bother with. The team had to up its game. Instead of 3D-printed models, they covered the floor with sticke rs of the starfish photographs taken by the divers GoPros. Those photos included not only easy-to-see starfish lounging on top of corals but also ones embedded so deeply that it wasnt worth trying to inject them. (If the bot missed and got its needle lodged in the corals, divers would have to be dispatched to extract it.)That worked much better, aside from some slight property damage, Dunbabin said. If I wasnt careful and I had the injection system too low, it was injecting right through the vinyl, he chuckled. We put a lot of holes into our floorAfter some additional testing in the sheltered waters of Moreton Bay near Brisbane, COTSBot was ready for the Great Barrier Reef.The arm of the COTSBot can extend 0.9 m down from the robots body. At its tip is a syringe filled with starfish-killing bile. Image Queensland University of TechnologyReach Out and JabIn the water, the COTSBot glides along the reef, scanning in search of starfish to terminate. The robot has to maintain a fairly na rrow band of distances above the tops of the coral get too close to the reef and the optical system loses focus, go too high and the pixels bleed together so that the vision system cant distinguish between coral and starfish. The optimum distance, the researchers learned, was 1.1 m above the top of the reef.There was one problem the COTSBots injection system can only extend 900 mm, or 0.9 m, from the body of the robot. What the robot can see, it cant reach. What it can reach, it cant see clearly.To get around that limitation, the team programed COTSBot to perform a drop down sting move.Once it detects the starfish, it will drop to the 900 millimeters, fire the injection system to hit the starfish, retract, and go back up to the flying altitude, Dunbabin said. The maneuver takes about five seconds from start to finish.If we were flying at 900 millimeters all the time, wed have a big chance of hitting coral and getting stuck, Dunbabin said. That little bit of extra space is the safety margin we need. And it improves the vision.Register today for ASMEs Offshore Wind SummitBy now, COTSBot has a 99 percent accuracy rate, having done several hundred runsusually about 20 runs per day, injecting many starfish. But one starfish terminator isnt really going to make a difference against thousands and millions starfish chewing at the reef. Its going to take a fleet of robots. Thats where cost becomes a factor, the team says.Dunbabin is a bit hesitant to reveal COTSBots current price taghe doesnt want to scare off potential funders. But, he adds, the cost is about to drop down significantly. The next generation COTSBot will be about eight times cheaper. The team is actively working on that model, dubbed RangerBot, right now. The goal is to produce the bots for between $5,000 and $10,000 each.The price drop is possible because the team realized COTSBot could function without a keybut expensivepiece of equipment. The robot has been using acoustic sensors to measure velocity relative to the seabed. Sonar systems, which have traditionally been used underwater instead of cameras because of poor lighting, cost about at $35,000 each. But the water in the Great Barrier Reef is clear enough that cameras work just fine.Read More on Engineers Inspired by Animals How Elephants Use Their Tails to Chase Away MosquitoesWith vision we are looking at the seabed and we estimate how far we moved along that seabed, and we can tell how far away objects are, how far weve travelled and at what speed, Dunbabin said. We replaced the functionality from acoustic to vision and we got surprisingly good results.Equipped with six thrusters, two stereo camera systems used for navigation and detection, RangerBot will be smaller, more maneuverable, and hopefully affordable enough to build a fleet. The idea is that RangerBots would rid the reef of as many easy-to-reach COTS as possible, and then the divers would pull other starfish out of crevices with hooks and finish them off manual ly.I hope well make a difference, Dunbabin said.Lina Zeldovich is a freelance writer based in Woodside, N.Y.Read Latest Exclusive Stories from ASME.org Five Job Interview Questions Young Engineers Can ExpectPenn Engineering Creates Super Strong Porous Metal6 Ways Engineers Heal a Broken HeartOnce it detects the starfish, it will drop to the 900 millimeters, fire the injection system to hit the starfish, retract, and go back up to the flying altitude.Matthew Dunbabin, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology

The Civil War and the Birth of the US Prosthetics Industry

The Civil War and the Birth of the US Prosthetics Industry The Civil War and the Birth of the US Prosthetics Industry The nations veterans hospitals are experiencing a surge of patients returning home from military service in Iraq or Afghanistan in need of prosthetics or orthotics. Although the magnitude of their injuries is heartbreaking, it is also inspiring to see how far verlottern prosthetics technology has come in its ability to restore mobility, dignity, and hope.The connection between armed conflict and major advances in medical device engineering is hardly new. As the U.S. marks the sesquicentennial of the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War this year, todays situation recalls trends of 150 years ago, when the brutality of that conflict spawned a revolution in the design and mass production of artificial limbs.Many of the prosthetic technologies helping todays combat veterans owe their existence to innovations and federal programs dating back to this tumultuous period of American history.Although designers were producing artificial body parts as early as the 1500s, the field did not advance significantly until the spike in demand in the 1860s. The key drivers of progress deadlier bullets and government money.Diagram of the Mini Ball. Image courtesy of the Smithsonian.Maximum Damage with the Mini BallThen as now, advances in weaponry fueled advances in medical technology. The introduction of the Mini (or Minnie) ball, one of the first practical rifle bullets, was a transformative event in the history of prosthetics. The Mini was made of soft lead with a hollow base that expanded when fired. Upon impact, the bullet caused large, irregular, and slow-healing wounds.Most physicians of the era were woefully inexperienced in surgery, and were no match for the devastating injuries that these powerful new weapons inflicted. With some 70% of Civil War wounds affecting the limbs, amputation quickly became the treatment of choice in battlefield surgery. A primary amput ation was easier, faster, andwith a mortality rate of only 28%safer than other treatment options. More than 30,000 Union soldiers and 40,000 Confederate soldiers lost limbs between 1861 and 1865, said Robert Gailey, Ph.D., P.T., a professor of physical therapy at the University of Miami School of Medicine and a researcher at the Miami VA Medical Center.This prosthetic leg was found in Woodhull, Illinois. The sculptural leg is made of hand-carved wood, leather, and hand-forged iron and zinc.The Great Civil War BenefactionRecognizing the alarming number of amputations resulting from combat, the U.S. government unveiled the Great Civil War Benefaction, a commitment to provide prosthetics to all disabled veterans.With the lure of government sttze, entrepreneurs began competing for a share of the growing prosthetics market. This new arms race was characterized by far-fetched advertising claims about the comfort and utility of the latest artificial limb, Gailey said.In fact, few available devices were comfortable and most veterans found crutches to be a better alternative, he said.Wood and steel were the materials of choice for replacement limbs until about 1863, with the introduction of the cosmetic rubber hand. Rubber offered an attractive alternative to rigid materials in terms of its resiliency, flexibility, and somewhat more natural appearance. Early models featured fingers that could move under pressure, with enough lifelike action to hold small objects like a fork or pencil. For added utility, some models allowed the wearer to remove the cosmetic appendage from the forearm harness and replace it, Swiss Army knife-style, with various hooks, brushes, sawing attachments, or other accessories.James Edward Hanger. Image courtesy of Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics.Birth of an IndustryIronically, the person who launched the era of modern prosthetics was also the first documented amputee of the Civil WarConfederate soldier James Edward Hanger. Hanger, who lost his l eg above the knee to a cannon ball, was first fitted with a wooden peg leg by Yankee surgeons. Unhappy with the cumbersome appendage, Hanger eventually designed and built a new, lightweight leg from whittled barrel staves. Hangers innovative leg had hinges at the knee and foot, which helped him to sit more comfortably and to walk with a more natural gait. Hangar won the contract to make limbs for Confederate veterans. The company he foundedHanger, Inc.remains a key player in prosthetics and orthotics today.The Civil War-era commitment to support veterans continues today through programs of the VA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to ensure ongoing progress in prosthetics design.The Civil War marked the end of the era of wooden peg legs and simple hooks. The war set the prosthetics industry on a course that would ultimately lead to todays quasi-bionic limbs that look like the real thing and can often perform some tasks even better.Fortunately, todays veterans and other amputees have a wide array of advanced prosthetics to help them regain much of their original mobilityand in many cases, their original appearance. From robotic arms that respond to movement impulses from the brain to marathon-tested carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, todays artificial limbs are restoring independence, productivity, and dignity to severely wounded veterans.Michael MacRae is an independent journalist.The Civil War marked the end of the era of wooden peg legs and simple hooks. The war set the prosthetics industry on a course that would ultimately lead to todays quasi-bionic limbs.

Job Seekers, Diagnose Whats Ailing Your Job Search

Job Seekers, Diagnose Whats Ailing Your Job SearchJob Seekers, Diagnose Whats Ailing Your Job SearchIf youve been looking for a new job, but havent gotten much traction, it is time to diagnose whats working and whats leid working. Throwing your resume on mora sites, applying to more jobs or meeting more people might make you feel more productive. But the best way to re-prioritize your search is to determine what isnt working. Start by asking questions about how you perform some basic job search activities. 1. How many jobs did you apply to last month? You should be tracking your applications, so you can keep track of the resumes and cover letters you use. Did you customize your materials for the job opportunity? A resume that doesnt match the job description will be overlooked. Before you applied, did you look for someone inside the company you could speak with or use as a referral? Referred candidates are the most likely to get hired. After you applied, did you follow up with huma n resources or someone inside the company to find out when the interviews would begin? Finally, and most importantly, how many calls have you received as a result of submitting the applications you sent out? If the companies youve applied to havent contact you, its pretty clear that your resume and cover letter are the problem. Invest time in revamping these materials by asking people you know to provide feedback. 2. How many people did you meet last week? Purposefully reaching out and meeting with people is a great way to expand your network and gain valuable information and advice. If you did meet with people, how many have you followed up with by sending a thank-you note or connecting with on LinkedIn? The answer for both questions should be all of them. If not, it isnt too late. In order to gain value from your network, you must keep in touch with the people you meet. Your first meeting is like a first date. In order for the relationship to grow, you will need to stay in touch and have a second meeting. The next logical question is how many people did you re-connect with last week? If you dont reach out after the initial meeting, people are likely to forget about you. You need to stay top-of-mind. Professional association meetings or group events can be beneficial for meeting new people in your profession. Have you attended any? Check your local paper or talk with people in your profession to see which groups they recommend. Job search must involve human contact. Your goal is to incorporate more of this into your search. 3. Besides the job boards, where are you finding jobs? Not every job is posted to a job board. Have you created a list of companies you would like to work for? Most companies post jobs on their own website under a career or jobs page. Are you following these companies on LinkedIn and Twitter? Do you subscribe to their company blog? More companies are using social media to connect and engage with potential employees. Following a company o n social can help you learn more about the company and meet people online who work there. If you havent created a list of companies, you may be missing opportunities posted on their website or shared through social media. 4. How many third-party recruiters have you submitted your resume to? Some companies prefer to work with outside recruiters. Have you contacted any third-party recruiters that specialize in filling jobs in your field? In case you didnt know, third-party recruiters work on behalf of the company, not you, so dont expect them to find you a job. You can identify appropriate recruiters by talking to people in your profession and ask which recruiters they would recommend. It is important to follow up with recruiters after youve submitted your resume, just as you would if you were applying any other job posting. If recruiters arent contacting you after youve submitted your resume, you may not have enough of the right experience or you may not have made the right first im pression. Either contact the recruiter and ask for feedback or diversify the pool of recruiters you are reaching out to. 5. How many interviews have you had since you started your job search? Chances are, youve had one or more in-person interviews. But how many times were you invited back for a second interview? In todays market, it is unrealistic to think that every interview will convert into a job offer. However, if nobody calls back after a phone screening or in-person interview, it usually means you need to work on your interviewing skills. Polish your skills by role-playing with a colleague. Even practicing your interview answers out loud can make a difference. 6. Are you socially savvy? Social media is a big part of job search today. Do you have a LinkedIn profile that is 100 percent complete? A strong LinkedIn profile is one way more people can see who you are and what you are capable of. Do you have more than 100 connections on LinkedIn? If not, your limited network isnt as likely to be helpful. Expand your connections to reflect the number of people you already know in real life. Are you using any other social networks? Do you have a personal website or blog? Have you included links to your profiles and personal website in your email signature? Companies are either researching you or searching for you online. You want to make sure they can find an appropriate representation of the professional you. If you dont know the answers to some of these questions, its time to start tracking your activities and results. You cant fix your job search if you dont know whats broken.

Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation

Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee OrientationTips on How to Provide a Better New Employee OrientationYour new employee orientation is a make em orbreakem experience, for a new employee. At its best, the process of new employee orientation solidifies the new employees relationship with your organization. It fuels their enthusiasm and guides their steps into a long-term positive relationship with you. It helps you retain the employees that you most want to keep. Done poorly, your new employee orientation will leave your new employees wondering why on earth they walked through your door. This lays the foundation for a negative employee experience of your job and organization- why go there when the war for excellent talent is escalating? Picture this scenario, which plays out every day in organizations. Your companys new employee orientation program has slick, pre-printed handouts. The programs savvy, friendly presenter uses good visuals such as overhead transparencies and a w hite marker board. Participants receive a guided tour of the facility. The hundred-page employee handbookis safely tucked under their arms. Yet the average employee feels bewildered, overwhelmed, and far from welcome. Not your intention at all Whats missing? How can you take your program from simply orienting to integrating your new hire? Remember That Your New Hires Are Human Many new hires question their decision to change companies by the end of their first day. Their anxieties are fueled by mistakes that companies often make during that first-day new employee orientation program. These common mistakes include Overwhelming the new hire with facts, figures, names and faces packed into one eight-hour dayShowing boring orientation videosProviding lengthy front-of-the-room lectures andFailing to prepare for the new hire by providing appropriate equipment such as a laptop and adequate assignments so the new employee feels as if they have jumped right into the work of the new job.B efore you completely revamp your present new employee orientationprocess, ask yourself the following question What do you want to achieve during new employee orientation? Whatfirst impression do you want to make? A companys positive first impressions can cement the deal for a newly recruited employee. Those positive strokes can also speed integration and productivity. Research shows that good orientation programs canimprove employee retentionby 25 percent. The Ideal Orientation for Your New Hires Dr. John Sullivan, head of the Human Resource Management Program at San Francisco State University, concludes that several elements contribute to a world-class new employee orientation program. The best new employee orientation Targets goals and meets them,Makes the first day a celebration,Involves family as well as coworkers,Makes new hires productive on the first day,Is not boring, rushed or ineffective, andUses feedback to continuously improve. Make Employees Say During NEO I Am Welcomed, Therefore, I Belong Most organizations are great at celebrating the departure of a beloved coworker. Why are organizations often so awful at welcoming a new employee? Think about arranging a party to welcome the new employee. Celebrations produce enthusiasm. Have you experienced starting a new job only to have your coworkers and supervisor ignore you during the first week? If so, you understand the effectiveness of even a little enthusiasm. Some simple celebration methods might include a letter of welcome signed by the CEO, a company t-shirt signed by all department members, and a cake with candles on the employees first day. Involve families in the celebration. Schedule a welcome luncheon or dinner for spouses and families during the employees first month. Old-fashioned welcome wagons were once used to deliver goodies to new members of a community. You can establish your own welcome wagon. Freebies that aid the new hire in his job will reinforce the belief that company e mployees are glad he is there and want him to succeed. As an example, a map showing nearby eateries is helpful and appreciated. (An invitation to lunch from coworkers each day during the employees first week is even more welcoming.) Go one step further than providing a map of the facility and the parking lot. Provide your new person with a photo of himself in the parking lot, in front of the company sign. Visuals have a great impact. Prepare for Instant Productivity From Your New Hire Employers frequently overlook the most fundamental question of the new recruit. He wants to know how his work impacts his department and ultimately, the company. Your new employee orientation should include an overview of each departments function. Include information about what specifically goes into each department (inputs) and what comes out (products). Provide examples of how these functions relate to the employees job. Spend some time during the new employee orientation allowing each person to examine how his new job and its responsibilities fit in. Discuss the expected contributions and how they will help the company. Be sure to point out how new employees can offer feedback for making improvements. Examine your new employee orientation program from the perspective of the new employees. Anticipate their anxieties, as well as their questions. Provide a glossary of company acronyms, buzzwords, and FAQs so they dont have to ask the most basic questions. Distribute a help source card that provides the names and email addresses of people who are pre-designated for questions. You may also want to assign a departmental berater to assist with questions and the new employee orientation process during the employees first month. Manage the Integration of Your New Hire Ideally, the new hires immediate manager will participate in part of the new employee orientation. A fun way to incorporate the supervisor is in the style of the old Newlywed Game. The supervisor has to guess how he thinks his new employee will answer questions. If answers match, points are awarded for prizes. For an effective new employee orientation process, many companies expect the supervisor to provide the departmental, and work-specific orientation. The Human Resources department handles the company overview, the handbooks, the benefits, and other basic information. But, then, the supervisor takes over. On the first day, a new employee should meet with his new supervisor. The meeting should include a plan for specific training. Both the supervisor and the new employee are encouraged to share their expectations for the job, including fears or reservations each may have. The manager keeps the meeting positive and adjourns with the new hire started on a meaningful assignment. Avoid the mistake of allowing the new employee to sit idle. (In some organizations, the Human Resources group helps with the design of a checklist, which assists supervisors to provide a thorough orientation.) Ev aluate the Success of the New Employee Orientation Good training programsask for participant evaluations. At the end of your new employee orientation, offer a brief,five-questionsurvey focused on the presentation. Follow up with a survey that focuses on content in ten days or so. Encourage feedback about what information the new employee would have liked to have received during the new employee orientation program. Find out what information was overload or unneeded. Incorporate the suggestions to improve your new employee orientation program. First impressions of your organization, both good and bad, are made the first day. Decide the objectives of your new employee orientation program. Meet those objectives honestly and positively. Successful integration will happen only if your new employee decides he has made a wise decision to join your organization. Your effective new employee orientation can help make or break that decision. A Positive Example of a Successful New Hire Orie ntation The best new employee orientation was instituted at Edgewood Tool and Manufacturing, a small stamping plant near Detroit. Every manager who hired a new employee was required to write a 120-dayorientation plan for the new employee. It involved one action a day. Actions included meeting the Director of Quality, calling on a customer and having lunch with the CEO. You can bet that the new employee was thoroughly welcomed and integrated into the organization after 120 different orientation events.

These are the states with the highest 3-month cost of living

These are the states with the highest 3-month cost of livingThese are the states with the highest 3-month cost of livingLosing your job isnt fun.Shocking news there. But stuff happens. Whether it be your company downsizing, a program being cut, or maybe you overslept one too many times, people lose their jobs every day.So, in the event that you were to lose your source of income, how much should you have saved to survive in your state? We found out for you.States with the highest 3-month cost of livingHawaiiMarylandCaliforniaNew YorkAlaskaNew JerseyVirginiaMassachusettsWashingtonConnecticutUsing theMIT living wagecalculator, we gathered data to see how much you should have saved to survive three months of unemployment in each state.Summary of findingsHawaii is the most expensive state to survive in its paradise, you get what you pay forMaryland and Alaska are a couple of surprising entries in the top five most expensive statesThe least expensive group of states are ones youd probabl y expect Kentucky,South Dakota, andArkansasrank as the easiest ones to survive inAlthough it isnt a state,Washington, DCis the most expensive region to be unemployed in youll need to have nearly $7,000 saved to survive in the nations capital for three monthsHow we did itUsing MITs living wage calculator, we did some pretty simple math to put this study together.We divided each states annual average of food, housing, transportation, and other groups by 12. We then multiplied those numbers each by three to get the three-month average for each group.We left out medical expenses because we thought, if youre unemployed, unless youre on the verge of death, hospital visits probably arent at the top of your to-do list.Important note, all of our numbers are from the perspective of one adult living by him or herself. No spouses, no kids, just you. So this is how much you would need to have saved to live for three months in each state.Thisarticlefirst appeared onZippia.

A Guide to Marketing Intern Resume

A Guide to Marketing Intern Resume Marketing Intern Resume at a Glance Hiring managers in the advertising area will wish to be informed about your achievements and successes with your advertising and absatzwirtschaft campaigns. Successful absatzwirtschaft and advertising executives can drive business and boost growth through innovative small business solutions. It is a very popular career choice for many people. Your marketing resume should contain keywords which will be searched by marketing managers if youre searching for suitable applicants. Try to remember, the web is an awesome resource for recruiters and if you dont want to devote massive amounts of maintenance upon directionless job boards, at this point you have the skills it requires to locate forgive Digital advertising Resume Sample. Contract digital marketing and advertising providers resume samples. Building business relationships is a significant facet of several successful advertising and marketing executives. Choosing Good Marketing Intern Resume Events or Conferences Attended Event and conference attendance shows you own a passion or robust interest in a specific field. Linda made the experience quite effortless, with good communication abilities. Internships provide the chance to develop professional abilities and relationships with experienced museum mentors. Work experience for an established non-profit organization. This list of questions is meant to help you start to recognize a number of the global understanding, skills and experience you may possess. Which digital advertising abilities and certifications will really make a difference. You might need to include certain examples that demonstrate pro qualities. Present your preceding expertise in chronological order and offer details of your function in every position. Meta descriptions permit you to influence the way your web pages are described and displayed in search success. If youre prepared to start your own market ing and advertising intern resume, our large catalog of downloadable resume templates is wholly free. With comprehensive examples of what sorts of information to include in each individual section, selecting content to utilize in your CV could be easier. Then write or have blog posts written on the exact same key phrases and tap in their traffic. Want to Know More About Marketing Intern Resume? My capacity to drive the achievement of corporate advertising and marketing targets and objectives is certain to make an immediate and positive influence on Indizone, and I would welcome the chance to continue to hone and expand my marketing and advertising skills through a hands-on internship with your business. In the end, you will get broad knowledge in marketing and ought to be well prepared to enter any fast paced work atmosphere. Digital Guru In todays technology-driven world, a thriving advertising and marketing executive should live on the leading edge of technology and be famil iarized with all sorts of platforms. A high level advertising executive should have the ability to garner support from business leaders in all levels of an organization. By intern you accept using cookies in agreement with our cookie policy. Affiliate marketing, to use a single example, is a good endeavor for someone who would like to make money on a part-time grund or to supplement your already existent income. Reading advice from seasoned digital marketers, you are going to observe certifications come up again and again. Things You Wont Like About Marketing Intern Resume and Things You Will If you opt to try it, you should simply list the jobs you have held in the authentic work experience section. With digital marketing encompassing such a wide selection of areas, youre always likely to need to choose what sorts of skills to emphasize. If you want more help crafting this section, look at the experience parts of the inventory management resume samples displayed. Organiz e and maintain efficiency of private work region and 5S zone. What You Must Know About Marketing Intern Resume You will be astounded at the number of small music businesses are thriving in every city and state. You should have a very clear job example as you will need to come up with your government resume. Still, there are numerous strategies to show what you could do to help your employers by offering background information on your education, extracurriculars, and achievements. The best employers out therell be prepared to train you and let you grow professionally with them. The most essential part of an internship resume is making aya the abilities and experience you do have, while you might be very early in your career, are excellent for the job that you need to do. You would like a good internship resume that you could adapt and update for future opportunities. Customize your resume for the various internships youre applying for. An excellent internship resume is tai lored especially for the job that you want.

EI or IQ Employers Weigh In

EI or IQ Employers Weigh In A new survey by Careerbuilder, a global leader in human capital solutions, has found that 71 percent of employers value emotional intelligence in an employee over IQ. Emotional intelligence, of course, refers to ones ability to identify and manage emotions in such a way that leads to higher performance or increased problem solving. Employers were also asked why they valued Emotional Intelligence (EI) over IQ. Their answers in order of importance were as followsEmployees with high EI are more likely to stay calm under pressureEmployees with high EI know how to resolve conflict effectivelyEmployees with high EI are empathetic to their team members and react accordinglyEmployees with high EI lead by exampleEmployees with high EI tend to make more thoughtful business decisionsThe survey suggests that economic uncertainty has factored into employers willingness to hire and r etain emotionally anspruchsvoll workers. 34 percent of hiring managers said they are currently placing greater emphasis on emotional intelligence when hiring and promoting in a post-recession environment. 59 percent of employers said they would not hire someone with high IQ but low Emotional Intelligence. Additionally, when employers were asked which hypothetical worker they would rather consider for a promotion, 75 percent said they were more likely to promote the high Emotional Intelligence worker.The competitive job market allows employers to look more closely at the intangible qualities that pay dividends down the road like skilled communicators and perceptive team players, said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. Technical competency and intelligence are important assets for every worker, but when its down to you and another candidate for a promotion or new job, dynamic interpersonal skills will set you apart. In a recovering economy, employer s want people who can effectively make decisions in stressful situations and can empathize with the needs of their colleagues and clients to deliver the best results.

5 tips to maintain balance for working adults going back to school

5 tips to maintain balance for working adults going back to school5 tips to maintain balance for working adults going back to schoolYou have goals and dreams. You have ideas for transforming your career through higher education. You also have a life. Going back to school when you have other major responsibilities is certainly courageous and worthwhile, but it also may be one of the most difficult things you ever do.Here are five tips to help maintain your balance (and your sanity) while juggling school and the rest of lifes responsibilities.Set small, actionable goals that align with your main goalYou can set these in weekly or monthly increments. Achieving mini goals can help you stay motivated and energized to keep pushing forward.Put your life into your calendarCreate a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. It should include everything from family activities to the time you designate for studying. This will help you prioritize goals and manage your time.Try scheduling out your day in 30-minute increments to maximize productivity. This can also help you determine when activities take longer than planned, so you can adjust moving forward and ensure you devote the appropriate time needed to accomplish each task.Let something goAssess all of your responsibilities right now. Prioritize what must remain in your hands and what you can let go. This can be one of the most difficult parts of the process however, it can make a huge difference in your stress level.For example, perhaps you are heavily involved in a nonprofit near and dear to your heart. If this adds an extra two hours of work to your week, it may be time to put it on hold. Delegate responsibilities to people who are trustworthy, so you have peace of mind (and time) to focus on other things.Utilize the resources availableThis includes things that will speed up your comprehension of subjects, such as tutoring. From the beginning of your program, take time to identify the resources offered to you. R eflect on what would be helpful to you and ask if it exists.Resources can also include supportive friends and family who may be willing to lend a hand, particularly when they are aware of what you are trying to accomplish.Take time for yourselfI know, I know. You are busier than ever trying to juggle everything. Not allowing yourself a break may work for a bit, but eventually, you are likely to burn out.Schedule regular breaks, whether it is a few hours of fun or a full weekend away.Haley Foutch, EdS, NCC is a Senior Career Counselor at University of Phoenix. University of Phoenix is innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives.

Expense Report Madness Management Resources Blog

Expense Report Madness Management Resources BlogExpense Report Madness Management Resources BlogCompanies need to carefully monitor their costs, and make sure employees are reimbursed appropriately for legitimate job-related expenses. But when workers submit improper expense report requests, its enough to make a chief financial officer scream (or laugh out loud, and then scream).And its likely a lot of CFOs are feeling the need to scream these days New research from Robert Half Management Resources suggests that inappropriate requests for reimbursement are common.When asked if they have seen such requests increase or decrease over the past three years, the majority of CFOs we surveyed (88 percent) said that they have seen either no change or an increase in inappropriate expense report requests.Check out our slideshow to see 20 top unusual expense report requests from this years survey20 Unusual Expense Report Requests from Robert HalfHere are just a few examples of what some employe es have expected their companies to pay forA new carRental homesVacationsA flat-screen TVNo the above is not a list of top prizes from the Showcase Showdown on The Price Is Right. However, the employees who submitted these outrageous requests - and those who asked for their company to reimburse them for loan payments, their monthly rent and another parts salary () - perhaps do deserve special acknowledgment for their, shall we say, gumption?There are also some truly oddball requests that have come across CFOs desks since our last survey on this topicA doggie day spa (bow-wow)Taxidermy services (yikes)Dance classes (tango, anyone?)A side of beef (moo)A welder (what?)It must be said, though, that not all of the unusual things professionals want to expense are big-ticket items - or completely bizarre. One employee submitted a 10-cent parking meter charge, for example. (A legitimate request, perhaps but really?) And another employee asked to be reimbursed for the purchase of toilet paper.Some of the items workers asked to be paid back for are at least practical and show their heart might be in the right place, even if their head may not beChild careBaby productsDiapersFamily lunchMoving expenses for a family petDeodorantDental billsFurnitureTo help reduce expense report mayhem, Tim Hird, executive director for Robert Half Management Resources, recommends that companies make sure that their expense reporting process is as clear as possible and communicated effectively to all employees. He says, Take a big-picture view of the program. Is it spelled out completely? Are you using the latest tools available? Removing ambiguity can help reduce the number of problematic requests.Expense or not? Three questions to askNow, as for those professionals who are wondering whether the scuba diving lessons they took while on a business trip to Miami or the roses they bought for a loved one are legitimate expense report items, we recommend they ask themselves these three ques tions1.Is this within the companys policies?If youre worried that something falls outside of what the company would typically greenlight as an expense, run it by your manager or the human resources department before submitting your request.2.Could there be any confusion?Clear charges with your manager that might be considered out of the norm so that your requests are not viewed as an attempt to have the business cover your personal expenses. Tickets to a sporting event you purchased to treat a client - and that your babo didnt know about in advance - would be an example of something you should confirm is acceptable to expense before asking for reimbursement from the company.3.Would Grandma approve?If you paid for something that you couldnt talk to a parent, grandparent or spouse about because you would be embarrassed, dont try to expense it.Your biggest ally when compiling your expense report is common sense. Youll stay out of hot water if you ensure your requests align with compa ny policies - and your expectations are grounded in reality.

8 Tips for Surviving a Merger

8 Tips for Surviving a Merger8 Tips for Surviving a MergerBig or small, no company is immune to a merger with another firm. So here are several things employees can do to prevent themselves being blindsided by a merger, as well as several actions they can take once a merger has been announced.1. Assume youre fired today.Adopting this mindset forces you to beproactive. Make a to-do list of everything thats necessary tobegin a search for a position outside that company. One that ranges from updating your resume to networking. Whats most important is learning how much thesearch process might have changedsince you last looked. You may not have to pull the trigger on a hund today. But, being prepared puts you in a position of strength, no matter what goes down. Having a plan to follow also helps you keep calm in crisis, and that means you will make better decisions and be able to better negotiate on your behalf.2.Do your homework while the merger is still on the drawing board.Completing a merger takes time. Its obvious which companys values, strategies, methodologies, and terminology will dominate. If thats not your companys, then you have to understand how the other company gets things done. You can access that information and insight from media coverage, reading security analysts reports (if the company is public), and asking your contacts. If its the company youre with whose culture will survive, then you have to identify what will be adopted from the partener. For example, the partner is valued for its cloud technology. Then you have to do a deep dive on that. Having this knowledge base equips you to present yourself effectively in the shifting environment.3. Accept that the past is over.The reality is this The goodwill you established with superiors, the reputation you built, and the promise of future rewards no longer exist. Dont even mention those. Dont complain. Doing that creates the perception that you are part of the old order. The easiest way to mirror t he new order is to use its style of communications, including its buzzwords.4. Reconfigure what you do with what is needed.The new order is focused on accomplishing its goals, as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible. You have a shot at keeping employed if you can explain succinctly how your function aligns exactly with those priorities. For example, instead of describing your general duties in web marketing, show the sales numbers. Sketch out how you will increase sales. Without warning, you could be called in to justify your existence.5. Dont hide.Its only by being out there that you can make known your value to the new company. Reach out, beyond your own department or silo. Have an elevator speech ready. Suggest how you can be helpful. If rebuffed, dont run for cover. Instead, identify entry points into the power structure. That could be joining them in the company gym at6 a.m.or sharing your special expertise on the market in India. Maintain a self-confident persona. A displa y of fear invites torment.6. Monitor signs of being encouraged to quit.It reduces severance costs if the company can encourage you to resign on your own. Tactics to achieve that include lessening your workload, establishing impossible quotas, excluding you from the communications loop and public humiliation. Your decision depends on many factors. Those range from your financial condition to whether resigning versus being fired is in your long-term interest. There is no absolute right answer. Also remember a firing is perceived differently from a wide scale reduction in force (RIF). You might consult with a lawyer and career expert.7. Review all legal contracts and agreements.Your options may be pre-determined by what you signed during the hiring process. For example, from the get-go, you know you are not going to fit into the emerging organizational culture. But, you entered into an agreement to stay on for 18 months after any merger. Or, your contract reads that you cant work for a competitor for two years. That means its in your self-interest to try to make this work if you intend to stay in the same field. Or, in the event of a merger, you are guaranteed a certain amount of severance pay. Its your choice to stay or take the money and start over again somewhere else.8. Dont settle In.You might like to look forward to the day when the dust settles and your work life returns to normal. Post-merger, thats not bound to happen. Thats because the tough nut to crack is integralrechnung of the cultures, systems, and people. That could take years. During that process, every aspect of your job could continue to change. No, dont anticipate settling in.A previous version of this post appeared on chamelonresumes.com.