How to Interview for Leadership and Management Skills

How to Interview for Leadership and Management SkillsHow to Interview for Leadership and Management SkillsHow to Interview for Leadership and Management Skills DeZubeTheres been a lot of talk lately about a lack of management skills brought on by the exodus of the Baby Boomers from the workplace, coupled with many Millennials lack of experience andsoft skills.To help close the leadership gap, we asked professionals to share how they discern a job candidates willingness and potential to develop management and leadership skills in the interview process.Here are seven tips from the experts to identify a job seekers leadership potential1. Before you start your search, know what leadership and management look like in the organization.To spot potential leaders and managers, first define what skills and capabilities good leaders have. Without those standards, each individual making hiring decisions will apply their own beliefs, says Cheryl Pinter-Veal, head of Deloittes NextGen Leadership D evelopment Program.Deloitte has a framework to evaluate internal and external talent for effective leadership. We agreed about what were indicators of potential, what were leadership capabilities that were critical, she says. We have one agreed-upon option that is diverse, simple and straightforward.To get a step ahead of other recruiters, Deloittes NextGen program targets students as early as freshman year and looks for early signs of leadership potential. We scout in particular areas that are demonstrable their values, characteristics, the ability to lead teams, and the knack to influence peers, Pinter-Veal says.2. Ask people straight up Do you want to be a manager?Not everyone enjoys being in charge. Geoff Scott, a career adviser and resume expert at ResumeCompanion, recalls a college classmate who worked in the same department of a big box retail store for nearly a decade. He was asked more than once to be a supervisor but shot it down each time. He simply didnt want to be in c harge of others and was happy umgang his own responsibilities.During the interview process, hiring managers should directly ask job seekers if theyre interested in managing others. Being straightforward, rather than navigating the intricate results of a comprehensive personality test, can yield positive results, Scott says.3. What to do when a job seeker lacks management experience.Managing a project requires task-related and people-related skills. Leigh Steere, co-founder of Managing People Better, LLC, suggests using a persons preferences for those responsibilities to evaluate leadership potential.Steere makes a list of task-related items (creating a work breakdown structure, managing a project budget) and people-related items (meeting with team members to get input, reviewing and giving feedback on project team members deliverables). During interviews, she asks job candidates to rate how much they like doing each task on a 1-to-10 scale.If the candidates responses suggest a stron g preference for tasks over people, he or she is unlikely to find job satisfaction as a people manager, Steele says. You can adjust the question to fit experienced managers by asking, What are your favorite aspects of project management? Observe if they mention people-related or task-related items.4. Listen for We did this vs I did this.Recruiter John Malloy, president of Sanford Rose Associates, Santee, South Carolina, found out just how effective this trait can be in a recent candidate search.A global medical device supply company needed to replace a 25-year veteran material manager whose team included a dozen people who each had at least 15 years of experience. The more experienced candidates lacked the newest ideas and tools. The less experienced candidates lacked the ability to gain the respect of the experienced and competent workforce.Oneresume caught Malloys attention acandidate with a masters degree from MIT.He was asked a key interview question Tell me about the project y ou are proudest of in your career. The candidate explained how his team installed a new software ordnungsprinzip at his first company and smaller projects where his team helped make things happen. He described situations that could have easily been attributed to a single person, but he came across explaining how he let his team take credit for the accomplishments, Malloy says.The lesson leaders talk about team building, rather than focusing on individual accomplishments.5. Ask interview questions that reveal character.Ben Mulling, chair emeritus of the Institute of Management Accountants and chief financial officer of TENTE Casters, Inc., a Hebron, Kentucky multinational manufacturer, recalls how ethics helped him choose an intern from a group of professionally inexperienced applicants with similar college transcripts.During the interview, he asked applicants to talk about a time they faced difficult circumstances. The student who landed the internship spoke about becoming his frate rnitys treasurer, then realizing the chapter was losing money. He ended up having to kick out brothers who didnt pay their dues, including some friends.Thats a high character person, Mulling says. He wasnt the loudest or most outspoken. In spite of pressure, he was willing to do the right thing. Its hard to mentor character, morals and values. Its something thats innate in that person. Were looking for those schriftart of people.6. Seek out those who try hard and embrace management tasks.Mulling once hired an entry-level accounting graduate because the student sat for the Certified Management Accountantexam during his senior year, a time when some kids are coasting to the finish line.Plenty of high school grads are ambitious. Look for folks that have completed a management-in-training program or earned a technical certification, Mulling says. He checks for those who have a vision for the future that includes management or leadership.I like to ask them What do you want to do in three to five years? How do you see yourself accomplishing that? What can we do to help you get there?7. Entrepreneurs often have leadership and management skills.Central City Integrated Health, a Detroit nonprofit providing access to health care, housing and employment services, looks highly on resumes that contain entrepreneurial experience. It shows initiative and leadership potential, says Director of Development Shelly Watts.Several members of our executive leadership team have owned their own business. People who have started businesses have a wealth of connections and are quite resourceful. I joined the executive leadership team last year and was hired based on my experience starting a nonprofit fundraising consulting firm.Even failed entrepreneurs can make solid leaders. In hiring, its leid whether the business did well or not, but what the applicants learned from their successes and failures, Watts says. Everyone succeeds and fails in some manner. We want to know if the applican ts understand how to replicate their success and avoid similar failures.Uncovering skills and character traits beyond surface attributes is the key takeaway when scouting for strong leadership. Use the interview process to evaluate the candidates character, ambitions and personal successes before choosing your next front runner. The results might surprise you.Read moreInterview Questions that Reveal a Capacity for Leadership

How to Answer Interview Questions About Bosses

How to Answer Interview Questions About BossesHow to Answer Interview Questions About BossesMostjob bewerbungsgesprchswill include a few inquiries about your bosses both past and future. Commoninterview questionsabout supervisors include asking you to describe the best and the worst boss youve worked for, what you expect from a supervisor, how you handle a boss whos wrong, and other questions related to relationships with your superiors. Answering Questions About Previous Bosses Above all else, no matter how much you disliked a previous boss, dont say so In fact, dont say anything negative about your bosses no matter what your experiences were. Negativity, insults, or defamatory comments about a bad boss serve as a red flag for a hiring manager who may wonder what you will say in the future if youre hired. You neednt lie about your previous supervisors. Be truthful but remain positive. Frame your answer so that you shine a light on your professionalism and the insight you develo ped about the circumstances. The same holds true for the company - if you hated working at a company, keep that information to yourself. Be Very Careful How You Respond Why is it important to be mindful of what you say? There are so many reasons to watch your tongue. For example, an old boss might actually be a friend or acquaintance of the interviewer, especially if theyre in the same industry. Or he or she may be a client or customer of your prospective company. If you burn that bridge, youll probably destroy your chance at getting the job. If youre asked about a situation with a boss you didnt like, take a breath, pause a moment, and prepare your answer in a positive, or at least neutral, manner. At this point, how you deal emotionally with ansicht types of questions may be important. This is not the time to fly off the handle and get upset or go into too many details about how bad your boss was. Shoulder the Blame and Show Growth If you think about it, there are always at least two sides to every story. Have you had a conflict with a supervisor? Disagreements about your work? First, realize that nearly all employees have had some kind of difference of opinion with their manager, which is a normal part of a relationship, on the job or off. Thus, its totally reasonable to talk about the situation. Convey what you learned and how the problem was resolved. In fact, dissenting opinions can be positive in that they lead to brainstorming and new ideas and solutions that advance the company. Perhaps you could explain how a difference in opinion led to some sort of improvement. Heres One Approach to Taking Personal Responsibility Take a look at these examples on how to answer the question while taking on at least some of the responsibility. I didnt see eye to eye with my brde boss and that led to a breakdown in communication. However, now I realize this was also due to my lack of experience in the industry and I worried that asking questions would be perceived as weak and indicate that I was unable to do the job. Now Ive learned to ask questions immediately if I need further explanation and that it demonstrates my initiative and dedication to getting the job done right. An answer like that frames a bad situation in a better way and shows you improved yourself as a result. While its clear you had a disagreement with your boss, you didnt cast him or her in a negative light. Interview Questions and Answers About Bosses Want more examples? Here are sample interview questions about managers and some of the best answers. Review these questions and answers and choose those that pertain to your previous situations, tailor them to your needs and practice answering those questions. Describe your best bossDescribe your ideal bossHave you ever had difficulty working with a manager?How would your supervisor describe you?How do you handle it if the boss is wrong?If you know your supervisor is 100 percent wrong about something, how woul d you handle it?What was it like working with your supervisor?What do you expect from a supervisor?What is the biggest criticism you received from your boss?Who was your best boss and who was the worst?More questions about supervisors While were on the subject of bosses, its important to find the one thats right for you when youre considering a new job, especially if youve had some terrible bosses in the past. Hereshow to find and work for the best boss.

Ask Simply Hired Manipulation, Rejection and Resume Dates

Ask Simply Hired Manipulation, Rejection and Resume DatesAsk Simply Hired Manipulation, Rejection and Resume DatesAt Simply Hired, we come across many questions from job landseekers, from what to say to tough interview questions to how to know if you should quit your job. Here are answers to some of the common, and sometimes wacky, questions from job seekers.How should I reply to job rejection?Searching for a job can be a long and challenging process, and its common to be rejected from jobs before you find the one thats a perfect fit for you. Your first step is to accept that its a normal part of the process and notlage take it personally allowing one rejection to influence your attitude (or activity) may cost you a job thats actually a good fit. For many rejections, there will be no direct reply. Youll simply move on and tweak your resume for the next job opportunity. However, if you receive a particularly warm rejection, such as, We really enjoyed meeting you and we think there mig ht be potential for future openings, youll want to keep in touch. Connect with your contacts from the job interview on LinkedIn, and regularly check the company website (or sign up for email alerts) to see when another opportunity becomes available. How can I get a job without a car?Getting a job without a car might seem like an insurmountable obstacle, but were happy to report that its not In a recent post, contributor LeeAnn Prescott shares her carless career storyand provides a lot of insight into navigating the job interview and different strategies for making it work, including the following tips Evaluate job opportunities based on the companys proximity to where you live, as well as bus maps, Google Maps, and rental locations. Consider a car-for-hire service such as Uber, Lyft, or SideCar. In some urban locations, even using an Uber every day can be cheaper than parking, maintaining, and paying for a car. Tap into your community to see if you can carpool or swap cars with like -minded individuals. For larger companies in certain cities, check out employer-provided transit options such as shuttles or buses.How should I write dates on my resume?Like most items on your resume, listing the dates is more about clarity and consistency than it is about one format over another. The traditional format in the United States is to write out the month and use numbers for the year December 2015Therefore, on your resume your dates for a particular job might look like the following December 2014-December 2015This allows the reader to clearly assess the date and period of time you worked for a given company without processing too many numbers. However, if your formatting is cleaner with forward-slashes, periods, or shortened years(such as 12/2015, Dec. 2015, or Dec. 2014-15), it wont be gauche so long as all dates on the resume are listed in the same way. Should I follow-up on a job application in person? Very few companies would welcome an unscheduled in-person visit, so we recommend you follow-up via the original application method (if you follow up at all). If you turned in an application in person for a retail or job with a small business, showing up in person may be appropriate. If you turned in an online application or an application via email, the company will notify you if they want to schedule an interview and most prefer that you dont follow up proactively.How should I deal with manipulative coworkers? Its practically impossible to avoid facing at least one manipulative coworker in the course of your career, if not several. Fortunately, theres a lot you can do to protect yourself and your ability to be successful when someone you work with is using deceptive behavior to get you to do something. The first step is to control and define the behavior you find manipulative so that you can understand its purpose. Just trying to get someone to do something isnt necessarily manipulative, such as a coworker trying to get a fellow employee to turn a report in on time so that the team will not be punished for late reports. Analyze the situation from a 3rd partys perspective. If the behavior is legitimate (such as in the above example), address it head on with a firm but clear, Thank you for the reminder. I will do my best to turn reports in on time from now on without you needing to remind me, to stop the behavior. If the behavior is not legitimate, or if it does not stop after you address it clearly, youll need to assertively ask them to stop or politely say No to the requests that are not mutually beneficial. Read more about manipulative coworkers in this post. Do you have a question for Ask Simply Hired? Let us know at blogsimplyhired.com.

Phone calls, saying no and staying ready

Phone calls, saying no and staying readyPhone calls, saying no and staying readyBe bold. Make the call.The Power of the phoneI know Im all about email writing tips, but this time lets switch gears and talk about the phone.Sometimes, the shortest distance between you and an opportunity is a phone call.Who can you call to open a new door in your career? Have your pitch ready to go, pick up the receiver and set something great in motion.Remember you are always in control of your careerBe willing to say noSimple question yes or no?When we decide what work to pursue, its always yes vs no.More and more, I say no to opportunities outside of my core area of expertise (business communication). Otherwise, Im pulled in too many directions. Jack of all trades is a master of none.On the other hand, I say yes as much as possible to opportunities within business communication. Those experiences allow me to improve my skillset and define my brand.The goal to be an inch wide and a mile deep.The only way to get there? Master yes vs no.Keep grinding at the work that makes you, you. Leave everything else to everyone else.On being readyDo you have a big career opportunity on the horizon? Then you need to remember the p word.Preparation.If you dont have a firm plan before the moment arrives, then you could squander the chance at a major professional win.Because once the moment passes, its gone. And you may never have the exact same chance again.So make a checklist. Address every item. Dont skimp on the preparation phase.Your future self will thank you.Thisarticlefirst appeared onDannyhrubin.com.

How to stop being a people-pleaser at work

How to stop being a people-pleaser at workHow to stop being a people-pleaser at workThe desire to be liked begins early, dating back to when you may have worried that your parents favored your sibling over you, or that your playground best friend would find another pal to swing with. As we wade our way through primary school and university to trek into the workplaces, ready to rise to the top and build our professional reputation, it remains tempting to be a yes person..bxc.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-group-1012255-lyDBLV9 width 900pxheight 550px

The Advantages of Data Engineer Resume

The Advantages of Data Engineer Resume Up in Arms About Data Engineer Resume? Take advantage of the register to make certain you may have integrated almost all ideal info within your continue. For an engineer, using data to address problems isnt a new phenomenon, and the capacity to step back, breath, process the information and create a solution that fulfills the requirements is essential. Your familiarity with a lot of different engineering computer software programs will make your resume much more convincing. When you subscribe to a Nanodegree regimen, you are going to have access to the content and services for the duration of time specified by your subscription. What Is So Fascinating About Data Engineer Resume? You will have to remain current on technological advances. Or perhaps it will nonetheless burst later on. When it has to do with landing the data science job that you dream about, you merely get one opportunity to generate a first impression. If you start yo ur career with one of the massive oil businesses, you might at first manage a single well under supervision. Most businesses employ data scientists to learn about trends in the marketplace and to analyze stock exchange potentials. Besides the growth in interest for data management problems, businesses are looking for cheaper, flexible and scalable solutions to shop and manage their data. Major oil businesses can advertise vacancies almost annually beforehand, but additionally, it is worth making speculative applications to specialist companies directly. Want to Know More About Data Engineer Resume? Finally, a Field Engineer salary depends upon the services provided, in the particular subject of expertise together with the individual engineers experience. Another expert alternative is to turn into a computer engineering technologist. Experience has a beneficial impact on salary, with many data engineers staying in the area for 20 decades or more. Youre able to look at generic resumes, but engineering resume samples will be absolutely the most useful due to their specificity to your area. Some of the greatest data engineers are self-taught via free and affordable online-learning programs. Aerospace engineers working on projects that are associated with national defense might need a security clearance. Check out Join TTS Hiring Process to find out more about the application procedure. Job opportunities will be ideal for candidates that arent fearful of change Infographic resumes are rather new trend. A Data Entry Operator Resume ought to be written in a means to catch the interest of a possible employer to secure you an interview. Data Engineer Resume - the Story For the typical individual, their job functions are excessively complex to comprehend and probably too broad to comprehend regarding their particular duties and duties. When crafting your resume the very first rule to bear in mind is My audience is busy and has an extremely brief attenti on span. Tailor each work description to the one which youre applying for. When beginning the procedure for applying for employment, its important your application was designed to catch the interest of employers. Even when you have a great deal of work experience, I still suggest that you keep your resume to 1-2 pages. If youre eyeing work in the sports and recreation business, there are a few things you should learn before you send out your resume. With all these people and competing interests involved with the DevOps procedure, there are an infinite number of technical and professional issues that will inevitably arise. With all these people and competing interests involved with the DevOps procedure, there are an infinite number of technical and professional issues that will inevitably arise over time. A superb Data Engineer resume experience will guarantee your data pipelines arent likely to break at 3AM. For that reason, its crucial that data engineers understand data pipelines and the way in which they help various components of an information network communicate with one another. Big data isnt only more volume, it requires different instruments and mindsets. The data it must visualize is you. For instance, you may need a SQL statement to do a particular action, and that means you look this up on SQLZoo. elend everybody understands SQL, and not everybody writes good SQL. Data Engineers will need to understand database management, and therefore, in-depth understanding of SQL is hugely valuable. A good resume writing company needs to be in a position to provide its clients good superior work. Essentially, youve nailed work at a unicorn firm. The company ought to be able to present satisfactory and superior high quality work. Explain why you wish to work for that particular business.

No Problem. Is a Problem

No Problem. Is a Problem I welcome him like I welcome cold sores.Paula Abdul (speaking of American Idols Simon Cowell) Welcome to President Bush, Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts.former Vice President, Dan Quayle, who was not an astronaut CHOICES/Image Michael MoffaOne gauge of the state of manners and civility in modern professional and personal life is the ritualized ausprgungsboth verbal and non-verbalthat characterize our interactions. The triumph of the expression no aufgabe over youre welcome is one such barometer of our changing social and (un)civil climate. As such, it constitutes a warning of social clouds overhead.Ask Your GrandmotherThere once was a time when if someone said, Thank you, the natural and virtually universal reply would have been youre welcome. Check with your grandmother to confirm this. In the highest-levels of professional or formal interaction, this is probably stil l the norm. Likewise, among non-native English speakers, who generally learn the fruchtwein polite English from their formally-trained instructors, youre welcome prevails, despite their fondness for the too casual gonna (going to).But ask yourself whether your typical response or the one you hear most often among recruiters, between recruiters and candidates or between recruiter and client is youre welcome, or no problem.In all likelihood, quite accustomed to saying or hearing no problem, most people wont give it a first or second thought. Its as natural as put a shrimp on the barbie, mate is in Australiaeven if no prawblem conceivably may have not originated there.You enter any shop or store, you pay for your purchase and say, Thank you. If the assistant, clerk or Star Bucks barista is under 40 (as they all seem to be at any Star Bucks Ive been in around the world), it is as predictable as saggy pants on a rapper that youll hear no problem in response.The problem with no problem is that it is absolutely the wrong thing to sayincluding for recruiters.The Problem with No ProblemWhats wrong with it is that it distorts thank you into Im sorry. Think about it Thank youNo problem you didnt cause me any or much trouble or inconvenience. (Giving you my money inconvenienced you?) Or, No problem just dont do it again. (Dont buy another Super Mocha Grande?) Or, No problem it wasnt important, anyway. (Ah, my business is unimportant?) Or, No problem no big deal for me. (My patronage doesnt matter?)the latter being subtly different from It wasnt important, anyway. These are not responses to expressions of appreciation. They are responses to an apology for wrongdoing.Now, imagine saying no problem to a client who has just said thank you for your candidate search and recommendations. If you are younger, rather than older, you may be at risk of saying no problem as a reflex, like Im like., since its parte of the MTVocabulary (not to be confused with empty vocabularyor at leas t not by anyone who speaks MTV).Whenever I elicit a no problem, I cringe and think, Im sorry, but did I just apologize to you, instead of thanking you? If I do say, Im sorry, but did I just apologize to you?, then no problem ironically becomes the appropriate reply to me, since, indeed, I will have just expressed a real apology at that moment (for having confused thanks with Im sorry). My bad.Of course, no problem is supposed to be casual, non-formal, just as its OK is. The problem with this equivalence is that its OK should also be used only in response to an apology. Im sorry Im late.No problem/Its OK. Besides, why should being casual legitimize such a mismatch of remark and reply?The Problems of Illogic and Being Ill-ManneredPerhaps the evolution of such an accusatory acknowledgement as no problem is the result of flawed MTV logic Casual is good. Therefore non-polite is good. Therefore impolite is good. This kind of thinking clearly underlies about 95% of the taunting banter betw een adolescent males who otherwise call themselves friends Yo doofus, wus up?They can get away with that illogic you cantunless you are recruiting mall-rat saggy-pants teenagers for executive posts.Another possible explanation for the displacement of thank you by no problem is that those who say no problem really do feel annoyed, inconvenienced or otherwise negative about the person thanking them and are letting their true feelings leak outin the culturally driven spirit and priorities of authenticity, being oneself or integrity that have similarly and generally displaced courtesy, politeness, respect and sensitivity (sensitivity of the second kind, viz., altruistic, rather than the currently more common hyper-sensitivity to umbrage).If I were in a recruiting situation in which I actually harbored such negative sentiments, I would resist the temptation to let my feelings leak so casually. No, instead of no problem, I would say in response to thank you, This is not an issue. (Just ki dding.)The Wisdom of Robert Downey, JrA third hypothesis is suggested by Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey, Jrs response when asked in an bewerberinterview how he would characterize American youths. His answer fearful narcissists. As an intriguing speculation, his characterization suggests that no problem may be designed to convey two thingsfirst, that the stance or attitude of the thanked was actually defensive, borderline fearful, in expecting some huge imposition second, that self-absorption makes the thanked party oblivious to any pleasure in being helpfulthe kind of pleasure youre welcome ritualistically or sincerely conveys.For the fearful narcissist, youre welcome sends entirely the wrong message, on two counts, viz., it is an existentially inauthentic lie to suggest that the thanked party actually felt comfortable in being asked for help and a second lie that he or she is truly happy to have made someone else happy.With that cleared up, if you want to thank me for my analysi s, go ahead. My response?Ill be thankful if there were no problems with it.

From the President March 2015

From the President March 2015 From the President March 2015 The Value of an Engineering Education for Non-EngineersWhats the value of an Engineering Education? Engineering majors are projected to be the top-paid bachelors degree graduates from the Class of 2015. Thats according to a recent survey by The National Association of Colleges and Employers. So the value of an engineering education for a career in engineering is pretty clear. But many people trained as engineers enter other lines of work. What is the value of an engineering education for them?Lets start with skills. A person graduating as an engineer is a problem solver. An engineer knows how to analyze data. He or she knows numbers and can use logic to make difficult decisions. Strong computer skills are a given. An engineer is a designer and a team player. These are skills prized in law, in medicine and in finance.In business, too. ASME recently presented its prestigious Kate Gleason Award to Ursula Burns. Burns is a mechanical engineer who is now CEO and chairman of Xerox. Here is what Burns recently told ASME.org about the value of her engineering training My entire existence, my business personality, my practices at work - how I lead, manage, and interact - the foundation of it all is my engineering education. I moved from engineering to business but the difference is not a difference at all. The synergy between the two is amazing. Engineers sometimes find their way into the arts. Alfred Hitchcock studied at a technical and engineering school in London, and worked as a draftsman. We can presume he knew his way around the optics of camera lenses, and the mechanical systems of camera cranes and dollies. Those drafting skills must have served Hitchcock well when it came to sketching storyboards. Another great director, Frank Capra, found an engineering hintergrund helpful when the motion picture industry was struggling during the transition to talkies. Capra graduated i n 1918 with a degree in chemical engineering from a college that would become the California Institute of Technology. More than many other young directors in the late 1920s, Capra understood how to use the movie industrys emerging sound technology. Engineer Tom Scholz knew his way around sound, too. Scholz received a bachelors and a masters degree in mechanical engineering at MIT. He started recording song demos in a home studio while working for Polaroid as a product design engineer. He went on to found the rock band Boston. An engineering background frequently seems useful for politicians. President Jimmy Carter studied engineering in college. He became a submariner after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. He did graduate work in nuclear reactor technology and nuclear physics after being chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the Navys nuclear submarine program. President Carter became an Honorary Member of ASME in 1980.Former U.S. Representative Pete kampfstark of C alifornia (D-CA) earned a bachelors degree in general engineering at MIT, and later received an MBA. Stark served in the House from 1973 to 2013. A currently-serving House member on the other side of the aisle is also an engineer. Joe Barton (R-TX) holds a bachelors in industrial engineering from Texas AM, and a masters in industrial automation from Purdue. And then there are the Sununus, where mixing engineering and politics is a family tradition. John H. Sununu earned a bachelors, masters, and PhD in mechanical engineering from MIT. He served as governor of New Hampshire, and was White House Chief of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His son, John E. Sununu, holds a bachelors and masters degree in mechanical engineering, also from MIT. He served six years in the U.S. Senate. There is a lot of engineering in the trajectory of a basketball, the spin of a football and in the deformation of a baseball when its struck with a bat. So it is possible that the study of dy namics, mechanics and kinematics contributed to the success of some star athletes who graduated from college with engineering and technical degrees. That list includes Eric Fisher of the Kansas City Chiefs, Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers, and former ballplayer and TV color analyst Doug Glanville. Engineers learn how to meet individual performance goals they also learn how to manage teams of people. Many of my friends at ASME headquarters in New York are hoping that manager Joe Girardi can lead the Yankees back to the deutsche bundespost season in 2015. Girardi earned a bachelors degree in industrial engineering from Northwestern University.So there is a lot to recommend for a degree in engineering. It usually leads directly to a good job and a great career. But people sometimes change the direction of their lives, and they sometimes find skills developed studying engineering, including such topics as thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, serve them well in other field s. For jobs in business, the arts, politics, and even on the ball field.On a personal note, my youngest son has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and a masters degree in materials engineering, but has worked for many years in the business world where his engineering skills allowed him to be effective in project management, statistical analysis and logical decision making. His recommendations are respected because they are based on data.I believe that it also important for every citizen to have some background in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects to be able to deal with the increasingly complex world that we live in. For example, it is important to be able to separate fact from fiction when purchasing things such as appliances, computers and automobiles, as well as to make appropriate choices on issues such as energy policy.For those of you who are interested in learning more about how engineering skills enriched the careers of so me well-known individuals, head over to Charles Murrays Design News blog for an entertaining and informative slideshow called 18 People You Didnt Know Were Engineers. J. Robert Sims ASME President

How to Handle Illegal Interview Questions - FlexJobs

How to Handle Illegal Interview Questions - FlexJobsHow to Handle Illegal Interview Questions 24Whether out of ignorance or willful disregard for the law, interviewers can sometimes ask interview questions of job candidates that are not, strictly speaking, legal. As a job seeker, its important to know these types of questions ahead of time, and be prepared with a plan for dealing with them in the moment.How should you respond to illegal interview questions?This truly depends on the motives behind the question and the interviewer who asked it. There are two ways to consider your next move1. If the interviewer doesnt seem to know the question is illegal, and they are just trying to assess your qualifications of the jobTry to address the underlying concern of the question rather than answering that question directly. For example, if the interviewer asks what religious holidays you observe, they might be trying to gauge how many days off work you might need in a given year. So, instead o f telling them your religious views, tell them that youll be available to work the modell schedule required by position.2. If the interviewer seems to understand that his or her question is illegal, but theyre asking it anywayAgain, try to address the underlying concern of the question. In this case, you might want to state outright that while youre not able to answer the question theyve asked, you can offer this other information instead. This way, they know that youre aware what theyre asking is illegal.For example, if a company asks whether you plan on starting a family in the next year or two, address the underlying concern are you able to commit to a job for the long-term. Instead of telling them your family planning schedule (yikes), say something like, While Im not comfortable discussing personal matters in a job interview, I can assure you that I am committed to my career for the long-term, and Im looking for a position where I can contribute for the long haul.Then, either during the interview or once its over, youll really want to consider whether or not working for a company that blatantly violates the law by asking illegal questions is a place that youre willing to work.Here are 10 commonly asked illegal job interview questions, and their legal counterparts.Illegal Are you a U.S. citizen?Legal Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?Illegal How long have you lived here?Legal What is your current address and phone number? Do you have any alternative locations where you can be reached?Illegal Do you live nearby?Legal Are you willing to relocate?Illegal Do you belong to a club or social organization?Legal Are you a member of a professional or trade group that is relevant to our industry?Illegal How old are you?Legal Are you over the age of 18?Illegal Can you get a babysitter on short notice for overtime or travel?Legal Youll be required to travel or work overtime on short notice. Is this a problem for you?Illegal How do you feel about supervising men/w omen?Legal Tell me about you previous experience managing teams.Illegal Have you ever been arrested?Legal Have you ever been convicted of x (fraud, theft and so on)?Illegal How much do you weigh?Legal Are you able to lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds?Illegal Do you have any disabilities?Legal Are you able to perform the specific duties of this position?For 20 more examples, check out HRWorlds30 Interview Questions You Cant Ask and 30 Sneaky, Legal Alternatives to Get the Same Info. If youre asked a question like this, consider what the legal version of the question should be, and then answer that instead. Follow our two guidelines above for exactly how to do this.Readers, have you ever received illegal interview questions? Tell us about it

Employee Involvement Is Key in Change Management

Employee Involvement Is Key in Change ManagementEmployee Involvement Is Key in Change ManagementA wise person once said never to expect one hundred percent support from any individual who was not personally involved in devising a change which had an impact on his work. The wise person was right. People dont mind change once they get used to the idea and have had the opportunity to have an impact on the direction of the change. Even asking an employees opinionand then later choosing another direction is significantly better than never giving the employee a voice in the change at all. Creating a work environment in which employees feel as if they have the power to initiate change is also positive and a tribute to your work culture. But, mora frequently, employees find themselves caught up in changes that others are initiating. In these instances, what employees do mind is being changed. Having no voice in a change that will affect their job or workflow is treating your adult employees like children. They resent it, and you have created something for them to push back againstnever a good situation when you need your employees to change. In any change, especially ones that affect a complete organization, it is impossible to involve every employee in each decision. Respondents to ourchange management questions over the years suggest, however, that when change works, the organization has gone out of its way to use employee involvement. Employee involvement is the difference between sad and unhappy foot draggers and engaged, excited employees who were trusted to give their input. You dont want to create the first when you need change to occur in your workplace. Employee Involvement in Effective Change Management These are the steps youll want to follow as you involve your employees in helping make a change. Create a plan for involving as many people as possible, as early as possible, in the change process. You need to make this plan with your change gruppe, your s enior managers, whoever will be leading the charge with the change. This senior or management team plays a critical role in building and developing support for change.Involve all stakeholders, process owners, and employees who will feel the impact of the changes, as much as possible, in the learning, planning, decisions, and implementation of the change. Often, in change management, a small group of employees learns important information about change and change management.If they fail to share the information with the rest of the employees, the remaining employees will have trouble catching up with the learning curve. It is a significant point in change management. You cannot leave any employees behind.If a small group makes the change management plans, employees affected by the decisions will not have had needed time to analyze, think about, and adjust to the new ideas. If you leave employees behind, at any stage of the process, you open the door in your change management process, for misunderstanding, resistance, and hurt. Even if employees cannot affect the overall decision about change, involve each employee in meaningful decisions about their work unit and their work. One effective way to do this is at the departmental level.When the changes are in progress, talk to your team and then, to each employee individually. Your purpose in having these conversations is to let each employee participate in identifying the impact of the decisions on their job.Build measurement systems into the change process that tell people when they are succeeding or failing. Provide consequences in either case. Employees who are positively working with the change need rewards and recognition.After allowing some time for employees to pass through the predictable stages of change, negative consequences for failure to adopt the changes, are needed. You cannot allow the nay-sayers to continue on their negative path forever they sap your organization of time, energy, and focus, and ev entually, affect the morale of the positive many.The key is to know, during your change management process, when to say, enough is enough. Most organizations wait too long, and employees have a powerful opportunity to inflict damage on all of your hopes and dreams. Help employees feel as if they are involved in a change management process that is larger than themselves by taking these actions to involve employees in making the needed changes effectively. When the progress of the changes is measured, youll be happy that you did.