How to Decide if You Should Quit Your Good Job - The Muse

How to Decide if You Should Quit Your Good Job - The MuseHow to Decide if You Should Quit Your Good Job Why would I quit my good job?Even if were not happy, many of us stop short of leaving because of that question. If you have good benefits, decent pay, and a reasonable anfhrer, you feel ungrateful for wanting to go (even if you dread the work itself). You know many people would kill for the positive things you just listed off.If youre torn between whether you should leave, or try to make it work, ask yourself the following questions. 1. Did I Daydream About Being Somewhere Else Today?Do you spend a good amount of your workday reading random articles or thinking about vacations you have no intention of going on? I get it- its fun to fantasize- but at a certain point, its a red flag that your job isnt engaging enough.Follow-up Question Am I Just Easily Distracted?In many situations, these sorts of distractions come down to your ability to focus, not how well your job suits you. If th is is the case, youre better off making a concerted effort to improve your focus and develop productivity skills than looking for a new role. A great place to start is reading Brian Tracys famous book, Eat That Frog.On the other hand, if you typically have laser-focus and realize youve recently stopped caring, it may be time to move on.2. What Would it Take for My Job to Make Me Happy?Make a list of the things that would need to change for your job to be really fulfilling for you. Maybe your workload is massive, or maybe your team is structured in a way that causes friction. If your unhappiness is stemming from something circumstantial, talk to your boss and see if you can change things for the better.Follow-up Question Are These Changes About Me (and Not My Job)?Often times, when I ask my clients to do this exercise, they wind up with a list of things theyd need to change in themselves for their job to make them happy.What this signals to me is that they arent unhappy with the work . Rather, they feel theyre holding themselves back in some way. Building new skills can be a way to boost your confidence and open your self up to new opportunities- both in current and future roles.Online courses provide tons of training and advice. Along with that, Id recommend reading books in your area of focus, as well. Once youve changed up what you have to offer, itll be easier to assess whether its you (or where you are) that isnt quite working.READY TO MAKE A CAREER MOVE LIKE YESTERDAY?Trust us, we know the feeling. Thats why we have 10,000+ jobs waiting for you.See all of them here 3. Am I Worried About Money?Fears a powerful motivator- and understandably so. Its disconcerting not to know where your next paycheck is coming from. However, if all your job does is help you pay your bills, I encourage you to see if there are other opportunities youd find more compelling (without bankrupting yourself). Follow-up Question Am I Unhappy Because Im Financially Vulnerable?Ive repeat edly noticed that when people are stressed about money, they become more risk-averse in general. Their anxiety about losing their job actually drives them to underperform. This drop in performance makes them more anxious, and as result, they begin to hate their job.If this describes you, then the next step for you is to buckle down and get brutal about your finances. How can you right now budget a life that leaves you a financial safety net and takes the pressure off?This will help you either way, because if you secure yourself financially and youre still unhappy, youll know its time to go.The last question you should ask yourself is Am I afraid of what people will say? This is a fundamental fear that holds people back. Many of us are terrified of what people will say when we quit a good job- especially if its for something less profitable or uncertain. They might think youre ungrateful, insane, over-confident- who knows, maybe all of the aboveForget them. Would it be really be wort h staying in a job you dont like- each and every day- just to have other people be impressed with you? Those people could think you were a hero, but youd still be unhappy. Make this choice about you and your personal happiness, and youll come to the right decision.Photo of person thinking courtesy of Yuri_Arcurs/Getty Images.

ASME Automotive Design Article Jeff Teague Automotive Designer

ASME Automotive Design Article Jeff Teague Automotive Designer ASME Automotive Design Article Jeff Teague Automotive Designer Jeff Teague, an automotive designer and the son of the renowned industrial designer Richard A. Teague, has been around car designs his whole life. That can be attributed to his father, who became a higher-up in styling for Packard and Chrysler in the 1950s. Now, having designed for Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, and many others himself, Teague doesnt long for the vehicles of his fathers days. In many ways, he cant even recognize them.Major changes happen every 10 to 12 years, Teague says. Now were looking at environmental cars and trying to match electric cars with designs that make sense. Everyday cars that can go 100 miles a gallon.Dont overlook it, it might be just eight years away.Jeff Teague.But is Teague overlooking what cars used to mean in comparison to today? Maybe youd be glad it wasnt your fathers Oldsmobile, but would you feel the same way about most of t he other makes? After all, American Graffiti helped revive the classic car shows for a reasonbecause people instantly remembered how individual so many vehicles were. Its hard to imagine the same kind of nostalgia for some of todays cars.Teague will admit some had their merit. I was just speaking at the Packard grenzberschreitend Club and I was pretty impressed by the old Packard Caribbeans, he says. I dont think today we could reproduce those cars. The complexity of all the materials could you imagine gluing these cars together with a 5,000-pound body, the wheelbase, the width of a big, fat sedan?Jeff Teagues sketch of the AMX 3.Advances in Design SoftwareWeve looked to the past but what does the future hold? Well, you can build a house how you want it, why not a car?It takes half the time it once did to get a car off the ground, Teague says. So whats speeding up this process? Its definitely the software, says Teague, who primarily uses Alias. I am now learning Solidworks and also Rhinoceros. They are great programs that make design and engineering that much faster.According to Teague, the entertainment of designing cars could really become a reality for a fast concept sketch to CAD. It takes me about a week to 10 days to get good surface data. The other advantage is for reverse engineering, he says.Teague is really impressed by the complexity of the Old Packard Carribean. Peoples personal taste will be so much more important. Look at the Smart Car, the different panels you can get. Interiors will be designed like your living roomhow you want it. Even three-wheel design is becoming big because you dont need to worry about the DOT Department of Transportation specs.Teague is particularly impressed by the buckypaper super-lightweight builds using nanotechnology. Its different materialwide as paper but 500 times stronger than steel, he says. Imagine what kind of power you can get with thatAs long as theyre in the early stages, electric cars and the batteries sti ll have to be seen as a aufgabe due to weight, a problem about which Teague remains optimistic. But its just a matter of time, he says. Green vehicles will be 100% green and will run on plastic. But when continues to be the question, he laughs.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.The entertainment of designing cars could really become a reality for a fast concept sketch to CAD.Jeff Teague, automotive designer

Booz Allen Hamilton files for IPO

Booz Allen Hamilton files for IPOBooz Allen Hamilton files for IPOTaking advantage of the stabilizing economy, more and more firms are riding the IPO wave these days. Following in the footsteps of other companies, including Nielsen Holdings, NXP Semiconductors and Toys R Us, Booz Allen Hamilton has announced that it will be putting itself on the market. Just two years after its split from corporate sibling Booz Company and having sold a majority stake to private equity bigwig Carlyle Group, Booz Allen Hamilton filed for an initial public offering of its stock. Carlyle Group is looking to raise up to $300 million from the public, which it will use to pay down debts. In December Booz Allen raised $350 million in debt to help pay out a $550 million dividend to Carlyle Groupwhich returned almost half of Carlyles original equity investment to the firm and its investors. The firm has secured Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital, BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse Securities to lead the deal . Carlyle has greatly benefited from the purchase of Booz Allen, considering the firm has deep roots in the defense and government sector, and the U.S. governments increased reliance on outsourcing in defense. Carlyle, it has been reported, does not plan to sell any shares as part of the offering. At this point, Booz Allen has not revealed how many shares it will be selling, nor the expected price range. How will the public respond to such an offering? Investors may be receptive to invest in a consulting company, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Chicago- based Harris Private Bank. I wouldnt call it a big financial risk. Worst case is they just dont grow because the economic backdrop is weak.

The Minimum Age to Start Babysitting

The Minimum Age to Start BabysittingThe Minimum Age to Start BabysittingThe right age to start babysitting is largely a judgment call based on several factors including the age and maturity levels of the children who need care and the maturity level of the babysitter providing the care. The level of care required also is an important factor watching children for a couple of hours while the parents go out to dinner is significantly different from regular day care. The babysitting course provided by the American Red Cross requires students to be at least 11 years old. While the maturity levels of 11-year-olds can vary greatly, how they handle a course like this can help exhibit how ready they are for light babysitting duties. What the Law Says Many states have no specific age requirements for babysitting, and others offer no more than guidelines for how old children should be before they are left home alone. Some of those recommendations are quite young. Kansas, for example, sugges ts that children as young as 6-9 can be left home alone for short periods of time. Illinois, on the other hand, states that children must be at least 14 to be left home alone for an extended period of time. However, 13-year-olds can work as babysitters as long as it is not for an extended period of time, which statute defines as 24 hours. Maryland, as well, requires children to be at least 13 to work as a babysitter, but no other states define a specific age. Free-Range Kids compiled a list of laws by state that can apply to babysitting. The best thing to do, however, is to check with your state department of health and welfare or children and family services to be sure of specific laws that apply to where you live and to stay current on any changes to such laws. In most of the country, determining how young a child canstart babysittingwill most likely fall to the parents. Both the parents of the babysitter and the parents of the children she will babysit need to consider if she is mature enough for the job. Factors to Consider Whether you are the parent of the prospective babysitter or the parent of the children in need of care, deciding if a child is mature enough to take on the responsibility involves a number of factors. They all should be considered when making a decision. Safety The Red Cross babysitting course is a good guideline to usesince the course is recognized nationally. If your child expresses an interest in babysitting, have her attend the Red Cross course so she understands what the job will require. That will prepare her for the day you feel she is ready, and it will reassure you that she has received training. If you are the parents hiring a babysitter, requiring this certification is a good way to set a minimum standard and at least confirm that the babysitter is mature enough to complete the course successfully. Maturity The age when children can start babysitting often depends on how responsible the child is. The best judge of your c hilds maturity is you. Children vary widely in how nahe daran sein their bodies mature and in how fast their judgment and responsibility matures. How comfortable would you feel leaving your younger children home alone with your child? How would you feel leaving her home alone with a baby? If your child is not ready to babysit, encourage her to look for mothers helper jobs until she is ready. Age of Children The age of the babysitter will be dependent on the needs of the child. Specifically, infants may require a teenager to babysit, preferably one who had experience caring for younger siblings when they were infants. Very active children will need a babysitter who can keep them engaged and out of mischief. Children with special needs or behavioral issues may need a more mature babysitter or one with care skills or rapport with the child.Parents of Child Ultimately, the parents leaving their children with your child will determine if they are ready to let your child babysit. They are the employers, and she is the employee. The younger the babysitter is, the more likely it is that the parents hiring her will want to be sure her parents are accessible and available in the case of an emergency.

Second Interview Questions to Expect

Second Interview Questions to ExpectSecond Interview Questions to ExpectCongratulations Youve been asked back for a second bewerberinterview. At this point, youre being seriously considered for the sttte based on your success in the first interview. You were well-prepared for the anfangsbuchstabe meeting, but you should know what questions for a second interview to anticipate.Whats different about this interview? The second round can be much more involved. For one thing, you can expect new faces. Follow-up interviews give you the chance to meet different people than those you talked to before. Some businesses conduct a panel interview so a mix of senior executives, managers and potential coworkers can get to know you at the same time.To show you how to prepare for a second interview, well give you sample second interview questions, ideas of how to answer them and other important considerations for this interview phase.Potential questions for a second interviewFirst-round interview qu estions typically focus on the applicants skills and experience. Second interview questions are aimed at helping the interviewer or panel visualize you in the role. Here are 15 questions you might be asked, along with some savvy ways to respond to them1. Tell me again what interests you about this job and what skills and strengths you plan to bring to it.Note that the question is not, What are your skills and strengths? but What skills and strengths can you bring to the job? Answer in the context of contributions you can make to the company.2. Do you have anything you want to revisit from your first interview?This is one where youll need to be prepared. A bad answer is, Not really. Before the job interview, make a list of things that occurred to you after your last conversation that youd want to bring up.GET HELP FINDING A JOB3. What is your greatest weakness?Yes, some managers still ask this question, even on the second interview. Be honest about an actual negative trait, but follo w up immediately with how youre working to overcome it. Some examples of acceptable weaknesses include impatience, discomfort with public speaking and wanting to do things your own way.4. Can you tell me a little more about your current/most recent job?Note that the employer is asking for more than what youve described in your resume or during the initial interview. You should be able to give a short and precise summary of duties and responsibilities at your most recent position. Be careful not to sound negative about the job or your employer.5. Describe a professional achievement youre especially proud of.This request is not only evaluating your career priorities but also testing your ability to explain what you do in terms anyone can understand. Instead of using jargon and acronyms, explain the significance of your accomplishment in plain English. One idea is to highlight an anecdote that shows you can work with people in other departments or those outside of your field, a key cha racteristic of a good team player.6. How did you change your current/most recent job?A convincing answer here shows adaptability and a willingness to take the bull by the horns, if necessary. Talking about times you chose to do a job differently from other people highlights your creativity and resourcefulness.7. What was the most difficult decision you ever had to make on the job?This one tests your integrity and decision-making style. Make sure your answer fits the company culture.8. Looking back, what could you have done to make a bad workplace relationship better?This interview question is attempting to find out whether youre capable of rising above an unpleasant situation or learning from past mistakes, both highly desirable qualities. A bitter, critical answer may indicate someone who holds grudges or simply cant get along with certain kinds of people. A reflective, positive answer will show that you try to minimize personality conflicts - and dont use them as excuses for fail ing to move forward. The employer is surely looking for a candidate who tries to be tactful and diplomatic but nonetheless stands up for whats right.9. Do you prefer to work alone or with other people?The ideal answer here is both. People who say they like working with information are obviously a good choice for technical positions, but it may be a red flag if the interviewer perceives you dont also enjoy communicating or lack collaboration skills - increasingly a function of even highly technical jobs.10. What sorts of things do you think your current/past company could do to be more successful?This one is a great big-picture question. The interviewer is probing to find out whether you have a clear understanding of your current or past employers missions and goals and whether youve worked with those objectives in mind.11. Can you describe a typical day at work in your last job?The interviewerwants to see how your current (or most recent) routine compares with the requirements of t he job in question. If what you did on a day-to-day basis in your last job is vastly different from what youll be expected to do with the new position, it could be a concern for the employer.12. What sort of work environment do you prefer?Plain and simple, the interviewer wants to find out whether youre going to be a good fit with the company as expressed in your own words. Weave your answer around your perception of the corporate style there - as long as its truly what youre seeking.13. Have you ever been in a work situation where you were asked to do something you felt was unethical?This is another case where you should give specifics, if possible. The interviewer knows no rational job candidate is going to say that sometimes its OK to be unethical. But how you approach answering and any anecdotes you share can increase the companys comfort level with hiring you.14. What would you consider an acceptable salary for this position?There are numerous ways this could be asked, dependi ng on whether compensation has been discussed previously. Still, the last thing you want is to be caught off guard by a salary-related question. Find out what salary level your skills, experience and location can help you earn by consulting resources like the Robert Half Salary Guides. During negotiations, dont forget other perks and benefits important to you, such as telecommuting options, flexible work hours and opportunities for professional development.15. If you got the job, what would you do in your first year to establish yourself?Dont be surprised to get targeted queries like this. Conduct in-depth company research to show you know your potential employer inside and out, and be clear about what you can do in this job to make a quick impact.How can you prepare for a second interview?Aside from practicing your answers to possible questions for a second interview, there are other things to contemplate and anticipateLoose ends to tie up - Was there a question from the first int erview that you didnt answer completely? Or did the interviewer mention that they wanted to cover a topic but ran out of time? Remember those loose ends from the initial interview. Prepare for them so you can respond more fully during the second interview.Off-the-wall questions - Some employers enjoy asking tricky questions, such as, If you were stranded on an island, whats the one item you would want to have with you, and why? to see how well you think on your feet. Plus, these questions test your problem-solving skills and reveal a bit of your personality.Stories to tell - Sell yourself with a few success stories of past accomplishments. Dont just say that youre good at what you do. Stand out by giving specific examples of how you helped solve a problem or describing your actions in dealing with a challenge that connects with your audience.Tour of the facility - If you didnt get a tour during the first interview, your potential employer may show you around, introduce you to pot ential coworkers, and point out where your office may be. This is your chance to express as much interest as possible in different parts of the companys operations.Discussion of the next steps - At the end of the second interview, the interviewer will likely tell you what happens next (possibly a third interview) and when you will hear from them. Or they could offer you the position on the spot. If they do, you dont typically have to decide right then - unless youre certain you want the job. Otherwise, let them know you want time to decide and when they will hear back from you. If they dont mention next steps, be sure to ask when they will be in touch or if you should follow up.Questions you can ask the interviewerDuring your second interview, youll likely be free to ask more questions than you did during your first interview. Thats good, because youll probably think of more probing questions as you learn more about the company, employees and the job itself. As you prepare for the second interview, write down your queries as you think of them.Dont bother with questions that have answers on the companys website. Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions (and leave the detailed compensation questions for later).Heres some food for thought to get you started.What do you like most about working here?What is your management style?How do you measure the responsibilities and performance of those you supervise?How would you describe your ideal employee?Whats the greatest challenge that will likely be faced in this job in the first year?What are your next steps in the hiring process?4 final tips for success in a second interviewBring work samples, if you have them, in case there are people you didnt share them with during your first interview.Review your resume (again) and keep your communication consistent with it.If youre asked some of the same questions you answered the last time, give as thorough an answer as if it was the first time.Remember to send a thank-you note to each person you interview with.

Kids, Work and Bad Resume Examples

Kids, Work and Bad Resume Examples The End of Bad Resume Examples You shouldnt just list the duties of your work. Preventing work program is crucial for landing a work interview. In order be in a position to secure a job that you have to get a restart. A legal professional seeking the fruchtwein suitable job should have a strong resume as a way to be noticed by the employers. You will locate all of our resumes that are entirely free to download below. Resumes give potential employers a means to learn about applicants quickly and readily, and theyre your very first step toward new job opportunities. Some resumes are reviewed by many diverse employers and dont give them with the information that they are hunting for. In times past, the objective section proved to be a conventional choice in most resumes. Its constantly sensible to consist of two to three recommendations towards the base of your own resume. Using recommendations is a simple means to turn bad resumes into good r esumes, and therefore dont be reluctant to use them. Resist the need to use the minute you locate the ideal position. A work application is only one more opportunity to market your own capabilities, so be certain to list the credentials which are about the occupation where youre applying. A workout application is the secret to unlocking livelihood opportunities. Heres What I Know About Bad Resume Examples There are a lot of ways resume examples can develop into a helpful job interview tool. No matter your degree of work practical expertise, your resume structure is vital to making your program stick out. Its necessary your project application has to be encouraged with an appropriate resume cover letter once youre asking to acquire job and especially applying to have an advertising occupation. There are lots of examples of resumes, but you need to remain certain to create your resume and cover letter with your very own personal touch. Before you commence writing your resume, get beistand from those who have been there before. Keeping that in mind, keep reading for a prime Bad Resume example and corresponding explanations on exactly what you can do in order to avoid making the very same mistakes. An interview could also be needed to land the job, but a resume is crucial to begin the procedure. Yes there are lots of poor college student resumes floating around If you opt to use color on your resume, make certain it enhances the content as opposed to getting in the method of it. Adequate work and giving a massive wage is the dream of several individuals. Developing a great resume is the ideal way its possible to make that first impression. Like the rest of the sections of your job application, there are nice and bad resume examples as soon as it comes to social proof. Bad Resume Examples No Longer a Mystery A mean of 75% of resumes are automatically rejected by means of an ATS so you wish to guarantee youve got the proper key phrases to permit the software know that youre a great match for the position. You will understand that there are 3 types of format used generally employed for resumes. Before you choose the appropriate format, it is very important to seem thorough the college resume examples readily available online. Our resume examples offer inspiration, but more importantly guidance on the best way to structure and compose the elements. April 23 2016 24 comments in regards to writing a cv it can help to have a good abbildung of a fantastic cv to benchmark your own cv against. Resume examples will reveal to you just what type of information is required and the format it is required in. Examples of positive and negative CVs.

10 Twitter Career Personalities to Follow

10 Twitter Career Personalities to Follow Twitter is one of the most used social networking sites in America and is growing in popularity all over the word. Savvy tweeters are using this social networking site to do more than just post about what they had for breakfast many offer relevant and interesting advice on a range of topics, including jobs and careers. Useful ideas about careers and job searching can be found posted by many Twitter users that will help you to advance your skills and knowledge about various career issues. Find Twitter personalities who offer insights that are useful to many career minded individuals when you check out these 10 Twitter career personalities you should be following.einstellungsgesprchAngel Brent PetersonThe founder of Interview Angel, Brent Peterson tweets about a range of topics, with a focus on solid interviewing skills to impress hiring managers.CornOnTheJ ob Rich DeMatteoRich DeMatteo is an HR specialist with consulting experience and is the founder of Corn on the Job. His conversations focus on using social networking, including Facebook, to make connections and find a job.JobHuntOrg Susan P. JoyceBusiness owner Susan P. Joyce gives sound advice for keeping your identity safe and protected while finding jobs online. Job-Hunt.org has been rated best of the Web by Forbes Magazine.AlisonDoyle Alison DoyleAbout.com job search expert Alison Doyle gives useful tips about various job searching topics, such as what to bring to a job fair and how to master the art of the interview.DebraWheatman Debra WheatmanAs the president of Careers Done Write, Debra Wheatman has oben liegend professional resume writing skills and offers up her resume tips on this twitter account. Get fast advice on writing the best resume that will wow everyone who sees it.Jasonalba Jason AlbaJason Alba of JibberJobber.com gives insights on social media networking f or new jobs, branding yourself and other career tips for the Internet age.SusanIreland Susan IrelandSusan Ireland is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to The Perfect Resume and through her business Susan Ireland Resumes, she writes superior and professional resumes for clients. She gives sage advice for crafting compelling resumes through her tweets.barbarasafani Barbara SafaniBarbara Safani is a career consultant who is experienced in writing resumes and offering career strategies for executives and professionals.NancyCollamer Nancy CollamerCareer coach and speaker Nancy Collamer gives solutions for finding lifestyle friendly work options to help achieve an ideal work-life balance.WorkWithIllness Rosalind JoffeRosalind Joffes blog is dedicated to helping those suffering from chronic illnesses continue to work while managing their disease. She is also a career coach for those with and without illnesses and gives everyday advice for managing your career.Spend your time on T witter following people who can give you sound suggestions for finding your next job, making a sideways move, writing a pitch-perfect resume and everything else career related that you want and need to know. The above 10 Twitter career personalities all have some great advice to give, so follow them to help learn more about career strategies.

Common Mistakes When Creating Legal Writing Samples

Common Mistakes When Creating Legal Writing SamplesCommon Mistakes When Creating Legal Writing SamplesTop-notch writing skills are crucial in the legal industry, especially for lawyers and paralegals. If you are applying for a legal position, employers will frequently request a writing sample. Furnishing a poor writing sample can destroy your chance of landing the job. On the other hand, an excellent writing sample can help you get a leg up on the competition. It is a good idea to build a portfolio of writing samples during school and your early years of practice. This portfolio should include your best work in a variety of genres. Below are five common mistakes applicants make in submitting writing samples. Poor Writing Sample A poorly written sample that contains fundamental errors in grammar, word choice, sentence construction or other quality problems is a red flag for employers. Below are a few issues to watch Sentence clarityWord choiceRedundancies and/or inaccuracies in th e textConsistencyTone/voiceContent organizationFlow/transitionsSentence structureGaps in contentPresentation Have a mentor, professor, co-worker or other trusted professional to review your writing samples. If your writing skills need work, take a few writing classes or hire a tutor to help you improve your writing. Typographical Errors While applicants give much attention to creating an error-free resume and cover letter, their writing samples often receive a less meticulous review. We have seen many writing samples with typographical errors many of them published online, in law review journals and legal publications or filed with the court. A single typo is enough to instill doubt in the reviewer and eliminate you from consideration. Off-Topic Samples Make sure your writing samples match the employers request and the needs of the position. If, for example, you are applying for an associate position, dont submit your senior term paper on psychosocial behavior. Instead, sub mit a sample that demonstrates that you can perform the job for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for a position as an associate in the firms litigation department, submit a brief, motion or memorandum of law. If you are applying for a position as a corporate paralegal, submit a resolution, escrow trust agreement or related transactional document. Failure to Follow Instructions Always follow the job ad or potential employers instructions for submitting writing samples, particularly with respect to Type of samplesMake sure that the type of sample you submit (i.e., brief, correspondence, motion) matches the employers request in terms of format, style, and content. If you dont have a relevant sample in your portfolio, draft a new writing sample to fit.The number of writing samplesDont submit too many or too few samples. If a number is not specified, a good rule of thumb is two samples (one at a minimum and three samples max). Busy employers rarely have time t o read more than three writing samples. Length of writing samplesFollow the employers instructions regarding the length of your samples. In the legal field, writing samples tend to be longer (5-10 pages) to enable employers to evaluate your ability to make a persuasive legal argument and analyze points of law.?The manner of submissionSome employers may want samples submitted as e-mail attachments while others prefer that they appear in the body of the e-mail or are mailed to their address. Disclosing Confidential Information Writing samples in the legal profession require special care due to attorney/client privilege, sensitive information, and confidentiality concerns. When submitting writing samples from a past or present case or transaction, even if that case is closed or terminated, it is important to remove the names of all parties, names of clients, and any other sensitive or confidential information. To preserve the flow of your content, you can substitute fictitious name s, facts, and information.

Carbon Nanotube Super Springs

Carbon Nanotube Super Springs Carbon Nanotube Super Springs For certain applications, mechanical springs are superior to electrochemical batteries. A springs stored energy can be released quickly, with high power density. Springs can be recharged (redeformed) many times without degradation (as long as they are not deformed beyond their limits) and can hold stored energy without leakage. Springs also store energy robustly in the face of wide temperature swings.The energy density of springs made of conventional materials, however, is much lower than the energy density of batteries. Current lithium-ion batteries offer energy densities of about 500 kJ/kgthree orders of magnitude greater than the energy densities of high-performance steel springs in bending. But batteries have their own limitations, being typically optimized for either high power density or high energy density it is difficult to optimize simultaneously for both.What if you want the robustness and power capabilities of spr ings, but also need the energy density of batteries? One option is to look for new materials for springs.The ideal high-performance spring material will have both high material stiffness (like high-carbon steel) and high deformability (like rubber). Advanced nanoscale materials offer new options.Grown on a substrate using vapor deposition, each of these pillars contains a million aligned nanotubes.One promising candidate is the carbon nanotube (CNT). A CNT is essentially a graphene sheeta carbon lattice one atom thickrolled up to form a tube and capped off at the ends. Such a single-wall nanotube can be as small as 1 nanometer in diameter and under a micrometer in length. Larger multi-wall tubes (made of multiple coaxial layers of carbon atoms) may be a few hundred nanometers across and more than a centimeter long.Like graphene, the effective material stiffness of CNTs is quite highabout five times that of high-carbon steel. Moreover, the low-defect structure of the carbon lattice e nables CNTs to undergo large deformations before suffering failureup to six times the maximum yield strains of high-carbon steel under tensile loading (stretching).Although a single carbon nanotube may have exceptional mechanical properties, it is far too small to store a macroscopically useful amount of energy. Large numbers of CNTs must be deformed in a uniform way. For high energy density per unit volume, the CNTs must be tightly packed. And the complete system must be braced in a lightweight structure that can support the load of stored mechanical energy, plus have a means of extracting the energy for use.To examine the fhigkeit for elastic energy storage in CNTs, in 2006, Timothy Havel and I formed a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Continuum modeling revealed that for maximum energy storage, the ideal system would consist of many long, small-diameter, single-wall CNTs in well-ordered groupings and loaded in tension. Moreover, the system needs a support struct ure made of a high-performance material such as diamond or silicon carbide.When A. John Hart at the University of Michigan joined ur group, we could test our mathematical models in experiments on real CNT springs. Hart pioneered a thermal chemical vapor deposition technique that grows well-aligned forests of multi-wall CNTs, as well as pillars (patterned sections of the forest). Although they do not have the single-wall structure that our modeling identified as ideal, a small piece of a CNT forest has 1 to 10 million parallel nanotubes several millimeters long, a significant fraction of them extending the full length of the test structure. The chunk of forest may be tested as is, or may be densified first using capillary forces or mechanical rolling to bring the CNTs closer together.So far, we have looked at when and how the multi-wall CNT springs fail when they are stretched in tension we have also tested their performance under cyclic tensile loading, mimicking the storage and ext raction of energy from CNT springs. To date, the maximum recoverable energy density measured to date is about 5 kJ/kg, corresponding to total energy stored of about 1.5 microjoules. Although this energy density is much lower than the maximum theoretical energy density of springs composed of ideally ordered single-wall CNTs, it already exceeds the maximum energy density per unit weight of steel in bending by a factor of ten.What could be done with an energy storage medium having the energy density of batteries and the temperature insensitivity and burst power capability of a spring? For high-power applications, springs could be released in groups for low-power applications, energy could be released gradually through a ratcheting mechanism similar to the spring-driven escapement of a mechanical clock.One potential application might be portable home tools that currently run on gasoline engines. For example, after winding up your spring-powered leaf blower, you could clear leaves more q uietly and cleanly than with a gas-powered blower. Spring-based energy storage may also have advantages for leak-free long-term backup power supplies.Given the promise of CNT springs, its easy to imagine ways they could help power a green and efficient future.Adapted from Carbon Super Springs by Carol Livermore, for Mechanical Engineering, March 2010.The ideal high-performance spring material will have both high material stiffness (like high-carbon steel) and high deformability (like rubber).

Sensors Allow Robots to Feel Sensation

Sensors Allow Robots to Feel Sensation Sensors Allow Robots to Feel Sensation Sensors Allow Robots to Feel SensationThe line between human and machine is getting thinner every day. We have robots that can reason, predict, and even work in partnership with humans and other robots. But in their interactions with the physical world, these machines have always been limited.That is changing.A group of engineers from Stanford Universitys Zhenan Bao Research Group, in partnership with Seoul National Universitys College of Engineering, has developed an artificial nerve that, when used with a robotic brain, allows robots to feel and react to external stimulus just like we do. Soon, this could become a key part of a multisensory artificial nervous system that empowers the next generation of thinking, feeling robots. The technology could also be used in prosthetic limbs to allow patients to feel and interact with their replacement body parts just as they would natural limbs.Its a complex techno logy, but the concept is simple. In ur skin, we have sensors that can detect even the lightest stich, neurons that transmit that touch to other parts of the body, and synapses that take that information and translate it into the feelings that we recognize and respond to.A touch on the knee first causes the muscles in that area to stretch, sending impulses up the associated neurons to the synapses, which recognize the response and sends signals to the knee muscles to contract reflexively and to the brain to recognize the sensation. We call it an involuntary reaction, but its anything but automatic.For You Making the Emotional RobotThe artificial mechanosensory nerves are composed of three essential components mechanoreceptors (resistive pressure sensors), neurons (organic ring oscillators), and synapses (organic electrochemical transistors), says Tae-Woo Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hybrid Materials at Seoul National University w ho worked on the project. The pressure information from artificial mechanoreceptors can be converted to action potentials through artificial neurons. Multiple action potentials can be integrated into an artificial synapse to actuate biological muscles and recognize braille characters.Sandwiched inside layers of plastic, these sensors react to pressure. Image Bao Research GroupThe Bao Labs artificial system mimics human functionality by linking dozens of different pressure sensors together, creating a voltage boost between their electrodes whenever a touch is detected. This change is recognized by a ring oscillator, which converts the voltage change into a series of electrical pulses that are picked up by a third component, the synaptic transistor. The transistor translates those transmission pulses into patterns that match the patterns that organic neurons transmit in the brain.The artificial synaptic transistor is the real development in Baos work. It allows the artificial system t o interact with natural, human systems as well as robotic brains.Wide-Ranging ApplicationsThe research, led by Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford, was first reported in Science, and featured a video that demonstrated the systems capabilities. In the video, the Bao Lab used the technology to sense the motion of a small rod over pressure sensors. It also shows how the technology could be used to identify Braille characters by touch. Most impressively, the researchers inserted an electrode from their artificial neuron to a neuron in the body of a cockroach, using the signal to cause the insects leg to contract.This proved that the artificial nerve circuit could be embedded as part of a biological system, enabling prosthetic devices that offer better neuro integration than is currently available.Previous prosthetics usually use a pneumatic actuation of artificial muscle, which are bulky and bedrngnis so dexterous, Prof. Lee says. Our artificial nerve can be embe dded in the prosthetics aesthetically without bulky pneumatic components. We believe that our artificial nerve can operate the artificial muscle in the prosthetics more delicately and aesthetically. Most prosthetics do not have a sensing function for touch, and the conventional prosthetics require a complicated software algorithm to make the artificial muscle move. But our mechanosensory nerve can detect touch and then the output signal can be directly transmitted to actuate the muscle.There is also potential for this technology in the robotics space, explains Dr. Yeongin Kim, formerly a graduate student in the Bao Lab who worked on the artificial nerves project. In particular, it could lead to the creation of so-called soft robotics, in which robots are constructed from materials that look and feel more similar to organics. The process of mimicking the synapses and neurons of the biological nervous system in the realm of robotics could go a long way toward the development of machin e learning and robots that can teach themselves new skills.The advantage of machine learning is you dont need to teach a robot every detail, Kim says. You can just make it learn a difficult job, and the robot can train on that difficult task by itself. In these cases, hardware like the artificial nervous system can be useful because of the role that synapses play in learning and sensation.In our bodies, the network of neurons and synapses can process information from the environment and control the activators that impact what we feel and how we respond, Kim says. That kind of signal processing can be useful in training what we want a robot to do and not do. This thinking is becoming popular in neuromorphic computing as well as robotic engineering, and we expect our system to provide the hardware architecture for machine learning that can be used in future neurorobots.Whatever the application, this technology is still in the early stages of development and it remains to be seen what commercial potential it holds. One goal of the work, though, is to further the development of bio-inspired materials with soft mechanical properties that can be used in sophisticated neurorobots or neuroprosthesis, performing in ways that are comparable to or even better than biological systems.Bioinspired soft robots and prosthetics can be used for people with neurological disorders and more, he says. There are many interesting commercial applications of our technology.Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer. Read MoreLow-Tech Solutions Fight HungerInsect-Sized Robot Takes FlightRobots Make Self-Repairing Cities Possible For Further DiscussionThe advantage of machine learning is you dont need to teach a robot every detail. You can just make it learn a difficult job, and the robot can train on that difficult task by itself. Dr. Yeongin Kim, Stanford University