Study Your offices dim lighting could be making you a dimwit

Study Your office's dim lighting could be making you a dimwit Study Your office's dim lighting could be making you a dimwit If you are having trouble remembering what you did today at work, your office light may be the culprit. A new study published in Hippocampus found that low lighting makes it harder to learn and remember tasks.Dim bulbs create dimbulbsWhen Michigan State University researchers exposed Nile grass rats to dim lights for four weeks, the rats’ brain capacity decreased by an average of 30%.   The researchers found that the rats’ hippocampus - the brain region that is critical for learning and memory - was significantly impaired by the lack of bright lighting.“When we exposed the rats to dim light, mimicking the cloudy days of Midwestern winters or typical indoor lighting, the animals showed impairments in spatial learning,” Antonio Nunez, the study’s co-author said. “This is similar to when people can’t find their way back to their cars in a busy parking lot after spending a few hours in a shopping mall or movie theater.”Dim lighting is a problem that affects many of us. We may live in grayer climates where low lighting is out of our control. Or, we could work after dark where our only lighting is the blue screens coming from our computer monitor. The Environmental Protection Agency calculates that people spend 90% of their time indoors.But if you find your memory lapsing, there’s a simple cure - more light. Take the rats in the study as an example. When the forgetful and learning-impaired rats under the influence of dim lighting got exposed to bright lights for four weeks (after a monthlong break), their memories and performance skills improved and returned back to normal.Many of us may not be thinking that our mood lighting is putting us at a disadvantage. Unlike other workplace environmental factors, your office’s overhead lighting is not an obvious connection to your job performance. But this study is a reminder that the amount of lighting can make just as much a difference in our output as rude coworkers or hectic deadlines can. Mood light ing may help you relax, but if you want to get work properly done, turn on another light.

Expedia Reveals What Employees Would Give for an Extra Vacation Day

Expedia Reveals What Employees Would Give for an Extra Vacation Day Expedia Reveals What Employees Would Give for an Extra Vacation Day “Somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of people worldwide say that vacations make them feel happier, better rested, closer to their family, less stressed and more relaxed,” said John Morrey, vice president and general manager of expedia.com. “These are all emotions that correlate to a productive employee. So its almost paradoxical: spend more time away from work, and you might just be a better performing employee.” Many participants said they did not take all of the days they had, and others said their bosses frowned upon those who made full use of earned time off. Even in Europe, where the average worker gets 28 vacation days a year, some workers said they took their days despite the fact that it displeased their boss. In the U.S., workers receive an average of 15 vacation days. But although U.S. workers get far fewer days than Europeans, they use most of them. Italians are the European exception: they only took 21 of 28 days. Feeling “vacation deprived” did not seem to have much to do with how many days one received or took off.  A little over half of U.S. workers said they felt vacation deprived. The top four reasons globally that people cited for not taking all their accrued time off: “Work schedule does not allow for it” (19 percent); “Bank them/carry over to next year” (18 percent); “Lack of money” (18 percent); “Difficulty coordinating time” (16 percent). Overall, 55 percent of all bosses said they approve of people taking all their time off. The most disapproving bosses were French and South Korean, while U.S. bosses were seen as supportive of time off by 72 percent of workers. The highest “boss approval” rate came from Norwegian respondents; 82 percent said their bosses were just fine with taking time off. When asked “what would you give up for a week to get one more day off?” The top responses were: Junk food 54 percent Alcohol 48 percent Social media 42 percent Television 37 percent Coffee 35 percent Sex 24 percent Smartphone 21 percent The Internet 20 percent Taking a shower 9 percent

Air Force Radio and Television Broadcasting Job Description

Air Force Radio and Television Broadcasting Job Description Air Force Radio and Television Broadcasting Job Description The Department of Defense has a radio and television channel. It is called AFRTS - American Forces Radio and Television Service. Headquartered at Fort George Meade, Maryland, this multi-media platform distributes news, entertainment, and policy updates for military personnel around the world. The Defense Media Activity is the unifying command of the television, radio, print, and multi-media mission. The AFRTS mission is to communicate Department of Defense policies, priorities, programs, goals and initiatives. By providing stateside radio and television programming to those who are part of the Department of Defense, AFRTS offers a touch of home, to those outside continental United States. AFRTS includes the Radio and Television Production Office (RTPO), The Pentagon Channel and the AFN Broadcast Center.   Specialty Summary: The men and women of the Air Force Radio and Television Service organize and conduct broadcast operations, produce programs, and directs radio and television broadcasts. The journalists and video specialists, prepare informational materials in broadcast format for use on Armed Forces Radio and Television (AFRT) and commercial media; serves as talent and operates broadcast equipment. Sporting events that are happening in America are high lights of deployed airmen, sailors, marines, and soldiers every week. Being able to slip away even for a few hours while deployed is needed R R that is provided by the AFRTS network. Duties and Responsibilities: The men and women of AFRTS also prepare informational materials for use on AFRT and commercial media by identifying and selecting newsworthy events. They are able to produce radio and television scripts, narrations, spot announcements, and news and sports broadcasts. They also select associated visual material as necessary and available and coordinates the use of graphics, sets special effects, and audio and video material to support programming requirements. This job requires both creative skills as well as organizational skills. In order to prepare and maintain schedules, daily operation logs, and continuity book, they must assist public affairs officer in working with electronic media as well.They are responsible for programming and directing radio and television broadcasts by selecting and scheduling programs for broadcast on AFRT stations. They review all copy and program materials for host country sensitivities before airing and coordinate receipt and disposition of AFRT program materials. Maintaining station library or recorded programming is also another responsibility as well as evaluating audience feedback. The men and women of AFTRS monitor station programs for effectiveness, professional quality, and support of mission objectives. They also manage resources to support the United States Air Force Internal Information Program. They also learn to operate radio and television broadcast equipment and arrange remote broadcast coverage of special events. Additional Responsibilities: Supervises radio and television broadcast operations.Coordinates maintenance of radio and television equipment.Directs positioning of lights, cameras, microphones, properties, and personnel.Conducts broadcast rehearsals as necessary.Coordinates maintenance and acquisition of broadcast equipment.Performs as talent in programs produced for AFRT.Conducts radio and television interviews.Performs as disc jockey, newscaster, sports announcer and producer. Specialty Qualifications: Being creative and organized isnt the only skills one should have when considering a specialty code within the Defense Media Activity. One must be a good writer, speaker, and reader in order to perform at this very public job within the military television and radio, internet, and print media world. Here are more details of the types of qualifications one must have: Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: radio and television writing and broadcasting; regulations and policies governing AFRT and other public affairs activities; broadcast equipment capabilities; and methods of researching public attitudes. Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory.Training. For award of AFSC 3N032, completion of the basic broadcasting course is mandatory.Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated: (Note: See Explanation of Air Force Specialty Codes).3N052. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3N032. Also, experience in broadcasting and directing television or radio programs.3N072. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3N052. Also, experience in performing or supervising broadcast activities.Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:For entry into this specialty:1. A favorable evaluation of a voice audition.2. Ability to type 20 words per minute.For entry, award, and retention of these AFSCs, absence of any speech impediment, and ability to read aloud and speak distinctly. Strength Req:H Physical Profile: 333333 Citizenship: No Required Appitude Score : G-69 (Changed to G-72, effective 1 Jul 04). Technical Training: Course #: E5ABD3N032 000 Length (Days): 60 Location: FGM Possible Assignment Information

How to Prevent Your Kids from Distracting You During a Job Search

How to Prevent Your Kids from Distracting You During a Job Search How to Prevent Your Kids from Distracting You During a Job Search A successful job search requires a lot of time and attention. You have to be focused and able to ignore outside distractions. But as a parent,  it can be nearly impossible to prevent your kids from distracting you. If youre trying to focus on your job search, youll want (and need!) to do what you can to reduce distractions from your children. Here are four effective and creative ways to prevent your kids from distracting you  while youre on the hunt for a new job: 1. Plan out your day. Planning is key! Its not the most creative or original trick, but it works. Every Sunday night, write out what you want or  need to accomplish for your job search that week, and guesstimate how long each task will  take or how much time youd like to dedicate to it (i.e., Monday: work on resume for three  hours; Tuesday, work on  cover letter for two hours; etc.). Then,  plan activities for your kids, and/or arrange for child care during the hours you know youll be busy with your search. 2.  Have activities or distractions for your kids on hand. In case your child care falls through or you decide you want to spend more time on your job search while your kids are home, have some toys, games, movies, books, arts and crafts, etc. on hand. (You probably have most of these anywaybut it cant hurt to buy a few new ones and hide them until you really need to use them as distractions or entertainment for your kids!) You may want to try setting up play stations around the house or room. Tell your child that they are going to work on a project while you work on yours- and that youll  set  a 15-minute timer and when it goes off, itll be time to move on to the next play station. (Kids have fairly short attention spans, so switching things up every 15 minutes or so is a good way to keep them engaged for a longer period of time.) 3.  Involve your child in the process so they understand why its so important. If your child is old enough to at least somewhat understand what youre doing, use this opportunity to teach them a little bit about what a job search entails. This is also a good time to lay out the plan for the next few weeks or months and set expectations  (kids like this!). Tell them what their days might look like (if they will be different) while youre focused on a job  search and see if they have any questions. If they have a general understanding of why your job search is so important (e.g., maybe you explained that having a job will allow the family to take more vacations, or that you studied hard in school and now you want to share your skills and knowledge with the world), they may be more respectful  of the boundaries you set. 4.  Work from your car or outside of your house. Your car may make for a better office or workspace than youd think! If your kids are being noisy inside with the babysitter, or the sight of their toys everywhere is too distracting (because you want to drop everything and clean the mess!), you may want to consider leaving the house. Even when the kids arent home, your house may remind you of all the things you have to do for them- make lunch, do their laundry, clean up their messes, schedule those dentist appointments, etc.- which can  be extremely distracting. A change of scenery might help you re-focus. Not all kids are distracting you  all the time, of course. But if and when they begin to interfere with your focus, you may want to employ some of these tactics. Plus, if youre looking for a flexible job anyway, working from home may soon be your new reality, so no better time than  the present to start figuring out what works. Your child may need some time to adjust to your job search plan. Try to look on the positive side of things when youre distracted. Good luck on your job search! Interested in finding a job a job that lets you telecommute? Check out the top 100 companies for remote jobs.

Hired! Finding an Oasis in Water Treatment

Hired! Finding an Oasis in Water Treatment Hired! Finding an Oasis in Water Treatment Oasis in Water Treatment Software SalesTrying to find a job after relocating is difficult. You’re in unfamiliar turf and may be far beyond the boundaries of the network you would typically rely on to make introductions and pass along your resume.Try doing it from another country.Mike Porter took the leap of faith in 2007 when he and his fiancée relocated to Hoboken, N.J., outside New York, after six years working in Mexico.“She was starting grad school, and this is where she ended up,” he said. “When I was in Mexico, I made contacts, and had some possibilities for jobs; I even thought I had a job lined up, but that fell through.”So Porter was back to square one a week into 2008, looking for a job in the area of environmental technology. In Mexico, Porter, a Florida native, was national sales manager for a company that sold measurement and control technologies for water and waste-water. His clients were municipalities, to which he sold meter-reading systems and hardware for sewage-treatment plants and local water companies.“It’s such a specialized industry, and there has been a lot of consolidation,” he said. “While I had known people at smaller companies, once those companies had been absorbed into bigger companies, it was making it more difficult to get to the right people. And, although I know, America-wide, about the market, I didn’t know a lot about the market in the Northeast. I didn’t know anyone who lived here, so that made it more difficult.”The challenge in the U.S. market, he found, was that the software systems being sold to municipalities were more sophisticated than he was accustomed to. Still, he was confident his skills would transfer to a new job, if only he could make the right contacts. Porter’s job-search strategy included talking to family friends in the industry to make those all-important contacts, and updating his resume.“I felt really helpless and desperate for a while,” he said. “Going online and throwin g my resume out there was not what I had in mind when I came to New York.”To keep busy, Porter took some preliminary courses toward his MBA at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. Four months passed, but still, no interviews. With contacts not panning out and no takers on his resume, Porter decided to sign up for SalesLadder. Three weeks later he was the new business development manager for government and utilities in the mid-Atlantic region for, a company that sells and services automation solutions for manufacturing, production and process control.“I sent my resume to 30 to 50 companies and recruiters. Out of those, I got five callbacks. Out of the callbacks, AutomaTech was the first to invite me to come in for an interview.”And, while he admits that after four months of unemployment he would have seriously considered any offer, he knew after the first phone interview that “this would be a great company to work for. I was excited by what they do, and I was determine d to get this job.”After the second phone interview, Porter was invited to the Plymouth, Mass., headquarters for an in-person interview. “I was very frank with them about my experience,” he said. “I had a basic understanding of the technologies and how to talk to customers. But I told them I would need technical training, and they said that is what they do with all their salespeople. They told me, ‘We’re looking for good salespeople, someone who could not so much speak (AutomaTech’s) language but the language of the customers.’ ”“Drinking from a firehose”“A huge part of what appealed to me about the job was the opportunity to learn about the (software) systems,” he said. “I wanted to be on the cutting edge for my industry, and that’s where I am now. I’ve been drinking from a firehose this whole year - there’s been a lot of information coming in a short amount of time. There has been a lot to learn; there’s still a lot to learn”Between learning the technologies and getting to know the customers, Porter has indeed had much to learn. Adding to the challenge is the fact that Porter’s territory includes the federal government. It’s been quite a change from the business life he led in Mexico.“It was a very different way of doing business in Mexico; it’s a different culture.” One thing he had to deal with in Mexico is discerning which government officials are corrupt and which are not.“Corruption and graft are not a part of the game here as they are in Mexico,” he said. “In terms of the job, the U.S. utilities market is more highly regulated and uses private engineering firms to generate specifications. In Mexico, a handful of government labs specify equipment for institutions nationwide. Now, I’m trying to break into the military-industrial complex, which is its own society. It’s a challenge to learn a new market. But once I’m in that society I’ll have business relationships for life.”And while Porter was excited by the prospect of being on the cutting edge, selling software systems used in NASA research, he began to realize how valuable the training would be.“I’m already getting calls from headhunters because I have understanding of these new systems,” he said.But he’s not going anywhere. “I’m extremely happy where I am. The team is incredible. They’ve invested a lot in me, and I couldn’t walk away, even if I’m offered a little more money right now.”And he feels good about the long-term prospects in his chosen field and country, even as the U.S. economy endures a recession.“I don’t know how many people come out of college and say they want to sell to a sewage-treatment plant,” he said. “But, it’s not going to be hit by a bad economy. It’s a pretty stable market. All water needs to be treated.”

Job Interviewing Tips for Recent Grads

Job Interviewing Tips for Recent Grads Job Interviewing Tips for Recent Grads With so many recent graduates vying for jobs in the creative industry, it’s integral that you bring your A-game to the job interview. Here, leaders from three prominent creative agencies offer interviewing tips and weigh in on what they look for in entry-level talent. Brian Collins (founder of COLLINS), Amy Marshall (talent director at Hornall Anderson) and Michael Osborne (principal of Michael Osborne Design) are always on the lookout for strong creative job candidates to join their respective - and highly respected - firms. We spoke to them about what newly minted graduates need to know when they walk through an employer’s door. Gain an edge in today’s competitive job market by considering their interviewing tips: What advice do you have for recent graduates going on their first interview? What materials should they prepare?   Collins: It’s simple: Bring the kind of work you long to do. Marshall: They really need to be prepared to talk through their work. Not just what the assignment or project was, but why they made the decisions they did regarding the design or strategy. What was the concept or idea behind the creative decision? Even if they think it may be obvious, they need to be able to articulate the idea. Osborne: Good candidates know how to articulate their ideas and solutions for the projects in their portfolio. In the presentation, you can pretty much tell who loves what they’re doing. I’d rather get someone who’s passionate and has great potential. I can teach the person to be a great designer, but I can never teach them to be passionate or professional. What do you need to learn about job candidates by the end of an interview?   Collins: There are three qualities we look for: Curiosity (Are you fascinated by the unknown?), ambition (Do you know how to think big?) and discipline (Can you produce consistently good work?). Marshall: Beyond having strong work visually (that’s pretty much table stakes), for us, it’s all about the thinking. So whether we’re hiring a designer, a strategist, or someone for our client service team, we really need to understand how a person thinks and how he or she approaches creative problems. Osborne: I’ll ask something off the wall, something they weren’t expecting, to see them think on their feet. I also ask them something about typography. If you’re right out of design school, and you don’t know which typefaces you’ve put in your portfolio, then you’re in trouble in my book. Because they often don’t have a lot of real-world experience, what is the most important thing recent grads need to bring to the table?   Collins: Bring your sketches. Show how you think. Marshall: I’d take a step back from your question and say that they should get as much real-world experience as they can before they graduate, in the form of internships and/or freelance work. No one is expecting them to have held a full-time job for years, but having an internship (or two or three) during college is a great way to apply all their learning to real-world problems. Is a print portfolio necessary any longer or is a website just as effective?   Collins: I still love them, but an analog book isn’t necessary unless your work has some dimension or craft that’s a key part of its conceptualization.  A website is enough. A simple one is best.   Marshall: It’s always nice to see how someone puts a printed portfolio together. But it’s absolutely not a requirement. A website is the most effective tool to show your work. But make sure you pay just as much attention to the design and quality of your site as you do to the pieces in it. Osborne: I’m old school. I like seeing a real portfolio. If someone brings physical examples with them, that’s always a plus. I want to hold it. If you have 15 things in your portfolio and only 10 of them are really good, take out the bad ones because you’ll only be remembered for the mediocre stuff. What is the worst offense an interviewee can commit?   Collins: In most places, you’ll be judged by your manners. This includes not smiling when you enter the office, not turning off your phone, not listening when someone else is speaking, not thanking someone for his or her time, and not sending a thank-you letter within 24 hours. Marshall: Not understanding the type of work the agency or company you are interviewing with does and not having any questions of your own to ask. This makes us wonder how interested you really are in working for us. Osborne: Showing up late or being cocky. Download our free guide to getting hired now!

Creating Stellar Sales Resumes

Creating Stellar Sales Resumes Creating Stellar Sales Resumes Give them the cold, hard numbers to get employers to return your call.Numbers speak for themselves. That makes sales resume the easiest to write, right?Not necessarily. If they were, Mike DeLuca wouldn’t get so many resumes padded with fluff. Some examples: Consistently exceeded goals A uniquely balanced sales executive At all my previous positions I have been an overachiever Performed cold calls on a daily basis DeLuca is a 20-year sales veteran from companies including Yahoo, HotJobs and EMC. He’s now senior vice president of sales at Yodle, an online advertising company that connects local businesses with consumers.If you’re a sales pro who wants to work for a company that’s growing by triple digits, you should know that Yodle “can’t hire people fast enough,” in DeLuca’s words. The problem: The company isn’t getting as many qualified resumes as they need. Instead, they get fluff.Salespeople need jobs, and businesses like Yodle need to see better resumes, so here are some tips from DeLuca and career coach William M. Gaffney on how to get the ball rolling with stellar sales resumes.Get specific.If you’re a salesperson hitting 200 percent of quota, that’s something you should be proud to highlight in your resume, DeLuca said. Contrast that with a vague phrase like “Consistently exceeded goals.” A statement like that “doesn’t tell me specifically what you’ve done, ” he said.List annual quotas/size types of accounts.Titles - especially in sales - and company names don’t always tell the story, Gaffney said. Employers can identify a fit more easily if they see what your quotas have been and the size and types of accounts you’ve sold.Avoid puffy titles.Gaffney’s seen more than his share of resumes from people who call themselves a “national account manager” but have actually sold to accounts of all sizes. “While the title may be the title the company gave them, it can look almost arrogant on a resume,” he said. “That’s why it’s important to explain who your target market was, your quota, etc.”Show progression.DeLuca likes to see progression on a resume, with professionals moving up the career ladder and taking on more responsibility, or exhibiting better performance, over time. “A lot of people get that wrong,” he said. “They … don’t look at the meat of what a hiring manager is looking for specifically in sale s.”Explain whom you worked for.If a given employer isn’t a recognized brand like IBM or Coke, Gaffney suggests providing a brief description: no more than one or two lines.Explain awards.Gaffney advises job seekers who list awards to detail the qualifications for the award. “Saying received President’s Award tells me nothing,” he said. Here’s how Gaffney explains a similar award on his own resume: Ranked in top 10 percent of sales force nationally three times in five years. Awarded Chairman’s Inner Circle one year for being in top 5 percent. Ditch “salesman of the month.”Unless you received this superlative several months out of the year, skip it, Gaffney said. “There are 12 months in the year, and if you got it twice, that’s nice, but doesn’t necessarily demonstrate above-average salesmanship.”