How Preparing for a Job Interview can be Your Secret Weapon

How Preparing for a Job Interview can be Your Secret WeaponHow Preparing for a Job Interview can be Your Secret WeaponWhen you are preparing for a job bewerbungsgesprch, the process can be painstakingly arduous. If its done properly, it should be thorough and unfortunately there really isnt a way you can effectively practice by yourself feedback and guidance from someone who knows what to do is very important. This is why hiring an interview skills coach has become such a highly specialized area over the past few years. When youre on the job hunt, it can be your secret weaponIve been doing interview skills coaching for many years now for people from every conceivable industry finance engineering sales operations admin high tech governmental education and so on because I really enjoy what I do. I love helping people prepare for interviews and seeing them succeed. When people are ignored and left to gelegenheit in a job interview, it makes me sad because with just a few tweaks , it can all be fixed. In this article I am going to describe ten areas where you simply cant go it alone when preparing for a job interviewThe Hand Shake This is the first chance you get to make that first impression. It kinda starts the ball rolling in the whole interview process. You must have feedback on the quality of your handshake.Wrong Wardrobe This speaks louder than words. If you do not look like the level of the position youre interviewing for, well, you probably wont get the job. Getting feedback on how youre dressed is a big factor. Im not talking Armani suits or Gucci handbags here but you need to understand that dressing too casually or too formally can be detrimental.Vocal Tone and Loud or Soft Talker Is your voice to soft too squeaky too constricted too high? This is where we can instantly provide feedback to help you adjust your voice to a pleasing and confident sound.Strong Accent Do you have an accent whether regional or international that might harm your ab ility to be fully understood? We can help tweak that during our interview skills coaching so it doesnt get in the way.Pronouncing Words If you mispronounce words or use wrong words this counts against you in a job interview. We listen closely for these mistakes and help you correct them on the spot.The um ein haar or Slow Talker There are a lot of variables here when it comes to speaking too fast or too slow and they depend on where you grew up, your personality, and/or profession. This can be a deal-killer if you are mismatched with an interviewer or the job you are seeking. Our interview skills coaching include drills and exercises in modulation the speed in which you talk so you come across as confident and in control of the interview.The Slumper If you slump, youre done. You are seen as low energy or having little respect if you sit back too comfortably. Slumping constricts your airways, negatively affects your vocal tone, volume and overall body energy and it harms your profe ssional image. We can assist you with this very critical non-verbal communication skill.Fidgety Hands Do you know where to place your hands in an interview or do you tend to fidget? Do your hand movements sync up with what youre saying? If not, any of these will mark you as nervous or lacking confidence. We will provide continual feedback and coaching on how to place and move your hands where they come across as natural and confident.Weird Expressions What is your face transmitting as you speak and listen? We hold you up to a mirror, so to speak by providing important details that your facial expressions are telling the interviewer.Crazy Eye Contact Great eye contact is probably one of the most important and yet most elusive aspects of giving a good interview. It really is an art almost that most do not possess. We will help you learn when to look at them directly, when to look away, and where to look.Hopefully this helps to clarify the importance of preparing well for some aspects of an interview on your own. There are critical points that you cannot leave to chance by preparing alone. These ten interview skills are essential and this is where coaching is indispensable.For adjusting these variables, you need specific coaching feedback so that you come across in the most professional way possible during an interview. Dont take chances on these interview factors when all it takes is a little practice with a coach. Contact us today to get started.

Bots and Bugs in Harmony

Bots and Bugs in Harmony Bots and Bugs in Harmony Bots and Bugs in HarmonyRobot designers have been emulating lifeforms for some time now. Insects, mammals, fish, reptilesyou name ittheyve all been tapped to make our machines more efficient, productive, and amusing. But now researchers at Switzerlands cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne are turning that process on its head. Instead of borrowing from the beasts, theyre helping them.Bertrand Collignon, a researcher at the university, has programmed a cheap, accessible, and not very animal-like robot to help ants harvest food. In doing so, he has created one of the first purely autonomous robot/animal systems that outperforms what either the robots or the animals could do on their own. And the success of this synergy between insect and machine may someday turn around and help us as well.Researchers test the response of animals to various signals emitted by robots. Image EPAIn setting out to help ants collect their food, Collignon deci ded to divide the duties between bot and bug. Ants would do the hunting and the robots would do the gathering.Just how to do that presented Collignon with his first challenge.Even if there is no food in the environment, there is a fluctuation in the behavior of ants, he says. There is a rhythm of activity that can last for a few minutes or hours. The activity is not constant.One possibility was to count the ants going in and out of a colony. When the flow remained under a certain threshold, the robots would assume the ants had not yet found food. When it went above another threshold, they would know the ants had discovered a source. But those thresholds are different for every ant colony. Collignon wanted a system that would work with any colony anywhere without the need for initial data collection or additional research.Identifying and counting individual ants is not a simple programming problem. So Collignon decided to count the number of moving pixels at the entrance of an ant ne st. This straightforward method would work with any colony size.The final configuration used a Raspberry Pi camera and computer at the mouth of the nest. When it detected a sharp uptick in pixel activity, the harvesting drones were sent in. These Thymio robots, programmable toys that cost about $200, followed the line of ants to the sugar source, picked it up for them, and delivered it to the nest.The ants did not binnenseem especially appreciative. We dont expect them to realize that the robots are helping them, says Collignon.The whole set up was designed to be easily replicated. The Raspberry Pi computer, the Thymio robots, and the Python programming language were all created to help educate kids. That was one of the ideas, to keep everything accessible says Collignon. Anyone can do this experiment at home or at a school once they have the software.But children and ants arent the only ones to benefit from this research. Such a robotic system would help in any situation where anim als are used as detectors.Dogs in airports, for instance, are trained to exhibit a specific behavior when they find drugs or explosives. Right now we need a human to interpret that behavior. With a system like Collignons, You dont have to be close to the dog to see what he is doing, so you could have a higher number of agents, he says. Similarly, hundreds of ferrets could be unleashed in collapsed buildings. Outfitted with a biologger to monitor their behavior, emergency workers could know when they reached anyone trapped in the rubble.There are some natural agents that can still outperform artificial ones for some tasks, Collignon says. For energy management or sensing, its very hard to be as good as nature.Michael Abrams is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionWe dont expect them to realize that the robots are helping them. Prof. Bertrand Collignon, cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne

Customize this Outstanding Staff Accountant Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Staff Accountant Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Staff Accountant Resume SampleIf you are embarking upon yur job search, you probably figured out the importance of presenting a stellar resume. For many people, knowing their resume can make all the difference creates a lot of stress. Getting good resume advice can help you begin composing your own resume. However, many jobseekers encounter difficulty trying to apply all the guidelines they see.Our staff accountant resume sample paints the proverbial picture that is worth a thousand words. Reviewing an example of good resume writing can lead to a better understanding of what resume writing tips try to tell you. Additionally, our resume builder provides yet another valuable resource as you strive to perfect your resume.Create Resume Jeremy Henderson100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA, 91010Cell (555) 987-1234j_hendersonexample.comProfessional SummaryDetail-oriented Staff Accountant who has a track recor d of conducting accurate audits and providing reliable spreadsheets. Adept and providing budgeting numbers, working on revenue projections and compiling payroll information. Specializes in budget reports and income summaries.Core QualificationsExceptional computer spreadsheet skillsStrong analytical abilitiesAble to translate data from large spreadsheetsWorks well in groups up against tight deadlinesPerforms very well in pressure situationsAlways checks calculations before submitting any workExperienceStaff Accountant, March 2011 February 2015Genes Manufacturing New Cityland, CAAssisted in compiling all monthly payroll spreadsheets and creating a summary for management.Worked closely with departmental managers during budget season.Part of a special team that would develop a quarterly revenue summary for management.Staff Accountant, June 1998 April 2005Bridget Incorporated New Cityland, CADeveloped spreadsheets for departmental managers that tracked budget usage.Worked closely wi th executive team to help create inventory tracking sheets that were summarized each quarter.Education1998 Bachelor of Science, AccountingGreenwich University New Cityland, CACustomize ResumeWhy Is This a Good Staff Accountant Resume Sample?This resume sample gets off to a strong start with a great professional summary. The applicant follows the formatting convention for a summary, using three sentences without pronouns to deliver a compact message showcasing his qualifications. He includes top skills such as budgeting as well as core deliverables such as accurate audits. The next section should cover essential skills, which some resumes headline as core qualifications. The staff accountant resume sample draws attention to professional skills that help this staff accountant deliver top job performance. In this mix of specialized and general skills, the applicant takes care to relate the general skills to performance in his field. For example, instead of just stating he is organized , he tells employers he works well in groups to complete projects on tight deadlines.The experience section you see here demonstrates proper formatting and use of bullet points to mark each sentence. The applicant includes relevant employer information, including its name, location, his position, and dates of employment.This staff accountant resume sample also presents a great example of enhancing a work history section by leaving something out. This applicant shows a six-year employment gap. In his situation, many jobseekers feel tempted to include an explanation on their resumes, which would be a mistake. If you have an employment gap, resist the desire to fill it with an explanation or a whimsical description of your activities during this time. You may instead choose to include a brief explanation in your cover letter or prepare to address this issue during your interview.In addition to relating major job duties, your work history section should contain any special achievements or projects. The applicant in our sample included selection for a special team other types of accomplishments could include delivering outstanding results, receiving professional recognition or successfully overcoming an unusual challenge.Why You Need a Strong Staff Accountant ResumeAccountants of all types can expect their field to expand, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The BLS cites increasing globalization, proliferation of tax regulations, and economic growth as major factors leading to increased demand in this field. Thus, while accountants may see more job openings, they may face employers who look for specific skills they deem necessary for success in this changing environment.Your resume should clearly demonstrate that you have the right qualities to perform your job. Staff accountants must possess organizational skills that include attention to detail and the ability to understand and analyze large quantities of data. Use this staff accountant resume sampl e to assess your own resume and make necessary changes.Costly Staff Accountant Resume Mistakes To AvoidEven a great resume can fall flat when the jobseeker neglects to get rid of glaring errors. Meticulously review your resume to ensure freedom from substantive and formatting mistakes. This includes typos and sloppy formatting. Remember to check your facts carefully, as any inaccuracy concerning your employment may strike potential employers as an attempt to mislead them.In addition to general resume missteps, consider the demands of your particular field. Staff accountants must possess a heightened attention to detail and an awareness of the importance of compliance with highly complex rules. Your resume should embody these qualities in its neatness and lack of errors. As you do not work in a creative industry, resist any impulse to embellish your resume with fonts, spacing, or illustrations, as any of these tend to project a lack of seriousness. Following the example of our staff accountant resume sample, do include general interpersonal and organizational skills. Some in-demand skills include teamwork, communication, and working well under pressure.ConclusionApproaching resume composition methodically and using the right tools can help you come up with an outstanding job application employers will notice. Both formatting and content affect how employers view your application, so using an example such as our staff accountant resume sample can help you perfect both aspects of your own.Staff Accountant Resume Questions1. Whats the best length for a staff accountant resume?Your resume has to house a lot of information. It may seem daunting to fit all of your professional experiences, skills, and accomplishments on a single page, but often thats exactly what hiring managers want to see. The staff accountant resume sample shows a great use of a single page. Of course, not everyone has to stick to the one-page rule.Remember, you can break certain resume writing ru les if it makes sense for your experience. If you have between 10 and 25 years of related experience, you may get more out of a two-page document because it gives you adequate space to detail your work history.2. Which skills are the best to list on a staff accountant resume?You can find out which skills the hiring manager most wants to see by reading through the job description. Every company may look for different qualities in an employee, so the skills list for a staff accountant may not be universal. However, you can use the staff accountant resume sample and the following list to get a good idea of skills you could include if theyre applicable to you.Accountants need to be analytical, good with math, organized, and detail oriented to be successful. You may also want to point out your communication, leadership, computer, and teamwork skills.3. What sections should you include in your staff accountant resume?Every resume should point out the specific skills and experiences import ant to an employer. This means you may have several versions of your resume with different sections. If you look at the staff accountant resume sample, you can see the main areas you may want to include.4. What goes in the header of a staff accountant resume?Most often, hiring managers expect to see professional summary, skills, experience, and education sections. Your document should always include a header full of contact information. Depending on your experience and what the recruiter wants in a candidate, you could also include awards, hobbies and interests, certifications, and professional affiliations and memberships.The header gives you the perfect space to showcase your contact information. The staff accountant resume sample provides a great example of what you should include. The header should always list your full name, the city and state you live in, a good telephone number, and a professional email address. If applicable, you may also include a link to a professional web site or zugreifbar resume.5. Whats the best way to list certifications on your staff accountant resume?As an accountant, your certifications, licenses, and trainings can set you apart from the competition. While the staff accountant resume sample doesnt list any certifications, you should include this information if applicable. The best way to emphasize this experience is to create a special certifications section on your document. However, you can also incorporate this education-like experience into your education section. You can effortlessly learn how to list your certifications if you use our resume builder.

Job Interview Follow-Up Thank You Note Example

Job Interview Follow-Up Thank You Note ExampleJob Interview FollowDid you walk out of an interview and realize you forgot to mention a vital fact? Sometimes, even after a terrific interview, you remember something important that you wish you had talked about in mora detail. If you missed an opportunity to mention relevant work experience or accomplishments during an interview, dont despair. Athank you note is the perfect place to share additional information or emphasize a point that you wish had come up naturally during the conversation but didnt. Maybe you left the interview feeling like the hiring manager had some doubts about yur qualifications. The information you share in your letter can influence the way the hiring manager perceives how your qualifications will best meet the needs of the position. What to Include in a Follow-Up Thank You Letter There are a few ways to address additional points in your thank you letter. You can use phrases such as I forgot to mention or I w anted to follow-up on XYZ from our conversation as an entry-point to giving follow-up details and elaborating on answers you gave during the interview. Make sure you express yourself in clear, concise terms, and offer to answer any additional questions that may come up due to the new information you have shared. This may also leave you an opening to make yourself available for another meeting, particularly if you have been moving along in the hiring process, and this wasnt your first interview. When to Send an Email Follow-Up You will probably want to send this type of thank you letter right away, as an attachment or email rather than by post. The sooner the hiring manager has the additional information, the mora favorably you will compare to any candidates they are still in the process of interviewing. How to Format Your Letter or Message When you send your letter as an attachment, it should be formatted like a business letter. Begin with your name and contact information, followed by the date, and the hiring managers contact information. You will then begin your letter with a polite salutation, then the body of your letter. Your closing should include your appreciation for the hiring managers time and consideration, and your full name. If you decide to send your letter as an email, make sure the subject makes clear what the note is about. Put your name, thank you, and possibly the position you interviewed for in the subject line so that the hiring manager wont overlook your email. Because of the volume of email most of us receive, the subject line is important to ensure that your letter doesnt end up in a junk mail folder somewhere. Your email will begin with the salutation, followed by the body of the letter. Your contact information will follow your closing and signature. Here is an example of a thank you note to a hiring manager that provides details about your candidacy that you wish you had mentioned in the interview. Follow Up to Job Interview Thank You Note Example Your NameYour AddressYour City, State Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameTitleOrganizationAddressCity, State Zip CodeDear Mr./Ms. LastnameI very much enjoyed speaking with you about the opportunity to work with your company in the role of sales executive. My experience in sales and management seem to be a good match for the position you described. The organization of your sales teams is forward thinking, and I believe, one where I could contribute a great deal.I bring with me to the position extensive knowledge of the market, and strong communications skills. In addition, my ability to motivate my team while working within our budget will provide your company with an edge over others in the market.My presentation skills allow me to communicate effectively with directors, as well as keep my team up to date on our progress. During my interview, I neglected to mention the series of classes I took in public speaking at the local university. It was very int eresting and provided me with the confidence I possess now while organizing and presenting a project.Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you about this position.Best Regards,Your Name Expand

Top Advice on Communication Skills for Resume

Top Advice on Communication Skills for Resume What Is So Fascinating About Communication Skills for Resume? Leadership isnt just 1 skill but instead a mixture of numerous unique skills working together. Communication skills are among the most valuable abilities that employers search for as they are central to numerous professionals and play an important function in most. Key skills are work-related skills that you will need to do a job. Mainly because soft skills cant be easily taught. As stated earlier, assessing soft skills is considerably more difficult. There are various sorts of communication skills you may learn and practice to assist you grow to be an effective communicator. A superb communicator communicates effectively, but additionally through the correct medium. Getting in a punkt to communicate effectively is perhaps the most crucial of all life abilities. Becoming in a position to appropriately give and get feedback is a significant communication skill. Many professions need regular communication. Identifying desirable important skills is essential. Type of Communication Skills for Resume Youll find more details on various kinds of skills for a resume in the previous section. A whole lot of jobs ask you to manage projects, and tech is the same. Communication skills may also ensure that youre in a position to handle interactions with businesses and organisations Over the duration of your lifetime, youre likely to need to interact with a broad selection of organisations and institutions, including shops, businesses, government offices, and schools. Double-check if youre utilizing the perfect abilities and experience keywords. The Communication Skills for Resume Cover Up Youll discover confident communication is useful not simply on the job but during the work interview process also. In the interview, you might be asked to provide a good example of when you have exercised good communication skills previously. Thus when writing do wn your job skills take some time to strategize and find out the ideal approach to organize them in your resume. Strong interpersonal skills can assist you during the job interview process as interviewers start looking for applicants who can do the job nicely with other people. Using Communication Skills for Resume Communication is integral to each customer experience. Administrative assistants also arrive in stich with customers or clients on a normal basis, making interpersonal skills a crucial purpose of the job. Consultants are extremely results-oriented. There are particular customer service skills that each employee must master if theyre forward-facing with customers. Leadership isnt a position or title, its action and example. Even though it seems like it ought to be included in non-verbal communication, HR managers like to differentiate here, as its a large part of occupational dialogue. Review their About Us page and see whether your soft abilities or attributes are aligned with the corporations core values. Giving presentations demonstrates you can engage with large audiences. The Hidden Gem of Communication Skills for Resume The solution permits the elimination of the resumes in numerous varieties of formats and saves it in the normal necessary format. The particular skills you must excel in the working world will differ based on your area. The capability to communicate and work with parts of management represent a significant part your professional improvement. The capability to communicate to several pieces of a business and to other companies in an industry is a rather significant part your professional improvement. The Importance of Communication Skills for Resume It can be difficult to understand how youre perceived as a communicator. Verbal communication is communication thats spoken. Business communication is now abbreviated in many cases for instance, favoring email letters over formal small business letters. Even if you disagree with an employer, coworker, or employee, it is essential for you to understand and respect their standpoint. There are several skills that an individual can highlight in the recommendation letter whilst providing reference. If youre interested in turning in an application for a particular job, review the post carefully and pay attention to the list of skill requirements. For instance, if youre asking for a customer service job which includes regular correspondence, describe your experience writing skilled business letters. Whenever youre prepared to apply to get a job, first look at the work description and highlight the points and abilities that seem important. When you know which in-demand skills you presently have, you can find out what to learn next to get prepared for the work marketplace. You will use your communication skills in each step of the work search and at work. There are some fundamental communication skills that are important for most positions though some jobs require some particular abilities. Communication isnt everything in customer experience, but its the most significant thing. Effective decision-making includes time and experience. Some schools will give a reference letter template and will ask the students to receive it filled. Questioning skills are one very important region of verbal communication, often utilized in clarification, but also to extract additional information, and as a means to sustain a conversation. Great communication skills incorporate a comprehension of psychology and the way to deliver the perfect message at the most suitable time. General communication skills are important for ordinary communication in all situations when youre exchanging conversation with somebody else.

The Good, the Bad and Former Small Retail Business Owner Resume Writing

The Good, the Bad and Former Small Retail Business Owner Resume Writing Bigger companies utilize applicant tracking systems to manage the myriad resumes they take in every day. Industry needs might vary, but all businesses have certain standard requirements. To give the most complete picture, former freelancers should list all their most vital achievements, like improving a customers SEO position, increasing web conversions or growing social networking campaigns. Enjoy our wide selection of resume templates. The Debate Over Former Small Retail Business Owner Resume Writing Show the interviewer how your previous experience is able to help you perform at the business. A great resume will be able to help you get the interview. If your resume is elend correctly crafted, your chances of receiving an interview are dramatically reduced. You should think of a good answer answer should they ask you why it failed at the interview. The Start of Former Small Retail Business Owner R esume Writing You would like to emphasize that you wish to stay and grow with the company for the very long term. Since his very last business folded, hes decided he should come across a full-time job. The hiring manager will believe you either want to increase your expertise or obtain trade secrets to cultivate your own startup. Whether youre a business proprietor, operations manager, or just a serial entrepreneur, if youre searching for a job you are going to need a resume. A History of Former Small Retail Business Owner Resume Writing Refuted Whatever sort of resume you opt for hone in on those elements of your back ground that genuinely make you stand out. No matter why you will need a resume, utilizing a sample resume designed particularly for business owners is a huge way to begin putting together a resume of your own. The info in your resume should paint an image of the kind of employee you are and show employers what youre capable of accomplishing. Have a relative or friends proofread your cover letter for errors and supply you with feedback on the total flow. Whatever They Told You About Former Small Retail Business Owner Resume Writing Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why To boost your odds of success this info has to be delivered in a concise, higher effect manner. It is intended to emphasize your skills, experience and qualifications in regard to how they relate to running your organization. Working on a startup or small business indicates plenty of effective abilities and traits irrespective of your outcome. Natural communicator with strong motivational abilities and the capability to support operational objectives and meet business objectives. To begin, download the business proprietor resume template we created of you. A little small business owner is a person who starts a business on a little scale. Wrong A bad small business owner resume academic section is merely awful organization. Stick to this guide and write your very own interv iew-winning small business owner resume As youre applying for the job of a franchise proprietor, its important to mention managerial experience, and interpersonal skills which will help you work with other individuals. Keep in mind, small small business owners returning to the workplace cannot hide their preceding small business ownership. Entrepreneurs and business owners frequently have a difficult time because the prospective employer is going to be concerned they are too independent to come back to employment, often over qualified, and they also may worry that the entrepreneur is simply passing time until the following excellent small business opportunity. Other duties the owner of a small company performs include portraying their product to the correct audience through the introduction of associate campaign.

Glossary for Government Careers

Glossary for Government CareersGlossary for Government Careers

2012 SpaceXs Odyssey

2012 SpaceXs Odyssey 2012 SpaceXs Odyssey 2012 SpaceXs OdysseyThe launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim TerrySplashdown Welcome home Dragon tweeted SpaceX at 842 a.m., PDT on May 31, 2012, after its unmanned capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking the successful completion of the first private test mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS) and bring cargo back to earth.Developed by California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), the Dragon went into space atop a Falcon 9 rocket that blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 22, 2012. Over the nine-day test voyage, it berthed on the ISS, unloaded and loaded cargo, and returned to earth without any major glitches. Since NASA ended its space shuttle program last year, this successful test mission should pave the way for SpaceX, the brain child of billionaire founder CEO Elon Mu sk, to begin the $1.6-billion space station resupply operations contract covering 12 flights through 2015.For Mike Horkachuck, NASAs project executive for SpaceX and a mechanical engineer with almost 30 years of experience, the run-up to the launch seemed like the run-up to the Apollo Mission. We have the benefit of all the experience of Apollo and shuttle and space station engineers being able to lend their experience of how ordnungsprinzips work in space and operate. NASA has been able to leverage and transfer that experience to the U.S. industry and thats part of our role, to make the country better and more competitive, he says.NASA astronauts and industry experts are monitored in the Dragon spacecraft. Photo credit Space Exploration TechnologiesDeveloping the DragonThe Dragon is a free-flying, returnable spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASAs Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. It is made up of a pressurized capsule that carried pressurized cargo on t he mission and an unpressurized trunk that houses its solar panels and can be used to carry unpressurized cargo. With the solar panels fully extended, the vehicle measures 16.5 meters (54 feet) wide. Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket powered by liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene (RP-1).Over the past few years, NASA engineers worked closely with SpaceX to develop the Dragon and the Falcon 9 rocket. It has been really rewarding too, as I have been able to reach back to NASAs subject matter experts whenever there have been areas that my team has identified where it might be good to have a second set of eyes on certain aspects of the design of the rocket, says Horkachuck.SpaceX technicians prepare to attach the Dragon capsule to the second stage of the companys Falcon 9 rocket. Photo credit NASA/Jim GrossmanThe shuttle that carried cargo, crew, and a robotic arm was complicated and expensive to maintain, explains Horkachuck, whereas the Dragon capsule is more purposed and cheaper. Fal con is a liquid fuel rocket, very similar to the Apollo first stage. Its a basic good-lifting vehicle and has the ability to produce a lot of thrust off the pad. The difference though is that its less than a 1000000 pounds of thrust for Falcon 9 compared to 7.5 million pounds for the shuttle, he adds.Cargo to CrewNASA was involved since the early concept level, with insight into the design of the Dragon. It participated in all the design and development phases from a review-process perspective and also witnessed testing events. We did wet-dress rehearsals when they fueled up the rocket and simulated a launch to check if systems were working correctly and timing was correct. Also, we reviewed qualification and individual hardware acceptance test reports of all the individual components going into the vehicle, says Horkachuck.Designed in cooperation with NASA, Dragons powerful heat shield is made of a material called PICA-X, a high-performance variant on NASAs original phenolic impreg nated carbon ablator (PICA). When I look back, the heat shield was a big question in the design phase. The rendezvous and proximity operations and the sensors used for it are always a challenge, says Horkachuck. There was a lot of work that went on to make sure the system that allows communication between ISS and the Dragon worked correctly and that there were no interferences that could create problems during the approach phase, he adds. NASA authorized the flight after Dragon completed all tests in preparation.Although this test mission carried only cargo, SpaceX hopes to carry astronauts aboard the Dragon eventually. SpaceXs crew-carrying craft will be an upgraded version of the Dragon that was used for the current cargo mission. It is a fairly early prototype, however, says Horkachuck. When we jump from carrying cargo to crew, there is a lot more scrutiny, as you are risking somebodys life. There are some optimistic projections of two to three years. I would think it will be clo ser to four to five years.The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rolls between the lightning protection system towers surrounding the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit NASA/Jim GrossmanTo Infinity and BeyondHorkachuck would like to see American astronauts on American commercial vehicles flying to ISS regularly again and is hopeful that would free-up money for NASA to develop a new generation of spacecraft to go further into space, to where it has never gone before for missions beyond Earth orbit including asteroids, the moon, and eventually Mars.SpaceX and three other companies Blue Origin, the Boeing Co., and Sierra Nevada Corp., are working on crew-carrying spacecraft. The long-term goal would be to have them flying private citizens commercially and potentially starting a whole new industry like the airline industry. Thats a long way into the future and we have to make a significant improvement in cost to get a large number of general public to fly on a private spacecraft. This is the starting point of that process, says Horkachuk.Horkachuck believes there is a huge opportunity out there for young engineers to get involved in this new era of private space travel. The age group of engineers working on the Apollo was in the 20s and 30s and they were all developing these new capabilities and learning as they went to do things they didnt know how to do. Working in such a rapidly evolving environment, he adds, where young engineers get to design, build, and fly in a fairly short period of time, is great for their confidence.There was a lot of work that went on to make sure the system that allows communication between ISS and the Dragon worked correctly and that there were no interferences that could create problems during the approach phase.Mike Horkachuck, NASAs project executive for SpaceX

What Does Your Path to Career Success Look Like

What Does Your Path to Career Success Look LikeWhat Does Your Path to Career Success Look LikeThe professional world is chock-a-block with catchy metaphors for career growth and development. Climbing the corporate ladder. Breaking the glass ceiling. Hitting a career plateau. Honing your craft. Taking a golden parachute. Not to mention traveling on a path to career success, going on a career journey, and winding up at a career crossroads. And now, thanks to a comic by Grant Snider at IncidentalComics.com (where, incidentally, you can find even more thoughtful and funny comics like, Advocacy for Animals Ignored by Childrens Books and Play Each Day like Jazz), we have a great visual of the different paths to success.At one time or another, weve probably been on alfruchtwein all of these types of paths. While it might be nice to find the meteoric or meditative path to career success, its more likely that weve stumbled across paths that are linear, diverging, perhaps maddening, and certai nly serpentine. Which ones most closely resemble your career path? Are you happy with your path, or would you rather try out a new one? Perhaps a path with more flexibility? Maybe something uncharted or mythical? Eh? You see where were going with this.If youre ready to check out a new path to career success, take a look at thelatest flexible job listings posted to .