Introverts are natural disruptors  Heres why

Introverts are natural disruptors â€"  Here's why Introverts are natural disruptors â€"  Here's why Co-founder of Quiet Revolution and author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain works to make introverts around the world feel empowered at home and at the office. She recently sat down with world-leading business thinker Whitney Johnson, author of Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work and host of the Disrupt Yourself Podcast, to discuss why introversion goes hand-in-hand with positive disruption.This conversation has been edited and condensed. To listen to Susan and Whitney’s full conversation on the Disrupt Yourself Podcast, click here.Whitney: What is the most disruptive thing you did when you were growing up?Susan: I’ve always been someone who followed my own drummer, more than your average person. In fact, I was just taking Gretchen Rubin’s quiz that helps you figure out what kind of habit follower you are, and I discovered from that that I am a “rebel,” - I’m not going to do it just because you told me to do it; I’m going to have to have my own internal reason for doing a thing.Whitney: So, you’re a disruptor!Susan: I never really thought about it like that. I knew from a very early age I wanted to be a writer - I was always creating magazines and selling subscriptions to my family members. It didn’t really matter to me that other people weren’t doing that same thing; that was just my thing.I don’t even know where I got that idea from at such a young age. If there’s something you love doing, I suppose, you want to then be the creator of that thing.Whitney: You knew you wanted to be a writer. What kind of writer did you want to be?Susan: When I was a kid, I thought I wanted to write stories because that’s what you read when you’re a kid. Part of the reason that it took me so long to actually become a writer is I didn’t understand until a much later age that there’s such a thing as creative nonfiction, and I’m not really a fiction writer by nature . I reached a point at around age 20 thinking, “Oh, I guess that was just a youthful dream,” and that wasn’t right because I [actually just] didn’t want to be writing fiction.Whitney: It was directionally right.Susan: It was directionally right, but it took me another ten years to figure that out.Whitney: So speaking of the next ten years to figure it out, you have had this revolutionary idea, and [a short while later,] over two million copies of your book [Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking]. What was your big idea that launched this movement?“One out of every two or three human beings is introverted, and there is tremendous power associated with having this temperament.”Susan: The idea is that one out of every two or three human beings is introverted, and there is tremendous power associated with having this temperament. We live in a culture that is telling introverts that they should turn into extroverts, instead of helping them to cap italize on their powers for the benefit of themselves and of everyone.Whitney: How do you define “introvert”?Susan: Introverts get their energy from being in a quieter setting - you could be very socially skilled, but if you’re out at the dinner party for too long, you start to feel like, “I’ve got to go home.”It’s also useful to know that that comes from a neurobiological difference between introverts and extroverts. Introverts have nervous systems that react more to stimulation - what that means is we tend to be more in our sweet spots when things are a little bit quieter around us. And when things get too chaotic, we start to get that overwhelmed feeling, like, “I want to tone this down.” Extroverts have the opposite makeup. They have nervous systems that react less to stimulation, and so that means that they’re at their best when there is more happening. [When] there’s not enough going on, they start to feel listless and unhappy.Whitney: So how did you co me up with this idea?Susan: Well, I have been thinking about this all my life. From the time I was a little kid, my preferred way of spending my time was not necessarily conforming to the way our larger social structures were saying you were supposed to. I see this now with my kids. You go to summer camp, for example. You get on the bus in the morning and it’s this uproarious environment, and you get to camp and it’s really loud music and, “We’re going to have so much fun today! We’re going to go to this activity and this one and then this one!” And you don’t have any time or autonomy to do your own thing.When I stopped practicing law in my early thirties, I started writing plays and memoirs and stories, [but then] came back to this idea that I’ve been thinking about all my life - this was the one I knew I was going to publish. All the other stuff that I’d been working on is still sitting on my hard drive to this day, completely unattended to.Whitney: Was this war ming up or circling around? Were you not aware of it, or were you afraid of it?Susan: A little bit of both. Back then it was a really weird, idiosyncratic topic and so I felt a little uncomfortable bringing it up. Also, there is a funny byproduct of all this - everybody is always viewing me through the lens of, ‘Here comes the introvert,’ [which] is a strange lens to always be viewed through.Whitney: That’s good from a market [perspective,] from “Susan Cain” as a product, but from “Susan Cain” as a person… You’re saying it can get complicated.Susan: Yeah, it’s limiting. I don’t tend to think of life in product terms; I think much more in person-terms. Now having said that, I wouldn’t really sit around and complain about it - everything has been fantastic.I will say also as a writer, I’ve always been drawn to writing about the things that make me, or people in general, feel uncomfortable. That’s always where the impulse to write has been. In fact, I’m working on another book right now. I can’t talk about the topic, but it’s the same feeling of “this is one of those topics that bothers a lot of people and they don’t even know it.” That just happens to be my muse as a writer and comes with some discomfort, and you take that as part of the package.Whitney: Is there any way in which you would argue that introverts are uniquely suited to disruption?Susan: I do think that it’s very common for introverts to describe themselves in the way that I did - marching to their own drummer. Whether that is an intrinsic property of being introverted or whether it’s just a byproduct of spending quite a bit of time in your own company, either way, the result is that you know what you think and feel about things, and you tend to develop your own view of the world, which lends itself to disruption.“It’s very common for introverts to describe themselves in the way that I did - marching to their own drummer. You know what you think a nd feel about things, and you tend to develop your own view of the world, which lends itself to disruption.”Whitney: I agree. One of the first accelerants of a personal disruption framework is that a disruptor takes on market risk. Instead of taking on competitive risk, you take on market risk, which is you don’t know if there is a market, but if there is, your odds of success are six times higher. So, it’s amazing to hear you say that introverts are uniquely suited to disruption because they’re comfortable playing where other people aren’t.Susan: I don’t even think [introverts] think about it in those terms - they just take it for granted because that’s just the way they live. They’ve been living that way from the beginning, in school cultures and work cultures where their way of doing things was not in keeping with the norm. When we first started Quiet Revolution, which is based around all these ideas, we did the thing that I think all companies ask themselves whe n they’re first starting, which is, “Who are our competitors? Who are our role models here?” And we kept scratching our heads; we couldn’t really find any.Whitney: You’re building a company around the idea that we need to disrupt our view of introverts. Would you share an experience or two you’ve had where you’ve seen that these ideas are working, or how it’s made a difference as you introduce them to a particular community, whether it’s a school or a company?Susan: One of the things we’re doing now is our Quiet Ambassador experience. Companies identify a cohort of people within the company who are passionate about these ideas, and they serve as ambassadors. [This] means that we train them in our methodology and our thinking, and then they take those ideas and implement them in their day-to-day life inside their companies.I’m thinking of one young woman who was quite introverted herself but had this ambassador role. She [went] back to her team and said, “Hey guys, maybe we should think differently about the way we structure our meetings. We should sit down and have a team meeting about the way that everybody likes to work differently, and how we can accommodate each other’s preferences.” Not only did the team start to function better, but she herself came to be seen as a leader in a way that she hadn’t been previously.We’ve [also] had schools, for example, dramatically rethink how they do class participation. One of the most common problems is from parents who say, “My child is doing great in school. They know everything, and they’re being graded lower because they’re not raising their hands as much as another child who is actually not as much in command of the material. It’s very frustrating.” So we’ve been working with schools to think about classroom engagement instead of classroom participation. It’s a much broader way of assessing how a student is interacting with the material and their peers.“Introverts are uniquely suited to disruption because they’re comfortable playing where other people aren’t.”Whitney: How are you defining “engagement”?Susan: It can be things like raising your hand - that’s the classic one - but it can also be chatting with fellow students after class about what just happened, or participating in writing. “Are you showing the teacher - even through non-vocal signs - that you understand the material, and that you’re switched on?” It’s a more holistic way of thinking about the different ways people learn.We do want our kids to leave school with the skills they need to make their voices heard, so I’m not saying that [raising hands] should be irrelevant, but we’ve gone overboard. It’s so lopsided right now in the way we think about these things.Whitney: It also leads to a situation where sometimes people interview for jobs, and they get jobs they shouldn’t get because they’re just good at talking. And people don’t get jobs they sho uld get, because they’re not so good at talking.Susan: And it’s not just jobs; it’s also startup pitches. A good friend of mine who’s a VC guy in private equity is very attuned to these dynamics. He sees this happen all the time - somebody will come in and make a great presentation and everybody’s impressed, even though they haven’t really said anything.Whitney: Give them $500,000!Susan: Exactly. We really are trained that way.Whitney: Do you think it’s possible for an extrovert to disrupt themselves and become an introvert?“For all of us, we want to disrupt ourselves by acquiring skills that are not necessarily in our default skillset.”Susan: Well, I don’t think they’re going to become an introvert, but I do think that for all of us, we want to disrupt ourselves by acquiring skills that are not necessarily in our default skillset. A lot of extroverts come up to me and say, “I would really like to be more comfortable with quiet. And I’d like to be more com fortable with my own company. So how can I do that?” I think extroverts need to stretch in those ways, the same way introverts need to stretch at a cocktail party.All these things are acquirable. It’s much more liberating to think of these things in terms of skills, instead of in terms of basic personality. Because your personality is what it is, and you should love it and accept it. And then layered on top of that, you can acquire any number of skills. Some of them will be uncomfortable for you to use, but you can use them strategically, as long as you’re honoring who you really are. If you’re an extrovert who is not comfortable in your own company, and you know you’re going to spend all day in your own company, schedule the dinner out with friends afterward, to reward yourself.This article first  appeared on Heleo.

How to Create an Irresistible Resume

How to Create an Irresistible Resume How to Create an Irresistible Resume We all remember that very first time we saw an adorable, fluffy kitten in the window of our local shelter.  Or, perhaps, the initial impressions of our spouse or significant other. Maybe it was that designer purse or luxury sports car that you idealized and swore to land the six-figure job for.  Whatever the goal, one word can sum up the characteristic that had you saying “I need that in my life.” We’re talking about the quality of being irresistible, but not necessarily in the materialistic sense.  When out on the job market, one of the greatest assets you can utilize for a callback, interview, or job offer is that hard to define “it-factor” that makes you a candidate that is impossible to pass up.  Simply put, you want to be irresistible and you want your resume to reflect that trait to any and all potential employers. How to go about that, however, is easier said than done. With that in mind, here are a few real-world examples to help employers in specific employment scenarios instantly recognize that you are a talent that should not be passed up. First Corporate Job Maybe you’re fresh out of college or have a few internships under your belt and are ready to launch into the world of big corporate.  While that school credit position you took at the local regulatory agency may be a big selling factor, your summer gig flipping burgers will probably send a few hiring managers running for the hills due to your inexperience.  Craft your resume in such a way as to accentuate the pre-corporate America work that will be the most applicable to your given job, despite work history or length of time accumulated in individual roles. In addition, highlight the job roles that your employer will find advantageous to avoid leaving the position off of your CV altogether. For Example: Original Resume Statement: Took customer orders and disbursed appropriate change at a local burger restaurant. Instead, Try: Led a team of five service professionals in a fast-paced shift resulting in a 25% increase in quarterly sales. In short, focus on results rather than actions, especially for jobs that don’t quite fit the professional role you may be applying for.  These characteristics will be more easily identifiable and translatable by employers to a different position. In addition, focusing on accomplishments allows the resume reviewer to more easily identify your overarching qualities that would apply to any position, no matter the industry or experience level required. Early or Mid-Career Move After you get past that initial entry level position, chances are you will have other roles to include on your professional resume.  The trick with these mid-level positions, however, is to focus on the foundational tasks you learned earlier which will allow you to be a better employee as you advance throughout your career.  Need an example of what it takes to convince a prospective employer that you’re ready to make that next career step? Don’t worry, we have one at the ready. For Example: Original Statement: As an account manager, I successfully handled 15 individual clients and maintained their contracts. Better Statement: As an account manager, I successfully identified the needs of a variety of individual client accounts and was able to increase productive interactions and accounts payable turnaround times. Instead of using generic qualities, focus on your actions and outcomes to illustrate within your resume.  This will allow potential employers to successfully picture you in the role and will help demonstrate how the skills you achieved earlier in your career influenced your current capabilities. The Final Word As you can see, the ideal irresistible resume focuses more on goals and action items than on a description of your individual job responsibilities.  Focus on your strengths and building blocks gained earlier in your career instead of generic qualities you believe you possess. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.  When it comes to your resume, demonstrable results will always outspeak any narrative you may craft.

Honors Assembly Highlights the Accomplishments of Leading Engi...

Honors Assembly Highlights the Accomplishments of Leading Engi... Honors Assembly Highlights the Accomplishments of Leading Engi... Honors Assembly Highlights the Accomplishments of Leading Engineering Innovators Thomas J.R. Hughes (left), the 2018 recipient of the ASME Medal, with ASME President Said Jahanmir at the Honors Assembly in Pittsburgh, Pa. ASME paid tribute to the achievements and contributions of nine leaders of the engineering profession including Thomas J.R. Hughes, the 2018 recipient of the ASME Medal at this years Honors Assembly, which took place Nov. 12 during the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE) in Pittsburgh, Pa. Dr. Hughes, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics and the Peter ODonnell Chair in computational and applied mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin, received the highest award bestowed by the Society, the ASME Medal, for his pioneering work developing computer-aided engineering and design technologies, and for originating and leading new fields of computational engineering research. As he accepted the medal, Hughes related his introduction to the world of computers as a student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the 1960s. We would admire it through a glass wall, Hughes said of universitys first computer, which was off-limits to the student body. Somehow and I dont remember how I obtained a key to that room. And late at night, I used to go into that room. Thats how I learned to program computers. Subsequently, I did get a job at General Dynamics Electric Boat, he continued. That was where I first heard the words finite element method, and I became intrigued. I became convinced that mechanical engineering problems of every variety could eventually be approached by computers and the finite element method. So I began a journey that has taken me throughout my entire career. Yildiz Bayazitoglu, chair of the ASME Committee on Honors, co-hosted 2018 Honors Assembly with ASME President Said Jahanmir. Another of the nights honorees, Gwynne Shotwell of the space transportation company SpaceX, was this years recipient of the prestigious Ralph Coats Roe Medal. Established in 1972, the award recognizes an outstanding contribution toward a better public understanding and appreciation of the engineers worth to contemporary society. Shotwell, who is president and chief operating officer at SpaceX, was acknowledged for outstanding leadership and innovation for space commercialization, for technical contributions to the design of reusable rockets, and for the promotion of STEM education. Although she was unable to attend the awards ceremony, Shotwell accepted her award in a prepared video that was shown during the event. After thanking ASME and the Board of Governors in her remarks, Shotwell expressed the personal significance of receiving the Ralph Coats Roe Medal. As a mechanical engineer, this medal is particularly special for me, she said. In part, this medal highlights how engineers make life better. I didnt always understand what an engineer did or how they really added value to peoples lives. That changed, however, when she attended a Society of Women Engineers event as a teenager with her mother. I learned what an engineer did, and how they helped society. And from that day forward, I wanted to be an engineer and actually I wanted to be a mechanical engineer and I never veered from that. Robert Nerem, professor emeritus at Georgia Institute of Technology, accepts his Honorary Membership of ASME at the Honors Assembly. An engineering education is incredibly important to making peoples lives better in the future, Shotwell observed at the conclusion of her remarks. I applaud the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for helping facilitate this. Im honored to accept this award and really proud to be among the other awardees in the room tonight. Robert Nerem, who was named an ASME Honorary Member at the event, took his opportunity at the podium to share a few of the Rules of Life that he has imparted to his graduate students at Georgia Institute of Technology over the years. Dr. Nerem, a professor emeritus at Georgia Tech, was one of four ASME members receiving Honorary Membership during the Honors Assembly. Nerem was recognized for contributions to the understanding of the dynamics of blood flow in health and disease and to the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and for leadership in creating opportunities for engineers to play a vital role in advancing medicine. The first (rule) Ill tell you is: You have to be prepared to give up the life youve planned in order to have the life that awaits you, he said. When I was a Ph.D. student, I never thought that my career would take the direction it did. And yet, my career has been extremely meaningful. Another of his rules, he told the audience, was to be open in the widest way possible to new opportunities and new people because that becomes your life experience. (Left to right) SME President Thomas Kurfess, Kamlakar Rajurkar, recipient of the M. Eugene Merchant Medal of ASME/SME, and ASME President Said Jahanmir. As his acceptance speech drew to a close, Nerem observed that while people may not always remember what you said, they will remember how youve made them feel. When tonight is over, I probably wont remember all the nice things that have been said about me, but I will remember how tonights occasion made me feel, he said. Its been very special. Honorary Membership, which recognizes a lifetime of service to engineering or related fields and is the Societys highest level of membership, was also awarded to three other engineers during the ceremony: Portonovo Ayyaswamy, the Asa Whitney professor of dynamical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania; Alan Needleman, a university distinguished professor at Texas AM University as well as a Texas AM Engineering Experiment Station distinguished research professor in the department of materials science and engineering; and Frank E. Talke, professor of mechanical engineering and endowed chair at the Center for Memory and Recording Research at the University of California, San Diego. Kamlakar Rajurkar, a College of Engineering Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of NebraskaLincoln, received the M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME. Dr. Rajurkar was honored for contributions to enhance the productivity of nontraditional machining processes used in automobile, aerospace and medical device manufacturing through extensive research in process modeling as well as sensing and control techniques. Richard William Barnes (left) accepts the Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Medal from ASME President Said Jahanmir at the 2018 Honors Assembly. Richard William Barnes, president of ANRIC Enterprises Inc. in Toronto, Canada, was the recipient of this years Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Medal for his leadership in the research, development, promotion, acceptance and application of ASME codes and standards and for management in the design, construction and operational support of nuclear power plants. Ivar Giaever, chief technology officer at Applied BioPhysics Inc. in Troy, N.Y., was this years recipient of the Nancy DeLoye Fitzroy and Roland V. Fitzroy Medal for pioneering contributions to the frontiers of engineering that have led to a breakthrough in existing technology, or to new applications or new areas of engineering endeavor. Dr. Giaever, who is also an Honorary Member of ASME, was recognized for his innovative experimental research in superconductor tunneling that has advanced the understanding of the phenomenon of superconductivity and led to the development of new scientific instruments. Charles Keese, who co-founded Applied BioPhysics with Dr. Giaever in 1991 and currently serves as president, accepted the award on Giaevers behalf.

Quit Your Job With Class

Quit Your Job With Class Quit Your Job With Class Use these tips to resign from your position without tarnishing your brand. Do you dream of quitting your job? While it can be tempting to craft a witty resignation text with an app like Ladders’ new iPhone app, Quit Your Job, you don’t want to damage relationships that could lead to recommendations, references, or even job leads later in your career.With this in mind, I’ve compiled three tips to help you submit your two weeks’ notice while preserving your personal brand at the company.1. Don’t burn bridges.Whether your experience at the company has been a dream or a personal nightmare, don’t burn bridges. It’s a small world, and you never know when your paths may cross with this organization and its employees again. During your final days in the office, act the part of the model employee. If you’ve given your notice, do what you can to ease the transition for those you’re leaving behind. This may include writing out processes you’ve developed or creating guideline s for your colleagues who will be covering your responsibilities until a replacement can be hired.2. Keep it professional.From your resignation letter to your daily emails, it’s important to keep all written and oral communication professional and friendly. If your experience has been less than ideal, your best bet is to keep the resignation short and sweet. Thank your manager for the opportunity and explain that you will be leaving the organization, effective on a specific date. If you’re in sales or account management, your organization may waive your two-week transition period and end your tenure immediately. Be prepared for this by backing up any documents or contact information you’d like to keep after you leave the organization. Gather any data you’ll need to update your resume before you give your notice.3. Stay away from social.If you were laid off or fired, it’s normal to want to let off some steam. While it’s perfectly okay to vent to a close friend or family m ember in the privacy of your home, it’s another thing to take your rants to the web. Don’t post comments, status updates or YouTube videos bashing your former manager or colleagues. In this digital age, it’s all too easy for a recruiter or prospective employer to find your rants online, even after you’ve deleted them from your account. Don’t inadvertently hurt your future job prospects with an angry message online.Want to blow off a little steam? Download Ladders’ new iPhone app, Quit Your Job, from the iTunes store today to send humorous resignation text messages to your friends (Although I don’t encourage sending one to your manager!).Click on the following link for more advice on how to resign gracefully.

10 Things You Should Never Say Over Email

10 Things You Should Never Say Over Email 10 Things You Should Never Say Over Email In some cases, having the paper trail of email can be a good thing. However, there are certain things  you shouldnt put in writing, as they can be taken the wrong way â€" or worse, lead to your termination. Some might say the unwritten rules of email communication are common sense, but  the fact is not everyone is aware of all these email taboos. Below are ten tips to help  you avoid making crucial email mistakes. Whether youre new to the business world or a seasoned veteran, these tips will help you stay out of trouble: Never criticize a person in a way  that  could be perceived as a personal attack. (E.g., Telling  someone they are a jerk â€" or worse â€" for what they have written to you.) Do not state your private opinions on a person or make generalizations about a group of people in an email. Especially avoid topics related to religion, politics, sexual orientation, or ethnic background. Do not state in writing how you feel about the email you received. If a message makes you upset or angry, keep that to yourself. Be like Switzerland, and always adopt a neutral tone in emails. If you think  that what you are writing  could at some point or in some context be embarrassing or slightly inappropriate, then it likely is  â€" so dont write it. Keep your email content business-oriented.  Dont share information about your personal life via email unless you would be okay with others knowing the information. Emails are, essentially, public. Discussing  your coworkers  and their  performance is not acceptable, even if you are being complimentary. The only exception is when you are the persons manager and are having an email conversation with HR or your own boss. Do not speculate  about  your company or your coworkers.  Your inferences can easily be misunderstood, even if  your speculations have good intentions. Jokes should also be avoided.  What you think is funny  can easily be offensive to others. Dont make unsolicited suggestions over email. If someone has explicitly asked for your feedback over email, you can share it. Otherwise, keep your opinions to yourself. Dont ever tell a person youre going to quit your job or are thinking about leaving. This information could end up in your bosss hands. If youre planning on resigning, your boss should always be the first to know. Kathleen E. Murphy is CEO of Market Me Too.

Spotlight on a Career in Entertainment Engineering

Spotlight on a Career in Entertainment Engineering Spotlight on a Career in Entertainment Engineering Spotlight on a Career in Entertainment Engineering The worlds largest moving stage had just been installed at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas for Cirque du Soleil. The design was fully developed and then we found out the brakes didnt fit into the space available, remembers Bill Gorlin. We had to quickly overhaul a big part of the design. Our mechanical engineers saved the stage, says Gorlin, vice president of the Entertainment Division at McLaren Engineering Group, headquartered in West Nyack, NY. Entertainment engineers create mechanical and structural systems for scenic and entertainment staging, theatrical facilities, theme parks, and all kinds of performances. Projects conceived and developed by Gorlins division, for instance, include Super Bowl half-time extravaganzas, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flying car for a Broadway show, the ToyR-Us T-Rex display in Times Square, and sets for acts such astheBlack-Eyed Peas, Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones, and Bon Jovi. Its an exciting, challenging, and growing specialty, says Gorlin, who looks for mechanical engineers able to think fast. The work is extremely diverse, requiring the ability to juggle several variables at once. Practical Experience During interviews, Gorlin asks, What did you play with as a kid? I want someone interested in solving cool problems. Playing video games isnt so creative. Being addicted to Legos or building tree houses is better. I want people who worked with their hands, maybe tearing apart TV sets. Gorlin seeks mechanical engineers with insights and interest in structural analysis, including finite element analysis, fatigue analysis, and fracture mechanics. The art of machine design is juggling many variables for components all at one time, where each will affect other components. You have to learn how to balance all of them simultaneously, he explains. The machines have to fit within the visual constraints of the particular entertainment site. Most mechanical engineers work on small things that whir quickly, says founder and CEO Malcolm McLaren. However, entertainment projects often involve big machines, too. One 80-foot high creation, The Dancing Cranes, at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, involved huge hydraulic machinery and LED screens. It required a certain look because it shoots fire and sprays water all over itself, notes Gorlin. I need someone who can design machinery and power transmission, which they may not have learned in depth as an undergraduate. Mechanical engineers usually know the mechanical information, but not the entertainment factors, so a stagecraft or technical theater elective is a plus. Gorlin prefers some practical experience involving machinery components. In order to put together a machine, you need familiarity with all the available equipment. Learning on the Job Gorlins division has no formal training program. You learn on the job, by just doing it, diving in immediately, usually on simple things. Youll be up and running by day two. As soon as theyre ready, mechanical engineers are assigned to glitzy projects, like Madonna or U2 tours. Salaries for entertainment engineers are on a par with other types of engineers, says Gorlin. A PE license improves the pay rate. It isnt required for mechanical engineers, but we consider interest in getting a PE license an asset. Its valuable in case sign-off is needed. A major part of the job is educating clients. We have to persuade them that better machinery is energy-efficient, quieter, and easier to service. Its vital to be able to get these non-engineers to appreciate the design issues that may not be obvious to them. Some of the issues may add to the project costs. Project budgets range from $50,000 to tens of millions. The value of client contact affects Gorlins staff selections. In the old days, engineers did all the calculations. Now computers do the laborious parts for you. I want people who can write and communicate very well, he declares. The most important undergraduate class is writing! Carol Milano is an independent writer. The design was fully developed and then we found out the brakes didn't fit into the space available. We had to quickly overhaul a big part of the design. Our mechanical engineers saved the stage.Bill Gorlin, vice president, Entertainment Division, McLaren Engineering Group

How to Network With Friends and Family

How to Network With Friends and Family How to Network With Friends and Family Let’s be honest. You probably don’t need to read yet another article about the importance of networking. By now we all know how critical it is to career mobility, entrepreneurial growth and overall success. That’s why my coaching clients are so frustrated when they feel like “it isn’t working.” They have attended networking events, made notes on the backs of business cards, done the appropriate follow-ups and had the coffee meetings. Yet the opportunities aren’t flowing. Usually the problem is that they haven’t spent enough time cultivating their network. Growing a fruitful network is a lot like gardening. It requires patience and consistent tending. So what can you do if you need opportunities NOW and your network is still in the seedling stage?   Make the best use of your strongest existing support system: your friends and family. Not related to the Rockefellers? Don’t worry. A contact doesn’t need to be a business powerhouse in order to be valuable. You might be surprised the conversations that your loved ones have at their places of worship, PTA meetings, bowling leagues and volunteer events. However, just because people care about you doesn’t mean that they are fully equipped to connect you with the right job leads or potential customers. You may need to do a little work to help them help you. Tell them what you need in plain English I’m not the smartest person in the world, but I’ve got a couple of degrees under my belt, AND I work in the career industry. Yet I still occasionally see resumes where I don’t fully understand what someone does for a living. Can you imagine what all of that jargon sounds like to your dear Aunt Edna or your best friend, the nurse? They don’t need to understand the intimate details of your work. Try to give them a simple picture of your role and the type of assistance you would appreciate. Keep your request simple This one is usually a challenge for job seekers. You may be flexible about the types of positions that you are willing to entertain, but that doesn’t mean that you need to share all of your options with every networking contact. Sometimes we forget that our loved ones are human beings with other very important things on their minds. If your request is too complicated, then even if they are committed to your success they won’t be able to recall your request when they meet someone or stumble across an opportunity that can benefit you. If your golf buddy doesn’t work in the same industry, try to limit your request to one or two simple, memorable items. Ask them directly You spend a lot of time with friends and family. You high-five them at pick-up basketball games, toast drinks at your favorite bars and pass the gravy at holiday dinners. They know that you are looking for work. Maybe you’ve talked about your new business and how you need more customers. If they had any good contacts, wouldn’t they have already shared them? Not necessarily. There are plenty of people in your immediate circle who will proactively open up their rolodexes and start figuring out how they can help. However, over time I’ve noticed that there are just as many well-intentioned people who NEVER CONSIDER taking that next step. These are not mean or selfish people. They will listen to your concerns or complaints and even offer advice. But unless you make a direct request, they’ll leave the conversation satisfied that they’ve done their duty as a good friend. Don’t make assumptions. Ask. Be mindful of their personal risk Whenever a networking contact connects you with a person or opportunity, he is spending some of his personal social capital. If you act inappropriately or are unreliable, your contact suffers the risk to his reputation. This fact remains true even if you are one of their closest friends or family members. Before making a request, you must be very sure that you have demonstrated that you are worthy of the risk. Your cousin may trust you with her life yet still be hesitant about introducing you to her Type-A mentor.   Do an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, and don’t overreach. Your loved one may be less willing to help you in the future, or, worse, you may cause damage to an important relationship. Just because you implement these steps with your friends and family doesn’t necessarily mean that you will immediately be inundated with job offers or new customers. However, you will be better positioned to continue growing your business network with the confidence that you have an army of your biggest fans making inroads on your behalf. And don’t forget: networking is a two-way street. At your next family affair or social gathering, make a commitment to be a better resource for the people you care about. If you do that consistently, you’ll soon be almost as popular as grandma’s apple pie.