How to Get a Summer Job for Teachers

How to Get a Summer Job for TeachersHow to Get a Summer Job for TeachersIf you are a teacher, the summer months are a great time to work a second job. You might do this for a variety of reasons perhaps you want to supplement your income, build your resume, travel, or simply keep busy. There are many great summer job options for teachers. Also consider side hustles that can boost your earnings during the summer, and possibly continue into the school year. Read below for information on kinds of jobs to explore, and how to find them. Summer Jobs for Teachers TutorOne of the most popular summer jobs for teachers is tutoring. Educators on summer break are ideal candidates for this type of position. They can tutor students in their particular subject or age group. You can also expand your idea of what a tutor is, based on your subject for example, music teachers might offer music lessons, and gym teachers might offer personal coaching. A wide variety of employers deutsche post dhl tut oring jobs. Large, nationwide companies like Kaplan and Sylvan Learning offer test prep and academic prep at their many locations around the country and are always looking for experienced staff. The best way to find a job with this type of tutoring company is to look for open positions listed on their websites. To find a job with a smaller, local company, check out job search sites like Indeed.com or Monster.com. You can also look for a local family looking to hire a tutor. To do this, check out the classifiedson local newspaper sites. Also ask around at your own school to see if any parents are looking for tutors. You could also place an ad yourself in the local paper to offer your services as a tutor. Summer School TeacherSummer school jobs are mostly for secondary and high school teachers. It can be very rewarding to help those students who need a little extra help to make the grade. Check with your district to see if they are looking for summer school teachers. If they are not, other districts in your area may post job openings on their websites, or on teaching job search sites likeSchoolSpring.com. Camp CounselorAs a camp counselor, you can continue to work with children but in a much different environment than the classroom. From basketball to horseback riding, camps focus on so many different activities. It can be a fun way to incorporate an activity you love to do with your love of teaching. Depending on your schedule, you can look for jobs at day camps or overnight camps. Find job listings on national job search sites. Also check out the Job Center page on the American Camp Association website. Work From HomeThere are a variety of jobs available for teachers who want to work from home. These telecommuting jobs give you the opportunity to earn supplemental income without leaving home during the summer. If you want, you might be able to continue some of these jobs part time during the school year. There are a number of good work at home jobs for teacher s, including an verbunden instructor, a curriculum developer, a test scorer, and an educational consultant. Test ScorerWhile some test scoring jobs are online, others are on site. Advanced Placement tests, for example, are scored by graders in a particular location. This is a great way to make money during the summer or other vacations. Check out the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for job opportunities. Step Outside of the Education Box Maybe you are a little tired of teaching and can use a change of pace. Use the summer months to do something you have always wanted to do, but never found the time for. As a teacher, you have people skills, organization skills, a good work ethic, compassion for children or teens. Youre also a creative thinker and a strong public speaker. Even if you apply for something totally out of left field, because you bring all these skills with you, employers will look at you favorably. Maybe you can find a job that will enrich you. Websites likeCoolWor ks.comwill help you find seasonal jobs, or you can perform keyword searches onjob search enginesto view the variety of summer jobs that are open locally. What better than to do something different and perhaps learn something new at the same time? Read below for advice on other types of job opportunities that might make for a unique and valuable summer. Consider your skills. Do you have a skill that you are not able to use as a teacher? Perhaps you teach English, but you are really good at pottery. Consider offering pottery classes over the summer.Or maybe you know how to code. Look online for temporary jobs or summer jobs that involve coding. Whatever your skill, consider applying it over the summer to make some money. Think about jobs that involve travel. Why not use the summer to make money and travel at the same time? Some of the jobs listed above can be found abroad, such as a camp counselor. You might also look for au pair jobs abroad, if you want to continue to work with kids. You could consider finding a job at a resort or other tourist location, especially one that caters to English speaking tourists (or any other language that you speak). Read here for advice on how to find a summer job abroad. Build your resume through volunteer work or an internship. Perhaps you are a new teacher, and want to continue to develop your teaching credentials. Look online (or visit a career services office) to find out what internships are available in your field. Also check out sites that list volunteer positions to see if there are any listings that could help you gain skills that will be useful in your teaching career (such as volunteer positions in summer schools, camps, tutoring gigs, etc.). You might also take the summer to volunteer or intern in a different field to develop a particular skill. For example, perhaps you want to improve your Spanish. You might volunteer for an organization that requires you to speak Spanish with clients. Or maybe you want to learn gr ant writing skills. Consider an internship or volunteer job that involves working in a development or communications department.

The student loan interest deduction What you need to know

The student loan interest deduction What you need to knowThe student loan interest deduction What you need to knowFiguring out how to fill out your tax return each year is enough to send anyone running for the exit. But this year your student interest loan deduction doesnt need to be a source of anxiety or frustration for two reasonsThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 kept the deduction in place (phew)Weve explained everything you need to know right here.What is the student interest loan deduction?If you paid interest on your student loans last year, then you may be eligible for a deduction of up to $2,500 on your 2018 federal tax return.How it worksThe student interest loan deduction is an above-the-line deduction. That means its deducted from your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), not from your final tax payment.So dont expect to see a $2500 refund just because you qualify for the deduction. Instead, if your MAGI is, say, $43,000, then the deduction lowers the income amount your e taxed on to $40,500.To take the deduction, you need to meet four requirementsYou paid the interest on an eligible loan (or loans)Your modified adjusted gross income is under the capYoure not being claimed as a dependent by anyone elseYoure not filing as married filing separatelyLets dig into each requirement.What is an eligible loan?A qualified student loan is one that you took out for you, your spouse, or your dependent. Unfortunately, borrowing money from grandma and grandpa doesnt count. It has to be a bona fide public or private loan.You also must have taken the loan out for qualified education expenses, like tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and other necessary expenses - for instance, transportation.How do you know if your modified adjusted gross income is under the cap?The Internal Revenue Service provides for a deduction up to $2500, but the amount of your actual deduction depends on your MAGI.If your MAGI is above $80,000 for a single person or $165,000 for a married couple filing jointly, youre out of luck - no deduction. And the amount of the deduction will be reduced if your income is between $65,000 and $80,000 (for a single person) or $135,000 and $165,000 (for a married couple).What filing status should you use to get the deduction?If youre being claimed as a dependent by anyone else on their federal filing - a.k.a. mom and dad - then you wont be able to take the deduction. You also cant take the deduction if youre filing as married filing separately.As long as you file as a single head of household or married filing jointly and dont exceed the MAGI cap, then you should get a deduction up to $2500. taxwinWhat if youve had a loan forgiven?In general, forgiven debt is treated as taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service. So if, for instance, you reached the end of your term on anincome-driven repayment planlast year and had the remainder forgiven, youll be responsible for paying taxes on that forgiven amount.However, thePubli c Service Loan Forgiveness Program(PSLF) is an exception to this rule. If your debts (or your spouses or dependents) are forgiven through PSLF - or because of death orpermanent and total disability- you will not owe taxes on the forgiven amount.If you get a refund on your taxes this year, remember to allocate at least a portion of it to your student loan payments. Paying ahead, even just small amount, can save you big money over the life of your loans.This article first appeared on Comet.

The secret to hiring (and keeping) top tier tech candidates

The secret to hiring (and keeping) top tier tech candidatesThe secret to hiring (and keeping) top tier tech candidatesThe secret to hiring (and keeping) top tier tech candidatesMore and more, tech professionals cant be categorized as either passive or active candidates. Theyre just always on. They always have an ear to the rail theyre aware of their own value and are ready to take the next opportunity at a moments notice.There is so much opportunity, its hard for tech talent to turn it off, says Rod Adams, talent acquisition leader at audit and consulting firm PwC. For recruiters, theres good and bad news in this trend. The good news is that literally millions of coders, software architects and CIOs are out there right now with a never say never attitude to new career opportunities.The bad news? Your next placement isnt closed until its closedand it could still unravel on the candidates second day on the job if something shinier and newer comes along.Heres how extreme tech turnover h as become Googles median employee tenure is 1.1 years, while Amazons is just one year, placing both tech giants near the bottom for employee retention among Fortune 500 companies, according to a study by Payscale.Many of these tech pros are satisfied with their jobs, but feel little or no motivation to stick with them. Theyre always on simply because they can never escape the glare of recruiters attention.They make a hard decision to stay or to take a new opportunity, says Adams, and then theres an element of debating internally, Did I make the right choice?So how can you succeed in the era of the always-on candidate? We asked expert recruiters for advice on how to woo those candidates and continue to win new clients.Develop a sourcing strategy that engages candidates effectivelyIn 2019, a successful tech recruiting strategy must engage these cherished candidates. Theyre solid gold prospects, but many are jaded by a job market that makes them feel like nothing more than a pricey com modity. The trick to differentiating yourself as a recruiter is to meet candidates on their own territory.We go where the talent is, says Karen Gardner, chief learning officer at ManTech, a government contractor that hires out its own tech employees to various federal agencies.One way that ManTech engages contract talent is by creating and maintaining communities of practiceforums for interaction with experts and resources in hot specialties like cloud technologies and offensive and defensive cybersecurity practices.Two of ManTechs communities of practice are called Network-Centric Solutions and Insider Threat Program, a cybersecurity forum.Our professionals really like getting together to hear about different contracts, says Gardner. Our communities of practice serve all of ManTech, providing the forums in which our professionals discuss best practices and common implementation patterns to deliver solutions that solve our customers most challenging needs.Recruiters must get more te chnical than everThe latest tools for recruiting can help you identify always-on candidates before you make contact.For example, there are AI apps that can predict whos more likely to leave a job based on their update activity on their social media profiles, says Sean Dowling, partner and manager of recruiting strategy at search firm WinterWyman Now theres software that can aggregate all these little clues. Entelo is one such application.Recruiters also need to be active in the verbunden forums where tech professionals live, by posting articles and updates on industry news, for example, Dowling says.I have shared commentary about new technologycomparisons between Angular 1 versus Angular 2, or software or new product releases, he adds. (Angular is a Java-based platform for building web applications.)Granted, you probably wont master the technologies that candidates live for, but you can at least demonstrate technical literacy.Some of our recruiters are as technical as the technical guys, and they get smart on emerging technologies just as quickly, says Gardner. Dowling adds Lots of recruiters dont know how to look at code samples. If you dont know how, you should learnperhaps from a candidate youve worked with for years.Recruiters may need to invest time to identify the forums where candidates in a given specialty hang out. You might recruit for a full day and find this one site thats really niche to your client, says Dowling. When searching the other day for React.js developers, I found a forum called Hackr.io, a group of React developers that pose questions to each other. In addition to user forums, Hackr.io features programming courses, meetup listings and tech industry news.Get personalfastto build alliancesTo succeed in the long term, tech recruiters need to dig in to build strong alliances with candidates. How? By showing candidates that youre invested in their future, not just the gig at hand.ManTech does this with a big education and training perk. Wer e the only employer in the region that offers free tuition to our employees, says Gardner.ManTech partnered with Purdue University weltumspannend to close talent gaps in cybersecurity. Fringe benefit For ManTech employees who are hired out on contract, turnover is 45 percent lower among those who take advantage of the tuition offer.In the long game of tech recruiting, it pays to keep in touch with candidates whether or not youve hooked them up for their current gig. We do have a focused alumni strategy, a team that drives engaging with alumni, says Adams of PwC. We provide continuing learning opportunities, so that we may be able to hire them back.

5 Motivating Career Podcasts for Your Job Search

5 Motivating Career Podcasts for Your Job Search5 Motivating Career Podcasts for Your Job SearchPodcasts can be one of the easiest and most efficient ways of gaining new information and inspiration, or to simply be entertained. Both mobile and easily accessible, podcasts are ideal for busy people who love to multitask (i.e., yourself and just about everyone you know) and can serve as a perfect companion for riding public transportation, working out, or doing chores.Perhaps the lesser-known value of podcasts is its ability to act as a great tool for finding a job, making a career change, or gaining insight into what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. Career podcasts are one of the fastest-growing podcast topics and have the potential to add true value to your search for a great career.Here arefivemotivating career podcasts for job seekers1. For the Radical EntrepreneurSelf-proclaimed human guinea pig Tim Ferriss has seen it all- and now hes sharing his secrets to success wi th the masses in his popular podcast, the The Tim Ferriss Show. Also an acclaimed speaker, self-experimenter, entrepreneur, and author of the book The 4-Hour Workweek, Ferriss interviews a wide range of guests from Tony Robbins to Warren Buffet, as well as world-renowned performers in areas of pro sports, investing, and chess.The Tim Ferriss Show deconstructs the lives of these high achieving individuals to find little nuggets of wisdom, inspiration, and advice- such as how to balance relaxation and productivity, how to transform your evening and morning routine, and how to successfully navigate ones life and career.2. For the Creative TypeThe Accidental Creative is a weekly podcast chock-full of inspiration and tips for those who want to pursue creative jobs. Host Todd Henry, also the author of the Accidental Creative book, shares with listeners practices for staying brilliant and healthy in life and work with episodes such as How to Make a Career Pivot, Becoming a 10% Entrepreneur , and Doing What Youre Wired For.3. For the Earnest EntrepreneurEntrepreneurOnFire, hosted by John Lee Dumas, is a daily podcast in which Dumas sits down with some of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time- think Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, and Rachel Feldman- to reveal actionable advice to help entrepreneurs succeed.With nearly 1,500 episodes to date,including solo-preneurs, side-preneurs, and entrepreneurs, EntrepreneurOnFire has a little something for everyone. Each episode is packed with guestsah-ha moments, their worst entrepreneurial moment, and of course, the lessons learned.4. For the Soul SearchersEvery Friday, millions of listeners from around the world tune into 48 Days to the Work You Loveto gain valuable insights into starting a geschftlicher umgang and creating a career you love. Dan Miller, the nations expert on work and starting a career, is the host of this Internet radio show that has consistently been ranked in the top 50 podcasts in the iTunes business cate gory and often ranked number one in careers.This weekly podcast provides listeners with an honest take on topics such as appreciation, discovering ones true passion, and how to remain positive while looking for a job.5. For the Curious TypeEach week, Grant Baldwin, expert speaker and creator of The Speaker Lab, takes listeners on a journey into the lives of interesting people around the globe who took the leap towards crafting a life and career they love. From entrepreneurs and photographers to Etsy sellers and coaches, Grant has interviewed over 100 professionals across the marketing, health, social media, sports, tech, startup, music, and food industries.How Did You Get Into That? is the perfect podcast for individuals across the entire career lifecycle, from those still in high school to those making a career pivot or anyone looking for a source of inspiration.Whether youre a creative entrepreneur looking for your next source of inspiration or a seasoned professional in search of tips on how to up your game, career podcasts can deliver that extra dose of motivation to professionalsof all career paths.Start Your Job Search

New year, new you 5 steps to get your career in gear in 2018

New year, new you 5 steps to get your career in gear in 2018New year, new you 5 steps to get your career in gear in 2018When New Years resolutions come to mind, most of us think about getting fit or shedding pounds. But taking stock and setting goals in the New Year doesnt have to be about diet and exercise alone. Its a great time to set some career resolutions as well.In truth, setting the goal is the easy part. Its keeping those New Years resolutions that gives most of us trouble. We either try too much, too hard, too fast or we fail to create a plan and follow through on goals that are meaningful. As a business owner, I have to assess every goal to make sure it is right, then create a project plan to achieve success. This approach is key with New Years resolutions as well. Any goal worth achieving is worth a plan.To start, take an unplugged day. Even if you cant take an entire day, take a block of time and get out of the office. Find a place that gives you energy and inspiration. Turn your phone off and disconnect from other outside interruptions. Make sure to bring a blank journal or some big sheets of paper and a pen.For any resolution, I start with a little life assessment, and I always do it in writing as it creates a deeper connection in the brain. Its also helpful later in the year when checking in on your plan.First, give yourself a score of 1 10, 10 being best, in the following areas of your lifeHealthFamilyCareerSpiritualityFinanceFriendsFunOther(add in an area that is meaningful to you).How do you feel about those scores? Are you ok with them? Are you surprised by any low or high scores? What would you like those numbers to be in 2018?I think you will find that it is difficult to lead in your career when you are off balance in other areas of your life. The goal is not to have perfect 10s in each category, but simply to be aware of a deficit which may be impacting your work (and your happiness).Remember, we cant change everything all at once. If we put energy into all of ansicht areas, we probably wont make any great change. Use the Essentialism concept to focus on whats most important to you this year. Perhaps you really want to put your efforts into achieving some key career milestones.Next, youll review how last year went.What were the wins?What successes did you have?What did you learn?What were the losses?Where did you miss?Whats holding you back?The expression that those who dont learn from history are doomed to repeat it applies to your New Year, New You planning. Get clear on the lessons learned from the past year.Now, start dreaming for your future. Paint a picture, if not literally then with words. What would success look like in 2018. What do you want more of? Less of? What would you like to do?Do a brain dump. Write down all of the things you want to do in the following categories, looking at all areas of your life, and specifically how they each impact your business goals.HealthFamilyCareerSpiritualityFinanceFrie ndsFunDo not edit yourself at this point. Write it all down. Whether you want to land a specific client, make the leap to manager, increase your departments revenue anything you hope to achieve.Once done, rank the list 1,2,3.1 things that are non-negotiable to do this year.2 things that you would like to do if possible this year.3 is for someday, maybe.Assess your list of 1s.Why do you want to do these things?What is the benefit of success for each eintrag?What obstacles might get in your way?What steps need to happen to accomplish this goal?How will you feel if you dont accomplish this goal?Are you crystal clear on the goal? Remember, you cant hit a fuzzy target.Chunk down your goals. If any step seems too big, make it into a smaller steps. Focusing on baby steps will get you anywhere you want to go.Write out the months of the year. Start plugging in your 1 goals and the steps that need to happen to accomplish them. Do an honest assessment when youre done. Is this realistic? Does a nything need to be adjusted? A big key is to avoid thinking about the year as a whole. Break it into quarters (or a 90 day sprint).For most of us, it is best to start here and truly focus on that list of 1s - the goals most important to achieve. Success begets success and focusing on these first will keep you moving forward. If you truly feel that you have room, you can add the 2s.Look at the calendar again. Is it realistic? How would accomplishing these things make you feel? Make adjustments as needed knowing the realities of your life and the experiences of your past. Now, put the goals into your real calendar.With your goals and plan in place you are ready to put the plan into action. Make yourself accountable by setting check-in dates in your schedule. I prefer to do these weekly. Each week, I check in to make sure that Im doing the steps necessary to achieve my goals. If something needs to be adjusted or re-set I make those changes. And I celebrate the accomplishment and addit ional motivation that comes with checking that YES as I achieve the steps getting me closer to my goal.There is nothing magical per se about New Years. You dont have to wait for a particular date on the calendar to start designing the career you are after. The years will pass whether we have a plan for them or not. Its up to you to create your most successful year yetLisa Druxman is an entrepreneur, the founder ofFIT4MOMand author of the upcoming,The Empowered Mama How to Reclaim Your Time and Yourself While Raising a Happy, Healthy Family.

Top How to List Nanny Experience on a Professional Resume Secrets

Top How to List Nanny Experience on a Professional Resume Secrets Due to her capacity to do extra functions, families will be more inclined to hire her. Nannies need to endeavor to make an environment that encourages safe exploration. Up in Arms About How to List Nanny Experience on a Professional Resume? Even in the event that you dont have a lot of experience, a fantastic summary statement can force you to sound capable and responsible. Theres no greater way to receive a job in a new industry than showing that, in actuality, youve been parte of it for a long time. You cant get any sort of job that looks awesome but you must believe practically and choose which has the absolute best chances of your having. Of course if you know what sort of job you want, it will not be as complicated to create your resume. In the current competitive planet, despite the fact that it appears challenging to get the fantasy job, just by knowing some tactics and taking extra efforts, you can con struct your dreams come true. Your education and experiences must go a very long way to show that youre able to be a great nanny. To begin with, you presently have experience. For those who have child care experience, utilize the resume summary. To learn more on what it requires to be a Nanny, take a look at our complete Nanny Job Description. A Nanny is quite a noble profession that has vast repercussions in contributing upright, responsible and productive folks to society. She is someone whose primary responsibility is to take care of other peoples children. Characteristics of How to List Nanny Experience on a Professional Resume If you genuinely wish to have that job, then you have to send them a targeted resume. Getting mindful of what things to include in your resume can help you get the best jobs online. There are some diverse places where you could consist of volunteer experience on your resume the placement will truly depend on just what the remainder of your profes sional experience appears like and your present job targets. Utilize your judgment, and as always, you always have to prepare quite a few resumes for many selections of companies. Online Job Banks are sometimes a substantial assistance. If needed, you can find a small creative in regards to selecting a Job Title for your volunteer experience. Whether youre preparing to look for a new job, you always have to keep a resume updated. There are numerous publicly accessible ones, and should you have taken classes or been in an institution of higher education, there are quite accessible resources and local Job Banks. A great nanny can only be set by viewing their resumes. Demonstrate you know the job that youve applied for and justify why you have to secure that job. If youre on the lookout for a housekeeping job, you will need a resume that sparkles. Your job for a work seeker is to search for the expert services of the best that youre able. Job searching could be quite tough and r esume writing is most likely the tasks that have to be done when browsing for work. Resumes are crucial to folks who would like to build their careers. Really essential you get in contact with your professional references beforehand, explaining they could be contacted to supply a guide. Since you will likely have tiefpunkt expert experience, dont be afraid to fill your education section with plenty of information. Giving future small business employers references on your application is a superb method to make trust. For instance, if it generally does not incorporate a list of skills, but you want to include one, you have to do so. Below is an excellent base for virtually any nanny resume sample. See sample nanny resume to assist you in making yours. You will stick out above minimally skilled nannies and be in a position to command a greater salary. If youre an experienced nanny who would like to switch from your existing employee to another, you may use the nanny resume tem plate to talk about your values and experience with the new possible employer.

What Recruiters Think About Your Personal Brand

What Recruiters Think About Your Personal Brand According to Jobvites 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey,only four percent of recruiters dont use social media in the recruiting process. Furthermora, the survey found that social media networks are the second most effective source of quality hires for recruiters after referrals.As the survey itself states, social media is a gold mine for recruiters.On the other hand, asurveyconducted by market research firm Cross-Tab on behalf of Microsoft shows that fewer than 15 percent of participants surveyed believe that information found online would have an impact on their getting a job. The survey also found that70 percent of the recruiters interviewed said they have rejected candidates based on information they found online. This apparent gap between job seeker perception and recruiter reality may be harming many candidates chances of success in their job searches.In our digital age, resumes and cover letters are no longer enough for employers. They expect hiring managers and recruiters to conduct deeper searches on candidates via the Internet and they are justified in doing so.If you are looking for your dream job or simply ready totake the next step in your career, you cant ignore your online reputation. Itplays a huge rolein your personal branding, and you need to make sure your digital footprint is the kind that catches recruiters eyes in a positive way.So, what do recruiters think about your personal brand?First Impressions MatterIt is increasingly difficult for job seekers to stand out from the crowd, so you may need to make a more concerted effort.Be sure your personal brand is entirely positive, as it can be very difficult to change first impressions. Start by reviewing the content you have shared on your social media profiles as well as posts that other people have shared with you. If needed, change your privacy settings and take more control over what can be seen by outsiders.You ma y also want to search for your name on Google to see what comes up. If it returns any negative results, youll need to do your best to correct the matter.Taking the initiative to clean up your Web presence will put you one step ahead of recruiters, as they will very likely Google your name.Send a MessageYou need to be clear about the message you want to send with yourpersonal brand. Do you want to be perceived as someone serious and reliable? Someone creative and fun? Someone extroverted and confident? Then think about how are you going to transmit that messagethrough a color scheme, tone of voice, and visual style. The right combination of all these factors will lead you to the kind ofpersonal brand that will help you land your dream job.Keep It ConsistentOnce you have decided on the main elements of your personal brand, stick to them. Consistency is important. Many candidates mix the personal and professional on their social profiles, resulting in misleading and confusing informati on. If you want to land a job, make sure you separate your personal information from your professional achievements.Create different social media profiles to share each type of content. Ifyou have a personal website, you may want to restrict its access. When it comes to your professional image, you should make sure you keep it consistent along all online channels.Overall, it is a reality that HR professionals are searching for candidates online. And in some cases, what they find can affect their hiring decisions. If you want to take the next step in your career, you need to be aware of this, as it is your own responsibility to take control of your personal online reputation.Maria Onzain is a digital marketing expert who writes about career, education, ed. tech, and life hacks.

Students and Volunteers Recognized for their Efforts at the FIRST Championship

Students and Volunteers Recognized for their Efforts at the FIRST Championship Students and Volunteers Recognized for their Efforts at the FIRST Championship Students and Volunteers Recognized for their Efforts at the FIRST ChampionshipMembers of the Winning Alliance realize they have just won the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship, which was held in St. Louis, Mo., last month. An alliance of four student gruppes from California, Michigan and Texas took top honors as the winners at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Championship in St. Louis, Mo., late last month. But there were also a number of other winners at the action-packed event, including the 13 parteicipants who were awarded ASME FIRST-Clarke Scholarships and Cynthia Stong, a longtime volunteer with both ASME and the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program, who was honored with a special award recognizing her service as a chief judge for the competition. In this years FRC ch allenge, Aerial Assist, alliances of high school student teams worked together, using the robots they constructed, to score points by catching balls, tossing them over a truss, and placing them into goals. Some 400 student teams took part in the Championship round of the competition. At the end, four teams emerged as the competitions Winning Alliance gruppe 254, The Cheesy Poofs, from San Jose, Calif. Team 469, Las Guerrillas, from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Team 2848, The All Sparks, of Dallas, Texas and Team 74, Team C.H.A.O.S., Holland, Mich. ASME member Julie Bachmann Kulik (right), mentor for second-place alliance Team 1640, attended the FIRST Championship with her husband, Richard, and their daughter, Caitlyn. Taking second place at the FRC Championship were the alliance of Team 1678, Citrus Circuits, Davis, Calif. Team 1114, Simbotics, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Team 1640, Sab-BOT-age, Downingtown, Pa. and Team 5136, Mechapirates, Santa Ynez, Calif. ASME member Julie Bachmann Kulik served as an engineering mentor for the Sab-BOT-age team. This year, ASME recognized 13 graduating seniors with ASME Foundation-ASME Auxiliary FIRST Clarke Scholarships for their contributions to their particular FIRST Robotics teams. The $5,000 scholarships are designated to fund each students first year of study in an ABET-accredited mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology program. Winners of the 2014 FIRST-Clarke Scholarships included James Bateman of the Ashbury School in Madison Ala., who will attend Auburn University this fall Fletcher Blue from Hardin Valley Academy, in Knoxville, Tenn., who will attend Johns Hopkins University Joseph Diamond from Metro Early College High School in Columbus, Ohio, who will enroll in Massachusetts Institute of Technology Matthew Gorton of the Early College at Guilford in Greensboro, N.C., who will attend North Carolina State University Brian Hilllenbrand of Veritas School in Newberg,Ore., who will go to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Adeline Longstreth from Francis Parker School in San Diego, Calif., who will attend Georgia Institute of Technology and Derek Moore from Clover High School in Clover, South Carolina, who will study at Clemson University. FRC Volunteer of the Year Award winners Cynthia Stong, ASME senior vice president, and Allen Bancroft. Also receiving FIRST-Clarke Scholarships this year were Alexander Nie of North High School in Phoenix, Ariz., who will enroll at Arizona State University Robert Nogaj from Peoria Notre Dame High School in Peoria, Ill., who will attend the University of Dayton Titus Shumaker from Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., who will go to Kettering University Joshua Smith of Loveland High School in Loveland, Colo., who will study at Colorado State University Marcus Thompson of Topsail High School in Hampstead, N.C., who will enroll at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Kaia Williams from P alisade High School in Palisade, Colo., who will attend the University of Rochester. Cynthia Stong, who is currently senior vice president of ASMEs Student and Early Career Development Sector, was also honored at this years FIRST Championship. Stong and fellow FIRST volunteer Allen Bancroft, who both serve as co-chief judge advisors for the competition, received the FRC Volunteer of the Year Award at the Championship in St. Louis. As co-chief judge advisors, Stong and Bancroft prepare and train all FRC judge advisors for the programs more than 70 regional competitions, in addition to overseeing more than 100 judges at the FIRST Championship. Stong, who retired from the Boeing Co. after 30 years and lives in New Mexico, began her involvement with FIRST as a judge at a FIRST regional tournament in Seattle 12 years ago. After two years as a judge, she served as judge advisor before becoming the co-chief judge advisor six years ago. I got the outstanding volunteer award for the F IRST Microsoft Seattle Regional in 2009, she said. So I was really surprised to get this award at Championships In addition to her judging duties, Stong also mentors a FIRST Robotics team in Las Cruces, N.M., and is planning to start a new high school team in Alamogordo, N.M., this fall. In addition to the final FIRST Robotics Competition, the FIRST Championship in St. Louis also featured three other events the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship for high school students, the FIRST Lego League World Festival for students age 9-16, and the FIRST Lego League Jr. World Festival Expo for students age 6-9. For the complete list of FIRST Robotics Championship award winners, and information on the other FIRST events in St. Louis, visit www3.usfirst.org.

As Recession Recedes, Time to Look for a New Job

As Recession Recedes, Time to Look for a New JobAs Recession Recedes, Time to Look for a New JobMany professionals are still reeling from the last economic collapse. Career experts say thats no reason to put off looking for the right job.How many professionals have said that any job you hold these days is a good job? Many recession-scarred workers are holding on to their positions for dear life - even when those jobs dont necessarily position them for career growth. But with the economy slowly improving and the jobless rate inching lower, is the time right to start thinking more about whether you are in the right job and less about whether youll lose it?Career experts who spoke with Ladders said theres no time like the present to begin a search for a job that will best leverage your talent and skills, as well as provide opportunities for personal and professional development. Indeed, some experts say we are at the edge of an employees market.U.S. companies are at an interesting cros sroads right now when it comes to strategic workforce planning, said Randy Hain, CEO of Bell Oaks Executive Search. On the one hand, we are recovering slowly from a deep recession where significant downsizing is still having a significant impact on business. On the other hand, we are headed into a talent war the likes of which we have not experienced. Even in this economy, there is a shortage of professionals who bring to the table proven specific industry expertise paired with strategic business intellect. Forward-looking organizations are looking and hiring for these qualities today.All of this is not to say that boom times are just around the corner. Instead, the economy seems to be moving ahead in fits and starts, with unemployment moving downward much more stubbornly than it has after earlier U.S. recessions.A report by the Congressional Budget Office, The Budget and Economic Outlook Fiscal Years 2011 to 2021, states Although recent data indicate that growth may be picking up, the pace of economic recovery thus far has been sluggish in comparison with that of fruchtwein previous postwar recoveries. The CBO estimates that the U.S. unemployment rate will fall to 9.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 and to 8.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.The recovery may be slow, but it is making progress. And career experts say professionals should use this time to polish up their resumes, grow their networks and strengthen ties with colleagues.Look to new fieldsThe savviest people I know are always considering career moves, said Cheryl Heisler, president of Lawternatives, a career consultancy for lawyers. Even while hiring in the traditional job markets has been incredibly slow, these people have taken to building and nurturing their on-line and personal networks so that when recruiting picks up, they are poised to leap ahead. In spite of, or maybe because of, the fact that there are fewer jobs available now, even as the recovery continues, it is easier to have purely informational conversations about positions, companies and industries. But, of course, any information you gain, when offered up freely in the course of a personal-networking meeting, can grow into much more as market conditions change and the networking relationship builds.Bell Oaks Hain also recommended that professionals start thinking out of the box a bit, broadening their potential job searches to emerging industries such as clean energy.Consider opportunities in new and growing industries, like the new energy field, Hain said. There will be continued career growth in this industry for the foreseeable future given the ongoing push across the country for greener technologies and state-mandated renewable energy quotas. Now is a good time to transfer skills from other industries to the new energy field because it is still largely undiscovered land.Indeed, with the increasing pace of technological and cultural change, many of the most promising areas for the future may not be on professionals radars right now. Potential job seekers should be watchful for areas of disruptive change, such as social networking, when thinking about making their next professional move.The bottom line, experts said, is actively to look for a new job when your current position is not meeting your career expectations and goals, but to always be ready to take advantage of new opportunities.As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron, and you should be continually sharpening your contacts even when youre not looking for a new job, said Deborah Millhouse, president of CEO Inc., a direct-hire placement, temporary staffing and human capital services firm. Network with business leaders and mentors on a regular basis to ensure your connections are strong when it is time to look for a new job.

How Retirement Systems Work

How Retirement Systems WorkHow Retirement Systems WorkA retirement system is an organization that facilitates retirement savings and benefits distribution for government workers. While these systems vary greatly, many of them have defined benefit and defined contribution retirement savings plans and health insurance components. In defined benefit plans, current employees and their employing agencies contribute money to the retirement system. The system uses that money to pay annuities and health insurance costs for current retirees. The system assumes the risk for investment performance. Defined benefit plans are the backbone of many long-standing retirement systems. As time has gone on, retirement systems have added defined contribution options for employees to save additional money for retirement. In many systems, defined contribution options started out as just that options. But they are slowly changing system by system. Diminishing Attractiveness of Government Retirement Und er public pressure, lawmakers have diminished the overall attractiveness of retirement systems in several ways. First, they have forced employees to contribute mora money while holding benefits the same. Much like the concept of governments doing more with less, employees contribute more money for the same retirement payout. Second, lawmakers have shifted risk from employers to employees by making defined contribution plans a greater part of the system while chipping away at defined contribution plans. This gives employees more uncertainty about their standard of living in retirement. Employees can work toward a target annuity in a defined benefit plan, but they cannot do so with certainty in a defined contribution plan. Third, lawmakers have added rules affecting how early a person may retire and how much of retirees health insurance costs are paid by the system. Health insurance is a major cost for retirement systems, so shedding part of that cost is a big benefit to retirement sy stem administrators but not to the people they serve. Fourth, lawmakers have limited the practice of double dipping where retirees work at an organization within the retirement system thus withdrawing from the retirement system and a member employer. Depending on a retirement systems rules, this practice can have dire consequences for the systems sustainability. When Retirement Rules Change Government workers tend to vote in higher proportion than the overall population, so it stands to reason that lawmakers try to appease government workers by grandfathering current employees under old rules. New workers are placed under the less advantageous rules. They dont know they are getting a worse deal than their co-workers until they are already on the job. Some retirement systems make employees contribute to Social Security. Others do not. In order to receive retirement benefits from Social Security, individuals must contribute to it during their working lives. When lawmakers and thei r staffs write enabling statutes for retirement systems, they take into consideration whether or not retirees will have access to Social Security. Examples of Retirement Systems Here are a few examples of retirement systems Most federal government workers participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This system began in 1987 to phase out the Civil Service Retirement System. FERS has three components Social Security, Basic Benefit Plan, and Thrift Savings Plan. This plan combines both defined benefit and defined contribution elements. CSRS is a defined benefit plan. When FERS was created, employees could choose to stay with CSRS or go to FERS.States have several retirement systems working for various collections of governmental entities and their employees. Some states have retirement systems specifically for state agencies, public education, city governments, and county governments. For example, Texas has the Employees Retirement System for state employees, Teacher Re tirement System for university and school district employees, Texas Municipal Retirement System for city employees and Texas County District Retirement System for employees in county governments and special districts. Some large cities and counties opt not to participate in state-run retirement systems and set up their own self-funded retirement plans.