Sustainable Building Equipment Systems Open Research Forum Held in Washington

Sustainable Building Equipment Systems Open Research Forum Held in Washington ASME Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment Systems Open Research Forum Held in Washington ASME Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment & Systems Open Research Forum Held in WashingtonLast month, the ASME Center for Research and Technology Development (CRTD) and ASME Emerging Technologies (ET) jointly convened the first in a planned series of workshops - called Open Research Forums - at the ASME offices in Washington, D.C. More than 25 leaders from U.S. industry, government and academia attended the darbietung for the purpose of identifying and evaluating the various challenges and opportunities in the integrated/sustainable building equipment and systems (ISBES) field. The ASME Open Research Forum series, a joint effort of the Center for Research and Technology Development (CRTD) and Emerging Technologies (ET), is intended to bring together industry, government and research leaders to gather knowl edge and intelligence that can lead to new ASME products and services in key focus areas, according to Michael Tinkleman, director of the CRTD.By enhancing our understanding of the issues and opportunities our goal is to expedite community and content development, and to identify how ASME can best help move unterstellung key focus areas forward, he said.The ASME Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment Systems Open Research Forum, held April 24, was a one-day, invitation-only workshop where attendees discussed three key focus areas relating to integrated/sustainable building equipment and systems integrating of renewable energy generation into buildings and building systems incorporating power generation systems into building heating and cooling systems and integrating energy strategies at the neighborhood and city-scale.Forum organizers selected these three focus areas based on assessments of global ISBES needs that took place at the ASME Sustainable Building Technologies Roundta ble, which was held in May 2012 in New York, and at the ISBES technical and panel sessions at the 2012 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Last months Open Research Forum explored how ASME could contribute to advance these technologies to the global engineering community via research, education, knowledge dissemination, and new codes and standards. The workshop also reviewed national and global initiatives for smart buildings and communities. Addressing the focus area of integrated renewable energy generation and energy efficiency technologies were Yunho Hwang of the University of Maryland, Stella Oggianu of the United Technologies Research Center, and Andy Walker of NREL. Moncef Krarti of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Rongliang Zhou of Hewlett Packard, and Patrick Phelan of the Department of Energy were the speakers for the session on the second focus area, Integrated Power, Heating, Cooling Equipment and Systems. Jorge Gonzalez of the City C ollege of New York, Annie Marston of Ebert Baumann Consulting Engineers, and Jason Hercules of the U.S. Green Buildings Council discussed the third area of focus during their session, titled Neighborhood and City-Scale Integrated Energy Strategies. Moncef Krarti of the University of Colorado at Boulder The interactive discussions that took place during the daylong event resulted in 39 recommendations from Forum participants regarding what ASME could do to encourage the adoption of integrated/sustainable building equipment and systems. These suggestions fell into four broad categories collaboration between ASME and other groups on joint research, meetings, forums and conferences information dissemination via publications, including articles, journals, case studies, books and handbooks the enhancement and development of codes and standards and ISBES education opportunities, including training courses, training manuals, webinars and podcasts.Noteworthy recommendations fr om the Forum participants included ASME should collaborate with other groups such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), IEEE, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the Department of Energy and the Solar Electric Power Association to address the topic of Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment and Systems (ISBES) and establish a joint technical committee to focus decision making and prioritize research topics by drafting a research road map for the next five years. ASME should continue to initiate and recommend special issues of the Solar Energy Journal devoted to ISBES issues and research needs. In addition, special effort should be made to disseminate ISBES information through non-technical articles and publications focused on increasing public awareness. ASME should draft a position paper on ISBES, in cooperation with the Government Relations office, to explain the topic and related research needs to the political leadership in Washington, D.C. ASME should exercise its ability to develop consensus codes and standards for the integrated/sustainable building equipment and systems arena. Existing codes and standards need to be enhanced to recognize the benefits of integrated, energy efficient building designs. ASME should lead the effort on the topic of ISBES design through vehicles such as webinars or podcasts on relevant ISBES topics. Special programs, such as courses and workshops, should be developed to expand and complement the trained workforce of building operators capable of handling sophisticated integrated buildings.A full report that includes the 39 recommendations and a summary of other Forum discussions will be released this summer.Two more Open Research Forums are planned to be held over the next few months - one on the subject of sustainable manufacturing in June, and another addressing thermal energy storage in September. For more information on the Open Rese arch Forum series, contact Brandy Smith, ASME Emerging Technologies, at (917) 596-0306, elektronischer brief smithbasme.org, or Michael Tinkleman, ASME Center for Research and Technology Development at (202) 785-7394, e-mail tinklemanmasme.org.

Is Overconfidence Hurting Your Job Search

Is Overconfidence Hurting Your Job SearchIs Overconfidence Hurting Your Job SearchYoure in the middle of yet aleidher job interview. Your answers are on point and your superior skillswellthey speak for themselves. Yet, you cant seem to land a job. The problem may not be your lack of work experience- it might be your overconfidence hurting your job search.A recent study from the Career Advisory Board found that there is a seeming disconnect between what job seekers think they are bringing to the table and what hiring managers are finding. The Job Preparedness Indicator (JPI) discovered that job seekers tend to be overly confident- to the point of their own detriment- when they are interviewing for a job.How overconfidence is hurting your job searchFor example, 72 percent of job seekers believe that they are confident enough to know how to showcase their skills and previous work experience to a hiring manager. Another 56 percent of those looking for a job are also confident that they k now exactly what employers are looking for in todays top talent. However, only a mere 15 percent of prospective bosses say that nearly all job seekers have the skills that their companies are looking for.It seems that previous work experience coupled with industry knowledge is what job seekers believe will get them through the job interviewing process and land them a job. The reality is quite the opposite. According to the study, 74 percent of hiring managers claim that job seekers should have some sort of career counselor (in the form of a career mentor) to help them match their skills and experience with a position that they not only want, but will be a legitimate fit for them.Sadly, many job seekers are relying solely on their previous work experience to guide them as they fill out job applications and write a great cover letter that is sure to get noticed. In fact, the number of job seekers who prefer to go it on their own (instead of seeking out advice from seasoned professiona ls) has grown from 58 percent in 2012 to 67 percent in 2013.What should savvy job hunters who are looking for work do?Seeking out the advice and experience of a career mentor is a great place to start. Not only can a mentor guide in you in your overall career, but he or she can help you through todays tough job interviewing process, assess your interview style, and provide the necessary tweaks to get you the job you deserve.It may seem like an unnecessary waste of time- and money- to find a mentor, but investing in a person who can help you find a lucrative career will be an investment well worth it.Readers, what do you think of this new study? Have you invested in a career mentor to help you find a job? Let us know in the comments section below

Are You Becoming Obsolete at Work

Are You Becoming Obsolete at Work Are You Becoming Obsolete at Work Stay competitive in the workplace with this top advice. Never stop learningThe quickest way to lose your edge is to be stagnant in your career. Don’t let yourself become so comfortable that you stop challenging yourself. Seek out new professional-development opportunities at relevant industry events, your local college and online. There are a number of webinars, online workshops and courses you can take to brush up on a skill or learn an entirely new one.Be a trend setterMake it a point to stay current with the latest trends in your field. Join relevant Meetup and LinkedIn groups and subscribe to online publications to help you keep a pulse on your industry. If you want to take it a step further, set up Google News Alerts for key associations, industry terms or competitors in your market so you stay up-to-date with relevant news. Share any valuable nuggets of information you learn with the team, when appropriate.Give your brand a faceliftYour appearance is an extension of your prof essional brand. Consider what your current brand â€" on and offline â€" says about you. Does it portray a confident, approachable professional who is not only knowledgeable, but still passionate about and relevant within your industry? While you don’t need to be well-versed in every social media channel, it’s important to manage your online brand. Establish at least one professional online profile that is fully fleshed out and aligned with your career goals, and take steps to secure your personal accounts.Make friends with technologyIt is often assumed that senior professionals and new technologies don’t mix well. In fact, Adecco found that 72 percent of hiring managers felt that mature workers need more technological know-how. It’s important for you to demonstrate technical savvy wherever possible to dispel such stereotypes. While building an online presence and leveraging social media will help with this cause, it’s even more important to stay updated on the new technolo gies emerging in your field.Mentor others… and seek new mentorsThe benefits of mentorship only grow as your career progresses. Continue to seek our new people to become part of your personal board of directors, helping you manage or further advance your career. In addition, find a junior member of your team to mentor. Not only will you find the experience rewarding, but chances are, you’ll also learn a thing or two from your mentee.Build a brag sheetEmployers today always want to know what you’re doing for their company today, not what you helped them accomplish 6 years â€" or even 6 months â€" ago. Be prepared for these conversations at any time by building a brag sheet. Chronicle your professional accomplishments and contributions and continually update it on a regular basis so you’re always prepared to discuss the value you bring to the organization.

U.S. Army ROTC Simultaneous Membership Program

U.S. Army ROTC Simultaneous Membership Program U.S. Army ROTC Simultaneous Membership Program The Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) allows people to be a part of both the Army National Guard and their college’s ROTC program. The immediate benefits are being able to use the tuition assistance of the GI Bill after a year of service in the Guard or Reserves. Qualifying for up to 100% tuition with the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) scholarship is the major financial benefit of this program. Eligibility Requirements for the SMP Simultaneous in the SMP is defined by the following requirements: Full-time college student (sophomore, junior, senior, or grad student)Serving (or willing to enlist) in the Army Reserves or Army National GuardEnrolled in Army ROTC at the college of attendance How SMP Works In the SMP, a cadet will participate in monthly unit training with the Reserves or National Guard one weekend a month and get paid to drill once a month with their Guard unit. Cadets do have to attend Army Basic Combat Training and join the Guard or Reserves. Then they must be eligible for the ROTC program at the college they attend or plan to attend. Many ROTC students join the ROTC program as a non-contracted cadet, meaning they must pay for their college tuition. Depending upon performance and eligibility, students may earn a slot as a contracted cadet- receiving an ROTC scholarship and a commitment of service after graduation. Only ROTC-contracted cadets may participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program.  However, those receiving an ROTC scholarship cannot join the SMP. If you join the SMP two-year training course, youll be receiving training from the National Guard unit officers, while earning your commission through college courses and ROTC. Upon college graduation, you have several options that most ROTC, Officer Candidate School, and Academy graduates do not have. You can still become commissioned as an officer in the Army. However, you also have the option of serving full-time or part-time in the Army Reserves or Army National Guard.     Benefits of Simultaneous Membership Program Participation in SMP allows you to: Receive basic soldier skills in Basic Combat Training (BCT) and job skills through Advanced Individual Training (AIT)Receive up to 100% tuition assistance, depending on Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)Receive time-served credit toward reserve retirement and base pay calculationsReceive a monthly allowance, depending upon rank/gradeCommission as a second lieutenant upon graduation and be eligible to serve in either the National Guard or active Army Two Ways of Joining the SMP If you already serve in the Army Reserves (AR) or National Guard (NG) as an enlisted soldier, your benefits already include tuition assistance, 100 percent tuition waiver (NG only), GI Bill ($300  per month, if MOS qualified), and drill pay. Joining ROTC adds more benefits: Drill pay increase to Sergeant (E-5) rateROTC stipend ($350-$500 per month)GI Bill Kicker ($350 per month) for being in ROTCNon-deployable status- No deployment since you are enrolled in collegeOfficer training in your National Guard/Reserve Unit when performing your required drill You need to complete one year of college before applying for the SMP, making you eligible at the beginning of the sophomore year. However, a freshman can still enroll in ROTC classes and drill with the National Guard unit, but will not be formally in the SMP. If you are a sophomore or higher and currently enlisted, you must enroll in the SMP to enroll in ROTC. Prospective cadets with prior military experience may simply be assigned to a unit.   Civilian High School Graduates If you are a civilian, you get to attend Army Basic Training and become a soldier in the National Guard after Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) during the summer (typically between high school graduation and freshman year). New Basic Training graduates are assigned to a local National Guard or Reserve unit upon completion of training. Upon commissioning, any enlistment contract is nullified, and you may start your career as an Army officer and serve either full-time on Active Duty, or part-time as an officer in the Army Reserves or National Guard. You are not limited to any particular MOS because of your former training, nor are you locked into or out of any commissioning options. Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty If you have desires to serve in the Army Reserves or National Guard, there is a GFRD contract that means you will receive a Reserve Commissioning and not go Active Duty. All cadets at the end of their junior year can request Active Duty (career MOS), Army Reserves, or National Guard. Also, to differentiate the SMP from other commissioning sources, participation in the SMP is not required for GRFD contracting. Required Documentation Those who contract and become SMP participants must complete selected ROTC Cadet Forms of the command/college you attend as well as the standard AR/NG forms.   The following forms are also necessary for SMP participation: DA Form 4824-R (SMP agreement between Cadet Command and Army Reserves units)Or NGB Form 594-1 (SMP agreement between Cadet Command and Army Reserves units)Copy of DD Form 214Letter of Recommendation from National Guard or Reserve Unit CommanderVerification of citizenshipSuccessful medical exam (SF 88 and SF 93)Letter of acceptance from the professor of Military Science If you missed the opportunity to receive an ROTC scholarship or Service Academy Appointment, this program offers the same benefits toward tuition and more.

I Hate my Job. When Can I Jump Ship

I Hate my Job. When Can I Jump Ship I Hate my Job. When Can I Jump Ship That’s when you start to feel resentful: Why am I here? Where should I go next? And most importantly, when can I jump ship? Before you quit with a dramatic Jerry Maguire-like speech, or stomp into your boss’s office to render your two-weeks’ notice, take a moment to assess your options. Take a breath. Think about how to proceed in a way that will make your day-to-day better, and not worse. “I’m thinking seriously about quitting my job.” If you know that your current job is not the right fit for you, but youre not sure whether you are ready to leave, there are two things that you must do before you take any action: 1. Don’t quit right away. This is especially true if you don’t have another source of steady, reliable income â€" not including an emergency fund. Today, even qualified and seasoned professionals may remain unemployed for as long as one year while seeking a new position. If you quit your job and run out of savings, you’ll be forced to take another mediocre job that may make you feel even more discouraged than your current position. Quitting prematurely often requires compromises with respect to financial security, position, or company; in time, you may be more likely to take a lower salary or a stop-gap job to pay the bills. So if you think that your current job is not your dream job, start building a reserve of money in addition to your emergency fund to provide you with more freedom when you make the decision to quit. 2. Decide on the job that you want. While you may be certain that you don’t like the job you have now, spend some time examining what type of job you will like in the future â€" as well as what is necessary for you to get it. Make a list of everything you like and do not like about your current job. Parts of this list can be tricky if you genuinely hate your job, so look at things you may be taking for granted. Do you have flexible hours? Is their free parking particularly close by? Do you have casual Fridays? Compare to the list you’ve built on your current position to make sure that you are not jumping from one bad situation to another, and to help pinpoint the ideal job for you. “I am definitely quitting.” For those who cannot spend another moment in their current employment situation, here are two important questions to ask yourself before quit day: 1. How long do I have to stay? The length of time you stay in your current job will depend on several factors. Most career experts recommend at least a year even if it’s downright unbearable. However, for more advanced positions, three years may be even better. It is interesting to note, however, that some career experts believe staying at a job for more than four years will hinder your growth. Just remember that whenever you decide to leave, the goal is to move up the corporate ladder â€" not down or straight across. 2. What can do I to make it better? Lets say that you’ve decided you are going to stay at your job until the three-year mark; what can you do to make it better? Try taking on additional duties in an area of interest that is currently outside your purview. If you joined the company to be a marketing strategist, but are still an administrative assistant, consider volunteering to help with tasks in the marketing department or asking to shadow a more senior co-worker. Make sure to obtain the consent of your supervisor, and stress that the added duties will be completed in addition to, not instead of, your current duties. When you do finally quit, try to give as much notice as possible. Consider giving a month if it is difficult to find candidates for your position, or if they are difficult to train. Discuss closing out your current duties with your supervisor, thank them for the opportunity, request a well-written reference letter, and leave on good terms. Still unsure when to quit? Check out the Harvard Business Review’s recent career case studies of individuals in this situation.

Job Application Mistakes to Avoid

Job Application Mistakes to Avoid Job Application Mistakes to Avoid Most of the time, the job application process is pretty straightforward. Even so, there are job application mistakes that can cost you the opportunity to advance in the hiring process. Competition for jobs is keen, so you need to make sure your employment applications, both paper and online, are as polished as possible. Take the time to carefully complete every application you fill out to be sure the information is accurate, your dates and job descriptions are correct, and there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Some Common Mistakes to Avoid Skimming the instructions and missing the real intent of the application questions. Read carefully and dont rush. After all, who wants an employee who doesnt follow directions?Writing see attached to avoid filling in the material on the application. Many employers will screen primarily on the application itself, so you need to fill in all the blanks even if the information is duplicated on an attached resume.Supplying generic statements about your skills or experiences. Instead, highlight and front-load the skills and experiences most relevant to your target job. Fabricating or exaggerating your qualifications. Dishonesty and fabricated information are grounds for immediate dismissal, so avoid the temptation to make up or puff up your credentials.Applying to jobs you’re not qualified for. If the position requires an advanced degree or a certain number of years of experience that you don’t possess, don’t waste your or the hiring manager’s time applying.Submitting your application to the wrong person or department. Make sure you direct your application to the individual or department referenced in the ad or job post. You might also want to copy other contacts you have at the company: I thought you might want to see the materials which I submitted to HR given our helpful informational meeting last week. Spelling or grammatical errors. Copy and paste online descriptions into a spelling and grammar checker like Word first. Put your finger on every word and make sure it is spelled correctly. Read your document out loud to check for grammatical errors, and, when possible, have another set of eyes review your document before submission.Writing descriptions that dont include accomplishments. Even though the application says job description, take that to mean a description of how you added value as opposed to a bland list of duties. Using numbers to quantify descriptions is a good way to highlight accomplishments, “Managed financial oversight of $500,000 annual fundraiser.” Neglecting to explain job gaps. If you have legitimate reasons for gaps in employment, find a way to explain why you were out of work, such as I left in good standing to care for my newborn baby or a terminally ill parent.Listing an unprofessional sounding email address. Set up a separate email account for job-related purposes that doesnt include anything like partygirlyahoo.com. Application Tips It can be helpful to write out a master list with the dates and descriptions of your education and the jobs you have held in chronological order. When you are filling out applications, you can refer to your list, and be sure that you are providing accurate and complete information to each employer. If you submit a resume as well, you will want to tailor it to the individual position you are applying to, highlighting the most relevant experiences. These may differ from the chronological list that the general application may ask for, which is one of the reasons they may request supporting documentation to get a more complete picture of your qualifications. Before you submit the application, read it through again, scanning for typos and making sure that you answered all the questions completely and appropriately. Submit All the Required Documents It’s important to pay attention to the details of the requirements for the application listed in the job posting. Sometimes, in addition to filling out an application, the hiring manager will require you to submit a resume, cover letter, portfolio, list of references, etc. To be considered for the job, make sure that you submit all the documents requested. If you don’t follow the application instructions, it’s an easy way for the hiring manager to eliminate you from contention.

Jobseekers Still Do These 3 ThingsWhich Dont Work

Jobseekers Still Do These 3 Things…Which Dont Work Jobseekers Still Do These 3 Things…Which Dont Work It sure would be nice if job search was what it used to be: you’d draw up your resume, distribute it to some well-placed contacts, and network your way into a good role. Then you’d do it again. Then you’d do it again. Following that pattern can keep you happily employed for decades. However, the day old-school job search techniques stop working can bring serious upset and frustration. So, let’s cast away the old things, and replace them with job search 2.0 approaches that get you the response you need. The #1 thing that doesn’t work: cliché keywords. There is no way that you being a “detail-oriented team player” is the strongest asset you bring to the table. When I see resumes and LinkedIn profiles that start off on that wrong foot, I believe it’s a cover for fear. There’s fear because those are the words you see in every ad, so surely you must include them, right? There’s fear because you don’t know what else to write. There’s fear because you don’t know how to say who you truly are, what you actually do, or what the unique value is that you bring to the table. Instead of stuffing your presentation with alleged keywords from the bottom of the ads, (I defy you to show me an ad asking for a detail-oriented team player in the 1st line), start with what the ad says from the top. These are the 1st few lines from an ad for a Sales Director: “The primary job function of the Community Sales Director is to drive new sales into the community. Candidates with proven ability to close will be considered. Both inside and outside sales efforts are required to attract new residents to the community. Expectations focus on lead development/closing and strong outreach experience for referral development to local professionals.” Here are the keywords and phrases you need to emphasize to be viewed as a match for this job. These are in the order presented in the ad: Sales Leadership (the ad doesn’t specifically say this, however, at a Director level, the core of what you would be doing is providing sales leadership), Sales Closing, Inside & Outside Sales, Lead Development, and Referral Development. None of those words is cliché. All of those words are specific. The #2 thing that doesn’t work: relying on job board alerts. I get it: it’s easy to go into the job boards 1 time, enter your desired job titles, location(s), and such, and have the job boards automatically send you (allegedly) matching opportunities on a regular basis. However, there are a couple of problems with this old-school method. Time and again jobseekers tell me the alerts don’t match what they entered, regarding job function, job level, or location. The second problem that leads to is email clutter. You’re spending so much time on job alerts every day, frustrated that your job-search-strategy-on-autopilot isn’t working, that you’re not devoting energy where you will get the strongest results. Forget all the automation. Replace that with good, old-fashioned human effort. Identify the places where you want to work, research the organizations, pinpoint the people potentially relevant to your job search, and make your approach. While that seems like it takes more time, hmmm, you’re wasting time on automatic job alerts anyway… The #3 thing that doesn’t work: believing that once you make it to the interview, you can take things from there. Okay, but how are you planning on getting to the interview in the 1st place? You’re so busy believing something about the future that you’re not effectively working on what you need to in the present. LinkedIn IS your interview. When people receive your resume, before they pick up the phone, they look you up on LinkedIn. What they find there determines whether they pick up the phone at all. Treat LinkedIn as the engine driving your job search. It is not a medium intended for you to simply park there. It is a medium intended for relevant people to find you. Concentrate on being seen by actively connecting with relevant people in the organizations you’re targeting. Follow these relevant people and comment on their news feed posts in a normal human being tone of voice. If you want to make it to the interview, show your real skills, show your real humanity, and show some initiative.