CEOs are exiting companies in record numbers so far this year

CEOs are exiting companies in record numbers so far this year CEOs are exiting companies in record numbers so far this year CEOs are on the run. In January of this year 157 CEO exits were announced, making it highest month on record, according to the CEO Turnover Report from executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray, Christmas Inc.This January exit rate was a 22% increase from the   129 CEO departures in December 2018 and a 19% increase over the 132 top executives that left a full year ago, in January 2018.  Challenger began tracking CEO exits in 2002.“Companies are responding to the strong, but uncertain, economic conditions by engaging new leadership who can both set companies on a path for growth while also gearing up for a potential downturn,” said Andrew Challenger, vice president of Challenger, Gray Christmas, Inc. He added that the strong economy over the last two years has led to new start-ups, which are now looking for looking for “more seasoned leaders,” which further added to high CEO turnover.Of the 157 exits: 73 stepped down voluntarily 41 retired 17 found positions at other companies 1 left because of a scandal 1 left because of misconduct allegations 1 left because of an internal investigation By sector, companies in government/nonprofit had the most exits, with 29, followed by healthcare/health product companies, with 17. Financial firms followed with 13 exits, and Pharma and technology each had 10.The average age of a departing CEO was 60.7 years.

Bringing Networking into Focus

Bringing Networking into Focus Bringing Networking into Focus Once he had clear goals, SalesLadder member Chris T. found his network a far more effective tool for achieving them.When Chris T. decided to begin a job search after seven years with the same company, he assumed networking would play a role in helping to land a job.He figured his business networking, classmates or friends would tip him off to a job and recommend him for an interview, then he would research the company and the position online to consider the job and prepare for the interview.He had it backward.He attended one networking event he found fruitless. He trolled the alumni database of his alma mater (Thunderbird School of Global Management of Glendale, Ariz., where he earned his MBA), but he didn’t find any leads there, either.Chris, who was working in a sales and finance role at a company in the construction industry in the San Francisco Bay area, decided to try the autonomous route and struck out to find a job on several online job boards. In January, the SalesLadder me mber decided he couldn’t waste time with pointless job applications, so he selected five targetted jobs and applied; four interviewed him by phone and one, a technology company also in the Bay area, seemed more promising than the others.Chris went back to the networking that had seemed fruitless when he was prospecting. But now that he had four target companies in mind, he was able to seek connections in his network he hadn’t tried previously. He used Thunderbird’s alumni database search to seek alumni who were connected with those companies. “Some people I knew, or have met, but a lot of people I didn’t know,” he said of the names that came up in his search.Chris’ goal was to get a snapshot of what it would be like to work at a particular company. “I would ask them the pros and cons of working there, what they liked and didn’t like, and get some idea of the current situation at the company,” he said.In almost every case, people were happy to speak to him. “I t hink it is about how you go about it,” he said. “My approach was to seek people’s insight and get information. I wasn’t asking about specific jobs, and I think that’s why people were willing to speak with me,” he said.By March, he’d had a day of face-to-face interviews with the technology company that seemed so promising and was offered a position.While none of his fellow alumni are among his new co-workers, “Quite a few of the people that I reached out to work or had worked at this company,” he said. “I had one person give me some inside information on the job I was interviewing for. When I got there, I had a good idea of what they were looking for. It made the interview process a lot more clear cut.”

3 mindfulness rituals that will make you happy

3 mindfulness rituals that will make you happy 3 mindfulness rituals that will make you happy Why is it so hard to be happy all the time? Why can’t our lives be more like the joyous families in insurance commercials and less like the lives of people making insurance claims?Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!So what does the research say can make us happier? Mindfulness. It comes from Buddhism but we won’t be discussing religion here. We’ll be looking at ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as detailed in Russ Harris’ wonderful book  The Happiness Trap.This is the scientifically-distilled version of mindfulness. Vetted, tested, with air shocks and spinning rims. No chanting, no monk robes necessary. (Which is good, because as we all know, saffron is  so  not my color.)From  The Happiness Trap:ACT (pronounced like the word “act”) was developed in the United States by psychologist Steven Hayes and his colleagues, Kelly Wilson and Kirk Strosahl. ACT has been astoundingly effective in helping people with a wide range of problems from depression and anxiety to chronic pain and even drug addiction.Okay, to the point: Why is it so damn hard to stay happy? Well, the first reason is because we believe a number myths about what happiness is. Time to fix that.Let’s get to it…The 4 Happiness MythsMyth 1: “Happiness Is the Natural State for All Human Beings”Sorry, that’s just naive. The human brain’s default state is not “bliss.” Anyone who has spoken to me in the morning before I’ve had caffeine knows this.But advertising, Facebook, and big parts of our culture reinforce this myth on a near-constant basis.  You’ve met people who are super happy all the time and, let’s be honest here: they kinda creep you out.We all have ups and downs. That’s normal and natural. But thinking you’re supposed to be ecstatic 24/7 is  a waterslide into myth #2…Myth 2: “If You’re Not Happy, You’re Defective”We feel like if there’ s anything wrong with life than there must be something wrong with  us. And so we scramble to “fix” ourselves because this can’t be right…Myth 3: “To Create a Better Life, We Must Get Rid of Negative Feelings”Everyone else feels great all the time (pro tip: no, they don’t) so we should too. And then we’re running headlong into…Myth 4: “You Should Be Able to Control What You Think and Feel”We have reached our final destination. Please take your belongings from the overhead bins and exit to your left.We all spend a  lot  of time trying to control what we think and feel. Do me a favor: don’t think about bears…  How’d that go?Oh, and next time you’re sad why don’t you just “snap out of it.” How well does that work?Of course, neither do. We can’t control what we think or feel â€" at least not so directly and immediately. Sure, we can influence these things - but control? Nope.And so we’re often struggling to change what we can’t. And this just f uels the fire of these emotions as we struggle with them. We end up with anxiety about our anxiety, anger about our depression and depression about our anger layered on top of one another like some mental health version of “Inception.”Or we do things to muscle our thoughts and feelings into compliance  (procrastination, drinking, etc.)  that offer short-term improvement of our feelings, but in the long-term take us away from our goals and values.This is not the path to a happy life. This is the happiness trap.You’re not going to feel good all the time. Sorry. And you can’t directly and immediately control your thoughts and feelings as easily as you change the background image on your smartphone.But that’s  okay. Defining happiness as sheer unrelenting non-opiate-fueled-bliss is absurd. We have the happiness definition wrong. Happiness should mean a rich, full and meaningful life - and that includes ups  anddowns.From  The Happiness Trap:The other far less common meaning o f happiness is “living a rich, full, and meaningful life.” When we take action on the things that truly matter deep in our hearts, move in directions that we consider valuable and worthy, clarify what we stand for in life and act accordingly, then our lives become rich and full and meaningful, and we experience a powerful sense of vitality. This is not some fleeting feeling- it is a profound sense of a life well lived. And although such a life will undoubtedly give us many pleasurable feelings, it will also give us uncomfortable ones, such as sadness, fear, and anger. This is only to be expected. If we live a full life, we will feel the full range of human emotions.(To learn more about how you and your children can lead a successful life, check out my bestselling book  here.)Now that’s all fine and dandy - but how do we get out of this trap for good?We need to think differently about thinking…You Are Not Your Thoughts There are “facts” and there are “thoughts.” Facts we can all agree on (“Alice is frowning.”) Thoughts are the judgments, interpretations and stories that our brains incessantly chatter about all day (“Alice is frowning because she hates me just like everyone hates me because I’m a bad person and that’s why I will die alone.”)Yes, these thoughts are all too often negative.Your brain makes thoughts. That’s what it does. Some true, some false, some useful, some not, and some totally absurd. But it’s what your brain does, trying to make sense of the world so that it can fulfill it’s evolutionarily goal of keeping you  not-dead  by pulling the puppet strings of anxiety, regret, and fear to try to keep you safe from anything that might change your  not-dead  status.You can’t control thoughts any more than you can control a headache. Actions, you’re responsible for. Thoughts, not so much. So when it comes to thoughts, you’re not the boss of you.But the proble m is we often  fuse  with our thoughts. You think those thoughts are you. You think those thoughts are gospel. That voice in your head speaks only truth. It’s like hearing the PA system in Wal-Mart and assuming that’s God talking. (No, it’s not God talking. A kid threw up in aisle 4.)From  The Happiness Trap:All too often we react to our thoughts as if they are the absolute truth or as if we must give them all our attention. The psychological jargon for this reaction is “fusion.”So your brain weaves a fact into thought, you fuse with it and that’s how Alice frowning morphs into “I’m unlovable.” We take these stories our brain creates way too seriously and it’s like a mental computer virus hijacked your brain.Do you really believe most of your thoughts are all that important? Of course they’re not. If they were mission critical, you wouldn’t even get a vote on whether to listen to them. Your brain does super-important stuff like keeping you breathing and your heart beating. You’re not even allowed to touch that software. Because if you were, at some point you would’ve gotten distracted by your phone, stopped inhaling, turned blue and died.And, more importantly, when you get so swept up in negative thoughts, you’re missing out on life. You’re engaged with a sad story you’re telling yourself - one that isn’t even real. Chronic depression is often an ongoing fusion with thoughts about the past. And anxiety is fusion with worries about the future. People with both conditions often exhibit anhedonia, a reduced ability to experience pleasure. They can’t experience the joys of the world around them because they’re too wrapped in the stories they’re telling themselves about the world.Now this doesn’t mean fusion is bad. Being immersed in a good conversation with close friends can be positive fusion. Fusion can be a “flow” state. And negative thoughts aren’t necessarily the enemy either. Sometimes you need a kick in the keister and your brain guilting you is helpful.The issue is we want  the ability to step back and evaluate these thoughts. Because when we’re fused it can be hard to see what is real and we can become a puppet to false, negative stories.To be fair, sometimes it’s tricky to tell facts and thoughts apart:Example #1:  â€œThey won’t like me.”  Your crystal ball is lovely but, sorry - that’s a thought, not a fact.Example #2:  â€œI can’t go for a run because I’m too tired.”  Thoughty-thought-thought. No fact-o delicti. Now “I can’t go for a run because a spinal injury has paralyzed my legs.” Okay, that’s a fact.How do you know if you’re fused with a thought or feeling? Ask yourself a simple question:“If I wasn’t thinking about this, would it still be a problem?”Man standing in front of you with a gun? Okay, not a fusion issue. That’s real.“Alice is frowning, proving I am an unlovable wretch and I deserve to be boiling in a cauldron in a Hieronymus Bos ch painting of Hades.”  Fusion alert.Alice could just be constipated and you may be awesome.(To learn the 4-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click  here.)Some will reply, “But what if it’s  true? What if Alice is frowning because she hates me?”Well, guess what?It doesn’t matter…You Gotta DefuseLots of stuff is “true.” Epic landfills of truth out there. Doesn’t mean you need to be thinking about it. You will never think about most of the true things about the subject of organic chemistry because you don’t even know them. So truth is not a good reason for the wheels in your brain to keep spinning unhappily over anything.The more important issue when dealing with troublesome thoughts is:  Is this helpful? Will further exploration of this thought help me live the life I want?So when negative thoughts become a problem we need to defuse from them. How do we do that? By accepting them, not wrestling with them.Now that word “acceptance” gets me i n a lot of trouble. People think it means caving, giving in, resigning yourself, waving the white flag… But that’s not a “helpful” way of looking at acceptance.From  The Happiness Trap:Acceptance does not mean putting up with or resigning yourself to anything. Acceptance is about embracing life, not merely tolerating it. Acceptance literally means “taking what is offered.” It doesn’t mean giving up or admitting defeat; it doesn’t mean just gritting your teeth and bearing it. It means fully opening yourself to your present reality- acknowledging how it is, right here and now, and letting go of the struggle with life as it is in this moment.I see unhelpful thoughts like junk mail. Do you sit down and write a letter back to the sender telling them how awful junk mail is? No. Do you deny its existence? No. You accept it. And then you go do something useful with your time.And this is the goal with defusion: we don’t try to control our thoughts because that doesn’t wor k (Bears. Don’t think about them.) And we don’t do a full-on-brain-filibuster arguing with the thoughts because that just makes it worse.We must recognize the thought for what it is â€"  just a thought. A story, a judgment. Not necessarily true and definitely not you. Acknowledge it. But don’t wrestle with it and give it energy.From  The Happiness Trap:In a state of fusion, thoughts seem to be the absolute truth and very important. But in a state of defusion, we recognize that:1) Thoughts are merely sounds, words, stories, or bits of language.2) Thoughts may or may not be true; we don’t automatically believe them.3) Thoughts may or may not be important; we pay attention only if they’re helpful.4) Thoughts are definitely not orders; we certainly don’t have to obey them.5) Thoughts may or may not be wise; we don’t automatically follow their advice.6) Thoughts are never threats; even the most painful or disturbing of thoughts does not represent a threat to us.How hard is it to evaluate other people’s problems and tell them what you would do? Oh, that’s easy. (Hand me my gavel, please.) But how hard is it to be objective about your own failings, and then make a habit of consistently doing the right thing from this day forward without beating yourself up? (I’d have better luck trying to invade Russia during the winter. By myself.)Stepping back helps you treat your own issues like you treat other people’s. Which actually makes sense because your thoughts aren’t you, right?Okay, so you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. That’s your Mindfulness Bat Signal from now on. Time to spring into action with your new skills…1. Step Back And Isolate ItPause. Ask yourself, “What story is my mind telling me now?”This immediately provides that distance. For example, a lot of people struggle with self-esteem. But self-esteem is just another thought, another story your brain spins. So as soon as you realize  you  aren’t saying “I’m a l oser”, your brain is saying it, something wonderful happens: you don’t have to agree.Another simple formula is to take the thought and before it add: “I’m having the thought that…” Again, this provides that distance.Sounds simple but it’s quite powerful. “I’m having the thought that I’m a loser” is a puzzle to be solved, not a bullet train to getting all emo.From  The Happiness Trap:…first bring to mind an upsetting thought that takes the form “I am X.” For example, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m incompetent.” Preferably pick a thought that often recurs and that usually bothers or upsets you… Next, take that thought and in front of it, insert this phrase: “I’m having the thought that . . .” Play that thought again, but this time with the phrase attached.2) Accept and defuseYour brain occasionally comes up with crazy thoughts, right? But we take its thoughts so seriously at times and let them get us down. It’s important to remember how imperfect your brain’s track record is.So when its negative thoughts try and fuse, gently mock it. Don’t get angry or worked up, but not taking it so seriously and teasing it a bit can take the steam out of its painful judgments.Brain: “You’re a loser.”Me: “I’m having the thought that I’m a loser. Hmm…  Oh, silly brain.”Some people will say, “I can’t dismiss it that easily; what if I  am  a loser?” Again, true doesn’t matter; helpful does. Or some might say, “I can’t dismiss the feeling that easily.” That means you’re fused with it. You need to step back and see it as one of many possible stories, not the single, undeniable truth.We all have recurring negative thoughts. Your brain can be a regular jukebox of criticism that never turns off. But rather than despairing over this, accept its nature and take the sting out of it.Imagine your personal playlist of “negative-thought-songs.” (If you’re over 40 you’re welcome to call it a mixtape.)B rain: “You’re a loser.”Me: “I’m having the thought that I’m a loser. Hmm… Oh,  that  song again. Is this from my ‘I’m feeling inferior’ playlist? I think the acoustic version of ‘Nobody likes me’ is next, followed by an a cappella rendition of ‘Life sucks.’”If you’re laughing at your brain, it’s hard to get too depressed, anxious or angry.From  The Happiness Trap:After doing this exercise, you probably found that by now you’re just not taking that thought quite so seriously; you’re just not buying into it as much. Notice that you haven’t challenged the thought at all. You haven’t tried to get rid of it, debated whether it’s true or false, or tried to replace it with a positive thought. Full disclosure: it takes practice to get good at this. You wouldn’t lift weights once and then quit because you weren’t all jacked the next day. So keep at it. Try to get better at noticing when you’re fused with an unhelpful story. Then defuse it.  And count on your short attention span to help the unhelpful thought drift off.Yes, another thought will inevitably come along and try to hijack your brain. Forever and ever. But with practice, you’ll get better at handling how your mind naturally works.As the saying goes, “You cannot stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”(To learn the 4 harsh truths that will make you a better person, click  here.)Okay, we’ve learned a lot. (Not a thought, that’s a fact… I hope.) Time to round everything up and learn why perpetual bliss is a terrible goal…Sum UpHere are 3 mindfulness rituals that will make you happy: Myths of happiness: Bliss isn’t the default, you aren’t broken, negative feelings are natural and you can’t directly control your feelings. And that is totally okay. You are not your thoughts: Would you really think all that negative stuff if it was up to you? No. It’s not “you.” Hearts beat, eyes blink and brains think. And you are allowed to respectfully disagree with its efforts. You gotta defuse: What story is your brain telling you right now?  Oh, silly brain… Some people might get sad that there is no perpetual bliss at the end of the happiness rainbow. A little difficulty makes life richer. Without it, there could be no pride in overcoming challenges - because there would be no challenges. There’d be no such thing as a comeback. You’d never feel the joy of improvement.Plain and simple: you’d be happy but bored. We don’t want that. We want a well-rounded life.But when the internal challenges get fierce, remember: you’re not your thoughts. You’re not your brain. So don’t take your brain or its thoughts so seriously…They didn’t like this blog post, Eric.Oh, we’re playing  that  song again, are we?Join over 330,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here.This article first appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree.    You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

Be less boring Make your resume more like a meme

Be less boring Make your resume more like a meme Be less boring Make your resume more like a meme In 2016, Google Trends - which tracks the popularity of search terms - revealed a somewhat startling statistic. According to internet searches for that year, for the first time in recorded history, “memes” were sought more often than Jesus Christ (then again, Gizmodo reported that come Christmas or Easter, it was all Jesus all the time).So why do we love memes so much? Let’s take a step back and explain the origin story of those images with just the right words first.A short history of memesIn 1976, author/activist/atheist Richard Dawkins wrote a book called “The Selfish Gene” which took on a lot of weighty topics including genes and to a lesser degree, culture’s effect on all of us. He also just so happened to introduce the idea of memes, which he describes as a sort of measure of cultural influence.In modern internet culture, most of us recognize memes as very specific image play; anything from pop culture icons to presidential hair mishaps paired with a few very care fully chose words that either sum up or break down a concept. And they almost always elicit a gasp, a laugh or a nod of recognition.So, how can you add some meme inspired magic to your own boring resume?Make it snappyWhether or not you’re the best at what you do doesn’t really matter if no one takes the time to read your resume. One of the reasons memes work is the fact that they make a statement in as few words as possible. Sure you want to list everything that sets you out from the crowd, but try doing it in as few words as possible. And then cut it down some more. Use powerful words that convey the large scope of what you are capable of instead of using many sentences to say the same thing.Add a clever visualIn the age of video letters of introduction, adding a point of interest might just capture a hiring manager’s attention before they shift to the next resume. Don’t go for the shock factor, but instead try to add a photo or element that makes someone want to see or rea d more.If you’ve literally reached new heights by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, found yourself swimming with sharks, or spent time on a safari, consider adding it as a p.s. to your resume. Make sure to caption the photo in a way that reminds the headhunter or interviewee that you understand the importance of the potential job, but that you’re also cool in a crisis. This might not work for every job or job seeker, but could be the right spice for an otherwise boring CV.Reference pop cultureApplying for a job managing a ski resort? Feel free to include a title like “Winter is coming,” before explaining why you’d be great for the gig. Again, try to be circumspect about how much humor or visuals you add, but if the application mentions that they like candidates with unique personalities, you have free reign to show off your own.Make it timely (but avoid the political)If everyone is talking about a specific world event, feel free to reference it in your cover letter or even resume - if it can potentially help move your overall job search in the right direction. If, however, everyone is griping about a scary world event or questionable world leader, skip it.It’s a thin line between witty and inappropriate. While wit or pop culture prowess can count for a lot in some careers, you never want to be the person who brings up controversial topics.Share and share againWhile you never want to flood someone’s inbox with too much follow up, you do want to make sure that your resume is seen. If you don’t hear back after sending out your resume, feel free to send a follow-up response. Keep it short, keep it friendly and then move on to the next opportunity.

Robots to the Rescue

Robots to the Rescue Robots to the Rescue Robots to the Rescue A headless four-legged mechanical creature hops up a flight of stairs in a University of Pennsylvania building, looking like a mountain goat jumping over boulders. Once at the top, it walks over to an office door and sizes up its targetthe elongated silvery door handle thats just beyond its front legs reach. So, it leaps up and hangs on the handle for a moment, unlocking the door. Then it drops to the floor and pushes the door open just like a catheadbutting its way in. Called the Ghost Minitaur, this peculiar cross between a goat and a cat was developed byprofessorDaniel E. KoditscheksPhD students Avik De andGavin Kenneally,at University of Pennsylvanias General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Lab. Robots like Minitaur could prove handy in settings that are too dangerous or difficult for humans,andDe and Kenneally havestarted a company, Ghost Robotics, to build them. Such robots could navigate burning buildings or earthquake-damaged structures to look for trapped survivors or assess damage. His labs other models, RHex and the more advanced X-RHex, walk on springs over uneven terrain, a feature that can be useful in a chemical spill, radioactive leak, or other industrial accidents. They can also travel over unstable collapsible soils or walk to the middle of a disaster site and remain there to monitor it if necessary. The use of robots in disasters is not a new idea. Around the world, drones have become go-to resources for responders, who use them to assess everything from floods and wildfires to chemical releases. On the sea, robotic watercraft have pulled people to safety from sinking boats. Yet there remains a crucial need for robots that can work within human-scale environments and perform the type of tasks first responders or canines might undertake while sparing humans and dogs from dangers and health hazards. They would need to be smarter and more autonomous than existing robots, and agile enough to walk up stairs, climb walls, crawl over rubble, and worm their way under collapsed buildings. Such robots could also deliver capabilities that people do not have naturally. They could work around the clock without fatigue or loss of precision. They could capture and crunch data faster than any human, reaching decisions faster in situations when every minute can be a lifesaver. And in the worst-case scenarios, they are dispensablewhile losing an expensive platform is not an optimal mission outcome, it is better than losing a human life. Recommended for You: An Army of Tiny Robots to the Rescue Building such robots remains a challenge. Although the performance of autonomous vehiclesand robotshas improved dramatically, many search-and-rescue platforms would benefit from better dexterity, obstacle avoidance, and better communication and decision-making abilities. Thats why rescue robots like Minitaur are most often tested in the lab than deployed in the field. And researchers are making progress. Minitaurs next model, for example, will be able to navigate through a room full of objects. Yet it is still far from the intelligent, dexterous helper that rescue teams would like. We are still far away from building anything that they would trust as much as a dog, Koditschek said. But we are working on it. And so are other teams of roboticists all over the world, each trying different approaches and methods. Methodologies and Missions At Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, David Zarrouk lines up his set of search and rescue robots on his lab floor. Radio-controlled, the robots come to life and swarm around like a motley herd of roaches of varied sizes and shapes. For Zarrouk, the name of the game is simplicity. That was the lesson learned from the 2015 DARPA robotics challenge, in which humanoid emergency robots did not fare particularly well and some failed miserably. The simpler the mechanism, the fewer moving parts there are, the fewer possibilities for failure you have, Zarrouke said. His roach robots feature very simple designs but they all roll on a unique set of wheels that look more like a fan with three triangular blades than a circle. Called spoke wheels or rimless wheels, they give the robots insect-like agility, so they can crawl over piles of debris and uneven terrain. The robots structure is also unusual, resembling an H, with a central body and two parallel pods. The pods house two spoke wheels each and can pivot about 180 degrees. This lets them position their wheels at different angles or stretch them out flata handy feature that enables them to climb up pipes and vertical tunnels. It also helps them right themselves if they fall and land upside down. They can simply pivot their wheels from above to below their body and continue on their way. As Zarrouk notes, simple mechanisms recover more easily. Zarrouk takes a bottom-up approach, designing a specific functionality firstsuch as climbing over rubble or hopping up the stairsand then tries to find useful applications for it in real-world scenarios. This is one of the two standard methodologies roboticists take when building any type of robot, explains Robin Murphy, director of Texas AMs highly regarded Humanitarian Robotics and AI Laboratory (formerly known as the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue). The other strategy is top-down design. Both have their pros and cons. They are two different methods, but both are totally valid, Murphy said. With a top-down method, engineers start with the capabilities first response teams need for a mission, then try to build platforms that meet those requirements. This practical line of attack gives rescuers the immediate help they need, Murphy said. The bottom-up approach involves fundamental research, and uses prototypes to reveal unexpected pitfalls. For example, RHexs springs could stir up dust that would interfere with a cameras feed, Murphy said. Yet fundamental research may also lead to unexpected ideas, like Zarrouks self-recovery mechanism. Still, the top-down approach has its limits, too. Responder teams are pressing for more complex robots that can do more than just gather data, Koditschek said. They may want something that acts like a dog or a squirrel with a fair degree of autonomy and fitness. We cant even begin to build what they need, Koditschek said. What we have is too primitive. That is why experimenting with various functionalities using a bottom-up approach is essential. Without the fundamental researcha better way to walk over broken buildings, navigate a tunnel, or flip overit is hard to create new innovative platforms. No matter which design approach roboticists take, they do not aim to replace what search and rescue teams already do well. Instead, they try to provide what is missing. Murphy cites the snake robot designed by Howie Choset at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Robotics Institute, as an example. Choset built his robot to slither through small holes under collapsed buildings and look for survivors. Dogs can sniff out survivors too, but in some cases, they can be fooled by a scent thats drifting through a pile of rubble, far from where the actual human is trapped. Thats where Howies robot comes in really handy, Murphy said. Another area where humans need robots help is data analysis. Robots and drones equipped with still and video cameras can amass so much data, it can overwhelm disaster response teams that try to make sense of it. Meanwhile, every second is precious. Thats where machine learning can help. AI can parse this deluge of data and determine whats different or out of ordinary much faster than any individual human. The same dataset that would take humans days to look throughand they would miss thingswould take a computer 10 to 90 minutes, Murphy said. Teaching AI to parse disaster visuals is challenging because no two disasters are alike, and scenery and imagery can differ dramatically, she explained. Yet researchers have taught computers to scan thousands of images of flood debris in real time. While they may sometimes identify a survivor clinging to a piece of wood, more frequently they determine when something that looks unusual and alert responders to zoom in and take a closer look. This strategy helped authorities plan their response and save people from drowning after Hurricane Harvey flooded the Houston area in 2017. Collaboration between humans and robots is key. And in some cases, this collaboration can be best achieved by another innovative alliance by combining both top-down and bottom-up design methodologies. Joining Forces Its treads whirling slowly, TRADR climbs over a heap of stones and broken wooden crates meant to simulate wreckage. As the robot starts down, its camera whirls side to side, assessing the path. It stops for a moment, then rotates a pair of triangular-shaped flippers forward to probe the uncertain surface in front and help climb up and down. TRADR, which resembles a miniature tank, might look a bit bulky and slow, but dont be fooled. In German, its name stands for Long-Term Human-Robot Teaming for Disaster Response. These robots are designed to work in tandem with humans and each other. Rather than choosing between the bottom-up and top-down approach, the group went for the best of both worlds, said Ivana Kruijff-Korbayov, a senior researcher and project leader in the Language Technology Lab of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. We used a user-centric design methodology, which means that we work with end users and ask them what they need, she said. We establish user requirements and try to fulfill them. The original idea was to use TRADR in industrial accidents, which take place in complex and constantly changing environments. Near onset of the incident you can have a lot of fires or smoke that come and go, she said. You can have structures that are still collapsing and other variables. TRADR robots are particularly helpful where situational parameters change over time because they were built to make multiple sorties over prolonged periods of time. They carry a variety of sensors and use AI to identify specific objects, such as barrels, crates, and plumes of smoke or fires. They can also look for partially visible humans stuck among the debris. More importantly, they work together. When TRADRs enter an area, they begin mapping it, noting what has collapsed, what remains standing, the location of smoke and fire, and so on. By sharing this information, they can map the entire scene rapidly. As things change over hours or daysdebris removal opens one path while a building collapse closes anotherthey continue to update the map. This enables responders to plan their movements without putting humans in danger. After putting TRADRs through their paces in several test scenarios, including a train-car collision and several industrial plants, the team deployed them in several disasters. In the aftermath an earthquake in Amatrice, Italy, the team deployed a TRADR and a drone together to gather structural information about a partially collapsed church that was impossible to enter from the ground. Kruijff-Korbayovs team also worked with fire brigades from Germany, Italy, Ireland, The Netherlands, and other countries, and attracted interest from firemen all over Europe. The system can understand simple voice commands such as search for hazards or inspect the barrel. Currently, it speaks English only, but in the future TRADRs will be able to converse in German and possibly other languages. Making it a truly multilingual system is an interesting future option, Kruijff-Korbayov said. It could be useful in international missions. TRADR is not the only rescue robot to have attracted attention from police, firemen, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders. Drones are already used to assess floods and wildfires, and to locate survivors while there is still time to save them. They are helping understand what happened when the Fukushima nuclear power plant melted down, and saving humans at sea. The next generation of rescue robots will go further still, getting closer and closer to the action. They will crawl, climb, and slither amid rubble and flames, giving responders the information they need to confront the worlds most dangerous environments. As they evolve, these robots will need less and less human guidance. Fully autonomous robots are coming, though models that are as faithful and as capable as a well-trained dog are still years away. There is still so much more to do. Kruijff-Korbayov said. ME Lina Zeldovich is a freelance writer based in Woodside, N.Y. Also read: Special Report on Robotics

Online Jobs That Pay Better for College Students

Online Jobs That Pay Better for College Students Online Jobs That Pay Better for College Students Finding a job in college can be tricky. You may find a job that pays well, but the hours don’t fit with your class schedule and don’t allow any time for schoolwork. You may find a job with great hours, leaving you plenty of time to complete your schoolwork, but barely enough money to function. It can feel like a constant trade-off between time and money. But it doesn’t have to! Online jobs can be an excellent alternative for college students. The pay is often better than your run-of-the-mill part-time job and the hours are flexible enough to cover a busy school and activity schedule. Here are some great online jobs for college students that pay better than your average part-time job. Online Tutor If you are a good student who enjoys helping others learn, online tutoring is a great place to look for work. This is a great way to put your educational skills to use and make some money doing it. What’s the job: You tutor students from all over the world on subjects where you excel. Sessions vary in length, depending on the student and the site. You assist with homework and classwork for students ranging from elementary to college. What skills do you need: You need a thorough understanding of the subject you are tutoring in. Good communication skills will also help you when working with your students. What do you make: The pay scale varies company to company, but the average range runs from $10/hour to $20/hour. What companies are hiring: Enroll, Chegg, StudentTutor. Virtual Assistant If you are looking for a job doing administrative work, but want a flexible schedule, a virtual assistant is a position for you. It’s a great way to earn good money and a great way to make professional connections and build your network. What’s the job: You handle administrative tasks for clients, such as scheduling appointments, and managing emails and calls. Job tasks depend on who you are working for and the services they need. What skills do you need: You will need excellent communications and writing skills. Thorough knowledge of MS Office and Google Apps is preferred. Great soft skills are a definite plus for virtual assistants. What do you make: You can expect around $10-$15/hour, but earnings can scale with experience and skill as well. What companies are hiring: 24/7 Virtual Assistant, Fancy Hands, Zirtual Freelance Writer If you are looking grow your skills and make money, look at Freelance writing. Freelance Writing is considered one of the best ways to make money online. It develops your skills and can lead to more professional opportunities down the road. For my fellow English majors, this is an excellent way to prepare for your future and kickstart your career. Plus, it’s super flexible and easy to do with a busy college schedule. What’s the job: There are several freelance writing options out there, depending on what style of writing you prefer. You can work in technical writing, digital marketing, journalism, or other fields. Subject matter depends on your client. You can choose to write in your area of expertise or branch out. What skills do you need: Knowing your way around the English language and having a good understanding of grammar and writing is a necessity. It’s also good to know about editing and some possible publication styles. What do you make: Earning potential typically runs off of the length of your writing. An article of 500-1000 words can run anywhere from $25-$50. What companies are hiring: TextBroker, Upwork, About.com

Survival Tips for Living Off Pure Commissions

Survival Tips for Living Off Pure Commissions Survival Tips for Living Off Pure Commissions Sales jobs that pay pure commissions only, and no salary, are popular with many companies. Management teams reason that with this compensation plan, the salesperson is being paid for exactly what he produces, no more and no less. So if a salesperson closes a lot of sales, hell make a lot, and if he doesnt, the company wont be paying him. This line of reasoning explains why many salespeople, particularly inexperienced ones, dont want anything to do with a pure commissions job. Its unnerving to know that you can literally starve if you dont bring in enough sales, and the panic caused by that line of thought makes it much harder to sell successfully, causing a vicious cycle of failure. The truth is that any competent salesperson can be very happy â€" and make a lot of money â€" in a pure commissions job, even if the salesperson is inexperienced. The key to thriving on pure commissions is proper planning. Your Sales Pipeline Every sales position tends to go through cycles of “feast-or-famine.” Monitoring your sales pipeline will help you to control this cycle, but youll still tend to have months where you make tons of sales and other months where every sale seems to fall apart right before closing. So if youre on a pure commissions plan, you MUST set aside some money from your “feast” months to help you pay for necessities during the “famine” periods. Keeping a tight financial ship is important in any job that includes commissions, but its ten times as important when commissions are all you bring home. Before You Start the Job Sit down and add up your monthly expenses. Write down the total of your fixed expenses and add in a bit more than average for your non-fixed expenses. For example, if your electric bill ranges from $50 to $100 per month but is usually about $60, put it into your budget at $75. That way you wont run into trouble if you have a relatively expensive month combined with a low commission check. Once youve come up with a number for your monthly expenses, take a look at your commission plan and calculate how many sales youd need to make each month to cover those monthly expenses â€" then add in a few more sales to pay for the inevitable emergencies, like the car that breaks down or the dog that needs expensive vet treatments. Is the minimum number youve calculated an achievable number of sales for an average month? If not, this job is a bad fit for you! Turn it down and look for one that either offers higher commissions or has a base salary you can live with. Covering Lean Months Assuming youre happy with your minimum calculated sales, youll still need to allow for the occasional sales slump in your planning. If you dont already have one, set up a savings account at your bank. Then when you have a particularly successful month, tuck away some of your earnings into that savings account for a rainy day. Just having some money set aside for emergencies will make you feel more secure, which will help you to relax and enjoy your job. Do Your Sales Need to Improve? If youre already in a pure commissions job and are struggling to make enough to get by, you can improve your situation by analyzing why your sales arent happening. At what point in the sales process do you lose the prospect? Right at the beginning, because you dont have enough leads? Then track down a new lead source or hire a list broker. Are you doing tons of cold calling but not making many appointments? Take a look at your cold calling approach and add in a good opener or some catchy benefits. Pure commission jobs are often more independent than salaried ones because if a company is investing a salary in you, they will also want to manage you pretty closely. In a pure commission job, youll need to take responsibility for managing yourself, which is precisely why many experienced salespeople love pure commissions roles.