Markforgeds Greg Mark on 3D Metal Printing, Additive Manufact...

Markforged’s Greg Mark on 3D Metal Printing, Additive Manufact... Markforged’s Greg Mark on 3D Metal Printing, Additive Manufact... Markforged’s Greg Mark on 3D Metal Printing, Additive Manufacturing Markforged CEO Greg Mark has always been hands-on. He fabricated custom bicycle frames in high school and built lightweight racing cars with MITs Formula SAE team while studying aeronautics at the school. After graduating, Mark became a serial entrepreneur, founding companies that made high-energy-density power connectors, aerodynamic wings for race cars, and dc power electronics for solar systems. Mark then turned to fiber-reinforced and metal 3D printing, recruiting several of his Formula SAE teammates to start Markforged. The company has quickly made a name for itself developing 3D printers and additive manufacturing solutions that focus on creating products made from metal, composites, and other strong materials. Mechanical Engineering magazine recently spoke with Mark about advancements in industrial 3D printing. Greg Mark ME: Additive manufacturing has been around for 30 years, but only recently has it begun to attract the attention of traditional manufacturers. What has changed? G.M: Were now enabling high-strength, low-cost parts. For 30 years, 3D printing was trapped in plastic. Now, when we make parts out of carbon or Kevlar composites or metal, theyre strong enough to actually use. ME: Where are manufacturers using those stronger parts? G.M: The production line is the killer use case, especially high-value, low-volume products like custom jigs, tools, and fixtures that improve productivity. Manufacturers have to drive productivity every year or you get hosed by a competitor. Additive helps them do it. ME: Could you give us an example? G.M: One customer made a measurement fixture to mount a piston. It was a $1,300 fixture if they sent it to a vendor to make. Instead, they printed it for about $40. After using it, the engineers realized what they could load and unload quicker if they chamfered it. They didnt have to ask the boss or get a P.O. They just printed another $40 part. As these improvements work their way through the line, throughput rises and the boss thinks theyre rock stars. Companies around the world are going through this learning. Thats why additive is taking off now. ASME.org Editors Pick: Fight Climate Change, Build the Wall Coolest Story of the Week: Using the Eyes of Killer Shrimp to Design A Super Camera ME: Continuous manufacturing improvement on the cheap sounds like a big change. How else does additive change manufacturing? GM: It simplifies your supply chain. Theres never a shortage because the specs or material is wrong. If there are one or two parts that are holding up production, they might cost 50 percent more to print than to buy from a vendor, but if it unblocks the line so youre back up faster, its totally worth it. Industrial equipment is designed to last 20 or 30 years, and vendors must support them the whole time. A large company might stock tens of thousands of spare parts, but they only need a few of each per year. So instead of stocking a warehouse, its faster and cheaper to print them when they need them. ME: So how did you get involved in additive manufacturing? GM: The first two times I saw 3D printing, I was like, If you drop a part, it breaks. Im not interested for the kind of stuff we do. ME: So, what changed? G.M: The Marines asked the company where I worked to make a prototype to charge batteries off the grid. We sent them a prototype one week later, but they couldnt use it because it was plastic. I had a background in high-strength materials, and I thought, Hey, if you put carbon fiber in here, youd have a production part they could drive over with a Humvee, and were still rock-and-roll. So I started a company. ME: Any advice for future entrepreneurs? G.M: Build a great team. The hard part of 3D printing is integrating hardware, software, materials, and electrical engineering. Our initial team filled out that skill set and it allowed us to move a lot faster. ME: What about the future? G.M: Were still in the beginning of learning, both for companies that build printers and customers who use them. As that learning gets better and people understand what you can do with your printers, youll just see more and more 3D printed parts. David Walsh is an independent writer More Exclusive Stories from ASME.org: Artificial and 3D-Printed Skin Advances for Robots, Humans The Rise from BattleBot to Corporate Robot Autonomous, Robotic Boat First to Sail Across the Atlantic For Further Discussion For 30 years, 3-D printing was trapped in plastic. Now, when we make parts out of carbon or Kevlar composites or metal, theyre strong enough to actually use.Greg Mark, Markforged

4 Steps to Survive your Next Team Meeting

4 Steps to Survive your Next Team Meeting 4 Steps to Survive your Next Team Meeting The primary cause of excessive boredom in meetings is the utter lack of interactivity. For minutes or hours you are forced to sit in a confined space with nothing more to do but sit and listen. Simply finding a way to contribute to the discussion can help eliminate the monotony of the meeting and assist in allowing you to actually take something positive away from the experience. Though most meetings consist of one or more people addressing a group of employees in order to disseminate prepared information, listeners may find it beneficial to ask questions. Even if you aren’t allowed to interrupt the speaker(s), think up some questions, write them down, and save them until the end. If you are allowed to offer input during the meeting make sure to contribute as much as you can. This will help keep your mind busy and engaged in the flow of information instead of languishing in silence and disinterest. One of the major past-times of meeting dwellers is the doodling. While it may be considered inconsiderate and a breach professional etiquette by some, it can also do some psychological good (and how rude is it to subject you to hours of meaningless and inefficient talk, anyway?). But all kidding aside, doodling in a notebook can actually help you stay alert and focused. The simplicity of the doodle allows for an engaging activity while letting you continue to listen to the speaker without distraction. If all else fails you can always go to the source. Though it may come to nothing, you may want to consider approaching your boss and letting him or her know that your time is being ill spent in meetings when it could be used more efficiently elsewhere. But while nobody really likes meetings (no really, they don’t) they are sometimes necessary. However, sometimes there is a better way to structure a meeting so that information is delivered more quickly and efficiently, the meeting takes up less time, and doesnt drain employee morale for the rest of the day. For instance, meetings should always start on time, regardless of latecomers, and should stick to a length of 15 minutes or less. Keeping a strict time-frame forces the meeting leaders to get to the point quickly and deliver only the necessary information. Not only has this method been found to leave more time for work, employees are also more likely to retain the presented information since their minds remained engaged. Working with your boss to create better meeting structure can lead to the end of boring meetings and an all-around improved workday experience.

Lease Accounting Trends in Los Angeles

Lease Accounting Trends in Los Angeles Lease Accounting Trends in Los Angeles LEASE ACCOUNTING TRENDS IN LOS ANGELES Has your company begun the transition to the new lease accounting standard? Los Angeles U.S. Yes 40% 44% No 60% 56% Finance leaders who reported their company has begun the transition also were asked: As part of that transition, have you begun the diagnostic work necessary to determine the level of effort which wil be required for you to be ready to adopt the new standard? Los Angeles U.S. Yes, already completed 63% 48% Yes, started but not completed 37% 51% No, haven’t started 0% 1% Have you completed the following? Los Angeles U.S. Identified team members and responsibilities for completing the transition to a new standard 69% 61% Made an inventory of, and prioritized, any systems changes which might be required 50% 51% Developed a project plan to address all gaps emanating from the diagnostic work 64% 49% Identified, at a high level, the magnitude and type of the lease inventory (e.g., property, equipment) 55% 49% Written new accounting policies 36% 47% Written new accounting procedures 40% 43% Investigated any lease or property management systems which will facilitate adoption 47% 42% What is the most challenging aspect of the transition to the new standard? Los Angeles U.S. 1. Identifying, inventorying and categorizing company’s leases 1. Training staff 2. Updating technology 2. Diagnosing the needed changes 3. Diagnosing the needed changes 3. Finding professionals with the requisite expertise For your company, which new accounting standard has been more challenging to adopt? Los Angeles U.S. Revenue recognition 69% 71% Lease accounting 31% 29% How much of the processes and learnings from transitioning to the new revenue recognition standard have you been able to apply to adopting the new lease accounting standard? Los Angeles U.S. Most of them 29% 29% Some of them 38% 54% Almost none of them 33% 17% Source: Robert Half and Protiviti survey of more than 2,000 finance leaders in the United States, including 100 in Los Angeles Total may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

Mastering the Intro Email to a Prospective Employer

Mastering the Intro Email to a Prospective Employer Mastering the Intro Email to a Prospective Employer While there are plenty of tips out there on when to reach out and how often, I want to focus today on the very first email you send to a prospective employer. As CEO of Brolik, a digital marketing agency, I will flag a candidate and grant an interview often based solely on the first email I receive from them  (yes, I still keep an eye on every resume that comes in, even though it’s not my job to manage our hiring process). The first email could  be your only chance to make an impression on a potential employer, and it can showcase your strong research, communication, and writing skills all in one shot if you do it right. That first email can either open up doors, or, conversely get you archived in someone’s inbox,  never to be looked at again. So, before you send that intro email to a potential employer, let me share some advice: Do Your Homework Find out how the company was founded, the problem it is  trying to solve, what the company is  passionate about, and who the companys clients are. Be sure to dig deep and really find some fun facts. Don’t force anything, but your email should somehow show in a clever and casual way that you know the company. The person reading it should  feel like they aren’t just 1 of 100 you are sending a resume to. Focus on the Company This is just as important in sales outreach as it is in  applying for a job. Focus on the potential employer. Tell them  how you can help and where you think your talents will fit. How can you add to what the company is  already doing? Remember: you dont just want to showoff your talents. You want to make it clear how your skills can be leveraged for the good of the company. Let the Employer Know That  You Want to Be Where They Are If you want to live in the city the company is  headquartered in, say so. If you want to be in Philadelphia, or Chicago, or Austin, tell the employer. Organizations  want to see that you are passionate about their city and won’t get homesick or have second thoughts if relocation is necessary. If it’s your first time in the city, keep that to yourself. Show Respect It’s popular to add an edgy flair to your intro, but be careful. Saying things like “I make moves,”  or “Jack of all trades,” or “Renaissance man/woman,” or “creative ninja,” might sound good to you, but it likely won’t get the results you’re looking for. Be Unique But Not Too Unique You want to stand out, but you dont want to stick out like a sore thumb. The company needs to believe that youll fit in well with its culture. Be clever, but not too clever. Be funny if that’s you. Be concise no matter who you are. Write Well and Proofread Think back to grade-school grammar. Cut out unnecessary words and remember to check your spelling and punctuation. Mix long and short sentences. Your email should be easy to read, and achieving that effect comes with practice. Real Emails From Candidates (and What You Can Learn From Them): I am writing to you to apply to Broliks digital marketing internship, as I believe my past digital marketing experience, strong work ethic, and desire to learn would allow me to make an immediate contribution in the position. Tip: A formal start is okay. We hired this candidate. “I’ve never been good at selling myself.” Tip: Never start by putting yourself down, even if it’s a lead in to something else. “I am very enthusiastic and excited about the possibility of a career with your company. [No specific reasons listed]” Tip: Don’t say something that could apply to any company, even if it’s positive. Say  some specific and unique to that company. “After reviewing your company, I wanted to inquire about any full time positions that relate to advertising, specifically in account management or strategy.” Tip: It’s easy to find this information on our website. Don’t ask for it in your email. “I am looking for hands-on experience in marketing that I will be able to use going forward in my career.” Tip: I’m sorry, but it’s not about you. We will care about you once you’re hired, but until then, we’re not an experience charity. “A career opportunity with Brolik would be a 24/7 commitment to building, enhancing, and managing brands.” Tip: Sure, we’re all about brand but that wasn’t in the job description. Be specific about your strengths and make sure they relate to the desired skills spelled out in the job description. Try This Exercise When Writing Your Next Intro Email The following template can help you create a stand-out intro email that hits all the right notes: [Employer]: [This is how I found you and what attracted me to you.] [This is why I appreciate what you are doing and where you’ve been, giving a casual detail or two.] [This is how I can contribute, based on the position and my knowledge of your company.] [A note about any relevant experience or training.] [A quick thank you and send off.] In the end, it’s all about being unique and professional. Don’t get lost in a sea of emails. Make an impression by saying something that requires time and thought. I can’t speak for other executives or HR professionals, but sincerity and diligence go a long way with me.

Survey Number of companies offering Summer Fridays has doubled

Survey Number of companies offering 'Summer Fridays' has doubled Survey Number of companies offering 'Summer Fridays' has doubled More companies are letting their employees enjoy the long days of summer by letting them leave early on Friday. According to new research by consulting firm CEB, 42% of Fortune 1000 companies are letting their employees start the weekend early in an office tradition known as “summer Fridays.”CEB’s survey broadly defined summer Fridays as a break that could be as short as one afternoon off before holiday weekends to every Friday off until the leaves change colors in September. What’s significant is that the number of summer Friday participants has doubled from two  years ago when only 21% of companies reported offering summer Fridays.Summer Fridays improve employee engagementFor human resources departments, letting your employees have longer weekends  is an easy, inexpensive way to meet the increasing demand for flexible hours.  â€œGiving employees the gift of time via summer Fridays is one low-cost way to improve employee engagement, which in turn can increase employee produc tivity and drive business results,”  Gartner’s Brian Kropp said about the survey.Taking time off has been linked to higher employee productivity, higher retention rates, and stronger workplace morale. A 2017  study even  found that people who take more time off  are more likely to get raises.Flexible-time requests are a good alternative to summer FridaysBut if you’re stuck in an office on Fridays, there are still other ways you can get that summer Friday glow. Polling over 220 HR leaders, CEB found that companies who couldn’t offer summer Fridays could still signal that work-life balance mattered with other flexible time policies. These HR leaders recommended encouraging employees to take paid time off  â€œwithout guilt” and allowing employees to come in earlier or later.For workplaces where summer Fridays aren’t offered, Fast Company said that managers should stop clocking hours and allow more flexible-time requests. Maybe you don’t need a Friday afternoon off, but ha ving Tuesday afternoon to catch that concert can make all the difference.Other companies like Netflix and Virgin are going one step further with flexible time and are doing away with a formal vacation policy altogether. At these companies, employees can take as much time off as long as they want, whenever they want all year-round. Netflix’s company guidelines said they do this because annual  leave policies are outdated: “[W]e should focus on what people get done, not on how many hours or days worked. Just as we don’t have a nine-to-five policy, we don’t need a vacation policy.’”Wherever you fall on the formal or informal vacation policy divide, what both sides can agree on is that having more time off makes a difference in employees’ lives.

Job Search Strategies for Older Workers

Job Search Strategies for Older Workers Job Search Strategies for Older Workers What can you do to address age discrimination and promote your candidacy for employment? There are strategies older job seekers can implement to help expedite a job search and to find gainful, and meaningful, employment.   Stand Out in the Job Market Despite all the skills and experience that you bring to the table, you will still need to convince employers that you are the right person for the job. However, you also have a number of qualities that make you very hirable. Here are some tips for standing out in this competitive job market: Emphasize your experience.  Older job seekers have so much experience they can draw on. If they have been previously employed, they have decades of work experience. This work history is something younger workers simply do not have. Highlight your years of experience in your job materials and interviews.Highlight your skills.  Make a list of all of the skills you have developed, both in the workplace and outside of work. Then, look at  job listings  in the fields you want. Circle any skills on your own list that fit the requirements of the job. Pay particular attention to the  transferable skills  you have (such as  communication  or managerial skills) that will be useful in almost any job. Think about the skills and qualities you have as a result of your years of experience. Whether or not you have been in the labor force recently, you likely have qualities gained from experience that employers will want. For example,  studies have shown that employees over 50 are particularly reliab le, detail-oriented, and patient. They also have strong leadership skills. Consider developing new skills.  Think about any skills that will be necessary for the job, but that you either lack or have not used in a while. Take some time to develop these skills. For example, if many jobs in your field now require some experience with coding,  consider taking a class. There are many free classes online for various skills, particularly in technology.  Network.  Even though you likely already have a number of contacts in your field, you can always make more. Consider joining (or rejoining) a  professional association  in your field. Revamp your  LinkedIn profile. Send a  letter to your friends and family  and let them know about your job search. Networking is an ideal way to make connections that could lead to a job. Follow your passion.  Especially if you are beginning a second career, try to find a job that allows you to fulfill a lifelong passion. Perhaps you have always wanted to work with kids â€" if so, then search for a job as a teacher. Maybe you have always had a woodworking hobby â€" consider a job as a furniture  finisher. Think carefully about what you want to do with this period of your life, and follow your passion! Age-Proof Your Resume and Cover Letter One way to overcome the perception that your age is an issue is to  age-proof and edit your resume. Limiting  what you include on your resume, from a chronological perspective, can help job seekers avoid the stigma of being considered too old by a prospective employer. Make sure your references to job skills and accomplishments use contemporary vocabulary. For example, you should use the term “formatted documents” rather than “typed documents.” Your cover letter is critical, as well. Review these  cover letter tips for older job seekers to learn what to include in your cover letter, how to showcase your skills, and how to effectively market your candidacy to employers. When writing your resume and your cover letters, theres  no need to mention every job youve ever had. Include only the most recent positions and, if you attended college, dont list your graduation dates. Update Your Professional Image You can strategically write your resume and cover letter, but you cant change the basic facts - your actual age and your employment history are etched in stone. However, there are ways you can work on your appearance when you are job searching. And that can make a significant difference when youre interviewing. Heres how to  update your job search image. Ace a Job Interview Even though employers cant legally ask you directly about your age, they sometimes ask questions during a job interview to try to determine how old you are. Here are some  age-related  interview questions  and advice on how to respond. Anticipate these questions and have non-defensive, upbeat answers. Review tips and advice for successful  interviewing for older seekers, including how to make the experience an asset, what to wear, how to address age issues, and how to stay positive at a time when interviewing can be especially challenging. Consider a Career Change It can be easier than you might think to change careers. Heres advice on how to successfully implement a mid-life ?career change. Consider “try before you buy” contract work in order to reduce the risk of hiring you for the employer. Get Job Search Help If youre struggling with your  job search, consider seeking assistance. There are no-cost programs provided by  OneStop Career Centers, non-profit groups, and local  libraries,  for example, that can assist. Seek out employers who advertise the fact that they value life experience in their hiring strategies. Some companies candidly do not value older workers, but many others do. Dont Give Up Keep in mind that its not just you who is having a challenging job search.  The Federal Reserve reports that most of the  increase in employment since 2000  (approximately 17 million jobs) has been among workers aged 55 and older. In 2017, 39% of people 55 and over were working, compared to 31% in 2000. The increase is due to the aging of the baby boomer generation and isnt expected to last. Workers 55 and over are expected to be almost 24% of the workforce through 2027. Job searching typically isnt always easy, regardless of how old you are. If you think age is hindering your job search, there are  strategies you can use to address the situation.  Dont give up; it might take a while to find a job, but there are employers who understand the value of an older worker with maturity, life experience, and skills.

Truth, Lies and Resumes

Truth, Lies and Resumes Truth, Lies and Resumes Companies are screening more closely than ever before. Getting caught in a lie could raise enough questions about your character to cost you the job.When searching for a job, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. You can stutter during a cold call, get lost on the way to the interview or even forget the name of the hiring manager. These are all honest mistakes and likely can be overcome with hard work and perseverance. Lying, though, can be irredeemable.“The worst thing you can do in an interview process is to lie,” said Lorne Epstein, author of You’re Hired. “All you have at work is trust, but once you lose it that way, it’s over.”Scott Thompson, the former CEO of Yahoo, learned that lesson the hard way.He resigned in 2012 when it was revealed that he forged an entry on his resume, claiming he had a computer science degree from Stonehill College when, in fact, that degree wasn’t even given out there until two years later. Thompson later said that his cancer diag nosis was part of his reason for leaving Yahoo, but the damage had already been done to his reputation and to the integrity of the company - not to mention all its shareholders.“I don’t know who would hire this guy again,” Epstein said. “It’s a horrible reason to get fired. … When people do things that are egregious, criminal acts and lying scare people the most.”Epstein works with college students and speaks to groups about the nuances of interviewing - all with the goal of helping people get the job that’s the right fit for them. Through his experiences, though, he’s seen some alarming behavior from job seekers.“A lot of people lie on their resume,” he said. “I see people putting things on their resume that shouldn’t be there - especially skill sets that they don’t really know.”Vicky Phillips operates The Diploma Mill Police, a free service that protects consumers from claims about fake colleges or degree and diplomas. “Our studies of consumer an d employer behavior on the issue of falsifying education documents and credentials show that the practice of listing inaccurate or fake educational backgrounds is fairly common,” she said. “One survey we did in 2009 with site users resulted in 80 percent reporting that they would lie about their educational backgrounds if it meant they were being held back from a job that they personally believed they were qualified for.”The problem isn’t only prevalent at entry levels, either. Phillips said there are plenty of top executives, like Thompson, who turn to fudging - if not outright counterfeiting - their resumes.“We took a peek at resumes on LinkedIn in 2010 and found a shocking number of high-level career officials publicly listing degrees from fake colleges,” Phillips said. “This is not minor fudging on one’s major as Scott (Thompson) did, but all out deliberate buying of fake educational packets - diplomas and transcripts - and then using them boldly and publicly to secure and advance in employment.” She said the driving force behind this disturbing behavior comes from the simple fact that people don’t think they’ll get caught. Also there’s tremendous potential upside as extra degrees often warrant higher salaries.Epstein noted how cultural changes and the erosion of loyalty within the American workforce have led us to where we are now - a world where our business leaders and politicians feel that lying is fair game if it means a better chance of getting ahead.“It’s a deeper cultural problem,” he said. “We don’t live in a society where honor is stressed as much as it should be.” The incident with Thompson could spark a change in thinking among desperate job seekers or at least prompt hiring managers to apply some due diligence, but it probably won’t, Epstein said.According to reports, Thompson walked away from this mess with $7 million for his 130-day stint at the helm of Yahoo.