The Blood Test Goes Mobile

The Blood Test Goes Mobile The Blood Test Goes Mobile The Blood Test Goes MobileGetting a blood test can be a pain, and its not just from the needle. To get a test, patients often have to visit a different office or wait days for results, and in remote areas of the world, a blood test can mean a significant journey. The hassles are due to the monstrous size of the machines used to run an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA.Anna Pyayt, an assistant professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of South Florida, who works with gold standard ELISA machines in her lab, knew it didnt have to be that way.They are massive. I was thinking, why do I need to use such a big instrument? she recalls. What do I need to make it small and inexpensive?We can use exactly the same type of assays available off the shelf. Its just the equipment that is now low cost.Prof. Anna Pyayt, University of South FloridaTo change ELISA to MELISA (a mobile enzyme-linked immunosorbent ass ay), Pyayt turned to two technologies that have seen rapid advancement in the past decades. The first is the smartphone, with its incredible processing power, high-quality cameras and myriad sensors. At the same time Arduino micro-controllers and fast prototyping of microelectronics have reached the point where you can quickly make interesting electronic devices at low cost, Pyayt says. We merged those two platforms to make one local system. MELISA is a low-cost mobile system for biochemical analysis. Credit Arsenii Zhdanov / University of South FloridaFor You MRI-Safe Robots Treat EpilepsyThe new system works just like its larger cousin. Little wells are coated with an antigen. Antibodies in a blood sample bind with these and stay put when the sample is washed away. Their presence is amplified with animal antibodies (that bind with the human antibodies), which then bind with a color so a human can read the result. That this process is the same in MELISA as it is ELIS A is a huge advantage.We can use exactly the same type of assays available off the shelf, Pyayt says. Its just the equipment that is now low cost.The portability of MELISA is only one of the advantages of using a smartphone to do the processing. Now data can be stored on the phone for easy reference and sharing. Having the phone read the results could also mean a reduction of error. Readings from current ELISA systems must be copied down by hand and manually retyped. This is a big advantage given that medical and human errors are major causes of mortality.Though MELISA can eventually be used with any kind of blood assay, Pyayts proof of concept was a test for progesterone, low levels of which can be a cause of miscarriages and difficulties in getting pregnant. A survey run by Pyayt revealed that one of the most important issues for female patients is minimizing the number of separate visits. I think its important that female engineers sometimes try to address the needs of the female part of population, she says. The number of female engineers is very small.The only things keeping nurses from using MELISA to test patientsfemale or otherwiseare the issues of testing and aesthetics. To get FDA approval, Pyayt is currently running tests to show that MELISA will work in different temperatures and humidity. (See how MELISA works in this video.) Shes also working to make it look aesthetically pleasing. As always, when you try to put things together initially, they look large and ugly, she says. It requires many iterations to put everything into a smaller, nice-looking form.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.Read MoreAn Early and Instant Check for Breast Cancer3D Printing Better Root CanalsResearchers 3D Print on Skin for Breakthrough Applications

Terrible Job Search Advice People Still Love

Terrible Job Search Advice People Still LoveTerrible Job Search Advice People Still LoveJob seeking advice is offered with good intentions but unfortunately, most of what we love to hear is actually terrible advice. Even if it is popular advice seen on LinkedIn or by self-proclaimed thought leaders, it is time you learned the job search advice that people leise love but is actually quite bad for your career growth.Your friends and colleagues may have had the best of intentions when they offered you advice for your job search. And it probably sounded like great, inspiring advice to you but the reality is it was the worst possible job search advice you can follow. Yet, so many people love it and so many people write about it. Below we list the terrible job search advice people still love and mention why you should stay away from it.1. Do what you love and are passionate aboutThis advice sounds great but there are big problems with it. Like it or not, you still have to make money. You h ave an easier time following your passion when you have money and experience.There are reasons the stories behind how to follow your passion are often left out. The reality of such stories lacks romance, involves planning or education and way more work than people ever expected.Unfortunately, money and the ability to manage finances are important for any career. In addition, someone who is just following a passion is the easiest person to manipulate into accepting a smaller paycheck for working five times harder than most people who are getting paid what they are worth. Better advice Work for the money and experience. Use all that to eventually follow your passion.Why? Financial independence is comfort and peace of mind. 2. Always be yourself and you will end up in the right company for youWho you are in your personal life and your career should never mix. Finding a job is like departureing a relationship. For the first few months of a relationship, the significant other is introduc ed more so to the ambassador representing you. However, as time goes on, the ambassador is seen less and less as the real you feel safer to reveal it.So, if you go into a job vorstellungsgesprch the real full uncensored version of 100% You, the hiring manager or employer will get a full dose of every reason why they should not hire you. This is not the time to feel so comfortable around a stranger that you start using informal language and talking like you are hanging out with some friends at a bar. You will either scare the hiring manager away or teach him/her that your ambassador has no sense of professional etiquette.Better advice Research the company heavily before an interview. See if its a fit for you.Why? You will have an easier time finding people to work with when you know what you want. Do not wait for complete strangers to accept you for the real you or you may just lose out on the very jobs you were perfect for. After all, how many people really know who they are?3. The more you apply to jobs, the better your chances of finding work.This advice still exists even though it will lead to hours and hours of work with nothing to show for it. You have a better chance of finding a job from doing 10 targeted online job applications a week than if you do 100 random online applications that you almost fit.The availability of job postings online has led to an increase in the amount of job boards and job candidates applying. Therefore, you are facing two major obstaclesCompeting with spam applicationsBogus job boards taking listings on other sites and presenting them as their ownThe numbers behind what really happens, tell you that quantity does not matter as much as quality100 applicants apply75 screened out by an ATS (Applicant Tracking System)25 resumes seen by a hiring managerBetween 4-6 called for an interviewOnly 1-3 job candidates will make the final interviewOnly 1 job candidate hiredBetter advice Network, first, and then apply to jobs targeted specifi cally for you.Why? All the advancements in technology used for applying to jobs has led to an increased demand for people to network with other people to find work. Working hard at applying to jobs may sound appealing to those who need to feel like they are doing something, but that energy would be best spent on networking with those in your industry. This is the smart way to work.

When a Layoff Recharges a Network

When a Layoff Recharges a NetworkWhen a Layoff Recharges a NetworkJane Helfen had been at Agilent 26 years when she found herself on the hunt. Getting laid off was the tritt in the pants that I needed, she said from her new desk.If Jane Helfen had bedrngnis been laid off last May, she says shed still be in her former position at Agilent, waiting another year before she turned 55 and qualified for retirement benefits.It didnt work out that way. And Helfen said shes happy about the change of plans.Getting laid off was the kick in the pants that I needed, she said from her desk at her new position as senior director of human resources at Juniper Networks in Sunnyvale, Calif.Helfen had always expected her next move would be her decision to make. She had worked first at Hewlett-Packard, then for 26 years at Agilent, an HP spinoff. Helfen had been feeling restless for the past three years, and she even began to look for a new job in 2006.I spoke to people at other companies, but there were good financial reasons to stay a few more years. And I was doing wonderful work, so I recommitted to staying, she said. Then, the economy tanked, and it was clear that the company would make changes with geschftlicher umgang HR functions. Still, it was a surprise when I was one of the people laid off. I didnt expect it.She quickly recovered and started networking like a fiend, she said.I hadnt had to look for a job in 26 years, so I needed to get up to speed.Helfen began attending networking events.It wasnt so much for the job leads but to keep me positive, she said. I had to keep myself pumped up about my value, what I could contribute.She also formed a close partnership with her sister-in-law, a marketer who had also been laid off.We would go to networking events together we would talk regularly and pick each other up. I think its important to have a couple of people to whom you can say, Its not a good day, and just get cleared up and get to it again. She helped me stay positive. She used her network to take interviews at several companies that proved unsuccessful, but the experience allowed her to practice her interviewing skills and explore the types of companies she might like to work for.They let me try it on.Fortuitous lunchEventually, Helfens efforts lumineszenzdiode her to lunch one day with a friend who worked at Juniper Networks. Helfen was considering starting her own business as a consultant, but the friend talked her out of it. Helfen realized she wanted more experience inside a major technology vendor before she went out on her own.Juniper was one of my target companies, and she knew that.Juniper had no openings at the time, but Helfen maintained contact with the friend, and by December a position opened up. It went pretty quickly from there.Helfen credits her network for getting her the opportunity at Juniper and has no plans to stop networking just because she is employed.Companies are more interested in me now that I am employed, she said. I realize now, there are companies that will not look at people who are not employed. While I understand it logically, I just think it is so sad. There are some terrific people that are not employed.With that in mind, shes made networking a daily priority.I go home from work now, and I might be tired, but I will make contacts with one or two people a night. I am never going to stop now. I have reconnected with people I havent spoken to in 10 years who knows when they will be able to help you?Theres a lesson she wouldnt have learned had she not been laid off in May.

Tips to Prevent Employee Disengagement at Work

Tips to Prevent Employee Disengagement at WorkTips to Prevent Employee Disengagement at WorkEngaged employees drive revenue, provide quality products and services, and they create positive customer interactions. Employees who are actively disengaged are estimated to cost the U.S. economy roughly half a trillion dollars a year due to factors such as lost productivity, employee time theft, and client alienation due to poor customer service. No one debates how debilitating disengaged employees are, but some organizations struggle with how to create employee engagement in the first place. It doesnt have to be a difficult challenge. What Is Causing Employee Disengagement? Employee disengagement is the result of a number of factors, many of which are under the control of managers. If employee engagement surveys and the observed lackluster attitudes of employees in your workplace are any indications of the work environment you supply for employees, its time to worry. If you can figure o ut what is causing the employee disengagement, you can take the steps necessary to replace the bad environment with a vital, optimistic, forward-thinking, engaged workplace. Ask the Employees What Hurts The first rule of any medical diagnosis is to ask the patient where it hurts. Patients are often the best guides to help doctors determine whats wrong and how to fix it. Likewise, asking your employees how they feel and why they feel that way is the first rule of diagnosing employee engagement and assessing dissatisfaction. Asking lets employees know that you care enough to listen to them. Demonstrating that you care goes a long way toward building loyalty and respect. It provides a safe forum for employees to give feedback. Some feedback is bound to come across as petty and complaining, but the majority of it will point toward real opportunities to become a better, more engaging organization. Ask employees what you can do to help them do their jobs well. Youll create a culture of co ntinuous improvement and constructive feedback, both keys to building and maintaining a successful organization. Practice Transparency Report the survey findings after asking employees for their opinions. Transparency with the results is key to building trust in the process. Individual responses should remain confidential, but its important to quickly share the aggregate results of an employee engagement survey with the company. Employee disengagement happens for different reasons in different groups, so each group must receive survey results that are specific to them. What impacts people in sales might have little bearing on challenges faced by the finance team. Transparency engenders trust within the organization. Employees are shown that they have a voice when you ask them whats working for them and what isnt, and theyll be assured that youve heard them if you share the results openly. You should demonstrate your commitment to act on any issues that have been uncovered, and youll do this by being willing to respond and sharing the results quickly. Empower Managers and Employees Empower your employees and managers to act on the survey results. This is fruchtwein effective when managers and employees work together to create solutions. Invite employees to join with managers to help craft the answers to problems. It can be helpful to pair employees with managers other than their own because some of the most common engagement issues center on the relationship between managers and their reporting employees. Act on Insights and Results An organization will do far more damage than good if it fails to act on the results of a survey. Not acting hurts credibility. It reduces trust and engenders disloyalty in employees whove had their hopes raised only to then feel ignored. Take immediate steps to implement the feedback when the results come in. This shows employees that their comments are important to the organization and that the company is committed to active improv ements. Of course, some of the feedback will require further discussion or long-term planning, but some solutions can be implemented quickly enough to provide an early win for managers and workers. Communicate clearly with employees to let them know why a decision was made if your organization is unable to act on employee feedback. Tell them what alternatives were considered and what other options are available. Now Repeat the Survey Process Its not enough to just run an employee engagement survey once every year or two. Think of all of the change an organization can go through during that length of time. Its important to let employees know that you intend to do engagement surveys and associated pulse surveys on a consistent basis. This acknowledges your commitment. Many top companies run annual employee engagement surveys that take a comprehensive look at employees relationships with the organization, then they do a variety of pulse surveys throughout the year to measure the impact of engagement efforts as new processes or programs are implemented. The Bottom Line Make employee engagement and quick pulse surveys a central and ongoing part of your organizations improvement process. Given the damage that actively disengaged employees can cause, its important for organizations to proactively encourage them.

The Unexplained Mystery Into Resume after First Job Discovered

The Unexplained Mystery Into Resume after First Job Discovered Resume after First Job Secrets Most employers wont even offer a messy resume the good time of day since therell be better resumes they can look over. Unless you happen to be a graphic designer looking for employment, theres no need to over think the plan of your one-pager. Its the trick to building an amazing recent-graduate resume. There isnt anyone golden resume format. Whether you are a newcomer to the notion of applying for work or it has simply been a very long time since you had to submit an application for work, you might find yourself confused about the different resume format types. If you dont have a lot of work experience, it can help to complete the CV and maybe can add a little more context. There are a lot of tactics to compose a resume. Whichever format you select, it should make you become selected for the job youre applying for. While preparing your resume, you want to continue in mind that its th e health care professionals which you are likely to address to, so your resume should incorporate content that will answer their specified needs. Together with mentioning the work type, if you are going to give a small description of your work in the cv then itll be best too. Carefully reading the work post can help you create a resume that meets the requirements of the prospective employer. Your very first job is where you truly establish your identity. There are different things which will also influence how successful youre at your new job. To compensate for a deficiency of experience, be certain to accurately highlight your abilities. Though it is going to be obvious you have limited work experience, offering a thorough description of that job will make it possible for you to clearly demonstrate to future employers you could handle various responsibilities and that you know your own value to the business. Another means to compensate for a deficiency of particular job expe rience is to receive specific education or certification that prepares you for the job. Applicants whove been in the business for a while and have a lot of experience should use a resume summary. Now you are all set to go out into real life and apply all the abilities and knowledge youve learned from school. Emphasize skills you have developed over recent decades. Since its important that you know your relevant experience more and job history than your abilities. Moreover, recruiters are interested in finding candidates with wonderful leadership abilities. When youre looking for work, you are aware that you might have to prepare a curriculum vitae which is what you will pass on to prospective employers that you wish to work for. With the numbers the recruiting officer is ready to gauge your experience without a lot of issue. Detail Your Nursing Experience Hiring managers wish to comprehend the reach of your experience so that they can see if youre an excellent match for the wor k opening. You have to have a job to get experience, but you will need experience to have a job. Therefore, you will need experience to find an entry-level job, but minus the job, you cant acquire experience. Afterwards, you can get into your professional experience. The resume format sample ought to be carried out well. Since you may see, the candidate quantified how lots of new employees he trained and what number of patients he treated daily. Therefore, in case you have a resume that isnt in an ATS-friendly format, it is probable you wont be contacted for an interview. Save your resume as a portable document format so that its a user-friendly format for anybody who opens it.

5 Ways to Land a New Nonprofit Job in 2016

5 Ways to Land a New Nonprofit Job in 2016 As a society, we are growingmore and more aware of the impacts our actions have on the lives of others and on the planet. This is why millennials purchasing decisions are largely driven bedrngnis only byprice and quality, but also their consciences.For the same reasons,more and more people are looking to abflugcareers in the nonprofit sector. Doing great work that has the potential for significant social impact is both generous and rewarding.If youre one of those people looking to break into the nonprofit world, check out these fivetips on how to find a job in the sector1. Understand Why You Want to Work in the Nonprofit Sector and Learn to Articulate Those ReasonsMany people want to work for nonprofit organizations, but when asked why, they offersome generic explanationlike,Iwant to help people. Unfortunately, this tells the hiring manager absolutely nothing.You can help yourself by focusing on more detailed answers. Is there a particular population you want to help? Do you have a personal story that drives your passion? Do you think you can help people who are being underserved? If you think through the answers to these questions, then youll be able to make a more convincing case for your passion.Instead of focusing on your want, focuson who you can help and why you want to help them.2. Demonstrate the Value YouCan Bring to the nach dem kostendeckungsprinzip arbeitendNotprofit organizations need people with established skills that can be translated to meet their needs. If your skill set specifically includes the following, you have a great chance at landing a nonprofit job- Leading teams- Recruiting and hiring-Planning events- Creative writing- Accounting and recordkeeping- Copywriting- Navigating government regulations and creating related policies- Sales and marketingThese skills translate very well into the situations faced by many nonprofit organizations.3. Research the Needs of t he Organizations You Would Like to Work For you sit down for an bewerbungsinterview, your grasp of the specifics matters most. Remember that most of the nonprofit organizations out there currently face shrinking budgets. This means they have little time and few resources forgetting new hires up to speed. It also means that you are more likely to get the job if you understand the challenges the company facesand what its future goals are. Most importantly, if you come to the interview with some relevant ideas that are ready to go,you willstand a better chance of winning the interview over to your side.4. Tailor Your Resume and Cover LetterIf you send out the sameresume and cover letter to each HR director and recruiter, you are doing yourself a disservice. This is a bad practice no matter where you are applying, but its especially detrimental when youre vying for nonprofit jobs.Your resume and cover letter are opportunities to highlight your skills and education and communicate your p assion for the work you would like to be doing. That passion matters a lot when it comes to nonprofit work (see tip No. 1).If you take only one thing away from this piece,itshould be the importance of writing a personalized cover letter to be included with each application that you submit.5. Establish Ties to the Nonprofit Sector Outside of Your WorkVolunteering is a great way togive back, and nonprofit organizations rely on the work of volunteers. If you give your time to help others, thats truly a wonderful thing.But simple volunteering alone is not enough to land you a job at a nonprofit. To do that, you must establish an ongoing relationship with target nonprofits. That means taking your volunteering efforts to the next level. Find a volunteering position that requires you to be present for a set number of hours every week not just a few one-off gigs. Take on roles that require leadership abilities, organizational skills, and people management.Similarly, if you are looking for an executive-level position, you should try getting yourself onto the board of a nonprofit youre interested in.Looking for work in the nonprofit sector carries its own unique set of challenges. However, if you make a plan and follow it, youll position yourself to land a meaningful and fulfilling nonprofit gig.