The Significance of Early Career Planning - Careers

The Significance of Early Career Planning - CareersThe Significance of Early Career Planning - CareersStarting a new career and planning out your future can be a fun, exciting time of life. Whether you are entering the adult world for the first time or are starting down a new path after many years in a different field, getting started may seem like a daunting task, but with a few smart steps, you can put yourself in a position of advantage. Read on as we explain how to build your resume and decide on a career path.Start NowThe earlier you start making plans, the better chance you have of succeeding. While no age is ever too late to start making progredienz toward the career of your dreams, we always recommend starting today instead oftomorrow. Time works in your favor, so rather than putting things off, we recommend setting aside some time to map out a plan. Deciding where you want to go and then figuring out the steps to get there (filling in the blanks along the way) keeps you on t rack, and having goals keeps you from getting sidetracked.Develop Interests and SkillsThe first step to realizing your career dreams is to decide what those dreams are. Developing skills, hobbies, and interests at an early age can help you decide what you want to do for a living. We recommend taking some time to think about the things that bring you fulfillment, joy, and satisfaction and thinking about ways to turn those passions into a job. Something that might not seem like a typical career can spring from an interest developed early on and be much more fulfilling in the long run.Gain ExperienceOnce you have a direction or goal in mind, however general it may seem, gaining experience is the next step. Internships, paid or unpaid, can be a perfect way to get a leg up on the competition while gaining valuable experience and insight into a field. Jobs, volunteer work, shadowing, and even asking questions to an expert in your field can all help you fine-tune what you want and give you experience to add to a resume. The more experience you can accumulate, the better your position will be.Save MoneyIn addition to experience, saving money for education is always a good idea. Whether you plan on attending college, going back to school, obtaining certifications or credentials, or even participating in continuing education opportunities, having money saved will help you further those career goals.Add to Your ResumeSee alsoPersonal Branding Tips to Get NoticedAs you develop skills and interests, gain experience, and begin to move towards that career of your dreams, it is time to build your resume. We recommend afree online resume builderto help keep your resume professional and readable. Keep a rolling, updated resume presentation ready at all times, making little changes and adding accomplishments as you go. Have several people proofread your resume before ever submitting it, and include anything you think will showcase your talents and experience.Tell Your StoryIn ad dition to being professional and complete, resumes should let your personal/professional history shine through. Resumes should do more than list out your accomplishments they should tell your story. Include relevant volunteer work, projects, and experiences that show how you, as a whole person, would be perfect for a job or position.

Tips for Applying to Vet School

Tips for Applying to Vet SchoolTips for Applying to Vet SchoolThe popularity of veterinary medicine has created a highly competitive admissions process for the available seats in each vet school class. Most of the 30 vet schools in the United States, as well as several international programs, utilize the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) to streamline the admissions process. This centralized service allows students to submit their information to multiple schools by creating a single application. The VMCAS application is certainly an important part of the process, but there are several additional things to consider when applying to vet school. Here are some of our most important tips for the vet school application process Find Out Each Schools Admission Requirements Make sure you have taken the required courses for each school you are applying to. While most requirements are similar, the specifics do vary somewhat from one school to the next. Document Your Experience Keep a log that documents your hours working in a vet clinic as well as all other animal-related internships and volunteer activities. Be sure you gain experience working with both small and large animals if possible. Make yourself a well-rounded candidate. Dont Wait Until the Last Minute to Start Your Application Be well aware of the deadline for applications and be sure to have your application materials completed early. Applications through the VMCAS service are usually accepted beginning in May or June, with the deadline being early October. There are many sections that are required and it can take a significant amount of time to complete all areas. Ask for Letters of Recommendation Early It is important that you ask for letters of recommendation well in advance of the deadline so your mentors will have plenty of time to complete the task. You will need a letter from at least one veterinarian for whom you have worked. Carefully Craft Your Personal Statemen t Pay special attention to your personal statement, which is a response to a prompt about your background and career goals. This is your one chance to personalize your application and show the acceptance committee what you might bring to the profession if selected. Take Required Tests as Soon as Possible Take any required tests early so you have time to re-test if your scores are elend as high as they need to be for acceptance. Most vet schools require the computer-based GRE (Graduate Record Exam), though some schools also accept the MCAT. It is a good idea to take GRE practice classes and get a practice test book.You need to be thoroughly prepared. Apply to Select Schools You should only apply to the schools you are truly interested in attending. This involves a bit of research on your part, and it is also wise to attend open houses and other events at each school if possible. Applying to a dozen or more vet schools is costly and doesnt really increase your chances. Your b est chance of acceptance is generally at an in-state school or one that has a reciprocity agreement with a neighboring state. Become Familiar with the VMCAS Online Application System You should take some time to explore the VMCAS web portal and learn about the procedures you will need to follow to submit and pay for your applications. There are several pages of instructions and many subsections that should be carefully reviewed. Be Prepared for Your Interview Preparation for your interview is critical. This is the final stage of the admissions process and carries a great deal of weight with the acceptance committee. Have creative answers ready for commonly asked questions like why are you interested in veterinary medicine or why are you interested in this particular school? You should also try to find out what sort of interview your schools of interest plan to conduct phone, panel, multiple mini interviews (MMI), etc. Dress nicely and do your best to appear calm and collect ed when meeting the interview panel. Have a Backup Plan You should also develop a backup plan in case you do not get accepted on your first try. It is fairly common for prospective students to go through the application process two or even three times before gaining entrance to a veterinary program. There are many things you can do while waiting to reapply. You could work at a veterinary clinic, take additional classes to raise your GPA, become a licensed veterinary technician, complete more internships, or participate in more leadership activities.

Top 5 Aerospace Trends of Now and the Future

Top 5 Aerospace Trends of Now and the Future Top 5 Aerospace Trends of Now and the Future Flying cars, hybrid vehicles, massive jets, sleek new fighters, and Mars-bound rockets. These are the kinds of things we consider when we think of our latest heights in the endless evolution of human flight hardware. Indeed, the old clich about there being a million partes in an airplane is truer now than ever. But those million parts are only a fraction of the story behind what puts any vehicle in the airand what keeps it there.Take a look at the cost of a Boeing 787, says Vigor Yang, chairof the School of Aerospace Engineering atGeorgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. Fifty percent goes to hardware, fifty percent goes to navigation, guidance, and control. And of that, fifty percent goes to software.The newest flying machines are only the most visible part of what goes on in the air. How the systems on a vehicle control that vehicle how a vehicle talks to ground control how a vehicle talks to other vehicles how vehicles collect data and what they do with that datathis is the silent face of aerospace engineering. Its not tactile, its not photogenic, and its largely unsung. But its where the latest advances are taking place.1. System Software on the RiseThe code at the heart of any aircraft isnt something that can be slapped together by the latest Silicon Valley wiz kid. Unlike the programming that makes our apps and video games, airborne software is system dependent. Whoevers writing the code has got to know every aspect of the hardware. And the software must be bug free. Otherwise everyone will be in serious trouble, says Yang. Software is handling ever-greater percentages of the jobs done on an aircraft. And, mora and more, these systems are developed and put in place by companies such as Ultra-Electronics, Rockwell Collins, and Ramco Aviation. Increased communication with ground control will soon allow for more efficient landings. Currently planes approaching an airpo rt do so in a stair-step process. This allows the control tower to maintain safety at each stage. But when the exact position of each plane is known, the approach can be continuous. The smoothness of the descent will mean every flight will be shorter by two or so minutes and save about 100 gallons of gas. That time may be minuscule for the passenger, perhaps, but worldwide, the savings are enormous.Boeing is working on a drone swarming system that will eventually impact passenger planes.2. Craft-to-Craft CommunicationHow a message gets from the cockpit to the landing gear, rudder, or anywhere else, is a relatively self-contained problem, not too different from the controls found in land-based vehicles. But how vehicles talk to each other is another issue. In a video that went viral, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania orchestrated miniature quadrotors to play the James Bond theme. The bots knew each others location, and avoided collision, thanks to a central system that pl otted their locations in space. The U.S. Air Force recently released a video showing how tiny drones will soon be able to similarly swarm together for the purposes of surveillance, targeting, and assassination. Boeing is at work creating a swarming system for larger drones. Eventually the technology will work its way into passenger planes.3. Data HandlingSurveillance vehicles get a lot of attention for political, military, and techie reasons. But in the field of aerospace engineering their development and employment is a much smaller challenge than that of what to do with their product. How does the vast quantity of data collected from each vehicle get integrated with that from other vehicles and satellites? How does it get sifted in a way that will make it useful? How will it be streamlined and delivered to allow for effective decision-making? The answer is likely to be found with the $200 million the government recently marked for big data handling. Some of that will go into DARPA s XDATA program, which aims to meet challenges presented by this volume of data, according to the Department of Defense.The Martin Jetpack has a gasoline engine with two ducted fans to provide lift. Image Martin Jetpack4. Flying CommutersPassenger jets and drones are not the only vehicles that will need to talk to each other in the none-too-far-off future. Though flight-minded laymen still have not seen a Jetsons-like age arrive, the personal air commute is, at least, closer than it was before. Jet pack ideas abound, (such as the Martin Jetpack and Marc Newsons Body Jet) and flying cars are on the make (for example, Terrafugia and Moller Internationals Skycar). Sure, the morning commute is not likely to crowd the sky the way it does our streets anytime soon. However, if the air is thick with nine-to-fivers, there will have to be some besucherzahlen system in place. Current air-traffic control is not designed to handle localized takeoffs and landings. But, just as vehicle-to-vehicle communication is soon to keep automatic cars from colliding, aircraft-to-aircraft interaction is soon to make the man in manned aircraft a little less necessary. Congress has ordered the FAA to pave the waylegally and technicallyfor unmanned aircraft systems to fly in U.S. airspace by 2015. Flying commuters can piggyback on those changes.5. Aerospace Engineering EducationWhos going to put together these systems? The kids, of course. Perhaps the biggest trend in aerospace is the growing interest among students. There are now 65 programs in the U.S., and 25 are stand alone programs. Of the 38,000 new aerospace engineering jobs that opened up last year, 4,000 of them were taken by students. Aerospace is the third most popular field for engineering students. A large percentage of them go into programming, because they know their software will be implemented on real hardware, says Yang. The aerospace profession has expanded form hardware-based science, technology, and engineering, to sys tems, and even systems of systems-based engineering. At a very high level that trend has become even more important, he adds.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.The aerospace profession has expanded form hardware-based science, technology, and engineering, to systems, and even systems of systems-based engineering.Vigor Yang, Georgia Tech