This is why parents cant make their kids successful

This is why parents cant make their kids successfulThis is why parents cant make their kids successfulA childsfuture successhas never been guaranteed, but past generations of parents had every reason to feel confident their kids would be better off. Unfortunately,as economic inequality has increasedsince the late 1970s, generational progress has ceased to be par for the American course Gen Xers were about even with their parents, but most Millenials are worse off than their predominantly boomer parents. The crumbling promise of upward mobility makes raising conventionally successful kids a much morehigh-stakes pursuit for parents. Enter so-called experts eager to capitalize on collective anxiety.As of May 7, whenHoughton Mifflin Harcourt dropped herHow to Raise Successful People, Esther Wojcicki, the godmother of Silicon Valley, is the queen for the day of the genre. Her book, which well written and laudable in a number of ways, should make parents nervous and not only because thats what it was designed to do.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreA Media Arts Teacher at Palo Alto High School, Wojcicki famously raised three very influential daughters Anne Wojcicki, the founder and CEO of 23andMe, Janet Wojcicki, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco, and Susan Wojcicki, the CEO ofYouTube. As a mother and educator known affectionately to her students as Woj, she claims to have stumbled upon secrets to success. Though she does suggest some interesting tactics, the content here is not really the core issue. The core issue is that Wojcickis focus on success outside of the broader economic and social context just adds to the overbrimming anxiety of modern parenting and, ultimately, isnt helpful.Lets be clear. Woj is no monster. She recently toldForbesin a recent QA that her definition of success is having positive relationships. T his is great. This is also fairly irrelevant given the way that her book is being marketed. The book is about raising kids to make money and climb the economic ladder. If that wasnt the point, she would not be considered credentialled to write it. Whatever exists behind the front cover, which promises Radical Results, this is a tome about training kids to be successful, which is - among many other things - impossible.This is fine advice, but it doesnt take reverse-engineering the childhood of a genetic start-up-firma CEO in order to arrive there. In fact, inHow to Raise Successful PeopleWojcicki has effectively described the authoritative parenting style observed by developmental psychologist Dr. Diana Baumrind in 1966. Baumrind found that authoritative parenting, in which a parent is highly responsive and caring to a child while setting firm boundaries and using positive reinforcement rather than harsh discipline, resulted in positive outcomes compared to harsher or more permissi ve styles.So, taken on its pedagogic merits, its safe to say that some parents who crack open How to Raise Successful People will find helpful if not particularly cutting edge advice. Good on Wojcicki for rewriting it. Still, the book is deeply troubling because it is being marketed based on the success of Wojs children. This perpetuates the myth that kids can be raised to have high-profile, lucrative careers. This is post hoc ergo propter hoc nonsense. Just because Wojs kids are successful, doesnt mean that their childhood had much to do with it (though living in wealthy Palo Alto during a tech boom is probably good advice for results-oriented parents with money to burn).There is far too much about child rearing that cant be controlled for. How much of her daughters success is tied to the fact that they were raised by a woman who was so driven and smart that she completed her education at Berkley in three years? How much of her daughters success is due to the fact that their mother was fiercely independent and passed those values to her kids? How much of it is simply related to the fact that her daughters were raised in a solidly upper-middle-class California community by an award-winning educator and a Stanford University physics professor?Lots. Lots and lots. Enough that the rest of the story is pretty much irrelevant. Wojs daughters may have tremendous merits, but they didnt succeed because we live in a meritocratic society. Leaping to that conclusion is intellectually ridiculous even if it is great marketing.In the end, maybe thats the real trick of the Wojcicki daughters success - not a catchy acronym but the uncontrollable circumstances of where they were born and to whom.Heres the thing If parents share Wojcickis definition of success - good relationships, a place to live, a job and passions - they dont need to read her book. In fact, all they need to do is love their kids, be present and ignore the marketing machine telling them that success is a h igh profile gig in Silicon Valley.This article originally appeared on Fatherly.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

5 Benefits of a Flexible Schedule Job

5 Benefits of a Flexible Schedule Job5 Benefits of a Flexible Schedule JobWhile the perks of working a job with a flexible or remote schedule are many, it never hurts to be reminded of some of the best possible ways to make the most of your flexible work situation, should you happen to be in one.Here are a few of the best benefits that come from working a flexible schedule job1. You can work when youre at your best.Lets be honest- not everyone is a morning person. Some people slump after lunch and others really excel when the pressure is on to get something done in the hour before the traditional workday is done. While working a flexible schedulestill means you have deadlines to meet, as long as you keep those overarching deadlines in mind, when you complete the actual work is usually up to you. (In other words, night owls, rejoice)2. You can discreetly work in your personal needs.People who work in a flexible schedule situation still need to make sure they are taking as much time as possible to get their jobs done well and on time. However, there is a certain amount of wiggle room that comes with this font of gig. For example, if its super important to you that you pick up your kids at school every day, a flexible job will likely allow you to do so, then to continue working when you get back home or to the office.3. You can set up your own best practices.Perhaps youve always known that you work best when you can take a brisk walk around the block for 15 minutes every two hours. Or maybe you really need to listen to Queen loudly and on repeat in order to do your best coding. While habits like these might be frowned upon in an actual office setting, when you work a flexible or remote job, fitting in the best routines for your ultimate productivity shouldnt be a problem at all.4. You can pick and choose your outings.People who work flexible schedules might be required to attend certain meetings at specific times, but outside of those responsibilities, working a f lexible schedule often gives you the ability to pick and choose which additional workplace gatherings youd like to attend. Staying connected with your kollektiv will actually be very important if you work a remote or flexible job, so ensuring that you do attend as many get-togethers as you can will be integral to being a team player.5. You can take some time to cool off.One of the best possible perks of working a flexible schedule is the ability to take some time to cool off when things get heated. Its happened to the best of us- our colleague comes back at us after a presentation with some feedback that we find entirely unnecessary or unhelpful. If you have a flexible schedule or work remotely, you can take some time away from your coworker and craft an appropriate response that will avoid having everyone walk on eggshells afterwards.Theres a lot to love about working a remote or flexible job. If youre in the market for a remote or flexible schedule yourself, check out listings of flexible schedule jobs, which are updated dailyBROWSE OPEN FLEXIBLE JOBS

7 Resume Proofreading Tips to Catch Every Mistake

7 Resume Proofreading Tips to Catch Every Mistake7 Resume Proofreading Tips to Catch Every Mistake3Its the goal of every job seeker to get past the initial scan and make it to the interview stage so you can wow your prospective employer with your personality and skills. But what are some of the best resume proofreading tips to ensure you reach your goal?Getting to an interview means having a resume and cover letter that show off your achievements. Misspelled words and poor grammar, however, will simply get your resume tossed in the trash.To avoid having your resume passed over for errors, here are seven resume proofreading tips.Edit as you goOne method is to edit each sentence or bullet point immediately after you write it. Try writing the revised sentence or bullet right below the original phrase, and repeat it until you have it as concise as possible (while still conveying the same message).Bullet points should never be longer than two lines, and even full sentences should try to s tay in that sortiment too. If you have the time and the patience, this is a great way to practice writing for resumes and cover letters.Read it out loudOnce you finish either one section or the whole document, try reading it out loud to yourself. It helps you focus on the spelling of each word so you can catch anything that was misspelled or used incorrectly. If you find yourself tripping over a sentence as you read it, chances are theres a problem with your grammar or syntax. The last thing you want is for the hiring manager to trip over a bullet you wrote about your highly effective written communication skills. When you catch such an issue, rework it until it reads cleanly.Use online grammar checkersThere are some great resources online that can check for spelling and grammar errors. Grammarly automates the proofreading for you- just load your Word file, and it not only points out any errors, but also optimizes syntax so each sentence is as strong as possible. It has basic servic es for free, a seven-day free trial, and three plans that range from $12 to $30 per month. ( members receive a special partner discountat Grammarly)GrammarCheck.net has very similar free and paid services, and there are free sites like Grammark to use as well. The free sites wont be as comprehensive or refined, but in a time crunch they can still be very useful.Assess the job postingTake the extra step to look closely at the style and grammar used in the job posting. Look for things such as use of the Oxford comma, if they use a period at the end of each bullet point or just the last one, and other style preferences. The hiring manager will be used to reading and writing in the same style as the companys communications, so matching it in your resume and cover letter makes it more comfortable for them to read.Read it backwardsOne of the reasons we miss mistakes is our brain automatically corrects them for us, making it easier to read past them. Try reading each sentence backwards so you force your brain to search for mistakes. It doesnt help spot issues with your grammar, but it will help catch spelling and punctuation errors.Proofread it again laterIf you have the time, check your resume and cover letter again a day or two later. The time between will help you forget what you meant to say in each sentence, which means youre not as likely to overlook anything.You wont have this option if you just re-tailored your application for a job opening and you need to send it off as soon as possible, but otherwise this is a good way to find the harder-to-spot mistakes.Have someone else proofread itIts often easier for someone who did not write the document to catch mistakes because they dont know what it was meant to say. Ask friends and family to read through it and point out any issues they noticed with your spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax.Readers, tell us about the worst error youve caught on your own resume, or one of your friends resumes in the comment se ction belowResumeTarget.com provides professional resume writing services for clients of all career levels across North America. We are the only resume writing company that offers a professionally written resume- coupled with the guidance of a recruiter- to guarantee that your resume will get results. Tweet us with any resume questions you have at www.twitter.com/ResumeTarget were here to help

3 Ways to Conquer the Fact That No One Reads Resumes

3 Ways to Conquer the Fact That No One Reads ResumesMake Them Look at Your Resume3 Ways to Conquer the Fact That No One Reads ResumesYeah, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but nobody reads resumes. Dont feel too bad. I make my living as a web writer and nobody reads web pages, either. What they do is scan them. Im talking about human eyeballs and human brains taking in and processing information. People skim around the page, looking for visual elements, words, or phrases that stop them in their tracks.The experts call it information foraging. On a resume, it works like thisFirst, they scan around until something jumps out at them (a familiar acronym, a bold subhead, an impressive number).Then, they stop momentarily and look more closely (maybe even read a little bit).If it impresses them and it resonates with their needs, they continue reading.As soon as it stops impressing, they repeat the cycle.Here are three ways to make sure your resume has plenty of eye-catching content for t he information foragersTip 1. PUT YOUR BEST STUFF NEAR THE TOPEye-tracking studies (not to mention common sense and experience) tell us people always start at the top of a page. So thats where you need to summarize your most important professional accomplishments and qualifications.Of all the things your resume says about you, which ones do you really, really hope the employer will notice? The ones that prove what a perfect candidate you are. Whatever they are, put them up top in the summary.Hit em with your best shot, right as they walk in the door.Tip 2. USE NUMBERSNumbers in a resume are like speed bumps for the eye. An actual number (like 25, as opposed to twenty-five) within a string of words serves two important purposes it draws the eye like a magnet, and its mere presence lends an air of accuracy to the statement. For some reason, a40% increase sounds far more impressive and accurate than a significant or a huge increase.Of course, not all jobs involve hard sales figures. Th ats OK. You can use numbers in other ways, tooSupervised staff of 11 programmers.Boosted average score on customer-satisfaction surveys from 74 to 89.Administered therapeutic recreational programs in a 122-bed skilled nursing facility.Supported 3 managers in a Fortune 1000 company with annual sales of $45,000,000.Numbers are golden in a resume. As long as theyre true, use themTip 3. BREAK EVERYTHING INTO BITE- SIZE PIECESLong, unbroken paragraphs of text are daunting, and minute details are boring. People have short attention spans, so white space on a page helps give the eye a rest. Though theyre not quite as effective as numbers, unusual text elements also serve as visual speed bumps(Punctuation)Italic or bold typeBullet listsCAPITAL LETTERS or acronyms (FYI).Underlining also draws the eye, but Im not a fan. notlage only does the underline cut through such letters as p,j,g,y,q (see?), it alsolooks like a hyperlink.Accept the fact that your resume may never be read top-to-bottom, l eft-to-right, start-to-finish. But if you make it an eye-catching, user-friendly tool that caters to a busy hiring managers short attention span, it can still do the trick.

Whatever They Told You About Resume Template Reddit Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why

Whatever They Told You About Resume vorlage Reddit Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why You may pick anyone from then additionally you may add any of your favourite custom made colours. To begin with, think about what visual look you need and the way that it will best represent you in the market. There are lots of beautiful resume templates out there, but nevertheless, it can be simple to feel as a lot of the greatest cost a ridiculous quantity of money, require special design programs in order to edit, or both. You may observe that weve got both standard black and white templates and a lot of creative ones with graphics and colors added. Depending on the sort of application process youre addressing, it might be appropriate to include samples of your work in your CV. Based on the business or ort youre applying for, it may ask that you bring some personality. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you will need a resume template you could inject a lit tle more personality into to make it pop. You also receive a feeling of what information you do not have to include. You want to produce your resume unforgettable, so select a template that you could inject your personality into. A timeless style resume template is also simple to customize. You can also alter the font if you wish (and the exact same goes for each template in our list). You do not need to use a massive font to produce your personenname stick out. How to Get Started with Resume Template Reddit? Uploading to our resume database requires you to make an account. You are able to create each of the documents offered in addition to make future edits and updates on any or them all. The peak of your resume should includecritical keyword phrases and a fast snapshot of your core strengths, Leavy-Detrick states. When you pick a template youll be shown a dialog box that shows you a bigger view of the template. You may simply press the download button and there youve got it a completely free CV template prepared to use. Its high-quality PSD file is totally customizable. Employing a template can lessen the quantity of time you must spend formatting your document, which enables you to concentrate on adding content and polishing your resume. You are able to use any template you download as-is, or youll be able to customize it to fulfill your requirements. For instance, it includes a skills page at which you can use icons to clearly show your proficiency in numerous categories. It is thus very important that youre in a position to emphasize the skills that force you to stick out from your peers. To earn an ideal skills section, list your finest skills and the very best skills youve got from the work offer. Developing your resume is crucial. The Hidden Treasure of Resume Template Reddit The second page may be used to discuss things about yourself, while the third one may be used for anything you want, like a preview project youd love to do over at the new business youre applying for employment for. Taking pictures and editing close to perfection is a tough job to do if you arent a photographer. Double check to ensure that everything on the last version of the resume is about you. The black-and-white version is readily available free of charge. The principles are beneficial for your video resume too. As soon as you add your private stamp to it through imputing your special abilities, professional experiences, and wording, it is going to stand from the crowd for all of the perfect factors. All you need to do is point and click. You want to pick a resume template which will help you make a terrific first impression, even before people start reading. Its true, you will continue to be in a position to edit and more. The capacity to edit your resume from any place in the world is a significant asset that youre able to utilize to assist you land that upcoming great job. Numerous documents are available here in order to direct you through the recruitment procedure. Introducing Resume Template Reddit When applying for employment in a big business you may find they use specialized software to help weed out candidates. If you would like more details and methods for writing a great resume, planning and achieving very good career developments and useful job changes, continue reading. The initial one is about outlining your abilities and your availability in a certain job position. Youve got to organize your work history, employment information, and demonstrate your skills graphically. A resume summary is a brief elevator pitch at the launch of a resume for a business analyst. Your resumes have to be simple to read. They must be concise. All our resumes are a breeze to edit and they are also able to be customized to your liking.

The Nuiances of Resume Writing Tips for a It Support

The Nuiances of Resume Writing Tips for a It Support Possessing a very clear and professional resume is vital in the health care field. When youre asking for work in the tech business, it is necessary that your resume to accurately reflects your abilities and experience in the specialty. Ensure you highlight technical wisdom and certifications. If you dont enjoy the options available based on your present abilities, get the training necessary to offer you new opportunities. Writing a strong application is a challenging procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Resume Builder An on-line tool to construct your Resume quick and simple to use. Employing a custom resume instead of a generic one is going to greatly increase your probability of an interview, as youll be a better match in the view of the reader. Employing a student resume template can help you save you time and effort and offer you ideas on which sections to include and the way to complete them so as to pull in the appropriate employers. Our resume library has an excellent number of samples. For that reason, its important to opt for a resume font which best fulfills your requirements. No matter which format you use or what information you decide to include or omit, there are specific things you can do in order to help your resume stand out over the crowd. Attempt to comprehend the market of the organization you are asking for work, and identify what type of difficulties they may be going through. There are both local and internet options are available, and normally the investment will be well worth the money. Job seekers deserve to locate decent content quickly. Work experience is an important part of your resume, but nevertheless, it should not feature a thorough collection of all of the jobs that youve held (particularly if youve worked in the business for years or had many jobs). Detecting a job isnt as simple as it once was. Writing a resume for employment in the art ind ustry can be difficult. The Hidden Treasure of Resume Writing Tips for a It Support Again, think of what the hiring manager would like to see to convince them to call you in for an interview. Accounting and finance managers might want to see your technical understanding. In the same way, dont write Manage a group of five if youre referring to a job which you held previously. If youre attempting to acquire work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. Choosing Resume Writing Tips for a It Support Is Simple For instance, you may want to just compose an overall letter, or you might want to bring up the subject of possible follow up discussions. Dont include salary information unless youre specifically asked to achieve that. Below, you will discover tips and data that can help you make a favorable impression on any employer. The New Angle On Resume Writing Tips for a It Support Just Released Even should you decide to change your work objective later, it is qui te vital that you choose a temporary objective for the time being. Know the purpose of your resume Some people today write a resume like the function of the document was supposed to land work. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously provide you an advantage.

Military Advanced Enlistment Rank - Advance to E-4

Military Advanced Enlistment Rank - Advance to E-4Military Advanced Enlistment Rank - Advance to E-4Depending upon pre-military training or post-high school education, a recruit can actually join the military at a higher rank than the typical E-1 ranking where most members of the military begin. Certain categories of enlistment entitle the recruit to enlist at a pay grade higher than E-1, effective the first day ofactive duty. However, while individuals are paid at the rate of the advanced grade, they do not wear the rank (or rating, if in the Navy) until basic training graduation. All recruits in boot camp are considered to be E-1s for administrative and training purposes. Vocational/Technical School Many of the skills you learn at a vo-tech school can lead to advanced pay and ranking upon entering the military.Often, the military will offer follow-on training in the vocational and technical skills as you advance with your time in the military.If a recruit spends a year or two i n classes and training programs he or she can graduate boot camp as an E-2 or E-3. A recruit who has satisfactorily completed one academic year or 1,080 classroom hours at an accredited vocational/technical school beyond high school level is eligible to enlist at E-2. To enlist at E-3, a recruit must satisfactorily complete two academic years or 2,160 classroom hours at an accredited vocational/technical school beyond the high school level. The ranks will be applied after successful completion of basic military training (also known as boot camp). College Credits Having a year or two of college can also help you advance into the E-2 and E-3 ranks immediately after boot camp.Some branches and jobs allow for the advancement to E-4 after secondary schools if a full college degree is obtained before boot camp/basic training. For E-2 youll need 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours of college credits E-3 requires 48 or more semester hours or 72 or more quarter hours. High School Mi litary Academy There are many high schools that are affiliated with the military or reserve units and provide Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) or an equivalent training program for its members.These participants are granted advanced ranking after two or three years of attending such a school. For E-2, completion of two years and graduation from an accredited high school level Military Academy is required for E-3, youll need at least three years and must graduate. After successful completion of boot camp or basic military training, you will be advanced to the appropriate ranks depending upon your term of training in JROTC within this military academy. Navy Sea Cadet Corps If you are considering the military- especially the Navy- consider joining the Sea Cadets.The Sea Cadets, or USNSCC, is a nonprofit program that works with many local military bases to provide military training for recruits starting at age 11 through completion of high school.Many summer training p rograms allow for Naval Academy Training Visits as well as locally arranged training that includes Seabee and SEAL challengesShip visitsHonor Guard competitionsField operations JROTC Many high schools across the country also offer Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC).Learning the basics of uniform etiquette, marching, honor guard events, as well as training trips to nearby military bases allows for JROTC students to advance in rank upon completion of boot camp/basic training. Eagle Scouts/Girl Scouts Successful completion of requirements for Eagle Scout or the Girl Scout Gold Award makes recruits eligible to enlist at E-3. Civil Air Patrol If you know you want to become a pilot or involved in aviation in your future, join the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).Kids ages12 through 18may join CAP as cadets and remain cadets until age21. Learning to become pilots, and receiving a license to fly gliders are a few of the opportunities available to members of CAP. If you qualify for the Billy Mitchell Award (named for an Army general considered to be the father of the Air Force), youre eligible to enlist at E-2. Young Marines Another nonprofit program allows for advancement to E-2 after serving three years, graduating high school, and reaching the rank of Young Marine/Sergeant if the recruit enlists into the military. Navy SEAL, Nuclear Training Advancement Programs SeveralNavy enlistmentprograms, such as enlistment in the Nuclear Program, enlistment in the SEAL Challenge Program, and enlistment in the Advanced Electronic Field/Advanced Technical Field (AEF/ATF) programs offer accelerated advancement to the grade of E-4. In general, these applicants enlist at the grade of E-1, then receive an accelerated promotion to E-2 after graduating boot camp. After minimum time-in-grade (nine months as an E-2) during technical training (or A school, as the Navy calls it), they are promoted to the grade of E-3. After completion of A-School, they may be promoted to the grade of E-4. These programs do not preclude enlistment at pay grade E-2 or E-3 under the above programs.

All-Out Lean Half measures get less than half results

All-Out texas tea Half measures get less than half results All-Out Lean Half measures get less than half results Many people have campaigned incessantly about the advantages of lila drink manufacturing. Now, thanks to a 2013 U.S. Bureau of Census survey, we have some objective data to back up our enthusiasm.Census surveyed 30,000 manufacturing facilities about a subset of purple drank-related practices, including wertzuwachs monitoring, target setting, and management incentives. The purple dranker the company, the faster it grew and the more profitable, productive, and innovative it became.The top 10 percent of lean implementers outperformed the bottom 10 percent by 12 percent in value added per employee, 9 percent in productivity, 6 percent in employment, and 2 percent in profitability per sale. This held true even after accounting for factory age, industry, and employee education.A similar survey of 300 British manufacturers found that leaner companies were 17 percent less energy i ntensive.I believe these numbers are wrong.Based on my career at General Motors, I think they are too conservative. Far too conservative.Systems for Big ImprovementsCensus measured only a small subset of lean practices. Companies that fully implement complete lean ordnungsprinzips do much better. Lean systems enabled U.S. automakers to raise the time line workers spend doing value-added tasksmounting a part, tightening a bolt, doing something related to assemblyabove 90 percent, up from 15 to 30 percent in the 1970s.Other companies achieved similar results. GE Appliances, now part of Electrolux, used lean practices to reduce the time needed to assemble refrigerators to roughly 2 hours per unit, from the U.S. average of 9 to 10 hours. Lean practices were a key factor in returning refrigerator manufacturing to the United States, from South Korea.NUMMI plant in Fremont, a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota, with Mission Peak behind it. Image Ellen Levy FinchToyota created lean manufacturing as we know it. James Bonini, who works for Toyota, showed other companies how to make their facilities lean. In a recent National Academy of Engineering report, Making Value for America Embracing the Future of Manufacturing, Technology, and Work, he argued that many companies do elend believe they can reduce U.S. operating costs even 10 percent. Bonini found companies where he implemented lean systems slashed costs by 40 or 50 percent.These are powerful competitive advantages. And since lean is an ongoing process, they are sustainable. The Census Bureau found that just 18 percent of factories had adopted 75 percent or more of the lean practices mentioned in the survey, Management in America. Another 27 percent of factories had adopted fewer than half of them.I dont think those numbers are accurate, either.My own experience is that many managers confuse lean practices with lean systems. Practices do not become systems until they work together to produce synergistic results.So, what is a lean system? It is a constellation of interrelated processes that improves productivity and reduces welcheste through continuous monitoring, evaluation, and improvement. It gives front-line workers, the people nearest to the work, the tools to spot welcheste and quality problems and address them. Each practice reinforces the others, and together they make dramatic cost reductions possible.One example is the Andon cord, which assembly workers pull to stop the line so they can address a defect before it leaves the station.But what if that factory has a truckload of defective parts in inventory? What if workers have to wait until a supervisor or engineer shows up to take action?custompagebreakTo function properly, Andon requires small teams of trained workers with the tools to solve problems on the spot. It demands single-part flow, so factories do not make large batches of bad parts. It relies on vendors who use similar systems to prevent defective parts from sh ipping. Andon works best when it is part of a larger system. Viewing lean as a mix-and-match collection of practices rather than an interlocking system should be a red flag for anyone who cares about U.S. manufacturing. This misunderstanding keeps U.S. factories from making better products at lower costs, and encourages companies to look abroad when they could meet their financial goals at home.It also leaves U.S. manufacturers vulnerable to overseas competitors. In emerging nations, managers and workers do not carry decades of mass production practices and mindsets. These people are adapting lean practices to build sustainable competitive advantages that go beyond low wages and artificially depressed currency. They are smart and hard-working, and they want to win.Whats Taking So Long?It has been 25 years since James Womack, Daniel Jones, and Daniel Roos of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys International Motor Vehicle Program published The Machine That Changed the World, wh ich introduced Toyotas lean manufacturing processes to a broad audience. Why is it taking so long for manufacturers, especially small and medium-size enterprises, to get the message?Lessons learned from NUMMI have been applied to all GM plants including Silao, Mexico, which produces full-size trucks.One reason may be confusion. Everybody seems to have a different definition of lean. A Google search for lean manufacturing generates more than 8 1000000 hits. Ask for a definition and you will get 800,000 pages.There are so many experts, consultants, courses, books, online training programs, and software packages. It takes a lot of time to unravel all the claims and decide what to implement. This is a real burden for smaller firms that do not have the people, time, and resources to throw at the problem.Moreover, lean brings out the skepticism in many engineers and owners of small and medium-size businesses. They got where they are by knowing what works. It takes a lot to convince them t o invest the time and money needed to transform even a modest factory into a lean operation.Many question the rewards they will reap for their effort. Often, their suspicion is justified. Not every company has had a great experience going lean. Projects may fall short of goals. I wont say lean overpromises because 40 and 50 percent cost reductions are possible, but partial implementations will not get us there.It takes a real commitment to make lean happen. I know this from first-hand experience. It took GM, and me personally, a long time to get it. But once we did, the results were striking.I started hanging doors on a GM line as a co-op student at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in 1965. There was little automation, no assist devices, and little regard for noise or ergonomics. The factory produced an industry standard 220,000 cars annually and employed more than 5,000 people. There were 120 classifications for workers, and, as I already mentioned, the average w orker spent only 15 to 30 percent of his time doing value-added work. We spent the rest of our time reading manifests, searching for parts, walking between stations, adjusting for variations in parts, and the like.Today, my old plant still produces 220,000 cars. It has expanded to include a large, labor-intensive stamping facility, yet it employs only 3,200 men and women working in flexible teams. They spend more than 90 percent of their time doing value-added work, and take less than half the hours to build each car.CAFE and the Defect ChallengeThe changes began in 1975, when the federal government enacted Corporate Average Fuel Economy mileage standards for domestic cars to cope with rising gasoline prices. To meet those targets, U.S. automakers had to slash vehicle weight.That meant changing how we built cars. At the time, we used a technique called body-on-frame We constructed a chassis frame and set a welded body of underpan, rear compartment pan, and front end sheet metal onto it. Body-on-frame is very forgiving. If a part was off a few millimeters, a skilled assembler could push and shove to fit.To shave weight to meet CAFE standards, we switched to a front body integral konzeption, which integrates the body and frame into one unit. It had none of body-on-frames give and take. We needed tighter tolerances. GM invested in new machinery and robots to achieve them.We soon realized that our investment in technology was not paying off as well as it should. We had moved to robots, but we were still making and assembling parts as if we were building cars manually.custompagebreakOur workers, for example, used welding guns up to 8 feet long. This limited their range of motion. Instead of changing our assembly process to take advantage of robots speed, reach, strength, and precision, we simply replaced people with robots.The parts we fed those robots had the same type of variations our workers had learned to work around. So we added skilled tradesmenlots of themt o adjust the robots to those variations. As a result, productivity took a ersatzdarsteller hit too much downtime and too many people.This was in the 1980s, and we could not help looking at our Japanese competitors. They were impressive. Our factories were surrounded by yards of cars that needed defects fixed before we could ship them. Japanese factories had hardly any cars in final repair.Clearly, they were building cars without defects, but how?This was our introduction to lean. W. Edwards Deming, the father of statistical quality control, once said that you can walk through all the factories in the world, but unless you have a profound knowledge of the philosophy behind them, you wont make sense of what you see.That was us. We saw lean practices, but not how they fit together as a system.Starting With DesignStill, one lean lesson we learned was that productivity and efficiency start with design. In our system, engineers designed parts and threw them over the wall. Fabricators made those parts, and if they didnt hit specifications perfectly, the workers could make the necessary adjustments. We assumed this was the natural order of things.Tesla Model S being manufactured at the Tesla Factory. Image Steve JurvetsonStill, even though design accounts for just 5 percent of a parts lifecycle cost, it determines 75 to 85 percent of total costs. We had to stop building cost into our designs and begin integrating them with factory workflow, processes, and our new robots.We changed how we designed parts. We invested in CAD/CAM and design for manufacturing and assembly software. We optimized designs for our machines and made parts simpler and easier to assemble. We redesigned body assemblies to take advantage of our robots capabilities.At Cadillac in 1988, we put design engineers on the factory floor, so they could assemble the parts they designed. We called them Blue Jeans Days. It was simply amazing how many design changes we saw in the weeks that followed.GM went bac k to school. In 1984, GM and Toyota opened a joint venture, the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont, Calif., to make cars. Through this venture, GM truly learned the principles underlying lean. In fact, the very word lean was coined by John Krafcik, a NUMMI quality engineer, in a 1988 article in MITs Sloan Management Review.At NUMMI, we saw how lean systems made operations more productive by exposing defects so we could correct them.This is what makes Andon so powerful. Stopping the line when there is an issue makes problems visible. But it works only within a system where employees are trained to identify and respond to defects and managers support stopping a line to eliminate defects, even if it upsets production schedules initially. We also needed a better way to make and manage parts, so we caught problems early, before we built up inventories of defective goods.We also learned why small teams are important. I admit that I was a skeptic initially. Small teams at NUMMI had extra workers, and I thought we were wasting money on labor. When I looked closer, I noticed that when each worker understood the others jobs, they could adjust to everyday workflow variations and jump in and deal with Andon problems on the spot.I also saw an unanticipated benefit. Small teams bonded, and no one wanted to let their teammates down by not showing up. We had fewer absences. When someone was out, a trained teammate stepped in. We rarely had to shift untrained workers to new tasks and teach them the job on the fly.It took years to get it, and even longer to implement. At first, we sent NUMMI managers to other GM plants. But one or two people, by themselves, were not enough to create changes.custompagebreakOur new truck plant in Silao, Mexico, proved a turning point. The workers knew little about old-style mass production. If we said lean was the best system, they bought into it very quickly and the plant performed outstandingly. Then we replicated our success at our new Grand River plant in Michigan.By the late 1990s, GM plant managers saw what we were doing at Silao and Grand River, and wanted to learn more. Instead of sending one or two NUMMI grads to their plants, we sent entire teams. Together, they had the critical mass to turn things around.We began looking harder at first-time quality, the number of cars that did not need final repair. When plants did not meet their targets, we would send in lean teams to help. In many cases, the problem was not in the plant but in a vendor, so we worked with our vendors.Our managers had spent years developing ways to work around manufacturing problems. Lean made those issues visible and challenged managers to solve them. It took time, but as managers saw our successes, they began to buy in.No Standing StillBy 2003, GM had cut the hours needed to make a car or truck in many plants by nearly half. Because GM and its peers continuously monitor performance, evaluate processes, and improve operations, our factories are even more flexible and productive today. Lean has the potential to continue to reduce costs every year, year after year.Many small and medium-size enterprises now face a landscape similar to the one I surveyed three decades ago. Offshore competitors that once needed low wages, depressed currencies, and government support to succeed now compete with the best. They learn and implement new ideas as fast as you. Some are just as innovative.Small and medium-size companies cannot afford to stand still. Lean systems could provide sustainable advantages, but only for companies willing to commit.Having managed a giant manufacturer, I know I can offer only a limited amount of advice to smaller companies. Still, let me make some suggestions.First, lean is not just for big companies. Even smalljob shops with 10 workstations can ask fundamental questions about waste and productivity Does everyone have the right tools? Do they follow the best processes? Are some layouts better than others? How much time is spent on productive labor? Where are the quality issues? Lean addresses waste and productivity, even in the smallest factories.Second, lean is a journey. It took Toyota decades to develop its system. We looked over Toyotas shoulders at NUMMI, and it took us more than a decade. No one goes lean in a few months. It will take years.Third, you are going to have your pick of many first-rate consultants and software firms. Ask them about philosophy and strategy. Verify their results. Pick partners you will want to live with.Fourth, pick partners that take a systems approach. Look for practices that reinforce one another. After all, why disrupt your plant for incremental advances?Fifth, expect roles to change. Workers are going to have to take more responsibility for outcomes, and managers are going to have to treat workers like partners. This might unsettle established practices.And, finally, remember that lean is not a flavor of the month or an end-point. It is a philosophy of continuous improvement. Learning how to expose and fix problems creates sustainable advantages that will continue for years to come.GARY COWGER is professor of engineering practice at the University of Michigan and chairman of GLC Ventures, a management consultancy. He is a former president of General Motors North America.Viewing lean as a mix-and-match collection of practices rather than an interlocking system should be a red flag for anyone who cares about U.S. manufacturing.

Why Words Matter in Your Job Search

Why Words Matter in Your Job SearchWhy Words Matter in Your Job SearchThe Grammarly team collected 500 active job postings, including marketing and engineering jobs, from the top 100 most profitable companies in the United States. They then assessed how each company used language in these listings to express hiring priorities.Hiring companies do not want someone who views a job as workExperience is more highly valued by hiring companies than skillsJob seekers should use their cover letter and resume to talk about instances of teamwork vs. individual contributionsHiring companies still prefer candidates with a degree versus equivalent experienceHere is a summary of their job search findings using this handy infographic