10 Words or Phrases You Should Never Say in a Job Interview

10 Words or Phrases You Should Never Say in a Job Interview10 Words or Phrases You Should Never Say in a Job InterviewThe quickest way to be eliminated from any new job consideration is to make the ultimate blunder on your job bewerberbewerbungsinterview namely foot-in-mouth disease.Every year there are polls and surveys published about crazy things job candidates say or do in job interviews so it stands to reason that people still havent gotten the message that what you say in an interview counts Not only what you say but how you say it.Here are the top 10 words/phrases you should never say in a job interviewIm so nervousHonesty is elend the best policy when it comes to telling the job interviewer just how nervous you are even if your hands are shaking sit on them or do something with them just dont show them that you lack confidence in your abilities.Money (in any of its forms)Discussing salary at the beginning of your first interview is a big NO NO This will raise a red flag q uickly with a potential employer who will automatically think youre only there for the money. Negotiations should always be done at the end of the interview phase.Mistakes WeaknessesUnless youre asked, never divulge your biggest weakness and automatically bring up mistakes youve made at your current or previous jobs unless you can show them how youve made major improvements so they do not repeat themselves.I needIts not about you repeat its not about you. If all you talk about is what you need, you will be flagged as a needy, high-maintenance person to work with. And never say I really need this job. Employers are looking for someone seeking a long-term career not just a temporary job.What are the perks of the jobIf in the first five minutes of your interview you have already touched on the topic of perks or benefits of the job, you will create the image that youre only there for the bennies not becoming part of the team and ultimately your employers success.My boss is terrib leNegative language in a job interview especially when its your current boss is a BIG red flag for employers. It shows that youre okay with bad-mouthing any company (including theirs) and some interviewers throw this question out there just to test you for that very reason.Im fineIf the job interview says, How are you? how do you respond? Stating that youre fine is so vague, not to mention way overused and it can come off as dishonest or being dismissive. Use another word to describe how you really are. Nothing negativeFoul languageEven though this sounds pretty obvious, there are still those that just dont get that using curse words or slang terms in an interview gives the impression that you are a poor communicator. Even if your interview is over drinks and the atmosphere is very laid back dont use foul language.Im sorryThis has become another filler word i.e. um like just or so and makes you look indecisive or too passive as well as lacking confidence.What about time offWhen y ou bring up this topic in the first interview, you immediately give the impression that youre already contemplating missing work. This is a subject best left for the final interview.Source AOL.com

How to Not Be Nervous When Interviewing for a Job

How to Not Be Nervous When Interviewing for a JobHow to Not Be Nervous When Interviewing for a JobMost people feel at least a little anxious when bewerbungsgesprching for a job. There are several things you can do to make yourself more at ease before and during telephone and in-part job interviews. A Learning Opportunity The most important way to ease nervousness about a job interview is to look at it as a method of determining whether you and the company are a good fit. If you look at an interview only as something you might mess up and thus lose out on a golden opportunity, youre putting too much pressure on yourself. Job interviews should not be about your landing a job no matter what, although its understandable you might feel that type of stress if you really need the income, health insurance, and other benefits. Its more helpful and more realistic to see your initial phone interview and follow-up in-person interviews as opportunities for you to learn more about the company and for the company to learn more about you. The end result for both you and the company should be figuring out whether you are a good fit for the company and the particular job youre applying for. If the culture of a company would make you miserable or if you dont have a skill that is required but wasnt included in the job description, its better for both parties to learn that before you take the job. Company Research Learn as much as you can about the company where youve applied for a job, so it will be clear during interviews that youre a serious candidate. Youll also feel more confident going into interviews with some knowledge you can share with the HR representative and hiring manager. Resume and Cover Letter Review Before the phone interview, its a good idea to look over the resume and titelbild letter you sent. Remind yourself of the skills you offer and the experience you could bring to this job. Have the resume and cover letter handy during the interview so you can refer back to it and also write down any additional selling points you can think of that you might have left out of your application materials. Breathe Take some deep breaths before the phone interview begins and before you head into the office where youll be meeting your in-person interviewers. You can also imagine yourself speaking confidently and intelligently to the interviewer as you inhale and think release or confidence as you exhale. Company Focus During the phone interview and any subsequent in-person interviews, be prepared to share details about yourself, your values, and your skills and experiences. But be sure to emphasize what you could contribute to the company. The HR representative and anyone else you speak with will want to learn more about you but mostly in the context of how you would fit in at the company and how you would add to its success. Questions for the Interviewers Its helpful to have some questions ready for your interviewers, so youll feel prepared, intelligent, and probably even less anxious. You can practice asking the questions at home to get the phrasing right. Make sure that when you leave, you will have enough information to make the right choice should the company offer you the job. If someone from the company hasnt told you enough about the corporate culture, their expectations for you, or the exact role you will play in the company or a specific department, ask for clarification. If youre meeting with the person who will be your boss, ask about their background and how they got to their current role in the company. Ask what they like and what they would change about the company, what their most urgent need is from someone in the job youre applying for, and what previous people who had that job did well and could have done better. Finally, its OK to ask what the next step in the hiring process would be and when they expect to make their decision. Post-Interview Confidence If youve done all of those things , you should leave that last interview feeling confident that youve done everything you could to help you and the company draw the right conclusions about your working there.

6 Tips for Better Cold Calling

6 Tips for Better Cold Calling6 Tips for Better Cold CallingWould you rather drop a large bowling ball on your foot than make a cold call? If so, youre in good company many, perhaps most, salespeople hate cold calling. Of course, cold calling is still the most effective way to reach out to new leads and get appointments, and as long as thats the case salespeople will continue to do plenty of cold calling. So if youre stuck with making cold calls why not do it as effectively as possible so you wont need to do as much? Here are some tips that can help you crank up your response rate for cold calls. Get It Over With Schedule a block of time as early as possible in the day to make your cold calls, then stick to it. If you put in your hour (or whatever) first thing, at least you wont have it hanging over your head the rest of the day. Plus, some salespeople find that its easier to get through to decision makers first thing in the morning. Have a Great Opener The first 30 seconds or so of a cold call are make it or break it time. Thats why the opener is the most important part of your cold call. If you refuse to use a cold calling script, at least prep a few strong openers and test them out.Youll see much better results on your cold calls. Know the Lead Before You Call When it comes to cold calling, Google is your friend. So are Facebook and (for B2B salespeople particularly) LinkedIn. unterstellung tools can give you amazingly useful information about the person you plan to call next. Finding out that a particular lead went to the same college you did or is friends with someone you happen to know can give you a huge advantage. Dont Make Assumptions Some leads will happily agree to an appointment even though they have no intention of buying from you. They may be looking for ammunition they can use to negotiate a better deal with their current vendor, or simply too polite to just blow you off over the phone. On the other hand, some extremely resistant people will turn out to be fantastic prospects and later, customers. Be aware that a prospects attitude during a cold call is not necessarily an indicator of how likely he is to buy. Sell the Appointment Cold calling is not intended to close sales. Its intended to get you a step further along the sales process towards eventually closing a sale. Focus on selling the prospect on setting an appointment with you, not on selling the product itself. Once youve got the prospect in front of you at an appointment, THEN you can start selling the product. Qualify, but Not Too Hard No lead list is perfect, so at least some of the people you call will not be qualified to buy from you. If you can weed those people out during the cold call, youll save yourself a lot of wasted appointment time. On the other hand, you dont want to ask a mio qualifying questions during the cold call and antagonize your prospect. Stick with a few of the most important qualifying questions and hold off on the rest until later.

4 mistakes female entrepreneurs make more often than men

4 mistakes female entrepreneurs make mora often than men4 mistakes female entrepreneurs make more often than menIf youre a female entrepreneur, congratulations youre doing an incredible job. If you need evidence to remind you, weve got that for you, too.According to the report, The State of Women-Owned Businesses, as of 2017, 11.6 million, or 39 percent of total geschftliches miteinanderes in America, are owned by women. Even more impressively, between 1997-2017, the number of women-owned geschftlicher umganges increased by 114 percent, compared to a 44 percent increase among all businesses- a growth rate of more than 2.5 times the national average. Female-owned businesses employ nearly 9 million people and generate approximately $1.7 trillion in revenues.Despite the above statistics representing remarkable progress, women-owned businesses account for only 4 percent of the national business revenue generated. Despite the rapid increase in the number of businesses opened by women, thi s statistic has remained unchanged for the last 20 years.The disproportionate amount of revenue generated by female-owned businesses can be attributed to their smaller sizes and slower growth rates in comparison to male-owned businesses. So, although it mightve seemed like female-owned businesses were on the right track to take over the world, there is still some work to do.In order to help female-owned businesses prosper, weve identified four of the most common gender-specific obstacles that stop female entrepreneurs from reaching their fullest potentialand most importantly how to overcome them.Mistake 1 Fearing failure avoiding risksIf youre an entrepreneur, youre likely referred to as a risk-taker by your friends and family. After all, quitting your 9-to-5 job to start your own business isnt for the faint of heart. It requires you to accept substantial risks associated with your personal reputation, finances, and career trajectory.However, as a female entrepreneur, youre often p erceived as having a lower risk tolerance and higher fear of failure than your male counterparts. Regardless of how you perceive your own risk tolerance, this point of view may have adverse effects on the success of your business.According to a study by the Journal of Entrepreneurship Organization Management, banks and other investors use a scale to assess the risk tolerance of entrepreneurs when considering investment in their venture. The scale takes into account the four facets of risk including financial, physical, social, and ethical. Female entrepreneurs tend to score lower on the risk-taking scale than men, especially with regard to financial risk.Unfortunately, this contributes to female entrepreneurs receiving kenntniserlangunging less often, as well as lower levels of funding, than male entrepreneurs. Female entrepreneurs are significantly less likely than males to receive equity from investors, with only 11 percent of women using equity raised from investors to fund thei r business ventures.You might be thinking, isnt this counter-intuitive- wouldnt investors and banks prefer to lend funds to low-risk clients? Not quite. In an investors eyes, risk aversion often translates to stagnated growth, lack of competitive drive, and yperit opportunities in the marketplace.Risky BusinessThroughout your career as an entrepreneur, youll have to become comfortable with the possibility of failure and taking risks. Although this may be uncomfortable for some, its necessary to obtain funding and grow your business.However, this doesnt mean that you should head to the casino and bet the patent design for your latest product on the roulette wheel. Instead, focus on adding calculated risk and a risk management plan to your business model.Take Calculated RisksTaking a calculated risk involves estimating the Return on Investment (ROI) and understanding the various possible outcomes before taking the risk. Although a calculated risk still requires a degree of uncertainty , youve done your research and can predict and prepare for the outcomes. Conducting extensive market research before launching a new product line is a great example of how to take a calculated risk.Risk Management PlanningBefore taking a new business risk, create a risk management plan to identify, evaluate, and prioritize the risks in your business plan. This will allow you to minimize the level of uncertainty and react quickly to the various circumstance which may arise.Mistake 2 Being bothered by being the only woman in the roomAs a female entrepreneur, youll likely end up in a situation where you are the only woman in the room. Whether its at a networking event, an investment pitch, or a bank meeting, its bound to happen at least once during your career. Lynn Perkins, the founder of UrbanSitter, said that she often found herself pitching her product not only to a room filled only with men, but to men whod never looked for a babysitter because their wives always took care of chil d care needs.Although this isnt the way it should be, women are unfortunately still underrepresented in just about every level (and most industries) in corporate America.Regardless of your confidence level, It can be intimidating to be the only woman in the room. It may cause you to doubt the validity of your attendance, your ability to relate to others, or even fear discrimination.Dont Let Being the Odd (Wo)man Out Stop YouAlthough its natural to feel uncomfortable, dont let being the only woman discourage you from representing yourself and your business. Use your presence as an opportunity to advocate for female entrepreneurs and instigate change in the industry.If your business offering is female-focused, design different versions of your pitch that are tailored to multiple audiences. According to Terri Mead, managing partner at Class Bravo Ventures, male investors often struggle with relating to what a lot of female founders are pitching and may not make the effort to really und erstand the problem and the solution to see the opportunity.If youre attending an event, bring the disproportionate guest attendance to the event managers attention. Suggest relevant female-focused organizations that they can invite to the next event and/or ask if you can bring friends.Mistake 3 Trusting too quicklyAs an entrepreneur, you never shy away from discussing a new opportunity. Its easy for you to meet a like-minded individual at a networking event and have a new business partner before youre finished your first glass of wine.As a female entrepreneur, youre often considered to have a higher level of trust and empathy than your male counterparts. According to Women, Trust and the Business World, women approach relationships in a SMARTnership manner in which they collaborate with their counterparts to gather information, offer insight on the situation, and work cooperatively towards desirable outcomesboth short-term and into the future.Although this sounds like a healthy way to conduct business, its unfortunately not the reality of how commerce is conducted in corporate America. This means that female entrepreneurs bear the brunt of poor business negotiations and partnerships more often than male entrepreneurs.Prioritize Protecting YourselfThis doesnt mean that you need to adopt an every woman for herself mentality, but it does mean that you should take precautionary measures to protect yourself and your business.Legal ProtectionThe most effective means of protecting yourself in a business negotiation is legal protection. A legal document allows you to record the terms of your agreement and hold the signing parties legally accountable in the future.So, before you enter into a partnership with the charismatic individuals from the networking event, ask them to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Their signature on this document could be the difference between you ending up as Mark Zuckerberg or the Winklevoss twins.Dont Take Chances with Your Finances As a new business owner, youll likely find yourself inundated with requests for favors from family, friends, and even some customers. Although youre probably happy to offer your best friends mom a modest discount, make sure to exercise caution when it comes to favors involving payment.A common favor that might be asked of you is to accept personal credit or pay layaway instead of payment at purchase. Accepting deferred payments places the risk of receiving late payments, or never receiving payment at all, onto your business and personal finances.Katherine Brown, Founder of Kaphmada Design, lists the biggest mistake of her early career as not requiring payment at purchase. According to Brown, a handful of my customers wanted to purchase custom-made apparel on credit and asked to pay layaway. They never paid me back. Some just tried to befriend me just to get something made free. I shouldnt have agreed to those terms. Now all our clients are required to leave a deposit for custom piec es or pay in full. Lesson learned.An easy way to protect your businesss finances is to require credit on especially large orders. Doing so will help you mitigate the risks associated with layaway and installment payments by instantly processing the full value of the transaction. Plus, youll add an extra layer of protection against fraud with the insurance provided by credit cards and banks.According to Kelly Yen, Business Operations Analyst at PayMotile, one of the most commonly cited reasons for business owners to adopt credit card and other types of payment processing is lost profits incurred from accepting personal credit payments on past business transactions. Yen states, almost every business owner has a story about a customer who they knew for years, yet never paid them back for a product or service.Mistake 4 Comparing yourself to othersComparing yourself to others is a natural human phenomenon- everyone does it, I promise.With social media permeating just about every area of life, its easier than ever to compare yourself to others. Unfortunately, as you already know, comparing yourself to others often has a negative impact on your self-image. According to the Social Comparison Theory, women are more likely than men to engage in upward social comparisons which leads to negative feelings about the self.As a female entrepreneur, comparing yourself to others will have a negative impact on your business in two ways. First, itll limit your ability to form and maintain relationships with others. Second, itll weaken your self-confidence, self-efficacy, and self-image, which in turn will affect your ability to manage your business operations to the best of your ability.So, what do you do when you open your email to find your name has been left off of this years Top 20 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch list?Dont worry, with the right mindset, comparisons can be used to produce positive results in your life and business.The Power of Positive ComparisonsInstead of focu sing on the negative, compare yourself to others with the purpose of fostering self-motivation, self-improvement, and a positive self-image.To start, learn what media makes you feel negative about yourself (for many of us itll likely be scrolling through our social media accounts). Next, stop engaging with it or learn how to spread positivity through social media. For example, if you always feel bad about yourself after scrolling through Instagram, change who you are following. Replace the socialites, negative memes, and high-cost brands with genuine and inspiring individuals, brands, and influencers.Take it a step further, and make a list of individuals who you admire and aspire to be like. Determine which qualities they possess that you covet such as kindness, generosity, and honesty. Next, actively practice incorporating these qualities into your daily routine and personal character.In order for female entrepreneurs to continue to prosper, we need to work together.Rather than fee ling jealous of others success, try celebrating and empowering them. As much as receiving a Congratulations card will make their day, youll also be surprised how much contributing to others will benefit your own mental health.So, congratulations to all of you female entrepreneurs out there- we cant wait to see what you accomplish nextThisarticle first appeared on Career Contessa.

New Questions About Resume Linked Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report

New Questions About Resume Linked Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report You can have different resumes for various jobs you want to pursue, and youre able to send such carefully customized resumes straight to the headhunters, company recruiters, and hiring mangers you most want to speak to. As you start your search for work or an internship, you are going to want an effective resume and online presence to present yourself to prospective employers. If you really need to find work, you need to be there. If youre actively pursuing work, I would only put information related to the job which you are looking for. A standard cover letter should include your name, email and contact number at the peak of the webpage. Needless to say, really long URLs are rather useless, because hardly any people would bother to type in a very long string of characters to observe where they may take them. All you need to do is include a hyperlink or upload a file from your PC. Dont use a five-syllable stimmt genau when you may use a one-syllable word that is at least as excellent. Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better probability of standing from the crowd even supposing its made utilizing a template. Be certain to emphasize what you learned from every experience. Even when you arent sending people to your LinkedIn page, its likely to be among the very first results for everybody who Googles you to learn about your professional qualifications and experience. Sorry, nobody would like to read your whole work history. What Everybody Dislikes About Resume Linked and Why The resume maker ought to have the capacity to provide several samples. The cover letter offers you the possiblity to highlight the positive attributes that make you a perfect employee. If a cancellation request is received before the very first call, you are going to be issued a complete refund. The goal of a resume is to find an int erview and get hired. New Step by Step Roadmap for Resume Linked There are two methods to receive your resume onto LinkedIn. There isnt just 1 approach to compose a LinkedIn profile summary. Be mindful that in case you ask 10 people how to compose a resume and LinkedIn profile, youll get 15 distinct answers. Getting your LinkedIn profile current and filled out in full is crucial to starting your work search. How to Choose Resume Linked LinkedIn has hundreds of professional groups which might be relevant to the skills you presently have or need to gain. So should you not own a profile, go set one up at the moment LinkedIn profiles are a really good means to set up your private brand and expand your network in a career change. A properly executed social media profile on LinkedIn is a significant job-search tool which increases your visibility, but it doesnt guarantee that youll be observed, or seen by the folks having the authority and the urge to employ a professional like you. What You Must Know About Resume Linked Picking the appropriate formatting There are plenty of acceptable platforms for a resume. You can pick from different templates on the left-hand side of the site. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cant read certain products. Your resume and profile needs to be separate and ought to serve unique functions. Thinking about just what the recruiter is searching for will make your resume stand out in a superior way. According to TIME, a recruiter spends a mean of six seconds skimming a resume, and that means you need to make it simple for them to realize that youre the ideal candidate. If youre on the lookout for work in the same industry as your prior work experience, odds are that your possible employer and youll have colleagues and friends in common. When youre asking for work, you must be aware that a prospective boss is going to do plenty of digging on the internet to figure out as much about you as possible. To begin with, you have to create your master resume, the one that you use as a foundation for producing target resume whenever you submit an application for a specific job.

A Simple Tip About Resume Writing for Sales Position Unveiled

A Simple Tip About Resume Writing for Sales Position Unveiled The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Writing for Sales Position Real estate jobs are about closings. Sales position where my abilities and experience can effectively be utilized to raise schlussverkauf revenue. Superb sales resumes will help you receive the position you desire. Other Sample Sales Resume Considerations Think about all the various jobs and companies that youve worked for in your career, or your family and friends have worked for. A Startling Fact about Resume Writing for Sales Position Uncovered A fantastic sales professional is perpetually seeking to upgrade their knowledge base and increase their abilities. A sales resume should incorporate some sort of business educational background. Youre aiming for a prosperous career in sales, and to accomplish that you need to earn an amazing first impression. Your resume should also demonstrate your specific regions of expertise because there are so many di fferent sorts of sales. You dont need to settle for just 1 position for the remainder of your life. For starters, recruiters have a tendency to care mora about what theyre searching for than what youre searching for. Therefore, if youre searching for a new job, it is vital that your resume stands from the crowd to guarantee you a spot on the shortlist. The Importance of Resume Writing for Sales Position When its crucial, its your obligation to be certain that the recruiter sees it. Finally, to get invited for an interview, do not neglect to include keywords linked to the sales supervisor position that youre gunning for. You never understand what a hiring manager is searching for Every hiring manager listens to the identical radio station whilst reviewing resumes. To compose a very first class resume you will need to make it predominantly results oriented and concentrate on your achievements and contributions during your career. When an opportunity arises that can help you e nhance your career, then dont be scared to grab it At the peak of your resume, you should incorporate a career objective. It is possible to read more about the way to compose a strong career objective here. Read the work description like your life is dependent on it. When it has to do with writing your career, make sure that the entire section is complete with outcomes. Our Professional Resume Writers know precisely the sort of information employers want in potential candidates to fill sales roles in their organization.

Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report

Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full Report Video The 2015 ASME ISHOW Competition The Full ReportThe 2015 ASME ISHOW was held across three continents, in Pune, India, in Washington, DC, and in Nairobi, Kenya. Between 9 and 12 teams competed as finalists in each city. Three teams in each drehort won, receiving a share of $50,000 and intensive coaching in Product and Engineering Design.Hardware-based products presented by ISHOW teams were designed to solve problems in water distribution, farming, healthcare delivery, the supply of off-grid energy, and internet infrastructure in remote areas. Teams ranged from student entrepreneurs to seasoned engineers driven by a deep passion to help individuals and communities facing poverty, digital and physical isolation, and shortages of food and clean water.Teams traveled far, and included competitors from Cambodia and Indonesia, and from all across India, Africa and the United St ates.Learn about the winners in each of the three cities.The ISHOW video was produced and directed by Roger Torda, ASME Public Information.

The Flying Coffins of World War II

The Flying Coffins of World War II The Flying Coffins of World War II The Flying Coffins of World War IIAmericas first military stealth aircraft the Waco CG-4A combat glider silently soared into World War II history 70 years ago, powered only by the prevailing winds and the guts of the men who flew them.Under veil of darkness on D-Day and other major Allied airborne assaults, the Waco glider carried troops and materiel behind enemy lines to take out key enemy defenses and transportation links. These humble gliders engineless and unarmed overcame perilous odds to make the first cracks in Hitlers Fortress Europe. Yet their story is an obscure chapter in the Allied victory saga.Their moment in the spotlight of military aviation welches fleeting. But in the pre-helicopter age, combat gliders represented the state-of-the-art in stealth, landing precision, and hauling capacity.Inside the Flying CoffinsFlying coffins. Tow targets. Pilots and glider-borne infantry had colorful and well-e arned nicknames for their ungainly tuchs. But according to at least one veteran flight officer, the most common moniker for the combat glider was way off base Silent Wings.Inside the cockpit of the Waco GC-4A combat glider.For us it was louder than hell, said pilot Donald MacRae, who flew troops into battle on D-Day and in the invasion of The Netherlands. The gliders spartan construction provided no insulation from the roar of the C-47 tow planes engines, the pounding of the natural elements, and the din of enemy anti-aircraft fire, he said.MacRae, who flew with the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 316th Troop Carrier Group, said the glider had few provisions for passengers safety and none for their comfort. There were four basic instruments on the control panel, which the pilots mistrusted. Air pockets and 40-mph winds created violent turbulence. Enemy fire on descent was constant, and many pilots were taken out before they could land.Diagram of the Waco GC-4A combat glider.With no parachutes onboard, glidermen took pain to protect their pilots. According to MacRae, Some of the guys found an extra flak jacket for me not to wear but to sit on. They didnt want anything coming up from underneath the plane to hit anything vital.Expendable by DesignThe CG-4A fuselage was 48 feet long and constructed of steel tubing and canvas skin. Its honeycombed plywood floor could support more than 4,000 pounds, approximately the gliders own empty weight. It could carry two pilots and up to 13 troops, or a combination of heavy equipment and small crews to operate it. The nose section could swing up to create a 5 x 6-foot cargo door of Jeeps, 75-mm howitzers, or similarly sized vehicles.A restored WACO GC-4A.With a wingspan of 83.5 feet, the Waco maxed out at 150 mph when connected to its tow plane. Once the 300-ft length of 1-inch nylon rope was cut, typical gliding speed was 72 mph.The Waco Aircraft Company of Troy, OH, a niche manufacturer of civilian airplanes, won the co ntract to design and build Americas first combat glider. Big names like Ford, along with a dozen or so smaller firms, also won glider contracts, but only if they werent already producing powered aircraft for the war effort. With more than 70,000 parts to assemble and with little or no standardization, some manufacturers produced a few duds, with sometimes tragic results.The wide range of expertise among these contractors, as well as an early lack of standardization of the 70,000-plus individual parts, caused pilots and mechanics no shortage of headaches and more than a few tragedies.MacRae recalls an incident that nearly scrapped the glider program less than a year before its D-Day triumph. In August 1943, a Saint Louis-based contractor invited the citys mayor and other dignitaries to experience the excitement of a glider flight before an airshow audience of 5,000. Aghast spectators watched as a glider abruptly lost a wing at 2,000 feet and crashed in front of the grandstand, killin g all onboard. After ruling out sabotage, investigators traced the cause of the crash to a faulty bolt provided by a subcontractor in the coffin business.It Is a Chastening ExperienceOf the 6,000 men trained as glider pilots, some had washed out of conventional pilot training and were given a second chance to fly. Others, like MacRae, had a civilian pilot license but were passed over for powered flight training. The possibility of officers pay and the chance to fly attracted a particular breed of risk-tolerant trainees, and the glider pilots maverick reputation quickly spread. Gen. James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, lamented the pilots demeanor. But he also recognized the audacity of landing a glider in combat. It is a chastening experience. It gives a man religion, he said.Germany was well prepared for a glider invasion of Normandy. Beachheads were guarded by anti-aircraft guns. Likely landing zones were saturated with Rommels asparagus a glider-smashing network of 10-foot poles wired together with explosives.For MacRae, his tow plane lost an engine and threatened to cut the troop-laden glider loose over the English Channel. After tense negotiations, the C-47 pilot agreed to wait until land was in sight. MacRae landed safely, but about 25 miles shy of the intended landing zone. His troops went off to find a fighting unit, and he eventually found his way back to his base in England. I never found out what happened to my squad or the tow plane crew, he said.Every glider pilot had at least one story of that long trip back to safety. After delivering his troops 90 miles behind enemy lines in the famous A Bridge Too Far invasion of The Netherlands, MacRae hit the road through no-mans land with limited rations and no plan. A ramshackle bicycle eased his journey initially, but with his rations gone and his strength ebbing, he readily traded it to a passing soldier for extra K-rations. Refortified, he happily hiked another 35 miles to Brussels.G I s for GutsThe Waco CG-4A glider was the first and last of its kind. Mothballed at wars end, fewer than a dozen restored gliders exist today. The ranks of the pilots are thinning too. MacRae, who died at age 92 as this article was in preparation, was one of only a few hundred living pilots.Glider pilots who participated in the Normandy landings were awarded the Air Medal for their role in the Allies early successes on D-Day. Their role in Operation Market Garden was lauded, even though it was overshadowed by the missions overall failure to take the key bridge at Arnhem. Gliders were also central to Allied invasions of Sicily, Burma, Southern France, Bastogne, and the crossing of the Rhine into Germany in March 1945.Like all Army Air Corps pilots, the glidermen wore wings on their chests. Theirs were special, with a capital G stamped in the center. Technically it stood for glider, but they were quick to tell anyone who asked that it really stood for Guts.Michael MacRae is an independe nt writer.They were the only aviators during World War II who had no motors, no parachutes, and no second chances.General William C. Westmoreland, U.S. Army

Keeping calm under pressure according to a NASA flight director

Keeping calm under pressure according to a NASA flight directorKeeping calm under pressure according to a NASA flight directorAs far as high-pressure workplaces go, its tough to think of a stronger example than the flight department at NASA. Directing shuttle launches and managing flights from mission control dont leave much room for error, and NASA leaders need to keep a cool head and take every step possible to prevent snap decisions made out of stress.In a recent interview with Business Insider, NASA flight director Paul Hill explained his strategies for staying calm when his job stakes elevate, and his tactics can easily translate to other industries.1. Instead of letting emotions distract you, stay focused on the facts at hand.When a work situation becomes tense and difficult, its easy to let your personal feelings and the reactions of others involved influence the way you handle the issue. But according to Hill, the best way to power through an anxiety-inducing harte nuss invol ves honing your attention into data and objective facts.During the 2001 launch of the Discovery shuttle from the grenzberschreitend Space Station, one of Hills controllers realized that one of the shuttles cooling loops which keeps the spacecrafts temperature level and allows the computer systems within to function had malfunctioned. The flight crew needed to solve the problem in a short period of time, lest they risk a faulty launch and the potential loss of human life. With such enormously-high stakes, the mission control team needed a clear and effective strategy to resolve the issue without the complications often prompted by stress. Luckily, NASA trains its employees on thought processes that remove nervousness from the equation.In the aforementioned instance, Hill encouraged his crew to turn their focus toward the data streaming in from the shuttles systems, believing that prioritizing unimpeachable facts would help everyone remain at attention. Everybody tends to become mor e focused and more calm as theyre working through the data, talking to each other, talking to the flight director on the voice loops, and making decisions, he explained. Ultimately, the NASA mission control crew successfully launched Discovery, largely thanks to their ability to keep working through tense circumstances.2. When thinking and talking through a stressful situation, make sure youre asking the right questions.On-the-job stress has an uncanny way of bringing up trains of thought that prove less than helpful. When this problem arises at NASA, leadership urges staffers to focus on a series of questions that get to the heart of the matter without superfluous and distracting tangents. As an old boss of mine said, That first indication that you have a crisis is probably not when you want to go and jump out the window, Hill told Business Insider, following with this piece of advice Get a little bit more information, we can always panic later.In the case of the Discovery launch, Hills list of questions included the followingWhat was everything they knew - and did not know - about the situation at hand?What did the data actually say about the situation at hand?What was the worst thing that could happen as a result of the situation?Keeping the discussion and the thought process impersonal and fact-based proved crucial to finding an expedient solution, and professionals in all fields can use this technique to reduce complications and discover a beneficial answer as quickly as possible.3. Dont assume that past successes will apply to future circumstances.When coaching his NASA team, Hill warns them against making decisions based on past outcomes. Where you get in trouble is some schwimmbad thing starts happening and you feel the urge to start taking action. You say, Hey, Ive been in this situation before. This is what we did the last three times. Its always worked so Im going to do it again, Hill claimed.Rather than blindly using a method youve tried before to solve a new problem, youll be better served by looking at the facts and nuances of the specific matter at hand and designing a new game plan tailored to the needs of this particular issue.A version of this post previously appeared onFairygodboss, the largest career community that helps women get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits, and work flexibility. Founded in 2015, Fairygodboss offers company ratings, job listings, discussion boards, and career advice.