How to Write a Letter Asking For a Raise

How to Write a Letter Asking For a RaiseHow to Write a Letter Asking For a RaiseAsking your employer for mora money isnt easy, even when you know you deserve it. If you knocked it out of the park over the past year, took on more responsibilities or received a stellar performance review, its smart to talk to your manager about a pay increase. After all, there are relatively few employers who will throw money at you without being asked.As a specialized staffing agency, we can help you find a new job. But if what you want is more money at the job you have - and youre not sure how to start the conversation - your best bet may be to articulate your request in a letter asking for a raise.We will show you some samples of what you could write in an email or handwritten letter and offer several tips to help you develop confidence about the message you want to send.Do your salary researchFirst of all, you need to know what your skills and experience are worth. The Salary Guides break down st arting pay ranges for more than 450 positions across numerous professional fields. Completing your own comprehensive research will help you understand what a competitive wage is for someone in your position and geographic location.You need to know what your market worth is in order to have the greatest negotiating power. Researching the numbers will also demonstrate to your boss that your salary request is backed by real data versus your own subjective opinion.USE OUR SALARY CALCULATORspielblttchen the right timeDoes your company have a policy of granting pay raises only during performance review periods? Check your employee handbook for guidelines. One of the first steps in knowing how to ask for a raise is identifying the best time in your companys cycle to have the discussion. In some cases, it wont matter. But in others, it can be crucial.As part of your research, see if your company has had recent layoffs or a hiring freeze. If you bring up your pay when your company has just p osted a loss for the fiscal year, your appeal is likely to go nowhere fast, regardless of how amazing you are.Make the requestWhen youve researched your salary range and landed on the perfect time, make the ask. Write to your manager and explain that youd like to connect to review your compensation. Outline your impact clearly and concisely. Prepare compelling bullet points that convey exactly how youve excellumineszenzdiode in your current role.Do not mention what your coworkers make or any rolleal reasons you might have for needing more money.Next you can take one of two approaches. You can either ask to meet with your manager in person to discuss the salary you are seeking, or you can provide some initial insight in your letter. You should use your judgment regarding which route is best to take, based on previous interactions with your manager.If this is the first time your boss hears you want more money, it may be best to set the stage for an in-person meeting or phone call. You might consider a sentence or two in an email, such as this Could we have a short discussion to review my salary or devote a few minutes to that topic during our next one-on-one meeting?If you have a performance review coming up, its a good idea to ask ahead of time Would it be OK if we discussed my compensation during my performance review?And if you have already expressed the desire for an increase, you should go ahead and share it either as a percentage or as a dollar amount. Your email might include a line like this Weve discussed my wish for additional pay, and after some research, Id like to request a salary increase of X percent.Back it upIn a longer letter asking for a raise, provide context to explain how you landed on the salary figure you are providing. Numbers are convincing, so use them in the descriptions of your accomplishments money saved, revenue earned, deadlines met, services improved, responsibilities taken on.Just as you did in your salary negotiations when you interviewed for the job, your request should reflect the value you bring to the role, goals youve met or exceeded, results you have delivered, and industry averages based on your job skills and years of experience. Its easier to put nerves aside when you feel ready to answer hard questions about why you deserve an increase.Finish with a call to actionClose with a polite but action-oriented next step. This could be writing that you look forward to feedback or an in-person meeting. Remember to thank your manager for supporting you in your role and for considering your request.After you hit send, be patient. Your manager may need to talk to a higher-up or HR before getting back to you. Those conversations and the resulting negotiations can take time.Remember to make sure to thank your boss for allowing you to express yourself - even if you dont get the response you were looking for. Get clarity on what would be required for a future discussion, and set a time to check in again. Negoti ating is a process. Putting your request in writing is likely just the first step, but if you make the ask, it can pay dividends.Sample template of a letter asking for a raiseDear (Name),As my X-year anniversary gets close, I would like to formally request a review of my salary for my work as a (job title). During my time at (name of company), I have taken on additional responsibilities and have achieved success in several areas. Ive made a list of some of my accomplishments and responsibilities, which include the following Taking the lead on Meeting goals in Improving efficiencies that led to a savings of $X for the company ... Achieving success in Adding to my (skill level or education as it relates to the job) Aside from my X skills in this role, I have also demonstrated excellent X abilities and proficiency with X. The staff can count on me for X.I enjoy my work here and appreciate the support you and the team have shown me. Given the added value I have brought the company, I think it is fair to request a bump in pay. Based on the research in the Salary Guide, Ive found that the midpoint salary for this position is $X for my experience level. Considering regional variances, an X percent raise would put my compensation closer to those salary benchmarks.Thank you for your consideration. I am willing to work with you to accommodate my request, taking into account what is best for the company. Please let me know if you are available for a short meeting.Sincerely,Name

Exempt Employee - A Look at the FLSA

Exempt Employee - A Look at the FLSAExempt Employee - A Look at the FLSAAn exempt employee is not subject to the nadir wage and overtime requirements of the U.S. Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as opposed to a non-exempt employee, who is protected by the provisions of that federal law. The FLSA mandates that employers must pay most workers the Federal or state minimum wage (whichever is higher). They must also compensate them at a rate of at least one and a half times their regular hourly wages for any time worked above 40 hours per week. How to Tell If You Are an Exempt Employee Do you find yourself working more than 40 hours a week without seeing extra money in your paycheck? Are you earning less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour or your states minimum wage if it is higher? Your employer may have classified you as an exempt employee. According to the Wage and Hours Division of theU.S. Department of Labor, only bona fide genuine executive, administrative, profe ssional, computer, and outside sales employees who meet certain requirements are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the FLSA. Its that bona fide that stumps some people, including maybe your employer. They incorrectly believe that job title alone determines whether a worker is exempt or non-exempt, but earnings and job duties must also come into play. Executive, administrative, professional, computer, or outside sales workers are usually exempt from the FLSA, but only if their salaries and job duties meet particular specifications. If your job title is one of the ones listed above, look at your most recent paycheck. Is your weekly salary at least $455? If it is, do you meet the other criteria for each title Executive Employee Your job title may be manager, but if your duties dont meet all the FLSAs requirements for an executive employee, you may be entitled to overtime pay and the minimum wage. Ask yourself the following questions Does your job mostly consis t of managing the company or a department?Do you supervise at least two full-time employees?Can you hire or fire workers, or, at least, contribute to the decision to do so? If you have answered no to just one of ansicht questions, your employer must pay you the minimum wage and overtime. Administrative Employee Respond to these two questions to find out if the FLSA would classify you as an administrative employee Do you primarily perform office work that directly relates to the business operations of your employer or its customers?Do you use judgment when making decisions about important matters? If you dont do either of these things, it is time to talk to your boss about your rights as a non-exempt employee. Professional Employee There are two types of professional employees learned and creative. Your job must fall into one of these three categories if your boss considers you a learned professional who is exempt from the FLSA Your work must be intellectual in nature.It must be in a field of science or learning.Your training must have taken place through specialized study in law, accounting, engineering, or another field typically considered to be a profession. As a creative professional who is ineligible for overtime pay and the minimum wage, your work must involve invention, originality, or talent in a recognized creative or artistic field such as writing, music, performing arts, or graphic arts. Computer Employees Are you acomputer systems analyst, computer programmer,orcomputer software engineer,or do you work in another computer science occupation that requires similarskills? Those who do arent usually subject to minimum wage or overtime pay laws, but to be sure, answer the following questions Do you apply systems analysis techniques and procedures?Do you consult with computer users to determine specifications?Do you design, develop, analyze, create, test, and modify computer systems and programs? If your answers to at least two questions are yes, you are probably an exempt employee. Outside Sales Employee Somesales representativesare entitled to earn at least the minimum wage and overtime pay, but others are not. If the following statements are both true, you wont be seeing anything additional in your paycheck whether you work 40 hours a week or 80. You sell goods or services for which clients or customers pay.You mostly work outside your employers primary place of business. Are There Exceptions to the Rules? Even if you meet some of the criteria that make you a non-exempt employee, dont march into your bosss office to demand extra money yet. Theres one more thing that may identify you as an exempt employee and cut short your dreams of a bigger paycheck. Highly compensated employees arent covered by the overtime provisions of the FLSA. If your salary is at least $100,000 annually and your job involves performing office duties and non-manual work the FLSA considers you an exempt employee. The only way to earn a higher salary is to ask for a raise. Some Workers Are Never Exempt Blue collar workers and first responders are never exempt from the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA. Blue collar workers use their hands, physical skills, and energy to do their jobs. They include construction workers, electricians, carpenters, and reinforcing iron and rebar workers. First responders are police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. Source Fact Sheet 17A Exemption for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer Outside Sales Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Disclaimer Please note that the information contained on this page as well as elsewhere on this website is for guidance, ideas, and assistance only. Dawn Rosenberg McKay makes every effort to offer accurate advice and information on this site, but she is not an attorney. Therefore, the content published here is not to be construed as legal advice. Employment laws and regulations vary by location so check government re sources or legal counsel when in doubt about your particular situation.

Three Ways to Hire Great People

Three Ways to Hire Great PeopleThree Ways to Hire Great PeopleThree Ways to Hire Great People Tracy and Mark Thompson, authors of Now, Build a Great Business 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any MarketSuccessful managers know that recruiting the right people to work for you will make or break your business, while poor hiring decisions can cost three and five times the parties annual salary Mistakes are expensive in terms of the effort and money that is paid and lost, the time that is wasted that could have been invested with a better candidate, as well as the demoralization that occurs in a company with high employee turnover.Heres how companies like Google avoid these expensive hiring mistakes.We call it the law of three for interviewing candidatesAlways interview at least three people for a position. Even if you like the first interviewee and feel that individual is suitable, discipline yourself to interview at least two others. Many large companies will bedrngnis hire a person u ntil they have interviewed ten or fifteen candidates for the spot. The more people you interview, the greater the selection of choices you will have, and the more likely it is that you will make the right choice.Interview the candidate you like in three different places. It is amazing how the personality of a person can change when you move the interview setting from your office to a coffee shop across the street. Candidates will usually be at their very best in the first interview. If they were pretending, the veneer will quickly come off in subsequent meetings.There is another important reason to change venues for each meeting. Thats exactly what many employees need to be able to do to be successful in their jobs They will have to work with many different types of people in many different locations.Have the candidate interviewed by at least three different people for a post-game review. The more people on the gruppe who buy-in to the selection of a particular candidate, the better perspektive that the staff will have a vested interest in helping the new person be successful.One of the best interview strategies you can use is called the SWAN formula, named after John Swan, an executive recruiter. These letters also stand for Smart, Works hard, Ambitious, and Nice. This may sound Pollyannaish, but its a good, practical prescription for hiring. Heres what we mean1.Successful people are smart, especially when it comes to the skills and competencies required for their specific job. This is what Jim Collins meant in his business classic, Good to Great, when he wrote about getting the right people in the right seats on the bus. People who have a gift for their particular job tend to work faster, make fewer mistakes, and are more productive.And how do you tell if a person is smart? Simple. They ask a lot of questions. The questions should demonstrate a passion for your business and, depending on the job, the skills that are necessary to succeed in that role.2.People who actually want to work hard are more successful at their jobs. The basic rule is that people dont change. A person who is unaccustomed to hard work is not suddenly going to transform under your supervision.Chances are nowadays that youre going to be working far more than forty hours a week. Most leaders spend fifty, sixty, seventy hours a week weekends and holidays in todays competitive environment, said Marshall Goldsmith, one of the worlds best executive coaches. You had better love what youre doing when youre committing so much of your life in the office.3.Candidates should be ambitious and able to demonstrate to you why they want this particular job. Find people who are anxious to be effective and ambitious about this assignment, not some future promotion or benefit. They have to live for today in that job, not chase the flame of future possibilities. The more that the job candidate looks upon the potential job as an opportunity to perform well and then move ahead, the bet ter he will do the job from day one.4.Nice people are a nice fit for this specific job. When we say nice, in this case, we mean people who are positive, cheerful, easy to get along with, and supportive of others. They fit within the culture of your organization. Their beliefs are in alignment with your values and the customers your organization serves.To insiders, finding a nice fit for the job means you have found a person the team can trust and enjoys having around. Depending on the culture of the organization, that might mean someone who behaves with polite formality in a law office or who can snap a towel in the locker room.At Google, We beat on each other hard during my interviews, CEO Eric Schmidt remarked about his early conversations with founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. We tested each others intelligence, our ambitions, our beliefs, our integrity. They kicked my assumptions about everything We took each other to the mat. And we respect each other more for having done th at. Part of our company culture is to continue to test each others commitment to making Google great every day.Great teamsare composed of diverse, impassioned people who may have only a few things in common SWAN. They are smart and savvy, hardworking, ambitious, and nice in a constructive way that adds value for their coworkers and customers. 2010 Mark Thompson Brian Tracy authors of Now, Build a Great Business 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any MarketAuthor BiosMark Thompson, co-author of Now, Build a Great Business 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any Market,and co-author of the bestseller Success Built to Last, is a serial entrepreneur who sold his last company for $100 million and today coaches executives on how to lead growth companies. He is a venture investor who Forbes noted for having the Midas touch He was Chief Customer Experience Officer at Schwab, reporting directly to founder Charles Schwab, and is a former director of many firms, including Best Buy and Korn Fer ry.Brian Tracy, co-author of Now, Build a Great Business 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any Market,is one of Americas leading authorities on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. In addition to being a remarkably successful entrepreneur, he is a dynamic and inspiring speaker, addressing thousands of people each year in companies such as IBM, Ford, Federal Express, Hewlett Packard, Pepsi, Northwestern Mutual, and hundreds of others worldwide.For more information please visit Brian Tracy.

How to Respond to Scam Job Posts

How to Respond to Scam Job PostsHow to Respond to Scam Job PostsIn a previous article on scam jobs, we discussed several cues that indicate an online job posting may be fraudulent. Today well look at some actions you can take when you encounter a suspicious-looking job.When in doubt, search the webPerform an internet search for any specifics in the job posting includingcompany name phone numberjob title addresswebsite link Combining one or more of these search terms with the word scam or review can help you discover additional information about the company and whether people have been scammed before.Go with your gutWhen you dont feel comfortable applying to a job, its better to be safe than sorry. The best way to prove a job is legitimate is by going to the place of business in person and asking if they are hiring. If you cant find the location of the business, it likely isnt real.Never pay money to apply or be certified for a jobMany jobs require an initial investment, such as in pr ior education and training, but no job should require you to pay the hiring company to apply or become qualified for the job. If a specific certification is required for the job, secure it through an agency not affiliated with the hiring company. One popular scam is the check-cashing scam. If someone sends you a check and asks for a portion of the money back, the check is almost certainly fake and the job is a scam. What do I do if I think Ive been scammed?As soon as you discover a scam, fraud or phishing attempt, report it to the following authoritiesworld wide web Crime Complaint CenterFederal Trade CommissionThe site where you found the job postingThe email provider (if you received a scam email)If youve already given your money or personal information to a scammer, these resources can helpFTC Identity Theft CenterYour BankLocal policeMost of these rules for finding scams have exceptions, so use your instincts and avoid the jobs you feel especially suspicious about.Above all, Sim ply Hiredwants to provide a good job seeker experience. Help us do that byreporting suspected fraud. Please include the link to the job listing or a copy of the email including the detailed email header and we will investigate right away.

The Rise of Resume Professional Writers

The Rise of Resume Professional Writers The area of resume writing has attracted many folks working as writers with a broad range of talent and capacity. Make certain that your resume writing provides the impression you would like it to make Resumes should convey information in the shortest possible manner without needing to make it look to be an autobiography. Resume writing template is among the important tool of writer.Please take a small time, do your homework, and locate the finest professional resume writer for you. It is possible to mention specific achievements such like youre well versed with foreign languages etc.. Your experience and accomplishments should be shown in an orderly fashion, in order to convey an organic expert evolution. Quite simply, here is what you have to know to compose a resume objective that will continue to keep the prospective employer reading. To put it differently, its about what you could do for them. It would be pure and easy at the exact same time revealing all the essential facts which will need to get revealed. The resumes and cover letters are very competitive so you dont have to be worried about a thing. The Essentials of Resume Professional Writers That You Can Learn From Beginning Today Resume writers dont just absprache with a single profession and are attentive to the multiple forms of resumes that employers expect. Professional writers employ the most innovative organization methods to your resume. He or she resume writers know the ins and outs to what works well in todays challenging environment. The professionals know of the simple fact that resumes should be little and precise without missing out on critical info. While the resume writer should earn a living, her or his prices ought to be such which you can afford the services rendered. You ought to be extremely careful once you are searching for such services. The organization will offer one-to-one personalized service to talk about your abiliti es and expertise. The majority of other businesses perform some type of consultation either over the telephone or in-person. If you dont say enough, then hiring managers wont have sufficient info to be in a position to consider you as a significant candidate. You should attempt to give only snapshots of your skills, hence the hiring officer could choose whether you would fit with the organization or not. To improve your odds of finding the job that you want, you will need to seek the services of a professional resume writer to set your credentials into a format that hiring managers will notice. It isnt easy to acquire the eye of the hiring manager, but with the aid of the service, you can do it. Job seekers often struggle attempting to discover the very best one for their requirements. Before you commence writing your resume go to a huge job board and hunt for 10 unique jobs that sound like the one you would like to target. Whenever you are asking for work, you must think about the skills, experience, qualifications and necessary understanding of the field linked to the desired job. To have a good job, its essential to have an attractive resume. In the event the details are good enough, youre going to get the interview. Contact them for specific pricing information on the precise services that you want. Picking the appropriate Resume Type You may not know about it, but there are in fact several types of resume. To be able to use a resume to compose a CV, it is very important to find several examples that possess the relevant particulars. The Start of Resume Professional Writers The resume maker should have the ability to give several samples. Your professional resume writer will probably maintain a duplicate of your resume on hand. Usually, a superb writer would like to figure out as much information regarding you as possible, and will request information in advance of this kind of interview to have the ability to prepare for that meeting. Ther e are various fashions of writers and business operations. If you wish to land the job that you want, then you will need to submit a high quality resume. If you want to land the job which you want, then youll need to submit a high quality resume. A careful selection procedure will help you locate the ideal writer. The work application procedure is a critical practice.

The Objective on Resume Examples Diaries

The Objective on Resume Examples Diaries The Upside to Objective on Resume Examples Career goals for nurses are determined by the person. Entry-level objectives can be particularly hard to write since you likely dont have loads of work experience, but you do want to solidify that you know the sort of career youre searching for. Transferable Skills There are a lot of core abilities and competencies that could be applied to a number of different careers. In a lot of ways, an objective replaces a lot of the detail you would place in your professional experience section. In case you have nursing experience, be well prepared to highlight it together with details about your strengths and weaknesses. Excellent communication abilities and people skills are required in such a position. Undoubtedly, internet is a vast reserve of information, reference materials and possibly even samples of resumes are provided by various web based platforms. There are various resume examples that may be downloaded on the internet. A reference page was proven to be much mora powerful than listing references on your resume. There are lots of examples of resumes, but you need to remain certain to create your resume and cover letter with your very own personal touch. Resume plays a significant role when it concerns the question of securing an interview call. Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a couple of minutes. Again, despite the fact that the info might seem repetitive, go right ahead and attach the resume. The Objective on Resume Examples Cover Up The resume sample has a strong ability to keep a readers interest over the duration of the whole document. You may also Simple Resume Template. If youre an experienced nurse, your targets and objectives are most likely to check at bit different. Objectives ought to be checked for spelling and proofread by an expert. Conduct Your Research developing a problem-solving resume requires conductin g a sufficient amount of research on the organization youre applying with. Find all of the action verbs you require, here. Focusing on both elements above will result in a strong objective statement. A huge collection of action verbs are available here. Dont forget to land the job, you will also have to compose a cover letter. You might be the ideal candidate for the job, but when your resume isnt written correctly, your probability of showing your expertise are extremely slim. Well-crafted resume objectives have the capability to convince an employer a candidate is familiarized with a position, the business and the requirement for success in that area. A good resume is excellent, but nothing beats an applicant who can offer the particulars without needing to glance at the paper each second. A profile serves to show what youve got to offer you an employer what you will do for the business in the future. Stating an objective on your resume is a means to convince employers tha t you understand what you want in work, though a profile explains what you need to give the employer and can help sell your candidacy. If you are aware of what the requirements are for the job which you want to know mora about and you meet them, then youre able to boost your resumes capacity to have the recruiters attention by highlighting one or two, or some of them and how theyll assist you to perform better on the job in your objective statement. The career objective doesnt state specifically which strong abilities and expansive knowledge the applicant would love to use. You construct and keep the technical method to attain all company targets.

Male-specific Study Finds Extended Desk Jobs Lead to Cancer, Diabetes

Male-specific Study Finds Extended Desk Jobs Lead to Cancer, Diabetes A study from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity has confirmed that men who sit at a desk for at least four hours per day have significantly increases risks for developing cancer, diabetes, or other chronic diseases. Considering that over 8 out of 10 jobs in the U.S. are sedentary, this issue is of serious concern to millions of workers on a daily basis. In adding to the mounting evidence of the negative effects of sedentary office work, lead researcher Dr. Richard Rosenkranz of Kansas State University commented on the outcome of the study Office jobs that require long periods of sitting may be hazardous to your health because of low levels of energy expenditure.While not definitively proving that sedentary office jobs directly lead to chronic illness, the study, among numerous previous invest igations, has demonstrated substantial evidence to support the idea of inactivity as a precursor to disease, even among otherwise active people. Upon measuring the effects of sedentary work on the over 63,000 participating workers, those individuals who sat for at least four hours per day were found to be significantly more at risk for severe illness than those sitting for less than four hours.Steve Bordley, CEO of the TrekDesk Treadmill Desk company, said, The evidence is overwhelming that the menschlich body needs physical movement to achieve optimal health. The coal mine has already fallen on the canary. The question is how are we going to respond to protect our health?

This New Year, Let Go of Fear

This New Year, Let Go of Fear This New Year, Let Go of Fear Any time we approach a new year, theres a lot of talk about setting new goals for our careers, our families, our fitness, or other personal pursuits.For me, its interesting to think about which goals will be achieved and which will be shelved. I often wonder Is successdriven primarily by theparticular goal, or by the person achieving it?My belief is that the achievers do, in fact, possess something that sets them apart from others. Its not an MBA, money, or good looks - although those dont hurt Rather, the characteristic that sets achievers apart is much cheaper and easier to come by Achievers, more so than others, are able to live their lives without fear.Its not that they have no concerns. Its not that failure never crosses their minds. Its that they are able to try new things without letting their fears stop them.Ive witnessed people who have never finished college land professional-level jobs faster than their degreed peers. They may have appeared less qualified on paper, but in reality, they had a lot to offer and were willing to put themselves out there. Im certain that in some of these situations, the fact that they had little to lose and everything to gain came into play.Isuspect the ability to let go of fear isnt a one-time occurrence. Its not something a person is able to do for just the most important things or ina moment when everything is on the line.Rather, the ability to let go of fear is a way of life, achievers haveturned living without fear into a habit they practice every day. When it does count, theyre ready.Thomas Edison is often quoted as saying, I havent failed. Ive just found 10,000 ways that wont work. Edison must have failed on an everyday basison his way tocreating innovations that still influence the way we live today. Yet, in the face of all that failure, he still kept going.In 2004, I quit my corporate job and moved cross country for graduate school. Not only did I not know anyone in Los Angeles, but I paid for my own education and living expenses for the time I was there. Looking back, I often wonder how I was able to conquer that kind of fear and whether or not I could do it again today.I often ask myself, Whats the worst thing that could happen? If I cant come up with anything other than embarrassment or a little lost time, I try. Worst-case scenario, even when I fail, I learn something new. That new thing helps me to try again successfully or to set another goal - all without fear.I hope your new year is filled with new goals, new experiences, and a little learning along the wayA version of this article originally appeared on Copeland Coaching.Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at Copeland Coaching.

Customize this Airline Operations Manager Resume

Customize this Airline Operations Manager ResumeCustomize this Airline Operations Manager ResumeUse this Airline Operations Manager Resume Example to write your Airline Operations Manager Resume in the right style and format. Create this Resume Courtney Wood2491 Center StreetAlbany, OR 97321(222)-121-5151c.woodsampleresume.netObjective Seeking a managerial position in an organization as an Airline Operations Manager, where there is an opportunity to exhibit strengths and enhance skills while striving for the growth and development of organization.Summary of QualificationsCan oversee the operations room and make sure everything runs smoothlyHas the ability supervise all operations room employeesEffectively communicate with other departments to troubleshoot any issuesHighly organized and have the ability to coordinate pilots, ground crew and cabin crewCan work within deadlines and meet them consistentlyWork HistoryMay 2004 Present, So. Cali Air, El Cajon, CAAssistant Airline Operatio ns ManagerResponsibilitiesWorked with the Operations Manager to establish timelines and airline scheduling for the airport.Supervised those employees who worked in the control room, luggage handlers, pilots and cabin crews.Was responsible for troubleshooting all timeline issues to effectively ensure they did not occur again.Monitored the aircraft that came in and out of the terminal.Oversaw the operations of the control room.Sept 2000 April 2004, Torrence Single Passenger Airline, Springfield, ILGround Crew SupervisorResponsibilitiesOversaw the ground crew and ensured all tasks were completed in a timely mannerCoordinated with the Assistant Operations Manager to schedule employeesLoaded luggage and ensured the aircraft had proper fuel levelsLiaised with the Airline Operations Manager and Assistant Manger regarding incoming and outgoing flightsEducationMasters Degree in International Business, 2000University of California, Davis, CABachelors Degree in Business, 1998University of Kan sas, Lawrence, KS Customize ResumeMore Sample Manager ResumesAircraft Maintenance Manager Resume Airline Operations Manager Resume

Research finds were bad at guessing race over the phone

Research finds we're bad at guessing race over the phone Research finds we're bad at guessing race over the phone It is a sad fact of the workplace that often we’re judged long before we even enter the office. For instance, we already know that having an “ethnic-sounding” name can reduce the chances that your resume even makes it out of the slush pile. A phone screening is another time when one’s ethnicity or race - perceived or otherwise - could put one at an unfair disadvantage.To add a wrinkle: A new study finds that we’re pretty bad at guessing people’s identities correctly over the phone.Even when we’ve heard what someone sounds like on the phone over a significant period of time, we’re bad at guessing the race and ethnicity of the person on the other end of the line. That’s what a new  Pew Research Center telephone survey  found when interviewers asked  3,769 adults one final question on an unrelated survey: “[I]f you had to guess, would you say I am white, black, Hispanic, Asian or some other race?”This last question tripped up many of the respondents. The answers were mostly incorrect. Roughly half (49%) failed to identify the race or ethnicity of the interviewer correctly, while 40% guessed correctly. (Eleven percent of respondents refused to answer the question.)While seven in ten respondents were able to guess the identity of white interviewers, the participants had lower chances of correctly guessing the identities of non-white interviewers, even when the poll respondent shared the same identity as the interviewer. Respondents were able to correctly guess the identity of black interviewers half of the time, 43% of the time with Hispanic interviewers, and only 3% of the time with Asian interviewers.Studies: The sound of your voice may determine if you get that callbackThe results of this survey are one more reminder that your gut instincts don’t always lead to the right answer.This analysis could have wide-ranging implications for phone interviews, given that previous studies found we act differently depending on who we think is on the other end of the phone line.At best, the Pew Research Center cites the social desirability effect, a phenomena where we will bite our tongues and not express negatives views about someone’s race or ethnicity if the person we’re talking to is from that group. (That a phone interviewer might hesitate to express racist thoughts is somewhat cold comfort.)At worst, using auditory cues to make sweeping judgments becomes “linguistic profiling,” a term linguistics professor John Baugh has coined in his career of studying the harm these snap judgments cause. Throughout his research, Baugh has found that stakeholders who have the authority to give you that house or that job will block callers based only who they think you sound like, even if these actions break equal opportunity laws.In one experiment, Baugh got people with different ethnic dialects to answer a job ad. Even though the call recipients had no idea about any of the callers’ job qualifications, only the job seekers usin g Standard English would be told that the job that was advertised was still available.“Those who sound white get the appointment,” Baugh concluded.Other stumbling blocksThese discriminatory snap judgments are not just limited to what you sound like. Your name can be the difference between you getting that networking boost or not.To test this, researchers sent out identical letters from prospective students to professors, where the only difference was in the names signed at the bottom. Fictional white male students like Brad Anderson got a response 87% of the time, compared to 62% of all fictional women  and minorities combined.In a separate  study,  online instructors who identified themselves as a female, regardless of their actual gender, would get rated lower by students in their evaluations than instructors who identified themselves as male.What to take awayWhat this research shows job seekers is that by the time you say “hello,” lasting judgments may have been made abou t your character and qualifications.For those in charge of hiring, it’s a stark reminder that unconscious biases lurk everywhere. You probably know far less about candidates than you think you do - until you’ve taken the time to truly evaluate people as complete individuals.

10 More Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work

10 More Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work 10 More Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work Professional communication can feel like a careful balancing act. You want to keep up with the   latest business jargon , but you don’t want to step on anyone’s toes in the process. We already covered some   outdated terms and clichés in our last post on the subject . Now we’re taking on some phrases that may seem innocuous, or even helpful- until you think about what message they’re really sending. For your edification (and your next promotion), here are ten more words and phrases you should never use at work. It’s easy to tag this catchall phrase onto the end of your   emails , but it doesn’t translate into action. If you want results, take some initiative. Incorrect: “Let me know when you’re free to meet.” Correct: “I’m available to meet on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Which time works for you?” Incorrect: “Let me know how I can help.” Correct: “I’ll call Kevin to get an estimate for you.” Someone who “looks tired” already knows - you don’t need to point it out. And since this phrase is synonymous with “you look terrible,” don’t expect a positive response. If you notice someone seems tired and you’re genuinely concerned for them, try one of these phrases on for size: Here’s a tip:    Grammarly runs on powerful algorithms developed by the world’s leading linguists, and it can save you from misspellings, hundreds of types of grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and words that are spelled right but used in the wrong context -   learn more . You may be using “just” to soften the tone of your message, but it could   communicate  that what you’re saying isn’t especially important. Removing “just” from your vocabulary conveys confidence in your actions. If you know what you need, go ahead and ask for it. Incorrect: “Sorry to bother you, I just want to check in on your progress on the report due tomorrow.” Correct: “How’s progress on the report coming along? I look forward to reviewing it tomorrow.” It’s time to let the security blanket go. These   qualifying phrases  may feel safe, but they’re undermining your credibility. Constantly using “I think” communicates a lack of confidence in your ideas and abilities. Instead, ditch the qualifiers and make assertive statements like: We all hate to feel injustice, but how you respond to difficult circumstances is your choice. Instead of pouting, channel that frustration into useful action. What can you do to address the issue? Use facts rather than feelings to argue your case. Incorrect: “It’s not fair that Kevin gets to go to the conference instead of me.” Correct: “I’ve put in over 20 hours creating this presentation and am the most comfortable talking about the material. It makes sense for me to be the lead presenter at the conference.” Who doesn’t love the inside scoop? (Especially about Kevin.) But   gossiping at work  is in poor taste, and could have negative consequences for your career. If you feel the need to vent, do your kvetching with a non-work friend. And if you have a conflict with someone, talk to them directly - or, if appropriate, talk with your company’s human resources department. So, will you do what I requested or not? Instead of using this wishy-washy phrase, boost your coworkers’ confidence in you by clearly setting expectations. We’re all adults. No matter whose fault it is, you’ll get more respect if you   explain the situation in a professional manner . Take responsibility for your own actions, and explain the mistakes of others without throwing them under the bus. And be honest about what was and wasn’t outside of your team’s control. It’s natural to fear the critique of others , but using this qualifier imposes a negative lens on your thoughts before your audience has a chance to evaluate your statement for themselves. Instead of self-sabotaging, practice stating your ideas with confidence. “I have an idea for our next project. It’s different from what we usually do, and I think this could give us some new results.” By all means,   apologize when you’re accepting responsibility for an error you’ve made . But let’s take a moment to think about how woefully overused this little word is. Incorrect: “I’m sorry, but could you have the presentation ready by noon?” Correct: “I’ll need the presentation ready by noon so we’ll have time to review it. I greatly appreciate your work on this.” Incorrect: “Sorry I’m late to our meeting.” Correct: “Thank you so much for waiting. Let’s get started!” Incorrect: “Sorry, I won’t have the article ready on time.” Correct: “I’ll need to postpone the article until Thursday. Two of my interviewees weren’t available until today.” This article was originally published on Grammarly. It is reprinted with permission.

The 6 rules of email How to eliminate email anxiety

The 6 rules of email How to eliminate email anxiety The 6 rules of email How to eliminate email anxiety In 1971, Raymond Tomlinson, a computer engineer working at a technology company, Bolt, Beranek and Newman, was building applications for the ARPANET- the early forerunner for the modern internet. At the time, it wasn’t possible to send emails and the computer was neither affordable nor available to the masses.Tomlinson and his colleagues had built a messaging program, Sndmsg, which allowed users of a single computer to send messages to one another one. They were also toying around with the idea of building some sort of mailbox protocol, where engineers working on the ARPANET could communicate with each other.One day, in a Cambridge, Massachusetts, lab, Tomlinson stood in front of two computer machines that at the time resembled a large typewriter.In one computer, Tomlinson typed up a message, “TESTING 1 2 3 4,”on the program Sndmsg. He directed this message to the second computer, separating the user name and destination address using the @ sign. A few moments later the first e mail was sent from one host computer to another.Nearly five decades and billions of emails later, Tomlinsons’ seemingly innocent email discovery has evolved into a major cause of stress, anxiety and low productivity for millions of people across the globe.  Several studies have shown that checking email frequently leads to higher levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. [1]Multitasking  between email and work has also been shown to significantly reduce productivity and work performance by creating “attention residue”- the reduction of cognitive performance from switching your attention. [2]Multitasking expert, Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, highlights these negative effects of email multitasking based on an extensive  study  into the costs of interrupted work:“We found about 82 percent of all interrupted work is resumed on the same day. But here’s the bad news - it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task.” [4]That’s 23 minutes and 15 seconds lost  per interruption! Given we’re interrupted several times at work, we’re losing productive hours each day to email distractions or even months each year.In a desperate attempt to tame our email inbox, we’ve resorted to several overwhelming strategies including  inbox zero, complicated folder organizing systems and software, but these only compound our existing stress and anxiety.Instead, here are six of the best strategies to help you eliminate email anxiety and take control your inbox today.1. Avoid organizing emails using foldersContrary to popular advice, extensively organizing and sorting your emails using folders could be counterproductive for your productivity and well-being.In an extensive, large sample size  study  conducted by Steve Whittaker, an expert in human-computer interaction and researchers at IBM, over 85,000 attempts to sort and find emails were tracked and measured.During the field study , several hundred office workers used several methods to manage their emails. Some workers used folders to sort their emails, others scrolled through their inbox sorting by senders, or using the search function.After several months of studying the various workers email strategies and their efficiencies, Whittaker and the research team combined and analysed the data.They found that clicking through a folder tree took almost a minute, while simply searching took just 17 seconds. In other words, the office workers who relied on a tidy structure of complex folders to retrieve information took longer than those who used the search function of the email provider.Whittaker provides an explanation to this surprising finding:“Instead we found that filing seems to be a reaction to receiving many messages. Users receiving many messages were more likely to create folders, possibly because this serves to rationalize their inbox, allowing them to better see their ‘todos’. Interview data confirms that people file to clean their inboxes to facilitate task management. This result contradicts prior work arguing that people who receive many messages do not have the time to create folders.”This study doesn’t imply that we can’t use folders to organize our emails by  priorities. But, it does highlight our tendencies to use email as a way to  feel good  and complete tasks that aren’t necessarily important.2. Forget inbox zero, set expectations insteadInbox zero- the popular email management process of keeping the email inbox empty at all times- is a sure-fire way of wasting time sorting emails, instead of completing important work.The problem with inbox zero is that it feels good in the short-term to empty our email inboxes. In fact, according to Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist who specializes in irrational human behavior, email is a near-perfect random rewards system. [6]In other words, Inbox Zero is an addictive game, where the scoreboard of your progress is the number of emails left unread and unsorted in your email inbox. The higher the number, the worse you feel and the lower the number, the better you feel.The compulsion to empty our email inboxes is an addictive habit that makes us feel like we’re making progress and getting things done, but in reality, we’re wasting precious time that could be spent on our most important tasks.There’s a better approach to managing emails. In the book,  Unsubscribe:  How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done, the alternative solution involves the use and understanding of  the physics of email.As a brief review, Newton’s First Law of Motion states that “An object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.”  In addition, Newton’s Third Law of Motion suggests that for every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction.These laws apply in our use of email in everyday life. Spec ifically, email sets expectations between the sender and receiver that affects future actions or ‘motion.’For example, if you regularly respond to a client or colleague within 10 minutes of receiving their emails, they’ll begin to expect that you respond quickly to their emails.Overtime, you’ll receive more emails which may not require your urgent attention, but the sender may get upset if you don’t reply within 10 minutes. And the more emails you send, the more emails you’ll receive. This expectation of quick replies to incoming emails leads to a constant state of email anxiety, overwhelm and burnout.The best way to set stress-free expectations is to politely and publicly communicate your availability to respond to emails with your colleagues, clients and bosses.Let them know the time periods of the day when you’ll be too busy to check email and those when you’ll be free to do so. The longer you stick to these schedules, the more external parties will adjust their e xpectations to match yours.By publicly declaring expectations of your future email interactions, you can create healthy boundaries that allow you to focus on meaningful work, whilst managing your important relationships.3. Use the 5 sentence ruleResearch conducted by McCormack and his team at the Brief Lab, discovered that approximately 43% of people who received long-winded emails either ignored or deleted them. McCormack explains that when a point isn’t made obvious by email:“You feel you can’t deal with this right now so you put it aside. A brief email, on the other hand, with a strong subject line that explains the purpose of the email and grabs the reader’s attention is more likely to be read and taken seriously.” [7]One of the best ways to avoid sending emails that get ignored or responded to in an untimely manner, is to use the 5 sentence rule. The 5 sentence rule is simple:All email responses regardless of subject or recipient will be five sentences or less.Less is more, even more so via email. Treat all email responses like SMS text messages by keeping each message brief and straight to the point. By doing so, you’ll save more time, prompt quicker and more useful replies and prevent confusion over the intention of your emails.4. Use the email batching techniqueAs humans, we have an internal clock that determines our energy levels throughout the day- this is called the circadian rhythm. In essence, there are different periods of the day when we have more energy than other time periods. Typically, our energy levels are highest in the mornings and begin to decline after lunch hours i.e. 2 pm.The implications of this is straight forward.To achieve maximum productivity, we should schedule, prioritize and match the most important tasks that demand the majority of our attention with our periods of high energy levels.  On the flip side, our least important or less demanding tasks should be matched with the lower periods of energy.Writing or respon ding to emails typically falls into the latter category and as such, should be scheduled or “batched” when you’re not in periods of high energy- since this is reserved for your most important task of the day.Here’s how in three simple steps:Step 1:  Pick three periods during the day- aside from the highest energy periods- when you can set aside 30-60 minutes of your time to focus on emails.Step 2:  Batch your responses to emails during these time periods only.Step 3:  Add an additional fourth period on days when you’ve got an abnormal high volume of emails to respond.The email batching technique is a powerful strategy that will help you take control of your time, alleviate stress and set proper expectations of your email usage. 5. Use emotional intelligence.According to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and expert on human behavior, our brains have a ‘negativity bias’ towards email. [8]Goleman argues that if the sender of an email feels positive about their message, the receiver will think the message has a neutral tone. When the sender feels neutral about their message, the receiver tends to think it’s negative. Even worse, if the sender of an email feels negative when sending a message, the receiver tends to think it’s even more negative.If you’ve ever drafted a message or email to someone, which you thought was perfectly fine, but the receiver took offence to your message, you’ve experienced the negative bias effect.During normal face to face interactions, we have the ability to easily interpret and decode social cues, body language and words for good communication. But, on digital devices like email or text, this ability can be significantly stunted.As a result, during digital conversations, ca reful use of  emotional intelligence  is crucial for clear and efficient communication, especially if you’re a leader or manager who is required to deliver feedback or criticism via email.Here are some tips on how to use emotional intelligence with email: Avoid sending messages or emails when you’re angry or frustrated.  This will prevent miscommunication, wasted time and regret over words used in your email. Instead, save the message as a draft and only revise or send the email once you’ve calmed down. Show empathy and encouragement in your emails.  Replace imperative words like “do this” with conditional phrases like “could you do this?”If you need to deliver feedback you can also begin the message by expressing appreciation using words like “thank you” or “good work on….” Provide specific, actionable feedback.  Instead of vague or broad feedback like “this document is too long,” you could provide more details like “This document is looking good. Let’s remove the last page and reduce the total number of pages to 20.” By carefully using positive words in your emails, you’ll minimize the effects of the negativity bias, improve the efficiency of your emails and build good will with your clients and colleagues. 6. Prepare email response scriptsTypically, there are reoccurring patterns in the type and timing of emails we receive on a weekly basis. One of the best ways to manage your email, save time and reduce anxiety is to prepare email scripts ahead of time as a guideline to respond to common email queries.Here are some examples you can use:If you’re presented with a task or proposal: Dear [Name], Thank you for your message. I’ll need to spend some time to review this with the team and respond to your proposal. I’ll revert back to you shortly with the final decision. Kind regards, [Your Name] If you’re asked for updates on a project you haven’t completed: Dear [Name] Thank you for your email. We’re currently working on the [NAME OF PROJECT] project, but due to [INCIDENCE], the team has fallen behind schedule. We’ll make sure to get it to you at most by [Date]. Thank you for your patience. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Kind regards, [Your Name] If you’re asked about your availability for a phone call, meeting or event: Dear [Name] Thank you for your email. I would be happy to discuss this with you. Are you free for a phone call on either [PROVIDE THREE SEPARATE TIMES AND DATES]? Let me know which one of these works best for you, Many thanks, [Your Name] Note:  In the example above, we’re providing three separate options because this prevents unnecessary email threads and wasted time spent trying to arrange a time slot that both parties agree on.Feel free to use and tweak these email scripts, or create yours. By treating email like chess- anticipating and responding to familiar emails- you can save time, reduce stress and get more work done.Email is Your Servant, Not Your MasterWhen used properly, email is a useful tool that can save time, improve the speed and ease of communication and improve productivity. But, if it’s role is abused and email is treated as a master, it’s use could lead to addictive habits that reinforce anxiety, stress and unproductive behaviors.In this modern era of technology, those people who master their emails will thrive and succeed.The six rules of email are useful guidelines to ensure that you master your email and keep it as your servant.Mayo Oshin writes at  MayoOshin.Com, where he shares the best practical ideas based on proven science and the habits of highly successful people for stress-free productivity and improved mental performance. To get these strategies to stop procrastinating, get more things by doing less and improve your focus,  join his free weekly newsletter.”A version of this  article  originally appeared at  mayooshin.com  as “The 6 Rules of Email: How to Eliminate Email Anxiety and Take Control of Your Inbox Today (Backed by Science).”Footnotes Mark, Gloria Voida, Stephen Cardello, Armand. (2012). “A pace not dictated by electrons“: An empirical study of work without email. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems â€" Proceedings. 10.1145/2207676.2207754. Sophie Leroy. 2009.  Why is it so hard to do my work? The challenge of attention residue when switching between work tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 109, 2 (July 2009), 168 â€" 181. Mark, Gloria Gudith, Daniela Klocke, Ulrich. (2008).  The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress.  Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems â€" Proceedings. 107-110. 10.1145/1357054.1357072.  Mark et Al. Mark, Gloria interview on  Fast Company. Whittaker, Steve Matthews, Tara A. Cerruti, Julian Badenes, Hernan C. Tang, John. (2011).  Am I wasting my time organizing email?. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems â€" Proceedings. 3449-3458. 10.1145/1978942.1979457. Dan Ariely, “Understanding Our Compulsions,” in Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind, ed. Jocelyn K. Glei (Las Vegas: Amazon, 2013), 89â€"94. McCormack interview  Fast Company. Daniel Goleman, “The Danger of Email,” LinkedIn Pulse, February 22, 2013,www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130222162001-117825785-the-danger-of-email. Thanks to  99u  for inspiration on idea of email scripts. On a quick note, I didn’t invent the 5 sentence rule. It’s an idea that’s been shared in different variations.

E-Learning Tools to Advance Employee Development

E-Learning Tools to Advance Employee Development E-Learning Tools to Advance Employee Development E-Learning Tools to Advance Employee Development Recruiting Corner In this recessionary climate of doing more with less, employee training and education has often taken a backseat in many organizations. The perception is that it is simply too costly to implement learning strategies when every dollar spent is being scrutinized. Unfortunately, this has lead to a situation where employees have had little to no opportunities for employee development which will have substantial repercussions to organizations bottom lines in the coming years as well as an immediate impact on employee retention as well as employee engagement. The fact is that employee development does not have to be synonymous with big budgets. In this first of two articles, we explore two economical e-learning tools that support employee development. Purchasing an LMS A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application used for the administration, tracking, reporting and documentation of e-Learning programs, training events, both online and offline, as well as for training content. An LMS opens up opportunities to create more interactive e-Learning modules that are capable of properly tracking and assigning relevant modules to employees. These tools allow employees to take more control of their learning. As these systems have evolved over the years and become more affordable, some organizations are exploring the purchase of an LMS, or are actively looking to replace their existing ones. Learning Management Services vs. Learning Management Systems The LMS landscape has definitely changed in the last few years. Gone are the days where companies will accept that they need to purchase all the bells and whistles on a system even though they only need 30% of the functionality. Vendors are adjusting to this new reality and are offering many different options, from paying on a per user basis to flexible terms (not being locked into a contract), to including previously expensive bells and whistles into the standard product. An interesting trend that is emerging is the shift towards Learning Management Services as opposed to Learning Management Systems. This can be particularly advantageous for organizations that do not have the infrastructure to implement a Learning Management System internally. By outsourcing this service, companies can cut costs, mitigate risks and quickly implement a tailored system. The Explosion of Mobile Learning Todays learning organizations emphasize on-demand, constant and informational learning which strives to improve employees expertise and level of employee engagement. In that context, the explosion of mobile comes as no surprise. Mobile phones and tablets are increasingly becoming part of an office workers arsenal, making 24/7 learning both convenient and flexible. But the benefits go beyond this. Mobile learning gives the learner control to access content when they actually need it, which best suits todays workplace flexibility. This also allows for a more interactive and engaging learning experience via touch screens that appeal to multiple learning styles; its also less expensive than face-to-face training or laptop computers. Mobile learning can take place in informal learning environments via blogs, forums, user-generated content, and community experts. Many of the tools needed for this are already at employees disposal, such as email, the Internet, tablets and even mobile phones. Content Management Platforms Made Simple Organizations can go beyond this and create more formal mobile learning via cost-effective content management platforms. Many of these are rapid authoring tools that allow for the rapid development of mobile learning applications. GoMo Learningis an example of a low-cost authoring tool that allows for the development of content in one format. It can then be delivered to multiple audiences and multiple devices. BrainSharkallows you to take PowerPoint slides and create voice-enriched presentations that are pushed out via mobile devices. If you dont have the resources to develop these internally, there are many vendors who can do this cheaply and efficiently. Regardless of the economic climate, organizations should continue to value employee development as a key investment into their future. Harnessing and understanding the power of e-Learning solutions and emerging technologies, will enable them to discover a whole host of low-cost possibilities to drive employee satisfaction as well as retain top employees.

How to find out if youre underpaid

How to find out if you're underpaid How to find out if you're underpaid While the frustrating, seemingly intractable gender wage gap has  many underlying causes,  the fact remains that you can do all you can to take your earning power into your own hands and  negotiate. Yes â€" I’m asking you to #AskForMore!That said, many of us won’t even begin that process because we’re  unwittingly  being paid less than our male counterparts. Salary secrecy, boosted by the taboo nature of discussing money, is alive and well in the average workplace. Despite the fact that  it’s often unlawful, many employers forbid employees outright from talking about compensation.So how do you know if you’re being chronically underpaid? Use these sleuthing strategies to get started.Hit the webIn my opinion, this isn’t always the most fruitful option, but it’s certainly the easiest way to get you going: get Googling! Hit up sites like Glassdoor, Salary.com, PayScale, Indeed, Monster, and do some serious digging. Explore positions within the company you’re working in (w hen that data is available) and comparable ones in other organizations in your market â€" both in terms of geography and industry.Think your job title or specific role is hard to compare to any others out there? Do your best to consider what skills and experiences your day-to-day has in common with another position out there, even if the title isn’t a perfect match.Dig deepWork for a non-profit, campaign, university, or government institution? Often those organizations are required to publicly report their expenses â€" including labor expenses. Scour government reporting sites (you’ll often find these documents through the Secretary of State’s office) or perhaps your own organization’s annual report for clues into where you might get your hands on that information. If need be, make a friend in the accounting department to see if they can point you in the right direction.Read up on those industry insidersDid you know there’s a weekly periodical just pertaining to the PR fie ld? It’s called PR week.What trade associations or publications specific to your field are you following?Do the legwork of catching up with those often-overlooked resources, as they can be priceless. Whether it’s a blog, quaterly magazine, or underground listserv, ask around to find out what folks in the know are reading to stay up to date on the latest developments in your industry. Whatever it is, it might just serve as a key resource in learning more about industry standards when it comes to pay and benefits, too.Can’t find what you’re looking for? Considering starting it - even if it’s just a GoogleGroup that gets you going. I guarantee you’re not the only one in your industry looking for answers.Network to get in the knowIn my experience, informational interviews are by far the best way to gain real information about salary norms in any given industry. Ask friends to put you in contact with colleagues they know in similar roles in your industry. Go to networking ev ents and be diligent about making the most of follow-up.But keep in mind: asking outright about a new connection’s salary can be an uncomfortable way to start a one-on-one meeting over coffee or the phone. Instead, start by establishing a rapport and then share your motivation for better understanding if you’re being compensated fairly.The best way to get a gut check? Frame your ask in this way: “I’m seeing salary ranges for positions like mine in the high 50’s, does that seem right to you?” By stating the number first, you take the burden of talking turkey off your new contact’s shoulders, and instead give them the simple opportunity to confirm or deny what you’re already finding.Be sure to connect with as many men in your industry as women. If we’re only talking amongst ourselves, we’re liable to normalize and perpetuate low-ball offers.Connect with trusted colleaguesThe absolute best information you can find often comes from your closest colleagues. Only you c an determine who you trust to talk frankly and honestly with about compensation, but remember to also consider what you have to lose. Your peers aren’t necessarily interested in you getting paid less, after all. Explain your intent behind your ask to give them context. Use the excuse of today being Equal Pay Day, if you like!And men: be generous with sharing your salary information. By simply being more transparent with the women in your circles, you can do your part to help close the gender pay gap and make sure all of us â€" men and women alike â€" are paid what we’re worth.Until we have more organizations pursuing transparent pay policies, these strategies may very well be the best ways to get clear on how your wages measure up to your colleagues â€" especially across gender lines.With states like Massachusetts instituting new laws to make it harder for companies to perpetuate the gender wage gap and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, it’s becoming even riskier for co mpanies to perpetuate discriminatory pay practices.Have you taken these steps and found out you were being paid significantly less than your colleagues? I want to hear from you! Share your experience below and tell us what you did â€" or what you’re considering doing â€" to make a change.This post was originally published on BossedUp.org.

Robert Bea Master of Forensic Engineering

Robert Bea Master of Forensic Engineering Robert Bea Master of Forensic Engineering If Robert Bea shows up on your project, its not a good sign. Either youre in the middle of a major disaster or someone is worried enough to send out the nations foremost forensic engineer to take a look. Mens Journal calls him the Master of Disaster. Bea is professor emeritus at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Berkeley, and co-founder of the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, a nonprofit organization. He also runs his own consulting company called Risk Assessment and Management Services. Bea has studied some of the worst engineering disasters in U.S. history, including the Exxon Valdez, space shuttle Columbia, and Deepwater Horizon. He was eager to share his insights and caution ASME members about complacency, fearlessness, repeating mistakes, and doing it for the money, all of which can result in catastrophic failures that haunt engineers for the rest of their lives. Bob, you analyzed 600 major engineering failures that occurred from 1988-2005. Are there any new trends since then? The only trend is bigger and badder. There have been more catastrophic system failures: BP Deepwater Horizon, PGE San Bruno, Hurricane Sandy. This trend should be expected because our infrastructure systems generally are in very poor condition and are more interconnected. The failure of one causes the failure of another. We also have more severe tests from nature as we work in more severe environments and face global climate changes. What is the most common denominator you see in engineering failures? Organizations that lose their way by developing gross imbalances between production and protection.One of the big drivers for increasing production is decreasing costs (decreasing protection). The balance progressively shifts until there is a major system failurea monetarily-driven spiral to disaster. Professor Robert Bea. What is the one thing mechanical engineers can do to minimize the risk of failure? Design people-tolerant systems that are forgiving of the mistakes that people will make.Design systems that have an acceptable reliability that has been explicitly defined and the design developed so that it will equal or exceed that requirement. Design systems that can be inspected and maintained to allow the acceptable reliability to be maintained during the life of the system. The best way to do this is to develop, implement, and sustain the 5Cs: Cognizance: Awareness of the hazards and consequences of failures. Commitment: Top-down and bottom-up to develop systems that provide adequate protections for the production. Capabilities: Address performance of complex systems that are dominated by human and organizational factors. Culture: Provide systems that have acceptable performance and reliability characteristics that develop acceptable balances between production and protection. Counting: Effective, validated, quantitative ways to measure safety, reliability, production, and protection characteristics of systems; you cannot manage what you cannot measure. Why do most mechanical engineers make poor forensic engineers? Many engineers have some special talents that qualify them for engineering. For example, an aptitude for science, logic, physics, and configuring things to make other things that are useful. So, when it comes time to develop understanding of the root causes of failures and accidents, they focus on the things they understand, not why those things were used in the first place.The most influential root causes are the whys, those human and organizational factors that explain why things are what they are. To avoid potential problems, do you put every project through a team analysis before launching into it? Absolutely!You must have the right stuff to get the right results.People have to be selected so that their talents and aptitudes match the jobs that have to be performed.Once the selection process is achieved, then the training process needs to further develop those talents so that the right results are achieved, even during unbelievable conditions. What sort of team training do you recommend? Intense and continuing training in three forms: normal activities (for example, landing an airplane), abnormal activities (landing an airplane in the fog), unbelievable activities (landing an airplane that has lost power in both engines on the Hudson River). Sully Sullenberger is a good friend of mine, and was before he became our Hero of the Hudson.Sully contacted me in the early 2000s to understand the reliability characteristics in commercial aviation.He wanted to learn more about crisis management and why US Air had five fatal accidents in five years. What Sully did was not an accident. It was fully rehearsed and prepared for.Sully and his colleagues prepared for the worst. The airplane designers prepared for the worst. Thats why the airplane did not sink rapidly. It had backflow valves in the fuselage air intakes. The Airbus had been designed for a water landing, even when it was not supposed to land on water, because the engineers understood that could happen in an emergency. How do you know when a project is as safe as it can possibly be? Theoretically it is possible to develop a system that has a likelihood of failure of very near zero. But a zero likelihood of failure is not practical given the different uncertainties that must be confronted during the life of a system.Therefore, we must design systems to have a non-zero likelihood of failure. However, the likelihood of failure needs to be small and also acceptable to those who are exposed if the system fails. This raises the question, How safe is safe enough? The answer should be developed from a social process that engages inputs from the exposed public, the exposed environment, the government, and industry. Only when that critical question has been answered in quantitative terms should engineers develop a system to achieve that acceptable safety during its lifespan. Mark Crawford is an independent writer.Theoretically it is possible to develop a system that has a likelihood of failure of very near zero.Prof. Robert Bea, University of California-Berkeley

Coaching can increase your score on your federal resume and get you hired into a federal job

Coaching can increase your score on your federal resume and get you hired into a federal job Coaching can increase your score on your federal resume and get you hired into a federal job Coaching can increase your score on your federal resume and get you hired into a federal job According to Department of Labor latest employment rates, healthcare employment rose by 17,000 in August (see article on the Jobs Report). Ambulatory health care services and hospitals added 14,000 and 6,000 jobs, respectively. From June through August, job growth in health care averaged 15,000 per month, compared with an average monthly gain of 28,000 in the prior 12 months. Lou Cupola was one of those success stories. He landed a permanent federal job with the Social Security Administration as a Health Insurance Specialist working with the Affordability Care Act. When Lou Cupola decided to broaden his professional horizons early this year, federal employment seemed like a natural for this ex-Navy officer. But as many job seekers find, some important aspects of federal resume writing and the federal job-application process didn’t come naturally. Cupola, a doctor of podiatry, had served his country for 8 years, then founded a private practice in the late 2000s. My practice was doing well, but I wanted to serve on a larger scale, he says. At first glance, federal job search appeared quite similar to looking for a position in the private sector. But as Cupola delved deeper, he decided he would benefit from professional assistance in preparing his candidacy. The militarys Transition Assistance Programs dont specifically tell you how to apply for federal jobs, says Cupola. So he decided to speak with Kathryn Troutman, president of The Resume Place, about his military and private-sector healthcare experience, the kinds of federal positions he might apply for, and the less-than-obvious keyword searches he should do on the USAJOBS database. Those searches yielded announcements for some interesting positions, but he had reservations about applying. A couple of jobs popped open in Seattle. I called Kathryn and said I didnt know if I fit all the criteria. Kathryn told me, you dont necessarily have to have every bullet point on the position description locked down, and she turned out to be right. One GS-9/11/12 announcement of particular interest, for a Health Insurance Specialist at the Social Security Administration, required a year of specialized experienced in Medicare and Medicaid claims and compliance. At first Cupola didnt recall that he had such specialized experience. A dedicated clinician, Cupola hadn’t approached his federal job search thinking that he could capitalize on the management skills he had applied in private practice. But in that context he had indeed evaluated Medicare providers and ensured compliance with the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services complex rules and regulations. When Kathryn read my resume very closely and asked me some open-ended questions, I realized that I did meet the requirements,” says Cupola. “Id just never framed it that way. This is a typical problem for job seekers says Troutman. They dont read job announcements carefully or think comprehensively about how their experience can be matched up with federal position descriptions. Lou wasnt going to apply for the Health Insurance Specialist position, but I convinced him that he qualified and would make an excellent candidate for the job. Well-prepared with advice from The Resume Place, Cupola applied, using information that Troutman had ferreted out of his resume information that enabled him to answer the job questionnaire in a way that added points to his score, which was also aided by his 5-point veterans’ preference. I just had to give myself credit for all aspects of my experience, Cupola says. Troutman and her staff had also worked with Cupola to thoroughly revamp his resume for the federal job market, using simple, direct language to emphasize the full range of knowledge, skills and abilities that would apply to the positions he was pursuing. “Federal hiring managers wont infer anything, so you have to be very specific in laying out your qualifications, Cupola has learned. The Resume Place also assisted with cover letters customized to jobs Cupola sought. With their help, I related everything relevant in my background to the position description. They opened doors for me by helping organize my information, says Cupola. The proof is that I got the interviews. In fact, the package of help Cupola received from The Resume Place opened every door that counts. He was rated Best Qualified for the GS-12 Health Insurance Specialist position, then referred for the job and selected for an interview. With confidence born of his own sterling qualifications and coaching from Troutman, he excelled in the interview and was swiftly hired, with a start date of September 2012. Says Troutman: Before we had a chance to actually work together, Lou said he wasnt going to apply for the position. I talked him into it. And she made sure his application was a winner.

List of Top Soft Skills Employers Value With Examples

List of Top Soft Skills Employers Value With Examples List of Top Soft Skills Employers Value With Examples Candidates with strong soft skills are in high demand for many different types of jobs.  Soft skills  are the interpersonal attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. These are related to how you work with and  relate  to  others- in other words,  people skills. What Are Soft Skills? Soft skills are different from  hard skills, which are directly relevant to the job  to  which  you are applying. These are often more quantifiable, and easier to learn than soft skills. A hard skill for a  carpenter, for example, might be the ability to operate a power saw or use framing squares. Regardless of the job  to  which  youre applying, you need at least some soft skills. In order  to succeed at  work, you must get along well with all the people  with  whom  you interact,  including managers, co-workers, clients, vendors, customers, and  anyone else you communicate with while on the job. These are the types of skills all employers value. Employers want employees who are able to interact effectively  with others. These skills are also very hard to teach, so employers want to know that job candidates already have the soft skills to be  successful. List of Soft Skills Below is a list of the most  important soft skills  that most employers look for. It also includes sublists of related soft skills that employers tend to seek in job applicants. Develop these skills and emphasize them in job applications, resumes, cover letters, and interviews. Showing the interviewer that you have the skills the company is seeking will help you get hired. Communication How well do you communicate?  Communication skills  are important in almost every job. You will likely need to communicate with people  on  the  job, whether they are clients, customers, colleagues, employers, or vendors. You will  also  need to be able to  speak  clearly and politely with people in person, by phone, and in writing. You will also likely need to be a  good listener. Employers want employees who can not only communicate their own ideas, but who  also listen empathetically to others. Listening is a particularly important skill in customer service jobs. ListeningNegotiationNonverbal communicationPersuasionPresentationPublic speakingReading  body languageStorytellingVerbal communicationVisual communicationWriting reports and proposalsWriting skills Critical Thinking No matter what the job, employers want candidates who can analyze situations  and make informed decisions. Whether you are working with data, teaching students, or fixing a home heating system, you need to be able to understand problems, think critically, and devise solutions. Skills related to  critical thinking  include creativity, flexibility, and curiosity. AdaptabilityArtistic aptitudeCreativityCritical observationCritical thinkingDesign aptitudeDesire to learnFlexibilityInnovationLogical thinkingProblem solvingResearchResourcefulnessThinking  outside the boxTolerance of  change and uncertaintyTroubleshootingValue educationWillingness  to learn Leadership While not every job opening is a  leadership  role, most employers will want to know that you have the ability to make decisions when push comes to shove, and  can  manage situations and people. The  ability to step up to the plate in a difficult situation and to  help to resolve it is something employers look for in prospective employees If you are interviewing for a job that has the potential for advancement, the employer will want to know that you have what it takes to become a leader. Other skills related to leadership include the abilities to resolve problems and conflicts between people, and to  make  executive decisions. Conflict managementConflict resolutionDeal makingDecision makingDelegationDispute resolutionFacilitationGiving  clear feedbackInspiringpeopleLeadershipManagementManaging difficult conversationsManaging remote/virtual teamsMeeting managementMentoringMotivatingProject managementResolving issuesSuccessful coachingSupervisingTalent management   Positive Attitude Employers are always seeking people who will bring a positive attitude to the office. They want employees who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be around. Being able to keep  things  positive is especially important if you’re working in a fast-paced, high-stress work environment. ConfidenceCooperationCourtesyEnergyEnthusiasmFriendlinessHonestyHumorousPatienceRespectabilityRespectfulness Teamwork Hiring managers look for job candidates who can work well with others. Whether you will be doing a lot of team projects or simply attending a few departmental  meetings, you need to be able to work effectively with the people around you. You need to be able to work with others even if you do not always see eye to eye. Some skills related to  teamwork  include the ability to negotiate with others, and to recognize and appreciate diversity in a team. Another related skill is the ability to accept and apply feedback from others. Accepting feedbackCollaborationCustomer serviceDealing  with difficult situationsDealing  with office politicsDisability awarenessDiversity awarenessEmotional intelligenceEmpathyEstablishing  interpersonal relationshipsDealing with difficult personalitiesIntercultural competenceInterpersonal skillsInfluenceNetworkingPersuasionSelf-awarenessSelling skillsSocial skillsTeam buildingTeamwork Work Ethic Employers look for job candidates with a strong work ethic. Such  people come to work on time, complete tasks in a timely manner, stay focused, and stay organized. They are able to budget their time and complete their work thoroughly. While they can work independently, people with a strong work ethic can also follow instructions. A strong work ethic is difficult to teach, so employers will be impressed if you can demonstrate  it  in your job application. AttentivenessBusiness ethicsCompetitivenessDedicationDependabilityFollowing  directionIndependenceMeeting deadlinesMotivationMultitaskingOrganizationPerseverancePersistencePlanningProper business etiquettePunctualityReliabilityResilienceResults-orientationSchedulingSelf-directionSelf-monitoringSelf-supervisingStaying  on taskStrategic planningTime managementTrainabilityWorking  well under pressure More Soft Skills Here are additional soft skills for resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews. Required skills will vary based on the job for which youre applying, so also review our list of  skills listed by job  and type of skill. AssertivenessBusiness ethicsBusiness storytellingBusiness trend awarenessCustomer ServiceEffective communicatorEmotion managementErgonomic sensitivityFollow instructionsFollow regulationsFollow rulesFunctions well under pressureGood attitudeHighly recommendedIndependentInterviewingKnowledge managementMeets deadlinesMotivatingPerform effectively in a deadline environmentPerformance managementPositive work ethicProblem solvingProcess improvementQuick-wittedResults orientedSafety consciousScheduling Self-awarenessSelf-supervisingStress managementTeam playerTechnology savvyTechnology trend awarenessTolerantTrainableTrainingTroubleshootingWilling to accept feedbackWillingness to learnWork-life balanceWorks well under pressure How to Make Your Skills Stand Out Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: Include the terms most closely related to the job in your  resume, especially in the description of your work history.Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: You can incorporate soft skills into your  cover letter. Include one or two of the skills mentioned here, and give specific examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits at work.Use Skill Words During Job Interviews: You can also use these words in your  job interviews. Keep the top skills listed here in mind during your interview, and be prepared to give examples of how youve used each. Each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the  job description  carefully and focus on the skills listed by the employer.

Article 112 Wrongful Use of Controlled Substances

Article 112 Wrongful Use of Controlled Substances Article 112 Wrongful Use of Controlled Substances Any person subject to this Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) offense wrongfully uses, possesses, manufactures, distributes, imports or exports into/from the customs territory of the United States. Or a military member who introduces into an installation, vessel, vehicle, or aircraft used by or under the control of the armed forces the following substances shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. (1) opium, heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, lysergic acid diethylamide, methamphetamine, phencyclidine, barbituric acid, and marijuana, and any compound or derivative of any such substance.(2) Any substance not specified in clause (1) that is listed on a schedule of controlled substances prescribed by the President for the purposes of this article.(3) Any other substance not specified in clause (1) or contained on a list prescribed by the President under clause (2) that is listed in Schedules I through V of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 812).” The accused must be wrongfully possession, using, distributing, introducing, manufacturing, importing and exporting illegal drugs or controlled substances. The following rules with regard to these substances are fully explained: (1) Wrongful possession of controlled substance. (2) Wrongful use of controlled substance. (3) Wrongful distribution of controlled substance. (4) Wrongful introduction of a controlled substance. (5) Wrongful manufacture of a controlled substance. (6) Wrongful possession, manufacture, or introduction of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. (7) Wrongful importation or exportation of a controlled substance. What is a Controlled Substance? “Controlled substance” means amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium, phencyclidine, and barbituric acid, including phenobarbital and secobarbital. “Controlled substance” also means any substance which is included in Schedules I through V established by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 ( 21 U.S.C. 812). Possess. “Possess” means to exercise control of something. Possession may be direct physical custody like holding an item is one’s hand, or it may be constructive, as in the case of a person who hides an item in a locker or car to which that person may return to retrieve it. Possession must be knowing and conscious. Possession inherently includes the power or authority to preclude control by others. It is possible, however, for more than one person to possess an item simultaneously, as when several people share control of an item. An accused may not be convicted of possession of a controlled substance if the accused did not know that the substance was present under the accused’s control. Awareness of the presence of a controlled substance may be inferred from circumstantial evidence. Distribute. “Distribute” means to deliver to the possession of another. “Deliver” means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer of an item, whether or not there exists an agency relationship. Manufacture. “Manufacture” means the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing of a drug or other substance, either directly or indirectly or by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis, and includes any packaging or repackaging of such substance or labeling or relabeling of its container. “Production,” as used in this subparagraph, includes the planting, cultivating, growing, or harvesting of a drug or other substance. Wrongfulness. To be punishable under Article 112a, possession, use, distribution, introduction, or manufacture of a controlled substance must be wrongful. Possession, use, distribution, introduction, or manufacture of a controlled substance is wrongful if it is without legal justification or authorization. Possession, distribution, introduction, or manufacture of a controlled substance is not wrongful if such act or acts are: (A) done pursuant to legitimate law enforcement activities (for example, an informant who receives drugs as part of an undercover operation is not in wrongful possession), (B) done by authorized personnel in the performance of medical duties; or (C) without knowledge of the contraband nature of the substance (for example, a person who possesses cocaine, but actually believes it to be sugar, is not guilty of wrongful possession of cocaine). Possession, use, distribution, introduction, or manufacture of a controlled substance may be inferred to be wrongful in the absence of evidence to the contrary. The burden of going forward with evidence with respect to any such exception in any court-martial or other proceedings under the code shall be upon the person claiming its benefit. If such an issue is raised by the evidence presented, then the burden of proof is upon the United States to establish that the use, possession, distribution, manufacture, or introduction was wrongful. (Intent to distribute. Intent to distribute may be inferred from circumstantial evidence. Examples of evidence which may tend to support an inference of intent to distribute are: possession of a quantity of substance in excess of that which one would be likely to have for personal use; market value of the substance; the manner in which the substance is packaged; and that the accused is not a user of the substance. On the other hand, evidence that the accused is addicted to or is a heavy user of the substance may tend to negate an inference of intent to distribute. Certain amount. When a specific amount of a controlled substance is believed to have been possessed, distributed, introduced, or manufactured by an accused, the specific amount should ordinarily be alleged in the specification. It is not necessary to allege a specific amount, however, and a specification is sufficient if it alleges that an accused possessed, distributed, introduced, or manufactured “some,” “traces of,” or “an unknown quantity of” a controlled substance.  Customs territory of the United States. “Customs territory of the United States” includes only the States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Use. “Use” means to inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body, any controlled substance. Knowledge of the presence of the controlled substance is a required  component  of use. Knowledge of the presence of the controlled substance may be inferred from the presence of the controlled substance in the accused’s body or from other circumstantial evidence. This permissive inference may be legally sufficient to satisfy the government’s burden of proof as to knowledge. Deliberate ignorance. An accused who consciously avoids knowledge of the presence of a controlled substance or the contraband nature of the substance is subject to the same criminal liability as one who has actual knowledge. (1)  Wrongful use, possession, manufacture, or introduction of controlled substance. Drugs - Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement 5 years. (Amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium, phencyclidine, secobarbital, and Schedule I, II, and III controlled substances.)Marijuana - Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years. (2)  Wrongful distribution, possession, manufacture, or introduction of controlled substance with intent to distribute, or wrongful importation or exportation of a controlled substance. (a)  Amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium, phencyclidine, secobarbital, and Schedule I, II, and III controlled substances. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 15 years.(b)  Phenobarbital and Schedule IV and V controlled substances. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 10 years. When any offense under paragraph 37 is committed; while the accused is on duty as a sentinel or look-out; on board a vessel or aircraft used by or under the control of the armed forces; in or at a missile launch facility used by or under the control of the armed forces; while receiving special pay under  37 U.S.C. § 310; in time of war; or in a confinement facility used by or under the control of the armed forces, the maximum period of confinement authorized for such offense shall be increased by 5 years.