What Does Customer Service Mean to You Question

What Does Customer Service Mean to You QuestionWhat Does Customer Service Mean to You QuestionQuick NavigationWhy employers ask, What does customer tafelgeschirr mean to you?Surprising ways employers ask, What does customer tafelgeschirr mean to you?How to answer, What does customer service mean to you?Example answers to impress employers in a job interviewWhat does customer service mean to you? is a common interview question in customer-centric industries such as hospitality, retail and sales. This question is asked because companies strive to provide the best experience possible for their customers. Your answer should demonstrate how you solve customer issues on the job and show the hiring manager that you would be a valuable addition to the company.Why employers ask, What does customer service mean to you?Hiring managers want to know how you treat customers and how you behave when engaging with them. It is important for employers to compare your definition of customer service with the companys own standards. When everyone in the company delivers a similar experience, customers are more likely to return, become loyal patrons and tell others about the excellent service they received. Even if a customers encounter with you is brief, your employer should be confident that you can make a great impression and uphold the companys image.Surprising ways employers ask, What does customer service mean to you?Interviewers can frame this question in different ways, but the intention of the question remains the same. They want to know that you can uphold the companys reputation by keeping customers satisfied.Here are a few ways an employer might ask this questionHow do you define good customer service?What do you think are some elements of good customer service?What is customer service?Why do you want to work in customer service?What are three qualities a person needs to deliver strong customer service?What do you enjoy about customer service?You may also be asked related questions, such asTell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer and how you handled it, aims to better understand your conflict resolution skills.What would you do if you did not know how to assist a customer? identifies your willingness to communicate with your fellow staff and be a team player.What would you do if a customer complained about you? allows you to demonstrate how you handle stressful situations and negative feedback.RelatedBest Questions to Ask Your Interviewer to Get HiredHow to answer, What does customer service mean to you?Here are a few tips on answering this interview question in a variety of customer-driven industries.Retail and hospitalityCustomer service is an important part of retail and hospitality. Focus your answer on the importance of sales, satisfying customer needs and making guests feel welcome.FinanceIn financial industries, customer service often involves instructing and advising clients. When answering customer service questions, m ention that you want to use your expertise to benefit your clients and help them reach specific financial goals.Public serviceWhen interviewing for a nonprofit or government role, you need to understand how to meet peoples needs in an organization that has a strict chain of command, is understaffed or involves complex procedures. Your answer should focus on the importance of listening to peoples needs, understanding the process and approaching each situation positively.Health careThe health care industry promotes, protects and restores the health and well-being of patients. When interviewing for a health care position, you should discuss how you strive to serve patients with understanding, warmth and patience.TechCustomer service positions in the tech industry often involve troubleshooting and solving complex issues with services and products. Your answer should explain your ability to serve customers who come to you with a variety of needs.Learn MoreComplete Guide to Common Intervi ew Questions and AnswersExample answers to impress employers in a job interviewWhen preparing for your interview, reading example answers to common questions can help you come up with your own. Here are some example answers from various industriesExample 1 RetailGood customer service means having a thorough knowledge of the product and being able to help the customers make the right purchase to meet their needs. In my previous position, I learned all about the latest products so I could make knowledgeable recommendations to customers.See alsoHow to Be Confident in Your InterviewsExample 2 Tech IndustryAs a technician, customer service is about listening to customers needs and helping them find quick, efficient solutions to problems. When I represent the company by exceeding customer expectations, I help customers have the best possible experience with our products and services.Example 3 FinanceTo me, customer service means helping others meet their goals. Im most fulfilled when I ca n use my financial background and training to guide clients through the investment process, helping them diversify their portfolios in ways that make the most sense to them.There are many common interview questions you should prepare for before an interview. Knowing what customer service means to you can have a positive influence on the way you treat and behave around others. A clear definition of quality customer service can help you secure a position and succeed in your new career.

This 12-word quote entirely explains how to be successful

This 12-word quote entirely explains how to be successfulThis 12-word quote entirely explains how to be successfulHope looks forward. Faith knows it has already received and acts accordingly. - ?Florence ShinnGetting yourself into the right mindset is your 1 job.You need to 1) know what you want and 2) know that what you want is already yours. Both parts are essential.You have to know that what you want is bedrngnis only attainable but inevitable. You have to really know.Knowing and faith are the same thing. As one song says, Faith is knowing the sun will rise.Decisions create obstaclesUnless youre in mortal danger, fear is a compass showing you where to go. - Mastin KippFollow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAccording to Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach, when you set a goal - one in which you truly want and believe you can achieve - then immediately your mind will begin con juring-up all of the obstacles to achieving the goal.When thinking about what you want, if no obstacles arise in your mind, then you likely dont want the thing or dont actually believe its possible.The obstacles directly point to what needs to be done or altered in order to have the goal. As Ryan Holiday puts it, The obstacle quite literally is the way.One of the primary obstacles is truly making the decision that you will absolutely have whatever it is you seek.Unless youve truly made the decision, then you will elend act accordingly. And because you will not act accordingly, you will not have whatever it is you claim to want. I say claim because if you really wanted it, youd make the decision to have it. Instead, youre opting for something either lesser or easier. As Robert Brault has said, We are kept from our goals, not by obstacles, but by a clearer path to a lesser goal.Operating from a higher planeWhat would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? - Robert Schuller When you operate with the knowledge that what you want is already yours, you act very differently.You dont worry about failure or success in the present moment. You quite naturally flow through the process because you know everything will work out. You dont have anxiety about money, resources, timelines, or other external factors.You know that everything will work.You actually learn to love being in the place of not knowing how things will turn out.You dont know exactly how things will turn out, but you know they will turn out. That much is complete knowledge to you. And that knowledge translates into inspired and profound action on a daily basis.Other people cannot replicate your process, because to them it simply is a process or method to be replicated.But youre not operating from some prescribed method. Instead, youre operating out of decision and inner knowing.This inner knowing - or freedom - allows you to attempt things that seem completely illogical. It allows you to know t hat success is inevitable. It allows you to create results and outcomes that are rare.You no longer have to operate by the same time-tables as do other people. You no longer have to operate by the same rules as do other people. Everything you do, in fact, is an exception to the rules.You dont judge other peoples journey. Actually, the further you go into your decision, the more empathy and love you have for others.You love when even small bits of progress are made. You support other peoples progress. People feel comfortable around you because youre not obsessed with yourself.Youre interested in something far bigger and deeper.You have the humility to admit that you dont have all the answers.Youre, in many ways, watching as everything around you is unfolding. Yet, you know that you are the initiator of the forward movement happening.You stop playing small.You stop situation small goals.You allow your imagination to run wild far more.You see, on nearly a daily basis, your life changin g all around you. Your outer circumstances are a highly accurate feedback loop of what is going on inside your head.What do your circumstances say about your decisions?ConclusionHope looks forward. Faith knows it has already received and acts accordingly. - Florence ShinnHope sustains you while you pursue something bigger in your life. Faith is the knowledge that what you want is already yours - and requires that you act in accordance with that knowledge.Without powerful and aligned action, there is no knowledge. As Dr. Stephen Covey put it, To learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know.If you arent acting according to your highest goals, then you still dont know. If you still dont know, then you arent going to have.You need to know.If you dont know, you need to start acting more boldly. Knowing and doing are a continuous feedback loop that supports and strengthen each other. Almost always, the doing comes before the knowing. Eventually , the doing confirms the knowing.Success is inevitable.Other peoples opinions no longer matter.You are free.The choice is yours.You are comfortable making powerful choices. You dont need external security to assure you that you will succeed. You already know that if you decide, then you will succeed. And thats all the assurance you need.Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThis 12-word quote entirely explains how to be successfulHope looks forward. Faith knows it has a lready received and acts accordingly. - ?Florence ShinnGetting yourself into the right mindset is your 1 job.You need to 1) know what you want and 2) know that what you want is already yours. Both parts are essential.You have to know that what you want is not only attainable but inevitable. You have to really know.Knowing and faith are the same thing. As one song says, Faith is knowing the sun will rise.Decisions create obstaclesUnless youre in mortal danger, fear is a compass showing you where to go. - Mastin KippAccording to Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach, when you set a goal - one in which you truly want and believe you can achieve - then immediately your mind will begin conjuring-up all of the obstacles to achieving the goal.When thinking about what you want, if no obstacles arise in your mind, then you likely dont want the thing or dont actually believe its possible.The obstacles directly point to what needs to be done or altered in order to have the goal. As Ryan Holiday puts it, The obstacle quite literally is the way.One of the primary obstacles is truly making the decision that you will absolutely have whatever it is you seek.Unless youve truly made the decision, then you will not act accordingly. And because you will not act accordingly, you will not have whatever it is you claim to want. I say claim because if you really wanted it, youd make the decision to have it. Instead, youre opting for something either lesser or easier. As Robert Brault has said, We are kept from our goals, not by obstacles, but by a clearer path to a lesser goal.Operating from a higher planeWhat would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? - Robert SchullerWhen you operate with the knowledge that what you want is already yours, you act very differently.You dont worry about failure or success in the present moment. You quite naturally flow through the process because you know everything will work out. You dont have anxiety about money, resources, timel ines, or other external factors.You know that everything will work.You actually learn to love being in the place of not knowing how things will turn out.You dont know exactly how things will turn out, but you know they will turn out. That much is complete knowledge to you. And that knowledge translates into inspired and profound action on a daily basis.Other people cannot replicate your process, because to them it simply is a process or method to be replicated.But youre not operating from some prescribed method. Instead, youre operating out of decision and inner knowing.This inner knowing - or freedom - allows you to attempt things that seem completely illogical. It allows you to know that success is inevitable. It allows you to create results and outcomes that are rare.You no longer have to operate by the same time-tables as do other people. You no longer have to operate by the same rules as do other people. Everything you do, in fact, is an exception to the rules.You dont judge other peoples journey. Actually, the further you go into your decision, the more empathy and love you have for others.You love when even small bits of progress are made. You support other peoples progress. People feel comfortable around you because youre not obsessed with yourself.Youre interested in something far bigger and deeper.You have the humility to admit that you dont have all the answers.Youre, in many ways, watching as everything around you is unfolding. Yet, you know that you are the initiator of the forward movement happening.You stop playing small.You stop drumherum small goals.You allow your imagination to run wild far more.You see, on nearly a daily basis, your life changing all around you. Your outer circumstances are a highly accurate feedback loop of what is going on inside your head.What do your circumstances say about your decisions?ConclusionHope looks forward. Faith knows it has already received and acts accordingly. - Florence ShinnHope sustains you while you pursue something bigger in your life. Faith is the knowledge that what you want is already yours - and requires that you act in accordance with that knowledge.Without powerful and aligned action, there is no knowledge. As Dr. Stephen Covey put it, To learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know.If you arent acting according to your highest goals, then you still dont know. If you still dont know, then you arent going to have.You need to know.If you dont know, you need to start acting more boldly. Knowing and doing are a continuous feedback loop that supports and strengthen each other. Almost always, the doing comes before the knowing. Eventually, the doing confirms the knowing.Success is inevitable.Other peoples opinions no longer matter.You are free.The choice is yours.You are comfortable making powerful choices. You dont need external security to assure you that you will succeed. You already know that if you decide, then you will succeed . And thats all the assurance you need.Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article first appeared on Medium.

5 Red Flags That Recruiters Hate

5 Red Flags That Recruiters Hate 5 Red Flags That Recruiters Hate Recruiters can open connections in your job search, help you negotiate your salary, and mora. But keeping their attention and getting them to commit to helping you isnt easy.After working as a recruiter for more than five years in Boston and New York, Im going to share the biggest red flags that will scare recruiters off, so you can make sure youre avoiding mistakes and enticing them to help you as much as possible in your job hunt. Red Flag 1 Telling half-truths (or lies)Recruiters ask a lot of questions, but its usually to help you. So the best advice I can give here is be upfront. If theres something sensitive about your hintergrund or your story (like being fired), well help you explain it to companies youre interviewing with. Why will we help you? The companies we work with only pay us if you get hired. Thats how recruiting agencies operate for the most part (ever bedrngnisice you never pay us a penny, even if we find you an amazing job?)So we arent going to judge you. But we need to know the truth. We need to ask so we can help explain the situation to companies we show your resume to. One of our biggest fears as recruiters is looking bad in front of a hiring manager or one of the companies that hires from us. And were definitely going to look bad if we send your resume without knowing the full story and then they ask us about it. So if we dont have a clear picture, we arent going to risk sending it, and your resume will sit on our desk and collect dust. Red Flag 2 Youre bedrngnis coachableThe only reason a recruiter will recommend doing something (like a resume change) They think its going to get you more interviews and job offers faster (remember, thats how they get paid). So a recruiter is far more likely to continue helping you, answering questions, and dedicating time if they feel youre taking the advice theyre giving and putting it to good use. Your recruiter might know a few specific things a certain hiring manager looks for in an interview, so they might be giving you suggestions or telling you to prepare differently based on this knowledge. Or they might know a certain hiring manager really appreciates when someone sends a certain type of follow up after the interview. So theyre going to be frustrated if you do something differently and cost yourself the job offer after the interview. A lot of work goes into getting you interviews, and if they feel like youre doing something to hurt your chances after all that work, its a big red flag for them. Red Flag 3 You dont make adjustmentsA second part of being coachable is being able to make adjustments. If you go on an interview and it doesnt go well, call the recruiter you worked with and ask them about any feedback they received. Try to show the recruiter that youre taking the feedback and adjusting and improving so that youll do better in your next interview. Theyll forgive a LOT of mistakes if youre improving an d learning. Even saying, Thats a great point, Ill definitely work on that for next time, will motivate them to keep helping you. Thats how to get them excited about sending your resume out and continuing to represent you in your job search. But if a recruiter gets the sense youre unwilling to change, theyll start to feel its a lost cause and theyll dedicate less and less time to helping you. Or theyll stop entirely and help other job seekers instead. Red Flag 4 Youre unpredictableI mentioned earlier that one of our biggest fears is looking bad in front of a hiring manager we work with. And the quickest way to look bad as a recruiter is to send someone in for an interview, tell the hiring manager one thing, and have the job seeker say something else to them. Because it makes us look incompetent, or lazy (like we didnt take enough time to talk about your background with you). So if we talk with you and say, Whatever you do, dont mention the argument you had with your last boss in this interview and you say Okay, I guess Ill try not to, but you sound hesitant and brush it off, its a huge red flag. Because were not sure what youll say and it makes us nervous. If this happens, most recruiters will be hesitant to continue setting up more interviews, which is going to slow your job search down a lot.So if you want the recruiter on your side, make it clear what youll do in the interview so they have no doubt whats going on when theyre not in the room with you. This doesnt mean you need to say yes to everything they say. If youre told to do something (or not do something) and youre not sure why, ask No good recruiter will fault you for asking them to explain why they recommended something. Just dont brush it off and say whatever when they tell you something, because its going to scare the recruiter immediately. Red Flag 5 Youre scatteredIf youre working with 12 different recruiters and applying for six different types of positions in 9 cities, its a problem. Its okay i f youre not 100% sure what youre looking for but I recommendA) Being able to at least get close to defining what it is youre looking for in your job search (Im looking for a supervisor or manager position in either sales or marketing. Im hoping to directly lead a gruppe, but Im flexible in terms of team size)B) Being prepared to show the recruiter how else youre looking for jobs, and demonstrate that youre organized and have time available to work with them. All of this happens in the first phone call. Its how you answer when the recruiter asks, Tell me about what youre looking for in your next position? or, Tell me about your job search so far? So make sure youre prepared to impress them on those two questions and it will immediately make them want to help you. If you follow the advice above, youll have recruiters working hard behind the scenes to help you find a great job.Biron is an Executive Recruiter, Career Coach and founder of the blog CareerSidekick.com. As a recruiter he ha s partnered with Fortune 500 firms down to 6-person tech startups while helping hundreds of job seekers advance their careers. Hes passionate about business, entrepreneurship, and technology. To learn more about Birons work you can connect with him onLinkedIn.

New Social Platform MindLink Aims to Eliminate Email Overload

New Social Platform MindLink Aims to Eliminate Email Overload New Social Platform MindLink Aims to Eliminate Email Overload Business success today depends on teams of individuals working towards collective goals, said Daanish Khan, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing, Formicary Collaboration Group. But traditional email and social networking technology tools have fallen short in the enterprise in delivering business value because theyre not ideal for interactive, team-based collaboration. MindLink, on the other hand, was built from the ground up to support efficient communication among groups. Its so effective in the enterprise that it frequently becomes the preferred mode of communications for groups working on common activities and goal.MindLink is built on Microsofts unified communications platform Lync, making it easy to implement into daily processes thus encouraging high user adoption. The platform eliminates security issues through being available as either on on-premis is solution or accessed from a private cloud. Key features of MindLink include Live communication streams from internal or external sources delivered into team content and communications streams. Subscription customization allowing employees to subscribe only to the most relevant channels thus reducing email overload. Users can also create individual conversation streams focused on individual projects and interests. Conversation tools are accessible from a central hub for easy availability. Allows employees to update colleagues of availability and location at all times. Conversation histories are stored and searchable.

San Diego Resume - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt

San Diego Resume - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt Key Pieces of San Diego Resume When you look for a term, you are going to be presented with results depending on the progress youve made to date. Whenever you have finished the initial job job application, be sure to save it. Attempt never to search for a terrific job if youre unemployed. If youre searching for a professional job, you are going to have to have a work application. The summary must also be one that captures the interest of the reader. Your curriculum vitae will likely be split into sections. Resumes ought to be constantly improved, customized and edited in order to meet up with the demands of the task finder. Learn everything you can about writing resumes, utilize the web to look up examples of positive and negative resumes and be certain your services come under the good resume category The Downside Risk of San Diego Resume You only need to find ready a productive resume cover letter if you would rather secure a great job. Although some continue writers could be somewhat mora pricey than others, it doesnt signify you will require in order to prevent them. Paired with a cover letter, youre guaranteed to land at the peak of the interview pile Looking at how others composed their resumes can give you some great ideas. It is notlage hard to lean the bike on its side, but theres a deficiency of feel somewhere. Therefore, if youre searching to receive a job ( not just virtually any job, but the job which you want), be sure to do things proper and learn how to earn a superb resume. However much or the kind of work experience youve got, there are a continue format thats very likely to create your skills glow. Its a different kind of pitching. If you choose to include a number of positions, as its applicable to the specific teaching job youre applying for, then you could always elaborate on three experiences and just list the rest of the positions. Know the abiliti es necessary for the job which youre applying. Hands-on skills cant be learned online, and based on which state you reside in, only the theoretical portion of your education can be done online or none in any way. This can cause productive problem-solving and productive relationships. If you would like to additional advance in your selected career path, by becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for instance, you can finish a huge portion of the essential education online. Experience is the thing that sets me apart. The companies ought to be in a position to rapidly contact you. To the contrary, for those people who are seeking to possibly change careers from one mid-level company job to another this firm might be the ideal solution. You must make sure you fully grasp the work description well in order to think of an objective which is related to the business requirements. You can take advantage of the services in addition to products provided by firms intending to help new e ntrepreneurs run successful businesses. Seeking a fresh job may be an intimidating commencing, but in the event that you take the opportunity to construct a resume geared to the specific job, you can purchase the healthcare records specialist position you want. Understanding that theres a lot to job hunting, we make sure we provide you with all the needed tools you will need to go noticed. When listing your work experience, make certain that it is pertinent to the job youre applying for It looks good that youre involved with your campus. Your jobs may be different, your experience and abilities vast, and it can be difficult getting it all in some recoverable format. Few men and women understand how to earn a good resume. For example, if youre requesting a self-employed article writer job then you have to not only have adequate understanding of the English language, but you have to likewise be in a position to utilize it and writing a superior job application is 1 approach to ill ustrate your potential employers or maybe clients youre good on paper. If you or somebody you know is experiencing alcohol or drug addiction, we can provide help By clearly presenting the value you are able to bring, we get to the heart of what youre able to provide a possible employer in order that they will want to hire you.

Things You Should Know About Resume Writing Services Experience

Things You Should Know About Resume Writing Services Experience What You Must Know About Resume Writing Services Experience The qualified experts have written the very best papers in many diverse places. Our studies have provided us insight on an array of topics like recruiter preferences on resume length, how to tackle employment gaps, overcoming discrimination at work, and a number of other details which we may make the most of when tailoring our resumes to specific employer types. When you register for our services, you will have the ability to browse several nursing resume examples. You should make sure that youre ready to list your experience in a professional method to find a better job. So you opted to get started applying for employment, and you needresume help. Although there are numerous people out there still searching for a new job. They dont like their current job or career. 1 key difference of a job from a career is the degree of education needed by means of a man to meet the requirements for a position. If its necessary to compose a resume with very little or no experience, dont worry If this is the case, you are going to want to emphasize a number of the soft skills commonly necessary for customer service employees, such as being an excellent communicator and having strong interpersonal skills. Complete the simple info and experience, so you may browse jobs by function and location. Previous experience will compose the greatest portion of your resume. The difficult situation youre in may become your time to shine. You went through an interview, did leid receive the job at that moment, and a couple of days later when you would like to recall, suddenly the phone appears to weigh 2,000 lbs. As youre not in stress of job and must find time for your family members. How to Get Started with Resume Writing Services Experience? The Resume Writing industry gives a vital, valuable support. Dont neglect to add your professional social networking accounts on Facebook or LinkedIn, especially if youre looking for work in IT or Marketing. Opportunities Thanks to the internet there is currently a terrific chance for job tips for stay at home young mums. Resumes are not something which a person composes every day. A true professional will allow you to create the appropriate portfolio that could enable you to get the job that youve always dreamt of. In order to submit an application for a new job opportunity, you have to present and sell your abilities. If you would like a job outside the military, you are going to have to use different language and even a different format to pull attention. For instance, if youre asking for a job as an administrative assistant, you dont will need to discuss the way your role for a babysitter helped improve your childcare skills, but you might share the way the experience helped you cultivate time management abilities and the capacity to juggle numerous tasks simultaneously. Thi ngs You Should Know About Resume Writing Services Experience You should also make sure to list any preceding customer service positions youve held. The list of services isnt extensive. The services are essentially the exact same as the ones you are able to get on other high-quality sites. If youre looking for a higher-end company, please binnensee the top 10 list mentioned previously.

Prosthesis to Replace Crutches

Prosthesis to Replace Crutches Prosthesis to Replace Crutches Mike Sanders interests in three disparate areas entrepreneurship, mechanical engineering, and medicine, all came together one day when he glimpsed in passing a poster of a runner with a prosthetic leg.That happened serendipitously just as Sanders welches preparing to start working on a graduate degree after earning a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University a few years ago. Interested in entrepreneurship for as long as he can remember, Sanders was eager to capitalize on his engineering training. I had that bug in me from the beginning, he says, but my undergraduate work was too intense to do anything about it. He did, however, make a commitment to himself to get started on something once he began graduate work. With that a goal, he collected ideas of projects to pursue all throughout his college years.His methodical, meticulous work ethic paid off this summer with the commercial launch of Fl exLeg, a hands-free prosthetic-like device that replaces the need for crutches for temporary lower leg injuries. Trial-and-ErrorEngineering had won out as Sanders choice for a field of study over an M.D.-Ph.D. program. I always liked to tinker, he says, but he remained interested in medicine. The poster got him thinking about why someone who was recovering from a lower leg injury couldnt use a device that offered more freedom than crutches, such as prostheses for amputees, and that idea went on his growing list.Graduate school competitions provided an opportunity for Sanders to test his ideas, some even before designs were perfected. FlexLeg was one of those. Despite the accolades the idea captured, the device totenstill needed work.Image Flexleg.comOne of the biggest engineering challenges was achieving sufficient stability. Sanders original design put the support pylon directly below the knee as is done with expensive prostheses, but he realized that when the pylon is in this posi tion, users may tip outward, which can cause much more harm than tipping inward. So he moved the bar to the outside of the leg. Another change that helped stability was a redesign of the FlexLeg foot from a single point of contact with the ground to have two points of contact, the tanzabend and the heel, similar to a human foot. The foot on the device is flexible and that results in a more natural gait and pushes you toward your center of gravity with your good foot, Sanders said.Each prototype focused on addressing a specific issue, such as these, and by the sixth prototype, functionality from a stability perspective was working well. Stability is what we do better than any other competitive device, he says.After prototype six, the device still looked like an engineering project, Sanders says. It wasnt pretty, and it wasnt manufacturable. For the seventh prototype, Sanders and his team implemented principles from industrial design to address aesthetics and usability. Then it looked better and like a real product, he says, but it was still too expensive.Lessons LearnedBack to the drawing board, the team turned to extrudable aluminum to lower the cost and address weight issues. The overall design was also optimized. Until then we overbuilt everything because we were trying to figure out how to make things work, Sanders says.But in trimming down the thickness of the bar a quarter of an inch to reduce the devices weight, another issue arose the device couldnt hold someone 300 pounds and 6 feet, 8 inches. The trimming also caused torsional problems, which occurred, Sanders learned, because the closer the bar got to being flat, the less torsionally stiff it became. Correcting those issues led to prototype nine, the final production version, with a frame made of aerospace-grade aluminum and the foot of premium carbon fiber with a rubber sole.Just two years after the poster encounter, FlexLeg began shipping July 15 at a purchase price of $1,299 or rental rate of $75 per week.Sanders learned a lot by trial-and-error, and his advice to others in product development is to learn a little about anything that impacts the end result including industrial design, manufacturing, intellectual property law and general business principles. Its not possible to be an expert in everything, but its helpful to understand something about every other area, he says.Now when he starts a design, he is already taking into consideration all of those aspects as well. To say this is a good solution as an engineer, you are so much more valuable to other companies if you understand all the moving parts, and when you offer solutions, you have already accounted for them when you sit down in those meetings and give your design view, he says. You are not designing in a vacuum.Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer. For Further Discussion After prototype six, the device still looked like an engineering project. It wasnt pretty, and it wasnt manufacturable.Mike Sanders, FlexLeg LLC

Using a Smart Phone as a Biosensor

Using a Smart Phone as a Biosensor Using a Smart Phone as a Biosensor A chance conversation some two years ago about augmented reality game apps got Brian Cunningham thinking about how the computing and imaging power of smart phones might be used for something near and dear to his heart.Dr. Cunningham, professor of bioengineering and of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois, was meeting with an alumnus who related how the games he developed had been downloaded by millions.I started thinking that there must be something you could do with a smart phone for medical use, saysCunningham, whose area of research is biosensors.With little or no funding available, Cunningham proposed his idea to engineering students looking for a required senior project, and five volunteered. Work since then has produced a first generation device using a smart phone that promises to offer a wide range of biosensing capabilities on-location, outside of a laboratory.Led by Cunningham , the student kollektiv came up with a way to use the camera in a smart phone as a high-resolution spectrophotometer for performing some of the most important and common tests in biochemistry and molecular biology. The project is so promising that it received a grant from the National Science Foundation, and work now has started on the next generation device.Smart DeviceIn addition to having sensing capabilities for the medical field, such as detecting toxins, proteins, bacteria, viruses, and the like, the device could also be used in the environmental and food safety areas for tests such as on-location identification and tracking of groundwater contamination and quality control for food and food ingredients.The device consists of an app and an attachment to the phone that the team calls a cradle. This wedge-shaped attachment that fits on the back of the phone contains optical components, lenses and filters, and a compartment where a sample is placed. It is positioned to allow the p hones camera to measure the spectrum of light coming through the sample and into the camera and provides a result in just a few minutes.According to the universitys website, the cradle, holding about $200 worth of optical components, provides a result as accurate as that from a $50,000 lab spectrophotometer.Cunningham says there were times when things didnt work, and the team had to back up a step and try again. For example, the team tried to make the cradle out of plastic, but it wasnt accurate enough to hold all of the lenses and other components in place to get a good spectrum. So the team went to a machine shop and had one made out of aluminum. That worked really well, and now I think we could make a plastic one since we know how all the components come together,says Cunningham.A 96-well microtiter plate being used for ELISA. Image Jeffrey M. Vinocur / Wikimedia CommonsPersonal DiagnosticsThe prototype works for the most commonly used biosensor tests for personal diagnostics the ELISA, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, that identifies the presence of a substance by a color change. The team, now with new members because the first team graduated, is focusing on showing how the smart phone works with a representative number of the various ELISA tests, for example, for HIV, for cancer and others.With the NSF funding, the team is building a next generation device that will include an app and cradle capable of doing other types of tests, such as those that involve shining a laser at the sample and detecting light given off by the sample.Some of the tests we want to do involve detecting DNA, for example, detecting DNA thats present from a virus or DNA that would tell you whether a certain strain of bacteria is resistant to antibiotics, Cunningham says. There are certain tests where you want to detect a DNA sequence and the output of that is fluorescent. Our new system incorporates a green laser pointer and the ability to shine a laser at the sample.The first device had to be held up to a light bulb or the sun to get the light to come through a pin hole. With the next one, the idea is to use an internal LED of the phone itself as the light source, he explaines. Its more self-contained.Cunningham says he hopes, perhaps a year from now, there may be something commercially available that could be used for tests other than medical testing, which will take longer for regulatory approval.Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionI started thinking that there must be something you could do with a smart phone for medical use.Brian T. Cunningham, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Liberal arts major Heres how to get hired

Liberal arts major Heres how to get hiredLiberal arts major Heres how to get hiredThe results are in. CEOs in the hottest industries want to hire liberal arts majors. Its not just that CEOs themselves often have liberal arts backgrounds, but that so many companies are desperate for employees who can both think for themselves and collaborate with a team, while ably navigating the infinite possibilities of the Information Age. Who has these abilities? People with the creative and critical thinking skills that liberal arts educations foster. Even though everyone knows that they need the liberal arts advantage in their firm, however, qualifikation employers may need your help to see how your pathway through college prepares you for the job. You need to make good choices in school in order to prepare your liberal arts degree for life after graduation, then learn how to talk about your undergraduate studies to prospective employers. Its way past time to replace STEM with STEAM (Science, Te chnology, Engineering, Arts and Math). You can have it all A degree you love and a good job. Here are five tips to get you started.Major in what you loveYoull get better grades and generally just be a happier person if you spend your time studying the things you want to spend your time on. This may sound trite, but over the last 15 years of talking to undergraduates about their studies, Ive watched so many students blossom by switching from a job-oriented major to one that they feel passionate about. Youre likely to swap jobs and even careers many times in your life, so dont get caught up in training for something hyper specific. Dont waste college by spending all your time being unhappy with your major.Take some practical classesMost liberal arts majors are not packed with an overwhelming number of required courses, so put that flexibility to your advantage. Revel in your subjectmaybe its medieval history, South Asian novels or ceramics. Then be savvy about electives. Take some cou rses that the least creative hiring manager in corporate America will recognize as useful. Maybe choose a statistics or economics class, learn a little computer programming, or even minor in chemistry. Because that hiring manager is right, these classes are useful. Use your whole transcript to show the world who you are.Talk Skills, Not CoursesIf you want to jump from your major into a field that isnt clearly linked to its content, learn to describe your coursework for its skills, not what you covered. Practice your answer for when an interviewer asks you about college. Few interviewers care about the expertise that you developed about the Roman empire, as cool as that is. Instead, say that your liberal arts degree offered numerous opportunities to engage in research, answer complicated questions, assemble evidence quickly and often in groups, and then write persuasively. There are a lot of jobs in which the one page memo and the persuasive 20 minute PowerPoint presentation make all the difference between profit and loss. Liberal Arts majors have these critical skills. Look For High Impact ExperiencesCollege is filled with cool opportunities. You can live abroad for months or years, often for no more money than it would cost you to stay in the dorms. Colleges will put you in groups and teach you to build roads, housing, or teach in underprivileged communities. I never get over seeing the wonder on students faces when they find out their college will pay them a pretty good wage to do research Take advantage of these chances.Then, when facing a job interview, pull these out to talk about creativity, teamwork, dedication, work ethic, and overcoming challenges. When you sit in a chair opposite an interviewer and they ask you about your proudest accomplishment, it cant be your sophomore year beer pong title.WorkYou love your major. Youve diversified your transcript. You know how to talk about your skills. Youve done something amazing. Now, if you havent, go to work . Get a job. Shoot for that amazing paid internship. Collaborate with a professor as a research assistant. Become a peer counselor, advisor, tutor, or coach. Even if youre stuck in a gig you hate because you need to pay the bills, own it, and make it part of the story youre going to take when you when you graduate. As a liberal arts major, youre the well-rounded, creative, analytical, total package. You know a lot, but best of all, you know how to learn. Tell the right story about yourself and watch as the doors open wide.