The Robotic World of Melonee Wise

The Robotic World of Melonee Wise The Robotic World of Melonee Wise The Robotic World of Melonee WiseMelonee Wise knows robots and has been interested in them since childhood. Wise founded Fetch Robotics in 2014 and has extensive experience in the growth of the open source Robot Operating System. She started Fetch Robotics after founding and running Unbounded Robotic, a spin-off of Willow Garage, where she led a team of engineers developing next-generation robot hardware. Wise was a 2015 recipient of MIT Technology Reviews TR 35 award for technology innovators under the age of 35. She recently spoke with Mechanical Engineering magazine managing editor Chitra Sethi.ME You studied mechanical engineering up to the doctorate level, but you also influenced the growth of the open-source Robot Operating System. Did you enjoy working more on the software side of robotics?M.W My career as a mechanical engineer has not exactly been what I expected. During my stufe school I did internships with Honeywell and learned a lot about what engineers are supposed to be doing. When I came to California at Willow Garage, I worked a lot on control and dynamics and ended up being a software engineer for six years. That was a step in the direction I never expected, and then after a couple years I ended up doing mechanical design. I enjoyed both but sometimes I enjoy the software more because with hardware you have a definitive design cycle.For You Snake Robots Crawl to the Rescue ME From the role of senior engineer to the CEO of two companies within six years, how was the transition to the business side? Working alongside people, Autonomous Mobile Robots improve warehouse efficiency. Image Fetch RoboticsM.W Its more when you start managing people that you become less hands on. Becoming a CEO was really about understanding how to focus your technical pursuits in a way that improves the team without getting in the teams way. I think one of the hardest transition in being an engineer to a CEO is the social transition. You are suddenly stepping out of a very technical role and you have a lot of technical people around you who dont understand that transition that creates some tension.ME Warehouse robotics is a hot space right now and there is a lot of competition in this area. Why do you think your robots will succeed?M.W We design both the hardware and software. The hardware is extensible, so you can put different accessories, enable integrators to work with customers. Same with our software as it enables people to deploy fast and allows automation very easily. We have invested a lot of time and energy in the usability of the product not just from a hardware but software perspective. There is a lot of pressure in the warehouse industry to move quickly and there arent enough people to do the warehousing jobs, so it puts us in a very good position to provide automation.ME How do you binnensee warehouse robots evolving? From warehouses, where do they go next?The next biggest, most possible thing is autonomous driving and it will take 10-to-20 years to really have ubiquitous adoption of it. Melonee Wise, Fetch RoboticsM.W The next biggest, most possible thing is autonomous driving and it will take 10 to 20 years to really have ubiquitous adoption of it. We are starting to see testing in fair-weather cities but thats not uniform adoption. Another area where you will see more and more robots entering is eldercare. Its a very hard problem to solve and it will take people a lot of time to be successful in this space.ME You have been in the field of robotics for almost two decades now. Have you seen much progression being made in easing up gender disparity in the robotics world?M.W Its hard to look at it in the robotics world. In engineering, there has been some progress but a bigger problem for robotics is the number of students going to grad school because in robotics we need people with graduate degrees. Its really about how we inspir e students early in the education cycle to think about engineering. One of the challenges we put up ourselves is that engineering is very hard and people say I cant do it without even trying it. We have to hang the dialogue around mathematics to start. We must engage women throughout the entire process of STEM education. That women need extra help is not the message we should be sending. Read the latest issue of theMechanical Engineering Magazine.Read MoreRemote Robot Cleans Trash from WaterRobots Modeled on Bees Sense Rather than ThinkWearable Robot Helps Children WalkFor Further Discussion

Today Is the Day to Update Your Resume

Today Is the Day to Update Your Resume Today Is the Day to Update Your Resume - poor leadership (41 percent)- looking for a better work culture and more challenging work (36 percent)- and the desire for better pay at work (34 percent).The most intriguing aspect of this survey is the fact that the statistics cited above pretty much match thereasons why job seekers turn to resume writers. During a 30-minute resume consultation, I often ask clients how much they value their job happiness. Some have openly stated, I havent really focused on that, but maybe its time to. You spend more time at work than you do at home so why shouldnt you be happy at work?Moreover, it is often the case thatdissatisfaction does cross our minds, but we are fearful of leaving the comfort of a job we are accustomed to. Wequestion whether the grass is really greener on the other side.Why You Should Always Keep Your Resume Up-to-DateThere are multiple reasons to update your resume and there are plenty of time s when it is important to have an updated resume ready to go. What if a recruiter locates you through your LinkedIn profile and you havent updated your resume since you started at your company four years ago? Relying on your memory to remember everything youve done for the past four years can be quite overwhelming and youll probably make some critical errors.Thats why its a good idea to keep a list of your accomplishments, achievements, and major contributions. Update that list every six months. Its much easier to reflect on the past six months than it is to reflect on the past year or four.If your careerinterests change and you realize its time to look for a new opportunity, youll have a much easier time searching for a job if you have an updated copy of your resume on pranke that accurately reflects your current skill set.You should also note that there are many skill sets that are transferable between industries and positions. Knowing what skills a newposition requires and plugg ing in specific examples of how you have demonstrated those skillscan help you craft a better list of accomplishments and achievements.Todays Resumes Are Critical Documents, Not Simple FormalitiesResumes are no longerlaundry lists of your work history and job responsibilities. Now, they are strategic career documents that must market your brand and sell your value to a potential employer. The best way to stand out as a job candidate is to be able to differentiate your skills and accomplishments from the next candidate. What may have landed you the role with your company four years ago may not be enough now that you arereentering the job market.Keeping your resume updated will help you stay agile in your career. Youll be ready to pounce on any opportunity that arises. A review of your resume by a professional resume writer can be an insightful tool that helps you learn where theres room for improvement. Similarly, aprofessionally written resume can and will shorten your job search, i ncrease your income potential, and land you a better job.As Benjamin Franklin said, Dont put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Start updating your resumebeforea new and exciting position catches your attention.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career. been quoted by The Huffington Post and geschftsleben News Daily. She frequently speaks at local colleges and for organizations on resume writing, LinkedIn profiles, and interviewing skills. Wendi is the owner of The Writing Guru, a resume firm based in Miami, Florida, with national clientele.

Top 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates and How to Fix Them

Top 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates and How to Fix ThemTop 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates - and How to Fix Them As in romantic relationships, hiring managers avoid an over-eager suitor. You know the type - after one date or one conversation, theyre calling, texting and wanting to see you every day in a constant attempt to convince you that theyre the one. Unfortunately, this only has the opposite effect. Desperation is relationship repellant, and thats true when it comes to hiring as well.If you want to avoid turning hiring managers off with an excessively keen attitude, make aya to fix these bad habits.Have you ever been to a department store where the salespeople keep trying to push the store credit card? With every No thanks the salesperson gets, the more they list benefits and tell you how great the card is and why youd be a fool to walk out without it. Interviews can go the same way. You have to sell your strengths without overselling . T he Fix Ask strategic questions, listen and treat the interview like a business meeting - which is what it is.If the interviewer says, Were looking for someone who can expand our product market to Canada, your response should consist of more than, Sure, I can do that Go deeper. Ask about their strategic plan and the biggest issues they face as they try to accomplish the expansion. You may elend have the job yet, but offer suggestions as if you do. Tie the topic to an example from your own career, where you overcame a business expansion challenge. Give them specifics about the results you got. By simply having a business conversation, youre able to sell yourself without overselling. Remember, its not about you - its about the companys needs. How can you solve their problem?When you give answers to questions you werent asked, or go on at length, you can ramble yourself right out of a job. Unfocused talk shows you dont listen well and cant answer a simple question. I get it One to pic often leads to another, and you get excited about the subject, but be careful. In addition to being rude, you can open yourself to questions you dont want to answer.The Fix Trim the fat by practicing your answers ahead of time. Your interview isnt a therapy session, and practice really does make perfect. With practice, you get your answers right and tight. Try to do a few mock interviews too, with a friend who will be honest with you when you get off track. Its one thing to perform in-depth research on a company or interviewer, but its another to list all the ways youve stalked them online. Dont get me wrong, Im in favor of Googling companies and interviewers, but you have to keep it professional. Be careful not to get into their personal life. The Fix Dont focus on personal pages during your interview prep. With Google, everything comes up, but in an interview, you have to avoid initiating topics that you found on non-business-related sites like personal social media pages. If the interviewer brings up a personal topic, dont respond with something like, Oh yes, I saw your facebook inc post about that Follow their lead.Well be in touch doesnt mean show up to the office unannounced to drop off materials and check in. Once the interview is over, the last thing recruiters or hiring managers want to see is a candidate returning when they werent invited.The Fix This comes back to preparation. If you have prepared properly, there should be no need for additional materials. Leave the ball in their court. In your post-interview thank-you email , say youre available if they need additional materials or information. Thats whats expected. Dont follow up multiple times, especially when you havent heard anything back the first time.The interviewer is not your friend and shouldnt be treated as such. The best interviewers have a way of making you relaxed and comfortable, but be careful not to get relaxed to the point where youre talking in a manner and tone thats unprofessional. No matter how casual the environment, or how much rapport you have with the interviewer, keep it businesslike.The Fix Always remember that an interview is a business meeting, and dont do or say anything that you wouldnt in that context. Simple, right?Its tempting to think that saying Yes to everything the interviewer says gives you an advantage, but it doesnt. When an employer is seeking new employees, theyre looking for fresh ideas, new insights and immediate impact . Theyre not looking for people to agree with everything they say or maintain the status quo. The Fix Remember that they want to hear your ideas, and theyre not looking for cookie-cutter answers. They decided to call you for an interview because YOU had something they were looking for. Be yourself, and give them something only you can giveInterviewing is hard enough. Dont give interviewers a reason to eliminate you from the process before youve even had a chance to showcase your skills. But if youv e got the right qualifications and can maintain a healthy balance between interested and overeager, youve got a great shot at scoring the job.Niya Allen-Vatel is a 3x-certified certified rsum writer, career coach, and brand strategist helping ambitious leaders build their brands to boost credibility, increase opportunities, and establish themselves as an expert in their niche. She is the owner of the ministerprsident career branding service, Career Global , based in New York City.