What does it mean to be human

What does it mean to be humanWhat does it mean to be humanThe Rock of Gibraltar appears out of the plane window as an immense limestone monolith sharply rearing up from the base of Spain into the Mediterranean. One of the ancient Pillars of Hercules, it marked the end of the Earth in classical times. Greek sailors didnt go past it. Atlantis, the unknown, lay beyond.In summer 2016, Gibraltar is in the throes of a 21st-century identity crisis geographically a part of Spain, politically a part of Britain now torn, post Brexit, between its colonial and European Union ties. For such a small area less than seven square kilometres Gibraltar is home to an extraordinarily diverse human population. It has been home to people of all types over the millennia, including early Europeans at the edge of their world, Phoenicians seeking spiritual support before venturing into the Atlantic, and Carthaginians arriving in a new world from Africa.But Ive come to see who welches living here even further back, between 30,000 and 40,000 years ago, when sea levels were much lower and the climate was swinging in and out of ice ages. It was a tough time to be alive and the period saw the species that could, such as birds, migrate south to warmer climes, amid plenty of local extinctions. Among the large mammal species struggling to survive were lions, wolves and at least two types of human ur own verrotten human ancestors, and the last remaining populations of ur cousins, the Neanderthals.By understanding mora about ansicht prehistoric people, we can learn about who we are as a species today. Our ancestors experiences shaped us, and they may still hold answers to some of our current health problems, from diabetes to depression.Everyone of European descent has some Neanderthal DNA in their genetic makeupIm plektroned up outside my hotel by archaeologists Clive and Geraldine Finlayson, in a car that itself looks fairly ancient. Typical for this crowded little peninsula, they are of divers e origins he, pale-skinned and sandy-haired, can trace his ancestry back to Scotland she, olive-skinned and dark-haired, from the Genoese refugees escaping Napoleons purges. How different we humans can look from each other. And yet the people whose home I am about to visit truly were of a different race.We dont know how many species of humans there have been, how many different races of people, but the evidence suggests that around 600,000 years ago one species emerged in Africa that used fire, made simple tools from stones and animal bones, and hunted big animals in large cooperative groups. And 500,000 years ago, these humans, known asHomo heidelbergensis, began to take advantage of fluctuating climate changes that regularly greened the African continent, and spread into Europe and beyond.By 300,000 years ago, though, migration into Europe had stopped, perhaps because a severe ice age had created an impenetrable desert across the Sahara, sealing off the Africans from the other tr ibes. This geographic separation enabled genetic differences to evolve, eventually resulting in different races, although they were still the saatkorn species and would prove able to have fertile offspring together. The race left behind in Africa would becomeHomo sapiens sapiens, or modern humans those who evolved adaptations to the cooler European north would become Neanderthals, Denisovans and others whom we can now only glimpse with genetics.Neanderthals were thriving from Siberia to southern Spain by the time a few families of modern humans made it out of Africa around 60,000 years ago. These Africans encountered Neanderthals and, on several occasions,had children with them. We know this because human DNA has been found in the genomes of Neanderthals, and because everyone alive today of European descent including me has some Neanderthal DNA in their genetic makeup. Could it be that their genes, adapted to the northerly environment, provided a selective advantage to our ancesto rs as well?It was like Neanderthal CityAfter driving through narrow tunnels on a road that skirts the cliff face, we pull up at a military checkpoint. Clive shows the guard our accreditation and were waved through to park inside. Safety helmets on to protect from jupeslides, we leave the car and continue on foot under a low rock arch. A series of metal steps leads steeply down the cliff to a narrow shingle beach, 60 meters below. The tide is lapping the pebbles and our feet must negotiate the unstable larger rocks to find a dry path.Ive been concentrating so hard on keeping my footing that it is something of a shock to look up and suddenly face a gaping absence in the rock wall. We have reached Gorhams Cave, a great teardrop-shaped cavern that disappears into the white cliff face and, upon entering, seems to grow in height and space. This vast, cathedral-like structure, with a roof that soars high into the interior, was used by Neanderthals for tens of thousands of years. Scientists believe it was their last refuge. When Neanderthals disappeared from here, some 32,000 years ago, we became the sole inheritors of our continent.I pause, perched on a rock inside the entrance, in bestellung to consider this people not so different from myself once sat here, facing the Mediterranean and Africa beyond. Before I arrived in Gibraltar, I used a commercial genome-testing service to analyse my ancestry. From the vial of saliva I sent them, they determined that 1 per cent of my DNA is Neanderthal. I dont know what health advantages or risks these genes have given me testing companies are no longer allowed to provide this level of detail but it is an extraordinary experience to be so close to the intelligent, resourceful people who bequeathed me some of their genes. Sitting in this ancient home, knowing none of them survived to today, is a poignant reminder of how vulnerable we are it could so easily have been a Neanderthal woman sitting here wondering about her extinct human cousins.Gorhams Cave seems an oddly inaccessible place for a home. But Clive, who has been meticulously exploring the cave for 25 years, explains that the view was very different back then. With the sea levels so much lower, vast hunting plains stretched far out to sea, letting people higher on the rock spot prey and signal to each other. In front of me would have been fields of grassy dunes and lakes wetlands that were home to birds, grazing deer and other animals. Further around the peninsula to my right, where the dunes gave way to shoreline, would have been clam colonies and mounds of flint. It was idyllic, Clive says. The line of neighbouring caves here probably had the highest concentration of Neanderthals living anywhere on Earth. It was like Neanderthal City, he adds.Deep inside the cave, Clives gruppe of archaeologists have found the remains of fires. Further back are chambers where the inhabitants could have slept protected from hyenas, lions, leopards and other pr edators. They ate shellfish, pine seeds, plants and olives. They hunted big game and also birds. There was plenty of fresh water from the springs that still exist under what is now seabed, Clive says. They had spare time to sit and think they werent just surviving.He and Geraldine have uncovered remarkable evidence of Neanderthal culture in the cave, including the first example of Neanderthal artwork. The hashtag, adeliberately carved rock engraving, is possibly evidence of thefirst steps towards writing. Other signs of symbolic or ritualistic behaviour, such as the indication that Neanderthals were making and wearing black feather capes or headdresses as well as warm clothes, all point to a social life not so different to the one our African ancestors were experiencing.Clive shows me a variety of worked stones, bone and antler. I pick up a flint blade and hold it in my hand, marvelling at how the same technology is being passed between people biologically and culturally linked but separated by tens of thousands of years. Other sites in Europe have uncovered Neanderthal-made necklaces of strung eagle talons dating back 130,000 years, little ochre clamshell compacts presumably for adornment, and burial sites for their dead.These people evolved outside of Africa but clearly had advanced culture and the capability to survive in a hostile environment. Consider modern humans were in the Middle East perhaps 70,000 years ago, and reached Australia more than 50,000 years ago, says Clive. Why did it take them so much longer to reach Europe? I think it was because Neanderthals were doing very well and keeping modern humans out.But by 39,000 years ago, Neanderthals were struggling. Genetically they had low diversity because of inbreeding and they were reduced to very low numbers, partly because an extreme and rapid change of climate was pushing them out of many of their former habitats. A lot of the forested areas they depended on were disappearing and, while they were intelligent enough to adapt their tools and technology, their bodies were unable to adapt to the hunting techniques required for the new climate and landscapes.In parts of Europe, the landscape changed in a generation from thick forest to a plain without a single tree, Clive says. Our ancestors, who were used to hunting in bigger groups on the plains, could adapt easily instead of jagdbeuteebeest they had reindeer, but effectively the way of capturing them was the same. But Neanderthals were forest people.It couldve gone the other way if instead the climate had got wetter and warmer, we might be Neanderthals today discussing the demise of modern humans.This is why ancient genetics and ancient genomics are so powerful you can look at an individual and say, Did they have this gene or not?Although the Neanderthals, like the Denisovans and other races we are yet to identify, died out, their genetic legacy lives on in people of European and Asian descent. Between 1 and 4 per cent of our DNA is of Neanderthal origins, but we dont all carry the same genes, so across the population around20 per cent of the Neanderthal genomeis still being passed on. Thats an extraordinary amount, leading researchers to suspect that Neanderthal genes must be advantageous for survival in Europe.Interbreeding across different races of human would have helped accelerate the accumulation ofuseful genes for the environment, a process that would have taken much longer to occur through evolution by natural selection. Neanderthal tweaks to our immune system, for example, may have boosted our survival in new lands, just as we prime our immune system with travel vaccines today. Many of the genes are associated with keratin, the protein in skin and hair, including some that are linked to corns and others that play a role inpigmentation Neanderthals were redheads, apparently. Perhaps these visible variants were considered appealing by our ancestors and sexually selected for, or perhaps a tougher skin offered some advantage in the colder, darker European environment.Some Neanderthal genes, however, appear to be a disadvantage, for instance making us more prone to diseases like Crohns, urinary tract disorders and type 2 diabetes, and to depression. Others change the way wemetabolise fats, risking obesity, or even make us more likely to become addicted to smoking. None of these genes are a direct cause of these complicated conditions, but they are contributory risk factors, so how did they survive selection for a thousand generations?Its likely that for much of the time since our sexual encounters with Neanderthals, these genes were useful. When we lived as hunter-gatherers, for example, or early farmers, we would have faced times of near starvation interspersed with periods of gorging. Genes that now pose a risk of diabetes may have helped us to cope with starvation, but our new lifestyles of continual gorging on plentiful, high-calorie food now reveal harmful side-effects. P erhaps it is because of such latent disadvantages that Neanderthal DNA is very slowly now being deselected from the human genome.While I can (sort of) blame my Neanderthal ancestry for everything from mood disorders to being greedy, another archaic human race passed on genes that help modern Melanesians, such as people in Papua New Guinea, survive different conditions. Around the time that the ancestors of modern Europeans and Asians were getting friendly with Neanderthals, the ancestors of Melanesians were having sex with Denisovans, about whom we know very little. Their surviving genes, however, may help modern-day Melanesians to live at altitude by changing the way their bodies react to low levels of oxygen. Some geneticists suspect that other, yet-to-be-discovered archaic races may have influenced the genes ofother human populationsacross the world.Interbreeding with Neanderthals and other archaic humans certainly changed our genes, but the story doesnt end there.I am a Londoner , but Im a little darker than many Englishwomen because my father is originally from Eastern Europe. We are attuned to such slight differences in skin colour, face shape, hair and a host of other less obvious features encountered across different parts of the world. However, there has been no interbreeding with other human races for at least 32,000 years. Even though I look very different from a Han Chinese or Bantu person, we are actually remarkably similar genetically. There is far less genetic difference between any two humans than there is between two chimpanzees, for example.The reason for our similarity is the population bottlenecks we faced as a species, during which our numbers dropped as low as a few hundred families and we came close to extinction. As a result, we are too homogeneous to have separated into different races. Nevertheless, variety has emerged through populations being separated geographically and culturally, in some cases over thousands of years. The greate st distinctions occur in isolated populations where small genetic and cultural changes become exaggerated, and there have been many of them over the 50,000 years since my ancestors made the journey out of Africa towards Europe.According to the analysis of my genome, my haplogroup is H4a. Haplogroups describe the anlautmutations on our mitochondrial DNA, passed down through the maternal line, and can theoretically be used to trace a migratory path all the way back to Africa. H4a is a group shared by people in Europe, unsurprisingly, and western Asia. It is, the genome-testing company assures me, the same as Warren Buffets. So what journey did my ancestors take that would result in these mutations and give me typically European features?There exists an uneasy relationship between biology and cultureI was dumped by helicopter in the wilderness with two other people, a Russian and an indigenous Yukaghir man, with our dogs, our guns, our traps, a little food and a little tea. There we ha d to survive and get food and furs in the coldest place on Earth where humans live naturally minus 60 degrees.Eske Willerslev lived for six months as a trapper in Siberia in his 20s. Separately, his identical twin brother Rane did the same. When they were teenagers, their father had regularly left them in Lapland to survive alone in the wilderness for a couple of weeks, fostering a passion for the remote tundra and the people who live there, and they went on increasingly lengthy expeditions. But surviving practically alone was very different. It was a childhood dream, but it was the toughest thing I have ever done, Eske admits.These experiences affected the twins deeply, and both have been driven towards a deeper understanding of how the challenge of survival has forged us as humans over the past 50,000 years. It led Eske into the science of genetics, and to pioneering the new field of ancient DNA sequencing. Now director of the Centre for GeoGenetics at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Eske has sequenced the worlds oldest genome (a 700,000-year-old horse) and was the first to sequence the genome of an ancient human, a 4,000-year-old Saqqaq man from Greenland. Since then, he has gone on to sequence yet more ancient humans and, in doing so, has fundamentally changed our understanding of early human migration through Europe and beyond. If anyone can unpick my origins, it is surely Eske.First, though, I go to meet his twin Rane, who studied humanities, went into cultural anthropology and is now a professor at Aarhus University. Hes not convinced that his brothers genetic approach can reveal all the answers to my questions There exists an uneasy relationship between biology and culture, he tells me. Natural scientists claim they can reveal what sort of people moved around, and they are not interested in having their models challenged. But this cannot tell you anything about what people thought or what their culture was.To put this point to Eske, I visit him in his delightful museum office, opposite a petite moated castle and in the grounds of the botanic gardens there could scarcely be a more idyllic place for a scientist to work. Greeting him for the first time, just hours after meeting Rane, is disconcerting. Identical twins are genetically and physically almost exactly the same looking back, many years from now, at DNA left by the brothers, it would be all but impossible to tell them apart or even to realise that there were two of them.Eske tells me that he is increasingly working with archaeologists to gain additional cultural perspective, but that genetic analysis can answer questions that nothing else can. You find cultural objects in certain places and the fundamental question is Does that mean people who made it were actually there or that it was traded? And, if you find very similar cultural objects, does that mean there was parallel or convergent cultural evolution in the two places, or does that mean there was contact? he explains.For example, one theory says the very first people crossing into the Americas were not Native Americans but Europeans crossing the Atlantic, because the stone tools thousands of years ago in America are similar to stone tools in Europe at the same time. Only when we did the genetic testing could we see it was convergent evolution, because the guys carrying and using those tools have nothing to do with Europeans. They were Native Americans. So the genetics, in terms of migrations, is by far the most powerful tool we have available now to determine was it people moving around or was it culture moving around? And this is really fundamental.What Eske went on to discover about Native American origins rewrote our understanding completely. It had been thought that they were simply descendants of East Asians who had crossed the Bering Strait. In 2013, however, Eske sequenced the genome of a 24,000-year-old boy discovered in central Siberia, and found a missing link between ancient Europeans and East Asians, the descendants of whom would go on to populate America. Native Americans can thustrace their roots back to Europeas well as East Asia.And what about my ancestors? I show Eske the H4a haplotype analysed by the sequencing company and tell him it means Im European. He laughs derisively. You could be and you could be from somewhere else, he says. The problem with the gene-sequencing tests is that you cant look at a population and work back to see when mutation arose with much accuracy the error bars are huge and it involves lots of assumptions about mutation rates.This is why ancient genetics and ancient genomics are so powerful you can look at an individual and say, Now we know we are 5,000 years ago, how did it look? Did they have this gene or not?While ancient genomics can help satisfy curiosity about our origins, its real value may be in trying to unpick different health risksThe things that we thought we understood about Europeans are coming unstuck a s we examine the genes of more ancient people. For example, it was generally accepted that pale skin evolved so we could get more vitamin D after moving north to where there was little sun and people had to cover up against the cold. But it turns out that it was the Yamnaya people from much further south, tall and brown-eyed, who brought pale skins to Europe. Northern Europeans before then were dark-skinned and got plenty of vitamin D from eating fish.It is the same with lactose tolerance. Around 90 per cent of Europeans have a genetic mutation that allows them to digest milk into adulthood, and scientists had assumed that this gene evolved in farmers in northern Europe, giving them an additional food supply to help survive the long winters. But Eskes research using the genomes of hundreds of Bronze Age people, who lived after the advent of farming, has cast doubt on this theory too We found that the genetic trait was almost non-existent in the European population. This trait only b ecame abundant in the northern European population within the last 2,000 years, he says.It turns out that lactose tolerance genes were also introduced by the Yamnaya. They had a slightly higher tolerance to milk than the European farmers and must have introduced it to the European gene pool. Maybe there was a disaster around 2,000 years ago that caused a population bottleneck and allowed the gene to take off. The Viking sagas talk about the sun becoming black a major volcanic eruption that could have caused a massive drop in population size, which could have been where some of that stock takes off with lactose.While ancient genomics can help satisfy curiosity about our origins, its real value may be in trying to unpick some of the different health risks in different populations. Even when lifestyle and social factors are taken into account, some groups are at significantly higher risk of diseases such as diabetes or HIV, while other groups seem more resistant. Understanding why co uld help us prevent and treat these diseases more effectively.It had been thought that resistance to infections like measles, influenza and so on arrived once we changed our culture and started farming, living in close proximity with other people and with animals. Farming started earlier in Europe, which was thought to be why we have disease resistance but Native Americans dont, and also why the genetic risks of diabetes and obesity are higher in native Australian and Chinese people than in Europeans.Then, says Eske, we sequenced a hunter-gatherer from Spain, and he showed clear genetic resistance to a number of pathogens that he shouldnt have been exposed to. Clearly, Europeans and other groups have a resistance that other groups dont have, but is this really a result of the early agricultural revolution in Europe, or is something else going on?Eskes analysis of people living 5,000 years ago has also revealed massive epidemics of plague in Europe and Central Asia, 3,000 years earli er than previously thought. Around 10 per cent of all skeletons the team analysed had evidence of plague. Scandinavians and some northern Europeans have higher resistance to HIV than anywhere else in the world, Eske notes. Our theory is that their HIV resistance is partly resistance towards plague.It could be that the cultural changes we have made, such as farming and herding, have had less influence on our genes than we thought. Perhaps it is simply the randomness of genetic mutation that has instead changed our culture. Theres no doubt that where mutations have occurred and spread through our population, they have influenced the way we look, our health risks and what we can eat. My ancestors clearly didnt stop evolving once theyd left Africa were still evolving now and they have left an intriguing trail in our genes.At the Gibraltar Museum, a pair of Dutch archaeology artists have created life-size replicas of a Neanderthal woman and her grandson, based on finds from nearby. The y are naked but for a woven amulet and decorative feathers in their wild hair. The boy, aged about four, is embracing his grandmother, who stands confidently and at ease, smiling at the viewer. Its an unnerving, extraordinarily powerful connection with someone whose genes I may well share, and I recall Clives words from when I asked him if modern humans had simply replaced Neanderthals because of our superior culture.That replacement theory is a kind of racism. Its a very colonialist mentality, he said. Youre talking almost as if they were another species.Professor Eske Willerslev is a research associate at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, which is funded by a core grant from the Wellcome Trust, which publishes Mosaic.This article was originally posted on Mosaic.com.

Best Job Search Articles of the Week February 27

Best Job Search Articles of the Week February 27Best Job Search Articles of the Week February 27With so many articles on job search, job interviewing, networking, and career development, its hard not to miss something noteworthy.With that in mind, we at Simply Hired have done some of the busywork for you and selected a few of the top articles from the last week.The 2 Most Important Words In A Job InterviewAnn Fishers article in Fortune had a quite provocative title. What are the most important words to use in a job interview? Believe it or not, in this article youll learn that recruiters can size up your leadership potential if you use these two words. Curious, which words?Know Your Job Search CompetitionLiz Ryan always puts out thought provoking articles around career development and job search, complete with a great illustration, and this week is no different. In this piece, found in Forbes, she offers an alternative way to think about your job interview and handle your interaction with the interviewer. Namely, why the company is hiring? A hint they are trying to solve a problem at the company.8 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Job SearchJob search is trying enough. Theres competition and jobs are always in demand. If that isnt enough pressure, what if youre also battling yourself? Thats what Lisa Frank s article calls out the various ways youre holding yourself back from job search success. Check out her list and make sure youre not doing any of these things that can kill your chances of quickly landing a job.12 Questions Worth Asking in Your Next Job InterviewOh yes, the job interview is a two-way conversation. How many times have you heard that while preparing for an interview? But coming up with relevant and fresh questions to ask your interviewer is never easy. In this article Thorin Klosowski offers some original questions to better help you determine if youre actually the person for the job.Leonardo DaVincis Hand-Written Resume Will Make You Feel Inadequat eTheres been buzz around DaVincis resume for some time. Robbie Gonzalezs article brings it back into the forefront highlighting just how impressive Leonardo really was. But take it as inspiration. Renaissance men and women live today too

5 reasons you need to dump your loser friends

5 reasons you need to dump yur loser friends5 reasons you need to dump yur loser friendsHigh school was notlage easy for me. I never cared for the teenage wasteland parties. An exciting Friday night in my little Wyoming town was to drag main and turn up the volume on our car radios. Girls got married and guys got drunk.I wanted to be somewhere else. I wasnt the only one. Most of us made the decision to leave sometime in middle school, years before the idea hit consciousness in our senior year. Those who didnt leave also knew by middle school that theyd never make the one-way trip out of town.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAn interesting pattern started to develop among my classmates. Those who had a low opinion of their own worth chose new friends that confirmed it. Maybe they didnt believe they deserved any better. Perhaps they were too lazy to look for something better. Even worse, if they surrounded themselves with loser friends, they started to look like the wintern of the bunch.Not everyone who chooses to stay behind is a loser, so lets define loser friends.They are people whoAre not supportive of you.Not there when you need them.Tend to be negative about everything.Agree with everything you say.Only show up when they need you.Have no desire to make their life better.Expect you to drop everything when they have a crisis.Tend to think everything that relates to them is a crisis.Most of us have loser friends, toxic people who disrupt our world as soon as they come onto the scene. Wimps are people who are too lazy and too timid to cut ties from loser friends and move on so they can improve their lives.We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with- Jim RohnSimply put, the law of averages tells us that the result of any given situation will be the average of all outcomes. We are influenced by the people with whom we spend the most time . They create the environment that influences the way we think, our self-esteem, and our decisions. We will interact with many people over the course of our life, but the few who are closest to us have the greatest impact on our way of thinking and our decisions.Plato once said, People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.Pick the people you spend time with care- they create the environment in which you will either thrive or wilt. While we need different types of personalities in our life to bring out the best in us, only share your dreams and goals only with those who value them as much as you do.Here are 5 Reasons you need to dump your loser friends so you can1. Surround yourself with friends who will give you honest feedbackThe Journal of Consumer Researchrecently published a study that summarizes the difference between amateurs and experts. Amateurs focus on positive feedback and want to hear what theyre doing right so they can continue on the same path.Experts do not care about what theyve done right. Instead, theyre more interested in how they can make progress. They dont surround themselves with sycophants and other bootlickers who dont have the backbone to be honest in their feedback.As entrepreneurs and geschftlicher umgang owners, your focus shifts as you become more of an expert in your field. Your confidence is not affected by negative feedback, just as long as its constructive and honest.How to make it work for you Its important to be surrounded by people who want the best for you and will be there when you need them. But, its also necessary to keep people around you who will provide you with constructive criticism and not just vacuous positivity.Theauthor of the study abovebelieves the onus is on the person who provides the feedback. Often negative feedback is buried and not very specific. Encourage your circle of friends to be specific and straightforward with their critique.2. Establish a benchmark for your inner circleWe all have different friends for different seasons in our life. Its been said that the way we do anything is the way we do everything. So, be intentional about the people you select to be in your inner circle. If you have a friend you wouldnt recommend to a close family member, why do you spend time with them yourself? Remember, a wimp is someone who settles for loser friends because its the easiest path.Choose friends who are dependable and honest. Select people you admire, show you love and respect, and reciprocate your kindness.How to make it work for you Ask yourself whether spending time with this person will lift you up or drag you down? If you spend time with this person, will they help you to become your best self? Will you be happier after spending time with them? Will they help you achieve your most important goals? If not, find friends who will.3. Make room for a mentor or twoLoser friends are not known f or or respected for their knowledge and skill sets. They do not champion your success nor have they expressed a great deal of confidence in your abilities. Turn that upside down and you have the perfect description of what you should look for in a mentor. You deserve to surround yourself with people who believe in you and are willing to build a relationship with you. Above all, good mentors will always challenge you and encourage you to take risks.One of the best moves you can make in life is to surround yourself with friends who see the potential in you that you may not even see in yourself. These are the people who give you permission to follow your dreams.Enthusiasm is contagious. The best mentors are enthusiastic about what they do and believe their work provides both value and meaning. They want to share that excitement with you. Most of all, they encourage you to have the same goals.How to make it work for youIn your career you will meet people who are both younger and older. Dont always assume a mentor should always be someone who is older. While older friends can be a beacon of wisdom, younger friends can keep you from getting too jaded in your work. Its often refreshing to see the world through the eyes of those who are still anxious to learn rather than teach.4. Recognize narcissists for what they areLoser friends suck life out of your aspirations because they always shift attention and energy back to themselves. They may listen as you voice your concerns but notice how they manage to inject their own situation into the conversation. Suddenly, it becomes about them and their life experiences.Narcissistsare loser friends who belittle your problems. They may offer some level of sympathy and understanding at first, but theyll soon shift the conversation into 1) how their problems are so much greater or unusual, or 2) how they solved a similar problem in the past and how great it turned out for them. On top of that, narcissists expect you to show perpetu al appreciation for their assistance and presence in your life. All thats important to them is whattheywant and whattheyneed to do to get it.How to make it work for you Set boundaries. Its difficult to reason or argue with a narcissist because they wont listen or change. One of the easiest ways to get rid of loser friends is to limit meeting times. Limit contact with them. Everyone understands that the message youre too busy to catch-up, its code for youre off my A-list.5. Walk away from weaselsAnother type of loser friend is the weasel- the one who is sneaky, conniving, and always has a scheme. Weasels can adapt to almost any situation and manipulate it to suit their own needs. Not sure one of your loser friends is a weasel? Here are some characteristicsWeasels can appear as harmless to your face, which is why you need to watch your back. They love to take credit even when its not warranted and do not like to collaborate with others. Weasels also tend to be guarded so they can conc eal their true intentions or plans. They are not trustworthy and love to meddle in the geschftsleben of others.How to make it work for you While narcissists are selfish weasels are mean-spirited little people.Run away from them if possible. They cannot be redeemed as friends so you waste your time if you plan to rehabilitate them. When you remove a weasel from your life, its not a sign of heartlessness it takesmental toughnessto kick these malignant people out of your life.This article originally appeared on LaRae Quy.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Overview of an Army Respiratory Specialist (MOS 68V)

Overview of an Army Respiratory Specialist (MOS 68V)Overview of an Army Respiratory Specialist (MOS 68V)The respiratory specialist assists with the management of a respiratory unit or administers respiratory therapy and performs pulmonary function tests under the supervision of a physician or nurse anesthetist. Duties Performed by Soldiers in This MOS Administering respiratory therapy and performing pulmonary function tests.Organize and maintain clinical files and keep health records up-to-date.Prepare blood samples for analysis in the lab.Interview patients and record their medical histories.Examine and treat emergency, or battlefield patients. Training Information Job training for a respiratory specialist requires ten weeks of Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training in Fort Sam Houston. The Respiratory Specialist Training is a 36-week intense training course, that includes 20 weeks of academic studies and 16 weeks of inpatient care. This job is not open to en try-level Army soldiers only members of the Army with five years of enlistment left on their contract can attend. In 36 weeks, you learn the equivalent of the civilian course that takes students two years to complete. Some of the skills youll learn are emergency medical treatment, basic nursing care, understanding of the human body, minor surgical procedures,clinical laboratory procedures, and methods for diagnosing diseases. The respiratory specialist is strictly an advanced level position not open to first-year Army medics. As you advance in your education and rank, your Respiratory Specialties will also advance. In fact, there arethree different skill levels as a 68V. Each level requires more education and responsibilities. The first level of training advancement is the 68V20As a 68V20 you will not only do the tasks of your previous skill platzset (68V), but you will add to the list Transport patients to new facilities (in or out of the country) that may need ventilator support.K nowing and performing CPR is commonplace in this MOS. CPR with both adults and babies will be performed.Operate blood/gas machines, calculate and administer drugs as they are ordered. The second level of training is the 68V30As a 68V30, you will perform all of the previous tasks of the 68V and 68V20 with the additional responsibility of training and guiding junior personnel.You will also act as a liaison for the pulmonary care doctors and nurses with commanders, installation medical authorities, and other agencies.The third level of training generally for a senior NCO for the 68V is the 68V40As a 68V40, you will add the following list of duties to your responsibilities Develop mobilization plans for your superiors in your unit.Coordinate the training programs for subordinates of the unit.Provide administrative and operational experience on specialty and disciplinary boards.Provide leadership and supervise certain home care programs. ASVAB Score Required 102 in aptitude area ST Secur ity Clearance None Strength Requirement moderately heavy Physical Profile Requirement 222221 Other Requirements Normal color vision requiredHigh school or college level algebra with a C or higher within the last 5 years. College chemistry with C or higher.

Great Questions to Ask During an Interview

Great Questions to Ask During an InterviewGreat Questions to Ask During an InterviewThe Complete List of Essential Interview Questions to AskYouve got questions, your interviewer has answers. Take advantageYoure on your way to landing your next job, or your first job, and everythings going well. After carefully applying to numerous stttes, youve been contacted to schedule an interview. Woo-hoo You begin to break into your happy dance.That is, until you realize youre only part-way down the path to landing your dream job. Now you have to knock the hiring managers socks off to stand out amongst the other job candidates during your interview.According to a 2015 Candidate Behavior Study by CareerBuilder, 67 percent of the employers surveyed said that nearly half of all candidates who make it through the phone interview or initial screening are eliminated after a poor in-person interview.But dont sweat it. This wont be you. Youve got this. You researched all the most common interview quest ions you might be asked and youre ready to answer any questions that come your way. And unlike many other job applicants, you also know to prepare some questions for your interviewers, too.Below Ive shared some questions to ask your interviewers that are sure to make them smile.Why?In my experience, many job applicants dont ask questions that require some thought and show sincere curiosity and care. By asking the right questions during your job interview, youll stand apart from the competition. It can be difficult to know what will work and what wont, so Im sharing my complete list of the best questions to ask an interviewer.Interview questions about your future manager or colleagueWhats your favorite part about working here?Why did you choose this career and industry?Whats your leadership style? Whats my future managers leadership style?What are some of your biggest worries or challenges these days? What keeps you up at night?How did you get your start with your career? How long ha ve you been with the company?What has your career path looked like? Is there anything youd do differently?What have been some of your biggest challenges during your career? How did you, or do you, deal with them?What do you feel has made you successful working here?What is your preferred way of communication? Email, phone, in-person?Interview questions about the job positionWhat prompted you to hire for this job role?How long has the position been open? (If applicable Why has the position been open for so long?)What was the individual like who previously held this position?Are you looking to hire someone with the skills and experiences to do the job out of the gate, or are you open to hiring and training the right candidate for this position?How are goals and objectives set for this job role?If hired, what would be the top three priorities youd like me to focus on in the coming year?What traits does the perfect candidate for this job position possess?What can you tell me about the p osition that isnt listed in the job post?What do you believe is the main reason someone could fail in this position?Ive worked with larger corporations in the past (or smaller companies, non-profits, etc.). That being the case, do you think Ill be successful with an organization such as yours?What is the work schedule like? Is it flexible, set-in-stone, or are there options?Do you have any reservations about my qualifications? (This is a gutsy one)What is a typical day, week, or month like for someone within this position?What is the toughest time of the month or year for someone in this position?How can I grow in this job role?In an ideal world, whats the anticipated start date for this position?Whats the timeline for making a decision on this job position? When would be a good time for me to follow-up with you?Interview questions about the teamCan you tell me a bit about the team I would be working with?What are the key positions and groups that I would be working with? What are t he leadership or personality types of those people and groups?What are the three biggest challenges your team faces when working with other groups within the organization? What do you do to minimize the challenges?What is the single largest problem facing your team today?What is the approval process for projects and tasks within the group?Interview questions about the organizationWhat types of individuals are successful here?Whats your company culture like?What type of performance review process does the organization have? How can I maximize the benefits of the process as an employee?How and when is feedback provided to employees?What is your reward and merit ordnungsprinzip like? Do you have a reward system based on performance? What types of rewards do you offer employees? What types of achievements or traits are rewarded?What types of advancement opportunities are there within the group and company?What type of information is shared with employees? Is revenue, profits, expenses, salary ranges, etc. shared?How much exposure do we get to the top executives within the organization? Is there an open door policy within the organization?What type of training or educational advancement does your organization offer or encourage?What is the single largest problem facing the organization today?What has been the top accomplishments of the organization over the past year?How does your company handle the generational gap thats evident in todays workplace? How do you handle or work with generational differences, such as communication gaps?What can you tell me about your organizations plans for new services, products, or plans for growth?What types of volunteer work and community service does the organization encourage?How many employees have you hired in the past year? How many of them were experienced versus new hires?What is your attrition rate for the organization?Be authentic when asking and answering interview questions, and youll be great.Preparing job interview qu estions to ask the interviewer is just as important as preparing to answer the questions theyll ask you. Take your time and be thoughtful with your answers and questions. Use good judgment as to how many interview questions to ask, as well. If time feels like its flying by and the interviewer is engaged in your discussion, then keep asking questions until you feel its time to stop. Its best to go in with at least three to five questions to ask in an interview and take it from there.Click on the following link for more job interview advice.Nervous about your next interview? Prepare with an expert interview coach from TopInterview todayRecommended Reading5 Tricky Interview Questions and How to Answer ThemHow to Explain Being Fired in an InterviewTips for Handling the Dreaded Salary Question During an InterviewRelated Articles

Secret Shortcuts to Bartender Resume Description That Only the Pros Know About

Secret Shortcuts to Bartender Resume Description That Only the Pros Know About Bartender Resume Description at a Glance Tell us in the comments, and we are going to give you a hand. In case you have any particular questions on formatting or content, dont hesitate to ask below This brief statement at the very top of the webpage can say a lot about you in only a few words. Insert the details included in this bartender job description to make your own resume. Ultimately, adaptive skills are those soft social skills you must get along with different folks. It turned out to be a painful procedure. If you would like to develop into an excellent Server Bartender, you should be able to cope with pressure and manage stress. Demonstrated capacity to keep professionalism in a fast-paced and demanding atmosphere. In order to make sure your professional resume will support your targets, utilize this server job description to inform exactly what you should highlight on your resume. If do not have any experience, you are able to leise add an experience section. You may download and edit the next bartender resume example and template in accordance with your experience and your abilities. Since the head bartender is responsible for the general daily bar functions including managing different bartenders, they need to possess problem-solving abilities, organizational abilities and communication abilities. If youre asking for a bartending vacancy at a well-known restaurant or club in your region then there are chances that youd be facing stiff competition. Candidates ought to be observant, detail-oriented, and courteous whilst ensuring customers have a wonderful moment. You must listen carefully to your clients orders. From time to time, youre serving dozens of consumers simultaneously. Target a particular job offer. If you would like a career in the bar and restaurant business, becoming a Server Bartender is a terrific entry point to get valuable experience. A side from being well-dressed, you also will need to be well-groomed. The very first thing a bar owner would like to know is whether you are even qualified for the job, so the very first thing theyll search for is your certification. Though its the ideal job for individuals who get bored easily on the job. There is no lack of individuals that are seeking this type of job. Bear in mind you will want to bring some details so the hiring manager gets a better idea of what you could do. If youve got no resume ready yet, youll have a difficult time deciding what things to put there. Be sure to exhibit the right body language, like the ones stated below, in order for the employer to think about your bartender resume. Which doesnt indicate that if youre sending your bartender resume to a neighborhood location, you dont must make an effort. The Battle Over Bartender Resume Description and How to Win It If you want to submit an application for a position of a waitress then its possible to benefit by employing a waitress resume template. Put numbers where you are able to. Whether this Bartender resume example welches not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review several other samples and templates from our website. Whether this Server Bartender resume example was not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review a few other samples and templates from our website. State the responsibilities that include the job. Though education isnt a compulsory criteria but it must be furnished all the exact same. If your education is associated with the job, it is a no-brainer. According to the US laws there isnt any formal education needed for a bartender job. Before you even consider writing a resume to submit an application for a bartender position, make sure you understand what the job entails. Needless to say, each job will call for unique abilities and experiences, so make certain you read the work description carefully and concentrate on the skill s listed by the employer. If youre looking for an excellent bartender for your establishment, you must create a fantastic and detailed bartender job description in your employment advertisement you will post on a careers pages or internet job boards. Define the role and essentials of the bartender job. The entire bartender job description can help you to develop your resume. Anyone whos looking to submit an application for a job of a bartender or has experience for a bartender and is seeking to earn a resume for themselves can use the bartender resume samples. Then you need to have the very best bartending resume out there. If youve worked as a bartender previously then you can take advantage of the experienced bartender resume. You could be searching for a one who does flair bartending. If it comes to being a bartender there are tons of responsibilities that one needs to carry out. Your reasons may vary concerning the kind of bartender you desire. A bartender resume with no experience will appear different from a seasoned bartender resume.

6 Tips to Make Yourself Promotable

6 Tips to Make Yourself Promotable Article by Lisa M. AldisertI work with a manager who has a solid employee whom well call Chris. Duringhis annual performance review this year, Chris broached the topic of receiving a promotion. Chris does a good job, but frankly, it isnt anything out of the ordinary. He works 9-5, does what is required, but never really goes that extra mile. He isnt a mentor to junior team members. He rarely works late. He doesnt apply strong critical thinking to his work and has missed some key opportunities as a result.The manager asked why he felt he should have a promotion, and Chris responded, Well, Ive been doing this job for a long time.An employee who thinks he deserves a promotion just because hes put in the time is misguided. The challenge, however, is that managers dont always provide exact guidelines on how to achieve a promotion, so the route can be unclear. Every company is different, but the following adviceshould help you get you on the right track. 1. Avoid EntitlementThe biggest mistake people make when theyre trying to get a promotion is assuming they deserve it. An attitude of entitlement about receiving a promotion, even if it is deserved, is never going to work.A give-me monologue, without any substance to back it up, wont convince anyone.An attitude of entitlement may also drive you to fixate solely on the promotion, instead of on what you need to do to get it. When you think youre so great that thereis no doubtyou willget a promotion, you are probably ignoring the feedback previously given to you about what it will take to get that ort.Another common misstep people make is bypassing their managers in bestellung to kiss up to more senior leaders in an attempt to show off or demonstrate their value. This kind of behavior is always noticed, but not necessarily for the right reasons. This sneaky strategy will likely paint you as manipulative in the eyes ofyour direct manager, the senior lead er, or both. 2. Know Your WhyIts common to feel as if a promotion is the next logical career step and to start moving blindly in that direction without thought of what the promotion will mean. Before you lock your sights on a position, take time to identify what you want and why you want it. If you dont know the why, a promotion just for the sake of a promotion may lead you down an unfulfilling path.Examine your motivations. Are you looking for a better title, more money, increased power, career advancement, additional responsibilities, team management, a learning opportunity, or something else? How will the position satisfyyour career desires, whatever they may be?After you have identified your motivation, examine the position itself. Setting aside your desire for the title, consider the responsibilities of the job and how much time you will spend doing each of the tasks required. Is the job going to call for late nights?Will it spill over into weekends? Will you have to be on call ? What additional skills does the job require, and which of those skills do you possess? Will you be comfortable with the new responsibilities of the job?If, after a full assessment,the position and your motivationsare aligned, it is time to take steps to get noticed. 3. Go the Extra MilePeople who put in extra hours, take on additional responsibility without being asked, and anticipate project needs will get noticed. You could even start doing part ofyour target jobs responsibilities before you get the position, provided doing so does not step on anyones toes.One of my clients had an aspiring young employee who wanted a promotion to a position that didnt yet exist. When his boss pushed back and said he wasnt ready, the employee came prepared to his annual review with a list of tasks he was already doingthat would fall under the positions purview.The boss couldnt argue, so the new position was created andthe employee got the promotion. 4. Do Your Current Job FlawlesslyIn your curren t job, you should aim as close to perfection as possible. If youre functioning on autopilot or even neglecting parts of your job, you will give off the impression that your work is sloppy or you just dont care. If you cant shine in the position you currently have, why would a managergive you additional responsibilities? Doing your current job well is part of proving that youre ready for advancement. 5. Ask for ItIf you want the promotion, make sure your manager knows. Ask what you need to do to get the job, and then start doing those things. Even if you dont get the role this time around, you willidentify yourself as a potential candidate forfuture promotion opportunities. 6. Dont Be Afraid to Self-PromoteRemind your manager of all the outstandingthings youve accomplished on the job. Dont expect your boss to necessarily know how great you are. Plus, offering details of your achievements will help offset any perceived weaknesses you may have in your bosss eyes.Making yourself promota ble takes time, strategy, diligence, and commitment. Dont rely entirely on your own self-evaluation to prove your worth. Ask a trusted colleague or mentor for feedback, and listen to whatthey tell you. A little self-awareness will go a long way.Act as if youre already in the job you want not the job you have. Acquire the skills you need. Take some of the load off your bosss desk. Demonstrate creative problem-solving skills.And, of course, remember to ask. It would be a shame to do all of this work and miss out because you didnt let your intentions be known.A version of this article originally appeared onSUCCESS.com.Dr. Lisa M. Aldisert is a speaker, author, and business advisor based in New York City. She is the president of Pharos Alliance. Her latest book is Leadership Reflections 52 Leadership Practices in the Age of Worry.