Hello to all Industrial Engineers and Friends of Industrial Engineers,

It is the month of May and that means it is time for the IIE Annual Conference. I am proud to be attending the conference in Orlando in a couple of weeks and collecting our Gold Award on behalf of the Chapter. I look forward to seeing some of our Chapter members there and networking with fellow Industrial Engineers.

Look out for some upcoming events of interest, including a joint evening program with WINFORMS on May 15th. And if you are looking for an opportunity to publish your research, please submit your abstract for the Industrial and Systems Engineering World Conference by May 27th.

Best,
Martin

Martin Franklin
Vice-President IIE National Capital Chapter

Turn Your Career Challenges Into Resume Achievements Accomplishments are an important part of your resume. They set you apart from your competition and give potential employers a reason to consider you above others with similar qualifications. Most people, however, find it difficult to write resume achievements. What exactly constitutes an accomplishment? Simply put, an accomplishment is an example of how you solved a workplace challenge and what it meant to your employer. Everyone faces problems on the job, especially now given our difficult economic times. You can make those challenges work for you with this three-step method for turning challenges into achievements.

1. Identify significant challenges. Think back through your career to the times when your company, team or division faced difficult situations that had a potential negative effect on bottom-line corporate issues. Start back through your earlier years of employment. Write a list and be specific about why the issue was a problem. What was at stake? Who were the stake holders? Why was the issue critical? How much of the organization was effected by the challenge? If you take a systematic approach you should be able to identify a challenge for every few years of employment.

2. What was your part in solving the problem? Now that you have your list of workplace challenges, think back to how you helped solve them. You may have worked alone or as part of a group. Perhaps you coordinated between diverse functional groups to facilitate the solution. Be specific about the technology you used, skills involved and steps you took toward fixing the problem. Did you introduce a new procedure or create a better way of processing information? Did you use technology to streamline routine tasks? Did you train your team on a new process? Did you take on added responsibilities to insure the task was completed?

3. What was the result of your effort? Once the challenge was met, the solution found and the issue resolved, what did it mean to your employer? What did your company get out of it? Did you save your department time? Did your solution lead to cutting costs? Were you able to identify new revenue opportunities? Did you free up time for your boss? Did you help others to work more efficiently? How many persons within the organization were affected by your work? It’s nice if you can quantify your results, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t quantify every result in dollars. Once you have all your information at hand it’s time to put it together in concise statements that sell your skills. A few guidelines to keep in mind are: Try to keep your accomplishment statements to two lines each. Begin your statement with the result. Don’t dilute the result by providing more information than necessary. Accomplishments should be included with every employment entry of your resume. For added punch, write a highlight of accomplishments section toward the top of your resume. Remember, at the time perhaps you received little thanks for your effort in solving challenges, but now is the time to get credit for your hard work. Let your resume include your achievements on the job and potential employers will be eager to learn how you can help solve their problems as well.

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Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach
Read more career tips and see sample resumes at:
www.AlphaAdvantage.com
email: Deb@Alphaadvantage.com

NATS vs. Yankees – Saturday afternoon June 16
First the good news: we were able to buy 25 hard-to-get tickets for the 1 PM Saturday June 16 NY Yankees vs. Washington ballgame at Nationals Park, which I understand is already sold out. The bad news is that the Nationals raised the ticket price by $13 for Yankee games and grouped our seats in the top rows of the section 417 upper infield gallery (above the first base dugout). We will sell them on a first come first served basis for $40 each which is approximately the price an individual would have paid on-line including service charges for these seats when they were still available. Our net proceeds (by avoiding the on-line service charges) will be donated to the IIE Marvin Mundel Memorial Scholarship, which annually provides scholarship funds to a worthy student in a college industrial engineering program. Contact Joe Scheibeler at (202)268-5089 for ticket reservations as soon as possible as we expect to sell them all quickly.

NATS vs. Miami Marlins – Saturday night August 4
Our second scholarship fundraiser is for the 7 PM Saturday August 4 Nationals game vs. the National League East Division rival Miami Marlins at Nationals Park for our usual price of $25 per ticket in section 416 rows F – H. These are better seats in lower rows and one section closer to home plate than the Yankee game tickets. Contact Joe Scheibeler at (202)268-5089 for ticket reservations.

Hello to all Industrial Engineers and Friends of Industrial Engineers,

As the typical graduation time approaches, I would like to make sure the everyone is aware of our National Capital Chapter’s policy for first year IE graduates. Any student who is a first year graduate and lives or is moving into the DC area is eligible for reimbursement of half their first year senior membership fee from our chapter. Our guidelines are:

• Become a Senior member of IIE, the current cost is $74.50 if your first year.
• As you become a member of IIE, identify yourself as a member of our chapter. Chapter #14, the National Capital Chapter. (You must live in or work in our chapter boundary.)
• Provide the chapter with a copy of your paid receipt from IIE for your first year as a senior member.
• Attend at least one monthly board meeting; in person.
• Write one article for our newsletter. This article can be on a current IE topic or an introductory article about yourself.
• Consider volunteering your time and talents with our chapter.

Naturally, we hope you continue to volunteer with us. The more great volunteers we have the more programs, presentations and tours we can provide for our membership.

Joe Scheibeler, our Board Secretary and Director of Fund Raisers has hit two home runs this year with games to raise money for IIE Marvin Moundel Scholarship. This year we are sponsoring two games:

• NATS vs. Yankees – Saturday afternoon June 16
• NATS vs. Miami Marlins – Saturday night August 4

See all the details of these two events inside our newsletter.

Be sure to register and attend the upcoming presentation on “Leadership, IIE and You”, by Professor G. Don Taylor, Jr on April 16th.

Finally, many congratulations are in order this month:

• Board Director Patrick Foxworthy had a feature article on page 66 of IE’s magazine.
• Vice President, Web Master and Editor of our Newsletter; Martin Franklin won Platinum Award in the IE Newsletter Competition. Also thanks to all board directors and members who provided monthly content to Martin. Martin and our chapter have won the Platinum (highest award) every year but one.
• Our Chapter will receive the 2011 Gold Chapter Recognition Award. This is the seventh consecutive year that our chapter has received the Gold Award (highest award) based on IE standards for running an exceptional chapter. Congratulations to all our board directors and all our members.

Until next month,

Russell Wooten
President IIE National Capital Chapter

Hello to all Industrial Engineers and Friends of Industrial Engineers,

Welcome to our March 2012 Newsletter. This month’s newsletter contains many interesting events. Please also be on the lookout for a hardcopy snail mail letter from the National Capital Chapter.

Good luck and until next month, enjoy the improving weather.

Russell Wooten
President IIE National Capital Chapter

The Washington Academy of Sciences and its Affiliates Present Capital Science 2012 to be held March 31 – April 1

On Saturday and Sunday, March31-April 1, 2012, The Washington Academy of Sciences (WAS) and its Affiliates will hold the fifth in the series of biennial pan-Affiliate Conferences, Capital Science 2012. This will be the first CapSci to be hosted by a consortium of the three universities that line the University Corridor on Glebe Road in Arlington Virginia — Virginia Tech, GWU, and Marymount. (Near the Ballston stop on the Metro). Registration and plenaries will be held at the new Virginia Tech facility at 900 North Glebe Road. Additional classrooms will be next door at GWU and at Marymount, just across Fairfax Drive.

With over 20 WAS Affiliates participating, the Conference will serve as an umbrella for scientific presentations, seminars, tutorials, and talks. These pan-Affiliate Conferences underline the fact that the Washington, DC area is not only the political capital of the country but, in many respects, the nation’s intellectual capital — with several major universities and government laboratories that are the homes of an astonishing number of Nobel laureates. The WAS believes that showcasing the intellectual muscle of the area will help provide the support needed to continue to build and keep the United States at the forefront of scientific achievement.

The Industrial Engineers & Operation Research Sessions (IIE/WINFORMS) are scheduled for Saturday, March 31 2012 from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM in room 204 at Marymount University (1000 N. Glebe). Registration opens in the Virginia Tech building (900 N. Glebe Rd.) at 8:00AM Saturday morning. As fellow industrial engineers, I hope you all can attend the IE sessions. Additionally, there are two presentations on Saturday morning of general interest. The first is at 10:00AM in Marymount Room 202, where the Potomac Overlook naturalist will discuss the suburban/urbanization of the raptors, using a live hawk to demonstrate. The second is at 11:00AM in Room 201 Marymount where one of the Optical Society presentations features “frizion”, the science of light transformed into art. The presenter has an interesting take on ice sculpture.

Industrial Engineers & Operation Research Session Schedule

Saturday 3:30PM
Authors: Anil R. Kumar and Anand Subramanian JFAssociates, Inc
Topic: The Need to Integrate Human Aspect in a Process Improvement Endeavor

Saturday 4:00PM
Authors: Anand Subramanian and Anil Kumar, JFAssociates, Inc.
Topic: Rating Employee Performance for Non-Manufacturing Jobs Using Work Measurement Techniques

Saturday 4:30PM
Authors: Anil R. Kumar and Anand Subramanian, JFAssociates, Inc.
Topic: Role of Industrial Engineer in Improving Quality of Life

Saturday 5:00PM
Authors: Neal F. Schmeidler, OMNI Engineering & Technology, Inc.
Topic: Staffing Model Development

Saturday 5:30PM
Authors: Donald Weitzman
Topic: A Critique of Contemporary Approaches to ATC Modernization: A Personal Theory

I’m looking forward to seeing you at CapSci12.

Anand Subramanian
Chair – Industrial Engineers & Operation Research Session at CapSci2012
Director – IIE National Capital Chapter

By Richard Leshuk, Director IIE NCC

Annually, the third full week of February is National Engineers Week (NEW). The observance is intended to call attention to the societal contributions made by engineers as well as to emphasize the importance math, science, and technical skills in primary education. Related local activities are coordinated by the DC Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies (DCCEAS), a group representing 34 area professional and technical societies. Our IIE National Capital Chapter actively participates.

Fernando Pons, PE, President of the Herndon based, geoengineering firm of Pons and Associates was the keynote speaker at the February 22, DCCEAS, NEW, Proclamation Luncheon held on at the Pier 7 Restaurant. His presentation, Sustainability Initiatives and Managing Underground Risk, focused on project management approaches to achieving sustainability in designs and mitigating risk in urban development projects. Particularly interesting, was his enumeration of the myriad sources of risk in the underground aspects of construction. He elaborated on the effectiveness of structuring a team approach among all stakeholders starting in the earliest stages of a project.

Dr. James W. Mitchell, Dean of Engineering, Howard University gave the keynote address at the February 25, NEW, Awards Banquet held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Silver Spring. Dr. Mitchell, a noted Materials Science researcher, retired after a 30 year career at Lucent Bell Laboratories. He discussed the role of multidisciplinary teams in solving major engineering challenges. In a brief outline of scenarios for the future, Dr. Mitchell described a range of evolving technologies including photosynthesis based energy generation, the possibilities for hydrogen based technologies, autonomous technologies in transportation, and solar powered desalination. He closed by commenting on possible scenarios involving artificial weather and innovative space initiatives.

We’ve all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but who were absolute disasters in person. With fewer interview opportunities available in our competitive job market, it’s essential to make the best possible first impression. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these top five worst interview blunders:

1. Not preparing for the tough interview questions.

Like every job seeker, you probably have your own set of tough interview questions you hope will never be asked. The best strategy is to prepare ahead of time with answers to ALL of these questions. A career coach can be a great resource for helping you work out suitable answers with a positive spin on negative or challenging career situations.

2. Failure to match communication styles.

Making a great first impression is easier to do when you communicate effectively with your interviewer. The best way to do this is by mirroring his or her communication style. Allowing your interviewer to set the tone of the conversation will put him or her at ease and makes the conversation flow more naturally.

For instance:
* If the interviewer seems all business, don’t attempt to loosen him or her up with a joke or story. Be succinct.
* If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his or her interests. Personal items on display in the office can be a clue.
* If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.

3. Talking too much.

In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates, and so did most of my client employers who interviewed these candidates. Over-talking takes several forms:
* Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just can’t get to the point.
* Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is outright lying.

To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Using role-playing in preparing for your interview will help you avoid excessive, nervous talking.

4. Saying negative things about your current or past employers or managers.

Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun, avoid stating your ill feelings about the person or work situation. No matter how reasonable your complaints, your negative comments will be viewed as disrespect towards your boss. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

5. Giving away too much salary and earnings information.

Candidates often weaken their future earning potential by speaking too freely about their current income. No matter the official salary range of the position you are interviewing for, your current earnings have an enormous effect on the size of the offer. Investing in a career coach to help you answer salary questions can add thousands of dollars to your new job offer.

You already know that it takes a strong resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice to be invited for an interview. The next step is to hone your interviewing skills to actually win job offers. Polishing your interviewing skills can mean the difference between getting the job and being a runner-up.

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Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach
Read more career tips and see sample resumes at:
www.AlphaAdvantage.com
email: Deb@Alphaadvantage.com

Hello to all Industrial Engineers and Friends of Industrial Engineers,

Welcome to our February Newsletter. February is a very busy month for engineers everywhere. It is National Engineers’ Week. As always, we have the Nation Engineers’ Week Luncheon and Awards Dinner. Members of the National Capital Chapter will also be participating as judges in the Finals of the Future Cities Competition. In March, we are co-sponsoring the Washington Academy of Science CapSci 2012 Conference. This year our Chapter is joining the Washington DC Chapter of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (WINFORMS).

Please check for all details inside our Newsletter.

My best to you, until our March Newsletter,
Russell Wooten
President IIE National Capital Chapter

JFAssociates, Inc. has an opening for an Industrial Engineer in the Vienna, VA office. At JFAssociates, Inc, you will be part of an exciting team of Engineers who specialize in providing engineering and scientific consulting services to companies, government agencies, and law firms. JFAssociates, Inc. has advanced application-based degreed engineers with consulting experience in diverse industrial settings. Our team of dedicated professionals works together in an entrepreneurial atmosphere, providing a broad range of innovative tools and services to niche markets.

More information available here: http://www.jfa-inc.com/careersJFAssociates.htm