ASME Past President Richard Robertson Dies

ASME Past President Richard Robertson Dies ASME Past President Richard Robertson Dies ASME Past President Richard Robertson DiesASME Past President Richard RobertsonASME Past President Richard Bentley Robertson, P.E., who served as president of the Society in 1974-1975, passed away June 27 in Gonzales, La. Robertson, who was also an ASME Fellow, was 98 years old.Born on May 8, 1920, Robertson graduated from Purdue University in 1942 with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. He served in World War II in the U.S. Navy Reserve and later as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery with the 77th Division and the 11th Airborne Division in the Philippines and Japan. After designing aircraft for Curtis-Wright in Columbus, Ohio, and working for United Airlines in various sites, Robertson spent 37 years at Bovay Engineers in Houston, Texas, in such roles as executive vice president and director overseeing the design and construction of electric power generation plants.In addition to serving as the 93rd president of ASME, Robertson served the Society in a number of leadership roles, including member of the Committee of Past Presidents, chair and member of the Committee on Investment, vice president and secretary of ASMEs former International and Southwest Region from 1969 to 1971, chair of the South Texas Section, member of the Professional Affairs Policy Board, and a member of the Professional Practice Committee. He sponsored the first ASME student sections in Mexico and was one of the leaders of the 1970 ASME Goals Conference at Arden House in Harriman, N.Y.Robertson was also a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and the American Institute of Consulting Engineers as well as past president of the Houston Engineering and Scientific Society, past president of the Engineers Council of Houston, Honorary Member of Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi of Texas AM University, a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus and Outstanding Mechanical Engineering G raduate of Purdue University and the director of seven businesses. He was a registered Professional Engineer in five states.

Working with a recruiter Watch out for these 5 red flags

Working with a recruiter Watch out for these 5 red flagsWorking with a recruiter Watch out for these 5 red flagsWhile therecruiting industryhas evolved, recruiter stereotypes still exist. They are based on exaggerated truths perpetuated by a small number ofrecruiters, but dont let a few bad apples distort your view of the whole profession.The best protection against working with a bad recruiter is being able to identify them and knowing when tomove on.You know youre working with a bad recruiter ifThey talk mora than they listenA recruiters job is to get to know you. The only way they can do that is by listening to you tell your story. If they seem more interested in telling you how the relationship works and only ask basic things about your job search like salary expectations and desired title, dont waste your time.When you leave your meeting, ask yourself Does this recruiter know enough about me to retell my career story to an employer? Would they be able toadvocate on my behalfif t he employer has questions or concerns? You want your recruiter to understand what youre looking for. If they dont, theres no way they can adequately represent you or your interests.They keep calling you for jobs you dont wantIts one thing if you told the recruiter to send anything and everything your way. But assuming that you, like most job seekers, have very specific ideas about what direction you want yourcareerto go in, this should be a red flag. If they keep calling you for jobs you have no interest in, take it as a sign that they really dont know you or care to.Move on to another recruiter who will respect what youre looking for.You get submitted to jobs without your consent, then are bullied into going to the interviewSometimes, for competitive reasons and personal gain, recruiters will submit profilesto open roleswithout consentfrom the job seeker. Should the client be interested, candidates feel pressured tointerview for the job, regardless if they want it or not.Its import ant to distinguish a recruiter who knows you from one who is selfish. A recruiter mayurge you to consider a role that youre not completely sold on simply because they know both you and the client and firmly believe its a good match. In the latter situation, the recruiter is looking out for you, not themselves. Be sure to know the difference.They keep calling to ask you the saatkorn questionsRecruiters meet so many people that it can be hard to keep them straight. A certain amount of information may naturally fall through the cracks. However, repeatedly asking for the same information either indicates a lack of interest or lack ofgood organization, neither of whichhelps you find a new role.Theyre not responsiveRecruiters are extremely busy juggling new candidate interviews, prepping candidates forjob interviews, meeting with clients and handling all the administrative tasks that go along with it. That leaves little time for continued chit-chat on the phone. Of course, your recruiter should be available to talk about interview prep,post-interviewdebriefs and your job search updates. But, if you feel your recruiter isnt responsive at all, its time to end the relationship.This article originally appeared on FairyGodBoss and has been reprinted with permission.

Turning-a-Group-of-People-into-a-Team

Turning-a-Group-of-People-into-a-Team Turning-a-Group-of-People-into-a-Team Teams or a sense of teamwork isnt created by forcing a group of people to meet weekly in the same room. Often forgotten by those who practice this form of teaming is that individuals need to have a reason in common to work as a teamwhether it is a group of individuals that meet regularly to achieve results or a group of employees whose performance as individuals as well as a group can be increased by a sense of community that comes from shared objectives.Help group members to look at their mission in terms of the organizations survival. When team members understand their role in the bigger picture, they are mora motivated to pull together.Set short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. In a cross-functional team, we would be talking about the action plan associated with achieving the groups mission. If the team is made up of staff, then you want to involve them in writing the groups mission and setting stra tegic and tactical plans for achieving that mission. As they better understand the part they can play in the survival and success of their organization, they will work harder together to make the plans a reality.Shared responsibility. Teamwork develops from shared responsibility not only in doing the work but in making decisions about how that work should be done.Have team members support each other. Whatever the group, organize the work to make the most of each members contribution to the overall group, bringing members together whenever appropriate to help one another. As members learn to rely on each other for help, a mora collaborative environment will arise.Have group members keep each other apprised of their work. In project teams, you can have members review the efforts they have completed toward achievement of the teams mission. In the case of staff members, regular department meetings give you an opportunity to have members share with one another their accomplishments.Dont forget packaging. Create a brand identity for your team that brand identity could be built around an accomplishment or a skill or reputation that bonds the group together.Set short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. In a cross-functional team, we would be talking about the action plan associated with achieving the groups mission.