An open mind on open data

The move to make scientific findings transparent can be a major boon to research, but it can be tricky to embrace the change.

It is a movement building steady momentum: a call to make research data, software code and experimental methods publicly available and transparent. A spirit of openness is gaining traction in the science community, and is the only way, say advocates, to address a 'crisis' in science whereby too few findings are successfully reproduced. Furthermore, they say, it is the best way for researchers to gather the range of observations that are necessary to speed up discoveries or to identify large-scale trends.

The open-data shift poses a conundrum for junior researchers, who are carving out their niche. On the one hand, the drive to share is gathering official steam. Since 2013, global scientific bodies — including the European Commission, the US Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Global Research Council — have begun to back policies that support increased public access to research.

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12 Ways to Make a Great Impression at Work

It takes more than technical wizardry to emerge as a standout success at work. Unfortunately, many professionals lack the soft skills—including dedication, leadership, motivation, team spirit, etc.—that are essential to get ahead. Indeed, nearly one-fifth of managers cite a lack of these skills as a key reason for not hiring job candidates.

With that in mind, we present the following 12 ways to make a great impression. They were adapted from the recent book, You Did What?! The Biggest Mistakes Professionals Make (Career Press/available now). In the book, authors Kim Zoller and Kerry Preston cover everything from written and verbal communications to networking etiquette to meeting decorum to handshakes.

Taken individually, you may conclude that these practices aren't really a big deal. However, when you incorporate each one into your routine, you elevate your professional presence and position yourself for career advancement.

Zoller is president and founder of Image Dynamics, a professional development consultancy. Preston is a leadership, communications, strategic planning and time management consultant.

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7 Unconscious Ways Smart People Sabotage Themselves

You've made your list of career goals for 2016, and you're already on the right track to conquering them. Go you! But while you progress toward awesomeness, make sure you're not sabotaging your own success at every turn.

We're not trying to be fear mongers, promise. But making little (yet mighty) unconscious mistakes is easier than you may think. And it happens to the best of us. Here are some typical ways perfectly smart and capable people keep themselves from reaching their full potential.

1. Taking Shortcuts
2. Letting Ego and Emotions Get in the Way
3. Trying to Do it All Yourself
4. Getting it Done, Instead of Getting it Done Right
5. Holding Back
6. Skipping the Homework
7. Letting Others Determine Your Future

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The EngineerGirl website

The EngineerGirl website is a service of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). It grew out of the work of the Committee on the Diversity of the Engineering Workforce, and was launched in February of 2001. The EngineerGirl website is part of an NAE project to bring national attention to the opportunity that engineering represents to all people at any age, but particularly to women and girls.

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9 Simple LinkedIn Tips To Help Find A Job

If you are an older skilled worker who is in the market for a job you should be taking advantage of the significant benefits LinkedIn can bring to your job search: including warm leads into companies or to people you are targeting, the possibility of creating new job leads through recruiters who frequently use the site or people who are impressed with comments you post on the site, and access to posted and unposted job openings. So how do you take advantage of LinkedIn if you’re a job seeker?

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The Paradox of Indispensability

The logic that shapes the first half of your career can leave you trapped in the second half. Managers make predictable mistakes that, despite their technical expertise and stellar performance, can lead high-fliers to fail to rise to the top. Read the full post

10 things IT pros do that lead to burnout

Here are 10 things that an IT professional might be doing that will ultimately lead to poorer performance and an unhealthy lifestyle.

1: Never say no
2: Skip the vacation
3: Skip lunch
4: Work insane hours
5: Disregard family time
6: Fail to watch your health
7: Forgo hobbies
8: Go it alone
9: Create unrealistic expectations
10: Pull all-nighters

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10 signs that you aren't cut out for IT

IT pros often complain about the downsides of their jobs. But what if you really AREN’T meant for an IT career?

It’s a tough world out there. Anyone who’s ever worked in IT knows just how tough it is. And if you’re not totally up for the challenge, there will always be someone else who is. But for anyone considering getting into the world of IT, or for those considering getting out of IT… how do you know? How do you know whether you are really cut out for the career that chews up and spits out its young? The following is a handy list of signs that maybe IT isn’t the best fit for you.

1: You lack patience
2: You have no desire to continue your education
3: You refuse to work outside 9-to-5
4: You don’t like people
5: You give up quickly
6: You’re easily frustrated
7: You can’t multitask
8: You have dreams of climbing the corporate ladder
9: You hate technology
10: You turn off your phone at night

Just because you suffer from one of two of these traits doesn’t mean you should jump off the IT train and start flipping burgers. But if you recognize quite a few of these signs, you might want to call it a career.

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