Conservationist - Career Information

Conservationist - Career InformationConservationist - Career InformationA conservationist manages natural habitats including parks, forests, and rangelands. He or she mayalso be called a conservation scientist or soil and waterconservationist. This green job involves finding ways to utilize land without harming the environment. Conservationists, who are employed by either private landowners or federal, state, or local governments, make sure landowners follow government regulations and take appropriate measures to protect habitats. They advise farmers and ranchers to help them improve their land and control erosion. Quick Facts Conservationists earn amedian annual salaryof $61,480 (2017).About 22,300 people work in this occupation (2016).Employers include thefederal governmentand state andlocal governments. Social advocacy groups also employ some of them, as doprivate landowners.Thejob outlookfor conservationists is good. Job growth will be on pace with other occupations between 2 016 and 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Conservationists work in offices, labs, and outdoors. A Day in the Life of a Conservationist What is it really like to be a conservationist? Employers listed these duties in job announcements onIndeed.com Make field visits to meet with producers to determine conservation needs and assist with conservation plan developmentUse hand tools (e.g. clinometer, hand level) to determine percent slope and slope lengthConduct site inspections of on-going projects to assure that practices being installed meet specificationsServe as a liaison and the point of contact with ecological, safety, and program support for the State Resource ConservationistEnsure all federal, state, departmental, and district regulations are being followed The Downside of Being a Conservationist Expect your days to be physically demanding if you choose this career. You will have to walk long distances often and spend time outdoors in inclement weather.Th ere are dangers inherent in this occupation which include coming into contact with poisonous plants and biting insects. Education Requirements To work as a conservationist, you will need, at the minimum, a bachelors degree in forestry, agronomy, agricultural science, biology, rangeland management, or environmental science. Some people go on to earn a masters degree or doctorate. Your undergraduate studies will prepare you for graduate school. What Soft Skills Do You Need? Particularsoft skills, which are personal qualities with which you were born or acquired through life experiences, will allow you to excel in this occupation. They are Listening and Verbal Communication Skills As a conservationist, you will have to communicate well with colleagues, workers, landowners, and the public.Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills Detecting problems and then identifying possible solutions will be a big part of your job.AnalyticalandDecision-Making Skills The ability to evaluat e the results of experiments and studies and the capacity to utilize this information are essential to success in this field. What Will Employers Expect From You? Here are some requirements from actual job announcements onIndeed.com Ability to work independently and as part of highly collaborative teamsWorking knowledge of computers and software including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and/or GIS preferableAbility to perform minor maintenance and repair to infrastructure and equipmentAbility to compose clear, concise, and technically correct documents chooses the most effective and meaningful written form to express information states information as simply as possible and organizes information logicallyExceptional attention to detail Ability to manage multiple tasks through use of effective organizational and time management skills Is This Occupation a Good Fit for You? This occupation is most suitable for individuals with the followinginterests,personality type, andwork-relate d values Interests(Holland Code) EIR (Enterprising, Investigative, Realistic)Personality Type(MBTI PersonalityTypes) ESTP, ISFPWork-Related Values Relationships, Achievement,Independence Related Occupations DescriptionMedian Annual Wage (2017)Required EducationEnvironmental ScientistIdentifies and then finds ways to eliminate hazards to the environment or the earths inhabitants$69,400Bachelors Degree (entry-level) /Masters Degree (advanced)HydrologistStudies the distribution, physical properties, and circulation of water$79,990Bachelors Degree (entry-level) /Masters Degree (advanced)Environmental EngineerSolves problems in the environment using knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, and soil science$86,800Bachelors Degree in Environmental, Civil, or Chemical Engineering,Urban or Regional PlannerHelps communities determine how to best use their land and resources$71,490Masters Degree in Urban or Regional Planning Sources Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor ,Occupational Outlook Handbook Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor,O*NETOnline(visited June 13, 2018)

5 Questions for Spotting the Candidate with the Best Presentation Skills

5 Questions for Spotting the Candidate with the Best Presentation Skills 5 Questions for Spotting the Candidate with the Best Presentation Skills If you are in any of these situations, it can be very revealing to candidates to deliver a presentation as parte of the interview process. This strategy allows direct and in-depth assessment of communication skills, knowledge, and ability to think logically. It can also be useful to invite key members of your organization to join the audience during the candidates presentations.The following are some useful assessment questions and criteria1 Is the content well-structured?In most cases, a presentation will have three major parts introduction, main message, and conclusion. If the main message is complicated, a smart presenter will subdivide it to convey the details in a comprehensible way. The presenter then shifts from one part or point to another by using transition phrases, such as the followingLet me start my presentation with aI would like to discuss five pointsFirst second thirdBased on the arguments I mentionedYou will know that the content is well-structured if you clearly remember the key points at the end of the talk. The presented ideas, facts, and stories are interconnected coherently to impart a meaningful message.2 Has the candidate caught your attention?How does the candidate open the presentation? Does he start with a funny anecdote, a striking quote, or an interesting tale? Does she use jokes once in a while to keep you from boredom? If you dont feel like nodding off, taking your phone from your pocket to check emails, or going out of the room for a break during the presentation, it indicates the candidate has captured your focus and attention.3 How does the candidate move?Notice the presenters body movements. Does he seem confident with his posture? Do you get distracted with her hand gestures? Does he look at the audience in the eyes or does he often stare at the ceiling or PowerPoint presentation? How does she make use of the space in the room? In a presentation, remember that its not only the verbal messages that matter the communication style carries some weight as well.4 Does the candidate ask questions from time to time?Asking questions is a good way of engaging the listeners during a presentation. If the candidate does so, he or she is asking you to think, conclude, and respond all of which are indicators of participation. Questions also make good tools for checking whether or not you and the presenter are on the same page.5 How effective are the candidates visual tools?The PowerPoint slide deck itself can make or break a presenters performance, too. Its worthwhile looking at how the candidate prepared his or her audio-visual tool. Has it been crafted with careful thought? Do the illustrations, graphs and charts reinforce the main points, or do they just distract you? Can you read the text clearly, or are the slides jammed with too many phrases? Are the colors professi onal and pleasant to the eyes?At the end of the interview presentation, answer the five questions above. Youll be better able to evaluate the candidates capabilities and make informed hiring decisions.

11 ways smart people deal with uncertainty

11 ways smart people deal with uncertainty11 ways smart people deal with uncertaintyOur brains are hardwired to make much of modern life difficult. This is especially true when it comes to dealing with uncertainty. On the bright side, if you know the right tricks, you can override yur brains irrational tendencies and handle uncertainty with poise.Our brains give us fits when facing uncertainty because theyre wired to react to it with fear. In a recent study, a Caltech neuroeconomist imaged subjects brains as they were forced to make increasingly uncertain bets - the same kind of bets were forced to make on a regular basis in business.The less information the subjects had to go on, the more irrational and erratic their decisions became. You might think the opposite would be true - the less information we have, the more careful and rational we are in evaluating the validity of that information. leid so. As the uncertainty of the scenarios increased, the subjects brains shifted contro l over to the limbic system, the place where emotions, such as anxiety and fear, are generated.This brain quirk worked great eons ago, when cavemen entered an unfamiliar area and didnt know who or what might be lurking behind the bushes. Overwhelming caution and fear ensured survival. But thats not the case today. This mechanism, which hasnt evolved, is a hindrance in the world of business, where uncertainty rules and important decisions must be made every day with minimal information.As we face uncertainty, our brains push us to overreact. Successful people are able to override this mechanism and shift their thinking in a rational direction. This requires emotional intelligence (EQ), and its no wonder that - among the 1 1000000-plus people thatTalentSmarthas tested - 90% of top performers have high EQs. They earn an average of $28,000 more per year than their low-EQ counterparts do.To boost your EQ, you have to get good at making sound decisions in the face of uncertainty, even w hen your brain fights against this. There are proven strategies that you can use to improve the quality of your decisions when your emotions are clouding your judgment. What follows are eleven of the best strategies that smart people use in these moments.They quiet their limbic systemsThe limbic system responds to uncertainty with a knee-jerk fear reaction, and fear inhibits good decision-making. People who are good at dealing with uncertainty are wary of this fear and spot it as soon as it begins to surface. In this way, they can contain it before it gets out of control. Once they are aware of the fear, they label all the irrational thoughts that try to intensify it as irrational fears - not reality - and the fear subsides. Then they can focus more accurately and rationally on the information they have to go on. Throughout the process, they remind themselves that a primitive part of their brain is trying to take over and that the logical part needs to be the one in charge. In oth er words, they tell their limbic system to settle down and be quiet until a hungry tiger shows up.They stay positivePositive thoughts quiet fear and irrational thinking by focusing your brains attention on something that is completely stress-free. You have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention. When things are going well and your mood is good, this is relatively easy. When youre stressing over a tough decision and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge. In these moments, think about your day, and identify one positive thing that happened, no matter how small. If you cant think of anything from the current day, reflect on the previous day or days or even the previous week, or perhaps youre looking forward to an exciting event. The point here is that you must have something positive that youre ready to shift your attention to when your t houghts turn negative due to the stress of uncertainty.They know what they know and what they dontWhen uncertainty makes a decision difficult, its easy to feel as ifeverythingis uncertain, but thats hardly ever the case. People who excel at managing uncertainty departure by taking stock of what they know and what they dont know and assigning a factor of importance to each. They gather all the facts they have, and they take their best shot at compiling a list of things theydontknow, for example, what a countrys currency is going to do or what strategy a competitor will employ. They actually try to identify as many of these things as possible because this takes away their power.They embrace that which they cant controlWe all like to be in control. After all, people who feel like theyre at the mercy of their surroundings never get anywhere in life. But this desire for control can backfire when you see everything that you cant control or dont know as a personal failure. People who exce l at managing uncertainty arent afraid to acknowledge whats causing it. In other words, successful people live in the real world. They dont paint any situation as better or worse than it actually is, and they analyze the facts for what they are. They know that the only thing they really control is the process through which they reach their decisions. Thats the only rational way to handle the unknown, and the best way to keep your head on level ground. Dont be afraid to step up and say, Heres what we dont know, but were going forward based on what wedoknow. We may make mistakes, but thats a lot better than standing still.They focus only on what mattersSome decisions can make or break your company. Most just arentthatimportant. The people who are the best at making decisions in the face of uncertainty dont waste their time getting stuck on decisions where the biggest risk is looking foolish in front of their co-workers. When it comes down to it, almost every decision contains at least a small factor of uncertainty - its an inevitable part of doing business. Learning to properly balance the many decisions on your plate, however, allows you to focus your energy on the things that matter and to make more informed choices. It also removes the unnecessary pressure and distraction caused by a flurry of small worries.They dont seek perfectionEmotionally intelligent people dont set perfection as their target because they know theres no such thing as a perfect decision in an uncertain situation. Think about it human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, youre always left with a nagging sense of failure, and you end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently, instead of enjoying what you were able to achieve.They dont dwell on problemsWhere you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that youre facing, you create and prolong negativ e emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves performance. Emotionally intelligent people dont allow themselves to become preoccupied with the uncertainties they face. Instead, they focus all their attention and effort on what they can do, in spite of the uncertainty, to better their situation.They know when to trust their gutOur ancestors relied on their intuition - their gut instinct - for survival. Since most of us dont face life-or-death decisions every day, we have to learn how to use this instinct to our benefit. Often we make the mistake of talking ourselves out of listening to our gut instinct, or we go too far in the other direction and impulsively dive into a situation, mistaking our assumptions for instincts. People who successfully deal with uncertainty recognize and embrace the power of their gut instincts, and t hey rely on some tried-and-true strategies to do so successfullyThey recognize their own filters.Theyre able to identify when theyre being overly influenced by their assumptions and emotions or by another persons opinion, for example. Their ability to filter out the feelings thatarentcoming from their intuition helps them focus on what is.They give their intuition some space.Gut instincts cant be forced. Our intuition works best when were not pressuring it to come up with a solution. Albert Einstein said he got his best ideas while sailing, and when Steve Jobs was faced with a tough problem, hed head out for a walk.They build a track record.People who deal well with uncertainty take the time to practice their intuition. They start by listening to their gut on small things and seeing how it goes so that theyll know whether they can trust it when something big comes around.They have contingency plans Staying on top of uncertainty is as much about planning for failure as it is about ho ping for the best. Experts at handling uncertainty arent afraid to admit that they could be wrong, and that frees them up to make detailed, rational, and transparent contingency plans before taking action. Successful people know they arent always going to make the right decision. They know how to absorb and understand mistakes so that they can make better decisions in the future. And they never let mistakes get them down for too long. but they dont ask, What if?What if? statements throw fuel on the fire of stress and worry, and theres no place for them in your thinking once you have good contingency plans in place. Things can go in a million different directions, and the more time you spend worrying about the possibilities, the less time youll spend focusing on taking action that will calm you down and keep your stress under control. Successful people know that asking what if? will only take them to a place they dont want, or need, to go to.When all else fails, they breatheYou have to remain calm to make good decisions in the face of uncertainty. An easy way to do this lies in something that you have to do every day anyway- breathing. The practice of being in the moment with your breathing trains your brain to focus solely on the task at hand and quiets distracting thoughts. When youre feeling overwhelmed, take a couple of minutes to focus on your breathing. Close the door, put away all other distractions, and just sit in a chair and breathe. The goal is to spend the entire time focused only on your breathing, which will prevent your mind from wandering. Think about how it feels to breathe in and out. This sounds simple, but its hard to do for more than a minute or two. Its all right if you get sidetracked by another thought - this is sure to happen at the beginning - and you just need to bring your focus back to your breathing. If staying focused on your breathing proves to be a real struggle, try counting each breath in and out until you get to twenty, and then start again from one. Dont worry if you lose count you can always just start over. This task may seem too easy or even a little silly, but youll be surprised by how calm you feel afterward and how much easier it is to let go of distracting thoughts that otherwise seem to lodge permanently inside your brain.Bringing it all togetherThe ability to strategically manage ambiguity is one of the most important skills you can cultivate in an increasingly uncertain business environment. Try the strategies above, and your ability to handle uncertainty will take a huge step in the right direction.Thispostfirst appeared on LinkedIn.