Archive for April, 2009

Graduation…Now What?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

By Jami Miedema

It is hard to believe that it’s May already!  It is the season when colleges and universities across the country are gearing up for graduation ceremonies, while students cram for the last exams of their undergraduate careers.  It is a time of achievement, opportunity, and perhaps, uncertainty.  Graduates will find themselves faced with several decisions regarding occupations, housing, and further education – not to mention the most important decision of all: where to explore these options.

To ease some of this stress, CareerBuilder teamed up with Apartments.com to assemble a list of the top 10 best cities for college graduates.  This list was compiled based on job availability, the average rental rate of a one-bedroom apartment, and the population of individuals between the ages of 20 and 24.  The winning cities were:

  1. Philadelphia
  2. Boston
  3. New York City
  4. Phoenix
  5. Chicago
  6. Dallas-Fort Worth
  7. Los Angeles
  8. Houston
  9. Detroit
  10. Atlanta

While these cities are flourishing with fellow young adults and numerous entry-level positions, monthly rental rates for apartments vary considerably for each location.  Most of the cities on the list offer one-bedroom apartments for rates in the $600 to $900 range, but areas such as Boston, New York, Chicago, and L.A. charge a base rate of about $1,000 per month.  Housing affordability may be the deciding factor when choosing to make the move to a new city.

Where do you think your city would place on this list?  It will interesting to see in the next decade which cities remain in the top ten and which cities will emerge as the new attractors of eager college graduates.

Source: Cbcampus. (April 2008). Best cities to live for college graduates. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.careerbuildercollege.com

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April Learning

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

By Dean Whittaker

This month I’ve been reminded of the frailty of existing technology, the value of friendship, and the importance of saying thank you. Let’s just say it has been an interesting time to learn new things (and to remember things I learned long ago).

My entry into a brand-new experience came about as I assisted for the first time in a webinar, an interactive, far-reaching seminar conducted over the Internet. I quickly learned that being at the “bleeding edge” of technology can come at a cost. During an outstanding webinar, our newly minted Voice-Over-IP (Internet telephone) functioned fine, but our 100-year-old analog telephone system experienced an equipment failure, resulting in a poor experience for those attempting to participate. Memories of “the chain being as strong as its weakest link” came to mind. Learning and teaching through a webinar holds great promise, but just as with any other technology, we need to ask ourselves three questions: 1. What problem does it solve?, 2. whose problem is it?, and 3. what other problems does the solution create? The convenience and low cost of learning over the Internet is obvious. The ability to share knowledge among far-flung participants and instructors is invaluable. However, learning and teaching in two dimensions requires extra effort and attention on the part of both the instructor and the participants. And the technological bugs may appear where you least expect them.

Fortunately, I was supported by long-time friends and colleagues as I got acquainted with this new webinar technology. Their willingness to share what they have already mastered and to allow me to participate with them has encouraged me to make the effort in this new arena. What goes around comes around, and what we give out we get back. I was reminded of the depth of my gratitude for my friends.

Finally, I was reminded of the importance of saying thank you. Expressing our appreciation is always well received. Due to miscommunication, a situation arose at Whittaker Associates this month that required several people to expend additional effort. A box of pastries from a local bakery was delivered to their break room with a note saying thank you. These small gestures build and maintain relationships. At the end of the day, our relationships are the source of our emotional state. At the end of this month, I’m especially grateful for those relationships.

Book recommendations:

The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt is a book that I recommend if you are interested in improving your life by creating better habits and developing a purpose-driven life. The authors describe a series of strategies to help us focus on what is important in our lives by building better relationships, increasing our confidence, achieving better balance, becoming more decisive and living on purpose.

The House of Cards, by William D. Cohan describes the high-pressure, fast-paced unwinding of an 85-year-old icon of Wall Street, Bear Sterns & Co, which in a matter of a few days went from highly profitable icon to teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. The rescue attempt to save the company, prompted by fears of bringing down the global financial system, is a spell-binding read as well as part of our economic history.

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Be Different or Be Fired

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

By Todd Smithee

In today’s environment of downsizing (let’s call it what it is:firing), it is natural to simply put your head down, keep quiet, and do your job. Unfortunately, this could be the fastest way to earn a cardboard box containing your personal items, a packet on your COBRA benefits, and an escorted walk out of the building. As companies look to reduce costs, they will be searching for ways to minimize their talent loss through layoffs. Unfortunately, many companies have already gone through several rounds of layoffs. This means that those individuals who were average or possibly even above average employees just a short time ago could now be “below average” via attrition. What do you do? Take some risks!

I want to be clear that the following advice is not for everyone. It has, however, worked well for me. First, do not be afraid to stick out. Go to your manager with recommendations for improvements or changes. Take some initiative. One of two things will happen: (1) you will do something remarkable or (2) you will not. Either way, you will gain valuable skills. You will learn how to present new ideas to the powers that be. And most importantly, you will learn not to be afraid.

I had the opportunity to work for three technology startup companies in the 1990s and early 2000s. While with these companies, I took just about every risk imaginable. I volunteered to take over problem departments, massive product rollouts, and large, capital- intensive projects. I took the attitude that I would leave each of these companies under the “Three-Box Exit Strategy.” The boxes were (1) Porsche Boxter (i.e., successful IPO); (2) Pine Box; and (3) Cardboard Box. Guess what? I got the cardboard box each time (at least it was not the pine box). And do you know what? Each box was one of the best things to happen to my career.

First, I gained experience in many areas, including marketing, operations, sales, and finance. While this experience is valuable, the most important thing I gained was increased confidence. I learned to not worry about making a mistake that could cost me my job. Second, these risky positions led to significantly higher incomes. Third, my longest period of unemployment was four weeks. And finally, the “last box” convinced me to start my own company, which will soon be entering its seventh year.

You may not be in a position to take the extreme risks I took early on in my career. It is much easier to do these things when you are in your thirties and have no kids in college to consider. That does not mean, however, that you should keep your head down and hope for the best. Actively look for ways to make your company better, more profitable. Sure, you will fail occasionally, but have faith that you will come up a winner. The only job security you will ever truly have is yourself.

Conrin, Inc.
www.conrin.com
Ph: 616-897-4325

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"What Are You Thinking?"

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

By Jami Miedema

In a world of Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites, it is easy to stay in touch 24/7 with friends and family. E-mails have been replaced with “tweets,” and texting has become a substitute for phone calls. Remaining in the loop is simple for most, but what about those who are unable to communicate due to paralysis? Do immobility and loss of speech function mean connecting to the masses is completely out of the question? Not anymore!

Adam Wilson, a biomedical engineering doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his supervisor, Justin Williams, created a computer interface that uses brain waves to type messages to Twitter, the social messaging site that asks the question, “What are you doing?” They are hoping this technology can be used by people afflicted with locked-in syndrome. This syndrome is used to describe the consequence of diseases and injuries such as Lou Gehrig’s and brainstem strokes that leave its victims immobile, but with fully functioning brain capacity.

The way “Brain-Twitter” works is through a cap fixed with electrodes. The user wears the cap while letters of the alphabet flash on a computer screen. The brain waves that are emitted when the letter of choice is shown are recognized by the cap and are then used to create the desired message to be communicated. Twitter’s 140 character limit is perfect for conveying short messages to numerous people. Although it may take several minutes to put together a message, it is a promising advancement in brain-computer interface technology that will hopefully get better with practice and further research.

While trials still need to be conducted with people actually dealing with locked-in syndrome, it is hard not to anticipate how truly life-changing this technology could prove to be. Twitter may one day be asking “What are you thinking?” instead of “What are you doing?”

Source: Greene, R. A. (April 2009). “Brain-twitter project offers hope to paralyzed patients.” On CNN.com. Retrieved April 2009 from http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/22/twitter.locked.in/index.html.

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Tech Trends (Part 2)

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

By Jim Bruckbauer

Last month I shared some notes on Keith Brophy’s Tech Trends lecture, which he gave in Grand Rapids, MI. He described innovative new technologies that are just around the corner and how we can potentially use these technologies.

This month I’d like to share a couple of programs and technology tools I have been using lately that have helped make me a more productive and informed professional.

Twitter.com
Twitter is a social networking service that allows a user to post text of up to 140 characters, which is in turn posted on the user’s profile page as well as to other users who have subscribed to see those posts. The intention of the site is to be a communication tool between loved ones or associates.
Of course some of us are skeptical about how this can be useful and not a waste of time and energy. If someone is posting their every activity, why do I want to know that information? Perhaps you don’t want to know when your best friend flushes the toilet.

But businesses are using this tool for productive communication. You may simply post relevant news articles, new product announcements, events, or links to those who may wish to follow your company. This is just one example of the productive uses businesses have created for this platform.
This web-based program has a search feature, so you may want to search your location to see what people are saying about your community. Go ahead, try it.

Google Reader
Many informational websites constantly publish articles, and it can be difficult to keep track of all your favorite sites. Google Reader is a tool that allows the user to be “fed” any new text articles that appear on a website. You simply subscribe to a website as a “Reader” and any updates from that website will be collected where you can read them at your leisure. From there, you can organize information from multiple sites and share it with people. I’ve just begun to explore this amazing tool.

I receive updates from the Financial Times, the Economist, Lifehacker (which I’ll touch on in a minute), Wired Magazine, Frommer’s, and my local news.

Taking the time to explore other Google tools may be beneficial; we like to use Google Docs, Google Chat, Google Maps and others.

Lifehacker.com
Lifehacker is a website devoted to sharing information about software and tools that help you save time and become more productive. It features articles, tips, and suggestions on how to optimize aspects of your life through technology. Not only does it focus on making your work day more productive, but it also touches on tips and tools for personal finance, grocery shopping, and design, and it even discusses how to take better pictures.

Check this site out periodically, or if you’re like me, subscribe to receive feeds so you can intelligently speak and know about the latest and greatest technology tools.

Xobni
If you’re using Outlook as your mail server, I would check out Xobni (spell it backwords). It’s a program you can install from xobni.com that helps a you search and organize your inbox. Once the program is installed, a toolbar appears next to each email you receive. The toolbar will show information about the person to whom you are sending (or receiving) emails. Xobini collects information about the person from several social networking sites and shows a mini-profile of the person. It will also sort and calculate information about the trends in emails that have been sent to and from the person.

This tool is very useful for sorting and organizing your email, which, as most of us are aware, is becoming a large portion of our lives.

These are just a few tools that I’ve found helpful lately. They may not be for everyone, but I thought I would share them with you in hopes that you could at least give them a shot.

What are some tools that have been helpful for you? I’d love to hear about them, as well as your experience with any of the tools mentioned above. James@whittakerassociates.com

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Riding the Cycle of the Biofuel Industry

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

By Vidhan Rana

Until a few years ago, ethanol, biofuel or bio-diesel were the words that came to mind when one talked about the alternative energy industry. Today, however, solar and wind seem to be the buzzwords. While the number of new wind farms and photovoltaic cell manufacturing plants has increased over the last few years, new biofuel plants have dwindled. However, the biofuels industry is poised for a comeback.

While new bio-fuels project announcements peaked in 2006 at 201 projects, they totaled a mere 66 in 2008. The chart below shows the number of new project and expansion announcements in the United States between 2003 and 2008 in the biofuel industry. In total, there were 604 bio-fuel related projects in the United States in those six years. Approximate net investment stood at around $50 billion, or $84 million per project.

The above chart does not mean that the biofuel industry is in a decline. Opening a new bio-fuel plant can be an expensive business. With the economic downturn and the lack of credit both hitting producers around the same time, new projects were hard to undertake. There was also some overcapacity in the market due to the high volume of activity in 2006 and 2007. In addition, low gasoline prices meant that some forms of biofuel could not compete with gasoline economically. The situation became so dire that a number of major ethanol producers filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and 2009.

However, the Energy Information Administration, a part of the US Department of Energy, expects biofuel demand to increase over the next 10 years. In fact, the Department of Energy projection shows the demand for oil-based fuel (gasoline, diesel and jet-fuel) declining over the next 10 years. The chart below shows the demand pattern of oil since 1970 (numbers after 2008 are projections).

As the economy comes out of the current recession, demand for biofuels is expected to go up again. New government regulation to increase fuel standards and the Obama Administration’s push for energy efficiency will also boost the demand for biofuels. Last year 7% of the gasoline Americans pumped into their tanks came from plant-based fuel. According the to the Energy Information Administration, that number is likely to double over the next decade as mandates for more biofuels are implemented.

Another trend that is likely to impact the biofuel market is the mandates that say that all fuels cannot be made from corn, the most popular raw material for ethanol. Governments all around the world are concerned that if too much corn is used for ethanol production it may increase the prices of corn-based food products. As a result, companies are increasingly looking to convert municipal and industrial waste, wood pallets and a number of different materials into biofuels. Whittaker Associates identified over 50 up-and-coming start-ups that are banking on the projected increased demand for biofuels and are making major investments in the industry.

As demand for biofuels rises, new plants will be built and existing plants will be expanded.

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