Bill Gates didnt take one day of vacation in his 20s

Bill Gates didnt take one day of vacation in his 20sBill Gates didnt take one day of vacation in his 20sSometimes when youre in the early stages of a giant project, youre got to burn it working long, hard hours, with little time for anything in-between. If you let up for weeks, even days, a competitor you didnt even know you had may sneak up behind you and eat your lunch. Thats why Bill Gates pushed himself so hard in his twenties and early thirties at Microsoft, becoming one of techs most famous workaholics.I never took a day off in my twenties. Not one, the tech billionaire has said.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and morePush, push, pushLast Saturday, at an event hosted for founders by venture firm Village Global, Eventbrite co-founder and CEO Julia Hartz asked Gates if his no vacation, no weekends policy had changed since the early days of Microsoft. She also asked if the concept o f work-life balance was even possible for early-stage founders.Sort of, Gates said. How frantically you push yourself to work depends on where you are in life and what you want to accomplish.For my particular makeup, it really is true that I didnt believe in weekends I didnt believe in vacations, Gates said.But theres a method to the madness, he said, much of what had to do with the urgency of the winner-take-all market of the tech industry.I dont recommend his method, he continued. I dont think most people would enjoy it.But he found it necessary, at least initially. It is nice, if during those first several years if you have a team thats chosen to be pretty maniacal about the company I have a fairly hard-core view that there should be a very large sacrifice made during those early years.Much of this is specific to his business. In the software world particularly for platforms these are winner-take-all markets.Once some major gains were made, Gates said, he relaxed a little.Once I got into my thirties by then some kind of natural behavior kicked in and I loved weekends, and my girlfriend liked vacations, and that turned out to be kind of a neat thing. Now, I take lots of vacations. My 20-year-old self is so disgusted with my current self.And now he even has time for hobbies. When asked about his famous book lists 3634, Gates laughed at the time he now gave himself to read. The nice thing now that Im not so extreme in my twenties I didnt get to read much at all.

15 Project Management Tips for New Project Managers

15 Project Management Tips for New Project Managers15 Project Management Tips for New Project Managers15 Project Management Tips and Tricks for New Project ManagersCan you manage it? Of course you canMany people start out in their careers as a project manager. Yet, in many cases, it takes time to earn the trust and responsibility that comes with the position. If youve been given the title of Project Manager (PM), congratulations Youve earned it. If you havent been given the responsibility yet, theres a good chance you will be at some point if you want to advance in your career.Now, you need to get clear on how you to maximize the resources available to you and hone in on the necessary skill sets to rock it in the project management world.Project management adds value to your resumeThere are lots of benefits to being a project manager. As a project manager, you will gain tons of valuable on-the-job experience and skills for future roles and positions, including, but leid limited toLea dership skillsDelegationEffective communicationGoal setting and resultsExposure to leadership teams within or external to the companyHow to work with different personalities within the saatkorn groupProblem-solving abilitiesExposure to new project management softwareSeems like a lot? The good news is that it adds amazing value to your resume through a wide variety of skills. Here are some additional new project management tips and tricks that will help you succeed.Project management tips that will set you up for successKnow all the project details up front. Get clear on all the project details at the beginning so you can map out a plan without surprises down the road.Get the projects priorities in line. This will help you set up clear and measurable goals, while also helping you identify what can be taken care of early on, and what you need to get a head start so you dont have a last-minute disaster.Set clear and measurable goals. After youre clear on the project criteria, set goals and milestones that are reasonable, timely, and efficient.Related10 Steps to Setting and Achieving Goals at WorkGo with the flow. Changes occur throughout a project, so do some yoga or breathing courses to help you manage the stress that can come with the changes within a project.Take a course and get certified. Getting certified as a Project Manager might make sense if you want to hone your skills as a Project Manager. You might be more attractive to companies, as well. However, youll want to weigh out the pros and cons of whether or not its worth it. Do you have the time and money? At the same time, you might work with a company that will helfende hand you in getting it, so if thats the case, go for it.Become a part of the team. You will want to lead your team as well as serve your team. By being a team player, they will see you as willing to put in the work, and youll get a lot more out of your team as a whole.Be proactive. Before the project begins, look for holes or areas that might be a challenge. You can bring these to the attention of those overseeing the project and attempt to come up with solutions to avoid the issues before they hit. When issues happen and they will on almost any project by being proactive from the beginning, problem-solving will be much easier as the project moves along.Know your project management software like its your best friend. The software that youll be using to either manage or launch your project is now your best friend. Know it inside and out, and ask for training for all team members before the project even begins. Youll also want to look for software that has a strong support team in case you need it when youre in a jam or bind.If youre trying to decide what project management software will work best, ask other Project Managers what they prefer. Or check out these Top Project Management Software Programs.Utilize a mentor. I recommend identifying and forging a relationship with a mentor to help you with various facets of your career. A good and experienced PM mentor can help you keep your cool when things go wrong, problem solve, cultivate a team, and more.Related5 Ways a Mentor Can Boost Your Career PotentialKnow your customer. A good project manager will take the time to sit down with their customer more than once to get clear on their needs and how they communicate best. By doing so, the PM can put a plan in distribution policy to meet expectations for both internal and external customers.Get to know your team. The more you take the time to get to know the players on your team with care, the more willing theyll be to go the extra mile for you when its needed. It also helps to understand how each player communicates, operates, and what their strong skills are so that you can delegate accordingly.You want to give tasks to those you know will be competent and timely in getting them finished.Embrace leadership. As a project manager, you will be looked to for guidance and leadership, especially wh en it comes to completing the project. The example you set will trickle down to the rest of the team.Evaluate the project upon completion. You can learn a lot for your next project by taking note of what worked and what didnt work with your current project.Not everyone loves being a Project Manager, and thats okay. Whether you love it or not, it can be a good experience to manage at least one project to see if its a fit for you. Just follow these project management tips to help you gain the most from this experience.Click on the following link for more career advice on how to get ahead.Dont know if you highlighted your project management skills well on your resume? Request a free resume review to find outRecommended ReadingDo You Really Want to Be Manager One Day?Project Manager Job DescriptionRamp up Your Job Search Before the New Year With These Daily Tips

Apply for the ASME Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship

Apply for the ASME Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship Apply for the ASME Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship Apply for the ASME Advanced Manufacturing FellowshipASME is now accepting applications for its second Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship opportunity at the America Makes innovation institute. The Advanced Manufacturing Fellow will serve a yearlong term as an advisor to America Makes, which is located in Youngstown, Ohio.America Makes was established in August 2012 to help the United States advance its capabilities and strength in additive manufacturing by facilitating collaboration among leaders from business, academia, non-profit organizations and government agencies and focusing on areas that include design, materials, technology, and workforce development.The ASME Advanced Manufacturing Fellow will provide leadership and support in workforce and educational outreach, which is one of America Makes key areas of concentration. Specifically, the fellow willHelp to strategiz e, prioritize and coordinate the development education/training programs and resources to accelerate Additive Manufacturing implementation Serve as a liaison with internal and external partners, including policymakers, to help America Makes enhance its network of education and workforce development solution providers Provide scientific, technical, curricular and intellectual leadership, and analytical support contributing to the advancement of the institutes goals, particularly as they apply to workforce development and educational outreach and Organize and curate education resources and update ansprechbar interface that is used by members and attracts new members to America Makes.ASME will provide a stipend of $60,000 for the one year fellowship, which will start in mid- to late 2016. The fellow will not be required to relocate to Youngstown during the term of the fellowship. All applicants must be a U.S. citizen and an ASME member at the time of application. The deadl ine to submit an application for the fellowship is Jan. 31, 2016. For additional information on the Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship, or to access the online application, visit http//ppec.asme.org/washington-insider/new-asme-advanced-manufacturing-fellowship-america-makes. To learn more about America Makes, visit americamakes.us.