Hoover Dam Bridge Top 10 Engineering Facts

Hoover Dam Bridge Top 10 Engineering Facts Hoover Dam Bridge Top 10 Engineering Facts Splitting a pair of aces can double your chances of a winning blackjack hand on the Las Vegas Strip. But for tech-savvy visitors to the area, theres a safer bet for a good time a pair of technological aces just 35 miles to the southeast work together in an unbeatable sight-seeing hand for engineers.There, on the shore of Lake Mead, the venerable Hoover Dam and its dazzling new companion, the Mike OCallaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, represent a century of high-stakes engineering and construction work in this 1,500-foot stretch of Colorado River. The proximity of these manmade marvels to major destinations in Nevada and Arizona make the site a must-see example of U.S. engineering on the grandest scale.Americans have had 80 years to celebrate Hoover Dams high-rolling hydroelectric chutzpah. But the lesser-known OCallaghan-Tillman Bridge is a new player at the public works poker table. Heres the imp ressive story of its construction with this admittedly dealers-choice ranking of the bridges top 10 engineering facts. The bridge honors icons of public service Donal Neil Mike OCallaghan and Patrick Daniel Tillman.10. By-Pass SurgeryBefore the bridge, travelers between Arizona and Nevada on U.S. Route 93 crossed the Colorado River on the dam itself, via a crowded, white-knuckle two-lane road riddled with hairpin turns, high winds and zero visibility. What was recognized as a bad set-up 45 years ago became untenable by the 2000s, when the surging bevlkerung growth and tourism caused hopeless congestion amid the ever-present road hazards. With added post-9/11 security concerns, officials from both states finally found the resources to bypass the dam with a straighter, safer highway with a new Colorado River bridge crossing as its central engineering challenge. 9. Time SpanConstruction began in 2005 and the officials cut the ribbon in October 2010, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Hoover Dam. Although bureaucratic and contractual delays and a major equipment mishap added years to the timeline, the project met its $240-million budget $114 million of which was spent on the bridge itself.8. Material EvidenceThe bridge incorporates 30,000 cubic yards of concrete and 16 million pounds of steel.7. Counting SheepA series of wildlife-only over- and underpasses protect the nations largest herd of endangered desert bighorn sheep from the heavier volume and faster speed of traffic on the modernized highway. Highway officials used radio collars and GPS to track the migratory patterns of sheep and other wildlife to identify optimal crossing points.8. High Wire ActConstruction crews from Obayashi Corp. (San Francisco, CA) and PSM Construction USA (Brisbane, CA) teamed up on a novel system of heavy cables stretched across the canyon to put the pieces of the bridge together. Two 330-foot towers suspended each end of the 2,500-foot cableway, and a custom remote-controlle d trolley system traveled on the 3-in.-diameter cables to transport, hoist and position individual concrete bridge sections. The bridge has the worlds tallest concrete arch span.6. Arch RivalThe bridge was the first concrete-steel arch composite bridge built in the United States, and its twin-ribbed arch is the widest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Forming a 1,060-foot-long, 277-foot-deep arch, the two ribs are joined laterally by Vierendeel steel trusses that add seismic protection. Each rib comprises more than 50 sections of concrete, each measuring 24 to 25 feet. Eight concrete vertical piers elevate the bridge deck above the arch structure, and a total of 36 steel girders weighing in at 50 short tons hold the whole thing up.4. Human TollDespite the accidental death of one worker during construction, the complex project maintained a strong safety record. Pedestrian suicides, however, pose a growing problem to bridge officials, who are evaluating design modifications to pr event future tragedies.3. Great LengthsThe total length of the bridge is 1,905 feet, making it the longest single-arch bridge in North America. A dedicated pedestrian lane on the north side provides visitors with the only way to see Hoover Dam from the bridge itself as well as an array of interpretive plaques about the project and its environment.2. Dizzying HeightsAt 880 feet over the Colorado River, it is the second-highest bridge in the United States and the highest concrete-arch bridge anywhere.1. Soaring Tribute to Down-to-Earth HeroesAs a two-state project, the bridge honors icons of public service selected by Nevada and Arizona. Both were admired as heroes of the armed conflicts of their times, and for placing public welfare over their personal gain. Donal Neil Mike OCallaghan was a decorated Korean War veteran who lost the partial use of a leg in battle. He served two terms as Nevadas popular governor from 1971-1979 and declined to run for a third, opting instead for a caree r in newspaper journalism and philanthropy. Patrick Daniel Tillman gained fame in football, first at Arizona State University and later with the Arizona Cardinals. The story of his decision to abandon a lucrative athletics career to enlist in the U.S. Army in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and his 2004 death in Afghanistan at age 27, are indelibly linked with this tumultuous period in American history. Michael MacRae is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionThe total length of the bridge is 1,905 feet, making it the longest single-arch bridge in North America.

The power of the post-interview thank you email

The power of the post-interview thank you emailThe power of the post-interview thank you emailYour resume isnt the only marketing tool you should be concerned with when interviewing. Dont forget about the interview thank you email.Just as resumes have undergone a dramatic change over the past 20 years, so too have post-interview thank-you letter. Twenty years ago, a resume was typically a one-page document that briefly listed a candidates overall work experience and academic credentials. As the employment market became more competitive, so did the resume. Today, resumes are powerful marketing tools designed to sell a candidates skills, accomplishments and expertise in reservierung to give a job seeker a competitive edge over other candidates. The same changes can be said for cover letters.These changes also apply to the post-interview thank you email. In the past, if such a letter was actually sent, it simply stated, Thank you for your time Im very interested in this position. In tod ays market, however, simply saying thank you is not enough. Candidates need to take this same concept of selling their skills and accomplishments and integrate it into their thank-you emails. A well-written and convincing thank-you email should be a powerful document designed to continue selling a candidate long after the interview is over.So, how can you create interview thank you emails that present compelling reasons to further your candidacy?First, in order to create an interview thank you email with the fruchtwein impact, it must be customized to each person with whom you interviewed. It also should focus on the issue that is most significant to that particular person and the company as a whole. What you include in your thank-you letter will depend on your specific interview situation and what you discussed with each interviewer.Here is a list of sections you should include in your interview thank-you emailsReinforce points from the interviewIts difficult for a hiring manager t o remember every detail of every interview they conduct with candidates. To stand out from your competition, emphasize the important points of your background, as they relate to the company and the specific position for which you are applying. Even if your specific skills and qualifications were discussed in the interview, take this opportunity to reiterate and further expand upon ansicht experiences as they directly relate to the companys operations, current needs and future goals.Address specific challenges and problemsIf the hiring manager shared some of the challenges or problems facing his organization, relate how your experience fills their needs, and reiterate the skills you have to help them solve these problems.Suppose he indicated that morale is slipping within the department and that its speeding turnover. Your thank-you email can describe how you led several key initiatives to re-engage members of your department.Or, perhaps he/she discussed a work flow challenge the dep artment is facing. Share your past experiences designing and implementing work flow changes that have led to greater efficiencies and increased productivity.Communicate new informationEveryone walks out of an interview at one time or another realizing there was something really important about their background or qualifications that wasnt covered during the initial discussion. Perhaps there wasnt enough time, or the interviewers agenda didnt lend itself to discussing that topic or you just plain forgot. Heres where the thank you email comes in. Its precisely the tool to use to bring those achievements, experiences, project highlights and qualifications to their attention.Respond to objections from the interviewerIf the hiring manager communicated an objection to hiring you, address it in the interview thank you email. For example, lets say the hiring manager was concerned that youve never worked in Atlanta, and therefore dont have any professional contacts in that area. Use the than k-you letter to explain how you previously entered new markets and immediately developed strong networks. Thats one of the reasons youve been so successful in your previous positions.Using the thank-you email as a competitive marketing tool means that they might sometimes be longer than one page. Thats perfectly ok. There are no thank-you letter rules that dictate these documents must be just one page long. What should dictate their length is the amount of valuable information you want to include. If the company has already extended you the opportunity for an interview, theyre already interested in you. And in most cases they will carefully read any and all material you subsequently forward to them - including a powerful, well-worded and compelling post-interview thank-you email

Child Custody Agreement Letter

Child Custody Agreement LetterChild Custody Agreement LetterJobs in the social services sector often require that you write letters as part of your daily duties, including child custody agreement letters. You may find yourself tasked with writing a child custody agreement letter when working for a law firm. Child custody agreement letters serve as a legal way for a couple to alert the court and their attorneys to any custody arrangements they made between each other regarding any children they had together.The Importance of a Proper Child Custody Agreement Letter Roughly 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in separation or divorce, and many of the splitting couples have children. How and where the kids spend their time after the break-up can be a point of contention. A child custody agreement letter allows the couple to sit down, talk about their children, and decide on an agreement that works for both parties. As a social worker, paralegal, or attorney, you may h ave the chance to write a child custody agreement letter for your client.What Goes Into a Child Custody Agreement Letter?The first time you write a child custody agreement letter, you may have a difficult time determining what should go in that letter. As a copy of the child custody agreement letter will go to the court, you must use professional language and include a list of bullet points that fully explains the custody agreement. Most child custody agreement letters use the following bullet pointsthe name of everyone involved in the agreementthe age of any children mentioneddetails regarding who will be the custodial and noncustodial parentsa clear explanation of who the child will primarily live withany visitation arrangements the couple made regarding vacations or special eventsGenerating a Dependable Child Custody Agreement Letter Looking at child custody agreement letters is a great way to find out the format these letters follow and what the courts want to landsee in child custody agreement letters. Use those samples for help as you write a few sample letters of your own. When you apply for a job in the legal or social services field, employers will often want to see those samples or the experience that you have writing child custody agreement letters. Use our resume builder to write a detailed resume that shows all your experience and skills that relate to those jobs. Related Articles Common Salary Negotiation MistakesCover Letter Samples are Just the FrameworkCreating a Suzie Student Teen Resume

Combatting Age Discrimination in the Job Search Part I of III

Combatting Age Discrimination in the Job Search parte I of IIICombatting Age Discrimination in the Job Search Part I of IIIThe first article in a three-part series on conducting a job search later in life. As many of you mentioned in your comments on my previous article, not everyone whos 50 years old or older has the luxury of an encore career.Many job seekers need a full-time job with full-time pay, and are feeling the negative effects of a down economy. Im not going to sugarcoat it finding a job in general is more challenging than ever. Trying to find a new job later in life can be even more frustrating. Studies have shown that employees in their 50s or older are not only more likely to be laid off during hard economic times, but theyre also known to have longer periods of unemployment before they are able to re-enter the workforce. There are a number of factors at play here, including age discrimination.It may not be fair, but its real - age discrimination is alive and well in todays workplace. We could talk for hours how recruiters, hiring managers - society as a whole - should change their mind-set, but that isnt going to help you land a job any faster. What we really need to discuss is what you can do to compete against other candidates - regardless of their age - in todays job market.Ive broken my advice into six sections, which we will publish in three parts Preparation, Search Close. These insights and tips are not based on my coaching experiences and research alone. Ive reached out to career coaches, recruiters and HR professionals Ive worked with or met throughout my eight-plus years at Ladders to provide both overarching advice and practical tips you can use right away.MindsetYour state of mind can unknowingly boost or sabotage your job search efforts. If you think the age issue is standing in the way of your job search, then it will. Im not saying age discrimination doesnt exist. If you feel your employment rights have been violated, you ca n file a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). But getting angry about it doesnt help. It wastes valuable time and energy that could be better spent on your search efforts. And it makes you less marketable. No one wants to hire a candidate whether theyre 25 or 55 years old who comes across as bitter and resentful.You have a lot of value to offer a potential employer. Your experience, industry expertise and maturity are all selling points. Workforce Engine Director of Talent Acquisition Jennifer Scott has worked within the recruiting and talent acquisition space for more than 14 years. While she admits that age discrimination exists, she says that in her experience, if you can sell your expertise and demonstrate your value, companies will value that.Dont hide from your age, Scott says. Be proud of your experience. Scott adds that age is a state of mind. Demonstrate a positive, upbeat and energetic persona, she continues, and dont sho w any sign of cynicism. So put on a smile when youre networking or speaking with a recruiter during a phone screen even if you dont feel like it. Your goal is to come across as confident, passionate and full of energy and expertise. Fake it till you feel it.Job GoalsBefore you can begin your search, its important to clearly define your job goals. No one is an expert at everything and, in fact, employers wont expect you to be, as todays job market requires subject matter expertise. Take inventory of your strengths and preferences to guide the direction of your job search. Chances are youve worn many hats during your career. Focus your current goals on the key skill sets and strengths youve utilized, particularly within the past 10 years of your career.Consider the accomplishments you found to be most satisfying and rewarding during this part of your work history. What was the focus of that work? What was your motivation? What role did you play? What was the work environment like? Wh at core values guided the project? This will help you uncover the skills and organizational culture that work best for you.Be flexible as to how you get back into the workforce. When youre nearing or past the 60-year mark, often your best bet is to pursue something other than the traditional full-time job, such as part-time, consulting or freelance work. Scott advises job seekers not to be afraid of consulting opportunities. Gigs often turn into jobs, she says. These less traditional roles can also help grow your network of connections, uncover additional opportunities and boost your resume following a period of unemployment.ResumeIn a research study conducted by Ladders, we found that the average recruiter spends six seconds reviewing a resume before deciding to chuck it in the garbage or set it aside for closer inspection. You have six seconds to make the right impression. Before your resume even reaches a recruiter or hiring manager who is more knowledgeable about your line of wo rk, it must first get past a piece of software (known as an Applicant Tracking System or ATS ) and a juniorchef level sourcer or HR coordinator who conducts the initial screenings.Your goal is not only to have a resume that supports your job goals, but also make sure its easy to read and is ATS-friendly. Here are seven tips to help you get thereRestrict the amount of experience you include to the last 15 years, and remove college graduation and certification dates that fall outside that time frame. The emphasis should be placed on the most recent years of experience.Limit your resume to two pages. This shouldnt be as difficult, now that youre only displaying the last 15 years of work experience. Considering the amount of time a recruiter spends on resumes, anything longer than three pages wont get read. Resume writers will rarely create a resume thats more than two pages.Avoid the jack-of-all-trades approach. Although you may have worked in a number of different roles throughout you r career, your resume shouldnt be a laundry list of everything you have done or could be capable of doing. Instead, it needs to align with your current job goals. Tailor the information to highlight the accomplishments that reflect your qualifications for your desired role.Incorporate common buzzwords, terminology and key phrases that pop up in the majority of the job descriptions youre interested in applying to (assuming you have those skills). This will help you make it past the initial screenings especially with an ATS and on to the recruiter.Dont include embedded tables, pictures or other images in the resume it confuses the ATS system. Also, dont use the header or footer portions in the Word document for the same reasons. Create your resume heading outside of this area, at the top of your document.Use one of the following font types that are considered highly readable and dont confuse the ATS systems Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Tahoma, Book Antiqua or Franklin Gothic. Times New Roman is also fine, but I recommend against it since its so common your application will look like everyone elses.Include one professional-looking email address (we recommend setting up a free email address with Gmail), one phone number (where you can control the voicemail message, who picks up the phone and when), and a customized URL for your LinkedIn profile at the top of your resume. This will help control communication and steer the recruiter toward the right online profile.Tomorrows installment will focus on personal branding and the pursuit of new opportunities. Click on the following links for more information on your mindset during the search and writing your resume.*Note click on the following links to access Part II and Part III of this series.

What to Expect From How to List Minor on Resume?

What to Expect From How to List Minor on Resume? Apart from studying, there are many different activities for you to make the fruchtwein of in college. You may supply a concise description of accomplishments and duties for each. If youre not certain which skills you would like to share, consider your prior experiences. Its imperative to understand how to list your education on a resume at each stage. A minor is frequently a great bit of relevant info, especially whenever your minor is associated with the job for which youre applying. You are going to want to tailor your resume to the work description. The additional examples of resumes you see, the more you are able to perceive the ideal way to compose the proper resume. Great luck with your work search How to List Minor on Resume - the Story Your cv might be different than someone else. Undergraduates will be dependent on the RA for ideas and consultation. Obviously, a degree can be quite a useful asset, but the experi ence here has a greater value. Also, in case you have a degree in a different field, you can demonstrate that you took courses related to your professional field too. Definitions of How to List Minor on Resume Hopefully a number of the above resume examples gpa examples can provide you with benefits to have the ability to open up a prosperous chance for you in taking advantage of for any job. It is possible to set your education section before or following your experience section. If youve just graduated, look at placing your education section prior to your experience section. If youre a seasoned professional, place your professional work history section prior to your education. How to List Minor on Resume - the Conspiracy By analyzing the space and picking how youre decorate, then it is going to be problematic for one to choose the decorations you will be needing since youll already know just what youd really like to finish. Your precise vorstellung may not call for each and every thing below, also it might even demand just a little more. Then youll be in line to acquire the job being considered. When you cant list a lot of jobs, show a great deal of positions. How to List Minor on Resume Ideas The ideal Resident Assistant resume objective is one which tells the school which youre the best person for the job. Experience is essential for this position. Applicants become confused by all the probable scenarios. Some applicants might not have the formal education necessary for the job. If youve got certain soft abilities, you may add it to your resume education section. Even if those skills are regarding the job accessible. In most instances, your soft skills can boost your hard skills. Listing your skills provides a chance to showcase your abilities and experiences to prime employers for the remainder of your resume. Its simply not relevant and will do more damage than good on your resume. Discuss the way that it helped you serve the folks in your charge. The above mentioned information is beneficial for anybody who has some expert experience. Its simple to choose whether to set your education on top or bottom of your resume, based on how much expert experience youve accumulated. Therefore, use Greek life to underline the particular skills a business requires. Speak to professionals in the area If youre having a hard time determining what skills an employer might want to see, look at contacting a professional already working in the business or position very similar to the one that youre applying for. It only means you will need to do a little additional work to catch the recruiters eye. Tailor your resume to center on the work and extracurricular experiences which are most relevant to the job or industry youre targeting. Option 1 There are a couple distinct tactics to incorporate that you attended college. Its important in the event the name of your college is well-known. Not everybody who attends college com pletes it, for any reason. Education has become the most powerful weapon that you can use to modify the world.

Spark A Conversation Warning Signs in Video Resumes - Spark Hire

Spark A Conversation Warning Signs in Video Resumes - Spark HireHere at Spark Hire, we want to help companies utilize the power of online video to find the best candidates. We get a lot of questions from readers about best practices for using online video in the hiring process. These posts will address those questions about how to find your next superstar employee.Question What are some warning signs to look for in a candidates video resume? -Karissa from Philadelphia Thank you for your question, Karissa Video resumes are a great way for job seekers to get themselves in front of you, the employer. They are also a great way for employers to further screen candidates and look for what they want and dont want in a future employee. In a paper resume, its difficult to get a feel for a candidates personality and their passion for what they do- if they have any.In buchen to make the best use of video resumes in your screening process, watch out for these warning signs that can show you this candidate is not the future employee you are looking to hire.Company GoalsIn their video resume, candidates will usually state what they feel is most important to them in a company or job. Perhaps they want to work for a company that gives back to the community, or a company that is really into going green and conserving the environment. In other words, look to see if a candidates views and goals align with your own companys goals. This also goes for pinpointing passion in the job seeker for the industry they are in. Why are they interested in this particular position? Is it a writing intensive position but all of their past experience is in Public Relations or Customer Service? If so, that may tell you that they are just looking for a right now job and they may not be what you need right now.Background and Video DetailsIt may seem a bit petty, but the fact of the matter is, if the video resume a job seeker is sending you is not up-to-par in terms of background and lighting, then y ou may have some issues. For instance, if the lighting in your candidates video resume is so dark that you have to strain to see them, or too bright that it hurts your eyes, then that should definitely be a warning sign to you. If this job seeker truly cared about the position they were applying to, they would do everything in their power to be sure they were showing you their best self. That includes having a clean, tidy background and sufficient lighting in their video resume. Attention to detail is important in any position, and without it this job seeker likely wont make a great employee.NervousnessA while back we published an article talking about how a nervous candidate doesnt necessarily indicate a bad candidate. However, if you have a job seeker that looks extremely nervous in their video resume, you may have a bit of an issue. For one, a video resume is pre-recorded and candidates have the opportunity to record new ones until they are satisfied. If you are looking at a vide o resume with a nervous, sweaty mess of a candidate, they probably wont be any better in the in-person interview. On top of that, how well will this candidate perform under the pressures of the job? Look out for extra-nervous candidates and perhaps move past them.Work ExperienceLastly, if you are watching a video resume from a candidate and they are extremely vague about their past experiences, you may have a bit of an issue. A video resume is a chance for job seekers to expand upon their work experience more in-depth than in their paper resume. If they are being vague about their past work experience, or are failing to mention it altogether, they may not have the right skills and qualifications that are needed for this position. If you still think they are a good candidate, then be sure to ask specifics in the video interview or in-person interview.Do you have a question you need answered? Spark a conversation with the Spark Hire team by submitting your question to blog(at)sparkhir e.com or in the comments below.

Tech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodies

Tech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodiesTech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodiesWhy hire robots when you can just turn your humans into robots?Thats what one Midwest tech firm seems to be asking itself. In Wisconsin, software company Three Square Market said it will become the first company in the U.S. to start implanting microchips in its employees bodies, making them corporate cyborgs.With a syringe, a microchip the size of a rice grain will get implanted between employees thumb and forefinger. Using the near-field communication technology that you have in your phones and credit cards, your cyborg hand would be able to send data via an electromagnetic wave.Whats so important that it would require a microchip signal to get it?Snacks.Would you get microchipped so that you could eat chips faster from a vending machine?And Three Square Market said its doing this all so employees can get chips faster from the vending machine. With the microchip im planted in their hands, employees can wave their hands and get chips from the company vending machine, enter the company building, and even log onto their computers.Its the next thing thats inevitably going to happen, and we want to be a parte of it, Three Square Market CEO Todd Westby toldlocal station KSTP about why his company is doing this. So far, more than 50 employees have agreed to get the implant.Of course, the company emphasized that it will not force its employees to get the microchip.These microchips are said to be biologically safe for you to receive, but are they safe for your personal data?Although Westby promised that the microchip data would be encrypted and secure, the idea of implanting chips in your employees bodies does raise security and privacy concerns. The microchips can track your whereabouts how often you enter the building or log onto your computer, and at what times you do this. It can know private data about your health, like how often youre buying thos e chips. A lot of valuable tracking information for a company to have that can measure your performance. And even if a company promises not to disclose this, a hacker could.Although these human cyborgs would be a reported first for the U.S., this implantation has already been going on in Europe. Swedish startup Epicenter said that about 150 of its employees have agreed to be microchipped, so that their hands can act as swipe cards, getting them into buildings and paying for their smoothies. A convenient way to get around the office, to be sure. But it remains to be seen at what cost.

Experts Its time for the C-suite to step up and lead

Experts Its time for the C-suite to step up and leadExperts Its time for the C-suite to step up and leadIts been said before, and Erika Brown will say it again If companies want change, they cant rely on human resources or an outside consultant to make it happen. Their leaders have to own the change they want to see.Brown,Goldman Sachs chief diversity officer, made the comment at the first-ever Hispanic Leadership Summit at the United Nations Headquarters on Dec. 10. She was on a panel about how to get more Hispanics into C-suite roles, which because of pipeline problems is more difficult than one might think.According to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, only about 7% of board members at participating companies were Hispanic, while more than 17% of the employee workforce identified with the ethnicity.We need to make sure that diversity and inclusion really is inclusive, Brown said.Just as Brown talked about how corporate action must come from the C-suite itself, Tammy Tyler, an employment law compliance manager at payroll, human resources, and benefits outsourcing service dienst Paychex, recently said that sexual harassment prevention requires a company culture that starts at the executive level.It needs to come from the top down in those companies. And its a culture, Tyler told Ladders.Youre fostering respectful behavior, and making sure that everyone understands that from the beginning.And so the experts are in agreement For businesses to meet their ethical standards and diversity goals, their top players need to be involved in the process. HR can be helpful, as can consultants and other outside groups.But when it comes down to it, a company is its leadership, and those leaders have to be intentional in the way they run their businesses. Otherwise, all the lip service is just for show.

Rethinking Performance Reviews From Frequency to Format

Rethinking Performance Reviews From Frequency to FormatRethinking Performance Reviews - From Frequency to FormatIf youre evaluating your employees performance only once a year, youre missing out on many opportunities to guide and motivate them. Your kollektiv members want to hear from you as often as needed about where they are excelling or should strive to improve. They also want regular reminders that theyre an important and valued part of your organization.So, even if annual performance reviews are a long-standing tradition at your firm, you may want to rethink how often you offer feedback directly to your employees. Performance reviews, conducted formally or informally, are a useful tool for finding out mora about the needs and goals of your team. They also provide an opportunity for you to clarify objectives, review expectations, and identify where, how and why employees may need additional support.Without regular feedback from you and the chance to make small-scale course cor rections, your staff members are elend likely to recognize the need to improve their performance. They may not be motivated to stretch their abilities. They also may struggle to see how their contributions help make a difference More than half of workers (53 percent) in a Management Resources survey reported that they want greater insights into how their duties impact their companys performance.Also, waiting until the annual performance review cycle to bestow praise on employees who have earned it can undermine morale - and potentially, hurt your firms retention efforts.A new approach to suit new business demands?Another reason your company may want to re-evaluate the value of the annual performance review process is that you may be operating differently than you did in the past. If your firm is like many businesses, it may no longer have clear annual cycles instead, it is driven by short-term projects. So, rather than setting employee goals 12 months in advance, it may make more s ense to come up with milestones for them to achieve throughout the year.Keep in mind, too, that creating a continuous feedback loop doesnt just benefit your employees. It can save you time once you adapt to the new process. You may find its much easier to fit in short, casual employee reviews sprinkled throughout the year than carving out one large chunk of time to prepare for and conduct formal performance evaluations for your entire team.More than one-third (36 percent) of human resources (HR) managers polled for a survey said their company is increasing the frequency of performance reviews. While 40 percent of respondents said these appraisals still happen annually, 28 percent report that they are conducted twice a year at their company and 10 percent said they take place quarterly. And 14 percent of HR managers surveyed said their organizations conduct these reviews as needed.If you decided to change the frequency of your performance reviews, make a point to rethink your overall process as well. Here are some strategies for successMake it a discussionRemember that employees can find performance reviews - even informal check-ins - intimidating. Thats why its important to structure these meetings like two-way conversations. You want to share your feedback, but you also want to invite your employee to respond to it. You also want to create an environment where staff members feel they can be open and honest with you, too.For tips on fostering a positive workplace culture, read this special report from Robert Half.So, listen more and talk less. Instead of telling employees how they rated in certain areas and why they received the scores they did, turn the process upside down. Ask your workers to talk about their strengths and weaknesses, and to offer suggestions for both personal and department-wide improvement. And be sure to listen for hints as to their level of workplace happiness and satisfaction.Focus on the futureInstead of dwelling on past successes or failures in a performance review, focus on the companys upcoming needs and how the employee fits into that big picture. For example, what technical training do your financial analysts need to make the most of the new cloud-based software your organization has implemented?For your rising superstars, discuss mentoring and leadership training. Also, you may find these one-to-one meetings can help you to identify candidates that are a good fit for the organizations succession planning objectives. Only about half (52 percent) of chief financial officers in a recent Management Resources survey said they had already found a potential successor for their position.Address upskillingDuring more frequent performance review meetings, you can help employees more clearly see areas for professional growth, such as the need to enhance specific skills or learn new ones. Upskilling is especially important today as technology continues to change how we work.Research conducted for Benchmarking Account ing and Finance Functions 2018, a special report from and Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), finds that many firms are expanding their use of automation and cloud computing. As they do, they need support from workers who have experience with data analytics, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and more.Upskilling is also important for recruiting and retaining millennial professionals These workers are not likely to be satisfied in their jobs if theyre not offered meaningful opportunities to learn.Separate goal-setting and salary discussionsMany companies base financial rewards - annual or biannual bonuses, merit increases, retention bonuses - on formal evaluations. That doesnt need to change, although you may want to consider separating that conversation from the feedback process. The performance review is a time to acknowledge employees strengths and discuss strategies for positive change and growth.Make sure youre offering competitive compensation to your te am by consulting the data in Robert Halfs 2019 Salary Guides.As a financial manager, your aim is to foster a healthy relationship with your staff and motivate them to do their best work, of course. But all too often, the annual performance review is counterproductive to that goal. Right or wrong, many workers dread these appraisals because they see them as a way for management to call attention to their shortcomings.In this new year, consider upending this old-fashioned power dynamic by rethinking your approach to evaluating your team members performance. More frequent feedback for your staff and a less-structured format for delivering constructive criticism and praise can help keep your team focused on continuous improvement.