Resume formula

(Photo credit @raphaelphotoch)

Use the XYZ formula on your resume.

1. When I was at Google, we appreciated candidates who articulated their resume bullets in terms of what you accomplished, not just what your job description was.

2. The formula we promoted was (and still is) “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].” Here you are describing the impact your actions had while you worked in your role, as measured by some type of quantifiable metric. 

3. It sounds easy at first look, but it can be really hard to translate certain aspects of your job into measurable results. This article has some great examples to show you how to transform your bullets into accomplishment-focused ones.

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15 weird Google Maps stories to celebrate its 15th anniversary

How many steps did your pet’s wearable track today?

(Photo credit @jaywennington)

Many of you know that I got a new rescue dog this summer (cute photos of her!) and being the tech nerd that I am, I am always looking for new ways to entertain her, feed her and generally spoil her rotten. Given all the anxiety-raising news right now, I decided to focus on the enjoyable & lucrative “pet tech” space for this week, with a few gratuitous pet video links included!

#techtopic

Yes, Americans spend a ridiculous amount on their pets: almost $100 billion in 2019, up from $66 billion in 2016. About one-third is spent on pet food & treats, another third on vet care, 20% on OTC medicine/supplements and 10% on other services. First, let’s consider the ecommerce pet food/treats/toys side. Some may remember Pets.com from the late 1990s as an early tech company who tried to capitalize on making it easier to purchase pet food online - but their business model was hugely flawed (consumers weren’t ready to buy online and the shipping costs for big bags were enormous). Now, Chewy.com is often heralded as the online marketplace to purchase pet products and it IPO’d in Jun 2019. The pandemic has been good for Chewy's business (owned by Petsmart), and this week, they launched a new telemedicine service for vets to connect with pet owners for ‘tele-triage.’ The new service is free to Chewy autoship subscribers - and we’ll see if this value-add helps keep consumers subscribed! 

In terms of services, Rover and Wag are very popular apps that help connect pet owners to dog walkers/sitters. As a user of Rover, I found Wag annoying in that I wasn’t able to choose who takes care of my pet (they would “match” me to whoever is available & meets my basic criteria). Wag succumbed to the lure of Softbank investment, taking $300 million in 2017, and was looking for a buyer in fall 2019. Rover was flourishing (purchasing competitors & expanding into Europe & LatAm) until covid caused layoffs this spring. 

And human owners also want to keep track of their pet’s health stats, steps walked, etc -- so pet wearables have a passionate niche market. Whistle is probably the best known brand among the trackers, but there are many on the market. You can even get your pet’s DNA report to figure out if she’s really a purebred pet! If you want to spoil your pet, I suggest checking out the latest pet tech innovations. 

This video brings all the feels: Corgi living his best life

And this cat is a feline queen.

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Are you an active listener?

(Photo credit @christinhumephoto)

1. Develop and employ active listening skills, especially with those with who you disagree. 

   • One of the best skills I developed early in my career during my Higher Edu degree was active listening. It has been incredibly helpful in my personal and professional life -- when working with cross-functional teams, advising students, or engaging with those with who I disagree on any subject. 

   • What is Active Listening? It’s listening for not just the words that are being spoken, but all the other non-verbal messages being sent your way. 

   • Here are 4 key strategies to use:

     • Pay attention to the other person (and visually demonstrate that)

     • Reflect back to them what you heard/saw

     • Ask open-ended questions

     • Try to find something/anything to help you connect with the other person

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#random

Oreo Built a Doomsday Vault to Protect Its Cookies From a Harmless Asteroid (and here's a YouTube video of the vault!) You tell me if it's fake or not.

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