How to take advantage of warm weather as a remote worker

How to take advantage of warm weather as a remote workerHow to take advantage of warm weather as a remote workerFlexible arrangements allow greater control over where and when work gets completed, providing plenty of chances to get outside and enjoy warm weather. Are you taking full advantage of the opportunities?Before summer days drift away, consider these ideas to take advantage of warm weather and enjoy a little extra sunshinePrepareThe popular image of grab your laptop and head outdoors doesnt always jive with reality. The Wi-Fi at that cute caf turns out spotty, that perfect park corner becomes Little League training camp at noon, and the pool chair on your deck leaves waffle thighs and an achy back within a half hour.Telecommuters wishing to work outsideon a regular basis benefit from proactive measures. Scout out potential locations to figure out which offer the best environment during the times youll be working. Invest in a hotspot if necessary. Purchase a quality outdoor ch air (often found on clearance at this time of year). Get a battery with a really long life so a dead laptop doesnt send you home early. Check out anti-glare protector screens to make monitor reading easier. Own protective, efficient eyewear (reading sunglasses are a blessing as one ages).Evaluate tasksWorking from your atrium seems like a good idea- until your neighbor pokes his head out to see why youre chasing flying papers through his yard. Stick with activities best suited to the great outdoors, such as reading stapled reports, creating to-do lists, brainstorming ideas, returning phone calls, and editing cloud-based files.Try a coworking spaceLack of commute draws people to remote work. However, pleasant weather may make the idea of heading somewhere appealing.Look into area coworking spacesfor times when getting out of the house and being around others sounds interesting.Network in the sunLonging to have drinks and appetizers at an outdoor eatery? Invite a few former coworkers to join you on a sunny afternoon. Staying in touch keeps connections strong. Otherseasonal networking occasionsinclude alumni picnics, neighborhood block parties, and even family reunions. (Who knew the startup Uncle Ralph works at needs someone for a freelance marketing gig?)Take breaks outsideInstead of throwing in laundry during your break or eating lunch in front of CNN, use your scheduled free time to get air. Walking to the market to pick up milk or watching squirrels chase each other while you enjoy a sandwich in the backyard can boost spirits before returning to work.Rearrange your scheduleTake advantage of remote arrangements that dont require specific hours. Getting up an hour early each day to complete tasks may well be worth the effort if it allows you to take Friday off to explore the zoo with your kids.Get doneFinally, considerusing the beautiful weather as a motivator. Knowing theres a lounge chair and a sizzling novel waiting for you upon submission of that project c an inspire focus and perseveranceThis article first appeared on FlexJobs.

6 proven reasons why innovative leaders are successful

6 proven reasons why innovative leaders are successful6 proven reasons why innovative leaders are successfulI attended a private school until the 8th grade. The only students were my brother and myself because we lived on a remote cattle ranch in Wyoming. The nearest town was 90 minutes, one-way, on a dirt road.There were no other kids to play with, so I played with trucks and dolls when I was young. As I got older, I spent time with animals. I talked to them and treated them as friends- indeed, the only ones I hadWhen we role-play, we imagine ourselves in different situations. One week I would be a veterinarian and patch up all sorts of ills that befall animals on a ranch. Or a John Wayne character who packed a gun and brought justice to the wild west.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI always imagined myself to be someone whom I aspired to become like when I grew up. At that age , my hero was someone very real to me. My imagination gave me permission to walk in the shoes of my hero, if only for a few moments.Researchtells us that children who have a good imagination grow up to be more creative as adults. Imaginative and creative people also tend to be more innovative as well.Innovation is the secret sauce that can accelerate a companys profits and growth beyond its competitors. Ina recent study, innovation was ranked as a long-term challenge for driving business growth. It is a key talent needed at all levels of leadership, starting with the CEO.Despite its importance, innovation is a difficult quality to cultivate in both leaders and organizations.As a leader, what if you feel youre elend innovative? You may need to fake it until you make it, but it is possible to create a mindset that will allow you to develop your creativity. Oscar Hammerstein wrote that by whistling a happy tune, when I fool the people I fear, I fool myself as well.Creating an innovativ e mindset takes work and may require some retraining, but anyone can innovate if they develop these core competencies1. Innovative Leaders Surround Themselves With Interesting PeopleOur environment plays a major part in developing our innovative characteristics. We cant change the circumstances of our upbringing, but we do have a choice in the kinds of people with whom we associate and surround ourselves.We tend to take on the same characteristics as the people we spend the most time with, so be picky Its fine to spend time with school chums and old acquaintances, but we need to challenge ourselves to develop new friends who will truly nourish our desire to be the person we want to be.Likewise, spend time with colleagues who possess high levels of innovative traits.TIPCreate a learning environment or community that generates new knowledge and perspectives. This type of networking will expose you to different perspectives from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.2. I nnovative Leaders Are Curious And ObservantInnovative leaders score high in curiosity. They desire to know more and take the initiative to learn new information. They keep their skills and knowledge current to give them a competitive edge.Innovative leaders arementally toughbecause they believe they will prevail in their circumstances, rather than hope their circumstances will change. If an obstacle pops up, they react with curiosity as they investigate the endless possibilities before them.Innovative leaders landsee possibilities everywhere and constantly add new information as they learn more. They are curious about other people and come up with many of their own innovative ideas as they observe others.TIPBecome an investigator who looks at an obstacle or roadblock from many perspectives. Curiosity and observation are two important traits in innovative people. Look for the possibilities in your situation, not the dead end.3. Innovative Leaders Stamp Out Self-Limiting BeliefsWe all have self-limiting beliefs about ourselves that often lead to self-fulfilling prophecies about what we can and cannot do in life. Limitations are placed around ourselves when we think we can predict the outcome of a situation. We change our behavior so that the prediction comes true.If you think youre going to fail a job interview, that belief may lead to behavior that ensures you do, indeed, fail the job interview.TIP The self-fulfilling prophecy can work in the opposite direction as well. Stay positive and rein in self-limiting beliefs that can sabotage your performance.4. Innovative Leaders Look For Ways To Shake Things UpThe samestudy cited abovealso revealed that innovative leaders scored 25% higher than non-innovative counterparts in managing risk.Risk ignites innovation because it moves us out of our comfort zone. Risk does not partner with complacency because embracing risk is experimenting with the unknown. We try new experiences, take things apart, and test new ideas.Inno vation requires us to make something out of nothing. It requires the grit to keep working at something until you find a solution.When you shake things up and embrace risk, one of two things will happen either you will succeed at meeting your goal, or you will succeed in getting an education.TIP Seek out new experiences that will stimulate your thinking and avoid the mundane. Habits are the killer of innovation.5. Innovative Leaders Seize OpportunitiesInnovative leaders take risks, and when they do, they seize opportunities. Because they are also careful observers, they change direction when the advantage becomes apparent.Innovative leaders can anticipate potential obstacles and are not surprised when they pop up. They are prepared for them and are able to pivot and move forward, without losing valuable momentum.TIP Rather than accept the learning opportunities when they occur, intentionally broaden activities in strategic areas. Be proactive in moving into those areas where you want to expand.6. Innovative Leaders Fake It- To A PointAristotle once said, Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a certain way. That is the source of the fake it until you make it a mantra.While you can fake it until you make it when you start out, there is an important caveat dont expect it to take you all the way to the top.Innovation is a mindset. As such, you work to create a mindset that seeks ways to move around obstacles. If you are a talented individual, you can fake your way through the learning process until it becomes a genuine skill you own.TIP If you do not have the talent, desire, or confidence to take your career to the next level, no amount of faking it will help. You risk being seen as an imposter.This article first appeared on Larae Quy .You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

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10 mistakes smart people never make twice

10 mistakes smart people never make twice10 mistakes smart people never make twiceEverybody makes mistakes - thats a given - but we dont always learn from them. Sometimes we make the saatkorn mistakes over and over again, fail to make any real progress, and cant figure out why.Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them. - Bruce LeeWhen we make mistakes, it can be hard to admit them because doing so feels like an attack on our self-worth. This tendency poses a huge problem because new research proves something that common sense has told us for a very long time fully acknowledging and embracing errors is the only way to avoid repeating them.Yet many of us still struggle with this.Researchers from the Clinical Psychophysiology Lab at Michigan State University found that people fall into one of two camps when it comes to mistakes those who have afixed mind-set(Forget this Ill never be good at it) and those who have agrowth mind-set(What a wake-up call Lets see w hat I did wrong so I wont do it again).By paying attention to mistakes, we invest mora time and effort to correct them, study author Jason Moser says. The result is that you make the mistake work for you.Those with a growth mind-set land on their feet because they acknowledge their mistakes and use them to get better. Those with a fixed mind-set are bound to repeat their mistakes because they try their best to ignore them.Smart, successful people are by no means immune to making mistakes they simply have the tools in place to learn from their errors. In other words, they recognize the roots of their mix-ups quickly and never make the same mistake twice.When you repeat a mistake it is not a mistake anymore it is a decision. Paulo CoelhoSome mistakes are so tempting that we all make them at one point or another. Here are 10 mistakes almost all of us make, but smart people only make once.1. Believing in someone or something thats too good to be trueSome people are so charismatic and s o confident that it can be tempting to follow anything they say. They speak endlessly of how successful their businesses are, how well liked they are, who they know, and how many opportunities they can offer you.While it is, of course, true that some people really are successful and really want to help you, smart people only need to be tricked once before they start to think twice about a deal that sounds too good to be true. The results of naivety and a lack of due diligence can be catastrophic.Smart people ask serious questions before getting involved because they realize that no one, themselves included, are as good as they look.2.Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different resultAlbert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Despite his popularity and cutting insight, there are a lot of people who seem determined that two plus two will eventually equal five.Smart people, on the other hand, need only experience this frustration once. The fact is simple if you keep the same approach, youll keep getting the same results, no matter how much you hope for the opposite.Smart people know that if they want a different result, they need to change their approach, even when its painful to do so.3. Failing to delay gratificationWe live in a world where books instantly appear on our e-readers, news travels far and wide, and just about anything can show up at our doorsteps in as little as a day.Smart people know that gratification doesnt come quickly, and hard work comes long before the reward. They also know how to use this as motivation through every step of the arduous process that amounts to success because theyve felt the pain and disappointment that come with selling themselves short.4. Operating without a budgetYou cant experience financial freedom until you operate under the constraint of a budget. Sticking to a budget, personally and professionally, forces us to make thoughtful choices about wh at we want and need.Smart people only have to face that insurmountable pile of bills once before getting their act together, starting with a thorough reckoning as to where their money is going. They realize that once you understand how much youre spending and what youre spending it on, the right choices become clear. A morning milchkaffee is a lot less tempting when youre aware of the cost $1,000 on average per year.Having a budget isnt only about making sure that you have enough to pay the bills.Smart people know that making and sticking to a strict budget means never having to pass up an opportunity because theyve blown their precious capital on discretionary expenditures. Budgets establish discipline, and discipline is the foundation of quality work.5. Losing sight of the big pictureIts so easy to become head-down busy, working so hard on whats right in front of you that you lose sight of the big picture. But smart people learn how to keep this in check by weighing their daily pr iorities against a carefully calculated goal.Its not that they dont care about small-scale work they just have the discipline and perspective to adjust their course as necessary. Life is all about the big picture, and when you lose sight of it, everything suffers.6. Not doing your homeworkEverybody has taken a shortcut at some point, whether it was copying a friends biology assignment or strolling into an important meeting unprepared. Smart people realize that while they may occasionally get lucky, that approach will hold them back from achieving their full potential.They dont take chances, and they understand that theres no substitute for hard work and due diligence. They know that if they dont do their homework, theyll never learn anything - and thats a surefire way to bring your career to a screeching halt.7. Trying to be someone or something youre notIts tempting to try to please people by being whom they want you to be, but no one likes a fake, and trying to be someone youre n ot never ends well. Smart people figure that out the first time they get called out for being a phony, forget their lines, or drop out of character.Other people never seem to realize that everyone else can see right through their act. They dont recognize the relationships theyve damaged, the jobs theyve lost, and the opportunities theyve missed as a result of trying to be someone theyre not.Smart people, on the other hand, make that connection right away and realize that happiness and success demand authenticity.8. Trying to please everyoneAlmost everyone makes this mistake at some point, but smart people realize quickly that its simply impossible to please everybody and trying to please everyone pleases no one.Smart people know that in order to be effective, you have to develop the courage to call the shots and to make the choices that you feel are right (not the choices that everyone will like).9. Playing the victimNews reports and our social media feeds are filled with stories of people who seem to get ahead by playing the victim. Smart people may try it once, but they realize quickly that its a form of manipulation and that any benefits will come to a screeching halt as soon as people see that its a game.But theres a more subtle aspect of this strategy that only truly smart people grasp to play the victim, you have to give up your power, and you cant put a price on that.10. Trying to change someoneThe only way that people change is through the desire and wherewithal to change themselves. Still, its tempting to try to change someone who doesnt want to change, as if your sheer will and desire for them to improve will change them (as it has you). Some even actively choose people with problems, thinking that they can fix them.Smart people may make that mistake once, but then they realize that theyll never be able to change anyone but themselves. Instead, they build their lives around genuine, positive people and work to avoid problematic people that bring them down.Bringing it all togetherEmotionally intelligent people are successful because they never stop learning. They learn from their mistakes, they learn from their successes, and theyre always changing themselves for the better.Travis Bradberry is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the co-founder of TalentSmart.This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.10 mistakes smart people never make twiceEverybody makes mistakes - thats a given - but we dont always learn from them. Sometimes we make the same mistakes over and over again, fail to make any real progress, and cant figure out why.Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them. - Bruce LeeWhen we make mistakes, it can be hard to admit them because doing so feels like an attack on our self-worth. This tendency poses a huge problem because new research proves something that common sense has told us for a very long time fully acknowledging and embracing errors is the only way to avoid repeating the m.Yet many of us still struggle with this.Researchers from the Clinical Psychophysiology Lab at Michigan State University found that people fall into one of two camps when it comes to mistakes those who have afixed mind-set(Forget this Ill never be good at it) and those who have agrowth mind-set(What a wake-up call Lets see what I did wrong so I wont do it again).By paying attention to mistakes, we invest more time and effort to correct them, study author Jason Moser says. The result is that you make the mistake work for you.Those with a growth mind-set land on their feet because they acknowledge their mistakes and use them to get better. Those with a fixed mind-set are bound to repeat their mistakes because they try their best to ignore them.Smart, successful people are by no means immune to making mistakes they simply have the tools in place to learn from their errors. In other words, they recognize the roots of their mix-ups quickly and never make the same mistake twice.When you repeat a mistake it is not a mistake anymore it is a decision. Paulo CoelhoSome mistakes are so tempting that we all make them at one point or another. Here are 10 mistakes almost all of us make, but smart people only make once.1. Believing in someone or something thats too good to be trueSome people are so charismatic and so confident that it can be tempting to follow anything they say. They speak endlessly of how successful their businesses are, how well liked they are, who they know, and how many opportunities they can offer you.While it is, of course, true that some people really are successful and really want to help you, smart people only need to be tricked once before they start to think twice about a deal that sounds too good to be true. The results of naivety and a lack of due diligence can be catastrophic.Smart people ask serious questions before getting involved because they realize that no one, themselves included, are as good as they look.2.Doing the same thing over an d over again and expecting a different resultAlbert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Despite his popularity and cutting insight, there are a lot of people who seem determined that two plus two will eventually equal five.Smart people, on the other hand, need only experience this frustration once. The fact is simple if you keep the same approach, youll keep getting the same results, no matter how much you hope for the opposite.Smart people know that if they want a different result, they need to change their approach, even when its painful to do so.3. Failing to delay gratificationWe live in a world where books instantly appear on our e-readers, news travels far and wide, and just about anything can show up at our doorsteps in as little as a day.Smart people know that gratification doesnt come quickly, and hard work comes long before the reward. They also know how to use this as motivation through every step of the arduous process th at amounts to success because theyve felt the pain and disappointment that come with selling themselves short.4. Operating without a budgetYou cant experience financial freedom until you operate under the constraint of a budget. Sticking to a budget, personally and professionally, forces us to make thoughtful choices about what we want and need.Smart people only have to face that insurmountable pile of bills once before getting their act together, starting with a thorough reckoning as to where their money is going. They realize that once you understand how much youre spending and what youre spending it on, the right choices become clear. A morning latte is a lot less tempting when youre aware of the cost $1,000 on average per year.Having a budget isnt only about making sure that you have enough to pay the bills.Smart people know that making and sticking to a strict budget means never having to pass up an opportunity because theyve blown their precious capital on discretionary expend itures. Budgets establish discipline, and discipline is the foundation of quality work.5. Losing sight of the big pictureIts so easy to become head-down busy, working so hard on whats right in front of you that you lose sight of the big picture. But smart people learn how to keep this in check by weighing their daily priorities against a carefully calculated goal.Its not that they dont care about small-scale work they just have the discipline and perspective to adjust their course as necessary. Life is all about the big picture, and when you lose sight of it, everything suffers.6. Not doing your homeworkEverybody has taken a shortcut at some point, whether it was copying a friends biology assignment or strolling into an important meeting unprepared. Smart people realize that while they may occasionally get lucky, that approach will hold them back from achieving their full potential.They dont take chances, and they understand that theres no substitute for hard work and due diligence. They know that if they dont do their homework, theyll never learn anything - and thats a surefire way to bring your career to a screeching halt.7. Trying to be someone or something youre notIts tempting to try to please people by being whom they want you to be, but no one likes a fake, and trying to be someone youre not never ends well. Smart people figure that out the first time they get called out for being a phony, forget their lines, or drop out of character.Other people never seem to realize that everyone else can see right through their act. They dont recognize the relationships theyve damaged, the jobs theyve lost, and the opportunities theyve missed as a result of trying to be someone theyre not.Smart people, on the other hand, make that connection right away and realize that happiness and success demand authenticity.8. Trying to please everyoneAlmost everyone makes this mistake at some point, but smart people realize quickly that its simply impossible to please everybody and trying to please everyone pleases no one.Smart people know that in order to be effective, you have to develop the courage to call the shots and to make the choices that you feel are right (not the choices that everyone will like).9. Playing the victimNews reports and our social media feeds are filled with stories of people who seem to get ahead by playing the victim. Smart people may try it once, but they realize quickly that its a form of manipulation and that any benefits will come to a screeching halt as soon as people see that its a game.But theres a more subtle aspect of this strategy that only truly smart people grasp to play the victim, you have to give up your power, and you cant put a price on that.10. Trying to change someoneThe only way that people change is through the desire and wherewithal to change themselves. Still, its tempting to try to change someone who doesnt want to change, as if your sheer will and desire for them to improve will change them (as it has you ). Some even actively choose people with problems, thinking that they can fix them.Smart people may make that mistake once, but then they realize that theyll never be able to change anyone but themselves. Instead, they build their lives around genuine, positive people and work to avoid problematic people that bring them down.Bringing it all togetherEmotionally intelligent people are successful because they never stop learning. They learn from their mistakes, they learn from their successes, and theyre always changing themselves for the better.Travis Bradberry is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the co-founder of TalentSmart.This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

Maintenance Resume Tips & Guide

Maintenance Resume Tips & Guide Or if you would rather, you can ask for a demo code to find out mora about how ServiceSkills training can enhance the way that your company communicates with clients and co-workers. A in depth monthly home maintenance checklist is simple to implement, both with respect to time and money. Also, with all these machines in a normal manufacturing facility, a maintenance worker ought to be in a position to rapidly spot anything that upsets the general flow. You came to the correct place to compose your technical resume. Maintenance Resume for Dummies Janitorial and maintenance work isnt only about cleaning. In that case, then maybe employed as a maintenance technician is most effective for you. Dont forget to continue to keep your general maintenance resume clear and simple to read. A maintenance and janitorial resume can showcase your skills as a housecleaner and increase your position for a cleaning professional. The overall aim of a Maintena nce Technician is to guarantee a facility is functioning properly to attain ultimate productivity. Cemetery Maintenance Program Summary will help you figure out the sorts of landscape maintenance that are essential in your cemetery. Maintenance mechanics are liable for inspecting, fixing and keeping equipment in an area of business. Maintenance workers have to be in a position to work quickly under pressure in order to keep production levels. General maintenance might be a wide field, but a well-written and effective resume will be able to help you land the precise job you desire. Opt for The appropriate Verbs The job of a Maintenance Technician is quite physical so that it would be better to use the perfect verbs to spell out the job. Objective is a significant portion of each resume and youve got to be rather careful of the same should you like to get hold of work. Most importantly, keep in mind that the Career Objective is supposed to convey how youre assist the company, n ot how the firm can assist you. Before applying, ensure you understand what the job responsibilities are, and that you have all of the essential qualifications. If you still want to include things like a Career Objective, be certain to tell the hiring manager what you could do for them, NOT what you want to escape from doing work in their opinion. If youve already decided that its the very best job thats right for you, then you will need to craft a resume that will draw in the interest of the hiring manager or recruiter. Virtually every organization has a demand for a minumum of one Project Manager. What Everybody Dislikes About Maintenance Resume and Why Project Managers should know a number of topics, including information technology, advertising, and construction, based on the facts of their undertaking. Maintenance resume is among the pictures inside the category of Resume and a lot more images inside that category. The Career Objective is supposed to provide a brief and impactful introduction to you as an individual and as a possible employee. Many well-established businesses search for job candidates having the standard values that will make them a superior fit, which means you need your resume to earn a wonderful first impression. The procedure for building your resume and applying online might take several hours. On-line applications are stored on a safe website. Your job application was made to sell 1 productyou. The ideal thing to be aware of when writing a resume is to simply adhere to the fundamentals. As an alternative to focusing your work purpose statement solely on focusing your major capabilities or maybe strengths, you also need to be particular to the job that you arent attempting to get and whats more, you might have to say you skill to help the company or employer. There are lots of unique abilities and tasks you will need to understand how to perform to be prosperous, and many are best mastered with real world experience. Second, prove you comprehend the issue. Best Practices for Cemetery Lawn Maintenance gives a quick summary of critical landscape maintenance difficulties, explaining why some maintenance activities are so damaging to cemeteries and steps you may take to lessen the threat. In fact, expert maintenance work is highly desired by many organizations due to their crucial part in keeping the integrity of operations. Being a real maintenance worker supplies you with plenty of pros.

How Chatbots Can Create Lifelike Recruiting Conversations

How Chatinternet bots Can Create Lifelike Recruiting Conversations Chatbots have become a hot topic of conversation. These days, they can help you do everything from ordering double decker tacos to finding your soulmate. Chatbots have grown so popular, in fact, that Gartner predicts that, by 2020, the average person will have mora conversations with bots than with their spouse. Now thats a notable prophecyWhat about the recruiting space? Do bots have the potential to change the dynamic between candidate and recruiter, too?For the most part, bots have been introduced to recruiting primarily as a way to enhance messaging and communication amongteam members, particularly relating to the status of candidates in the recruitment funnel. Several applicant tracking systems have recently incorporated chatbotsas a more streamlined method for sharing updates to a group of new applicants or updating teams about new applications. While these collaborative enhancem ents are helpful, they dont really allow for true engagement with the candidate, nor do they facilitate natural conversations that further the candidates progression through the hiring process.To take chatbots to the next level of interactivity and effectiveness, it is necessary to supplement current functionality with technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing. By introducing these enhanced capabilities to a recruiting chatbot, wecan enable more lifelike, intelligent conversations, and chatbots can deliver spontaneous responses to candidates no matter what they ask or how they ask it.The benefit of using a recruiting-specific chatbot is that it doesnt have to be programmed to respond to an almost infinite number of questions and answers like in the cases of Alexa, Siri, and Google Home. Instead, for the vertical market of talent acquisition, the AI and natural language processing will revolve solely around conversational content that relates to q uestions a candidate might pose during the recruitment period. For instance, a recruiting chatbot might be able to reach out to a candidate to ask about their interest in a particular job and answer initial follow-up questions from the candidate, such as anticipated job responsibilities and education requirements. Imagine the potential cost savings resulting fromthis type of solution, not to mention the amount of time that would be freed up for recruiters to engage in more strategic activities.In case you think these capabilities exist solely in the realm of sci-fi books, allow me to share our experience here at Crowded, a sourcing and engagement platform for tech jobs in the New York metro area. We recently introduced a recruiting chatbot that narrows the scope of usage even further so that we can refine the bots ability to engage in high-level, realistic conversations with candidates. Specifically, we have focused our chatbot on the software developer market.Why focus first on rec ruitment of software developers? There are a number of reasons, one being their propensity forearly adoption of novel technologies. In addition, weve also determined that the most successful launches of chatbots have been those with highly specific use cases, such as Poncho for customizable weather forecasts or 1-800-Flowers for ordering a bouquet. By solving for the challenges that recruiters face with software developers specifically, we can master the conversational nuances particular to those types of roles.Ultimately, the bots capabilities will expand into additional verticals and markets, but for now, we are busy helping software developers find their next job without going through the hassle of filling out cumbersome, time-consuming online job applications. Our chatbot reaches out to candidates to walk them through the few steps necessary to build a Crowded profile. By engaging in a conversation rather than requiring the completion of an onerous web form, the chatbot delivers a more constructive and positive candidate experience and sets the stage for the candidate and hiring manager to connect on next steps via text message, Facebook Messenger, or email.The results of our bots interactions have been encouraging. Response rates are 6-8 times better than with traditional recruitment channels like InMails or phone calls. Whats more, since engaging in thousands of conversations with tech candidates, our bot has become conversant on topics that are important to developers.We also have developed an escape hatch to ensure that candidates dont become frustrated with the bot or start to have negative experiences. In cases where the bot may not understand a candidates comment or cant answer a specific question, the conversation can be escalated to a human being in our office who can take over the conversation seamlessly. As a result, the candidate continues to be engaged in a natural dialogue, and potential frustration points are avoided.Regardless of the market , the possibilities and applications for bots are endless. Well continue to test and analyze the conversations the chatbot undertakes. Doing so ensures we can use the best of machine learning capabilities to refine and improve the free-form nature of the candidate experience.Howard Schwartz is the CEO and cofounder of Crowded.