Introducing The ASM 'Video Link of the Month'

August is Camelids Month at The Animal Science Monitor, and once again, we'd like to celebrate with our "Video Link of the Month". This month, we have a rather unique video link. It's called "The Llama Song" and it's received over 4.5 million views on YouTube.

Why have so many people felt compelled to watch "The Llama Song"?  Truthfully, we at The ASM are scratching our heads.  Sure, the video is somewhat catchy and borderline amusing, but it's not laugh-out-loud funny. But maybe our sense of humor isn"t as honed as we thought it was. Never mind us, though. You decide.

To access "The Llama Song," click here.

The ASM is currently providing links to humorous (and appropriate) videos regarding any aspect of the animal science industry in select issues of our newsletter . . . and you can help us.

We'd like you to send us your favorite animal science video clips. Send an email, with your link included, to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com, and your clip might be featured in a future issue of the newsletter. If your clip is included, we'll also publish your name as its contributor.

Your ASM Calendar of Upcoming Industry Events

At The Animal Science Monitor, we're advocates of continuous education and the promotion of industry events such as conferences and conventions. The training and networking opportunities that exist at these events are extremely valuable and can pay dividends in a number of different ways.

That's why we run a regular column devoted to upcoming events in the animal science and animal nutrition industries. And as always, we value your input. If there's an industry event that you believe we should promote through our newsletter, please email your information to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

The ASM is pleased to highlight these upcoming industry events:

September

Allen D. Leman Swine Conference
Dates: Saturday, September 20 through Tuesday, September 23
Location: RiverCentre Conference Facility in St. Paul, Minnesota
Description: In 1974, Dr. Leman, along with Dr. Jim Hanson, initiated this conference to present new information and discuss issues important to the swine industry. What began as a conference for Minnesota practitioners in a small lecture hall on the St. Paul campus has evolved into the multi-session, international meeting it is today.
Registration: The cost of the event varies, depending upon which sessions you'd like to attend. For more information or to register, click here.

World Dairy Expo
Date: Tuesday, September 30 through Saturday, October 4
Location: Alliant Energy Center of Dane County in Madison, Wisconsin
Description: The World Dairy Expo is the international dairy meeting place, a five-day event showcasing the finest in dairy genetics and the newest technologies available to the dairy industry. The motto for this year's Expo is "Building Bridges - Making Connections." Attendees will find the most modern dairy equipment and the newest dairy technology and innovations, including animal health supplies; milking systems; feeding products; forage handling and manure equipment; and embryos, semen, and genetics research.
Registration: The daily entrance fee is $7 per person, which includes parking. Season passes are $21 per person. Passes are purchased at the gate; no pre-registration is necessary. For more information about the Expo, click here.

The 10 Things We've Learned About Having a Successful Career
(By Dan Simmons and Don Hunter)

After spending 30 years combined as executive recruiters - reading hundreds of thousands of resumes and listening to people talk about their careers for hours on end- we've learned a few things about what it takes to be successful and what successful professionals seem to have in common.

During the over three years of the ASM's existence, we've also found that our readers crave most those articles that provide career tips and suggestions. With that in mind, we hope that you find the tips below to be helpful in regards to sharpening your focus, refining your future efforts, and enjoying the type of career that you've always wanted.

• Work with a purpose other than to make money. The only people in America who make money at work do so at the U.S. Mint. Money is a by-product of being successful, not the purpose of work.
  
  
• Work doing functions you enjoy with people you like to work with.

• Balance life and work; if you focus too much on one, the other will start to fail. We believe this is a major factor in the high divorce rate across the nation. Balancing life and work brings happiness to both.

• Work for ethical organizations that respect their employees and recognize and reward their contributions to the organization's success.

• Earn what you can, doing what you like in a locale that suits you and your family.

• Continually strive to improve yourself by reading books that expand your mind, attending conferences, and continuously participating in technical training within your chosen field. This will help to enhance your expertise and professional worth.

• Live within your means and prepare your finances for emergencies and retirement. This will greatly reduce stress in your life, making work/life balance possible and job transitions easier.

• Build a network of professionals you can turn to for information on industry trends and job opportunities and with whom you can share your ideas.

• Don't be afraid to take chances. If you're not making mistakes, you're not doing anything.

• Vacation often. It refreshes the body, mind, and soul and allows you to come back with greater energy and new ideas.

Use the above checklist as a way in which to conduct a self-audit of your current situation and circumstances. Which items best describe you? Which ones do not. After conducting your audit, focus on those areas in which you perceive yourself to be the weakest and formulate a plan for improvement.

If you have questions about this topic, or any other regarding your job search, be sure to contact us at dan@consearch.com or don@bayresourcegroup.com.