6 Job-Search Tips for This Fall

6 Job-Search Tips for This Fall6 Job-Search Tips for This FallHave you put your job search on hold for the summer? As kids return to school and hiring managers end their vacations, its time to get your hunt into high gear. Here are six things you should be doing, especially at this time of year1. Treat every day as a new opportunity for a fresh start. If you are looking backward with a tinge of guilt for sitting at the beach when you know you could have been working more productively to advance your career, give yourself permission to let it go. Recognize that every day presents new opportunities, and resolve to put in maximum effort from today onward.2. Get support from your family. As schedules move into anliegen mode, this is a good time for a family conversation about your own needs for time to concentrate on getting a job. Make sure your family members understand you need to have regular hours set aside for that purpose. Help them understand that a critical way they can support you is by not asking you to run errands or do other things for them during the day just because you dont have a job that you need to be at. However, remember In turn, you have an obligation to fulfill your end of the bargain and make effective use of your time. Set a schedule for your daily job hunt to include all the elements of a job search, including researching, connecting, networking, interviewing and so on.3. Rework your rsum. Take a fresh look at your rsum. Its time for a major rewrite if you have an objective statement or bullets that begin with Responsible for, or if you havent presented the story of how you fulfilled what what was expected of you and what results youve achieved at your current or former jobs. Remember to look atyour rsumnotjust as a catalog of everything you did, but rather as a marketing document that shows the value you offer your next employer. There are numerous books and articles about how to build an effective rsum, but if best practice rsum speak se ems outside your grasp, you may well consider making an investment in yourself with a solid rsum writer or coach.4. Make new connections, and consciously expand your network. All kinds of groups and organizations are coming to life in September after a summer hiatus. Make sure you are plugged into the local chapter of your college alumni association, trade and industry groups, professional organizations and so on. Attend lectures, meetings, classes, continuing education opportunities, retreats and other events.Make a point of talking to new people and showing an interest in them. This way you are bound to meet people with whom you have something in common. Make certain to get names and contact information, and later check them out, connect with them on LinkedIn and keep your conversations going.5. Be slow and deliberate rather than fast and frantic. Sure, you can apply to dozens of jobs online in an evening. But your chances of landing a job this way are very limited. Instead, take time to research companies in which you are interested. Carefully craft cover letters to show why and how you can fulfill their needs, and then network your way inside. Remember that it is always the value you can add thats important, rather than the opportunity an employer could offer you.6. Curate your online presence. Write a blog, and be sure to include links to professional articles you find interesting or stimulating. Engage in dialog within LinkedIn groups to answer and ask mit anspruch questions. And, on the flip side, get rid of anything on your Facebook page or elsewhere that could cause someone to form a negative opinion of you. Happy huntingArnie Fertig, MPA, is passionate about helping hisJobhuntercoachclients advance their careers by transforming frantic Ill apply to anything searches into focused hunts for great fit opportunities. He brings to each client the extensive knowledge he gained when working in HR staffing and managing his boutique recruiting firm.

Etiquette Why we need good manners at work

Etiquette Why we need good manners at workEtiquette Why we need good manners at workHave you ever wanted to scream at a coworker for banging too loudly on his keyboard? Have you ever been guilty of doing something just as annoyingyourself?The workplace is filled with instances in which we interact with others. That means lots ofopportunities to drive otherscrazyand make social faux pas.At best, these etiquette mistakes are merely the source of pet peeves at worst, theycould hold back your career.Ladders spoke with Jacqueline Whitmore, an etiquette expert and the author of Poised for Success and Business Classabout how simple acts of professionalism can help yoube successful.Ladders Why is etiquette in the workplace so important? Whitmore Its vital because its the soft skills that really help a rolle excel. Technical skills are important, but technical skills can only get you so far in life. Then you have to have people skills.As you move up the ladder of success, youmoveinto more pos itions where you have to deal with people. Whether you sit on boards or go to networking events, you are representing your company.If you dont have people skills or know how to interact with others - via email or in person- youre going to tarnish elend only your own reputation but also the reputation of the company.What are some examples of mistakespeople make at work? Sending an email to someone littered with poor grammar and misspelled words, not addressing the person properly, or copying everyone and their brother.Not dressing appropriately for certain events. This happens whensomeone isdressed too casual, and they dont realize it.Not knowing how to talk to people at networking events. This happens when someone issent to a conference where theyre supposed to meet new people, and they dont know how to make a conversation or how to introduce themselves.Having bad conduct at a dinner. This happens when someoneorders the wrong thing, or too much food, or chews with their mouth full, or drinks too much alcohol.The list goes on and on.What aboutannoying habits in open bros? Thats when people are eating foods that are pungent and permeate the office. Or a person is talking too loudly on his phone.Or hes clipping his fingernails. Or hes listening to something like YouTube and not wearing headphones. Or hes taking off his shoes.I hear these stories all the time. You would think people know better.How should wedeal with these situations?Etiquette is situational. Its not black and white. What might work for you in your office environment might not work for someone else.My broad advice is to treat others how you would like to be treated. Realize that you dont work in a bubble.The technology age has alienated us from others. And, in a way, its made us less aware of our surroundings and less mindful.The biggest piece of advice is to develop your mindfulness. Thats so important, not only in business but in life. Think about how your behavior affects other people.And sayt hank you, say please - just basic advicethat we were supposed to be taught as children but we seem to forget.How should wecommunicate with coworkersabout etiquette?It depends on what theyre doing. There are so many variables for this kind of situation, which changes how you could approach them and what you should say to them. Its not a canned speech.But the main thing is to approach them directly and diplomatically instead of going over their head, because thats the surefire way to make enemies.Try to be nice. Instead of saying you, you, you, use I statements. You could say something like Im not as productive when you do that. That way its not pointing a finger at them.Has anything surprised you aboutteaching etiquette to executives?Im surprised most people dont get it.But when you think about it, were dealing with multiple generations in the workplace, from Gen. X, Gen. Y to Baby Boomers.The way in which we deal with people of a certain age is different. The way you would send an email to a Baby Boomer may not be the way youd send an email to a colleague who is 22-years-old.So its not necessarily common sense any more.Whats the future of workplace etiquette? People are definitely working more independently now. Millennials like to work on their own times on their own terms. As long as they get the job done, their bosses are fine with that.But we cant lose sight of working with a team. When you work with a team, you work with different personalities, and you have to deal with different personalities. And thats the hard part.Its important to learnhow to deal with people and communicate with people in the way they like to be communicated.Thats why its very important to develop your soft skills and for companies to do soft-skill training. In the long term, its going to increase the success of the company because people are the success of the company.If you believe, like, and trust someone, youre more likely to do business with them.After all, someone would rathe r work with someone whos easygoing and trainable versus the jerk who is the technical genius.

If youre going to do something, see how far you can go

If youre going to do something, see how far you can goIf youre going to do something, see how far you can goOne of the funnest parts of being a parent is providing experiences that open the curiosity and imagination of yur kids.We live in such a brilliant time for opening-up ur mind for what is possible. Our possibility, in large degree, is based on our context, not on our willpower.For example, if you had lived 100 years ago, you wouldnt have the internet or the ability to travel the world like we do today. That would greatly limit your possibilities for choice.All choice is shaped by context. If you dont have options, you cannot make choices.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhen my wife and I became foster parents of three children from a very limiting environment, we immediately saw how we could expand their horizons.We wanted to introduce them to all sorts of things.From a br ain perspective, you cannot really learn and internalize something if you arent aware of it. Becoming aware of something is essential for memory development. Becoming aware of something, and then engaging deeply in that thing is how you shape your identity and eventually, your personality.What you focus onexpands.What you focus on shapes how you view yourself, your future, and your past.It is key that parents not only provide learning experiences for children but also model what successful behavior looks like. Clearly, the parents want their children to chart their own path. But modeling is how people learn.Also, the parents lifestyle and experiences form the internal expectation for what is normal or possible for the children at least initially.So if parents are pursuing their curiosity and imagination and if they are turning their dreams into external realities, then the children come to expect that this is possible for them as well.It is completely fascinating. Just two days ago, as a family, we drove up to Clemson, South Carolina, wherbeie I did my PhD. That is also where our three adoptive children were born.Their biological mother died last weekend at the age of 33. Two days ago welches her funeral.We were happy to take our children there, even though the biological family had no expectation that we would be there. And in fact, expected that we wouldnt be.True learning occurs when you can see the saatkorn thing with new eyes. They call this a Copernican Revolution. For example, when we as a people realized the sun did not revolve around the earth, but vice-versa. That single insight shifted how we saw everything.We were looking at the same stimulus but with a new frame.Thats what happened this week for our kids. They went back to their old environment and were with their biological family but with a whole host of new experiences and education they had a new lens on the experience.Fundamental to that lens was empathy and love, not judgment.If your lens of the world is not updating regularly, then you are not learning enough. Your lens of the world should continually be updating through experience, learning, and relationships.The more intensive the experience and learning, the greater shifts to the lens. The more you can see the same things from totally different angles.One of the insights our 11-year-old had when he was informed of his biological mothers passing was that, had he still been living with her, he probably wouldnt be able to read right now.We were grateful to honor their mother and never intend on banishing that part of their history. Its important.But the whole experience further opened our childrens minds to the lives they wanted to live. They were in direct contact with their biological family, most of which were living fairly limiting livesfrom our perspective.Questions and curiosity lead to learning.While driving home, our son began asking amazing questions, such as the followingHow did my mom die?What is krebs?How does someone get cancer?Is it something you can avoid?Is my biological father going to die young as well, since he smokes?The conversation went deeper and deeper than any conversation Id ever had with him. It was amazing.I could tell his mind was racing. He was thinking about how his own life could turn out. He began asking questions about life, success, and God.What schrifts of work could I do where I help athletes?How much school would it take?Am I going to see my mom again?What is she going to be like?How can I make sure I dont die young?A fundamental key to quality parenting, mentorship, and leadership iscreating experiencesthat spark insight and learning which lead to genuine questions and curiosity.When questions are genuinely asked, then learning becomes far easier. As a parent, the goal is to provide a context where interested and curious questions are asked. The parent hopefully doesnt have all of the answers but serves as a further propellant to sources, information, and e xperiences to further stroke that curiosity, learning, and transformation.Experiences are fundamental to learning. If youre shielding yourself or others from having powerful and sometimes uncomfortable experiences then youre shielding yourself and others from growth.Research shows that people progressively become less open to new experiences as they age. They stop putting themselves into difficult and emotional situations. They stop expanding their horizons.Instead, they generally begin repeating the same common experiences over and over, and therefore stop expanding their worldview.Having new experiences isnt enough, though. You need a process of integrating those new experiences into learning and change. For instance, my Aunt Jane, a brilliant entrepreneur was recently at a business conference with some friends.At the end of the three-day conference, which was filled with far more ideas and takeaways than anyone could fully implement, Jane and her friends spent 60 minutes together after the conference each sharing their top-10 key takeaways. By sharing their ideas, and hearing the insights of each other, their clarity began to crystallize about what they actually needed to do.They had a plan. They also had accountability, because the three of them have monthly calls to support and push each other.When you have big experiences, you could do something similar. This is why journaling is such a powerful tool. It allows you to process and integrate your experiences, and begin applying what youre learning into your life. If youre not learning through experiences, then youre repeating the past and not transforming.Your life can and should transform. You seek experiences and then you integrate your learning to change your life and self. Constantly growing and expanding.If youre going to do something, you might as well push it to the absolutelimits.None of us are given the same platzset of circumstances in this life.None of us will ever fully realize our potential. L ike a painting, none of us will ever be finished. At some point, we will simply end in an interesting place.Rather than being upset about what happens, it is best to simply use this life to see how far you can go. Rather than attaching to exactly how it all turns out you simply want to remain open, humble, engaged, excited, and always pushing the boundaries. Always investing further and further into the growth and possibility of what youre doing.One of our sons wants to be an aerospace engineer. He loves outer space and rockets. We have been fueling that. Yesterday, we were at the Kennedy Space Center and watched a live rocket launch. It was epic.The more interested our son becomes and the more personally invested the further he can explore.Human beings are designed toexplore.Were designed to rise up to challenges.Most people waste huge amounts of their life because they arent actively chasing a challenge that summons their greatest focus and creativity. They arent pursuing one or t wo thingsfor years and watching the compounding effect of long-term goals.Dan Sullivan, the founder of Strategic Coach, teaches people how to set 25-year-plans.When you give yourself 25 years to accomplish something big, you really can think 10X or 100X bigger than the normal person. Youve given yourself enough runway to actually build something big and meaningful. You then leverage productivity strategies and short-term goals to ensure youre making powerful progress and continually updating and refining your definition of success and priorities.You only have one life to live. Richard Branson once said why not go straight to the top? Why not go big at what you do? Why not be focused?Why not dedicate yourself to something that will completely transform you through doing it?Why not see how far you can do something?Why not continually stroke the fire of your imagination, and then relentlessly chase that imagination?Never over-identify with what youve done. Never get stuck in your past, whether failure or achievement. Take the past for what it isinformation. It is information which is constantly adapting and changing based on what youre currently pursuing and focusing on.If youre going to do something do it great. As Abraham Lincoln said, Whatever you are, try to be a good one.Truly live your life.Push boundaries your own, but also your industrys. Push the boundaries and take on huge challenges.See how far you cango.Create experiences that become Copernican Revolutions.As you have new experiences and grow in maturity, your priorities will continually enhance. What may have been interesting 12 years ago will no longer be interesting. What may have been a brilliant opportunity last month is no longer worth your time.Essentialism.Focusing on the essential.Focusing on what absolutely matters to you.Raising your standards for the type of work you do, the people you spend time with, and how you spend your time.Taking my three children to the funeral of their biological mother was a humbling experience for me. It forced to me face some of my own values and beliefs. For instance, that week I was supposed to be a headline speaker at an event being put on by a friend of mine.The event went from Thursday-Saturday. Clearly, I couldnt be at the event on Thursday, since that was the day of the funeral. Friday wouldnt work either since I was driving my family of seven (including two 3-month infants) from Clemson back to Orlando, a 12-hour drive when accounting for stops and baby-feedings.But I could make it on Saturday,I thought to myself.Then three things happenedFirst, I had a conversation with a friend who had experienced a lot of death in his family. Hes about 10 years older than me and one of my best friends and mentors. He told me I needed to spend this time with my kids. That these next few days and weeks are extremely pivotal for them in how they process this.Second, I thought of the book,Essentialism, wherein the author Greg McKeown tells the stor y of going to a work meeting on the day one of his children was born. This is something he is still greatly embarrassed by. He realized his life was completely built on the non-essential and that he needed to really focus only on those things which truly mattered to him. Only then could he build the life that he felt really mattered. He is now much better at saying no to anything and everything that misaligns with his highest values and aspirations.Third, I thought of a story I heard at a Mastermind. I heard the story of a man who spent 10 years working 365 days per year and was even found on his laptop when his daughter was born. When his daughter was nine years old, she emotionally shut down, so much so that she even lost the ability to function her body. By that time, this mans company had grown to 30 employees and he stepped away indefinitely to try to help his daughter. He spent the next year literally re-teaching her to walk. They did all sorts of physical, emotional, and fami ly therapies. It became apparent that this girl was harboring deep emotional pain. Over time, she regained the functioning of her body. She can walk, run, dance, and play again. Emotionally, shes doing better, but still hurt. This man, her father, has vowed to himself to never put work before his family again. With tears running down his cheeks, he told us in the audience, Never put your work before your kids. There is so much pain and confusion and trauma in the world right now. Our kids need us more than ever.In reflecting on these three concepts, I decided to cancel my speaking arrangement. Leaving the day after my childrens funeral was not the message I wanted to send to them. Id be willing to throw away everything Ive achieved for my kids. As the American educator and religious leader, David McKay, said,No other success can compensate for failure in the home.If you dont have values to live by, then you dont have convictions. The deeper your values become, the more powerful and clear become your goals and actions. The more courageous you will become. As Alexander Hamilton questioned the conviction-less Aaron BurrIf you stand for nothing, Burr, whatll you fall for?Designing your life to propel your highest values andaims.Your life can be designed as the ultimate forcing function a ordnungsprinzip designed to keep you focusing solely on the things that truly matter to you.As you increase in success, your opportunities will also increase, as will your distractions. At some point, most people plateau and stop progressing on their initial journey. They became satisfied with a particular status theyve developed, and shift their motivation from approaching the next evolution to merely maintaining the success or station theyve attained.If youre not growing, then your best work is not being produced.The best work generally comes in response to taking on something that has a high probability of failure. While chasing something big, your best work emerges.Are you goi ng to invest your time on this beautiful planet continually expanding, learning, and designing? Or will you live day-to-day, never realizing the power of imagination and creation?Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article originally appeared on Medium.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

How a Job Interview Is like a First Date

How a Job Interview Is like a First DateHow a Job Interview Is like a First Date7Youre both nervous. Your palms are certainly sweating, but chances are that the person interviewing you is also breaking into a sweat. Meeting someone new can be anxiety-producing for anyone- your interviewer included. To help break the ice, think of your job interview less like standing in front of a firing range and more like a conversation with a friend. You should smile genuinely and let some of your personality shine through. By relaxing a bit during your interview, youll help your interviewer relax too.Youre both wearing uncomfortable clothes.Unless you conduct your job search in a three-piece suit from your home office, donning an interview outfit for a day can feel like youre wearing someone elses clothes. Ditto for your prospective boss, who most likely dressed up for your meeting as well. But being well-groomed is absolutely necessary during a job interview. By being well-dressed, you are tryin g to surreptitiously show your boss that you are as equally meticulous about your appearance as you are about your workload.You both want to impress.You may notlage realize it, but your interviewer has as much invested in the interview- and you- as you do. You want that telecommuting job youre applying for, and he wants you to have it. After all, thats why hes taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with you. So in your efforts to land the job, be sure that you dont hog the spotlight with an endless soliloquy of your previous employment and workplace skills. Be sure to ask your prospective boss lots of questions and give him time to talk about himself, too. Find out how he came to join the company and how he has witnessed its growth over time.Your job interview with a potential boss doesnt have to end in first date disaster. By understanding that youre both essentially feeling the same emotions, youll binnensee your potential boss- and your job interview- in a whole new and exc iting light.Readers, how else is a job interview like a first date? Whats your best job interview story? Let us know about your experiences in the comments section

How to Write a Twitter Bio that Attract More Followers

How to Write a Twitter Bio that Attract More Followers How to Write a Twitter Bio that Attract More Followers If youre using Twitter to promote your business, your products or yourself, followers are the key to your success. But not just any followers you want the right kind of followers. People who will enjoy what you have to say and will therefore pay attention. But how do you attract those people?Twitter doesnt exactly make it easy. You dont get much real estate to talk about yourself just a tiny little bio and space for one outbound link. But those two things, combined with the photo you select, are key to whether people decide to follow you.To show you what I mean, heres a shot of my Tweetdeck window today.The far right-hand column is new followers. I usually dont have time to click through to each persons page, so I generally just scan the bio to determine whether I want to follow or not.In this case, I definitely wanted to follow Elyse S. Her bio is interesting and smart sh e conveys her work ethic by saying shell wade through snow to get there rather than by saying something dull like I have a great work ethic but whats even better is that I will also remember it. Should I know of a sales job in Atlanta, Ill think of her. And if she follows lots of recruiters and other people in career-related fields, others will react the saatkorn way when her bio pops onto their radar screen.So what kind of Twitter Bios work to attract followers?Mostly Id say bios with personality. If you seem like a human, I will pay attention to you and maybe follow your tweets. Here are a couple I liked, one because its just human and one because its funny.But you dont have to be funny. Especially if youre using Twitter to promote yourself or your business, you should say what you do but without being boring about it. Mention that youre a recruiter or a career coach and I will be likely to take an interest because of my own profession. Do it with a touch of personality and Ill definitely follow your tweets.What Turns People Off in Twitter bios?Here are a couple of bios that didnt encourage me to follow. These may be fabulous people and for all I know, I am missing out. But I cant tell that when I have no information to go on, like hereOr when the whole bio is a sales pitch like this oneNow its perfectly possible that some of the people who dont include a bio dont want to be followed. Lots of people use Twitter for casual socializing and keeping up with friends, and thats absolutely fine.But if you want to be found and followed, think about how you present yourself in that all-important little bio. Here are my tipsTell people what you doShow a little personalityReveal something personal (but not TOO personal)Dont include religion or political affiliationsWhat about you? Anything you love or hate about other peoples bios?For more information on Twitter, check out Using Twitter for Job Search.

The Mystery of Can Resume Be 2 Pages No One Is Discussing

The Mystery of Can Resume Be 2 Pages No One Is Discussing What You Can Do About Can Resume Be 2 Pages Beginning in the Next 3 Minutes Make sure the stream of the resume is appealing and the formatting appears professional. When formatting page two of your resume, its better to use standard formatting to make sure your resume will be simple to read. The schablone is easily customised to your liking and includes all vital files for a fast set-up. This template is not difficult to change colors, layout and fonts to fit your requirements. Understanding Can Resume Be 2 Pages Dont print on the front and the rear of one page, which demands the possible employer to turn the sheet over to observe the remainder of the resume. Many struggle with the question of the number of pages ought to be in a resume. Therefore, if youre attempting to cut down, make certain you merely have three or four sections on your resume. Although it is usually good practice to prevent putting references on r esumes as a way to avoid getting your references become worn out by casual inquiries, it helps to attach a whole collection of references to the resume you bring to the interview. There are just two relevant rules to bear in mind once it comes to writing a resume and the duration of your document isnt among them. Read below for mora in depth info on the length of time your resume should be, and strategies for making your resume the ideal length. A two page resume is sometimes an issue of choice and at times an issue of dignity. Although theres no single, definitive rule, the overall consensus is you ought to attempt to keep it as close to two pages as possible. The Most Popular Can Resume Be 2 Pages Finally, youre opting for a dangler-free resume. Tell friends the type of work youre searching for. Possessing a well-formatted, clean and professional resume is a significant means to create a terrific first impression, which will help you to get the job which you are genuinel y interested in. Therefore, if it takes you two-pages to find everything in, you ought to do it. In the world today, a very first impression can either make or break your odds of landing your dream job. Possessing a strong resume doesnt necessarily indicate you will land the job, but it is a good method to make certain you receive the interview. In truth, it is common, in case you have more than ten decades of experience in the very same field. In simple words if you submit an application for job resume is your very first impression. All About Can Resume Be 2 Pages Youre now able to earn an excellent first impact with professional styling and personalized appearance. If youve got under 10 decades of experience, limit your resume to a single page. The very first thing you ought to do with your resume is to get rid of irrelevant and unnecessary info. Get your resume down to a page and concentrate on the appropriate experience. CVs are typically a couple of pages, minimum. If you choose to go with at least two pages, make certain to include your name and proper page number on top, suggests Ann Baehr of Best Resumes. Your CV is similar to a part of marketing material that advertises your services to prospective employers. With a clean, contemporary design, Avail is excellent for company or corporate sites. The sole personal details that will need to be on your CV are name, contact number, email address and rough geographic location utilizing minimal space at the peak of your CV. The superfluous selection of resumes are currently in the service of your company. Can Resume Be 2 Pages Ideas Everything is editable including fonts and colors so be certain to personalize to fit your requirements. Elegant page designs are simple to use and customize, which means you can quickly tailor-make your resume for any chance and assist you to receive your job. The layout of your resume ought to be neat, simple and simple to read. No more should edit icon imag es Life, Death and Can Resume Be 2 Pages The Job Objective Sometimes regarded as a career objective, the work objective is a rather important portion of the resume in the lack of a targeted job title. The Career Summary section needs to be restricted to a few sentences that emphasize your relevant experience, skills and distinctive abilities. Are you planning to submit an application for work overseas. Can Resume Be 2 Pages - Overview One of the absolute most critical mistakes made on resumes is using passive, vague wording. Not to mention that you need resumes to make an application for the great majority of jobs anyway. You will definitely be amazed by our resumes in short. Two-page resumes simply took quite a little time to scan and so its simple to understand why the focus on one-page resumes began. Only send a lengthier document if its requested in the work description (such as a C.V. for academic jobs). This template will certainly help land you a work interview. Be certain to set the folder to put away the applicant info, and the role you desire to assign to the applicant. Be certain to set the folder to put away the applicant info and the role you prefer to assign to the applicant.

Inspiring Tomorrows Leaders

Inspiring Tomorrows Leaders Were honored to support community efforts that inspire tomorrows leaders to become the scientists, technologists and engineers who will make the world a safer place. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact , the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot mora to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor short age. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive neuerung and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construct ion in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give empl oyees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.