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Are you making the most of Summer? Whether that means cashing in some of your stockpiled Paid Time Off (PTO), knocking out career goals or beginning a new job search, we hope you're seeing success! If you are considering a career change, we can help connect you to some of the hottest jobs the architecture, engineering and construction industries have to offer this summer!
Best wishes in your endeavors from everyone at RealStreet!
Katy Cook, CSP
Marketing Coordinator
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What's New at RealStreet?
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RealStreet Hires New
Recruiting Coordinator!
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Elizabeth Joyner was hired by RealStreet last month as the Recruiting Coordinator for the Tysons Corner branch.
She will support the Recruiting team by searching job board databases and social networking sites for potential candidates. She will coordinate the candidate application process by scheduling candidate interviews, formatting resumes, creating ScoreCards and assisting with basic HR functions, including processing background checks, completing references and recording/verifying new hire start dates.
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CELEBRATIONS!
Each year on the 4th of July, s
tar-spangled celebrations take place commemorate our country's independence.
Whether you celebrate at a picnic, BBQ, or beach party or by watching a fireworks show,
RealStreet would like to wish you, your family and your friends a safe and happy holiday!
OFFICE CLOSING:
RealStreet will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th in honor of Independence Day.
RealStreet wishes you a very
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
- Quiana S. - 07/17
- Rita P. - 07/17
- Elizabeth J. - 07/18
- Mariam S. - 07/19
- Robin L. - 07/24
- Julia F. - 07/27
- Daniel N. - 07/31
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Interesting Industry Information
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How Does the Job Market Look?
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The U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a "M
onthly Jobs Report"
soon after the beginning of each month. Each report describes the previous month's employment situation, based on data such as the number of jobs that were added to the economy and the unemployment rate. The US economy added 138,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.3%, the lowest it has been in 16 years. For more information, check out the BLS' interactive graphs.
Despite the month's record-low unemployment rate, there were mixed reactions to the May report. For example,
Lynn Reaser, an economist at Point Loma Nazarene University in California, believes the numbers are disappointing. She was quoted in a recent CNN Money article, stating that "the economy is still growing but the job market has lost some momentum" while Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, believes "it's just part of the ups and downs from month to month."
According to the
Associated Builders and Contractors'
(ABC) Chief Economist, Anirban Basu, May's "numbers supply a mixture of good and bad news." He stated that while "overall nonresidential construction industry employment was up" and unemployment was down, firms will continue to struggle to find highly skilled workers and will decrease spending as labor becomes more expensive.
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A Look to the Future:
Smart Technology, Buildings & Cities
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Smart technology is already a part of daily life for many people. It is not only relied on by individuals for personal uses, but also by businesses. The use of smart technology is not ending on the job site, but is becoming a part of the end products: in buildings and in some cases, cities.
Wearables
According to a recent
Construction Executive Article, "wearable devices are pieces of technology that are worn on the body or in clothes" to monitor and track activities and health. The technology
mitigates risk, boosts morale and increases productivity by enabling managers to:
- Pinpoint risk areas
- Implement best practices
- Enhance the education of workers
- Reinforce a culture of safety
A few examples of wearable tech include:
- Smartglasses
- Sensors
- Safety vests, and hardhats
- Exoskeletons
Smart Buildings
The demand for smart buildings is growing across the globe. In fact, according to a recent Construction Dive article, the market is predicted to increase in value from $7 billion in 2014 to $36 billion in 2020. Mahesh Ramanujam - chief operating officer and the incoming president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) - also stated in a recent Insurance Journal article, that "the smart or green building movement is growing faster than conventional construction."
The aforementioned Construction Dive article explains that smart systems aggregate and analyze information and automate certain actions, such as incorporating predictive maintenance. According to Green Tech Media, while there are a number of benefits to incorporating smart systems into buildings, such as:
- More efficient operations
- Occupant-centric environments
- Increased personal safety and building security
There are a number of challenges as well:
- High adoption costs
- Lack of standards
- System security risks
Smart Cities
Smart systems are even being utilized on a macro level, incorporating the technology into entire cities! As stated in a recent Harvard Business Review article, "smart cities rely on interconnected devices to streamline and improve city services based on rich, real-time data. These systems combine hardware, software, and geospatial analytics to enhance municipal services and improve an area's livability." Smart cities could enable people to be more efficient, but t
o see ongoing success, they should make data security a priority.
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Smart Systems Need Specialized Security
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As the demand for smart systems increases, the need for specialized cybersecurity grows as well. In fact, according to a recent Construction Dive article, "the smart building cybersecurity market will reach $8.65 billion by 2021, more than double its 2016 value." While the systems are meant to improve our lives, they require a great deal of information in order to be effective. Unfortunately, they will likely become tempting targets for hackers.
In a recent Silicon article, Stuart Higgins - head of Smart Cities and IoT (Internet of Things) at Cisco - stressed the importance of planning when developing smart buildings. He warned "how not addressing security from the start opens up smart buildings to cyber attacks as hackers will look the point of least resistance when attempting to crack into a company's network, database or systems."
According a survey presented in a recent Government Technology article, cybersecurity is the critical, yet missing piece of the smart city puzzle. The survey results pointed out some of the many potential targets include the grid, Wi-Fi networks, transportation systems, and surveillance cameras.
Malicious individuals and/or groups work to update their attack strategies and techniques as quickly as possible in order to avoid detection.
Cybersecurity is constantly evolving to not only follow suit, but also attempt to stay two steps ahead.
The key to minimizing the threat is careful planning, constant monitoring and rapid responses. As with any system, it will be essential to build cybersecurity in during smart city planning to minimize the risks.
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HOT JOBS!
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How many job seekers do you know? Would they be a good fit for one of these positions?
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RECENT PLACEMENTS
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RealStreet has recently filled the following positions!
- Senior Project Manager
- Construction Project Manager
- Estimator
- Owner's Representative
- Director of Facilities & Construction Management
- Auto CAD Designer /Drafter
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Three Ways to Balance Work and a Busy Home Life
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Keeping up with either a demanding job or a busy personal life is challenging enough, but you have both. Balancing these two hectic existences can be a delicate act. The good news is, you can have it all! You simply have to be strategic about finding your ideal work-life balance.
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Get Your Retirement Action Plan
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Quick Tip: Consider increasing your contributions on an annual basis.
A small increase in contributions over the short-term could really add up and help you move closer to your retirement goal. If you're not sure how much you are currently contributing, or you would like to make a change to your ongoing contribution amount, go to
www.jhpensions.com and select "My Contributions" or speak with your plan administrator.
Employees: remember that RealStreet matches employee 401K contributions 1:1 up to 7%!
Need to register?
- Enter your contract number, last name, social security number and date of birth
- Enter your email address, and create your username and password
- Choose challenge questions and answers
Track your progress towards retirement at any time!
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Plan a Vacation -
Using your Paid Time Off is a Great Thing!
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Paid Time Off (PTO) is part of a company's compensation package. Remarkably, many people do not take full advantage of this benefit. In fact, the average American receives 15 days of paid time off per year, but only uses 12. This resulted in roughly 375 million paid vacation days left unused in the past year, according to the
2016 Expedia Vacation Deprivation report.
You earned your days off, don't let them go to waste. Take a vacation! If you don't have one planned already, start planning a fun and relaxing getaway today!
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Summer Vacation Driving Tips
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As you head out on the highway for your summer vacation destination, we wish you safe travel and lots of fun memories with your families. Planning is good, but remember, you should always plan for the unexpected.
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you embark on your journey:
- Safety check your car, including coolant tank and radiator, hoses and belts, tire pressure, oil level, battery, air and fuel filters, windshield wiper fluid, headlights and tail lights. If you at all question your car's reliability, a good tune up may be just what you need for the sake of safety and peace of mind. Simple maintenance can prevent a dangerous and expensive breakdown.
- Make sure you have your license, registration and current insurance card.
- Prepare an emergency kit to keep in the car. At minimum, pack a flashlight with extra batteries, warning devices, such as flares or reflective triangles, first aid kit and jumper cables. Have a phone number for nationwide automotive assistance in the event you need towing, rental car or maintenance.
- Take turns driving, if possible. A short nap can perk you up and allow you to be more alert while driving.
- Bring your own food and snacks. Convenience store food is fine up to a point, but at some time you may actually require something more nutritious. Load up on bottles of water, juice boxes, crackers, pre-made sandwiches, fruit and other travel friendly snacks.
- Don't wait until you see Low Fuel to get gas. You are probably driving in unfamiliar territory and never know when you may get stuck in traffic with no gas stations nearby.
- Take frequent breaks. Stretch your legs often as this will cut down on travel fatigue for both driver and passengers.
- Get Sleep. A well-rested driver is a safer driver. Don't push your limits. While time is precious, so are your family members. Putting too many hours behind the wheel can impair driving and put your family in jeopardy.
- Avoid rush hour traffic. If at all possible, plan your route so you hit major cities outside of peak driving times.
- Bring GPS and a map. GPS is a wonderful navigation tool to have during a road trip, but paper maps are always a good back-up.
- Last but not least, buckle up and enjoy the ride!
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In the spirit of
Discovery Channel's Shark Week
, beginning July 23rd, RealStreet presents Katy, the Staffing Shark.
Watch the video
for 5 top job searching tips from a great white! Share it with all of the job seekers you know!
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Feedback Wanted!
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We Value Referrals!
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Would you mind taking a moment to
write a few sentences
about your experience working with RealStreet?
Thank you!
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Who in your network is looking for a new opportunity?
Check our
open positions
to see if any are a match to the job seekers that you know. At RealStreet we value great candidates and when it comes down to it, we know you're the Real Deal! We have a great referral program that compensates you for every qualified referral you provide us.
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