The summer season is often a busy, but exciting time for those in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.  With half the year behind us, we hope your  yearly goals are well on their way to being accomplished. Just don't forget to take  a little time to unwind. If  it looks like there is too much in the pipeline, consider scaling up your team. Ask us how we can help!

Best wishes from everyone at RealStreet! 

Sincerely,
  
Katy Cook, CSP
Marketing Coordinator
 

What's Happening at RealStreet?
RealStreet Hired A New Recruiting Coordinator
Angelica Wood was hired in June as a Recruiting Coordinator for our Tysons Corner office. Wood will support the Recruiting team by searching job board databases and social networking sites for potential candidates. Coordinating the candidate application process by scheduling candidate interviews, formatting resumes and creating ScoreCards, she will assist with basic HR functions, including processing background checks, completing references and recording/verifying new hire start dates.

With a Bachelors of Business Administration Degree including a concentration in Management from McKendree University, Wood has worked in sales and support roles in industries such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare. It was during this time when she developed skills for quality customer service and effective relationship management. She will apply her knowledge and experience to this new role while she develops a career in recruiting at RealStreet.


OFFICE CLOSING:

RealStreet is closed on Wednesday, July 4th in honor of Independence Day.

RealStreet would like to wish you, your family and your friends a safe and happy holiday!


Industry Information
How Does the Job Market Look?
For another look at the information, check out the BLS' interactive graphs.
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. 

According to t he  May Jobs Report,  t he US economy saw an increase of 223,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.8%, the lowest its been since April 2000! 
  
While wages have risen slightly, the increase has been relatively modest. As stated in a recent Business Insider article, average hourly earnings rose .3% from the previous month and 2.7% from the previous year. Companies are having to pay more to retain talent as well. 

Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC)  Industry 

The BLS showed an increase of 25,000 jobs within the construction industry.  A recent Architect Magazine   article, featuring the chart shown to the right, indicated that the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry as a whole spiked .  For example (and illustrated in the images below and to the right):  
 
  • Architectural and engineering services increased by 800 jobs  
  • Heavy and civil engineering increased by 5,000 jobs
  • Specialty trade contractors increased by 20,500 jobs
RealStreet Recently Hired...
  • Structural Engineer
  • Construction Inspector
  • Electrical Engineer
  • Environmental Planner
  • Construction Manager
  • Instructor
  • Construction Marketing Manager
Do you have an open position? Contact us to learn how we can help!
IT & Cyber Security
Blockchain's Growing Cyber Security Threats 
Blockchain (decentralized ledger) technology is impacting industries across the globe. Many first heard of it as it relates the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, but it has a variety of uses and its adoption is growing. Many believe it will revolutionize the world! 

As stated by TechRadar, "the technology consists of 'blocks' that hold batches of timestamped transactions, with each block linked to the previous one through cryptography." Essentially, it enables efficient, secure transfers and the complete tracking of information. 

At this stage, the technology is still in its infancy. While it has a great deal of potential, there is a significant amount of uncertainty surrounding the technology as well. In fact,  McAfee recently released a report on the growing risks associated with blockchain. As early adopters rush to incorporate the technology, nefarious individuals and groups act to exploit knowledge gaps and any security weaknesses that were overlooked. As blockchain market growth is predicted to reach $9.6 billion by 2024,  McAfee urges users (individuals and organizations alike) to take a closer look at the growing number of potential cyber threats before making a commitment. 

Attackers have been using both old and new techniques with a great deal of success. Key attack methods include phishing or fraud, malware, implementation exploits and technology vulnerabilities. Other noteworthy threats include cryptojacking, the method of hijacking a browser to mine cryptocurrency and malicious data mining, often via ransomware or other malware.

At the end of the day, the use of blockchain technology will continue grow. In the meantime, remember that this is a relatively young technology and other technologies may not have kept pace. We simply do not know all of the risks.  Users should be prudent before making any commitments  and remain vigilant  regarding security threats moving forward.   
Seasonal Tips
Hiring Contract Employees
To Meet Seasonal Demand 
When it comes to meeting seasonal demand, hiring contract employees is often a smart choice. You gain the flexibility to increase or decrease your workforce as needed without the expense and obligations associated with hiring, maintaining, and laying off permanent staff members. To help navigate the contract employee hiring process, refer to the following two articles (Hiring Contract Employees to Meet Seasonal Demand - Part 1) and (Hiring Contract Employees to Meet Seasonal Demand - Part 2) for guidance.

Three Ways to Keep Employees Focused
on Work as Summer Heats Up
As summer heats up, it is easy for employees to get a "school's out" feeling. Despite the best of intentions, they may find themselves daydreaming about the pool or planning what to do on their upcoming summer vacations.  Unfortunately, even if kids are out of school, business must go on. 

Read the full article for three tips to keep your employees motivated and on track throughout the dog days of summer. 


 
Keep in Touch!
Feedback Wanted! 
We Value Referrals!
Would you mind taking a moment to  write a few sentences  about your experience working with RealStreet?
Thank you!
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 provides compensation you for every qualified referral.