Have you been dreaming about a new business opportunity? Now's the time to act! After all, spring is a time of growth. Here at RealStreet, w e can  match you with the talent you need to meet your goals and grow your organization.  Contact us  today to get started! 

Best wishes, 
  
Katy Cook, CSP
Marketing Coordinator
 

What's Happened at RealStreet?
March Madness!
Did you participate in RealStreet's March Madness bracket contest for a chance to win 3 awesome prizes!? Check out the current standings and cheer on your team during the last few games.  

The RealStreet March Madness Bracket: 
Winners will be announced after the championship game and contacted directly via the email used to login to the bracket contest site. Good luck to all those who are left in the running!

We Need Your Help!
As a FEMA Public Assistance Technical Assistance Contractor (PA-TAC), RealStreet has provided Disaster Recovery Technical Specialists to FEMA since 2004. We continue to provide the best, highest qualified technical specialists to support the various recovery efforts.
 
As one of the lead companies supporting the 2017 hurricane recovery efforts, we and those affected have a great need for skilled architects, engineers and construction professionals to assist in this critical mission.
 
We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the Hurricane Maria Recovery efforts. Positions include: 
If you need more information, we encourage you to check out the job posting on our  website or look us up on CareerBuilder.  Resumes can be submitted via e-mail to  [email protected]   or online.

F eel free to pass this email along to anyone you know who might be a good fit for this vital mission. Thank you!



Interesting 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  February Jobs Report,  t he US economy saw an increase of 313,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate remained at 4.1% for the 5th consecutive month. 
  
Overall, February's report was viewed positively. For example, as a recent NY Times article pointed out: 
  • Job creation greatly surpassed expectations
  • Job growth has been consistently strong in recent months 
  • The labor force participation rate is back up to 63%
  • Average hourly earnings rose 2.6% year-over-year

All in all, the synopsis is: "the economy is humming."
Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC)  Industry 

The BLS showed an increase of 61,000 jobs within the construction industry. In fact, as stated in a recent Construction Dive article, the  construction industry had its  strongest month of job growth since 2007, and wa s responsible for a fifth of the new job creation.

As stated in a recent Architect Magazine  article, which features the charts shown below and to the right, the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry as a whole is trending upward.  For example: 
  • Architectural and engineering services added 5,600 jobs  
  • Nonresidential building construction jobs increased by 8,900
  • Heavy and civil engineering construction increased by 7,500 jobs

The  Dodge Momentum Index tracks and measures the initial reporting of non-residential building projects. With the increase in non-residential construction projects, the Dodge Data & Analytics ' Momentum  Index increased .5% in February to 146.9. C ommercial building saw a decrease of 4.8% and the institutional building an increase of 8.2%. 
RealStreet Recently Hired...
  • Mechanical Inspector
  • Project Manager
  • Project Coordinators
  • Writers / Estimators
  • Administrative Assistants
  • Public Assistance Trainer
  • Program Delivery Managers
  • Program Coordinator
  • Construction Managers
  • Estimators
Do you have an open position? Contact us to learn how we can help!
IT & Cyber Security
Could Blockchain Technology
Play a Role in Cyber Security?
What is Blockchain?

According to CSO Magazine, "b lockchain is a decentralized, distributed electronic ledger built on the model of offering absolute security and trust. Using cryptography, transactions are recorded chronologically and publicly, each one time-stamped and linked to the previous one. Critically, these digital 'blocks' can only be updated through the consensus of all participants, with data interception, modification and deletion near impossible."

How Could it Play a Role in Cyber Security?

Jay Clayton, the chairman of  the  Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and a number of other highly regarded individuals spoke out regarding blockchain in a Congressional Hearing last month. As stated in a recent publication in the Observer, they believe that there is an opportunity to use this technology to aid cyber security efforts. 

According to IoT for All, the foundational concepts at the heart of blockchain are:
  • Distributed data storage
  • Cryptographic security that protects that storage from unauthorized modification
  • Synchronized, consensus-based third-party validation on every recorded transaction
The aforementioned CPO article suggested a few ways blockchain could provide cyber security solutions. Potential benefits of this technology include:
  • Creating peer-to-peer consensus mechanisms to reduce fraud
  • Deterring data tampering
  • Ensuring that there is no single point of failure
  • Creating end-to-end privacy and encryption
  • Removing the human factor
This is due to the fact that is decentralized. A hacker would not be able to break into a single system or database to steal information. They would need to access numerous databases, (possibly hundreds or thousands) each of which would notify the chain if a successful breach had been made. 

What are the Risks?

According to the article in the Observer, the two risks involve control and unknown risks.  

1. Control
According to the article, "i nstituting a decentralized safety networks eliminates the need for a central authority who controls a database."  Jason Kichen, a former U.S. government intelligence officer who is now the director of security operations and research at a private company called Versive, points out how a security officer may perceive the change as a loss of power. 

2. Unknown Risks
As with any new technology, not all of the risks are known. Blockchain is not just new, it's untested at such a large-scale. As government agencies avoid risk, we may see its first large, real-world, applications in the private sector. 

What is the Future of Blockchain in Cyber Security?

At this point, it's too early to do much more than speculate. However, with the vast number of security risks faced by individuals, organizations and governments each day, it will surely be a technology that is not ignored. It may end up being the future of cyber security, only time will tell. 
Featured News Post
Effective Communication to Onboard Your New Hires
When a new hire is brought on board, the goal is to ensure they become productive as soon as possible. In some cases, managers may be tempted to expedite the onboarding process as a means of having the person handle critical duties faster, but failing to cover certain details at the beginning can yield disastrous results.

Read the  full article for three tips on communication to ensure onboard your newest team members effectively.


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 compensates you for every qualified referral you provide us.