Word on RealStreet!
April 2019
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THE LOST ART OF FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING AND HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR NEXT EVENT
In todays highly digital world, face-to-face networking has fallen to the wayside. Instead, architecture, engineering and construction professionals often rely on social media and other online platforms to remain connected. While social media can be a suitable approach for nurturing professional relationships, it does not create the same level of connection as a face-to-face meeting. THE LOST ART OF FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING Younger generations are digital natives. As a result, they rely heavily on social media and online platforms for networking. Over time, seasoned professionals have followed suit. While this is partially due to convenience, it is also because online mediums have become a standard networking tool. However, online interactions typically do not create the same level of connection as face-to-face communications. It is difficult to convey emotions in writing, something that can lead to misunderstandings and hindered relationships. Networking events create the opportunity to interact with people directly by making eye contact, sharing a smile or participating in a handshake enabling quicker connections as well as more meaningful and lasting relationships. THREE TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR NEXT NETWORKING EVENT There are numerous reasons why you should attend professional networking events. However, simply showing up is not enough. Use the following three tips to ensure you put your best foot forward and make the most of your time. 1. IDENTIFY CORE GOALS Core goals can include how many new people you want to meet, the kind of information you want to gather and anything else that provides value. By having a purpose aligned with your efforts, you can make smart choices about how to spend your time. 2. MEET NEW PROFESSIONALS Avoid exclusively spending time with people you already know. While touching base with existing contacts is certainly wise, you also want to branch out. Have an elevator speech ready as an icebreaker, create a list of questions you can ask other attendees and get into a mingling mindset. While networking, be approachable, authentic and friendly. Have fun talking to people, but avoid making the topics all about you. As you wrap up conversations, see if there is a good way to keep in touch, without being pushy. After all, no matter how well you think a conversation might have gone, you may have misread the situation. An overly aggressive attempt to exchange information may be off-putting. When exchanging business cards feels awkward, offering to reach out on LinkedIn is often a great way to wrap up a conversation and (potentially) maintain the relationship down the road. When you request a connection, make sure to reference the event in the message. The personal touch will help jog their memory and establish a better professional relationship. 3. COLLECT CONTACTS Collecting new contacts should be one of your goals. However, instead of forcing your cards on other attendees, find opportunities to ask them for their contact information. This allows you to take control of the follow-up experience, which can be extremely valuable. Finally, have a plan in place to follow up with those you meet. While this may vary based on your goals and the connections made, potential methods include reaching out on social media, sending an email or scheduling a lunch. By thinking ahead, you can act quickly after the networking event, ensuring that you remain relevant to the individuals you meet and that you are able reconnect in a reasonable amount of time. SEARCHING FOR A NEW EMPLOYEE? If you are searching for the ideal architecture, engineering or construction candidate, the skilled team at RealStreet can make finding the perfect employee easier than ever before. Contact us to learn how our services can help your organization meet its goals. Article Originally Published by RealStreet |
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HOW TO BECOME A COACH AMONG YOUR WORKFORCE TO IMPROVE THE SKILLS OF ALL EMPLOYEES
Coaching in the workplace is critical for growth. It allows managers to guide their staff in a direction that both strengthens the company and is useful for workers, regardless of whether they are struggling to meet expectations or already excel in their roles. After all, even the best employees can benefit from the feedback and support of a skilled coach. THREE TIPS TO BECOME A BETTER COACH FOR YOUR WORKFORCE The goal of coaching is to help, not to make a worker feel bad. Similarly, it is not about documenting issues for human resources or alerting other members of management about current problems. Instead, coaching is a partnership where a manager and employee work together to improve the capabilities of the individual, team, department or company. If you want to become a coach for your team, here are three tips to help you get started. 1. AVOID FOCUSING SOLELY ON THE NEGATIVE Acting as a coach requires more than correcting issues as soon as they are noticed. While addressing performance concerns in a timely manner is certainly part of the territory, focusing solely on the negative is often ineffective. Instead, balance it out with support and guidance, making sure to provide positive feedback as your employees improve. 2. DO NOT FORGET YOUR TOP PERFORMERS A strong coach does not solely focus on workers who are lagging in the performance department. Top performers are also part of the equation. Encouraging your best and brightest to continually learn benefits the entire organization. It helps individuals grow professionally and enables them to attain career satisfaction within the company; plus it raises the value of the cumulative skill set of your entire team. Its a win-win situation! 3. REMEMBER THAT GROWTH IS A JOINT EFFORT Coaching is not just instructive, it should be a joint effort. Work closely with employees, soliciting their input and learning about their perspective. Build relationships of trust and respect to ensure they are comfortable coming to you and value your guidance. Ultimately, by becoming a coach among your workforce, you can improve the skills of all employees. Just make sure to use the right mindset and avoid focusing solely on those who are struggling. That way, everyone benefits! NEED TO ELEVATE THE SKILL LEVEL OF YOUR WORKFORCE? At RealStreet, we are dedicated to finding exceptional talent for every company that partners with us. If you are looking for architecture, engineering or construction professionals with in-demand skills for your vacancies, experience the RealStreet difference today. Contact us to see how our services can help you find ideal candidates more efficiently and effectively than ever before. Article Originally Published by RealStreet |
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Women Make Their Mark on Construction Leadership
In the era of the Lean In movement and the Womens March, women are finding their voices and using them. In politics, in the classroom and even on the playing field, womens participation and leadership are breaking records. However, this is not the case in the board roomespecially in the C-suite. The Russell 3000 Index, a market index that benchmarks the U.S. Stock Market, found that only 9 percent of top executive positions were filled by women. The construction industry reflects this low participation of female executives. Women in construction only number 9 percent across the board of the industry. Seven percent of all construction executives are women and only 3 percent of the Fortune 500 construction companies have a female construction manager. Most are in sales and office roles (about 45 percent). Russell 3000 also found that women who are in the C-suite usually fill more HR- or administrative-related positions with very few in COO or CEO positions. Women in leadership need to have real decision making power to progress further. On the upside, women in construction tend to have less of a pay gap than other industriesabout 5 percent compared to 20 percent. THOUGH SHE BE BUT LITTLE, SHE IS FIERCE Despite their small numbers, women executives in construction are paving the way for others to access leadership. In 1984, 11 women created Women Construction Owners and Executives, an organization for support and professional development. Their purpose is to promote women into leadership, assist women in executive positions and encourage more women to join the industry. The National Association of Women in Construction and Women in Construction Operations are also resources and networks with thousands of members. Women executives in construction understand the power of education and have been investing in programs such as scholarships, training and educational programs that help to address gender gaps and encourage girls in STEM. The result is growing participation of women in construction technology and architecture in higher education. Enrollment in university construction programs is moving toward parity. Technology is another lever helping women amplify their leadership. Technology is an equalizer that allows opportunities to manage the entire construction life cycle. Specifically, enterprise technology creates more access because it allows for greater real-time collaboration. For women, this has increased participation and a chance to excel. CHAMPIONS NEEDED There are a number of ways to help create more promotion into the C-Suite and to also support women once they are there. One of the most widely suggested methods is mentorship. Women mentoring women provides personal and emotional support. This support is invaluable but may not be enough. Economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett believes that women support each other, but men tend to champion one another. She states that championing is the act of actively sponsoring, which is a bi-directional relationship. Mentoring is usually a one-way model with the mentor providing direction and modeling. Championing, on the other hand, is more reciprocal and also active. For example, opening doors, creating connections and bringing people to the table. Women actively look for a mentor, but they should be looking for a sponsor. Construction companies, through internship programs and diversity committees, are understanding this. Companies can also create more opportunities by including women as project-based leaders. If women are not in formal C-suite roles, project-based leadership will give them an opportunity to demonstrate what they are able to do. It is also a space for them to practice and refine their skills and, perhaps more importantly, get to network with company leaders. This advances benefits to women and companies. Research has consistently indicated that having women leadership increases productivity and millions of dollars in profits. Other ways of increasing womens participation in the C-Suite include training programs, more pathways, intentional recruitment of women, retention and advancement programs, executive mastermind groups, dedicated leadership programs, networking opportunities, and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. EMPOW-HER-MENT Women continue to have a huge role to play. Dr. Bremond, from the University of Southern California, conducted research that revealed female leadership traits being more collaborative, integral and transparent than males. Further, women proved better negotiators with the aim of creating win-win solutions. Instead of waiting for a seat at the table, they have to ask for one and create space for other women once they are seated. This will require shifts in thinking, and it is already happening. Women in construction C-suites are not just owning their own success, they are making sure that communities and their companies are made stronger because of it. Article Originally Published by Construction Executive |
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Staffing Employment Sets Record High in 2018
New Data From Quarterly ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 3.23 million temporary and contract workers per week in 2018, up 1.4% from 2017, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association. This is a record high average weekly number of staffing employees for any year since the inception of the ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey in 1990. During all of 2018, staffing companies hired a total of 16.8 million temporary and contract employees. The average length of employment with a staffing company was 10.0 weeks in 2018, slightly shorter than the tenure of 10.7 weeks in 2017. Throughout the past year, the staffing industry helped millions of Americans find temporary, long-term contract, and permanent employment, said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. Job seekers in record numbers are turning to staffing agencies to help them find work that will advance their careers and best match their skills with current market needs. In the fourth quarter of 2018, average weekly staffing employment totaled 3.40 million, 2.0% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2017, and the most for any quarter since 2005. On a quarter-to-quarter basis, the average weekly number of temporary and contract staffing jobs increased 5.6% from the third quarter of 2018 to the fourth quarter. Annual temporary and contract staffing sales in 2018 totaled $138.5 billion, up 3.4% from 2017. Fourth quarter sales grew to $35.9 billion, 2.7% more than in the fourth quarter of 2017, and 2.2% more than in the third quarter of 2018. To learn more about the quarterly ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey, visit americanstaffing.net/quarterly-survey. You can also follow ASA research on Twitter. Article Originally Published by the American Staffing Association |
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