4 Top Secrets to Professional Success for Millennials

4 Top Secrets to Professional Success for MillennialsLike the Baby Boomers before us, the Millennials are fast becoming a major force in the workplace. As we move onto career paths from school and internships, there are new challenges to the position quo. But how do we negotiate thoseand more importantly, how do we help define what we want the workforce to be as we move forward? googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Build Your Brand Like Its Your Job.More than ever, social media is a factor in hiring. Keeping a close eye on what you put out there on Instagram, Vine, Twitter, etc. is an essential way to manage your professional image. Share content relevant to your field, and monitor whos reposting and engaging you on that content. And for the goofy/personal stuff? Set up a private account thats just for you and your social crew, and make sure its entirely separate from your Janie Smith, Marketer Extraordinaire profile.2. Think Outside the 9 -to-5 Box.One of the defining moments for the Millennial generation of workers welches the economy crash of 2008. Younger workers were often lost in the shuffle as jobs were cut all over the place. But that wasnt necessarily doomit was a wake-up call that maybe the standard 9-to-5 job isnt the only way to go. Many people can make their career work as freelancers, part-time workers while pursuing other opportunities, teleworkers, and other nontraditional employees. Being flexible may be the best option for you.Also, dont hesitate to use non-paid experience as a selling point on your resume. If you picked up stellar office communications during your internship, say so. If you developed rockstar time management skills during your volunteer gig, list it.3. Play the Long Game.Plan ahead. Retirement may be a long time away, but theres an awful lot that can happen in the meantime. Be smart about financial planning, but also about whether youll want to have a family at some point, or depart ure your own business. The earlier you get started factoring long-term goals in to your plans, the easier it will be to actually set them in motion when the time comes.4. Think About More Than Money.A high-paying job in your chosen field is The Dream who doesnt want that? But there may come a time when you need to consider whether other factors are just as important as the salary figure. Flexible work arrangements, vacation time, and the ability to travel may end up being just as golden to you as a slightly higher paycheck. Definitely take your priorities into consideration during any hiring and negotiation process.As Millennials face a unique moment in their career paths, you should see it as a chance to take hold of the process and find ways to develop it (and yourself) into the professional world youd like to see.

3 Unspoken Rules of Shadowing Someone

3 Unspoken Rules of Shadowing Someone Shadowing can be an awkward experience for everyone involved. On the one hand, the fresh face starting a new job is usually hungry and motivated to rise to the top. They arent inundated with the standard processes of the company that their mentor is used to, so they quite literally landsee everything with fresh eyes and raise questions the office may have never considered. On the other hand, an employee with seniority knows the little nuances of the job and can see past corners because of this experience.These two forces need to have the right information to learn to draw strengths from each other and partner with each other. But in todays workforce, were often given instructions on how to lead, not how to follow. Here are the 3 unspoken rules for shadowing so its not a tough experience for everyone.1. Be a team player.Dr. Lois P. Frankel, a psychologist and author of the book Nice Girls Dont Get the Corner Office says thata new employees top pri ority should be establishing themselves as a team player rather than proving yourself with new ideas and neuerung within the first 50-90 days. So when you feel that competition urge kicking in, try to remember that you are laying the groundwork for success by honoring the rules of your workplace. Respect the opinions and instructions of the person youre shadowing, rather than raising issues with their processes.2. Ask a lot of questions.Some people might feel that asking too many questions can seem annoying to the co-worker theyre shadowing. However, all too often, employees dont truly understand the purpose of a project and what impact their work has for the company. The why questions that deepen the understanding of a project are often left out. You can help your team succeed and become established simply by learning the why behind each process. Plus, you will show the person that youre shadowing that you are interested in the job. If someone gives you a hard time for asking quest ions, then do a quick check to ensure you are injecting balance into the situation. Balance asking questions and drawing conclusions from careful observation. If someone still gives you a hard time, then its quite possible they might not have your best intentions at heart. Speak with them privately about how their behavior makes you feel, and try to co-exist as best as possible.3. Learn the subtleties of successful employees in your environment.Paying attention to the subtleties of an environment ahead of coming up with your own solutions for dealing with it is important. When youre first starting out, you may see frays in processes and wonder why they arent done differently. But a companys environment holds nuances and little subtleties that hold a lot of weight and information. For example, you may wonder why when inputting a new client account in the companys main CRM software, Samantha always follows a lengthy workaround instead of just pressing activate. You may think you can d o it better. Well, if you knew the nuances well you would know that by pressing activate on that client account would cause the system to shut down. Nuances are important to learn.--Gabriella DiDio is tired of the struggles of getting ahead in her career so, instead of revolting, she created Taupe Shoes an empowering website for women that can help you become stronger through your work dilemmas. You can follow Gabriella on Twitter.

Women of Optoro

Women of Optoro Below is an article originally written by Sarah Foulke at PowerToFly Partner Optoro, and published on February 28, 2019. Go to Optoros page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn mora.Optoro is made up of a diverse collection of individuals who have come together to achieve a single missionto transform the reverse logistics industry by finding homes for used and excess goods. We like to highlight that diversity with ur Employee Spotlight blog series, during which we sit down with an employee every month to hear a little bit about the people who make the Optoro culture so distinctive.How would you describe yourself in 10 keywords or fewer?Go big or go home.What is your role at Optoro, and what do you do?Im the software development lead for the Return to Vendor team. We make a product that helps our client manage a workflow to return items to their original manufacturers for credit, based on agreements that retailers have with their vendors. I work with the other developers on my team, as well as design, product management, and quality engineering to develop and deliver new features to the Return to Vendor product.What did you do before Optoro, and why did you choose to work at Optoro?Before Optoro, I worked as a software developer at another DC startup. I chose to come to Optoro to get a new experience with a different technology and a larger team. I was attracted to the mission, product, and vision at Optoro, and knew that this was a place where I could grow my career. The company is in a really exciting place right now, and I thought it was a great time to join the team.What is the most important thing you have learned since starting at Optoro?If youre afraid to do something, you should do it more often.What is the best part of working at Optoro?I think Optoro is especially unique in the way that everyone truly cares about each other. People say that a lot, but it does really feel different to me here. Everyone I work with is const antly seeking out ways to collaborate to get to a team goal. People are open and honest about what they feel is working and what isnt, and everyone is always trying to make Optoro a better place for all employees to work.What would you most likely be doing on a prototyp Saturday afternoon in your free time?Most weekends youll find me exploring DC and all it has to offer I sold my car about a year and a half ago and Im loving my car-free life. My fiance and I are usually going for a run in Rock Creek Park, working on projects in our new condo, trying out new restaurants with friends, or kicking back with our cat and watching some terrible reality television. 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 more 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 shortage. 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 innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction 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 craf t 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 employees 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 sl edgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Why Advertising in a Bad Economy Is Good

Why Advertising in a Bad Economy Is GoodWhy Advertising in a Bad Economy Is GoodIn a recession, the first dollars that a company usually cuts come from the advertising budget. Thats a big mistake. Advertising in a recession is actually a smart business move to grow your business, both now, and for the future. Its notlage the risk you may think it is. McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of the 600 business-to-business companies analyzed, the ones who continued to advertise during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256-percent growth by 1985 over their competitors that eliminated or decreased spending. American Business Press analyzed 143 companies during the economic downturn back in 1974 and 1975. Companies that advertised in those years saw the highest growth in sales and net income during the recession and the two years that followed. The numbers arent a fluke. They prove theres a reward for companies who are aggressive with their advertising ef forts in a recession. Here are even more reasons why you need to advertise your business in a badeanstalt economy Your Competition Wont Advertise Most small businesses have a limited advertising budget. During a recession, its easy to make up some of those dollars by unternehmensverbund back on advertising. But all that really does is open up the marketplace for that companys most savvy competitors. The presence the business has spent ad dollars on to build up is now an open field for the competitors that are willing to advertise. Lets say you own an auto parts store. Consumers still need your company, no matter what the economy. Cars still break down. They still need windshield wipers and people will even buy those tree air fresheners. By advertising when all other stores are pinching pennies, you can scoop up a ton of new business. You Can Tailor Your Message and Make More Sales Think of it this way during a booming economy, people are playing more fast and loose with thei r money, so theyre not as discerning. While you may believe that is a good thing, it can hurt a lot of smaller businesses. Money is no object, so the big brands can scoop up premium advertising space and blast it at every conceivable target audience. But during a recession, consumers pull back hard on those spending reins and are much more careful about how they put their money to work. Thats when you can really take advantage. The big brands will reduce their spend, giving you not only a chance to talk to people you would never usually talk to but to also tailor cost-saving messages just for them. You know that whats first and foremost on their minds is money, and saving it. Now, they can get a quality item for less, because theyre not paying for a bunch of advertising and marketing (Beats headphones are a prime example of this...mediocre product, huge ad, and product design costs). This is your chance to talk openly about costs, and how you can help. Once the recession is over, y oull have gained a whole new customer base that wont go back to the competition. You Can Create a Long-Term Position for Your Business Standing out in the marketplace is hard enough when you and your competition are battling it out in the ad world. As your competition cuts back on ad spending, your advertising can cut through that clutter. Consumers may not be spending as much but they are still spending. If youre not the company they think of when they do spend, your sales will decrease. While your competition is cutting back, you have the chance to be the company consumers spend with now while gaining their future business as you continue to advertise in good times and bad. You Can Establish Advertising Contacts This is the perfect time to establish a relationship with the person youll be doing business with at TV stations, radio stations, magazines, online, etc. An account executive can be your go-to contact to get your ads in prime sitzordnung, negotiate good deals on ra tes and even get extras thrown in for your ads. You can also use this new relationship to further grow your business. Talk with the AE about sponsorships, advertising trades, and partnering. You Will Get Better Deals on Advertising This is where you can use your new advertising contacts. Ad inventory still has to be sold. TV stations, radio stations, websites, outdoor vendors, and magazines still have budgets to make. Nows a good time to get deals on your ad space. You can get more exposure through more ad placement and even freebies added into the mix. If youre trying to get airtime on TV, for example, a station might also offer online advertising on its website as part of the deal. Or to be more accurate these days, buying a huge amount of space online could lead to additional impressions elsewhere, again thrown in as a special offer. You Can Speak Directly to Bargain Hunters Dont be afraid to address the bad economy in your advertising. Customers are looking for good deal s. Some national advertisers are a prime example of this. Travelocity aired a simple commercial to announce its Silver Lining Sale. In the first three seconds, you see the words, We know times are tight. Wal-Mart continually runs effective ad campaigns in poor economic climates. The commercials dont say, Hey, come on out. Weve got electronics, clothes, sporting goods, prescriptions and more at a low cost. Instead, the ads focus on very specific items and how much youll save over a year by purchasing these items directly from Wal-Mart. In a bad economy, there are many opportunities to expose your business to new customers that arent always possible in a good economy. Every one of them can be explored to help you solidify your place in business and stand out from your competitors.

Dont forget to take out the trash!

Dont forget to take out the trashDont forget to take out the trashDanielle Correa is the Diversity Project Assistant here at Vault. She also endured one of the most painful internships of all-time while an underemployed undergrad, hoping to beef up her resume before graduation. When it welches all over after just three hellish weeks, she endured six months of unemployment (during which, we assume, a few more great storiesoccurred). So what would you have done? Save yourself the misery, or endure this weeks edition of Temporary Tales? Read on and decide for yourself, then let us know And as always, if youve got a tale of your own, be sure to send it to PinkSlippedVault.comAbout a month before graduation, it occurred to me that my resume could use a little boost. My fabulous life of bartending and waitressing didnt exactly scream Hire me to potential post-grad employers, so I decided (I mucksmuschenstill cant believe I did, but I did) to branch out in search of the perfect internship. No longer able to count on the $300 nightly direct deposit directly into my pocket, zing I knew that while padding my resume, I needed something that would keep my checking account in the black. One April afternoon in the Montclair State computer lab, I stumbled upon what I thought was just that a forwarded email from my department head advertising an internship entitled Creative Writer, which I thought was just perfect, as I wanted to write. Just how wrong I was, I wouldnt know until I had spent three weeks as the most miserable intern in the tri-state area. On my first day I arrived at 8 am sharp to discover that I was the first person there and the schreibstube door was locked. The office was situated on the second floor of a realtors office, and knowing that the company was tiny only 8 people, including me I figured I had no choice but to ask the realtors receptionist for a key. She kindly requested that I please bugger off and wait outside. No one had told her there was an intern arriving for her first day that day (and whos going to give a key to the intern, honestly?). I was a little perturbed, but what could I do? I went outside as instructed and my interviewer arrived about 10 minutes later apologizing for being late on my first day. Sensing this might become a regular occurrence, I asked him about getting a key. I was met with something along the lines of, We dont give keys to interns. Strike oneOnce upstairs, I found my new desk waiting for me, miles from the other cubicles and very close to the door, suspiciously so, since I believed my job would involve working closely with the rest of the team. I was told that they were in the process of hiring a receptionist but hadnt found one yet. Can you guess who got to be the resident Pam Beesley in the meantime? Alright, so I had just become a Creative Writer slash Secretary. I guess this might have been okay if I had ever been given a single option to write. Things really seemed to be working out so far.When it came time to meet the rest of my co-workers, they were welcoming at first, but for the remainder of my time with the company I heard the snickering and whispering by the water cooler. I saw them look at me and then turn away and laugh amongst themselves, which would have been uncomfortable enough before factoring in that I was the only woman working for this company. Strike twoFinally, the fun part meeting the CEO. Pardon my French when I say, what an arrogant, sexist $* Clearly I wouldnt have been so eager to take the internship if Personal slave to CEO were listed under the job requirements. When he needed something mailed, I licked the stamps, got into my beat up 1992 Honda Prelude and drove across town to the post office (his letters almost always had to be mailed internationally). I did this every day for three weeks, rain or shine. I made coffee. Of course, Mr. CEO liked his coffee stronger than everyone else, so I made two separate pots of coffee three times a day. Every day I ordered his lunch and picked it up since the jerk was too cheap to pay for delivery. If he had a meeting, I ordered clients lunches as well, and was then forced to place plates, utensils, condiments the works in front of unterstellung clients, as if I were some baboon Whenever anyone called the office, I had to get up and announce who was calling, why, and from what company rather than simply transfer Mr. CEOs calls directly. I wasnt allowed to email him messages or forward voicemails, either. I had to write them down, then go to his desk and announce the list to him twice a day. By the grace of the internship gods, I was afforded an hour lunch break my lone perk.Sadly, all of this was a cakewalk compared with my most miserable task. The company had no janitor or cleaning service, so after a long day of running errands, jumping through hoops like a circus ape and doing the opposite of the job I thought I was hired to do, I got to take out the trash. I was require d to collect everyones personal garbage and the large one from the kitchen, then lug them to the one nearby dumpster a block away. And you know Mr. CEO never forgot to poke his head over my desk at 455 as he was heading out the door and say, Dont forget to take out the trash.Its one thing to treat the intern like, well, garbage. However, Mr. CEO didnt even pretend to respect me. Hed berate me in front of the entire office, and never coached me on how he wanted things done, despite my repeated inquiries. I think you know where this is going Strike threeAfter three weeks, I finally put my foot down and quit. Stressing over some two-bit CEOs personal errands? Really not worth the $8.50 an hour. To recap, thats $300-a-night waitressing gig gone, and miserable (but paid) internship gone. In spite of it all, I was proud that I had stood up for myself, confident that I could command respect from my superiors in the future, and sure that I really had tried my best. I looked ahead and search ed for my new enterprise. It awaited me somewhere.And if you think that was awful, stay tuned for the journey that follows this temporary talesix months of unemploymentPosted by Danielle Correa, Vault Diversity Project Asst.

Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York

Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New YorkASME Learning Development will offer three Code-related training courses next month in New York City. The classes, which are developed and presented by respected industry experts, will take place from Aug. 20 to 24 at New Horizons at 462 Seventh Ave. in Manhattan.The first course, API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness-for-Service, is designed to help participants understand and apply the API/ASME fitness-for-service standard in the workplace. The material presented in the course, which will take place Aug. 20-22, will demonstrate how the disciplines of stress analysis, materials engineering, and nondestructive inspection interact and apply to fitness-for-service assessment. The assessment methods apply to pressure vessels, piping, and tanks that are in-service.BPV Code, Section VIII, teilen 1 Design and Fab rication of Pressure Vessels, to be held Aug. 20-22, is a comprehensive, three-day introduction to the requirements of Section VIII, Division 1 including background, organization, design, materials, fabrication, inspection, testing and documentation of pressure vessels. The class will examine the more commonly applied subsections and paragraphs, and includes a practical discussion of individual problems and situations.A third training course, Inspection, Repairs, and Alterations of Pressure Equipment, will provide participants with a thorough introduction to the requirements of various codes and standards as they relate to inspection, repairs and alterations of pressure equipment, particularly pressure vessels. The course, which will be offered Aug. 23 and 24, will cover the requirements of the National Board Inspection Code and the API-510 in detail and include a brief introduction to API-579, Fitness-for-Service.Participants can register for the last two courses as the BPV Code, S ection VIII, Division 1 Combo Course and save up to $665.For more information on the ASME Learning Development training courses in New York, or to register, visit http//go.asme.org/newyork3.

Best Jobs for Community College Graduates

Best Jobs for Community College GraduatesBest Jobs for Community College GraduatesMany high school students overlook community colleges when considering higher education. According to theCommunity College Research Center, 8.7 million students attended community colleges in 2016-2017. 34 percent of all undergraduate students attended school at the community college level. Why are community colleges worth a serious look in todays higher education marketplace? Reasons to Consider Community College Cost Savings Why consider a community college instead of a four-year college? Certainly, cost is one factor. According to theCollege Board, the average tuition for in-state students at public two-year colleges (the typical community college) for 2018-2019 was $3,660, while public four-year colleges charged $26,290 and private colleges had anaverage tuition costof $35,830. In addition, over a dozen states now offer some form offree community college education. Job Opportunities Anot her compelling reason to consider community colleges is the rapid rate of growth anticipated in occupations requiring an associates degree - the degree typically offered at community colleges. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that associates degree jobs will grow by 17.6% by 2022, while bachelors degree jobs will grow by 12.1%. profil Income Income level is yet another reason to consider a community college degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, two-year college graduates earned an average of $42,952 asof the third quarter of 2018, while high school graduates earned an average of only $38,272. A major reason for the relatively high growth rates and income levels of community college jobs is the specialized nature of many of the degrees. Community college students often study disciplines inwhich they develop skills that are readily applicablein the marketplace. The vast majority of the highest paying associates degreejobs (and those with the highest projecte d growth rates) fall into three categories healthcare, engineering and other areas of technology. All of these segments are experiencing an above-average expansion in employment opportunities due to economic trends. Top 17 Best Jobs for Community College Graduates Of course, the best jobs for associates degreeholders will vary based on the unique skills, interests and values that you bring to the table. Two major considerations will be income potential and the availability of jobs. Heres a list of two-year degrees with solid income and growth potential, according to theBureau of Labor Statistics Construction managersattracted an average salary of $91,370 asof May 2017, but keep in mind the fact that they usually had acquiredseveral years construction experience in conjunction with their degree. Construction manager jobs are expected to grow by 11% by 2026. However, construction is a very cyclical field where opportunities will fluctuate greatly betweenperiodsofeconomicexpansion to recessions. Diagnostic medical sonographersvacanciesare expected to experience growth of 23% or higher by 2026, with an average income of $55,270 asof May 2017. Dental hygienistsjobsare expected to grow at a much higher-than-average rate of 20% by 2026.On average they earned $74,070 asof May 2017. Registered nurserolesandradiation therapistjobsboth are slated for growth rates between 13-15% by 2026, with average salaries of $70,000 and $80,570 respectively,asof May 2017. Opportunities forveterinary technologists and techniciansare expected to expand 20% by 2026, with an average salary of $33,400 asof May 2017. Vacanciesforenvironmental science and protection techniciansandenvironmental engineering techniciansare both expected to grow 13-15% by 2026.They garnered average salaries of $45,490 and $50,230 respectively,asof May 2017. Civil engineering technicianjobsare expected to grow by an average of 9% by 2026 and had an average salary of $51,620,asof May 2017. Geologic and petrole um technicianjobsareforecastto expand 16% by 2026.They had an average income of $54,190 asof May 2017. Jobs forfuneraldirectorsare expected to increase 5% by 2026 and attracted an average salary of $56,850,asof May 2017. Paralegals and legal assistantscan expect job growth of about 15% through 2026. The average salary for this field was $50,410 asof May 2017. Jobs forweb developersaresuggestedto expand15% by 2026 and they attracted an average salary of $67,990 asof May 2017. Respiratory therapists and radiologic technologistsare predicted to experience job growth of 23% and 13% respectively by 2026 and earned average salaries of about $60,000,asof May 2017. Physical therapy assistantsandoccupational therapy assistantsare expected to experience job growth of 29-31% by 2026 and had average salaries of $57,430 and $59,310 respectively,asof May 2017. For more information on these jobs and for information on other career options flowing from a community college degree, consult theOccupat ional Outlook Handbook.