Are Cover Letters Pointless

Are Cover Letters Pointless Are Cover Letters Pointless Sometimes those online applicant tracking systems can take up to 30-45 minutes to fill in (I especially hate the ones that require you to manually add all your work history like the hiring manager wont already see that youve done this in your resume). And some even require applicants to take assessment and skills tests, which can take anywhere from another 30 minutes to one hour. So, to add a titelbild letter required stamp onto the process just makes it that much worse for job seekers. Especially as they listen to the tons of advice out there on perfecting your titelblatt letter.This is no easy task. Unlike a resume where you may have to modify your objective statement and a few skills and/or experiences depending on the role, a cover letters tailoring process can be much more extensive.You have to edit details, such asCompany name, address, phone numberDateAddressee (not to mention the time spent trying to find who the hirin g manager is if a name isnt immediately provided)Reason for applyingRelevant work experience andHow your skills make you the best candidate for that pspeciesicular punkt.As a job seeker who always makes sure to tailor her cover letter for each position I apply for, let me tell you, this task sucks up a large chunk of time during the job hunt.And as you learn more about the hiring process and how recruiters and hiring managers arent even spending 10 seconds looking at a persons resume, you cant help but begin to wonder, Whats the point?What exactly is the point?This is the question my cousin recently asked me after he applied for a job. When filling out the application, he noticed that the system left an option to add a cover letter, but it wasnt required. So, he skipped it.welches this the right thing to do? Are cover letters truly necessary during todays job search, especially if a job ad doesnt list this document as a requirement when applying?I think cover letters are very import ant and useful when directly submitting an application- that is, when youre required to apply by sending certain materials to a specific email address. This is very different from applying through an ATS because applicants should put their cover letters directly in the body of the email, which immediately shows the recruiter or hiring manager that youre interested in the job. Theyre much more professional than simply writing, I saw your job ad and am sending my resume to apply. After all, you are looking to secure a job, not respond to a Craigslist ad.But, if you are required to apply via an ATS where a cover letter is optional, unlike a direct email, your cover letter may not be the first information a hiring manager sees. So, is it a big deal?Well, like the familiar saying goes, It doesnt hurt to Even if the job ad doesnt say you need to include a cover letter, submitting one anyway could be beneficial.Oftentimes cover letters are more than just professional way to tell HR that yo ure applying for a job they can give recruiters and hiring managers a great deal of information about applicants aside from their resume.A few examples includeWriting skillsCover letters require applicants to writeduh. But, its not just about having a job seeker demonstrate his/her interest through writing, its about determining whether or not an applicant (and potential hire) can write well.Hiring managers will definitely look for the basics. Can the person spell? Can he or she put together a complete sentence? Does the letter flow? Does it even make sense?These details are extremely important to a recruiter as he or she wants to see firsthand that applicants have quality writing skills. Because, oftentimes, no matter what type of position youre applying for, it will require you to do some form of writing.Articulation capabilitiesCover letters are designed for job seekers to express why they should be considered for the next step in the hiring process- the interview. One must be ab le to adequately articulate this to a hiring manager. If on paper you cant convince HR to give you a second glance, the people in this department are much less likely to be convinced that youre worthy of an interview, and even less for the job.Detailed background informationAnother thing cover letters can offer hiring managers during the recruitment process is detail. Your resume can only tell a recruiter so much because it doesnt offer the space for details. This is where cover letters step in. They give you the chance to not only fully explain how the skills and experiences on your resume qualify you for the position, but opportunities to provide relevant, detailed examples from your work history. They can also help you go in depth as you explain what implemented an effective social media strategy really means and why thats significant to the position and potential employer.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

Janney Coupler Named 267th ASME Landmark

Janney Coupler Named 267th ASME Landmark Janney Coupler Named 267th ASME Landmark Janney Coupler Named 267th ASME LandmarkASME will mark this years Rail Safety Week, which will be observed from Sept. 23 to 29, with the designation of the Janney coupler as the Societys 267th Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Rail Safety Week was launched last year by rail safety education nonprofit Operation Lifesaver Inc. in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation and other organizations.Patented in 1873 by Civil War veteran Eli Janney, the Janney coupler is being recognized for its impact on rail safety and its technological significance. The interlocking coupler, which resembled a curled menschlich hand, was the successor to the link and pin coupler, a device that required rail workers to stand between train cars while joining them an extremely dangerous procedure that resulted in numerous injuries and deaths. The Janney coupler is being designated as ASMEs 26 7th Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in recognition of its impact on rail safety and its technological significance. (Photo by Daniel Schwen)Also unlike the link and pin coupler, the Janney coupler joined train cars together reliably and firmly, resulting in less slack between the cars. Janneys innovative coupler design also allowed for the interchanging of cars across different lines, reducing the amount of time it took for freight and passenger trains to reach their destinations. By 1916, the Janney coupler had become the standard for the rail industry.Here during Rail Safety Week, as the nation focuses on the prevention of railroad fatalities and injuries, ASME looks back on the great heritage of the industry to recognize a device that brought increased safety to rail workers and passengers alike, said Said Jahanmir, president of ASME. The Janney is a worthy addition to our roster of mechanical engineering achievements.For more information on the ASME landmarks program, v isit www.asme.org/about-asme/engineering-history/landmarks.

The Liberation of a Structured Job Search Strategy

The Liberation of a Structured Job Search StrategyThe Liberation of a Structured Job Search StrategyThe Liberation of a Structured Job Search StrategyThis post is written by Jessee (pictured), a guest blogger. Shes a working professional and the author of the blog BusterPeach. Her career has endured four cross-country moves, two layoffs, a major merger, and the launch of three startups all with just two employers. While her expertise lies in contact center operations management, she has focused heavily on employee training and development and is especially passionate about coaching soft skills and sales performance.The apply online only world we live in makes it convenient to search and apply for jobs from the comfort of your home. But its a huge adjustment to spend your days job searching in coffee-stained pajamas and call that meaningful.After a recent layoff, my struggle with being housebound became most evident when my Mom asked each day, Find any good leads? I daydreamed of dro pping a hot iron skillet on her pinky toe.I missed the hum of work, feeling productive, and the comforts of a schedule.Family life became increasingly difficult. I began to define myself by my output of clean laundry, and I couldnt help but feel exploited every time people had the nerve to put on clean skivvies.After months of hovering over job boards the way I imagine a bookie monitors SportsCenter 24/7, I welches determined to change something up. I decided to rock this job search old school. Offline and face-to-faceOh, the village elders would be proudRejected and DejectedIn my best suit, with my best foot forward, I walked in to my target companies. I was committed to give a firm handshake, make a connection, and hand off my stunning resume. I even put on makeup.I was not prepared for what I experienced.Every receptionist was armed with a threadbare scriptMaam, Im sorry, you must apply onlineand generic business cards. In minutes, I was back in my car still holding my stunning r esume.These people know their mission is to deflect and redirect. While it felt good to be out of the house, I was spinning my wheels, and wasting my good pantyhose doing itDefeated, I went back home to stalk job openings and calm my jangled nerves with household chores.When my attic reached a state of organized utopia, I was at my lowest point.In a half-insane moment of total clarity, I designed a job search ordnungsprinzip resembling a schedule Id use if I were working.The schedule looked something like thisACTIVITY Search and Apply for JobsSCHEDULE Mondays and Thursdays, 900 - 1100 A.M.Mondays and Thursdays are the most strategic days, because newspaper job ads run Sundays and Wednesdays.Set up email alerts for job boards to notify you of new, relevant jobs.Give yourself permission to stop watching job boards every minute of every day. Trust that youre more effective when youre not burned out.ACTIVITYNetwork SCHEDULEWednesdays, 1200 - 100 P.M. and 700 - 800 P.M.Shamelessly interr ogate your network for leads. It can be as simple as meeting a former co-worker for coffee, going to the library, or attending a job fair.Spend this time outside the house, dressed for business.ACTIVITYFollow Up SCHEDULETuesdays and Fridays, 900 - 1100 A.M.Follow up by phone or email on each job youve applied to. Use a loose script of savvy questions to get on the employers radar and stay there.ACTIVITYOrganize and Track SCHEDULE OngoingSet up a paper or electronic file for each job you apply for Hint Resumes Tracker and Task Manager do a lot of this for you automatically. Include notes onJob description, source of the posting, specific resume and cover letter you sent, relevant company research.Journal your interactions (on paper or online), maintain all contact names, telephone numbers and email/postal addresses. Your first entry on the journal should be something like Applied Online 03/29/09. Subsequent entries should detail names, dates of contact, and any specifics that were di scussed.Once I had a schedule with smart goals on it for each day, I could devote the allotted time to advance my job search, feel the pleasure of accomplishment, and then set it aside.As a bonus, I was able to give myself permission to catch up on those DVR recordings and enjoy my family without the constant sense that I was neglecting my job search duties.Pinky toes everywhere are thanking meWhat methods do you use to organize your job search?

How Colleges Can Save You Money

How Colleges Can Save You MoneyHow Colleges Can Save You MoneyRemember college? The late night study sessions, the lack of responsibility, the keg parties, andbest of allall the stuff you used to get for free. (Or at least, it seemed free.) Who knew prescription medications and gym memberships would be so expensive in the real world?You dont need to re-enroll to take advantage of the many discounts given to college kids. Many universities offer reduced (or free) services to alumni and non-students, too, assuming youre willing to work out in a gym surrounded by 20-year-olds. Some of what you can get from campus Read More...Posted by Stephanie Miles, RecessionWire.comLove in the Time of Layoff Sugar Mama DaysScrewed 4,400 at Siemens AGDownturn Deals Half-Price Food

Why We Have Eyelashes

Why We Have Eyelashes Why We Have Eyelashes Why We Have Eyelashes When his daughter welches born, fluid dynamicist David Hu was astonished at the length of her eyelashes. The fact that the newborn was otherwise hairless prompted him to question why we have these hairs at the edge of ur eyelids to begin with. No one had an answer.So Hu and his colleagues at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta set out to measure the eyelashes of 22 mammals. What they found was that the length of eyelashes is roughly one-third the width of the mammalian eye.They then devised mockups of the eye by building a wind tunnel that could blow air past a cup of water with eyelashes on its rim. That length of one-third the eyes width reduced evaporation of the cups water by a factor of twoessentially helping keep the eyes moist by reducing the airflow. Shorter lashes faileuchtdiode at properly blocking the air and longer ones actually directed more airflow to the eye.Listen to the latest episode of ASME Te chCast Breakthrough Could Bring New Cancer TreatmentSimilar circumstancesan incident where his infant son urinated on him during a diaper changeled Hu to discover that all animals weighing more than 3 kg (6.6 pounds) urinate for approximately 21 seconds, no matter their body size. That finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences earned him a 2015 Ig edel prize, recognizing research that makes people laugh and think.David Hu studies animals to learn how they have evolved to meet physical challenges. Here, he examines how mosquito wings react to dew. Image Candler HobbsGet past the chuckle and the implications of the paper are profound Nature uses gravity in a way to optimize a necessary task without wasting energy, a discovery that could advance water systems like fire hoses, water tanks, and water-filled backpacks.Hu runs a biolocomotion laboratory at the Georgia Tech, where he is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and biology. For him, an imals are the key to discovering new, physical ways of dealing with the world. They teach us how to accomplish difficult tasks that many life forms undertake very efficiently, like moving around, eating, drinking, storing and releasing waste, and keeping things clean.We try to identify the few real champions, animals that are really typifying optimal ways to do these processes, Hu said.Join ASME and Leading Industry Experts for Offshore Wind Turbine Webinar seriesThe idea falls in line with the principle popularized in 1929 by physiologist August Krogh. It states that for many tasks there will be one or more animals in nature that could be used as models.Evolutionary history provides a phenomenal and very long-duration testing ground for all kinds of environments and uses for systems, said Sheila Patek, associate professor of biology at Duke University. We landsee that revealed through the spectacular diversity of systems around us.WALKING ON WATERHu has been studying the intersecti on between engineering and natural systems for most of his career. His undergraduate advisor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology was Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan, a mechanical engineer who used math to describe natural processes. It was a time of renewed and growing interest in that field. In class, Hu studied termite mounds and plants, and professors demonstrated mechanical devices that were designed to move like fish.But it wasnt until after working for an oil company and returning to school for graduate studies in the early 2000s that Hu really began to focus on this field. It started as a homework assignment on how water striders walk on water for John W.M. Bush, professor of applied mathematics at MIT and an expert in surface tension.Bush remembers Hu as playful and fun to work with.I also appreciated his resourcefulness and tenacity, Bush said. When I suggested the water strider problem to him, the first thing he did was to go hunting for water striders at a nearby pond.Rea d another story on Engineers Inspired by Animals Using the Eyes of Killer Shrimp to Design A Super CameraResearchers believed that water striders were able to walk on water by making waves that help push them forward. That led to a mystery first identified by Stanford biologist Mark Denny Young water striders couldnt move their legs fast enough to create the waves necessary to walk on water. But they could, so how did they do it?Bush, Hu, and mechanical engineering graduate student Brian Chan studied water striders in the lab using high-speed photography coupled with flow-visualization technology. They saw that water strider legs never actually break the water surface. Instead, they row across it.Once we had them water striders in the lab, we were able to quickly validate our view that they were shedding vortices with each leg stroke, thereby resolving a paradox in the biolocomotion literature, Bush said.Chan, with the help of Bush and Hu, then designed a robotic water strider, Robo strider, to mimic what they learned.I believe that it was the first non-buoyant water-walking device, Bush said. It has certainly spawned an entire generation of more sophisticated devices developed by engineers along the same lines, the utility of which remains to be seen.The three detailed the findings in a paper for Nature, and Hu turned it into his doctoral thesis.At Georgia Tech, Hu is mostly focused on biomechanics of animal locomotion. A lot of his work is centered on everyday wonders that many might not stop to consider. Researchers use it to aid them in developing robots and other useful devices.Hu has tried to popularize some of these findings in his book, How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls Animal Movements and the Robotics of the Future.Read about David Hus Disciple How Elephants Use Their Tails to Chase Away MosquitoesBut the down-to-earth focus of his research has drawn not just gentle ribbing, like the Ig Noble Prize, but outright scorn. Former United States Senat or Jeff Flake, for instance, included three of his projects as part of a top 20 list of wasteful federally funded science undertakings.Many scientists are likely to take issue with such criticism.There is also a long history of extraordinary discoveries from everyday phenomena and our surrounding biological world, Patek said. We wouldnt be flying around in airplanes without that kind of initial fascination and inspiration. Ive found that folks who make that argument often just arent aware of the necessary and integral interplay of basic and applied research.CATALOGUE OF WONDERSHu responded directly to Flake via an Emory University TEDx talk. But his work and its forthcoming applications are perhaps the best response to this type of criticism.Cats tongues are covered with bristles. Hus team used this insight to create a special hairbrush. Image Georgia TechFor instance, Hu, researcher Alexis Noel, and their colleagues recently looked at the structure of cat tongues, which are known f or being sandpapery rough. The research team discovered grooves in the millimeter-tall spikes on the top of the tongues that enable them to plek up saliva. As a cat grooms, the saliva is spread through the fur to the skin, essentially washing both.People have looked at cat tongues before and no one observed they have this particular shape, Hu said. He credits the use of 3D scanners and printers to spot the structures and verify their purpose.Hu and his colleagues are now working on a patent for a cat-inspired hairbrush that would help pet-owners with allergies for whom there are currently few solutions.This hairbrush, designed based on a cats tongue, can remove some of the allergens on cat fur, Hu said. Theres no way we couldve designed that unless we looked at animals.Readers Choice Insect Drone with Camera Flies Like a BeeA large personal care company has already expressed interest in the product.Another research project involved studying the feeding habits of maggots in container s.A startup founded by Georgia Tech students raises black soldier fly larvae, Hermetia illucens, to quickly consume food waste. The hope is that the larvae could consume some of the 1.3 billion tons of food waste produced worldwide each year, and that the well-fed larvae could then become high-protein feed for fish, chicken, and other livestock.Its a really novel way to deal with the waste problem, Hu said.The problem is figuring out the optimal way to get the wasted food to the larvae. The larvae eat in five-minute bursts, and while they are feeding other hungry maggots are pushing to get a bite, much the way pigs jostle at the trough.Just drop food in a bin of larvae and some will be well-fed while others will struggle. By observing their behavior and creating models that simulate the larvae eating habits, Hu hopes to better understand how to feed and mix them, turning maggot farm einzelschritt into a conveyor belt of insects so there wont be any blockages, or traffic jams.Read ab out Engineers Solving World Hunger with 3D-Printed FoodHis team is also studying the star-nosed mole, an almost completely blind mammal that has evolved a way to hunt underwater by sense of smell. The mole will breathe out a bubblea bit like a four-year-old with a coldand then inhale it back before it pinches off and floats away. The bubble captures chemical traces of the surrounding water and alerts the mole to any nearby prey.Figuring out how the mole accomplishes this task could help technologists develop new types of underwater sensors, which are currently prone to biofilm formation, a surface growth of algae or bacteria that is especially common in ocean water.We believe that this underwater sniffing technique could circumvent the problem entirely, said Alexander Bo Lee, a doctoral student in quantitative biosciences at Georgia Tech who works with Hu. It would employ a gas sensor that never touches the water. Instead, a bubble would sniff in and out to probe the water for chemi cals and transfer them to the sensor. Without any contact with the water, bacteria and algae cant form biofilms on the gas sensor.The team suspected that the star shape of the moles nose was a key factor in the stability of created bubbles. They watched videos of the mole and noticed that it also tilts its body side to side when blowing bubbles. So they built and tested devices that look like a moles nose.The experiment involved mimicking the star-shaped geometry by laser-cutting plastic stars, said Lee, who was the first author of a paper on the research that was published in Physical Review Fluids. We then formed a bubble against the stars. We found that the fins of the star prevent the bubble from rising, but the gaps in between the fins play a role in preventing the bubble from sliding off the star when the entire system is tilted. Bubbles rising through the gaps of the star act as counterweights, keeping the bubble centered on the nozzle.Read about Engineers Merging Biology and Electronics The Bionic MushroomWhile that first set of experiments focused on static bubble stability, the team is now looking at the dynamics of oscillating bubbles using an artificial nose olfactory sensor with the star glued to the end. The hope is to learn what happens as the bubble is exhaled and inhaled at different rates and in bursts.One of the big factors in how animals sense their environment through odor is that they dont use continuing motion. When you have dirty gym socks you dont smell continuously, you exhale and inhale, in short bursts, Hu said.The goal of the star-and-nose experiment is to understand the fluid mechanical consequences of having this type of airflow, one that the mole is able to achieve under water.For Hu, the world is one large catalogue of wonders, with inspiration at every corner. All one has to do is look, find an exemplary organism, mimic, and build upon its mechanisms.It is a quintessential human activity to see what other organisms can do and then wonder whether we, as humans, could build something new or achieve some new capability, Patek said. Biological systems have been around for much longer than humans and they reflect a massive database, if you will, of inspiration.Sara Goudarzi is a Brooklyn-based writer.Register today for ASMEs Offshore Wind Summit to learn about the latest technologies, opportunities and supply chain strategies from leaders in the oil, gas and wind energy industries. Read Latest Exclusive Stories from ASME.org Open Source Engineering Creates Great Ideas for Rural AreasThe Future of Electric Trucks is NowHelp Wanted Aerospace Engineering JobsThere is a long history of extraordinary discoveries from everyday phenomena and our surrounding biological world. We wouldnt be flying around in airplanes without that kind of initial fascination and inspiration.Sheila Patek, Duke University

Resume Building Tips Guide

Resume Building Tips Guide You may then customize your resume depending on your qualifications and their compatibilities with the demands of a particular position or company. Be certain to specify the position for which youre applying. In case the recruiter was given the important duty to search IT resumes then the process of working should be clearly outlined and the target ought to be set to attain the goal. So, organization is crucial. You may just be asking the resume writer to produce unnecessary changes to well-written document, all because you didnt have the correct expectations going into the practice. Based on your preferred role, there can be other questions that you need to ask. Theres an overwhelming quantity of information to contemplate, and the interviewing procedure is new to them. Theres no greater approach to understand how to advertise your skills than to think as a salesperson. The Most Popular Resume Building Tips Everything else needs to be condensed down to a summary at the cousine of the resume. Action words shouldnt be reserved for the resume. To start with, you want to identify your work search direction. A lot of your learning beyond the classroom can occur through volunteerism. Sometimes its the work that you do between meetings which makes the difference. Our aim was to give them with the flexibility they require and be able to supply a consistent experience at time of process entry. Your purpose is to stand out. The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Building Tips Remain friendly with your competition, and they could offer you a heads up on a DJ job opening later on. Three success stories you are able to learn from to locate your next job faster. The interview itself is only part of the procedure. Up in Arms About Resume Building Tips? In the end, employers should make sure candidates sign the application for it is thought to be a legal document. Applications should request the previous 5-10 decades of employ ment. For instance, it is normal for candidates to demonstrate the technologies they used in each position. Candidates need to sign printed applications which states that the whole information that they provided is accurate and true. As a consequence, recruiters will discover typographical errors, vague descriptions and other things that may lessen the possibility of the applicants to find the position they want. More often than not, they will be thankful to receive a resume that is one to two pages long. The recruiter should first check the present database of resumes and start looking for resumes online. He should have a comprehensive understanding of the job profile before searching resumes. Resume Building Tips - the Story Once you register for the totally free stuff, other services might be offered for a fee. You really may benefit from some of the paid services in the event that you are able to afford the excess expense. Resume guarantees may also be a strong marketin g tool to drive customers to a certain firm. Key Pieces of Resume Building Tips By sticking to your list, youre much more like to make sure a very good fit. There are lots of organizations which are going back to basics. There are key questions you may ask to discover if the corporation is going to be a great cultural fit. Youll discover all sorts of tools and methods to help you boost your DJ career. There are only a few people whose past are blemish-free or possess the ideal career history. In the event that you were interviewing for a construction job for instance, coming in wearing a three piece suit can force you to look awkward to all the other interviewees that are wearing nice jeans and a button down shirt. Generally speaking, youll be hired for what you did in the past five decades. Its typical to return about 10 to 20 decades and no more. Facts, Fiction and Resume Building Tips Individuals are unhappy in their roles due to the fact that they decide to have work regardless of the fact it doesnt satisfy their top objectives. In the end, dont forget that you will need to continue to keep things short and sweet. Forgetting that individuals lie. Now days, the majority of people do not begin a job with the knowledge or belief that theyll do the identical job for the remainder of their life. In the proper hands, it is going to excite interest in your abilities and experience. If you dont have skills and knowledge which are unavailable anywhere else then youre in a competitive environment and you should deal with it that manner. A candidate has to be in a position to detach themselves from all the excellent things theyve done and all the mundane tasks theyve performed. Although each individual differs in addition to each scenario, in nearly every scenario, there are a number of similarities to look out for.

Working At Deloitte Digital

Working At Deloitte Digital Innovative technology is radically transforming our lives and putting the power in the hands of the customer. Deloitte Digital and Salesforce redefine a clients connections with customers, suppliers and partners to inspire and predict new opportunities, improve service, engagement, and loyalty. We work with forward-thinking companies worldwide to imagine, deliver and run the future across every platform, every device, and every step of the journey.Join the innovative and fast-growing Deloitte Salesforce Team to develop innovative solutions and state-of-the-art processes for our clients in an environment where the worlds of business, creativity, and technology intersect. Click here to see all available opportunities at Deloitte and dont forget to press Follow to receive custom job matches, event invitations and more One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefi ts 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 mio 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 lo oking 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 experienc ing 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 20 18 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft 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 w ay 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 sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.