Women in Tech at Virgin Hyperloop One

Women in Tech at Virgin Hyperloop One Before hardware designs can become reality, processes and materials are vetted for scalability and cost effectiveness. Meet Hyperloop One Process Development Engineer, Kate McCarthy.If youre interested in joining her team, click here to see all available opportunities at Virgin Hyperloop One 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 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 1000000 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 neuschpfung/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-g ender 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 mill ion 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 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), instrumentierung technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line worke rs ($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 sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

This Weekly Activity Will Give Your Job Search a Boost

This Weekly Activity Will Give Your Job Search a BoostThis Weekly Activity Will Give Your Job Search a BoostLooking for a new job can be one of the most stressful experiences in life. It is made even more stressful when you do not have a job. It is also hard to tell exactly what you have accomplished throughout the week when you are mucksmuschenstill unemployed as the weekend rolls around. This post will give you advice on a weekly activity that is sure to give your job search a boost.Most importantly, this activity will help you avoid becoming discouraged. A common way in which job seekers hurt themselves during a job search is the disappointment from a previous bewerbungsinterview spills over into the next job interview. Usually, the expectation of failure and nothing being accomplished breeds negative results. And all of this could have been avoided with this weekly activity.The weekly activity that gives your job search a boostIt is so simple you may kick yourself when you read t he next sentence.Keep track of your accomplishments - big or smallOne of the worst feelings to experience during a job search is when you finish out the week feeling like you have done nothing. That may be what you are feeling but only because you did not keep track of what really happened.For example, imagine you have an interview on Monday and it did not go so well. You block the interview out of your mind as lost. Meanwhile, you forget to keep track of the people you met and ideas you had during the interview. You forget key networking possibilities because you did not keep track of your accomplishments.Big accomplishmentsThe biggest accomplishment of all would be for you to get hired. But depending on the job it can take as little as three hours to get hired or as long as four months.Until then, keep track of some of your big accomplishments such asInterviews that went well and the number of interviews you hadWho you met during the interviewWhat you did well in the interviewWhy you got the job interview in the first placeWhat kind of companies you have been interviewing withSometimes, especially when you get in a bad mood about the outcome of job interviews it is easy to take the extreme point of view, I failed and that made everything I did wrong. Thinking this way negates everything you did that was right because of one minor misstep. Your big accomplishments get lost.Small accomplishmentsSmall accomplishments in a job search can includePersonal discoveries about jobs you thought you wantedWays you saved money while job searchingIdeas that came to you during the interview processPeople you connected with on LinkedIn because of the interviewCertain lessons you learned about resumes, interviews, or how you should dressUltimately, you may be achieving more than you realize but you are not keeping track of it. As your job search continues and the need to stay motivated intensifies, you will need to look at your accomplishments to remind yourself, I am doing what I should be doing. And I will be successful.How to track your accomplishmentsA great way to track your accomplishments is to categorize them. For exampleSetting an interview goal for 30-daysWhat is your reward when you meet that goal?Amount of times you received feedbackWhat was the feedback?Amount of interviews you felt you handled with confidenceWhy did you feel confident?Amount of times you impressed hiring managers with your answersWhat questions do you answer better than others?Amount of times you learned something new about yourselfWhat did you learn exactly?Amount of times you felt proud after an interviewWhat were you most proud of?At the end of the day, the importance of doing this is to make sure you keep reminding yourself that you are achieving things. You are growing, hacking away at all the unnecessary things you worry aboutand you are becoming skilled at describing your value through critical thinking.Finally, the better you get at tracking your accomplishments t he more you start to understand what makes you valuable to a company

Is Your Career Age Holding You Back

Is Your Career Age Holding You BackIs Your Career Age Holding You Back3Norwegian scientists have come up with a low-tech way to allow a person to figure out their fitness age, and the result are often surprising.If we could figure out our career age, maybe we could discover surprising revelations about ourselves and things we need to tweak in our job searches that might help us reach a whole new level of career fitnessA career age assessment might mean thinking about how you approach your career choices, how long youve remained stuck unhappily in the same job with the same platzdeckchen of out-dated career skills, and drawing up a plan for change.Here are five suggestions for changing your career ageTake a step at a time.Just as a good personal trainer does an initial fitness assessment and comes up with a blueprint to help you reach your goals little by little, think of yourself as your own personal career trainer and work out a plan for your career success. You can make it general, but the more specific you are, the more direction you will give yourself, and the greater your chances for success.Adjust your tude.Adjust your attitude, that is. And lets be frank Sometimes if youve been at your career for a while and have achieved a certain amount of success, you may have settled into a little bit of complacency. This is not just an issue for older workers. Its more about being forward-thinking. Having a nimble mind-set is a good thing no matter what your age, but its especially smartfor the 50 or older crowd to take a proactive stance.Give your resume a workout.Sometimes less is more- both when it comes to physical fitness and when it comes to your career fitness. If you fall into the older worker category, be especially disciplined and go through a process of elimination and self-editing when you update your resume and write cover letters.Be mindful.The mind-body connection is another big trend in the fitness industry. Why not bring that thinking to your career as well? It makes sense that being mindful about your career has a huge effect on your health. Being mindful of what makes you happy- physically, emotionally, and otherwise- is as valid a concept in your career as in any other area of your life.Cross the finish line.Envisioning your career as a marathon rather than a sprint may help you put any little stumbles along the way into context. Tripping doesnt always mean falling, andknowing where your finish line is can help you keep going until you reach your goalReaders, tell us what you think your career age is and how you keep your career fit and nimblephotocredit thinkstockphotos.com

How to Address Major Concerns During a Job Interview

How to Address Major Concerns During a Job Interview How to Address Major Concerns During a Job Interview Lets say youve finally landed an interview for your dream job at the perfect company. Youve got the skills to do the work, and it looks like an ideal fit with your career plan. The only thing is, you have some major concerns and youre not sure how to address them. Maybe you know who your supervisor will be if you fill the open position, and youve heard through the grapevine that hes a micromanager and a bit of a shouter. How can you find out whether thats true without killing your chances at getting the job? Or, perhaps you highly value work flexibility, and youve read that this company isnt big on work-life balance. How  should you raise the issue? Your first step is to complete your due diligence. Before you set foot in the interviewers office, you should study the companys website and read any news articles you can find about the organization. Examine the social media accounts of the business, looking for what customers or employees are saying. And scour the web for blog posts of fans or detractors. Once your research is done, youll be ready to ask the right interview questions. If you handle your interview thoughtfully, with skill and tact, you should be able to address any concerns you have about the duties tied to the position, the companys culture, potential colleagues and managers, or the future of the business. Here are a few questions you can ask your interviewers to help you address major concerns during a job interview: What happened to the person who had this job before? This is a fair question, and if asked correctly, it can provide good insight into the scope of the job, its importance within the organization, and promotion opportunities for those who hold the position. If your concerns are centered on any of those areas, this could help alleviate them. What management style do you encourage among your team leaders? If youre afraid of getting stuck with that shouting micromanager, or someone who doesnt support the training of team members, this question is a good one to ask. Once you hear about the companys expectations of its managers, you can follow up by asking who your manager would be and what his or her style is like. What challenges might I encounter if I take on this position? This is one of many questions recommended in an article from Resume Butterfly. Your employers response to this could give you a better feel for any baggage that may be attached to the position, and how it could affect you. What stands out to you when you think of the companys culture? You may have concerns about the organizations support for work flexibility, its commitment to career development of employees, or just the general work environment. By asking this question, you should be able to discover some specifics about the company culture and whether the business is worker-friendly. Can you show me some examples of projects that Id be working on? This question, suggested in a Forbes article, could be the most important one you ask. If youre worried that your skills might not be the right fit for the job, or youve heard that the position carries huge expectations without the authority to meet them, the samples you receive could confirm or eliminate those concerns. Can you tell me about the team Ill be working with? An article from The Muse suggests that this question could help you uncover red flags. If the answer is vague, or the interviewer tries to dodge it, you might be walking into a bad situation with a toxic team. Where do you see this company in the next few years? This is another suggestion from The Muses article, which notes that the question can help you better understand the companys values and whether you fit well with them. If youve heard rumors that the business is struggling financially or may be considering a change in strategy, the tone of the answer you receive could provide some clues as to their veracity. No matter which questions you ask, be sure to listen carefully to the response. Note the interviewers tone when they respond, and look for other non-verbal cues to gather additional information. When you combine these questions with your initial research, you should be able to determine whether your fears are founded or baseless, without offending your interviewer and taking yourself out of the running for the job. Then, when an offer comes, youll be ready to respond with confidence, no matter what you decide. Have an interview coming up? Check out more tips in our  category dedicate to job interviewing.

Stressed About Your Job Hunt Heres How to Deal

Stressed About Your Job Hunt Here’s How to Deal Stressed About Your Job Hunt Here’s How to Deal I’ve been hunting for a new job for almost five months now, and it would be a lie to say that I’ve never felt anxious. There have been times  when anxious thoughts consumed me. Why hasn’t the recruiter e-mailed me back? What if the hiring manager didn’t like the answer to my question? When will I find my next job!? I haven’t totally eliminated my job search anxiety, but here is some advice that I have followed that help me feel less stressed. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket At  the beginning of my job search was putting too much emphasis on one job. I would dwell on a  particular job and lose sight of all of the other opportunities around me. My advice is to apply to as many as jobs that you’re qualified for at this present moment. It’s nice to have options, and a job that didn’t seem interesting at first might become a front-runner once you’ve interviewed with the hiring manager. Dont judge a book by its cover. After you’ve sent in your application, just let it go. Worrying about whether an employer will contact you is a major time-suck, and your time can be better used applying for other jobs or researching other companies that interest you. Set action-oriented and realistic goals Landing a job has always been easy for me, so I started my job search with the goal of finding a job within one month. After one month, not only was I disappointed, but I also felt unmotivated by my goals. I decided to change how I set my benchmarks of job search success. I reworked my goals to make sure they involved a realistic action instead of goals that were vague that I can’t fully control. For example, apply to three jobs a week versus get hired by the end of the week. Applying to three jobs a week moves me forward in my job search, whereas getting hired by the end of the week is dependent on so many factors. Don’t compare yourself to others It was hard not to feel jealous when my friend was offered a job after one week of searching and I had been searching for months. Rather than  feeling bitter, I changed my outlook. I realized we both had different skill sets. She had some strengths I didn’t, and I had experience in some areas where she didn’t have any. Everyone has a different job search experience, so there is no use in comparing it to others. Find your own personal way to handle stress My number one way to de-stress is take a few minutes to focus on my breath and meditate. After that I feel rejuvenated and motivated to continue applying for jobs. Take the time each day to do something that will refresh and energize your mind like taking a walk, cooking or journaling. This article was updated on June 23, 2017.

Child Support Allowance (BAH-DIFF)

Child Support Allowance (BAH-DIFF) Child Support Allowance (BAH-DIFF) Special rules apply for active duty members who live in the barracks and pay child support. Married members and members with custodial custody of children are considered to have dependents, (for housing purposes) and receive full-rate housing allowance (BAH), even if they reside temporarily in the barracks (such as in basic training, job school, or unaccompanied overseas assignment), in order to provide adequate financial support (housing) for their dependents. However, military members who dont have custody, and are paying child support, *ARE NOT* authorized to reside in the barracks and receive full-rate BAH. Instead, such members are paid an entitlement called BAH-DIFF, or BAH Differential. BAH-DIFF is the difference between the full married rate and full single rate of BAH Type II, (which is a different allowance than BAH type I, the full-rate active duty housing allowance). Enlisted BAH-DIFF Rates Warrant Officer BAH-DIFF Rates Commissioned Officer BAH-DIFF Rates

Learn What Information is Included on a Pay Stub

Learn What Information is Included on a Pay Stub Learn What Information is Included on a Pay Stub A pay stub, also known as a paycheck stub or pay slip, is the document that itemizes how much employees are paid. You will receive a pay stub for each pay period. It shows your total earnings for the pay period, deductions from the total, and your net pay after deductions. Your  net pay, also referred to as take-home pay, is how much you have left  over after taxes and other items have  been deducted from your pay. When employees are paid with a paper check, the pay stub will be attached to the paycheck. If employees are paid by direct deposit to their bank account, the pay slip should be available online to print, if a paper copy isnt provided by the employer. If you are provided with online paycheck stubs, your employer will advise you on how to log  in to view and print them. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of reviewing your pay stub and keeping either a physical or a digital copy, in case you ever need to verify your pay or deductions. This is especially important when you start a new job, so you can confirm that  all the  deductions in your first paycheck  are correct. When youre applying for a loan, renting an apartment, or buying a house, you may be asked to provide copies of your pay  stubs from a certain period of time. Reqesting recent and current pay  stubs is one way  that  employers verify employment. Its also a good idea to save copies of your pay stubs in case your employer gets something wrong, and you need to refer to the document while ironing things out with Human Resources. What Is Included on a Pay Stub? Pay stubs include the details of each pay periods wages including the following, depending on your personal circumstances: Gross pay: This is your pay before deductions for federal, state, and local taxes, as well as Medicare, Social Security, and any insurance or retirement contributions. Gross pay is what employers list when making a salary offer, e.g. $50,000 a year, divided by pay period.Federal taxes withheld: Federal tax withholding will depend on your  tax bracket. U.S. personal income taxes operate on a graduated scale, starting at 10 percent and increasing to the top rate of 37 percent (as of 2018). How much you pay will depend on how much you earn. State taxes withheld: States set their own personal income tax rates. Some have bracketed tax rates similar to the IRS, while others use a flat rate- and some states have no state income tax at all. State taxes can be complicated. For example, if you live in one state, but work in another, both states can’t tax the same income- but that doesn’t mean that non-residents are off the hook. See  this piece  for more information on state taxes and how they might affect you.Local taxes withheld: Some metro areas, like New York City, set their own local taxes, which pay for local government services. Benefit insurance deduction(s):  Health, dental, vision, life, disability- you might wind up contributing to any or all of these  employee benefits. If so, your share will likely be included on your pay stub.FICA: You might have seen this on your pay stub, but did  not know what it meant. FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. In short, it’s your contribution to Medicare and Social Security.Retirement or pension plan contribution: If your employer offers a retirement plan (e.g., a 401k, 403b, or pension), your contributions will show up on  your pay stub. Wage garnishments: Wage garnishment is when your employer withholds a certain amount of your paycheck to pay off your debt (for example, a tax bill or child support payments).Back pay: If your employer owes you back pay- for example because of an adjustment to your employment (hourly to salaried, or vice versa)- you might see the payout listed on your stub.Net pay:  This is the amount you receive after deductions- your actual paycheck, so to speak. If youre evaluating a job offer or starting a new job, you  can calculate your net pay  to get an estimate of how much youll earn. The pay stub may also include year-to-date totals of gross and net earnings and deductions. If you have questions about any of the items on your pay slip, check with your manager or company’s Human Resources department for clarification. They can advise you on your current deductions and on how to make changes to what is withheld from your gross pay. How to Calculate Your Net Pay There are websites which  you can use to calculate the deductions that will be withheld from your pay to estimate the amount of your paycheck: Paycheck Calculators How to Change Your Withholding Tax When you start a new job or want to change the amount of tax that is withheld from your paycheck, you will need to fill out a W-4 Form.  Heres how to complete the form. How to Get a Copy of Your Pay Stub Copies of pay slips are often required for credit applications or to otherwise verify employment. If you havent saved copies of your pay stubs, check to see if you can view and print them from the employee section of your company website or from the payroll service site that your employer uses. If you cant locate copies, ask the Payroll or Human Resources department of your employer if they can provide you with copies of your pay slips or a login to access them online.