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In Memoriam

How Tech Can Help You Build Your Career in 2017

Careers

Getting hired in a competitive field requires competitive measures. To stand out to employers, get creative with your entire online persona – within limits.

Adaptable, precise, responsive, and reliable. They describe the ultimate employee and the ultimate machine. Maybe that’s because we’re becoming one with our tech. This year, make it your New Year’s resolution to make yourself stand out by putting smart tech tools to work like no one ever has, making it impossible for the higher-ups in your industry to ignore you.

Here’s how to gain a distinct advantage in the workforce by demonstrating your proficiency with technology.

Design a creative resume.

In today’s tight labor market, a carefully crafted resume can turn a job search into a salaried position. The good news is you don’t need a degree in graphic design to create an aesthetically pleasing curriculum vitae. These days, there are plenty of online tools with slick interfaces that let you instantly create a clean and compelling resume.

Apps like Winning Resume, Pocket Resume, or Resume Star allow you to select a template and just fill in the personal information that showcases your expertise and personality. But not all digital resume builders are created equal. Look for tools that support mobile-friendly formats and allow you to easily update your information. Resume Maker On-the-Go, for example, makes it easy for users to share their resumes and search for jobs from their mobile device.

Power up your LinkedIn profile.

With over 380 million members worldwide and available in more than 24 languages and 200 countries, LinkedIn is every worker’s passport to career advancement. But there’s an art to designing a LinkedIn profile that will attract eyeballs – or better yet, a promotion. So pull up your profile and put these best practices into place:

According to LinkedIn, adding a profile photo makes your profile 7x more likely to be found in searches. Consider spending a little extra money on a professional headshot for greater impact.
Create a catchy, keyword-rich headline to grab a visitor’s attention.
Build a robust profile with plenty of detail, including your tech skills, education, and industry accolades. And focus in on accomplishments, mentioning not just promotions or certifications, but also quantifiable achievements that show potential employers the measurable value you might be able to add to their organization.
Join as many groups as you can. Awaiting you are fascinating discussions, excellent contacts, and even potential mentors.
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s recommendations feature. Meaningful testimonials can carry far more weight than a certificate or degree, believe it or not.
Update your profile regularly so that it reflects your current professional goals and expectations.

Build a thought-provoking blog.

Blogs aren’t just for gossip mavens and political pundits. Rather, they’re digital calling cards – a platform for sharing information on everything from gluten-free recipes to robotics. But for those looking to boost their professional profile, a well-written blog can drive traffic to your LinkedIn profile or business website, establish you as an industry expert, and connect you to like-minded professionals. It can also set you apart from other candidates by demonstrating some of the skills, knowledge, and passion that won’t fit in a cover letter.

The best part: It’s possible to build a blog in less than 30 minutes on any smartphone, laptop, tablet, or desktop. For instance, open up your HP Envy x360 2-in-1, install an easy-to-use platform such as WordPress, set up web hosting, personalize your design, and begin publishing. Just remember: a blog is a digital representation of you and your views. Make sure what you’re sharing with the masses is a career boost, not blunder!

Design an online portfolio.

For the more creative types, a meticulously curated portfolio is a professional must-have. But forget about purchasing a leather-bound carrying case. These days, artists, designers, and writers are turning to online programs such Portfoliobox, Crevado, Wix, and Squarespace for templates that they can convert into online galleries and shareable e-books. No coding skills necessary. Rather, a high-performance laptop like the Dell Inspiron 15 is all it takes to log on and begin advertising your artistic prowess.

If you possess the skills and inclination, you can go even further and gamify your resume, or post a video resume on your site (or on a privately shared link). Some employers may not accept it or take the time to view it, but if they do, it could put you ahead of the pack. Just make sure it gives an impression of professionalism!

Continue onto PC World to read the complete article.

FAA Launches ‘Be ATC’ Campaign to Recruit Next Diverse Generation of Air Traffic Controllers

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching “Be ATC,” a recruiting campaign to hire the next generation of air traffic controllers. The application window will be open nationwide from June 24-27 for all eligible U.S. citizens.

Air traffic controllers are part of the FAA’s fast-paced, active team of 14,000 professionals in radar facilities and in air traffic control towers who keep the skies safe across the nation. Controllers have a tremendous responsibility, handling an average of 45,000 flights a day and more than 5,000 aircraft traversing the skies at once during peak times.

Anyone interested in becoming an air traffic controller can view more about eligibility requirements and application instructions at faa.gov/be-atc. Applicants can begin building a profile and learn how to apply.

Building on last year’s successful campaign to receive more applications from women and other underrepresented groups, the FAA will again work with diverse organizations, host Instagram Live conversations, and work with social media influencers and others. The FAA has created a digital toolkit to get the word out.

“We know that different perspectives add value to any organization, so it is important that we attract people with a wide range of backgrounds to help enhance our safety mission,” said Virginia Boyle, Vice President for System Operations Services in the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization.

“It’s a challenging job, but it’s also rewarding. At the end of the day when you get home and look up at the sky, you know that what you’ve done makes a difference,” said Jeffrey Vincent, Vice President for Air Traffic Services in the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, speak English clearly and be no older than 30 (with limited exceptions). They must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both. Applicants must also pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA). Individuals who are selected are also required to pass all pre-employment requirements, including a medical examination, security investigation, and drug test.

Selected candidates will train at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla. After successful completion of training, they will be placed in a radar facility or air traffic tower. Staffing needs will determine facility assignment, and applicants must be willing to work anywhere in the United States.

“As aerospace technology continues to grow, we need people to join the FAA to ensure our airspace continues to be the safest in the world,” said FAA Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims. “We are looking for a diverse pool of candidates who are ready to rise to the challenge and become air traffic controllers.”

The FAA’s controller workforce reached about 14,000 in fiscal year 2021. The FAA hired 509 new controllers in fiscal year 2021, and the FAA plans to hire more than 4,800 controllers over the next five years.

Amazon Now Letting Some Merchants Sell From Their Own Websites…And Other Small Business Tech News This Week

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By Gene Marks, Forbes

Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?

1— Amazon is expanding their fast shipping guarantee to other online businesses.

Amazon is expanding its Buy With Prime service to now allow select Amazon merchants to sell their listed merchandise directly from their own websites. With this new feature, those customers can make Amazon’s payments and fulfillment services available at checkout. Shoppers will get the option of using their Amazon Prime membership for quick, no-charge delivery and other benefits. The move is being made to take on its biggest competitor, Shopify. For now, the tool will be invitation only and will have an undisclosed fee attached. Participating merchants will display the Prime logo and expected delivery date on eligible products in their own online store, offer a simple, convenient checkout experience using Amazon Pay, and leverage Amazon’s fulfillment network to deliver orders. Amazon will also manage free returns for eligible orders. (Source: Bloomberg)

Why this is important for your business:

For an ecommerce company, this is Amazon giving you the chance to have your cake and eat it too. If accepted into the program you can sell your products right from your own site instead of Amazon’s which means that customers may not be enticed by competitors’ offerings or ads.

2— DIY repairs for iPhones are here.

Apple has released their self-service repair kit in the United States for iPhones 12,13 and third generation iPhone SE. Apple warns that the self-service repair is for somewhat experienced technicians rather than any iPhone user experiencing troubles. However, when comparing the DIY costs to the professional repair, the value isn’t much different. There are also some concerns from those for and against DIY repairs on the true value of this initiative. (Source: The Verge)

Why this is important for your business:

Despite the concerns, this gives you and your employees more options for repairs. I expect to see a number of phone repair shops take Apple up on these offerings and compete on price so that you’re not forced to only deal with one company. So the next time you need service done for your iPhone, you won’t automatically need to go to the Apple Store.

Click here to read the full article on Forbes.

The challenge of gender bias: experiences of women pursuing careers in STEM

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Clockwise from top left: Nayeli Stopani Barrios, Jessica Becker and Larissa Sanches (not shown: Elise Murphy)

By WiSE students Nayeli Stopani Barrios, Jessica Becker, Elise Murphy and Larissa Sanches, Nevada Today

Women pursuing STEM careers have faced many challenges in the past, and they continue to do so today. In the past, many of these challenges were built into the framework of our public and private institutions and our legal system. Women, for example, were not allowed to attend college and earn a college education until 1840, when Catherine Brewer was the first woman to earn a bachelor’s degree. Gaining a graduate degree wasn’t possible until 1849, when Elizabeth Blackwell earned her medical degree (U.S. News, 2009). Without access to higher education, women had no chance of gaining enough experience and expertise to secure a job of any significance, let alone a career in STEM.

Barriers limiting women’s access to higher education were not eliminated in the mid 1800s with the brave actions of Brewer and Blackwell. The historical prejudices that denied women access to higher education in that century are present today in the minds of many who serve as members of college admissions committees and hiring authorities. According to a study conducted by researchers at Yale University, when provided with identical application materials across all applicants, both male and female faculty rated the male applicants more competent and more employable than female applicants (Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Handelsman, 2012). Despite holding comparable levels of experience or knowledge, men are consistently chosen over women.

It is an unfortunate truth that gender bias can present challenges even in the circumstance of a woman being identified as the best candidate for a given position and the hiring process initiated. Across the full spectrum of hiring levels – from entry level to executive level – the salary or wage offered to women can reveal gender bias. According to the Stanford School of Business, the entry level salary for a male employee is on average more than $4,000 higher than their female coworkers (Stanford Business, 2021). Because women are less likely to be awarded promotions, the wage gap between women and their male coworkers becomes larger and larger over time. A paper published by the Pew Research Center concluded that, in STEM fields, men earn 40% more than women (Fry, Kennedy, & Funk, 2021). This significant gap in earnings between women and men in the STEM field leads to significant differences in the ability of women and men to pay off debts incurred as part of their undergraduate and graduate education and to establish a solid financial footing as they move through their peak earnings years and into retirement.

Barriers women face in the workplace go far beyond those associated with lower pay and reduced opportunities for career advancement. The impacts of gender bias and discrimination are even greater when a woman holds the identity of mother or primary caregiver for another family member. A study conducted at the University of California, San Diego revealed that “43% of women in STEM careers left their full-time job within 4-7 years of having their first child…compared to 23 percent of new fathers” (Cech & Blair-Loy, 2019). Women are often forced to choose between being an important contributor to the STEM field and being a mother, while men are allowed to be both without having their professional commitment or parenting abilities called in question. In fact, in a study conducted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, one third of private sector employers reported that they believe that women who are pregnant or new mothers are “generally less interested in career progression” (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2018). Women are often overlooked for promotions and, without prospects for growth within their company, many women pursue jobs at different companies, and sometimes within different employment sectors, that allow for professional growth.

Women who hold a non-white racial identity sometimes experience even more extreme forms of workplace bias and discrimination, including having to rise to higher hiring and workplace performance requirements than their white male and female coworkers, being paid lower salaries than their white male and female coworkers, having to assert their rightful status within the workplace more often than their white male and female coworkers, and experiencing less support from women co-workers than white women. Joan Williams, Katherine Phillips, and Erika Hall published a study that examined the prevalence of gender bias among women of color in the workplace (Williams, 2020). These researchers investigated prejudices in women’s daily work life by conducting in-depth interviews with women of color and administering an extensive battery of questionnaires to a diverse group of women working in STEM. Findings from their study and a thorough review of the literature revealed four unique types of bias that influence the ways women of color are regarded in the workplace (Ngo, 2016). One of the identified biases is the Prove It Again bias. This bias is considered to be in effect when men are hired and/or offered advancement opportunities based on their potential, while their women coworkers are hired and/or offered advancement opportunities based on ratings of their current performance and historical successes. Some experience of the Prove It Again bias is reported by nearly 65 % of women, with as many as 77% of Black women in STEM reporting experience with this particular form of gender bias (Williams, 2020).

The Maternal Wall bias arises out of the belief that women lose their ability and commitment to work after having children. Nearly two-thirds of scientists with children said that parental leave influenced their coworkers’ views of their commitment to the workplace (Williams, 2020). Interestingly, women scientists without children are impacted by their coworkers views of womanhood and parenting; they report being expected to work longer hours to compensate for work that is not being performed by coworkers who have taken maternity leave. Many everyday workplace experiences challenge women’s very presence as contributing STEM professionals. Among women holding professional STEM positions, 32% of white women and nearly 50% of women who identify as Black or as Latina report being mistaken for administrative or custodial staff. These biases have significant implications for the success of women of color and all women working in STEM settings.

Harassment in the workplace can take many different forms and can be targeted towards anyone holding any position within a given organization. That said, harassment often plays out in the context of power hierarchies; persons of higher professional rank and power are more able than persons of lower professional rank and power to use their professional power in ways that meet the definition of workplace harassment. (Wright, 2020). Sexual harassment appears to be a particular frequent form of workplace harassment. Holly Kearl, Nicole Johns, and Dr. Anita Raj authored a report of findings from a national study of sexual harassment and assault occurring in workplaces across the United States (Kearl, Johns, & Raj, 2019). According to their report, 38% of women and 14% of men have reported experiencing sexual harassment at work. Much of what can be considered “the STEM education and workspace” has been and continues to be male dominated. Although the gap is decreasing, women still make up only 28% of the STEM workforce (AAUW, 2021).

Click here to read the full article on Nevada Today.

NASA to save mission safety contract for women-owned businesses

BusinessCareersscienceSTEAMSTEM

By Nick Wakeman, Washington Technology

Proposals are due next week for a NASA contract that supports the space agency’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.

The contract is known as SETS for SM&A Engineering and Technical Services.

Only women-owned small businesses can bid for the contract covering a wide range of services including record management, outreach, event support and training and professional development.

Deltek estimates the contract has a value of $42.3 million. Proposals are due April 29. Banner Quality Management Inc. and Ares Corp. are the two incumbents, while Banner Quality Management is the only woman-owned small business of the pair.

In solicitation documents, NASA said it would evaluate proposals on three factors: Mission Suitability, Cost, and Relevant Experience and Past Performance. Mission suitability will carry the most weight when picking a winner. Cost and past performance/relevant experience are all equal.

A good mission suitability score will depend on demonstrating an overall understanding of the requirements, the management plan, and the technical approach to a sample task order.

NASA expects the contract to be awarded in August with a transition completed in September. A majority of work will take place at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. and National Safety Center in Cleveland.

Click here to read the full article on Washington Technology.

Meet the most influential Hispanic people in the world of tech

BusinessCareersSTEAMSTEMTechnology

woman showing her mother a computer screen. Article Influential hispanics in tech

By Digital Trends Español and Victoria Montenegro Caspe, Digital Trends

Hispanic Heritage Month (which runs from September 15 to October 15) seeks to highlight the contributions of people of Hispanic origin in the United States, and in that spirit, this list puts the spotlight on some of the most influential in the technology sector.

Special emphasis is placed on those who hold important positions and do their best to ensure that the Hispanic community is best represented in the world of technology. Members of the Latino and Hispanic communities have long held prominent positions in the world’s largest technology companies, and it’s no surprise: We are a young, hard-working, and highly creative community.

María Teresa Arnal (Stripe)

Arnal has held important positions in companies such as Google and Microsoft, and her current position involves heading the Latin American division of Stripe, an online payment-processing firm for companies that operate online. The executive emphasizes the importance of motivating girls to be curious about science and problem-solving. “One of the challenges we have in the male-dominated world is that there is no role model for us,” she said earlier this year to Forbes México.

Guillermo Diaz Jr. (Kloudspot)

Diaz, who is of Mexican descent, worked 20 years for the technology firm Cisco, where he strongly championed the concept of the Internet of Everything: The smart connection of people, processes, data, and things. In an interview, he said that when he was asked if he was ready to become the firm’s chief information officer, it he became flooded with emotions, with honor being the strongest among them. Today, he is CEO at Kloudspot, which helps businesses in their digital transformation.

María Ferreras (Netflix)

After being vice president of business development for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Ferreras now serves as global head of partnerships. She holds a master’s degree in telecommunications engineering and a postgraduate degree in marketing. Before joining the Los Gatos, California-based firm, where she oversees all its alliances and partnerships, she worked at Google for 10 years.

Luis von Ahn (Duolingo)

Making language learning easy and accessible for everyone was the mission from day one at Duolingo, according to its founder, Guatemalan von Ahn. He indicates that, as a Latino, “it is fundamental that Duolingo becomes an important part of the learning process and the desire of other Spanish speakers to improve themselves.” Before the language app, Von Ahn sold reCAPTCHA, the security service that protects websites from fraud and abuse, to Gogle.

Álvaro Celis (Microsoft)

Family, integrity, and passion are the values that Celis uses to define himself. At the age of 15, his passion for technology led him to study Computer Science in Caracas, Venezuela. Upon graduation, he got a job at Microsoft. Since then, 29 years have passed and he continues at the Redmond, Washington-based company, where he has held important management positions. “I am an industry leader who is passionate about transforming companies and taking them to the next level by defining and aligning strategies, people, processes, and capabilities in unique and highly differentiated ways.”

Paula Bellizia (Google)

Bellizia, who has also worked at Microsoft, currently holds the position of vice president of marketing for Latin America at Google. One of her objectives is to support the digital transformation of the region. When asked how to create more inclusive workplaces, the executive says that, in the specific case of gender, “we can encourage more women to pursue careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.” Other strategies include increasing the percentage of woman hired and providing them with opportunities for professional development and growth.

Víctor Delgado (Samsung)

Delgado leads Samsung’s Strategic Alliances area from South Korea, where he aims to develop new business opportunities and drive strategic partnerships to deliver the most innovative mobility solutions. He also played a leading role in the presentation of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable phone in 2020. The Latino says that one of his greatest points of pride was starting at the South Korean company as a phone salesman in the United States, and he is grateful for all the support the firm has given him. Before joining Samsung, he worked for companies such as Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

Nina Vaca (Pinnacle Group)

Vaca is one of the most influential Hispanics in the business world. The Ecuadorian-born entrepreneur arrived in Los Angeles at a very young age with her parents. In 1996, she founded Pinnacle Group, “a workforce solutions powerhouse,” and has dedicated much of her professional career to expanding opportunities for minorities and women in business. She received the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship appointment from the White House in 2014.

Lilian Rincón (Google)

Rincón, a Venezuelan, has been influential in one of the most disruptive services in recent years: Google Assistance. Rincón leads the group that creates new features and functions for the platform. She was nine years old when she arrived in Canada. Although she didn’t speak English at the time, she found a universal language in mathematics. She previously worked at Skype, has always focused on the tech industry, and is well-versed in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Daniel Undurraga (Cornershop)

Undurraga, who hails from Chile, co-founded Cornershop, which allows the purchase of groceries online via cell phone. All of its shares were acquired by Uber in 2021. “Startups can have a significantand transformative impact on society: Creating jobs, positioning Chile in other countries, attracting foreign investment, and, above all, creating prosperity for many people who then become angel investors and can support and finance the new generation of entrepreneurs,” he recently told La Tercera.

Click here to read the full article on Digital Trends.

Tips for a Successful Internship Interview

Careers

Happy young lady handshaking interviewer in an office interior with a window in the background

By Hallie Crawford U.S. News & World report

What comes to your mind when you think about an internship? Many may think of internships as something only recent college graduates pursue, but that isn’t always the case. It can also be a great way for someone making a career transition to get their feet wet in a new industry. Even more so in today’s economic climate, an internship can be a great opportunity to learn new skills, make networking connections and boost your overall career game.

If you have determined that you would like to land an internship, how can you ensure you make a great impression and conduct a successful interview? Any interview process can be stressful, so here are some helpful tips to help you prepare for an internship interview.

Avoid falling into the trap of thinking that this interview is less important since it’s for an internship as opposed to a full-time job. Instead, you should treat it like any other job interview. You want to do your due diligence and make sure that you are well prepared.

Research the company. Take some time to explore their website and LinkedIn page to understand what the company is accomplishing and how you can contribute to that goal.
Look up the interviewer. Do you know who will be conducting the interview? Look them up on LinkedIn and on the company website, and try finding something you admire about them or something you have in common. While you don’t want to give the impression that you are stalking them online, you can compliment them for a recent accomplishment.
Get all the details in advance. Will this be a phone, Zoom or in-person interview? What materials does the employer need in advance?
Dress for the job you want. Err on the side of dressing more professionally, even though it’s for an interview that may be through videoconference. Put your best foot forward.
Decide what you want out of the internship. Write down the top three things you want to gain from this experience and the top three things you want the employer to gain from your time there. Having and knowing the purpose for wanting the internship will help you express yourself more clearly to the employer. It will also help you avoid frustration if you are not hired for a job after the internship.
Make sure you have a financial plan. To avoid undue stress, make sure you have a good financial plan in place if you accept an unpaid internship. This will help you feel excited about your internship and ensure good work performance.

Internship interview questions are much like any other job interview questions.

Here are some common questions you may be asked along with possible ways to answer.

What do you hope to gain from this internship? You will want to talk about the purpose that you defined in your preparation for the interview. For example: “I am excited about the opportunity to work with a team and hone my problem-solving skills. I also look forward to contributing to the success of the company with my strong work ethic.”
Why do you want to work in this industry? While this question seems similar to the above, the employer wants to know why you chose this industry as opposed to another one. For example: “I am in the process of making a career transition to this industry, and I would love the opportunity to see if this is a good fit for me long-term.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself. While this is a seemingly casual question, you want to be strategic about your answer. Be honest, but aim to speak to a professional accomplishment as well as something personal about yourself, such as a hobby. For example: “I majored in business management and have helped several firms implement an updated leadership program. I also love to travel in my spare time; my favorite place is X.”
What are your strengths and weaknesses? For this question, the employer wants to know if you are honest about yourself and aware of things you need to work on. However, try to spin your weakness in a positive way. For example: “I am punctual and have a strong work ethic. Sometimes I struggle with deadlines, but I am working on that by setting periodic reminders for myself on my phone to keep myself on track.”

Continue on U.S. News to read the complete article.

Discussing Your Strengths in a Job Interview

Careers

interviewees on Zoom call discussing their resumes

When you’re interviewing for a job, there’s a strong chance that a recruiter or potential boss will ask what you believe are your strengths. This is an easy question to answer. Interviewers will certainly want to know that your perceived strengths line up with the position you’re seeking, but they are also interested in whether you’re self-aware and confident. With a little practice, you can answer that question without appearing either arrogant or overly humble. Here’s how.

Show Your Strengths: STAR Method in Action

Talking about your strengths is an opportunity to show why you’d be a great fit for the job and how your skills align with the company or team. The key is to think about what strengths you have that match one or more of the aspects of the job description. A strength can be either a technical skill or a soft skill, such as teamwork or communication.

Once you’ve decided which of your strengths you want to feature, it’s time to identify real life examples where you’ve demonstrated that strength. The best way to approach behavioral questions is to use the STAR method. This helps you break down a scenario and explain how you successfully navigated it.

Situation: Offer some background on the task or challenge that you’ll be addressing.

Task: Define what your role and responsibilities were for the particular situation.

Action: Explain what steps you took or ideas you offered to help solve the problem or tackle that challenge.

Result: Share how the situation was resolved, highlighting how your actions helped reach that conclusion.

Here’s an example:

If you interview for a position that requires you to lead or even be part of a team, you might choose to say one of your strengths is leadership.

Situation: I volunteer as a gardener at a local park and enjoy working with new volunteers.

Task: The park identified a need to educate new volunteers about native plants.

Action: I organized a training session to teach my team members about native plants.

Result: The new volunteers found it so useful that the training is now part of the new volunteer onboarding process.

In this scenario, an interviewer might recognize your ability to take initiative to address needs and lead a new volunteer training. While this answer may seem simple, it demonstrates your strength in both initiative and leadership, which are valuable traits to all employers.

If you find it is hard to identify your strengths, consider your ability to:

Collaborate
Solve problems
Take direction and focus on tasks
Use technology
Lead or mentor

Rehearsing your answers can also help you feel prepared when heading into your next interview. Common interview questions to consider include:

“Why do you want this job?”

“Tell me about a time when you had to learn something quickly but knew nothing about it before.”
“Tell me about a time you made a mistake.”
“Tell me about a goal you set and how you achieved it.”
“What is one of your weaknesses?”

Reflect on your skills and accomplishments. Think about why they qualify you to succeed in the job you’re applying for. Think about the strengths of your professional role models and whether you have some of those same qualities. Consider a time when a teammate shared something they admired about you. Or think back to any times you received recognition for your work and what skills allowed you to shine.

Source: Ticket to Work

What STEM Careers are in High Demand?

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Have you ever wondered what the outlook might be for your STEM career five or even ten years out? Or maybe you are a current student weighing your options for a chosen career path and need to know the type of degree that is required.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education labor trends and workforce studies experts have culled through the BLS data and have summarized the outlook for several select STEM careers.

With the right information in-hand — and a prestigious research experience to complement your education — you can increase the confidence you have when selecting a STEM career.

Software Developers
There are over 1,469,000 software developers in the U.S. workforce either employed as systems software developers or employed as applications software developers. Together, employment for software developers is projected to grow 22 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Software developers will be needed to respond to an increased demand for computer software because of an increase in the number of products that use software. The need for new applications on smart phones and tablets will also increase the demand for software developers. Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. Others develop the underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks. Most jobs in this field require a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field and strong computer programming skills.

Software developers are in charge of the entire development process for a software program from identifying the core functionality that users need from software programs to determining requirements that are unrelated to the functions of the software, such as the level of security and performance. Software developers design each piece of an application or system and plan how the pieces will work together. This often requires collaboration with other computer specialists to create optimum software.

Atmospheric Scientists
Atmospheric sciences include fields such as climatology, climate science, cloud physics, aeronomy, dynamic meteorology, atmosphere chemistry, atmosphere physics, broadcast meteorology and weather forecasting.

Most jobs in the atmospheric sciences require at least a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science or a related field that studies the interaction of the atmosphere with other scientific realms such as physics, chemistry or geology. Additionally, courses in remote sensing by radar and satellite are useful when pursuing this career path.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer models have greatly improved the accuracy of forecasts and resulted in highly customized forecasts for specific purposes. The need for atmospheric scientists working in private industry is predicted to increase as businesses demand more specialized weather information for time-sensitive delivery logistics and ascertaining the impact of severe weather patterns on industrial operations. The demand for atmospheric scientists working for the federal government will be subject to future federal budget constraints. The BLS projects employment of atmospheric scientists to grow by 8 percent over the 2018 to 2028 period. The largest employers of atmospheric scientists and meteorologists are the federal government, research and development organizations in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, state colleges and universities and television broadcasting services.

Electrical and Electronics Engineers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 324,600 electrical and electronics engineers in the U.S. workforce. Workers in this large engineering occupation can be grouped into two large components — electrical engineers and electronics engineers. About 188,300 electrical engineers design, develop, test or supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as power generation equipment, electrical motors, radar and navigation systems, communications, systems and the electrical systems of aircraft and automobiles. They also design new ways to use electricity to develop or improve products. Approximately 136,300 electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications equipment, portable music players, and Global Positioning System devices, as well as working in areas closely related to computer hardware. Engineers whose work is devoted exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electrical and electronics engineers must have a bachelor’s degree, and internships and co-op experiences are a plus.

The number of jobs for electrical engineers is projected by BLS to grow slightly faster (9 percent) than the average for all engineering occupations in general (8 percent) and faster than for electronics engineers (4 percent) as well. However, since electrical and electronics engineering is a larger STEM occupation, growth in employment is projected to result in over 21,000 new jobs over the 2016-2026 period. The largest employers of electrical engineers are engineering services firms; telecommunications firms; the federal government; electric power generation, transmission and distribution organizations such as public and private utilities; semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturers; organizations specializing in research and development (R&D) in the physical, engineering and life sciences; and navigational, measuring, electro-medical and control systems manufacturers.

BLS notes three major factors influencing the demand for electrical and electronic engineers. One, the need for technological innovation will increase the number of jobs in R&D, where their engineering expertise will be needed to design power distribution systems related to new technologies. They will also play important roles in developing solar arrays, semiconductors and communications technologies, such as 5G. Two, the need to upgrade the nation’s power grids and transmission components will drive the demand for electrical engineers. Finally, a third driver of demand for electrical and electronic engineers is the design and development of ways to automate production processes, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Distributed Control Systems (DCS).

Data Science and Data Analysts
Technological advances have made it faster and easier for organizations to acquire data. Coupled with improvements in analytical software, companies are requiring data in more ways and higher quantities than ever before, and this creates many important questions for them, including “Who do we hire to work with this data”? The answer is likely a Data Scientist.

When trying to answer the question “what is data science,” Investopedia defines it as providing “meaningful information based on large amounts of complex data or big data. Data science, or data-driven science, combines different fields of work in statistics and computation to interpret data for decision-making purposes.” This includes data engineers, operations research analysts, statisticians, data analysts and mathematicians.

The BLS projects the employment of statisticians and mathematicians to grow 30 percent from 2018-2028, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. According to the source, organizations will increasingly need statisticians to organize and analyze data in order to help improve business processes, design and develop new products and advertise products to potential customers. In addition, the large increase in available data from global internet use has created new areas for analysis such as examining internet search information and tracking the use of social media and smartphones. In the medical and pharmaceutical industries, biostatisticians will be needed to conduct the research and clinical trials necessary for companies to obtain approval for their products from the Food and Drug Administration.

Along with that of statistician, the employment of operations research analysts is projected by the BLS to grow by 26 percent from 2018-2028, again much faster than the average for all occupations. As organizations across all economic sectors look for efficiency and cost savings, they seek out operations research analysts to help them analyze and evaluate their current business practices, supply chains and marketing strategies in order to improve their ability to make wise decisions moving forward. Operations research analysts are also frequently employed by the U.S. Armed Forces and other governmental groups for similar purposes.

To learn more about other flourishing careers in STEM, visit bls.gov/ooh to learn more.

Source: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education

The Top 5 Growing Career Fields In 2022

CareersTechnology

A group of diverse engineers huddled around a project

By Ashley Stahl

When it comes to the future, uncertainty is the only certainty. Think about remote work. Way back in 2019, it was slowly gaining acceptance even as most managers resisted.

In 2020, companies and their employees were forced to adapt. Today many workers have traded long commutes for casual strolls to their home office. For companies hoping to attract top talent, remote work is now an enticing benefit, and non-negotiable for many.

Most of us experienced a bit of emotional whiplash when the summer of freedom petered out and offices delayed reopening. Predicting which careers will flourish in our post-COVID world isn’t easy. Still there are some definite trends. Of course if you’re already loving your career, I’m not suggesting a radical course correction.

However, if you are considering a change, here are the top five growing fields in the years ahead.

1. Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic had an outsized impact on health care workers. Some caught the virus, many became ill or even lost their lives. After enduring a months-long onslaught of patients, studies suggest over one-third are thinking about leaving the profession. Although there has been a shortage of skilled nurses for years, the pandemic made it even worse. That’s one reason healthcare is a top field of the future.

There will be a need for at least 500,000 more Registered Nurses by 2027. You’ll have to earn a bachelor’s of science or an associate’s degree in nursing along with a license. If you love travel, becoming a travel nurse can mean earning a six-figure income along with signing bonuses. In fact, there’s a range of healthcare jobs that offer travel opportunities. In the top five for fastest growing professions, nurse practitioners are R.N.s who have also earned a master’s degree. Able to do many of the things a doctor does like prescribe medication, nurse practitioners are less likely to be burdened by the average physician’s debt load –– which can easily exceed 200K. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 the median pay for a nurse practitioner was almost 112K.

2. Information Technology

Of course IT has been a growth field for years. What’s different is that an increased focus on remote work and smartphone development has increased demand for software and app developers. Although this field has traditionally required a bachelors of science degree, companies are now recruiting people who learned to code online. So if you’re thinking about a career change and are tech orientated, you may want to consider taking some coding classes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) predicts that by the end of the decade, the software development field will grow by 22% –– which means over 300,000 new jobs with a median salary over six figures. And if you tend to be introverted, software or app development is a great career choice.

3. Supply Chain Management

You probably aren’t surprised to find that this is a growth field. The panic buying that began before last year’s lockdowns upended the just-in-time delivery methods that so many retailers had long relied on. Jobs in this field include Purchasing Agent, Logistics Analyst, and Distribution Manager. Although many start out with a bachelor’s degree, top earners have graduate degrees as well. Industrial engineers are also plentiful in this supply chain management. So if you are skilled with math, statistics, and engineering principles and love making systems work more efficiently, this could be the right field for you.

4. Financial Management

Careers in this field are expected to grow by 15% over the next decade. Financial managers are hired to examine a company’s spending and income while looking for ways to maximize profitability. Fortune 500 companies often seek candidates with an MBA –– although smaller organizations hire financial managers with bachelor’s degrees. The median income approaches 120K. Management consultants enjoy similar high rates of growth and high median incomes.

5. Actuarial and Statistician

Actuaries enjoy an almost 20% growth rate by the end of the decade and a median income over six figures. If you enjoy data and statistics, this could be the perfect high-growth field. Most work for insurance companies, deciding whether or not to insure a potential customer. Being able to evaluate risk is an in-demand skill. Actuaries often have a degree in actuarial science and have passed a series of licensing exams. Statisticians fulfill a similar role for companies by analyzing data and projecting future sales, profits, and obstacles to growth. Data Scientists, who help companies better utilize information, enjoy a projected 30% growth in employment by 2030.

Of course the best job for you may not be the highest paying, nor one with the fastest growth. The key is leveraging your skill set and achieving the best possible outcome. Besides, how many would have guessed the number one fastest growing occupation? According to the BLS, it’s motion picture projectionists.

Read the complete article posted on Forbes.

How to Get Your Resume Past Today’s Software

Careers

When you send out a resume today, you can be nearly certain that it will wind up going through automated applicant tracking system (ATS) software.

Many, and probably most, employers use these time and labor-saving programs to review job applications and make an initial sort of resumes to either send to Human Resources for review, or to reject.

Read on to learn about just how employers use these software programs to sort through incoming resumes — and find out how to tailor your resume for success.

How employers use ATS software

Once employers identify a job opening, they use ATS software to describe the skills, education and training, years of experience and other details they want in candidates for the position. As applications come in, the ATS scores each one and puts it in rank order based on how well it meets the employer’s list of criteria.

But unlike a human reader, the software is likely to reject resumes because:

Qualified candidates fail to use the employer’s chosen keywords
The system doesn’t recognize unusual fonts or formatting
Candidates lack the preferred experience, but may have qualifications that could make up for what’s missing

Navigating the ATS when you apply for a job

Use these tips to improve the chances that your resume will pass through the ATS to be reviewed by Human Resources staff:

Use thoughtful, relevant keywords. Analyze the job posting to identify job requirement keywords, then use those exact terms in your resume. Any variation from what’s written in the job posting may be missed.
- Aim to use each keyword twice, more is not helpful
- Modify your resume keywords for different job openings
- Ask someone in a similar job to check your terminology; find people in similar jobs on LinkedIn
- Check professional association websites and publications for ideas for keywords
- For additional keywords, review an Occupation Profile and check the knowledge, skills and abilities
Follow the posting’s instructions to the letter. Send only the documents requested by the posting, and use the requested format. If no format is specified, use Word or plain-text files. Avoid scanning resumes and sending them as an image; these will not be recognized.
Prioritize formatting details
- If a font is not specified, use a basic font such as Calibri, Arial or Times New Roman, with font size of 11 or 12 (10 to 14 is generally OK)
- Bold and all capital letters are OK to use, but avoid using italics and underline
- Bullet points are fine, but only use solid circles, open circles or solid squares
- Avoid graphics, logos, charts, tables and columns — this will disrupt the ATS’ ability to read text
- Lines and borders may be used as long as they do not touch any text
- For your name and contact information, avoid extra spaces and special characters
- For dates, use the standard format MM/DD/YYYY or Month, YYYY; avoid abbreviations, such as ’19
- When a job posting requests the day a past job began and ended, be sure to include one, even if you have to estimate it
- Margins of 1″ on all sides are typical
- Putting extra keywords in a white font on your resume will not “trick” an ATS
Choose a resume style that’s compatible with an ATS. A chronological work history, with jobs listed in order by date, should be used to ensure the ATS will successfully interpret it.
While a functional resume may best highlight your transferable skills, it is likely to be rejected by an ATS. You can use a section such as “highlights of qualifications” or “professional summary” for transferable skills, just include your work history as well.
Keep these general tips in mind
- Customize your resume for each job application
- Resume length: 1-2 pages
- The general rule is to include your previous 10 years’ work history. If your most relevant experience is older, consider noting it in a professional summary / highlights section, but not in work history.
- ATS systems check both for your work experiences and the number of years on the job.

Since nearly all Fortune 500 companies use an ATS in their hiring process, double down on this advice if you apply to a job with one of them. But keep in mind that networking is still the best way to bypass ATS systems and get your resume directly into the hands of hiring managers.

Source: CareerOneStop