RapidSOS Employee Spotlight Lauren Javaly

RapidSOS Employee Spotlight Lauren Javaly Below is an article originally written by Ramon Alvarez at PowerToFly Partner RapidSOS, and published on October 18, 2018. Go to RapidSOS page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.Wondering what its like to be on the Engineering team of a rapidly growing start-up? Lauren Javaly shares why she wanted to work at RapidSOS, her passion for her job, and what it is like to be a woman in tech.Q Why did you want to work at RapidSOS?A I welches really attracted to RapidSOS mission and everything were doing and can continue to do to help save lives. So much of what tech is used for right now doesnt contribute to any serious change and I liked the idea of working on a practical solution to a real problem.Q What motivates you?A The team. The engineering team as a whole is made up of really smart and hard-working people. There is a shared focus within ur group of collaborating and growing as a team and a company. Learning is my passion and Ive learned a huge amount since joining.Q How did you find yourself on the engineering team?A So I didnt study computer science in schooldouble majored in philosophy and biology, actuallybut I happened to take a programming class as an elective and immediately realized that it was what I wanted to do. From there I got a job at a small tech startup and eventually transitioned into engineering. Fortunately, this is an industry where people respect being self-taught and joining RapidSOS gave me the opportunity to really dive in.Q What is the best part of your job? A Getting the opportunity to work on interesting and innovative products and tools. As engineers, we have a lot of freedom to choose how we approach various projects to reach company goals. It has been refreshing to have the ability to make decisions.Q What has been the most exciting project you have worked on? A Our internal API and dashboard for the public safety team to use out in the field. It started as part of larg er structural changes we were making at the time, and we had to enable members of the public safety team to interact with certain parts of our backend. The dashboard is a collaborative bridge between the public safety team and the engineers, so that was an interesting challenge.Q Can you describe what it is like working on the engineering team?A The team leaders like to tout the fact that we are all self-managed. Youre given a lot of freedom to decide what should be improved and how to solve any issues that come up. On the other hand, we are also a very collaborative group and as a team we all work together as equals so individual input is taken seriously.Q As a woman in tech, how has RapidSOS helped you reach your goals?A I would say there is a challenge recruiting other women in tech, but RapidSOS has a clear focus on doing so. For example, a couple of us recently attended the annual Grace Hopper conference where about 25,000 women attended. Lots of people at the company have come up to me to ask me how they can do more to recruit other female engineers. I definitely feel like its notlage just my own prerogative but the whole teams.Q What are you most looking forward to in the coming months at RapidSOS?A Im looking forward to watching how we grow as an organization. Its amazing to be at this inflection point where we are partnering with some of the largest tech companies around and handling way more traffic than before. Its been a great learning experience to see how, from a technical perspective, weve had to really grow up to support that.Q What do you like to do in your free time?A I read a lot, right now Im in the middle of Swing Time by Zadie Smith which Im really enjoying. I also go to a lot of concertsI live in Brooklyn so there are always cool shows going onInterested in joining our growing team?Check out our job postings One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender p arity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel 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-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 Amer ica/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choic e 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), 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 b uild 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.

What to do when your workplace rewards incompetence

What to do when your workplace rewards incompetenceWhat to do when your workplace rewards incompetenceOne of your coworkers spends most of the work day texting, surfing the web for non-work-related content and otherwise goofing off- but he still has a positive, buddy-buddy relationship with the boss.The situation is so pervasive that you often find yourself mumbling youve gotta be kidding me under your breath.Heres what to do when your office rewards incompetence- whether its from your coworkers or from some bosses.Why incompetence sometimes gets rewardedA Harvard Business Review article features input from Annie McKee, founder of the Teleos Leadership Institute and co-author of Becoming a Resonant Leader Develop Your Emotional Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness, as well as Michael Useem, a professor and author.Ineptitude in managers is unfortunately common. McKee says thats because too many companies promote people for the wrong reasons. People get ahead because they show results or have the right technical capabilities, but they often dont have the requisite people skills. Michael Useem, the William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management at the Wharton School and author of Leading Up How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win says that whether your boss lacks technical or managerial ability, the results are the same bad bosses sap motivation, kill productivity, and can make you want to run from the job screaming, the article says.Heres how to manage a workday when incompetent people seem to get ahead.Communicate effectivelyThuy Sindell and Milo Sindell write about this in an Entrepreneur articlewith tips on 4 ways effective leaders deal with incompetent people.Establish a communication system that everyone is expected to follow. Provide examples about how the team will share information and discuss their progress. For instance, let employees know that after every meeting or important face-to-face conversation, there will be a wr itten follow-up that provides a summary of what was discussed and next steps. That way, everyone can refer to the notes when they need information, they write.Show what you can doA Monster article provides insight on possible steps to take if your teamberaterin is incompetent, and part of this is the ability to compensate for deficiencies.Its to your advantage to discover your bosss weak spots and help him in those areas. You want to be part of a winning team, and your boss is this teams captain. You will get much further in a company if you associate yourself with successful projects. For example, an incompetent boss will struggle with complex ventures. Guide him through until everything is completed. Youll look good by making your team look good, the article says.Be a resource to a struggling coworkerAn Inc. article provides more detail on this.Lets assume your coworker is overwhelmed but cant withdraw from the project for one reason or another. In this scenario, you can offer you r help and guidance to ensure your coworker lives up to his responsibilities. Sometimes a one-on-one sit-down to hash out a few problems is all it takes to get someone back on course. Now lets assume that the incompetent worker doesnt understand that his performance may be comparably weaker to the rest of the groups. If this is the scenario, you can offer your help as a backupsomething like hey, I know youve got this, but in case you hit a wall, let me know and I can help you out, the article says.Find a workplace with higher standardsIf all else fails- and after weighing your options- you feel like your talents would be better put to use at another employer, move forward in finding a new position. If you feel reluctant, remember that incompetence or mediocrity arent just complications to your workday they also mean that the company will be less successful, and as a result youll have less to learn there. Youll be better off in an environment better-suited to your work ethic.