Im A Diversity Candidate Heres How I Advocate For Myself

Im A Diversity Candidate Heres How I Advocate For Myself Brittany Williams is a Marketing Associate at PowerToFly where she works tirelessly to place underrepresented women in positions across Americas top companies.Growing up, my parents would often give us affirmations to repeat. The call-and-response nature helped provide the foundation for our self esteem, and I quickly learned to fold them into my identity. One mantra went I am cute and smart, which sounds kind of silly now, but it welches incredibly important to me then. In a society where black girls frequently arent told they are beautiful or intelligent, Im grateful my parents were deliberate about making sure we understood our value. This doesnt mean I didnt struggle with my self-esteem, particularly with how I looked all girls do. But, when all else failed, I knew that I could fall back on reminding myself of my intelligence. I was usually one of a few black students in my classes, working twice as hard to get half as much respect as my white peers, but I believed in my intelligence and that propelled me forward.It wasnt until college, where I stood-out as a diversity candidate, that I simultaneously realized how much I had to prove the mantra my parents had told me to repeat throughout my childhood. Coming from a small-ish, sheltered town in Florida, often times your reputation precedes you. But both college and every step thereafter are different. No one knew or could vouch for me. Keeping my head down and working hard just werent enough. I had to adapt -- learn new ways to advocate for myself. And this is now the reality of who I am, both as a woman and a black person. As a diversity candidate, I walk the precarious line of being desperately sought after while simultaneously combating the systemic obstacles of my identity. My actions are read differently from the actions of my non-black peers, and because of this I must take extra steps to ensure my own success in all aspects of my life, especiall y my career. Here are just a few ways I advocate for myself in my professional life.Dont Undersell When I received my first job offer out of college, it wasnt quite what I had hoped. Knowing that women shy away from negotiations out of fear theyll be penalized, I was slightly discouraged, but I knew this was my chance to go to bat for myself. Armed with some stats from sites like Glassdoor and Payscale, I got on the phone with HR and negotiated a nearly 10% raise. Know your worth and demand that you are compensated accordingly. If youre feeling stuck, check out our tips for salary negotiations.Lean In And Try Or Else Opportunities Will Pass YouA few weeks ago I went to an event for women in the marketing field. One of the pieces of advice really stuck with me Lean in and try or else opportunities will pass you by. It completely changed my perspective and has encouraged me to speak up and ask for mora responsibility.Because we are women, the saatkorn behaviors that are read as assert ive on our male counterparts are often read as aggressive on us. This can be incredibly frustrating, but we cant let it hold us back from reaching our goals. When an opportunity to take initiative or pursue a creative interest presents itself, ask yourself, What do I have to lose? If the answer is nothing, create the space to expand your skillset and broaden your knowledge base. Find a mentorThis is probably the most difficult way to advocate for yourself. If youre like me, you might find it hard to reach out to people and ask for help. But, feeling this way means you need to act more than ever. Im lucky to have found people who can teach me things both in and out of my field, but it required that I step outside of my comfort zone and ask for help. Mentors provide invaluable resources as you navigate your career, so seek out people who are doing things in your industry that you both admire and respect. Its important to be specific here. Instead of saying I want to be just like you, specify what it is that you want. Say things like, Right now I am doing x, but one day I want to be doing x, can you help me figure out a path there? Specificity is key and can ensure that both you and your mentor are getting the most out of your relationship.Surround yourself with people who can vouch for you.This tip comes in gurke when conventional metrics by which we measure success cant really speak to our accomplishments. I learned this lesson quickly in college. I surrounded myself with with a community of people who could attest to my passions and interests -- a community of people who could encourage me to keep pushing. As you navigate your career things are bound to go wrong. People get the wrong impression of you, or you might receive a bad performance review, but its important to have people in your corner who not only know the truth, but who can also advocate for your work ethic and passions. Nurture these relationships as you continue to grow, youll be better for it. As a Diversity Candidate, its hard to advocate and put yourself out there. I get it. But, finding the courage to stand up for yourself, will only benefit you. As you grow and continue to learn throughout your career, these skills will provide a crucial foundation for all of your future success. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem- solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in l eadership 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), 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 ave rage 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.