Women of Optoro

Women of Optoro Below is an article originally written by Sarah Foulke at PowerToFly Partner Optoro, and published on February 28, 2019. Go to Optoros page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.Optoro is made up of a diverse collection of individuals who have come together to achieve a single missionto transform the reverse logistics industry by finding homes for used and excess goods. We like to highlight that diversity with our Employee Spotlight blog series, during which we sit down with an employee every month to hear a little bit about the people who make the Optoro culture so distinctive.How would you describe yourself in 10 keywords or fewer?Go big or go home.What is your role at Optoro, and what do you do?Im the software development lead for the Return to Vendor team. We make a product that helps our client manage a workflow to return items to their original manufacturers for credit, based on agreements that retailers have with their vendors. I work with th e other developers on my team, as well as design, product management, and quality engineering to develop and deliver new features to the Return to Vendor product.What did you do before Optoro, and why did you choose to work at Optoro?Before Optoro, I worked as a software developer at another DC startup. I chose to come to Optoro to get a new experience with a different technology and a larger team. I welches attracted to the mission, product, and vision at Optoro, and knew that this welches a place where I could grow my career. The company is in a really exciting place right now, and I thought it was a great time to join the team.What is the most important thing you have learned since starting at Optoro?If youre afraid to do something, you should do it more often.What is the best part of working at Optoro?I think Optoro is especially unique in the way that everyone truly cares about each other. People say that a lot, but it does really feel different to me here. Everyone I work with is constantly seeking out ways to collaborate to get to a team goal. People are open and honest about what they feel is working and what isnt, and everyone is always trying to make Optoro a better place for all employees to work.What would you most likely be doing on a normal Saturday afternoon in your free time?fruchtwein weekends youll find me exploring DC and all it has to offer I sold my car about a year and a half ago and Im loving my car-free life. My fiance and I are usually going for a run in Rock Creek Park, working on projects in our new condo, trying out new restaurants with friends, or kicking back with our cat and watching some terrible reality television. 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 individua l contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 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 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.