Professional Development Opportunities at CarGurus

Professional Development Opportunities at CarGurus Below is an article originally written by Anacany Gardner, M.S., at PowerToFly Partner CarGurus, and published on July 11, 2019. Go to CarGurus page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.At one point or another, we all have that moment when we realize that were not exactly where we want to be in life. We may feel stagnant in our careers or maybe just feel like were at a standstill. For me, that moment materialized the day I turned 30 in the summer of 2013. That Fall, I applied to and got accepted into Northeastern University as an adult learner (go Huskies). I obtained my Bachelors degree in 2015 and keeping that momentum, my Masters degree in 2017.If youre anything like me, you love learning and youre constantly thinking up ways of becoming a better version of yourself. Youre aware that personal development builds self-confidence, which in turn leads to success. Ever since I graduated, Ive made it a point to learn something new every day. Whether its getting my hands on an e-book on compensation or self-studying at home for the Professional in Human Resources certification exam, my brain is always active and Im always up for learning new skills.Ive had my eye on LinkedIn Learning for quite some time, but I couldnt quite justify the price tag that came along with it. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that I would be partee of the pilot group for a LinkedIn Learning subscription through the awesome company I work for, CarGurus. For those of you who arent familiar with LinkedIn Learning, the platform offers bite-sized, high-quality and easy-to-digest courses led by industry experts, some of which you can watch in under 30 minutes. Whats not to love about that? Once I heard the news, I quickly bookmarked several courses, queuing up my course list within minutes of signing up like someone trying to binge watch a show on Netflix before their free trial ends. In the first week alone, I w atched over 10 hours of video The first thing worth noting about LinkedIn Learning is the wide selection of courses available. Want to learn WordPress so that you can start a blog? Want to learn all about podcasts so that you can start one aboutcats? How bout taking a deeper dive into Google Analytics, conflict resolution, or time management? The learning opportunities are endless, and I was SO there for it The second thing worth noting is the ease of use. You can watch a course from your mobile device, download it for offline access, and easily pick up where you left off if you cant complete it in one sitting. Thats perfect for a commuter like me, who takes the train to and from Cambridge every day. And lastly, once you complete a course, you can add it to your LinkedIn profile and show the world your commitment to learningMy advice to you? Step out of stagnancy and take advantage of tools like this to personally develop yourself. The way I look at it , any time you invest in your own personal development is time well spent.Heres the kicker (and this part only applies to my fellow Gurus, of course) CarGurus is rolling out LinkedIn Learning to all of its employees. Read that again. The leadership team here at CarGurus has generously agreed to purchase licenses for each individual employee. Thats huge Now, theres really no excuse not to learn JavaScript, C++ or Python. If youre left-brained and tend to be more creative/artistic, how does screenwriting, Photoshop, logo design or music theory for songwriters sound? My hope is that after reading this, youre intentional and commit to leading yourself. Bookmark what speaks to you like I did and queue up that course list so that you, too, can learn something new every day One of the biggest challenges in alfruchtwein all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industrie s 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 wertzuwachs 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 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 Cente r 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 work force, 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.