Sunday, January 5, 2020

Working at Condé Nast

Working at Cond Nast Below is an article originally written by Nora Syrjanen at PowerToFly Partner Cond Nast, and published on July 4, 2019. Go to Cond Nasts page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.Maria completed her Bachelor degree in Comparative Literature in Bologna, Italy, before moving to London to do her Masters degree in Fashion Critical Studies in Central Saint Martins. She describes the curses as being very academic, teaching her to think and write critically but to always add meaning to her work. She approaches her role as our GQ Editorial Intern in the same way.Read below her thoughts on combining academia with creativity, and working in an industry where being passionate is vital.What does your role entail on a day to day basis?I support the team with a variety of projects and tasks including the management of the vorwort calendar, content tracking across markets and researches on different subjects. Its a small team and there is a lot to do so its a great learning experience.Talk us through your career experienceDuring university, I volunteered in a cinema library and a fashion archive. I also collaborated with one of my professors to update the second edition of his book. Before joining CNI, I was editorial intern at Dazed Digital.What did you want to be when you were growing up?Ive changed my mind so many times (and I still do). Ive always been very curious and really enjoyed studying, so academic or editorial work seemed the most plausible options to me.There are much more lucrative and less stressful jobs out there, but when you have the passion its all worth it.When and how did you realise you wanted a career in magazine publishing?I was buying and reading so many magazines as a teenager, so at one point I started considering working for one myself.What is the best career advice youve been given?This is very banal, but the best advice Ive been given is to do something you are passionate about, no matter what. Working in the creative industry, and fashion in particular, can be very exhausting. There are much more lucrative and less stressful jobs out there. But when you have the passion, its all worth it.What is the best part of working in a global company? My favourite part is that Im exposed to different people from different backgrounds on a daily basis. This allows me to learn new ways of working which I wouldnt be exposed to as much in a smaller company. It forces you to reevaluate the way you see the world.What does our company manifesto mean to you?Ive always thought of Cond Nast and its brands are real authorities in each field of expertise, cultivating a space for the best of the best.To see more of our IAmCondeNast employee profiles, check out the hashtag on LinkedIn and Instagram. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industr ies 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.h 21. Fuel neuheit/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 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 workf orce, 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.