Tag Archives: Job seekers

A Manufacturing Worker on the Job

4 Myths & Misconceptions About Working in Manufacturing Busted

The reputation of the manufacturing industry isn’t always a flattering one.

When thinking about manufacturing, many people conjure up cliché, dated images of a male-dominated, low-paying labor force executing backbreaking work day after day. They think of empty factories and a fleeting industry.

But that isn’t the reality of working in the modern manufacturing industry. In fact, manufacturing output is on the rise in the United States, and has been for a while. The United States Chamber of Commerce states that the manufacturing output has grown eightfold since 1947.

However, the number of available jobs, the types of jobs and the types of workers employed in those jobs have certainly changed over the years.

Masterson Staffing Solutions has helped workers find jobs in the manufacturing sector for 50 years, so believe us, we’ve heard all the myths. This article will deconstruct four of those common myths and misconceptions surrounding the manufacturing industry and separate fact from fiction.

1. Low pay and benefits

One of the most common misconceptions about working in manufacturing these days is that workers aren’t compensated well—a notion that is simply not true. According to the most recent congressional report, hourly wages have risen 17% higher in manufacturing than in other industries.

In today’s industry, manufacturing workers earn much more than they did in the heyday of manufacturing. In 1950, the average manufacturing worker made $1.27 per hour, which when adjusted for inflation is equivalent to $12.84 in 2017. Today, the average manufacturing worker makes $20.67 per hour, according to Trading Economics.

In addition to increased wages, the congressional report noted that medical and retirement benefits were more likely in manufacturing than in other service-sector jobs.

2. The American manufacturing job is gone

Another myth about manufacturing is that there is a shortage in jobs. Though many manufacturing jobs have been indeed been lost oversees and to automation over the years, the industry is still responsible for 12% of the United States GDP and employs 12.3 million workers.

A survey conducted by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute showed that 67% of manufacturers reported a shortage in available talent. This tells you that the manufacturing industry is looking to fill plenty of jobs to add to the already impressive 12.3 million-strong workforce.

3. Only for unskilled laborers

This myth is closely connected to Myth No. 2 above. Manufacturing has always required highly-skilled workers to operate complex and expensive machinery, and with the influx of technology and robotics entering the industry that remains the case today.

In the Manufacturing Institute study mentioned above, the report found that developing workforce skills was of the highest priority for the manufacturing industry as a whole, stating: “Our education system must also do a better job aligning education and training to the needs of employers and job-seekers.”

From attention to detail and critical thinking to an aptitude for technology, manufacturing companies require a highly-skilled workforce that is ready to learn.

4. Bad working conditions

Another myth attached to manufacturing is that it features unsafe working conditions. But working in manufacturing today is healthier and safer than ever before.

The increased safety is a consequence of a heightened concern for environmental awareness and government mandated health and safety regulations. Also, the implementation of technology such as robots, drones, self-driving vehicles and augmented reality have led to huge safety gains.

The Opportunity is There

Much like the notion that Pluto is a planet (it’s a dwarf planet) and that Napoleon Bonaparte was short (at 5’7” he was above-average height for his time), there are several contagious myths about the manufacturing industry that are simply untrue.

Working in manufacturing offers today’s workforce great compensation and benefits, a robust market of available jobs, challenging and cutting edge work, and safe working conditions.

Want to learn more about enjoying a career in manufacturing? Discover 6 skills that you need to be successful in a manufacturing job.

An Elevator Speech Could Land You a Job

5 Tips for Crafting the Perfect Elevator Speech to Land a Job Opportunity

You’re sitting in a cafe, sipping a freshly roasted cup of coffee while scraping the internet for relevant job listings. You’re getting discouraged with the monotony of the job-seeking process and find yourself wishing for an interview. Surely if a hiring manager met with you face to face, they’d see the tremendous potential you possess.

Then, it happens.

The president of your dream job walks up to the counter and orders a coffee to go. You’ve applied to work at her company a few times, but your application has yet to receive any traction.

What do you do with this chance encounter? You introduce yourself, and deliver the perfect elevator speech.

Granted, this perfect situation isn’t all that likely. But sometimes opportunity knocks when you least expect it. So, it’s important to have something prepared. Whether it is a chance run-in at a coffee shop or a company is offering on-the-spot interviews at a job fair, being able to quickly and succinctly sell yourself is a valuable skill to possess. Below we offer five tips that can help you craft that perfect elevator speech.

1. Differentiate Yourself

What makes you unique? Think beyond reciting your experience and your education and instead isolate a particular moment where you achieved something special. Write down a list of a few memorable moments and then select the best one to bring up if an opportunity arises. Then boil that moment down into a couple of sentences. It doesn’t matter how amazing your story is, if it takes you a few minutes to tell it, your listener will tune you out.

2. Make the Listener Care

The best way to engage the listener is to start with an attention-grabbing sentence. Your listener is a busy person. You need to prove that you’re worth their time. Include a quick detail about them or their company to demonstrate that your interest is sincere.

3. Leave Them Wanting More

Your primary goal with your elevator speech should be to intrigue your listener, and leave them wanting more. You want them to be thinking about you when they go back to their office, so they’ll want to help push your application or candidacy to the next level. Make your elevator speech succinct and clear, without giving away the farm. When it comes to length, brevity is your ally.

4. Practice

The axiom “practice makes perfect” is tremendously cliché, but also deservingly over said. Find a roommate, friend or coworker to practice your elevator speech with. They can provide you feedback about what is working as well as notes on what needs to be tweaked. Additionally, the more you practice your speech the easier it will be to recite fluidly when you deliver the real thing.

5. Record Your Speech On Video

Once you’ve prepped your speech and practiced aloud with someone, consider recording it on video. You don’t need to craft a cinematic masterpiece that would draw praise from Alfred Hitchcock. A simple webcam recording will suffice. Having it on video provides you with two valuable benefits:

1. It allows you to see it for yourself. Watching yourself recite your speech will provide you with an additional layer of critique.

2. Secondly, it gives you a copy to attach to your application. If you never get the opportunity to deliver your elevator speech in person, you can do so virtually. You can attach your recorded elevator speech either by attaching the video file or by linking to a YouTube or Vimeo link of your video in your cover letter. Hiring managers look at dozens of applications a day. If they see an application that has a video component, you’re going to draw their attention.

Whether you bump into an important decision maker while riding an elevator or at a cafe, job seekers should have a quick elevator speech ready to sell themselves in a pinch. You can craft a wonderful elevator speech by identifying a unique element about yourself, making the listener care about you, leaving the listener wanting to learn more about you, practicing aloud, and recording yourself on video. 

Is your job search coming up dry? Discover 6 ways working with an employment agency can help ignite your career.