The market for online learning –  where users go at their own pace and on their own schedule — has been growing constantly, led by the corporate sector, one of the top users of online training.  Small- and medium-size businesses also are using online training much more than in the past.

According to a recent report on Web-based learning, the corporate sector will continue to be the leading buyer of Web-based training programs.  The education sector is expected to be the second biggest buyer of online educational programs.

The market for online learning has passed $17 billion and is expected to continue growing at more than seven percent a year, according to a recent report. There has been growth in online learning in all groups, including corporations; healthcare; non-profits; federal, state and local governments; school and colleges; and consumers.

The healthcare industry is expected to expand the most in online learning, with education, both scholastic and collegiate, second in line.  Healthcare has been relatively immune to the pressures of the recession, according to the report’s authors, which accounts for its continued expansion in the online learning area.

Online learning is now second in demand to classroom learning for acquiring skills and knowledge.  The use of the Web has become more common for purposes of personal development and as a reference source.

Online learning has become a widely-used companion to classroom learning.  But when people needed to find information quickly to meet a business deadline, they rated Web-based learning as the best place to go.  Classroom learning finished second in people’s ratings for finding knowledge quickly.  Web-based learning has become such a key component for business training because people can use it for immediate results when researching or referencing something.

When looking at the different types of training programs available – both classroom and Web-based – people valued depth of knowledge the highest, followed by how fast the knowledge could be accessed.  Below these priorities, learners looked for the amount of interaction with the instructor and other learners.

The combination of both classroom and Internet learning seemed to work best because it enabled people to get the knowledge background they needed to help them with their training program and also to learn particular pieces of knowledge when they needed to.

Have you recently upgraded your construction, engineering or architectural skills via an online learning program? If so, be sure to add it to your résumé and then bring your résumé to a recruiter at RealStreet Staffing. We have many terrific temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire positions available with the Washington Metro area’s top firms. We look forward to hearing from you.

If having more control over where and for whom you work appeals to you, if the idea of having many different workplace experiences and duties pleases you, if the chance to make more money per hour than you would working as a “permanent” employee intrigues you, work as a contract employee may be right for you.

Many employers today hire contract and/or free-lance workers during peaks in their production schedules, or during crunch times.  They use the contract workers only when they need to, letting them go — by mutual agreement — when production slows down and/or the crunch time eases up.

In fact, more and more employers are looking to contract workers as a big part of their regular business strategy; as our information and “just in time” economy kicks back into gear, many businesses may permanently run with just a “core” number of full-time employees, hiring contractor and free-lancers only when necessary.

Many companies pay contractors on a different pay scale than the one they use to pay regular employees. Contract workers often receive an hourly pay rate much higher than salaried employees because the employer doesn’t need to cover a contract worker’s health insurance, time off, unemployment insurance, etc.

Another terrific benefit of contract work is the flexibility if offers. If you don’t want to work for a certain company, doing a certain task between certain dates, you don’t have to. If you finish one position, you can arrange for your next position to start when you want it to — you can take a vacation knowing you’ll have work when you return. If you want to take an entire month between contracts, you can.

You’ll also have the opportunity to work on assignments and for people that interest you — and not work on assignments that don’t. You’ll have little chance of becoming bored on the job due to the fact that you’ll constantly be working on new projects in new settings.

If you’re looking for contract positions with some of Washington Metro’s best construction, architecture and engineering firms, contact RealStreet Staffing. We can help you find your next contract assignment — or help you find a regular, full-time position.

Backstabbers. Two-faced liars. Chronic whiners. Laz-abouts. Gossipers. Idea-stealers. Meddlers. Drama queens.

We’ve all experienced a work life with difficult co-workers. It’s no fun and depending on the severity of your colleague’s “difficulty,” working with such a person can be toxic on your happiness, your career, even your emotional and physical health.

And, unless you decide to leave the company, there’s no just “avoiding’ the situation.

In fact, avoiding your unease is the last thing you should. Never let the problem fester; it only will grow larger. In addition, your own anger could rise to the point that you become irrational yourself.

Instead, the sooner you address the situation, the better.

If possible, speak with your colleague in private. Regardless of where you talk to him, be sure you’re in a calm, objective and collaborative frame of mind. Start gently; you may find your adversary is just as eager as you are to improve your relationship. Begin talking by saying something like “We seem to have our differences. I’d like to work with you on improving our working relationship and I need your input. Is there anything I can do that can help us get along better?”

And then listen. Really listen. Repeat back what you’ve heard so that your colleague can clear up anything you may have misheard or not understood.

If your colleague doesn’t have any ideas, or if you feel it might be best to start your conversation with you giving a suggestion, do so in a collaborative fashion. Keep it objective:

“When we’re in meetings and I’m talking, it’s very distracting to me when you make comments before I’m finished and I find it hard to listen to what you’re saying when I’m distracted.”

The two of you may find that you can’t come to a perfect agreement. That’s OK for now. You’re moving in the right direction and your relationship can improve with time. If at all possible, find something you like about the person and whenever you can, comment on that in a positive way (he made a great presentation, her solution to a problem was a good one, etc.) Doing so can go a long way to getting that person on your side and helping your relationship greatly improve.

Contact RealStreet Staffing when you’re looking to: find a great job, move your career in a new direction or get your foot in the door at some of the Washington Metro area’s finest construction, engineering and architecture employers. We have terrific temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire placement opportunities. Contact us today!

Many otherwise professional, savvy, mature job seekers turn into puddles of anxiety when it comes to discussing and negotiating their salary requirements when job searching.

The following tips can help you do negotiate a salary with which both you and your future employer will be happy:

Understand that employees cost a business a ton of money. Salaries, benefits, vacation time, etc. creates a huge dent in their bottom line. Many experts, in fact, say that personnel costs make up 70-80 percent of a company’s total expenses!

Naturally, then, an employer is going to try to hire you at the lowest price he or she can.

Your job, and you should accept it, is to get the employer to pay you the highest amount you can negotiate.

Here’s how to do it.

If at all possible, leave any and all talk about your salary requirements until you have a job offer. Spilling the beans before that puts you at a negotiating disadvantage.

If a Washington Metro employer corners you and says it must know your salary requirements before you’re even out of the gate, quote a range, with your stated low figure your actual middle and the high your “if wishes really came true” salary.

For example, let’s say you’ve done your numbers and the absolute bottom salary you can/will accept is $45K, but you tell the employer who insists on a number from the get go that your range is $50K-60K. That way, if the employer says “I can’t pay you more than $45K,” that’s OK with you.

Giving a range higher than your real range allows you lots of wiggle room — it’s easy to negotiate down than up. It also sets the bar high. Chances are good that, if the position pays $50-60K, you’ll get at least $50K.

Again, try your best to avoid any talk of salary until you have a job offer. The above tip is for those times when a potential employer pushes you to a wall and says “Talk price! Now!”

In addition, if an employer says she wants to know your current/last salary, do not give it. Mention desired range, as outlined above. Your last salary should have nothing to do with what this position pays. If you had to take a job that paid $25K annually while you got your life back on track after a personal disaster, but you have the skills for a position that pays $50K, you deserve the $50K. On the flip side, if your last job paid $50K but circumstances are requiring that you’re applying for jobs in the $25K range, telling a hiring manager or HR employee your previous salary will put you out of the running before the gate even opens.

If you’re asked for a salary requirement on an application, write “negotiable.” If the application (or job ad) asks that you include your past salary, leave it blank. Yes, there’s a chance you won’t get called. But employers tend to ignore these missing items in an application if you have pretty much exactly the skills and background an employer seeks.

Remember, it’s the position and qualifications that dictates the salary. Not your wants and past salary history.

With that in mind, be sure you have some idea what a company in this area pays for the type of position you seek. Salaries are much higher in some areas of the country than others, and even within regions. Salaries are much higher in Washington, DC than in cities outside the Beltway, for example. Do your research.

RealStreet Staffing knows the decision makers in the construction, architectural, engineering and Federal communities. We can help you find  terrific opportunities that fit your backgrounds and needs. We look forward to hearing how we can help you create a better future.

RealStreet Staffing currently has several outstanding engineering job opportunities in the Landover Maryland area, including:

Software Engineer Job Landover, MD – TS/SCI Required
Minimum 2 years experience in a software engineering role and 3 years experience working in the UNIX environment.

Sr. Network Design Engineer Job Landover, MD – TS/SCI
BS in technical discipline with a minimum of 9 years of experience. CCNA. 9 years LAN/WAN Network Engineering experience installing, maintaining, configuring and troubleshooting network equipment including Cisco routers and switches. 9 years experience with network protocols including TCP/IP, EIGRP, UDP, DHCP, SMTP, RTP, NTP and SSH. 9 years experience in the design, configuration and testing of prototype network configurations.

Test Engineer Job Landover, MD – TS/SCI Clearance
Minimum 3 years of experience is required in UNIX Client/Server network environment and Macintosh OS Client platform, testing information processing in a Client/ Server network, testing developed software, writing test reports and conducting development test and evaluations.

Other Construction, Engineering and Architecture Jobs
RealStreet Staffing continually offers a variety of rewarding opportunities.  Search all of our available construction, engineering and architecture jobs.