Career Briefs: Challenge Yourself in the New Year

Did you ever play Mad Libs as a kid? It was always fun filling in the blanks and creating hilarious stories.

This year, let’s take back that pen to rewrite your career story with intention, strategy, and a bit of that Mad Libs energy.

I challenge you to approach your career process this year intentionally through targeted and strategic career planning and to hold yourself accountable with regular career improvement activities. Whether you’re aiming for that promotion, pivoting to a new industry, or refreshing your career brand in preparation for future possibilities, the path to growth begins with self-accountability and intentional action.

Challenging yourself doesn't mean being perfect; it means embracing the unknown and pushing beyond self-imposed limits. It's about asking, "What if?" and allowing yourself the freedom to reflect on the answer.  

In this issue, you'll find actionable advice, such as our Benchmarking Executive Salary article. We'll also share upcoming opportunities, including our LinkedIn Live expert interview and our new free text service to supercharge your job search. These practical tools will help you start 2025 with intention and confidence.

Here's to your growth and success in the New Year! Let's make this the year you rise to the challenge and re-write your career story.

Ps. Do you enjoy the insights and tips you’ve been getting from our newsletter? Would you consider sharing the love with your career-minded friends? 👉  Referral Link.

Have you ever thought…”Glassdoor and Salary (dot) com are not giving me good salary insights. There has got to be a more accurate way to benchmark my peers?” Well, here’s a comprehensive guide to benchmarking your salary with some out-of-the-box suggestions! And they work! A client recently reached out to share that they accepted a compensation offer over 30% higher than their last salary, and they attributed this success to a robust salary review process. It’s a privilege to know our expert guidance played a small but meaningful role in helping them achieve their goals.

Our guide for benchmarking salary data includes little-known gems like looking at H-1B visa salary information and understanding salary transparency laws. Be sure to benchmark salaries for your targeted roles to prepare for compensation conversations in 2025.

Read the full article now!

Remember when you pitched that groundbreaking idea to your CEO? Or when you used your expertise to navigate a complex project? Remember the confidence you felt then? Now, it's time to bring that same energy to the negotiation table.

"If you want a 30% increase in your base pay or an overall increase of $20k or $200k, ask for it, and don't be vague," states Christy Rutherford, an expert in negotiations and leadership development. She discusses setting clear expectations along with other salary negotiation secrets in this Forbes article. 

One key tip is understanding the market, which our executive job seekers will be prepared for after conducting their salary benchmark analysis. Executive leaders need to bring the same confidence that they use in their work to bear when advocating for themselves in salary negotiations, and this is an easier ask when they understand their worth and salary market value.

Is the rise of AI driving a focus on data quality? That’s the principal finding in the 2025 AI & Data Leadership Executive Survey, an industry benchmark survey of Fortune 1000 and global business leaders. Responsible AI - a term covering AI ethics and risk-mitigation - is seen as an increasing priority. Part of that responsibility is ensuring quality data is available to feed into AI systems. According to the survey data, 77.6% of organizations report having implemented responsible AI safeguards and guardrails, up from 62.9% one year ago.

This year’s survey also captured significant hiring trends. AI and data leadership are in growing demand, with Chief AI Officer as a rapidly emerging role. 33.1% of respondents reporting having filled this role with 43.9% saying that a Chief AI Officer should be appointed. Read the article the 6 Ways AI Changed Business in 2024 for more survey findings and executive insights.

President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100, leaving behind a strong legacy both in and out of the presidential office. His post-presidential work on conflict resolution and human rights and his unwavering dedication to Habitat for Humanity set a strong example of pure and noble contributions. During his presidency, perhaps one of his most defining achievements was his role in brokering the Camp David Accords in 1978. His success was based on his negotiation skills and also his ability to see the good in others.

Understanding President Carter’s negotiation and leadership strategies can provide important insight for today's executives important skills. Read The Leadership and Legacy of Jimmy Carter in Forbes to learn how President Carter used a single-text negotiation strategy and see key takeaways for modern leaders.

Have you ever missed a vacation because of a work emergency? Or skipped out on a dinner with friends due to a looming deadline? Many Americans prioritize saving for retirement, but some regret not enjoying their lives more during their working years. Read real-life experiences from “oversavers” in this Business Insider article. Some people work long hours and miss out on family time and leisure activities, while others are too frugal and avoid spending money on experiences. Financial planners advise balancing savings with enjoying life to avoid regrets in retirement.

For job seekers building financially rewarding executive careers, what is the balance between financial security and life experiences? Often, finding a career with a true work-life balance heavily depends on determining the right company fit. That’s why creating a target company list and focusing on companies aligned with your values is key. Need help creating a target list? Learn more about our Briefcase Coach service here!

Over the past year, there has been a lot of debate and calls for legislative actions to address the childcare crisis. According to the U.S. Chamber of Congress, women are participating in the labor force at the lowest rates since entering the labor force in meaningful numbers in the 1970s. However, this is not just a women’s issue. As an executive job seeker, it's important to understand the impacts of the childcare crisis on both genders and the steps that we all can take to advocate for better childcare solutions.

I’m thrilled to announce my upcoming LinkedIn Live interview on Tuesday, January 14th at 12:00pm EST with Mel Faxon, COO and Co-Founder of Mirza! We'll discuss the high cost of childcare, the impact of women and men leaving the workforce, and practical solutions to help professionals stay engaged in their careers. Even if you’re not currently impacted by childcare costs, it’s smart to be prepared for anything that might arise in the future and to understand the impact of costly childcare on the workforce.

I don’t think a day has gone by over the past year when I haven’t been asked, “How is AI changing the resume writing business?” For many learning and development professionals, the question becomes how is AI-changing professional learning? Just as with resumes, the benefit of AI depends on how good the human users are at feeding the systems and refining the content to match their target audience.

The growing use of AI provides a new opportunity to refresh professional learning. Imagine creating tailored learning paths for your team, getting real-time feedback on their performance, and having a tireless assistant to track progress. That's the promise of AI in corporate learning. But is AI the right tool? This article from Paradiso dives deeper into the benefits and drawbacks of the role of AI in corporate learning in 2025, while the Harvard Business Review outlines how to determine if AI is the right tool to use when solving a problem.

I don’t expect AI to replace human instruction and, as it turns out, Forbes agrees with me. In The Future Of Corporate Learning And Employee Engagement: Why Traditional Training Is Dead, Forbes looks at various ways AI is impacting corporate learning and discovers that AI serves as an enable to enhance the learning experience rather than a replacement for human connection.

When invited to collaborate by Hannah Morgan, Job Search Strategist for Career Sherpa, I was excited to join with other career experts and offer job search tips for 2025. My take? The old marketing adage “different is better than better” rings true. Generative AI and the “easy-apply” button have made it effortless for candidates to submit job applications. The problem? Everyone now looks exactly the same.

Read the rest of my advice on how to move forward in today’s competitive market, as well as over 20 other timely tips from fellow experts, here. 

Goodbye transactional leadership, hello agile leadership. As we head into 2025, the economy demands a new type of leadership. Transactional leadership focusing on rigid structures falls short, and agile leadership emphasizing flexibility and collaboration is needed. Dr. Benjamin Laker, Business Professor, expresses his opinion on the future of leadership in an Inc.com article here. In addition to agile leadership, he describes the need for leaders to go into “Founder Mode,” which he defines by bold-decision making and a long-term vision. Are you ready to look to the future and lead the way in 2025?

Are you ready for 2025?

In our last newsletter, the Briefcase Coach team revealed the key trends that will make or break your resume in 2025. The articles below provide further insight into those trends from outside expert voices.

Here's what you need to know:

• Human skills reign supreme: A recent report by McKinsey found that soft skills are becoming more important each year as AI takes over repetitive, basic tasks.

• A shift in the C-suite: Millennial leaders are expected to overtake Gen-Z in the C-suite for the first time in 2025. Karen Kimbrough, Chief Economist at LinkedIn, discusses this and other C-suite trends here.

• AI revolution: AI is here to stay, but before using AI for your job application consider how that will come across to employers. In this Business Insider article, Time Sackett from HRU Technical Resources describes the development of fraud detection AI and the role that it can play in a job market saturated with AI-written resumes.

• Resume style secrets: This article from Forbes, How to incorporate the latest tech trends into your 2025 resume, includes style secrets for a tech-friendly resume format.

Let's be honest: job searching can feel like a marathon with no finish line in sight. Some days, you're hitting the pavement, making connections, and feeling unstoppable. Other days, you stare blankly at your screen, wondering if anyone will ever appreciate your unique talents. We've all been there.

To help you kick off 2025 with career clarity and confidence, Briefcase Coach is thrilled to announce a new FREE service: The Daily Brief - 30 Days of Texts to Supercharge Your Job Search. Starting in mid-January, this program will deliver a daily dose of career inspiration right to your phone. Think of it as having a career coach in your pocket! You can look forward to receiving motivational messages, quick tips you can implement immediately, and links to valuable resources designed to help you land that dream job. Sign up today and be the first to be alerted when it’s released!

Briefs newsletter subscribers won’t be automatically enrolled in this daily campaign. If you're serious about your job search and want free support, sign up here: