Career Briefs: Importance of a Brand

Dear Reader:

I had some time between meetings recently and did something I hadn't done in a long time.

I went to the mall. My kids were with me, and they thought it was AMAZING. Me, not so much. It wasn’t the classic mall I remember. Some of the same stores are there—Gap, Claire’s, Nordstrom—but the quality was missing.

It's always disappointing when an experience doesn’t meet your expectations.

As a job seeker, ensuring that YOUR BRAND is authentically represented and displayed is important.

Here are a few real-life examples:

-- If you are applying for a job that requires INNOVATION and you are positioning yourself as a futuristic thinker and creator--- give specific examples and results on your resume that reflect this. Don't "kitchen sink" your resume and include a bunch of projects... include relevant work that compliments the opportunity. (Want to see this in action? Skip ahead to min 11.30 for a video tutorial)

-- If you are interviewing for a job where people skills are a priority, make sure you make small talk with the person interviewing you. Showcase your conversation skills and give real examples of how you've demonstrated relationship building. (Here are some conversation starters)

Have you ever experienced a brand mismatch? Was it a perceived mismatch or a true misfit?

Rooting for you,

Sarah

In This Issue

• Women in the Boardroom

• AI Skills Give Applicants Competitive Advantage

• Time Block your Job Search

• Helpful LinkedIn Tips and Tricks

• How to Engage Referrals and Land a Job

• Companies Need to Rethink Benefits as Employees Ag …

• The Power of Performance Reviews

• The Future Amid the Great Exhaustion

• Great News for Business Travelers

Women in the Boardroom

A Deloitte study has found that women hold less than a quarter of the world’s board seats. As a step in the right direction, more women are chairing board committees; however, only 8.4% of the world’s boards have a woman at the helm, with the vast majority of board chairs filled by males. 

Board agendas are busier than ever, and there are increasing challenges. To achieve diverse and balanced leadership, boards must focus on gender equality, but how do they get there? Deloitte suggests that business leaders globally must collaborate, share challenges and successes, ask tough questions, and contribute to speeding up gender equality in boardrooms and C-suites.

AI Skills Give Applicants Competitive Advantage

The World Economic Forum has predicted that AI skills will soon outweigh job experience for applicants if it doesn’t already. Many have feared that the rise of AI will replace humans in roles; however, research from LinkedIn, Microsoft, and PWC points to the opposite. 66% of business leaders surveyed said wouldn't hire a candidate without AI skills, preferring less experienced candidates with AI skills over more experienced ones.

Time Block your Job Search

Time blocking is a highly effective time management technique that involves scheduling specific blocks of time for different tasks or activities. Hannah Morgan suggests time-blocking job search activities. Building a schedule and assigning time slots for each task can enhance focus, productivity, and efficiency. Be sure to build in mental breaks because job searching is exhausting and can be ineffective when it fills every waking hour.

Helpful LinkedIn Tips and Tricks

If you don’t already, you need to follow Kevin Turner on LinkedIn. He is a wealth of information about the platform's inner workings and consistently shares valuable advice for getting the most from it. His recent post explains how to use Market Value Filters to your advantage and can be found on LinkedIn.

How to Engage Referrals and Land a Job

Candidates referred for a position have a greater chance of landing a job. But what are the best practices for engaging referrals and asking them to vouch for you? In this Dice article, Leslie Stevens-Huffman shares some great tips for reaching out to ask for a referral and fostering a relationship with those who can help you land a job.

Also important is a referral for someone else. A foot in the door goes a long way for someone. Be sure to embrace the ask and be willing to send an email or make a phone call. You never know when you might be the one needing the leg up.

Companies Need to Rethink Benefits as Employees Age

“The Employee Benefit Research Institute found that adults aged 65 and older made up 29.5% of the workforce in 2023, compared to an estimated 23% in 2000,” HR Dive

What does an older workforce mean for employers? According to HR Dive, it signifies the need to review employee benefits and ensure they are attractive to the entire workforce. With more employees returning to work after retirement, employers must ensure their benefits package remains competitive.

The Power of Performance Reviews

I work with a lot of clients who are on the move up the corporate ladder. They are focused and driven. These are important traits for a senior leader. However, for leaders who want to stand out - being a champion for your team and employees is equally important. One way to do this is to have meaningful performance reviews. In this article, Lenny Rachitsky, a former product lead at Airbnb, shares the template for performance reviews that he has utilized to develop successful teams and inspire growth consistently throughout the year.

The Future Amid the Great Exhaustion

Delving into the future and envisioning life in 2026 sparks curiosity. Amy Odell's insightful perspective offers a glimpse into what lies ahead. With a mere two years to bridge the gap, businesses find themselves in a frenzy, strategizing on how to engage a consumer base entrenched in what is termed the Great Exhaustion - a term used to describe a feeling of burnout or depletion that individuals experience after prolonged periods of stress, overwork, or emotional strain.

“But it seems like all these efforts to sell to us while we’re exhausted will only make us… more exhausted,” says Odell. But could that influence people’s buying habits and increase the consumer economy? According to Odell - the answer is yes. “People buy things to solve problems or improve their lives. As nightmarish as a “melatonin margarita” sounds, I would honestly not mind checking into that sleep hotel.”

Great News for Business Travelers

In 2023, some travelers waited 13+ weeks to get a renewed passport. While this has eased some, many are still waiting a significant time to receive their passports. This backlog of processing renewals has significantly impacted business travelers - causing delays, stress, missed opportunities, productivity loss, and financial implications. However, there is good news for travelers - the US Department of State recently revealed that travelers will now have the option to renew their passports online.