Career Briefs: Unlocking Opportunities and Maximizing Impact

In this edition: master your job search with LinkedIn’s AI-powered Job Match, the power of your professional network, and why top leaders succeed by showing their best—not their whole—self.

Author

Sarah Johnston
September 10, 2025

Dear Reader:

August was a great month at Briefcase Coach! One of the highlights? Mailing a bunch of gift boxes to former clients who referred business our way. It may seem like a small gesture, but for me, it carries a huge sense of gratitude.

I’m endlessly thankful for clients who trust us enough to share our name with their colleagues. That kind of trust isn’t given lightly. It reflects not just satisfaction, but genuine confidence in the work we do and the relationships we build. Even more, I’m grateful for the ongoing connections that grow from those relationships: the collaborations, the thoughtful conversations, and the mutual respect that lasts long after a project wraps.

To everyone who’s referred us, supported us, or taken the time to connect: thank you. These gestures, both big and small, mean more than words can express.

Ps. What do you like reading in the Briefs? We are thinking about our content strategy and want to make sure our newsletter is one you look forward to opening. I genuinely would love to hear your feedback (good and bad!).

Join me on Thursday, September 8th, for a free training!

LinkedIn News Editor, Andrew Seaman, is hosting me on Thursday, September 18th at 2:00 PM for a special segment titled, “How Recruiters Use LinkedIn and Ways to Stand Out.” I am going to be showing you some new features on LinkedIn Recruiter, along with how you can write a profile that maximizes views. Click here to learn more.

Transforming the Job Search with LinkedIn’s Job Match Feature

LinkedIn’s new Job Match feature is reshaping the job search experience by going beyond simple keyword matches and job titles. Powered by AI, it analyzes your entire profile, your skills, experiences, and career goals, to surface opportunities that align more closely with your career path. Instead of sifting through endless postings, Job Match acts as a personalized guide, uncovering roles you might otherwise miss. To make it easier to understand what Job Match is and how to use it effectively, I wrote an article that breaks down the process step by step.

With features like personalized fit scores, detailed breakdowns of strengths and gaps, and application insights such as hiring activity, Job Match helps you focus on opportunities that truly matter. Its natural language search makes it easy to explore roles with conversational queries, while LinkedIn Premium members gain additional benefits such as tailored resume and skill recommendations. By keeping your profile updated and applying Job Match’s insights, you can search more strategically, uncover hidden opportunities, and move forward with confidence in your job hunt.

Your Network Remains Your Greatest Asset

LinkedIn’s global research underscores a striking truth in today’s AI-driven world: your professional network remains the most trusted source of guidance. Despite the challenges of keeping pace with AI (with over half of professionals describing learning it as a full-time endeavor and 41% reporting its impact on their wellbeing), nearly two-thirds turn to colleagues for the confidence to make quicker, smarter decisions. This reliance extends to B2B buying, where 77% of decision-makers prioritize networks over brand channels to assess credibility. As Millennials and Gen Z reshape the marketplace, brands increasingly leverage authentic voices such as creators, employees, and subject matter experts, while LinkedIn amplifies these insights through shows that highlight trusted expertise and help professionals navigate change with clarity and confidence.

Career Briefs Book Club Pick: Qualified Isn’t Enough

For Briefcase Coach’s next read, I’ve picked Gina Riley’s new book, Qualified Isn’t Enough, and I’m thrilled to highlight it! Featuring insights from professionals, including me, this guide is perfect for professionals looking to elevate their career, land interviews, and secure leadership opportunities.

Leveraging years of experience in executive search and career coaching, Gina shares her Career Velocity™ system, a comprehensive approach that helps senior leaders navigate career transitions with precision. Combining insights from top recruiters, actionable exercises, and real-world examples, she shows readers how to develop a persuasive leadership narrative, build meaningful networks, tap into the hidden job market, and distinguish themselves as standout candidates for executive roles.

It’s a practical, inspiring resource for anyone ready to advance their career and I’m giving away a FREE signed copy! To enter, send me an email and I’ll randomly select a winner on Friday. Must live in North America

The Case for Strategic Authenticity in Leadership

Effective leadership extends far beyond mere authenticity; it requires deliberate intentionality, heightened self-awareness, and the capacity to consistently project one’s best self in high-stakes environments. For senior leaders, bringing their best self rather than their whole self is not just preferable, it is essential. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Chief Innovation Officer at Manpower Group, emphasizes that while a measure of authenticity may serve frontline employees well, unfiltered expression at the top risks amplifying biases, impulsivity, and latent “dark side” traits, threatening both credibility and organizational stability.

Illustration by Anthony Zinonos

As Chamorro-Premuzic explains in his new book, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead), research demonstrates that the most successful leaders carefully regulate emotions, manage impressions strategically, and act with consistent, value-driven behavior. By establishing clear boundaries, embodying values through actions rather than performative gestures, safeguarding personal life, and prioritizing empathy over ego, leaders cultivate trust, make sound decisions, and focus on being disciplined, effective, and truly impactful within their organizations.

Master Award Travel in 2025: Top Tools to Redeem Points and Miles

A growing suite of apps and websites is transforming the way travelers navigate award flights and hotel stays in 2025, making it far easier to redeem points and miles efficiently without endless searching or frustration. Platforms such as MaxMyPoint, Rooms.aero, and Point.me offer real-time award availability, intuitive alerts, and side-by-side comparisons of cash versus points pricing, while tools like ExpertFlyer and SeatSpy provide detailed insights into airline award space across multiple loyalty programs. Free versions cover essential searches, whereas paid subscriptions unlock advanced features, unlimited alerts, and personalized guidance. By combining these tools thoughtfully, travelers can streamline planning, secure high-value redemptions, and turn points and miles into seamless, luxurious travel experiences.

Indeed Changes Could Quadruple Hiring Costs—What Employers Need to Know

Recruiters and employers are facing a potential shake-up in the way they post jobs, as recent changes from Indeed threaten to dramatically increase hiring costs. TalentNet Media experts Craig Fisher and Jim Durbin outlined the implications during their LinkedIn Live session, “Navigating Indeed’s New Rules: Strategic ATS Optimization for Staffing Firms,” warning that fees could surge by up to 400 percent. 

By ending the single-source XML feed and enforcing a $25 minimum per posting, each new job now carries substantial costs, forcing organizations to rethink traditional recruitment strategies. Fisher and Durbin emphasize optimizing ATS feeds, leveraging internal candidate databases, and exploring social media recruiting. Staffing firms offer a reliable alternative, helping employers maintain efficiency, control expenses, and access top talent in this evolving landscape.

New DHS Rule Would Tighten Time Limits for Foreign Students and Exchange Visitors

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a major shift in how F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors maintain legal status, moving away from the decades-old “duration of status” system toward fixed stays tied to the program end dates, with a maximum limit of four years plus a 30-day departure period. Under this framework, any extensions for program changes, transfers, or post-completion training would require formal applications, complete with updated documentation, biometrics, fees, and proof of financial resources. 

Unlawful presence would begin accruing immediately after the authorized stay expires, grace periods would be shortened, and compliance obligations for schools, program sponsors, and employers would intensify. The change is expected to drive a surge in USCIS extension filings, compounding existing administrative backlogs and requiring more careful planning from foreign students and exchange visitors alike.

Before sharing that AI tool helping your workflow, consider the subtle social costs. Professors Richard Larrick, Jack Soll, and PhD candidate Jessica Reif from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business explore how AI use in the workplace can paradoxically boost performance while making employees appear less competent, diligent, or even lazy. 

Experiments show that AI users are judged more harshly than those seeking human advice or using other software, though bias disappears when evaluators themselves frequently use AI or when tasks clearly benefit from it, such as writing or coding. The findings suggest managers must normalize AI use to unlock its organizational potential, ensuring employees feel safe and valued while leveraging emerging tools.

New Employment Laws Take Effect

Starting September 1, 2025, a series of employment law changes took effect, reshaping workplace practices and compliance obligations for employers nationwide. The U.S. Department of Labor’s new six-factor test for classifying independent contractors likely reclassified more workers as employees, making them eligible for overtime and benefits. Paid sick and family leave laws expanded in states like Illinois, requiring updated policies. Minimum wages increased across many jurisdictions, while pay transparency rules mandated salary ranges in postings and promotions. Federal DEI guidance and harassment rules shifted, particularly for contractors. These changes underscored the importance for employers to review policies, update practices, and seek legal guidance to stay compliant and navigate the evolving employment landscape effectively.

How Can I Help?

Do you know someone who is job searching?

35%. That’s the number of clients referred to us by previous clients. We view referrals as the highest compliment that we can receive. As a token of our appreciation, we offer referral gifts ranging from Ember mugs to Jeni’s ice cream boxes.

Is your company people-focused?

Consider sharing Briefcase Coach with your HR leadership. We are a great “white-glove” boutique option for executive outplacement.

Need to make updates to your professional documents or prepare for a high-stakes interview?

Briefcase Coach has an experienced team ready to help high performers wanting to work one-on-one with an executive career strategist.

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