Career Briefs: The Value of Our Work

Dear Reader:

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been glued to the Olympics (partly because my summer vacation was rained out thanks to Hurricane Debby).

My favorite part of the Olympics is the stories shared by commentators. There are stories of triumphant returns and breakthrough stars. Some Olympians are writing themselves onto the pages of sports history by smashing records right before our eyes. It is obvious that these world-class athletes live and breathe their sport - pour everything into their pursuits for greatness.

On Sunday, professional golfer Scottie Scheffler won a gold medal for the USA by beating golf’s elite over four rounds of play. It wasn’t easy. He played incredible golf in the final round and came from behind to earn his place on the podium.

When asked in a post-win interview about his accomplishments this year (and he has quite a few!), he reverberated something he often says: he does not base his identity on his golf game. This is a profound statement from a man whose life seemingly revolves around his job as a professional golfer.

For many of us, our jobs are a significant part of our lives. They provide purpose, financial stability, and a sense of identity. But what happens when that job is no longer there? When the unexpected happens, and the rug is pulled out from beneath our feet?

When faced with uncertainty, such as a layoff, a passed-over promotion, or when a job offer doesn’t come, we are forced to confront a fundamental question: What defines you? Is it your job title? Your salary? Or is there something deeper, more enduring that shapes who you are?

Like Scheffler, perhaps our identity lies in our relationships, our faith, our passions, or our contributions to the world around us. Maybe it's in our resilience, ability to learn and grow, or capacity to find joy amid adversity.

As you navigate the complexities of the job market, remember that your worth goes beyond the job title. Your skills and experiences are valuable assets, but they are not the total of who you are.

I encourage you to explore strategies for building resilience, discovering new passions, and crafting a fulfilling life, regardless of your employment status.

Rooting for you,

In This Issue:

• What Defines You?

• Elevating Your Leadership Job Search

• Are LinkedIn Hiring Stats Misleading?

• Impact of Values on the Value of a Company

• Changing Definitions of Employment and Work

• LinkedIn Live: Get Hired by Investors and PE Firms

• Baby Boomers: Design Your Retirement

• Should You Draw Social Security Early?

Elevating Your Leadership Job Search

Are you looking to update your resume in anticipation of a job search? Last week, I joined Agile’s Last Friday Job Party, hosted by Ben Sheffield and Ciara Nasuti, and shared expert advice on writing a stand-out resume. In the session, we discussed everything from key elements to include on an executive resume to tips on using light design elements to help your resume stand out. We touched on modern resume trends and the acceptable length of a resume based on your seniority. If you missed it, you can rewatch it here.

Last Friday Job Party is a virtual job seekers workshop that hosts recruiters and job search experts, inviting them to share invaluable insights into navigating the hiring process. Be sure to catch their upcoming sessions!

Are LinkedIn Hiring Stats Misleading?

Career Sherpa recently shared this article by talent expert, Jan Tegze, highlighting the reality behind LinkedIn’s hiring stats. As a job seeker, it is important not to be overwhelmed or turned away by LinkedIn's high applicant numbers. According to the article, applicants should not be discouraged by a large applicant pool. Tegze warns that many applicants may not meet basic requirements and encourages applicants to focus on being the standout candidates by customizing applications and showcasing relevant skills and experiences.

Reddit users claim LinkedIn counts “Apply Now” clicks and not actual applications submitted, drastically skewing the number by including incomplete applications.

Job applicants should focus on quality over quantity, aiming to impress hiring managers with tailored resumes and applications highlighting their qualifications.

Impact of Values on the Value of a Company

Career thought leader Josh Bersin wrote a thought-provoking article about the impact of a company’s values on the value of the business. In the article, he looks at the impact on organizations that compromise their values. Small profit-driven decisions can lead to significant issues and distrust and ultimately impact business. Bersin uses Boeing's safety culture compromise as an example.

A key takeaway for job seekers, especially in a time of uncertainty in the economy - is to pay close attention to a company's values, and the will of its leadership to uphold those values. Look beyond a company’s growth and profitability - does the company and its leadership hold true to their values? Are they able to maintain trust and credibility? Do they take their values into account when making decisions that impact their employees, their customers, and their business? Upholding values and promoting civility in organizations can lead to strength, endurance, and prosperity in uncertain times.

Changing Definitions of Employment and Work

I find the creator economy rise of side gigs fascinating. After all, my company was built off a nap-time side gig. I recently rediscovered this old article by Li Jin about the evolving definitions of employment and work. She wrote this in July 2020 - early pandemic before the creator economy exploded. She had great insight into what was to come - “There’s a massive opportunity for digital platforms that lower the barriers to micro-entrepreneurship to support the growth of these workers, in whichever directions they seek.”

Fast forward to the age of the creator economy - where independent creators are making six-figures using platforms like Canva. And platforms like Canva are suddenly billion dollar companies.

Key Takeaway: The employment landscape is changing for executives, and as a job seeker, it is important to stay current on trends and highlight relevant skills on your resume.

LinkedIn Live: Get Hired by Investors and PE Firms

On August 28th, I will interview Vanessa Larco,  a partner at NEA, one of the world’s largest venture capital firms. Vanessa specializes in leading Series A and B investments in B2B and B2C companies across North America.

We will discuss how job seekers can translate their experience from large enterprise organizations to make themselves marketable to startups. She will also share how she evaluates leaders for investment opportunities and what qualities she looks for when hiring for her portfolio companies as they scale and build their C-level teams.

Vanessa has led investments in Assembled, Kindred, Rewind AI, Cleo, Evernow, Rocket.Chat, and Mejuri, among others. She is also a board observer at Forethought, SafeBase, Orby AI, Granica, Modyfi, and HEAVY.AI. She was a board observer at Robinhood until its IPO in 2021. Before Venture, she led product teams at Box, Twilio, Disney, and Xbox.

Be sure to mark your calendar so you don’t miss my next LinkedIn Live with Vanessa.

Baby Boomers: Design Your Retirement

Between 2024 and 2030, 30.4 million Americans will turn age 65. That is an unprecendented number of Americans entering retirement simultaneously - or at least reaching retirement age. But are they ready to retire? In a recent article, Harvard Business Review’s Jeff Giesea looked at Boomers like George Thorne, a retiring ophthalmologist, struggling with the transition from fulfilling careers to uncertain futures in retirement. According to Giesea, many Boomers resist the idea of traditional retirement, seeking a more fluid and personalized next phase.

It is important to find a retirement that works for you. Reframing retirement as "designing your next phase" empowers individuals to envision a more evolutionary transition. If you are facing retirement, or a reduction in work house, take time to establish new routines and purposes. It is important, no matter your phase of life, to find a reason to jump out of bed in the morning.

Should You Draw Social Security Early?

97% of older adults either receive Social Security or will receive it (Source: CBPP). Retirees can start drawing social security at 62; however, the monthly draw increases the longer one waits. So, what is the right age to start drawing the benefit? John Payne, a Fuqua School of Business professor, looked at why people might choose to claim benefits earlier and the trade-offs they take by doing so. He found that many retired and claimed the benefit early from a sense of ownership and loss aversion. However, this may have led people to miss out on higher Social Security benefits.

Read More: Majority of Baby Boomers are Not Financially Prepared for Retirement