For job seekers deemed as poor performers, experts advise taking a step back to evaluate feedback from former employers and understanding the reasons for underperformance. By identifying areas for improvement, such as communication or specific skills, job seekers can take proactive steps like obtaining certifications to enhance their abilities and appeal to prospective employers.
To create a career brag book, include compliments from your boss and coworkers, positive feedback from clients, and personal milestones and wins. Consider recording these achievements regularly and use tools like Notion, Canva or Google Drive to organize the information. "It can be something that you revisit when you're working on that resume, cover letter, or portfolio or preparing for a promotion meeting," says career expert Erin McGoff. "This is a place where you can see all of your accomplishments in one place."
The lack of growth in a career is often signaled by an absence of promotions, salary increases, and opportunities for skill development. Professionals should regularly evaluate their market value and be open to new challenges to ensure continued growth and avoid becoming stagnant in their roles.
A recent Gallup report shows that 64% of global adults look to leaders to instill hope, especially during times of uncertainty. "It takes really good managers also to think with the individual employee and help them see how their work, that they're doing every day, connects to that bigger purpose," said Jim Harter, chief workplace scientist at Gallup. "That's how hope gets built."
Artificial intelligence roles are now among the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, with AI engineer and AI consultant roles topping the list. The demand for AI skills is growing more than three times faster than the overall job market, and this trend is expected to continue as companies seek to leverage AI in industries such as manufacturing, banking and agriculture.
Moving from federal work to private sector roles can be difficult for laid-off government employees. Federal resumes often exceed 10 pages, while private sector resumes are typically concise. Government interviews are structured, contrasting with the more informal style in the private sector. Additionally, some workers fired during probationary periods are incorrectly marked as poor performers, complicating future job prospects.
Help your employees deal with anxiety related to changes in the workplace by reframing threats as opportunities, while looking for ways to reduce fear and stress, writes Gaurav Gupta, managing director at Kotter. "Uncertainty isn't necessarily bad -- times of change and disruption are filled with opportunities to do things differently and better," Gupta writes.
Seventy years after Roger Bannister's historic sub-4-minute mile, researchers believe they have developed a method that might help Faith Kipyegon achieve a similar milestone for women. The study explores how drafting techniques could help Kipyegon cut air resistance by 76%, potentially allowing her to finish in 3:59.37. This research aims to expand the understanding of female athletic limits and inspire broader interest in women's sports performance.
My take: The book "The Perfect Mile," which tells the story of the three men trying to break the mile record in 1954, sits on my office bookshelf. The book is one of my favorites, and the fact that Roger Bannister trained while attending medical school! is just amazing. How's that for time management? -- Janet Connor Kahler, editor of Your Career
