Make the most of these big career moments It may not feel good at the time, but making your first big mistake with an employer can provide you with the opportunity to show you'll own up to your errors. Another important career moment is the first one-on-one meeting you have with a new boss, which can lay the foundation for your future working relationship. Glassdoor (10/26)Last-minute tips to get ready for a performance review The night before your first evaluation, make sure you're prepared to discuss your biggest accomplishments and to share your goals with your manager. Also, get ready to ask any questions that have been on your mind, writes Alyse Kalish. The Muse (10/26)
Research suggests millennials are more likely than the average American to discuss salaries and benefits with their friends, which could spur change in the workplace. "Companies are spending more time ensuring their pay decisions are fair and highlighting career paths under the assumption that the information is going to be widely shared," said Mary Ann Sardone, head of Mercer's workforce-rewards program. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (10/26)
The Landscape
IBM expands parental leave, adds surrogacy benefit For the second time in two years, IBM has expanded parental leave, offering new mothers 20 weeks of paid leave and doubling the benefit for new fathers to 12 weeks. The company will also reimburse up to $20,000 for the cost of adoption or surrogacy, even if it is unsuccessful. Fortune (10/25)
Your Next Challenge
Employment gaps don't have to ruin your LinkedIn profile You can have a great LinkedIn profile despite recent career inactivity if you explain how your work history and experiences make you a valuable employee today. Consider continuing education experiences, volunteer work or other activities that have helped keep your skills relevant. NBC News (10/26)
Balancing Yourself
How to achieve work-life harmony Strive for symmetry between your professional and personal lives, advises entrepreneur and speaker Amy Vetter. "[R]esearch continues to find that applying work-life harmony principles in the workplace improves employee productivity, including creative thinking and problem solving," writes Vetter in this three-part method for utilizing this approach. Entrepreneur online (10/24)
The Air Force tweeted that Santa Claus wasn't real while intervening in a feud between rival Air Force bases, but it quickly reversed course. "Santa is real," said a follow-up tweet from the Air Force. The Hill (10/27)
Progress is not merely improving the past; it is moving forward toward the future.
