Women face unintentional consequences by taking longer maternity leaves Longer maternity leaves lead to unintentional negative career outcomes for women, including related to promotion potential, pay and leadership ability, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. The study found that letters of recommendation and "keep in touch" programs can mitigate the effects, the study concludes. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (9/14)Navigating the tricky realm of office politics Identify the main source of the problem and whether it's a long-term or short-term issue. Learn and move on from short-term issues, but long-term negativity or favoritism in the office is best handled by seeking advice from a trusted colleague or manager who can help put the situation into perspective, Ximena Vengoechea writes. Fast Company online (9/14)
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Making the Connection
Improve your LinkedIn profile Use action-oriented language on your LinkedIn profile when describing your experience, such as "Led a turn-around team that got us back to revenue generation in 18 months." To further enhance your LinkedIn profile, ask former colleagues for endorsements and recommendations, and craft an eye-catching headline, recommends Jill Griffin. Forbes (9/14)
The median household income in the US rose 1.8% last year, as more people found jobs and more part-timers moved to full time, the Census Bureau said. However, incomes are barely above where they were in 2007, and they are essentially the same as in 1999 when adjusted for inflation, the Census Bureau said. The Associated Press (9/12)
Your Next Challenge
Job hunting in the second half of your career Keep an eye on trends in your industry and be sure to make it clear to hiring managers that you understand the changing market and technology necessary to adapt, Dave Calder suggests. Cast a wide net when searching for a job and discover ways your skills are transferable to other careers or roles within a company. Stuff (New Zealand) (9/17)Crafting the perfect cover letter A cover letter should never be generic, writes Caroline Gray. Instead, it should be free of fluff, and a section describing how you can solve specific problems at the company is highly effective, Gray points out. Glassdoor (9/13)
Balancing Yourself
Build resilience to combat workplace stress A stronger sense of resilience helps people better manage adversity at work and improves work-life balance, writes Holly Blake. Build your resilience by setting and accomplishing manageable goals to increase your successes, and accept times of failure by learning and growing from the experience, Blake adds. The Conversation (Australia) (9/13)
Amazon is expanding the line of live greenery it offers this Christmas season with the addition of 7-foot trees. It's uncertain how this will affect buying habits, as the National Christmas Tree Association reports most trees sold online in 2017 came directly from growers themselves and made up only 1% to 2% of the 27 million live trees purchased. The Associated Press (9/11)
Throughout history, people have never before expected to be as comfortable as people do today.
