I'm stepping into this role at a complicated moment in the world of work — layoffs, AI anxiety, return-to-office tensions, and a blurring sense of what a "career" even means. Each week, I'll bring you stories, insights, and practical advice to help you navigate it all.
And in many cases, an AI screening tool filters applications before a human ever looks. One small misstep can end your candidacy before it starts.
What recruiters look for in those first seconds
Deep dive
Where jobs are growing — and shrinking
April's jobs report added 115,000 nonfarm payroll positions, marking back-to-back months of gains for the first time in a year. On the surface, that looks like resilience. Look closer, and a more troubling picture emerges.
"There are several different things we need to look at," says Cory Stahle, senior economist at Indeed. Long-term unemployment is rising. More workers are giving up the search entirely. And the headline numbers are being propped up by a single sector.
Employer-announced job cuts hit 83,387 in April — the third-highest monthly total since the Great Recession ended in 2009, per Challenger, Gray & Christmas. New graduates and workers in non-healthcare fields are bearing the brunt.
Also in this issue
Saying no at work. Business professor Julie Kratz shares practical phrases and strategies to protect your time and energy without burning bridges.
Treating time like capital. More workers are guarding their hours the way investors guard money. Jasmine Browley explores the forces driving the trend.
What great managers do differently. Executive coach Caroline Castrillon identifies five habits — including investing in one-on-ones — that separate the best from the rest.
Income stacking. With job security increasingly elusive, over 60% of Gen Z respondents in a Fiverr survey say multiple income streams are now essential — not optional.
Men and the labor force. 1 in 3 American men is currently not working or looking for work — a record low outside the early pandemic months, driven by retiring boomers, extended studies, and a tighter job market.