10 steps to move forward in your career | Help for laid-off federal employees | Can gamification improve the hiring process?
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June 5, 2025
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SmartBrief on Your Career
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Getting Ahead
Acknowledging the need for change in your career is a crucial step towards personal and professional growth, and recognizing when your current role no longer serves your goals is key to moving forward, writes career experts Mary Olson-Menzel and Ruth Gotian, who offer 10 steps to help people who feel stuck in their career find clarity and take action.
Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (6/3) 
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Organizations are offering professional development opportunities to federal workers affected by mass layoffs. Wellfed, a startup founded by former Health and Human Services employees, provides wellness and skill workshops, while UiPath is offering training on AI agents. Work for America is providing free coaching sessions to help former federal employees transition to state and local government jobs.
Full Story: Government Executive (6/4) 
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Hire Smart
The concept of gamification in job applications involves making the hiring process an interactive experience. By incorporating challenges that mirror actual job roles, candidates can demonstrate their abilities in real scenarios. This approach, combined with AI analysis, can provide a more engaging and fair assessment of candidates' skills and potential, writes Dmitry Zaytsev, founder of Dandelion Civilization.
Full Story: Hacker Noon (6/5) 
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The Landscape
The job market is presenting significant challenges, particularly for mid- to late-career workers who are struggling with ageism and the evolving job-seeking landscape. "If you only rely on job boards as part of your job search, it's like fishing for a shark with a worm," said Andrew Hudson of the Colorado Job Board. "You really need to understand that job seeking is a full-contact sport."
Full Story: Colorado Public Radio (6/4) 
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Friday's US jobs report for May is expected to indicate a softening labor market, with economists predicting an addition of 130,000 jobs, down from 177,000 in April. The unemployment rate is projected to remain at 4.2%. The report comes amid rising job cuts, largely driven by federal government reductions and tariffs, with announced cuts up 80% year-over-year.
Full Story: CNN (6/5) 
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Your Next Challenge
Why workplace stress should be seen as a business risk
(Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images)
Workplace stress should be integrated into a company's business strategy instead of being treated as a personal issue, write Ashley Whillans, Marion Chomse, Lydia Roos and Reeva Misra, who introduce a Stress Risk Thermometer framework to help employers track business risk driven by stress. By recognizing stress as a systemic risk, organizations can better align their strategic objectives with employee well-being, potentially improving productivity and mitigating risk, according to the authors.
Full Story: Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (6/4) 
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The Water Cooler
Some people conquered their fear of the dark... and themselves
(Daniel Lozano Gonzalez/Getty Images)
On the latest episode of rich-people-don't-know-what-to-do-with-their-money, folks like Aaron Rodgers and Tiffany Haddish, along with crypto bros and tech executives, are using their hard-earned dollars to sit in the dark... for days. Dark retreats, like the ones offered by Sky Cave Retreats in Oregon, are where participants spend days in complete darkness, hoping to find deep introspection and potential spiritual enlightenment. While some find profound benefits, others, like crypto founder Charles Hoskinson, have cut their retreats short due to terrifying experiences.
Full Story: Wired (tiered subscription model) (6/4) 
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SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Mel Brooks' "The Producers" won 12 Tony Awards, the most ever by a single production. Which one has 17, which was staged on Broadway twice?
Vote"Cabaret"
Vote"Fiddler on the Roof"
Vote"Hamilton"
Vote"South Pacific"
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At certain crucial moments -- an emergency, an opportunity -- one must act first and think later.
Edmund White,
writer, playwright
1940-2025
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