What is good interview etiquette? | How to be ready if faced with a potential buyout or layoff | Taking a "power pause" signals shifting workplace trends
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March 4, 2025
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Getting Ahead
What is good interview etiquette?
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HR professionals emphasize the importance of first impressions, noting that tattoos, piercings, and attire can significantly influence hiring decisions. They also stress the need for enthusiasm during interviews and caution against inappropriate online presence. Additionally, candidates should be mindful of their behavior toward all company representatives and avoid questions that might suggest a lack of commitment.
Full Story: Kiplinger (3/4) 
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Amy Lindgren offers strategies for professionals to prepare for potential buyouts or layoffs, including reviewing employee manuals for leverage in negotiations, downloading personal accomplishments and removing personal items from company devices. Lindgren also suggests gathering contact information for colleagues and removing personal items from your workspace so they don't get left behind.
Full Story: Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) (tiered subscription model) (3/1) 
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Taking a "power pause" signals shifting workplace trends
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Neha Ruch, author of "The Power Pause," advocates for career breaks for mothers to focus on parenting, highlighting the personal and professional growth that can result. Ruch's research found that 1 in 3 women will pause their careers within two years, and 84% of millennials anticipate taking a career break. These statistics highlight a growing acceptance of career pauses as a part of modern professional life, suggesting that workplaces may need to adapt to these trends.
Full Story: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (3/3) 
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Making the Connection
To increase visibility while working remotely, make accomplishments known to managers regularly by sending weekly updates summarizing achievements and ongoing projects, suggests Heather Elkington, founder of Fresh Leadership World. Remote workers should also assess if their career advancement is a priority and consider making sacrifices, such as attending the office strategically to maximize visibility.
Full Story: INews (UK) (3/3) 
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The Landscape
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order requiring California state agencies to implement a four-day in-person workweek starting July 1, citing improved collaboration, innovation and accountability. Newsom has previously called for at least two in-person workdays.
Full Story: CalMatters (Sacramento, Calif.) (3/3) 
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Change fatigue can be a significant barrier to organizational success, according to a Gallagher survey. The survey found that 44% of HR leaders cite change fatigue as a major challenge, and potential solutions include better communication by managers and increased leadership visibility.
Full Story: Human Resources Director (2/28) 
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Your Next Challenge
Job satisfaction is influenced by how employees perceive their financial future, according to research from the University of Georgia. The study found that feeling secure about future finances has a direct positive impact on job satisfaction, independent of burnout levels. The study recommends that employers focus on financial wellness programs, such as financial counseling and retirement planning, to mitigate burnout.
Full Story: StudyFinds (3/3) 
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The Water Cooler
Build your own Van Gogh painting with LEGOs
(Koen Van Weel/AFP via Getty Images)
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has partnered with LEGO to create a 2,615-piece set inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers." The set, which includes adjustable petals and a special brick with Van Gogh's signature, aims to familiarize people with the artist's work. "The great thing is that people can actually build it themselves and build up a composition in a way that a painter builds up a composition," Van Gogh Museum curator Nienke Bakker says.
Full Story: Reuters (3/1) 
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SmartBreak: Question of the Day
John Jacob Astor was America's first millionaire. Known for his ruthlessness, it seems fitting that one of these commodities helped build his fortune. Which one?
VoteAnthracite
VoteFur
VoteLumber
VoteOil
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You learn something when you work with food from beginning to end.
Alice Waters,
chef, restaurateur, activist, writer
March is Women's History Month
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