Latest news with #careercoaching
Forbes
6 days ago
- General
- Forbes
'Tweaking Your Resume: What Absurd Thing To Do.
The concept of employment and job interviews. Young woman during job interview, main focus on CV. It's the most common request I get as a career coach. I'm talking about 'tweaking' resumes. Being in the career coaching business, I deal with thousands of resumes, not to mention all other facets of career coaching, and as a hiring manager most of my career, I've read probably 10,000 resumes or more (imagine how many I received that I didn't read). With my background in mind, it should come as no surprise to you when I say (and I have said it many times) that your resume is the most important piece of communication you'll ever write. It is the way the world sees you before it meets you, the critical first impression you make, your declaration of self, the case you make for inclusion in someone else's future. It is a sacred document. So why do so many people think that something this important should be 'tweaked' rather than seriously written? 'Tweaked,' not revised? 'Tweaked,' not updated? 'Tweaked,' rather than modified? 'Tweaked' – OMG! Sorry I overused that word, but the best way to point out an absurdity is to exaggerate it. And that's exactly what I intend to do – until I make my point. I'm not done. 'Tweaking' implies a casual approach. It implies improvisation, lack of gravity, simplicity, and lack of consequence. I really don't believe anyone thinks a resume is a thing to take casually, but then everyone wants to 'tweak' their resumes. Ridiculous! Not only is 'tweaking' the wrong approach, even the word 'tweak' itself is a silly word, like 'Twitter' and 'Tweet,' but don't get me started on that. That's for another day soon. I promise. To further emphasize the absurdity of 'tweaking' let me ask: Did Michelangelo 'tweak' David? I doubt it. Did Leonardo 'tweak' the Mona Lisa? Not a chance. Did Jefferson 'tweak' the Declaration of Independence? Ha! These questions are relevant. Writing, you see, is an art, and what you write can have anywhere from no effect to high impact – just like the examples above. It's not for nothing that I do a whole unit in my communication class on revision alone. It's a serious, disciplined effort. It's not 'tweaking.' Let's take the Declaration of Independence, for example. The second paragraph begins with the immortal sentence, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Most of us know this by heart since childhood. But what you may not know is that Jefferson, unanimously chosen by his peers to write the Declaration despite being only 33 years old, actually wrote something different. 'We hold these truths to be sacred,' he began. But sitting on what amounted to the editorial review board was wise old Benjamin Franklin, more than twice Jefferson's age at the time. Old Ben suggested to young Thom, 'If we say sacred, that is arguable. If we say self-evident, we shall make the King look the fool he is.' The rest is history. The point is that Franklin didn't send Jefferson's draft back to him with a suggestion to 'tweak' it, for God sake. Although the change he suggested was only one word, we see deep reflection, we see concentration on the effect of just one word, we see a major reconstruction in one word, and we see the result of just one word. It was not 'tweaked Your resume is much too important to 'tweak.' It is your declaration, and even the smallest of revisions is major. The slightest change in one word, let alone bigger changes, can make all the difference in the world. You need to take your resume more seriously than thinking of it as something to be 'tweaked' on a whim or a fancy. Even the placement of one word – and the variations of emphasis on that word – can create influence on the reader. Imagine, if you will, the question, 'What are you doing?' Now, repeat the question aloud four times, each time emphasizing a different word in the question, like this: 'WHAT are you doing?' 'What ARE you doing?' 'What are YOU doing?' and 'What are you DOING?' See? You heard a different implication each time, no? The written word comes across that way, too – so thought, care, and consideration are in order – not 'tweaking.' I know I've been whipping this horse down the stretch, but that's exactly my intent. And while I'm at it (and not out of room yet, either), I'll give you one more way of looking at this. If you had a contractor doing the addition of a room or your roof or your floors, would you settle for a 'tweak' or would you be more insistent on a total job and careful workmanship? Or if you were going in for surgery, would it be OK if your doctor said, 'I think I'll just 'tweak' your coronary arteries' or if your plastic surgeon said, 'I'll just 'tweak' your face lift?' So OK, if I had to get a little absurd to make the point, then so be it. But I hope you get the point. No more 'tweaking' resumes.
The Verge
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Instacart's CEO is about to take the reins of a big chunk of OpenAI
Instacart's CEO, Fidji Simo, will start her new role as an OpenAI executive on August 18th, leading at least one-third of the company and reporting directly to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Simo will be 'CEO of Applications,' tasked with scaling and growing the tech's use cases. It's a brand-new role, first revealed as part of Altman's reorganization announcement in May. At the time, Altman wrote that he'd still oversee what he called the three pillars of OpenAI — research, compute, and applications — but that he would start to focus more on the research and compute side of things, including safety systems. Simo, on the other hand, will be more focused on product and growth. In a memo to employees, which was also published on OpenAI's blog, Simo wrote she was most excited for AI-led healthcare breakthroughs. She also wrote extensively about her belief in AI's ability to help with career and life coaching, creative expression, time-saving, medical second opinions, regaining time, and personalized tutoring. Simo wrote that major technology trends can either expand access to power or 'further concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few — usually people who already have money, credentials, and connections.' She wrote that the choices the company and AI leaders make now 'will shape whether the coming transformation leads to greater empowerment for all, or greater concentration of wealth and power for the few.' Simo first joined OpenAI's board in March 2024. Her appointment came at the same time as CEO Sam Altman regained his board seat, after an internal investigation of the lead-up to his ouster. OpenAI's applications department 'brings together a group of existing business and operational teams responsible for how our research reaches and benefits the world,' Altman wrote in May, adding that Simo's role will focus on 'enabling our 'traditional' company functions to scale as we enter a next phase of growth.' Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to Simo as the former CEO of Instacart. Simo will remain as CEO through the company's earnings in early August and then transition into her role at OpenAI.
The Verge
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Instacart's former CEO is taking the reins of a big chunk of OpenAI
Instacart's former CEO, Fidji Simo, will start her new role as an OpenAI executive on August 18th, leading at least one-third of the company and reporting directly to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Simo will be 'CEO of Applications,' tasked with scaling and growing the tech's use cases. It's a brand-new role, first revealed as part of Altman's reorganization announcement in May. At the time, Altman wrote that he'd still oversee what he called the three pillars of OpenAI — research, compute, and applications — but that he would start to focus more on the research and compute side of things, including safety systems. Simo, on the other hand, will be more focused on product and growth. In a memo to employees, which was also published on OpenAI's blog, Simo wrote she was most excited for AI-led healthcare breakthroughs. She also wrote extensively about her belief in AI's ability to help with career and life coaching, creative expression, time-saving, medical second opinions, regaining time, creative expression, and personalized tutoring. Simo wrote that major technology trends can either expand access to power or 'further concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few — usually people who already have money, credentials, and connections.' She wrote that the choices the company and AI leaders make now 'will shape whether the coming transformation leads to greater empowerment for all, or greater concentration of wealth and power for the few.' Simo first joined OpenAI's board in March 2024. Her appointment came at the same time as CEO Sam Altman regained his board seat, after an internal investigation of the lead-up to his ouster. OpenAI's applications department 'brings together a group of existing business and operational teams responsible for how our research reaches and benefits the world,' Altman wrote in May, adding that Simo's role will focus on 'enabling our 'traditional' company functions to scale as we enter a next phase of growth.'
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 ChatGPT Prompts To Rapidly Scale A High-Paying Side Hustle
Unlock growth with ChatGPT prompts and scale your high-paying side hustle faster. Want to level up your side project into a high-paying side hustle? The right ChatGPT prompts can help you get there faster. Recent research from MarketWatch finds that 51% of Americans have worked a side hustle in the past year. That figure climbs to 72% for Gen Z. With the gig economy projected to surpass $600 billion globally this year, according to Business Research Insights, now is the perfect time to put AI to work. Here are five ChatGPT prompts designed to help you scale rapidly and unlock new income streams. 1. Create High-Converting Lead Magnets Your email list is one of your most valuable assets but growing it can feel daunting. Powerful lead magnets, or free resources that solve real problems, attract your best customers and build trust before the sale. Let's say you offer career coaching for mid-level professionals. ChatGPT might suggest a "Fast-Track Resume Makeover' checklist or a 'Seven-Day Career Pivot' email course. With distribution tips for each idea, you can launch a new lead magnet in days instead of weeks and start building a pipeline of interested prospects. Once you have chosen your top lead magnet idea, use ChatGPT to draft the actual resource, email sequence or landing page copy. This saves hours of work and ensures everything is tailored to your audience. 2. Acquire Customers Without Paid Ads Rising ad costs can quickly eat into your profits, especially for new or bootstrapped side hustles. Organic growth strategies allow you to scale sustainably and build long-term assets that keep delivering value. If you run an online store selling fitness accessories, ChatGPT can map out a customer acquisition plan that includes partnering with local gyms, collaborating with micro-influencers, running social media challenges and tapping into niche Facebook groups. You will get a tailored list of activities that require more creativity than cash. Ask ChatGPT to suggest daily, weekly and monthly routines for customer acquisition. Consistency compounds over time, even if you can only dedicate a few minutes each day. 3. Automate Your Content Calendar Consistent content is the engine behind brand awareness and sales, but coming up with fresh ideas can be a daily struggle. A well-structured content calendar keeps you organized, strategic and visible in your niche. For a six-figure solopreneur running an Etsy shop, ChatGPT can produce an entire month of Instagram post ideas such as product spotlights, behind-the-scenes stories, customer testimonials and educational tips. Each post comes with suggested hashtags and ways to boost engagement, making it easy to batch content and stay consistent. Feed ChatGPT your best-performing content or top FAQs to generate even more targeted post ideas that resonate with your audience. 4. Build Your 90-Day Scaling Blueprint Most side hustlers start strong but quickly lose momentum, distracted by day jobs or overwhelmed by too many options. A 90-day blueprint helps you stay laser-focused on the actions that move the needle so you hit your income goals faster. Imagine you are building a digital marketing consultancy on the side. Run this prompt in ChatGPT and you will receive a tailored roadmap with weekly client outreach targets, marketing campaign ideas, fulfillment checklists and key performance indicators to keep your growth on track. Update and rerun this prompt as your side hustle evolves. Adjust your income targets or available hours to get a fresh plan for your next phase of growth. 5. Design Your Scaling Strategy True scale comes from building systems, not just working harder. Whether you want to automate repetitive tasks, expand your team or streamline operations, the right strategy sets you up for sustainable growth. Picture an online educator whose course sales are growing. ChatGPT might outline ways to automate email marketing, delegate content updates and set up regular reporting dashboards. You will see what to automate, when to outsource and how to protect your business as it grows. As you implement new systems, use ChatGPT to draft standard operating procedures and onboarding materials. This way you can bring on help quickly without losing quality. Next Steps To Scale Your High-Paying Side Hustle Scaling a high-paying side hustle doesn't have to mean longer hours or endless trial and error. By leveraging these ChatGPT prompts, you can work smarter, build systems, attract quality leads and unlock new growth opportunities. The right AI strategy can free you from busywork and help you focus on what matters most, delivering value and enjoying the freedom that comes with a scalable side hustle. Start with these five prompts, adapt them to your business and watch your results compound over time.
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
When To Change Jobs And How Often You Really Should
Changing jobs isn't just about paychecks, though paychecks matter. Lateral moves, pivots, pauses, ... More and sometimes staying - they all count. Some of the most frequent questions I hear from executives to those just starting out, and ones I've wrestled with myself , sound like this: Should I change jobs? Is it time to leave? How often should I change jobs to grow, stay afloat, or stay true to my values? These days, we're all navigating constant change, uncertainty, and sometimes burnout. It's no wonder many of us are asking the big questions about - when and how often - to change jobs. I've carried that weight, too. Over the course of my career, I've walked away from enviable jobs, often after navigating environments where I felt that I had disappeared. I've left places better than I found them. But I've also stayed and grown, building the financial footing to make braver, more values-aligned career choices. I've built relationships and outcomes I'm proud of. And I've learned that quitting isn't the only path forward. Sometimes, the overlooked move is learning to thrive right where you are, even in the hamster wheel of daily survival. None of these choices have been easy. They've been messy, uncomfortable, and, at times, lonely. But each one brought me closer to the kind of career and life I want. So when asked, 'How often should I change jobs?' I answer this: there's no one-size-fits-all formula. Every choice is an investment in something and a tradeoff against something else. The better questions are: What do I need to feel grounded, challenged, and whole in my work right now? What would I have to say yes to - or no to - to make this job still right for me? And What am I still curious about? How Long Should You Stay or Change Jobs? The most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the median job tenure in January 2024 was 3.9 years - 3.5 years in the private sector and 6.2 years in the public sector. Younger workers in their 20s stay an average of just over two years, while those 55 and over often remain closer to a decade. Career experts generally recommend staying at least two years to build credibility, with 3–5 years considered the sweet spot for demonstrating impact, growing your skills, and preparing for your next move. As chief administrative officer of Council Advisors Laura Cococcia puts it, 'The sweet spot takes the form of a thoughtful narrative versus a number. If you can clearly articulate what you learned, contributed, and how you grew, you're in a strong position to make intentional choices about what's next.' That said, the rules have shifted not just because people want more meaning from work but also because the job market is under strain. Hiring has slowed, layoffs are rising, and there are fewer opportunities for new grads and even college students seeking internships than in recent years. In this new reality, staying skilled and agile is key to thriving in the future of work. And waiting too long in a toxic or stagnant job can cost you far more than a paycheck. Why We Change Jobs And How To Know When It's Time Job tenure isn't just about how long you stay. It's about choosing roles that align with who you are, the impact you want to have, and where you're going next. I've stayed in jobs that drained me because leaving felt riskier. I sacrificed my health, my relationships, and my joy because fear led me to make quiet concessions that chipped away at my sense of self. Does your current role offer learning, support, purpose, and stretch? Stay and thrive. But if you're growing resentful, plateauing, or feeling unseen, it may be time to consider a change. Cococcia advises, 'One question I use in advising executives and in my own career is this: What's the cost of staying still? Not just financially, but in momentum, confidence, and relevance.' She suggests going one layer deeper with a weekly self-audit: Where did you feel energy? Where did you feel invisible? 'Patterns show up fast,' she notes. 'Then, it's less about instinct and more about what's energizing you.' If you're unsure whether to stay, grow, or go, these are the questions I turn to again and again: These questions help you see whether your job serves or consumes you. And whether something in the job needs to change…or whether you're getting in your own way. How Life Stage, Strategy And Identity Shape When You Change Jobs Career pathways aren't linear. They can move sideways, diagonally, or even down. They're deeply personal, and they evolve. In your early career, frequent moves might help you explore industries, disciplines, functions, and skills. Mid-career, you might seek stability or stretch leadership roles. And in later stages, you may prioritize impact or flexibility over title. 'Sometimes the best moves rarely follow a straight line,' Cococcia shares, reflecting on both executive coaching and her own path. 'What may look like a detour on a résumé can really read as strategy and many leaders are finally seeing it that way.' It's also important to acknowledge the impact of identity and lived experience on careers moves. For many women and professionals of color, remaining in a role isn't about comfort or lack of ambition - it's about survival amid limited opportunities. Not everyone can walk away from a job immediately. Often, the first step is gaining the freedom (financially or professionally) to choose a different path when the time is right. However, staying too long in environments that don't value or promote you can start to chip away at your confidence. That's not loyalty; it's a toll no one should have to pay. Staying Is Trending - Is It Better To Stay Or Change Jobs? While job switching has historically yielded higher pay, recent labor data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta shows that job stayers are now seeing slightly higher wage growth (4.3%) than job switchers (4.1%) - the first time in over a decade. And while more U.S. employees are staying put, employers are also bringing back 'boomerang' workers - former team members rehired for their experience and ease of onboarding - signaling a desire for stability and trusted talent in uncertain times. That trend suggests employees who stay - or return - are starting to reap the rewards. Still, that doesn't mean you should stay out of fear or familiarity. If your job supports your growth, strengthens your financial security, and protects your well-being, staying can be a bold, intentional choice, not a passive one. Career Tenure Framework However long you've been in a role, the most important thing isn't the number, it's the intention behind your next move. As one leader wisely said to Cococcia, 'You shouldn't leave a role you haven't tried to reshape.' That pause for reflection may be exactly what unlocks what's next. Change Jobs, Stay Put, Redesign It All - It's Your Career Let go of the myth that there's a perfect number of years to stay or that moving often is always better. Instead, ask: What do I need to feel grounded, challenged, and whole in my work right now? What would I have to say yes to - or no to - to make this job still right for me? And What am I still curious about? Sometimes, that means staying and reshaping the role, like carving out a stretch assignment to reignite your learning. Sometimes, it means leaving gracefully because you've outgrown the job or the culture. And sometimes, it means pausing to figure out what's next, whether that's a sabbatical, a new industry, or investing in your own growth. You don't have to stay just because the brand is big or because it feels like there's nowhere else to go. And you don't have to leave just because you're afraid of becoming irrelevant. Real career-building starts when you decide when to stay, grow, and change jobs. Whether polishing your résumé, taking a breather, or leaping toward something new, make your next step yours.
