Gina Sloan


Career development 23h
Hello! I love baking and often bring cakes or cookies to share with my coworkers. At my last job everyone liked it. But at my new job some women in my department are upset. They say I’m trying to impress the boss and make them gain weight.
I just enjoy taking a break and having tea with something sweet. And I don’t want to eat it alone, so I share with everyone.
Now I’m wondering is it really a... bad thing to share baking with coworkers?

 more
4   

  • Randall Giancaterino

    2h

    Based on the information that you have provided: The negative reaction indicate insecurity issues with the complainers. Those folks do not have to eat... the goodies. They also could consider looking to impress supervisors with their own actions. separate from being concerned about your actions. Do what you have to do (within reason) to adjust to your new job environment. :) more

    3

  • hobcapital MCFL

    4h

    some women can just be bitter. please share with those who want it. simple

    1
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Career development

 2h

LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Online Learners: Pro Guide


The digital revolution in education has democratized access to skills, credentials, and transformational learning. LinkedIn -- now the world's largest professional network -- provides a platform where what you learn online can immediately impact your résumé, interview opportunities, and talent acquisition outcomes. The reality is clear: optimizing your LinkedIn profile is no longer optional for... students and professionals. It's the fastest boost for visibility to potential employers and a formidable bridge from online education to real-world career opportunities.

This evolution isn't lost on forward-thinking learners. Where a paper CV was once enough, a strategic LinkedIn profile now stands as your living portfolio, personal brand hub, and connection request magnet. With LinkedIn Learning credentials, digital badges, and targeted endorsement of skills listed, online learners can stand out in the crowded job market by leveraging optimization best practices. In this pro guide, you'll gain actionable tips and tricks to optimise your profile, from crafting a standout headline to requesting impactful recommendations. Whether you're preparing your first internship application or pursuing a graduate degree, these strategies give recruiters and hiring managers the full view of your professional achievements and ambitions.

Let's explore how online learners can create the best LinkedIn profile -- one that showcases your journey, passion, and expertise to the recruiters and employers that matter most.

The data is clear: a strategic approach to LinkedIn profile optimization is essential for students and professionals seeking the next step in their educational or career trajectory. Optimizing your profile is about much more than entering job titles. Every section of your profile is an opportunity to showcase your authentic story and professionalism.

Your profile picture and headline create critical first impressions. A high-quality, professional headshot signals credibility. Most studies show that profiles with a professional photo receive up to 14 times more profile views. Use natural light, a clear background, and attire that fits your industry or education sector. If you need an accessible photo editor, Canva offers templates and cropping tools ideal for LinkedIn.

A powerful headline does more than repeat your job title or major. Go beyond "Business Student" or "Web Developer" by including key skills and a value proposition. For instance:

Optimizing your headline with keywords relevant to your role or program increases your chances of ranking in recruiter search results. Remember, the headline is visible in search listings, connection requests, and shares -- make each word count.

The summary, or "About" section, is your storyline. This is where you express your motivations, professional brand, and aspirations in three to five short paragraphs. Use concise, easy-to-read bullet points to highlight achievements and online certifications. Include quantifiable results -- like "Completed Google Project Management Certificate with 98% assessment score" or "Volunteered 50 hours tutoring first-year STEM students."

Work experience sections should detail not only formal positions but relevant projects, internships, and volunteer work. Where possible, use bullet points and action verbs: "Designed a mobile app with 3,000 downloads," or "Managed peer study sessions as teaching assistant for Professor Chang's management course."

Skills listed play a pivotal role in recruiter searches and employer evaluation. Research shows that candidates with at least five relevant skills receive 17 times more profile views. Select keywords tied to your field (e.g., "JavaScript," "Instructional Design," "Financial Modeling"). Ask classmates, professors, or project collaborators to endorse those skills -- endorsement acts as a testimonial of your expertise.

Request recommendations from managers, colleagues, or professors directly through LinkedIn. Be specific in your ask: "Could you reflect on my performance leading our capstone project?" Recommendations add unparalleled social proof, allowing your abilities and character to shine from another's perspective.

Online learning provides a trove of accomplishments that can be prominently showcased in your LinkedIn profile. The right profile section allows each new credential, badge, or project to shine.

Whether you're attending college, switching fields, or pursuing a graduate degree, treat the education and certification sections as pillars of your professional identity. Clearly list every school you have attended, online and offline. Add LinkedIn Learning courses, relevant MOOCs, and recent micro-credentials. Accreditation matters -- make sure to include in your profile which programs carry official recognition.

For certifications, mention issuing organizations and the month/year awarded. If you completed a noteworthy project or achieved a significant milestone (such as "AWS Certified Solutions Architect"), write one impactful bullet under the credential for extra context.

Learning is only as valuable as your ability to apply and communicate your skills. Use your profile's Experience section not only for paid work but also for impactful volunteer projects, open-source contributions, and academic competitions. Describe your role, scope, and outcome.

Regularly share industry insights or top posts on your feed. For example, after finishing a certificate in digital marketing, pen a post about what you learned and tag relevant hashtags, such as #DigitalMarketing or #OnlineLearning. LinkedIn's algorithm boosts active contributors, which increases your profile's reach to employers and recruiters.

LinkedIn Learning badges provide immediate validation of digital skills, boosting your online presence and credibility. When you finish a course, display the badge directly on your profile and mention it with a sentence or two in your summary or experience.

Remember to regularly update your choices in privacy and visibility settings -- opt into "Open to Work" or "Open to Internship" if actively seeking. The mobile app makes these updates seamless on the go.

Recruiters use LinkedIn's powerful search engine to find candidates with the right skills, background, and career goals. SEO optimization isn't just for websites -- it's essential for your LinkedIn profile, too.

Identify the relevant skills and keywords commonly found in job postings for your target roles. Integrate these terms into your headline, summary, skills, and even in bullet points describing your experience. For example, if you're targeting instructional design roles:

Use LinkedIn's own keyword suggestions or scan job listings for repeat terms. This not only increases your visibility to potential employers but aligns your profile with the search behavior of recruiters.

Every section of your profile can help attract attention. Use the Featured section to pin posts, share PDF résumés, or display top posts. Complete every section of your profile for "All-Star" status -- LinkedIn research shows that profiles marked as complete are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities.

Customize your LinkedIn URL for professionalism (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourfullname). Add your name pronunciation if available. These small touches make your profile easy to remember and find in search results.

Profiles are living documents. Set a monthly calendar reminder to review and update accomplishments, skills, and endorsements. This ensures your profile reflects your most current experience and keeps you ahead in the competitive job market.

Don't overlook privacy -- periodically review your HTTP cookie and privacy settings to align with your preferences. Update your brand messaging as you complete new courses, transition roles, or earn additional certifications.

The right profile is about more than showcasing learning; it's about building relationships that accelerate career opportunities.

Send personalized connection requests after networking events, webinars, or online courses. Reference shared experiences ("We were both in Professor Gupta's digital transformation class") to build rapport. A robust network increases your reach -- studies show the majority of jobs are filled through referrals or direct connections.

Join and engage in LinkedIn groups related to your field -- education management, career guidance, or graduate degree forums -- to discover new opportunities and share industry insights. Sharing content and commenting on relevant posts helps establish your voice and grows your visibility.

Ask for resourceful, specific recommendations after completing projects or internships. Offer testimonials in return -- for classmates, coworkers, or even professors. Endorsement is a two-way street. The more you endorse those skills in your network, the more likely they'll return the favor -- building a robust endorsement record for your skill set.

Support your network by highlighting fellow students or professionals in your top posts section. This not only lifts others up but strengthens your own standing as a community contributor and thought leader.

The education world is transforming -- remote credentials, digital badges, and personalized skill sets are driving the workforce of tomorrow. LinkedIn profile optimization is no longer about simply updating your CV. It's about building a professional digital presence that gives you the opportunity to showcase your expertise, connect with the right employers, and access top career opportunities.

Standout online learners understand this shift. By following the best practices of LinkedIn optimization -- crafting an impactful headline, showcasing digital credentials, leveraging endorsements, and amplifying online presence -- you're not just preparing for your next job search; you're establishing a sustainable foundation for lifelong career advancement.

Ready to take the next step? Apply these strategies, update your profile, and join the ranks of future-ready professionals shaping what comes next in education and employment. The journey from online education to career impact starts with one powerful profile. more

Career development

 4h

NX Direct Showcases Advancement Success Stories from its Atlanta Team | Weekly Voice


Four NX Direct team members standing together, representing the company's focus on mentorship and career advancement.

Advancement stories show how NX Direct helps early-career professionals gain real-world experience, build leadership skills, and grow confidence.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, March 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NX Direct is highlighting a series of recent advancement milestones... within its Atlanta team, reinforcing the company's commitment to internal growth and long-term career development. These promotion stories reflect how the organization's development model continues to translate into measurable career success for individuals within the team.

Across NX Direct, team members have progressed into leadership roles by consistently demonstrating performance and a willingness to grow. This focus on advancement is supported by a structure that prioritizes real-world experience, mentorship, and clear expectations. As individuals take on increasing responsibility, they develop the skills and confidence to advance within the organization while gaining a clearer understanding of how each role contributes to overall success.

One example is Mitchell Babb, who began his career at NX Direct and quickly distinguished himself through consistent performance. He achieved top 10 sales representative status nationwide while continuing to build his leadership capabilities. His progression ultimately led to the launch of his own sales office, marking a significant step in his professional journey. Milestones such as hiring his first employee, creating his company logo, and signing the lease on his first office space reflect the level of growth enabled by the company's development model. These moments represent the transition from individual contributor to leader, shaped by hands-on experience and accountability.

Mitchell's experience reflects a broader pattern seen across the organization. Team members continue to advance by applying what they learn instantly, gaining confidence through their daily responsibilities, and deepening their understanding of how the business operates. These NX Direct promotion stories highlight the company's emphasis on internal growth in Atlanta, where advancement is directly tied to performance rather than tenure.

Their approach is centered on providing consistent exposure to real-world responsibilities while maintaining a clear path for progression. Development is integrated into daily operations, allowing individuals to strengthen communication, improve decision-making, and refine leadership abilities through direct experience. This structure supports steady growth while preparing team members to handle new challenges as they step into expanded roles and take on greater responsibility over time.

By prioritizing a grow-from-within philosophy, NX Direct continues to build a team of leaders who have developed within the organization. This approach reinforces consistency across the business and supports long-term success by ensuring that those stepping into leadership roles bring both experience and perspective. It also creates an environment where advancement is both visible and attainable for those committed to their development.

As NX Direct continues to grow its presence in Atlanta, these stories of advancement reflect the opportunities available. By highlighting real examples of career success at NX Direct, the company strengthens its credibility and demonstrates a continued commitment to developing professionals through experience-driven growth, offering a clear path for individuals seeking long-term progression within the sales industry.

About NX Direct

NX Direct is a sales and marketing firm based in Atlanta, GA, specializing in customer acquisition and career development in sales. With a mission to provide exceptional service for clients and real growth opportunities for its team, NX Direct focuses on hands-on training, leadership development, and performance-based advancement. The company is dedicated to developing leaders, cultivating a team-first culture, and achieving long-term success for both clients and professionals.

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability

for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this

article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. more

Career development

 5h

Dual ATS-Friendly Resumes


PROJECT DESCRIPTION I need two separate, fully ATS-optimised resumes for an early-career professional with experience in program operations, data reporting, and sales & marketing support. One version must align with current Indian hiring conventions, while the other should follow international standards for the US, UK, and wider Europe. The role focus is on Operations, Program Management, Business... Operations, and Entry-Level Analyst roles -- so each document must highlight measurable impact, cross-functional collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and process improvements that modern Applicant Tracking Systems prioritise. My experience includes improving user retention by 20%, enhancing reporting accuracy, managing financial documentation, and contributing to program effectiveness with a 30% improvement. These achievements should be clearly positioned using strong action verbs and quantified results. WHAT I WILL HAND OVER My existing résumé Career summary and work experience details Key achievements with metrics (retention growth, reporting accuracy, program impact) Skills (Advanced Excel, reporting, operations, coordination) Target job descriptions (if required) WHAT I EXPECT BACK * An India-specific résumé that fits local length, section order, and contact norms while remaining 100% machine-readable * A second résumé tailored to global standards -- crisp one-pager or concise two-pager format, with location-agnostic contact details and internationally aligned formatting * Both resumes should clearly highlight: Quantified achievements and impact Operations and program management experience Data reporting and analytical skills Sales and marketing internship exposure * Final files delivered in editable Microsoft Word or Google Docs format, along with PDF versions ready for direct job applications ATS OPTIMISATION REQUIREMENT Prove you understand how modern ATS parsers such as Workday ATS system, Taleo ATS system, Greenhouse ATS system, and Lever ATS system scan resumes for keywords, formatting, and standard section headings. The resumes should: Use clean, ATS-friendly formatting (no tables, graphics, or complex designs) Include relevant keywords such as: Program Operations Data Analysis & Reporting Process Optimization Business Operations Stakeholder Coordination Sales Support & Market Analysis Highlight measurable outcomes (retention growth, efficiency improvements, reporting accuracy) Present internships and current role as strong professional experience Be optimized for recruiter keyword searches If you use tools like Jobscan resume optimizer or similar optimisation platforms, please mention that in your process. REVISION POLICY * Minimum 2-3 rounds of revisions included to refine content, formatting, and keyword optimisation * Revisions should cover: Content improvements (bullet points, achievements, wording) ATS keyword alignment Formatting adjustments * Final delivery should reflect all agreed changes before project closure WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR Please share: Samples of resumes created for operations, analyst, or business roles A brief outline of your ATS optimisation and resume-writing process Tools or platforms you use Estimated turnaround time I'm looking to partner with a writer who can translate my experience in operations, data reporting, and program coordination into two clean, keyword-rich resumes that pass ATS screening and improve my chances of securing interview opportunities in both Indian and international job markets. more

Career development

 8h

Access Careers Centre | Career Development Software


Our AI-driven career development software is designed to enhance staff development and boost student and graduate employability through personalised learning plans. With CPD-accredited content and practical tools, we support professional growth at all career stages. Trusted by academic institutions, businesses, and career firms of all sizes, our intuitive platform elevates employability and... productivity.

Our career development software is an adaptable Digital Learning Solution designed to be tailored to your business or academic institution, no matter how large or small.

Whether you're seeking customised professional development courses or an individual development program, Access Careers Centre delivers unparalleled flexibility. Thanks to an intuitive platform and scalable features, our software can be adapted to fit your precise needs.

Discover a solution that seamlessly integrates with your L&D framework, offering comprehensive support in career development strategies and providing your employees with essential skills for career development. With AI-powered career coaching and personalised learning plans, our software ensures that your team acquires the skills to develop for career growth.

Explore AI tools for training and development that elevate employability and productivity, giving your staff and students a competitive edge in their career journeys. more

Career development

 10h

Stephen Mihm: AI is hastening the résumé's demise. Good riddance


By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location... data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Artificial intelligence isn't just being blamed for killing jobs; it's exposing the fundamental flaw in one of hiring's oldest tools: the résumé.

Thanks to AI, any applicant can churn out a polished, professional-looking version with a few basic prompts -- regardless of their qualifications. Frustrated companies have responded in kind by deploying the technology to sort the submissions.

The methods may have changed, but this is a familiar tug-of-war. For close to a century, the résumé has been the focus of an intense struggle between job seekers hoping to present themselves in the most flattering light and employers eager to find the best candidate. But its usefulness was short-lived at best and should have been replaced with a better way to evaluate job seekers long ago.

Though it's possible to find documents that look vaguely like a résumé prior to the 1920s, the version we know today came into its own that decade. Researchers in what's now known as industrial and organizational psychology grappled with a challenge confronting large corporations: what was the best way to screen the applications of hundreds of job candidates about whom next to nothing was known?

Up until then, many employers placed great reliance on a "Letter of Application," or what we would simply call a cover letter. Then, as now, it invited applicants to explain why they were particularly qualified or well-suited for a particular job, noting their experience, talents, and temperament.

Donald Laird, a professor at Colgate University, thought it was ridiculous that managers would rely on these letters to pick the best candidates. In his popular 1925 book, The Psychology of Selecting Men, he heaped scorn on the cover letter. He pointed to a number of real-world experiments showing that applicants tended to overstate their qualifications and otherwise mislead potential employers.

Nonetheless, managers put great faith in them. To counter this, Lairdpublicized a number of tests that demonstrated how managers could be easily gulled by the inflated self-assessments of job applicants, or simply react in subjective, unpredictable ways. A candidate whom one manager ranked first would be ranked last by another. When shown the same letters a month later, some managers completely reversed their initial judgment.

Laird and other members of the industrial and organizational psychology field advocated for "scientific" methods of assessing job candidates, such as objective tests of skill -- for example, a typing test. They also advanced the heretical idea that the standard "Letter of Application" should come with a sobering chaser: a dull, just-the-facts recitation of the applicant's job history, education, references and other objective data. Initially, researchers called it a "data sheet" or "qualifications brief." Whatever the name, make no mistake: the résumé had arrived.

Applicants quickly realized that the new addition, far from being an obstacle to selling themselves, could be a useful tool in the struggle to stand out from others. In a confession from 1952, one job candidate described how he had typed up his résumé and then brought it to a copy shop, paying extra for a printing process that "makes each piece look as if it is a hand-typed original" -- proof that the résumé in question had been specially prepared for this one position. Then he sent out 100 copies to different organizations.

With that hack, job candidates began submitting résumés regardless of whether a job opening asked for one. In 1958, the Wall Street Journal interviewed an executive from a placement firm, who reported: "We send out about 50,000 resumes a week. Ten years ago, it was closer to 500." An executive with Borg-Warner Corporation likewise declared: "Everybody in middle management keeps a résumé handy these days. It's just part of the businessman's briefcase."

Increasingly, human resources departments noticed that applicants used the résumé to tell white lies, and even bigger fibs, listing fictitious degrees, fake promotions and other embellishments.

By 1968, the Journal found that résumé padding had reached epidemic proportions. "Most firms say they tolerate -- and even expect -- a certain amount of fudging in applicants' resumes," the paper reported. A personnel manager was quoted as saying, "Most of us have a tendency to look the other way when a guy who looks like a real winner is caught in a small lie."

When the '70s and '80s came around, employers confronted an additional challenge: the rise of a new industry dedicated to helping job candidates draft the best possible résumés. There wasn't anything inherently wrong with this, but outsourcing the writing to professionals only underscored the degree to which this humble document, once meant to blunt the puffery of the cover letter, had now become the leading weapon in the job seeker's arsenal.

In 1996, hired-gun résumé writers even got their own professional organization: the National Résumé Writers Association. The advent of the internet around the same time made a growing number of résumé-writing templates and guides available to anyone with a modem.

It's no wonder we've forgotten that sheet of paper's original function. As one workplace expert told the New York Times in 2006: "A good résumé is not simply a rehash of past responsibilities, it's a celebration of successes." To that, I say it's time for more employers to rediscover the virtues of screening applicants by administering skills tests and having prospective employees work for (paid) trial periods before tendering a formal offer.

The résumé may have been created with good intentions, but it has never performed the job it was supposed to do. It's time to let it go.

____

This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen Mihm, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, is coauthor of "Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance." more

Career development

 11h

12 Moments That Prove Kindness Between Strangers Creates the Purest Happiness


A girl was crying in a thrift store dressing room. I knocked. "You okay?" She said, "I got a job interview tomorrow, but I can't afford anything."

I bought her a nice blazer, blouse, and pants, using my employee discount to make it cheap enough for her. The next day my manager checked the receipt and I got fired for using my discount on someone.

A few weeks later I recognized her on the street... and my jaw dropped. She ran up, hugged me, and told me she got the job, and that she still wears the outfit whenever she needs a boost of confidence. more

Career development

 12h

Insurance Institute opens spring IGNITE program to tackle Canada's P&C talent gap


The curriculum focuses on three core areas: essential job‑search skills such as résumé and interview preparation; foundational insurance industry knowledge; and networking opportunities with employers across the P&C market.

"IGNITE is one of many career development initiatives that Insurance Career Connections leads throughout the year to help fill the talent gap in p&c insurance," said Peter... Hohman, president and CEO of The Insurance Institute of Canada. "This program provides opportunities for potential job seekers to attend sessions, make connections, and begin putting serious thought into transitioning towards a new, rewarding career in insurance." more

Jessica Miller


Career development 4d
I just got back from a job interview and have mixed feelings. They kept trying to confuse me and make me feel bad. At the start, they asked me to tell them about myself. I began talking about my duties at my last job, but they said they didn’t want memorized answers, they wanted real achievements.
Then they asked if I had taken a certain test. I said no (I’d never even heard of it) and they told... me that meant I failed it and got the lowest score. At the end the HR person said they had wasted their time talking to me and that their time is valuable.
Is this how interviews are done now to test how well people handle stress?

 more
1   

  • kelvin idikwu

    13h

    it could be part of your interview to test your temporament to see your reaction.

  • avion glah

    1d

    Sorry, it was harsh the HR could have a little bit empathetic.

    1
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Career development

 17h

candidate used a slur during a job interview, co-manager is refusing to manage, and more


It's five answers to five questions. Here we go...

1. Candidate used a slur during a job interview

I'm the hiring manager for a position at a nonprofit. The role has a lot of in-person interaction with clients, so we are looking for people who are well-spoken. One of our candidates used a lesser known slur during her interview. I won't say what the slur was, but it's a term to indicate being... duped or swindled, and the word comes from the name of an ethnic group.

I didn't address it in the moment, but I can't stop thinking about it. How would you have handled this? And, should this error carry weight? On one hand, I understand that when you're speaking on the fly like in an interview, you can misspeak. However, she used a slur! During an interview! How much grace should be extended?

Assuming we're talking about the word that's a slur for the Romani people ... well, it would give me some serious pause! It's not quite as clear-cut as my response to a lot of other slurs would be because there are still a ton of people who have no idea the word is a slur at all, so my concern would be less "she deliberately used a slur in an interview!" (which is fully a deal-breaker on its own) and more "if she didn't realize this word is offensive, will there be other ways she offends people without realizing it," particularly in a job with lots of client interaction where she's presumably expected to be more polished.

At a minimum, if you hired her, it's something you should raise early on ("I'm sure you didn't realize this, but it came up in your interview and I want to make sure you know going forward"). But should it stop you from hiring her altogether? If she was otherwise a strong candidate and didn't give you other reasons to doubt her judgment (and again, we're assuming she doesn't know the etymology of the word, not that she knows and doesn't care), probably not ... but if you have other strong candidates, it's fair to factor it in.

2. My co-manager never had the title and is refusing to co-manage now

My supervisor left our unit and there was no clear successor. Her supervisor, Adam, decided that her work would be taken over by me and my coworker Jane as co-managers temporarily. It went well for a while. Jane had better knowledge of our work, while I have managerial experience, and we had a good collaborative relationship. Eventually, Adam told me he wanted me to take the official manager title. At the time, I questioned him about the decision since I was still learning the work and Jane seemed a better choice. He said Jane did not want to be a manager and I was more suited to the role. We would still be acting as co-managers reporting to him; I would just get the official title.

The job was posted, I interviewed and received the title. When Jane found out, it was like a switch flipped. She moved to a desk far from me, switched her WFH days to avoid me, and barely spoke to me. Adam told me she confronted him and said that even though she didn't want the job, she thought she should be forced to take it as the more experienced employee, because that's how it's done in her country of origin. She complained that she's a "co-manager" but has no supervisory duties. When offered them, she only agreed to take on approving timekeeping for half the staff. Adam made her take a few other tasks. He set up a weekly meeting for the three of us because she wouldn't collaborate without him as an intermediary and she wouldn't do her managerial tasks without his prompting.

It's been a few years and I have mostly gotten over the situation -- Jane does her work, I do mine, and everything runs as it's supposed to. She even started being somewhat nice to me lately. Then two weeks ago, Adam died unexpectedly. Despite his shortcomings with this co-manager situation, he was a great boss. We're devastated and panicking because he did a lot of things no one else knew how to do. In the aftermath, Jane has started deferring everything to me, including tasks she oversees. She gave me permission to approve her timesheets and leave requests since she knows I was Adam's backup in our timekeeping system.

Jane and I have the same salary, and she's never reported to me. I've been pushing back, but it feels like she's trying to give up her co-manager status now that Adam is not here to make her be a manager. I am stressed trying to figure out how to get things done without Adam. She won't talk with me and I'm not her supervisor, so I have no actual power over her. Adam reported directly to the CEO, who I have no relationship with. I don't know that HR can help. What can I do?

Adam really messed this up! While it's odd that Jane thought she should be forced to take the manager job despite not wanting it, it's way more of a problem that Adam expected her to deal with management-level work without the title, and Jane was justified in pushing back on that. She's also justified in declining to do those things now. (It does make it a little better that she's earning the same amount as you, but this is still a very dysfunctional set-up!)

Since Adam is no longer there to sort this out, you need to talk to his boss, the CEO. You'd need to do that anyway, even if you didn't have the co-manager mess to figure out, because the CEO needs to step in as your manager now or designate someone else to fill that role. When your immediate boss dies (or simply leaves), you're not supposed to just muddle through without talking to anyone higher up; it's very, very normal for you to need to talk to the CEO about how things should be handled now, and the Jane situation can be part of that.

3. Did my boss question my ability to discern reality?

I'm unsure if and to what degree a statement my boss made in a recent performance review is inappropriate. In addition to a lengthy upbraiding, he documented in my performance review that "I want you to pause and separate what happened from the story your brain is telling about it." He said that my sensitivity makes me care deeply but can also mean that I get more worked up about situations, and that is draining for others.

I think that this comment is inappropriate because it hints at mental health issues and lays the foundation for questioning my sanity and competency. Can you please tell me if this comment is inappropriate and if so, how exactly?

I don't think it's inherently inappropriate. He's not hinting at mental health issues or questioning your sanity. He's saying that you have a tendency to turn things into something more frustrating or upsetting than is actually warranted by the situation, and that it's taking a lot out of the people around you, and he's asking you to work on doing less of that.

It's pretty serious feedback -- particularly combined with the "lengthy upbraiding" -- and I would try to really think about what he's saying and what handling those situations differently could look like.

4. Can a business hire only women?

I recently listened to a podcast that mentioned a rehab center staffed only by women, with only women as patients. While I think that's awesome, and certainly informed by the trauma that the patients have experienced, I was wondering how that works, since companies can't discriminate based on sex.

The laws prohibiting discrimination based on protected classes (like gender, age, etc.) include an exception for what's called "bona fide occupational qualifications"; employers can make a job single-sex-only if it's truly necessary to the work. The law allows this exception in three circumstances: privacy (for example, you can preference women when hiring a women's locker room attendant), "authenticity in the arts" (like in casting for movies), and when the qualification "relates to the normal operation or essence of the business" (like the mandatory retirement age for pilots for safety reasons or requiring that priests be Catholic).

I don't know enough about this particular rehab center to know if it would qualify for one of the legal exceptions, but I can imagine situations where it could.

5. Planning a vacation during a job search

I've got a milestone anniversary coming up this summer and I'm job searching. We're planning a week-long trip to celebrate. Should I just go ahead and book the dates that work for us now? Or, should I wait? I have no clue how close I am to securing my next job. I'd hate to lose out on an opportunity because of our celebration -- but if we don't book, then we won't go.

Go ahead and book it. If you get a job offer before then, you can explain you have a trip booked for (dates) and ask if they can accommodate that, even if it means taking the time unpaid. If they say they can't, then you can decide at that point if you'd rather move forward with the job at the expense of the trip (and whatever nonrefundable deposits you might have paid), but this is a very common request when negotiating a job offer and the majority of the time employers can accommodate it. There are exceptions to that -- like if that's a really key week for the job for some reason -- but most of the time they can make it work. more

Rita Morton


Career development 2d
Hello! We’re a small travel agency with a close team of women. Recently, a young guy was hired as a sales manager. But he has no basic knowledge, he doesn’t even know where China or South America are. I don’t understand how he’s going to sell tours to clients.
The owner thinks he’ll learn and do fine. But maybe he doesn't realize how little he knows? Should I tell the owner or stay out of it? I’m... worried we could lose customers because of him. Thanks

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  • Mark Oringa Adonga

    17h

    Ignorance is the lack of exposure to knowledge,but foolishness is the outcome of failure to learn.
    I am glad you didn't say he is foolish,teach him... tthen he will be good. more

  • Deletrise Curtis

    1d

    Rita, I hear the concern that your expressed, but I also hear the concern you didn't express. You are a team of women and that can be an environment... which naturally fosters assistance and acceptance. With the inclusion of a young unqualified man in a managers position it maybe innately assumed that the women will train him. And the real concern is this might be something you don't want to do. My advice is welcome him into the workspace but don't train him, it'snot your responsibility. Sometimes it's important to simply stay in our lane and to do so without malice or contempt to others, but respect for ourselves. more

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Career development

 1d

Opinion: 2025 films overlooked by the Oscars you should check out.


Here are a few choice films that will receive no recognition at this year's Oscars that you should watch anyways.

Job hunting is hard. Yoo Man-Su discovers this first hand after being laid off from his job at a paper making company following a corporate buy-out. Years of unwavering loyalty prove worthless as he struggles to find employment in an incredibly competitive job market. Unwilling to... lose his upper-middle class lifestyle to his wife's budgeting plans, Man-Su resolves for a simple solution. To permanently eliminate all of his competition by murdering every other qualified candidate.

"No Other Choice" is brilliant and darkly comedic anti-capitalist satire. As anyone who has tried to find employment recently can attest, the inhumanity of the job market as depicted in this film is barely exaggerated. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and the path out is only big enough for one. Man-Su is driven by the ruthless self interest capitalism breeds. He picks himself up by his boot straps and shoves everyone else down on the way up. What else is he supposed to do? There is no other choice.

If you have never watched a film by Park Chan-Wook, stop what you're doing and change that. Park is credited with catapulting South Korean cinema onto the world stage with his seminal masterpiece "Oldboy." His films are like Steely Dan songs given visual form; telling meticulously crafted and incredibly cynical tales of pitiful losers careening to the ground like Icarus.

While all of Park's films sprinkle humor into extremely unfunny situations, "No Other Choice" cranks the dial up on the hilarity. Murdering innocent people is not very funny. Then you see attempted-murder played out with the physicality and timing of a Buster Keaton film and discover it is actually hilarious. But the humor is constantly contrasted with tragedy. Like a knife coated in sugar, it still cuts deep.

I would like to personally nominate Park Chan-Wook as the most snubbed director of the 21st century. Despite directing modern classics such as "Oldboy," "The Handmaiden" and "Decision To Leave" he still has yet to receive even a single nomination from the Academy.

I guess Park just has to direct yet another career-defining masterpiece so the Academy can notice him.

In order to save his home and resurrect his friend, the infernal spirit prince Ne Zha must conquer a series of trials to gain the blessing of the immortals. In the process coming into conflict with demons, dragons and even heaven itself.

Watching "Ne Zha 2" without any baseline for Chinese cinema is like jumping in a pool; shocking at first but delightful in the end. "Ne Zha 2" has the heart of a Disney renaissance film combined with the epic action of "God of War" minus the spines being ripped out. It is a fascinating combination that makes for one of the year's most memorable films.

It is odd to put a film seen by 300 million people on a list of overlooked movies, but despite being one of the biggest films of all time "Ne Zha 2" was overlooked at the U.S. Box Office. With well over $2 billion in the bank, it's obvious that China doesn't need an American award to validate the quality of "Ne Zha 2."

The Chinese were right, "Ne Zha 2" rocks. I laughed, I cried and I cheered. The film is an adaptation of an ancient cultural myth and in both look and feel lives up to the legendary nature of its source material.

Romance is confusing. One day everything is going well, she seems into you and you're into her. Then she bites your tongue out and explodes. Next thing you know you are riding a shark-man to battle the bomb-woman and a typhoon in the shape of a giant baby. Happens to all of us.

Denji is a hormone beguiled teenager who works as a government sanctioned Devil-hunter keeping the citizens of Japan safe from monsters born of human fear. His average day consists of killing inhuman nightmares and being sexually manipulated by his boss Makima. Seemingly by happenstance Denji finds himself in a picture perfect -- and age appropriate -- romance with a girl named Reze. But Denji's short burst of good fortune comes to an incredibly violent and bombastic end.

When Eadweard Muybridge captured "Sallie Gardner at a Gallop" in 1878, I like to think he pictured something like "Reze Arc" would exist someday. You can't prove he didn't.

"Reze Arc" is an unabashed gonzo-anime-action film with some of the most breathtaking, mind-bending action sequences ever animated. It is also the best superhero movie of 2025. While I admire "Superman" and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," only "Reze Arc" captures the Superhero stories I grew up reading. It is imaginative, ambitious, epic and sincere. Violence and beauty clashing and then blending into a cacophony of color and movement. more

Career development

 1d

How to Create a Digital Portfolio That Visually Pops


Job searching can be tough, and so is standing out among the competition.

When putting together job applications, there's always that question: How should I describe myself? Will potential employers care more about past experience or a list of skills? A digital portfolio answers that question in a way a résumé alone can't. It shows what you're actually capable of.

That's why I put together this... digital portfolio demo project.

Instead of talking about performance, polish, and visual quality in theory, I wanted to demonstrate what that looks like in practice. This portfolio is built the way I'd recommend anyone build one today: fast, visually sharp, and optimized from the start.

In this guide, I'll walk you through how I build a frontend portfolio project using Cloudinary to handle all the image and video magic. No endless hours in Photoshop. No massive file sizes. And, no manual resizing for every device.

Before diving into the code, you can check out the live portfolio demo here:

View the live demo on StackBlitz

Feel free to explore it, then come back and see how everything works under the hood.

Building a great-looking digital portfolio is a no-brainer. However, the real question is: How do you make yours stand out? One of the biggest differentiators is focusing on performance and visual polish. When your portfolio feels fast, smooth, and thoughtfully built, it immediately comes across as more professional.

And when you build it efficiently, you're also signaling to future employers that you know how to work efficiently:

For my portfolio, I went with tools that are popular in the industry and honestly just fun to work with:

Feel free to clone my code and adapt it to whatever you're used to working with.

I'm sharing my portfolio with you as a starting point. Once you get a feel for how it works, you can customize the design to match your style and add sections that show off what matters to you.

I'm excited to see how you make it your own.

A portfolio that stands out needs to be fast, visually sharp, and responsive across devices.

Without automation, that usually means resizing images manually, generating multiple breakpoints, compressing files carefully, and managing large video assets.

Cloudinary handles image and video delivery, optimization, and transformations through simple URL parameters. In this project, cropping, resizing, blur effects, format conversion, and quality optimization are all applied directly in the media URLs.

Transformations run on the fly, and the right size and format are delivered automatically for each device and browser.

Instead of maintaining multiple asset versions or editing files manually, I define the transformation once and move on, without sacrificing quality or performance.

This project uses Cloudinary's demo account () with sample images and videos, so it works out of the box. When you're ready, switch to your own Cloudinary account to display your own images and videos.

Sign up for a free Cloudinary account (the free tier is more than enough for a portfolio).

After logging in, copy your cloud name from the dashboard. You'll use it in URLs like this:

That's it. Since CLOUDINARY_BASE is built from CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME, all image/video URLs that use CLOUDINARY_BASE will automatically point to your account.

In your code, you reference assets using public IDs -- for example:

That means Cloudinary is looking for an asset with the public ID in your cloud.

After you upload your own images/videos to Cloudinary, replace those image values with your own public IDs, for example:

Note: You don't need to change the transformations. Everything in the URL after (like ) can stay the same.

For the testimonials section, I needed consistent circular profile images that focused tightly on each person's face.

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_thumb,g_face,h_300,w_300/r_max/e_sharpen:80/f_auto/q_auto/docs/profile-pic.jpg

The result isn't just a circle. It's a consistent 300×300 headshot, centered correctly every time -- regardless of how the original photo was framed.

That means no manual cropping, guessing focal points, or layout inconsistencies.

For the hero section, I wanted a full-width background image that wouldn't compete with the foreground content.

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/vieste_italy.jpg

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,h_1080,w_1920/e_blur:800/f_auto/q_auto/vieste_italy.jpg

The original image is detailed and high contrast -- great for photography, not ideal for text overlays.

By blurring it at delivery time, I keep the color and atmosphere while removing visual noise. The background supports the content instead of competing with it. No separate "blurred copy" of the file is needed.

For the hero portrait, I wanted a clean, high-quality look -- even if the source image wasn't studio-perfect.

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/docs/profile-pic1.jpg

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_fill,g_face,h_300,w_300/r_max,bo_2px_solid_green/e_enhance/f_auto/q_auto:best/docs/profile-pic1.jpg

The enhancement isn't dramatic -- it's subtle. Skin tones are more balanced, contrast is cleaner, and the framing is consistent.

It looks like a designed component, not just an uploaded image.

In my project grid, the source images came from different industries -- fashion, e-commerce, outdoor photography -- all with different aspect ratios.

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/woman_mountain_ledge.jpg

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,h_400,w_600/r_20/e_saturation:20/f_auto/q_auto/woman_mountain_ledge.jpg

The original image has its own natural proportions.

The transformed version guarantees:

Even though the source images vary wildly, the layout stays predictable and clean. That's what makes the grid feel cohesive.

Video is usually where portfolios fall apart. Files are large, aspect ratios are inconsistent, and playback isn't optimized.

Here's the original full video:

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/video/upload/v1731855790/guy_woman_mobile.mp4

And here's the version used in the portfolio:

https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/so_133,eo_147/c_pad,h_400,w_600/b_rgb:d4a520/f_auto/q_auto/guy_woman_mobile.mp4

Instead of uploading a separately edited clip, I trim and resize at delivery time.

That means:

It behaves like a designed component -- not a raw media file dropped onto a page.

Once layout and performance were handled, I added subtle refinements.

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/docs/profile-pic1.jpg

https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,h_800,w_700/e_vignette:30/e_sharpen:100/r_20/bo_1px_solid_rgb:e0e0e0/f_auto/q_auto/docs/profile-pic1.jpg

None of these effects are dramatic, but together they:

You might be thinking, "All these effects must slow things down, right?" Actually, the opposite!

With Cloudinary:

When someone views your portfolio on their phone, they automatically get perfectly-sized images. On a 4K monitor, they get crisp, detailed versions. It just works.

Notice how much this image was optimized and what that means for your website stats and loading time! Reduced from a 21.30 MB JPG to a 18.26 KB AVIF.

Here's what I love about this whole process: The skills you use to build an impressive portfolio are the same skills you'll use every day in your job.

When you build this portfolio, you're learning how to:

Your portfolio becomes a preview of what you can do. So, you've shown you can build websites that look great, load fast, and feel professional. That's exactly what teams are looking for.

Making a portfolio that stands out doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. It's really about:

Using the right tools (like Cloudinary) to make your life easier.

If you're job searching right now, I hope this helps. You've got this. more

Career development

 1d

Building Professional Portfolio Online: Free Portfolio Website Guide


Building a Professional Portfolio Online: The Ultimate Free Portfolio Website Guide

The future of personal branding and career advancement is digital and within everyone's reach. Building a professional portfolio online is the key to showcasing your best work, standing out in competitive markets, and controlling your online presence. Forget outdated, paper-based collections -- today's most... ambitious students, professionals, and creative talents rely on free portfolio website platforms, advanced website builders, and customizable templates to craft a professional portfolio that doesn't just tell, but shows their capabilities.

Innovation in online portfolio website creation has erased the barriers once posed by expensive web design fees, complicated coding, and limited access to professional website builders. Anyone, from seasoned graphic designers to students building their first résumé, can now make a portfolio for free. These tools make it easy to choose the best portfolio template, customize layouts, and present your achievements with a fully customizable, visually stunning digital portfolio. This guide explores the modern portfolio website landscape, reveals best practices for online portfolio design, and provides actionable steps for building your professional portfolio for free -- no credit card required, no technical expertise needed.

Whether you're looking to create a portfolio website to attract potential clients, building a student portfolio to supplement your university applications, or simply interested in impressively sharing your work experience with the world, this educational resource will walk you through every stage. We'll compare popular free portfolio website builders, pinpoint design features that matter, answer frequently asked questions about portfolio creation, and demystify the digital choices so you can build a portfolio that propels your career forward.

Choosing the right platform is the foundation of any good portfolio. The current portfolio website builder market is brimming with user-friendly options that empower anyone to create a portfolio website for free or at a remarkably low cost.

When it comes to free portfolio websites, names like Framer, Adobe Express, Wix, and Squarespace frequently dominate the conversation. Each website builder offers unique customizable templates that cater to different career paths, from graphic design and photography to digital art or web development. Features such as drag and drop editing, integrated SEO tools, and the ability to add an online store are increasingly common, letting users showcase their best work with minimal barriers.

What sets a high-quality website builder apart is its balance of professional presentation, ease of use, and depth of customization. For example, Framer's portfolio website builder leverages AI-powered tools and professionally designed website templates to help users create a stunning portfolio in minutes, while platforms like Squarespace offer specific solutions for artists and photographers, including page layout and font control, domain name management, and even e-commerce integration.

The right portfolio maker or online portfolio builder provides a solid suite of tools for creating your online portfolio exactly how you want it. Look for platforms that:

You don't have to know CSS or advanced web programming to create a professional online portfolio. These website builders provide point-and-click controls, making it easier than ever to move elements, adjust buttons, upload your logo, and update your experience as your career evolves.

Academic data reveals: digital portfolios increase job placement rates by up to 23% compared to paper résumés alone. Today, a good portfolio isn't a luxury -- it's a necessity. Whether you choose Wix for its drag and drop builder or Framer for AI-powered design, your digital portfolio offers an unmatched potential to showcase your best work from any device.

Now that you've selected your portfolio website builder, it's time to focus on design features that maximize impact and personalization. Portfolio design bridges the gap between your abilities and your audience.

High-performing portfolios use customizable templates, allowing every user to control layout, font, imagery, and navigation. Templates are designed by professionals to highlight your best projects -- whether you're a photographer, an artist, or a software developer. Just as a graphic designer considers the principles of alignment, contrast, and hierarchy, your portfolio template should reflect clarity, simplicity, and creative flair.

The best portfolio layout is one that reflects both your personality and your professional accomplishments. Always keep your site organized -- categories for work experience, client testimonials, a short biography, and contact information are must-haves. Showcase your work visually: image galleries for photography, embedded video for motion design, PDF downloads for writing samples, and links for interactive digital projects.

Remember, the tools make it easy, but your creativity is the secret ingredient. Customize color palettes, update background images, and use call-to-action buttons to guide users through your portfolio site. Featuring an online store or adding an e-commerce integration is a powerful way to monetize your skills, whether you sell design consultations, digital art prints, or photography sessions -- building a portfolio online puts business tools at your fingertips.

Your portfolio website is your brand. The data is clear: portfolio shows that visual and organized digital showcases attract more attention from potential clients and employers. Investing energy in refining your portfolio design and layout pays dividends. Examples of your work tell your story -- curate only your best projects and update regularly. Make your portfolio site a living resume that grows with your skillset.

Access and speed are non-negotiable in today's fast-paced professional world. A free online portfolio builder should help you create a custom portfolio in minutes -- not days or weeks.

To get started, sign up for your chosen builder, select a fully customizable template, and complete your basic profile information. Many platforms allow you to connect directly to LinkedIn or upload your résumé as a PDF, ensuring consistency across your personal and professional digital presence.

Once your structure is in place, upload your best projects, include concise descriptions, and select a creative layout that enhances your portfolio's visual appeal. Portfolio website templates provide flexibility to highlight process notes, project timelines, or before-and-after images -- demonstrating your creative portfolio's depth.

A make a portfolio project should always include elements that are relevant to your profession. For a model portfolio, use high-resolution images, italicized project details, and easily accessible contact links. For designers and artists, emphasize logo mockups, client feedback, and samples that best represent your design process.

Finally, ensure your portfolio website builder offers options for sharing your portfolio link via email, social media, or even generating a branded QR code for networking events. A vital part of portfolio creation is maintaining its relevance -- schedule periodic updates, solicit client or mentor feedback, and keep your domain name active to maintain your impressive online reputation. A professional online portfolio is as much about evolution as it is about presentation.

Digital accessibility is driving the democratization of professional branding and career advancement. Building a professional portfolio online using a free portfolio website builder allows anyone -- students, job seekers, artists -- to create a portfolio website, showcase work experience, and reach new audiences effortlessly. By choosing the best platform, leveraging customizable templates, and following best practices for design and content, your portfolio becomes a gateway to both opportunity and recognition in every field.

As online learning and career markets evolve, portfolios are no longer an optional add-on -- they're the critical advancement every modern learner and professional needs. Explore the future possibilities: create your online portfolio, refine your personal narrative, and unlock the doors to educational and career opportunities worldwide. The future of accessible achievement is here. Build your portfolio in one afternoon -- and change your trajectory forever.

Can I create a free portfolio website?

Yes, you can easily create a free portfolio website with industry-leading builders like Wix, Framer, and Adobe Express. These platforms provide customizable templates, drag and drop editing tools, and free hosting -- no credit card or coding required. This gives you the power to build a portfolio, showcase your best work, and share your professional presentation across any device.

What makes a good portfolio website?

A good portfolio website combines a clean, customizable design, outstanding examples of your work, concise content, and intuitive navigation. It should be mobile-responsive, SEO-optimized, and feature clear contact options. Custom portfolio layouts, feedback from experts, and regular updates ensure your site remains engaging and effective in impressing potential clients or employers.

How do I share my portfolio?

Sharing your portfolio is simple. After publishing your online portfolio, copy the portfolio link and distribute it via email, social media, LinkedIn, or embedded QR codes. Many portfolio site builders also offer tools for integrating with job boards or connecting to your personal website, maximizing your online presence and professional reach. more

Career development

 2d

I Trusted My Friend to Help With My CV and Application -- But She Was At My Interview When I Walked In


The fluorescent lights in the waiting room hummed with a clinical, predatory energy that made the sweat behind my neck turn cold. I clutched my leather folder, my knuckles white, staring at the woman sitting directly across from me in the plush charcoal armchair. It was Leah.

She was wearing the power suit she'd bought last month, her hair lay in a sharp, professional bob, looking every bit the... corporate conqueror. My heart didn't just throb; it felt like it was trying to exit my chest through my throat.

"Leah?" I whispered, the name catching on the dry roof of my mouth. "What are you doing here?"

She didn't flinch. She didn't look guilty. Instead, she offered a thin, practised smile that didn't reach her eyes and adjusted the identical navy-blue company folder resting on her lap.

"Oh, Naomi! You applied for this, too?" she asked, her voice airy and casual, as if we were bumping into each other at a grocery store rather than at the one job interview that was supposed to save my life. "That's so funny. Small world, isn't it?"

"Funny?" I choked out, the air in the room suddenly feeling too thin to breathe. "You told me the role wasn't really your 'vibe' when I showed you the listing. You spent three days 'fixing' my CV for this exact position."

She leaned forward, the scent of her expensive, musky perfume hitting me like a physical blow -- a sharp contrast to the antiseptic smell of the office. "I just thought I'd throw my hat in the ring at the last minute, babes," she said, her tone hardening just a fraction. "May the best woman win, right?"

We had been inseparable since our first year at university.

Leah was the fire to my water. While I spent my nights in the library perfecting my syntax, she was out networking, building a bridge to the career she wanted. She landed a solid role at a marketing firm straight after graduation.

I, on the other hand, had spent the last eight months staring at the peeling paint on my apartment ceiling. The bills had started to feel like physical weights pressing down on my shoulders.

Every time my mother called from the village to ask how the job hunt was going, I felt a fresh wave of shame. "Don't worry, Naomi," Leah had told me over a plate of steaming tilapia last month.

"I'm going to see you win. Your brilliance just needs the right packaging." She held my hand across the table, her grip firm and reassuring.

"I've got the connections, and I know exactly what these HR managers are looking for," she'd insisted. "Just send me your drafts. I'll polish them until they shine." I felt a surge of genuine gratitude that brought tears to my eyes. "You'd really do that for me?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Of course," she laughed, waving away my thanks. "What are friends for if not to pull each other up?" I sent her my CV that night, feeling like a massive burden had been lifted.

I told her everything about the mid-sized firm I'd found. I told her about the salary, a figure that was significantly higher than what she was currently earning.

"It's a bit of a jump for you, isn't it?" she'd remarked, her eyes flickering over the job description on my phone. "But hey, if you think you can handle the pressure, go for it."

I trusted her completely because she was the one who already had her foot in the door of the world I was trying to enter. She was my mentor, my sister, and my safety net. Or so I thought.

The first red flag appeared a week before the application deadline. Leah had been "working" on my CV for five days, claiming she was too swamped at her own job to finish the edits.

"I need to submit it by Friday, Leah," I told her over the phone, pacing the narrow hallway of my flat. "The portal closes at midnight."

"Relax, Naomi," she snapped, her voice uncharacteristically sharp. "I'm making sure it's perfect. Do you want the job or not?" I went quiet, swallowed by the fear of offending the only person helping me.

When the document finally landed in my inbox on Thursday evening, I opened it with trembling fingers. As I scrolled through the pages, a cold knot began to form in the pit of my stomach.

She had removed my two-year stint at the regional consultancy -- the very place where I'd managed a team of six. "Why did you take out the consultancy lead role?" I texted her immediately.

"It makes you look overqualified and expensive," she messaged back seconds later. "Trust the process. I've rephrased your skills to make you seem more 'trainable'."

I looked at the laptop screen, bewildered. She had replaced my active, leadership-focused bullet points with passive, administrative language.

"It doesn't sound like me, Leah," I whispered to the empty room. I called her, hoping for clarity, but she didn't pick up.

A few minutes later, a voice note arrived. "Naomi, you're overthinking. I know these recruiters. They want someone who won't clash with the current manager."

I looked at my original draft -- full of achievements and high-level strategy. Then I looked at her version -- muted, simplified, and almost invisible.

The pressure of the deadline felt like a physical hand squeezing my throat. If I didn't submit this now, I'd lose the chance entirely.

If I ignored her advice and failed, I'd have no one to blame but myself. "She knows better," I whispered, trying to convince my pounding heart.

I uploaded her version of my life and hit 'submit'. The confirmation email felt less like a victory and more like a surrender.

Two days later, the invitation for an interview arrived. I was ecstatic, screaming into my pillow before calling Leah to share the news.

"That's great, bestie," she said, though her voice sounded strangely flat. "I told you my edits would work."

"I'm so nervous," I admitted. "Do you think I should brush up on the project management software they mentioned?" "Don't bother," she replied quickly. "They told me -- I mean, I heard -- they're moving away from that system."

I paused, the air suddenly still. "How did you hear that?"

"Just industry chatter, Naomi. Focus on being 'personable'. That's your strength." I sat on my bed after we hung up, the silence of the apartment feeling heavy and suspicious.

The light outside was fading into a bruised purple, casting long, distorted shadows across the floor. I felt like I was walking through a fog, unable to see the cliff edge until my foot was already hovering over the drop.

I decided to do a quick search on the company's recent LinkedIn posts. There, featured in a "Meet the Team" video from that morning, was the exact software she told me to ignore.

My heart gave a sickening thud. Why would she lie about something so small?

I shook it off, telling myself she was just misinformed. Friends don't sabotage friends.

I spent the next forty-eight hours rehearsing the "personable" answers she had coached me on. I wore the modest navy dress she suggested, even though I felt more powerful in my tailored blazer.

"You don't want to intimidate them," she'd warned. I walked into that office building feeling small, prepared to be the "trainable" girl she had created on paper.

Then the elevator doors opened. And there she was.

The receptionist called Leah's name first. She stood up with a grace that felt like a calculated insult, smoothing her skirt without looking back at me.

I sat in that chair for twenty minutes, the silence of the lobby ringing in my ears like a physical siren. Every time the heavy oak door opened, I expected to see her walk out with a look of shame.

Instead, when she finally emerged, she looked radiant. She caught my eye and gave a small, triumphant nod that made my stomach do a slow, sick flip.

"Good luck, Naomi," she whispered as she passed, her voice dripping with a pity that felt sharper than any blade. "They're looking for someone very... specific today."

When I finally walked into the boardroom, three panellists sat behind a glass table. I sat down, my hands trembling as I laid out my "diluted" CV in front of them.

"So, Naomi," the lead interviewer began, flipping through the pages with a bored expression. "Your profile seems a bit... entry-level for a role with this much responsibility."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "I've actually managed teams before," I said, my voice sounding thin and desperate in the large room.

"It's not listed here," he replied, pointing to the gap where Leah had deleted my consultancy experience. "We're looking for a leader, not someone we have to hand-hold through basic operations."

I looked down at the paper -- the paper Leah had "polished" for me. It was a map leading me directly into a dead end.

"I can explain those gaps," I started, but I could see their interest fading like a dying ember. They began asking technical questions about the very software Leah told me to ignore.

I tried to pivot, to show my personality as she'd coached me, but they weren't looking for a "friend." They were looking for the expert I had been before I let her touch my career.

The air in the room felt heavy, smelling of stale coffee and the ozone of high-end air conditioning. I realised then that I wasn't just fighting for a job; I was fighting the version of myself Leah had invented to ensure I'd fail.

The floor beneath my feet felt as though it had turned to water. I stumbled out of the interview room, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind me like a gavel.

Leah was still there, leaning against the glass windows of the lift lobby. She was silhouetted against the harsh afternoon sun, watching the city traffic crawl below.

"How did it go?" she asked, her back still turned. Her voice was steady, devoid of the nervous energy I was currently drowning in.

"They thought I was a junior, Leah," I said, my voice cracking as the humiliation finally broke through. "They literally laughed when I mentioned strategy. The edits you made -- they erased everything that made me a contender."

She turned around slowly. For the first time in ten years, the mask slipped completely. The warm, supportive sister-friend was gone. In her place stood a woman with eyes as cold and calculating as a high-frequency trader. There was no sympathy there; only a hard, metallic ambition.

"Maybe you just aren't ready for this level yet, Naomi," she said. Her tone was clinical. "I did you a favour, really. I kept you from overpromising and crashing out in the first month. You would have been out of your depth."

"You applied for it yourself," I whispered, the realisation hitting me with the force of a physical blow. I looked at the identical folder in her hand.

"You didn't just 'fix' my CV. You harvested it. You took the leadership highlights you deleted from mine and pasted them into yours, didn't you?"

She didn't even have the grace to flinch. She simply adjusted the strap of her designer handbag and looked at me as if I were a piece of outdated software.

"I saw the salary range on that listing, Naomi. It is double what I make now," she said flatly. "Why should I let you leapfrog over me? I've spent years networking while you were just... waiting. You haven't paid your dues."

The betrayal felt like a thick, oily slick in my throat. The soundscape of the office -- the ringing phones, the rhythmic tapping of keyboards -- suddenly muffled, as if I had been plunged underwater.

"You knew I was desperate," I gritted out, my eyes stinging. "You knew my landlord was calling every day. You used my vulnerability to scout a better deal for yourself."

"It's just business, babes," she said, her voice dropping to a low, cold hum as the lift doors chimed and slid open.

"Don't take it so personally. In this city, you're either the one holding the ladder or the one being stepped on." She stepped into the mirrored carriage, the doors closing on her calm, unbothered reflection.

I didn't cry on the bus ride home. The betrayal was too deep for tears; it felt more like a cold, clarifying frost.

I reached my apartment and sat in the dark for a long time, listening to the distant hum of traffic. My phone buzzed with a notification from her on social media.

"So proud of us for putting ourselves out there today! Lunch soon? x" I stared at the screen until the light dimmed and went black.

I didn't reply. I didn't demand an explanation; I already had. Instead, I went to my settings and clicked 'Block' on every platform we shared.

The silence that followed was the first bit of peace I'd felt in months. The next morning, I opened my laptop and pulled up my original, "overqualified" CV.

I restored every achievement, every leadership role, and every technical skill she had tried to bury. I realised that by trying to make myself "palatable" for her, I had made myself invisible to everyone else.

A week later, I saw a LinkedIn update from the company. The role was being re-advertised; neither of us had been "the right fit."

I felt a grim sense of satisfaction knowing her sabotage hadn't even bought her the prize she'd sold her soul for. I hit 'apply' again -- this time with the real version of me.

I haven't heard back yet, and the bills are still piling up on my kitchen counter. But the air in my apartment feels lighter, stripped of the toxic expectations of a "friend" who wanted me to stay small.

I used to think that loyalty was a debt you paid to people just because you'd known them a long time. I thought that a friend's success was my success, and I assumed they felt the same.

But I've learned that some people only want to see you do well as long as you aren't doing better than them. They will offer you a hand to help you up, only to ensure they can control how high you climb.

True friendship doesn't require you to shrink so the other person can feel tall. It doesn't ask you to hide your strengths to protect their fragile ego.

I am still looking for work, and the uncertainty is terrifying. But I would rather be unemployed and standing on my own two feet than successful and leaning on a snake.

I've reclaimed my voice and my history. And I've learned the hardest lesson of all: trust is a gift, but discernment is a survival skill.

If the person closest to you is the one holding the scissors, how can you ever expect to grow? more
2   

  • Susan Basch

    1d

    As long as you feel yourself now, that is what counts.

  • Steward Tony Pacheco

    64
    2d

    Mistake One: Putting You Career, Your Money, Your Relationship, Your Dreams, Your Sspirations, Or Your Personal Whatevers In Someone Elses Hands....
    Based On The Length Of The Short Novel You Wrote, I Cant Help But Wonder "WHY?"
    So, What You Do From This Point On Will Determine If You Have The Ability To Protect Your Most Valuable Assets? Your Dreams!     more

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Career development

 1d

'AI killed the cover letter.' This Wharton economist says the hiring ritual's days are numbered | Fortune


Sending your resume into the void has never felt more useless.

Employers cut 92,000 jobs in February alone. Unemployment among entry-level employees peaked last July at 13.3%, the worst entry-level market in 37 years. Two-thirds of companies have put hiring on pause while they wait to see where AI can fill the gaps, and in the meantime, 1.17 million jobs have been cut since last year.

So you do... what everyone does: You turn to AI to write a cover letter that slightly exaggerates the role you held in your junior year of college. That's totally fine, since three-quarters of resumes never reach a human's eyes anyway. This means you're using AI to write something that gets read by AI, fulfilling some twisted ouroboros that Socrates and the lot would have had a doozy explaining to their students.

For Wharton Business Economics Professor Judd Kessler, there's a simple alternative: Toss the fake enthusiasm and pick up the phone. The University of Pennsylvania professor and author of Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want instead thinks the cover letter's days are numbered.

"I expect that in the not too distant future, cover letters are gone," Kessler told Fortune. "Either cover letters will be required and everybody will have AI write good ones and they'll be ignored, or employers will stop asking for them because they realize they're not looking at them and they're not adding value."

Kessler says job hunting is starting to look a lot like the good ol' days: It's all about who you know. At the heart of his argument is the concept of a hidden market: any system that has to allocate something valuable without simply letting the highest bidder win. Think of Taylor Swift pricing concert tickets at $99 when millions of fans would pay 10 times that, or a university with 50,000 applicants for 2,000 freshman seats. Price alone can't decide who gets what, so other rules take over -- rules like knowing a roadie who can get you behind the stage, or having an alumni vouch for you. These are all signals in a hidden market.

And the labor market is one of the biggest hidden markets of all.

"We want to allocate scarce resources, and we don't want to let price do the job on its own," Kessler said. "We find it more efficient to have a search process where we identify the best person for the role."

In this dynamic, signals like the cover letter used to matter, because it meant candidates were spending the time and making the effort to show their enthusiasm.

"It was a costly signal that a job candidate could send that they were really interested in a particular role," Kessler said. "And it was costly because writing a good one was hard and took time, and you couldn't do it for every firm." The signal was hard to ignore: This candidate was serious; after all, they wrote a cover letter.

That all changed when AI made it a quick snap to fake enthusiasm in three frivolous paragraphs.

"Generative AI comes, and something that used to take a few hours to do well now takes a few seconds, or maybe a few minutes," Kessler said. "And all of a sudden that signal that used to be costly is now very cheap. Economists would call it cheap talk: You can make it look like you are really motivated to join that firm, that the job was designed for you, but you can create that signal very cheaply."

The research backs him up. Kessler pointed to a study by economists Jingyi Cui, Gabriel Dias, and Justin Ye that tracked what happened when a major job platform introduced an AI cover-letter writing assistant. Letter quality improved because they were better targeted, and well-targeted letters led to more interviews. But as the tool spread, "employers stopped relying on cover letters in their hiring decisions," Kessler said. "The cover letters got better, and they became a less useful tool overall."

"In the old days, there used to be a few good cover letters, and that was how you could identify the best-fit candidates," he said. "Now, all the cover letters pass some threshold. They become a prerequisite rather than a differentiator."

Once every application looks polished, none stand out -- and the rational employer either outsources the reading to AI or stops reading altogether. "That's when you would hand it off to AI to be responsible," Kessler said.

Kessler has watched it happen in his own hiring. Despite selecting research assistants at Wharton for the last 15 years, "all of the best cover letters have come in the last 12 months," he said with a laugh, all of which suddenly reference his research papers.

"That used to be a way that I could tell who was actually motivated," he said. "But now everybody does that, and my guess is it's not because everybody has read that research. Everybody has figured out that AI can write a good summary of what I work on and weave that into a narrative. And that means I can't use the cover letter as a good indication that somebody's motivated to work with me."

Instead of relying on an AI-written CliffNotes summary of his own research, Kessler now points to other hidden market signals: "Do they take my course? Do they come to office hours? Do they try to meet with me in person? Those are the signals I start to rely on more, because the cover letter is insufficient."

The cover letter is dead, Kessler says and as a result, the signals are going old school: reaching out and classic networking.

"For the specific signal of 'I really want to work at this firm,' which is a signal that the applicant themselves can send, it's going to be more things that cannot be replicated with AI," he said.

"It's going to be doing in-person networking with members of the leadership team at the firm, taking people that work at the firm out to coffee, going to the coffee chat that the firm has. And those are real costly signals, because they can't be replicated with AI," he added. "When I choose to go talk to people at a firm, I'm using hours that I can't spend talking to people at another firm."

While the coffee chat isn't new, Kessler said the return to meeting people and showing other signals spells the cover letter's inevitable end.

"I often describe this as the age of the cover letter being over," Kessler said. "AI killed the cover letter." more

Career development

 1d

Life is lived mostly in ordinary moments, not in major achievements.


We plan for future successes but rarely consider how we'll actually live day to day. Yet, happiness, and a meaningful life, may depend more on how we spend our ordinary days.

When students, or professionals, sit down across from me for what I call a "Flourishing Chat," which is a mix between life, professional, and health, they rarely begin with a crisis. More often they say something like, "I... know what I want to do... I just don't feel that great about it.

"roles at major companies. The plans are polished. The résumés are strong. From the outside, everything looks ready to go. Then I ask a different question: "What would your ordinary Tuesday look like at this job?" I don't want to know about the title on their business cards or their starting salary. I want them to tell me what time they'll wake up, who they will spend their days with, what kinds of problems they will solve, what their evenings feel like when they come home tired. At this point in the conversation, every time, students, and sometimes even professionals, can't answer my questions. The conversation turns into silence. They have thought about what role they want, but they haven't yet thought about what the role entails - or how it fits with the activities they like to do and the people they care about. We are taught early to think of success as a possession. We accumulate credentials, milestones, promotions, and recognition. We pursue outcomes that can be measured and displayed. Yet even if we mark our life journey with milestones, most of our time travelling will be in the everyday steps we take along our way. How we travel will not only determine which path we take, it will also determine which milestones are worth marking., which is what today we call flourishing or living a good life rooted in activity rather than possession. Flourishing isn't something you own; it's something you do - consistently and as a way that speaks to your gifts and. It is a way of living that aligns one's actions with one's character and in accord with their values. When I talk about this type of flourishing, most people agree that it sounds nice in theory. Yet when it comes to making personal and professional decisions about their lives, they often revert to their old habits of choosing the path that looks most successful from the outside rather than one they can get excited about actually living day to day. I see this tension regularly with students who feel pulled toward careers they are not sure they will enjoy, but I also see it with professionals at almost every stage of their. Ambition is framed as climbing a ladder rather than finding better ways to act on one's values so that you can have greater impact on oneself and others. Success is an external metric rather than an internal measure of alignment.compresses lives into highlight reels: the graduation photo, the new job announcement, the promotion. We see the trophies, not the ordinary weekday mornings that make up a life.I learned this lesson myself early in my career. Like many ambitious young professionals, I believed that hard work meant sacrificing the present so that futurecould eventually arrive. Like the lesson of the famous "marshmallow test," I thought it demonstrated the capacity to achieve success: A noble ability to endure now so I can enjoy later.important to put in the time to become great at what we do - it is equally important to consider what we are enduring for. Is it to achieve for the sake of achievement, or is it to be able to successfully accomplish the things we truly care about doing? Psychologists sometimes talk about the "arrival fallacy," which is the belief that reaching a certain goal will bring lasting fulfillment. The problem is that achieving theseMeanwhile, the real question remains unanswered: Do I actually like how I spend my days? This is why, in these flourishing chats, I push my conversation partners toward the details - towards painting as complete a picture as they can. Not because I want to discourage ambition, but because ambition is healthier when it is grounded in reality and in self-reflection.These questions shift the frame. They ask us to stop seeing success as something you possess and to start seeing it as something you practice. They ask us to payThis perspective doesn't make decisions easier. In fact, it can make them harder, because we now have to think beyond external validation and ask ourselves what actually sustains us. We must be honest about tradeoffs we are willing to make and have the courage to choose paths that may not look impressive from other people's vantage points. Yet, taking this view of success also offers something liberating, because now our everyday isn't a means to a few momentary milestones. Life is embraced through the ordinary days we spend living it., is an associate professor at the Emory University School of Medicine and the executive director of the Emory Purpose Project.Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.

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Career development

 1d

The Rise of "Resume Botox": Over One in Four Canadian Workers and Job Hunters Admit to Downplaying Their Experience, as Many Don't Want to Appear Overqualified


Botox might be best known for smoothing wrinkles to look younger, but a growing number of Canadians are applying the same philosophy to their resumes. New research from Employment Hero, the global AI-powered employment platform, finds 28% of Canadian workers and job seekers have downplayed their work experience - on their resume, LinkedIn profile or in job interviews - with many wanting to avoid... appearing overqualified.

The behaviour is part of a growing trend dubbed "resume botox," where candidates subtly smooth out their professional history by trimming earlier roles, removing graduation dates or dialing down senior experience that could make them seem older or overqualified.

The data suggests Canadians are being strategic about what signals their resumes send. Only half of Canadian workers and job seekers (50%) say they would include their graduation date on their resume if applying for a job today, and that transparency drops sharply with age. Two-thirds of Canadians aged 18-34 (67%) say they would include their graduation date, compared with 45% of those aged 35-54 and just 33% of workers aged 55 and older.

Among those who admit to downplaying their experience, the motivations arelargely tactical: avoiding the perception of being overqualified (41%) and keeping the focus on recent achievements (41%) were the most common reasons cited.

Underlying these choices is a broader concern about age bias in hiring. More than three-quarters of Canadian workers and job seekers aged 55 and older (77%) say their age makes them a less attractive candidate in today's job market, with nearly half (47%) strongly agreeing. Among workers aged 35-54, 41% say their age works against them, compared with 29% of those aged 18-34.

Real-world perspective

After 26 years with a manufacturing company in Mississauga, Ontario, Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) Bayla Greenberg-Consitt learned her employer was moving its operations to the U.S., eliminating her role. Re-entering the job market in her mid-fifties, Bayla hired a recruitment coach who advised her to remove graduation dates from her resume and trim 10 to 15 years of her work history to appear more aligned with the roles she was targeting.

"Re-entering the job market after almost thirty years, I knew my age would work against me," Bayla said. "Despite my experience, I was willing to take on a more junior position that I was overqualified for, but employers seemed to struggle with looking past my age and recognizing the value I could bring with my extensive experience."

While the "resume botox" approach landed her several interviews, it ultimately failed to secure a job offer. In the end, a personal connection led to a new position where the depth of her experience was fully valued.

For KJ Lee, CEO of Employment Hero Canada, the findings highlight a tension many job seekers feel between presenting their full experience and positioning themselves strategically for modern hiring processes.

"When talented people feel the need to 'botox' their resume just to get a fair shot, it tells you something about the system," said Lee. "Experience shouldn't be treated like a liability. The reality is that businesses benefit enormously from people who've seen more cycles, solved tougher problems and know how to get things done."

Lee says the findings should serve as a reminder to employers that experience and adaptability often go hand in hand.

"The best hiring decisions come from looking at what someone can do today and the impact they can have on your business," he said. "If companies filter out candidates simply because their experience looks 'too long' on paper, they risk overlooking some of the most capable people in the workforce."

Notes to editors

About Employment Hero

Employment Hero is the global authority on employment, offering a world-leading Employment Operating System (eOS) that simplifies and optimises every stage of the employment process. Its award-winning platform combines HR, payroll, recruitment, and employee engagement tools with the groundbreaking employment superapp, EH Work, which integrates career management and financial wellbeing. Serving over 350,000 businesses and managing more than 2.5 million employees worldwide, Employment Hero reduces administrative burdens by up to 80%, enabling organizations to focus on their goals and create more productive, engaged teams. By revolutionising the employment marketplace, Employment Hero is making employment easier, more valuable and rewarding for everyone.

Survey Methodology

These findings are from a survey conducted by Employment Hero from March 11th to March 13th, 2026, among a representative sample of 1034 adult Canadians who are working or looking for work who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260323952353/en/ more

Career development

 1d

Career Development And Training Market Size, Share and Trends Analysis Report by Product | Weekly Voice


The Business Research Company's Career Development And Training Market Report 2026 - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2026-2035

LONDON, GREATER LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, March 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The career development and training sector has seen impressive growth lately, reflecting the increasing importance placed on skill enhancement and professional advancement. As more... individuals and organizations seek to improve workforce capabilities, this market continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements and changing educational preferences. Let's explore the current market size, key growth drivers, leading regions, and trends shaping this dynamic field.

Career Development and Training Market Size Showing Strong Expansion

The career development and training market has experienced significant growth over recent years. It is projected to rise from $196.68 billion in 2025 to $210.38 billion in 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0%. This growth during the historical period is fueled by increased efforts toward workforce upskilling, a surge in demand for professional development programs, wider adoption of classroom-based training, enhanced collaborations with higher education institutions, and a stronger emphasis on employability and job preparedness.

Download a free sample of the career development and training market report:

https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=33428&type=smp&utm_source=EINPresswire&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR

Future Outlook and Continued Growth Trends in Career Development and Training

Looking ahead, the market is expected to maintain robust growth, reaching $277.86 billion by 2030 at an accelerated CAGR of 7.2%. This anticipated expansion is largely driven by the rising use of online learning technologies, growing interest in AI-powered training solutions, greater focus on personalized career development paths, expanded corporate reskilling initiatives, and increased use of gamification and immersive learning tools. Key trends projected to influence the market include the growing popularity of online and blended learning formats, rising demand for career coaching and mentorship, more integration of aptitude and personality assessments, broader internship and apprenticeship programs, and a heightened focus on developing soft skills and leadership abilities.

Understanding Career Development and Training as a Concept

Career development and training encompasses structured programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing individuals' skills, knowledge, and professional abilities. These efforts support continuous learning, career progression, and workforce preparedness. The goal is to improve employability, job performance, leadership capabilities, and adaptability to evolving industry demands through systematic learning and development interventions. Such programs benefit both individuals and organizations by fostering long-term growth, productivity, and professional excellence in a rapidly changing economic and technological landscape.

View the full career development and training market report:

https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/career-development-and-training-market-report?utm_source=EINPresswire&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR

Digital and E-Learning Platforms as Key Growth Catalysts in Career Development and Training

One of the strongest drivers behind the market's expansion is the growth of digital and e-learning platforms. These platforms deliver, manage, and support educational content and training via digital technologies, enabling flexible, remote learning experiences. The rise of such platforms is tied to increased internet accessibility, smartphone penetration, and demand for adaptable learning formats. Career development and training leverage this growth by providing structured, scalable frameworks for online and blended professional courses, certifications, and skill-building programs. For example, in January 2024, Eurostat reported that 30% of internet users aged 16 to 74 had utilized online courses or learning materials, up from 28% in 2022, illustrating how digital platforms are fueling market growth.

North America Leading the Career Development and Training Market with Asia-Pacific Growing Rapidly

In 2025, North America held the largest share of the career development and training market. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period. The market report covers several major regions, including Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, providing a comprehensive perspective on global market dynamics.

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Career development

 1d

Hungarian Job Seekers Finding Work Faster Than a Year Ago, Survey Shows - Budapest Business Journal


The average time from starting a job search to filling a new position has dropped significantly. In the first quarter of 2025, job changes took slightly more than five months on average. That has now fallen to 3 months and 22 days, the survey found.

At the same time, more respondents said job hunting now takes up a substantial part of their daily routine. The share of people who began searching... while unemployed also increased compared with last year.

High Activity Among Job Seekers

The data points to strong activity levels: 40% of active job seekers said they spend several hours a week searching for work, while another 35% dedicate about an hour weekly. The remaining 25% review opportunities only when time allows.

The proportion of people searching for jobs while not employed rose notably. This year, 61% of active job seekers said they were unemployed when they began applying, up from 53% a year earlier.

Companies Focus on Optimizing Recruitment

A separate, recent survey by Profession.hu among employers found that while companies remain optimistic about hiring prospects this year, they are increasingly focused on optimizing recruitment resources.

More employers -- 26%, up from 21% last year -- said they prefer hiring channels that offer tools to help identify the right candidate by the end of the process.

Job portals remain the most popular channel for both employers and employees, followed by referrals, which have become more common over the past year, and social media platforms.

"The average time from the start of a job search to filling a new position has shortened significantly compared to last year," said Nikoletta Szigeti, head of Profession Services. "In recent months, however, job seeker activity -- while still high -- has moderated and become more deliberate. Candidates are applying more selectively, while employers are increasingly narrowing the candidate pool based on role-specific expectations. For higher-level positions, retention remains dominant, while there is more movement in high-volume roles with higher turnover. As a result of this duality, the meeting of supply and demand has become more efficient, which may play a significant role in the shortening of the average job search time."

What Matters Most to Workers

The survey found that 13% of workers are currently actively seeking a new position, while 21% changed jobs in the past year.

A sizable group -- 33% -- are passive job seekers: they do not regularly browse listings but are open to offers and would consider switching for the right opportunity.

When evaluating potential roles, respondents cited salary and benefits as the most important factor (84%), followed by workplace location (68%) and a work schedule that matches their preferences (58%). more