Dads aren't taking paternity leave, how Jeff Bezos sets goals, and more top insights

What’s happening in the world of work: The Saturday edition of the Daily Rundown highlights the business trends, perspectives, and hot topics you need to know to work smarter. Read on and join the conversation.

Now hiring: High schoolers. As U.S. companies contend with the worst labor shortage in 20 years, they’re turning to teenagers to fill the gap. Teen employment is on the rise for the first time since the 1990s, with 30.7% of 16- to 19-year-olds holding down jobs. It’s a win-win: Companies get access to workers who can be molded into what they need, at a median pay rate that’s half of what adults make. Teens get on-the-job training, experience, and, in some cases, college tuition reimbursement. ? Share your thoughts: #TeenHiringGap

A paternity leave paradox: A study from Ball State University found that 47% of dads think new fathers should take parental leave, but just 14% of new dads take more than two weeks off when the time comes. Part of this is due to a lack of leave benefits: Only 24% of U.S. employers offer parental leave, Bloomberg reports. But even among dads who do get leave benefits, only 36% take the full amount. Moms stay out of work longer, which could hurt their career prospects. ? Share your thoughts: #ParentalLeave

How show-and-tell helps the 76ers: Once a month, the Philadelphia 76ers gather for breakfast in Camden, N.J, where team members offer presentations of their choosing, covering topics as diverse as the life and habits of reptiles, the history of coffee and even the nature of reality itself. The goal? To encourage organic conversation and forge a strong, cohesive team culture, both on and off the court. The move seems to be paying off, with the 76ers recently staging a remarkable 15-game winning streak, a team record. ? Share your thoughts: #76ersCulture

To encourage free thinking, you need ground rules. Free-for-all conversations can be a breeding ground for what author Jonah Sachs calls “idea bullying,” giving vocal participants permission to silence quieter group members and stifle overall creative potential. But research from UC Berkeley suggests that when groups lay down rules — such as committing to political correctness — instead of stymying the flow of ideas, it creates a safe environment that frees all participants to share. ? Share your thoughts: #IdeaBullying

You Asked: “Why do recruiters and hiring managers almost everywhere ask for years of experience in a certain job field or industry and overlook the overall work experience, volunteer experience and life situations? How are we supposed to gain the experience without being given the opportunity?” — Pallavi Gupta, network contract manager at UnitedHealth Group ? Join the conversation: #ExperienceHiring

• “The reason recruiters and hiring managers ask about experience in a certain field is because they don't really know what they're looking for. So this is good way for them to narrow the field down. When I take a search assignment, I ask the hiring manager, ‘What does the person need to do to be successful in this role and what do the best people do differently?’ I suggest the job seekers should ask the same question in the interview and then give examples of the work they've done that's most comparable. This post describes this idea and some other dumb thing hiring managers shouldn't do.” —Lou Adler, author, HR consultant and CEO of Performance-based Hiring Learning Systems
• “These lists of traditional qualifications are used to narrow down the pool of applicants, but they are also biased toward traditional candidates. As a career switcher, don’t despair! Rather, bypass the biased hiring systems by networking into the roles that you’re seeking. Then, show the decision-makers how your transferable skills make you qualified to excel. After all, what a company is most interested in is if you can succeed in the role and deliver results.” —Dawn Graham, lecturer and career director at Wharton, career coach (Read Dawn Graham’s full response.)
• “When I decided to go into software, I had to focus people on what I could become, not what I’d been. I thought of this as turning myself into an arrow, narrowed to a single, violent point — the job that I wanted — where my only relevant trait was where I was going. I’d say the same thing to myself over and over again: “the once and future king!” And that’s what I’d like to say to you too, now, whether you’re a future king or a queen or someone in between.” —Glenn Kelman, CEO at Redfin (Read Glenn Kelman’s full response.)

Looking for career advice from the pros? Submit your questions in the comments with #YouAsked and we’ll take care of the rest.

One last idea: Setting high standards and ambitious goals are hallmarks of great leadership. But, as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos makes clear in his letter to shareholders, you need to embark on your great adventure with a hefty dose of realism. ? Share your thoughts: #BezosLetter

“To achieve high standards yourself or as part of a team, you need to form and proactively communicate realistic beliefs about how hard something is going to be.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Scott Olster / Share this using #DailyRundown