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Should you quit your job without having another lined up? Both possibilities have pros and cons, says career coach Sho Dewan. Stepping away from your current job will allow you time to refresh and recharge, Dewan writes in Forbes. Time off can help you reflect on your career and begin your job search with a clearer head, or inspire a pivot. It can also create space for personal growth outside of work. But there are downsides: Financial limitations may become a burden, longer CV gaps could hinder you on the job market and the loss of workplace friendships could shrink your social circle. Have you ever quit a job without a backup plan? Vote in our poll and join the debate. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUK3Tnsy ?: Jennifer Ryan & Todd Dybas

What's the best way to disclose personal news to others at work? Sam Wasserman, who leads a career consultancy firm, says understanding the purpose for sharing your news will determine what to say, who to tell and when. Writing in Fast Company, Wasserman suggests focusing on "primary stakeholders". If you need time off or alterations to your workload or schedule, those are the people who make those adjustments. She also says to find a quiet place to deliver the news in person and timing it so that it isn't a rushed discussion. There, you can provide what she calls your "minimum message", which focuses on explaining the situation and its impact, requesting support and relaying a plan of action. ?? How do you handle delivering personal news at work? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUJeMiqv Summary ?: Todd Dybas ??: Getty Images

Would you take a pay cut to keep working from home? Some workers say they would. A recent study by Harvard Business School found that nearly half of professionals would trade their salary for the home office, with 40% admitting they would forgo at least 5% of their compensation to avoid the commute. A further 9% said they would take a 20% pay cut. The survey of more than 2,000 workers also found that 42% of men said they would take some type of pay cut, compared with 37% of women. But women were more likely to accept a 20% pay cut to avoid going into the office. More companies are now requiring staff to come into the office at least three times a week, with one in three companies in the UK telling workers to return five days a week. Would you trade part of your salary to stay at home? Vote in our poll below and tell us more about your choices in the comments. Sources: Harvard Business School: https://lnkd.in/eyMbuR7s The Economist: https://lnkd.in/dxQ-9kxr Pinsent Masons: https://lnkd.in/eNbieH4e ??? Solange Uwimana

Self-assessment can guide you toward a more fulfilling job. First, determine your non-negotiables, writes Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a professor of business psychology at University College London, in Harvard Business Review. Consider ranking your needs and prioritising one or two that you're unwilling to budge on (i.e. better work-life balance, or the ability to retire early). Know what drives you on the job and whether you work better as an individual or on teams, says Chamorro-Premuzic. Also, put yourself through an either/or test (there's one in the link below). Once you're finished, you can cross-check your results with job openings or ask interviewers about your priorities. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eMmvwy5x Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Know what you have in common with others to identify what makes you unique. That's the advice of personal branding coach William Arruda. Writing in Forbes, Arruda says that your points of differentiation come from first understanding your commonalities, then noticing what you do better than others, what perspectives you possess and where your passions lie. Those traits should inform your interview answers. Arruda's advice is to tell interviewers your differentiation, then explain why it matters. Back that up with an example of your power in action. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ehXemSF9 Summary ?: Todd Dybas ??: Getty

If a recruiter or hiring manager asks you to take them through your CV, answer by focusing on how your experience applies to the role. Don't repeat the same skills from job to job, says career coach Marlo Lyons. Instead, talk about where you started, what got you promoted and the outcomes you produced, she tells Harvard Business Review. Lyons also recommends including brief explainers about why you moved from Job A to Job B. Did you want to increase your skills? Or challenge yourself in a larger company or market? Did someone recruit you? For maximum impact, keep your answer under two minutes and fluff-free. Read more: https://lnkd.in/djhdcXH2 Summary ?: Todd Dybas ??: Getty Images

Don't discount your personal network during the job hunt. Forbes contributor Diane Winiarski says friends and family can help your job hunt in several ways. Lean on them for interview prep by conducting mock interviews – particularly with friends who are also former colleagues. Another tip: Tell friends and family that you are looking for a new job and which industry you are hunting in, and see if they have any recommendations to help expand your network. Your inner circle can also prop you up and give you support when the job search becomes challenging or long. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g3VFepkc Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Even artificial intelligence companies are getting fed up with AI-generated content. In what Gizmodo.com calls “a comical case of irony”, Anthropic – the startup behind AI chatbot Claude – is asking job seekers not to use AI writing assistants when applying for positions at the company. Applicants for roles including software engineering, sales and communications are required to agree to the policy as Anthropic wants to "evaluate your non-AI-assisted communication skills". Have you used AI when applying for a job? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments. ??: James Callan Sources: Gizmodo.com: https://lnkd.in/due_h7wv 404 Media: https://lnkd.in/eXCkV-Ke

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to bring your lunch to work? Packing your own lunch (instead of going out or ordering in) not only saves money, but is often a healthier option than fast food or delis. Some may even need to resolve to take a lunch break altogether ... 47% of Gen Z workers said they skip the meal at least twice a week in a recent survey: https://lnkd.in/e3qGK5zu ?? So did you pledge allegiance to the brown bag this year? Please take our poll and leave a comment below.

Hurrying up can burn you out. Speaker and author Kandi Wiens says identifying the symptoms of "hurry sickness" can help you determine whether rushing is crushing you at work. Wiens lists ailments like eroded patience, thinking that everything is urgent or feeling like time always seems to be slipping away as indicators of burnout. She suggests blocking time for deep work or adjusting your to-do list to re-rank tasks by importance. And before you automatically say yes to that next thing, take a minute to write down the "consequences of saying yes". A roadmap of the impact will help you better understand how that task influences you in and out of work. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g_HZ9m9P Summary ?: Todd Dybas ??: Getty Images