First-time unemployment claims declined to 184,000 last week, a 52-year low. Jobless claims have been falling all year and are now below 218,000, the average the year before the pandemic.

Reduce hiring bias by removing personal identifiers such as name, address, education and dates from applications and determining good interview answers ahead of time, writes Chinor Lee, iCIMS' global head of culture, belonging, inclusivity and diversity, who's often mistaken for an Asian woman on paper, but is actually a Black man. "The entire talent process must focus on the requirements for the role and have appropriate checks and balances so each candidate gets the same level of consideration," Lee writes.

Employees who are thinking of switching jobs or anxious about pay can be better educated about your organization's benefits, why they were chosen and how they compare to those of industry peers, writes Grace Prentice of Nava. "You can spit numbers and stats all day, but at the end of the day, numbers are impersonal, whereas benefits are inherently personal," Prentice writes.

The career path of recently hired University of Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables shows that one of the simplest ways to be noticed is to excel in the job you're in, writes Wally Bock. Venables' path also reminds us how luck is involved and that there are no guarantees of success, even when opportunities are realized, Bock writes.

A photographic optical illusion involving a black Labrador puppy named Pepper and a bubble has won this year's Comedy Pet Photo Awards. Other honorees include photos of a dog catching water from a hose, plus dogs and cats photobombing shots of humans and other animals.

Ethan is a student with special needs. The tall, lanky high-school senior is quiet but friendly, and he loves basketball. He’s on the school’s varsity squad, though he rarely sees the court.

Ethan got in last night, in the last four minutes. He was nervous, I could tell -- twisting his hands, and watching his teammates and following their direction. But he played through his nervousness and slowly loosened up. My eyes filled up watching him sprint up and down the court, pressing on defense and looking for open lanes on offense. I admired his spirit.

And then it happened. Ethan was on the wing and the ball swung over to him. The player from the other team stepped into his face, arms up and waving. Ethan dropped back a step, just outside the three-point line, planted his feet, and with full composure, took the shot. I held my breath as I watched the ball arc toward the net. Swish! Three points.

The bench exploded. The boys rushed the court, yelling and bro-hugging their teammate. The coaches jumped up to call timeout. Ethan ducked his head but was all smiles as he accepted the hugs and high-fives from his teammates and coaches.

And up in the stands, behind the camera, I was a blubbering mess. Mascara streaked down my face and my nose wouldn’t stop running. It was great.

Ethan has fight. He has learning delays that make it really hard for him to grasp and execute plays. He rarely talks. He struggles to keep up during running drills. But he’s at every practice and every game, working to the best of his ability. He genuinely wants to grow.

This story has nothing to do with any of the stories running today (but you should read The HR Leader story about leadership lessons from the University of Oklahoma's new football coach.) But it’s Friday and what better way to kick off the weekend than with a feel-good story.

Plus, we can learn from the Ethans of the world. They show up. They demonstrate courage. They know they have challenges, but they want to contribute -- and they look for ways to do it. I can respect that all day long.

How can I serve you better with this brief? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.