Damola Adamolekun's rapid ascent to CEO of Red Lobster and P.F. Chang's by age 35 exemplifies the "CEO sprinter" phenomenon, where executives reach the top in less than the average 24 years. A study by ghSmart's CEO Genome Project identifies three career accelerators for these sprinters: taking a demotion to expand skills, making bold early career moves and leading through crises.

Career coach Sherri Carpineto emphasizes the importance of negotiating for more paid time off in job offers. Carpineto suggests three strategies: match PTO from previous jobs, calculate the number of days based on personal needs and meet industry standards. She also advises asking potential employers about their support for time off during interviews.

Phil Blair, co-founder of Manpower Staffing, suggests employees prepare a "Proudest Moments List", a self-written summary of an employee's best achievements since their last review. This proactive approach can shift the review into a positive, empowering conversation, potentially leading to career growth and promotions.

The US job market in 2025 is expected to see gradual improvement with hiring picking up in sectors like technology, defense and energy, while professional services and retail may continue to stall. AI adoption is set to increase as companies realize the need to lead or risk falling behind, and the C-suite will see a shift with millennials taking on more leadership roles, emphasizing diverse skills and soft skills.

A Senior Data Analyst is contemplating a job change that offers a $20,000 salary boost and promotion to Data Engineer. Despite the appealing financial and career benefits, the decision is complicated by the loss of $18,000 in unvested 401(k) employer match due to cliff vesting. However, they could recover the 401(k) loss in about three years by maximizing contributions at the new job, says financial expert Kristin Hitchcock.

This story has nothing to do with career advice, but I have to share it from one of our sister's publications. The article outlines a step-by-step training method to teach dogs how to unwrap Christmas presents. The process involves gradually increasing the difficulty of the wrapping and using cues like "unwrap it" to reinforce the behavior.

From the early days of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" to the expansive Hallmark holiday film lineup, TV Christmas specials have become a cultural mainstay, maintaining their popularity by tapping into the universal appeal of heartwarming stories and familiar characters. To make Christmas movies, "You have to lean into a beautiful fantasy world in which good things happen, people support one another and fall quickly for one another, and disruptive forces that seek to exert power or make life harder for those in need will ultimately be defeated," said "Hot Frosty" writer Russell Hainline.

Fourteen years ago, I was laid off from the daily newspaper in Columbia, S.C., (along with many others) and had only three months in my severance package to get another job before COBRA kicked in for a family of four. I put my head down and networked and networked until a few days before Christmas I got the gift of a job at SmartBrief. The insurance crisis was averted, and I was back working in January with former co-workers who went to bat for me. Here's to networking! -- Janet Connor Kahler, editor of Your Career