LinkedIn has unveiled an AI-powered chatbot to coach job seekers with employment opportunities. The company announced the offering as it celebrated surpassing the one billion user milestone.

Leadership development practices are not a "nice to have" feature; they make companies three times more likely to exceed financial targets, 12 times more likely to engage and retain employees, and five times more likely to be more innovative than companies without them, a study from the Josh Bersin Company shows. Bristlecone Chief People Officer Lisa Lesko outlines their signature program that includes six rituals and six critical approaches that made leadership development part of company culture and led to a 15% decrease in attrition.

Leaders can jump-start their career success by slowing down, allowing time for self-reflection, pumping up their curiosity and letting go of habits that no longer serve them, writes Christian Greiser, an executive coach and management consultant. "If you find yourself in constant motion, tap the brakes to reduce your speed and start reflecting on what you could do differently," Greiser writes.

Employers can glean useful insights about the character of potential hires from their references, such as whether those listed are expecting to be contacted and if they've chosen a suitably representative sample list. When talking to references, ask questions to gauge their feelings toward the candidate and draw out specific examples of how they work.

Walmart is opening up more positions at its Bentonville, Ark., headquarters to otherwise qualified candidates who don't have college degrees, and is helping employees advance in their careers by using in-house training platform Live Better U and accessing tuition-free degree and certificate programs at participating institutions. The move comes amid a tighter labor market, a need to increase diversity and the introduction of generative AI into more work tasks, all of which is affecting how more public and private entities are recruiting and retaining their workforces.

Adding popular benefits can help companies recruit and retain staff and encourage existing employees to return to on-site work, and the perks do not have to cost a great deal. Assigned parking, matching charitable contributions, hybrid work arrangements, flex time, birthday holidays, gym memberships, conference attendance, professional development opportunities, career counseling and employee recognition programs are some of the added benefits that employees may find appealing.

US businesses added just 113,000 new jobs in October, falling short of Wall Street Journal's forecast of 130,000, as signs grow of a potential slowdown in the labor market, payroll provider ADP's latest monthly survey shows. "While the labor market has slowed, it's still enough to support strong consumer spending," said ADP chief economistNela Richardson.

Samuel Adams Utopias is one of the most sought-after beers in the world. This year's brew fetches a price of $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle. With an ABV level that checks in at a whopping 28%, the team at Sam Adams recommends serving it in 2-ounce pours. But be careful where you pour or drink it because that sky-high ABV level means Utopias is banned in 15 US states.

The Statistical Review of World Energy, which is compiled by the Energy Institute, offers a comprehensive look at global energy production, consumption, trade and emissions. Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth discusses some of the key takeaways from the most recent edition of the review, including region- and country-specific growth of renewables and how the industry is navigating a 'Triple Crises' spawned by the pandemic and geopolitics. Wayth also looks ahead to share his hopes for what will take place at COP28.