Leaders should embrace agile optimism, which is more open-minded than fragile optimism that hinges on positive outcomes, writes Nick Tasler, an organizational psychologist. "Believing that you or your team can accurately predict all the details on the road to your desired outcome without making any missteps ensures that it's only a matter of time before your fragile optimism shatters into a thousand little pieces," Tasler writes.

Executive coach Melody Wilding dispels the myth of the perfect moment for promotion requests and writes that decisions are made throughout the year, not only during performance reviews. Wilding advises using techniques like "pre-suasion" to signal ambitions, contracting with managers to clarify advancement criteria and framing salary increases as adjustments for expanded responsibilities.

LinkedIn has introduced a new AI-driven feature called Job Match to help job seekers evaluate how their profiles align with available positions. By analyzing skills and experience, Job Match provides personalized insights to guide users on which roles to apply for. The feature is available to all LinkedIn members, with additional benefits for premium subscribers.

Peter Cappelli of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania predicts that workplace changes in 2025 will be incremental, continuing trends from the pandemic. These include a tight labor market, remote and hybrid work, and a focus on office culture and employee wellness. Companies are hesitant to address the erosion of office culture, despite recognizing its importance, says Cappelli.

Low-stress, high-paying jobs such as transportation planner, mathematician and computer systems analyst will be growing in 2025, according to Resume Genius. The sustainability and clean energy sectors will also be increasing in 2025, with jobs such as water resource specialist and fuel cell enginner.

Taking action is crucial when feeling stuck in a career rut. Start by writing down an action plan to clarify your thoughts and create momentum. Recognize transferable skills, as they are crucial for job crafting and transitioning to new roles, writes career coach Steph Brady. Even small steps can help overcome paralysis and restore a sense of purpose.

The recent unveiling of MI5 files shows that Queen Elizabeth II was deliberately kept in the dark about acts of espionage by her art adviser Anthony Blunt. Blunt confessed in 1964 to spying for the Soviet Union while working as an MI5 officer during World War II. However, the monarch wasn't informed about Blunt's confession until 1973 and he was allowed to keep his roles until publicly exposed in 1979. The files shed light on the Cambridge spy ring that infiltrated the UK's intelligence services and reveal a broader context of espionage from the era.