Career paths are less predictable today, while feedback and learning are increasingly reliant on informal interactions -- just a couple ways that career development has changed for leaders and employees alike this year, writes Julie Winkle Giulioni. "The day-in and day-out feedback we get from colleagues, customers, suppliers, contractors and others with whom we regularly interact" is a better substitute than infrequent performance conversations, she argues.

The life of musician Eddie Van Halen, who died this week, offers valuable career advice, according to diplomacy and foreign affairs teacher and speaker Jason Criss Howk. Van Halen offers lessons in fitting in or standing apart, innovating and collaborating, among others.

Companies are still hiring during the recession, but caution can still be on the minds of job seekers. "Job stability and tenure have been less of a priority, and the pandemic has made long-term commitment and loyalty less of a given for employers, too," writes leadership consultant Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, which he says "means that you have more room to experiment and play than prior to the crisis."

Transform networking skills into a remote endeavor by reaching out to established contacts, strengthening your digital presence and tightening your virtual pitch, business owners and coaches recommend. Helping clients for free -- with boundaries -- can deepen relationships and spur referrals, they note.

Most of the 8,500 employees who typically work at Target's headquarters and other offices in Minneapolis will continue to work remotely until at least June, the retailer said. The company plans to create a hybrid employment model for the future that will allow for more flexible working arrangements, human resources chief Melissa Kremer said.

A survey by Willis Towers Watson reveals 35% of employers are cutting pay-increase projections for 2021, with an average 2.6% raise for nonexecutives and a 2.5% raise for executives. However, 66% of employers still intend to pay bonuses, with the majority given to managers and executives.

Strings have been a key component of most athletic shoes for a really long time, but Adidas has developed a new shoe where the upper portion consists of nothing but string. The elite running shoe will be nearly zero-waste because it is made by looping string to mold to a shape instead of cutting material from cloth.

In observance of Columbus Day in the US and in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, SmartBrief will not publish Monday. Publication will resume Tuesday.