Move your career as a leader forward by creating a personal board of directors composed of mentors and colleagues who can offer diverse perspectives, help navigate challenges and support professional growth, writes Tammy Perkins, the chief people officer with ProService. "By choosing board members with strengths that complement yours, you can create a valuable resource to guide your decision-making throughout your career," Perkins notes.

Focusing on progress over perfection is an important component of career satisfaction, say Michael Horn of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ethan Bernstein of Harvard Business School and Robert Moesta of The Re-Wired Group, who have co-authored a book on the topic. The authors' research, spanning over a decade and involving more than 1,000 workers, highlights that prioritizing progress and aligning job choices with personal values and long-term goals can help prevent dissatisfaction and burnout.

Instead of putting your more reticent team members on the spot during meetings by calling on them, change up meeting formats to match how they like to participate, support them when they do speak up and create the psychological safety everyone needs to share their ideas, writes David Burkus, an author and organizational psychologist. "Over time, you'll see not just one employee speaking up more but a cultural shift where every voice is heard -- and valued," Burkus writes.

The job market is shifting from a focus on technical skills to a emphasizing emotional intelligence and soft skills. As AI and technology evolve rapidly, companies are looking for employees who can adapt, communicate effectively, and lead with empathy, says recruiter Terry Petzold. This change reflects a need for workers who can handle complex interpersonal dynamics and drive organizational success.

It might be tempting to pause your job search during the holidays due to festivities, disruptions or the misconception that "no one hires during the holidays." In the December CEP Career Connection column, Kate Williamson, founder of Scientech Résumés, suggests the opposite and gives the four reasons why maintaining your job search momentum over the holidays can boost your chance of landing your next career opportunity.

The US job market is currently stagnant, characterized by low hiring and low layoffs. This environment presents challenges for job seekers as businesses are holding onto their existing workforce, making it difficult to find new opportunities. Despite the unemployment rate being near historical lows, the hiring rate has dropped to its lowest since 2013, contributing to a "lack of churn" in the labor market, Bank of America economists said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a measure allowing employees to file for workers' compensation for extraordinary workplace stress, expanding a benefit previously limited to first responders. The legislation is part of Hochul's $1 billion health care initiative. "New Yorkers work hard -- and those who have experienced the unthinkable while on the job deserve to be treated fairly," Hochul said.

Side hustles offer benefits beyond extra income, such as skill enhancement, networking opportunities and entrepreneurial exploration. Professional coaching is a growing side hustle in areas like finance, health, fitness and legal advice. Bookkeeping and tax services are also in demand, especially among small-business owners who need assistance managing accounts and filing taxes.

Record players making a comeback is one thing, but VHS players?! The retro trend of releasing new movies on VHS is gaining momentum, with Disney's "Alien: Romulus" as the first VHS release in decades. This approach taps into nostalgia for the VHS era and has proven popular with collectors, selling out quickly. Following suit, "Y2K" and "Stream" are also set for VHS releases.

After reading story after story about burnout, I took a much-needed vacation and spent two weeks in Vietnam with my 26-year-old son, who also spent the past year putting in long hours. We caught up with friends who teach at an international school in Saigon, spent a day with a guide who is a good friend of a co-worker here at SmartBrief, and toured the Mekong Delta. I never checked work email and trusted my assistant to handle things, which she did amazingly. I followed all the advice on how to disconnect to come back refreshed. I recommend you do the same!