Career

How can curiosity help you grow in your career and personal influence? Curiosity only becomes power when it’s backed by proactive research and consistent preparation. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about building just enough of a foundation to ask the right question — the one that moves the conversation forward. Last week, SXSW Sydney shared a clip of my analysis — and it’s a message I’ve seen play out in boardrooms, startups, and leadership teams around the world. 💡 One practice I recommend: each week, pick one business challenge or emerging trend you don’t fully understand. Identify two trusted sources — it could be a podcast episode, a research report, or a colleague. Set aside 30 focused minutes for a deep dive, free from distractions. Then write down three questions or ideas that came from your learning, and bring those to your next team meeting or client call. This turns curiosity into deliberate action, helping you contribute meaningfully when it matters most. 📌 It’s not about who speaks first. It’s about who’s already ready. I believe that the people shaping the future aren’t waiting to be invited into the conversation. They’re preparing for it — long before it starts. Because by the time the meeting is called, by the time the opportunity shows up, it’s too late to start learning. What are you preparing for right now — before anyone asks? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! #Leadership #SXSWSydney

Resumes get rejected in seconds. Most never survive the first glance. A recruiter once told me: “If I can’t scan it in 8 seconds, I move on.” That stuck. It’s not about experience  It’s how fast your value jumps off the page. 1️⃣ Wall-to-wall paragraphs ↳ Skim-proof. Eyes glaze over. ✅ 3 clear impact bullets per role. 2️⃣ Photo on your resume ↳ Bias risk. ATS rejection. ✅ Remove it. Keep a sharp LinkedIn photo. 3️⃣ Outdated objective section ↳ Feels stuck in 1999. ✅ Replace with a 3-line value summary. 4️⃣ 4+ pages long ↳ Signals lack of focus. ✅ Trim to 2 pages max. Link your portfolio. 5️⃣ Tiny font avalanche ↳ Squint = rejection. ✅ Minimum 10-pt font. Embrace white space. 6️⃣ Generic skills list ↳ No proof, no punch. ✅ Back each skill with a metric. 7️⃣ Duties without results ↳ “So what?” vibe. ✅ Show % gains, $ saved, time cut. 8️⃣ Inconsistent dates ↳ Raises honesty questions. ✅ Align month/year format across roles. 9️⃣ Acronym overload ↳ ATS & human confusion. ✅ Spell it out once, then use the acronym. Your resume isn’t your biography  It’s your billboard. Make it impossible to ignore. ❓ Which red flag do you see the most? ♻️ Repost to help someone avoid these resume killers. 👋 Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) for leadership and job search tips.

1600 people applied for a job → ATS rejected 1570 applications in 5 seconds → the hiring manager approved only 8, and the recruiter shortlisted just 5. Now this is why you are not able to land interviews. I’ve heard this so many times from job seekers, even from senior professionals: - ATS is BS - It’s all about luck - It doesn’t really matter how your resume looks Let me be honest with you it does matter. Almost every company, including top tech giants, uses some form of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter and organize resumes. Hence, 90 out of 100 people get filtered out before their resume gets seen by a human. Now it's easy to blame companies for having such systems, but when you receive 100s of applications for a single role, you need automation to help. Blaming won't crack the system, but a strategy will do it. If you are not hearing from hiring managers and recruiters, maybe your resume is stuck in the ATS. Here's how I've helped 500+ professionals pass the ATS screening and land interviews. 1. Make your resume role-specific Most resumes try to be versatile for every role, but that doesn’t work. I helped candidates match their resumes to the exact job description. For a TPM role at Amazon, we used phrases like: → “Led ambiguity-heavy programs across 4+ teams using Agile/Scrum” → “Owned program execution tied to customer-facing delivery and ops efficiency” This mirrors what the JD asks for - and gets picked up by the ATS. 2. Replace tool-stacking with outcome-driven bullets Listing tools (Python, Docker, GCP…) isn’t enough. We rewrote those into impact. Example: → “Used GCP and Airflow to automate data pipelines, reducing report latency by 60%” Now the tools are backed by value. 3. Fix formatting issues that break parsing Many resumes get rejected because they use tables, columns, or PDFs that ATS tools can’t read. We cleaned layouts, used bullet-based formatting, removed visual blocks, and ensured each resume passed ATS parsing tests before sending. These aren’t hacks. They’re systems, and they work. Repost this to help someone struggling to land interviews. P.S. Follow me if you are a job seeker in the U.S. I share practical advice like this that helps you land your dream role.

Ever left a conference with plenty of new numbers or names but zero real connections? When I was first learning about legal tech, it started with conversations with those working in the space. Those discussions established my first legal tech blog, which largely consisted of interviews based on those discussions. That experience taught me something fundamental: the most valuable professional moments don't happen during scheduled networking hours in crowded exhibition halls. They happen when we slow down and genuinely connect. Here's what I've learned about building meaningful professional relationships: 🤝 Choose depth over width: Three genuine conversations beat 30 elevator pitches 💬 Listen first, pitch never: Ask about their challenges before sharing your solutions ☕ Create intimate moments: Suggest coffee meetings or small group dinners at large events 📱 Follow through meaningfully: Send that article they mentioned, not just a LinkedIn request. 🎯 Be selective: Attend fewer events but engage more deeply when you do At the heart of everything I do is helping people. Technology should enhance our ability to connect, not replace it. Follow me for insights on legal innovation and subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. #legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Marketing to target accounts isn't about you. It's about solving their real, messy, human problems. The number 1 reason marketing campaigns fail? They're all about “us” when they should be about “them”. I see it every day; campaigns obsessing over: 💬 "Our unique differentiators" 💬 "Our feature set" 💬 "Our market position" Meanwhile, your prospect is lying awake thinking: 👉 "My team is drowning in work" 👉 "Our project is completely stuck" 👉 "I'm not going to hit my targets" 👉 "Leadership is pressuring me and I can't deliver" 👉 "If we screw this up, I'm on the hook" You need to know them on a human level. Because if you miss their pain points, you're invisible. Ready to make it about them? Here's your playbook: 1. Talk like a peer, not a pitch deck → Replace "leverage" with "use", "utilize" with "try", "implement" with "set up". Strip away the corporate speak. Write like you're messaging a colleague. 2. Lead with their pain points → Start messages with "I know you're dealing with..." or "Many [job title] tell me they struggle with..." Show you understand their world before pitching yours. 3. Focus on specific situations, not generic personas → Instead of “VPs at enterprise companies", try “Sales VPs with “X“ goal". Context beats demographics. 4. Educate first, sell second → Share frameworks, templates, and lessons learned. Build a content library that helps them win “right now”, whether they buy or not. The sales conversations will follow. 5. Show up consistently → Enterprise deals take 6-18 months. Map out a year of helpful content. One great post won't cut it - you need to become their trusted guide through the journey. 🎤 Your best campaign won't sound like a brag. It'll sound like empathy. It'll sound like: "Been there. Tried that. Here's what actually works." Looking for some legend-level stories of closers. Share a line or tactic that turned empathy into pipeline. 👇 _______________ If this post resonated with you, I’d be grateful if you could like it and follow me Jennelle McGrath for more insights. And if you’re feeling generous, a repost would mean the world. If there is anything I can do to help you in your journey, please do not hesitate to DM me! Thank you so much! ❤️

The LinkedIn posting habit that doubled my reach. What is it? I started posting at the exact same time every day. Here's why this works: Your audience develops patterns. They check LinkedIn at certain times, expect content from people they follow, and start looking for your posts. The algorithm benefits: LinkedIn notices patterns too. Consistent posting signals you're a serious creator, predictable engagement helps algorithmic learning, and the platform rewards reliability. The audience psychology:  When people know when to expect your content, they check at that time specifically, your posts become part of their routine, and engagement happens faster. But don't stress about it. This isn't life-or-death. If you have to post at a different time or skip a day, do it. Posting inconsistently is better than not posting at all. Consistency beats perfection. Same time daily beats random posting. Random posting beats not posting. Your audience wants to know when to find you. Make it easy for them. What time do you usually post?

On the importance of being visible in a new academic job (or tips for early career & not-so-early career researchers) Many academics, including me, are more introverted & less extroverted, which makes changing jobs hard. Usually, it takes some time to adjust to a new place—typically, it can take me up to three years. Yet. While making that adjustment, to faces, local language, & more, it is important to stay engaged with the group, the uni & your students. Why? There are two great reasons: first, it makes it easier to adjust, & second, people want to know you were a good investment. Both of these will influence your life for years to come. So how to do it? (1) show up - participate in department activities You should regularly attend departmental meetings & events to show your interest & commitment. Example: Volunteering for departmental committees showcases your willingness to engage & contribute. (2) let people know you are thre. You need to seek opportunities to present your research, locally & further away. Example: Giving talks at prestigious conferences helps you to be recognized & establishes your authority in the field - it also helps the brand of your school. (3) collaborate Once you are established, form partnerships or co-authorships with well-respected researchers. Example: Co-authoring papers with senior faculty can enhance your credibility & introduce you to broader networks. (4) engage in public outreach The nicest people in your college are often in media relations. Take the time to get to know them, & share your expertise with wider audiences through blogs, podcasts, or media interviews. Example: Writing op-eds or participating in podcasts increases public recognition & demonstrates your expertise beyond academia. Note: My best CU moment was when a member of the maintenance crew said, "I heard you on NPR" (5) Engage with students Normalize meaningful interactions & support students' career development. Example: Hang out after class & get to know the kids. Students tell others about those conversations, so those chats help my self-esteem & awareness of who I am in the College. (6) Seek feedback Ask for feedback on your teaching & research performance from trusted colleagues & mentors. Example: Implementing feedback received from annual reviews to visibly improve your work shows growth & openness to learning. (7) Establish a strong online academic presence Update your professional profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, ResearchGate, or Google Scholar. Example: Regularly updating your publication record & sharing insights or recent findings can increase your visibility & network. Note: I'm not saying post like I do, I am saying people should know where you work & how to find you. Being visible is important, it helps your colleagues know who you are, what you do, & how you contribute. If they understand that, you have a much easier transition into your new job! #academicjourney

Being seen at work isn’t always the problem. It’s about being remembered. 🤢 Most of the senior women I coach already have the credibility. But when it’s time for talent reviews or promotions, their names aren’t always at the top of mind. This happens because no one has the language or the urgency to champion them in the rooms where decisions are made. At SheTrailblazes I teach a different way to build strategic visibility. We don’t just try to be seen we engineer it. ↳ Without taking on more work. ↳ Without burning out to prove your value over and over. ↳ And without turning yourself into a walking marketing campaign. Here’s how we do it: 1. Craft a memorable sentence that others will carry. Forget your job title. Focus on how you think and why that matters.  ↳ “She spots second-order risks before anyone else.” It’s about creating a shortcut to your influence something people will remember and repeat. Because influence grows when it’s scalable. 2. Say things that get repeated. When you put language to messy, complex ideas, people reuse it.  ↳ “Spending three weeks to save ten minutes feels like we are not aligned” This is what makes your thinking stick what invites you into the next conversation, even before you ask. 3. Build your power base with 2 or 3 right people Not just mentors, but people with political capital people who will champion for you and insist you get the opportunity. ↳ They say: “She’s great,” but will insist, “Let’s include her before we move forward.” P.S. So, which strategy will you try this week? Let me know. ---- 🔔 Follow me, Bosky Mukherjee - I share actionable ideas for women to scale their leadership journey. #leadership #womenleaders #careergrowth #womenintech #leadershipgrowth

My growth as an Individual Contributor across Amazon, Uber, PayPal, and Google wasn't an individual effort. It was a journey shaped by phenomenal leaders who invested in my development every step of the way. Working at some of the most inspiring companies, I've been truly blessed to have amazing guides along the way. From my first agency internship with Susan Elmore, to Becky Zavala, MBA Zavala at Dow Chemical, Natalie Domond in Amazon Operations, Christina Sorenson who gave me my first corporate role on the Amazon Incentives team, Ricky Rios my first manager in NYC leading our team through a new Amazon product launch, Nancy Joyce Ghosh at Uber and Purva B. at Paul Murray Google. Each of these leaders took a chance on me and came from such different backgrounds. Their guidance allowed me to gain exposure to diverse strategic approaches, learn how to tailor communication for different audiences, think outside the box to solve tough problems, confidently promote my skills, and engage effectively with senior leadership. Having strong managers has played a monumental role in my career, and I am truly grateful for the lessons learned from their unique leadership styles. Here are some key tips I've learned that you can apply with your managers: - Structure Your 1:1s: Use your one-on-one meetings to highlight areas where you need clarity on prioritization or where your manager can help remove blockers for you. - Seek Exposure: Volunteer to shadow or sit in on meetings with your manager. This is invaluable for gaining additional exposure to what that next level looks like and how decisions are made. - Communicate Your Goals: Clearly articulate your career goals and the skills you want to develop. This enables your managers to actively seek out opportunities for you when they arise. - Ask for Real-Time Feedback: Always ask for open feedback in real-time. This allows you to course-correct immediately and continuously improve your performance and approach. A huge thank you to everyone who's been instrumental in my career journey! Your guidance has made all the difference. #Mentorship #CareerGrowth #Leadership #InterviewSuccess #CareerAdvice #MyJourneyToTech #ProfessionalDevelopment

I just finished reviewing 300 job applications. Here's how the top 5% stood out: Let's face it - AI has made it easier than ever to apply for jobs. But because of that, It's harder than ever to stand out. Take cover letters. Because of AI, almost all are now cleaner (fewer typos, more polish). But they're also all starting to blur together. So, we chose not to require a cover letter, and empowered applicants to be creative. The result? 95% still sent in the same generic letter. But 5% made videos, or Canva one-pagers, or cover letters written from the future. And they grabbed our attention. Today, most jobs get hundreds - sometimes thousands - of applicants. If you want to stand out, you need a few sharp tricks: 1. Ditch the formal cover letter Ex: Only write a cover letter when required. Otherwise, a video or Canva one-pager will win. 2. Offer free and unsolicited value Ex: "I reviewed your onboarding emails and found 3 small changes to boost conversion." 3. Follow every instruction exactly Ex: If they ask you to send 2 items to an email address, don't send 4 through the job posting site 4. Less is always more Ex: If asked for example work, your 3 A+ pieces will beat 10 A- pieces. 5. Share 3 tailored ideas Ex: "Here's a quick 30-60-90 plan based on your product roadmap and team structure." 6. Show a sample or mock project Ex: Make a 3-slide deck outlining how you'd approach their current top challenge. 7. Customize for the company Ex: "I've followed your CEO's podcast for months - her episode on trust stuck with me." 8. Show proof, not fluff Ex: "Here's a dashboard showing that my campaigns improved demo-to-close rate by 38%." 9. Build a personal landing page Ex: Make a Notion page titled "Why I'm a Fit for X" with video, resume, and links. 10. Start with a bold first line Ex: If you MUST write a cover letter, make it interesting: "It's 2030 - here's what hiring me led to..." 11. Reverse-engineer their goals Ex: "I saw your Q3 goals include retention - I've led two churn reduction turnarounds." 12. Cut the clichés Ex: Instead of "detail-oriented," say "I caught a $200k billing error in a vendor invoice." 13. Make your resume skimmable Ex: Bold results like "Grew revenue 48% in Q2" so they pop during a quick scan. 14. Send a thank-you video Ex: "Thanks again - I recorded this to share one more idea I didn't get to mention." Most applicants try to look qualified. The best ones show how they'll make a difference. These tricks won't guarantee you the job. But they'll get you noticed, while everyone else is blending in. Any other secrets you're willing to share? --- ♻️ Repost to help a job applicant in your network. And follow me George Stern for more career growth content.