As the number of people laid off drops each month and the laid-off workers returning to the workforce climbs, this newsletter will shift, too. I still want it to support those on the job hunt, mourning the loss of their role and struggling to position themselves for their next opportunity. However, increasingly, more and more of my connections are back to work. Seeing Salesforce actively recruit “boomerangs” (5 min read), Amazon and others pushing their return to office strategy (3 min read), and a new normal with AI ever present on the job (2 min read) suggests that a shifting strategy for workers is needed as well. The one constant throughout my career has been learning. Whether it’s new technologies, languages, management practices, or business models adapting to change is crucial for success (and growth.)

As for me, I’m preparing for my next role by considering the differences between an Indeed-sized organization and the likely size of my next team. I’m reviewing skills needed to lead an entire engineering organization (where previously I had significant support from HR, Recruiting, Legal, and many more teams.) I’m also up-leveling my skills in adjacent areas like Product, User Experience, and more. Some of this is coming through practice – small contracts and self-assigned projects, some through reading, and some through talking with experts in the industry.

For example, I dove deep into starting my own business last week. I have filed for a limited liability corporation, built the initial website, and set up a basic accounting system. Welcome to the world, Simple And Done LLC. This will let me take more contracts, manage the taxes, and protect my family from unforeseen issues. It’s a new adventure and a steep learning curve, but here’s to hoping this investment pays off.

Shifting Numbers

90% of companies surveyed plan to return to office by 2024 source

3% – estimated growth of the US economy this quarter (a sign that consumer spending has still been strong even with headwinds) source

15% – estimated chance of a recession in the next 12 months by Goldman Sachs (down from the 20% estimate in July) source

Inspiring a Shift in Work

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”—Herbert Spencer

This article in HBR pulls out four key attributes (11 min read and one incredibly unfortunate image of a baby with a sponge for a head) of those who most successfully adapt to the pace of change: aspiration, self-awareness, curiosity, and vulnerability. This line especially jumped out at me, “When confronted with new learning, this is often our first roadblock: We focus on the negative and unconsciously reinforce our lack of aspiration. When we do want to learn something, we focus on the positive—what we’ll gain from learning it—and envision a happy future in which we’re reaping those rewards.” That makes a strong case for keeping a positive attitude and looking for the best in people, processes, and change.

Vulnerability and curiosity are linked in my mind. They come from some of the same places: wondering why, being willing to ask why, and digging in to learn why. Of course, there’s a mindset portion here, too, recognizing our gaps, anticipating our struggles (or even failures), and expecting to get better.

Get Started and Get Better

I broke a rib last week pitching when a line drive struck me in the side. It’s been painful, but after a few days of resting, I realized that there was still a lot I could be doing while recovering. Getting up and moving made me feel much better both mentally (I’m getting something done,) and physically (not the rib, but other areas that were aching to move.) I have to accept my limitations and protect the rib, but getting started made it easier to get better.

“Get started and then get better” was a mantra in the Indeed Incubator and is a great way to tackle problems. It breaks down procrastination. It gets you out of analysis paralysis. It even helps you clarify what’s truly important from what simply seems important. Every beginning starts with a tiny step. Figuring out what your step is, whether it’s in your job search, your new role, or a new project in an old role is the key. The Lean methodology would have you look for the most significant risk and take the first (or the next) step to mitigate, reduce, or learn more about that. That momentum applied every day will easily overcome even the most daunting tasks.

Fun

Final Words

If I can help with your search, please contact me. Please give me feedback on what you like or don’t care for in this newsletter, and I’ll adjust. For total transparency, I have no affiliation with any of the tools, companies, or resources I share. These are my impressions, not colored by any outside influences.