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Hello, there!

It’s been an action-packed week 🙌 

• Podcast: Boost Success-CEO’s Quick Decision Mastery with Qi Cao

• Success story: Alex Hillman & Amy Hoy Teaching Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship

• Biz Hack: Can AI Help in Landing A Job?

• Weekly Business Challenge: London Hotel Falls Prey to Scam 🤔

But first, a tour of the headlines…

Weekly Catchups

News | Industry Insights | Trends

• 👋 McKinsey’s Gentle Layoffs

  McKinsey is laying off its employees but being rather nice about it… The giant’s managers will remain employed, and receive salaries, and career coaching while they hunt for a job over the next nine months. If they fail to find gainful employment, they will have to leave the firm. Last year McKinsey announced ‘Project Magnolia’  which cut 1,400 back office jobs, in one of the the largest restructurings in the firm’s 98-year history. 

• 💰️ $1.5 Million and I’ll Retire

  U.S. adults believe they will need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a 15% increase over the $1.27 million reported last year, far outpacing today's inflation rate which currently hovers between 2% and 3%. Over five years, people's 'magic number' has jumped a whopping 53% from the $951,000 target Americans reported in 2020.

• 🔧 Boots on the Ground

  Blue-collar jobs are back in popular demand. More young workers in the US are ditching college education for vocational training programmes amidst sky-high costs of education and an unsteady job market. The scarcity of plumbers, electricians, and welders has pushed up wages for skilled tradespeople. In turn, enrollment in American vocational colleges hit a record high last year.

Uncharted Horizons

Personal Development | Success Story

Brick By Brick

A post-recession 2009 America, there’s a whiff of enthusiasm in the air for venturing into the unpredictable world of startups. Long-time friends Alex Hillman and Amy Hoy wondered why so many of their friends, gifted with the talent of creating niche products, chose to toil by raising venture capital instead. That’s when they realised the knowledge of entrepreneurship was scarce.

This idea gave birth to the origins of ‘Stacking the Bricks,’ an online resource for podcasts, articles, and courses aimed at fanning the creative passions of independents, freelancers, and remote workers.

They’ve since launched a constellation of smaller products like Alex’s book ‘The Tiny MBA,’ Amy’s project ‘Just F*king Ship,’ and detailed coursework ‘Year of Hustle: Zero to Launch,’ educating people about kickstarting a profitable self-funded business without chasing venture capital.

Strategies | Tools | Marketing Tips

Get By with a Little Help of AI

Artificial Intelligence can empower job seekers to brighten their chances of clinching the top spot they are vying for. You too can leverage AI platforms as your digital coaches with the right strategy and prompts. These virtual agents can help ease your anxieties when D-Day comes knocking on the door. 

#1 Gathering Intel on Company Culture 

GenAI can score data from the internet and provide you with quick and easy intel that assesses the employee experience at your dream firm. Here are some prompts to get you started: 

• What kind of culture should I expect at [company name] 

• What does [company] value?

• List some downsides/ negatives of [company]

#2 Unpack Keywords in the Job Description 

Generative AI can break down certain jobs' main skills, attributes, and values. 

• What hard skills do companies look for in [job title] roles? 

• Make a note of some soft skills needed for [job title] 

• Name the top three personality traits, values, and skills associated with people who are great at [skill] 

#3 Cheat sheet on Potential Interview Questions 

AI can tell you about common questions and how best to answer them. The more detailed you are with the prompt, the more relevant information chatbots throw your way. Some good examples include: 

• I’m applying for a [job title] role. What questions can I expect? 

• How should I answer a question about what my greatest weakness is? 

• List examples of bad behavioural etiquette in job interviews. 

#4 Holding Mock Interview Sessions 

Some GenAI tools are specifically designed to hold mock interview simulations. Others like ChatGPT can provide you with feedback on potential answers to questions. 

For instance, you could ask it: "How can I best answer the question 'Tell me about a time you solved a complex data problem?'" ChatGPT would then generate a sample response you can adapt to your experience.

#5 Don’t Skip the Homework

Please don’t assume all information generated by AI is bulletproof. Distinguish the good advice from the chatter: 

✅ Cross-check your research with different tools 

✅ Read up on public forums 

✅ Pay particular attention to recurring themes  

Don’t Miss It!

Networking | Business Development | Entrepreneurship

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