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How to build a standout personal brand online, in person and at work

How to build a standout personal brand online, in person and at work

CNBC5 days ago
Want to get ahead and open yourself up to new opportunities? A strong personal brand might be just what you need.
With the rise of digital platforms, personal branding is more powerful and essential than ever. A well-crafted personal brand helps you stand out professionally, expand your network, and open new doors in every area of your life.
Building a personal brand can feel intimidating, like something reserved for influencers or CEOs. But the truth is, we all have a brand, whether we choose to use it to our advantage or not.
Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Build A Standout Personal Brand Online, In Person and At Work, is a practical guide to taking control of your narrative and putting it to work for you. From discovering what truly sets you apart to expressing it confidently, you'll learn how to build a brand that both creates opportunities and authentically represents who you are.
Plus, we'll share actionable tips to build a cohesive LinkedIn profile that attracts hiring managers, clients, and more.
This course is for anyone looking to grow their presence, from job seekers aiming to stand out in a competitive market to professionals striving to enhance their reputation and unlock new career opportunities.
Led by three personal branding and marketing experts, this course offers real-world advice to amplify your presence both online and in person.
Sign up today for How To Build A Standout Personal Brand Online, In Person and At Work, and use the coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $67 (plus tax). Offer valid July 22, 2025, through September 2, 2025. Terms apply.
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The real reason a 4-day workweek makes people happier in their jobs—it's not just more free time
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The real reason a 4-day workweek makes people happier in their jobs—it's not just more free time

It's not exactly surprising that workers support moving to a four-day workweek. In the last five years, hundreds of companies have piloted a four-day, 32-hour workweek with no pay cuts to some 8,700 workers around the world. People experienced less burnout, stress and anxiety, and better mental and physical health. Employees rated their work-life balance higher, and even business profits grew. There are two major factors for the boost in workers' happiness, says Juliet Schor, an author, economist, sociologist and lead researcher of the 4 Day Week experiments. One, of course, is that people have more time for their families, friends, sleep, hobbies, health and communities, Schor writes in her latest book, "Four Days a Week." The second factor, however, is that workers are happier even while they're on the clock. Simply put: The four-day week makes people feel much more effective at work, and that makes them happier in general. Trial participants self-reported that they were more productive than ever after moving to a shortened week. When faced with the task of getting their usual amount of work done in less time, workers and teams found ways to cut out busywork, streamline processes and determine what work was actually most important, Schor writes. Some said they felt more stress trying to cram everything in, though those situations were the exception, Schor writes. Beyond maintaining productivity, "people just feel so much better," Schor tells CNBC Make It. "They feel on top of their work and their life, and they're not stressed out. They feel recovered when they come to work on Monday morning. They feel more eager to do work. They feel like they can get it done." When workers feel like they're good at their job, they feel good overall, and that spills into their personal lives. "That productivity bump they get, of feeling so good about their work quality, that has a big positive impact on their overall well-being, which we never expected," Schor says. The four-day workweek could also make people feel better about their jobs because it signals a new contract between themselves and their employer. The typical five-day, 40-hour workweek has been the national standard by law since the 1940s. When companies introduce a shorter workweek without a pay cut, the flexibility can be seen as an exclusive benefit or reward. It signals that management is willing to give up some control over how people structure their time, Schor says, especially if part of the goal is to explicitly improve employee well-being. The move can additionally strengthen teams when colleagues band together to work smarter in less time. The four-day week "makes everyone super motivated to implement [process] changes, which aren't easy," said Jon Leland, who previously helped Kickstarter through a four-day workweek pilot. "It makes the stakes really high, because you're not only gaining these efficiency gains just for yourself, but you're doing it for everyone else around you," Leland told Schor in her book. "This accountability to co-workers is an important part of why people are willing to make the extra effort to find efficiencies, forgo goofing off, and do the hard work," Schor writes. "They develop more team spirit."

I'm a career coach, and the job market right now is a dumpster fire. Applying for jobs should be the last step in your job hunt process.
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I'm a career coach, and the job market right now is a dumpster fire. Applying for jobs should be the last step in your job hunt process.

A decade ago, most of my clients requested rsum writing support, and I'd take them through a pretty simple, plug-and-play process for a very straightforward market. Now, the market is a dumpster fire. In recent years, AI has replaced jobs, companies are offshoring or going leaner, and mass layoffs in the public sector are sending thousands into the private sector. There are simply more people competing for even fewer jobs. Many people who would've gotten scooped up in a second a few years ago are getting completely passed up. Here's my advice to people navigating the 2025 job market. Applying for jobs should be the last step in the job hunt process The people I see struggling are the "jack of all trades" people who aren't clear on what they want and try to fit themselves and their rsum into any job. It's important to get crystal clear on your target companies and job titles, and tell a consistent story across your rsum and LinkedIn. Before building your rsum, gather a few interesting job descriptions that match your desired job title, pull out the keywords and phrases used to describe the ideal candidate, and speak directly to those points. You can even plop those keywords directly into your LinkedIn headline, skills list, and within the bullet points on your rsum. For example, if "cross-functional collaboration" is an important skill a company is seeking, write a bullet point that clearly states how you've utilized cross-functional collaboration in a past role. Network before you apply to a job to improve your chances I'd rather job seekers send out 100 networking messages than 100 job applications. While applicant pools have gotten larger, recruiter teams have gotten smaller, meaning many recruiters are absolutely overwhelmed. The people I see getting through the application phase are those with a referral, those working with a recruiter, or those who apply within the first few hours of the job being posted. Networking is particularly important for people who are pivoting careers or are newer to the workforce. Tips on how to build connections that can lead to landing a job If you're doing a cold reach out, find people with whom you have something in common — whether they live in your area, went to the same college, or volunteer for the same organization. You can use filters on LinkedIn to locate people by location, school, organizations, etc. Rather than reaching out with a vague request for a 15-minute chat, which is easy to ignore or pass on, ask a specific question like "I see you got your PMP certification. I'm thinking of that. Would you recommend it?" From there, you can work on building a connection and, depending on the person, ask for a referral. I see a lot of people just reaching out to colleagues or folks in their industry. Don't forget the people in your life who are natural-born connectors or know a lot of people. This could be real estate agents, hairdressers, fundraisers, and community leaders. This is where I see the good stuff happening. LinkedIn needs to become your new best friend LinkedIn rewards two primary activities: sharing knowledge and engaging. Posting original content can be great for solidifying your personal brand, but don't forget about commenting. Commenting is a low-stakes way to become more active on the platform, get your name out there, and get the algorithm warmed up. I recommend making a spreadsheet of VIPs in your personal field, checking out their activity, and commenting where they comment. Or, if someone replies to your comment, connect with them and send a message saying "thanks for that thoughtful comment. I'm looking to expand my network." Taking time off from job searching can be helpful I see so many people sad, defeated, and fearful that they'll never work again. I want people to know that it's not them, it's this competitive market. I know the job search can be soul-crushing, so I'm a huge advocate for taking time off. Whether that's the weekend or just an afternoon to do something that makes you feel good, I think it's important to find time for yourself. The market is always swinging on a pendulum, so I'm hopeful that it will recover soon.

I'm a career coach, and the job market right now is a dumpster fire. Applying for jobs should be the last step in your job hunt process.
I'm a career coach, and the job market right now is a dumpster fire. Applying for jobs should be the last step in your job hunt process.

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I'm a career coach, and the job market right now is a dumpster fire. Applying for jobs should be the last step in your job hunt process.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Emily Worden, a 44-year-old career coach based in Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity. A decade ago, most of my clients requested résumé writing support, and I'd take them through a pretty simple, plug-and-play process for a very straightforward market. Now, the market is a dumpster fire. In recent years, AI has replaced jobs, companies are offshoring or going leaner, and mass layoffs in the public sector are sending thousands into the private sector. There are simply more people competing for even fewer jobs. Many people who would've gotten scooped up in a second a few years ago are getting completely passed up. Here's my advice to people navigating the 2025 job market. Applying for jobs should be the last step in the job hunt process The people I see struggling are the "jack of all trades" people who aren't clear on what they want and try to fit themselves and their résumé into any job. It's important to get crystal clear on your target companies and job titles, and tell a consistent story across your résumé and LinkedIn. Before building your résumé, gather a few interesting job descriptions that match your desired job title, pull out the keywords and phrases used to describe the ideal candidate, and speak directly to those points. You can even plop those keywords directly into your LinkedIn headline, skills list, and within the bullet points on your résumé. For example, if "cross-functional collaboration" is an important skill a company is seeking, write a bullet point that clearly states how you've utilized cross-functional collaboration in a past role. Network before you apply to a job to improve your chances I'd rather job seekers send out 100 networking messages than 100 job applications. While applicant pools have gotten larger, recruiter teams have gotten smaller, meaning many recruiters are absolutely overwhelmed. The people I see getting through the application phase are those with a referral, those working with a recruiter, or those who apply within the first few hours of the job being posted. Networking is particularly important for people who are pivoting careers or are newer to the workforce. Tips on how to build connections that can lead to landing a job If you're doing a cold reach out, find people with whom you have something in common — whether they live in your area, went to the same college, or volunteer for the same organization. You can use filters on LinkedIn to locate people by location, school, organizations, etc. Rather than reaching out with a vague request for a 15-minute chat, which is easy to ignore or pass on, ask a specific question like "I see you got your PMP certification. I'm thinking of that. Would you recommend it?" From there, you can work on building a connection and, depending on the person, ask for a referral. I see a lot of people just reaching out to colleagues or folks in their industry. Don't forget the people in your life who are natural-born connectors or know a lot of people. This could be real estate agents, hairdressers, fundraisers, and community leaders. This is where I see the good stuff happening. LinkedIn needs to become your new best friend LinkedIn rewards two primary activities: sharing knowledge and engaging. Posting original content can be great for solidifying your personal brand, but don't forget about commenting. Commenting is a low-stakes way to become more active on the platform, get your name out there, and get the algorithm warmed up. I recommend making a spreadsheet of VIPs in your personal field, checking out their activity, and commenting where they comment. Or, if someone replies to your comment, connect with them and send a message saying "thanks for that thoughtful comment. I'm looking to expand my network." Taking time off from job searching can be helpful I see so many people sad, defeated, and fearful that they'll never work again. I want people to know that it's not them, it's this competitive market. I know the job search can be soul-crushing, so I'm a huge advocate for taking time off. Whether that's the weekend or just an afternoon to do something that makes you feel good, I think it's important to find time for yourself. The market is always swinging on a pendulum, so I'm hopeful that it will recover soon.

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