As We Work

Worried that your boss – or soon-to-be boss – is checking your social media? Some employers are screening social media as part of background checks, and what you post can make a difference in whether you get a job. But that doesn’t mean you have to scrub your online history. Background check executive Dan Shoemaker tells us what companies are really looking out for when they eye your social media feeds before hiring. And social media consultant Rachel Karten offers some advice for promoting your personal brand online in a way that will get you hired. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: How People Can Make Smarter—and Healthier—Social-Media Choices When Twitter’s Watching, Companies Behave Better Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. It’s also the unofficial start of summer vacation season, when your team starts jockeying to take time off. But what happens to your big project when your manager, and co-workers, are out of the office? We hear how some companies are trying to tackle the issue by offering more flexibility. Then, productivity consultant Julie Morgenstern offers some advice on how to get your work done even when you’d rather be at the beach. Hint: it’s all about embracing your need to take a break and enjoy the sunshine. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: This Summer, the Boss Is in the Office While Employees Hit the Beach Mind Tricks for a Lasting Summer Americans Are Vacationing More, but Staying in Work Mode Is Hybrid Work Killing Remote Summer? Yes, but It Doesn’t Have To. Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are your co-workers' quirks driving you crazy? From the cubicle-mate who talks too loudly on the phone, to the person who always microwaves fish for lunch, to the supervisor who’s never on time for a meeting, every office has people who get on your nerves. But you don’t have to let that get in the way of doing your job. Allison Gabriel studies relationships at work and what makes us stressed, and explains why those quirky co-workers sometimes get on our nerves. And conflict resolution consultant Jeremy Pollack gives us the tips and tricks to have conversations with your colleagues so you can work better together. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: You’re Back at the Office. Your Annoying Colleagues Are, Too Weird, Loud and Toxic: Deal With Your Co-Workers’ Annoying Quirks Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you one of the 44% of Americans who say they have a side hustle? Worried that it could get in the way of your full-time job? Don’t be. Hudson Sessions, who studies side hustles and their impact on worker happiness and success, tells us how a side hustle can actually help make you better at your main job. And Dorie Clark, who studies entrepreneurship, shares the right way to tell your boss that you want to take on some outside work. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: How a Side Hustle Can Boost Performance at Your Regular Job More Workers Get Side Hustles to Keep Up With Rising Costs These People Who Work From Home Have a Secret: They Have Two Jobs Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many big-name companies are cutting staff, restructuring or pausing hiring. Getting laid off, or facing the prospect of it, can be very scary. But it doesn’t have to be. In this conversation from the WSJ Jobs Summit, LinkedIn Career Expert Catherine Fisher, Rora CEO Brian Liou, and Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda tell you how to navigate layoffs and put yourself in the best position to get hired for that next job. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: How Big Companies Choose Who Is Laid Off The New Rules of Layoffs Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walmart is one of the world’s largest retailers. With 2.1 million workers, it’s also one of the world’s largest private employers, and it’s hiring, including for tech jobs you’d expect to see in Silicon Valley. Walmart is investing billions into major tech upgrades that could change how many of its employees work, and investing millions of dollars into training its team for what comes next. In this conversation from the WSJ Jobs Summit, Walmart Chief People Officer Donna Morris tells the WSJ’s Chip Cutter about the roles the company is hiring for right now, and how it’s focusing on being “tech powered” without losing sight of the people who keep its stores running. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Walmart Amps Up Cloud Capabilities, Reducing Reliance on Tech Giants Silicon Valley Layoffs Mean Washington, D.C., Is a Hotter Tech Hiring Market Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worried that AI is coming for your job? From ChatGPT writing emails to Midjourney making up images, it’s easy to think that AI could replace many of us at work. But the reality is, AI’s been part of some workplaces for longer than you might realize, including in call centers. WSJ’s Lisa Bannon takes us inside one call center where the AI bot, nicknamed Charlie, is getting mixed reviews. And researcher Stephanie Bell gives us some advice on using AI as a tool to do our jobs better. Spoiler: it’s all about evolving with new technology. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: AI in the Workplace Is Already Here. The First Battleground? Call Centers The Jobs Most Exposed to ChatGPT Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, comedian Samantha Bee, business executive Alicia Boler Davis and Grammy award-winning performer Samara Joy all have in common? They found success in fields traditionally dominated by men. In this episode from WSJ’s Women in the Workplace Forum, they share lessons about how to lead and stay focused on your goals, build a strong team and put your people first. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Leadership Advice and Management Regrets From WSJ’s Women in the Workplace Forum Women in the Workplace Forum 2023 Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The headlines seem to come out every day: another big tech company is laying off big chunks of its staff. But at the same time, the U.S. created more than 800,000 jobs so far this year, and some employers are desperate for workers. If you’re one of the many Americans looking for a new job, but confused about how mass layoffs and a hot labor market can both be possible, you’re not alone. We speak to WSJ reporters Sarah Chaney Cambon and Lindsay Ellis to cut through the chatter of this confusing time. They give us the real economic picture and tell us how job seekers – both new and seasoned – are finding their way through. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Register for the WSJ Jobs Summit Further Reading Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom? What’s Actually Happening in the Jobs Market U.S. Economy Added 311,000 Jobs in February Why the Recession Is Always Six Months Away Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite what you might have been told, your work doesn’t always speak for itself. That’s why it’s necessary to toot your own horn and brag about all the good things you’re doing on the job. But, how do you do that without annoying your boss or alienating your peers? Meredith Fineman, who helps people learn how to brag better, gives us a crash course in suave self-promotion. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Brag at Work Without Sounding Like a Jerk The Best Way to Brag About Your Accomplishments: Don’t Take All the Credit Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you miss when you skip out on that after-work happy hour? How will your boss, and colleagues, treat you if you say “no thanks” to that company retreat? Those sometimes-obligatory work events that fall outside work hours – often called “mandatory fun” – can be no fun to attend. But, if you don’t go, experts say you may be passing up opportunities to build connections that will help you later in life. Producer Charlotte Gartenberg checked out pre-holiday gatherings in New York City to find out what workers think about hanging out with colleagues. Then, Northwestern University’s Adam Waytz weighs in on what these events mean for your career and why you might just have to attend, even if you don’t want to. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: You’re Good at Your Job, but Are You ‘Fun’ Enough? Some Companies Are Ditching the Holiday Party. Others Are Busting Out the Lobster. Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaves of absence are on the rise. In fact, leave requests were up more than 21% in 2022, according to a survey by the HR software company AbsenceSoft. And whether the leave is to care for yourself, a relative or a new baby, for military service or for a much-needed sabbatical, coming back to a job can be complicated. The same job may feel different. You might have trouble getting back into the groove. You may even have new co-workers or a new boss. We hear about one worker’s fears around a multi-month medical leave and what it took for her to reconnect with her job. Then, Denise Rousseau, who studies organizational behavior and employee relationships, tells us how to pave the way for a smooth return that will help you thrive in your organization. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Calling In Sick or Going on Vacation, Workers Aren’t Showing Up This Summer Covid Leave Changes and the Future of the Worker-First Workplace Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking for love this Valentine’s Day? Many people are finding it at work. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, around a quarter of U.S. employees are romantically involved with someone at work right now, or have been in the past. But navigating a consensual office romance can be risky both emotionally and legally. We hear from people who’ve navigated romance on the job – from those first butterflies to post-breakup. Then, employment lawyer Joshua Goodbaum tells us why he thinks “people are really stupid when it comes to romance,” and walks us through the challenges of making sure your workplace love story doesn’t end up causing trouble for you, your romantic partner or your colleagues. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Are Office Romances Worth the Risk? Office Romance? Many Millennials and Gen Zers Would Never Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us were taught that the secret to workplace success is making yourself indispensable. You can’t be fired if you’re the only one who can do the job, right? But leadership expert Liz Wiseman says being indispensable is actually a trap that sucks up your time and keeps you stuck without any room for job growth. She wants us all to focus on a different goal: becoming the person who steps up when needed and helps others do their jobs better. She calls it being invaluable. And with an uncertain economy leading to layoff worries, she’ll give us the tools we need to make sure our bosses know our value without piling on the extra work we didn’t ask for. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: How to Succeed on Your First Day on a New Job When Companies Do Layoffs, Is It Really ‘Last In, First Out?’ Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you get a new boss for the new year? With turnover still high, and many people seeking out new jobs, it’s not uncommon to walk into work and find out a new person is leading your team. Wall Street Journal reporter Chip Cutter tells us about the challenges these new bosses face, and why some are struggling. Then, teamwork doctor Liane Davey gives us the tips to figuring out what makes your new boss tick, and how you can help them while also helping yourself get on their good side. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: The War to Define What Work Looks Like What ‘Get Into a Fistfight’ and Bosses’ Other New Year’s Resolutions Mean for You The Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tired of your current job? Scared the layoff headlines are headed for your industry? It might be time to apply for a new job. But, how do you secure a new position while you’re still at your old one without your boss finding out? We talk to career coach Cara Heilmann, the president of the International Association of Career Coaches, about the importance of staying in stealth mode for nabbing that new job. Then, Michelle Reisdorf from staffing services company Robert Half walks us through the how-tos of building a stellar resume that will land you the interview. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Land a New Job, With Help From the Inside To Find Your New Job, Ditch the Online Resume Portal Make Your Job Application Robot-Proof Workplace Report Careers Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The economic picture is complex right now. There’s still more than 10 million job openings in the U.S. and relatively low unemployment. But some companies have begun layoffs, and high inflation has many Americans worried about an economic slowdown. So, what does this all mean for you? We sit down with two of the Wall Street Journal’s Life & Work columnists, Callum Borchers and Rachel Feintzeig, to answer some of your most pressing questions about building your career in a time of uncertainty. Plus, Callum and Rachel share their best work advice as we head into the year to come. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: A Survival Guide for When You’ve Been Laid Off Can You Get Ahead and Still Have a Life? Younger Women are Trying to Find Out The War to Define What Work Looks Like Workplace Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanksgiving is all about showing gratitude, but sometimes we forget to do it with some of the people we see every day: our co-workers. Sara Algoe, who studies social interactions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is director of the Love Consortium, gives us a crash course in the best practices for showing appreciation and explains why saying thanks is as important for the person giving it as it is for the person receiving it. And we hear from Jacob Coite, who has made an art out of showing appreciation to the people he works with. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Have You Praised a Colleague Today? Go On, Say Something Nice Why Thanking Employees Can Make a Better Leader Is the Secret to Happiness a Gratitude Practice? The Workplace Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do Americans hate commuting? Four-in-ten would rather clean their toilets than undergo the daily back-and-forth to the office, according to a survey by communications platform RingCentral. Now more workers are returning to the office, and time spent in cars, trains and buses is unavoidable. But Julia Lee Cunningham, professor of management and organizations at The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, says that we can use our commutes to make our workdays – and our lives – better. And we speak to a Los Angeles commuter, Jules Gillo, for some tips on how to love your drive in a city known for bad traffic. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: U.S. Return-to-Office Rates Hit Pandemic High as More Employers Get Tougher Commutes Haven’t Changed Since the Days of the Roman Empire Commuting is the Worst. It Doesn’t Have to Be. Workplace Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, the Biden Administration proposed a new rule that could put more gig workers on company payrolls. It’s the latest attempt to clarify just what separates an independent contractor from an employee. We look at the last three administrations’ attempts to answer these questions and then move beyond the political football to find out how workers will actually experience these changes…if they go through at all. Mark Gough, professor of Labor and Employment Relations at Penn State, explains the effects of this potential rule on gig workers and companies. Send us your stories about work and careers! Email aswework@wsj.com, or leave us a voicemail at 212-416-2394. Further Reading: Biden Rule Would Add More Gig Workers to Company Payrolls Biden Blocks Trump-Era Gig-Worker Rule Gig-Economy Companies Get Worker Flexibility From Trump Administration Workplace Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices