#JobSearch : How Job Seekers Should Use AI To Get A New Job In 2026. Question: Do You Know How to Use AI? Great REad!

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The job market for white-collar jobs in industries like tech, media, and finance is incredibly competitive in 2026. Job seekers are turning to AI tools in their search for a competitive edge as they look for new jobs. However, job seekers have seen mixed results from using AI tools, leaving them with unclear answers of which tools to use, when, where, and why to use them for various parts of the job search.

According to the Insight Global AI in Hiring 2025 Survey Report, 21% of employers said candidates using AI poorly or in the wrong ways signals that a candidate is not putting in enough effort to get the job. On the other hand, that same report said 40% of job seekers are using AI to draft their applications, in addition to 21 % of job seeker who said they use AI to research the company. It’s not that job seekers should avoid AI, but that applicants should learn the best ways to leverage AI. Here is how job seekers should actually use AI tools in 2026 without creating AI slop.

How To Use AI To Get A New Job In 2026

The focus on using AI in the job search should be on reducing information asymmetry and making the process more aligned. That means using AI tools for information gathering and organization. Using AI tools should not be used in a way that makes the application impersonal and or generic. HR teams are reporting that auto-apply tools are overwhelming companies with job applications, but often these applications are obviously completed with AI and, as such, are disregarded.

AI can be used to customize your resume to increase your odds of hearing back from a company, if done in the right way. Christopher Ming, a career strategist and educator, shared some of the tips he gives his coaching clients in a conversation with me.

 

“Upload your resume to Teal, [an AI resume builder], get your baseline ATS [applicant tracking system] score, then feed Teal’s suggestions into Claude to rewrite your bullets naturally,” Ming told me in an interview. “One client went from a 24% match score to 67% in under 30 minutes.”

 

If you write a cover letter with AI, start with a draft you wrote first. In your writing process, use AI to do some research on the company, what they’re working on now, their biggest bets, their biggest threats, and align that with how you describe your own experience. Make sure to bridge that information to your skills and experience in your cover letter. Next, use AI to help clean up your cover letter and find anything you may have left out, especially any overlaps between your research or education and your experience. Manus, Perplexity, ChatGPT, or Claude are all good tools to help you research for your cover letter, and ChatGPT and Claude are good for helping you refine your cover letter.

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Article continued …

Before any interview, research the company thoroughly. You can reuse the same type of research you did for your cover letter, or even do it in more depth with the same AI tools. Use AI to research the most recent announcements from the company, who their competitors are, what customers say about them (good and bad), and any other details that would be relevant to your role. To a hiring manager, it makes you look like you have a real interest in this role when you can show that you understand how you can be most effective.

Unfortunately, many hiring processes end in rejection. But Ming shared aa tip for how to leverage rejection to your advantage in the job search. He said when you get rejected, you can use AI tools to look for other similar job openings.

 

“You [already] know the industry, you’ve researched the role, you understand the problems,” he said. “Use AI to find 10 similar companies and pitch them the same expertise. We can stop treating rejection as failure, but as the foundation for our next 10 applications.”

Common Mistakes Job Applicants Make When Using AI

There are tasks where candidates shouldn’t use AI. Employers are often turned off when they can tell a candidate used AI for something they believe candidates should be able to do independently without AI. Anthropic, the company that creates the Claude GenAI models, explicitly asks candidates not to use AI in their application. Anthropic released guidelines on how to, and how not to, use AI during their hiring process.

Sean Page, talent acquisition manager at Propel, told me in an interview that the most common mistake candidates make in using AI is copying and pasting “the full prompt they put into ChatGPT, Gemini, etc instead of re-writing the output in their own words.” So be sure to manually edit any text that you produce using AI tools.

Specifically, Page said that candidates “using AI to misrepresent themselves via creating deep fakes” or “using AI to answer interviewer’s questions and reading the answers live” may burn bridges. Even if you’re nervous or relatively inexperienced, you have a better chance if you’re being authentic in a job interview rather than trying to use AI tools in a way that doesn’t reflect your real voice or work history.

If you’re looking for a new role, there are thoughtful ways to use AI to get a new job in 2026. Doing it the right way will increase your odds of getting an interview and to make you memorable to hiring managers. Focus on using AI for research, whether it’s for your cover letter or the interview. And use AI to help enhance your resume and cover letter, rather than having AI write it from scratch. Using AI tools strategically, rather than using it for every aspect of the application process, can help you land your next role.

 

Forbes.com | January 12, 2026 | Anne T. Griffin,

 

#JobSearch : 10 ‘New-Collar Jobs’ With Six-Figure Earning Potential, Per Resume Genius. A MUst Read for All!

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A new category of hiring is gaining traction in the American workforce that leaves college degrees in the dust and gives more attention to skilled employees without a traditional four-year college degree. They’re called “new-collar jobs“—not white-or blue-collar jobs. According to the Harvard Business Review, this shift benefits many workers unable to advance because they don’t have a bachelor’s degree, stuck in low-paying jobs. As more companies search for job candidates with skills, instead of college degrees, 10 six-figure, “new-collar jobs” are gaining popularity in 2026.

What Are ‘New-Collar Jobs’?

The term “new-collar jobs,” originally popularized by IBM, emphasizes skills training, certifications or on-the-job training. They differ from blue-collar roles that involve physical labor and from white-collar careers that require college degrees.

The demand for “new-collar jobs” is changing the tide of recruiting. With the uptick in “new-collar jobs,” forward-thinking organizations are striking through the “four-year-degree required” line in their job descriptions.

A report by Accenture argues that degree inflation—the demand for a four-year college degree for jobs that previously did not require one—is a substantive and widespread phenomenon, making the U.S. labor market more inefficient.

The report found more than 60% of employers rejected otherwise qualified candidates in terms of skills or experience simply because they did not have a college diploma. “New collar” roles focus more on skills and experience than degrees and are common in fields like tech, business and operations.

 

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Article continued …

 

“With student debt levels high and economic uncertainty lingering, job seekers are asking tougher questions about return on investment,” according to Eva Chan, career expert at Resume Genius. “New-collar jobs offer an alternative that feels more practical for this moment. Instead of spending years and thousands of dollars on a degree, workers can build targeted skills, earn certifications, and move into roles that pay well and scale over time.”

10 Highest-Paying Six-Figure ‘New Collar Jobs’ In 2026

To help job seekers identify the most promising options, Resume Genius released its 2026 New-Collar Jobs Report to spotlight 10 roles that offer six-figure salaries and career growth opportunities outside of a typical academic route. Each of these career paths prioritize practical skills over formal education.

Resume Genius defined new-collar jobs as high-paying, remote-friendly roles that are accessible to a broader range of workers—especially those without a college degree. The jobs are specifically selected for their future-proof qualities. They involve minimal physical labor, less susceptibility to AI disruption and strong long-term career potential.

Resume Genius analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook to pinpoint high-paying “new-collar jobs”—roles that emphasize skills over traditional degrees. The analysis zeroed in on occupations with median annual pay of at least $100,000, projected job growth through 2034 and limited physical labor.

Roles facing a greater than 50% risk of automation were excluded, based on third-party automation risk metrics and independent research on AI’s impact on the workforce. The researchers also examined Indeed job postings to assess the prevalence of remote and hybrid work options.

Drawing on BLS data, official job descriptions and insights from online career forums, the researchers assessed whether workers could realistically enter each role without a four-year college degree. This methodology produced a final list of 10 qualifying occupations that have minimal physical labor, no four-year degree requirements and remote-hybrid work options. The list of selected jobs contain the following information:

  • Median annual salary of $100,000+ for each job title
  • Median hour salary
  • Top 10% of earner salary
  • Estimated job growth through 2034
  • AI job takeover risk less than 50% risk of being automated by AI

The jobs are ranked from the highest-to-lowest-paying annual salary.

  • Marketing manager ($159,660 annual pay, $76.76 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $239,200; Estimated job growth: six percent; AI job takeover risk: 39%. The role: Marketing managers lead campaigns that expand a company’s reach, overseeing budgets, teams, and digital strategy.
  • Human resources manager ($140,030 annual pay, $67.32 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $239,200; Estimated job growth: five percent; AI job takeover risk: 24%. The role: HR managers oversee hiring, employee support, and workplace policies, ensuring compliance with labor laws.
  • Sales manager ($138,060 annual pay, $66.38 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $239,200; Estimated job growth: five percent; AI job takeover risk: 33%. The role: Sales managers lead revenue-driving teams, set targets, coach performance, and often shape sales strategy or key client relationships.
  • Computer network architect ($130,390 annual pay, $62.69 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $198,030; Estimated job growth: 12%; AI job takeover risk: 39%. The role: Computer network architects design, build and maintain secure networks that enable organizations to communicate and share data.
  • General and operations manager ($129,330 annual pay, $62.18 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $232,110; Estimated job growth: six percent; AI job takeover risk: 36%. The role: General and operations managers keep businesses running smoothly by managing its resources and overseeing multiple teams or departments.
  • Information security analyst ($124,910 annual pay, $60.05 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $186,420; Estimated job growth: 29%. AI job takeover risk: 49%. The role: Information security analysts protect digital systems by identifying vulnerabilities and responding to cyber threats.
  • Sales engineer ($121,520 annual pay, $58.42 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $202,670; Estimated job growth: five percent; AI job takeover risk: 38%. The role: Sales engineers sell complex products by combining technical expertise with customer-focused communication.
  • Health services manager ($117,960 annual pay, $56.71 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $219,080; Estimated job growth: 23%; AI job takeover risk: 26%. The role: Health services managers oversee the business side of healthcare, coordinating operations and compliance across departments.
  • Art director ($111,040 annual pay, $53.38 hourly pay); Top 10% of earners make $211,410; Estimated job growth: four percent; AI job takeover risk: 34%. The role: Art directors set a project’s visual direction, managing creative teams and ensuring work aligns with the client’s vision.
  • Construction manager ($106,980 annual pay, $51.43 hourly pay; Top 10% of earners make $176,990; Estimated job growth: nine percent; AI job takeover risk: 13%. The role: Construction managers oversee building projects, managing timelines, budgets, and safety without performing physical labor.

4 Steps To Land A High-Paying ‘New-Collar Job’

1. Earn certifications that match the job.

Industry-recognized certifications signal job-ready skills, often requiring far less time and expense than a traditional college degree.

2. Volunteer or freelance to gain hands-on experience.

Volunteering, freelancing, or small projects give candidates real-world experience while building skills and credibility.

3. Build a portfolio.

A portfolio shows hiring managers tangible examples of past work, including projects, problem-solving, and case studies.

4. Conduct informational interviews.

Informational interviews and professional outreach offer guidance, referrals and insight into employer expectations, helping candidates sidestep common early-career mistakes.

One truth is clear from this research: a traditional college degree isn’t the only gateway to a well-paying future. In 2026, job seekers are carving out success by mastering practical skills—earning certifications, learning online and stepping directly into real-world experience. The story of “new-collar workers” doesn’t end with a diploma. It begins with the courage to choose a different road and the commitment to keep learning along the way.

Forbes.com | January 20, 2026 |  Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.,

#Resume : Why Using AI To Write Your Resume Is A Big Mistake. Great REad!

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ChatGPT has become an AI tool that many people use today. Using it to help create a better resume has become much more commonplace than it ever was before. But is that a good idea?

My career counseling client, Dylan, was surprised when I reviewed his resume and recognized that he had used AI to create it. The conversation went like this.

“Dylan, let’s go through some of your resume and review your listed duties and accomplishments. Tell me about this one.” His response was hesitant, saying, “I haven’t done that.” And I replied, “Your resume says you did.”

“Dylan, ChatGPT wrote this resume for you, didn’t it?” He admitted that yes, it had. He replied, “I gave it my old resume along with the description of the job I was applying for. I thought the AI-created resume looked pretty good.” Well, not when it listed a lie. He wondered how that had happened. Tech people refer to these AI mistakes as a “hallucination,” or in other words, it just made something up.

Avoid a major mistake when using AI

Since Dylan actually lacked that skill, imagine what it would have been like if it hadn’t been me, but a recruiter, who was talking to him about a job. He would have had to admit it was something that he hadn’t done. That he had misrepresented himself and lied. That would torpedo that job opportunity, and he would have missed out on a job that he really wanted. Also, consider the frustration the recruiter would have felt realizing she had wasted her time.

It isn’t just Gen Z that seems to be making this mistake. Many people are trying to enhance their resumes by using AI to write it. But instead of it being better, what they usually get has become too generic, which a recruiter can spot, even if the resume manages to make it through the initial screening. The AI-created resume lacks the one thing employers care the most about: your results.

 

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Article continued …

What AI is missing

Artificial Intelligence does not think. It will not ask the right questions. It won’t know any of the results you achieved. It works from what it reads, based on what you tell it. So, if you don’t have the accomplishment clearly outlined, it won’t appear on an AI-generated resume.

What impresses employers most is when you highlight key outcomes, such as delivering cost savings, creating something new, generating revenue, or increasing productivity. Depending on AI to do this will leave out the most influential things your resume must state—the results you achieved.

Best way to improve your resume

Most people write weak resume bullets because they focus on duties and what they were responsible for, rather than on what they delivered. Hiring managers don’t want a job description. They want proof you performed, contributed, and produced results.

The fastest way to uncover strong bullet content is to step back and analyze your work experience like an employer would. Ask yourself these questions and write down the answers:

  • What was my most important accomplishment performing this job?
  • What changed because I did this?
  • Did I create something new?
  • Any innovation? Automation?
  • What did I improve and how did that help the company?
  • Did I deliver any cost savings?
  • Did I make money or add revenue to the bottom line?
  • Did I create any improvements that saved time or improved efficiency?
  • What problem did I solve and what happened because I solved it?
  • Did I lead, influence, or drive something to happen?
  • Did I improve customer satisfaction, retention, or service results?

Quantify your results

Next, prove your impact by adding numbers whenever possible. Use statistics: numbers, dollar amounts, and percentages. The exact figure doesn’t have to come from an Excel spreadsheet—it can be your best honest estimate of the savings, money gained, improvement, or contribution you made. Often, using a percentage is easier to recall and just as powerful. Define the scope, noting how large it was, how many, or provide a before-and-after comparison.

For example:

  • Created and implemented a new process that increased productivity by 22%
  • Led a global cross-functional team of 20 managers and engineers
  • Designed an improved tool that reduced plant installation work. Results saved over 200 hours annually.
  • Led the new product development and assisted with the product launch into 5 countries
  • Opened the markets in seven states within eight months, driving rapid expansion
  • Led the innovation, automation, and implementation of a new enterprise system. Results increased productivity by 40% and saved $175K.
  • Directed multiple cross-functional teams that delivered end-to-end business transformation solutions for the client

If your work involves sales, it’s essential to demonstrate your impact with statistics. Here is a sample of how to highlight this.

  • Led the sales team with 6 reps in an underperforming territory and grew revenues from $45M to $96M in 18 months, making the territory number 1 in sales for the company

Not everything can be quantified, but your goal is to quantify results whenever you can.

The most important resume rule is put the best bullets first

When writing your resume bullets, always start with your most important accomplishment first, followed by the next most important. Put bullets in the right order based on what matters most to the employer for the job you’re applying for.

Outcomes impress an employer

Results are what you must stress to produce a more powerful resume. AI can’t do that for you; only you know that information. Clearly articulating outcomes and accomplishments is what will get the recruiter’s attention. Pointing those out is key to getting an interview and landing a new job.

Forbes.com | January 13, 2026 | Robin Ryan

#LinkedIn : 3 Simple Ways To Make LinkedIn Work For You In 2026…. Question: When the Last Time You Updated?

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It’s a new year, which makes it the perfect time to update your LinkedIn profile and communications strategy to make sure it is current, relevant to your goals, and compelling to the people who are checking you out. The world of work continues to evolve, and your LinkedIn profile and networking strategy must position you for success.

Align Your LinkedIn Strategy With Two Critical Forces

Two important areas to consider while evolving your LinkedIn strategy are humanity and AI. As tech gets integrated into every aspect of business, your humanity is what helps you stand out and build meaningful relationships. That means your profile must show that you are clear, human, generous, empathic, and grounded in real experience, all the things AI and technology are not.

At the same time, you need to showcase your skill and interest in AI. AI will impact virtually every role. Make it clear that you’re using AI thoughtfully and are committed to proactively developing AI skills to remain ahead of the curve. This can show up in how you describe your work, the content you share, and the tools or approaches you reference in your profile.

The goal is not to do more on LinkedIn, but to do the right things well…..Follow this these three steps:1. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

A lot happens in a year, so if you haven’t been updating your profile regularly, it’s time to make it current and compelling.

Your LinkedIn Headshot

Your headshot makes you real in the virtual world. It allows people to connect with you on a human level. It should convey the real you and be at least current enough for someone to be able to find you in a crowded coffee shop. If you changed your headshot recently, you probably won’t need to update it if it meets these criteria.

Your LinkedIn Headline

Your headline’s job is to make you relevant and confirm for viewers that you are the person they are looking for, or a person they should get to know. LinkedIn gives you 220 characters for your Headline. Use as many as needed to captivate viewers and encourage them to read on. Your LinkedIn headline has three important functions:

  • It makes you relevant. Your current title, role, and company make you relevant.
  • It helps you get found. Use your headline for search optimization. Include in it all the keywords you want to be associated with, and those people will use to search for you.
  • It allows you to showcase something interesting about you that makes the viewer want to learn more. Consider including why you do what you do, how you do what you do, or the results you achieve when you do it. You could also share your passion or life purpose.

Your LinkedIn About

Your About allows you to introduce yourself, tell your story, and make a branded first impression. Because of the power of LinkedIn and how search results are presented in Google, it will likely be your first impression. When you’re thoughtful in crafting your About, it helps you:

  • Differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace
  • Attract opportunities that align with your goals
  • Build trust and real human connection with others

Your About is also a natural place to convey your thoughts about AI and the role it plays in your work.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You Have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Your LinkedIn Featured Section

Because many people keep their Featured section blank, it is an opportunity for you to stand out and showcase your passions, purpose, and accomplishments. Your Featured section sits near the top of your profile, between your About and Activity sections. That means more people will see it. This section is designed to showcase multimedia. Include images and video to enhance your story and make your profile richer and more interesting. Consider including:

  • Your Brand introduction. Create a brief 60-second video, that highlights your interests, accomplishments and fun facts about you.
  • Your Success Stories. Share one or two pieces of content or stories that highlight your superpowers and differentiators.
  • Your Intellectual Property. Use it to convey your proprietary process, framework, or system, like your three-step formula for crafting click-worthy headlines for social media posts.

2. Define Your LinkedIn Networking Strategy

In 2026, effective networking is about relevance and relationships, not volume. With over 1.3 billion members, LinkedIn is a powerful place for networking. Your goal, though, is not to connect with all 1.3 billion professionals. It’s to identify your community and be visible to them. As the new year begins:

  • Get your network up-to-date. Look back through your calendar and emails and send connection requests to the people you have met in the past year.
  • Decide on your strategy for adding new connections as you meet people. Also, do searches to connect with other like-minded peers so you can build a community for mutual support.
  • Put plans in place to grow your network. Consider adding your LinkedIn profile to your email signature, and create a slide to include in presentations you deliver to encourage participants to reach out and connect.

3. Commit To A LinkedIn Visibility Plan

Once your profile and network are aligned, visibility is what brings your personal brand to life. Strong brands are visible and available to the people they seek to impact, influence, and impress. The best way to do that is to share value as your primary thought leadership priority. There’s a lot of noise in the world of social media, and LinkedIn is no exception. To stand out, commit to the three Cs of social media communications plans:

  • Consistent. Strong brands are known for something, not 100 things. Know your topic, message, and POV and stick with it.
  • Constant. Choose a cadence and commit to it. You may choose to post a couple of times a month, weekly, or even daily. Whatever you choose, treat it as you would any other important item on your to-do list.
  • Critical. Not critical in the sense of being judgmental. Critical meaning it is not content that is nice to have. It’s meaningful and valuable to your audience and essential for their success.

One way to achieve the three Cs of effective visibility is with a LinkedIn Newsletter. It’s a powerful way to stay engaged with the people who are interested in what you have to say, and the LinkedIn Newsletter platform makes it easy for you to create, share and promote your newsletter to followers and connections. It allows you to build familiarity and trust over time without having to start from scratch each time you post.

Make LinkedIn An Ongoing Habit Instead Of A One-Time Update

Your LinkedIn profile serves many roles in helping you build your personal brand and achieve your career goals. To maximize its impact, commit to keeping your profile up to date and staying engaged with your network. LinkedIn works when you work it, so adopt the habit of interacting on LinkedIn regularly and create more opportunities that are aligned with your goals.

 

Forbes.com | January 6, 2026 | William Arruda 

#Resume : Skills to Upgrade Your Resume for Leadership Roles in 2026 ….In 2026, Hiring Managers are No Longer Impressed by Titles Alone.

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The leadership landscape has changed permanently.  In 2026, hiring managers are no longer impressed by titles alone. They are looking for leaders who can think strategically, adapt quickly, work alongside AI, and still lead with humanity. The most competitive resumes today reflect a blend of power skills, digital fluency, and accountability for outcomes.

If you’re targeting a leadership role in 2026, these are the must-have skills to highlight, and how to position them effectively on your resume.

  1. Stakeholder Communication (Still Non-Negotiable)

Clear, confident communication remains one of the most critical leadership skills, and one of the most frequently lacking.

In 2026, leaders must communicate across:

  • Remote and hybrid teams
  • Cross-functional departments
  • Executives, clients, vendors, and AI-enabled systems

What employers want: Leaders who can translate complexity into clarity.

Resume upgrade example: “Delivered concise executive updates that aligned stakeholders and accelerated decision-making.”

 

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Article continued …

  1. Stakeholder Management & Influence

Leadership today is less about authority and more about influence without control.

Modern leaders must:

  • Align competing priorities
  • Manage expectations across diverse groups
  • Build trust during constant change

This skill signals emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and strategic thinking.

Resume upgrade example: “Aligned cross-department stakeholders to deliver enterprise initiatives on time and within scope.”

 

  1. Executive Presentation, Reporting & Business Writing

Data alone doesn’t drive decisions; interpretation does.

Leaders in 2026 are expected to:

  • Present insights, not just information
  • Write clearly for executive audiences
  • Create reports that lead to action

Resume upgrade example:  “Produced executive-level reports that translated data into strategic recommendations.

 

  1. Coaching, Mentoring & Knowledge Sharing

High-performing leaders develop people, not just projects.

In an era of high turnover and rapid skill evolution, organizations value leaders who:

  • Coach talent
  • Share institutional knowledge
  • Build sustainable teams

Resume upgrade example: “Mentored team members, improving engagement, performance, and internal promotions.”

 

  1. Creative Thinking & Complex Problem-Solving

As AI automates routine work, human creativity becomes more valuable, not less.

Leaders must solve:

  • Ambiguous problems
  • Multi-variable challenges
  • Issues without historical precedent

Resume upgrade example:  “Led creative problem-solving initiatives that improved efficiency and reduced operational friction.”

 

  1. AI Literacy, Strategy & Ethical Use

AI literacy is no longer optional, but leadership requires more than knowing how to use tools.

In 2026, strong leaders understand:

  • Where AI adds value
  • Where human judgment is essential
  • Ethical, transparent, and responsible AI us

 

Resume upgrade example: “Guided teams in the ethical adoption of AI tools to improve productivity while maintaining accountability.”

 

  1. Ownership, Accountability & Outcome Leadership

Employers are prioritizing leaders who own their results, not just responsibilities.

This means:

  • Taking responsibility for outcomes
  • Measuring impact
  • Leading through execution

Resume upgrade example:  “Owned end-to-end delivery of initiatives, driving measurable business results.”

 

The Skills Leaders Must ALSO Add in 2026

To remain competitive, leadership resumes now need to reflect technical and adaptive capabilities alongside traditional leadership skills.

 

  1. Digital & Software Proficiency

Hiring managers consistently rank software proficiency as a top hard skill.

Leaders don’t need to code,  but they must confidently use:

  • Project management tools
  • Collaboration platforms
  • Reporting and workflow systems

Resume upgrade example:  “Leveraged digital tools to streamline workflows and improve team visibility.”

  1. Data Literacy & Visualization

Leadership decisions are increasingly data-driven. Leaders must:

  • Interpret data trends
  • Ask the right questions
  • Communicate insights visually

Resume upgrade example:  “Analyzed and visualized performance data to support strategic planning.”

 

  1. Adaptability, Emotional Intelligence & Resilience

Change is constant. Burnout is real. Empathy matters.

The most successful leaders in 2026 demonstrate:

  • Emotional intelligence
  • Psychological safety
  • Calm, adaptive leadership during uncertainty

 

Upgrading the points above will keep you drastically ahead of the pack for that ‘Leadership Position’ you are seeking in 2026! 

 

FSC Career Blog |  January 8, 2026 | Carol Ahsaf- FSC Career Blog Author

 

 

#Resume : 7 Skills To Upgrade Your Resume For A Leadership Role In 2026. Bullets Must Have in a 2026 Resume. Must REad!

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Within the first three years of my career, I received five job offers for management and leadership roles.  I also dissected resumes for first-time managers, people looking to get a promotion, those stepping into a new leadership role with little to no leadership experience.  And over that time, I’ve developed quite a knack for understanding what works in a leadership resume, and what doesn’t.

What I’ve discovered is that you don’t necessarily need traditional leadership experience to land a role in leadership or management. Many employers look for evidence of leadership behaviors, even if you’ve never had headcount responsibility.

So this year, if one of your New Year’s goals is to land a promotion, move up the ladder within your organization or in your career by the end of 2026, this article will show you how.

By the end of this article, you’ll discover:

  • What skills you need to include on your resume for a leadership promotion.
  • What employers look for when assessing resumes for management roles.
  • And how to reframe your experience, even if you’ve never actually managed a team.

What Are Leadership Skills?

But first, what are leadership skills anyway?

When we think about leadership, we think about managing people, projects and outcomes, having the final say in decision-making, or having significant ownership of decision-making. But when you strip all those actions aside, it really comes down to behaviours and competencies that enable you to perform those actions extremely well.

And that means that even if you’ve never worked under the formal title of manager, you still have a chance to demonstrate these very leadership qualities within the context of your role and embody them on your resume.

When you take a look at the top skills needed in the future of work, for example in the World Economic Forum’s future of jobs report, you’ll notice that many of them are actually leadership skills:

  • Leadership and social influence
  • Communication skills
  • Analytical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Employers also look for ownership skills, signs that someone takes responsibility for their work and for its outcome.
  • Another high indicator of a potential leader is emotional intelligence and a growth mindset, especially in the age of AI. Human-first leaders who are able to regulate and control their emotions, actively listen, remain curious, promote a healthy work culture and constantly expand their learning are needed in 2026.

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Article continued …

7 Leadership Skills To Put On Your Resume

A 2022 Pearson study noted that job ads are dominated by power skills including leadership skills, making this highly desirable (even if you’re not pursuing a management role right now):

So, do you have what it takes?

Skill 1: Stakeholder Communication

One of the core parts of a leadership role is is communicating with peers, team members, senior leadership, and external partners and clients, and sometimes even industry and government regulators and legal professionals.

This requires you to be able to adapt your communication style to people with different interests and priorities and at different levels, both within management and non-management, and translate complex jargon and technical terminology.

For example, talking to senior leaders would be different to talking to your clients or your team, because your communication style for senior leaders would be more focused on high-level overviews.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Presented quarterly updates to senior leadership on project progress

Skill 2: Stakeholder Management

Any project manager will tell you that one of the most annoying aspects of your day-to-day role is managing stakeholders.

Stakeholders have different viewpoints, come from different backgrounds and hierarchy levels, and as a result, often have conflicting priorities. It’s your responsibility to manage their expectations, negotiate effectively, and know how to leverage your influence to obtain consensus that best meets shared values and outcomes for the best interest of all users involved.

For example, I remember that when I interviewed for a non-management role, I was asked if I had any experience managing stakeholders. That question did not throw me because I was able to pull from my self-employment experience, where I had to manage stakeholder expectations and coordinate a project that I was delivering (a workshop at a college).

Resume bullet point example:

  • Acted as point of contact between finance, operations, and marketing units to deliver project outcomes (include example of shared outcome)

Skill 3: Presentation, Reporting, & Executive Writing Skills

Producing written content as an individual contributor requires a good understanding of your audience. But when you ascend into leadership and management positions, you’re expected to not only have a good understanding of your audience, but to translate concepts for different audiences in a way that will directly support decision making.

You need structured communication, decision-oriented reporting, and you need to be able to produce high-level risks, insights, analysis, and recommendations.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Prepared and delivered three reports each month for the executive team summarising risks, insights, and recommendations

Skill 4: Coaching, Mentoring, & Knowledge-Sharing

If you’re moving into a role that requires you to have direct reports, you can demonstrate your competence in this area, in managing performance, through:

  • Your experience as a peer-to-peer mentor
  • Supporting new hires, advising, providing guidance throughout onboarding
  • Providing your peers with feedback, guidance, and best practices from your own experience as an individual contributor.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Mentored junior team members from onboarding through to the end of their first year, resulting in 35% improved quality of work compared to standard hires

Skill 5: Creative Thinking & Problem-Solving

This is the number one essential skill for the future of work in 2026 and beyond. Employers specifically look out for initiative, original thinking, and innovation systems thinking outside the box problem solving. Especially in the age of AI slop, your originality and creative direction from a human standpoint will prove invaluable.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Created an XYZ system that simplified and streamlined the ABC process and reduced issues by 20%.

Skill 6: AI Literacy & Strategy

Anyone can use AI tools or copy and paste from ChatGPT. That’s not what leadership is about.

Leadership and management skills require high-level AI skills, such as:

  • Understanding AI strategy within the context of the role
  • Applied AI and ethical impact.
  • Knowing where AI can add value.
  • Understanding how to apply AI to redesign workflows.
  • Understanding its limitations and risk, and how to mitigate that risk with humans in the loop.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Created an AI agent workflow for XYZ project using (name your AI tools), resulting in 20 hours saved

Skill 7: Taking Ownership Of Projects & Outcomes

It’s easy to cast a blame when something goes wrong or to take full responsibility when everything goes right. But good leaders know how to take ownership and responsibility for both positive and negative outcomes.

Instead of casting blame, they self-reflect. They consider lessons learned and they use this to inform their thinking and next steps.

Resume bullet point example:

  • Managed the end-to-end delivery of XYZ and delivered (name measurable improvements)

Here’s a bonus quick tip:

Avoid using phrases like “assisted,” “supported,” “helped with,” “was responsible for,” as these diminish your leadership presence. Instead, lean into powerful active verbs, like:

  • Delivered
  • Managed
  • Led
  • Spearheaded
  • Designed
  • Initiated
  • Launched
  • Orchestrated

By now, you should understand that you don’t need a title to prove that you’re ready for leadership.

Leadership roles are built on behaviors, and you taking time right now to proactively demonstrate leadership skills and values within your current role, even without formal management training or experience.

 

Forbes.com | January 4, 2026 | Rachel Wells

#YourCareer : New Year Predictions: 5 Tips To Re-frame Doubts About 2026. Question: How Do you See Your Job/Career in 2026?

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It’s been a rough year for the American workforce with a crowded job market, layoff anxiety and a drooping economy. After such a challenging 2025, Doubt can make it difficult to think positively about 2026. If you’re like most people, your future predictions are based on Doubts from the past, not the truth about what lies ahead. When making New Year predictions, the mind is hardwired to jump to automatic negative conclusions. The ensuing worry and anxiety can take an unnecessary toll on our mental and physical health.

The New Year Predictions We Make Against Ourselves

A recent JobHire.AI survey of 2,000 respondents shows how discouraged, frustrated and uncertain the American workforce feels about their job prospects for 2026. A notable 41% describe their 2025 as depressing, 62% as exhausting and 54% are very worried about their job prospects in the upcoming year.

Three in four worry they might get laid off, and 24% are sure it will happen. Another recent study shows that 75% of workers are “job hugging” through 2027. When leaders and team members feel stuck, unable to move forward, they need to look at the stories they’re telling themselves about their own lives and their future careers.

“We all live in stories. But stories are not facts—they’re the narratives we create based on our past experiences and the voices in our heads,” according to Lior Arussy in his book, Dare to Author: Take Charge of the Narrative of Your Life.

 

The stories we craft in our heads about the future are based on the past, not what can be possible in the New Year. The narratives are usually composed of Doubts that overestimate future threats and underestimate our ability to handle them. And that mindset can make or break personal happiness and career success.

Doubts are exaggerated made-up stories streaming through our minds that we latch onto as fact—worries, anxieties and ruminations that interrupt our enjoyment of the present moment. They magnify a concern with the worst-case scenario and play the distorted picture over in our minds. We end up stressing over a magnification of the problem (a made-up story)—not the real problem.

If you’re like most people, your Doubt jumps to conclusions without evidence. “I probably won’t reach the deadline,” or “I’m afraid I’ll flop in the job interview” or “I bet I’ll get laid off next year.” You automatically believe the story that has the potential to undercut your capabilities as you move forward.

 

How many times has Doubt jumped in and said, “You’re not going anywhere with this” or “Nobody wants to hear your ideas” or “You’re an impostor.” While these judgments are likely untrue, one thing is certain: you’re not alone.

 

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Article continued …

Many great leaders allude to eviscerating Doubt that makes them feel like a fraud. Even Maya Angelou, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century spoke of how the Doubting voice haunted her, “Each time I write a book, every time I face that yellow pad, the challenge is so great. I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.’”

1. Take Notice Of Doubt About New Year Predictions.

When a made-up, Doubting story circles in your mind like a school of sharks, observe it with curiosity, much like you would inspect a blemish on your hand. I spoke with Jon Gordon, author of 7 Commitments of a Great Team and consultant to numerous CEOs, NFL, NBA and MLB teams.

He coaches the teams to take notice of Doubt the minute it comes in their minds and then take notes on it with a piece of paper or your phone. This self-distancing gives you a more objective view of Doubt and preempts it from seizing control of your career with its inaccurate story and revises the inaccurate story in your mind.

2. Talk Back To Doubt About New Year Predictions.

The science of self-talk has shown time and again that how we speak to ourselves can either foster or impede our careers. Negative self-talk can lead to anxiety and depression, and positive self-talk mitigates dysfunctional mental states.

If you’re like most people, when Doubt speaks to you, you don’t talk back. Gordon teaches people to talk to themselves, instead of listening to themselves. He gives examples of self-affirmations–facts to say to yourself when feelings of Doubt are clouding them. Words of encouragement such as “I’m strong and capable” or “I can overcome this challenge” act as “cognitive expanders,” giving you a more objective picture of yourself than the emotionally-subjective view that clouds the truth.

Or instead of focusing on Doubt, you can use past recall to say something like, “Bryan, you can do this. You’ve overcome bigger obstacles before.” A body of research shows that optimistic self-talk enables you to scale the career ladder faster and farther than pessimism.

3. Estimate The Odds If New Year Predictions Are Stacked Against You.

Gordon recommends that when the odds are stacked against you, ask yourself what are the actual odds. Estimate the odds. Then remind yourself that the odds aren’t zero and there’s still possibilities. He advises that you then look at successful people who overcame the odds that were stacked against them, asserting that if they can do it, so can you.

4. Use ‘Story Editing’ With Your New Year Predictions.

Arussy told me that the critical factor determining failure or success lies in the story people craft around their experiences. He adds that many people are unable to face challenges because they’re not able to edit and convert their past experiences into future-ready strengths.

“Story editing” is a form of self-talk that creates a self-distanced versus a self-immersed story, keeps you from reverting into that negative loop over and over again and helps you overcome the egocentric impulses of the negative prediction. Self- distancing revises Doubt’s negative story, just as you would revise a written report.

After you edit the story, it’s no longer the only story circling in your head. Story editing takes you out of the negative subjective role and catapults you into the narrator—the objective, bird’s-eye perspective of an outside observer as if it’s happening to someone else.

5. Don’t Base Your New Year Predictions On What Others Believe

It’s important to remember that your colleagues, family and friends have a negativity bias, too, and they could make comments that unwittingly plant Doubt in your head. In a story for Forbes.com, I interviewed Tito Jackson of the Jackson Five.

He told me that growing up in Gary, Indiana, he and his brothers rehearsed all the time in the house, and the neighbors would yell, “Shut up making all that noise. Ya’ll ain’t going nowhere.” As you consider your future, avoid relying on the predictions of others, listen to yourself and base your New Year predictions on positive facts, not biased negative feelings.

 

Forbes.com | December 3, 2025 | Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.,

#YourCareer : Building a New Career or Business Around Your Passion: The Blueprint for True Fulfillment. Great Career Personal Assessment Guide.

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Turning your passion into a career or business isn’t just a dream — it’s a strategic process that blends self-discovery, skill development, and smart execution. Whether your goal is creative freedom, financial independence, or both, this guide lays out the path to transforming what you love into what you do every day.

TL;DR

Pursuing a passion-driven career requires clarity, education, structure, and persistence. The key is aligning your interests with market opportunities, continuously developing your skills, and building systems that support sustainable growth. Passion creates energy — structure creates longevity.

Advancing Skills to Fuel Your Passion

One way to accelerate your progress is by strengthening your business acumen. Many entrepreneurs and career changers have found that earning an MBA degree equips them with tools to navigate complex markets and lead with confidence.

For example, an online MBA offers training in marketing, strategic planning, economics, and corporate finance, empowering you to transform enthusiasm into a profitable business strategy. Online programs also provide flexibility — allowing you to balance work, family, and education as you build toward long-term success.

 

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Article continued …

Core Strategies to Turn Passion Into a Career

StrategyDescriptionExample Action
Define Your PurposeIdentify what truly excites you and why.Journal your top 3 enjoyable activities and find common themes.
Research Market DemandPassion must intersect with audience needs.Use tools like Google Trends or Ahrefs to validate interest.
Create a Business PlanMap goals, customers, revenue models, and marketing channels.Follow templates from SCORE.org.
Build Your Personal BrandShowcase your expertise and story online.Start posting consistently on LinkedIn.
Test Small, Scale FastStart learning to validate your idea, then grow with data.Launch your first offer using Shopify.

How-To: Design a Passion-Driven Pathway in 6 Steps

  1. Clarify Your Core Motivation
    Ask: What problem do I want to solve and why does it matter to me?

  2. Audit Your Current Skills vs. Required Skills
    Identify the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
  3. Create a “Value Map”
    Link your strengths to marketable outcomes.
  4. Design a Sustainable Model
    Choose between freelancing, entrepreneurship, or intrapreneurship.
  5. Build Consistent Visibility
    Use content, networking, and speaking to build credibility.
  6. Reinvest in Growth
    Dedicate time and capital to learning, mentorship, and systems.

Are You Ready to Turn Passion Into Profit?

  • I can describe my passion and its real-world value in one sentence.
  • I know my target audience and the problem I solve for them.
  • I’ve developed at least one monetizable offer or service.
  • I’m tracking results (income, engagement, client feedback).
  • I have systems for time management and continuous improvement.

Key Insights for Sustainable Passion-Based Careers

  • Passion ≠ Plan — Emotion drives momentum, but structure sustains it.
  • Learn to Sell — Sales skills are the bridge between value and reward.
  • Automate Early — Use tools like Zapier and Notion to reduce manual load.
  • Diversify Your Income Streams — Explore consulting, digital products, or online courses.
  • Invest in Mentorship — Guidance shortens the trial-and-error cycle.

FAQ: Building a Career Around Passion

Q: What if my passion isn’t profitable?
A: Find intersections where your interests meet existing demand. Passion must serve others to become income.

Q: How long does it take to turn passion into a business?
A: Typically 1–3 years, depending on skill level, consistency, and financial strategy.

Q: Should I quit my job right away?
A: Not yet. Use your current position as a launchpad to test your ideas safely.

Q: Do I need formal education?
A: Not always — but credentials like certifications or degrees can build credibility, especially in leadership or consulting roles.

Q: How do I stay motivated?
A: Define success on your own terms, track progress weekly, and celebrate micro-wins.

Glossary

  • Intrapreneur: Someone who innovates within an existing organization.
  • Scalable Model: A business design that can grow without linear resource increases.
  • Monetization Strategy: The plan to convert your audience or skill into income.
  • Brand Equity: The value your name or reputation adds to your offerings.
  • Skill Stack: Combination of unique competencies that differentiate you in the market.

Product Spotlight: Digital Productivity Ecosystem

One underrated key to success is operational efficiency. Platforms like ClickUp allow entrepreneurs to centralize workflows, manage clients, and visualize progress in real-time. With built-in automation and integrations, you can scale without sacrificing focus or time.

A fulfilling career or business doesn’t appear by luck — it’s built through intentional alignment between what you love and what the world values. Passion gives you the energy to start. Systems, education, and adaptability keep you going. When designed correctly, your work becomes both your legacy and your livelihood.

 

 FSC Career Blog | October 22, 2025 |  Cherie Mclaughlin

 

 

If You Lose Your Job, The Next Gig May Take You Longer To Land. Great REad!

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When examining the economy and society, patterns of data are crucial. They help forecasters to estimate what is likely to happen in the future. The more accurate the forecast, the better governments, companies and individuals can anticipate how they should respond.

When expected patterns are off, there may be trouble coming, and that is what’s happening today.

Past Performance And All That

The typical warning that past performance offers no guarantee of future results is apt. And yet, broad, repeated rhythms and movements are usually important. If there were no hope of the past offering insight, even the greatest experts would likely throw their hands up into the air. There would little way to know how to map the influence of forces into a picture of upcoming activity.

In economics, there is usually a good amount of previous experience on which to base future predictions. No promise that they will be correct, but there is frequently a directional coherence. When patterns change significantly, it’s time to consider whether underlying dynamics have changed, and how long the new pattern might continue.

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Article continued …

Recessions And Unemployment

There appears to have been a major shift in the pattern of how long people remain unemployed.

A graph of the percentage of unemployed people who have been jobless for at least 27 weeks, which is just over half a year, helps explain the change. The graph from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was updated earlier this month. The next update is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3. The title of the data set is “Of Total Unemployed, Percent Unemployed 27 Weeks & over.” The vertical gray bars are recessions.

Article content

Since the start of 1948 there have been upward and downward shifts in the portion of the unemployed that remain without a job for at least 27 weeks. Up until 2020, the pattern was that long-term unemployment would shoot up in every recession. The percentage would peak sometime after the end of the recession. Then the percentage would begin to drop, often to half the last peak. When the next recession came, the rate would once again climb.

There are two patterns in the data. One is a trend line growing in scale. The graph below uses data from the BLS in an Excel spreadsheet to create a trend line.

The percentage of long-term unemployed has been growing. What is telling, outside of unusual spikes, is the lower end of what is sustained. A recent low was 16.6% in June 2023. Compare that with January 1949, when the low was 3.3%. Over time, even with volatility, it has become more common for people to be unable to find work for longer periods of time.

That is disturbing enough. Still, the second pattern of the relation to recessions has understandable logic. At the start of a recession, the percentage of long-term unemployment goes up. Sometime after the end of the recession, the percentage of long-term unemployment decreases to a new low before the next recession. Since the mid-1970s, the new low has been higher than the previous one.

What Changed

Now comes the unusual signal from the data. The recession in 2020 saw a spike and then a drop. However, the next upward swing began without an intervening recession — a total departure from everything that had happened since at least January 1948.

One possible explanation is that there had been another recession since the one that began and ended in 2020; however, it is unlikely. As a 2022 Newsweek article reported, for the previous six recessions, the average time for the National Bureau of Economic Research to officially call a recession was 234 days. That stretched out to 366 days after the end of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. That’s a little more than a year. It’s currently been five years and five months since that 2020 recession; the chance of another recession with economic growth and, until recently, a decent labor market seems unlikely.

Another possibility is some underlying crisis has kicked up since mid-2023. Again, that seems unlikely without additional indications.

More convincing is that corporations are finding ways of cutting the number of employees they have, whether through layoffs, fake job listings or using artificial intelligence to eradicate an increasing number of jobs. As the Financial Times reported, there is a “jobpocalypse” in which entry-level jobs for university graduates are disappearing with “the rise in big graduate employers really cutting the number of jobs they’re offering.”

Forbes.com | September 30, 2025 | Erik Sherman

 

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#YourCareer : 3 Career Moves For Older Professionals Behind On Retirement. Question: What’s Your Status?

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More retirement-age Americans are still working, with almost 3 million more people over the age of 65 working compared with 10 years ago. Motley Fool estimates that only 28% of Boomers in the 60 to 67 age range have the recommended amount of retirement savings. More than 10% of older Gen X and young Boomer workers have taken a pay cut to stay employed.

1. Target High-Paying And Senior-Friendly Jobs

Resume Genius has research on 10 high-paying jobs friendly to older professionals. These jobs all show positive job growth and don’t require intense physical work.

  1. Sales Manager: $66.38
  2. Computer Systems Analyst: $49.90
  3. Management Analyst: $48.65
  4. Accountant And Auditor: $39.27
  5. Social And Community Service Manager: $37.61
  6. Sales Representatives: $35.63
  7. Property And Real Estate Manager: $32.07
  8. Food Service Manager: $31.40
  9. Insurance Sales Agent: $29.02
  10. Real Estate Broker And Sales Agent: $28.35

 

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What Skill Sets Do You Have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

How To Pivot Your Career Into These High-Paying Roles

As an older professional with more experience, hopefully your network is also bigger, as strong relationships will help you identify and influence decision-makers in any of these roles, helping you win more consideration than submitting an unsolicited application. If you have a deep network, parlay that strength into one of the four sales roles. Or if your years of experience gave you diverse skills, target one of the three management roles.

2. Work To Develop Multiple Streams Of Income

A single employer leaves you vulnerable to restructuring or layoffs that could derail your retirement savings. The wealthy have multiple streams of income. Why not you?

Translate Your Body Of Work Into A Consulting Practice

You have hard-won expertise that makes you a valuable adviser to others. Consider working as a consultant, even while you conduct your job search. Your temporary contract work may even convert to a full-time job or act as a resume builder.

Identify Income Streams Unrelated To Your Profession

Your dedication to fitness might initially be for self-care, but it could become a side gig as a trainer. You may have built up expertise from personal passions, such as travel, art or real estate, that can be monetized as a travel writer, course creator or landlord. If you don’t want to start a new business, tap into gig platforms, such as Upwork or Fiverr, or specialty sites like Rover if you love dogs or Care if you love kids.

3. Consider Relocation To Supercharge Your Savings

If you live in an expensive city, moving to a lower-cost area can stretch your savings.

Target Work From Home Jobs

Filter job sites, such as LinkedIn and Indeed, to find fully remote jobs. Use specialty job sites, such as FlexJobs, for location-independent opportunities. Adapt your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience working remotely or at least independently, so that prospective employers know you will be productive from day one.

Identify Relocation Targets

Even if you prefer not to move, it is a creativity challenge to consider what a different geography can do for your network, growth opportunities and financial situation. Look at the least expensive countries for expats to stretch your comfort zone from domestic to international. Some states offer financial bonuses to lure new residents.

Forbes.com | August 28, 2025 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine