Latest news with #careertransition
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Bridge Jobs Are The Career Step Everyone Should Consider
More professionals are embracing bridge jobs to stay active or ease into retirement without stepping ... More away from work entirely. getty There used to be a light at the end of the tunnel for people in their early 60s getting ready for retirement. The old working career model, in place for decades, required hard work and loyalty in exchange for a pension and savings account. But for many today, it's more of a moving target. Rising costs and a desire to remain active are prompting people to stay in the workforce longer. In this in-between space, a different kind of job is gaining traction. Bridge jobs are temporary or transitional roles that help professionals navigate between major career stages. Think of it as a short-term position that supports your financial needs. The stark reality of today's economic climate is that 50-60% of retirees work in bridge jobs. Many of them need supplemental income before fully retiring; however, when individuals assume these roles after the age of 66, they potentially widen the wage gap. Bridge jobs aren't just for retirees; they're also a smart move for younger professionals navigating career pivots or reentering the workforce. Whether it's shifting industries or building new skills, bridge roles are powerful stepping stones. Unlike a gig, which is often piecemeal, bridge jobs are typically structured roles with some level of consistency or benefits. Common examples include: Teaching or adjunct faculty roles while transitioning industries. Contract-based project management gigs between executive posts. Freelance consulting while launching a business. Customer support or administrative work while reskilling. Remote content roles for professionals pivoting into tech or media. Skills That Make Bridge Jobs Work Bridge jobs demand flexibility. The most effective candidates bring a high level of adaptability and emotional intelligence. Employers value individuals who quickly learn new systems and manage workloads independently. The must-have skills to land these positions include: Context switching—The ability to quickly shift between tasks, projects or communication styles without losing focus. Microlearning—The capacity to absorb and apply new information in short bursts, especially helpful when onboarding into fast-paced or unfamiliar environments. Boundary management—Knowing how to set limits on time and energy in roles that can easily spill over into off-hours, particularly for remote or freelance work. Cultural fluency—Adapting to different workplace norms and expectations. This is critical when moving between industries or international teams. Reputation management—Swiftly building credibility with new colleagues or clients, often without a long track record in the role. Self-coaching—Using self-assessment or lightweight performance frameworks to stay on track without traditional career development support. Bridge roles offer structure and flexibility, making them a strategic choice for career pivots, ... More reentry or phased retirement. getty Finding a bridge job requires shifting the lens from traditional job boards to opportunity-rich networks. Start by targeting companies known for flexible or contract hiring, such as startups, nonprofits or consultancies. Here's where to look: Gary's Guide—A curated tech platform spotlighting job openings, startup gigs and tech opportunities, especially in innovation-driven markets like New York. LinkedIn—Use terms like 'contract,' 'interim,' 'freelance' or 'consulting' in job searches. Upwork and Toptal—For freelance and project-based consulting work. Universities and boot camps—Teaching and mentoring roles are great stepping stones for people during transitional periods. Industry Slack groups and professional forums—These platforms post niche, high-quality roles not listed elsewhere. The stigma around non-linear paths is fading. And for many, a well-chosen bridge job can be the boldest career move yet. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes What Time Poverty Is Costing You—And How To Take Control By Cheryl Robinson Forbes Medical Gaslighting Is Real. Women Leaders Are Raising Their Voices By Cheryl Robinson Forbes Late ADHD Diagnoses In Women Are Shaping A New Leadership Model By Cheryl Robinson
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Southern Company Supports Veterans' Transition to Civilian Careers Through DoD SkillBridge Partnership
Southern Company At Southern Company, we respect the military community's service and value their contributions. We take pride in being a great place to work for military and veterans, providing apprenticeship and development opportunities within our transitioning out of the Marine Corps, Corey was nervous about his next steps. He credits the DoD SkillBridge Program for preparing him for his career as an Outage Services Specialist with Southern Nuclear. And when Jonathan began his transition from the Army to civilian life, he was surprised to discover how transferable his military skills were in finding a career. Now a UAS Pilot, Jonathan plays a crucial role in keeping our teammates safe on the job. It's teammates like him that make us proud to be a great place to work for military members and veterans. Southern Company is committed to the successful transition of military service members. That's why we are proud to partner with the DoD SkillBridge Program that allows for transitioning service members to work within our organization to gain invaluable experience while learning the energy industry and how the business more about the opportunities we have for the military community and their families in the link below: Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Southern Company
Harvard Business Review
13-06-2025
- Business
- Harvard Business Review
Navigating the Jump from Manager to Executive
Moving from frontline management to becoming a leader of leaders is a huge professional milestone. The role often comes with broader scope, bigger expectations, and influence to shape strategy, culture, and the organization's performance at the highest levels. Reaching this point can feel thrilling, even validating. After years of proving yourself, you've earned a seat at the table. Your input carries more weight. You're probably excited about setting direction and solving more important problems. But here's where things get tricky. While a senior role comes with nice rewards, the transition itself can be disorienting. Leading leaders isn't 'more of the same' just with bigger teams and budgets. In reality, you have to fundamentally shift how you think about your role, how you spend your time, and how you measure success. Claudia, an operations executive, discovered this the hard way. She had built her reputation on solving any problem, from late shipments and client complaints to staffing shortages. When she was promoted to oversee four regional managers, Claudia saw it as an extension of her previous role. She jumped in to offer guidance, sat in on team meetings, and weighed in on almost every decision, not realizing she was crowding out her managers in the process. They seemed frustrated, not grateful—and Claudia's boss questioned why she was still in the weeds. She found herself working longer hours but feeling less effective than ever before. This was a wake-up call for Claudia. What had made her successful at the frontline level—behaviors like being hands-on and swooping in with solutions—was now holding her back. She was competent and capable, but she hadn't updated her professional identity to match her new operating altitude. Maybe you also find yourself in the middle of transitioning to leading leaders and trying to find your footing. If so, then like Claudia, you might be realizing that it requires rewiring beliefs you have about what makes you valuable and effective. Here are the three key shifts you need to make. 1. Going from expert to coach Your job is no longer to be the smartest in the room, but to grow your managers into independent decision-makers. That means resisting the urge to jump in with fixes and instead creating space for your team to build their own judgment. This can feel like a loss or even a dereliction of your duties, particularly if you've prided yourself on being helpful and knowledgeable. But if you're the one doing all the strategizing, your managers don't get the chance to hone that skill themselves. The next time your team brings you a challenge, push for their analysis before offering your own thoughts. Ask questions like these to push your managers to think critically and take ownership, instead of defaulting to you: Get comfortable sitting with discomfort while your people wrestle with ambiguity. Get comfortable with pauses and silence. When a manager raises an issue, take a breath and say: 'That's complicated. Tell me what you're seeing,' or 'I understand why you're concerned. What do you think is the best course of action?' 2. Moving from execution to driving impact through others As a frontline manager, you were probably deeply involved in assigning work, tracking progress, and keeping things on course. You might have gained a sense of comfort from knowing exactly what was happening on the ground. But now, you have to loosen that grip. When you're driving multiple teams' performance, your role shifts to cultivating conditions where good work can happen without your direct involvement. This shift can be emotionally challenging. Your satisfaction once came from checking tasks off a list and ending each day with concrete proof of what you accomplished. At the senior level, your productivity becomes intangible—strategic conversations, coaching sessions, and relationship-building that creates value you can't easily measure. When you catch yourself thinking, 'I talked all day and have nothing to show for it,' think beyond the first-order effects of your actions. Did you guide an important decision? Align priorities so work moves forward faster? These wins may not come with a dopamine hit in the moment, but the second- and third-order effects compound over time. The feedback you gave a manager today might mean stronger performance next quarter. The way you challenge someone could give them the confidence to take a bolder approach that secures a major account three months from now. 3. Evolving from oversight to scalable systems Since you're overseeing more people and projects, the volume of information coming at you may double or triple. Without proper mechanisms in place, you may drown in details or miss critical issues entirely. So identify three to five priorities or risks you must stay closest to, such as revenue targets or client retention. Then establish clear guardrails for when your managers should escalate issues versus handle them independently, for example: Run any new expense over $5,000 by me. New hires above the director level band need my signoff. Any situation that could generate negative publicity should be brought directly to me. Asynchronous systems also give you visibility without creating more overhead. You might ask for biweekly or monthly written updates highlighting key metrics, wins, challenges, and upcoming priorities from each manager. Or you can have each team create a dashboard that tracks critical data points so you can check status at a glance rather than schedule multiple meetings. Becoming a leader of leaders is a change of both scope and attitude. Your decisions may now affect dozens (or hundreds) of employees. Your results depend on how well other experienced professionals do their jobs, not on what you can personally make happen. Stepping into these shifts doesn't happen overnight and it can feel nerve-wracking for a while. But once you make peace with—and embrace—this new version of leadership, you'll unlock new levels of impact and satisfaction you never imagined.
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Returnships for Moms: Top Companies and How They Work
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported in 1989 that 86% of mothers cited home and family care as the leading reason for exiting the workforce. In 2021, 79% reported the same reason. No working mother decides to step away from the workforce lightly. Unfortunately, women overwhelmingly represent spouses who do not participate in the labor force to provide care. Yet whether driven by childcare needs, elder caregiving responsibilities, or mental health, time away from a career can often lead to one of the most daunting question, 'If I want to go back, how do I return?' The answer: a returnship. A growing trend reshaping how companies welcome back professionals who've taken a career pause, returnships give working mothers a chance to brush up on skills and ease back into a full-time job without having to start from scratch. A background gap is viewed as part of the returnee's unique story. Returnships should not be mistaken for charitable initiatives; they are strategic investments in experienced talent. They are often recognized as a DEI initiative and talent pipeline driver, particularly for mothers seeking to reenter the workplace with dignity, support, and a clear path forward. Unlike internships targeting early-career candidates, returnships are tailored for individuals with prior professional experience. They have higher expectations and more tailored support, but competition for these roles can be fierce. Returnships are a structured, short-term paid program (usually lasting between 12 and 24 weeks) with specific eligibility criteria and application timelines. Participants are assigned real projects, receive mentorship from senior leaders, and are offered training to refresh technical and soft skills. They are more common in specific fields, such as tech, finance, and consulting. Goldman Sachs pioneered the concept with its Returnship program, which launched in 2008. Not all returnships guarantee a full-time position, but many programs are designed as 'try-before-you-hire' experiences that often result in permanent offers. While many are paid, the compensation may not match a full-time role. Some programs lack flexibility in hours, which can still be challenging for caregivers. For example, Goldman Sachs states that exceptional performance during their program may lead to consideration for full-time roles, depending on business needs and individual qualifications. For global companies, they're often available in multiple regions. Working mothers who feel disconnected from their previous industries, lack current references, or feel overwhelmed by technological change are prime candidates. Eligibility requirements vary by company, but returnships typically target individuals with a career break of two or more years. Some programs focus exclusively on mothers, while others are open to any caregiver or mid-career professional who stepped away for personal reasons. Companies often look for candidates with prior industry experience, transferable skills, and the willingness to learn and adapt. Over 100 companies work with Path Forward, a nonprofit that partners with employers to create mid-career return-to-work opportunities. These partnerships include major employers such as Walmart, Netflix, Audible, Amazon, Meta, Apple, PayPal, and SAP. They provide a Returnship Builder tool to assist companies in planning and implementing these programs effectively. Path Forward also helps the working mother returning to work restart their career after taking time off for family responsibilities. They provide resources like career advice, success stories, and the Returnship Matcher tool to help individuals find opportunities that fit their backgrounds and goals. Career coaches advise applicants to tailor their résumés to highlight skills over chronology, emphasize volunteer or caregiving experience, and demonstrate a growth mindset. Several Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders have established returnship programs in recent years, reflecting a broader shift toward inclusive hiring practices. Some of the most well-known include: For mothers reentering the workforce, returnships offer substantial benefits. While foundational skills may have been acquired through college or previous roles, even a short absence from the workforce can necessitate a skill refresh. Industries such as finance and healthcare are dynamic, with frequent updates to automation tools, data dashboards, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) programs. Additionally, regulations and compliance expectations in these sectors evolve regularly due to technological advancements, political shifts, and changes in consumer protection laws. Returnships provide structured opportunities to update these skills and stay current with industry standards. Self-doubt is a common challenge among working mothers returning to the workforce, influenced by external and internal perceptions. Societal biases, often called the motherhood penalty, suggest that mothers are less committed or current in their professional roles, leading to fewer opportunities and stalled promotions. Internally, many mothers report feelings of disconnection from their previous roles and uncertainty about succeeding in high-performance environments after time away. This internalized pressure to "prove themselves" anew is compounded when peers have advanced during their absence. Up to 70% of all jobs are not published on publicly available job search sites, and research has long shown that anywhere from half to upwards of 80% of jobs are filled through networking. Networking is pivotal in securing employment, especially for those reentering the workforce. Employers often trust candidates recommended by their existing employees, making referrals a powerful tool in the job search process. Returnships provide skill updates and facilitate the rebuilding of professional networks, leading to mentorship opportunities, job leads, freelance gigs, and potential full-time roles. Returnships directly address the broken rung in the corporate ladder, where men significantly outnumber women at the manager, director, and C-Suite levels, enabling women to re-enter the workforce at a level that aligns with their experience and potential. They offer a critical on-ramp back into leadership pipelines. Returnships acknowledge a fundamental truth: careers aren't always linear, and taking a break, especially for caregiving, shouldn't disqualify someone from meaningful work. For companies, returnships rebuild the pipeline of qualified female leaders, thus diversifying thought at the leadership level and creating more growth opportunities. By investing in returnships, companies send a clear message to women: careers can pause for personal needs, and still progress.
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The RARE Executive Candidate: Why Good Isn't Good Enough
Gina Riley | Gina Riley Consulting & creator of Career Velocity, a comprehensive career transition system. What's worse than being unqualified for the job? Being perfectly qualified and still coming in second. Again and again. Especially when the role feels tailor-made for your expertise. As an executive search consultant with Talence Group, I've seen firsthand what separates the offer-winners from the runners-up. It's not degrees, titles or pedigree. It's how prepared they are to deliver when it counts most, in mission-critical, high-visibility interviews that determine who will lead a critical part of the business into its next era. Too many experienced leaders treat the executive interview like a conversation when it's actually a high-stakes business meeting. Finalist rounds are a live audition that assesses your ability to lead, influence and navigate ambiguity while demonstrating the clarity and conviction that instills confidence in decision makers. That's why the winners don't wing it. They become what I call RARE candidates. In executive-level hiring, qualifications are table stakes or the bare minimum to enter conversations. What decision makers want to see is how you think, lead and communicate when pressure is high and ambiguity is real. They're not looking for a resume walk-through. They want to feel your leadership in action. Yet even the most experienced candidates often show up with long-winded stories, vague value propositions or surface-level understanding of the organization's strategic context. It's the equivalent of walking into a board meeting with half-baked slides, a high-risk move that erodes credibility and squanders opportunity. • Underestimating The Importance Of Deep Research: Many candidates rely solely on publicly available information, missing critical insights into internal dynamics, recent challenges and future goals. • Failing To Align Past Experiences With Future Needs: Executives often present past achievements without connecting them to the prospective company's current and future challenges. In doing so, they fail to become a candidate with the relevant skills urgently needed today. • Neglecting To Demonstrate Executive Presence: It's not just about what you say, but how you say it. Confidence, clarity, adaptability and humility are key. • Not Evaluating The Organization's Fit: Candidates sometimes overlook the fact that interviews are a two-way street. Assessing whether the organization's culture and values align with your own is equally important in making a good business match. In my upcoming book, Qualified Isn't Enough, I introduce the RARE Candidate formula, developed to help executives show up as the sharpest, most aligned version of themselves. Winning candidates go far beyond basic searches. They dive into analyst calls, leadership transitions and strategic plans. They know the stakeholders. They anticipate the political shifts. They prepare like they already work there. This isn't reading the company website—it's diagnosing what keeps the CEO up at night. Your stories must connect directly to what the business needs now. Tailor your message to demonstrate how your leadership style solves their problems and accelerates outcomes. You're not reporting history. You're bringing to life the value you deliver for their future. Final interviews can involve founders, C-suite panels or board directors. The words are only half the story. How you listen, adapt and respond signals your readiness to lead at the next level. Executive presence isn't just charisma. It's your ability to shift energy, pace and tone to meet each room where it is. RARE candidates don't chase every opportunity. They show discernment. They ask sharp, strategic questions. They test alignment with culture, values and leadership chemistry. Power dynamics go both ways. You're not just being interviewed—you're interviewing them. When I began working with my client 'Nick,' he had the resume, the pedigree and the referrals. But he couldn't get past first-round interviews. It quickly became clear why: his unique value proposition (UVP) was muddled. His stories wandered. And he hadn't done the strategic prep to understand how the role would shift the organization's dynamics. He rambled in interviews. His mind wandered. So did his listeners. We overhauled his approach and applied the RARE framework. We mapped the business context. We reframed his wins. We sharpened his message. Nick didn't just become a finalist, he became the kind of sharp, decisive "must-hire leader" people wanted on their team. He didn't just make it to the final rounds. He started winning simultaneous offers. Here's how I put it in Qualified Isn't Enough: 'By thoroughly researching, tailoring your message, reading the room and asking the right questions, you present yourself as the candidate who not only fits the role but also elevates the organization. This sets you apart in a field of equally qualified executives.' Senior-level interviews aren't about perfection. They're about preparation. The RARE candidate doesn't improvise; they rehearse. They don't hope to rise under pressure; they train for it. Because that's what it takes to win. Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
