Relevated Brands

🌟 Here’s to you and all the possibilities a new year brings! Whether you’re navigating transitions, exploring new opportunities, or finding joy in the everyday, I hope 2025 is everything you’re dreaming of and more.

Wishing you success, happiness, and exciting new chapters in the year ahead! 🥂✨

🍭 As the year winds down, I’m grateful for the connections, support, and experiences that have made this year meaningful.

🎄 Wishing you and yours a holiday filled with warmth, joy, and everything that makes the season special.

🎅🏻 Happy holidays!

[Note: This is a scheduled post as I’m away spending time with family this holiday]

Returning to Work? Boost Connections and Productivity with Fika

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: If you’re dreading return-to-work mandates, take a cue from Sweden and embrace Fika —a tradition of pausing your day to connect with colleagues over coffee or tea and a light treat.

𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬: More than just a break, Fika is a cultural ritual rooted in fostering relationships, sparking creativity, and finding balance. Sweden, ranked #3 in the world for productivity, attributes part of its success to this simple yet powerful practice.

☕ Make Fika a Workplace Habit
Set aside time daily or weekly for a dedicated Fika break with your colleagues. Whether mid-morning or mid-afternoon, stepping away from work tasks to enjoy 15–30 minutes of conversation helps recharge your mind and strengthen relationships. Regular Fikas encourage camaraderie and provide a natural way to bond with colleagues, new and familiar.

😀 Focus on Connection
At its heart, Fika is about people, not productivity. Use these moments to share stories, swap ideas, or simply enjoy being present with others. Avoid work agendas during Fika —these sessions are an opportunity to build trust and understanding in an informal, work-free moment.

🫖 Personalize the Tradition
While Fika traditionally involves coffee and pastries, the focus is on creating an enjoyable, inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. Make Fika your own by introducing themed snacks, rotating hosts, or even bringing healthier treats.

💡 Why Fika Works
Fika balances work with relationships, allowing space for creativity and collaboration to thrive. By embracing fika, you can bring a sense of community and balance to your return-to-office routine — Swedish style!
...................

✋🏻 Hi, I’m Hillary. I’m a career coach, resume writer, and LinkedIn strategist. I help people build their personal brands to grow their careers and navigate transitions like layoffs, gaps, and pivots.

[Note: This is a scheduled post as I’m away spending time with family this holiday]

🧩 Researching a company for a job search is like assembling a puzzle. Each piece—company culture, mission, leadership, and market position—helps complete the picture of how you fit within the organization.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: When you take the time to gather and align these pieces, you present a clear image of yourself as the perfect match for the role. Your preparation shows a complete, thoughtful, and well-aligned candidate that completes the puzzle.

🔎 Study Their Online Presence:
Start with the company's website. Review their mission statement, values, and recent news to understand their focus. Check their careers page for details on culture and growth opportunities. Then, dive into their social media accounts to gauge their tone and public-facing image. Look for recurring themes—like innovation or community engagement—that align with your goals and values.

🔢 Analyze Reviews and Reports:
Platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn offer employee reviews and insights into company culture, benefits, and management style. While these opinions can be subjective, patterns can reveal critical trends. Additionally, explore industry reports and competitors’ insights to understand where the company’s position in its market.

🪟 Research Leadership and Vision:
Use LinkedIn to explore leadership profiles. Check their tenure, communication style, and professional accomplishments, which provides a window into the company's strategic direction and internal dynamics.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: Tailored research helps you make informed choices and positions you as the best fit for the role.
...................

✋🏻 Hi, I’m Hillary. I’m a career coach, resume writer, and LinkedIn strategist. I help people build their personal brands to grow their careers and navigate transitions like layoffs, gaps, and pivots.

The job market has shifted dramatically since the Great Resignation in 2022. Back then, opportunities were everywhere—roles were plentiful, wages were rising, and job seekers held the power.

🔢 Today, things feel much more uncertain. Glassdoor reports that 65% of professionals feel stuck in their current jobs, and the quit rate has fallen to 1.9%, the lowest since the pandemic began.

𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬: Many employers are hiring cautiously or not at all, leaving workers feeling frustrated and uncertain about their next steps.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: While the job market feels slow, this is the perfect time to focus on yourself and prepare for brighter opportunities ahead. Investing in your growth now can make all the difference later.

🚀 Earn a new skill or certification: Take a short online course or get certified in a trending field like data analytics, digital marketing, or project management.

🤩 Update your personal brand: Refresh your LinkedIn profile, create a simple website, or share ideas in online professional groups to boost your visibility.

🎨 Start a passion project: Grow personally and professionally by working on something you love, like writing a blog or creating art.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: Even in a tough market, building new skills, strengthening your brand, and staying engaged can keep you balanced and prepare you for when the job market picks up again.
...................

✋🏻 Hi, I’m Hillary. I’m a career coach, resume writer, and LinkedIn strategist. I help people build their personal brands to grow their careers and navigate transitions like layoffs, gaps, and pivots.