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Networking tips (including go-to courses!)

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Networking tips (including go-to courses!)

Chances are, since you’re here on LinkedIn, you’ve already started to build or expand your professional network. Any time you connect with someone new, update your profile, or interact with a post, you’re making progress toward building your network.

We are excited to be back discussing career growth and development with you. So far, we’ve considered professional development goals, built a career development plan, and explored how to find a mentor. This week, we’ll talk about growing another aspect of your professional support system—your network.

Networking is all about building relationships with other people in your field or industry. In other words, it’s the social side of being a professional where you get to meet like-minded people, share perspectives, and swap leads on new job prospects.

As you grow your career, your professional network can be a strong source of knowledge, support, and opportunity for you to tap into. Looking to gain new skills? Your network can connect you with the resources and expertise you’ll need to develop them. Want a new job to apply those skills? Your network can open up the “hidden job market” to you, in which unpublished open roles are yet to be filled.  

Networking can be particularly helpful if you’re changing careers. Consider reaching out to people who have made similar career changes in the past as well as long-time industry veterans. You can learn about successful career-change pathways and identify valuable transferable skills from people who have already done what you are now hoping to accomplish. Meanwhile, industry veterans will be intimately familiar with the field you’re hoping to enter, so can offer a knowledgeable perspective on current industry trends.

Here are some quick tips for building your network:

  1. Get clear on your goals. Think about what it is that you want to accomplish through networking, and then determine what people or organizations are best positioned to help you do it. Your goals can be as big or small as you want.
  2. Think about who you already know. You may already have more contacts than you realize. Consider reaching out to friends, former classmates, coworkers, or colleagues you already know.
  3. Explore open networks. There’s a trove of networking opportunities out there for you. See what communities you can tap into on social media, online forums, websites, or real-life meet-ups hosted by professional organizations.
  4. Actively engage. You’ll likely get back the same energy that you put into your network, so keep showing up and putting in the effort to maintain your connections. Relationships are two-sided, so make yourself visible and available to your current and future connections. (Start by updating your LinkedIn profile!)

If networking isn’t your forte, don’t worry. Think about the relationships in your life that work best for you, and consider how you can replicate those types of relationships in a professional setting. The most beneficial relationships will be the ones in which you feel comfortable being open and honest about who you are and who you are becoming, and there are endless ways to develop those kinds of relationships.

Explore more

Find even more networking tips in our guide, or if you prefer learning via video, the University System of Georgia’s Successful Career Development course has modules on finding a mentor, growing your network, and using LinkedIn effectively.

To build your social confidence, try the University of Michigan’s Emotional Intelligence: Cultivating Immensely Human Interactions. In this course, you’ll explore relationship-building techniques that can enable you to cultivate deeper connections with others.

To expand your people skills, check out IBM’s People and Soft Skills for Professional and Personal Success Specialization. In addition to a course dedicated to interpersonal skills—which covers networking necessities like communication styles and active listening—you’ll explore interactive topics like collaboration and presentations.

Finally, to be a more confident speaker, try the University of London’s (free!) course, Finding Your Professional Voice: Confidence & Impact. This 9-hour course explores your physical speaking voice and offers guidance on how to speak more clearly and confidently in order to build stronger connections with others.

Next week, we’re going to close out our career growth series with an issue on work-life balance. In the meantime, we can always use some real-life inspiration—share your networking success stories in the comments. See you there!

Would You Make Your Pet Live Longer if You Could?

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Would You Make Your Pet Live Longer if You Could?

Do you have pets, or have you ever had one? Would you like to have one?

Have you experienced the loss of a pet? If so, what was it like for you? If not, is it something you think about happening one day?

Many pet owners say there is not much they wouldn’t do to extend the lives of their pets. Is this true for you? Would you make your pet live longer if you could?

In “Could a Drug Give Your Pet More Dog Years?” Emily Anthes writes about medication that could extend the lives of our canine companions:

The life of a pet dog follows a predictable trajectory. Over time, the floppy-eared puppy that keeps falling asleep in his food bowl will become a lanky-legged adolescent with an insatiable interest in squirrels — before eventually settling into adulthood as a canine creature of habit, with a carefully chosen napping location and a well-rehearsed greeting ritual.

But as the years progress, his joints will stiffen and his muzzle will gray. And one day, which will inevitably arrive too soon, his wagging tail will finally still.

“When you adopt a dog, you’re adopting future heartbreak,” said Emilie Adams, a New Yorker who owns three Rhodesian Ridgebacks. “It’s worth it over time because you just have so much love between now and when they go. But their life spans are shorter than ours.”

In recent years, scientists have been chasing after drugs that might stave off this heartbreak by extending the lives of our canine companions. On Tuesday, the biotech company Loyal announced that it had moved one step closer to bringing one such drug to market. “The data you provided are sufficient to show that there is a reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” an official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration informed the company in a recent letter.

But some ethicists worry about what it might mean if drugs like LOY-001, the one created by Loyal, succeed:

The dogs themselves cannot give consent, they noted.

“Is it in their best interest to live a little bit longer when there’s some risk to taking these drugs?” said Rebecca Walker, a philosopher and bioethicist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who said she would not give a longevity drug to her golden retriever. “Or is it really in the best interest of their owners, who are very attached to them?”

So far, the worst side effect of LOY-001 has been mild and temporary gastrointestinal distress, Ms. Halioua said, although she acknowledged that the bar for safety would be “extremely, extremely, extremely high.”

Longevity drugs are intended for healthy dogs, which changes the risk-benefit calculus. “It’s one thing if a dog is on death’s door and you’re giving them some late-breaking treatment,” said Bev Klingensmith, a Great Dane breeder in Iowa who also has a Great Dane and a golden retriever of her own. “Giving my young, healthy dog a brand-new drug would seem a little scary.”

Even drugs that deliver on all their promises will raise ethical questions. “If animals are living longer, do we have the resources and commitment to provide lives worth living?” Dr. Anne Quain, a veterinarian and an expert on veterinary ethics at the University of Sydney, said in an email. “What if we see more dogs outliving their owners?”

Reforming the breeding practices that have contributed to life-shortening health problems in many dogs and expanding access to basic veterinary care might be a better way to improve canine lives, she added. “We can save many ‘dog years’ by ensuring that as many dogs have access to that care as possible,” she said.

And while scientists gather more data on potential longevity drugs, there are steps that dog owners can now take to foster healthier aging, experts said, including keeping their dogs lean and providing ample exercise and mental stimulation.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Do you think humans should extend their pets’ lives with longevity drugs like the one from Loyal? What do you see as the benefits? What ethical concerns, if any, worry you?

  • If you could lengthen your pet’s life with a drug, would you? Why or why not?

  • How important do you think research into life-extending medicine is? Experts suggested several other ways humans could lengthen the lives of dogs, including reforming breeding practices, expanding basic veterinary care and keeping pets healthy. Should we prioritize solutions like those over medication?

  • As the article notes, canine longevity has recently started to attract more attention, in part because it raises the “tantalizing possibility that scientists might be able to find drugs that had the same life-extending effects in people.” Are you excited about a future in which humans and animals could potentially live longer? Why or why not?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Do You Ever Feel Sentimental About the Past?

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Do You Ever Feel Sentimental About the Past?

Have you ever heard a song and been instantly transported to a moment from your past? If so, what was it? What did you think about when you heard it? What did you feel?

In “Live Music Is a Time Machine,” Holly Burns explains why music has the special ability to make us “time travel”:

In September, I went to see Counting Crows, a band whose music formed the soundtrack of my adolescence. The people alongside me at the Greek Theater at the University of California, Berkeley, were mainly in their 40s and 50s; people who might have had a babysitter waiting at home, or a slightly achy back. (I had both.)

As we belted out the lyrics of “Mr. Jones” together — a sea of fans singing a decades-old song — I could’ve sworn I was a teenager again. I forgot that I had a mortgage, two kids and a favorite brand of tea bag. I turned to my husband (it was a shock to remember that I had one), and said, “Did we just travel back in time?”

This experience is fairly common, said Dr. Andrew E. Budson, a professor of neurology at Boston University and author of “Why We Forget and How to Remember Better: The Science Behind Memory.” Music has a powerful ability to make us feel like we’ve been transported to the past.

Many experts say that, as we get older, we tend to remember things that happened to us in our adolescence and early adulthood more than in other eras of our lives, a phenomenon known as the reminiscence bump. Though there are several theories, some experts speculate that it’s because we’re forming our identities during this time, and our brains are particularly receptive to new information. It’s also a period that often includes social milestones, like a first relationship.

So the music we listened to when we were in our teens and early 20s tends to stick with us and evoke strong memories when we hear it again, said Kelly Jakubowski, an associate professor of music psychology at Durham University who studies music and memory. And for many of us, the music we liked when we were younger remains our favorite as we age.

Nostalgia can be good for us, staving off loneliness and enhancing well-being.

The author also delves into the science behind nostalgia:

When we’re initially forming a memory from an experience, different regions of the brain become active. There are several theories about exactly how this happens, but many experts believe that the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and learning, binds all of the elements of an event into a single memory. If it’s important or emotional, a neighboring region of the brain, the amygdala, will boost activity in the hippocampus to ensure that information is encoded and stored as a lasting memory.

When some part of your current experience matches some part of a memory, the hippocampus helps retrieve and reconstruct the remaining elements of the original event.

“The reason it feels like time travel is that you actually have the same patterns of activity in the brain; when you pull up the memory, they become active,” Dr. Budson said. So things you saw or heard or felt originally, “you’re able to experience many of them again.”

Music is particularly good at doing this because it activates so many different brain regions, Dr. Budson said. Plus, a song lasts several minutes, so “it encourages you to be thinking about that memory and retrieving that memory not just for a few seconds, like looking at a picture might, but for a prolonged period of time.”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • What are your experiences with nostalgia? Have you ever, for example, heard a song, seen a photo or watched a video and instantly been transported back to a moment from your past? Tell us about one such time this happened to you.

  • The article specifically talks about music’s ability to be a time machine. Is there a certain song or album that always evokes memories for you? If so, what is it, and what do you think about when you hear it?

  • How would you describe your relationship to the past? Do you like reliving memories from your childhood? Or do you prefer to live in the present or dream about the future? Why?

  • You’ve read about the reminiscence bump, which makes our adolescence and early adulthood stand out in our memory. How do you feel about that? Do you want to vividly remember your teenage years? Do you ever feel pressure to make memories that, theoretically, you will one day cherish?

  • Ms. Burns writes that the music of the Counting Crows formed the soundtrack of her adolescence. Whose music is part of the soundtrack of yours? If you aren’t into music, what other cultural artifacts (such as art, video games, books or movies) do you think will remind you of your teenage years when you’re older?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Compliments

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Compliments

“That’s a nice jacket.”
“I really think you are a talented writer.”
“You’re such a good friend!”

Do you like to give others praise? Or, do you worry a compliment might feel phony or make the other person feel awkward? Do you wish you could express your admiration and appreciation more easily?

What’s the best compliment you ever received? How did it make you feel? Do you wish others would give you more praise?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article on the benefits of offering a compliment for both the giver and receiver.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

The Need for Informed Conversations Around The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

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The Need for Informed Conversations Around The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The effects of war have always transcended the borders where wars are fought. These conflicts shape the minds of millions around the world. And with biased opinions, sensational headlines and misinformation populating the internet, the need for informed conversations has never been more critical. 

In a world where everyone has a point of view, understanding hard facts is the key to making thoughtful decisions. In this article, we will explore the importance of informed conversations around the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Understanding Beyond Headlines

Informed conversations require more than a surface-level understanding of complex issues. Headlines often simplify, and sometimes sensationalise, the intricacies of global conflicts. To truly comprehend the depth of these matters, we all need access to unbiased, comprehensive information.

Empathy as a Catalyst

Empathy is a powerful catalyst for informed conversations. It allows us to step into the shoes of others, fostering a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives. Informed conversations, rooted in empathy, can help us pave the way for a collaborative approach towards solving the problems faced by those in the midst of the conflict and beyond.

Critical Thinking in Decision-Making

Informed decision-making relies on critical thinking. When you are able to analyse information, question assumptions, and evaluate various perspectives, you can be better equipped to make decisions that consider the broader implications of inherent biases. Critical thinking is not just a skill; it’s a mindset that fosters a culture of thoughtful dialogue.

The Role of Education in Fostering Informed Conversations

Education is the cornerstone of informed conversations. When you get access to the complete, unbiased picture, you can think critically and empathise with diverse perspectives. This is essential for cultivating a society capable of engaging in meaningful discourse with the ultimate objective of peace.

Our Contribution to Informed Conversations

At Alison, we understand the importance of staying informed. That’s why we’re eager to share our latest course on the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By presenting a balanced view of the historical narrative, our course aims to break down barriers and encourage conversations that go beyond surface-level disagreements.

Join the Conversation

Our commitment to accessible education means that this course is freely available to learners worldwide. Regardless of your background or location, you can be a part of this crucial global conversation. By enrolling in our course, you not only gain valuable insights into a complex historical issue, but also contribute to a community of learners dedicated to building a future marked by understanding, collaboration and empathy.

Word of the Day: condescension

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Word of the Day: condescension

The word condescension has appeared in 49 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Nov. 7 in the book review “He Believes He’s Been Reincarnated. Here’s His Tale of Life, Love and Fate” by Helen Simonson:

It is “the most beautiful of all possible worlds,” a chapter heading proclaims at the beginning of Jonathan Evison’s new novel, “Again and Again.” But it’s easy to doubt this cheerful echo of “Candide” as we are introduced to the book’s protagonist, Eugene Miles, a centenarian curmudgeon living in an elder-care facility in the California desert who insists — a bit too loudly and often — on his desire to be left alone to await death.

It’s a tricky thing to write a crotchety old person, and pretty soon the reader wonders what sort of redeeming qualities will make it desirable to spend time in Eugene’s presence. He is mean to the facility’s staff members, who he concedes are cheerful but “most speak to me with that cloying condescension of the sort one might employ with a toddler or a puppy.” And he disdains his fellow residents, such as Irma, who he says smells of “wilting gardenias and the inside of pill bottles.”

Can you correctly use the word condescension in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how condescension can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

How I Went from Researcher to Junior Front-End Developer in 5 Months

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How I Went from Researcher to Junior Front-End Developer in 5 Months

Learning to code so that you can land a job in tech can feel daunting. That’s why we’re sharing inspiring stories from Codecademy’s community — to show how people like you (yes, you!) can embark on a learning journey and end up with a totally new career. We hope these stories serve as a reminder that there’s no single path to a more fulfilling work life.

Today’s story is from Dominika Wojewska, a 34-year-old Junior Front End Developer living in Poland. Read more stories from Codecademy learners here — and be sure to share your story here.

Why I chose to learn to code

“Before I was a researcher working in academia, doing a PhD in biochemistry. I really wanted to work in a pharmaceutical company or do something with drug design and development. It’s not only very difficult to get such a job, but if you want to work in the lab, you have to relocate to physically be there. I didn’t want to do that anymore. I just want to live anywhere in the world that I like and find a job that is mentally stimulating and fun [that I can do] remotely.”

How I made time to learn

“I started to learn to code sometime around May of 2022 just for fun. I was learning during the evenings and whenever I could find some time.

What’s even better is to make time in your agenda to learn to code and work on personal projects. I recommend putting that into your calendar and stick to it, no excuses. Make a long-term learning plan, or a roadmap, and stick to it. Also be ready to make sacrifices: If you have a clear goal in mind, some of your hobbies will have to suffer, because the time and energy you have is not unlimited. Prioritize things and don’t rely on motivation — rely on discipline.”

Learn something new for free

How I saved up money to switch careers

“At some point, I just decided to quit my job to focus full time on learning how to code. I didn’t have anything lined up, and I ran into some financial issues, so I definitely do not recommend that to anyone. Even though I had some savings, it still was rough. If you plan to go this way, have savings that are the equivalent of at least half a year of your salary. You not only need to pay rent and buy food, but also spend some money on learning resources.”

Curious how you can make ends meet while changing careers?

Here are some tips from other learners who’ve pulled off the switch.

How long it took me to land a job

“It took me several months, roughly half a year, from November to April.”

How I got in the door

“I started applying to jobs immediately, but that was way too soon because all I knew was HTML and CSS. I knew JavaScript because I learned it from the Codecademy course, but I didn’t really know how to use it in a project. I definitely didn’t know any JavaScript framework. I was applying for anything that sounded even remotely within my brackets. Most jobs require you to know a framework and they require at least one year of experience. But how are you going to get this experience if you are not even able to land an internship? That was the most difficult thing.

I started getting interviews sometime in spring of 2023. I think it was mainly brute force that got me interviews. I was writing some projects — very primitive ones, to be honest — like a web page to some local service, or web page for a friend.”  

How I nailed the interview

“Some jobs require you to do a test task, and this one was surprisingly super easy. All they needed was just HTML and CSS, and some basic awareness of JavaScript. I even had second thoughts, like, Hmm that’s suspicious.

I think having previous job experience was a really good asset, because it landed me an interview at least once. Past job experience helps a lot, because people know that you are able to work independently and you’re not just the green freshmen.”

How I evaluated the offer

“I was just happy to land at a job because I know that finding the first one is so difficult.

I also did some research on the salary brackets, and this one was in the upper half — basically the same I was making in my previous job as a biochemist, so it was a great starting point. During the interview, I asked many questions regarding learning opportunities and any projects they have going on. The company provides access to a learning platform, and my direct supervisor said they treat every dev personally and guide them. They were starting to write a big web app for their clients, all of which told me I’ll have opportunities to learn and grow my skills.

They also offered a hybrid work mode: three days from the office, two days from home. For a junior dev that was pretty decent. After weighing pros and cons to get a better overview of what I’m getting into, I accepted the offer. What helped me the most was being realistic: This job is not forever, treat it as a springboard.”

Past job experience helps a lot, because people know that you are able to work independently and you’re not just the green freshmen.

Dominika Wojewska

Junior Web Developer

How day one and beyond went

“It was a mixed bag because I felt super proud of myself that I landed a job as a Junior Web Developer. It’s not even an internship, it’s a proper job. But the first couple of days were rough, mostly because I started mid-month, and I didn’t get proper onboarding until the next month started. I was just thrown in deep water, and it was like, Now you swim.

I was assigned a buddy who helped me massively. She was another junior front-end dev, and I was taking over her responsibilities while she moved on to work on that big web app. So whenever I had questions, I could go and ask her. On the other hand, I really didn’t want to bother her with too many too basic questions, so I figured out a lot of stuff on my own. And I gradually learned the ropes and the tech that was required (like Sass and BEM naming) after hours.”

What I wish I knew before I started learning

“I wish I had known how difficult it is to work on somebody else’s code. Even in front end, some people have different ways of structuring the project or different ways of writing the code, and some things that didn’t make sense to me.

Also, it’s possible to learn how to code and get a job in months, but learning takes time. You not only have to learn, but also you have to practice, work on your projects, and put those projects up on GitHub so others can find them. You should really have a good portfolio before applying for jobs.”

Not sure where to start? Check out our personality quiz! We’ll help you find the best programming language to learn based on your strengths and interests.

Want to share your Codecademy learner story? Drop us a line here. And don’t forget to join the discussions in our community.

Teenagers in The Times: Fall 2023

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Teenagers in The Times: Fall 2023

Welcome to a mammoth edition of our Teenagers in The Times feature.

To help students participating in our One-Pager Challenge, which runs from Dec. 6 to Jan. 10, we have collected news, Opinion essays, feature stories, videos, photo essays and podcasts about young people that have appeared across sections of NYTimes.com this fall. (And we will continue to update the collection throughout the contest.)

Though the challenge allows students to choose anything The Times published in 2023, we hope that a selection of pieces all about young people will be an engaging place to start.

And don’t forget: Everything published on The Learning Network, and all links to related Times content, is free as long as you access it from our site.

If you’re not participating in our challenge, we have lots of other ideas for how this collection might be used. (In fact, we’ve been curating compilations like this for so long that our related lesson plan and special activity sheet are both from the pre-2017 version of our site.)

Enjoy scrolling, and when you’re ready to create, we have some tips to help.

_________

In School Board Elections, Parental Rights Movement Is Dealt Setbacks

Culture battles on gender and race did not seem to move many voters.

Photo Essay | The Young Men of the Crick: Unfinished Lives on the Arizona-Utah Border

A tight-knit group of teenage boys and young men navigate life after the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.

Native American Boarding Schools Took Children’s Culture, and Hundreds Died

New research reveals the vast scope of the Native American boarding school system, which for more than a century removed Native children from their homes and families in an effort to assimilate them. Students at the schools gave up their names, their labor and sometimes their lives.

Opinion | Young Voters Are Frustrated. They’re Staying Engaged ‘Out of Sheer Self-Defense.’

“Younger voters recognize that our political system is broken, and they have little nostalgia about a less broken time.”

Opinion | Americans Under 30 Don’t Trust Religion — or Anything Else

“If you grew up, as I did, during the relatively stable Clinton years, for example, you probably have a very different view of political institutions than someone turning 25 today, whose political consciousness may have been formed during the Trump era.”

Palestinian and Israeli Teens Swam in the Same Pool. Then Came Oct. 7.

The teenagers in the Greater Jerusalem swim club made a point of not focusing on their differences. That changed with the war.

An Audio Diary of Despair

In a series of voice memos sent via WhatsApp, Tasneem Ismael Ahel, 19, described the war unfolding around her in Gaza City.

‘I Was Very Alone Today’: Young Jewish Americans Grieve Over Israel

In the aftermath of the attack by Hamas, they spoke of fear, shock, solidarity and helplessness.

Video | The Dreams of Gaza’s Kids, and the Nightmare They Are Living

Two years ago, filmmakers asked children in Gaza, where nearly half the population is under 18, a seemingly simple question: What is your dream? This video, from the Opinion section, reveals their answers.

Video | Israeli Teen Hopes Her Cousins Will Be Released Soon by Hamas

Sheffa Phillips-Bahat has two young cousins who were taken hostage from their home at Kibbutz Nir Oz. More than a month after they were kidnapped, she “can’t think of anything but getting the hostages back.”

Public Schools Struggle to Say the Right Thing About the Israel-Hamas War

Across the country, public schools, like colleges and universities, are facing backlash as they try to respond to the Hamas attacks and war in Gaza.

After Antisemitic Attacks, Colleges Debate What Kind of Speech Is Out of Bounds

Pro-Palestinian students say that they are speaking up for an oppressed people, but critics say that their rhetoric is deeply offensive.

Opinion | What Is Happening on College Campuses Is Not Free Speech

“Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, campus life in the United States has imploded into a daily trial of intimidation and insult for Jewish students.”

Opinion | A Dispatch From the Muslim Girl Scouts of Astoria

“Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in which an estimated 1,400 Israelis were killed and some 200 others were kidnapped, Amira, who is Palestinian American, said she has experienced for the first time the full fury of Islamophobia and racism that her older relatives and friends have told stories about all her life.”

At Meta, Millions of Underage Users Were an ‘Open Secret,’ States Say

Meta “routinely documented” children under 13 on Instagram and collected their data, according to a newly unsealed complaint.

Podcast | ‘Modern Love’: Did I Fail as a Parent?

Rick Reiss couldn’t control his troubled teenage son, so he had him taken away. Years later, he and his son re-examine that decision.

Teen Depression Rose During Pandemic, With Racial Gaps in Treatment

Approximately 20 percent of teenagers had major depressive disorder in 2021, but less than half who needed treatment received it, a new study found.

Helping Anxious Kids Might Be Easy

The author of this Opinion essay asks, “Overprotection may be making kids scared of the world. If so, wouldn’t the obvious solution be more independence?”

Harvard Cozies Up to #MentalHealth TikTok

As young Americans turn to TikTok for information on mental health, the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard is building its own team of influencers.

Building your personal brand to help you advance in your career

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Building your personal brand to help you advance in your career

Learn how to articulate your values, understand your authentic self, and tell your brand story

Sean Corp, Content Strategist

You’ve done the hard work of learning the new skills in an in-demand field. Perhaps you’re looking to advance your career or you are one of the 53% of people who who quit their job who changed their career field altogether. In its 2023 Learner Outcomes Report, 77% of Coursera learners said their online courses provided career benefits, including 81% of learners in developing economies. 

Equipped with new skills and professional expertise in high-growth areas like coding, data science, health care, and business, there are just a few key questions remaining. How do I effectively package and promote myself? How do I convince a hiring manager that I’m the right person for the job? 

The University of Michigan’s new course Personal Branding: Stand Out and Succeed is here to help you sell yourself and land the job you’re after. Taught by business and marketing experts from U-M’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, you can enroll in this online course to learn how to identify your core values, craft your personal brand, understand your authentic self, and tell your brand story. 

Branding is the core of any company’s marketing approach, and the same principle applies when presenting yourself to others, including potential employers, says Marcus Collins, a co-lead instructor of the course and clinical assistant professor of marketing at Michigan Ross.

“We help people understand how powerful brands are, whether you’re talking about a billion-dollar company or about your own personal brand,” says Collins. 

“Telling your brand story can help you better understand yourself, and also help influence the way people think about you. But an impactful personal brand means your actions and words have to be aligned, so it’s important to connect with your authentic self, your beliefs, your goals and your core values,” Collins says. 

Marketing professor Collins has deep experience in the professional world, as he previously served as the chief strategy officer at Wieden+Kennedy New York. Similarly, co-instructor Cheri Alexander spent more than 30 years working at General Motors and now teaches leadership and business management courses at U-M’s business school. 

Alexander says understanding your personal brand and being your authentic self are keys for anyone who has the goal of becoming an organizational leader. 

“Trust is the currency of transformational leadership, and this course helps you build that trust in yourself and in others, because we know that those who desire to effectively lead others need to display a unique and honest representation of who they really are,” Alexander says. 

The course explores what makes some of the top global brands in business resonate and transcend the products they offer. Learners gain a firm understanding of branding and apply it through a personal lens to help them identify and tell their brand story. Learners also examine case studies from transformational individuals, including Steve Jobs, Beyonce, and Malala Yousafzai, and how they inspired and motivated others. 

“Knowing your story and telling your story is so important,” Collins says. “When you tell your story, you don’t simply list the things on your resume—your work experience or your academic accomplishments. You start with your beliefs. Your values, and what matters to you. I tell people you start with the soul and end with the sale, and we teach you how to do that in this course.” 
Learn more about the course and enroll by visiting the Personal Branding: Stand Out and Succeed page.

Word of the Day: inanity

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Word of the Day: inanity

The word inanity has appeared in 12 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Nov. 24 in “France Scoffs at an Englishman’s ‘Napoleon’” by Catherine Porter:

Yet while British and American reviewers glowed, French critics considered it lazy, pointless, boring, migraine-inducing, too short and historically inaccurate. And that’s just to start.

The critic for the left-wing daily Libération panned the film as not just ugly, but vacuous, positing nothing and “very sure of its inanity.” The review in Le Monde offered that if the director’s vision had one merit, it was “simplicity” — “a montage alternating between Napoleon’s love life and his feats of battle.”

Can you correctly use the word inanity in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how inanity can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

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