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As summer approaches, do you find yourself in a job transition? Are you torn between the need to figure out what’s next, but also want to enjoy the break that is summer? Are you like most people and you haven’t had a summer off since you were in school, and find yourself wondering if now is the time?

I’m here to tell you that you can do both. It is possible to be proactive about your job transition while also making time to truly enjoy the summer. The question is what does that look like.

Structure is essential ensuring time for both. During a job transition, it’s important to rest, but it’s also an opportunity to assess, prepare, and explore. With the goal of spending approximately 24 hours a week on career development, you have plenty of time left for summer fun – time with the family, a weekend or week at the cabin, your favorite water sport, and more. So how do you structure those 24 hours for maximum benefit?

First, consider what you want to do next.

Do you want to stay in the same industry and in a similar role? Or do you want to explore new opportunities that leverage your skills and experience. A job transition does not mean you must continue to do what you’ve always done. This is an opportunity to assess what you loved about your previous role, consider what you want in an organization, and identify your priorities to find a role that fits you where you are now.

Next, take inventory of where things are at.

This inventory is about determining your readiness for the job search process. Do you need to refresh your resume or completely overhaul it? Are you new to LinkedIn or simply update your profile? What technology do you need for the job search process? Have you prioritized networking overtime, or do you need to build it from scratch? Who can you use as a reference? Do you have a non-compete in place? Are you willing to relocate for the right role? What are your salary expectations? Do you want or need to grow your skill set by learning a new software or obtaining a new certification? These are all important questions to consider so you can go into the job search process with a clear picture of where you are and where you want to be.

Continue Reading: https://cultivatingcareers.com/2023/06/05/use-summer-job-transition-still-take-break/

College is a time for students to immerse themselves in the search for potential careers and explore different paths that lie ahead after graduation. However, it can be hard to truly devote yourself to thinking about the future as the school year ramps up. That’s why summer is an excellent time to research different careers and figure out which ones interest you. Here are 6 ways you can use your summer to figure out what career you want:

Summer Immersion

During Accelerator, students work on consulting projects for real companies.

During a summer immersion program, you’ll have the opportunity to experience different industries and network with peers and professionals. For instance, at the Vanderbilt AcceleratorⓇ Virtual Business Immersion, students work on a consulting projects for a real company and participate in programming to gain industry knowledge, developing collaboration, critical thinking, and research skills in the process. The program also introduces students to different careers like finance and marketing. “This newly found experience builds your resume and provides great interview material to demonstrate your ability to immediately contribute to a company’s goals,” said Jon Lehman, Faculty Director of Accelerator.

Read and Research

If there are some careers you have in mind already, start by reading articles or books about those jobs. For example, if you’re interested in business, skim through career spotlights (like the ones in the Vanderbilt Business Newsroom) to learn how people enter fields such as finance and what they do in their day-to-day work. Also take some time to research the industry’s outlook and the values of big companies in the space to get a feel for the job’s future prospects and what kind of qualities employers look for.

Continue Reading: https://business.vanderbilt.edu/news/2021/05/05/how-to-use-your-summer-to-figure-out-what-career-you-want/

Work-life balance addresses how an organization’s workforce prioritizes their personal and professional activities. Work-life balance is a timely matter given the increased amount of technology used to complete work activities and its ability to interrupt home life.

Each employee defines their ideal work-life balance differently, depending on commitments to family, work priorities, health, and leisure.

A brief history of work-life balance

Until the early 20th century, typical blue-collar workers labored for 70 to 100 hours per week during The Industrial Revolution.

Automotive innovator Henry Ford pioneered the modern “9-5” workday in the 1920s to provide his employees more opportunities for balance and leisure. Companies would follow this model over the next two decades and the US government would eventually codify 40-hour work week into law. During this time, the press described the time between work and home as work/leisure balance.

The relationship between work and home evolved in the last quarter of the 20th century with the introduction of new technology and a shift in business priorities towards shareholder value. Employees could now stay connected to their work outside the office over email and instant messaging. With previously set boundaries now eliminated, the concept of work-life balance was introduced.

How has work-life balance changed?

Work-life balance continues to change today, with employees looking for more flexible work arrangements that support their lifestyles. Companies have responded, introducing childcare, elder care, and employee assistance programs. For some companies, the prominence of such initiatives provides a boost in company brand image and recruiting.

The COVID-19 pandemic created additional dialogue around work-life balance. As workers shifted into remote settings while also fulfilling family responsibilities, workers felt increasingly stressed out. In response, companies updated their benefits offerings by expanding existing employee assistance program services while offering access to mental health counseling, health and wellness programs, home office stipends, and flexible work hours.

Continue Reading: https://www.oracle.com/anz/human-capital-management/employee-experience/what-is-work-life-balance/

Commercial real estate is often viewed as a high-reward industry—and for good reason. The pace is fast, the stakes are high, and the financial upside can be significant. But behind the promotions, transactions, and growth stories, there’s another side of the industry that often goes unspoken: burnout.

In commercial real estate, long hours, constant deal pressure, and an “always on” culture can quietly chip away at even the most ambitious professionals. And while hustle can accelerate a career in the short term, sustainability is what creates lasting success.

So how do you build a career in CRE that is both successful and sustainable?

Define Success for the Long Term

Early in a career, success is often measured by promotions, compensation, or getting into a marquee firm. Those things matter—but if they become the only metric, burnout can follow quickly.

The professionals who stay in the industry for decades often redefine success over time. They begin asking questions like:

• Does this role align with the life I want to build?
• Am I energized by the work I’m doing?
• Is this environment helping me grow—or draining me?

A high-paying opportunity at the wrong company can leave even top performers exhausted. On the other hand, the right platform, team, and leadership can dramatically improve both performance and quality of life.

Choose the Right Firm, Not Just the Right Title

One of the biggest career mistakes professionals make in CRE is chasing title or compensation without evaluating culture.

Commercial real estate firms vary dramatically in expectations, leadership style, and work-life balance. Some environments are entrepreneurial and flexible. Others are highly structured, intense, and transaction-heavy.

Before joining a company, ask deeper questions during the interview process:

• What is turnover like on the team?
• How does leadership support employee growth?
• What does success look like in the first year?
• How do team members describe the culture?

It’s easy to overlook these questions when an opportunity feels exciting, but the answers often determine whether someone thrives—or burns out.

A role that aligns with your working style, values, and stage of life is more likely to support long-term career growth.

Set Boundaries Before You Need Them

Commercial real estate is demanding by nature. Deals move quickly, fires happen unexpectedly, and there are seasons where extra hours are unavoidable.

But there’s a difference between working hard and working in a way that is unsustainable.

Many professionals wait until they are overwhelmed to create boundaries. The healthier approach is to establish them early.

This might look like:

• Protecting non-negotiable personal time
• Creating realistic expectations around responsiveness
• Taking vacation time instead of banking it indefinitely
• Building systems to prioritize what truly moves the needle

Boundaries are not about doing less. They are about preserving energy so performance remains strong over the long term.

Ironically, professionals who pace themselves often outperform those who sprint nonstop and eventually hit a wall.

Prioritize Mental and Physical Well-Being

CRE careers can involve high stress, travel, long meetings, and inconsistent schedules. Over time, neglecting health takes a toll—not just personally, but professionally.

Mental clarity, decision-making, resilience, and relationship-building are all impacted by well-being.

The highest-performing professionals often prioritize habits that support longevity:

• Regular movement or exercise
• Consistent sleep
• Time away from screens and constant emails
• Strong personal relationships outside of work
• Activities that genuinely recharge them

Success in CRE is rarely about surviving the busiest season. It’s about building the capacity to perform consistently over years.

Think Marathon, Not Sprint

Commercial real estate rewards ambition—but longevity matters just as much as intensity.

The professionals with the strongest careers are rarely the ones who burned brightest for two years and disappeared. They are the ones who learned how to evolve, protect their energy, choose the right environments, and sustain momentum over time.

A successful CRE career is not built through constant sacrifice. It’s built through intentional choices that allow growth without losing yourself in the process.

Because in the long run, success without sustainability comes at too high a cost.

AI is redefining workplace roles and upending careers, making it critically important that you remain relevant, resilient and indispensable

In a recent survey of 1,200 non-technical workers and 1,200 C-suite executives by AI platform Writer, 97% of respondents said their company had deployed AI, and 70% of respondents use the technology on a daily basis.

So how do you make yourself indispensable as AI grows more ubiquitous?

• Competence. First, learn AI applications and lead the way on your team. Those who are comfortable, confident and competent with AI will be valuable to organizations.
• Creativity. Second, express curiosity and show creativity. The greatest value comes not from having all the answers, but from being able to ask the right questions in the process of creating something new. Experiment using AI to assist in daily tasks or improve workflows. It may not always work out exactly right, but it could help identify innovative solutions.
• Connection. One of our most uniquely human capabilities is building relationships, and employers are looking for workers with people skills. Show how you can communicate, collaborate, express empathy and establish rapport with colleagues in a tech-heavy world.
• Commitment. You can also demonstrate you’re committed to the success AI can deliver. AI tools are not infallible, so show your value by being accountable for AI outputs. Check, edit and own your deliverables.

Embracing AI and finding new ways of working will make you invaluable.

Continue Reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2026/05/05/how-to-make-yourself-indispensable-in-an-ai-world/