Frontline workers, those non-desk workers who do some of the most demanding jobs, don’t always feel connected to the company they work for. In fact, many say their team has an entirely distinct culture of its own and that communication with thei…
Four tips for being more strategic with your time.
Momma said, “Don’t interrupt.” Let people finish. Pause. Make space.
Master the habit of letting people finish before you speak.
And then break the rules. Great conversations break the rules.
Some of the rules the experts suggest get in the way of …
Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pa…
Retirement planning is typically framed around full-time employment. 401(k)s or pension plans are attractive benefits for people in the corporate world. Those people can open their monthly statements and watch their retirement accounts grow steadily over time.
But for the 16.8 million people in the U.S. who are self-employed (myself included), retirement planning looks different. Over the past two years, 1.4 million people have turned to self-employment. Whether that’s due to layoffs, voluntary quitting, or other reasons, the number is steadily increasing—and there aren’t a lot of resources available for people trying to figure out retirement planning on their own.
While retirement is not something self-employed people can ignore, the whole concept of ending work on a certain date and drawing money from your retirement accounts may not be what some people have in mind.
The traditional retirement model doesn’t apply
If you’re self-employed, you know a lot of factors can make retirement savings tricky. Your income is irregular, you forego a 401(k) plan’s employer match, and the process to make contributions might be more manual.
When I first became self-employed a few years ago, retirement was something I started thinking about in the first year. However, I also spent more than 15 years working in the banking industry, so it was no surprise that finances were on my mind. I had to research a solo 401(k), figure out how to open the account, and start making contributions when I could.
But as I’ve watched my little self-employed 401(k) grow over the years, I’ve also wondered: Am I even working toward the same retirement goal I had when I was working a corporate job? Or have my financial needs in retirement changed?
Redefining a retirement lifestyle
I’ve known many people in my life who have literally counted the days until retirement. They couldn’t wait to stop working.
By contrast, many self-employed people love their work—especially creatives. It’s an integral part of their identities. I’m a freelance writer, so does retirement mean I . . . stop writing? It’s hard to imagine.
Retirement feels like a fuzzy concept. As self-employed people look into the future, retirement might look less like a “full stop” and more like a “slow down” or akin to “selective work.” It may include passion projects, consulting, or mentoring—but not giving up work altogether.
With this in mind, the retirement calculation is different. Rather than assuming you have zero income during retirement, you instead consider that you’d have less income.
Planning for an undefined ending
You won’t have an office retirement party. No one will give you an engraved watch or clock celebrating your years of service with a company. (But, by all means, get yourself a gift!)
Without a particular end date in mind, think instead of how you might step back—and at what age? It’s important to intentionally plan what you want your next chapters to look like.
Retirement for the self-employed requires more self-direction, but you also get to define your own path. You already did that once, when you started your own business. You can do that again as you plan for retirement.
If you don’t get the job, you have nothing to lose by asking for feedback.
Adam Kucharski is a professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and an award-winning science writer. His book, The Rules of Contagion, was a Book of the Year in The Times, Guardian, and Financial Times. A mathemat…
Back in 2023, social media management platform Buffer wrote a blog post about how it had received 1,518 applicants for a single role on its marketing team.
While that’s a jaw-dropping number, it’s a common occurrence for companies with well-paying jobs that boast a great company culture. In the present job market, many job seekers are discouraged knowing they’re competing against hundreds (if not thousands) of applicants.
For some roles, a résumé will only get you so far. A personal brand helps you stand out before you ever apply for a job, making the application process tip in your favor.
You can break out of the résumé mold
Résumés often have very prescriptive formats. You’ve probably heard the common advice: Keep it to one page, highlight your accomplishments, make it easy to read. These days, résumés are often fed directly into an applicant tracking system—so any creativity is stripped, and a résumé reviewer only sees text.
Yet many companies have a required field on their applications: the URL of your LinkedIn profile.
This is where you can shine. Anyone can have a polished headshot, colorful banner, and interesting headline. But you can set yourself apart with a compelling “About” section, links to projects in the “Featured” section, and recommendations from former colleagues.
Your LinkedIn profile is like your résumé with a microphone. Instead of passively waiting for someone to review your work, you’re amplifying it.
Of course, to do this, you need to create content.
Start with a small, manageable posting schedule
LinkedIn can be a very intimidating place, especially if you’ve never shared content there before. The feed is full of people who are “Excited to announce” a new job or want to tell you how to “10x your career.” One Gen Z user referred to LinkedIn as “the overachievers’ Facebook” in an article for the New York Post.
Creating content is a way to showcase your personality in a way that your résumé and profile can’t. You don’t have to set out to be an influencer, but you can share relevant experiences from your career—and even a peek into your personal interests (if you’re comfortable doing so).
I started with one post per week, sharing anything work-related that popped into my head. I had no particular goal in mind, but recognized that LinkedIn was the platform where work and opportunities happen. Eventually, I started becoming more strategic and shared content that showcased my expertise and personality, but not until my weekly writing habit was well-established.
You can bypass gatekeepers and make connections
A personal brand will open doors in a way that a résumé won’t. In an intense job market, you need anything and everything that distinguishes you from other job seekers.
With a personal brand, you can make connections with potential hiring managers and rely on those connections when applying for a job. Do this before you apply. Start connecting with people in your industry or at companies you’d like to work for. Engage with them and continue posting content.
When a role opens up, you can apply and also send a DM saying: “Hey! Just wanted to let you know that I applied for XYZ role. Really excited about the opportunity.” It might move your résumé to the top of the pile.
Significant attention
A personal brand might also bring offers directly to you—without needing to apply. You might catch the attention of hiring managers or recruiters who will reach out with potential opportunities.
I’m self-employed, so my experience isn’t the same as a traditional job seeker. Still, I can attest that I get a significant amount of attention on LinkedIn after several years of building a personal brand. Connections have brought opportunities my way that I would not have had otherwise.
Because of my content, people know who I am, understand what I do, and trust that my personal brand matches my work ethic.
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Most leadership a…
