Academic breaks offer a chance to relax and catch up on tasks, but finding the right balance is crucial, write Jennifer Furlong of the City University of New York and Stacy Hartman of the American Council of Learned Societies. They suggest deciding in advance when not to work, setting realistic work hours and creating manageable to-do lists, while emphasizing the importance of creative intellectual practice and self-kindness and noting that breaks are intended to provide mental rest and rejuvenation.

Chatbots such as Google Gemini, ChatGPT and Grok differ in their capacity to help job hunters, writes John Brandon based on his experience researching each one. Grok outperformed the others by finding more listings and providing accurate information, Brandon writes.

Corporate support for women's career advancement is declining, with only half of companies prioritizing it, according to the "Women in the Workplace 2025" report from LeanIn.org and McKinsey. This has led to a significant ambition gap, as women receive less sponsorship and manager advocacy than men, particularly at entry and senior levels.

Younger workers are returning to the office after finding remote work offers less training, mentorship and promotion opportunities, according to studies from Harvard University and BambooHR. The studies show that 42% of employees have returned to the office in the past year. "You don't feel part of anything, and you rarely see how your efforts fit into a larger picture," said Ben Lamarche of Lock Search Group.

US companies have announced 1.17 million layoffs this year, the highest since 2020, driven by frequent, smaller layoffs rather than large-scale reductions, according to Glassdoor and Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The technology sector has been hit hardest, with more than 150,000 job cuts.