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OpenAI Ready for Combat Amidst a Soft Landing for the Labor Market
S&P on fire, Chinese hackers still embedded, outsmart your office politics, and get your personal AI CRM with Table
š Welcome, Jobseekers
ā”ļø Quick Hits: OpenAI in Combat, New Antitrust Boss, Stocks on Fire, Chinese Hackers in Telecom Firms
š Trends & Data: The Labor Marketās Soft Landing Stays on Course
š Upskilling: Whatās one way youāve outsmarted office politics recently?
š Layoff Report: LightSpeed, AlphaSense, Sky Mavis
š§ Jobseeker Tools: Skillroads, CareerFlow, Table AI
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This week, the tech world served us a piping hot pot of chaos, and weāre here to spill every drop. Whether youāre dodging layoffs, scheming your way out of the return-to-office purgatory, or gearing up to snatch your next big move, Weāve got the intel and the sharpest takes to keep you ahead of the curve. Buckle upāletās dive in!
1ļøā£ OpenAI: From Chatbots to Combat Bots
The nerds at OpenAI are making waves again, but this time, theyāve traded the boardroom for the war room. OpenAI has teamed up with Anduril Industries to boost military counter-drone systems. This marks a pivot into defenseābecause apparently, taking over the internet wasnāt ambitious enough.
Why it matters: AI is no longer just about replacing your customer support gig; itās also getting militarized. Whether this is cool or scary, Iāll leave that up to you.
2ļøā£ Big Tech is Big Mad: New Antitrust Boss
ICYMI: Trumpās administration has nominated Gail Slater to take on antitrust regulation. Translation? Big Tech could be in for a rough ride. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta may soon have to play by some new rules.
Offboardās Take: I donāt know about you, but watching billionaires sweat is kind of my favorite sport.
3ļøā£ Stock Market: AI Boosts the Bulls
Tech stocks are on fire again, with the S&P 500 nearing record highs. Salesforce and Marvell are leading the charge, thanks to advancements in AI and cloud services.
Pro Tip: If youāre looking to jump back into the market, now might be a good time to research which companies are leveraging AI smartlyāand which are just riding the hype train.
4ļøā£ Chinese Hackers Still Lingering Inside Telecom Firms
U.S. officials are urging encrypted messaging after reports of Chinese hackers lingering in telecom networks.
Real Talk: If your workplace uses something sketchy like SMS for sensitive comms, run. This isnāt 2010.
The Labor Marketās Soft Landing Stays on Course
The October JOLTS report shows 7.7 million job openings, signaling steady opportunities in the labor market. And with November data from Indeed pointing to further strengthening, thereās reason for optimism about the months ahead.
Hereās what the numbers reveal and how they might impact your next move:
1. Hires Hit a Speed Bump ā But Donāt Panic
Hires dipped slightly to 3.3% in October, a level weāve seen earlier this year. While slower hiring can seem concerning, this may partly be due to hurricane-related disruptions (Helene and Milton), where businesses held job postings but delayed interviews or start dates. The takeaway?
š Temporary factors, not systemic issues, likely caused the slowdown.
2. Confidence is Back on the Rise
The quits rate rose to 2.1%, the first increase since May. Why is this important? People donāt leave jobs unless they feel confident about better opportunities ahead.
š If youāve been waiting for the right time to make a move, this could signal improving conditions.
3. The Job Marketās Soft Landing is on Track
The labor market continues to cool at a steady pace without surges in unemployment or layoffs ā a rare āsoft landingā scenario. Think of it as driving a winding mountain road: the path is tighter than before, but careful navigation keeps the journey smooth.
š Keep your focus, make informed decisions, and stay adaptable as conditions shift.
Key Takeaways for You
As the labor market adjusts, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Opportunities remain strong: 7.7 million openings indicate demand is still there.
Confidence matters: Growing quits suggest optimism for those exploring options.
Stay prepared: Temporary slowdowns donāt mean permanent stagnation; being ready helps you seize opportunities when the timing feels right.
Question of the Week
Q: Whatās one way youāve outsmarted office politics recently?
Example:
āI noticed a senior colleague always tried to take credit for my ideas in meetings. Instead of confronting them directly, I started sharing key insights with the group via email before the meeting. It gave me a clear, time-stamped record, and the team began associating those ideas with me. Bonus? The senior colleague stopped trying to claim them. Itās all about being proactive and documenting your work!ā
Drop me a line and I might feature your tactic next week!
Stay sharp, stay sassy, and remember: the power is yours.
Mass layoffs are still the vibe of 2024. Nearly 1,000+ companies have let employees go this year. Every time you think, āSurely, they canāt cut more people,ā they do.
Source: TrueUp
Lightspeed lays off 200 employees in second restructuring of the year
Market-Research Firm AlphaSense Cut 150 Jobs in Restructuring
Sky Mavis lays off 21% of workforce, plans new Axie Infinity game
Skillroads
Description: Skillroads offers AI-driven services to create personalized resumes, cover letters, and optimize LinkedIn profiles, ensuring your application materials align with employer expectations.
Category: Resume and Cover Letter Builder
Link: www.skillroads.com
Careerflow
Description: Careerflow provides an AI-powered platform that assists in job searching, resume building, and application tracking, streamlining the job application process.
Category: Job Search and Application Management
Link: www.careerflow.ai
Table AI
Description: Table is an AI-powered personal CRM that automatically imports and enriches your contacts with professional and personal information. It helps you manage and grow your network effortlessly, ensuring you never forget who youāve met.
Category: Personal CRM
Link: www.usetable.ai
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