It’s no surprise that “freedom” means different things to different people — but what does it mean to creative professionals as it relates to work? 

We are experiencing an ongoing revolution in the workplace. Traditional ideas about knowledge work are dissolving, and as a society, we are undergoing a radical change in how we think of work — especially for those who work in creative industries.

For decades, scientists have known that creativity often grows in a non-linear fashion and that creatives tend to be more neurotic and antisocial than others — aka, they live more in the world of daydreams and require some solitude to produce quality work.

Neuroscientists who study creativity find that it does not involve a single brain region or side of the brain as the “right brain” myth of creativity suggests; rather, it draws on the brain as a whole. The complex process of “creativity” comprises many interconnected unconscious and conscious cognitive systems and emotions, with discrete areas of the brain recruited to handle each task and work in concert to get the job done.

Creatives don’t always follow the classic 9-to-5 workweek flow, finding that doing work at night or early in the morning is often more beneficial. In other words, thinking out of the box is hard when you’ve been put into one. It’s fair to say that social environments can adversely impact creativity.

So, when are people most creative? A large study by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley sought to better understand what drives creativity. They collected daily electronic logs from nearly 240 professionals working on 26 distinct creative projects, who reported on their emotions and perceptions of their work environment, along with their motivation and one notable event from each day.

They found that of all the positive events reported in the nearly 12,000 diaries collected, the most significant factors for generating positive emotions and perceptions of their work environment was making progress in meaningful work — moving forward on something that matters. They were not only more productive on those days, but more creative, too. Simply put, creativity has a lot to do with setting up the right work environment to allow motivation and imagination to thrive.

But the right environment isn’t the same for everyone.

For some, working from home stifles creativity because collaboration via Zoom doesn’t get their creative juices going vroom. In contrast, others find open office setups and their attendant distractions a major creativity killer. Recent research published in the journal Nature, based on fieldwork in five countries, found that video conferencing inhibits the production of creative ideas. But they also found that video conferencing was as effective as in-person meetings for choosing which innovative ideas to pursue, essentially proving that some folks prefer vanilla ice cream while others prefer strawberry (just kidding, sort of).

We set out to see what were the most essential creative workplace freedoms for Creative Circlers. While everyone wants control over their general process — including where, when, for whom, and on what they work — we learned that some aspects are definitely more important than others. To uncover which work freedoms matter most, we crafted a LinkedIn poll to which over 6,000 people responded.

We broke things down by looking at the overarching question: Which freedom is your #1 priority?

And these were the options:

  • Working with whom I want
  • Working where I want
  • Working when I want
  • Doing the work I want to do

Can you guess which option creatives valued most?

In this new age of widespread digital nomadism, we guessed that “working where I want” would take the cake. While this ranked high, there was something that mattered even more…

Here’s how our results broke out:

  • Doing the work I want to do: 41%
  • Working where I want: 34%
  • Working when I want: 21%
  • Working with whom I want: 4%

The number one thing for Creative Circlers? “Doing the work I want to do” — echoing the results of the Berkeley study.

Creativity is crucial for companies. It’s one of the elusive characteristics that managers seek in their employees so that their organizations can stay ahead in today’s cutthroat new-new-new marketplace. Research suggests that businesses would do well to remember that creativity is as much about communicating with creatives to set up the right work environment that lets motivation and imagination juices flow as it is about finding the right candidates.

People are most creative when motivated by interest, sincere enjoyment, and satisfaction with the work itself. That’s important for both creatives and those that employ them to remember.

About the author. 

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

The workers have spoken (or, rather, Slacked): A widespread return to the office is not happening anytime soon. Even as workplaces have upped the ante with in-person perks far beyond breakroom snacks, most employees still say you can’t beat the comforts of home. 

But while long commutes, overpriced lunches and an off-kilter work-life balance are things employees obviously don’t want to revisit, there is still one benefit to office life that can be hard to replicate remotely: connection.    

According to Harvard Business Review, the pandemic accelerated a decrease in connections across wider networks. While employees made an effort to keep in contact with their closer relationships, the review said, broader informal interactions — once a common side effect of casual deskside chats or running into a coworker in the hallway — had plummeted. According to the survey, this has impacts on everything from productivity (people who feel more connected to their work also feel more productive) to innovation, such as sparking new ideas and collaborating with others. 

Especially hard hit? Employees on the lowest levels: Recent graduates have found their experience of the workplace to be extremely isolating and have not had the opportunity to engage with potential mentors or feel they are contributing on a meaningful level. 

For working creatives and artists, going it solo has often been a major plus. But that doesn’t mean that working collaboratively is gone for good, or that it can’t be lonely from time to time when your cat is your coworker (and never refills the coffee pot). Especially when you want to reach a new level in your career, seek new clients, or explore new possibilities, having a professional network you can turn to for referrals and recommendations is crucial.  

From online daters to online commenters, many of us have been building relationships in the digital space for a long time. But how can that translate into finding your next freelance or full-time work opportunity? 

Whether you’ve adopted a remote-first work schedule, transitioned to freelance, launched a digital nomad lifestyle or have always worked as an independent creator, here are some ideas to grow your professional connections.  

Make the first move 

The art of networking has obviously come a long way since the days of passing out business cards, awkward icebreakers and Sharpie nametags. As Sam Mani writes in Art Business Journal:  

“If you think networking is simply about advancing your own career, it’s time to change that mindset. Rather, focus your networking efforts on connecting through your passions and creating a community, and that requires being open to others and their needs. As the Young Entrepreneurs Council puts it, successful networkers ‘…go beyond thinking, ‘What’s in it for me?’ to ask ‘How can I help?’’” 

An offer to volunteer with a professional organization, like participating in portfolio reviews, hosting a virtual meetup, giving an online lecture, or judging Open Call art competitions in your field of expertise, will often receive a resounding welcome.  

If you’re looking to find out more about a particular field, consider asking for informational interviews with professionals you admire. Virtual meetings mean the world is your oyster when it comes to finding people who do your dream job and asking them how they got there. Follow up with a thank-you note or a gift card to a coffee shop. 

Join online professional networking groups 

Where are the best places online to find career contacts? More than just the top tool for interoffice communication (and gossip), Slack features groups where you can meet people according to your professional or personal interests. You can also search Discord for niche communities and make connections. Remote work and digital nomad groups abound on Facebook, where anywhere from dozens to thousands of members share opportunities and resources. 

For working artists, creatives, or those looking to turn a side hustle into a full-time gig, online artist communities like Artrepreneur, a global digital marketplace and membership platform, give you access to a wide array of working artists. Complete your profile. Like and follow other artists you admire. Engage with the community over chat. You just might find your next client or collaborator. On each of these platforms, introduce yourself in a post, ask an open-ended question, or engage with others in the replies of a thread to kick off the conversation.  

And of course, there’s the big name in professional networking: LinkedIn. To make sure you’re in tip-top shape for potential recruiters, refresh your profile, write a mission statement, and start posting — and engaging — with content in your field of interest. Not sure where to start with connections? Tapping your alumni network is always a good first step if you’re looking for referrals, since you automatically have something in common. When it comes time to send that message inquiring about a particular company or client, your fellow alums will be that much more likely to hook you up. 

Give coworking a try  

As a writer, I experienced a major breakthrough when I discovered the London Writers’ Salon. During one of four daily sessions by time zone, writers from all over the world log on, chat about what they’re working on, listen to an inspiring quote, then write in tandem for 50 minutes. I never would have thought being in a giant Zoom with strangers on silent would help me get stuff done, but there’s something comforting about getting together with like-minded people and cheering each other on. Now, when possible, I try to replicate that feeling with coworking sessions in person around kitchen tables or in coffee shops with fellow freelancers. Just because I WFH doesn’t mean I always have to do it alone.  

Coworking spaces in your town or city could fill that same need, and often host mixers so remote creatives from a variety of industries can meet each other IRL. Or, if you’re a leader, you can start your own critique session or creative salon. Invite a friend or two, ask them to share with their contacts, or post about the opportunity online to gauge interest. My bet is that you’ll find there are plenty of people who are just as interested and invested in making connections and building community as you are.   

 

About the author.
Allison Stice is the editorial director at Artrepreneur. She has been published in the Bitter Southerner, Garden & Gun and Savannah Magazine, among other publications.

Sometimes we are blessed by the muse and find a flow so profound we see God. Most of the time, we do not and have to slug through a horror-inducing first draft in order to get anything decent. Everyone’s journey through their own mind is different, and the differences expand as we work with different mediums. Here’s how I tackle writing for this one… most of the time.

PITCH
It starts with an idea. This will often come from something going on or the yearly focus du jour. Maybe I read a Reddit post that got me thinking about a certain topic. Maybe it’s something I’m already passionate about. Maybe I just have a vague idea of a concept I’d like to explore. Maybe it’s Mental Health Month and I’ve got tidbits galore to share. Either way, I compile those ideas into an email and send them off to be green lit, rejected, or adjusted to fit the publication’s needs.

RESEARCH
Here’s where we dive in. I spend a lot of time here solidifying my idea and thesis. What exactly is it I’m trying to share/explain/provide resources for? Where do these resources live? What are other people saying about this topic? Especially people who disagree with my point of view. I always try to present counterpoints and add balance to any topic I tackle.

DISASTER DOCUMENT
We have not started writing yet. The disaster document is like my living bibliography where I throw the links to every source I’ve consulted and perused in my research process. I’ll paste key info and quotes I might want to use here as well. If I have interviewed anyone, this is where my transcriptions might live, as well as any other resources they’ve directed me towards.

This document is typically in Pages, where I do most of my writing. I also use SimpleNote to take quick notes and throw in links before transferring things into an official document. I jump between those two to refine my organization process and eventually format it so it makes sense to me, although it might not to anyone else.

VOMIT DRAFT
This is where I start laying out the goodies. Sometimes I start with an intro, sometimes I start with a particular point I’m excited about. I’ll go through and fill out all the points I wanted to get out. Sometimes I’ll remember something I might need a source for so I’ll look it up really quick, or if I’m being really “good” and in the zone, I’ll make a note to look it up later.

STRUCTURE
Some people may structure before they vomit, but I don’t roll that way. There is a rough structure, sure, but once I get the main points down, I’ll figure out the order they should really be in and find the narrative that will get me to a conclusion that makes sense.

This is not always the case. Sometimes I’m just trying to lay out information, in which case I want to structure it in such a way that each section builds on the last. Even if it’s just a presentation of referential knowledge, there should still be the shadow of a narrative holding it in place.

PLAYING WITH COOKIE DOUGH
Writing is rewriting and this is the meatiest part of it all. I’ll start going through each section and refine the wording, cut what doesn’t fit, and generally turn the cookie dough vomit into something resembling a cookie so it will be ready to bake.

TAKE A BREAK AND SCREAM
We get to the point where I start to ask myself why did I want to write about this. Why did I think I could take this utterly complex and nuanced topic and distill it into a 1,000–2,000-word piece. What drugs was I on? How did I think I was smart enough for this?

Here are things that might happen here:

  • various sighs, groans, and screams
  • staring at my documents and rubbing my eyes while I curl into my chair or onto the floor
  • exclaiming “why do I always do this to myself” whenever my husband walks into the room

Then eventually, I might:

  • switch to another task
  • go for a walk or swim
  • dance my frustrations out
  • practice the piano
  • meditate, preferably outside
  • take a nap or just lie down with my eyes closed
  • roll around on the foam roller

Usually, it’s something physical or some form of rest.

RESTRUCTURE
Okay, at this point I’ve stepped away, and now it’s time to come back and make sense of it all.

Hopefully, I can see more clearly and am ready to move around, cut things, and fill in any blanks. I’ll grab any bits of research from my disaster document that might still be needed, or grab whatever other sources might be required to complete the flow. I may just throw them in to edit later, or I may just write it in on the spot depending on how generously the muses are blessing me that day — or if I’ve gotten enough sleep, food, and water.

EDIT
Now we’re talking. We’ve got words, a narrative, and a structure. Time to go through and edit the damn thing. This is honestly the easiest part for me. Creation is a struggle, but honing is a challenge I love. Snip, snip, and reword. This is where we get it tight, fluid, and strengthen the narrative structure so the flow makes sense and presents the information in the most digestible format possible. I know you’re busy and need to move through these words smoothly.

SUBMIT
There comes a certain point where I can’t take it anymore and will just send off the article (usually because I said I would have it the night before and it’s the following morning). My editor luckily knows and understands this about me and never gives me grief for it.

RESUBMIT BECAUSE I FOUND NEW EDITS TO MAKE

Usually happens a few hours after I press submit. For some reason, I need to be “free” of the deadline in order to separate myself and see the words clearly for the very final pass.

FINAL EDITS
My bff Kevin (who manages this blog, say hi, Kevin) will usually let me know if there’s a link I forgot or trim verbose sentences and superfluous points.

Thanks, Kevin. He’ll send them to me to make sure none of the meaning has changed. Once everything has been OK’ed by us both, it’s ready to publish.

REST + RESET
Finally, I can rest, exercise, eat, and get ready to do it all over again!

 

About the author.

Alessandra is your friendly neighborhood writer, coach, and facilitator with a varied history of experience from digital agencies and corporations to yoga studios and gyms. Her expertise and interests range from fitness and wellness to self-care and personal development to intersectionality and justice to science and creative cultivation. She has worked on and off with Creative Circle since 2014, originally as an NYC recruiter, later as an internal sourcer, and currently as a community wellness and culture specialist as well as a contributing writer for this here blog. You can find up-to-date offerings or sign up for her newsletter at alessandracalderin.com.

“Eight Days a Week,” sang The Beatles, to express the amount of affection they had for their lady love. Was this a mathematical error? No, the standard seven days simply was “not enough to show I care.”  

Today, there’s a new refrain gaining steam in the business world — but rather than adding days into the week, companies and workers are thinking about removing them. The idea of a four-day workweek is making news today. Regardless of its ultimate trajectory, one thing is for sure — the standard five days is under scrutiny.  

“Is the Four-Day Workweek Finally Within Our Grasp?” The New York Times poses this question in its “latest DealBook special report on trends that will shape the coming decades.” This article likens the concept to the approach to the overall increased flexibility many office workers have gained during the pandemic. First came working from home. Is the four-day workweek far off?  

Some companies have gone this route already. The online retailer Primary adopted this schedule to help protect its staff from COVID-induced burnout. The firm simply lopped off one day, namely Friday, from the usual workweek — no overtime or pay cut required. While employees at many companies have left in droves during this challenging time, most at this business have stayed put. What’s more, some staff members still voluntarily choose to work on Friday at times. In December 2021, six months after this experiment began, Primary locked in the four-day workweek. For how long? “Indefinitely.”  

A Historical Perspective

A radical idea came to fruition in 1938. That’s when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act. This law laid the groundwork for the minimum wage, overtime, and — ta-da! — the five-day workweek.  

Some years later, the notion of the four-day workweek began surfacing. In 1956, Vice President Nixon gave a speech in which he posited that the four-day workweek would arise in the “not too distant future.” During the oil crisis in 1977, President Jimmy Carter said he “may urge industries to go on a four-day work week” to cut energy use. A year later, The Washington Post featured an article on “Pushing for a Shorter Work Week.” It noted that “Ever since the beginning of the 1970s, the 4-day work week has seemed to be just around the corner, but this time it looks for real.”       

So, what happened? The New York Times offers some reasons why the movement stalled. It puts them into several buckets, leading with the nation’s economic travails for the subsequent 20 years. Corporate priorities is another factors, as are “globalization and the diminishing power of labor.” That’s quite a heavy load. Ergo sticking with the status quo ruled the day.  

Moving to the present time, momentum has returned. So have grassroots activities on the legislative front. In 2021, Representative Mark Takano submitted a bill to decrease the workweek from 40 to 32 hours. It’s backed by 13 colleagues.  

Back to the Future

COVID-19 landed in a big way during the first quarter of 2020. It disrupted life and work as we know it. How could businesses manage through the pandemic? They strategized and acted. Wherever and whenever possible, they designed work-from home-provisions. As the crisis permutated and prolonged, employers focused on a wide range of additional ways to keep going in troubled times. Some eyes pored over pilots of four-day workweeks to draw upon these experiences. The nation of Iceland is a case in point. 

An early adopter, Iceland started down this path in 2015 at the behest of trade union and civil rights organizations. Two trials ultimately involved 2,500 workers; that equated to more than 1% of the workforce. But that was just the beginning. “Going public: Iceland’s journey to a shorter working week” explains the progress of the initiative in full. The intent was manifold. It aimed to help workers without sacrificing pay. At the same time, it sought to benefit businesses. 

The findings?  

  • Success! “Transformative” and “positive” describe the effects on employees and businesses. 
  • Productivity and service levels remained the same OR improved across most workplaces. 
  • Workers’ well-being increased, with many moving from stress and burnout to health and work-life balance. They specifically mentioned experiencing less stress at home and more time for family and friends, oneself, chores, and domestic activities. The advantages extended beyond just people whose workweeks shortened. 

Yet, challenges cropped up. It became more difficult to program group activities, such as education and training. Handing off information to coworkers was more complex, too. However, the major pluses won out. As such, the abbreviated schedule became permanent and expanded widely. Today, about 86% of the workforce adheres to a compressed workweek.  

The final report by the government analyzes the results. It ends with forward-looking insight. “The Icelandic trials can play a flagship role in showing how working time reduction should be considered a powerful, desirable, and viable policy across contemporary advanced economies.” And that is exactly what is happening. 

A Breakthrough Whose Time Has Come?

News of the four-day workweek started bubbling up during 2021. But from the looks of it — or rather the search of it — 2022 may be the bellwether year. In only a short time, the messaging and tone of posts strengthened. 

A sampling of headlines shows this crescendo effect.  

We start with the last quarter of 2021:  

The tempo accelerated with the dawn of 2022.  

Both Sides Now: Tradeoffs and Points of Interest

Discussion and implementation of the four-day workweek occupies the limelight. But is it a good thing? How far can it go? Let’s peek at the issues being raised.   

“If the same results can be achieved in fewer days, why keep a five-day workweek?” muses Investopedia. Its post on “The Impact of Working a 4-Day Week” notes that Japan has promoted this idea as a national policy. If employees and firms derive value via “increased sales, decreased worker burnout, and lower turnover,” why not endorse it? Those are among the pluses, but there are minuses too.  

One to consider is the long-term effect. The new workweek may yield benefits early on, but they may not be enduring. What are other negatives? Companies that transition to four days of 10 hours may encounter problems; aside from potentially violating wage regulations, this timetable may push workers’ beyond their limit to maintain peak productivity. Also not all workers may favor this change; it may add stress and limit camaraderie and other desirable on-the-job social aspects.    

Indeed gets right to the point in “Four-Day Work Week Pros and Cons.” This post starts on the upside. The positives of a 4-day/10-hour schedule include: 

  • Improved work-life balance 
  • More opportunity to recharge and decompress   
  • Continuous workflow over a longer span, higher concentration, fewer distractions 
  • Higher productivity 
  • Increased team building and less time for disputes 
  • Enhanced innovation and creativity 
  • Greater employee motivation and satisfaction 
  • Less commute time 
  • Lower overhead costs    
  • Ecological advantages, e.g., lower carbon footprint 

On the flip side, disadvantages include: 

  • Decreased customer satisfaction, less opportunity for personalized attention 
  • Lower productivity over a long working timeframe, project delays 
  • Difficulty acclimating, communication gaps 
  • Childcare problems in finding arrangements that accommodate longer workdays 
  • Lack of applicability to all industries, such as health care, human services, real estate, and others where “a four-day workweek is an expensive risk to undertake” 

In light of items on both sides of the four-day workweek balance sheet, this post offers tips on how to move forward in this realm:  

  • Analyze the role of meetings and how to adjust/eliminate them for productivity. 
  • Shield employees from burnout over 10 hours, e.g., brief health breaks. 
  • Apprise customers of this change, address their concerns, and maintain in-person backup. 
  • Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate. How are employees faring with the new format? What improvements can be made? What are other companies doing that may serve as a model to deliver more benefits? 
  • Finally, monitor and measure the initiative at various points over time to determine whether it’s a success. If not, perhaps revert to the original. 
  • Ask employees which day they prefer off and design a program around the responses.

 
All Sides Now 

A change like this is sure to evoke considerations and comments. That’s what Creative Circle had in mind when it posted a poll on the four-day workweek on LinkedIn. See how those who voted and what they had to say. Hint: The numbers tilt heavily on the affirmative end.

What is your view? No matter what it is, the four-day workweek is something to be aware of and ponder.

 

About the author. 
You name it, she covers it. That’s the can-do attitude Sherry M. Adler brings to the craft of writing. A polished marketing and communications professional, she has a passion for learning and the world at large. She uses it plus the power of words to inform and energize stakeholders of all kinds. And to show how all of this can make a difference, she calls her business WriteResults NY, LLC. 

2021 saw huge and exciting developments, from the vaccine rollout to the biggest year yet for renewable energy to the most diverse Oscars batch ever. But as 2022 begins, it’s hard not to wonder where to go from here. We may not know what the future will hold, but we certainly can look to the past for some answers.

Here are some of the biggest moments and trends from 2021, and what they’ll mean for the year to come.

Blockchain

This year, cryptocurrencies and blockchain at large went mainstream, and will no doubt continue to create headlines next year. From Elon Musk’s notorious appearance on SNL resulting in Dogecoin plummeting to, well, Elon Musk being Time’s Person of the Year, cryptocurrencies are more alluring than ever before.

In September, El Salvador became the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, with other countries, particularly in the developing world, set to follow suit next year. But, blockchain tech creates immense carbon dioxide emissions, so 2022 will hopefully see more progress for creating renewable and environmentally sustainable methods.

NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, are works of digital art that, through blockchain tech, are verifiably owned. They may prove to be more than the expensive gimmick some have chalked it up to be! With more musicians and gamers seeing the value of NFTs as well as institutional auction houses like Christie’s getting into the game, NFTs could be here to say.

Hybrid working (and vacationing)

With the Great Resignation in full swing, employers are understanding that after a year of working at home, maybe desk workers aren’t jumping at the chance to return to the office. 2022 will most likely see more flexibility from employers when it comes to working from home, especially in light of continuing Covid variants. This will compel tech companies to help make the hybrid model work more seamlessly, allowing the work to meet the employee where they’re at.

On the other hand, being able to work from anywhere means being able to work from any vacation spot. This is known as “flexcation,” and while it can be really nice to be able to manage if your vacation days couldn’t line up with your kids’ school holidays, blurring the boundaries between work and vacation can get out of hand. Be careful!

Sustainability

From fashion brands embracing regenerative agriculture and even resale to the increased popularity of plant-based diets, sustainability continued growing in popularity in 2021 — nearly two years after the global youth climate protests that forced countries around the world to reckon with the realities of climate change.

2022 will see consumers making more eco-friendly choices, but it will also see larger-scale impacts like companies opting for carbon offsetting and renewable energy becoming more affordable in general (even as materials for things like solar panels become more expensive due to the supply chain disruptions, but more on that later).

The SuPpLy ChAin!

This year’s headlines have been dominated by the specter of the supply chain. That is, the vast and complex networks of manufacturing and shipping that get the goods you want to you. These disruptions and “shortages,” which came from shifting consumer behavior throughout the pandemic, are not going to disappear in 2022.

Things may be unpredictable and take longer to arrive, but some experts think things will get better later on in 2022. In the meantime, the severity of the disruptions have meant that manufacturing, production, and shipping industries, as well as governments, are scrambling to create better, more efficient, supply chain systems.

Mental Wellness

The last nearly two years have been grueling, and the impact will be unpacked for years to come. Living through so much turmoil has led to an increased interest in mental wellness that will continue into 2022. From digital mental wellness resources to employers understanding the importance of emotional wellbeing, mental health is finally being seen as the vital part of overall health that it is.

Even though it will be easier to access mental health resources, it’s still work to create a regimen that works for you, so be sure to take the time to take care of yourself.

What does productivity mean?

If 2020 was the year of the forced stop, 2021 was certainly the year of the forced return. Our relationships with work suffered, as seen in the Great Resignation, but also in other ways. 2022 will most likely see us really reflecting on what our work means and what productivity really means. Is productivity simply output, or is it input as well? What kind of work do we really want to be doing anyway?

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to leave 2021 behind and jump into 2022. We may not be able to prepare for everything, but we can certainly take what we’ve learned with us.

About the author. 
Sam Mani writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity — when she’s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat. 

Merriam-Webster lives! This ultimate source for all things words has been around since 1828. Toward the beginning of every year, after an exhaustive vetting process, the lexicographers add words and definitions that made the cut. What’s the main factor behind the decision? They sum it up in one word (of course): “usage.” This means: “the editors study the language as it’s used. They carefully monitor which words people use most often and how they use them.”  

In January 2021, the team introduced 520 words. A number of them trace their roots to the COVID-19 pandemic. These include: 

  • Pod (noun): Mainly during the lockdown phases of the pandemic, some people formed their own pod. The word signifies a small group of family, friends, neighbors or others. The members bond together and agree to limit exposure to people outside of the pod to lower the risk of contracting and spreading the disease. Those in the pod might share responsibility for things like childcare, education, and meal prep, as well as dining and socializing together. 
  • Wet market (noun): To understand this term, start by picturing a farmers’ market. Then expand that vision. These commercial centers sell fresh produce and other perishable goods. The list of items also tends to include live animals, which may be slaughtered right on the spot. Some experts speculate that unsafe conditions at wet markets may be the source of the coronavirus epidemic.  

Here are some others from the class of January 2021: 

  • Decarceration (noun): Think of this word at face value as the opposite of incarceration. It concerns the release of those who are in prison. But the term has broader implications too. In this context, decarceration is a practice or movement. The objective is to decrease the number of people sent to prison in the first place as well as develop channels to release those who are in custody.  
  • Hygge (noun and adjective): From the Danish language, hygge is pronounced “hue-gah” or “hoo-guh.” In its noun form, it denotes a quality of coziness, which makes a person feel content and comfortable. As an adjective, it means cozy or comfortable. The word shot to prominence during the pandemic, as people sought to offset stress with pleasantries. What is an example of hygge in a sentence? “Grace, simplicity, and gratitude are the principles hygge practitioners adhere to for an abiding sense of well-being.”  
  • Sapiosexual (adjective and noun): When it comes to romance, is high intelligence the number one factor that attracts you to someone? If so, you are sapiosexual. 

 

The Next Batch of New Words in Town

The list did not stop with publication of the large infusion of new words in January. Merriam-Webster kept at it and added another set in October 2021. The pick of the litter includes: 

  • Blank check company (noun): Do you tune in to CNBC on weekdays? If so, you hear about this and that SPAC, short for special purpose acquisition company. It’s another term for blank check company. They refer to a “corporate shell set up by investors for the sole purpose of raising money through an initial public offering (IPO) to acquire another business yet to be determined.” The largest blank check companies at the time of this writing include: Vertiv Holdings, Jaws Spitfire Acquisition Corp. and Tuscan Holdings Corp. 
  • Dad bod (noun): Like it or not, this term denotes the physique of a stereotypical father. It’s a body type that is not particularly muscular or toned and a little pudgy in the mid-section. But fret not — it’s a hot new look today. A commentator on the Merriam-Webster site notes: “Even Hollywood latched onto the more attainable physique with actors sporting bodies that were not chiseled, not incredibly lean, and a little soft in the middle.” Welcome to the era of the dad bod.  
  • Deplatform (verb): Another new word that starts with “de,” it has to do with removing someone from something. In this case, if signifies banishing a registered user from a communication medium (platform). Social media and blogging sites are the main channels. This action occurs because the person/group has violated the terms of service.  
  • Digital nomad (noun): A perfect blend of “digital” and “nomad,” this term describes a person who works totally over the Internet (“digital”) while traveling (“nomad”). But there’s more to the second half. Such a person has no permanent fixed home address (the essence of a “nomad”). Investopedia adds some color to the term. “A digital nomad may work out of cafes, beaches or hotel rooms, and as they are not tied down to any one location.”     
  • Fourth trimester (noun): This new catchphrase adds another three months to the standard nine-month gestation process. The fourth trimester is a challenging phase; it’s rife with adjustments for all involved. The mother recovers from giving birth and transitions into caring for her newborn during this postpartum period. The infant acclimates to life outside the womb. The fourth trimester is a trying time, when “women and their families experience substantial physiological, social, and emotional changes.”  
  • Vaccine passport (noun): This new entry brings to mind an ad slogan from American Express, created many years back and recently revised. “Don’t leave home without it.” That’s the importance of a vaccine passport, hoisted into the spotlight by COVID-19. This physical or digital document shows proof of vaccination against one or several infectious diseases. New York was the first state to issue a vaccine passport—the Excelsior Pass. And you need to flash it or other proof to eat indoors at restaurants in NYC and enter health clubs and indoor entertainment venues.   
  • Whataboutism (noun): This word comes from the fractious political scene today. It is a rhetorical device; it’s used by activists, advocates, commentators, elected officials, pundits, and spin doctors. This ploy is a way of responding to an accusation of wrongdoing by claiming an offense committed by another is similar or worse. Think of it as a derivative of one-upping. It deflects, side steps, and counteracts the root issue by drawing attention to another thing. Whataboutism aims to muddle, befuddle and, above all, obfuscate.  

In and Out

With all of these new words coming into vogue, a question may occur. Does Merriam Webster ever remove words? Yes, but not nearly as many as it adds. Reader’s Digest explains. “Some words recently hit the chopping block in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary—meaning they’re no longer included in the print edition.” The examples provided include the following: frutescent, hodad, snollygoster, sternforemost and Vitamin G.  

 

About the author. 
You name it, she covers it. That’s the can-do attitude Sherry M. Adler brings to the craft of writing. A polished marketing and communications professional, she has a passion for learning and the world at large. She uses it plus the power of words to inform and energize stakeholders of all kinds. And to show how all of this can make a difference, she calls her business WriteResults NY, LLC. 

Looking for a new opportunity? You know that writing a first-rate resume is one of the most important parts of landing your dream job. But the game has changed — what was once an eye-catching res may no longer make the cut. Say hello to a recently developed job hunt roadblock: parsing tools.

To streamline the hiring process, many companies are now using technology to “parse” resumes. To parse something means to extract the key components from a sequence of words. It typically applies to the act of reading text and then analyzing and converting that text into something a computer can comprehend. Resume parsers automatically extract, analyze, and store resume data to then be categorized, coded, sorted, and searched via an automated process to assist the hiring manager or recruiter.

Resume parsing software offers companies an efficient way to find salient skills, keywords, experience, contact information, educational background, professional certifications, and more that correlate to a specific opportunity. Hiring managers and recruiters use resume parsers to sort through large quantities of applications and identify the cream of the applicant crop. By filtering out resumes that don’t have the necessary information, parsing software saves countless hours that it would otherwise take to read through each individual application manually.

While the best parsing technology can convert hours of labor into seconds, the task of interpreting language and gleaning information can be difficult to get right. Here’s why: language is both deeply diverse and ambiguous. For example, there are many ways to write down a date — 8 September 2021 or September 8, 2021, or 8/9/21 or 09/08/2021. And, the same word can mean different things in different contexts.

This means you need to craft your resume in a way that will help get you noticed by playing to how the software works. Here’s the skinny on upping your resume game and creating the most parsing tool friendly version:

Brevity wins the day.

  • Be brief and to the point — think bullets over explanatory paragraphs. Keeping it short and sweet can be a challenge; rise to it.

Keep the style, text, and font SIMPLE.

  • Make sure to include your name in the file name of your resume
  • Submit your resume in a .docx format for maximum parsing compatibility
  • If you send a PDF version of your resume, export it from the MS Word doc — DO NOT scan an image and save it as a PDF.
  • Nix headers and footers.
  • Don’t mess with spacing.
  • Use a standard font throughout the entire document.

No infographics

  • Don’t include tables and columns.
  • Steer clear of WordArt.
  • No blocks of images for vital information — use actual words.

Basic is best.

  • Use simple names for resume sections. i.e., “Professional Summary,” “Work Experience,” “Education,” and so on.
  • Job titles like Happiness Manager or Fullstack Magician may sound cool — and indeed be your actual title — but won’t pass muster with parsing tools because parsing software rarely looks for keywords like “happiness” or “magician.” If you have a unique title, consider changing it to a more common one that will more successfully translate across organizations and have a better chance of being included in a parsing software search.

Keep acronyms to a minimum.

  • Only use standard abbreviations, like VP, CEO, MS, and MBA. If it’s not common, parsers won’t be looking for it.

Time matters.

  • Keep your resume in chronological order.
  • Use full dates — the trifecta of month, day, year.

Content is queen! Keywords are king!

  • Research the role and cross-reference skills that carry through your past jobs and the one you are applying to.
  • Strong keywords win the race. Glean skills, keywords, and descriptions from similar job descriptions and even other resumes.

Skills, skills, skills!

  • Job titles matter, but skills are essential. List both in your job description. Parsing software uses context to determine your strongest skills versus something with which you are just nominally familiar.
  • A parser often ranks a candidate’s skill levels by the position on a page and how often the skill or keyword is used — if there is something you want to emphasize, include it more than once.

Elaborate on your education.

  • List your formal education, along with any courses you may have taken that are pertinent. As well, list relevant coursework from MOOCs — massive open online courses — like those from Coursera, edX, Udacity, and major universities. Demonstrating your interest in furthering your knowledge on a subject illustrates your drive and wherewithal to apply yourself to advancing your knowledge.

Advertise accolades, achievements, and awards.

  • Announce your achievements — for example: if you increased sales, back it up with a quantifiable number or year-over-year percentage.
  • List key projects and the role you had in each, highlighting the results your efforts played in the project’s success.
  • Note any awards you’ve received.
  • Make a note of any memberships or affiliations which are meaningful to your career path.

Spell check.

  • Then spell check again.

Don’t try to game the system.

A last piece of advice — don’t try to game the system. While repetition of relevant skills and keywords is important, don’t try to “outsmart” the software by “white lettering” skills and keywords (repeating salient skills and keywords multiple times in the margins in white text, making them invisible to the human eye). Top parsing software is too smart for that and will detect the cheat and may ding you for it, tossing your resume in the no pile as a result.

Change is the only constant — what worked yesterday won’t necessarily get you that dream job today. With just a few tweaks, you can optimize your resume to make it smoothly past the first gate and get you well on your way to that ace opportunity. Good luck!

 

About the author

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist — Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms — including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.