It’s Sunday, 25th February 2024, and in this week’s roundup, learn in 5 minutes or less:

• Career Options: 3 of the best artificial intelligence career options💸

• Productivity: 3 productivity hacks to get more sh*t done! 💪

• Career Lesson: Why you need a mentor to thrive in a career 🚀

• Weekly round-up: What else happened this week, from Reddit about to go IPO to Zendaya fans awaiting the premiere of Dune: Part Two

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NEED TO KNOW

Market research suggests companies now see a digital presence as a desirable asset…hint hint 👀👇

Businesses now recognize a digital presence as a highly coveted asset. This week, I came across this post, where Andreas Jonsson who serves as the CEO of Shield (a platform aiding companies like Intel, and Rolls-Royce in aggregating and monitoring employee social interactions) said, it’s time employees really start thinking about building their personal brand which aligns to their professional values to make themselves more visible.

According to Jonsson, the benefits are extensive, encompassing enhanced brand visibility, talent acquisition, customer engagement, and the emergence of unforeseen opportunities at scale.

Jonsson emphasizes that in the age of earned media, companies that excel are those empowering, endorsing, and celebrating employees as brand ambassadors, therefore employees having a personal brand will always serve as a differentiator. Investing in cultivating a personal brand, Jonsson argues, will significantly influence hiring decisions both presently and in the future. Read more on the conversation here.

 CAREER IDEAS

3 AI Full-Time Career & Side Hustle Options that Can Level Up Your Wallet & Work Life

👉AI Whisperer: The Machine Learning Engineer

Think coding meets magic. As an ML engineer, you train AI models to do things like predict trends, analyze data faster than a cheetah, and even write code on its own (mind blown, right?). This skillset is gold in industries like finance, healthcare, and tech, with salaries hitting $120k+. Bonus points: you can use your expertise to build your own AI-powered app or consultancy, becoming the ultimate tech entrepreneur if you decide to go down the self-employed route.

👉Data Detective: The Data Scientist

Data is the new oil, and you're the refinery. Data scientists uncover hidden patterns in mountains of info, helping companies make smarter decisions. Think of it as solving puzzles with a sprinkle of coding and stats. Salaries average $110k, and you can branch out by offering data analysis services to businesses or creating data-driven products.

👉AI Artist: The AI Prompt Engineer

Forget paintbrushes, your weapon is creativity and code. As an AI prompt engineer, you craft instructions that tell AI models what kind of art, text, or music to generate. Imagine designing unique clothing lines with AI-generated patterns or writing hit songs with AI as your co-writer. The possibilities are endless, and with the right hustle, you can build a freelance empire or even launch your own AI art platform.

Remember, the key is to:

📚Start learning: Online courses, boot camps, and personal projects are your friends.

👥Network: Connect with other AI enthusiasts and professionals.

💼 Build your portfolio: Showcase your skills through freelance gigs or personal projects.

🔭Don't be afraid to experiment: The AI landscape constantly evolves, so embrace the unknown.

P.S. Here are a few more courses in the AI space. Share this with your friends who may be considering a new career or are keen to learn more about high-income skill ideas, and let's build the future of AI together!

GET MORE SH*T DONE

These are three productivity hacks you can invest in to get more done. At the Careerguard, we are lovers of the Pomodoro technique and we can 100% say with a full chest, we recommend it. Check out the others on the list… 😁

1. Embrace the Power of Short Bursts: Ditch the all-nighters and break down your work into focused sprints! Research by DeskTime (https://desktime.com/industries/time-tracking-for-developers) shows that employees in highly focused 25-minute intervals ("A Mini Pomodoro Technique") achieved 50% more in a day compared to traditional work styles. Bonus: take short breaks between each session to refresh your mind!

2. Tame the Notification Beast: Constant pings and alerts are productivity killers. A University of California, Irvine study (https://www.cogsci.uci.edu/) found that even glancing at a notification, even for a moment, disrupts your focus and takes 23 minutes to fully recover. Silence notifications, set specific times to check email, and utilize apps to block distracting websites/social media.

3. Move Your Body, Boost Your Brain: Exercise isn't just for physical health; it's a productivity powerhouse! A Stanford University study (https://biox.stanford.edu/highlight/stanford-researchers-observe-decision-making-brain-%E2%80%93-and-influence-outcomes) revealed that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise significantly improves cognitive function, memory, and focus. Take a brisk walk, stretch at your desk, or even do some jumping jacks - your brain will thank you!

Remember, the key to maximizing productivity is finding techniques that work best for YOU. Experiment and find your rhythm!

BEST FROM TIKTOK THIS WEEK

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LEVEL UP

It doesn’t matter if you are fresh out of University, in the middle of a career pivot, trying to get promoted at work, or embarking on a business, we all could benefit from having a mentor as someone to help us navigate the big, bad corporate world and teach you what you need to do to get ahead or what to avoid.

Ok, time for a little short story…👇😅

When I started my commercial law career (Dominic here btw), I attended a lot of networking events. I met two people who became lifelong friends and although my intention was just to get an apprenticeship at the time to work out if I wanted to go down the Solicitor, Barrister, or post contract signature, Contract Management route.

Meeting people like Directors at Accenture, Baristers at a few Chambers, and Solicitors who worked in High Street Firms and also Magic Circle Firms showed me what I liked and what I didn’t.

Immediately, I was able to realize through those who had walked the path I was about to go down. I wasn’t prepared to:

• Work from 8 am - maybe 2 am but make $100- $300k like a magic circle firm solicitor to feel burnt out by 40 years old and be traumatized by the partners who jump off buildings in central London or jump in front of trains…no thanks!

• Work for a high street law firm and maybe enjoy the work but cap out my earnings at $85k unless I make it to partner…not enough money, no thanks!

• Become a Barrister with a starting salary of $10k/year and feel exhausted from never feeling adequately prepared for trial despite being in a cute wig & gown which makes me look ‘reallllyyy’ official…sounds cool, but maybe if I came from a rich family. No thanks!

Through guidance and mentorship, I was able to work out that Contract & Commercial Management was the right fit for me. I didn’t care about the title or status. Show me the money! hehe… I realized through mentorship, I could earn a lot, work from home, be in a position to get on the property ladder, travel, ramp up my savings, clear my student debt quicker, eventually go self-employed, earn a day rate, and have the work/life balance to manage my investments and spend a lot of time with family and friends. It made sense for me at the time.

I can’t stress this enough…based on personal experience, it makes a lot of sense to go out there and make friends who eventually become your mentors who have walked the path. It’s a game changer 😃 

STUFF WE ARE LOVING RIGHT NOW

Interactive Investor is the perfect investment platform. It is a low-cost, award-winning, online investment platform enabling you to easily invest in stocks, manage shares, funds, SIPPs, ISAs & more.

Course Careers is ideal for someone trying to get into a career with Tech and start for FREE.

Passionate Income Newsletter, because they cover side hustle ideas and go into detail on topics like faceless social media accounts that make six figures and ideas to help the average Joe, make more money. Learn, Improve, and Grow Actionable Steps in a Bite-Sized Three-Minute Read.

The Pinkprint: The Glow Up Guide, Venture through eight game-changing chapters packed with exercises to help you set goals, align with your aspirations, and explore new interests. Get ready to dig deep into discovering your true self and experiencing the ultimate glow-up.

MEMES & BANTER

BEFORE YOU GO

Celebrity News:  Zendaya has fans eagerly awaiting the premiere of Dune: Part Two by stealing the spotlight with a fashion-filled tour across the globe. Check out her tour looks here.

Music: Quavo delivers his first solo song of 2024 with the fiery single ‘Himothy’ where he compares himself to Jay-Z. Listen here and let us know if you are feeling his new single.

Business: Open AI CEO Sam Altman stands to net millions as online messaging board company Reddit set to go public. Altman currently holds 9.2% of Reddit ahead of their pending IPO.

Tech: Nvidia hits $2 trillion valuation as AI frenzy grips Wall Street. The demand for its chips has seen Nvidia smash its revenue forecast and increase its market value by $277 billion. Wall Street’s largest one-day gain record.

How to Spend it:  Apple’s newest iPad mini is on sale for $120 off. You can now get the 256GB version for $529 on Amazon.

QUOTES & MOTIVATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

• 1-2-1 Consultation Careers Advice: Most people take this time to ask me for guidance for their career, turning their high-income skills into a consultancy business, improving their CV/Resume or Proposals to secure 6-figure+ jobs and high ticket day rates/retainer contracts.

• Career Growth Bundle Pack & Personalised Resume Review: Download the bundle to get everything you need to achieve your career goals.

• Personal Finance & Wealth Builders Bundle Package: Supercharge your finances with a suite of tools.

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