• Marlo Lyons is a career coach focusing on professional transitions and executive training.
• She told Business Insider the holiday season is the perfect time to reassess your career path.
• Lyons says reflecting now on your goals and boundaries and celebrating your wins can start 2025 on the right foot.

After a year of crushing layoffs and a cool labor market, career coach Marlo Lyons knows job seekers are downright exhausted.

Lyons said the tech and automotive industries have slowed hiring, and there are fewer entry-level jobs available due to advances in automation. However, she sees the end of 2024 as an opportunity for people to reassess their career paths to start 2025 on the right foot.

Here are her top tips for jumpstarting your career in 2025 with a few easy steps before the end of the year.

Reset your mindset

The holiday period is an ideal time to reflect on the past year, Lyons said. Consider — and write down — what went well, what challenges you faced, what you learned, and identify any limiting beliefs that you may have about what you can and can't achieve in the next year.

Do the things that work for you to take stock, she said. Some people like to journal, some meditate, and others choose self-development activities like attending workshops or seminars. Still, Lyons said it's important to take the time to mindfully set your goals and write them down "because people don't write them down, then they wonder why they didn't achieve them."

She recommended identifying what you hope to accomplish each quarter and setting an action plan to help you achieve your goals, breaking your goals into small steps, and celebrating your progress as you go.

Also important is to find your why: Why are you motivated to accomplish this goal? Because without your "why," you have nothing to anchor your goals to, she said.

Set boundaries to reach your goals

Once you know your goals and your reasons for achieving them, Lyons said the best way to accomplish them is to set boundaries and a daily schedule ahead of time.

"Because if you don't set boundaries, your goal becomes the last thing on the priority list," Lyons said.

Write down your ideal daily schedule, and then do your best to stick to it — even if your plans get derailed, practicing adhering to your dream routine gets you in the habit of doing it all the time.

Block off your calendar now for important events. If you want to take a walk every day at lunch, take a moment now to block your calendar so meetings don't creep in. If you want to save time for career coaching or other self-development, prioritize it by blocking it off.

"And get rid of the negative thoughts if you don't achieve it all in one day, or you don't do it the whole week, because boundaries are also mental boundaries with yourself," Lyons said.

Reconnect with your network

The holiday season is the perfect excuse to refresh your connections with your network, Lyons said.

"Whether you're looking to advance your career, grow your business, or just maintain meaningful relationships, you need to have a strong network," Lyons said. "You can deepen those bonds with people through casual conversation, but also in the new year, it's a great time to wish somebody a happy new year you haven't spoken to a while and ask to reconnect."

Your network is where you get job offers, develop partnerships, and start collaborations, Lyons said. And since the beginning of the year begins slow for many companies, the holiday season is a great opportunity to catch up with people you may have lost touch with over the years.

With a tight job market and HR professionals increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to weed out candidates, Lyons said there's an increasing advantage in having a personal referral when you're looking for a new job.

"With those relationships, candidates are going to really stand out and bring unique value," Lyons said.

• Netflix's hit drama "Virgin River" released its latest batch of episodes in December 2024.
• The streamer announced in October that a seventh season had been greenlit.
• Here's what we know about season seven of the show.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season six finale of "Virgin River."

The latest season of Netflix's romantic drama "Virgin River" saw nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and restaurateur Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) finally walk down the aisle together.

It was a long time coming for the couple, who have faced no end of ups and downs since their meet-cute in the show's first season.

Elsewhere, Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) and Denny (Kai Bradbury) prepared for the arrival of their baby, while Hope (Annette O'Toole) and Doc (Tim Matheson) faced a new threat.

The new episodes also used flashbacks to introduce viewers to younger versions of Mel's parents, Sarah (Jessica Rothe) and Everett (Callum Kerr), giving a glimpse at how their own love story unfolded. The characters are set to be the focus of an upcoming spinoff series.

As for what's next for Mel, Jack, and the rest of the residents of the fictional Northern Californian town, keep reading for everything we know so far about season seven.

'Virgin River' was renewed for season 7 before season 6 aired

The cast of "Virgin River" announced the show's renewal on the series' official Instagram in October.

"Good news, Virgin River is confirmed to come back for Season 7! More love, drama, and small-town charm coming your way. You're very welcome," the caption read.

The series is now Netflix's longest-running original scripted series. The comedy dramas "Orange Is the New Black" and "Grace and Frankie," both ran for seven seasons before ending in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

'Virgin River' season 7 will explore Jack and Mel's 'honeymoon phase'

Speaking to Netflix fan site Tudum, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith teased what fans could expect from the coming season.

"I think we've only just begun to see Mel and Jack function as a married couple, which is exciting," he said, adding that season seven would likely "explore the honeymoon phase for them as they're building their lives on the farm, which can come with its own obstacles."

For those wondering whether those obstacles may include splitting the couple up again, Smith said that wasn't on the cards.

"I can't imagine creating a scenario where you think Mel and Jack are going to break up," he said. "It forces you to dig a little bit deeper into, well, what other issues can they have in their relationship? Especially when you want to keep it through the romance lens. I think Alex and Martin play all of those [moments so well], it's just resting on emotional stakes as opposed to will they, won't they."

There is no release date for season 7 just yet

With season six released earlier this month, it's unlikely that fans will see season seven drop on Netflix any time soon.

In fact, season seven hasn't even begun filming yet. The cast and crew are scheduled to return to set in British Columbia in the Spring of 2025, Smith said, per Deadline.

The show may go on

Netflix hasn't officially confirmed an eighth season, but Smith said that there were "no plans" for the show to end anytime soon.

"No plans to wrap up the series anytime soon, and as long as people keep coming back for it, we're proud and happy to keep telling these stories," he told Deadline in December.

Michael Jordan's iconic Highland Park estate, Legend Point, was sold for $9.5 million after over a decade on the market.

Assistant manager Sam told Newsweek it's a "digital world," but he had to speak "sternly" to the teens about their mistake.

From thrilling extreme sports stories to intimate personal portraits, here are some gems currently streaming on Netflix.

After Donald Trump reiterated the idea that the U.S. purchase should Greenland, social media posts suggested Denmark had responded in kind.

A Milwaukee resident said: "Those are kids. You know, I just talked to both of their parents and consoled them on Christmas, and that's the hard part."

• Bob Dylan and Joan Baez are played by Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro in "A Complete Unknown."
• The two folk singers met in the early '60s and quickly became close collaborators.
• They dated briefly in the '60s and continued to perform together over the years, despite friction.

James Mangold's new biopic, "A Complete Unknown," opens with 19-year-old Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) arriving in New York City, essentially homeless yet armed with his guitar.

It's not long before viewers are introduced to 20-year-old Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), an already-established performer in the Greenwich Village folk scene. In her first scene, Baez takes the stage at Gerde's Folk City and sings "House of the Rising Sun," the fourth track on her self-titled debut album, released in 1960.

"Joanie was at the forefront of a new dynamic in American music," Dylan recalled in the 2009 documentary "Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound."

"She had a record out, circulating among the folk circles," he continued, "and everybody was listening to it, me included. I listened to it a lot."

In "A Complete Unknown," Baez's performance at Gerde's is followed by Dylan's. He sings "I Was Young When I Left Home," leaving the movie version of Baez awestruck.

The star-crossed encounter kicks off a fruitful collaboration and passionate romance, despite Dylan's existing relationship with Sylvia Russo (Elle Fanning).

In real life, however, Baez had gone to Gerde's specifically to see Dylan.

"Somebody said, 'Oh, you've gotta come down and hear this guy, he's terrific,'" Baez told Rolling Stone in 1983. "And so I went down with my very, very jealous boyfriend, and we saw this scruffy little pale-faced dirty human being get up in front of the crowd and start singing his 'Song to Woody.'"

"I, of course, internally went completely to shreds, 'cause it was so beautiful," she continued. "But I couldn't say anything, 'cause I was next to my very, very jealous boyfriend, who was watching me out of the corner of his eye and trying to mentally slaughter Dylan, I think. And then Bob came over and said, 'Uhhh, hi' — one of those eloquent greetings — and I just thought he was brilliant and superb and so on."

The movie depicts Dylan and Baez starting a sexual relationship after another chance encounter, when Baez stumbles upon Dylan performing "Masters of War" in a coffee shop. Notably, this takes place in the throes of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, when the world seemed on the brink of nuclear armageddon. After kissing at the coffee shop, the pair return to Dylan's apartment.

Again, this doesn't seem to be quite accurate. Dylan and Baez did meet again, but it would've been years before they began their ill-fated fling.

In real life, Baez was instrumental in introducing Dylan to a larger crowd

Dylan and Baez became an unofficial musical duo in the early '60s, encouraging each other to refine their songcraft (she as a singer, he as a writer) and regularly performing duets at Baez's concerts.

In the 2009 Baez doc, one friend described the pair as "quite a force at that time," adding, "I think she had a crush on him. I know he had a crush on her."

The details of Dylan's life can be difficult for historians to confirm, given his penchant for myth-making and obfuscation. (He even asked Mangold to include an inaccurate scene in "A Complete Unknown," according to actor Edward Norton, apparently just for kicks.) So, it's unclear exactly when Dylan and Baez's relationship became romantic.

When Rolling Stone asked Baez how long they'd been involved, she replied, "You mean what period of three months was it? Um, Bob and I spent some time together. I honestly don't know what the year was."

Baez wasn't interested in drugs, which she said caused her to feel disconnected from other musicians, including Dylan. She also wanted Dylan to be more politically active outside his music, leading to a rift between them.

In 1965, a few months before the famous Newport Film Festival that saw Dylan "go electric," he invited Baez to join him on tour in England — but neglected to invite her onstage for any show. This trip is scrubbed from the timeline in "A Complete Unknown," but by all accounts, it was the death blow to their relationship.

"I just sort of trotted around, wondering why Bob wouldn't invite me onstage, feeling very sorry for myself, getting very neurotic and not having the brains to leave and go home," Baez told Rolling Stone. "That would be the best way to describe that tour. It was sort of just wasted time."

Dylan also traced their split back to 1965 and, more specifically, the frenzy of his newfound fame.

"I was just trying to deal with the madness that had become my career, and unfortunately she got swept along, and I felt very bad about it," he said in the Baez doc. "I was sorry to see our relationship end."

"A Complete Unknown" depicts Dylan and Baez duetting at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, but this didn't happen in real life; they were on the outs by then. (They did sing at the festival together in 1963 and 1964.)

Baez later said that Dylan broke her heart.

Even after their relationship deteriorated, their connection fueled their art

Many fans believe Baez inspired notable Dylan songs, like the iconic 1965 hit "Like a Rolling Stone" and 1966 song "Visions of Johanna," though he's never confirmed either theory.

In 1968, Baez released her ninth album, "Any Day Now," comprised entirely of Dylan songs. Her 1970 compilation album, "The First Ten Years," includes six Dylan covers, including her much-loved version of "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." She also released the 1972 song "To Bobby" as an open letter to Dylan, begging him to engage with the protest movement.

A few years later, Baez wrote the heart-wrenching ballad "Diamonds & Rust," which was shaped by an emotional phone call with Dylan.

"Well you burst on the scene / Already a legend / The unwashed phenomenon / The original vagabond," she sings. "You strayed into my arms / And there you stayed / Temporarily lost at sea / The Madonna was yours for free."

Baez later described "Diamonds & Rust" as "the best song of my life."

"The really, really good stuff comes from down deep," she told Rolling Stone in 2017, "and that was how strongly I was affected by Bob in the relationship and everything. It'd be stupid to pretend otherwise."

"I love that song 'Diamonds & Rust,'" Dylan said in the 2009 documentary. "To be included in something that Joan had written — ooh. I mean, to this day, it still impresses me."

"Diamonds & Rust" was released in 1975 on Baez's album of the same name. Later that year, Dylan invited her to join the Rolling Thunder Revue tour alongside a wide cast of their contemporaries, including Joni Mitchell and the Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn.

In the Baez doc, Dylan said he remembers her as "completely in her element" during that time, while Baez characterized the tour as fun and carefree — a departure from her typical activities as a social activist. The experience seemed to mend a bridge between them, however temporarily.

Dylan and Baez performed a few more duets before cutting ties for good

The pair reunited at a 1982 Peace Week concert at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, performing a three-song set together: "With God On Our Side," a cover of Jimmy Buffett's "A Pirate Looks at Forty," and "Blowin' in the Wind," which Dylan had written shortly after they met.

Dylan's guest appearance at the anti-nuke event came as a shock to the crowd, given that he'd declined to denounce the Vietnam War and generally avoided political events.

The following year, when Rolling Stone asked Baez about Dylan's state of mind at the show, she demurred.

"I really have no idea. But I love singing with him," she replied. "He isn't in tune, the phrasing is nuts, and he always wants to do a song I've never heard before."

The magazine also asked if the couple would ever get back together, "when they're both 60 or something." Baez replied, "Spare us, please. Both of us."

In fact, the very next year, they reunited again for a 1984 European stadium tour with Carlos Santana.

Baez came to discover she'd only been added to the bill because the promoter thought it would boost sales. In her 1987 memoir, "And a Voice to Sing With," Baez said she wasn't treated as an equal performer and was largely ignored by Dylan backstage.

After a few haphazard duets in Germany, Dylan stopped inviting her to share the stage with him, so she decided to quit the tour. In her book, Baez described Dylan as tired and disoriented when she said goodbye in his dressing room. She told him their touring together didn't work out, and he said, "That's too bad." She also wrote that he ran his hand up her skirt.

"Goodbye, Bob," Baez wrote. "I thought maybe I shouldn't write all this stuff about you, but as it turns out, it's really about me anyway, isn't it? It won't affect you. The death of Elvis affected you. I didn't relate to that, either."

The two musicians haven't been seen together since. While they did cross paths at a 2010 White House event to celebrate civil rights-era music, Baez said she didn't try to greet him.

"The chances of him just walking past me would be too awful a scenario," Baez told Rolling Stone. "It would just bring up feelings that aren't necessary."

In 2015, Dylan praised Baez when he was named Person of the Year by MusiCares.

"I learned a lot of things from her," he said during his acceptance speech. "A woman with devastating honesty. And for her kind of love and devotion, I could never pay that back."

Last year, Baez told Variety that she was not in touch with Dylan, though she didn't harbor any resentment. "I may never see him again," she said, "and that's OK too."

• Whenever my son comes home with an invitation to a big birthday party, I'm filled with dread.
• The birthday kid can't connect with everyone, and making small talk with parents is awkward.
• I prefer our tradition of small family pizza parties.

My son is turning 11 this year, and it's the first time he has asked me if he could invite some of his friends from school to his birthday dinner. I told him that I wanted to maintain our tradition of having just our family over to celebrate his birthday, but that next year, we could plan something additional for him to do with a few of his closest friends.

However, no matter what, we'll still keep doing our traditional small family party, and I can't imagine that will change anytime soon.

My son's pizza parties have become a family tradition

Since my son was born, we have invited our close family members for a pizza party to celebrate his birthday. There ends up being about 10 of us, and since it's just family, it almost has the feel of a holiday get together. After pizza, we have cake and then he opens his presents. The entire time, my son is the center of attention, but I'm glad, because I want him to feel loved on his birthday.

Since we keep the guest list small, everyone knows each other, and my son has time to truly visit with everyone. Plus, the fact that it's the same group of people that come every year makes it more special. It feels like everyone there is partly raising him and has the privilege of getting to watch him grow up.

Even though it's not a big party, I still decorate so that it doesn't feel like just another day. Plus, because my son has a December birthday, the Christmas decor has always doubled as party decor. When my son was really little, I think he thought Christmas was for him, so the time of year has always been on my side.

While my son likes going to big parties, I do not

I am filled with dread whenever my son comes home from school with a birthday invitation. While he has fun at these parties, I do not. I have always disliked the large kids' birthday party, as I find myself wandering around and trying to supervise my son and his friends or awkwardly trying to make small talk with other parents.

These large gatherings always make me question my own decision to keep my son's parties small, so I've always paid attention to the child whose birthday it is. I have noticed that there isn't enough time for them to visit with everyone that comes and that their family members get the least of their attention.

These children want to play with their friends, just as my son would if he had a big party like that. The events remind me of my own childhood parties, which were large, or of my wedding as an adult, where the party is a whirlwind, and I'm left feeling like I missed out on seeing everyone.

I feel I've made the right decision in keeping our celebrations simple

While my son is getting older and his birthdays will change to a degree, I'm glad I've kept them small. I know he has a great time. This year when everyone left, he said he didn't want his birthday party to be over, and I knew it was because he loves to spend time with everyone that came over.

His relationship with his friends is different, so as he gets older, he can celebrate with them as well, but separately and in a different way. What I have always wanted for my son on his birthday is just for him to know he is loved, and I think the smaller, more intimate gatherings achieve that best.

• Kim Ollerhead let her 6-year-old twins who require booster seats ride in a Waymo.
• Ollerhead, a Scottsdale, Arizona, resident, said the experience felt fun and safe.
• For now, Ollerhead said she doesn't see too many reasons to reguarly use Waymo for her family.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kim Ollerhead, a 43-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona resident and mother of two twin children. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Waymo has become a frequent sight around our neighborhood in Scottsdale, Arizona.

For the longest time, I kept seeing those white, driverless Jaguars in our city — so much so that my kids and I started playing a game where we count how many Waymos we spot in a day.

I took a few rides in a Waymo last summer by myself and was really impressed by the response time of the autonomous driver whenever it detected a nearby pedestrian or cyclist.

After that experience, I decided to surprise my twin children, William and Emerlyn, for a short Waymo ride on their sixth birthday last year. They've been asking to ride in one for some time, asked so many questions about it, and they both finally weighed enough to sit in booster seats.

My kids loved it.

I called a Waymo to take us to a restaurant for dinner about four miles away from our house.

Just like any Waymo ride, the car pulls up with your initials lit up on the LIDAR sensor that sits on the roof of the car. My kids thought that was hilarious.

Installing the booster seat in the Jaguar was super easy. There's two latches on each booster seat and I just tighten them like I would if I was putting them in my car.

I can't say that I would want to call a Waymo if my kids were a few years old and I still had to use a baby car seat, because moving those seats are a pain.

My kids were shocked, but a happy shocked, when the Waymo took off.

They were a little nervous at first. But that changed when they saw how the Waymo came to a stop at a stop sign and successfully made its first big turn.

I don't think they got used to the fact that there was no driver. Throughout the entire ride they were so excited and had so many questions like, "What is it doing? What is that?"

It was a short ride to the restaurant. The car pulled over, I made sure to unbuckle my kids, and we all waved goodbye to the Waymo.

The kids loved their first ride. They wanted to take Waymo to school. They asked how old they have to be take a Waymo by themselves to school.

They even joked: "Mom, can you just pretend you're not here? Can you just not talk to us so we can pretend like we're in a driverless car?"

I'm like, "Yeah, sure."

The few times I've been in a Waymo, I've had mostly safe experiences.

The only reason why I'd hesitate to take a Waymo is because of horror stories I've heard about Waymos making strange maneuvers on the roads. There was also one experience when I was with my sister where the Waymo tried to overtake another car in front of us and we couldn't figure out why it was doing so. That made me a little nervous.

Even then, my family and I took a few Waymos after that experience and everyone was impressed with how the Waymo navigated tough situations, like driving through busy parking lots.

I don't think Waymos will be a part of my kids' daily experience. We're constantly on the go, and I wouldn't call a Waymo to, say, attend soccer practice because of all the stuff I have to fit inside the car.

Also, where we live, nothing is close by so you're jumping in the car and driving 10 to 15 minutes wherever you go. And a lot of mom life is just being a taxi — going to soccer, going to the dance, going to this competition and that — so a lot of the times it's just easier to be in your own car.

I could definitely see a situation where I would call a Waymo for my kids when they get older. For example, I could see myself calling a Waymo to give them a ride to and from a friend's house.

A Waymo spokesperson told Business Insider that riders must be 18 years or older to ride in a Waymo vehicle alone. Passengers 17 years or younger must be accompanied by guests.

I also know some of the "cool moms" who have babysitters were talking about how they love using a Waymo so they don't have to wake up their kids just to drive the babysitter home. They just call a Waymo for the babysitter.

So it's not like the Waymo ride was a once in a lifetime experience for my kids. I definitely wouldn't rule it out.

• An Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38, including both pilots.
• Remarkably, nearly half the passengers — 29 people — survived.
• The airline's president praised the "heroism" of the pilots and crew while speaking to reporters.

The president of Azerbaijan Airlines praised the pilots of flight J2-8243 after the plane, carrying 67 people, crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Although both pilots were among the 38 fatalities reported by Kazakh authorities, nearly half the passengers— 29 people —survived.

Samir Rzayev, who heads up the airline, also known as AZAL, told reporters on Wednesday that the two pilot's "heroism will never be forgotten."

"While this tragic accident brought a significant loss to our nation, the crew's valiant dedication to their duties until the last moment and their prioritization of human life have immortalized their names in history," Rzayev said, according to the Azerbaijani news agency Report.

Rzayev said the pilots collectively had over 15,000 flight hours and that the plane had recently passed a technical inspection.

"Despite these measures, the causes of the incident are still under investigation," Rzayev added.

The Embraer 190 jet had departed from Baku, Azerbaijan, early Wednesday, bound for Grozny, Russia.

Adverse weather conditions led to a diversion, the airline told BBC News. The flight-tracking website Flightradar24 shows that the plane made a crash-landing at about 06:28 local time near Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's Senate Chairman Ashimbayev Maulen told Reuters on Thursday that the cause of the crash remains unknown.

Preliminary information from Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, suggested that the plane diverted after a bird strike caused an onboard emergency, according to AP.

And Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against speculating on the cause of the crash before the completion of an investigation, per the Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti.

However, Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, put the blame on Russia. On Wednesday evening, he claimed in an X post that the commercial airline was "shot down by a Russian air defense system."

In the post, he said there is video footage from inside the plane, showing "punctured life vests and other damage."

Others have also suggested Russian involvement.

Osprey Flight Solutions, an aviation security firm, told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the plane may have been damaged by a Russian anti-missile system. The firm cited footage of the crash, the apparent damage to the aircraft, and recent military activity in the area.

"Incidents of civilian airliners being misidentified and shot down by air-defence systems are not unprecedented in the region," a critical alert issued by Osprey and provided to Business Insider said.

Oliver Alexander, an OSINT analyst, said in a message to BI that "at this point, I don't think there is enough available evidence to conclusively say what exactly happened (type of missile etc)."

But he added that "all the evidence I have seen points to the aircraft being hit by shrapnel from an air defense missile which severely damaged the elevator and rudder controls."

Ukrainian drones have targeted Grozny in recent weeks, and the governor of the Russian region of North Ossetia said in a Telegram post on Wednesday that there were Ukrainian drone attacks carried out in a number of regions of the North Caucasus Federal District that day.

The district includes Grozny and the surrounding area.

The post specifically mentioned a drone being taken down in Vladikavkas, about 70 miles west of Grozny.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in a statement: "There are videos of the plane crash available in the media and on social networks, and everyone can watch them. However, the reasons for the crash are not yet known to us."

Azerbaijan Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Rzayev, the airline's president, told reporters that the plane's black box had been recovered and that "its analysis is being conducted in line with international aviation standards."

Aircraft manufacturer Embraer said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by the crash and was working closely with relevant authorities to support the investigation.

• Getting rid of stuffed animals can be hard for kids because they have sentimental value.
• We learned to donate them instead of throwing them out.
• We contacted our local soup kitchen and realized there were more things we could donate.

This fall we got new carpeting. While packing our house we found dozens of items from our kids' childhood — clothes, stuffed animals, cuddle blankets — shoved into closets and under beds. Things that hadn't been previously donated or recycled but they were also not using. Except now, we didn't have space for.

While surrounded by piles of sweet plush faces — the white dog now gray from being loved, the bunny from grandpa — we knew we needed to figure out where to send them. Thankfully I have a good friend who volunteers at a soup kitchen. She shared that they have a need for stuffed animals and my kid's childhood friends would find a new home.

Letting go of stuffies can be hard

Getting rid of things that have sentimental value isn't easy. When I was moving in junior high I struggled getting rid of my stuffed animals. Each one had meaning to me — the Figment plush from Disney World, my first Care Bear — and the idea of throwing out stuffed animals seemed mean.

Items that are a comfort to us, like stuffed animals and blankets, can be hard to let go of. These items have nostalgia, provide emotional comfort, or may be a reminder of someone we love. I can't let go of the stuffed animals my grandma had before she passed away.

Knowing that their stuffed animals would go to kids who needed them, helped my kids as we sorted through the large pile of plush.

A volunteer at my local soup kitchen also told me that stuffed animals tend to be gone within minutes since it's not something they have often.

Knowing this made us look at all the unused items we have and think about what else we aren't using — things that are just sitting on a shelf, that could have new life as a comfort to someone else.

The stuffed animals were just a start. By talking with volunteers we learned there was a serious need for items we didn't think we could donate.

Winters where I live are rough. Cold-weather clothing and blankets are in high demand. Even items like throw pillows and mattress toppers are put to good use. Our coat closet was a treasure trove of boots, gloves, and hats that we were ready to give away.

Socks and undergarments are popular and most places will take underwear and bras. I had so many pairs of toddler underpants post potty training — I wish I knew then what I know now and had donated them.

I checked with my kids before putting something on the donate pile

I sometimes look at my kid's room and have flashbacks to the book "Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room." I just want to walk in with a huge garbage bag and get rid of all the mess.

Blankets, stuffed animals, toys, books — especially the story you read to them before bed — should be something you agree on before donating. You don't want to get rid of something that has sentimental value.

I asked around before finding where to donate our things

I was surprised how many of my mom friends had connections or volunteered at places. Schools, townships, and churches are another good source.

During the holidays many charities ask for new items. Keep their information because they may take used items the rest of the year.

Your local food bank is an excellent resource for locating soup kitchens and food pantries — places that may provide support beyond food.

It feels good to donate items that help another parent get their kid through a growth spurt, provide blankets needed during the cold months, and give-away stuffed animals that are a comfort to a child in need.

• The labor market is softening, and it might be harder to get a job compared to the past.
• Business Insider talked to job experts about why applicants might struggle to get hired for a role.
• A poorly organized résumé or not learning about a company during interview prep could be issues.

If you're not hearing back after applying for jobs, you may need to make some changes to your résumé, interview prep, or search strategy.

A cooler labor market means it could be harder to find a job now than a couple of years ago. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows there were 1.1 job openings per unemployed person this past October, the latest month with data, compared to 1.3 job openings per unemployed person a year earlier.

Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor with ResumeBuilder.com, said she thinks "people aren't necessarily as prepared when they enter a job search today" because they may think the job market is the same as it was many years ago.

But for job seekers who are struggling, there are ways you can try to improve your odds. Below are some things that you may want to change if you aren't landing a job.

You are sending out way too many résumés

One issue could be you're sending out a bunch of résumés, including for jobs you don't even want or for jobs where you don't have the desired experience. Haller suggested having most of what an employer is looking for before applying to the role.

"I would prefer people to not send out 800 résumés just throwing spaghetti against the wall," Haller said. "That's when you hear from people, 'It's a horrible market, and I can't get a job.'"

Gabrielle Davis, a career trends expert at Indeed, told Business Insider people should first consider the things that matter to them in a job beyond a paycheck, such as the benefits and whether it's remote, instead of first applying to many roles.

"I think that when job seekers function from maybe a place of slight panic, they don't do that because they feel like, 'I just have to move fast because the market's moving fast. I have to get all the stuff in, and I'm just going to see what sticks,'" Davis said. "And that's not always really fruitful for them. So I think that it's better to take a much more intentional approach to the actual job search."

You are waiting too long to apply

OK, so you have decided to send out fewer résumés that are more focused on gigs you want. Now, don't wait too long to actually apply.

Haller said job seekers should reply to a job posting within 24 hours "to at least have a shot to be in the mix."

Haller said people come to her and say, "'Oh, I saw a job posting that I'm interested in.' And they take days, if not a week, to reply."

She added, "By the time they send their résumé out, that company's probably on final interviews."

You might need to reconsider the contents or format of your résumé

Six seconds. That's how long Haller said job seekers have "to capture somebody's attention by your résumé or by your profile."

Formatting could be important to consider when putting together a résumé in hopes of successfully landing work.

"You need to know how to create and format a résumé that works in today's job search process," Haller said, adding this "means the formatting should be cleaned, standardized, and easy to read."

Leanne Getz, vice president of tech staffing firm Experis's delivery channels, said the résumé should also be similar to things noted on a candidate's online profile, like on LinkedIn. She also said résumés should be accurate and be in their own words.

"We're seeing candidates utilizing certain AI tools to generate the résumé, and it's fine to use it to help guide or give you suggestions, but you want to be careful about having something like ChatGPT design your whole résumé," Getz said. "It's easy for recruiters to pick up on that. It doesn't seem authentic."

You are not considering your connections

There's more that can be done than uploading a résumé to a job application. Haller said job seekers may want to see who they can contact at the company beforehand.

Haller said, "The last thing you want to do is dump your résumé into" an applicant tracking system "if you have another way to make contact inside that company."

Getz noted people could consider who they may know at the place they're hoping to get a job when they are applying.

"It is often about the network and who you know, but it also is sometimes just a game of numbers," Getz said. "There are so many applicants. You have to just keep applying, be consistent, be persistent, be patient."

You are not doing sufficient prep for an interview

If you get the good news that an employer is interested in interviewing you, it's probably best to prepare for the interview with some research.

Haller said people should know the company's mission, why they even want to work for the employer, and prepare questions to ask during the interview.

"I've interviewed people as a hiring manager with people who have no idea what the company does or why they're even interested in a job," Haller said. "That's a waste of everybody's time."

Some helpful hints of what to say during the interview are in the job posting itself.

"The job posting tells you exactly what they're looking for," Haller said. "That's where your prep starts. So if you know what they're looking for, you want to prepare as many examples that you can about what they might ask in reference to what they're looking for in the person they hire."

Getz also talked about being prepared and other basics of interviewing. Getz said to make "sure that you're dressed professional, that you've prepared, that you've done your research on the company that you're interviewing with, that you have strong questions to ask, that you're prepared to answer behavioral style questions."

Don't do an interview from a car and eliminate any background noise, Getz also advised. Getz emphasized the basics of doing an interview because "it could be one of those minor, little things that knock you out of consideration that could have been overcome by simply being prepared, dressed for the interview."

Davis suggested preparing a few main points that you want to reiterate in every interview round. "If you're speaking to maybe two or three people at a company, just because you've spoken to the same people at one company doesn't always mean that they are sharing exactly what you've spoken about to their colleagues," Davis said.

She added those main points can help show your prep, and she said, "Any sign of preparedness to an employer means, OK, this person is showing up. They're here. They're taking it seriously."

You aren't sending a thank-you note, or you're following up too much

Davis said a handwritten thank-you note could be good if you did an in-person interview. Even if it was not an in-person interview, Davis said sending a simple thank-you note on the same day could be good.

Davis said the note should thank the person for their time and include something personal from the interview to show you were listening.

"I think that really goes a long way," Davis said. "And after that, it's kind out of your hands, so waiting to hear back from the recruiter or hiring manager and then going from there."

Getz said "to be cautious about how often you're following up" because you're not the only job candidate a hiring manager is talking to. She said people don't want to overdo their reach out, and it should be professional.

How long did it take you to find a job, or how long have you been unemployed? Reach out to this reporter to share your experience at [email protected].

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Domestic EV sales in China are projected to grow 20% year over year to more than 12 million cars in 2025, according to the latest figures shared with the Financial Times by investment banks UBS, HSBC, and other research groups.

The projections, which include sales for both pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, offer a stark contrast to the outlook for internal combustion engine vehicle sales, which are expected to fall by over 10% to less than 11 million cars in the coming year, the report said.

The figures mark a key turning point in the world's largest car market and signal how much faster the clean energy vehicle transition is taking shape in China versus the West. In Europe and the US, consumer interest in EVs has been mixed in the face of high interest rates and inflation.

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Though Tesla's revenue declined 3.1% year-on-year to $46.8 billion in the first six months of 2024, its China arm announced a total sale of 21,900 EVs in China in the first week of this month, its highest weekly sales in the fourth quarter, per figures first reported by Reuters.

Chinese EV makers have sought to replicate their domestic growth stories overseas, but are hitting a wall against tough Western tariffs.

In October, the EU decidedto proceed with raising tariffs on Chinese EVs up to 45% over a five-year period following concerns that carmakers in the country were receiving excessive support from Beijing.

The US government raised tariffs on Chinese EVs to 100% back in May. It's still unclear whether these headwinds will impact what looks like a bumper year for Chinese EVs.

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