5 Small Career Moves You Can Make This Month to Feel More In Control

April 28, 2025

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By Danielle Nicholson

There’s no way to talk about career development without acknowledging how unpredictable (and honestly, terrifying) things are right now. However! Now is not the time for paralysis and inaction. (That’s what they want — don’t give in!) This is the time for community, mutual support, and reminding ourselves that no career (or life) happens in isolation. You don’t need to land a new job or start a business right this second (although kudos if that’s your journey). You just need a few intentional steps to prepare for the future, regain a sense of control, and remind yourself you are not completely at the mercy of our capitalist overlords.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about your career next steps, first, take a breath. Remember to not stay in the panic. Then, here are five low-effort, meaningful things you can do this month to strengthen your career and feel more in control.

1. Check In with Your Network

Your career isn’t just about what you know. It’s also about who you know and how you support each other. This month, reach out to 3–5 friends, family members, colleagues, or classmates. Ask what they’re up to and if they need support. They might be job hunting, looking for a good accountant, or just lonely in a new city, and you might have the perfect solution.

You don’t have to give more than you have bandwidth for, but you never know how you might be able to help someone. By showing genuine interest and offering assistance, you foster a network where people naturally want to return the favor or pay it forward. It’s not about getting anything in return. It’s about reminding your people (and yourself): you’re not alone, and we’ve got each other.

2. Ask for a LinkedIn Recommendation

You might already feel confident in your skills (love that for you!), but a kind word from someone who’s worked with you never hurts. This month, ask a recent colleague or client for a short LinkedIn recommendation. Keep it simple: “I really enjoyed working together on [project]. If you feel comfortable, would you be open to writing a quick LinkedIn recommendation? I’d be happy to do the same for you!”

The key is being willing to return the favor. This isn’t about quid pro quo. It’s about showing your network that you value them and are here to support them as much as they support you.

3. Schedule an Informational Interview

If you haven’t noticed the theme yet: in times of economic uncertainty, connection is everything. Sometimes, though, the support you need lives outside your current circle. Enter informational interviews, one of the most underrated career tools.

This month, reach out to someone whose career you admire with a simple message: “I’m [quick, relevant background info], and I’d love to learn more about your work in [specific area]. Would you be open to a 15-minute informational interview via video call?”

If they say no (or don’t respond), take it with grace and try elsewhere. You only need one “yes.” Come prepared with thoughtful questions you can’t just Google. These conversations can offer insight into how others are navigating today’s market, and even lead to mentorship or future collaborations. Even if it’s just one conversation, you’ll remind yourself that new relationships and opportunities are always possible.

4. Refresh Your Job Application Materials

Even if you’re not job hunting, it’s smart to stay ready. This month, set aside one or two hours to update your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. Add any new roles, projects, skills, and accomplishments. You may not be able to control what’s happening in the market or your organization, but keeping your materials current ensures you’re ready for any opportunity (or challenge) that comes your way.

And remember: just because something feels second nature to you doesn’t mean it is for others. Are you great at using Google Workspace for project management? Using AI tools to streamline your workflow? It all counts! In a world full of nepo babies and wildly underqualified people in high-level roles, never sell yourself short.

5. Learn a New Skill & Complete a Personal Project

This last one is optional (check your bandwidth), but when your job feels unstable or the world feels heavy, learning something new — even something small — can be incredibly grounding.

Pick a skill aligned with your goals — maybe beginner HTML, portrait photography, or a new cooking technique — and complete a small, tangible project. For example: I’ve been working on my graphic design skills, so I created a printable self-care bingo card to share with friends. It wasn’t amazing or related to my job, but it brought me joy and reminded me I can learn and grow whenever I want.

You don’t have to take on a massive project. Even a small personal accomplishment can remind you that you’re adaptable, capable, and ready to handle new challenges.

Remember: Don’t Stay in the Panic.

You’re allowed to be worried. You’re allowed to be angry. You’re allowed to have moments of panic. There are scary things happening that may affect you in very real ways. But don’t stay in that panic or despair. That’s what paralyzes us.

In their book Burnout, Emily and Amelia Nagoski write: “You’re not helpless. Your goal is not to stabilize the government … your goal is to stabilize you, so that you can maintain a sense of efficacy, so you can do the important stuff your family and your community need from you. As the saying goes, ‘Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.’ And ‘something’ is anything that isn’t nothing.”

Your job right now (besides your actual job) is to keep your head above water so you can keep building a better world in the long-term.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take it one small, doable move at a time.

We’re excited to share that Danielle will be hosting our May Society workshop!

Whether you're considering a career change, testing a side gig, or just trying to build more financial stability, Danielle will walk you through practical, low-risk steps to take your career into your own hands, without burning out.

If you’ve got a little extra energy to dedicate to your career this month, join Danielle on May 12th for How to DIY Your Own Career Opportunities. Full workshop info and registration details will be shared soon!

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I think I mention this every time, but I work remotely from Nashville TN. I'm travelling to TFD's New York office soon for an event, and doing a little sight-seeing while I'm there. I usually get stuck dragging my luggage around at some point, but this time I finally found a solution. This site partners with local businesses in many major cities and allows you to leave your luggage with them for as low as $4-9 a day. It's especially helpful since a lot of museums & tourist attractions do not have coat/luggage checks. Can't wait to try this!

📣If you’re feeling anxious about all of the current recession talk, we’d love for you to join us May 20th for a totally FREE workshop: Recession Prepping Your Finances. This workshop is all about financially (and mentally) preparing for a recession, in partnership with our friends at Aura. While we can't control the economy, there's plenty we can do to weather the financial storm. Join TFD creative director Holly Trantham and an expert CFP for this 90 minute workshop. Replay available if you can’t join live but you must register ahead of time for access!

🎥Our April video essay, all about over-the-top American consumerism habits, drops tomorrow, April 29th at 12pm et! Join us over on YouTube in the live chat during the premiere! And as always, a reminder that $4.99 and up members of the ​Society at TFD​ get the ad-free extended version of this video, and all our video essays!

🛍️Check out our April guidebook, A Low-Spend Guidebook For The Anti-Consumerist Curious. Written by Holly, this month’s Premium guidebook is a dense 21-page guide to help you audit your consumer habits, and make meaningful change in order to both help your budget, and be a more thoughtful and sustainable consumer. Join The Society at the $9.99 tier for access.

✨With the current economic chaos, we highly recommend checking out the replay of our March Society workshop, Your Money Under Trump, which was hosted by Amanda Holden last week. Amanda covered everything from recession-prepping to the future of Social Security. If you’re feeling unsure about how to navigate these times, Amanda shares level-headed advice in this workshop.

💸Check out our latest capsule series on YouTube, The Budget Fix, co-hosted by TFD creative director Holly Trantham and financial educator Berna Anat. In this series, Holly & Berna are dissecting real-life budgets from members of the TFD community in order to help you better reach your long-term money goals! More episodes dropping soon!

🎥And don’t forget to check out our other new YouTube capsule series, Asked & Answered, cohosted by Chelsea & Erin Lowry of Broke Millennial. This is a 6-part series dedicated to answering your personal money questions, from budgeting and investing basics, to navigating the financial headlines of our current political climate. The full season is available now! Season 2 premieres this Thursday, May 1st!

The Society at TFD is our members-only community with access available on both YouTube and Patreon. Joining The Society is the best way to directly support TFD! The Society offers the exact same things on both platforms, so choose whichever one you prefer!

We offer 3 tier options:

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