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Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said in a speech Tuesday that rapidly changing trade policies and conflict in the Middle East are straining rural communities by raising business operating costs. View the full article

Delta just unveiled the new version of its most premium seat, and it’s designed to let passengers stretch out just like they would in their bed at home. On April 13, the company announced that the “next generation” of its Delta One suites, which are made for long-haul international and domestic flights, will debut in early 2027 on new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The updated design will include a flat bed that’s been expanded by more than three inches, a custom cushion to act like an in-air mattress, and a new cubby to store shoes. Delta’s announcement comes just weeks after United (the second-largest airline by revenue behind only Delta itself) officially debuted its new Polaris Studio, an ultra-luxe seating option that’s 25% larger than its previous top-tier seat. Both of these moves are part of a broader focus on premiumization in the airline industry, aimed to attract and retain high-income fliers. As the sector’s biggest players double down on the most luxe in-flight experience possible, the race to design the most comfortable lie-back seat is officially on. Inside the airline industry’s ultra-premium seats race For the past several years, Delta has been on a mission to, as CEO Ed Bastian put it to Fast Company in 2024, “distinguish around service and having a premium brand.” So far, that effort is paying off: After the company began rolling out a more premium, redesigned cabin across its fleet in 2025, its total premium ticket revenue (which includes Delta First, Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort) was $22.1 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, according to a press release. And in 2026, despite increased jet fuel prices due to the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, Delta hit a record March quarter revenue of $14.2 billion. The achievement was driven in large part by premium ticket revenue, which has almost overtaken the company’s main cabin revenue for the first time ever. It also recently raised checked bag fees. In an April interview with Fortune, Bastian explained, “Delta is not a low-cost airline. We can’t win by trying to provide the cheapest. We have to be able to win by providing the best.” Delta isn’t the only airline living by that philosophy. Recently, experts have posited that we’re squarely in the midst of a K-shaped economy—basically, an economic recovery model in which higher-income individuals rise while lower-income consumers fall behind. And, as Fast Company has written before, that trend is becoming increasingly glaring in the airline industry: At the same time that carriers are piling on heaps of added fees for lower-income fliers, they’re dedicating even more effort to making their “premium” seating more attractive to high-income customers. One way to do that is with new amenities, like luxury lounges and in-flight treats (both of which Delta has already invested in). Another is to double down on ultimate seat comfort—and several airlines have already made strides in that arena. In 2021, Jet Blue debuted new business class seats designed by a mattress start-up. United’s new Polaris Studio (available in ultra-limited quantities of eight to a plane) comes with expanded leg room, the largest touchscreen on any U.S. airline, and complementary caviar. This month, United also announced a new economy seat class, called Relax Row, that lets passengers lie back on a set of three seats with added bedding (for an extra cost). Now, Delta is catching up with its new Delta One suite design. Caviar is nice, but comfort is king Over the past few months, Delta has enticed customers to Delta One with a series of new airport lounges featuring steak tartare, shower suites, buffets, as well as in-flight perks like amenity bags and bedding designed by Missoni. All of those bells and whistles certainly can’t hurt—but the new Delta One suite design demonstrates that, at the end of the day, what passengers really want is a comfortable seat. “Customers are clear that comfort is their number one priority when flying Delta One—97% say Delta’s flat-bed is the reason for choosing the cabin,” Mauricio Parise, Delta’s vice president of Brand Experience, said in a press release. “This led us to a new design that, when combined with our current mattress pad and luxury bedding from Missoni, makes for an incomparable sleep at 30,000 feet.” The new suites deliver on what is probably the most oft-cited pain-point for fliers: leg and knee room. The lie-flat seat, designed in collaboration with the company Thompson Aero Seating, has been expanded by more than three inches, bringing its total length to more than six-and-a-half feet. According to Michael Steinfeld, Delta’s senior manager of onboard product, this modification was made specifically to help accommodate side-sleepers, which Delta’s research found make up most of the population. To accommodate this added room, Delta’s design team opted to arrange the suites in a reverse herringbone configuration, which maximizes the Airbus A350-1000’s wide floor plan. On top of the existing mattress pad and sheets, Delta designed a custom pillow-top cushion to make the seat feel more like an actual bed. “As we reviewed customer insights and pressure-mapping data from our existing Delta One seat cushions, we had an idea to design a plush top layer which can make the suite feel more like a bed, especially at the hips where most business class seats have a small gap between the back and bottom cushions,” Steinfeld says. Delta tested multiple prototypes of the design to ensure that the cushion would move and stretch with the seat during the flight. The spokesperson says the two-year design process involved a year of creating concept sketches and holding workshops, more than 40 development tests to validate the design, and multiple tests with employees to make sure that operational tasks like replacing components and programming seat controls ran smoothly. For a final test, Steinfeld’s team slept overnight in the seats before approving the design. As airlines battle it out for premium supremacy, the winner may not be which carrier can offer the most perks, but the one that can most accurately replicate passengers’ bedrooms for the skies. View the full article

Looksmaxxer leader Braden Peters—better known as Clavicular or “Clav”—likes to smash his cheekbones with a hammer and do meth to stay lean. What does he not like? Being associated with the incel community or questioned about his manosphere friendships on television. In a recent segment for 60 Minutes Australia, journalist Adam Hegarty sat down with Clavicular, but the interview was abruptly cut short when Clavicular walked out. For those unfamiliar with Clavicular, the New Jersey-born Kick streamer, 20, has risen in popularity over the last few months for sharing his looksmaxxing journey—what he calls a movement of self-improvement—where he resorts to rather extreme measures to achieve maximum attractiveness, or “gigaChad” status. But it’s not just Clav’s tedious beauty routine that has garnered attention. He’s also regularly going viral for controversial activities, like running over someone with a Tesla Cybertruck or partying with figures such as self-proclaimed misogynist influencer Andrew Tate while singing along to rapper Ye’s “Heil Hitler” in Miami. Like a car wreck, the internet has been unable to look away, leading major outlets like The New York Times, GQ, and Playboy to profile Clav. And now the latest mainstream coverage by 60 Minutes Australia is going viral. “Literally the worst sequence of questions” Hegarty began the interview by dissecting some of the vernacular used by Clav and the looksmaxxing community, such as mogging (outshining someone). But the conflict came when Hegarty pointed out the looksmaxxing community’s ties with the incel (involuntarily celibate) community online. “Do I identify as an incel? I mean, how could you ask me that question as a follow-up after you asked me about my relationships to women? I mean, that’s quite literally the worst sequence of questions I think I’ve ever heard,” Clavicular replied. The reporter then rephrased the question. “Looksmaxxing was obviously a term created by the incel community. How do you feel about being linked to that group,” he said. Clavicular replied, “I’m not linked to that group in any way. Looksmaxxing is self-improvement, right? So it’s about potentially even ascending out of that category. So that would be kind of one of the goals is to disassociate from being an incel and overcome that. So that doesn’t make sense.” The interviewer then switched to discuss Clavicular’s social circle, among them Tate. “Why do you spend time with people like that?” Hegarty asked. Clavicular quickly turned defensive, saying that Hegarty was trying to turn the interview political. The influencer has in the past said he is not political, even saying he would vote for Gavin Newsom over JD Vance due to the vice president’s physique. “Too bad I didn’t have time to look into, you know, anything about potentially, you know, who your wife cheated with,” Clavicular told Hegarty—to which Hegarty replied that he was not married. Clavicular added: “So I could teach you about looksmaxxing, and then maybe you could switch that up. Thanks for the time. Appreciate the interview.” Internet divided over “platforming” While many online commentators have fixated on the interview’s dramatic and abrupt end, others are questioning the continued platforming of the streamer, highlighting a growing tension between mainstream media and the influencers whose views they chase. “For those questioning why this interview happened, it’s to show how ridiculous these people are because they are influencing the young male population at an alarming rate,” a user said on Threads. “This shows exactly how insecure this dude is, and how he carries himself when confronted. 60 Minutes got exactly what they needed.” “60 Minutes is interviewing Clavicular? Wtf are we even doing anymore?” one user said on X. View the full article

As businesses continue to navigate the rapidly evolving subscription economy, Visa’s latest innovation may reshape the way both consumers and small business owners manage recurring payments. The company recently launched its Enhanced Subscription Manager, a service designed to streamline subscription management within banking apps, giving consumers more control over their finances. According to projections, the global subscription market will approach a staggering 12 billion subscriptions by 2030. As consumers delve deeper into various subscription services—from streaming platforms to meal kits—they face challenges in transparency and control. Visa’s Enhanced Subscription Manager addresses these pain points, offering solutions that can benefit small business owners in several significant ways. The Enhanced Subscription Manager simplifies how consumers can track and manage their subscriptions directly within their mobile banking apps. Kathleen Pierce-Gilmore, Visa’s global head of Issuing Solutions, highlighted the increasing consumer demand for clarity and convenience: “Consumers today want clarity, control, and convenience when it comes to managing the subscriptions that touch so many parts of their lives.” This new service not only consolidates subscription visibility but also enables users to switch payment methods or cancel subscriptions seamlessly—all without leaving their banking app. This capability helps to reduce unwanted charges and increases consumer confidence, which could ultimately benefit businesses aiming for repeat customers. By collaborating with providers like Pinwheel, Visa enhances the user experience further. Small business owners can count on this collaboration to facilitate smoother billing processes, as Visa now allows integration that lets issuers embed card switching and subscription cancellation for over 100 major merchants. This platform, known as Visa’s Digital Issuer Solutions, equips financial institutions with the tools needed to provide modern consumer-facing experiences. In addition to subscription visibility, the platform includes features like push provisioning and digital card displays. These services create multiple touchpoints for businesses to engage with their consumers, making it easier for small businesses to maintain ongoing relationships with their clients. For small business owners, integrating the Enhanced Subscription Manager could resolve various transaction-related issues, such as disputes and chargebacks stemming from recurring payments. By creating an easier path for customers to manage their subscriptions, businesses may find that customer loyalty increases, fostering long-term relationships that can stabilize their revenue streams. However, implementing such technology can come with its own set of challenges. Small business owners need to consider the initial integration costs and the learning curve for both their staff and customers. The seamless experience that Visa promises relies on significant behind-the-scenes work, requiring effective coordination between banking institutions and merchants. Moreover, as the subscription economy grows, compliance with financial regulations will become paramount. Small businesses may need to invest time and resources to ensure that they meet any legal requirements related to payment processing and consumer protection. Visa expects its Enhanced Subscription Manager to be available to North American issuers by summer 2026, with future expansions planned for Latin America and the Caribbean. For small business owners, this timeline allows for strategic planning and potentially aligning their services to benefit from the enhanced consumer tools that will soon be at their clients’ disposal. In summary, Visa’s Enhanced Subscription Manager offers promising advancements that can significantly improve how consumers manage subscriptions while interacting with small business services. Enhanced consumer control can foster loyalty and reduce chargebacks, ultimately strengthening small businesses in today’s increasingly competitive landscape. For more information on this new offering, you can visit the original press release at Visa’s newsroom: Visa Press Release. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Visa Unveils Enhanced Subscription Manager, Boosting Control Over Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As businesses continue to navigate the rapidly evolving subscription economy, Visa’s latest innovation may reshape the way both consumers and small business owners manage recurring payments. The company recently launched its Enhanced Subscription Manager, a service designed to streamline subscription management within banking apps, giving consumers more control over their finances. According to projections, the global subscription market will approach a staggering 12 billion subscriptions by 2030. As consumers delve deeper into various subscription services—from streaming platforms to meal kits—they face challenges in transparency and control. Visa’s Enhanced Subscription Manager addresses these pain points, offering solutions that can benefit small business owners in several significant ways. The Enhanced Subscription Manager simplifies how consumers can track and manage their subscriptions directly within their mobile banking apps. Kathleen Pierce-Gilmore, Visa’s global head of Issuing Solutions, highlighted the increasing consumer demand for clarity and convenience: “Consumers today want clarity, control, and convenience when it comes to managing the subscriptions that touch so many parts of their lives.” This new service not only consolidates subscription visibility but also enables users to switch payment methods or cancel subscriptions seamlessly—all without leaving their banking app. This capability helps to reduce unwanted charges and increases consumer confidence, which could ultimately benefit businesses aiming for repeat customers. By collaborating with providers like Pinwheel, Visa enhances the user experience further. Small business owners can count on this collaboration to facilitate smoother billing processes, as Visa now allows integration that lets issuers embed card switching and subscription cancellation for over 100 major merchants. This platform, known as Visa’s Digital Issuer Solutions, equips financial institutions with the tools needed to provide modern consumer-facing experiences. In addition to subscription visibility, the platform includes features like push provisioning and digital card displays. These services create multiple touchpoints for businesses to engage with their consumers, making it easier for small businesses to maintain ongoing relationships with their clients. For small business owners, integrating the Enhanced Subscription Manager could resolve various transaction-related issues, such as disputes and chargebacks stemming from recurring payments. By creating an easier path for customers to manage their subscriptions, businesses may find that customer loyalty increases, fostering long-term relationships that can stabilize their revenue streams. However, implementing such technology can come with its own set of challenges. Small business owners need to consider the initial integration costs and the learning curve for both their staff and customers. The seamless experience that Visa promises relies on significant behind-the-scenes work, requiring effective coordination between banking institutions and merchants. Moreover, as the subscription economy grows, compliance with financial regulations will become paramount. Small businesses may need to invest time and resources to ensure that they meet any legal requirements related to payment processing and consumer protection. Visa expects its Enhanced Subscription Manager to be available to North American issuers by summer 2026, with future expansions planned for Latin America and the Caribbean. For small business owners, this timeline allows for strategic planning and potentially aligning their services to benefit from the enhanced consumer tools that will soon be at their clients’ disposal. In summary, Visa’s Enhanced Subscription Manager offers promising advancements that can significantly improve how consumers manage subscriptions while interacting with small business services. Enhanced consumer control can foster loyalty and reduce chargebacks, ultimately strengthening small businesses in today’s increasingly competitive landscape. For more information on this new offering, you can visit the original press release at Visa’s newsroom: Visa Press Release. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Visa Unveils Enhanced Subscription Manager, Boosting Control Over Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google is rolling out Skills to Gemini in Chrome on desktop, letting users save prompts as reusable one-click tools and run them across selected tabs. The post Google Chrome Skills Turn Gemini Prompts Into Reusable Workflows appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

In case you missed it, there is a The President-branded smartphone in the works. This isn't something Donald The President himself is pushing; rather, his sons, Eric The President and Donald The President, Jr., are trying to break into the smartphone market with their company "T1 Mobile." As such, the company offers both a smartphone and its own cellular plan, which comes with unlimited talk, text, and data; international calling; and the name The President "proudly" displayed in the status bar as your carrier. How cool. Except the phone isn't actually available yet, but it might be getting closer to release. Despite announcing the venture back in June of 2025, the "The President T1" phone has been rather delayed. It seemed like it might have fallen by the wayside, at least until February, when The President Mobile finally returned The Verge's requests for more information on the phone. Executives showed off the device—which sported a different design than the original—and revealed specs to the publication. Still, there was no official timeline for release. Now, it seems we're getting one step closer. On Tuesday, The President Mobile rolled out a revamped website, while also formally introducing the new look at the T1 Phone. This is the first time the company has publicly displayed the design that it showed off to The Verge two months ago. It's gold, with a black and gold American flag affixed to the bottom. Underneath that appear the words "The President Mobile" in all caps. In the top-left, you can see three rear cameras and another engraved "The President Mobile" logo. On the front, you can see a gold edge around the display, which sports a selfie cutout in the center. The President Mobile T1 specsThe page also includes The President Mobile's official spec list for the device. Under "Key Features," we can see that the T1 Phone (gold version) is rocking a 6.78 AMOLED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, four cameras (50 MP main, 8 MP wide, 50MP telephoto, and 50MP selfie), a 5,000 mAh battery with quick charging support for up to 30W, 512GB of storage a fingerprint sensor and "AI Face Unlock," and a Snapdragon chipset. The company doesn't specify which Snapdragon chip they've put in this device, though since this is being marketed at $499, my guess is its something budget-focused. Interestingly, GSMArena highlights that the spec list is remarkably similar to the HTC U24 Pro. If The President Mobile is pulling the design off of this device, perhaps it's also borrowing the U24 Pro's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (4 nm) chip. But until the company confirms what's going on under the display, we just won't know. What the The President Mobile T1 will costThe President Mobile isn't just offering its own phone as part of its $47.45 mobile plan (yes, that's really how they priced it); you can take your pick of a selection of "renewed" phones as well, including Samsung Galaxies and iPhones. But if you want the T1 Phone, you can put down a $100 deposit today, and pay the remaining $399 when you officially buy it. You'll also get your first month of use free, but there's no telling when that first month will actually start, as the phone has no true release date. The President Mobile hasn't been the most consistent or transparent over the past year, but that might not be surprising given how many The President businesses have gone bankrupt or had to pay settlements due to charges of fraud. If you'd rather stick with a known carrier, you can pick up any number of excellent phones in a similar price range, without waiting for an unannounced release date at some point in the undefined future. Google Pixel 10a $449.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $449.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $50.00 View the full article

Both Chase and Wells Fargo had a 15% reduction quarter-to-quarter in mortgage originations, more than the industry forecast for a 6% drop-off, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods noted. View the full article

Freedom comes from systems. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Freedom comes from systems. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

ONS is privately warning that it will not iron out problems in its ‘transformed’ labour force survey before 2027View the full article

US military says no ships pass through its operation to seal off Iranian ports in first 24 hoursView the full article

Comprehending key recruitment processes and procedures is critical for any organization looking to hire effectively. You need to start by identifying your hiring needs and crafting detailed job descriptions. Establishing a budget and timeline helps streamline the recruitment effort. Developing a strategic plan, screening candidates, and conducting structured interviews are fundamental steps. Each of these elements plays an important role in ensuring you attract the right talent. What comes next can profoundly impact your overall hiring success. Key Takeaways Identify job vacancies and create detailed job descriptions to attract suitable candidates. Source candidates through multiple channels, including job boards, social media, and employee referrals. Implement a standardized screening process, including questionnaires and initial interviews, to assess candidate fit. Conduct structured interviews and utilize behavioral techniques to evaluate competencies and predict job success. Regularly review and update recruitment strategies based on feedback and market conditions to ensure effectiveness. Understanding the Recruitment Process Grasping the recruitment process is essential for effective hiring, as it lays the foundation for attracting and selecting the right candidates for your organization. The effective recruitment process consists of several stages, including identifying job vacancies, creating detailed job descriptions, sourcing candidates, screening applications, conducting interviews, and making final selections. When crafting job descriptions, make sure they clearly outline responsibilities and required skills during the reflection of your organization’s culture. Utilize various recruitment methods, such as job boards, social media, and employee referrals, to build a diverse talent pool. Screening applications can involve pre-screening questionnaires and standardized evaluation criteria, promoting objectivity. Structured interviews, featuring standardized questions and multiple interviewers, help assess candidates’ skills and experience, leading to informed decisions. Identifying Hiring Needs Comprehending the recruitment process sets the stage for identifying hiring needs, which is crucial for aligning your organization’s workforce with its strategic goals. Start by conducting a strategic analysis with key stakeholders like HR managers and department heads to clarify organizational requirements and urgency. It’s imperative to define desired qualities, along with both technical and non-technical skills, ensuring new hires align with your goals. Additionally, consider cultural fit, as it greatly impacts team dynamics and employee satisfaction. Establish a maximum salary offer based on market conditions and internal equity to attract suitable candidates. Regularly review and update hiring needs based on turnover rates and future growth projections to minimize turnover and align recruitment with long-term objectives. Aspect Importance Skills Required Aligns with organizational goals Cultural Fit Improves team dynamics Salary Offer Attracts suitable candidates Crafting Detailed Job Descriptions When crafting detailed job descriptions, you need to clearly outline crucial job responsibilities, required qualifications, and performance metrics. This clarity not merely helps candidates understand the role but likewise sets clear expectations for success. Essential Job Responsibilities Crafting detailed job descriptions is vital for attracting the right talent to your organization. Start by clearly specifying the important job responsibilities, using active language to improve engagement. This clarity helps potential candidates understand what’s expected of them. Incorporate measurable performance goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) to align candidates’ expectations with your organizational objectives. Regularly update your job descriptions based on feedback from top performers and managers, ensuring they accurately reflect evolving needs. Optimizing job descriptions for search engines (SEO) increases visibility, making it easier for qualified candidates to find and apply for your positions. By focusing on these elements, you’ll create effective job descriptions that resonate with the talent you seek. Required Qualifications and Skills Clearly outlining the required qualifications and skills in job descriptions is critical for attracting suitable candidates. Start by specifying educational background, technical skills, and relevant experience that align with the job. Using active language can make your descriptions more engaging, conveying urgency and importance. Regularly updating job descriptions based on feedback from top performers guarantees they remain relevant to organizational needs. Additionally, optimizing for SEO improves visibility, attracting a broader pool of candidates. Qualification Type Examples Importance Educational Background Bachelor’s in Marketing Fundamental knowledge Technical Skills Proficiency in SEO tools Crucial for job performance Relevant Experience 3+ years in similar roles Demonstrates capability Performance Metrics and Goals Performance metrics and goals play a crucial role in crafting detailed job descriptions, as they set clear expectations for potential candidates. Including measurable performance goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) helps candidates understand what success looks like in the role. Job descriptions should outline responsibilities and qualifications aligned with your organization’s overall goals, enabling candidates to see how they contribute to business objectives. Specific metrics, like sales targets or project completion rates, attract qualified candidates motivated by performance-based rewards. Regularly updating job descriptions based on feedback from top performers improves clarity and relevance, leading to better candidate alignment. Finally, using active language makes roles more appealing, resulting in higher engagement and improved application quality. Establishing a Recruitment Budget and Timeline When you’re establishing a recruitment budget and timeline, it’s essential to take into account both the direct and indirect costs involved in the hiring process. Direct costs include expenses like job advertising and agency fees, whereas indirect costs encompass the time your employees spend on recruitment activities. Typically, the average cost-per-hire ranges from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the industry and role. Next, your hiring timeline should clearly outline each stage of the recruitment process, from job posting to onboarding, with realistic timeframes. These can range from a few weeks for less specialized roles to several months for executive positions. It’s important to align your budget and timeline with organizational goals to guarantee efficient resource allocation. Regularly reviewing and adjusting the budget will help you adapt to market conditions. Engaging stakeholders in this process cultivates alignment and support, streamlining your recruitment approach to meet expectations effectively. Developing a Strategic Recruitment Plan To develop an effective strategic recruitment plan, you must start with a thorough analysis of your organization’s needs, which involves identifying skill gaps and aligning new roles with your long-term business objectives. This foundational step guarantees you attract top talent that drives sustainable growth. Here are three key components to take into account: 1. Job Descriptions: Regularly update Job Descriptions, informed by top performers and managers, to clearly outline responsibilities, qualifications, and performance metrics. This clarity helps attract the right candidates. 2. Budget and Timeline: Establish a realistic recruiting budget and a well-defined hiring timeline. This approach helps you track costs and guarantees a structured recruitment process. 3. Data-Driven Insights: Utilize data throughout the recruitment process. This enables you to refine strategies, improve candidate quality, and boost overall hiring efficiency. Sourcing Qualified Candidates In terms of sourcing qualified candidates, you need to employ a variety of strategies to reach the best talent. Utilizing recruitment platforms like job boards and social media is crucial, but don’t forget about engaging passive candidates through networking events and direct outreach. Diverse Sourcing Strategies Diverse sourcing strategies are essential for attracting a wide range of qualified candidates, as they help organizations tap into various talent pools. By implementing these strategies, you can augment your recruitment process considerably. Here are three effective approaches: Use multiple channels: Leverage job boards, social media platforms, and industry-specific events to reach diverse candidates. Engage in proactive outreach: Network and encourage employee referrals to find high-quality candidates who may not be actively seeking jobs. Collaborate with recruitment agencies: Partner with agencies to access specialized talent pools, ensuring you don’t miss out on top candidates for hard-to-fill roles. Monitoring the effectiveness of these strategies through metrics can help refine your approach and improve hiring outcomes. Engaging Passive Candidates Engaging passive candidates is vital for organizations looking to fill roles with high-quality talent, especially since about 70% of the workforce consists of individuals not actively seeking new opportunities. To effectively reach these candidates, leverage professional networking platforms and utilize employee referrals, as referred candidates are 55% faster to hire. Personalized outreach is important; customized messages can boost response rates by up to 40%, making candidates feel valued. Moreover, attending industry events and conferences allows you to network directly with potential hires, with 80% of professionals appreciating these connections. Implementing a proactive talent pipeline strategy helps maintain ongoing relationships with passive candidates, leading to a 50% reduction in time-to-fill positions when opportunities arise. Utilizing Recruitment Platforms Utilizing recruitment platforms effectively can greatly boost your ability to source qualified candidates, as these tools expand your reach beyond traditional networks. By leveraging these platforms, you can tap into a wider talent pool and streamline your recruitment process. Consider these key strategies: Use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Implementing ATS can automate communication and manage applications, reducing your time-to-hire by up to 25%. Engage Passive Candidates: Targeted outreach on social media and networking events can attract high-quality candidates who are currently employed. Analyze Data: Data-driven platforms provide insights on sourcing channels, helping you identify which platforms yield the best candidates for more strategic resource allocation. These approaches can boost your recruitment effectiveness and improve overall hiring outcomes. Screening and Assessing Applicants When you’re screening and evaluating applicants, implementing a standardized process is vital for ensuring efficiency and fairness. Start by using pre-screening questionnaires to filter candidates based on key criteria, which streamlines candidate selection. Next, conduct initial phone interviews to gauge candidates’ fit and interest, greatly reducing the time spent on in-person interviews with unqualified individuals. Incorporate assessment tools, such as technical skills tests or psychometric evaluations, to objectively evaluate candidates’ competencies and alignment with job requirements. It’s also important to maintain consistent evaluation criteria across all candidates, which helps mitigate biases during the screening and assessment phases. Finally, document interview feedback systematically; this aids in comparing candidates and provides valuable insights for refining your recruitment processes. Conducting Effective Interviews After identifying and evaluating suitable candidates, the next step involves conducting effective interviews that allow you to assess their qualifications and fit for your organization. To improve your interview process, consider these key strategies: Utilize structured interviews: Standardized questions improve the reliability of evaluations and enable consistent comparisons among candidates. Incorporate behavioral techniques: Focusing on past performance can predict future job success and cultural alignment, providing deeper insights into candidates’ potential. Include multiple interviewers: Having diverse perspectives reduces individual bias and leads to more objective hiring decisions. Furthermore, document interview feedback systematically. This practice helps track evaluations and refine your recruitment process over time. Implementing pre-interview assessments can as well streamline candidate selection by identifying crucial skills and competencies before the interview stage, ultimately improving your recruitment efficiency. Extending Job Offers Professionally Extending a job offer professionally is vital for securing top talent and setting the stage for a positive working relationship. When you extend an offer, make sure the letter clearly outlines compensation, benefits, job responsibilities, and any contingencies. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and sets clear expectations. Prompt communication is key; research shows that candidates who receive timely offers are more likely to accept them, reducing the risk of losing top talent to competitors. Allowing room for negotiation can improve candidate satisfaction, especially if you’re flexible on salary or benefits. After extending the offer, follow up with candidates to address any concerns or questions. This illustrates professionalism and solidifies their decision to join your organization. A well-structured job offer process improves candidate experience as well as strengthens your employer brand, as candidates are more likely to share positive experiences with their network. Onboarding New Hires Effectively Effective onboarding is vital for integrating new hires into your organization, as it greatly impacts their long-term success and satisfaction. A structured onboarding program can boost retention rates by up to 82%, making it critical for employee engagement. To guarantee an effective process, consider these key elements: Duration: Effective onboarding should last at least 90 days, allowing new hires to acclimate to the company culture and expectations. Mentorship: Pairing new employees with a mentor can improve their experience, leading to a 20% increase in job satisfaction and a stronger connection to the company. Feedback: Gather feedback from new hires about their onboarding experience to identify areas for improvement and adapt your strategies accordingly. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 7 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The seven steps of the recruitment process are crucial for finding the right candidates. First, you identify job vacancies by reviewing turnover rates. Next, you create detailed job descriptions that outline responsibilities and qualifications. Then, you source candidates through job boards and social media. After that, you screen resumes and conduct interviews. Following interviews, you evaluate feedback and perform reference checks. Finally, you extend job offers to the selected candidates. What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are crucial for a successful hiring process. First, clarity involves clearly defining job requirements to attract the right candidates. Next, candidate experience focuses on creating a positive process that improves your employer brand. Communication is important; keeping candidates informed promotes transparency and maintains their interest. Cultural fit examines how well candidates align with your organization’s values, and consistency guarantees uniformity in how candidates are treated throughout the process. What Are the 5 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The recruitment process involves five crucial steps. First, you identify job vacancies by evaluating your organization’s needs. Next, you create detailed job descriptions that outline responsibilities and required skills. Then, you source candidates using various methods like job boards or referrals. After that, you screen applications to shortlist suitable candidates. Finally, you conduct interviews to evaluate their fit with the role and your company culture, ensuring you select the best candidate. What Are the Key Components of the Recruitment Process? The key components of the recruitment process include identifying job vacancies, crafting detailed job descriptions, and sourcing candidates through various channels. You’ll screen applications by reviewing resumes and conducting initial interviews, ensuring you filter out unsuitable candidates. Next, structured interviews help you evaluate candidates objectively, using standardized criteria for fair comparisons. Finally, making informed selections based on data-driven decisions aligns your hiring with organizational goals, ultimately improving your team’s effectiveness and performance. Conclusion In summary, effective recruitment processes are essential for attracting and retaining top talent. By identifying hiring needs, crafting precise job descriptions, and developing a strategic plan, you set a solid foundation. Screening and evaluating applicants through standardized methods, followed by structured interviews, help guarantee fairness. Finally, extending job offers professionally and onboarding new hires effectively can greatly impact your organization’s success. Regularly reviewing these processes will keep your recruitment efforts aligned with market demands and organizational goals. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Are Key Recruitment Processes and Procedures?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Comprehending key recruitment processes and procedures is critical for any organization looking to hire effectively. You need to start by identifying your hiring needs and crafting detailed job descriptions. Establishing a budget and timeline helps streamline the recruitment effort. Developing a strategic plan, screening candidates, and conducting structured interviews are fundamental steps. Each of these elements plays an important role in ensuring you attract the right talent. What comes next can profoundly impact your overall hiring success. Key Takeaways Identify job vacancies and create detailed job descriptions to attract suitable candidates. Source candidates through multiple channels, including job boards, social media, and employee referrals. Implement a standardized screening process, including questionnaires and initial interviews, to assess candidate fit. Conduct structured interviews and utilize behavioral techniques to evaluate competencies and predict job success. Regularly review and update recruitment strategies based on feedback and market conditions to ensure effectiveness. Understanding the Recruitment Process Grasping the recruitment process is essential for effective hiring, as it lays the foundation for attracting and selecting the right candidates for your organization. The effective recruitment process consists of several stages, including identifying job vacancies, creating detailed job descriptions, sourcing candidates, screening applications, conducting interviews, and making final selections. When crafting job descriptions, make sure they clearly outline responsibilities and required skills during the reflection of your organization’s culture. Utilize various recruitment methods, such as job boards, social media, and employee referrals, to build a diverse talent pool. Screening applications can involve pre-screening questionnaires and standardized evaluation criteria, promoting objectivity. Structured interviews, featuring standardized questions and multiple interviewers, help assess candidates’ skills and experience, leading to informed decisions. Identifying Hiring Needs Comprehending the recruitment process sets the stage for identifying hiring needs, which is crucial for aligning your organization’s workforce with its strategic goals. Start by conducting a strategic analysis with key stakeholders like HR managers and department heads to clarify organizational requirements and urgency. It’s imperative to define desired qualities, along with both technical and non-technical skills, ensuring new hires align with your goals. Additionally, consider cultural fit, as it greatly impacts team dynamics and employee satisfaction. Establish a maximum salary offer based on market conditions and internal equity to attract suitable candidates. Regularly review and update hiring needs based on turnover rates and future growth projections to minimize turnover and align recruitment with long-term objectives. Aspect Importance Skills Required Aligns with organizational goals Cultural Fit Improves team dynamics Salary Offer Attracts suitable candidates Crafting Detailed Job Descriptions When crafting detailed job descriptions, you need to clearly outline crucial job responsibilities, required qualifications, and performance metrics. This clarity not merely helps candidates understand the role but likewise sets clear expectations for success. Essential Job Responsibilities Crafting detailed job descriptions is vital for attracting the right talent to your organization. Start by clearly specifying the important job responsibilities, using active language to improve engagement. This clarity helps potential candidates understand what’s expected of them. Incorporate measurable performance goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) to align candidates’ expectations with your organizational objectives. Regularly update your job descriptions based on feedback from top performers and managers, ensuring they accurately reflect evolving needs. Optimizing job descriptions for search engines (SEO) increases visibility, making it easier for qualified candidates to find and apply for your positions. By focusing on these elements, you’ll create effective job descriptions that resonate with the talent you seek. Required Qualifications and Skills Clearly outlining the required qualifications and skills in job descriptions is critical for attracting suitable candidates. Start by specifying educational background, technical skills, and relevant experience that align with the job. Using active language can make your descriptions more engaging, conveying urgency and importance. Regularly updating job descriptions based on feedback from top performers guarantees they remain relevant to organizational needs. Additionally, optimizing for SEO improves visibility, attracting a broader pool of candidates. Qualification Type Examples Importance Educational Background Bachelor’s in Marketing Fundamental knowledge Technical Skills Proficiency in SEO tools Crucial for job performance Relevant Experience 3+ years in similar roles Demonstrates capability Performance Metrics and Goals Performance metrics and goals play a crucial role in crafting detailed job descriptions, as they set clear expectations for potential candidates. Including measurable performance goals or key performance indicators (KPIs) helps candidates understand what success looks like in the role. Job descriptions should outline responsibilities and qualifications aligned with your organization’s overall goals, enabling candidates to see how they contribute to business objectives. Specific metrics, like sales targets or project completion rates, attract qualified candidates motivated by performance-based rewards. Regularly updating job descriptions based on feedback from top performers improves clarity and relevance, leading to better candidate alignment. Finally, using active language makes roles more appealing, resulting in higher engagement and improved application quality. Establishing a Recruitment Budget and Timeline When you’re establishing a recruitment budget and timeline, it’s essential to take into account both the direct and indirect costs involved in the hiring process. Direct costs include expenses like job advertising and agency fees, whereas indirect costs encompass the time your employees spend on recruitment activities. Typically, the average cost-per-hire ranges from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the industry and role. Next, your hiring timeline should clearly outline each stage of the recruitment process, from job posting to onboarding, with realistic timeframes. These can range from a few weeks for less specialized roles to several months for executive positions. It’s important to align your budget and timeline with organizational goals to guarantee efficient resource allocation. Regularly reviewing and adjusting the budget will help you adapt to market conditions. Engaging stakeholders in this process cultivates alignment and support, streamlining your recruitment approach to meet expectations effectively. Developing a Strategic Recruitment Plan To develop an effective strategic recruitment plan, you must start with a thorough analysis of your organization’s needs, which involves identifying skill gaps and aligning new roles with your long-term business objectives. This foundational step guarantees you attract top talent that drives sustainable growth. Here are three key components to take into account: 1. Job Descriptions: Regularly update Job Descriptions, informed by top performers and managers, to clearly outline responsibilities, qualifications, and performance metrics. This clarity helps attract the right candidates. 2. Budget and Timeline: Establish a realistic recruiting budget and a well-defined hiring timeline. This approach helps you track costs and guarantees a structured recruitment process. 3. Data-Driven Insights: Utilize data throughout the recruitment process. This enables you to refine strategies, improve candidate quality, and boost overall hiring efficiency. Sourcing Qualified Candidates In terms of sourcing qualified candidates, you need to employ a variety of strategies to reach the best talent. Utilizing recruitment platforms like job boards and social media is crucial, but don’t forget about engaging passive candidates through networking events and direct outreach. Diverse Sourcing Strategies Diverse sourcing strategies are essential for attracting a wide range of qualified candidates, as they help organizations tap into various talent pools. By implementing these strategies, you can augment your recruitment process considerably. Here are three effective approaches: Use multiple channels: Leverage job boards, social media platforms, and industry-specific events to reach diverse candidates. Engage in proactive outreach: Network and encourage employee referrals to find high-quality candidates who may not be actively seeking jobs. Collaborate with recruitment agencies: Partner with agencies to access specialized talent pools, ensuring you don’t miss out on top candidates for hard-to-fill roles. Monitoring the effectiveness of these strategies through metrics can help refine your approach and improve hiring outcomes. Engaging Passive Candidates Engaging passive candidates is vital for organizations looking to fill roles with high-quality talent, especially since about 70% of the workforce consists of individuals not actively seeking new opportunities. To effectively reach these candidates, leverage professional networking platforms and utilize employee referrals, as referred candidates are 55% faster to hire. Personalized outreach is important; customized messages can boost response rates by up to 40%, making candidates feel valued. Moreover, attending industry events and conferences allows you to network directly with potential hires, with 80% of professionals appreciating these connections. Implementing a proactive talent pipeline strategy helps maintain ongoing relationships with passive candidates, leading to a 50% reduction in time-to-fill positions when opportunities arise. Utilizing Recruitment Platforms Utilizing recruitment platforms effectively can greatly boost your ability to source qualified candidates, as these tools expand your reach beyond traditional networks. By leveraging these platforms, you can tap into a wider talent pool and streamline your recruitment process. Consider these key strategies: Use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Implementing ATS can automate communication and manage applications, reducing your time-to-hire by up to 25%. Engage Passive Candidates: Targeted outreach on social media and networking events can attract high-quality candidates who are currently employed. Analyze Data: Data-driven platforms provide insights on sourcing channels, helping you identify which platforms yield the best candidates for more strategic resource allocation. These approaches can boost your recruitment effectiveness and improve overall hiring outcomes. Screening and Assessing Applicants When you’re screening and evaluating applicants, implementing a standardized process is vital for ensuring efficiency and fairness. Start by using pre-screening questionnaires to filter candidates based on key criteria, which streamlines candidate selection. Next, conduct initial phone interviews to gauge candidates’ fit and interest, greatly reducing the time spent on in-person interviews with unqualified individuals. Incorporate assessment tools, such as technical skills tests or psychometric evaluations, to objectively evaluate candidates’ competencies and alignment with job requirements. It’s also important to maintain consistent evaluation criteria across all candidates, which helps mitigate biases during the screening and assessment phases. Finally, document interview feedback systematically; this aids in comparing candidates and provides valuable insights for refining your recruitment processes. Conducting Effective Interviews After identifying and evaluating suitable candidates, the next step involves conducting effective interviews that allow you to assess their qualifications and fit for your organization. To improve your interview process, consider these key strategies: Utilize structured interviews: Standardized questions improve the reliability of evaluations and enable consistent comparisons among candidates. Incorporate behavioral techniques: Focusing on past performance can predict future job success and cultural alignment, providing deeper insights into candidates’ potential. Include multiple interviewers: Having diverse perspectives reduces individual bias and leads to more objective hiring decisions. Furthermore, document interview feedback systematically. This practice helps track evaluations and refine your recruitment process over time. Implementing pre-interview assessments can as well streamline candidate selection by identifying crucial skills and competencies before the interview stage, ultimately improving your recruitment efficiency. Extending Job Offers Professionally Extending a job offer professionally is vital for securing top talent and setting the stage for a positive working relationship. When you extend an offer, make sure the letter clearly outlines compensation, benefits, job responsibilities, and any contingencies. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and sets clear expectations. Prompt communication is key; research shows that candidates who receive timely offers are more likely to accept them, reducing the risk of losing top talent to competitors. Allowing room for negotiation can improve candidate satisfaction, especially if you’re flexible on salary or benefits. After extending the offer, follow up with candidates to address any concerns or questions. This illustrates professionalism and solidifies their decision to join your organization. A well-structured job offer process improves candidate experience as well as strengthens your employer brand, as candidates are more likely to share positive experiences with their network. Onboarding New Hires Effectively Effective onboarding is vital for integrating new hires into your organization, as it greatly impacts their long-term success and satisfaction. A structured onboarding program can boost retention rates by up to 82%, making it critical for employee engagement. To guarantee an effective process, consider these key elements: Duration: Effective onboarding should last at least 90 days, allowing new hires to acclimate to the company culture and expectations. Mentorship: Pairing new employees with a mentor can improve their experience, leading to a 20% increase in job satisfaction and a stronger connection to the company. Feedback: Gather feedback from new hires about their onboarding experience to identify areas for improvement and adapt your strategies accordingly. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 7 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The seven steps of the recruitment process are crucial for finding the right candidates. First, you identify job vacancies by reviewing turnover rates. Next, you create detailed job descriptions that outline responsibilities and qualifications. Then, you source candidates through job boards and social media. After that, you screen resumes and conduct interviews. Following interviews, you evaluate feedback and perform reference checks. Finally, you extend job offers to the selected candidates. What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are crucial for a successful hiring process. First, clarity involves clearly defining job requirements to attract the right candidates. Next, candidate experience focuses on creating a positive process that improves your employer brand. Communication is important; keeping candidates informed promotes transparency and maintains their interest. Cultural fit examines how well candidates align with your organization’s values, and consistency guarantees uniformity in how candidates are treated throughout the process. What Are the 5 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The recruitment process involves five crucial steps. First, you identify job vacancies by evaluating your organization’s needs. Next, you create detailed job descriptions that outline responsibilities and required skills. Then, you source candidates using various methods like job boards or referrals. After that, you screen applications to shortlist suitable candidates. Finally, you conduct interviews to evaluate their fit with the role and your company culture, ensuring you select the best candidate. What Are the Key Components of the Recruitment Process? The key components of the recruitment process include identifying job vacancies, crafting detailed job descriptions, and sourcing candidates through various channels. You’ll screen applications by reviewing resumes and conducting initial interviews, ensuring you filter out unsuitable candidates. Next, structured interviews help you evaluate candidates objectively, using standardized criteria for fair comparisons. Finally, making informed selections based on data-driven decisions aligns your hiring with organizational goals, ultimately improving your team’s effectiveness and performance. Conclusion In summary, effective recruitment processes are essential for attracting and retaining top talent. By identifying hiring needs, crafting precise job descriptions, and developing a strategic plan, you set a solid foundation. Screening and evaluating applicants through standardized methods, followed by structured interviews, help guarantee fairness. Finally, extending job offers professionally and onboarding new hires effectively can greatly impact your organization’s success. Regularly reviewing these processes will keep your recruitment efforts aligned with market demands and organizational goals. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Are Key Recruitment Processes and Procedures?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Engineering is one of the most male-dominated workforces in America. As of 2023, only 16% of engineers in the U.S. were women. Marketing, meanwhile, is an industry led by women: Though it has a more even split, the field still employs more women than men, with 60% of marketing roles in the U.S. held by women. But a phenomenon in new job listings has some experts wondering if marketing is undergoing a reinvention—one designed to make it a more enticing field for men. The discourse began when brand consultant Miranda Shanahan pointed out a trend she’s noticed on LinkedIn. “I’m convinced marketing jobs are being rebranded so that boys can do it too,” Shanahan said in a video that’s garnered 1 million views on TikTok. “We are suddenly seeing the same old marketing roles being given new, technical-coded names,” she said, referencing open positions on LinkedIn with titles like “senior branding engineer,” “marketing engineer,” and “GTM [go-to-market] engineer.” What are these jobs actually seeking from applicants? Quizlet’s listing for a “UGC (user-generated content) engineer” mentions leading a team of creators, directing content strategy, and having a “deep understanding of viral content and trends”—responsibilities typically associated with marketing roles more so than engineering roles. Baseten’s “content engineer” opening describes it as “a primarily technical writing position.” Meanwhile, Stable’s first-ever “growth engineer” will be responsible for data analysis, targeted outreach, and managing its marketing assets. Many of these roles also have software engineering and web design components. Is this history repeating itself? Shanahan said the situation reminded her of what happened to programming in the mid-20th century. What began as a female-dominated field underwent a cultural rebrand after the invention of the personal computer, with fewer women pursuing computer science in the years that followed. “Software was feminized when it was considered clerical, masculinized when it became high status,” Shanahan explained. “Marketing was feminized when it was ‘making things pretty.’ Now, marketing is being masculinized because AI has made it so anyone can code, and now the biggest problem is distribution.” “This technical language is being applied to earn respect with leadership, without considering what that means for who those roles might go to and who feels qualified to apply,” she concluded. Of course, jobs don’t have genders, and there are already many men in marketing and many women in engineering. But given the fields’ notable gender gaps, an apparent rebrand that might make marketing appear “manlier” is prompting examination. “So backwards”: Social media is split on the take The video quickly spread across social media. Many users on X echoed Shanahan’s sentiment and added their own evidence. “Someone at Ramp once told me ‘growth is marketing when men do it,’” one user recalled. “It’s hard to find jobs that are actually in my field,” another user lamented, “because they’ve started using tech buzzwords for job descriptions to make men feel like they’re doing something when it’s really just a role that would previously be like a secretary or something.” Journalist Taylor Lorenz also cosigned Shanahan’s take. “They’re calling social media managers ‘growth engineers’ now,” Lorenz wrote. “She’s 100% spot-on with this analysis.” But others said the video had things all wrong. One dissenter was Julia Pintar, cofounder of UGC company Playkit, who said she coined the term “UGC engineer” and that Shanahan’s take is “so backwards.” “We call it this because distribution is integral to a company’s success—it’s a big-time job,” Pintar posted. “The nomenclature gives these roles the integrity that they deserve—we can’t win the gender war if we refuse to be equal.” “The reason why job titles have changed is not because men now do the jobs women were doing & therefore [it’s] called ‘engineering’ now,” another user argued, pointing out that many startups now incorporate coding into their marketing workflows. “That kind of work has traditionally been called engineering, so the title has simply changed to reflect the evolution of the role itself.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Samsung announced the new Galaxy S25 Series back in January 2025, a three-phone collection that competed with Google's Pixels for the title of the best Android phones you could buy in 2025. Out of the new lineup, the Galaxy S25+ is the middle-of-the-pack model, and a cheaper alternative to the top-of-the-line Galaxy S25 Ultra. Currently, you can pick one up for $749.99 ($250 off the original $999.99 retail price). With prices of many tech products going up, including Samsung phones, it's nice to see others going down. After the discount, the S25+ is only $30 more than the most basic model, the Galaxy S25, offering much better value for your money. Samsung Galaxy S25+ OS: Android 15, CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Dimensions: 6.24 by 2.98 by 0.29 inches $1,319.99 at Amazon $1,419.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,319.99 at Amazon $1,419.99 Save $100.00 The S25 line offers upgrades from the S24 lineup: The best features in the OS are shared by all Galaxy phones, giving you new features you can only get from the One UI 7, including exclusive media and notifications features. Two of the best are Now Bar and Now Brief, which show you brief alerts or notifications personalized to your feed and activities. PCMag gave the Galaxy S25 an "excellent" review for its useful AI features, better battery life than the Ultra (around 15 hours on a single charge), outstanding cameras, and long software support. The main things you'll be missing compared to the newer S26 are some AI features and some minimal design. Arguably, the best competition for the Galaxy S25+ is the Google Pixel 9, which is currently $575. If you're already in the Google or Samsung ecosystem, the best option for you will be to stay loyal to your brand, unless you plan on swapping out every other accessory. The Galaxy S25+ runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, has three rear lenses, including a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 6.7-inch and 120Hz OLED display. The RAM is a generous 12GB, with the storage options starting at 128 GB, but this $749.99 option is for the 256GB. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Streaming Player With Remote (2025 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $99.99 (List Price $119.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $59.98 (List Price $79.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Company team members, including those in affiliated business arrangements, will be eligible; real estate and joint venture agent partners will not be. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In the past few years, I’ve gone from being a defiant minimalist runner, to becoming a humble fan of Garmin’s most entry-level running watch, to now falling in love with the company's top-of-the-line Forerunner. A quick cheat code to understanding the model numbers in Garmin’s Forerunner line: The first number tells you how fancy (and expensive) the watch is. This means that my upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the Forerunner 970 is not a small step up the ladder. Honestly, it's more like skipping the ladder entirely and taking the elevator to the penthouse. The price gap alone—from $250 to $750—is enough to give anyone serious pause. Having made the switch, here’s my honest take on who actually needs this big of an upgrade in their running watch. The Forerunner 165 is a solid entry-level watch, especially for its price In fact, for a truly casual to intermediate runner, I think the 165 punches above its weight. It comes with daily suggested workouts, HRV Status, a morning report, running power, and over 25 sport profiles. What it lacks are features I’d always told myself I didn’t really need: Training Readiness, Training Status, multi-band GPS, built-in maps, and more. As I write in my full review, this watch is the perfect for athletes who want running-specific metrics without the complexity of a big ol’ multi-sport behemoth. But if your training is becoming more structured (as mine is these days), you might outgrow the 165. Garmin Forerunner 165 $199.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $199.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $50.00 The Forerunner 970 is one of the best running watches on the marketThe hardware upgrades on the 970 start with a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal lens, which gives the watch a noticeably more premium feel than the 165. It's still pretty light at under two ounces, and the AMOLED display is the brightest Garmin has ever put on a Forerunner—which makes a real difference when you’re running in direct sun. There's also a built-in LED flashlight (both white and red), which has become a must-have for some Garmin fans. There’s also a speaker and microphone, so you can now make and take phone calls from your wrist, use your phone's voice assistant, and respond to texts (features that may have become standard on Apple Watches, but were absent from running-focused Garmin watches until now). On the sensor side, the 970 has a new Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, which brings with it ECG capability—another first for any Forerunner. There's also skin temperature tracking, which feeds into more accurate recovery and sleep metrics. A new GNSS chip improves satellite acquisition and positioning accuracy, particularly in tricky GPS environments, like the city high-rises I’m usually darting around. I could go on, but if you're not a triathlete, a lot of the features may not matter to you. But for anyone who is dabbling in multi-sport needs, the 970 is now the most capable tool Garmin makes outside of the Fenix line. I share in my full review why it doesn’t quite earn five full stars, with the main reason being its steep price jump over the 965. What to know for our purposes here is I find myself consistently impressed by how all the data from the 970 has helped me level up my training. Garmin Forerunner 970 $749.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $749.99 at Amazon What I experienced when I upgraded from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970The metrics are where the 970 (somewhat) justifies its price tag for serious runners. For me, the most buzz-worthy metrics and scores are its running economy (How efficiently are you spending your energy?), running tolerance (Go hard today, or dial it back?), step speed loss (How long is your foot staying on the ground when you run?), and an improved projected race time. Unfortunately, there's some immediate disappointment: Running economy and step speed loss require Garmin’s HRM-600 chest strap. Since I don’t have one, I can’t report on how helpful these features are. What I can say is it’s a bummer to have to factor this additional cost into the watch’s total value before you buy. Built-in full-color maps with turn-by-turn directions are also a significant upgrade from the 165's GPS-only approach. On trail runs especially, having the map on your wrist rather than fumbling for your phone is a genuine quality-of-life improvement. The round-trip routing feature—where you enter a target distance and the watch generates a route—is one of those things that might become a must-have for more adventurous runners. For me, going from the 165 to the 970, the daily running metrics are where I can best compare the value of this upgrade. For instance, the running tolerance feature was the one that changed my training most immediately. It sets a weekly mileage ceiling based on your individual impact history, essentially acting as a guardrail against the kind of overtraining that leads to injury. For someone like me who tends to pile on mileage too aggressively when training for a race, this is a valuable insight—even if I somewhat override Garmin’s recommendations. Who should upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970?So, is the upgrade worth it? For me, honestly, yes—but only with a clear-eyed understanding of who this watch is actually for. Before buying a new watch, ask yourself: Have you really hit the ceiling of what your current watch can teach you? Because here's how I see it: If you're a recreational runner who logs three or four runs a week without a specific race on the calendar, I cannot encourage you to buy a $750 watch. Something entry-level like the 165 is probably still the right watch for you. Why not spend that $500 difference on running shoes and race entries for years to come, right? If you're a dedicated runner training seriously for events, a triathlete, someone who runs trails and needs navigation, or anyone who has maxed out what the 165's metrics can offer, the 970 offers a lot. You’ll experience a major jump in sensor quality, training intelligence, navigation capability, and overall feel of the watch. When used right, all these features can actively change how you train, not just how much data you collect. View the full article

“This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.” The day’s forecast called for high winds, but around midday in downtown Manhattan, it felt like a perfect spring day. The sun shone high in the sky last Tuesday as people gathered on the sidewalk around the corner from City Hall. Municipal employees mingled about, chatting excitedly. The cause for celebration wasn’t the weather—but a sleek, modernist-looking shed on the sidewalk where there had once stood a vacant newsstand. The structure may not have looked like much, but it had been years in the making. Since 2021, Los Deliveristas Unidos—a union of app-based delivery workers—have been campaigning for the city to build outdoor structures where they can safely rest on the job, charge their e-bike batteries, and escape the elements. The crowd had gathered for the opening of the first “deliverista hub,” which had been a long-discussed idea, until recently—when Mayor Zohran Mamdani decided to expedite the building process following years of permitting delays and red tape. By the time several delivery workers dressed in jeans, tactical-looking jackets, and bike helmets showed up, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. “This is what the public realm is made for,” New York City Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said from behind a podium, standing next to the hub with its clear glass windows and tall metallic columns. “This is what it means for our city to serve the people who keep it running.” In New York City, more than 80,000 men and women board their vehicle of choice every day and shepherd everything from burrito bowls to groceries to many people’s front doors. Many of these deliveristas travel on two wheels: opting for e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds over cars. That means this workforce is more vulnerable to extreme weather events like heat waves and flash flooding—which are becoming more frequent and more severe due to climate change. The idea for deliverista hubs sits at the intersection of workers rights and climate justice. If the city opens more of these facilities throughout the five boroughs, they will offer respite through all kinds of inclement weather, as well as provide a space for workers to talk to one another. Soon, the Lower Manhattan hub will also be staffed five days a week by a member of the Worker’s Justice Project, the worker center that helps organize Los Deliveristas Unidos. Delivery workers who are interested in learning more about joining the union can stop by the hub as a starting point. At the grand opening, representatives from the New York City Parks Departments, the delivery workers union, Worker’s Justice Project, and the Department of Transportation were present and gave speeches. New York Senator Chuck Schumer—who secured $1 million in federal funding for this hub—as well as New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Council Member Shaun Abreu also spoke. Throughout the ceremony, a fine mist fell over the attendees. But it hardly dampened the mood of the ceremony, with the crowd frequently breaking out into cheers. Ligia Guallpa, the executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project, proudly claimed this week’s opening as a victory for the working class. By pushing this project through, she said, deliveristas are “redefining what’s possible” in cities like New York City, where “public spaces have historically been built for cars, for the wealthy, and for the privileged.” Gustavo Ajche, the co-founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos, said he got the idea of repurposing city infrastructure to create places of rest for delivery workers during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We were really isolated,” Ajche told Grist, speaking in Spanish, “with nowhere to go. During the pandemic, everything was closed and things got very complicated—I saw my colleagues [working outside] struggling to find places to shelter from cold, rain, and wind.” But he noticed that there were pieces of urban infrastructure throughout the city that had sat abandoned for years—like vacant newsstands—that could easily help them escape the elements. Still, the road from that moment to last week’s opening ceremony was anything but straightforward. Ajche lamented that New York City’s previous mayoral administration, led by Eric Adams, took its time when it came to approving permits required to construct the city’s first deliverista hub. Under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, said Ajche, things have gone differently; the New York Times reported that the mayor pushed to open the hub within his first 100 days in office. After years of delays, the physical construction of the deliverista hub only took about a month, said Ajche. Asked directly about the lengthy timeline by a reporter after speeches ended, Parks Commissioner Shimamura said, “Unfortunately, I can’t really speak [to that], I’ve only been the commissioner for the last eight weeks.” Ajche acknowledged that just having one hub isn’t sufficient to provide for the tens of thousands of delivery workers who stream through the city every day. Both he and Shimamura demurred when asked about the possibility of opening more hubs throughout the five boroughs. It’ll depend on financing, they said. But establishing partnerships with other city agencies is also part of the challenge; Shimamura noted that not every viable spot for a deliverista hub is owned by the Parks Department. While it’s formally open, the hub itself sat largely empty—no charging stations, no HVAC system. Those will come later, according to a representative from the Worker’s Justice Project. The mist that was still falling on the attendees, it turns out, wasn’t rain—just a drizzle from window-washers working on a building across the street. Nevertheless, some of the deliveristas posed for photos beside the shed. Standing with Guallpa, who had been handed a bouquet of flowers, the group sang out chants of “Deliverista! Power!” as many flashed grins for the cameras and lifted fists to the sky. This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/labor/new-york-city-unveils-its-first-rest-stop-for-delivery-workers/. Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org View the full article

Last month we talked about times when you said the exact wrong thing at work, and here are 20 (!) of my favorite stories you shared. There are also many not included below but which you’ll be seeing in Mortification Week later this year. 1. The insult I once worked as an editor and I told an author that if they tried a certain method to make a certain change to their paper, it “might be worth a shit.” Shot. I meant shot. And I did not catch it before hitting send. 2. The inexplicable sneer I had a phone screening for a job many years ago. There was a particular way of doing a standard task that I used more as a freelancer than in my current job because my boss at my job thought that method was inferior to another way. So of course they asked about it, and — even though I actually disagreed with my boss! — what came out of my mouth was, “Well, we don’t do that at Current Company” in the most contemptuous tone possible. It was like I’d suddenly channeled my boss. I tried to immediately correct by saying I used the skill in freelance work and I disagreed with Current Job’s position but you will not be surprised to hear I did not get any further in that hiring process. 3. The memory I told a room full of people living with dementia that I had “the world’s worst memory.” Do I? Do I really? 4. The criticism I’m a marketing copywriter. At a job several years ago, the creative director was showing me a print mail flyer that she wanted to work with me on updating. As she was going over the changes she wanted to make to the design, I nodded in agreement and said, “Oh that sounds amazing! And good thing, this current design is awful. Who designed this?” She waited a beat before saying, “I did.” I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. 5. The poster A coworker made a poster describing the work her church’s mission group did overseas, which included some health care/education outreach activities not routinely available for women in remote areas of that country. Under the accomplishments section, the poster read: “WE TOUCHED 75 WOMEN IN THEIR HOMES!” That was over 10 years ago and I still use that phrase as a writing example where meaning has completely changed without key details. 6. The compliment My boss had a meeting with local donors and the CEO happened to be present as well. In an effort to try and give a compliment about the size of the company’s current endowment, my boss instead said to the donor, “Have you met my CEO? He’s very well-endowed.” 7. The right hand I was once being interviewed for a job by a man with one arm. I assured him before I left his office that he could count on me to be his right hand. 8. The brains One Halloween, I dressed like a zombie at work. My boss let me know that he was heading out to lunch so I responded with, “Get some brains while you’re out!” After I said it I was like oh well … I’m a zombie, never mind, but luckily he had a sense of humor. 9. The bad example I used to use the phrase “in case you get hit by a bus” as an example of why documented procedures were important. Not long after I started my current job, one of my colleagues kindly let me know that a very beloved member of another team had actually been hit by a bus, so I might want to use different wording. 10. The children’s librarian Children’s librarian: I have put my foot in my mouth many a time during storytime. Once I implied that we should appreciate how cute the kids were because we weren’t sure if they would be here next year — then tried to overexplain while parents stared at me with jaws agape. Another time I complimented the kids on their blowing skills. My dad was in the audience with my niece that day as a bonus. We were pretending to blow out candles. It might not have raised any eyebrows if I hadn’t turned bright red and started laughing maniacally. I’m usually very good at storytime. 11. The interview I work in HR and when this happened I was applying for an HR manager role and had over 10 years of experience. I was meeting with several people one after the other and when one asked me to come to her side of the desk so she could share information on her computer, I said, “Sure, you’re already harassing me so why not?” Why and how this came out of my mouth was a mystery then and still is 10 years later. 12. The microbiologist Oh man, I work in Microbiology. “I think I have gonorrhea.” Or any other number of things. Usually followed by, “I don’t have gonorrhea, I have gonorrhea.” 13. The client service I was following up with a client who hadn’t responded when I realized I ended my email with, “If you have any questions, don’t call me!” 14. The question I’m in OB-GYN. Many years ago I had a patient who was here for an abortion. I noticed she was holding some stuff in her hands, as we talked, and she seemed to be annoyed to be dealing with it. I encouraged her to set the things down on the desk. “Thanks,” she said. “I don’t know why but my husband wanted me to hold his wallet for him.” “Can’t he keep it in his pants?” I asked the patient. Who was there for a pregnancy she didn’t want. We both recognized what I’d said at the same time. Fortunately she thought it was hilarious. I hope I brought some light to her on a rough day. 15. The poor choice I walked to our print room and saw two of the accountants pulling apart a printer to find a jam. I laughed and said, “What, is the printer guy dead?” Yes. Yes he was. 16. The battle against the aged I used to do charity collecting with friends at university, for a different charity each week. So, one week the patter was, “Could you spare any change to help fight cancer?” and the next was, “Could you spare any change for [UK charity] Help the Aged?” Looked over during the second week’s session to see some passersby in absolute hysterics because my friend had asked them for change “to help fight the aged.” 17. The pic At my previous job, I was in charge of onboarding all new hires. We used the DISC (I know, I know) and hung up each person’s profile with a picture of them near their desk. Usually, I would say, “Can you please send me your DISC pic?” but once, to a male new hire, I said, “Can you please send me your dick pic?” I quickly corrected myself, turned eight shades of red, and then chose to rephrase my statement moving forward. I still cringe when I think about it. 18. The swinging grannies I work in the performing arts, and at one interview for an adult education role I expressed my desire to extend community aerial circus workshops to older people by declaring, “I want to get grannies swinging!’’ Cue irrecoverable giggles from the panel. 19. The fashion There was this person in my office who always had the BEST outfits — super well-fitting, super put-together yet fun, made animal prints (something that’s not always my thing) look super cool … Aaand for whatever reason, anytime I wanted to complement her, my brain decided to tell her how “fun” her outfits looked. Which, like, you can get away with once or twice, but I said this so often she must have thought I was determined to passive-aggressively insult her fashion sense. We also worked on different teams, so this was probably 70% of my interactions with this person. I genuinely thought she was very cool and wanted to be work friends, but I guess my brain was intent on sabotoging me. 20. The father About 20 years ago, I worked in a group of mostly under 25-year-olds in a call center. We were a high-spirited bunch new-ish to the working world and not particularly serious. There was a lunchroom with a big TV where we would eat in shifts, chit chat and watch junk TV programs, including one where the host would announce “You ARE” or You ARE NOT” the father after a mother’s paternity test. One time at a meeting right after lunch, our boss announced she would be taking time off because she was pregnant. Out of my mouth flew these words: “Congratulations! Do you know who the father is?” The post swinging grannies, the misdirected critique, and other times you said the exact wrong thing at work appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

A major shift is underway in digital advertising: Meta Platforms is projected to generate more ad revenue than Google in 2026, signaling how marketers are increasingly favoring automated, performance-driven platforms. Driving the news. According to Emarketer, Meta is expected to bring in $243.46 billion in global ad revenue this year, narrowly topping Google’s projected $239.54 billion. Meta is forecast to capture 26.8% of global ad spend. Google is projected to take 26.4%. It would be the first time Google has lost the top spot in digital ad revenue. Why we care. Meta’s growth suggests brands are getting more value from automated, performance-focused tools, which could influence how they split budgets between Meta and Google. It’s also a reminder that platform dynamics are changing fast, so media strategies need to stay flexible. Catch up quick: Google has long dominated digital advertising through Search ads, Display ads across the web, and YouTube. But its core ad business is growing more slowly than in previous years. Meanwhile, Meta has benefited from AI-powered ad automation, stronger performance measurement tools, and continued scale across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Why Meta is winning now. Advertisers are increasingly prioritizing platforms that can deliver both reach and measurable return. Meta’s advantage has been its ability to automate creative and targeting faster, optimize campaigns with less manual input, and make it easier for brands to prove ROI. That’s especially appealing in a tighter economic environment where marketers are under pressure to do more with less. Yes, but. Google is still enormous — and still growing. Its search business remains one of the most profitable ad engines in the world, and YouTube continues to attract brand budgets. But the company faces more pressure from, AI search disruption, antitrust scrutiny, and slowing growth in traditional search advertising. The bottom line. Meta passing Google in ad revenue would mark more than a symbolic milestone — it reflects a broader power shift toward platforms that make advertising easier to automate, measure, and scale. View the full article

The bling is back, but the Iran war has tarnished the outlook for the luxury watch industry — the ultimate in opulence. Starting Tuesday, Geneva hosts the annual Watches and Wonders fair, a premiere gathering in an industry eager for a rebound after two years of market contraction, hopefully including sales in oil-rich Gulf Arab countries. The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran that began Feb. 28, however, has had a sweeping impact on the global economy, driving up energy prices, stalling shipments of fertilizer, and disrupting air travel, among other things. High-end watches have not been spared. Soaring prices for precious metals like gold and silver, and U.S. President Donald The President‘s tariffs launched a year ago — while down from peak levels — already affected the market. Now, renewed inflation pressures and doubts about consumer confidence are injecting new uncertainty into the market that generates tens of billions of dollars in revenue each year. “The war in the Middle East will have certainly a huge impact for the Swiss exports because it represents 10% of the total Swiss watch exports, so it’s quite substantial,” said Oliver Müller, founder of Swiss consultancy LuxeConsult. “Some markets in the Middle East are totally halted,” he said. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, “60% of business is done with tourists. You can imagine that nothing is going on currently.” A ‘cloud’ over Watches and Wonders show The show is an elite gathering that showcases innovations, drums up deals and hosts some 65 exhibiting brands from around the world: That’s just a sliver of an industry that counts some 450 watchmakers in Switzerland alone. About 60,000 visitors are expected to attend. “We have very few cancellations. We had to adapt some travels, but we are expecting a record edition in terms of numbers of visitors,” said Mathieu Humair, the CEO of Watches and Wonders. Celebrities were in the mix. Tennis star Jannik Sinner and actor Patrick Dempsey were on hand for the opening Tuesday. Morgan Stanley, in the 9th Annual Swiss Watcher report put together with LuxeConsult, said in February that Swiss watch exports declined 1.7% last year in value terms — a year when Switzerland’s franc was relatively strong compared with the U.S. dollar and the euro. It was a second straight year of market contraction, the report said. “When you look back at a year ago, the sort of theme was: The tariffs and the uncertainty,” said industry analyst Ming Liu. “Unfortunately, we aren’t anywhere closer to certainty, probably even less with what’s happening in the Middle East.” Similar to the luxury goods sector as a whole, the biggest brands have been gaining market share. Four of Switzerland’s 450-odd watch brands — Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, and Omega — make up over half the total Swiss retail market share, the report said. And the upper-end segment has been growing: hand-crafted watches priced at more than 50,000 francs (more than $63,000) apiece made up 37% of the total value of Swiss watch exports last year — up from 33.5% in 2024, it said. Switzerland still stands out in the luxury watch business The Morgan Stanley report said Swiss-made watches represent about 96% percent of the global luxury watch market, or those that retail for at least 2,000 francs each (more than $2,200). Japan’s Grand Seiko is the “most credible non-Swiss challenger” and India’s Titan is making a run at the top tier, the report said. The Swiss are coming off a turbulent year. The President imposed exceptionally high U.S. tariffs on goods from Switzerland last year, hitting a peak of 39% — the highest faced by any developed Western country. A delegation of Swiss business executives traveled to the White House and offered The President gifts, including a Rolex clock, in November. The following month a deal was announced that sharply lowered U.S. tariffs on Swiss products. —Jamey Kaeten, Associated Press AP video journalist Mustakim Hasnath contributed to this report. View the full article

Last week, we learned that the FBI accessed a defendant's deleted Signal messages on their iPhone, even though that user had deleted the app entirely from their device. It wasn't that the FBI was able to find the messages themselves on the device; rather, it turns out they were able to pull incoming Signal texts from the defendant's push notification database. If you're like most people, you probably had no idea devices like the iPhone had such a push notification database, and that it could be used to retrieve deleted messages. Luckily, there's an easy way to protect yourself, and ensure no one can pull sensitive information from this space on your iPhone, or any device that receive sensitive notifications. It is unclear how the push notifications database works, or whether clearing notifications deletes their info from the database. But we might be able to glean some insight from a blog post by the Objective See Foundation (admittedly from 2018), which highlighted an issue with Signal messages on the Mac. The post reads: "In short, anything that gets displayed as a notification (yes, including 'disappearing' Signal messages) in the macOS Notification Center, is recorded by the OS." It looks like the recent FBI investigation used a similar loophole to retrieve data from iOS notifications. So, how can you protect yourself? The safest method is to turn off notifications altogether, which will prevent any information from being saved in this database, but that's not practical for most people. Most of us want to be alerted when receiving a new email, message, or an important update in an app. However, you can stop your device from displaying the contents of messages in the notifications, preventing this information from appearing in the database. When you do this, each of your notifications will look something like, "You have a new message," as opposed to: "Pranay Parab: My Netflix password is Lifehacker." Again, it's not clear how this database works, or which platforms have the same database as iPhone, but for the sake of privacy and security, I've listed steps for most major device platforms below: Protect sensitive notifications on an iPhoneYour iPhone allows you to hide the contents of messages from all of your app notifications. You can enable this by going to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and select Never. You also have the option to disable notification previews for specific apps. To do this, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll down, and tap the name of the app you wish to hide alert previews for. Select Show Previews > Never, and repeat that step with every other app that you want to hide notifications for. Remove information from the notification database on a Mac Credit: Pranay Parab On your Mac too, you can hide notifications previews globally or for individual apps. First, go to System Settings > Notifications. Click the drop-down menu next to Show previews and select Never. This will disable notification previews altogether. Alternatively, you can scroll down, select any app from the list, and click Show previews > Never to disable previews for individual apps. In case you want to purge notifications from the database on your Mac, you can install the free app called AuRevoir, which was developed by The Objective See Foundation following their findings. It allows you to view and remove all the information stored on your Mac's notification database. You can click View Msgs to see the stored data, followed by Remove Msgs to purge it from your Mac. Keep sensitive information out of Android's notificationsAlthough Android has a few different ways to hide notification previews on the lock screen, there aren't too many options to disable these previews when the phone is unlocked. You'll find it easier to disable notification previews from each app's settings page individually, as opposed to looking for a toggle that works across Android. To disable notifications on the lock screen, go to Settings > Notifications > Notifications on lock screen, and turn off Show sensitive content. You can also enable Hide silent notifications in status bar and also turn off Show silent notifications. There are some granular options available under Settings > Notifications > App notifications, so be sure to check that out too. These settings pages may be different on your Android phone on account of manufacturer customizations. Clear notification information in WindowsUnfortunately, Windows doesn't have a global setting to disable notification previews, but you can hide previews from the lock screen. To disable notification previews in Windows, open the Start Menu, and click the gear icon near the power button. This will open the Settings app. Go to System > Notifications > Notifications. Disable Show notifications on the lock screen. Next, scroll down and select each app you want to hide previews for, and enable Hide content when notifications are on lock screen. Beyond this, you're going to have to rely on notification settings within individual apps to disable previews. I've listed a few popular options below. Hide sensitive content from notification in popular messaging appsPopular messaging apps allow you to disable notification previews through in-app settings. This is just as effective as using your device's system settings to disable notification previews, but I'm mentioning it here in case your operating system doesn't let you disable notification previews easily: In WhatsApp, you can go to the app's settings, tap Notifications and disable Show preview. If you're using Signal, tap the profile icon in the top-left corner, and go to Settings > Notifications. Select Show, under "Notification Content." On the next page, the safest option is to select No Name or Content. You can also do this in Telegram's settings. Go to Notifications and Sounds > Private Chats, and disable Message Preview. You can do the same thing under the Group Chats page in notification settings. View the full article

An Assets Liability Equity (ALE) chart is an essential financial tool that helps you comprehend a company’s financial standing by visually mapping out its assets, liabilities, and equity. It adheres to the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity, which guarantees a balanced view of financial health. By categorizing assets and liabilities into current and non-current types, the ALE chart allows you to assess liquidity and solvency effectively. Grasping its components can greatly influence strategic business decisions. Key Takeaways An Assets Liability Equity (ALE) chart visually represents a company’s financial position, highlighting what it owns and owes. It adheres to the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity, ensuring balanced financial reporting. The chart aids in assessing liquidity and solvency, crucial for meeting short-term obligations and long-term stability. Regular updates of the ALE chart support informed decision-making and help identify financial trends and discrepancies. It enhances performance evaluations, allowing comparisons of asset growth and liability management over time. Understanding the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity Chart Comprehending the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity Chart is fundamental for grasping a company’s financial framework. This chart visually represents the relationship between a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity, adhering to the fundamental accounting equation: assets equal liabilities plus equity. By categorizing assets as current or non-current and liabilities as current or long-term, you gain clarity on the company’s liquidity and solvency positions. Grasping this balance sheet liquidity order is critical for evaluating financial health. You should monitor changes in the ALE Chart over time, as this can help identify trends in financial stability and growth potential. For stakeholders, including investors and creditors, the ALE Chart summarizes the company’s financial position and is imperative for making informed investment and lending decisions. Key Components of the ALE Chart The Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is crucial for comprehending a company’s financial position, as it visually displays the connections between what a company owns, what it owes, and the owners’ equity. By breaking down assets into current and non-current categories, and liabilities into short-term and long-term obligations, you get a clearer picture of liquidity and financial health. This chart not only assists in financial analysis but furthermore guarantees stakeholders can make informed decisions based on accurate representations of the company’s fiscal responsibilities and ownership interests. Definition of ALE Chart Comprehending the ALE Chart is vital for grasping a company’s financial environment, as it visually encapsulates the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. The ALE Chart categorizes assets into current and non-current, where current assets, like cash and accounts receivable, aid stakeholders in evaluating liquidity, during non-current assets include property and equipment. Liabilities are divided into current, due within one year, and long-term obligations, such as mortgages and bonds payable, which help in appraising financial obligations. The equity section of a balance sheet reflects the owners’ residual interest, comprising components like common stock, preferred stock, and retained earnings. Importance in Financial Analysis Comprehending the significance of the ALE chart in financial analysis can streamline your evaluation of a company’s financial position. This chart visually represents assets, liabilities, and equity, governed by the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. By analyzing a balance sheet, you can assess financial health, liquidity, and solvency, determining a company’s ability to meet obligations. The ALE chart additionally facilitates performance comparison, helping identify trends in asset growth and liability management over time. Key Components Importance Financial Health Evaluates stability Liquidity and Solvency Measures short-term capacity Performance Comparison Identifies industry trends Regularly updating the ALE chart is essential for informed decision-making based on real-time data. The Role of the Accounting Equation The accounting equation, which states that assets equal liabilities plus equity, is essential for comprehending financial balance in a business. By grasping this relationship, you can make informed decisions about financing and growth, as any change in assets must be matched by a corresponding change in liabilities or equity. This equation not just helps you assess a company’s financial health but likewise guides you in strategic planning and risk management. Understanding Financial Balance Comprehension of financial balance hinges on grasping the accounting equation, which states that assets equal liabilities plus equity. This equation is essential for grasping how assets and liabilities relate to financial health. By analyzing the balance sheet, you can see the assets vs liabilities relationship, revealing a company’s financial obligations. A higher asset proportion compared to liabilities indicates stronger solvency and reduced financial risk. The equity component reflects the owners’ stake after all liabilities are settled, highlighting the need to manage assets and liabilities effectively. Regularly applying the assets formula aids in strategic planning, allowing businesses to stay stable during pursuing growth opportunities. Grasping these elements is fundamental for maintaining a healthy financial position. Impact on Business Decisions When businesses recognize the significance of the accounting equation, they can make more informed decisions that directly impact their financial health. Comprehending how assets, liabilities, and equity interact helps you assess your company’s financial stability. By regularly analyzing a balance sheet, you can track assets and liabilities, determining your net worth through assets minus liabilities. This comprehension influences your investment decisions and operational strategies. A strong equity position attracts potential investors and lenders, offering better financing terms. Additionally, accurate tracking allows you to manage cash flow effectively, guaranteeing you meet short-term obligations during adherence to long-term commitments. In the end, a solid grasp of the accounting equation guarantees sustained financial health and proactive decision-making. Importance of the ALE Chart for Financial Analysis Grasping the importance of the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is fundamental for anyone involved in financial analysis, as it provides a snapshot of a company’s financial health at a specific moment. By analyzing the ALE chart, you gain insight into the assets, liabilities, and equity, enabling you to evaluate liquidity and solvency effectively. This comprehension is critical for making informed investment and lending decisions, highlighting the importance of a balance sheet in financial assessments. Regular updates to the ALE chart allow businesses to monitor trends over time, supporting timely adjustments in strategy and operations. Additionally, the ALE chart serves as a foundation for calculating financial ratios, such as the debt-to-equity ratio, which reveals the financing balance between creditors and owners. In the end, a solid grasp of the ALE chart is significant for effective financial planning and risk management, ensuring sustainable growth and operational efficiency. How to Create and Interpret an ALE Chart Comprehending how to create and interpret an Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is an important skill for anyone looking to analyze a company’s financial standing. Start by listing all assets on one side, categorizing them into current and non-current assets. On the opposite side, present liabilities and equity, ensuring that the accounting equation formula (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) holds true. This balance sheet reports the relationship between assets, liabilities, and equity, allowing you to analyze a balance sheet effectively. When interpreting the ALE chart, assess the proportions of assets versus liabilities. A higher equity value indicates a stronger financial health and suggests a solid equity normal balance. Regularly updating the ALE chart is vital for reflecting changes in financial performance, ensuring the information remains relevant for both internal and external analysis. Impact of the ALE Chart on Business Decision-Making Grasping the impact of the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart on business decision-making is vital for effective financial management. This chart provides a clear balance sheet image, allowing you to analyze a balance sheet quickly. By comprehending the accounting formula for assets and liabilities, you can identify trends in your financial position, important for strategic decisions regarding investments and financing. The ALE chart additionally plays a key role in evaluating liquidity and solvency, significant factors for lenders judging creditworthiness. Regular reviews help detect financial discrepancies early, enabling you to take proactive measures. Moreover, the ALE chart aids in performance evaluation, allowing you to measure growth by comparing changes in assets and liabilities against equity, which reflects the owners’ stake in your business. In the end, leveraging this chart improves your business decision-making process, nurturing long-term stability and success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 Basic Accounting Elements? The five basic accounting elements are assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses. Assets are resources that provide future benefits, whereas liabilities are obligations to pay others. Equity represents the owner’s interest in a business after deducting liabilities. Revenues are the income earned from operations, and expenses are the costs incurred in generating that income. Together, these elements form the foundation of financial reporting, helping you understand a business’s financial health. What Are Assets Liabilities and Equity in Simple Terms? Assets are what a company owns, like cash, equipment, and inventory. Liabilities are what it owes to others, such as loans and unpaid bills. Equity represents the owners’ share in the business after subtracting liabilities from assets. In simple terms, assets are resources, liabilities are debts, and equity is the ownership interest. Comprehending these components helps you gauge a company’s financial health, guiding your investment and business decisions effectively. What Is the Golden Balance Sheet Rule? The Golden Balance Sheet Rule states that a company’s total assets must equal the sum of its total liabilities and shareholders’ equity. This principle stems from the fundamental accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. By following this rule, you guarantee financial balance, helping you identify potential errors or management issues. Furthermore, investors and creditors often rely on this balance as a key indicator of a company’s solvency and financial risk when making decisions. What Are the Three-Three Accounting Values? The three accounting values you should know are assets, liabilities, and equity. Assets include everything a company owns, such as cash, inventory, and property. Liabilities are what the company owes, like loans and unpaid bills. Equity represents the owners’ stake in the company after subtracting liabilities from assets. Comprehending these values helps you assess a business’s financial health, guiding you in making informed decisions and evaluating its stability. Conclusion To summarize, the Assets Liability Equity chart is an essential tool for comprehending a company’s financial position. By clearly categorizing assets, liabilities, and equity, it helps you assess liquidity and solvency. Using the accounting equation, you can analyze financial health over time, making informed decisions based on accurate data. Whether you’re a business owner or an investor, acquiring proficiency in the ALE chart improves your ability to track performance and support strategic planning for future growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is an Assets Liability Equity Chart and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

An Assets Liability Equity (ALE) chart is an essential financial tool that helps you comprehend a company’s financial standing by visually mapping out its assets, liabilities, and equity. It adheres to the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity, which guarantees a balanced view of financial health. By categorizing assets and liabilities into current and non-current types, the ALE chart allows you to assess liquidity and solvency effectively. Grasping its components can greatly influence strategic business decisions. Key Takeaways An Assets Liability Equity (ALE) chart visually represents a company’s financial position, highlighting what it owns and owes. It adheres to the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity, ensuring balanced financial reporting. The chart aids in assessing liquidity and solvency, crucial for meeting short-term obligations and long-term stability. Regular updates of the ALE chart support informed decision-making and help identify financial trends and discrepancies. It enhances performance evaluations, allowing comparisons of asset growth and liability management over time. Understanding the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity Chart Comprehending the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity Chart is fundamental for grasping a company’s financial framework. This chart visually represents the relationship between a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity, adhering to the fundamental accounting equation: assets equal liabilities plus equity. By categorizing assets as current or non-current and liabilities as current or long-term, you gain clarity on the company’s liquidity and solvency positions. Grasping this balance sheet liquidity order is critical for evaluating financial health. You should monitor changes in the ALE Chart over time, as this can help identify trends in financial stability and growth potential. For stakeholders, including investors and creditors, the ALE Chart summarizes the company’s financial position and is imperative for making informed investment and lending decisions. Key Components of the ALE Chart The Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is crucial for comprehending a company’s financial position, as it visually displays the connections between what a company owns, what it owes, and the owners’ equity. By breaking down assets into current and non-current categories, and liabilities into short-term and long-term obligations, you get a clearer picture of liquidity and financial health. This chart not only assists in financial analysis but furthermore guarantees stakeholders can make informed decisions based on accurate representations of the company’s fiscal responsibilities and ownership interests. Definition of ALE Chart Comprehending the ALE Chart is vital for grasping a company’s financial environment, as it visually encapsulates the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. The ALE Chart categorizes assets into current and non-current, where current assets, like cash and accounts receivable, aid stakeholders in evaluating liquidity, during non-current assets include property and equipment. Liabilities are divided into current, due within one year, and long-term obligations, such as mortgages and bonds payable, which help in appraising financial obligations. The equity section of a balance sheet reflects the owners’ residual interest, comprising components like common stock, preferred stock, and retained earnings. Importance in Financial Analysis Comprehending the significance of the ALE chart in financial analysis can streamline your evaluation of a company’s financial position. This chart visually represents assets, liabilities, and equity, governed by the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. By analyzing a balance sheet, you can assess financial health, liquidity, and solvency, determining a company’s ability to meet obligations. The ALE chart additionally facilitates performance comparison, helping identify trends in asset growth and liability management over time. Key Components Importance Financial Health Evaluates stability Liquidity and Solvency Measures short-term capacity Performance Comparison Identifies industry trends Regularly updating the ALE chart is essential for informed decision-making based on real-time data. The Role of the Accounting Equation The accounting equation, which states that assets equal liabilities plus equity, is essential for comprehending financial balance in a business. By grasping this relationship, you can make informed decisions about financing and growth, as any change in assets must be matched by a corresponding change in liabilities or equity. This equation not just helps you assess a company’s financial health but likewise guides you in strategic planning and risk management. Understanding Financial Balance Comprehension of financial balance hinges on grasping the accounting equation, which states that assets equal liabilities plus equity. This equation is essential for grasping how assets and liabilities relate to financial health. By analyzing the balance sheet, you can see the assets vs liabilities relationship, revealing a company’s financial obligations. A higher asset proportion compared to liabilities indicates stronger solvency and reduced financial risk. The equity component reflects the owners’ stake after all liabilities are settled, highlighting the need to manage assets and liabilities effectively. Regularly applying the assets formula aids in strategic planning, allowing businesses to stay stable during pursuing growth opportunities. Grasping these elements is fundamental for maintaining a healthy financial position. Impact on Business Decisions When businesses recognize the significance of the accounting equation, they can make more informed decisions that directly impact their financial health. Comprehending how assets, liabilities, and equity interact helps you assess your company’s financial stability. By regularly analyzing a balance sheet, you can track assets and liabilities, determining your net worth through assets minus liabilities. This comprehension influences your investment decisions and operational strategies. A strong equity position attracts potential investors and lenders, offering better financing terms. Additionally, accurate tracking allows you to manage cash flow effectively, guaranteeing you meet short-term obligations during adherence to long-term commitments. In the end, a solid grasp of the accounting equation guarantees sustained financial health and proactive decision-making. Importance of the ALE Chart for Financial Analysis Grasping the importance of the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is fundamental for anyone involved in financial analysis, as it provides a snapshot of a company’s financial health at a specific moment. By analyzing the ALE chart, you gain insight into the assets, liabilities, and equity, enabling you to evaluate liquidity and solvency effectively. This comprehension is critical for making informed investment and lending decisions, highlighting the importance of a balance sheet in financial assessments. Regular updates to the ALE chart allow businesses to monitor trends over time, supporting timely adjustments in strategy and operations. Additionally, the ALE chart serves as a foundation for calculating financial ratios, such as the debt-to-equity ratio, which reveals the financing balance between creditors and owners. In the end, a solid grasp of the ALE chart is significant for effective financial planning and risk management, ensuring sustainable growth and operational efficiency. How to Create and Interpret an ALE Chart Comprehending how to create and interpret an Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart is an important skill for anyone looking to analyze a company’s financial standing. Start by listing all assets on one side, categorizing them into current and non-current assets. On the opposite side, present liabilities and equity, ensuring that the accounting equation formula (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) holds true. This balance sheet reports the relationship between assets, liabilities, and equity, allowing you to analyze a balance sheet effectively. When interpreting the ALE chart, assess the proportions of assets versus liabilities. A higher equity value indicates a stronger financial health and suggests a solid equity normal balance. Regularly updating the ALE chart is vital for reflecting changes in financial performance, ensuring the information remains relevant for both internal and external analysis. Impact of the ALE Chart on Business Decision-Making Grasping the impact of the Assets, Liabilities, and Equity (ALE) chart on business decision-making is vital for effective financial management. This chart provides a clear balance sheet image, allowing you to analyze a balance sheet quickly. By comprehending the accounting formula for assets and liabilities, you can identify trends in your financial position, important for strategic decisions regarding investments and financing. The ALE chart additionally plays a key role in evaluating liquidity and solvency, significant factors for lenders judging creditworthiness. Regular reviews help detect financial discrepancies early, enabling you to take proactive measures. Moreover, the ALE chart aids in performance evaluation, allowing you to measure growth by comparing changes in assets and liabilities against equity, which reflects the owners’ stake in your business. In the end, leveraging this chart improves your business decision-making process, nurturing long-term stability and success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 Basic Accounting Elements? The five basic accounting elements are assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses. Assets are resources that provide future benefits, whereas liabilities are obligations to pay others. Equity represents the owner’s interest in a business after deducting liabilities. Revenues are the income earned from operations, and expenses are the costs incurred in generating that income. Together, these elements form the foundation of financial reporting, helping you understand a business’s financial health. What Are Assets Liabilities and Equity in Simple Terms? Assets are what a company owns, like cash, equipment, and inventory. Liabilities are what it owes to others, such as loans and unpaid bills. Equity represents the owners’ share in the business after subtracting liabilities from assets. In simple terms, assets are resources, liabilities are debts, and equity is the ownership interest. Comprehending these components helps you gauge a company’s financial health, guiding your investment and business decisions effectively. What Is the Golden Balance Sheet Rule? The Golden Balance Sheet Rule states that a company’s total assets must equal the sum of its total liabilities and shareholders’ equity. This principle stems from the fundamental accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. By following this rule, you guarantee financial balance, helping you identify potential errors or management issues. Furthermore, investors and creditors often rely on this balance as a key indicator of a company’s solvency and financial risk when making decisions. What Are the Three-Three Accounting Values? The three accounting values you should know are assets, liabilities, and equity. Assets include everything a company owns, such as cash, inventory, and property. Liabilities are what the company owes, like loans and unpaid bills. Equity represents the owners’ stake in the company after subtracting liabilities from assets. Comprehending these values helps you assess a business’s financial health, guiding you in making informed decisions and evaluating its stability. Conclusion To summarize, the Assets Liability Equity chart is an essential tool for comprehending a company’s financial position. By clearly categorizing assets, liabilities, and equity, it helps you assess liquidity and solvency. Using the accounting equation, you can analyze financial health over time, making informed decisions based on accurate data. Whether you’re a business owner or an investor, acquiring proficiency in the ALE chart improves your ability to track performance and support strategic planning for future growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is an Assets Liability Equity Chart and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article