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I’m so tired. However, the reasons are good: A fun weekend away A growing business Lots of time with family and friends Still, sometimes sleep suffers. I’m well-aware of what the research says that can entail—health risks and effects on productivity and memory. The idea is that sleep is when the brain has a chance to “clean” itself at night. A recent study in Nature Neuroscience takes a more precise look at something many people have experienced: those brief, frustrating moments after a bad night’s sleep when you simply can’t focus. Instead of looking at sleep deprivation over years or even days, the researchers focused on what’s happening inside the brain at the moment attention slips. The scope of the study Researchers at MIT and Boston University recruited 26 healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 40. Each participant went through the same testing protocol twice: once after a full night of sleep and once after staying awake all night under supervision. During both sessions, the researchers tracked what was happening in real time using several methods at once: Functional MRI to monitor blood flow and fluid movement in the brain EEG to measure brain activity Eye tracking to measure pupil size Heart rate and breathing sensors Reaction-time attention tests Because the same people were tested in both conditions, the researchers could compare each person’s performance and physiology when rested versus sleep deprived. What they found It’s well-known that sleep deprivation makes it harder to concentrate. The question behind this study was narrower: What exactly is happening inside the brain when attention slips? The team suspected that the answer might involve processes that normally take place during sleep. When participants were sleep-deprived, their reaction times slowed and they missed more cues during attention tests. The most striking discovery involved what was happening at the exact moments when those mistakes occurred. Normally, during sleep, waves of cerebrospinal fluid move through the brain, helping clear away waste products that build up during the day. In this study, after a night without sleep, similar fluid surges began appearing while participants were still awake, and these events tended to line up with brief attention failures. At the same time, a coordinated set of changes unfolded across the body: Pupils constricted Breathing slowed Heart rate dropped Brain-wave patterns shifted A few seconds later, as attention returned, those signals reversed. “It’s this kind of very sleeplike moment,” study co-author Laura Lewis told the Wall Street Journal. “The person is awake, but at the same time, there’s clearly this brief breakdown of ability to focus on the outside world.” A brain trying to do two jobs at once The study suggested that the brain is juggling competing priorities. During sleep, it performs what amounts to internal housekeeping, including fluid movement linked to clearing metabolic waste. During waking hours, it prioritizes attention and responsiveness. When sleep is cut short, those maintenance processes don’t disappear. Instead, they begin to intrude into waking life in short bursts, and attention drops at the same time. Researchers observed that these lapses were tied to a coordinated shift across the brain and body that looked remarkably similar to the early stages of falling asleep. “This suggests that there’s really some very urgent function of sleep the brain is trying to get to that’s worth this cost,” Lewis told the Journal. The brain appears to be forcing essential maintenance even when we’re trying to stay awake and engaged. Why this matters Most busy adults live with at least some degree of sleep deprivation. It’s easy to assume you can power through a rough night and function close to normal the next day. However, this research suggests the effects may show up in short, subtle interruptions in attention that happen whether you intend them to or not. After just one sleepless night, participants reacted more slowly and missed more signals, alongside measurable physiological changes suggesting the brain was temporarily shifting its focus inward. In situations where attention matters—driving, decision making, managing complex tasks, or even just trying to stay present in a conversation—those brief lapses can carry real consequences. Outside experts see the findings as part of a much larger picture. “Sleep disturbances precede most neurodegenerative diseases by up to decades,” University of Rochester neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard told the Journal. “We really start to look at sleep as an opportunity to prevent many of the diseases of aging.” The practical lesson The broader takeaway lines up with decades of sleep research. Sleep supports essential processes that can’t simply be postponed. When the brain doesn’t get enough time to perform those functions overnight, it starts making room for them during the day. When that happens, attention becomes less stable. For people balancing work, family, and everything else, the implication is straightforward. Lost sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling tired. It changes how the brain operates moment to moment, sometimes in ways you don’t fully notice until focus slips at exactly the wrong time. Enjoy your life, build your business, spend time with your family and friends. However, don’t sleep on sleep. It’s part of what makes everything else possible. —Bill Murphy Jr. This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

Finding additional memory for your PC is already a challenge. Now, connecting to the internet could get tougher, too. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a notice Monday that will prohibit all new consumer-grade routers that were not made in the United States. Routers made in other countries, the alert read, “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.” At least 60% of the routers in U.S. homes are made overseas, with the majority coming from China. Officials fear China could exploit those devices to launch attacks on critical infrastructure or steal sensitive information. “Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft,” the FCC wrote. “Foreign made routers were also involved in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting vital U.S. infrastructure.” The ban applies only to new routers from other countries. The agency is recommending no action for devices already in homes and businesses. Retailers can continue selling existing inventory, and routers previously authorized by the FCC can still be imported, sold, and used. That suggests any suspected risk is not viewed as immediate. The order is likely to face legal challenges. The move is the latest step in the The President Administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy, which states “the United States must never be dependent on any outside power for core components—from raw materials to parts to finished products—necessary to the nation’s defense or economy.” But implementing a ban on a product where even U.S.-based companies rely heavily on overseas manufacturing could create supply headaches. The FCC included a potential loophole by allowing exemptions for companies that obtain “conditional approval” from the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security. (It is worth noting that the FCC’s “Covered List” of routers deemed to pose an unacceptable risk does not restrict the sale or import of routers used by the federal government. Additionally, the FCC said companies could import small batches of unauthorized devices for product development purposes, but could not market or sell those.) If you already own a router on the Covered List, you will not be stuck with an expensive paperweight. A waiver allows those devices to continue receiving software and firmware updates so they remain usable and can defend against hacker attacks. The decision will impact several manufacturers, but perhaps none more than TP-Link. The company was founded in China but has since established its headquarters in Irvine, California. It has faced prior investigations over concerns about ties to China, though no action had been taken before Monday’s announcement. (TP-Link was not specifically mentioned in the FCC announcement, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) The new rules echo a previous ban on smartphones developed by Chinese companies, which had the biggest impact on Huawei Technologies. Investors are already betting on who benefits. Shares of Netgear rose more than 12% in early trading Tuesday, with Wall Street seemingly expecting the company to receive an exemption and face reduced competition going forward. View the full article

AI tools and visibility have dominated the SEO conversation in the past two years. But while discussions focus on these new technologies, most of the biggest SEO risks in 2026 will come from somewhere else: within your own organization. Fragmented data, unclear ownership, outdated KPIs, and weak collaboration can quietly destroy even the best strategies. As SEO expands beyond the website and into AI-driven discovery, the role of the SEO team is becoming broader, more influential, and, paradoxically, harder to define. Here are some of the risks your team should start thinking about now. Relying too much on AI for everything Many SEO teams now rely on AI for everything, from generating briefs to analyzing data. That’s often necessary. You can’t spend hours creating a brief when AI can produce something usable in minutes. But that’s also where the risk starts. AI can generate content quickly, but “acceptable” won’t differentiate you. You still need a clear point of view — what story you’re telling and what unique angle you bring. Without that, your content becomes generic, predictable, and indistinguishable from competitors using the same tools. The issue is simple: if you ask similar tools similar questions, you’ll get similar answers. And your competitors have access to the same tools. Some companies try to stand out by training models on proprietary data. In reality, few teams do this at scale. Most prioritize speed over quality. There’s also risk in using AI for analysis without understanding the data behind it. AI is fast, but it can misinterpret or hallucinate results. I’ve seen this firsthand. An AI tool hallucinated part of a calculation during an urgent analysis, making every insight that followed incorrect. It only acknowledged the mistake after it was explicitly pointed out. More broadly, AI excels at identifying patterns. But in SEO, competitive advantage rarely comes from following patterns. The most effective strategies don’t just mirror what everyone else is doing. Sometimes the best opportunity isn’t the obvious one. AI is reshaping how SEO work gets done, how impact is measured, and whether it can be measured at all. Dig deeper: Why most SEO failures are organizational, not technical Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Fragmented data and limited visibility For years, SEO professionals have worked with incomplete datasets. We’ve never had a full view of the user journey. That’s one reason organic impact has often been underestimated. In the past, though, we could still piece together a reasonably clear picture — from ranking to click to conversion. Today, that picture is far more fragmented. AI tools have changed how people research and discover products. Users now start in AI assistants – asking questions, comparing options, and building shortlists before ever visiting a website. By the time they land on your page, part of the decision-making process is already done. The problem is we have zero visibility into that journey. If a user discovers your brand through an AI-generated answer, adds you to a shortlist, then later searches for you directly, the signals that influenced that decision are invisible. We only see the final step. Microsoft Bing has introduced basic reporting for AI searches, but it’s limited. We still can’t see the prompts behind specific page visibility. At the same time, SEO teams are still expected to prove impact. Some companies are adding questions to lead forms to understand how users discovered them. In theory, this adds signal. In practice, it depends on accurate self-reporting. I know how I fill out forms, so I question how reliable that data really is. Still, it’s a start. Setting the wrong KPIs Fragmented data creates another risk: focusing on the wrong KPIs. Stakeholders still ask about traffic. No matter how often SEO teams explain that its role has changed, traffic remains a default measure of success. For years, organic growth meant more sessions, users, and visits. That mindset hasn’t fully shifted. At the same time, stakeholders are drawn to newer metrics — AI visibility, citations, and mentions. These aren’t inherently wrong, but they need to be used carefully. Most tools measure AI visibility using a predefined set of queries. That’s where risk creeps in. Teams can become too focused on improving visibility scores, even if it means optimizing for prompts that look good in reports rather than those that matter to the business. For example, appearing for “What is XYZ software?” isn’t the same as showing up for “Which XYZ software is best?” The first may drive visibility, but the second is much closer to a purchase decision. To avoid this, visibility metrics need to be tied to business outcomes — a real challenge given the fragmented data problem. Tracking AI visibility also opens another rabbit hole: debates over which prompts to track, how many to include, and why. This can quickly overcomplicate measurement, especially if teams lose sight of the goal. The objective isn’t to track every phrasing, but to understand the intent behind it. Trying to capture every variation is impossible. Dig deeper: Why governance maturity is a competitive advantage for SEO Owning more than you can actually own SEO teams are expected to own AI visibility strategy much like they owned SEO strategy. But strategy is often treated as execution. Even in the past, SEO was never fully independent. It relied on other teams — engineering to implement changes and content to create pages. The difference is that most of this work used to happen on the company’s own website. That’s no longer true. Visibility in AI answers requires presence beyond your domain — Reddit threads, YouTube videos, and media mentions all play a role. This significantly expands the scope of work. At the same time, many of these surfaces don’t have clear owners inside organizations. Even when they do, there’s a tendency to assume that if SEO owns the strategy, it should also own execution or at least be accountable for outcomes. The opposite happens, too. If other teams own execution, they may take ownership of the entire strategy. In reality, neither model works well. SEO teams can’t manage every platform that influences AI visibility. They don’t have the expertise to produce YouTube content or run PR campaigns. Their strength is knowing what works and helping optimize it. For example, advising on how a video should be structured to perform on YouTube. Owning strategy also doesn’t mean deciding who owns execution. That’s a leadership responsibility. It requires visibility across teams and the authority to assign ownership. Otherwise, one team is left deciding how its peers should operate. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Lack of cross-team collaboration Even when companies recognize the importance of AI visibility, cross-team collaboration remains a challenge. Roles and processes are often unclear. SEO teams may expect others to execute, while those teams assume it’s SEO’s responsibility. In other cases, teams don’t prioritize AI visibility because their KPIs focus elsewhere. This is where leadership alignment becomes critical. If AI visibility is truly a strategic priority, it needs to be reflected in goals and KPIs across all relevant teams. When AI-related KPIs sit only with SEO, it creates an imbalance: one team is accountable for outcomes, while execution depends on many others. Many teams are also unsure how to work with SEO. Some don’t involve SEO early enough. Others choose not to follow recommendations because they don’t agree with them. SEO teams share responsibility here, too. They need to actively onboard other teams and clearly connect SEO efforts to broader business goals. It’s our job to show that lack of visibility means lost revenue. I’ve seen cases where teams critical to AI visibility hadn’t even read the strategy document. In these situations, the issue isn’t one-sided. Teams need to understand what’s expected of them, and SEO needs to push for alignment and involve stakeholders early. Simply moving forward without that alignment doesn’t work. SEO teams also don’t always explain the “why.” AI visibility can end up treated as a standalone SEO metric rather than a business driver. Even when there’s agreement on its importance, a lack of clear processes, shared goals, and training keeps collaboration inconsistent. Dig deeper: Why 2026 is the year the SEO silo breaks and cross-channel execution starts Too much strategy, not enough doing With rapid changes in search, SEO teams often spend more time on theory — reading, analyzing, building frameworks, and refining strategies — instead of making changes to the website. That doesn’t mean teams should stop learning. Quite the opposite. But strategy without execution quickly loses value. In many organizations, SEO teams are expected to produce in-depth strategy documents meant to align teams and define priorities. In reality, many go unread outside the SEO team. They require significant effort but deliver little impact. Part of the problem is that strategies are often too theoretical. They explain the why but miss the what. The value of a strategy isn’t the document, but the actions that follow. Other teams need to understand what to do and how to contribute. AI is also accelerating how quickly search evolves. Waiting months to test ideas no longer works. A more practical approach is to understand the direction, implement changes, observe results, and iterate. Smaller experiments often lead to faster learning. When SEO succeeds, SEO disappears SEO has always been a consulting function. Success depends on collaboration with teams like engineering, content, and product. Today, that dynamic is more visible than ever. In many cases, SEO teams don’t execute directly. Their role is to enable others. In mature organizations, this works well. Collaboration is strong, and credit is shared. SEO’s consulting role is recognized without forcing the team to own areas outside its expertise. In less mature environments, it can lead to SEO being undervalued or seen as unnecessary. AI adds another layer. It can generate keyword ideas, outlines, and optimization suggestions, making SEO look deceptively simple, much like writing content. AI lowers the barrier to entry, but it doesn’t replace expertise. Without that expertise, teams produce work that’s technically correct but average. It’s a familiar pattern: copy-pasting a Screaming Frog SEO Spider error list into a task doesn’t demonstrate real understanding. This creates a paradox. The more SEO becomes a company-wide capability, the more the SEO team risks becoming invisible. Dig deeper: SEO execution: Understanding goals, strategy, and planning See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with SEO is evolving, but are companies ready? SEO teams won’t fail in 2026 because of a lack of knowledge. They’ll fail if they can’t turn that knowledge into action, influence, and business impact. The challenge is no longer just optimizing pages. It’s building processes, partnerships, and measurement models that reflect how visibility works today. Success also depends on leadership support. Many of the biggest risks are structural — fragmented data, unclear ownership, weak collaboration, outdated KPIs, and the gap between strategy and execution. AI visibility expands beyond the website and into the broader organization. That doesn’t make SEO less important, but it does make it harder to define, measure, and defend. The companies that succeed will stop treating SEO as a traffic function and start treating it as a business capability that drives visibility, discovery, and growth. View the full article

A reader writes: One of the directors at my company, Meredith, has been undergoing executive coaching sessions for around six months. These are supposed to be to give her management coaching and experience, as she currently has none and has three direct reports, including me. However, it’s come to light that instead of using these sessions to learn how to manage and learn leadership skills, she’s essentially been using them as free therapy/counsellng and has been aggressively running down members of the team instead! One of the members of the team accidentally discovered the full transcripts from Meredith’s sessions on our company cloud — in a public folder, not even hidden! In fairness to the coach, he does try to redirect Meredith’s vents to management tactics, but she quickly diverts and carries on. In them, she talks awfully about many members of the team, referring to one of my colleagues as “difficult and annoying” and says she’s “glad she doesn’t have to manage her,” all because my colleague lost a family member to suicide last year — which she gives as the reason she doesn’t want to manage her and dislikes dealing with her! She also talks about me, saying that she finds my personality “weird,” “doesn’t like dealing with me and would rather not,” that I “think I’m better at my job than I am” and she “could do my job and often does anyway” (spoiler — she doesn’t!). She calls other colleagues “dumb” and even refers to an ex-colleague as “an easy crier, which gets her out of everything.” I also believe she’s been running me down to the CEO, as our relationship has soured out of nowhere recently and I had no idea why — but they work quite closely together and now it all seems to make sense. We’re a small remote team and we’re all younger than Meredith. I should also mention that we don’t have a HR department, so we have no idea what, if anything, to do, even though a few of us are obviously incredibly upset with this. What would your advice be here? Should we talk to external HR agencies? Is it worth going straight to the CEO, even though there is trepidation about doing so? I’m curious what you had been seeing from Meredith before finding the transcripts. Did you feel she was a reasonably effective manager, although inexperienced, or has she been struggling to do her job effectively? (And is that by chance the reason the company got her a coach?) If it was already clear that she was a bad manager, then the problem is that, much more that than what she’s doing in her coaching sessions. And if she hasn’t been a terrible manager, then finding the transcripts is uncomfortable but not necessarily actionable; in that case, it would be more like background info about what she really thinks (something you don’t normally have the advantage, or disadvantage, of knowing). My guess is that she hasn’t been a great manager up until now — hence the coaching. To be clear, it’s a problem that she’s using her coaching sessions this way. And it’s an even bigger problem that the coach isn’t doing a better job. Executive coaching isn’t supposed to be therapy or a place where a manager just vents; while there might be some venting, the sessions’ focus should be on building the manager’s skills and helping her become more effective in her role. As someone who has spent years doing management coaching, if I had a coaching client saying the sorts of things Meredith is saying, my job would be to use those things as openings to work on making her a better manager. For example, if a client said an employee was difficult and annoying, my job would be to dig into why she felt that way and help her come up with more effective ways to work with the person. If she said she was glad she didn’t have to manage someone because the person lost a family member to suicide (!), the coach should ask why that feels hard so they can figure out how to move past it — not just let that go unchallenged. And on and on. These sessions are supposed to be focused on building skills and working through problems, not just being a sympathetic audience to someone’s complaints. So the coach is a problem. The fact that you found the coaching transcripts gives you some insight into what’s going on, but it’s not necessarily something you need to or should escalate. Meredith’s own boss should be very concerned about how she’s using these coaching sessions (and presumably the fact that she’s not becoming a better manager despite them), but as Meredith’s employees, you don’t really have standing to address it. But what you can focus on is whether your team is getting what you need from Meredith as your manager — and if you’re not, that’s something you can escalate. Whether or not to do that, though, depends on the internal dynamics of your organization. If the CEO likes Meredith and your own relationship with the CEO isn’t strong (you mentioned it’s soured recently, maybe because of Meredith), you might not be well-positioned to do that. Are any of your coworkers? Or is there anyone else who would be logical to talk to, like a manager in between Meredith and the CEO, or a second-in-command type? Or someone above you in the hierarchy who has influence with the CEO and who you could discreetly talk to about what the team found and the fact that it’s causing consternation because it’s so ugly and personal? (You mentioned external HR agencies, but those aren’t really a thing. Companies manage this stuff themselves.) If there’s not anyone like that and none of your coworkers are well-positioned to talk to Meredith’s boss either, then the situation is basically that you have a bad boss and you’ve gotten an unusually candid look at what she really thinks of you all — but not a lot of recourse beyond that, unfortunately. The post our boss has been using her management coaching sessions to trash-talk our team appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

The real issue was never AI or “automatically generated content” itself. Google penalizes the same thing it always has: content that is thin, unhelpful, and spammy. AI just makes it much easier to create that kind of content at scale.…Read more ›View the full article

Trust hasn’t disappeared from business. It’s been renegotiated. As artificial intelligence moves from novelty to infrastructure, people are changing how they decide who deserves credibility. In Mission North’s 2026 Brand Expectations Index, we surveyed more than 1,500 U.S. adults and knowledge workers to understand what builds trust today, and what quietly undermines it. Some of the results run directly against conventional thinking. Here are five rules for 2026. 1. Visibility alone doesn’t build credibility For years, executive communications equated presence with power: more interviews, more panels, more posts. But only 24% of respondents say frequent CEO visibility increases their trust. That doesn’t mean leaders should disappear. It means audiences can tell the difference between showing up and taking responsibility. What actually moves trust? Protecting customer data. Admitting mistakes. Listening and responding. Visibility without substance now reads as noise. The message is clear: Awareness and credibility are no longer interchangeable. 2. Generational expectations are diverging Where leaders show up matters—and it matters differently depending on who’s watching. Younger generations expect leaders to appear on social media, with 47% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials expecting them to appear on YouTube. Among those groups, trust rises when companies show up on YouTube (38% Gen Z and 37% millennials) and on TikTok or Reels (35% and 21% respectively). Older generations tell a different story. Across the full sample, 56% expect leaders to appear on broadcast TV news—and among knowledge workers, 45% say those appearances increase trust. For many audiences, traditional media still carries legitimacy. But another pattern emerges when you look at trust conversion: Longer-form, explanatory environments consistently generate stronger credibility returns than compressed, reactive formats. Platforms that allow leaders to explain decisions, demonstrate expertise, and show their thinking—whether that’s broadcast interviews, YouTube explainers, podcasts, or substantive LinkedIn posts—convert visibility into trust more effectively than short-form performance. The lesson isn’t that traditional media is irrelevant, or that digital replaces broadcast. Traditional media drives awareness, which is a key element of a strategic communications program. The nuance is that credibility follows depth. The more space leaders have to demonstrate clarity and accountability, the more trust they earn. 3. AI can strengthen trust—or erode it Across generations, one principle holds: Accountability must stay visible. Roughly seven in 10 respondents say their trust would decline if a company used undisclosed AI-generated executive messaging. At the same time, millennials are broadly comfortable with AI integration—60% say they’re fine with AI-generated executive avatars delivering public statements. Among baby boomers, however, that drops to 20%. The divide isn’t about innovation; it’s about accountability. People don’t object to technology; they object to leaders hiding behind it. 4. Silence is sometimes the smarter move Crisis playbooks have long prioritized speed, but our data suggests that instinct deserves a second look. Fifty-seven percent of adults—and 67% of knowledge workers—prefer leaders to say nothing rather than risk being wrong. Nearly seven in 10 would rather companies wait for verified facts than release unconfirmed information. In a media environment that rewards instant reaction, restraint can signal discipline. Accuracy reads as leadership. 5. Substance always wins We also tested whether gender shapes trust in crisis communication by presenting identical statements under the names “John Reed, CEO” and “Jessica Reed, CEO.” Among the general population, subtle perception gaps emerged: John was rated slightly higher on authority (+4 points) and empathy (+5 points). First impressions aren’t neutral. But when respondents evaluated what truly drives credibility—trustworthiness and effectiveness—those gaps nearly disappeared (+1 and +2 points). Among knowledge workers, differences fell within the margin of error. The takeaway? Bias may influence the opening frame, but performance determines the outcome. What leaders need to get right Across the research, a consistent pattern emerges: Accountability beats amplification. Expertise builds more credibility than hierarchy. Transparency is non-negotiable in AI adoption. Tone matters—and varies by audience. Values and clarity stabilize trust under pressure. This isn’t a case for less communication. It’s a case for more disciplined communication. AI can accelerate output, scale messaging, and compress timelines. What it cannot automate is responsibility. The leaders who earn trust this year won’t be the most visible. They’ll be the most accountable. Tyler Perry is co-CEO of Mission North. View the full article

Americans’ outlook on the job market has turned increasingly pessimistic, a surprisingly negative shift given the low unemployment rate but one that likely reflects an ongoing hiring drought. Just 28% of workers in a quarterly Gallup survey conducted late last year said now is a “good time” to find a quality job, with 72% saying it is a bad time. Those figures are a sharp reversal from just a few years ago, in mid-2022, when 70% said it was a good time. Americans have quickly gotten more pessimistic: As recently as late 2024, just under half of workers still said it was a good time to search for a job. The current survey was conducted during the final three months of 2025, long before the Iran war that has sent oil and gas prices soaring and threatens to slow the economy as Americans redirect more of their dollars to filling gas tanks and away from other spending. The figures help explain other surveys that show Americans have a largely bleak view of the economy, even as many headline measures suggest it has been growing and job losses are low. College graduates are especially gloomy Job pessimism is especially pronounced among college graduates. The shift is likely because hiring in many white-collar professions has been unusually weak for the past two years, in areas such as software, customer service and advertising. The survey found a split based on education levels, with just 19% of workers with a college degree thinking that now is a good time to find a quality job, while 35% of workers without a college degree are optimistic. A separate Gallup survey of U.S. adults overall found that college graduates’ optimism about the job market is the lowest it’s been since 2013. Meanwhile, the gap in job market sentiment between Americans with and without a college degree was at its widest in that survey since Gallup started asking the question in 2001. Signs of broad discontent among young workers Just about 2 in 10 workers ages 18-34 think now is a good time to find a job, compared to about 4 in 10 workers ages 65 and older who say the same. Gallup’s survey is consistent with what economists call the “low-hire, low-fire” job market: Businesses are largely holding onto their workers and measures of layoffs remain quite low. As a result, older workers are largely secure in their jobs. But hiring is also quite sluggish, making it harder for younger workers to break in and find permanent work. It also found that younger workers are much likelier than older workers to say they’re actively looking for a new job or watching for opportunities. Most Gen Z and Millennial workers say they’re at least watching for opportunities, while about three-quarters of baby boomers say they’re not looking at all. Other surveys signal negative economic views The Gallup results come as government data shows that overall hiring is at its weakest level in more than a decade. The Labor Department tracks a “hiring rate,” or the proportion of people who are hired each month as a percent of those with jobs. The hiring rate dropped to 3.2% last November, around when Gallup conducted its survey, the lowest since March 2013. It was 3.9% before the pandemic. A hiring rate at that 3.2% is quite low: When it was last reached in March 2013, the unemployment rate was 7.5%, as millions of Americans were still struggling to find work after the 2008-2009 Great Recession. It suggests it is much harder to find a job now than the unemployment rate would indicate. Government data also shows that there are more unemployed people — 7.4 million — than available jobs, at 6.9 million. That is a reversal from the first few years after the pandemic, when vacancies outnumbered those out of work. Gallup’s survey also found that workers have a dimmer view of their current life and future prospects than at any point since 2009, when the firm began measuring the workforce’s life evaluations. Other surveys echo Americans’ generally dark view of the economy. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence survey was just 91.2 in February, not far from its pandemic-era lows and down from nearly 130 before the pandemic. More people believe jobs are “easy to get” than “hard to find,” the Conference Board’s survey finds, but the gap has narrowed steadily in recent years. The Gallup poll of 22,368 U.S. adults who are working full-time and part-time for organizations in the U.S. was conducted Oct. 30-Nov. 13, 2025, using a sample drawn from Gallup’s probability-based panel. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 1.0 percentage points. —Christopher Rugaber, AP Economics Writer View the full article

Most technology companies treat brand or product names like marketing. That’s a mistake. Names are infrastructure—not cosmetic choices or launch-day deliverables. When names are wrong, everything built on top of them pays a quiet, compounding price. We tend to think of infrastructure as physical or technical systems: roads, power grids, cloud platforms. But infrastructure is really something more precise: It’s the invisible system that enables everything else to function. When it works, no one notices. When it doesn’t, nothing scales. Language behaves the same way. Before anyone buys a new technology, it must be named. Before they adopt it, they must talk about it. Before it spreads, it must be searchable, repeatable, explainable, andtrustable. All of that happens in language. Tech companies often come to us for help. We work best before a new technology enters the world. Our role isn’t to hype it or decorate it. It’s to build the language that allows the technology to be understood, adopted, and scaled over time. WHEN NAMING BREAKS, EVERYTHING BREAKS In earlier eras of software, language mostly described technology. Buttons were clicked. Menus were navigated. Documentation translated machine logic into human terms. Today, language increasingly is the interface. We talk to systems. We prompt them. We name models, agents, tools, and modes. Words don’t just explain behavior—they trigger it. In an AI-driven world, language has become operational. Consider Google Antigravity, an AI-powered, agent-first development platform released alongside Gemini 3 that lets autonomous AI agents plan, write, test, and validate code within a rich interface. The choice of the name Antigravity is more than playful branding; it suggests a paradigm shift where development feels lighter and more fluid. That name sets expectations about what the product allows users to do before anyone ever opens it. In other words: Linguistic choices shape adoption. Ambiguous language doesn’t just confuse users; it creates unpredictable behavior. Overly technical language narrows who feels permitted to engage with a product. Overly familiar language changes how much people trust systems that are, at their core, probabilistic and opaque. There needs to be a balance based on a brand’s goals and ambitions. THE COST OF GETTING IT WRONG Poor linguistic infrastructure taxes everything built on top of it. A weak name forces explanation. Explanation adds friction. Friction slows adoption, complicates sales narratives, distorts perception, and increases support costs. None of this shows up immediately on a balance sheet—but it compounds over time. A strong name does the opposite. It collapses complexity. It sets expectations. It makes something unfamiliar feel legiblebefore anyone understands how it works. Look at the name Vercel, a platform that helps developers build and deploy websites. It doesn’t literally describe hosting, deployment, or edge functions. Yet it feels structural and capable—a place, a velocity, a vector. It carries confidence without specifying category. The name Vercel scales as the product does because it functions like infrastructure, not décor. LANGUAGE AS SYSTEMS DESIGN Most companies approach naming as a moment. We approach it as a system. We study how names perform across languages, cultures, and cognitive contexts. We test how they are heard, processed, misheard, remembered, or misunderstood. We think about how they age. How they stretch as products expand. How they fail under pressure. Because a name isn’t a slogan. It’s the beginning of a language system—one that will be repeated millions of times by people who had no role in creating it. In today’s AI era, this matters more than ever. AI collapses the distance between word and action. Prompts become commands. Names become interfaces. Language becomes the control surface through which humans steer increasingly complex systems. When language is imprecise, the system inherits that imprecision. When it’s clear, the system becomes more usable, more trustworthy, and more scalable. The most successful technology companies rarely talk about naming. Their language simply works. It carries the brand meaning without explanation and scales as products evolve and categories shift. That invisibility is the goal. Good linguistic infrastructure disappears. Teams stop debating what to call something and start building. Users stop asking what a product is and start using it. Markets form more quickly around ideas that feel understandable—even when the underlying technology is complex. In a world where intelligent systems are everywhere, the companies that win won’t just have better models—they will have better language. Because language is how humans interface with complexity. Once you see language this way, you see that naming isn’t a craft. It’s infrastructure engineering. David Placek is founder and CEO of Lexicon Branding. View the full article

Handling sales objections is a vital skill for anyone in sales. You’ll encounter various types of objections, and comprehending them is the first step. Effective discovery processes can help you identify concerns early on. Acknowledging objections with gratitude builds rapport, whereas empathizing with the prospect’s feelings nurtures trust. By asking open-ended questions, you can uncover root causes, allowing you to provide customized solutions. But how do you make sure those solutions resonate? Key Takeaways Utilize the BANT framework to uncover the root causes of objections related to budget, authority, need, and timing. Acknowledge and express gratitude for objections to foster rapport and encourage open dialogue. Employ empathetic language to validate the prospect’s feelings and create a comfortable environment for discussion. Provide value by linking your solutions directly to the prospect’s specific needs and challenges. Support your claims with proof, such as testimonials, case studies, and metrics, to build credibility and trust. Understand the Types of Sales Objections When you’re steering through the sales process, it’s crucial to understand the types of sales objections that may arise, as each one points to a specific barrier in the purchasing decision. Common objections typically fall into categories like budget, authority, need, and timing. For instance, a prospect might feel they don’t have the budget or may not recognize the urgency of your solution. Other objections could stem from a lack of trust in you as the seller. By employing the BANT framework—Budget, Authority, Need, Timing—you can identify the root causes of these objections. Recognizing patterns from past interactions can likewise streamline your responses, allowing you to address underlying concerns effectively and improve your overall sales effectiveness. Conduct an Effective Discovery Process Comprehending the various types of sales objections provides a solid foundation for the next step in the sales process: conducting an effective discovery process. This involves asking open-ended questions to uncover your prospect’s pain points and specific needs. Use the P.O.W.E.R.F.U.L. framework to guide your conversations and align their goals with your solutions. Prioritize active listening to validate their feelings, which builds trust. Incorporate insights from previous interactions and industry research to customize your approach, showing genuine interest. Adapt your questions based on their responses for a more personalized conversation that addresses their objections effectively. Discovery Technique Purpose Open-Ended Questions Uncover pain points Active Listening Build rapport and trust Customized Insights Demonstrate genuine interest Acknowledge Objections With Gratitude When you acknowledge objections with gratitude, you build rapport with your prospect, making them feel valued and understood. This approach encourages open dialogue, allowing you to explore their needs more effectively. Build Rapport Effectively Building rapport effectively during sales conversations is crucial, and one of the most impactful ways to achieve this is by acknowledging objections with gratitude. When you express appreciation for a prospect’s concerns, it not only validates their feelings but also strengthens the connection between you. This practice is particularly important for overcoming objections in car sales, as it promotes trust and encourages open dialogue. Acknowledge objections with a “Thank you” Set a positive tone for conversation Reinforce commitment to comprehending their perspective Transform objections into opportunities for deeper discussions Foster Open Dialogue How can you encourage open dialogue during sales conversations? Start by acknowledging customer objections with a simple “Thank you.” This approach shows appreciation, making prospects feel valued and heard. When you express gratitude for their concerns, it opens the door for deeper conversation, allowing them to elaborate on their needs. Recognizing objections as a natural part of the sales process helps maintain a positive tone, reinforcing trust. By validating a prospect’s feelings, you create a comfortable environment for discussing pain points. Engaging with empathy and gratitude when addressing objections strengthens relationships, eventually leading to higher customer loyalty. This practice not just improves dialogue but also cultivates long-term connections vital for successful sales. Empathize With the Prospect’s Concerns Empathizing with a prospect’s concerns is crucial for effective sales communication, as it allows you to comprehend their feelings and perspectives regarding sales objections. By recognizing their concerns, you build trust and cultivate a stronger relationship. Here are some key strategies to employ: Use empathetic language, like “I comprehend how you feel.” Actively listen to their concerns without interrupting. Validate their feelings to encourage open dialogue. Create a comfortable environment for sharing fears. When you demonstrate empathy, you’re more likely to uncover deeper issues that your prospect may not express outright. This comprehension can lead to customized solutions, making it easier to handle objections and finally increasing your chances of closing the deal. Ask Open-Ended Questions to Uncover Root Causes What techniques can you use to dig deeper into a prospect’s objections? One effective method is to ask open-ended questions. This approach encourages prospects to elaborate on their concerns, helping you uncover deeper issues that may not be immediately clear. By avoiding yes/no questions, you gather nuanced information about their motivations, which is vital when figuring out how do you handle customer objections. Utilizing insights from earlier conversations can help you craft relevant questions that resonate with their needs. Engaging prospects in this way cultivates a sense of partnership, making them feel valued and heard. In the end, this dialogue not only improves your comprehension of their priorities but also builds trust and rapport, paving the way for customized solutions. Provide Value and Tie Solutions to Needs After uncovering the root causes of a prospect’s objections through open-ended questions, the next step is to provide value by clearly linking your solutions to their specific needs. Address car sales objections effectively by focusing on how your product alleviates their pain points. Use a car sales objections and responses template to craft your message. Consider these strategies: Articulate how your offering addresses their challenges. Highlight unique selling propositions that align with their priorities. Emphasize the ROI potential, helping them visualize long-term benefits. Share relevant case studies or testimonials to reinforce your value proposition. Back Claims With Proof and Customer References When addressing sales objections, it’s crucial to back your claims with solid proof and customer references. Utilizing testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers provides tangible evidence of your product’s effectiveness. Highlight specific metrics, like a 30% increase in efficiency or a 25% reduction in costs, to substantiate your claims. Incorporating third-party reviews or industry awards improves your credibility and alleviates trust objections. Providing references from similar IBM creates relatable context, reinforcing your solution’s relevance to their specific challenges. Furthermore, sharing success stories where clients faced similar objections but benefited from your solution can help prospects visualize positive outcomes. This approach effectively addresses objection questions and builds confidence in your offering. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 P’s of Objection Handling? The 4 P’s of objection handling are Prepare, Probe, Provide, and Practice. First, you prepare by anticipating objections and crafting responses. Next, you probe by asking open-ended questions to understand the prospect’s concerns better. Then, you provide relevant information and solutions that address those objections, highlighting the value of your offering. Finally, you practice objection handling scenarios to boost your confidence and improve your ability to respond effectively in real situations. What Are the 3 F’s for Handling Objections? The 3 F’s for handling objections are Feel, Felt, and Found. First, you acknowledge your prospect’s feelings, showing their concerns are valid. Next, you share a relatable story of someone who felt similarly, which helps build rapport. Finally, you present how others have found success after overcoming that objection, providing social proof. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVbvhPGFi6E Using this framework creates deeper conversations and encourages collaboration, transforming objections into opportunities for engagement and comprehension. What Are the 7 Methods for Handling Objections? To effectively handle objections, you can employ seven methods. First, listen actively to understand concerns. Next, validate those concerns to build trust. Then, ask open-ended questions to encourage deeper dialogue. You can additionally reframe the conversation by focusing on the value your product offers. Address objections directly and provide relevant information. Follow up after the conversation to reinforce your commitment. Finally, be prepared with clear answers for common objections to improve your overall approach. How to Best Handle Objections in Sales? To best handle objections in sales, start by acknowledging the prospect’s concerns with a simple “Thank you.” This builds rapport and encourages dialogue. Actively listen and ask clarifying questions to understand their underlying issues. Use the P.O.W.E.R.F.U.L. framework to address their Pain points and needs during focusing on value. Demonstrate empathy and reassure them of the benefits, emphasizing urgency and long-term advantages to facilitate resolution and strengthen the relationship. Conclusion In summary, effectively handling sales objections involves comprehending their types, conducting a thorough discovery process, and acknowledging concerns with gratitude. By empathizing with prospects, asking open-ended questions, and tying your solutions to their specific needs, you can build trust. Remember to back your claims with proof, such as testimonials or case studies, to improve credibility. Implementing these strategies will not just address objections but additionally cultivate stronger relationships with potential customers, finally driving sales success. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "7 Essential Tips for Handling Sales Objections" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Apple is preparing to introduce sponsored listings in Apple Maps, marking a significant expansion of its advertising business beyond the App Store. How it will work. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the system will function similarly to Google Maps — allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries. Sponsored businesses will appear in Maps search results, much like sponsored apps already appear in App Store searches. The timeline. An announcement could come as early as this month, with ads beginning to appear inside Maps as early as this summer across iPhone, other Apple devices, and the web version. Why Apple is doing this. Advertising is a growing and high-margin revenue stream for Apple’s services business. Maps — with its massive built-in user base across Apple devices — is a natural next step, particularly as location-based advertising continues to grow. Why we care. Apple Maps has a massive built-in user base across iPhone and Apple devices, and users searching within Maps are expressing clear, high-intent signals — they’re actively looking for somewhere to go or something to buy. This opens up a brand new location-based advertising channel that previously didn’t exist on Apple’s platform, giving local businesses and retailers a way to reach those users at exactly the right moment. Advertisers already running Google Maps or local search campaigns should pay close attention, as this could quickly become a significant complementary channel. The bottom line. Apple Maps ads should open up a high-intent, location-based channel that hasn’t existed before on Apple’s platform. Advertisers running local or retail campaigns should start planning now — early entrants in a new ad auction typically benefit from lower competition and cheaper costs before the market matures. View the full article

Less than two years ago, Sam Altman described advertising as a “last resort” for OpenAI’s ChatGPT, during a Harvard Business School interview. He said he would pursue it if it were the only way to provide global access to high-quality AI services. At the time, the comment stood out—not because ads seemed unlikely, but because it underscored what was at stake. ChatGPT doesn’t win attention the way social platforms do. It wins trust. That’s why ChatGPT’s recent ad launch matters far beyond just the creation of a new advertising surface. It’s a real-time test of whether a product built almost entirely on trust can monetize without fundamentally changing user behavior. OpenAI rival Anthropic signaled skepticism in a Super Bowl ad that humorously questioned whether introducing ads risks eroding user trust. From a business perspective, OpenAI’s move is understandable, not because leadership abandoned its principles, but because scale forces a choice. ChatGPT now serves hundreds of millions of weekly users, processes billions of prompts per day, and is investing heavily in infrastructure to support that scale. Monetization was inevitable. But inevitability doesn’t reduce risk—it concentrates it. THE TRUST THRESHOLD ChatGPT is not a passive discovery environment. Consumers use it to make decisions: what to buy, how to plan a trip, how to manage finances, even how to think through health and relationship questions. That level of reliance creates an unusually high trust bar. If users didn’t trust the interface, they wouldn’t engage with it so deeply or so personally. That’s what makes advertising in AI fundamentally different from advertising in social feeds or search results. WHY ADVERTISING ON AI PLATFORMS IS SO DIFFERENT The risk isn’t that ads exist. It’s that they subtly change how people interpret answers. Once users begin questioning whether a response is genuinely helpful or commercially motivated, the experience shifts. And in trust-based products, behavioral shifts like that are difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. OpenAI has acknowledged this tension directly. The company has said that ads will be clearly labeled, visually separated from model-generated responses, and not driven by the sale of user conversation data. Also emphasized, “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you. Answers are optimized based on what’s most helpful to you.” That framing matters, because it highlights the real challenge ahead. This isn’t an ad-tech problem. It’s an experience problem. History offers plenty of cautionary examples. Platforms that initially earned consumer trust often introduced monetization that optimized for revenue before experience. The result wasn’t immediate abandonment, but gradual erosion. Users stayed, but engagement became more transactional. Loyalty weakened. Trust thinned. Meta’s own evolution offers a cautionary signal. As feeds evolved toward algorithms and monetization, the share of time spent on friends’ content declined—from 22% to 17% on Facebook and from 11% to 7% on Instagram—even as social media advertising market globally is anticipated to reach $317 billion this year. The platforms didn’t lose users. They lost intimacy. Engagement persisted, but the experience became more transactional. That’s the risk AI platforms now face. Not backlash—but a quieter transformation in how users relate to the product itself. WHAT THIS MOMENT REVEALS This is ultimately a test of platform design. Trust rarely erodes because a single brand gets it wrong. It erodes when monetization is allowed to interfere with utility. The platforms that have avoided this outcome—best-in-class commerce media operators—did so by designing monetization into moments where users are already receptive, not interruptible. Ads are not placed inside core decision-making experiences; timing, context, and boundaries are controlled by the platform itself. When monetization is architected this way, advertising doesn’t feel intrusive. It feels useful. And brands benefit not by borrowing trust from the platform, but because the platform protects the trust it has already earned. The question isn’t whether AI can integrate advertising. It’s whether it can do so without compromising the trust that made it indispensable in the first place. Elery Pfeffer is CEO of Nift. View the full article

Microsoft added query-to-page mapping to its AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools, letting you connect AI grounding queries directly to cited URLs. Why we care. The original dashboard showed queries and pages separately, limiting optimization. Now you can tie specific AI-triggering queries to the exact cited pages, so you can prioritize updates based on real AI-driven demand — not guesses. The details. The new Grounding Query–Page Mapping feature links two existing views in the AI Performance dashboard: Click a grounding query to see which pages are cited Click a page to see which grounding queries drive its citations Mapping is many-to-many: one query can map to multiple pages, and vice versa Catch up quick. Microsoft launched the AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools in February as its first GEO-focused dashboard. It: Tracks where and how often your content is cited in AI answers across Bing, Copilot, and partners. Shows grounding queries, cited URLs, and visibility trends over time. Focuses on citation visibility — not clicks, rankings, or traffic. What they’re saying. Microsoft said the update responds to “strong positive customer feedback and numerous requests.” The announcement. The addition of query-to-page mapping to Bing Webmaster Tools appeared in a Microsoft Advertising blog post: The AI Performance dashboard: Your view into where your brand appears across the AI web View the full article

After smashing March heat records in 14 states and the U.S. as a whole, the gigantic heat dome that’s baked the Southwest is creeping eastward and may end up being one of the most expansive heat waves in American history, meteorologists and weather historians said. And it’s not going away for awhile, maybe not till the middle of the next week as April starts, said meteorologist Gregg Gallina of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. “Basically the entire U.S. is going to be hot,” Gallina said Monday. “The area of record temperatures is extremely large. That’s the thing that’s really bizarre.” This heat dome — in which high pressure is acting like a pot lid trapping hot air over a region — will leave Flagstaff, Arizona, with 11 or 12 straight days of temperatures higher than the city’s previous March record, said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections. Gallina said the dome’s eastward movement will mean temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) by Wednesday over the southern and central Plains. From one-quarter to one-third of the 48 continental states will be flirting with records for March, Gallina said. The physical area of this heat wave likely dwarfs two other historic heat waves — one in 2012 in the Upper Midwest and Northeast and another in 2021 in the Pacific Northwest — according to weather historian Chris Burt, author of the book “Extreme Weather.” It may not be as large as the Dust Bowl heat waves of 1936, but that was a series of heat waves over two months during summer, not a single big event like now, Burt said. Both the Dust Bowl and the 2021 heat wave were more intense, with higher temperatures that hurt people more because they fell in June and July, Gallina said. Another saving grace for people in this heat wave is that it’s not as humid as it would be if the temperatures rose in the summer, Gallina said. On Friday, four places in Arizona and California hit 112 degrees (44.4 degrees Celsius), according to the Weather Service. Not only did that smash the record for the hottest March day in the continental United States by 4 degrees (2 degrees Celsius), but it was only 1 degree shy of the hottest day recorded in the Lower 48 in April. Climatologist and weather historian Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks global weather records, compiled a list of 14 states that have notched their hottest March day on record since this heat dome started: California, Arizona, Nevada, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Utah, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Minnesota and Idaho. “In Mexico, even May records were trashed with March records broken by as much as 14 (degrees Fahrenheit), far more than July 1936, March 1907 or June 2021,” Herrera wrote in an email. The National Center for Environmental Information registered at least 479 weather stations breaking records for March from Wednesday through Saturday, based on its network of stations. Herrera, who analyzed a broader set of data, said the true number is likely higher. Another 1,472 daily records — which are easier to break — were shattered at the same time, the center said. What’s happening is the jet stream — which moves weather systems from west to east — is pretty much stuck as far westward as the storms dousing Hawaii, where people are seeing torrential rains and flooding, Masters and Gallina said. On Friday, a group of international climate scientists called World Weather Attribution determined that the record heat was “virtually impossible” and 800 times more likely because of climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. The result of those activities added at least 4.7 degrees (2.6 degrees Celsius) to the heat, said report co-author Clair Barnes, an Imperial College of London scientist with the group. The heat dome will move on by late next week, Masters said: “We just have to give it time.” The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Two years ago, I reluctantly inherited a cat. The cat is both mine and not mine: Sky belongs to my daughter, who owns her in the way a pet can "belong" to a minor while an adult operates silently in the background, managing its costs and responsibilities. Chalking it up as an opportunity to teach my kid new skills, I rarely feed Sky, brush her coat, or clean her litter box. Instead, I chose the worse task of incessantly reminding a teenager to do them. If you have a cat, you're likely familiar with the challenges that come from a dirty litter box. And if you have a teenager, you know how frequently they can resist completing tasks. But only if you have both can you understand just how bad Sky's litter box situation became: the rancid smell, the spilled litter across the floor, and a cat who looked for alternatives to their unsanitary box. Stubbornly, I wanted a solution that would address both my cat litter problem and my desire to teach my kid to take responsibility for her cat. The outcome was testing self-cleaning litter boxes that could manage both Sky and my daughter on my behalf. I tested two self-cleaning litter boxes from prominent companies that fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. The first I tried was the Petkit Purobot Ultra, a high-end self-cleaning litter box with premium features like an AI-powered camera and video recording. Its large size, space-age shape, and automatic video camera beg for attention, and it's a good choice for owners who need a litter box that can accommodate multiple cats. The other was the popular Litter-Robot by Whisker, a more discreet automatic litter box that blends in more easily with most decor. I used the EVO model, a more compact version of the Litter-Robot 4, suitable for single-cat owners. Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box with Step, Black $699.00 at Walmart Get Deal Get Deal $699.00 at Walmart The benefits and downsides of automatic litter boxesLitter boxes have come a long way since the first patent for an automatic, self-cleaning litter box was granted in 1991. You may recall litter boxes with mechanical rakes that comb waste into a bin. Those have since given way to barrel drum models like the Petkit Purobot Ultra, Whisker Litter-Robot, and others you've likely seen, which use a rotating barrel-and-grate system. When a cat uses the litter box, sensors detect when the cat has left, and the barrel automatically begins to cycle. As the drum cycles, clean litter is filtered through a grate, while waste falls into a separate compartment for manual emptying later. Once my cat acclimated to her new self-cleaning litter boxes, the benefits were obvious: The litter was always clean, there was far less odor, and I tossed our litter scoop. Our home has a cleaner, more sanitary litter box area. Other benefits of a self-cleaning litter box include cleaning when I'm away for unexpected periods, tracking our cat's weight, and, in the long run, saving money on cat litter. Since automatic litter boxes are cleaned after each use, it's less likely that broken clumps will contaminate the clean litter. It can also look cool. (But it can also look ugly. Your mileage will vary based on the model you choose and where you place it in your home.) The downsides of switching to a self-cleaning litter box can include the high upfront cost, the risk of choosing a faulty knock-off model, and the fact that automatic litter boxes aren't good for kittens (typically, you want to wait until cats are litter-trained, older than six months, and weigh more than three pounds). If you decide to add an automated, self-cleaning litter box to your home, there are steps you can take to ease your cat's transition. We have a shy cat who was pretty timid when we switched from her standard litter boxes to automatic ones, but a few steps helped her acclimate. First, we placed the new box next to the old one so our cat could associate the new litter box with the same area as her old one. Then, we added a small amount of litter from her old litter box to her new one to help it carry a familiar scent. After she used the new litter box a few times, we got rid of the old one entirely. Making the change was long overdue, and I wish I'd done it sooner, because switching to an automated, self-cleaning litter box is the best decision I've ever made as a cat owner. 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The entity home is the single page that anchors how algorithms, bots, and people understand your brand. It’s usually your About page, and it does far more than most teams realize. It’s where algorithms resolve your identity, where bots map your footprint, and where humans verify trust before they convert. In one test, improving that page alone lifted conversions by 6% for visitors who reached it. The reason is simple: the human and the algorithm are doing the same job — checking claims, validating evidence, and deciding whether to trust you. For years, this was overlooked. Most SEOs focused on rankings and traffic while underinvesting in the page that defines what their brand actually is. That’s no longer sustainable. The entity home is the foundation of how your brand is interpreted across search, AI, and what comes next. What the entity home isn’t Before going further, here are four misreadings worth pre-empting. Not a ranking trick Getting the entity home right doesn’t produce a traffic spike next Tuesday. It builds the confidence prior that compounds through every gate of the pipeline over time. Not just schema Schema markup helps the algorithm read what is already there. It isn’t a substitute for the claims, the evidence links, and the consistent positioning that schema describes. Schema without substance is a well-formatted, empty declaration. Not always the About page For most companies, it is, and for most individuals, it is a page on someone else’s website. The right URL to use carries the clearest identity statement, the strongest internal link prominence from the rest of the site, and the most stable long-term address (something people often don’t think about). Not enough without corroboration The entity home is where you declare your claims. Independent third-party sources confirm and corroborate your claims. The algorithm will only cross the confidence threshold when what you say matches what the weight of evidence supports. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Three audiences, one anchor — and most brands are ignoring two of them The entity home serves three simultaneously, through three completely different mechanisms. Most brands haven’t yet given them enough thought. Bots use the entity home when mapping the digital footprint. They use it to establish what entity they are dealing with and how to interpret every corroborative source they find. Algorithms anchor their identity resolution against it, checking confidence at every relevant gate against whatever baseline this page set. Humans reach for it when they want to see a resource that feels authoritative precisely because it is structured to inform rather than to sell. So, the entity home webpage is vital to all three audiences — bots, algorithms, and humans: it sets the tone for the bot in DSCRI, the algorithms in ARGDW, and for the person who converts. The entity home is just one page, and that isn’t enough The entity home anchors everything: the canonical URL where the algorithm initializes its model of the brand, where bots orient themselves, and where humans arrive to verify their instinct. One page, doing one critical job. But one page declares. It doesn’t educate. The entity home website educates. Every facet of the brand structured across pages that give the algorithm a complete picture of: Who this entity is. What it does. Who it works alongside. What it has produced. Where independent sources confirm what the brand claims about itself. The difference between the two is the difference between introducing yourself and making your case. Search built the web around a single assumption — the human acts. The engine organized, the website presented, and the human chose. That model shaped 30 years of architecture decisions because the website’s job was to win the human’s attention and trust once the engine had delivered them to you. But assistive engines broke that assumption. They took on the evaluation work the human used to do: reading, comparing, synthesizing, and recommending. The human still makes the final call, but the website needs to have made its case to the algorithm before the human ever arrives. The audience that matters first has shifted, and a website that speaks only to humans is already losing the conversation that determines whether those humans show up at all. Agents go one step further. The agent researches, decides, and acts. The human receives the outcome. The website that wins in an agentic environment isn’t the one with the most compelling hero section — it’s the one the agent can read, trust, and act on without inferring anything. All three modes co-exist, and all three always will. Search serves the window shopper. Assistive engines serve the human who wants a recommendation without doing the research. Agents serve the task that can be delegated entirely. What shifts over the next three years isn’t which mode exists — it’s which mode does the most work, and what your website needs to do to win each one. This is where I’ll plant a flag, and you can disagree. All three jobs need attention right now — the percentages below describe where the main focus of your effort sits, not permission to ignore the others. The work on assistive and agential is already overdue. The speed of change will probably make these figures look dated in a few months. 2026: Search 60%, Assistive 35%, Agential 5% Search still drives most conversions. But the 35% on assistive isn’t optional, it’s late. The brands that started two years ago are already compounding. 2027: Search 35%, Assistive 50%, Agential 15% Assistive engines will be handling enough upstream evaluation that discovery and correct interpretation become the primary battle. Search remains significant. Agential execution is arriving. 2028: Search 20%, Assistive 45%, Agential 35% Agents execute. The algorithm’s confidence in your brand determines whether you’re in the consideration set before any human is involved. Search and assistive don’t disappear — they become the infrastructure the agential layer runs on. The entity home website anchors all three eras. What changes is who it speaks to first, and what that conversation needs to contain. Each cluster in that diagram declares something: these satellite pages, grouped this way, belong to this entity and describe one specific dimension of what it is. /social names the platforms the brand controls. /peers places the entity in its professional network. /companies closes the relationship loop between person and organization. The grouping carries meaning — an algorithm that reads the structure learns something the individual pages couldn’t tell it separately. The entity home website has three jobs Search, assistive, and agential engines co-exist, which means the entity home website runs three distinct jobs simultaneously. The search job is the one 30 years of practice has refined, and it doesn’t change: get the bots through the DSCRI infrastructure gates cleanly, so the ranking engine delivers the right humans to you, and your content draws them through the funnel with clarity, credibility, and a path to conversion. The assistive job is the one most brands are ignoring, and where the competitive gap is opening fastest: educate the algorithms. Your entity home website structures your brand’s story so algorithms understand it without guessing, and your content wins the competitive phase (ARGDW) with the highest possible confidence intact. Every explicit link from your entity home website to a satellite property declares a graph edge, carrying higher confidence through the pipeline than any connection the algorithm has to infer for itself. Hardest to prepare for, and already arriving: brief the agents. Agentic engines don’t read your website the way a human reads a marketing page — they read it the way an instructed system reads a briefing document, scanning for structured, unambiguous, machine-interpretable facts. Don’t make the machine use imagination it doesn’t have. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Entity pillar pages solve the identity problem keyword cornerstones were never built for SEO has always known what to do with a topic: build an authoritative page around it, link it well, and earn rankings. That architecture works because the ranking engine evaluates content. What it can’t do is tell the algorithm who the entity behind that content is, what relationships it has built, what it has demonstrated over time, or why it should be trusted to recommend rather than merely rank. An entity has facets, and facets aren’t the same thing as topics. A person isn’t “SEO consultant” plus “technical SEO” plus “keynote speaker”: those are keyword clusters, useful for ranking, useless for identity. What the algorithm actually resolves identity against is the network of dimensions that define what this entity is — the companies it belongs to, the peers it works alongside, the publications it has appeared in, the expertise it has demonstrated over years, the events it speaks at, and the work it has produced. An entity pillar page is the authoritative page on your own property for one of those dimensions. The /expertise page establishes demonstrated knowledge in a specific domain, not as a content topic, but as an identity declaration. The /peers page places the entity in a professional network the algorithm already trusts. The /companies page closes the loop between person and organization. The /press page links to independent coverage that corroborates the entity’s claims, giving the algorithm something to cross-reference rather than take on faith. These pages aren’t traffic pages in the traditional sense, and that framing matters: SEOs who measure them against keyword rankings will consistently underinvest in them because the return doesn’t show up in rank tracking. The return shows up in what AI assistive engines say about your brand when your prospects ask. Keyword cornerstone pages and entity pillar pages serve different audiences, and your website needs both The keyword cornerstone page and the entity pillar page aren’t competing strategies: they’re parallel architectures serving different audiences, which means your website needs both, and the question is how to build them so they compound each other’s value rather than compete for the same resource. The coincidence between them is real and worth engineering deliberately. The expertise page that ranks for “technical SEO audit” can also function as the entity pillar page that declares this entity’s demonstrated knowledge in that domain if it’s built with that second function in mind: Explicit entity statements. Schema that names the relationships rather than just the topic. Links to corroborating third-party sources stable enough to persist across years. A URL structure that commits to the identity dimension rather than the keyword cluster. When those two requirements align, one page does both jobs, which is a good thing. When they diverge: when the page that captures search traffic can’t easily carry the identity declaration without sacrificing one function for the other, you face an architectural choice, and making that choice consciously rather than defaulting to the keyword model is the skill the transition requires. The percentages already told you the weighting: Both layers are required starting today Earlier in this article, the 2026/2027/2028 split put search at 60%, then 35%, then 20% of focus. What those numbers don’t say, but what the logic demands, is that the other percentage — the assistive and agential share — needs your website to feed them right now. Don’t wait until the balance shifts. Keyword cornerstone pages feed the search share. Entity Pillar Pages feed the assistive and agential share. If you build the Entity Pillar Pages in 2027 when assistive engines truly dominate, you’ll be building into a window that has already closed for the brands that started in 2025, because the algorithm’s model of your entity solidifies around whatever you gave it during the period it was actively learning. The percentages describe where the demonstrable value sits at each stage. Your investment needs to precede the moment your boss sees the results, not follow it. Both architectures are required today; the balance shifts, but the requirement for both never goes away. Building for machines and humans simultaneously is cheaper than building for each separately The risk brands hear when they encounter the machine-optimization argument is a false trade-off: build for machines at the expense of humans, strip the warmth from the copy, replace narrative with structured data fields, and turn the About page into a schema exercise. You can absolutely avoid the trade-off in practice because the best practices are more complementary than they might appear. Clear entity statements that help the algorithm resolve your identity also help the human visitor understand immediately who they’re dealing with. Explicit links to corroborating third-party sources that build algorithmic confidence also give the human prospect the independent validation they’re quietly looking for. Schema markup that declares relationships for machine consumption gives structured clarity that human scanners doing final due diligence actually appreciate. For me, this is the reframe that makes the whole project manageable: my approach to the entity home website is your current marketing, restructured to serve three audiences simultaneously, not a technical infrastructure project running alongside it. One investment that has three returns, and (when done right), the requirements pull in the same direction more often than they pull apart. The funnel is moving inside the assistant. When an assistive engine names your brand, summarizes it, and links to it in response to a user query, a conversion event has happened that you don’t see in your Analytics dashboard, and the human who arrives at your website has already been half-sold by the algorithm before they clicked. Traffic will decline as more of that evaluation work moves upstream, and the brands that measure only what arrives at the site will systematically underestimate both the value they’re generating and the gaps in their strategy. Start measuring where your brand appears in assistive engine responses, how consistently it appears, and what the algorithm says about you when it does. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Getting the entity home right requires definition, proof, and a sustained corroboration campaign Start with the entity home page itself: choose the single URL that functions as the canonical anchor for your brand’s identity and commit to it. Don’t discover it by asking an AI engine what it thinks your entity home is, because the engine will tell you what it has already learned, and that might be your website homepage, Wikipedia, a press profile, or a LinkedIn page you half-filled in five years ago. You choose it, then you verify the algorithm has learned the lesson you are giving it. You are the adult in the room. Five criteria determine that choice, in order of weight: The most explicit identity statement on the property. The strongest internal link prominence from the rest of the site. The best-structured schema markup with a stable @id. The clearest outbound links to corroborating third-party sources. The most stable long-term URL. If your About page doesn’t hit all five, it isn’t doing the job the algorithm requires. Invest in your About page. Strengthen it with a clear entity statement, schema with a proper @id, verified links to Wikipedia and Wikidata where they exist, every accurate sameAs declaration you can support, and the claims that define your brand’s positioning. That single page is the anchor. The entity home website is the education hub built around it: every entity pillar page you build — /expertise, /peers, /companies, /press — extends the identity declaration outward, giving the algorithm more dimensions to resolve against and more facets to cross-reference with independent sources. Each of those pages does for one identity dimension what the About page does for the whole: declares something specific, verifiable, and machine-readable about who this entity is. The practical work on the entity home website side is the same audit applied at scale: for each entity pillar page, ask whether it declares a clear facet, links to corroborating evidence, and carries schema that names the relationship rather than just the topic. The pages that answer yes to all three are doing both jobs simultaneously — identity infrastructure and keyword architecture. The ones that don’t need a decision: extend them, or build the pillar function its own dedicated page. If you’re unsure how much influence you actually have over what AI communicates about you, the answer is more than most people assume — and the channels that give you the most leverage are exactly the ones entity pillar pages are built to activate. Then force the corroboration loop across the whole footprint: drive independent third-party sources to reference, link to, and echo the claims the entity home makes and the facets the pillar pages declare across enough independent contexts that the algorithm’s confidence crosses from hedged claim to corroborated fact. That crossing doesn’t happen on a deadline and can’t be engineered in a sprint. The corroboration loop is the curriculum, slow by design, compounding with every cycle, never truly finished. It is the work, and it rewards the brands that start it today over the ones that plan to start it when the percentages shift. This is the sixth piece in my AI authority series. The first, “Rand Fishkin proved AI recommendations are inconsistent – here’s why and how to fix it,” introduced cascading confidence. The second, “AAO: Why assistive agent optimization is the next evolution of SEO,” named the discipline. The third, “The AI engine pipeline: 10 gates that decide whether you win the recommendation,” mapped the full pipeline. The fourth, “The five infrastructure gates behind crawl, render, and index,” walked through the first five gates. The fifth, “5 competitive gates hidden inside ‘rank and display’,” covered the last five gates. Up next: “The push layer returns.” View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

Chancellor tells MPs that any support this winter will be targeted and will stay within fiscal rules View the full article

Financier gives evidence for first time in his appeal against FCA ban and £1.8mn fineView the full article

If you’re looking to save on shoes at Macy’s, there are some valuable coupon codes you should know about. You can start with 25% off your first order by signing up for their email list. During Black Friday, expect up to 60% off select footwear. Creating a profile can net you an additional 25% discount. Plus, there are savings of 35% when you buy three or more items, and up to 40% off on select women’s shoes. Want to learn more about these deals? Key Takeaways 25% Off First Purchase: Sign up for Macy’s email list to receive a promo code for your first online or in-store shoe order. Black Friday Star Deals: Enjoy up to 60% off select shoes during Black Friday, including popular brands like Nike and adidas. Extra 25% Off with Profile Creation: Create a profile on Macy’s website for an additional 25% off your next online shoe purchase. 35% Off When Buying 3 or More Items: Use a specific coupon code to save 35% on your total order when purchasing three or more shoes. Up to 40% Off Select Women’s Shoes: Shop for women’s footwear and get up to 40% off on select styles, both online and in-store. 25% Off Your First Online or In-Store Order If you’re looking to save on your first purchase at Macy’s, signing up for their email list is a smart move. When you do, you’ll receive a promo code for 25% off your first online or in-store order. This offer applies to a great selection of shoes, including popular brands that you might be eyeing. The discount provides an excellent opportunity to kickstart your shopping experience, especially during sales or seasonal promotions. Furthermore, to maximize your savings, consider combining this promo with other ongoing offers. As you shop for shoes, you might likewise come across a Macy’s furniture free shipping coupon or a Macy’s furniture coupon code free shipping, but these won’t apply to footwear. Up to 60% Off Black Friday Star Deals on Shoes As you prepare for the holiday shopping season, Macy’s Black Friday Star Deals present a fantastic opportunity to plunge up to 60% on a diverse selection of shoes. This sale features discounts on select women’s, men’s, and children’s footwear, ensuring there’s something for every family member. You’ll find popular brands like Nike, adidas, and Under Armour, allowing you to choose high-quality options at considerably reduced prices. Additionally, you can combine these discounts with other promotions for even greater savings, enhancing the value of your purchase. For instance, first-time online orders can qualify for an extra 25% off, making this an ideal time to shop. Plus, with free shipping on orders over $49, you can enjoy a hassle-free shopping experience. Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of these substantial savings during Macy’s Black Friday event, as it’s an excellent opportunity to refresh your shoe collection at a fraction of the cost. Extra 25% off With Profile Creation Creating a profile on Macy’s website can reveal an extra 25% off your next online order, making it a smart move for anyone looking to save on shoes. This promotion encourages customer engagement and loyalty, allowing you to maximize your savings on footwear purchases. Benefit Details Action Required Extra 25% Off Discount applies to shoe purchases Create a profile online Exclusive Offers Receive promotions via email Sign up for notifications Seamless Checkout Easy application of discounts Complete your purchase Ongoing Promotions Access to future deals Regularly check emails To redeem this discount, simply sign up for an account before completing your purchase. By doing this, you not only get instant savings but additionally stay informed about exclusive offers customized to improve your shopping experience. 35% Off When Buying 3 Items or More When you purchase three items or more at Macy’s, you can save an impressive 35% off your total order using a specific coupon code. This offer applies to a variety of shoe styles, making it easy to mix and match different pairs to maximize your savings. Whether you’re looking for seasonal footwear or gifts for friends and family, this discount provides an excellent opportunity to stock up. To take advantage of this deal, it’s important to apply the coupon code at checkout for the discount to reflect correctly on your order. Furthermore, be sure to check the expiration date of the coupon code. It’s vital to confirm you use it before it becomes inactive, as these offers can change frequently. With this promotion, you can improve your shoe collection as you enjoy significant savings at Macy’s. Up to 40% Off Select Women’s Shoes Macy’s is currently offering up to 40% off on select women’s shoes, making it an excellent time to explore a wide variety of fashionable footwear. This promotion includes diverse styles such as boots, sneakers, and dress shoes, catering to any occasion you might’ve in mind. Whether you’re dressing up for a night out or need comfortable shoes for everyday wear, there’s something for everyone. The discount applies to both in-store and online purchases, ensuring you can shop conveniently from anywhere. Furthermore, you can combine this offer with other Macy’s promotions, including extra savings through the Star Rewards program, maximizing your savings. With such a wide selection available, it’s the perfect opportunity to refresh your shoe collection at a reduced price. Don’t miss out on these significant savings, as they can help you step out in style without breaking the bank. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get 25% off Macys? To get 25% off at Macy’s, start by signing up for their email list, which often offers a promo code for first-time shoppers. You can furthermore create a profile on their website to access additional discounts on your next purchase. Keep an eye out for seasonal promotions and combine these discounts with ongoing sales events. Finally, using specific promo codes during checkout can improve your savings even further. What Is the TRIPLE10 Promo Code? The TRIPLE10 promo code gives you an extra 10% off select shoe purchases at Macy’s. You can use it on various footwear brands, boosting your savings. Just remember to check the code’s expiration date, as it may change frequently. Furthermore, verify you meet any minimum purchase requirements to apply the discount successfully. This code can often be combined with other ongoing promotions, enhancing your overall savings on shoe purchases. What Is Macy’s VIP Code? Macy’s VIP Code is a special promotional code that offers exclusive discounts to loyal customers. When you use this code, you can receive a percentage off your purchase, both online and in-store. These codes may vary and are often time-sensitive, so you should act quickly to maximize savings. To access these codes, consider signing up for Macy’s email newsletters, as they frequently distribute them through these channels. Simply enter the code at checkout to redeem your discount. Can You Use Two Promo Codes at Macy’s? You can’t use two promo codes at Macy’s for a single order. Only one code can be applied, but you can combine that code with Star Money rewards or other discounts from the Star Rewards program. Always check the terms of the promo code, as some may exclude certain items. To maximize your savings, consider shopping during promotional events and signing up for Macy’s newsletter for exclusive offers that complement your rewards. Conclusion In summary, taking advantage of these Macy’s coupon codes can greatly improve your shoe shopping experience. Whether you’re a new customer looking for 25% off your first purchase, or you’re interested in saving on multiple items, there are plenty of opportunities to save. Don’t forget about the seasonal deals, like the Black Friday Star Deals offering up to 60% off. By utilizing these codes, you can refresh your footwear collection as you keep your budget in check. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Best Macy’s Coupon Codes for Shoes You Can’t Miss" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re looking to save on shoes at Macy’s, there are some valuable coupon codes you should know about. You can start with 25% off your first order by signing up for their email list. During Black Friday, expect up to 60% off select footwear. Creating a profile can net you an additional 25% discount. Plus, there are savings of 35% when you buy three or more items, and up to 40% off on select women’s shoes. Want to learn more about these deals? Key Takeaways 25% Off First Purchase: Sign up for Macy’s email list to receive a promo code for your first online or in-store shoe order. Black Friday Star Deals: Enjoy up to 60% off select shoes during Black Friday, including popular brands like Nike and adidas. Extra 25% Off with Profile Creation: Create a profile on Macy’s website for an additional 25% off your next online shoe purchase. 35% Off When Buying 3 or More Items: Use a specific coupon code to save 35% on your total order when purchasing three or more shoes. Up to 40% Off Select Women’s Shoes: Shop for women’s footwear and get up to 40% off on select styles, both online and in-store. 25% Off Your First Online or In-Store Order If you’re looking to save on your first purchase at Macy’s, signing up for their email list is a smart move. When you do, you’ll receive a promo code for 25% off your first online or in-store order. This offer applies to a great selection of shoes, including popular brands that you might be eyeing. The discount provides an excellent opportunity to kickstart your shopping experience, especially during sales or seasonal promotions. Furthermore, to maximize your savings, consider combining this promo with other ongoing offers. As you shop for shoes, you might likewise come across a Macy’s furniture free shipping coupon or a Macy’s furniture coupon code free shipping, but these won’t apply to footwear. Up to 60% Off Black Friday Star Deals on Shoes As you prepare for the holiday shopping season, Macy’s Black Friday Star Deals present a fantastic opportunity to plunge up to 60% on a diverse selection of shoes. This sale features discounts on select women’s, men’s, and children’s footwear, ensuring there’s something for every family member. You’ll find popular brands like Nike, adidas, and Under Armour, allowing you to choose high-quality options at considerably reduced prices. Additionally, you can combine these discounts with other promotions for even greater savings, enhancing the value of your purchase. For instance, first-time online orders can qualify for an extra 25% off, making this an ideal time to shop. Plus, with free shipping on orders over $49, you can enjoy a hassle-free shopping experience. Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of these substantial savings during Macy’s Black Friday event, as it’s an excellent opportunity to refresh your shoe collection at a fraction of the cost. Extra 25% off With Profile Creation Creating a profile on Macy’s website can reveal an extra 25% off your next online order, making it a smart move for anyone looking to save on shoes. This promotion encourages customer engagement and loyalty, allowing you to maximize your savings on footwear purchases. Benefit Details Action Required Extra 25% Off Discount applies to shoe purchases Create a profile online Exclusive Offers Receive promotions via email Sign up for notifications Seamless Checkout Easy application of discounts Complete your purchase Ongoing Promotions Access to future deals Regularly check emails To redeem this discount, simply sign up for an account before completing your purchase. By doing this, you not only get instant savings but additionally stay informed about exclusive offers customized to improve your shopping experience. 35% Off When Buying 3 Items or More When you purchase three items or more at Macy’s, you can save an impressive 35% off your total order using a specific coupon code. This offer applies to a variety of shoe styles, making it easy to mix and match different pairs to maximize your savings. Whether you’re looking for seasonal footwear or gifts for friends and family, this discount provides an excellent opportunity to stock up. To take advantage of this deal, it’s important to apply the coupon code at checkout for the discount to reflect correctly on your order. Furthermore, be sure to check the expiration date of the coupon code. It’s vital to confirm you use it before it becomes inactive, as these offers can change frequently. With this promotion, you can improve your shoe collection as you enjoy significant savings at Macy’s. Up to 40% Off Select Women’s Shoes Macy’s is currently offering up to 40% off on select women’s shoes, making it an excellent time to explore a wide variety of fashionable footwear. This promotion includes diverse styles such as boots, sneakers, and dress shoes, catering to any occasion you might’ve in mind. Whether you’re dressing up for a night out or need comfortable shoes for everyday wear, there’s something for everyone. The discount applies to both in-store and online purchases, ensuring you can shop conveniently from anywhere. Furthermore, you can combine this offer with other Macy’s promotions, including extra savings through the Star Rewards program, maximizing your savings. With such a wide selection available, it’s the perfect opportunity to refresh your shoe collection at a reduced price. Don’t miss out on these significant savings, as they can help you step out in style without breaking the bank. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get 25% off Macys? To get 25% off at Macy’s, start by signing up for their email list, which often offers a promo code for first-time shoppers. You can furthermore create a profile on their website to access additional discounts on your next purchase. Keep an eye out for seasonal promotions and combine these discounts with ongoing sales events. Finally, using specific promo codes during checkout can improve your savings even further. What Is the TRIPLE10 Promo Code? The TRIPLE10 promo code gives you an extra 10% off select shoe purchases at Macy’s. You can use it on various footwear brands, boosting your savings. Just remember to check the code’s expiration date, as it may change frequently. Furthermore, verify you meet any minimum purchase requirements to apply the discount successfully. This code can often be combined with other ongoing promotions, enhancing your overall savings on shoe purchases. What Is Macy’s VIP Code? Macy’s VIP Code is a special promotional code that offers exclusive discounts to loyal customers. When you use this code, you can receive a percentage off your purchase, both online and in-store. These codes may vary and are often time-sensitive, so you should act quickly to maximize savings. To access these codes, consider signing up for Macy’s email newsletters, as they frequently distribute them through these channels. Simply enter the code at checkout to redeem your discount. Can You Use Two Promo Codes at Macy’s? You can’t use two promo codes at Macy’s for a single order. Only one code can be applied, but you can combine that code with Star Money rewards or other discounts from the Star Rewards program. Always check the terms of the promo code, as some may exclude certain items. To maximize your savings, consider shopping during promotional events and signing up for Macy’s newsletter for exclusive offers that complement your rewards. Conclusion In summary, taking advantage of these Macy’s coupon codes can greatly improve your shoe shopping experience. Whether you’re a new customer looking for 25% off your first purchase, or you’re interested in saving on multiple items, there are plenty of opportunities to save. Don’t forget about the seasonal deals, like the Black Friday Star Deals offering up to 60% off. By utilizing these codes, you can refresh your footwear collection as you keep your budget in check. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Best Macy’s Coupon Codes for Shoes You Can’t Miss" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

New ChatGPT citation data shows a small group of domains owns most visibility, while broad, cluster-based pages outperform single-intent content. The post The Science Of How AI Picks Its Sources appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

A little less than eight months ago, Crusoe and Redwood Materials launched a new kind of project: a modular data center powered by solar panels and repurposed EV batteries. Now they have data showing it works—and they’re scaling up. Over the months that the solar microgrid has been in use, it’s run 99.2% of the time, outperforming the companies’ targets. And unlike other data centers that rely on fossil fuels, this one uses only clean power. It’s very different from the standard way to build a data center. “The normal approach would be to get in line with a utility, wait for any number of years, and hopefully one day get an approval and join the grid,” says Cully Cavness, cofounder, president, and chief strategy officer at Crusoe. “This is a pretty innovative approach that bypasses a lot of that timeline and lets us take our outcome into our own hands by really going off-grid with renewables in a very fast timeline.” Solar power was already cheap to deploy. But Redwood Materials, the country’s largest recycler of EV batteries, recognized that reusing those batteries could help dramatically drop the cost of energy storage for solar or other power sources. “Storing [solar] overnight and making that into a base load resource that can be dispatched 24/7 historically has been very, very expensive,” Cavness says. “What Redwood has done is they’ve made a 24/7 battery solution with renewables economic and scalable.” When Redwood receives used EV batteries to recycle, most of them still have enough power for a second life. The company tests each battery, and also developed technology to monitor and manage the batteries in a microgrid. Crusoe developed modular data centers, each the size of a shipping trailer, that can be built in a factory and then shipped to a site to be quickly connected, unlike larger construction projects that take much more time. The first site sits at Redwood’s campus in Nevada, where the company built out a small solar field and a network of hundreds of used EV batteries over a few months last year. Initially Crusoe connected four of its modular units, called Spark data centers, to the microgrid. Now, at a new Colorado factory, it plans to build another 20, boosting compute power nearly sevenfold. (Because Redwood intentionally built a large amount of solar power, it likely won’t need to add more; the new units will just ensure that 100% of the solar is used.) Because so many more EV batteries exist than batteries for the electric grid, there’s an ample supply. “It’s still a very small percentage of EVs that are coming off the road, but it only takes a very small percentage to start to be a big number that’s relevant to the stationary market,” says JB Straubel, founder and CEO of Redwood Materials. Crusoe develops a range of data centers—from huge projects like a gigawatt-scale campus in Abilene, Texas, to the small, modular Spark units. But it sees the potential for used EV batteries in projects at all scales. “Through our conversations, it’s been pretty clear to me that we could go to hundreds of megawatts and beyond with this solution,” Cavness says. Without sharing details about specific new projects, he says the company is looking at ways to expand now. It’s a model that could solve many of the current challenges for AI. “I really think that more of the data center power is going to look like this,” says Straubel. “Grid interconnect timelines are getting longer and worse. The pricing and political problems around energy pricing, I think that’s kind of intractable. I don’t see that going away. To really defensively solve how you can decouple a data center’s impact on regional pricing or any grid dynamics, having extensive behind-the-meter power or entirely off-grid data centers, I think, is the path. I don’t see another really clear path. And it can happen quickly.” 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. If you’re building a cordless tool set for the first time, or replacing an older set that’s worn out, a combo kit is a good way to save money on several tools as well as batteries and chargers. Because batteries can be an expensive component to a cordless tool set, getting a kit that includes them is a good way to keep your costs down. If you’re trying out a new battery platform, you can expand your set as your needs change by adding new tools that will work with your existing batteries. Why the Milwaukee five-tool combo set is a good dealThe Milwaukee five-tool combo set is on sale at Home Depot for $299, 50% off its regular price, and it has some of the most useful tools they make. Milwaukee five-tool combo set $299.00 at Home Depot $599.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $299.00 at Home Depot $599.00 Save $300.00 Since a battery and charger set on its own can cost up to $200, depending on the battery capacity, getting five tools as well as two batteries with a charger is a big savings. Since the 18-volt Milwaukee batteries are compatible with all of their 18-volt tools, the set is versatile and can be added to without needing to replace the batteries. Since these tools are known for being durable, you can also save money on replacing worn out tools and batteries every few years. My set of 18-volt Milwaukee batteries have lasted at least 10 years, and some of them are going strong 15 years in. What comes with the Milwaukee five-tool combo set The Milwaukee five-tool combo set comes with a ½-inch chuck drill, a ¼-inch chuck impact driver, an oscillating multitool, a compact reciprocating saw, a work light, a three-amp-hour battery, a 1.5-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. The drill and impact driver are the foundation of a cordless tool set, allowing you to drill holes and drive screws and other hardware for DIY projects. These tools are the basics for a DIY tool set. The oscillating multitool can trim material from metal to PVC and can perform plunge cuts into plaster and drywall. You can also use it with a sanding attachment to get into tight spaces. I used my oscillating multitool when I needed to replace my bathroom sink, and I used one tool with multiple blades instead of three or four different tools for the job. The work light might not seem like a crucial piece of the set, but if you’ve ever needed to turn off the breaker to an outlet you’re working on, or needed to see into a dark corner of your basement when you’re connecting a dryer vent, you’ll be glad you have a portable work light that you can aim anywhere you need. Why I recommend Milwaukee toolsI use Milwaukee tools in my personal tool set, and as a professional woodworker, I often rely on my 18-volt set for building furniture and installing shelves. I’ve had the same battery set since I bought my tools and I’ve only had one battery wear out—and that was after a decade of use, both outside and in a shop in hot, wet, and muddy conditions. Milwaukee has been making tools for over 100 years, and their line of cordless tools has been a trusted brand for contractors since the 1990s. Because their first cordless tools were made mainly for professional use, they developed a reputation for being long-lasting and durable. Now that their battery system and tools are more affordable, lots of DIYers use them in their home tool kits as well. Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $149.00 (List Price $179.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Sony WH1000XM6- Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $398.00 (List Price $459.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam Plus 2K Wired Security Camera (White) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Amazon Kindle Colorsoft 16GB 7" eReader (Black) — $169.99 (List Price $249.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

When considering a background check, you might wonder if a reference number is necessary. Although it’s not a strict requirement, having one can streamline the process. Reference numbers act as unique identifiers, which helps reduce errors and confusion between candidates, employers, and background check providers. They furthermore guarantee accurate tracking of compliance documentation. Comprehending the role of these numbers is essential, especially when traversing the intricacies of background checks and their implications. What else should you know about the background check process? Key Takeaways A reference number is not mandatory for background checks but is highly beneficial for tracking and organizing candidate screenings. It streamlines communication between employers, background check providers, and candidates, reducing potential errors. Reference numbers create a clear audit trail for compliance documentation in various industries. Using reference numbers helps link relevant data to the correct candidate, enhancing the overall background check process. While optional, incorporating reference numbers can improve efficiency and data integrity in the hiring process. Understanding Background Checks When you apply for a job, comprehending background checks is essential, as they play a significant role in the hiring process. A Maryland background check typically involves verifying your criminal history, employment record, and educational credentials. Employers often conduct a criminal record check MD to assess any possible legal issues that could affect your suitability for the role. This process helps mitigate the risks associated with negligent hiring, guaranteeing a safer workplace for everyone. Before employers initiate a background check, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires them to obtain your written consent. This guarantees transparency throughout the process. In addition, some employers might conduct a reference check, where they contact your previous employers or colleagues to gather insights about your work ethic and character. Grasping these components can help you prepare for what employers will look for, making you a stronger candidate in the competitive job market. The Role of Reference Numbers Reference numbers play a crucial role in the background check process, serving as unique identifiers for each candidate’s screening. When you initiate a background check, especially a Maryland criminal background check, a reference number is assigned to help track and organize the screening. This number makes it easier for employers and background check companies to manage multiple requests efficiently, allowing quick access to specific candidate information during the hiring process. Using a reference number streamlines communication between employers, background check providers, and candidates, minimizing errors or confusion about applicant records. It’s particularly beneficial in industries that require compliance documentation, as reference numbers provide a clear audit trail for each background check conducted. By using these numbers, employers can easily retrieve and review background check results, ultimately making the hiring decision process more organized and effective. Types of Background Checks Background checks encompass a variety of screenings that help employers assess a candidate’s suitability for a position. One key type is the Maryland criminal background check, which reveals any past legal issues, such as arrests or convictions, that could impact hiring decisions. A criminal history records check in Maryland guarantees thorough investigation into an applicant’s legal past. In addition to criminal checks, employment verification is vital; it confirms the authenticity of job titles, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving previous positions. Education verification adds another layer by validating degrees and certifications claimed by candidates, confirming they meet job qualifications. Finally, a credit history check evaluates an individual’s creditworthiness, which is especially important in roles with financial responsibilities. Together, these checks create a detailed md state background check, enabling employers to make informed hiring decisions. Importance of Accurate Information Accurate information in background checks is crucial for verifying a candidate’s identity and history, which directly impacts your hiring decisions. When you guarantee data accuracy, you minimize the risk of delays, legal issues, and poor hires based on incorrect information. Using reference numbers not just helps in efficiently tracking requests but likewise links relevant data to the right candidate, streamlining the entire process. Ensuring Data Accuracy When you’re conducting background checks, ensuring the information you rely on is accurate is vital for safeguarding your hiring process. An effective Maryland background search requires verifying data to prevent potential hiring risks associated with false or misleading information. A Maryland state criminal background check can reveal disqualifying histories that candidates mightn’t disclose. By maintaining data integrity, you can identify discrepancies that may indicate dishonesty, enhancing your hiring process. Accurate information contributes to efficiency, reducing delays caused by disputes over incorrect data or the need for further verification. Ultimately, ensuring data accuracy protects your organization’s reputation and nurtures trust with candidates, creating a transparent hiring environment fundamental for long-term success. Impact on Hiring Decisions Inaccurate information can greatly skew hiring decisions, leading to costly consequences for your organization. With 30% of job applicants providing false details about their employment history, relying on unverified information can mislead you. A study shows that 75% of employers found discrepancies in candidates’ resumes through background checks, underscoring the need for thorough verification. Conducting detailed background checks not only reduces the risk of negligent hiring lawsuits, which can cost thousands in legal fees but additionally improves workplace safety by identifying candidates with troubling histories. Moreover, accurate background information can enhance overall hire quality, as companies that perform effective screenings experience 50% lower turnover rates, ultimately benefiting your organization’s stability and reputation. How Background Checks Are Conducted Background checks are essential for employers aiming to verify a candidate’s qualifications and background before making hiring decisions. The process typically starts by obtaining consent from the candidate, as mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Once consent is secured, specialized companies conduct the checks, utilizing various databases to gather information on criminal history, employment verification, and educational background. Depending on the job requirements and industry regulations, background checks may include searches for criminal records, credit history, and driving records. Employers often establish a clear policy outlining the types of checks performed, ensuring compliance with legal standards throughout the process. Many background check services offer automated systems, streamlining the process and enabling efficient tracking and reporting of results. By following these steps, employers can make informed decisions as they respect candidates’ rights and ensure a fair hiring process. When a Reference Number Is Useful Utilizing a reference number in the background check process can greatly boost efficiency and accuracy for employers. This system allows you and background check companies to track and retrieve specific screening reports tied to individual candidates easily. By implementing reference numbers, you maintain organization and clarity when managing multiple background checks, ensuring that each candidate’s information aligns accurately with their profile. Moreover, reference numbers improve communication between you and background check providers, allowing for quicker resolution of discrepancies or issues that may arise. In industries where regulatory compliance is essential, these numbers create a clear audit trail for each background check conducted, ensuring adherence to legal protocols. Finally, reference numbers help you efficiently manage large volumes of applicant data, greatly reducing the risk of misidentifying candidates or their results. Overall, incorporating reference numbers can streamline your hiring process and boost overall outcomes. Common Misconceptions About Background Checks Misconceptions about background checks can lead to confusion and misinformed decisions during the hiring process. One common belief is that a reference number is necessary, but background checks actually rely on personal details like your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Many likewise assume that all background checks are uniform; nonetheless, different industries require specific checks based on regulatory needs, particularly in healthcare or finance. Some people think background checks reveal every past behavior, but they only reflect the specific searches conducted and relevant jurisdictions, meaning some records might be inaccessible. Furthermore, it’s a myth that these checks automatically verify all candidate information. Although they can confirm employment and education, gaps in history may not be addressed. Finally, background checks focus on objective data and official records, not subjective assessments of a candidate’s character or work ethic. Comprehending these misconceptions is vital for informed hiring decisions. Differences Between Background and Reference Checks When comparing background checks and reference checks, it’s important to understand their distinct purposes and the types of information they assess. Background checks primarily focus on verifying an applicant’s criminal history, employment, and education, ensuring safety and qualifications. Conversely, reference checks aim to evaluate a candidate’s work ethic, interpersonal skills, and compatibility with company culture, providing insights that are often more subjective. Purpose of Each Check Many employers rely on both background checks and reference checks to make informed hiring decisions, each serving a distinct purpose. Comprehending these differences can guide your hiring strategy effectively. Background Checks: Focus on verifying factual records like criminal history, education, and employment, ensuring workplace safety and compliance. Reference Checks: Assess a candidate’s work ethic and interpersonal skills through insights from previous employers or colleagues. Purpose of Background Checks: Screen out unqualified candidates and protect your brand by identifying potential red flags. Purpose of Reference Checks: Validate candidates’ skills and cultural fit, enhancing the overall hiring decision process. Key Information Assessed Comprehending the key information assessed through background checks and reference checks is vital for effective hiring strategies. Background checks typically investigate an applicant’s criminal history, employment history, educational qualifications, and credentials. These checks verify the accuracy of reported information and reveal any disqualifying criminal records. Conversely, reference checks focus on evaluating an applicant’s work ethic, interpersonal skills, and cultural fit within your organization. They provide insights into past job performance from previous employers or colleagues. Meanwhile, industry regulations often mandate background checks in sectors like healthcare and finance. Reference checks are widely used across all industries. Both checks are fundamental, as background checks improve workplace safety, whereas reference checks help you understand a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Legal Considerations in Background Checks Legal considerations in background checks play a crucial role in the hiring process, ensuring fairness and compliance with established norms. As an employer or candidate, you need to understand these key points: Written Consent: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandates that employers obtain written consent from candidates before conducting background checks. State Laws: Different states have specific laws governing background checks, including notification and consent requirements, which can vary markedly. Disclosure Requirement: Employers must provide clear disclosure regarding the use of background checks, typically through a separate document. Adverse Action Process: If an employer opts against hiring based on background check information, they must follow an adverse action process, including a pre-adverse action notice to the candidate. Steps to Prepare for a Background Check Preparing for a background check involves several important steps that guarantee compliance and accuracy. First, create a compliant policy outlining your procedures to confirm adherence to regulations like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Next, obtain written consent from the candidate, as this is legally required before you can initiate any checks. Collect all necessary information from the candidate, including their full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and addresses, which are critical for accurate searches. It’s also important to partner with a reliable background check company experienced in the industry, as this confirms both accuracy and compliance. Furthermore, keep candidates informed throughout the screening process by providing updates on the status of their background check and addressing any potential issues that arise. Following these steps will help streamline the process and maintain transparency, which is essential for building trust with candidates. Impact of Background Check Findings Even though background check findings can play a crucial role in hiring decisions, their implications often extend beyond just the immediate choice of candidate. These findings can shape both individual careers and the overall reputation of a company. Here are some key impacts you should consider: Hiring Decisions: Negative findings, like criminal records or employment discrepancies, can lead employers to withdraw job offers, especially in sensitive sectors. Disputes: Candidates may challenge inaccuracies in their background checks, which can delay the hiring process. Legal Obligations: Employers must adhere to the adverse action process, allowing candidates to address negative information before final decisions. Company Reputation: The nature of background check findings can affect public perception regarding a company’s commitment to safety and integrity. Understanding these impacts can help you navigate the intricacies of background checks effectively. Best Practices for Employers To guarantee a smooth and efficient hiring process, it’s crucial for employers to adopt best practices for conducting background checks. Start by implementing a consistent process that assigns unique reference numbers to each applicant. This approach streamlines tracking and organization, making it easier to manage records. Ascertain compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by obtaining written consent from candidates before performing background checks, which may involve referencing their unique identification numbers. Utilize a reliable background check service that efficiently manages these reference numbers, enhancing accuracy in reporting. Furthermore, train your HR staff to understand the importance of reference numbers for maintaining organized records and facilitating the review process during hiring. Finally, regularly review and update your background check policy to incorporate these best practices, assuring both efficiency and compliance in your hiring efforts. Frequently Asked Questions What Information Is Necessary for a Background Check? For a background check, you’ll typically need to provide your full name, date of birth, and Social Security number. This information helps verify your identity and history. Furthermore, you may need to supply previous addresses, employment details, and education information for a thorough review. Remember, legal consent is required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to guarantee compliance when conducting these checks. Specific industries might’ve extra requirements as well. What Is the Difference Between a Background Check and a Reference Check? A background check focuses on verifying factual information about your criminal history, employment, and education, whereas a reference check assesses your work ethic and interpersonal skills through conversations with former employers. Background checks require your written consent and may include extensive searches, like credit history. Conversely, reference checks are subjective, providing insights into your character and past job performance. Both processes help employers evaluate your qualifications and fit for their organization. What Is a Candidate Reference Number? A candidate reference number is a unique identifier assigned to you during the hiring process. It helps employers and background check Checkr companies track and manage your application efficiently. Typically generated by the applicant tracking system when you submit your application, this number allows you to inquire about your background check status accurately. Keeping your reference number handy guarantees organized records and compliance with background check protocols, streamlining the hiring process for everyone involved. Do Companies Still Require References? Yes, many companies still require references as part of their hiring process. They do this to gain insights into your work ethic, skills, and how well you might fit into their culture. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management indicates that around 95% of employers conduct reference checks before making decisions. This process is especially critical in sensitive industries like healthcare or finance, where regulatory compliance and safety concerns are paramount. Conclusion In conclusion, during a background check, a reference number isn’t strictly necessary, but possessing one can significantly enhance the process’s efficiency and organization. It serves as a unique identifier, minimizing errors and confusion among all parties involved. Reference numbers additionally provide a clear audit trail, crucial for compliance. By comprehending the role of reference numbers, you can guarantee a smoother background check process, ultimately benefiting both employers and candidates in maintaining accurate and organized records. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Does a Background Check Need a Reference Number?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When considering a background check, you might wonder if a reference number is necessary. Although it’s not a strict requirement, having one can streamline the process. Reference numbers act as unique identifiers, which helps reduce errors and confusion between candidates, employers, and background check providers. They furthermore guarantee accurate tracking of compliance documentation. Comprehending the role of these numbers is essential, especially when traversing the intricacies of background checks and their implications. What else should you know about the background check process? Key Takeaways A reference number is not mandatory for background checks but is highly beneficial for tracking and organizing candidate screenings. It streamlines communication between employers, background check providers, and candidates, reducing potential errors. Reference numbers create a clear audit trail for compliance documentation in various industries. Using reference numbers helps link relevant data to the correct candidate, enhancing the overall background check process. While optional, incorporating reference numbers can improve efficiency and data integrity in the hiring process. Understanding Background Checks When you apply for a job, comprehending background checks is essential, as they play a significant role in the hiring process. A Maryland background check typically involves verifying your criminal history, employment record, and educational credentials. Employers often conduct a criminal record check MD to assess any possible legal issues that could affect your suitability for the role. This process helps mitigate the risks associated with negligent hiring, guaranteeing a safer workplace for everyone. Before employers initiate a background check, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires them to obtain your written consent. This guarantees transparency throughout the process. In addition, some employers might conduct a reference check, where they contact your previous employers or colleagues to gather insights about your work ethic and character. Grasping these components can help you prepare for what employers will look for, making you a stronger candidate in the competitive job market. The Role of Reference Numbers Reference numbers play a crucial role in the background check process, serving as unique identifiers for each candidate’s screening. When you initiate a background check, especially a Maryland criminal background check, a reference number is assigned to help track and organize the screening. This number makes it easier for employers and background check companies to manage multiple requests efficiently, allowing quick access to specific candidate information during the hiring process. Using a reference number streamlines communication between employers, background check providers, and candidates, minimizing errors or confusion about applicant records. It’s particularly beneficial in industries that require compliance documentation, as reference numbers provide a clear audit trail for each background check conducted. By using these numbers, employers can easily retrieve and review background check results, ultimately making the hiring decision process more organized and effective. Types of Background Checks Background checks encompass a variety of screenings that help employers assess a candidate’s suitability for a position. One key type is the Maryland criminal background check, which reveals any past legal issues, such as arrests or convictions, that could impact hiring decisions. A criminal history records check in Maryland guarantees thorough investigation into an applicant’s legal past. In addition to criminal checks, employment verification is vital; it confirms the authenticity of job titles, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving previous positions. Education verification adds another layer by validating degrees and certifications claimed by candidates, confirming they meet job qualifications. Finally, a credit history check evaluates an individual’s creditworthiness, which is especially important in roles with financial responsibilities. Together, these checks create a detailed md state background check, enabling employers to make informed hiring decisions. Importance of Accurate Information Accurate information in background checks is crucial for verifying a candidate’s identity and history, which directly impacts your hiring decisions. When you guarantee data accuracy, you minimize the risk of delays, legal issues, and poor hires based on incorrect information. Using reference numbers not just helps in efficiently tracking requests but likewise links relevant data to the right candidate, streamlining the entire process. Ensuring Data Accuracy When you’re conducting background checks, ensuring the information you rely on is accurate is vital for safeguarding your hiring process. An effective Maryland background search requires verifying data to prevent potential hiring risks associated with false or misleading information. A Maryland state criminal background check can reveal disqualifying histories that candidates mightn’t disclose. By maintaining data integrity, you can identify discrepancies that may indicate dishonesty, enhancing your hiring process. Accurate information contributes to efficiency, reducing delays caused by disputes over incorrect data or the need for further verification. Ultimately, ensuring data accuracy protects your organization’s reputation and nurtures trust with candidates, creating a transparent hiring environment fundamental for long-term success. Impact on Hiring Decisions Inaccurate information can greatly skew hiring decisions, leading to costly consequences for your organization. With 30% of job applicants providing false details about their employment history, relying on unverified information can mislead you. A study shows that 75% of employers found discrepancies in candidates’ resumes through background checks, underscoring the need for thorough verification. Conducting detailed background checks not only reduces the risk of negligent hiring lawsuits, which can cost thousands in legal fees but additionally improves workplace safety by identifying candidates with troubling histories. Moreover, accurate background information can enhance overall hire quality, as companies that perform effective screenings experience 50% lower turnover rates, ultimately benefiting your organization’s stability and reputation. How Background Checks Are Conducted Background checks are essential for employers aiming to verify a candidate’s qualifications and background before making hiring decisions. The process typically starts by obtaining consent from the candidate, as mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Once consent is secured, specialized companies conduct the checks, utilizing various databases to gather information on criminal history, employment verification, and educational background. Depending on the job requirements and industry regulations, background checks may include searches for criminal records, credit history, and driving records. Employers often establish a clear policy outlining the types of checks performed, ensuring compliance with legal standards throughout the process. Many background check services offer automated systems, streamlining the process and enabling efficient tracking and reporting of results. By following these steps, employers can make informed decisions as they respect candidates’ rights and ensure a fair hiring process. When a Reference Number Is Useful Utilizing a reference number in the background check process can greatly boost efficiency and accuracy for employers. This system allows you and background check companies to track and retrieve specific screening reports tied to individual candidates easily. By implementing reference numbers, you maintain organization and clarity when managing multiple background checks, ensuring that each candidate’s information aligns accurately with their profile. Moreover, reference numbers improve communication between you and background check providers, allowing for quicker resolution of discrepancies or issues that may arise. In industries where regulatory compliance is essential, these numbers create a clear audit trail for each background check conducted, ensuring adherence to legal protocols. Finally, reference numbers help you efficiently manage large volumes of applicant data, greatly reducing the risk of misidentifying candidates or their results. Overall, incorporating reference numbers can streamline your hiring process and boost overall outcomes. Common Misconceptions About Background Checks Misconceptions about background checks can lead to confusion and misinformed decisions during the hiring process. One common belief is that a reference number is necessary, but background checks actually rely on personal details like your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Many likewise assume that all background checks are uniform; nonetheless, different industries require specific checks based on regulatory needs, particularly in healthcare or finance. Some people think background checks reveal every past behavior, but they only reflect the specific searches conducted and relevant jurisdictions, meaning some records might be inaccessible. Furthermore, it’s a myth that these checks automatically verify all candidate information. Although they can confirm employment and education, gaps in history may not be addressed. Finally, background checks focus on objective data and official records, not subjective assessments of a candidate’s character or work ethic. Comprehending these misconceptions is vital for informed hiring decisions. Differences Between Background and Reference Checks When comparing background checks and reference checks, it’s important to understand their distinct purposes and the types of information they assess. Background checks primarily focus on verifying an applicant’s criminal history, employment, and education, ensuring safety and qualifications. Conversely, reference checks aim to evaluate a candidate’s work ethic, interpersonal skills, and compatibility with company culture, providing insights that are often more subjective. Purpose of Each Check Many employers rely on both background checks and reference checks to make informed hiring decisions, each serving a distinct purpose. Comprehending these differences can guide your hiring strategy effectively. Background Checks: Focus on verifying factual records like criminal history, education, and employment, ensuring workplace safety and compliance. Reference Checks: Assess a candidate’s work ethic and interpersonal skills through insights from previous employers or colleagues. Purpose of Background Checks: Screen out unqualified candidates and protect your brand by identifying potential red flags. Purpose of Reference Checks: Validate candidates’ skills and cultural fit, enhancing the overall hiring decision process. Key Information Assessed Comprehending the key information assessed through background checks and reference checks is vital for effective hiring strategies. Background checks typically investigate an applicant’s criminal history, employment history, educational qualifications, and credentials. These checks verify the accuracy of reported information and reveal any disqualifying criminal records. Conversely, reference checks focus on evaluating an applicant’s work ethic, interpersonal skills, and cultural fit within your organization. They provide insights into past job performance from previous employers or colleagues. Meanwhile, industry regulations often mandate background checks in sectors like healthcare and finance. Reference checks are widely used across all industries. Both checks are fundamental, as background checks improve workplace safety, whereas reference checks help you understand a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Legal Considerations in Background Checks Legal considerations in background checks play a crucial role in the hiring process, ensuring fairness and compliance with established norms. As an employer or candidate, you need to understand these key points: Written Consent: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandates that employers obtain written consent from candidates before conducting background checks. State Laws: Different states have specific laws governing background checks, including notification and consent requirements, which can vary markedly. Disclosure Requirement: Employers must provide clear disclosure regarding the use of background checks, typically through a separate document. Adverse Action Process: If an employer opts against hiring based on background check information, they must follow an adverse action process, including a pre-adverse action notice to the candidate. Steps to Prepare for a Background Check Preparing for a background check involves several important steps that guarantee compliance and accuracy. First, create a compliant policy outlining your procedures to confirm adherence to regulations like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Next, obtain written consent from the candidate, as this is legally required before you can initiate any checks. Collect all necessary information from the candidate, including their full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and addresses, which are critical for accurate searches. It’s also important to partner with a reliable background check company experienced in the industry, as this confirms both accuracy and compliance. Furthermore, keep candidates informed throughout the screening process by providing updates on the status of their background check and addressing any potential issues that arise. Following these steps will help streamline the process and maintain transparency, which is essential for building trust with candidates. Impact of Background Check Findings Even though background check findings can play a crucial role in hiring decisions, their implications often extend beyond just the immediate choice of candidate. These findings can shape both individual careers and the overall reputation of a company. Here are some key impacts you should consider: Hiring Decisions: Negative findings, like criminal records or employment discrepancies, can lead employers to withdraw job offers, especially in sensitive sectors. Disputes: Candidates may challenge inaccuracies in their background checks, which can delay the hiring process. Legal Obligations: Employers must adhere to the adverse action process, allowing candidates to address negative information before final decisions. Company Reputation: The nature of background check findings can affect public perception regarding a company’s commitment to safety and integrity. Understanding these impacts can help you navigate the intricacies of background checks effectively. Best Practices for Employers To guarantee a smooth and efficient hiring process, it’s crucial for employers to adopt best practices for conducting background checks. Start by implementing a consistent process that assigns unique reference numbers to each applicant. This approach streamlines tracking and organization, making it easier to manage records. Ascertain compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by obtaining written consent from candidates before performing background checks, which may involve referencing their unique identification numbers. Utilize a reliable background check service that efficiently manages these reference numbers, enhancing accuracy in reporting. Furthermore, train your HR staff to understand the importance of reference numbers for maintaining organized records and facilitating the review process during hiring. Finally, regularly review and update your background check policy to incorporate these best practices, assuring both efficiency and compliance in your hiring efforts. Frequently Asked Questions What Information Is Necessary for a Background Check? For a background check, you’ll typically need to provide your full name, date of birth, and Social Security number. This information helps verify your identity and history. Furthermore, you may need to supply previous addresses, employment details, and education information for a thorough review. Remember, legal consent is required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to guarantee compliance when conducting these checks. Specific industries might’ve extra requirements as well. What Is the Difference Between a Background Check and a Reference Check? A background check focuses on verifying factual information about your criminal history, employment, and education, whereas a reference check assesses your work ethic and interpersonal skills through conversations with former employers. Background checks require your written consent and may include extensive searches, like credit history. Conversely, reference checks are subjective, providing insights into your character and past job performance. Both processes help employers evaluate your qualifications and fit for their organization. What Is a Candidate Reference Number? A candidate reference number is a unique identifier assigned to you during the hiring process. It helps employers and background check Checkr companies track and manage your application efficiently. Typically generated by the applicant tracking system when you submit your application, this number allows you to inquire about your background check status accurately. Keeping your reference number handy guarantees organized records and compliance with background check protocols, streamlining the hiring process for everyone involved. Do Companies Still Require References? Yes, many companies still require references as part of their hiring process. They do this to gain insights into your work ethic, skills, and how well you might fit into their culture. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management indicates that around 95% of employers conduct reference checks before making decisions. This process is especially critical in sensitive industries like healthcare or finance, where regulatory compliance and safety concerns are paramount. Conclusion In conclusion, during a background check, a reference number isn’t strictly necessary, but possessing one can significantly enhance the process’s efficiency and organization. It serves as a unique identifier, minimizing errors and confusion among all parties involved. Reference numbers additionally provide a clear audit trail, crucial for compliance. By comprehending the role of reference numbers, you can guarantee a smoother background check process, ultimately benefiting both employers and candidates in maintaining accurate and organized records. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Does a Background Check Need a Reference Number?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article