• CareerAddict's The Dose
  • Posts
  • 💡 Career Cushioning, 100 ChatGPT Productivity Prompts, Future-Proof Jobs - Aug 5, 2025

💡 Career Cushioning, 100 ChatGPT Productivity Prompts, Future-Proof Jobs - Aug 5, 2025

Career contingency planning, battle-tested ChatGPT prompts, rock-solid roles for a wobbly future, and more workplace insights...

Hello, Hustle Heroes! đŸ’Ș August is National Wellness Month—and yes, job security counts. With layoffs lingering and side skills soaring, career cushioning is the new yoga. Stretch your potential without quitting your day job.

On today’s agenda:

💡 Career cushioning

🔼 Future-proof jobs

đŸ‘” Boomers beat Gen Zs in engagement

WEEKLY GOODY
Career Development Worksheet
This week’s career goody will help you map out your best career yet.
Only available to subscribers.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

💡 Career Cushioning & Dual Upskilling: Future-Proof Your Role Before You Need To

Feeling a little professionally... paranoid?

You’re not imagining it. Even steady roles feel shakier in the current climate. Layoffs are back in the headlines and AI is reshaping jobs overnight. According to The 2025 Career Confidence Index, 80% of U.S. workers fear wage loss, with 76% having already taken precautionary actions, such as updating their rĂ©sumĂ© and pursuing new skills

With the current trends, upskilling is no longer optional—it’s strategic self-defense. Enter: career cushioning and dual upskilling, a smarter way to stay ready without jumping ship. 

Here’s how you can build a Plan B without quitting Plan A.

🛑 The symptoms?

  1. ​​Updating a dusty rĂ©sumĂ©... just in case

  2. Holding off on big financial decisions

  3. Secretly exploring new roles during lunch breaks

  4. Feeling under-skilled as AI, automation, or layoffs loom

💡 How to combat it?

  • Start with skills in demand. Think: AI fluency, data storytelling, UX design. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Google Career Certificates make it easy to dabble.

  • Layer, don’t leap. Try dual upskilling—adding skills that complement your current role and prep you for something new. Boost what you’re already good at + learn a skill that opens new doors.

  • Show it off: Add microcredentials to your LinkedIn profile to attract opportunities—without sending “I’m leaving” signals.

Your career deserves a safety net and a springboard.

Ready to build your soft landing (and rocket ship)? Start with CareerAddicts’ guide below âŹ‡ïž 

TODAY’S TASK
🔁 60-Second Reset: Breathe Before You Hit Send — Before firing off that email, take 3 deep breaths. It calms your brain and boosts clarity. đŸ§˜â€â™€ïž Try it now—and start practicing mindfulness at work »

TOGETHER WITH MINDSTREAM

⚡ Unlock ChatGPT's Hidden Potential to Transform Your Daily Work with Mindstream

Stop spending hours on tasks that AI could handle in minutes. Don’t struggle with manual processes, smart professionals use ChatGPT to reclaim 2-3 hours daily and focus on high-impact work that actually moves the needle.

This comprehensive guide from Mindstream and HubSpot reveals proven ChatGPT strategies top performers use—minus time-wasting trial-and-error tests.

Discover:

  • Strategic prompting techniques that get ChatGPT to think like your best teammate

  • Ready-to-use templates for sales outreach, content creation, and client communication

  • Advanced workflows for research, analysis, and project management that save hours weekly

  • Department-specific playbooks for sales, marketing, management, and customer support

  • 100 battle-tested prompts you can copy, paste, and customize easily

Stop working harder when you can work smarter. These aren't theoretical tips—they're practical strategies used by professionals who've already made ChatGPT their competitive advantage.

Join thousands of forward-thinking professionals who get exclusive AI insights delivered weekly. Subscribe to the Mindstream newsletter and get instant access to our ChatGPT Productivity Bundle—plus strategies to stay ahead of the AI curve.

THE WORK PULSE

📉 Jobs Report Stumbles - CNN

  • What’s unfolding: July’s U.S. jobs report was a letdown, with only 73,000 jobs added, well below expectations. Unemployment ticked up slightly to 4.2, threatening a potential negative supply chain.

  • Why it matters: Slower job growth and rising unemployment signal a softening market—and fewer fallback options if you're job-hunting. It’s time to learn in-demand skills or explore lateral moves within your company. Think of it as career flu season: better to boost your immunity early.

đŸ‘” Boomers Are Beating Gen Zs at Work - USAToday

  • What’s unfolding: A SurveyMonkey report shows Baby Boomers are officially the most engaged generation at work—outpacing Millennials and Gen Z. While younger employees report more burnout, Boomers are thriving with higher motivation, but experience more discrimination.

  • Why it matters: If you're feeling checked out, it might be time to reassess your goals, get feedback, or even seek out a mentor—possibly one of those energized Boomers. Engagement isn’t about age—it’s about alignment. Find meaning in your role, or take steps to redefine it.

⚠ Economy on a Razor’s Edge - NewsNation

  • What’s unfolding: A Moody’s Analytics economist warned that the U.S. economy is “on the precipice of a recession.” Consumer spending is slowing, corporate investments are stalling, and inflation remains sticky.

  • Why it matters:  Recession means more job losses and budget tightening at companies. This is your sign to dust off that rĂ©sumĂ©, rework your LinkedIn, and upskill proactively. It’s not about panic—it’s about positioning yourself as recession-resilient before headlines hit closer to home.

JOB BOARD

CAREER GROWTH

🔼 Stand Still Into the Future: Rock-Solid Jobs Built to Last

Think your job is safe from change? Think again. From AI ethics officers to space tourism guides, the future of work is weirder—but more exciting—than you’d expect. This article dives into the most in-demand (and out-there) roles on the horizon, plus the skills you’ll need to land one. Spoiler: coding isn’t the only ticket to the future.

👉 Get ahead of the curve: Explore Future-Proof Jobs »

WEEKLY GOODY

đŸ› ïž Build Your Best Career Yet: It’s One Worksheet Away

Stuck in career autopilot? This free Career Development Worksheet from CareerAddict helps you zoom out, set smarter goals, and map a path forward—whether you’re eyeing a promotion or a pivot. It’s quick, practical, and refreshingly jargon-free.

Download link available to email subscribers

BREAKROOM

SMART READS

đŸ€’ Writing a Sick Day Email + Samples

🆓 Free Online Courses to Sharpen Your Skills

🏰 Career & Life Lessons from Disney Films

FEEDBACK

Did you find today’s newsletter useful?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

📬 Missed the previous issue on ‘White-Collar Panic’? Read it »