The Job Market Is Slowing. Your Pay Might Be the Real Risk.
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

The Job Market Is Slowing. Your Pay Might Be the Real Risk.

The job market is slowing, but job cuts may not be the biggest risk. Pay compression quietly impacts long-term earning potential. This post breaks down January employment data, wage growth trends, and why knowing your market value matters more than ever.

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What Is a Career, Really?
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

What Is a Career, Really?

A career is more than a job or title. It is the long arc of your professional life, built through daily choices, habits, and environments over decades. Let’s reframe what a career really is and why ownership matters more than milestones.

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January Reading Round-Up: Disruption
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

January Reading Round-Up: Disruption

January 2026 reading round-up exploring career management, leadership, and navigating disruption through audiobooks that sharpen thinking and professional judgment.

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My Book and I Share a Birthday
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

My Book and I Share a Birthday

A personal reflection on the first year of Own Your Career and what it revealed about career ownership, professional growth, and women leading on their own terms. From launching a book to building community, this post shares milestones, lessons, and what’s next.

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Why the Job Market Is Forcing a New Career Strategy
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

Why the Job Market Is Forcing a New Career Strategy

The job market is shifting, and traditional career strategies no longer work the way they once did. Conflicting employment data and changing conditions are forcing professionals to rethink how they build opportunity. This post explores what’s changing and what will matter most as you prepare for career growth in 2026.

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My Word for 2026: Exponential
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

My Word for 2026: Exponential

Resolutions tend to focus on outcomes. A guiding word focuses on orientation. It shapes how I think, how I move, and how I decide…especially when things feel busy or uncertain.

For me, that shift has made all the difference.

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What You’re Getting Wrong About Performance Reviews
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

What You’re Getting Wrong About Performance Reviews

What You’re Getting Wrong About Performance Reviews
Performance reviews don’t have to feel adversarial. Learn what employees and leaders often get wrong—and how to approach annual reviews with confidence and intention.

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The Books That Stayed With Me This December
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

The Books That Stayed With Me This December

December was a heavy reading month for me; I finally finished several that had been sitting on my personal development shelf for a while. And by read, I mainly mean listened.

Two books I’m still thinking about are by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

These two books have inspired me to add a few options to my word-of-the-year target list… more to follow on that in late January.

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A Look Back Before We Step Forward
Annette Garsteck Annette Garsteck

A Look Back Before We Step Forward

As this year comes to a close, I am evaluating where I am based on where I started. I usually measure myself against an ideal future version of me. This way of measuring only sells me short. To truly evaluate success, we have to look back. To where we started. This perspective shift really resonated with me, and I wanted to share it with you as you reflect on your own year.

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