When it comes to ways to stand out during the interview process, former Google executive Jenny Wood recommends tactics like writing a LinkedIn post about the company within days of your interview so your prospective employer sees your eagerness to work for them.

Wood shares various strategies for career success in her forthcoming book, “Wild Courage,” out March 25, as well as her bi-weekly newsletter, Big Small Things. She has tips for how to impress people after the interview, too.

Here’s what she recommends doing immediately after you’ve said your goodbyes.

When you’re done with your interview, the first thing you’ll want to do is write a thank you note. But don’t just send them a couple of lines saying it was nice to meet them.

“It’s so easy to just copy and paste your boilerplate ‘thank you’ note,” says Wood, “if you feel like there’s something else you could add to a question they asked, that’s a great thing to put in the thank you note.”

Could you expand on an answer about how to move the company forward or about problems they need help solving on the ground? Whatever element of the role you expand on, take three to four sentences to do that.

That kind of thinking “shows that you’re going above and beyond,” she says, “and it shows that you care deeply about the business, the content, the objectives.”

While many career experts recommend sending that thank you note within 24 hours of the interview, Wood would recommend doing it even sooner.

Send it “within one hour,” she says, “because people pay attention to speed.” In the workplace, there are people who get things done quickly and those who take a bit more time. When you shoot them an email that fast, “you are sending a signal about how you work,” she says.

Plus, when it comes to how candidates behave in the interview process, you want to pleasantly surprise your prospective employers. Sending that note within “24 hours is expected,” says Wood, “within the hour is less expected.”

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In early February, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent federal agency created as a watchdog in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, shuttered its Washington, D.C. offices and laid off about 200 probationary and term employees. The remaining workers were told to stay home and that they’d need clearance from the bureau’s chief legal officer before doing any CFPB business.

“Otherwise, employees should stand down from performing any work task,” CFPB acting director Russell Vought wrote in a staff email.

The Trump administration, aided by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, intended to wind down the agency, according to employee accounts. In a collection of statements released last week, employees said CFPB leadership shared plans to fire nearly all of the agency’s 1,700 employees and operate with a remaining staff of five — the minimum as required by law.

For now, the agency’s actions are on hold. A judge suspended Vought’s ability to fire further employees and in a Monday hearing expressed skepticism about the government’s approach.

The aim of the pause is “to make sure [the CFPB] hasn’t been choked out of existence before I get to rule,” Judge Amy Berman Jackson said. Another evidentiary hearing is scheduled for March 10.

The changes at CFPB are part of the new administration’s promise to increase efficiency and cut costs in government operations. The Trump administration said in court filings that its plans include “right sizing” the CFPB instead of eliminating it completely.

Consumer advocates warn that the effort to drastically reduce the size and scope of the CFPB could mean less protection from potential harm from the financial services industry.

“If you have a mortgage or a bank account or a credit card — and virtually everybody’s got a credit report — the lack of a watchdog to make sure that you are protected and safe in your financial activities is going to have devastating effects,” says Lauren Saunders, associate director at the National Consumer Law Center. “And it may seem abstract, but it will be very concrete for people.”

The CFPB was created under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law in 2010. The agency regulates financial products and services, such as credit cards, bank accounts, online payments and credit reporting.

It brings lawsuits and levies fines against financial institutions operating outside of current laws and creates new rules for financial firms and institutions, such as regulations limiting overdraft fees or excluding medical debt from credit reporting.

The bureau maintains a public-facing complaint database for members of the public to report evidence of malfeasance on the part of financial institutions.

A less active or functional CFPB could mean you may have to do more to protect yourself, according to Saunders.

“You’re going to have to be much more vigilant in checking your credit report and making sure there aren’t mistakes on it, checking your bank account statement, making sure they’re not charging you fees that they shouldn’t charge you, or that there aren’t unauthorized charges that you didn’t make,” Saunders says.

The CFPB moved last year to limit credit card late fees to $8 — well under the average of $30, according to WalletHub. Banking groups sued, and the rule is on hold. A rule limiting overdraft fees faces the same waiting game following an industry lawsuit.

Right now the CFPB’s complaint website, where consumers can flag instances of malfeasance from financial firms, is still up, though employee testimony indicates that it may not be currently operational.

Without it, consumers will have to get as loud as they can on their own in the hopes that their issues are heard. They are “going to have to talk to the media and use social media and complain to state attorneys general and do what they can if they spot problems and they can’t get attention from a company,” Saunders says.

There will be more onus on you to be savvier about your dealings with financial institutions, agrees Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate — and that ask is potentially unfair.

“Consumers don’t take the time to read the fine print. On television, it can be 400 words to be consumed in three seconds. That’s why we have regulators, to do the work that consumers can’t do themselves,” he says.

No one expects financial institutions to rush to do harm to their customers on purpose. Still, “the question is if the if the scale has been substantially tipped in favor of business, including potentially bad actors,” he says. “We need to have a balance between the interests of shareholders, stakeholders and consumers. The worry right now is that consumers have had some protections moved away from them.”

The current administration may not be looking to cease all functions at the CFPB, says Norbert Michel, vice president and director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute, a libertarian thinktank.

Michel points out that the administration is moving forward to install a full-time director at the agency — a “weird” move if the plan is to have him oversee a staff of five, he says.

“I think that the bureau will be back up and running in ‘normal capacity’ before too long,” Michel says, even if the new administration aims to reduce the scope of the CFPB’s oversight. He imagines that a streamlined version of the agency would stick to more straightforward cases of fraud, with less latitude to make rules for private businesses.

Even if the agency is shuttered, the government still has the means of pursuing wrongdoing at financial firms, Michel points out. “Fraud is illegal. It was illegal before we created the CFPB, and it’s still illegal,” he says, noting that such cases could be prosecuted by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.

Still, with moves to curtail if not shutter the CFPB, the Trump administration signals a reluctance to rein in potentially harmful or predatory behavior on the part of big banks, says Hamrick.

“I think it’s reasonable to expect that many firms will believe that they are operating under less scrutiny and have a freer hand to potentially push the envelope on immoral or illegal behavior,” he says.

In the meantime, big changes at the CFPB are already evident. Last week, the agency dropped at least four lawsuits against financial firms, including an action against Capital One for allegedly misleading its customers about savings account interest rates.

The agency was scheduled to deliver payments to consumers as part of previous legal actions, including a $100 million pot of money intended to for student loan borrowers who worked with loan servicer Navient. Those disbursements are currently on hold.

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Jared Ebersole knew he wanted an electric skateboard as soon as he saw one. There were just two problems: He was a young teenager, and the one he wanted cost $1,600.

So he decided to make his own, spending $800 from his savings on parts — motors, controllers, remotes and batteries, he says. After roughly half a year of trial and error, including a battery exploding during a test, he built a working board at his parents’ home in Catawissa, Pennsylvania. He posted about his success on an online forum, where other users started messaging him, asking if they could buy one from him.

Ebersole made his first sale in 2017, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. By the time he began college at Long Island University in 2020, his company Build Kit Boards was bringing in roughly $300,000 in annual revenue. He used its profits to pay for school, he says: between $4,000 and $6,000 per semester out of pocket, after accounting for multiple scholarships.

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In college, he grew the business further, alongside one employee — who he estimates worked 30 hours per week — and a cadre of friends who helped intermittently during his busy summer seasons. Ebersole himself worked more than 100 hours per week on the business instead of having a traditional college life, and in 2021, Build Kit Boards’ annual revenue surpassed $500,000, he says.

“I had very few friends in college; I would literally go to class and not really talk to anybody,” says Ebersole, now 24. “I hated my college experience.”

He was burnt out, exhausted and on the verge of shutting his business down when his across-the-street neighbor at Build Kit Boards’ warehouse — who happened to run an online impact investing community called Impact U, as well as an investment firm — offered to buy a majority share of the business. (Ebersole declined to name the neighbor, citing a confidentiality agreement.)

In 2022, Impact U purchased 55% of Build Kit Boards for $300,000. Ebersole retained a minority stake and withdrew from day-to-day operations, he says. “It was giving me no purpose. I was just doing the same thing over and over again, just at a bigger scale,” says Ebersole. “I hit this wall, mentally.”

The following year, Ebersole graduated college and put his money from the sale into a new startup venture: He and his friend Luke St. Amand co-founded a startup called Lectec, which sells do-it-yourself electric skateboard kits meant for students.

Ebersole works 80 to 100 hours per week on Lectec, he says — but he’s not simultaneously a college student, and he has help this time, he notes. The company currently has two employees in addition to its co-founders, according to its website.

“I’m surrounded by a lot of good people that I can, like, withdraw myself from for even a few minutes at a time,” says Ebersole. “Withdrawing myself from the business for a little bit, as much as I can, has been the No. 1 key to avoiding burnout.”

Ebersole brought Lectec onto a recent episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” where he said it had brought in roughly $150,000 in lifetime revenue at the time of filming. His pitch landed an investment offer from Robert Herjavec, one of the show’s investor judges. Ebersole declined to confirm whether the deal was finalized after filming.

His advice to anyone thinking about building a side hustle: Expect to work hard.

The idea that if you do what you love, you won’t work a day in your life, “is the most bulls— thing ever,” Ebersole says. “Find what you love, and you’re going to work so hard for that.”

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.”

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Kids who communicate well, handle emotions effectively and build healthy relationships aren’t just naturally skilled at social interactions. They’ve learned these skills from their parents or trusted adults.

I’ve worked with thousands of kids and families, often helping them navigate tough moments. People skills — like empathy, communication, boundary-setting and conflict resolution — are crucial during life’s biggest challenges. They also shape how kids handle everyday stress, friendships and family dynamics. 

Here are six things that parents who raise kids with strong people skills do on a regular basis:

Rather than shielding their kids and avoiding difficult topics like illness, death or big life changes, these parents build trusting relationships by approaching tough conversations with openness, honesty and compassion.

They use simple, clear language and invite questions, teaching children that it’s okay to talk about uncomfortable topics and to seek support. 

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Parents who create a home environment where kids feel safe expressing their thoughts and emotions raise children who have an easier time communicating and advocating for themselves. 

These parents are comfortable naming and showing their own emotions in front of their kids, including joy and playfulness in difficult times. 

When their children feel frustrated, sad or overwhelmed, they don’t dismiss those emotions or say things like, “Don’t cry,” “It’s not a big deal,” or “You’re okay.” Instead, they validate their child’s experience:

• “It’s okay to cry. I’m here with you.”
• “I see you’re feeling upset.”
• “Your feelings make sense.”

This teaches kids that all feelings are okay, helps them learn and practice coping strategies to regulate their emotions, and allows them to feel safe expressing themselves. 

When conflicts or challenges arise, these parents don’t force quick apologies. Instead, they guide their children to consider the other person’s feelings, asking questions like:

• “How do you think your friend feels about what just happened?”
• “Does your sibling seem okay right now?”
• “What do you think would help them feel better?”

This helps kids develop perspective-taking skills, gives them a better understanding of what’s within their control, and shows them how both their actions and external factors impact others — ultimately making their apologies more meaningful and their relationships stronger.

Rather than immediately stepping in to fix conflicts or ease discomfort, these parents empower their kids to navigate challenges themselves. Instead of dictating solutions, they ask:

• “What do you think we could try to make this better?”
• “Would you like some ideas, or do you want to try something first?”

They help their children recognize when they need to set a boundary, teaching them to express limits clearly and respectfully:

• “I don’t like that. Please stop.”
• “I need some space right now.”
• “I’m not comfortable with that.”

By combining problem-solving with boundary-setting, parents help their kids develop the confidence to advocate for themselves and work through social challenges. They also recognize that not every situation has a clear solution or a quick fix — and in those moments, they focus on providing support. 

Instead of pushing their kids into new interactions and hoping they’ll figure it out, these parents set kids up for success by preparing them ahead of time and giving them opportunities to practice.

They help their kids feel more confident by:

• Talking about what to expect before a new event, like a medical procedure or birthday party: “We’re going to the doctor for a check-up. They’ll measure how you’re growing, listen to your heart and lungs, and look inside your ears, nose, and mouth.”
• Role-playing tricky interactions, such as advocating for their needs. “Let’s practice what you might say if someone keeps asking why you can’t eat the cupcake.”
• Teaching them how to set boundaries in social situations: “If someone is pressuring you to do something that feels unsafe or unkind, what can you say?”

Play isn’t just about having fun. The parents I’ve seen raise socially and emotionally skilled kids aren’t afraid to be silly, but they also understand that play is a child’s natural way of processing emotions, working through challenges, and building relationships. They:

• Engage in play to help kids work through tricky situations or feelings: “Whoa! Lets get those mad feelings out in a safe way. Can you pretend to be a bear or imagine blowing out birthday candles!?”
• Prioritize unstructured play time for kids to feel connected and build their own creativity, cooperation and confidence: “You have my undivided attention right now. What would you like to play? I want you to be in charge of the game.” 
• Use playful moments to prepare for new experiences and teach boundaries, empathy and communication: “Teddy needs a check up! Can you play doctor with him?”

By valuing play, these parents establish connection and trust while helping their kids develop social and emotional skills that are critical for their growth and development — and will serve them for a lifetime. 

Kelsey Mora is Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who provides custom support, guidance, and resources to parents, families, and communities impacted by medical conditions, trauma, grief, and everyday life stress. She is a private practice owner, mom of two, the creator and author of The Method Workbooks, and the Chief Clinical Officer of the nonprofit organization Pickles Group.

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Most people tend to make a single most common communication mistake at work, says Adam Grant: They don’t share an appropriate amount about their personal lives with their coworkers.

Specifically, workers either reveal too much about themselves — damaging their professional reputation — or they don’t share enough, leading to decreased trust, says Grant, a bestselling author and organizational psychologist at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

People who share too much tend to lack a sense of personal boundaries: They “love to blur the line between work and the rest of life,” says Grant, who also holds a “chief worklife expert” consultant title at careers website Glassdoor. “Their offices are decorated with pictures of their families. They take work calls from home at all hours. They invite their colleagues over for dinner and even sometimes go on vacation with them.”

But when you intertwine your work and personal lives, you’ll probably struggle to find moments to recharge, Grant says. And if you feel pressure to always be outgoing at work or say “yes” when you don’t want to, you can accidentally put yourself on a faster path toward burnout.

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The people who don’t talk enough about themselves want a “strict border between work and the rest of life,” says Grant. But if you don’t ever talk about anything related to your non-work life, you might struggle to build trusting relationships with your colleagues, which you typically need to grow your career.

Fifty-three percent of U.S. professionals say they avoid making connections at work because they want to keep their work and personal lives separate, according to a January 2025 Glassdoor poll of over 800 workers. This can lead to loneliness — something 58% of U.S. adults struggle with, according to a 2021 report from insurance and health care company The Cigna Group.

Sharing the exact right amount about your personal life at work requires some self-awareness and professional discretion, Grant says. His recommendation: Stick to relevant, work-related conversation topics and sprinkle in some light, personal levity when necessary.

“Think about the things you want to share that might actually overlap with what other people care about in your workplace,” says Grant. You can also take advantage of team-building and group work opportunities — where you can bond with co-workers over a common goal, or things otherwise happening within your company, he adds.

If you struggle to strike a healthy balance of sharing, you might want to skip your office’s more lax activities, Grant says. Work parties, happy hours and games of table tennis can bring you closer to your colleagues, but the environment can make it easier for you to accidentally overshare. 

“‘Deep fun’ is like, we’re going to bond around rolling up our sleeves to tackle a problem we care about, or a mission that matters to us,” says Grant, referencing a term coined by bestselling author Daniel Coyle. “That’s where a lot of trust and connection and camaraderie happens in the workplace.”

If you’re still on the fence about what to share — and what not to share — with your boss and coworkers, Karen Lynch, CEO of CVS Health, has a simple piece of advice: Share whatever directly helps you solve a problem or connect with someone else. If it doesn’t meet either of those two criteria, don’t bring it up.

“There’s things that you can talk about that can make a difference,” Lynch, whose business owns the CVS retail chain, insurance company Aetna and a series of other brands, told LinkedIn’s “This is Working” video series last year. “And there’s a fine line.”

Lynch said she followed her own advice at an Aetna town hall about mental health, when she was that company’s president. She shared a personal story about her mother committing suicide when Lynch was 12 years old, hoping to convey the importance of taking mental health seriously, she said.

Afterward, an employee with a similar experience reached out to her and thanked her for speaking up, she said. Sharing the deeply personal subject helped Lynch forge a bond with at least one employee, potentially helping change the way her organization approached mental health, she added.

Other personal anecdotes and banter can cross the line, she warned.

“You’re not going to share, ‘I got into a fight with my husband last night,” Lynch said.

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