Morning Brew - ✔️Prep(py) handbook

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Up your on-the-go toiletry game with this essential skincare kit from Ries. Each travel-sized, BPA-free bottle has a leakproof locking system. And when you’ve used all the product inside, just wash and reuse the containers ad infinitum. (They’re fully recyclable, too!)

Let’s face it: Making friends as an adult is hard. This handy how-to guide from Not So CEO will help you find your tribe in the school cafeteria of the grown-up world.

Your email address is one of the best identifiers for marketers and other data miners to track your every click, send, and open. Utilize the tips in this Vox article and keep your inbox activity private (but maybe don’t let our analytics team know we let you in on the secret).

There’s a quote famously attributed to Alexander Graham Bell: “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

Let that sink in. The key to finding success in your career requires a diverse skill set, and intellect, emotional intelligence, and functional or technical skills are all important. But the differentiating factor between those who make it and those who don’t is often preparation. Preparation is effort, and effort pays off.

Here are four ways you can make preparation work for you:

• Want to get noticed at work? Put in the extra time to prepare in advance for important meetings by exploring relevant data, looking at marketplace trends, and paying close attention to any pre-reading. Jot down three points you’d like to make about the agenda and three questions you’d like to ask the meeting leader. You may be surprised at how a little bit of extra prep will leave a lasting impression. It can even set the tone of the meeting and influence decision-making in your favor.
• Want a promotion or a new job? Read up on industry news, seek out perspective from folks working in similar positions, and research typical salaries, job descriptions, and requirements. This early legwork will pay off in your interviews and could be the critical detail that gets you the offer.
• Think it’s time for a raise? Keep track of your accomplishments for at least one quarter (a longer time is even better), do your homework on comparable roles, practice the conversation you plan to have with your manager, proactively identify possible reactions and plan out your responses, and be ready with a backup ask if your first proposition isn’t well received.
• Need to win over a skeptic at work? Ask what they’re interested in and spend time studying their thought process. Then, involve them in decision-making as much as possible. With enough preparation, you may even anticipate their objections and proactively address them before they become roadblocks.

In almost every professional situation, preparation gives you the upper hand. Carving out extra time to prep when you’re already stretched thin is hard, but it’s really the key to standing out and getting the results you want.—Karen Hebert-Maccaro, Morning Brew’s Queen of the Eduverse

Tech tips and tricks.

Got a very specific research query that needs a very specific answer? Save tons of time with advanced Google search shortcuts. Say you need to find a PDF about unemployment data in the US. In the Google search bar, type Unemployment AND US filetype: pdf. Your results will return PDFs that have file names with those keywords. But wait, there’s more! Search for domains with shortcut site: or URLs with inURL:. Add a minus sign before a word to omit it from your search results, or put a narrow filter on with intext:. Keep these advanced techniques in your back pocket ’cause you never know when you’ll need to do some serious Google digging.—SS

Burning questions of our time.

A new influencer breed is rising up in offices: the workplace vlogger. On TikTok and other video-first apps, creators are sharing “day in the life” stories about their jobs. From Starbucks employees to Googlers, there’s a surprisingly wide representation of industries and positions in these videos that reveal daily work routines, fun company perks and events, and impromptu office tours. While some companies welcome the free employee endorsement, others aren’t so happy about the extra attention. In fact, this employee was fired for sharing a little too much.

How much would you share about your job on social media? Does an employer have the right to tell an employee what they can and can’t post, even if the content is positive? Share your thoughts by hitting Reply to this email!—MW

And now, your thoughts on exchanging cash for crypto:

“I would prefer to get paid in (normal) cash until I could pay for my essentials [food, shelter (rent), and water] in crypto as well.”—Lauren

“It would be nice to receive 10% of my pay in cryptocurrency. Please note I mine and trade crypto on a very small scale.”—Sean

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: The NYPD has responded to 911 calls about alarming events at 312 Riverside Drive for years, but they’ve never made a single arrest. And it’s because 312 Riverside Drive doesn’t exist. This New York Times article tells a compelling story of mental health services, forgotten American veterans, and one man’s years-long obsession with a fictional address.

Watch: Some of the funniest quotes and characters of the ’90s came out of the hit sitcom Martin (like the inimitable Sheneneh). Recently, the cast reunited to talk about the magic behind our deepest belly laughs.

Follow: Elevate diverse authors and follow the Dominican Writers Association to hear first about all the great upcoming titles.