Matt Rutherford

Hey friend! It's great to see you. Thanks for joining us this Monday morning!Stuff I've WrittenStill good at it. Being the person everyone comes to is a reward. It is also what keeps you exactly where you are.From the Archive: The Weekly Review That Makes You Better at Your Job (In 30 Minutes). If you want to know what you learned this quarter, start writing it down this week.Stuff I'm ReadingHow to be disciplined and consistent. Superb thinking about productivity.Sleep on it. Classic advice,…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that you can frequently see the International Space Station from Earth - here's how to do it. The ISS won’t be around forever. Here’s how to see it from EarthWhile you wait for the launch of the Crew-13 astronauts to the International Space Station, here’s how you can spot the orbital outpost anytime. Get…

You are the one people come to. The tricky version of the problem lands on your desk because everybody knows you will handle it. New starters get pointed at you in their first week.It takes less out of you than it used to. Not because the work got easier, but because you got good at it.Last week the problem was that nothing was wrong. This week something is actively right, which is considerably harder to argue with.Name the last thing this job taught you. Something you could not do before, with…

Hey friend! Good to see you again, and welcome to the new readers since last week. Stuff I've WrittenNothing is wrong. Which is exactly why nothing has moved in two years.From the Archive: Stop Drifting: The 10-Minute Career Audit. Ten minutes to find out whether you chose this or just kept going.Stuff I'm ReadingZugunruhe. A restless sign that something needs to change.What do you want your days to actually look like?Prepare your No and Keep it Handy. Superb advice from the always excellent…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about tomarigi.com - a superb website that lists over 1000 webcams in Japan. A cute insight into an interesting country. https://tomarigi.me/ Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No…

Ask most people how work is going and you get a complaint or a highlight reel. Some people give you neither. They say "fine", and they mean it.Maybe that is you, the pay is good, the team is decent, you are quick at the job now and people rely on you. Nothing is wrong.It has been fine for about two years.Last week I wrote that nothing happens at your desk, and that the only thing counting as progress is a move. Something involving another person, with a date on it, that can be turned down.…

I'm still living in Dublin, Ireland. I love my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. I started an email newsletter six years ago called "Stuff that MattR's", it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. I'm currently unemployed after being laid off by Meta - and I'm happily exploring what is next - get in touch if you'd like to discuss something. In July, I built and launched…

Hey friend! It's fantastic to see you back, and thanks for the feedback on last weeks issue. Stuff I've WrittenNothing Happens at Your Desk. Now that you've spent time thinking about your plan, it's time to translate it into action. From the Archive: Stop Overthinking Career Decisions. Use this Test. Stuff I'm ReadingIf you’re so smart, why aren’t you happy? And how to turn smart into happy, from the excellent Naval Ravikant.How to build a quiet and boring life that you love. Beware of…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the worlds longest nonstop plane flight is now OVER 24 hours, from Melbourne to France. (I can't imahine being on a single plane for that long)New airliner sets record flying 24 hrs nonstop from Australia to FranceTest flight shows viability of Qantas Airways’ Project Sunrise routes in 2027. Get…

Notice what the last three weeks had in common. (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3)Listing your options. Making a timelines of your constraints. Working out what you're actually good at. Every one of those can be done alone, at a kitchen table, in your notebook. Nobody else has to know. Nothing can go wrong.That's what makes them useful, and it's exactly what makes them dangerous.You can complete all three perfectly and be in precisely the same position in a year.Better informed. Still there.Thinking is…

Hey friend! It's good to see you, and welcome to the new subscribers that have joined this week. Stuff I've WrittenNouns don't always Transfer. Spending time thinking about skills beyond your current role is great way to land the next big opportunity. From the Archive: How to recognise and overcome imposter syndrome. A timely reminder that you can move past the inner voice. Stuff I'm ReadingWhy flexibility is your greatest career asset. How you can adapt and advance your journey with the right…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned that the worlds third smallest country has changed its name, now Nauru is now Naoero. Nauru, the world’s 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to NaoeroNauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning with its national language Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real…

I've helped a lot of people identify their transferable skills. In coaching sessions. In 1:1s, back when I was running teams. In the conversations that happen after a reorg, when someone wants to work out what they've actually got.Almost everyone answers with nouns. Communication. Leadership. Problem solving. Stakeholder management, if they've been in a big company long enough.Nobody believes any of it. Not the person hearing it, and not the person saying it.The nouns fail because they're…

Hey friend! It's good to see you, and welcome to the new subscribers that have joined this week. Stuff I've WrittenConstraints are the Brief. To move forward, know what you CANNOT change - and how long before you CAN. From the Archive: The Power of the Side Quest, and how it can generate big shifts in your life. Stuff I'm ReadingWhat everyone gets wrong about the modern job search, and what actually works. Should you use AI for a task? Here’s a good method to help decide. Four core components…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned about the worlds smallest buffalo, and she's adorable!World’s smallest buffalo born at Chester Zoo | Chester Zoo Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup.

Ambitious, magical plans are usually vague. Cautious plans are usually specific. That's why the cautious ones actually happen.When I coach people on their career, I try to move them towards specific, actionable plans, with start and end dates. Those plans are much more likely to succeed. Listen to how people describe what they want next. The big version is always fuzzy. "Something more meaningful. More freedom. Work that matters. I have a dream to do X". Nobody can act on any of that, so nobody…

Hey friend! Great to see you again, thanks for all the comments on last weeks edition. Stuff I've WrittenA Question Before the Job Hunt. Ask yourself the right questions, before you decide to continue on the same path. From the Archive: Prestige is a lagging indicatorStuff I'm ReadingHow to negotiate a salary in 2026. As the market changes, so do the rules.Four ways that companies can make a flat hierarchy work, and some of the pitfalls.When being too good at your job can limit your career. The…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned exactly how to watch the upcoming Solar Eclipse - including location, direction and timing - all from this clever site:Solar Eclipse at sunset · August 12, 2026Dove vedere l’eclissi? · ¿Dónde ver el eclipse? · Wo die Finsternis sehen? · Où voir l’éclipse? Get better at work. Every Week. One Email.…

When your working life gets interrupted, everyone asks the same question. So, what are you looking for?It's a kind question. It's also premature. Before you can answer what you're looking for, you need to know what you're choosing between, and almost nobody has that list.I didn't. So before I started looking for anything, I went and built it.The default is invisible until it breaksA career runs on autopilot for years at a time. You don't choose it every morning. You inherit it, then you…

Hey friend! Thanks for the feedback on the Lay Off Field Guide - I hope you don't need it, but I'm glad it's useful. Stuff I've WrittenHow to Win at Work Every Day. I explain why you need an internal scorecard, and share a ten minute exercise that can help you make one. A Door, not an Answer. How, and why I build Oblique.Cards. Stuff I'm ReadingHow to push back on impossible deadlines. Use this framework to say no without burning bridges. (More graceful ways to say no here.)What is really…

UpdatesThis week was dominated by the sad news of the death of Glen Hansard. A friend messaged me on Wednesday morning asking if I had read the rumours, soon afterwards more official news started to arrive of Glen's death in a motorcycle accident. Glen was a favourite - I've seen him live 5 or 6 times, and enjoy his music. I also love his spirit. The live shows were always an event, and he frequently stood up for people less fortunate. His regular championing of other peoples performance was…

I'm still living in Dublin, Ireland. I love my space here. I can see the sea from my living room and I'm surrounded by my records and books. I started an email newsletter six years ago called "Stuff that MattR's", it has evolved into a great way of sharing career and development advice to a growing list of curious people. I'm currently unemployed after being laid off by Meta - and I'm happily exploring what is next - get in touch if you'd like to discuss something. In 2026, I will be posting…

Contents 1. The Death of the Annual WinWe are conditioned to treat winning as an astronomical event. It is rare, blindingly bright, and lightyears away. We are told that winning looks like the promotion at the end of the fiscal year, the five-figure bonus after a gruelling product launch, or the polished trophy handed out at the annual all-hands meeting.The victory is always just over the horizon. However, there is a major flaw in this calendar-based philosophy: human motivation doesn't always…

Most of my working time is spent asking people questions. As I pivot towards coaching for a living, the work is mostly one thing. Helping someone see what they are standing too close to see.This week I tried to put some of that into a deck of cards.It is called oblique.cards. You draw one when you are stuck, on your work or your life, and it nudges you sideways. It began as a tribute to Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies, the deck that creatives reach for when they hit a wall. I…

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit! This week I learned how the International Space Station generates fresh oxygen in space... turns out they find it on board! Get better at work. Every Week. One Email. Practical Tools. Real Progress. Get the Mail Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join 2000+ readers. No Spam. Unsubscribe Anytime.

Hey friend. Thanks for the lovely comments on Issue 300 - it's great to see you again!Stuff I've WrittenI've been laid off twice in 6 years - here's everything I've learned in the Lay-Off Field Guide. From the Archive: Mastering the STAR technique for success in interviews. Stuff I'm ReadingThe architecture of focus. An excellent deep-dive into the world of deep work. How to end your day. Using this technique from Hemingway is a powerful way to finish your workday. The AI jobs apocalypse…

UpdatesAnother week post layoff, and I think I have a handle on my daily routine now, I'm keeping busy and working on my next career plans. Meanwhile, I built and launched a new small project this week. oblique.cards is a site, inspired by the Eno and Schmidt Oblique Strategies cards - but focused on work and career. I wanted this to be a minimal, elegant site and I'm please with the way it came out. Saturday evening we enjoyed 'The Wizard of the Kremlin' (4*) - a fun journey through the recent…

Layoffs come with their own vocabulary, often used at the exact moment you're least able to look things up. Here's the plain-English version.At-will employment — Mostly a US concept. Either side can end the job at any time, for almost any reason, with no notice required.COBRA — The US mechanism that lets you keep your employer health plan for a period after leaving, usually by paying the full cost yourself.Collective consultation — A legally required group process in much of Europe when…

Your head and your wellbeing. If you're struggling, talk to your GP or doctor first. In the UK and Ireland, the Samaritans are free and available any time on 116 123. In the US, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there by call or text. In the UK, Mind offers mental health support; in Ireland, Aware supports people through depression and anxiety.Your rights at work. UK: ACAS for free, impartial employment advice, and Citizens Advice for broader help. Ireland: the Workplace Relations…

If this guide helped, don't let it be a one-off. Every week I write Stuff that MattRs, a newsletter about work, careers, and building a life that doesn't hang on any single employer. This guide is the map for one hard stretch of road. The newsletter is how you keep moving once you're through it.Come and subscribe. And if you want someone in your corner for what comes next, find me at mattrutherfordcoaching.com.