We've covered how to ask, or not ask, for free professional advice: Don't say "Can I pick your brain?" and do make a specific, realistic request. But when you're on the other side of the tiny café table, take Quartz's thoughtful advice on how to get your brain picked.

There was a time when I planned my career but then reality set in and I realised that life was really a series of opportunities and that what I should really focus on was making good decisions to take on jobs that were either a step forward in terms of experience or enjoyment, or that I saw as a stepping stone towards something I wanted to do. But it's easy to make mistakes. CIO magazine has listed their top 20 "career killers". What are yours?

What do you do when it’s a Monday morning and you feel more like a deflated balloon than a productive person? Hoping that Oprah will pop out from behind your couch and give you a pep talk on living your best life is, likely, futile. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: motivating yourself to kick butt isn’t as hard as you may think.

In "The Assistant Economy," Dissent Magazine analyses the privileged and idiosyncratic career path of "personal assistants" who serve a single high-profile professional, often in a creative field, in a job that often provides no direct promotion opportunities (a movie director can't train you to replace them) but plenty of indirect ones. Here are a few practical tips.

You're in a groove at work and everything feels about as normal as it could -- and then suddenly, you find out that your list of responsibilities is changing dramatically. It's jarring, I know.

Just like with regular employees, the professionalism and likability of managers can vary greatly - some are excellent at their jobs while others are truly terrible. Either way, there are a few things you just shouldn't say to your direct superior. After all, they ultimately hold the keys to your future in the company. Aside from the obvious — like profanity and insults — here are the words and phrases you should never utter to your boss.

Brief news items of note for Lifehacker readers, including: Westworld final episode recap, 16 ways you should invest your time in your 20s for long-term success, watch the Transformers: The Last Knight trailer.

You've completed a job interview for your dream job and now you're waiting with bated breath for a call back. What now? Should you sit by idly while you wait for a response? Definitely not. But you need to tread carefully when you follow up after an interview; you don't want to potentially annoy your interviewer and ruin your chances of landing that job. There's a fine line between being enthusiastic and being overly aggressive in getting an answer. Follow these simple post-interview tips to ensure you're putting your best foot forward.

Positions at Google are extremely competitive given that the company is known for all the work perks it gives to its employees. The technology giant is picky with who they interview but one entrepreneur has created a resume that not only piqued the interest of Google but a number of top tech start-ups as well. Here's what the resume looks like and some sage advice on how to write your own.

Dear Lifehacker, I am currently unemployed and have a bit of a dilemma. I've been offered a temporary work contract in a regional area for approximately 3-4 months. Meanwhile, a local business I previously trained with has hinted at a permanent job opportunity -- but they won't give me any sort of time-frame or even confirm that the position exists. I'd really love to work for the latter company since I enjoyed the work experience immensely (plus it's closer to home). Should I stay unemployed and wait for that company's job or should I just go with the temporary position?

Young people have all heard the advice that it's great to get a career in a field that you enjoy. As a result, many focus on the wrong part of that advice.

Making any kind of career change is tough. And in some situations, it’s pretty near impossible -- no matter how many inspirational quotes you memorise about following your passion. But there are still changes you can make without switching careers.

People make mistakes and failing is a part of life. But when failure happens at work, it's sometimes hard to remember this. You're consumed by the screw up and castigate yourself repeatedly internally. Don't fall into this trap of mentally flogging yourself even when faced with a serious career failure.

There are over 400 million profiles on professional networking site LinkedIn and that number grows on a daily basis. This means making your profile stand out from the crowd can be challenging. But according to a LinkedIn spokesperson, bolstering the word count in your profile's "Summary" section is one trick you can use to get yourself noticed by potential employers.

Dear LH,

Due to technological advancements and societal trends, which types of careers are at most risk of becoming obsolete in the near future? Equally, what are the growth industries that students should be considering to ensure they will be in high demand after graduation and throughout their career?