Career Warrior Podcast

Are You Wasting Time Applying to Jobs That Don’t Exist? How to Spot Fake Job Postings and Protect Your Search 🕵️‍♂️

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into a growing problem in the job market: fake job postings. A recent survey by Resume Builder found that nearly 40% of companies posted fake job listings this year. So why, in a year marked by hiring freezes and mass layoffs, do companies continue to list roles they don’t plan to fill? And how can you, as a job seeker, identify which jobs are real and which are just digital ‘ghosts’?

We'll look at the surprising reasons behind fake job listings, including 'pipeline building,' where companies stockpile résumés for future roles, and how some use these postings to inflate their public image, signaling to investors or clients that they’re thriving. Other companies may post ghost jobs to gauge the talent pool, check market salaries, or even secure their budget, regardless of any real hiring intent. Some reasons are relatively harmless, while others feel outright deceptive.

More importantly, we’ll break down actionable steps you can take to avoid wasting time on these listings. Chris will share how to conduct a '360° company check,' spot red flags like vague job descriptions, outdated posting dates, or too-good-to-be-true roles, and even leverage your network to verify job openings.

Whether you're just starting your job search or have been at it for months, learning how to avoid fake job postings can keep your momentum up and help you focus on the real opportunities. Tune in for a complete guide to navigating ghost jobs so you can save time, avoid scams, and land a genuine role faster!

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In this episode of the Career Warrior Podcast, we're tackling the top resume challenges that job seekers face today. From getting past the bots to quantifying achievements, I’ll walk you through essential resume tips to help you stand out. I’ll share specific strategies for overcoming each of these common hurdles and making your resume shine.

Topics Covered:

1. Getting Past the Bots: Learn how to optimize keywords so your resume makes it through ATS filters and grabs the attention of hiring managers.
2. Being Concise: Discover effective ways to showcase your most relevant experiences while keeping your resume impactful and to the point.
3. Perfecting Formatting: Tips on choosing an ATS-friendly format that looks polished, professional, and easy to read.
4. Switching Careers: Explore strategies for highlighting transferable skills to make a strong case for career pivots or industry changes.
5. Quantifying Achievements: Understand how to showcase your accomplishments—even if you don’t have hard metrics—by emphasizing key contributions.

Tune in to get actionable resume advice that will help you navigate these top resume challenges and improve your job search in 2024 and beyond!

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Are you using the top LinkedIn keywords to boost your profile in 2024? In this episode, we’ll explore how the right LinkedIn keywords can help you stand out to recruiters. With 87% of recruiters relying on LinkedIn, it’s essential to optimize your profile with the best top keywords for LinkedIn to attract attention in a crowded job market.

We’ll cover the key categories to focus on, like position titles, location, and skills. Whether you’re in marketing, engineering, or HR, knowing how to leverage these LinkedIn keywords is crucial. For example, adding five or more skills to your profile can increase recruiter messages by up to 33x!

LinkedIn functions like an applicant tracking system, so it’s vital to know where to place your top LinkedIn keywords—from your headline to your experience section. Learn how to make your profile visible to the right recruiters and land more interviews.

I’m Chris, founder of Let’s Eat, Grandma, and we help mid to senior-level professionals get noticed. Tune in for practical advice to help you take control of your LinkedIn presence.

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We’re diving deep into the story and strategies of someone who chased success relentlessly, only to find that it wasn’t the key to a balanced, meaningful life. My next guest is Mike Gardon, Founder of Rejoin Coaching where he helps achievement-oriented professionals Break corporate dependence and build self-directed lives 

Mike is a former trader turned entrepreneur, who also holds an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship. He has built a career in online media previously holding roles at Money.com, Reviews.com, was Managing Editor at The Simple Dollar. Mike is widely quoted in media including The Huffington Post, Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo News. Right now, Mike resides in the beautiful Midwest with his wife and 3 young boys, and the family is building their side hustle, Quote Book.

We’ll explore the journey of breaking free from the corporate grind – and learning how to craft a self-directed, holistic approach to work and life. If you’ve ever wondered how to map out your strengths, run life experiments, or take control of your career on your own terms—this episode is for you.

Resources

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Today I brought on Kerri Twigg, the founder, and operator of Career Stories.

Through courses and coaching, Kerri helps people use their stories to grow their careers, whether they aim for a “job-job” or running their own business. And, if they’re not sure what kind of work, she helps with that too. 

She has been helping people find and share their stories with confidence for nearly 20 years, seven in the career management sector. She also supports businesses as they restructure or downsize, and helps support their employees who experience change or job loss. 

So as you can see, Kerri is going to be just awesome, and this episode is going to really help you out if you’re struggling with integrating personal narratives in your job-hunting strategy!

Resources:

Get more help on your applications from Let’s Eat, Grandma

Grab your own copy of Kerri’s latest book, “The Career Stories Method”

Reach out to Kerri directly at [email protected]

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 In this episode, we dive into the controversial question: should you lie on your resume? Joined by Jonaed Iqbal, founder of NoDegree.com, we explore the tough decisions job seekers face, especially those without a degree.

While lying may seem tempting, we discuss smarter ways to highlight your strengths. You’ll also hear insights on AI in resumes, whether your LinkedIn should differ from your resume and more. Tune in for honest resume advice that will help you stay true to yourself while standing out in the job market.

Resources

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We dive into the hot topic of AI resume builders and the critical warnings job seekers need to know before using them. With AI tools becoming increasingly popular, nearly 45% of job seekers are now turning to generative AI to craft their résumés. But is this the best move for your career? 

I'm Chris Villanueva, CEO and Co-Founder of Let’s Eat, Grandma, I'll unpack the risks associated with AI resume builders and how they might impact your job search. From misleading formats to content inaccuracies, I'll share why your resume still needs a human touch and how to use AI strategically instead of relying on it as a crutch. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on how AI is shaping the future of resume writing and what you need to know to stay ahead.

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Today, we’re diving into the secrets of networking success that anyone can use, regardless of their educational background.

We have a special guest who has cracked the code on building a world-class network without a degree. 

Jonaed Iqbal is the Founder of NoDegree.com and host of The NoDegree Podcast (200+ episodes) where he interviews people without college degrees and has them share their stories so others can follow in their path. Jonaed is a career coach and professional resume writer has helped over 700 candidates. He has over 300 recommendations at the bottom of his LinkedIn profile and his clients have gotten jobs/interviews at places like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Spotify, Tesla, TikTok, Disney, and more. He is committed to shattering the stigma that college is the only path to success.

Get ready to uncover practical tips and real-life stories that will transform your approach to networking and job searching. If you're eager to boost your career and learn strategies that can help you stand out, you won't want to miss this episode. Let's get started!

Resources

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Today I brought on legendary CWP repeat guest, Maya Grossman. Maya is a Career Coach, 2x VP of marketing, and a best-selling author.

She spent 15 years in the corporate world growing from an individual contributor to a VP, achieving 10 promotions in 15 years, and working for some of the best companies in the world (Microsoft and Google). 

Now Maya teaches ambitious professionals how to level up into executive roles, make quantum leaps in their careers and earn high 6 figures, without working harder. 

Whether you're just starting your professional journey or you've been in the career “matrix” for years, understanding these truths can be a game-changer.

• In 2024: At least 57,172 workers at U.S.-based tech companies have lost their jobs so far in the year.

• Out of our last clients at Let’s Eat, Grandma: 27.3% of our last 200 clients have been laid off.

• To read a quote from a top executive in the hiring space “The labor market is 100% changed from two years ago. Employers are holding the cards now.”

But our message today is the total opposite. It’s to tell you that you do have negotiating leverage. Employers don’t have all the cards. And whatever struggles you’re going through now – is only temporary! 

This event (recorded live in Austin, TX) was a transformative session designed to help job seekers push past barriers, overcome setbacks, and break into top leadership roles, even if they have been laid off.

Resources

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In today’s episode, we’ll cover some essential and practical tips for senior job seekers or those applying for upper management positions. We'll discuss:

1. How Senior-Level Resumes Are Different: Understand the unique elements that make senior-level resumes stand out.
2. Landing Interviews: Strategies to ensure your resume gets noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.
3. Beyond Experience and Accomplishments: Why solid experience alone isn't enough to secure the job.
4. Overqualification Issues: Why being overqualified can be as detrimental as being underqualified and how to navigate this trap.

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