Career Warrior Podcast

Happy New Year! In this episode, we dive into Amazon’s controversial return to office mandate, requiring employees to work in-office five days a week starting January 2, 2025. With 73% of employees considering quitting, we’ll unpack the backlash, the CEO’s stance, and how it could signal a larger shift in the job market.

We also explore:

✅ The impact of return-to-office policies on company culture, productivity, and retention.

✅ What these changes mean for remote job seekers, with data from recent studies and labor reports.

✅ Why cracks are forming in a once-hot labor market and how it affects your career strategy.

Plus, we’re thrilled to announce a rebrand for 2025! Expect even more tactical advice for landing higher-paying jobs, advancing your career, and improving your health and wealth. Tune in for exciting updates about the show, including more guest episodes, deeper dives into company culture and mental health, and direct answers to your burning career questions.

Listen now to prepare for what’s ahead in your career journey!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube for exclusive content!

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Still struggling to land a job in 2024? Whether you’ve faced layoffs, radio silence from employers, or feelings of professional stagnation, this episode is for you.

Join me, Chris Villanueva, Founder and CEO of Let’s Eat, Grandma, as I share four powerful strategies to help you turn things around—no matter how tough this year has been. With over a decade of experience working with 10,000+ job seekers and creating career content that’s reached hundreds of thousands, I’ll guide you through actionable ideas that could make a difference by the end of this episode.

Ready to take the next step in your job search? Let’s dive in.

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Are the holidays really a good time to job hunt? In this episode of the Career Warrior Podcast, we dive deep into whether applying during the holiday season is worth your effort. Spoiler alert: it is!

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Key hiring trends, including the 216,000 job growth in December 2023 and the 63% hiring surge in January 2024.
• Why applying in December gives you a head start for January's new hiring budgets.
• How reduced competition during the holidays can make you stand out.
• The rise of hybrid and remote roles—reflecting the preferences of 90% of job seekers.
• Holiday networking strategies to build connections that last.

From targeting high-demand industries like tech and healthcare to leveraging festive gatherings for career growth, this episode is packed with actionable advice to keep your job search momentum strong.

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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

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

Check out Rejoin Media

Listen to Career Cloud Radio

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn

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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

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

Jonaed’s social media handles are below:

Connect with Jonaed on Linkedin

Check out NoDegreeCareers on Instagram

Follow Jonaed on Facebook

Follow us:

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

Connect with us, Schedule a call here

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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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