Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16907&preview=true) 

Are you considering going back to school before pursuing your dream job? What if you could get that position without paying thousands of dollars for more education? Find Your Dream Job guest Ken Coleman says it’s entirely possible, and he offers two questions to ask yourself before signing up for student loans. Ken also shares networking tips, how to pursue alternative education, and the importance of following your gut. 

About Our Guest:

Ken Coleman is the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and the author of The Proximity Principle.

Resources in This Episode:

• If you need help figuring out the next step in your career or job search, visit Ken’s website at kencoleman.com. 
• Check out Ken's book From Paycheck to Purpose: The Clear Path to Doing Work You Love

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16904&preview=true) 

Networking evolves with the marketplace, technology, and your own career stage, and habits that once worked can now make you look out of touch to the people you most want to impress. Find Your Dream Job guest Wendy Dukes says the fix starts with directness. Rather than spend ten minutes of a coffee meeting building up to your ask, state what you need from the start, then share the details that support your request. 

Offer something in return, too, so the connection benefits you both. Wendy also urges job seekers to retire two old standbys, the business card and the printed resume, in favor of a strong, current LinkedIn presence. And remember: networking isn't limited to professional events. Your next great connection might happen in a grocery store line, at a tailgate, or even on a cruise ship.

About Our Guest:

• Wendy Dukes is the director of the early careers program at the Forté Foundation. 

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16887&preview=true) 

If the statistics are true, recruiters and hiring managers spend less than 5 minutes looking at each resume they receive; even less if it doesn’t grab their attention immediately. In order to get past the first round of screening, Find Your Dream Job guest Agnes Zach says you need to use the language of the job description in your cover letter and resume. In addition, she suggests preparing specific, 3-5 minute answers to the most commonly asked interview questions. Agnes also shares the most common reasons you aren’t making it to the final round of interviews.

About Our Guest:

Agnes Zach is the CEO at Nonprofit Professionals Now and A to Z Staffing. Her organizations offer executive search, temporary staffing, and talent evaluation services.

Resources in This Episode:

• If you're a professional or job seeker in the nonprofit sector, Agnes offers services to help you. Find out more on her websites, Nonprofit Professionals Now (NPN) and A to Z Staffing, Inc.
• Connect with Agnes on LinkedIn

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16889&preview=true)

Job searching has changed a lot in 25 years, but the fundamentals haven't. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mac joins Enrique Ruiz on the All In Recruiting Podcast to share the three questions every job seeker needs to answer: What do you want? Where do you want to go? What do you offer? Mac talks about his own periods of unemployment and the lessons they taught him about networking, referrals, and why applying online isn't enough. 

He and Enrique also dig into what employers get wrong — from vague job postings to ghosting candidates — and why hiring is a branding experience. Whether the job market is booming or tough, someone is always getting hired. Listen in to learn how honing the fundamentals helps you ride the ebbs and flows of any economy and stand out from the competition.

About the Host:

• Enrique Ruiz is the founder of Chief Talent Agent and the host of the All in Recruiting Podcast. He helps engineering and construction companies hire the people who design and build the world around us.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Enrique on LinkedIn.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16880&preview=true) 

You know a job search takes time. But when the rejections pile up, and the silence stretches on, it's hard not to wonder if something is wrong with you. It isn't, says Find Your Dream Job guest Melissa Wong. Feeling stuck is one of the most common and painful parts of a job search, and the way through is to focus on what you can control. 

One of Melissa's favorite remedies is to make something. A creative project gives you a reason to reach out to collaborators, a fresh talking point at networking events, and maybe even a new portfolio piece. More than anything, it reminds you that you have something to offer. Her other piece of advice is don't go it alone. Trade some of those cold applications for in-person conversations. Ask people for feedback on your search, and be willing to let them help. Staying connected keeps you resilient, and resilience is what will carry you to your next job.

About Our Guest:

• Melissa Wong is the founder of the Coherence Studio. Melissa is also the author of the new book, The Fluid Career.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn.
• Check out Melissa's free "Work That Works" training. 
• Learn more about Melissa's forthcoming book, The Fluid Career. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16876&preview=true) 

There are many elements involved in landing your dream job; networking, a professional resume, and solid skills are just a few of the things required. But even with all that, it can be incredibly difficult. What if there was a silver bullet to fast-track your job search? Find Your Dream Job guest Jason Alba says informational interviews are the answer. Jason adds that informational interviews are an incredibly effective job search tool that most people aren’t taking advantage of, and he shares how to get the most out of your own. 

About Our Guest:

Jason Alba is a soft skills and career expert for Pluralsight.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn
• Check out Jason's books

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16871&preview=true)

Each of us brings unique strengths to the table, and showing what you excel at makes you stand out to employers. When it comes down to the final two candidates, the offer often goes to the person the hiring manager can clearly picture in the role. Specificity wins. So how do you get that clear on what you offer? Find Your Dream Job guest expert Shannon Bowen of Monsoon Leadership says AI can help.

Shannon shares how to use tools like ChatGPT or Claude to pull strengths and themes from your own success stories, match keywords from job postings, and sharpen your interview answers with stronger verbs, statistics, and outcomes. She also reminds listeners that AI is just a mirror. The strengths are already within you — it simply reflects back what you know best.

About Our Guest:

• Shannon Bowen is a career coach and the founder of Monsoon Leadership. 

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16852&preview=true) 

If you’ve ever been ghosted after what you thought was a great interview, you may feel confused about what went wrong. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’ve put your all into the interview only to be rejected. But Find Your Dream Job guest Shelley Piedmont says there are ways to be better prepared next time. First, focus more on the value you bring than strictly on your qualifications. Second, be a clear communicator. And finally, remember that sometimes, not being selected gives you a better chance at job fulfillment and happiness. 

About Our Guest:

Shelley Piedmont is a former recruiter and human resources director. She’s also the founder of My Career GPS.

Resources in This Episode:

• If you’re ready to find a job you love, Shelley can help. Learn more by visiting her website at My Career GPS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16841&preview=true) 

Looking for work right now is hard. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mac steps into the guest seat alongside executive career strategist Gina Riley for the Intel Alumni Network's Path to Next series. Mac and Gina name what many job seekers are feeling right now. The market has tightened with fewer roles, more applicants, and easy-apply tools that leave too many qualified professionals sending out thoughtful résumés into silence.

What sets you apart is knowing the job you're after, building a short list of employers you'd love to work for, and pursuing organizations rather than openings. Mac and Gina discuss how to ask for an informational interview, why a referral carries more weight than an online application, and how to follow up when someone goes quiet without feeling like a pest. Their parting advice is: don't wait to be picked; being qualified isn’t enough in this job market.

About the Host:

• Gina Riley is an executive career strategist and the author of the book, Qualified Isn't Enough: Develop Your Story. Land the Interview. Win the Job.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Gina on LinkedIn
• Check out Gina’s book, Qualified Isn't Enough: Develop Your Story. Land the Interview. Win the Job.
• Check out the Intel Alumni Network.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16847&preview=true)

What does it take to thrive at work when AI keeps changing the rules? This week on Find Your Dream Job, HR leader and career coach Marguerite McAleer talks about how to future-proof your career in the age of AI. Marguerite sees AI less as a replacement and more as a tool for handling routine tasks, freeing you to focus on the work machines can't do: strategic thinking, creativity, and human relationships.

Marguerite also pulls back the curtain on what hiring looks like from her side of the desk, where a single job posting can attract more than 150 applications. She says to forget the spray-and-pray approach. Be choosy, go after roles that feel like a fit, and put your own voice back into anything AI helps you write. She explains why skills are increasingly valued over credentials, how the STAR method can help you stand out in an interview, and why anyone changing careers should lead with connection rather than an apology.

About Our Guest:

• Marguerite McAleer is an HR leader and a career coach.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Marguerite on LinkedIn.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.