Is This an Open Role or B.S.? Ghost Jobs and PR Trickery

Job postings used to mean something. Now? They might just be corporate fan fiction. In this episode, Josh digs into ghost jobs—roles that look real but never get filled. He unpacks the story of a product manager who applied with a referral and still never got seen, and talks with a career coach who’s helped hundreds navigate the same dead ends. Whether it’s PR spin, bench-building, or future-proofing a hiring freeze, these jobs waste more than time—they drain hope. And while we can’t stop companies from posting them, we can learn how to spot them sooner.

About The Job Market Sh*t Show

The Job Market Sh*t Show: How AI Broke Hiring and What Might Be Next is an investigation into how hiring actually works now, how AI and automation have upended the process, and why the old rules no longer apply. It blends reporting, analysis, and firsthand stories from inside a labor market that’s increasingly algorithmic, opaque, and indifferent to the people moving through it—while asking what, if anything, might replace a system that no longer seems to work for humans on either side of the process.

What if the problem isn’t that younger generations don’t want to work—but that work stopped making sense?

On this episode of Great Mondays Radio, host Josh Levine talks with culture strategist and Call for Culture founder Angela Howard about why leaders keep misreading Gen Z—and how the familiar complaint “the kids don’t want to work” is really a signal of a broken social contract. From quiet quitting to calling out employers online, Angela explains why these moments aren’t trends, but symptoms of a deeper shift in power, fairness, and expectations at work.

They explore how technology has given employees a voice previous generations never had, why ambition is being mislabeled as entitlement, and how organizations default to short-term efficiency at the expense of long-term resilience. The conversation digs into culture as risk management, why workplaces lag behind societal change, and what it actually means to treat people like humans—not resources.

If you’re a leader navigating generational tension, return-to-office debates, or rising disengagement, this episode reframes the challenge. The question isn’t how to fix Gen Z—it’s whether your organization is willing to evolve before the next reckoning arrives.

About Our Guest:

Angela Howard is the founder of Call for Culture, a culture consultancy, and creator of Culture Impact Lab, a conference exploring the intersection of workplace culture and social change. She advises leaders on future-proofing organizations through fairness, dignity, and sustainable culture. Learn more at callforculture.com.

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.

Hey Robot, Read My Resume? When AI Decides Who Gets Seen.

Applying online feels like shouting into the void—and that’s because, more often than not, your first interviewer is a robot. In this episode, Josh breaks down the rise of AI in hiring: how automation is reshaping resume screening, where bias creeps in, and why so many qualified candidates are ghosted by systems that were built for efficiency, not fairness. Plus, why networking—not keyword cramming—might be your best bet for getting seen.

About The Job Market Sh*t Show:

The Job Market Sh*t Show is an investigation into how hiring actually works now, why the old rules no longer apply, and what’s quietly taking their place. It blends reporting, analysis, and firsthand stories from inside a labor market that feels increasingly automated, opaque, and indifferent to the people moving through it.

What if the reason your employees are building personal brands on LinkedIn isn’t ambition—but survival?

On this episode of Great Mondays Radio, host Josh Levine sits down with cultural futurist and brand strategist Jasmine Bina to unpack why the old equation—work = reward—no longer adds up. From TikTok algorithms to crypto millionaires to GLP-1s rewriting the rules of body politics, Jasmine explains how our culture is shifting away from effort-based outcomes and toward something far more unpredictable.

They dive into what this decoupling of work and reward means for leaders: why office mandates feel hollow, how the free agent mindset is reshaping loyalty, and what managers need to understand about meaning, motivation, and why everyone—yes, everyone—has an exit fantasy now.

If you’re seeing signs of disconnection on your team but can’t quite name the cause, this conversation offers a new lens. And a challenge: are you clear about the role your organization plays in people’s lives? Because your employees are already deciding for themselves.

About Our Guest:

Jasmine Bina is CEO of the brand strategy firm Concept Bureau and co-founder of the community Exposure Therapy. She writes and speaks widely on identity, culture, and the future of meaning at work. Learn more at conceptbureau.com and exposuretherapy.com.

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.

If Everyone Hates LinkedIn, Why Are We Still There? The Role of Platforms In Our Search for Jobs

LinkedIn is noisy, frustrating, and often feels like a job search dead end—so why are we still using it? In this episode, Josh unpacks the tension we all feel about the platform, exploring what still works (profiles, networks, discovery) and what definitely doesn’t (spam, false leads, and the chaos of too much noise). Plus, a glimpse into how job seekers are starting to reclaim control—one Slack or Discord community at a time.

About The Job Market Sh*t Show:

The Job Market Sh*t Show is an investigation into how hiring actually works now, why the old rules no longer apply, and what’s quietly taking their place. It blends reporting, analysis, and firsthand stories from inside a labor market that feels increasingly automated, opaque, and indifferent to the people moving through it.

What if the real reason your remote team feels disconnected isn’t bad Wi-Fi or low engagement—but a missing muscle you haven’t trained?

On this episode of Great Mondays Radio, host Josh Levine talks with empathy researcher Alison Jane Martingano, Ph.D. about why “cameras on” doesn’t actually bring us closer—and what does.

Dr. Martingano studies how empathy works (and breaks) in remote work. In this conversation, she explains the difference between cognitive and emotional empathy, why video calls can actually block connection, and how to rebuild the contextual cues we used to get for free in an office.

Together, they dig into the science of empathy, the social cost of ignoring it, and how to create rituals that make space for real connection—even when you’re just a square on a screen.

If you’ve ever left a meeting feeling like something was off—but couldn’t put your finger on it—this episode will help you name the problem and give you tools to fix it.

About Our Guest:

Alison Jane Martingano, Ph.D. is a researcher and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Her work focuses on empathy, virtual communication, and how our digital lives shape human connection. Learn more at alisonjanemartingano.com and watch her TedX Talk, "How to train your empathy muscles."

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.

What Happens When Everyone Applies to Every Job? The Applicant Tsunami Overwhelming People and Systems.

The job market’s broken, and it starts with volume. In this episode, we look at how applying for jobs turned into a numbers game—fueled by one-click applications, AI bots, and overwhelmed recruiters. Featuring the story of Nathan S., an AI researcher rethinking what “fit” even means, we dig into the applicant tsunami and ask: how do you stand out in a system built to ignore you?

About The Job Market Sh*t Show:

The Job Market Sh*t Show is an investigation into how hiring actually works now, why the old rules no longer apply, and what’s quietly taking their place. It blends reporting, analysis, and firsthand stories from inside a labor market that feels increasingly automated, opaque, and indifferent to the people moving through it.

What if the biggest risk to your career isn’t leaving your job too soon—but not knowing how to leave at all?

On this episode of Great Mondays Radio, host Josh Levine talks with Greg Larkin, former Bloomberg Innovation Director and founder of the executive network Punks & Pinstripes, about why corporate loyalty is dead—and what that means for your career.

Greg has helped hundreds of high-performing leaders navigate inflection points in their careers. He believes reinvention isn’t just a phase—it’s a survival skill. In this conversation, he shares the “Four Horsemen of Reinvention,” offers practical litmus tests to assess whether your job is a catalyst or a constraint, and explains the difference between getting rich and getting free.

Together, they unpack why urgency can fuel transformation, how to build your “reinvention go-bag,” and why the community you build when you don’t need help is the one that will catch you when you do.

Whether you’re thinking about a change or trying to make sense of a sudden shift, this episode will challenge your assumptions and offer a new framework for navigating your professional path with clarity and purpose.

About Our Guest:

Greg Larkin is the founder of Punks & Pinstripes, a global network of disruptive corporate leaders. He’s the author of This Might Get Me Fired and has built innovation strategies for Google, Bloomberg, and Uber. Learn more at punksandpinstripes.com.

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.

In this special episode, Great Mondays Radio shares a re-broadcast from Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast hosted by Al Elliott and Leanne Elliott, where behavioral science meets workplace culture.

Josh opens the episode with a brief introduction before joining Al and Leanne to tackle a challenge many leaders face: how to scale a company without breaking the culture that made it work in the first place. When a team grows from 15 to 50—or 100—what changes? What gets lost? And what can leaders do to protect trust, connection, and shared purpose as complexity increases?

Drawing on research and real-world experience, this conversation explores the fears behind growth, the myths leaders believe about culture at scale, and practical ways to think about culture as something designed—not accidentally diluted.

About Truth, Lies & Work Podcast

Want to be a great leader? Want to learn how to build an amazing culture at work? Want your team to care as much as you do? Every week, Truth, Lies & Work talks about practical, science-based ways to find, keep and empower great people. Co-hosted by business psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.

→ Original episode: “Why your founder's culture dies at 50 employees (And what to do about it), with Work Futurist Josh Levine,” published October 9, 2025 on the Truth, Lies & Work podcast.

→ Listen to Great Mondays Radio Episode 124 with Leanne Elliott: Surveys Won't Save You: How to Measure Culture Like a Business Metric.

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.

Before we dive into business culture and the future of work in 2026, we’re taking one last look in the rearview mirror. This episode is the fourth annual Great Mondays Radio Pop Culture Countdown—Josh Levine's not-at-all-scientific, highly subjective tour through the cultural moments that defined 2025.

We’ve got Conan at the Oscars, gothic weirdos ruling Netflix (Wednesday, again), and an animated K-pop squad fighting demons (yes, really). There’s a billion-dollar deal for two dudes in Colorado to keep making fart jokes—and a corporate merger that might’ve just ended the streaming wars. Oh, and Taylor and Travis made it official.

This isn’t just about what trended. It’s about what mattered, what got weird, and what might just stick around longer than your favorite app. Tune in and say goodbye to 2025 the right way.

About Great Mondays:

→ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply here.

→ Running our show takes a lot of coffee. Support us for just $3/month.

→ Watch Great Mondays Radio episodes on YouTube.

→ Want to learn more about Josh's work at Great Mondays? Visit greatmondays.com.