Seen Heard & Hired

About This Episode

If your job search strategy is basically opening SEEK or LinkedIn, seeing what’s there and hitting apply, you’re definitely not alone.

But applying for jobs is an activity. It’s not necessarily a strategy.

In this episode, Carol and Sarah take a step back from the applications and look at what a more deliberate job search can actually involve.

We talk about getting clear on what you want next — not just the role, but the things that really matter to you — and knowing the difference between your non-negotiables and your nice-to-haves.

We also look at why volume isn’t a strategy, what it means to really understand what you bring to the market, and why you need to be able to connect the dots between your experience and the opportunity in front of you.

Carol shares two very different recent examples from the recruiter side of the desk: one candidate whose application didn’t quite tell the story but who was great once she got on the phone, and another whose CV appeared to tickevery box but who couldn’t back it up when asked.

We also talk about reality-checking what you want against what’s actually happening in the market, genuine skill gaps versus confidence gaps, giving your job search some structure without letting it consume your whole day, and looking at the evidence to work out what part of your strategy is — orisn’t — working.

Your job search shouldn’t just be something that’s happening to you. You can take a much more active role in managing it.

Applying for jobs is absolutely part of the strategy. It’s just not the whole strategy.

In This Episode

• Getting clear on what you actually want fromyour next role

• Non-negotiables versus nice-to-haves

• Why volume alone isn’t a job-search strategy

• Knowing what you bring to the market — andbeing able to articulate it

• Why tailoring your CV doesn’t mean makingclaims you can’t back up

• Reality-checking your search against what’sactually happening in the market

• The difference between a genuine skill gap anda confidence gap

• Giving your job search structure withoutletting it consume your day

• Building a target list and looking beyondtoday’s advertised jobs

• Creating a job-search rhythm rather thanpanic-applying

• Following up without becoming thatperson

• Using evidence to work out whether yourstrategy is actually working

Chapters

00:00 — Applying for jobs vs having a strategy
02:07 — What do you actually want next?
04:52 — Why volume isn’t a job-search strategy
07:01 — Knowing what you’re taking to market
11:32 — Reality-checking your strategy against the market
14:17 — Giving your job search structure
18:28 — Building your job-search map
20:25 — Creating a rhythm instead of panic-applying
21:57 — Following up without becoming that person
23:05 — Is your job-search strategy actually working?
25:51 — Myths & Truths
28:37 — Listener Love & final takeaways

🌐 Connect With Us

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Carol Fraser — Fraser People
www.fraserpeople.co.nz

Coming Next

Some of the best opportunities don’t necessarily start with you pressing Apply.

In our next episode, we’re talking about networking — what itactually means, the network you probably already have, how to reconnect with people without feeling awkward, and how opportunities can happen behind thescenes.

💙 Thanks forListening

If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe to Seen, Heard & Hired wherever you listen.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, questions and experiences too — send us a message or leave us a comment. You might even feature in a future Listener Love.

And if you know someone who could use this conversation in their job search, please share the episode with them.

About This Episode

You see a role that looks like a great fit.You spend time on the application, hit submit… and then hear nothing. Do that enough times and it’s hard not tostart wondering: Is it me? Is it my CV? Am I too old? Overqualified? Is the ATS rejecting me? Or do I just need to apply for more jobs?

In this episode of Seen, Heard & Hired,Carol and Sarah unpack what might actually be happening when you’re applying for jobs and not getting the response you hoped for.

With application volumes high across NewZealand and Australia, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes that job seekers simply can’t see. We talk about competition, the impact of AI and easy-apply technology, what recruiters are seeing, and why silence or rejectiondoesn’t always mean what you think it does.

Most importantly, we look at how to recognisethe difference between what you know about your job search and the story you might be creating to fill in the gaps — and where to focus your energy when something genuinely isn’t working.

In This Episode

• Why application volumes are so high right now

• More applications don’t necessarily mean more suitable candidates

• Using AI to support your application rather than letting it do all the talking

• Why “you don’t know who you’re up against” really does matter

• What it tells you if you’re getting interviews but not offers

• Why feedback and patterns are more useful than one unsuccessful application

• Ageism, overqualification and the assumptions that can creep into a long job search

• Why applying for hundreds of jobs isn’t necessarily the answer

• Knowing when it might be time to change something — and when it isn’t

• Focusing on the parts of your job search you can actually influence

Episode Resources

Episode 8 — Your CV Has One Job
We refer back to our conversation about making it easy for a recruiter or hiring manager to understand why your experience makes sense for the role.

Episode 7 — ATS Myths Busted
If you’re wondering whether an ATS is the reason you’re not hearing back, we tackled that one in Episode 7.

Career Coaching
It can help to have someone look objectively at what’s happening — from the roles you’re targeting, your CV to interview feedback, confidence and assumptions that can creep in.

Carol — Fraser Peoplehttps://www.fraserpeople.co.nz

Sarah — Sarah Veronica Coachinghttps://www.sarahveronicecoaching.com

Chapters

00:00 Why am I applying and hearing nothing?
01:24 What’s happening in the job market
04:28 Application volume, AI and easy apply
07:32 Quality, relevance and tailoring your applications
08:00 You don’t know who you’re up against
10:38 Getting interviews but not getting the job
11:39 Feedback and looking for patterns
14:07 Don’t turn an unknown into a fact
14:44 Ageism, overqualification and assumptions
17:36 The stories we tell ourselves
19:02 “I’ve applied for 100 jobs and nobody wants me”
20:38 When it might be time to change something
21:00 How career coaching can help
22:12 Focus on what you can control
23:48 Myths & Truths
25:53 The takeaway
27:22 Coming next: building your job search strategy

🌐 Connect With Us

Follow Seen, Heard & Hired 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Coming Next

Applying for advertised roles is only one part of finding your next opportunity. In our next episode, we start looking at thebigger picture: building a job search strategy that goes beyond hitting Apply.

💙 Thanks for Listening

If this episode resonated with you, follow Seen,Heard & Hired wherever you listen and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

And if you’ve experienced ageism, been toldyou’re overqualified, or found yourself wondering whether you should remove experience from your CV, we’d love to hear from you. We’re planning to explore that conversation in a future episode.

About This Episode

It’s a crowded market for job applications right now. So when recruiters and hiring managers are reviewing multiple CVs, what actually makes them stop and want to keep reading?

In this episode, Carol and Sarah share what they look for when they first open a CV, drawing on years of reviewing thousands of applications between them.

This isn’t about creating the “perfect” CV or following one particular formula. It’s about making it easy for theperson reading your CV to quickly see what you bring.

From making the most of that all-important first page to showing your achievements rather than simply listing responsibilities, they share practical ways to makeyour experience clear, relevant and easy to understand.

Because ultimately, your CV has one job: to give someone enough reason to want to pick up the phone andfind out more about you.

In This Episode

•   What recruiters actually lookfor when they first open your CV   

•  Why your first page is valuablereal estate        

• How to write a personal profilethat sounds like you     

• Why your CV shouldn’t read likea job description·   

• How to turn responsibilitiesinto achievements and demonstrate your impact·    

•  Why relevance matters more thanincluding everything you’ve ever done·      
•   How to tailor your CV withoutrewriting it from scratch for every application  

• Common CV mistakes that can make it harder for recruiters to find the good stuff  
• Why there’s no magic numberwhen it comes to CV length
•  Using AI to check and polishyour CV rather than write it for you

• he risks of mass applying andauto-apply tools
•  How to approach your CV whenyou have a long career history

Episode Resources 🎁

CV Profile Tip Sheet

Struggling with what to say in the profile at the top of your CV? We’ve put together a simple tip sheet to help you think about howyou describe who you are, what you’re good at and the value you bring — without falling back on generic phrases or “word salad”.

👉 Download here: https://bio.site/Seenheardandhired

Chapters

00:00 – What actually makes a CV stand out?

01:47 – Welcome to Seen, Heard & Hired

02:20 – What recruiters look for first

05:20 – How quickly is your CV really being reviewed?

08:02 – Making the most of your first page

10:53 – Writing a personal profile that sounds like you

15:45 – Your experience: achievements versus responsibilities

17:02 – How to identify and show your impact

18:24 – Tailoring your CV without starting again

20:08 – Cutting the word salad and keeping it relevant

23:57 – What makes recruiters stop reading?

26:22 – CV design, formatting and common mistakes

27:51 – Mass applying and auto-apply tools

30:27 – Remember what your CV is actually there to do

31:22 – CV myths and truths

35:30 – Listener question: How do you summarise a 30-year career?

36:59 – Final thoughts

🌐Connect with Us

Seen, Heard & Hired

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hiredInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Carol Fraser – Fraser Peoplehttps://www.fraserpeople.co.nz

💙Thanks for listening

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love you to follow Seen, Heard & Hired on your favourite podcast platform and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

Following the podcast helps more people discover our conversations and means you’ll be notified whenever a new episode is released.

Catch up on Episode 7 – ATS Myths Busted: Do You Really Need an ATS-Friendly CV?

We mentioned Applicant Tracking Systems and auto-apply tools during this conversation. If you haven’t listened to our previous episode, we unpack what an ATS actually does, what it doesn’t do and some of the myths aroundwriting an “ATS-friendly” CV.

About this Episode

There’s a lot of advice online about how tomake your CV “ATS-friendly”, beat the ATS, use the right keywords or achieve the right ATS score.

But how much of it is actually true?

In this episode, Sarah and Carol take acloser look at Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): what they actually are, how recruiters use them and what really happens after you hit apply.

They discuss some of the fear and misinformation surrounding ATS, including why an application might be rejected quickly, the role of screening questions, keyword stuffing and ATS scores.

They also talk about the growing role of AI in recruitment, why there isn’t one universal ATS that every employer uses, andwhy humans are still very much part of the recruitment process.

In this Episode  

• What an Applicant TrackingSystem actually is

•      What happens to your CV afteryou hit apply

•        Why some applications can berejected quickly

•        Screening and knockoutquestions

•        Whether keywords really matter

•        The myth of the universal “ATSscore”

•        Why trying to “beat” the ATScan distract you from what really matters

•        Simple CV formatting andreadability

•        How recruiters search and usetheir ATS

•        The growing role of AI inrecruitment

•        Why your CV still needs tosound like you

Listener Love💙

Thanks to Jess for her lovely feedback:

“Fabulous podcast. Loved it.”

And thanks to Jo for a great question:

How do I summarise a 30-year career into a short CV, especially when some of the really big stuff happened in the first half of my career?

We’ll be talking about that in our next episode as we move into what makes a great CV and what makes recruiters want to keep reading.

Coming Next

We’ve spent this episode talking about why you shouldn’t obsess about writing your CV for a machine.

Next time, we turn our attention to the person actually reading it. What makes recruiters want to keep readingyour CV?

We’ll discuss that first page, achievements versus job descriptions, tailoring your CV, how long it should be — and yes, whether you should put a photo on it.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding ATS: The Basics

02:29 Debunking ATS Myths

04:58 The Human Element in Recruitment

04:59 The Role of AI in Job Applications

07:07 Navigating Clickbait and Misinformation

09:50 Crafting Authentic CVs

11:36 The Diversity of ATS Systems

13:05 Understanding Applicant TrackingSystems (ATS) and Their Functionality

16:52 The Role of Recruiters in the ATSProcess

19:52 Debunking Myths Around ATS and CVCompliance

22:30 The Importance of Tailoring Your CV

25:51 Myths and Truths About ATS andRecruitment

28:11 Looking Ahead: What Recruiters Wantto See in Your CV

Connect with Us

Seen, Heard & Hired

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Carol – Fraser People

https://www.fraserpeople.co.nz

Thanks for Listening

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to follow Seen, Heard & Hired on your favourite podcast platform and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

About This Episode

If you've been invited to a phone screen call or phone screening interview, congratulations!

In today's competitive job market, that's already something worth celebrating. Someone has read your application, seenpotential and wants to know more about you.

Yet many candidates still think a phone screen is "just a quick chat" before the real interview begins.

In this episode, Sarah and Carol pull back the curtain on what recruiters are really thinking during that first conversation.

Drawing on their combined experience in agency recruitment, internal talent acquisition and career coaching, they share practical recruiter insights into why phone screens matter, what they're really listening for, and the simplethings that can help you progress to interview.

You'll also hear the common mistakes candidates make, why good communication starts before the interview itself, howAI is beginning to change recruitment, and why curiosity, preparation and authenticity still matter more than ever.

Whether you're actively job searching or simply preparing for future opportunities, this episode will help you approachyour next recruiter conversation with greater confidence.

In This Episode

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Phone Screens

02:47 Understanding the Recruitment Process

05:40 The Role of the Recruiter

07:25 The Screening Process Explained

07:26 What Recruiters Look For

10:35 Effective Communication During Phone Screens

12:11 The Misconceptions of Recruiter Calls

16:34 Understanding Candidate Motivation

18:23 Assessing Fit and Culture

18:48 Building Relationships with Recruiters

20:46 Engagement and Curiosity in Conversations

23:15 Common Mistakes in Phone Screens

24:40 The Importance of Communication

26:17 Navigating AI in Recruitment

29:55 Myths and Truths About Phone Screens

32:23 Listener Love and Final Thoughts

🌐 Connect With Us

Follow Seen, Heard & Hired

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Website

Carol Fraser – Fraser People
https://www.fraserpeople.co.nz

💙 Thanks for Listening

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to followSeen, Heard & Hired on your favourite podcast platform and share it with someone who might be navigating their next career move.

Following the podcast helps more people discover our conversations and means you'll be notified whenever a new episode is released.

Ever been asked "Tell me about a time when…" and your mind goes blank? You're not alone. In this episode we discuss how to prepare for these questions with confidence.

Today Sarah and Carol discuss what they call the meaty middle of the interview—the part after 'Tell me about yourself' and before you get to ask your own questions.

Behavioural questions, situational questions and those 'Tell me about a time when...' moments can leave even experienced professionals wondering where to start.
They discuss behavioural and situational interview questions, how to use the STAR and SAR framework without sounding scripted, common questions about weaknessesand mistakes, and practical ways to answer with confidence while staying authentic.

Episode Resources

Need a quick reminder of what STAR stands for?Download our STAR Interview Framework, which explains each part of the model and gives you a simple reference to help structure your interview examples.👉 Download here: https://bio.site/Seenheardandhired

Key Takeaways

Interviews aren't about catching you out—they're about understanding how you think andwork.
Behavioural questions are looking for real examples from your experience.
Use STAR (or SAR) as a guide, not a script.
Prepare a handful of stories you can adapt to different questions.
Focus on your contribution, especially when talking about team achievements.
Relevant examples matter more than perfect examples.
Questions about weaknesses and mistakes are opportunities to demonstrateself-awareness and growth.
It's okay to pause and gather your thoughts.
Keep your answers concise and relevant.
Authenticity will always leave a stronger impression than trying to give the 'perfect' answer.

🌐Connect with Us

Follow Seen,Heard & Hired

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

 Website

Carol Fraser – Fraser People:  www.fraserpeople.co.nz

 💙Thanks for Listening

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to follow the podcast and share it with someone who might benefit from the conversation.

The interview isn't over until you leave the room. Those final few minutes can leave just as much of an impression as your first answer, yet they're often the part candidates prepare for the least.
In this episode of Seen, Heard & Hired, Carol and Sarah discuss why the end of an interview deserves just as much attention as the beginning. Too often candidates relax once the interviewer's questions are over, missing the opportunity to finish the conversation strongly.
They share practical advice on turning the end of an interview into a genuine conversation, asking thoughtful questions, assessing whether the company is the right fit for you, and avoiding some of the common mistakes candidates make.They also discuss navigating deal breakers, understanding team dynamics, thoughtful follow-up, and why curiosity and preparation can help you leave the interview feeling confident and remembered.

Episode Resources

🎁 Free Download
Looking for some inspiration before your next interview? We've put together a free download with 10 thoughtful questions to ask at the end of an interview.Choose two or three that feel right for the conversation and you'll leave a stronger impression while also learning whether the role and organisation are the right fit for you.
👉 Download here: https://bio.site/Seenheardandhired

Key Takeaways     

• The end of the interview is your opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

• Treat the interview as a two-way conversation, not an interrogation.

• Prepare a few thoughtful questions rather than asking questions for the sake of it.

• Use the interview to assess the company, culture and team as much as they're assessing you.

• Don't mentally switch off before the interview has finished.

• Be upfront about any genuine deal breakers rather than raising them at the very end.

• Read the room and adapt your questions to the conversation.

• Curiosity and genuine interest will always come across better than trying to impress.

• Finish with confidence, professionalism and positive energy.

Chapters        00:00 The Importance of EndingInterviews Strongly·        02:56 Turning the Interviewinto a Conversation·        06:00 Is This the Right Companyfor You?·        09:04 Common Mistakes at theEnd of Interviews·        11:57 Asking the RightQuestions·        15:00 Talking About DealBreakers     

  18:39 The Importance ofCuriosity in Interviews·        19:58 Crafting ThoughtfulQuestions·        22:05 Understanding TeamDynamics·        24:04 The Role of Energy inInterviews·        25:56 Thoughtful Follow-Up·        30:03 Finishing the Interviewwith Confidence·        33:59 Recap and Next Steps

🌐 Connect with Us       LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seen-heard-hired        Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired/        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seenheardhired/

Our websites·        Carol Fraser – Fraser People:  www.fraserpeople.co.nz        Sarah Veronica Coaching: www.sarahveronicacoaching.com

💙 Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to follow the podcast and share it with someone who might benefit from the conversation.

"Tell me about yourself." Four simple words that leave many job seekers wondering where to begin.

It's often the very first thing an interviewer asks, yet it's such a broad question that many candidates end up rambling through their career history or wondering if they're saying theright thing.

In this episode, Sarah and Carol discuss why interviewers ask this question, what they’re really listening for, and how to answer without sounding rehearsed or simply repeating your CV.

Drawing on decades of recruitment and career coachingexperience, they explore the power of storytelling, share a simple framework to structure your response, and explain how authenticity and preparation can helpyou stand out.

You’ll also learn why interviewers aren’t looking for your life story—they’re trying to understand who you are professionally, how you communicate, and what youcould bring to their team.

Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or your next career move, you’ll come away with practical tips to help you answer with confidence and leave a memorable first impression.

This is the first episode in our interview series, where we’ll be unpacking different stages of the interview process and sharing practical advice to help you feel moreconfident at every step.

Key Takeaways

•       “Tell me about yourself” may feel like the worst interview question, but it’s also one of the most revealing.       

• Interviewers are listening to how you communicate, not just what you’ve done.
•         Stories create far more impact than simply listing your jobs or responsibilities.

• A simple Present → Past → Future structure helps keep your answer clear and relevant.    
• You don’t need to memorise a script — you need to understand your own story.·     
•    Authenticity, enthusiasm and genuine connection matter more than trying to sound perfect.·   
•      Preparation builds confidence and helps calm interview nerves.
•         Strong first impressions can shape the rest of the interview.

Chapters

00:00 Is “Tell Me AboutYourself” the Worst Interview Question?
02:54 Why Stories Matter More Than Your CV
05:57 What Interviewers Are Really Looking For
08:54 Making a Strong First Impression
12:03 A Simple Framework That Works
15:07 Why Authenticity Beats Perfection
18:00 Myth or Truth? Common Interview Misconceptions
20:57 Final Tips & Key Takeaways

We've all had one of those days. The pointless meeting that pushes you over the edge.The passive aggressive email from Bob in finance. The manager who leaves you wondering why you still work there. Before you know it, you're auto applying for every job that you see. But is that really the best move?

In this episode, Sarah and Carol discuss the growing trend that is “'rage applying,'   where people impulsivelyapply for jobs out of frustration, stress or dissatisfaction in their current role. They explore what’s driving it, such as toxic work environments and poor leadership,and outline the importance of a strategic approach to job searching.

In this conversation they dive into having clarity when applying, understanding your why and your primary motivators before hitting that “quick apply” button tomake a career decision you’ll still feel good about six months from now.

❤️Follow us on

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seenheardhired?igsh=a21xd2V0b2hpbGpr&utm_source=qr

To book a coaching session with Sarah, go to

www.sarahveronica.com

To book a coaching session with Carol go to 

www.fraserpeople.co.nz 

AI seems to be everywhere right now. Writing CVs,screening applications, preparing interview answers and even helping recruiters do their jobs. But what does that actually mean for job seekers?

In this episode Sarah and Carol discuss the concerns that a lot of job seekers have and how AI is really being used in recruitment in 2026, where it can help, where it canhurt, and why the human element still matters.

We also dive into the importance of your CV,  the controversial topic of cover letters andthe need for clarity in job applications.

❤️Follow us on

Instagram

Facebook

Linked In

To book a coaching session with Sarah, go to

https://www.sarahveronica.com/

To book a coaching session with Carol go to

https://fraserpeople.co.nz/

Chapters 

00:00 Introduction to AI in Recruitment

03:00 The Role of Human Review in Recruitment

06:04 The Importance of Cover Letters

09:05 Navigating AI Concerns as a Candidate

11:50 Clarity and Strategy in Job Application