Since we launched Tip That Scale, we've wanted to hear and share layoff stories. Not to cause more harm but to empower you and to help others.

Well, we're finally doing it. And it makes sense the first layoff story we share is one of ours.

You can share your layoff story with us, and we will share it on a future episode of Tip That Scale.

Please DM us on Instagram or Twitter or email us the subject line, My Layoff Story.

There's a lot of chatter on the web about networking. We are often encouraged to network when we experience a layoff or when we want to change career direction, but are we doing it right?

Is it networking or is it just more work? Listen to Nichole Wesson, Ron Brantley, and AJ Modi as they uncover the answer.

Resources:

• The secret to great opportunities? The person you haven't met yet (TED)
• How to ask for help -- and get a "yes" (TED)
• Learn to Love Networking (HBR)
• Networking: What It Is and How to Do It Successfully (Investopedia)

Book Recommendations:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know, by Malcolm Gladwell

Search for Local Networking Events

• Meetup - We are what we do
• Eventbrite

One thing we all have in common whether you are in a junior role, mid-career, or an executive is that we all have a LinkedIn profile. To be more specific, LinkedIn has over 900M members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide (About LinkedIn). You can only imagine how challenging it can be to be everything to everybody with those numbers.

Ron, AJ, and Nichole are talking about some of the challenges of LinkedIn as a platform for job seekers and recruiters.

Resources:

• LinkedIn - Company Page
• LinkedIn - Job Search
• LinkedIn Learning

Few job seekers know the ins and outs of applicant tracking systems or ATS, but almost every organization has one. They can help a recruiting team manage candidate submissions. They can also be challenging to get around, through, over, and under.

In this episode of Tip That Scale, Nichole Wesson, AJ Modi, and Ron Brantley talk about the ATS and share their thoughts and experiences with this area of recruiting and talent acquisition.

Resources:

• 8 Things You Need To Know About Applicant Tracking Systems
• Adam Grant
• What is ATS?Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems

James Alire is someone you want to know. 

James owns 5J Media, a media company that offers video production and editing, audio engineering, web services, and motion graphics. And, like so many, he was laid off from a corporate position in 2022. 

In this episode, Nichole and AJ talk with James about his passion for IT and media production and how freelancing while working in a corporate role helped him navigate a layoff and stay focused on what he loves doing.

Tip That Scale, hosted by Nichole Wesson, AJ Modi, and Ron Brantley, offers insight and guidance on how to survive a layoff, the job market, and how we can improve the world of work. It's a podcast for anyone laid off, bracing for one, or anyone thinking about a career change or shift.

Resources:

• 8 in-demand creative skills for freelancers―many can pay more than $100 per hour (CNBC)
• US Freelancing Surges to Record as 60 Million Americans Go Solo (Bloomberg)

• ⁠The Ultimate Guide to Freelancing (HubSpot)⁠
• How to get an LLC (LegalZoom)

• Try ChatGPT (OpenAI)

• ⁠Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)⁠
• ⁠Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (2005)⁠

You can't turn anywhere without hearing about AI (and ChatGPT), and it's only the beginning.

Nichole and AJ have some thoughts about AI. The discussion was prompted by how job seekers are using ChatGPT in their job search. From there, the conversations expanded to include personal feelings, hope, some concerns. and questions on the impact of AI on the labor market.

How do you feel about AI and ChatGPT?

Resources:

• GPTs are GPTs: An early look at the labor market impact potential of large language models
• What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here's what you need to know
• Artificial Intelligence: What it is and why it matters
• Are AI Recruitment Tools Ethical And Efficient? The Pros And Cons Of ATS
• AI & ATS: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
• Is AI really everything folks want it to be?
  

Tip That Scale is back* this week after a much-needed break. Guess what we are talking about? You guessed it. We are talking about downtime and what it means to take a break.

It doesn't matter if you were laid off or are currently working. Everyone needs time to rest and reset. 

Welcome to Tip That Scale, hosted by ⁠⁠Nichole Wesson⁠⁠, ⁠⁠AJ Modi⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Ron Brantley⁠⁠. TTS is the podcast where our hosts help you tip that scale in your favor.

 *Please note you will hear a few audio issues in this episode. The tech wasn't tech'ing. 

What is ⁠Nichole ⁠saying about a break this week?

A lot of good things can come from a break. Let's take one and not be afraid to do what's best for us, whether in our personal lives, at a job, or from a podcast.

Resources: ⁠

Racism is hard to deal with on any day. Consider what it feels like during a job search? It's one thing to be rejected because you aren't qualified. It's another level when your qualifications aren't the issue.

Nichole Wesson, AJ Modi, and Ron Brantley, your Tip That Scale co-hosts are discussing racism and what the experience looks like in the hiring process.

Resources for Candidates: 

• Glassdoor
• The Complete Guide to Researching a Company
• America’s Best Employers For Diversity*
• 2022 Top 50 Companies For Diversity*

Resources for Recruiters and Employers:

• EEOC: Race/Color Discrimination
• 7 Practical Ways to Reduce Bias in Your Hiring Process
• 5 Anti-Racist Hiring Practices Every Workplace Should Adopt

A younger workforce is influencing several factors in the job market. Whether it's remote and hybrid over in-office or the flexibility of the gig economy, younger workers are contributing to some significant changes in today's work environment and hiring.

This is bonus content and what didn't make it into Episode 12: Ageism and Your Job Search.

Tip That Scale is hosted by Nichole Wesson, AJ Modi, and Ron Brantley.