# job search
27 moments across 15 episodes. Click any moment to jump straight to that part of the episode.
0:00The Great Reentry: Founders quietly returning to employmentAl Elliott: Here's something nobody seems to be talking about. Thousands of founders who went self-employed during COVID are now quietly trying to get a job, and they're too ashamed to tell anyone Leanne Elliott: Our gueEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 0:00–3:363:36The 437-Applicant Trap: Why founders shouldn't apply like everyone elseLaurie MacPherson: Yeah, so the Great Resignation was during COVID people thinking, I want more purpose, I want more joy, I don't want to go back to that office. Like, this is actually lovely. I love this working from hoEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 3:36–7:5217:38Why employers are nervous and how to de-risk yourselfAl Elliott: So we're fixing things one by one with Marjorie. So Marjorie now has told her friends and family. Marjorie has now used her network to get some opportunities. Marjorie's now had the interview, and it's gone vEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 17:38–19:3619:36Interviewing on the front foot: practical tipsLaurie MacPherson: Yeah, I do, and I have a service which is, you know, longer-term mentoring, which is for folks who are not moving right now, um, but who want to progress. You know, I've got someone— I've just been on EP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 19:36–26:1026:10Should you use a recruiter?Al Elliott: Should Marjorie go for a recruiter, or should she not? Laurie MacPherson: She, she should, but she should know that— and this is not me slating recruiters, recruiters are brilliant— recruiters are not the JobEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 26:10–28:2928:30The BOLD and REAL frameworks for career and LinkedInLaurie MacPherson: So there are 2 bits to the business. One is for the career side and one is for the LinkedIn side, though they probably both overlap. They're just acronyms to describe the way that I work. So BOLD is, iEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 28:30–34:4134:41What if there's no CEO role available? Hold your levelLeanne Elliott: Yeah Laurie MacPherson: Massive gap, so probably not. You know, you won't get those jobs anyway, so you have to keep positioning yourself at a higher level. But my, my recommendation again is not just to EP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 34:41–38:1338:13The LinkedIn 'Open to Work' badge and final adviceLeanne Elliott: Yeah Laurie MacPherson: But that's a bit unclear. What I would say is, is it really clear what you want and what you have to offer? If it's not, then it's— it all goes into kind of muddly territory Al EllEP 305 · 28 May 2026·interview· 38:13–42:3949:38Workplace Surgery: new job red flagsAl Elliott: I love it. I love it. Um, you did a segment. If this, if you're listening, the person who wrote this, and also you, um, you're, you have a similar thing. Leanne did a little segment, um, a little while ago, aEP 294 · 21 Apr 2026·workplace surgery· 49:38–52:5218:02Story 3 — Would you walk out of a messy interview?Leanne Elliott: Would you take the job if the recruiter ghosted you twice? Al Elliott: No. Well, no, hang on. So just explain what you mean by ghosting, just in case anyone doesn't know Leanne Elliott: Yeah, I must admitEP 284 · 17 Mar 2026·news roundup· 18:02–25:112:43Career catfishing: when job promises don't match realityAl Elliott: Of course. What is it? Leanne Elliott: Career catfishing Al Elliott: Now, if you haven't listened before, Leanne comes up with a new word. I try and guess what it is. Invariably get it wrong. Career catfishinEP 246 · 5 Nov 2025·news roundup· 2:43–9:369:36The interview hack: calling companies to schedule interviewsLeanne Elliott: Yeah. What have you seen this week, Al? Al Elliott: I've been on, on X, Twit, Twix, as would be my will. And there was a great repost for, or a great post by a guy called, whose handle is Rational Aussie.EP 246 · 5 Nov 2025·news roundup· 9:36–15:0742:08Workplace Surgery — new job full of red flagsAl Elliott: That's why she's a psychologist. Okay, so question number 3 and the final one. I've just started a new job and it's full of red flags. Should I get out now? I accepted a lower-level role out of necessity afteEP 242 · 21 Oct 2025·workplace surgery· 42:08–44:4539:20Workplace Surgery: Why Is Hiring So Brutal When You're Starting Out?Leanne Elliott: No, I thought that was some really, really good tips though Al Elliott: Oh, thank you very much. Thank you. Okay, so we're on to question number 2. Why is hiring so hard? I'm right at the beginning of lauEP 206 · 17 Jun 2025·workplace surgery· 39:20–47:4123:15Stuart's story: The job he was relieved not to getAl Elliott: Have you been in a situation where you've gone, ooh, this is not good, and therefore I don't want to pursue this? Stuart Mace: I was actually relieved once where I didn't get offered a job. In fact, it's moreEP 196 · 13 May 2025·news roundup· 23:15–27:397:24The ghosting epidemic and the recruiter's 'no excuse'Leanne Elliott: And what the fuck is going on here? John Tarnoff: Well, the number one thing that's going on here is people are getting ghosted. And this is not new to anyone in the job market. It's not new to Gen Z, milEP 187 · 10 Apr 2025·interview· 7:24–11:3419:15The most common ageist trope: 'You're overqualified'John Tarnoff: The most common ageist trope is, I think you're a little overqualified for this position, or don't you think you're a little overqualified for this position? Right. And to be fair, on the employer and the rEP 187 · 10 Apr 2025·interview· 19:15–23:1239:29Where to start if you're over 50 and strugglingJohn Tarnoff: Well, if I may make a shameless plug, I would encourage them to visit my website at this, at the following URL and download those 4 Ikigai questions and a worksheet to get going on this. And that URL is johEP 187 · 10 Apr 2025·interview· 39:29–44:1437:31The Third-Round Ghosting Story (It Happens to Directors Too)Leanne Elliott: It's, it's so interesting to me. Like you say, it seems so, like you say, low-hanging fruit, particularly if we've had a conversation with them. And what shocks me is I'll speak to people, it happens acroEP 161 · 9 Jan 2025·interview· 37:31–39:5242:59Can you avoid difficult conversations by choosing the right company?Leanne Elliott: So far, we've talked about how to have difficult conversations, but can you actually avoid them altogether if an organization is more aligned to your values? Liz Bronson: We also, in both the UK and here,EP 137 · 17 Oct 2024·panel interview· 42:59–45:2726:11What are employers actually looking for?John White: Yeah, especially when you're going to those communities and seeking them out, it's really good to ask for maybe informational interviews is what I call them. I'm not interviewing for a job, I'm just asking yoEP 135 · 10 Oct 2024·panel interview· 26:11–29:3535:03The reality of tech interviewsAl Elliott: I really genuinely hope it's encouraging for you to hear that there are multiple paths into tech careers, whether through formal education, boot camps, or even just self-study. The key seems to be cultivatingEP 135 · 10 Oct 2024·panel interview· 35:03–38:1563:11Making yourself employable and where to find John and NickLeanne Elliott: As Al would say, there you have it, your ultimate guide to finding a job in tech with some bonus tips for hiring managers. Nick and John's podcast is just brilliant. So if you have enjoyed listening to thEP 135 · 10 Oct 2024·outro· 63:11–66:1721:05Fresh Voices: Marion Campan on finding your ideal workplaceLeanne Elliott: Welcome back. This is our September segment. I'm calling it Fresh Voices, where we showcase the thought leaders that have caught our attention and share their insights on the modern workplace. Today we arEP 126 · 10 Sept 2024·news roundup· 21:05–27:5837:58Workplace Surgery: 'Do I lie about being unemployed?'Al Elliott: Okay, next question. I don't know whether you're going to be able to answer this exactly because they do ask whether it's illegal to do that, and we don't know where this person is, uh, but let's just hear yoEP 121 · 13 Aug 2024·workplace surgery· 37:58–45:4825:12Workplace Surgery — quitting without a job lined upAl Elliott: Welcome back. Let's kick off this weekly workplace surgery with the first question. By the way, if you have a question you'd like me to put to Leanne about the workplace, check out the show notes for our emaiEP 95 · 7 May 2024·workplace surgery· 25:12–30:3739:48Social media as the new career playgroundAl Elliott: I think that that is the way now that people honestly get jobs Leanne Elliott: It's through social media, it's through social media networking, and even the rise of thought leadership on specific social mediaEP 35 · 19 Apr 2023·other· 39:48–46:49
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