Career Blast in a Half

Urgent. Expensive. Unfair. The Question That Unlocks Everything I Loren Greiff

Executives over 40 are polishing themselves into irrelevance. New résumé formats. AI-ing to death, noodling over every tweak and keyword hack. Titles that don’t matter.
 All distractions. And none of it wins interview momentum or the offer
Here’s the only question that does knowing this: “What urgent and expensive problem do you have the unfair advantage to solve?”
That’s not theory—it’s survival math.
Not urgent? You’ll wait months.
Not expensive? They’ll nickel-and-dime you or label you as overqualified
No unfair advantage? You’re one of too many, and the offer goes to someone else. 
But when urgency, expense, and unfair advantage collide—you’re the bullseye. That’s where hiring budgets unlock. That’s how offers land.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Why companies don’t pay for passion or polish—they pay to stop bleeding.
The 3 filters every executive must pass before they’re taken seriously.
How to flip the script from “what job do I want?” to “where’s the fire, who’s paying, and why am I holding the hose?”
My own urgent + expensive + unfair advantage—and how it changes the game.
If your search feels like quicksand, if your severance is dwindling, if you’re sick of being overlooked—this is your pivot point.
Because polish is dead weight. The bullseye is the only target that matters.
 
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Being “Qualified” Won’t Get You Hired I Gina Riley

Being “Qualified” Won’t Get You Hired I Gina Riley
This week, Gina Riley isn’t pulling any punches – teasing out the highlights of her new book,  Qualified Isn’t Enough.
We leave nothing behind, cracking open with the truths most executives don’t want to hear—but need to:
Why résumés are an illusion – receipts, not strategies.
The blind spots that sabotage even the best pedigrees.
Why thought leadership, not passion, is the new differentiator.
Why the final round is where most leaders fail.
Gina has sat inside the boardroom, trained execs, and built a system to move you from overlooked to undeniable.
If being “qualified” was enough, you’d be hired. This episode explains why you’re not—and how to address it.
 
Connect with Gina:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginariley/
Book: https://amzn.to/3Kih0Bt
 
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My Severance Is Running Out. Now What? Three Moves That Matter

My Severance Is Running Out. Now What? Three Moves That Matter.
Most people treat severance like a parachute. Safe. Cushioned. Time to drift.
Wrong. Severance isn’t a parachute—it’s a timer. And when it hits zero, panic sets in, options shrink, and desperation takes over.
This episode is about flipping that script. Turning panic into power with three moves that matter:
Stop polishing, start positioning. Resumés don’t win offers. Urgency does. Companies hire to stop the bleeding—find the problems only you can solve.
Treat networking like oxygen. 70–80% of hires happen in the hidden job market. That’s not a throwaway stat—a survival law. Block time daily, lead with curiosity, and end every conversation with “Who else should I talk to?”
Future-proof while you hunt. Smart execs don’t just chase the next paycheck. They build their next platform. Learn, share, and be seen—or fade into irrelevance.
Inside, you’ll also hear how to:
Spot neon signs of company pain—layoffs, compliance fines, churn, failed integrations.
Turn Glassdoor complaints from gossip into gold.
Use your unfair advantage to filter out noise and zero in on where you’re needed most.
If your severance clock is ticking, this episode gives you a sharper aim, stronger network, and a strategy that turns countdown into launchpad.

The Truth About PE Jobs: High Stakes, Hidden Rules, and Hard Lessons I Kit Lisle

The Truth About PE Jobs: High Stakes, Hidden Rules, and Hard Lessons I Kit Lisle
Private equity looks glamorous—fast money, big titles, big exits.
But the glossy promise hides a brutal truth: most execs flame out before they ever cash out.
Step into a PE-backed role and three things hit you at once:
Culture shock. The rules change overnight. Acronyms fly. Resources vanish.
The stamp. Survive a deal and you’re branded a pro athlete of business—faster, sharper, battle-tested.
The clock. From day one, it’s ticking. No 90-day ramp. Deliver value now.
In this episode, Kit Lisle—Army intelligence officer turned M&A strategist and founder of TheOperators.pe—pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to get hired into PE:
The myths that kill execs in interviews.
The red flags that get you crossed off instantly.
Why EQ matters more than spreadsheets.
And why job boards are useless when real opportunities live in relationships.
PE isn’t just another job. It’s a sprint, a test, and for those who make it, a career-defining badge of honor.
Thinking about a private equity role? Listen now. Because the truth isn’t in the job description—it’s in the hidden rules Kit Lisle reveals.

Why Say Thank You Anyway? I Steve Dalton, Author of The Job Closer & 2 Hour Job Search

Why Say Thank You Anyway? I Steve Dalton,  Author of The Job Closer & 2 Hour Job Search
 
Most thank-you notes are nothing more than polite spam.
They’re sent on autopilot, on reflex. That’s why they’re forgettable.
But what if your thank you’s worked as a strategy not a formality…
Even better, as he fastest way to turn a stranger into an advocate, to be referred, and re-invited?
Steve Dalton—is the author of The 2-Hour Job Search and The Job Closer (translated into 7 languages) —joins me to dismantle the myth of thank yous. 
 
Together we expose why:
Generic thank yous commoditize you. They disappear into inbox purgatory.
Bespoke gratitude compounds trust. It shows you heard, acted, and evolved.
Follow-through is the differentiator. Not words, but proof.
Gratitude is career capital. The cheapest, fastest way to turn strangers into advocates.
This isn’t about manners.It’s about leverage.
If you’re still treating thank you’s like a box to tick, you’re missing the single most underutilized tool in your job search arsenal.
Listen in—and start saying thank you in a way that actually counts.
 
Connect with Steve Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daltonsteve/
Books
https://2hourjobsearch.com/
https://www.thejobcloser.com/
Loved the episode?
Get a copy of my ebook Turn Age Into Your Advantage
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Watch my podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGM7j8croBkkZ4bLqN7DOQ/
 

Networking for Introverts Who’d Rather Get a Root Canal I Greg Roche

Networking for Introverts Who’d Rather Get a Root Canal I Greg Roche
Networking advice was built for extroverts.Go to events. Make small talk. Collect business cards.
For introverts, it feels like punishment. Exhausting. Fake. Pointless.
Greg Roche—known as The Introverted Networker—disagrees.He’s living proof you can grow a powerful network without awkward icebreakers, or pretending to be someone you’re not.
In this conversation, we expose the myths keeping executives stuck—and the truths that set introverts free:
Why “I don’t have time to network” is a myth
How 15 minutes a day beats every networking event
How to be “easy to help” so people actually follow through
The mic drop: The more connected we get through technology, the less connected we are as humans—because we’ve outsourced our humanness to tech
Plus, a simple, immediate action to restart your network today
This isn’t about becoming someone you’re not.It’s about using what makes you different to your advantage—and reclaiming the kind of human connection technology will never replace.
Whether you’re an introvert who dreads networking—or an extrovert who’s been doing it wrong—you’ll walk away with a playbook that actually works.
Connect with Greg Roche: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsroche/
Get his book “The Fast and Easy Guide To Networking For Introverts” here
If this episode hit home, do us a solid: leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps the show grow, and it helps more executives discover how to thrive in the hidden job market.

Skip The Interview Prep, Lose the Job. Here’s How To Fix It I Varun Puri I CEO of Yoodli

Skip The Interview Prep, Lose the Job. Here’s How To Fix It I Varun Puri I CEO of Yoodli
Most people treat interviews like pop quizzes.They wing it. Then wonder why they keep coming in second.
Here’s the thing:
If  you don’t rise to the occasion. You sink to the level of your practice.And even for most execs? That level can be none.
Varun Puri—ex-Google, debate shark, and co-founder of Yoodli—is done watching smart people blow it because they never practiced the one thing that matters: how they sound when it counts.
Yoodli isn’t a coach. And, It’s not “content.”It’s your AI interview  sparring partner— built to catch every “um,” dodge every ramble, and turn your half-baked answers into mic-drop moments.
That’s why Korn Ferry, Google, Snowflake, Databricks, and use it—because nothing kills a deal faster than a boring, muddled interview.  
In this episode:
The painful reason brilliant execs still tank interviews
The three invisible habits that scream “don’t hire me”
How to stack 15,000 practice reps without begging for anyone’s time
Why public speaking fear beats fear of death (and what to do about it)
What actually changes when feedback is instant and can’t be ignored
Listen now. Or keep losing to the person who did.

The Future of Work > Less Work | Nirit Cohen

The Future of Less Work—And the Executive Edge AI Can’t Replace | Nirit Cohen
You’ve been told: “Work smarter, not harder.”
But Executives are waking up to a harsh reality: AI is cheap. Fast. Scalable. And it’s replacing parts of your job that made your title impressive.
Nirit Cohen saw this coming.
As a former Intel exec, Forbes columnist, and Future of Work Strategist, she’s been tracking the trends most leaders are just waking up to.
Her take is clear: The future isn’t more hustle. It’s more human.
“Less work” isn’t about layoffs. It’s about leadership finally getting redefined.
And efficiency isn’t the goal; it’s differentiation.
Here is what we break down:
Why RTO “return to office” isn’t about collaboration but about control
How AI is replacing tasks but NOT talent
The real reason voice will replace keyboards (and why it matters for execs)
What the new career path looks like when ladders are dead and rock walls rule
How to find your “unfair advantage” and make it non-negotiable
AI will do the busywork. But only you can bring the lens, insight, that human touch.  
This episode is your guide to owning the work only you can do.
The future isn’t less valuable. It’s less vanilla.Connect with Nirit Cohen:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niritcohen/
Website: https://niritcohen.com/en/home-en/?lang=en 
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/niritcohen/2025/07/27/when-work-talks-back-and-voice-becomes-the-new-keyboard/
The Future of Less Work Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/eg/podcast/the-future-of-less-work/id1788026485 
 
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Greywashing 101: The Illusion of Including Older Workers

Greywashing 101: The Illusion of Including Older Workers
You’ve heard it before: 
“We value experience.”
Then they ghost you for having it!
 
Welcome to greywashing. 
The corporate costume party where age inclusion is just a mask and older professionals are quietly filtered out by AI, ATS, and coded language. Lines like, “you’re overqualified” or “we want a digital native…” simply translate to: 
You’re too old, too seasoned, and too expensive.
The illusion of inclusion is real. But this isn’t just bias. It’s a fully blown business epidemic hidden in plain sight.
Nearly half of professionals over 40 say they’ve been shut out because of their age, yet only 8% of DEI programs even acknowledge it. 
On the other hand, companies like Workday, IBM, Facebook, and PWC are under legal fire for allowing AI-driven tools to quietly screen out older applicants. 
This isn't progress; this is exclusion with a new interface.
In this episode, I expose the truth behind performative inclusion and show you how to spot it, expose it, and outsmart it.
How “inclusive” job posts still signal: you’re not wanted
Why “digital native” isn’t a compliment, it’s a filter
The 3 biggest myths keeping age bias invisible
How to reframe your experience as the solution to urgent, expensive problems
The power of pattern recognition and how to make it your superpower
Here’s what it looks like when you stop playing defense and start owning your edge.
The system’s flawed. But your positioning? That’s power.
You’re not too old.You’re too qualified to play small.
Loved the episode?
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Watch my podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGM7j8croBkkZ4bLqN7DOQ/

When the AI Says "You're Hired" — and Gets It Wrong I Joseph Burns, Lupa CEO

Joseph Burns built the perfect AI recruiter. Then he did something radical.He shut it down.
This isn’t a TED Talk about tech utopia. It’s a wake-up call for every executive in career transition who’s been ghosted by a bot, sidelined by bias, or fed the myth that “applying online” is a strategy.
Joseph is a former Facebook product leader turned founder who speaks five languages. including the most misunderstood one in hiring: AI.
In this episode, Joseph breaks down:
What elite execs are doing instead of clicking “apply now”
Why automating human connection is sabotaging your hiring
How Joseph would run a job search like a GTM strategy, not a résumé refresh
How companies are saving time and losing top talent with AI interviews
The irreplaceable nuance of intuition, emotion, and storytelling in interviews
Joseph didn’t just build the tech, he walked away from it.Because great hiring isn’t about efficiency, it’s about getting it right.
Would you trust a bot to pick your spouse?No?Then don’t let it pick your team.
🎧 Listen in and rethink how you search—and how you hire.
 
Connect with Joseph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-burns-b4a41338/
Why Joseph shut down his AI recruiter: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/josephrobertburns_i-spent-2-years-building-an-ai-recruiter-activity-7338882765808951296-rfUZ/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACs8CEBvy3tn3dxeoc0Wr6c1JROdpATa_s
 
Loved the episode? Grab the ebook: Turn Age Into Your Advantage Follow Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliorocket/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGM7j8croBkkZ4bLqN7DOQ/