Career Blast in a Half

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?
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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 
 
Loved the episode?
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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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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/

The Hiring Market You Knew Isn't Coming Back. Welcome to Now & Next.

Forget everything you knew about hiring. 
That market died in 2021 and left no forwarding address.
What replaced it? 
A system where 75% of executive positions fill before posting. 
Where referrals convert 900% better than applications. 
Where your LinkedIn profile matters more than your résumé.
This isn't temporary turbulence—it's permanent infrastructure. 
Cost of nostalgia: $80K per quarter of missed compensation.
In this solo episode, Loren breaks down the 3 biggest myths executives over 40 are still clinging onto— and the new framework for getting hired before jobs are even posted.
What the best candidates are doing differently in a slow market
Why “just applying more” is the worst strategy you can use
How to stop tweaking your résumé and start showing up where it matters
The 3 Rs of career rewiring: Relationships. Relevance. Reskilling.
Plus Loren also shares a real client story from a client who had zero digital footprint and hadn’t job searched in 14 years.. 
And how she went from an outdated LinkedIn profile…To a booked speaker on AI in HR…To being asked to be the CEO of an HR AI Startup. 
The market moved. Move with it.
Loved the episode?
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The $47m Workforce Scam that Nobody Talks About | Bradley Schurman

🎙 The $47m Workforce Scam that Nobody Talks About | Bradley Schurman
We Don’t Have a Labor Shortage — We Have an Age Problem
The headlines say “no one wants to work.”
The truth? We’ve pushed out the people who can.
Bradley Schurman, author of The Super Age and a global expert on demographic change, joins Loren for a conversation that will make you rethink everything you’ve been told about the workforce crisis.
It’s not a pipeline issue.It’s not a talent shortage.It’s not AI coming for your job.
It’s age bias, baked into our systems, our hiring practices, and our culture.
In this episode, Bradley breaks down:
Why companies aren’t struggling to recruit—they’re failing to retain
The real reason older workers feel invisible
Why the “apologize for your age” playbook is broken and dangerous
How organizations can future-proof themselves by embracing intergenerational collaboration
And don’t miss: ✔ The 3 C’s every employer must master ✔ What AI gets wrong about people ✔ The ROI of relevance in a 5-generation workforce
Because age isn’t the problem,it’s the solution we’ve been ignoring.
This episode isn’t about working longer.It’s about working smarter. Together.
Listen in. Then look around.The future of work isn’t younger.It’s all of us, side by side.
 
Loved the episode?
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Watch my podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGM7j8croBkkZ4bLqN7DOQ/
 

Ageism Isn’t Discrimination — It’s Strategic Stupidity

🎙 Ageism Isn’t Discrimination — It’s Strategic Stupidity
“Overqualified.” The word that sounds like a compliment but acts like a curse. Especially if you’re 40, 50, or 60+.
Most professionals don’t get rejected because they’re not capable.They get dismissed because they show up from a time and place that’s decades long gone. 
This is the #1 reason why the hiring game continues to confuse you. 
You think “I’m doing everything,” but how you did it then doesn’t fly now. 
I know this playbook all too well.At 54, I was put on a performance plan for using the word “Yippee” in an email.It wasn’t about tone. It was about tone policing. Age shaming. Disempowerment.
I signed myself up for a mission:To end career victimization and help executive job seekers over 40 stop apologizing for their age and start leading with relevance.
In this episode, I dismantle the 3 big myths keeping brilliant, experienced leaders sidelined:
What “overqualified” really means (and how to destroy the label)
Why hiding your age is killing your chances
The difference between experience and relevance—and why only one gets you hired
I show you how to:
Reclaim your unfair advantages and make them undeniable
Speak fluent business, so hiring managers actually pay attention
Show up with value (not vanity) on LinkedIn
The truth:Your resume doesn’t get you hired. Your narrative does.And if you’re not telling it, someone else is—badly.
This episode is your wake-up call to stop polishing, hiding, and waiting.You are not too old. You are too damn good to play small.
Listen in. Then level up. Because your story deserves to be heard—and hired.
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/