FutureProof You

EP 30 - Stop Spamming Applications: How to Actually Stand Out in Your Job Search AI has made it easy to write a polished resume and send hundreds of applications. That is also why the old volume strategy is breaking. In this episode, Aaron Makelky and Dan Yu talk about prompt injections in job postings, Aaron's test against four AI models, and why mass-applying can leave you buried in a pile of id...

EP 29 - In-Person Networking Guide Date: 2026-05-07 Co-hosts: Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, John Lovig Aaron, Dan, and John make the case that in-person networking is back, and that the people who prepare for it are going to separate themselves from everyone still treating networking like a cold LinkedIn chore. They talk about why companies are trying to scale live events again, why people are hungry for...

Show Notes Aaron, Dan, and John push back on the dominant narrative that entry-level roles are dead and AI has eaten the college graduate job market. Drawing on a Wall Street Journal piece and their own recruiting work in spring 2026, they explain why the class of 2026 actually has better prospects than the previous class, why companies like McKinsey and IBM are ramping entry-level hiring back up,...

Aaron, Dan, and John break down five common pieces of career advice that sound reasonable but actually hurt job seekers and working professionals. They cover why going it alone backfires, how AI-powered job applications create more problems than they solve (including a story about catching a candidate reading AI answers during an interview), why short stints on a resume aren't the dealbreaker peop...

EP 26 — Side Hustles, AI Agents, and the Human Skills That Still Matter Job searches are at an all-time high, and so are searches for side hustles. The hosts break down how AI tools like Open Claw are letting solo entrepreneurs replace their first hire with a $50/month AI agent, why 18,000 people applied to a single job posting, and why mass-applying with ChatGPT resumes is a losing strategy. The...

The hosts break down what actually works on LinkedIn in 2026, including intel Dan picked up at LinkedIn's headquarters. They cover why hashtags are dead, how the first 30 minutes after posting determine your reach, the exact character limits for hooks (62/62/50), and why replying to comments on your own posts matters more than most people think. Aaron makes the case for video content after one low...

Check out our website for additional resources: www.futureproof-you.com We get asked this all the time: "How do you find the time to post consistently?" This episode is the answer. We talk through how we actually do it—what works, what doesn't, and how we've each built something sustainable. How we got here: Dan started with email chains on Wall Street. John was networking his way through grad sch...

New Year, New Career We talk about what the 2026 job market actually looks like and what to do if you're thinking about switching careers or jobs this year. What we cover: Latest labor stats: jobless claims ticked up, job openings dropped by 300K, and white-collar roles are still getting hit hardest. We run through which job titles are popping up for 2026: most involve AI implementation, integrati...

In this episode, Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, and John Lovig cover how to navigate layoffs, whether you're watching them happen around you or going through one yourself. Dan shares the numbers: over 1.1 million layoffs in 2025, a 54% jump year-over-year, making it the worst since COVID and the 2008 financial crisis. Tech, telecom, retail, airlines, and food service have all been hit. Amazon, Verizon, IB...

Join recruiters Dan Yu and John Lovig as they share insights from the trenches on Q4 2025 hiring trends, AI's impact on recruitment, and essential strategies for job seekers navigating today's market. Timestamps & Topics [0:00] Introduction & Q4 Hiring Trends Overview Aaron introduces the episode topic and the team discusses what's happening in Q4 hiring across the market. [0:36] AI's Impa...

Terri Dien went from White House Press Office to campaign wins to culinary school at 30-something, then stacked skills across restaurants, teaching, corporate dining, four cookbooks, and now voiceover. We cover: how to test and iterate, translate strengths into new lanes, use networks instead of blind applying, design better learning with simple takeaways, and why failing in public is often the fa...

FutureProof You Podcast — EP 18: “Seasons of Hiring” One‑liner When should a job seeker push hard versus play the long game? Aaron Makelky, John Lovig, and Dan Yu map the hiring year—late summer slowdown, Q4 surge, bonus-season churn, and spring steadiness—and give a practical playbook for each. TL;DR Takeaways Late summer is slower (vacations, back‑to‑school), so expect longer response times—use...

Adapting to the AI-First Era: Trends, Tools, and Strategies Check out the Futureproof-You website for more resources, courses, and our free guide: 5 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile In this episode of Future Proof You podcast, hosted by Dan Yu, John Lovig, and Aaron Makelky, the focus is on the growing impact of AI in the business world. The hosts discuss the transition from AI experimentatio...

Debunking Job Search Myths: Insights from Recruiters Check out the Futureproof-You website for more resources, courses, and our free resource: 5 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile In this episode of the Future Proof You podcast, hosts Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, and John Lovig demystify common myths in the job search process. They address six myths: AI in applicant tracking systems causing quick rej...

Exploring Emerging Jobs and AI's Role in the Future Workforce Check out the Futureproof-You website for more resources, courses, and our free resource: 5 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile In this episode of the Future-Proof You podcast, hosts Dan Yu, Aaron Makelky, and John Lovig discuss the emergence of new job titles, such as Chief Automation Officer, and their implications in today's job ma...

Navigating Economic Uncertainty and AI's Impact on Job Market Check out the Futureproof-You website for more resources, courses, and our free resource: 5 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile In this episode of the Future-Proof You podcast, hosts discuss the current state of the economy and its implications for job seekers and companies. They delve into recent news, including the shrinking GDP, de...

Career Pivots for Teachers: Strategies for a Successful Transition Check out https://futureproof-you.com/store for upcoming classes like our Career Pivots for Teachers In this episode of the Future-Proof You podcast, hosts John Lovig and Aaron Makelky discuss career pivots for educators, focusing on practical steps teachers can take to transition out of traditional classroom roles. April is design...

AI tools like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT are improving at a breakneck pace, sometimes feeling like they get better week by week, or even day by day. What does this rapid rate of change mean for your career, especially if you're job hunting, considering a pivot, or were recently laid off? Join Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, and John Lovig as they tackle this head-on. They discuss the startling acceleratio...

Check out the Futureproof-You website for more resources, courses, and our free resource: 5 Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile Navigating the Uncertain Job Market and the Dano Method In this episode of The Future Proof You podcast, hosts Aaron Makelky, John Lovig, and Dan Yu discuss the challenges and uncertainties in the current labor market. They introduce the VUCA acronym—volatile, uncertain...

In March 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the AI Master Class series. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. In this episode of the Future Proof Yourself podcast, hosts Dan, John Lo, and Aaron Makelky discuss the essentials of content creation. They share their personal experiences, discuss common chal...

In March 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the AI Master Class series. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. Welcome back to the Future Proof You podcast! In this episode, Dan Yu, John Lovig, and Aaron Makelky dive into the world of AI and how it can be a tool for content creators and even job seekers...

Leveraging AI Tools for New Entrepreneurs In March 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the AI Master Class series. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. In this episode of the Future Proof Views podcast, hosts John Lovig and Aaron Makelky discuss  the challenges and strategies of being new entrepreneurs....

AI in the Workplace and School In March 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the AI Master Class series. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. In this episode of The Future Proof You podcast, hosts Aaron Makelky, John Wig, and Dan Yu discuss the transformative impact of AI on various industries. John, an...

In February 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the Job Search Master Class. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. In this episode of Future Proof U's podcast, titled "F Yourself," three experts discuss the dos and don'ts of job interviews. They introduce John Lovig, a seasoned recruiter with over 15 yea...

Networking at Scale with Content In February 2025,  Futureproof-You.com is teaching the Job Search Master Class. If you missed the live classes, you can check out the website to access recordings and see which live classes are coming up next. In this episode of Future Proof Use Podcast, Dan, John Lovig, and Aaron Makelky dive into the essentials of using content for effective networking on LinkedI...