Found Role | Career Insights + Tools

Most candidates use AI to write terrible, robotic cover letters. That's a waste of leverage. Right now, the best hidden roles are being posted directly by founders and managers on X. Here is how to use AI as your personal research assistant to mine the timeline. 🧵

Stop trying to beat the ATS with a Skills section full of 30 random tools you used once in 2023. Treat the ATS like a tired human. Drop the wall of keywords. Instead, attach your tools directly to an outcome: ➡ Increased team output by 12% by migrating workflows to [Tool]. Tonight's homework: 1⃣Delete the standalone skills cloud at the bottom of your resume. 2⃣Weave your top 3 tools directly into your impact bullets.

Taking on the workload of two laid-off coworkers without a title change isn't "showing initiative". It's a quiet promotion with zero pay. Companies are patching holes right now. But you don't have to accept crisis-mode burnout as your new baseline. Tomorrow morning: 1. List the extra responsibilities you absorbed this quarter. 2. Put them on the agenda for your next 1:1. 3. Ask your manager: Which of these are the actual priorities?

A pattern we keep seeing in successful career pivots: the person who wins the job didn't just say "I'm a fast learner". They brought receipts. They usually show up with two specific artifacts: - One public project solving a niche problem. - A timeline of their learning is logged online. If you're changing industries, stop collecting generic certificates. Build one simple 2-page case study that solves a real problem for your target role.

Hiring Manager: We need a rockstar. HR: Ok, what does that mean in the job description? Hiring Manager: Knows product, sales, marketing, data, and a bit of coding. HR: So… five roles in one? Hiring Manager: And they should have 3–5 years of experience. HR: For that scope, that's senior. Hiring Manager: But we can only pay mid-level. HR: Then we're not hiring a rockstar. We're hiring a miracle. The market will always test what it can get away with. Next time you see a 5-in-1 job description with a donkey budget, close the tab. Protect your energy. Have you ever seen a job description that tried to hire 3 people into 1 role?

Block is cutting 4,000+ jobs, almost half the company, and saying out loud it's because of AI. The first roles to go are ops, support, and risk, where most of the week is moving data from A to B and sending reports. If most of your calendar is handoffs and status updates, AI doesn't "take your job". It lets your company do the same work with fewer people. The move is simple: start shifting one chunk of your week from running processes to redesigning them, and make sure your resume shows that shift with real examples.

The golden rule of cold DMs: lower the friction to zero. Don't ask a stranger to do homework. Can I pick your brain for an hour? = Ignored. Did you find certification X or project Y more useful for this pivot? = Answered. Find one person who made the career transition you want. Send them a highly specific question they can answer in two sentences while waiting for coffee.

@TheGeorgePu The antidote is moving up the stack before you get hollowed out. Not faster at the task, but better at the judgment, context, and decisions that sit above the task. That is what AI still cannot replace.

AI isn't going to take your job. It's going to take the best parts of your job. The parts that paid well. The parts that made you hard to replace. You keep the leftovers. You get faster at work that matters less and less. You don't get fired. You get hollowed out. Nobody warns you. One day you wake up and it just happens. Your job doesn't need YOU anymore.

Not negotiating your first offer will literally cost you $1,000,000 over your career. And you're only worried about base pay. If base pay is capped by HR bands, pivot your ask. Negotiate your total package: a learning budget, an accelerated timeline for your first review, or compressed work hours. Write down two "backup asks" right now so you're ready when they say the budget is tight.

@joanncorley The conventional path develops conventional leaders. The ones who stand out usually learned from doing things no playbook covers yet.

If you really want to grow your #leadership effectiveness - then do yourself a favor and don't follow the traditional, conventional approaches to development. ** To be a standout, you've got to step outside of what's always been done.**

@Adam_Karpiak And it works, until the person starts and immediately keeps interviewing. A bad process does not end at the offer, it just moves the problem inside the company.

The plan? Make the hiring process such a humiliation ritual they accept a lowball offer just to make it stop.

@rajshamani Visibility is not arrogance, it is context. If no one knows what you are working on, they cannot give you credit for it, recommend you, or think of you when the right opportunity comes up.

Most people are uncomfortable with self-promotion because they were taught to see it as arrogance. That belief makes people lose more opportunities than a lack of skill ever will.

@Simon_Ingari The real answer is usually honest but unsellable. The winning answer reframes the same truth: you are not running from something, you are moving toward something specific. That distinction matters more than the words.

JOB INTERVIEW QUESTION: “Why are you leaving your current employer?” Most candidates say: “I'm looking for new challenge” “My current boss is terrible.” THE WINNING ANSWER:

@Simon_Ingari Listening is also how you catch what the interviewer actually cares about. The best answers are shaped by what they emphasized, not just what they asked.

One small habit in interviews can quietly say “don’t hire me” without you even knowing it! As an HR professional, I’ve seen many talented people lose chances because of one quiet habit: not listening properly. In interviews, some candidates are so busy preparing their next answer that they stop truly listening. They interrupt. They give long replies that don’t match the question. Or they repeat points that were never asked. This doesn’t look confident. It looks careless. Interviewers are not just checking your skills. They are checking how well you understand, how you communicate, and how you respect time. When you don’t listen fully, your answers feel off-track. It creates confusion and makes the interviewer doubt your fit for the role. Another version of this habit is rushing. Speaking too fast, over-explaining, or jumping into answers without a pause. It shows nervousness, not clarity. The fix is simple. Pause before answering. Listen till the end. Answer only what is asked. Keep it clear and to the point. Remember, interviews are conversations, not speeches. When you listen well, your answers automatically become better. Sometimes, it’s not your skills that hurt your chances. It’s a small habit you didn’t even notice.

The shift from here is why I want this job to here is the problem I will solve for you is everything. Most candidates pitch themselves. The ones who get hired pitch a solution.

This Answer will get you hired! In almost every HR interview, one question always comes: Why should we hire you? Many candidates give common answers like, “I am hardworking” or “I need this job.” But one simple change in your thinking can make your answer powerful. Instead of focusing on your need, focus on their problem. The company is not hiring to help you. They are hiring to solve a problem, improve a process, or grow faster. So your answer should show three things: 📌You understand their role. 📌You have the right skills. 📌You will add value from day one. Here is an example answer you can use as a base: From what I understand, you are looking for someone who can handle this role independently and work well with the team. I have experience in similar responsibilities, and in my last role, I improved the process and reduced delays. I believe my skills, attitude, and willingness to learn will help your team achieve better results. That is why I feel I can add real value here. This answer is simple. It is honest. And it speaks about impact, not ego. Remember, interviews are not about impressing. They are about matching the right person to the right problem. Prepare this answer well. It might be the reason you get selected.

@Simon_Ingari Scary is the right word. But the people struggling most are the ones still running a 2019 job search in a 2026 market. The strategy has to change before the results will.

The 2026 job market looks scary 😦 AI everywhere. Hiring freezes. Layoff headlines.

Face of a candidate when the senior offer comes in at 60k. Not greedy. Just doing the math.

@Simon_Ingari A counter offer buys the company time, not loyalty. The moment they start looking for your replacement, the raise becomes irrelevant. Always take the outside offer if the reason you were leaving was bigger than the money.

Employee: Here is my two weeks’ resignation notice. HR Manager: You didn’t tell me you were planning to leave. Employee: Yes, I wanted to wait until the right time. HR Manager: The right time? Employee: I’m joining a new company with a better offer. HR Manager: How much are they offering you? Employee: It’s 170,000—a solid jump from my current 100,000. HR Manager: We can give you a no-brainer offer—190,000. Employee: In that case, I’ll stay and accept your offer. HR Manager: Thank you. You’re one of our top performers, and we can’t afford to lose you. Employee: I knew I could count on you. Four months later… HR Manager: Here is your termination notice. Employee: Why? We just signed a new contract. HR Manager: Yes, but the company is restructuring due to low business. Employee: Then why did you recently hire an assistant for my role if there are budget constraints? HR Manager: This decision is from above. You have two weeks to hand over your responsibilities. Employee: (Regrets instantly)

@Simon_Ingari Your payslip anchors the negotiation to your past, not your market value. You are not obligated to share it and in many places it is illegal to require it. The right answer redirects to the role's budget, not your history.

JOB INTERVIEW QUESTION: “Can you share your payslip?” Most candidates say: "Oh okay..." "Payslip is private and confidential ..." "I’m not comfortable sharing it ..." THE WINNING ANSWER:

@Simon_Ingari A 1-2% raise on a $80K salary is $1,600 a year before tax. The market will give you 15-20% just for switching jobs. That is why the best performers leave right after being recognized.

Yesterday, after being announced as the best overall performer, boss told Jack: “Next month, the company will give you a promotion and a salary raise.” His eyes teared up. The company’s salary increase rate is capped at 1–2%.

@Simon_Ingari This one is satire but the real version exists too. Some companies penalize overwork, others reward it, and neither tells you upfront which culture you are walking into. That is what interviews are actually for.

Boss: (leaving the office) Alright, see you tomorrow. Employee: See you. — 20 minutes later — Employee: Why are you back? Boss: Forgot my jacket… what are you still doing here? Employee: Just finishing a client report. I wanted it done before tomorrow. Boss: It’s past 5 PM. Company policy prohibit working this time Employee: Yes, just wrapping things up. Boss: I’m disappointed. Employee: Disappointed… because I stayed late? Boss: You were already set for a promotion and salary increase next month. Employee: Then I don’t understand the issue. Boss: Everyone has left office, you are violating your Work-life-balance Employee: I was just trying to help the team. Boss: You’re fired. Employee: …For working beyond 5 PM? Boss : Tomorrow come for your termination letter.