offtrail

confessions of a reformed linkedin stalker: offtrailterritory.substack.com/p/the-silent-p…

@pplsartofbiz exactly

There's too many applications. Some of them generated by AI bots. The biggest HR headache right now is drinking from a firehose. Then doing it in a limited time and at cost. Average candidate takes approximately 20k to 70k to hire for white collar jobs.

@neet_sol I know this sounds insane, but I think having a soul crushing job actually is jet fuel for a side hustle. You hate it so much that you run towards what you're building, and it becomes amazing because you're repurposing the frustration.

pro tip: treat your hobbies and interests like your main job and your actual job as a side hustle

@jaesmail writing is the father of video. if you get writing right, then everything else follows. also editing video sucks.

"All the other 'storytellers' in tech seem to be focusing on video, why are you guys focused on writing?" Because writing is hard, foundational, and never goes out of style. A business has never regretted investing in great writing.

the best thing to do (if you're sick of applying to jobs and want to take a break)... make a list of all the colleagues you know that are on good terms with. literally just start texting them / calling them, just to catch up. Don't bring up the fact that you're looking for something. BUT, eventually, someone probably will ask or will tell you about an opportunity. A guy I work with did this, and literally got 2-3 potential gigs ... just start stirring the pot. that's what your network is for.

The job market is humbling a lot of people right now. Degrees included. This economy is not playing fair.

My awakening began when I found out a guy one level below me, with the same degree, same college program was making more than me (eventhough I had 2.5 years more experience). know your worth. interview constantly so you have an accurate view of your market value. if you do get an offer, don't get a counter from your current company. they may give it to you, but then you'll be marked as a flight risk or outright laid off when the time is right.

When you find out the new hire makes more than you at your same title 🤬

@damienwursten youtube.com/watch?v=7hx4gd…

The real skill in commodity trading nobody talks about: Knowing when not to do a deal. Every trade has credit risk, political risk, operational risk, The trader who can identify worst-case revenues and costs from day one — and walk away when the math doesn't work — outlasts everyone else. Discipline in a volatile market is rarer than intelligence. And more valuable.

@Simon_Ingari the hiring process sucks these days for sure. but, from what I remember, even back then, the interfaces were just as bad. they just want the applicant to do the work in structuring unstructured data.

Job applications: 2001 1. Upload Resume 2. Submit 2026 1. Upload Resume 2. Retype it into 50 boxes

@fesshole Don't tell nobody oh wait

Through luck and good timing I managed to blag a very well paying job where I'm in charge of a group of 8 people. I don't have a clue how to do my job, my staff know it too but don't say anything as I'm very lenient with time off/long breaks etc. They regularly do my job for me.

Are you still complaining you didn't get the career elevation you were expecting at work? You probably still believe that hard skills should carry you forever, right? Wrong. Instead, try this. Act as if you are already in the role you want. If you are eyeing a promotion, start by taking on the responsibilities and challenges of that higher role, BEFORE you ask for it. You must demonstrate you possess the capabilities for the next step in your career. You must show you are ready. Once you do that, it's only an admin matter then: you will eventually get the outcome you want. A lot of people go the other way around: they explain why they *think* they are ready for the new role, but have little to show for it. Don't be those people.

This is spot on... people in charge are looking for people who take ownership... and if you reframe as though you're already promoted, then you'll naturally take ownership of things. I recently got asked to help a client simply because they saw me taking ownership of some stuff in another context - and they thought... "hey, I need some of that energy in my company." Never underestimate the power of appearing motivated (a byproduct of ownership).

@conductr_ Knowledge is worthless without application

Stop trying to be smart. It’s ruining you. Those who obsess over knowledge end up drowning in it. Instead, pick just one source and dive deep into learning. Then implement the knowledge immediately.

Once upon a time, everybody was a founder. Their dad started a corner store, or a barber shop, or a trading company and the kids took over. Entrepreneurship used to be the norm, not the outlier. I think with the more pervasive interest in starting companies, the term "founder" will dissipate like you said.

This is why “founder” is a dying identity. What is your identity when you are building a business that might pivot every 3-6 months? What community do you belong to when you’re essentially unemployed and your prospective customers don’t yet respect you? Well, you can call yourself a “founder” and go to founder dinners and read founder advice and idolize Steve Jobs and feel like you’re a part of something bigger. The problem is that by ascribing the founder identity to anyone who calls themselves one, the identity essentially becomes meaningless. It’s like a bunch of people saying someone’s an author when they’ve never written and sold a book. So now the story has become tainted. I think more founders, real founders, will begin to take on other identities that speak more to the type of organization they want to build and the problems they want to solve. And that will lead them to take their distinct identities more seriously and creatively. The death of the “founder” will lead to an entrepreneurial renaissance.

@CliftonSellers How to adapt to a new job situation very quickly. If you can do that, you can build trust quickly. And... it actually helps you move up quicker promotion-wise. wrote about it here actually: offtrailterritory.substack.com/p/right-hand-r…

What’s the ONE skill you’ve built that pays you more than your degree ever did?

@Bitcoin_Teej Here's a break down with more detail + my own experiences in Supply Chain: offtrailterritory.substack.com/p/business-fun…

Supply chain is a major department in pretty much every mid to large-sized company. You can go into several different types, too (Buyer or Procurement [the ppl buying stuff], Sourcing [the people finding / switching suppliers], Planning [the people deciding how many supplies they need based on what mfg. needs], Strategy [the ppl who did the above and know how to set the objectives and adjust the organization]). Also, sometimes companies tie logistics/distribution into this org too, especially if they're tracking incoming shipments. Huge departments, huge opportunity. Co-sign this all day.

Nobody talks about supply chain as a career path and it is a mistake. Supply chain analyst. Average salary $90,000 to $110,000. Senior roles at $130,000+. Remote friendly. Needed in every industry. Healthcare, manufacturing, tech, retail, government. The Google Supply Chain certificate on Coursera is under $300. Most people chasing tech overlook the fact that every company on earth has a supply chain that needs managing.

@zenziebar @Bitcoin_Teej Industrial engineering is very much slept on because it doesn't sound as glamorous. What it really is is a hybrid degree between business and engineering, and it's focused on making factories more efficient typically.

@Bitcoin_Teej I graduated industrial engineering and honestly the money is like none other. I didn’t take the route bc I work in a very niche field rn and that money is also spectacular

@Haven_F1 @Bitcoin_Teej Quality engineering can be a variety of things... there are quality engineers in mfg. and supply chain typically. They could work in other places, too.

@Bitcoin_Teej How about Quality Engineering? Any thoughts? Thank you!

Job titles are confusing... different titles at different companies, different titles for the same job, etc... here's how to decipher what's going on: offtrailterritory.substack.com/p/why-job-titl…

@CliftonSellers @NathanHirsch99 100%. You have to have a mixture of leadership skills + adjacent experiences to actually succeed.

@NathanHirsch99 Most people get promoted into management without ever learning it.

10 Clear Signs You Aren't Manager Material Save your team and career. Your team’s silence is a warning. Leadership isn’t inherited; it’s learned. Leadership isn’t a promotion; it’s a skill. True leaders build, not break. Here are the red flags you can’t unsee:

@positiverplyguy @dave_watches @BowTiedBull It depends I think on the job. If you’re in a high stress job it’s hard to dial it down without being noticed, but in a typical gig I think it can work

Wouldn’t it make sense just to take your foot off the gas so that your health can recover, and go half speed for a while and wait and see if they terminate rather than just quit? It might take them a while to do it. You might also be offered severance depending on your position/tenure if you’re terminated vs resigning. I get it goes against many of our natures but financially it does seem the smarter play.

Bowtied Bull (@BowTiedBull) correctly states don’t quit your W2 until you make 2x your net income for over 12 months from your side hustle. I quit anyway. I couldn’t keep putting my health last and deal with the unbelievably low standards from other execs. It took me a year, but in 2026, I’ve broken every sales record I ever held and have 3-4x’d my net income. If you’re stuck, please start your own business. It’s your only way out.