Podcast: Unpopular Opinion
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Resumes page flexible?
Tabitha Cavanagh is a Talent and Branding Leader, a mom and a cancer survivor who believes the job search and recruitment are team sports. She’s a recruiter who has never eliminated a candidate due to a lengthy resume.
Debunking recruitment “best practices”
Enjoy her other hot takes as we explore the candidate experience, personality tests, cover letters and predictions on the future of recruitment.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Tabitha’s Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabtherecruiter/
Time Stamps of the Episode
Candidates shouldn’t have to fit their resumes on one page (1:04-7:39)
Tabitha’s work history (7:40-12:23)
Recruitment misconceptions (12:23-14:41)
What Tabitha’s CV looks like (14:42-16:25)
The skinny on cover letters (16:27-17:40)
Tabitha’s experience getting laid off (17:41-23:29)
How to support professionals who are open to work (23:30-26:14)
Unique approaches Tabitha has seen job applicants take when applying for a position (26:15-28:20)
Unique tactics Tabitha has used when interviewing (28:21-29:50)
Predictions on the future of recruitment (29:51-31:07)
Using personality assessments during hiring (33:34-37:56)
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Professionals don’t always have to have a job lined up before quitting their current role.
Meet Haley, a marketer and mother who’s passionate about advocating for women and parents. She’s had an array of experiences from coordinating events in foreign countries to writing about labor market analytics. Today, she’s a content marketing manager for a company dedicated to improving the workplace culture for parents and caregivers. Her rebellious act was quitting her job (yes, in this harsh economy) before having another one lined up. As a new mom herself, she knows firsthand the challenges of trying to grow a career and family at the same time, but once her boundaries were crossed, she never looked back.
Where do you draw the line?
After returning from maternity leave, she was faced with a toxic work environment where she was typecasted as the “struggling new mom.” This led to several boundaries being crossed (flexible hours, micromanagement, etc.) She finally said “enough” and placed all bets on her skills, experience and character, which led her to becoming an unapologetic jobseeker.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Time Stamps of the Episode
Haley’s Unpopular Opinion (00.22-4:02)
How Haley’s friends and family responded to her quitting her job without another role lined up (4:03-5:16)
Haley’s work history (5:17-6:33)
Remote and hybrid work (6:34-10:35)
Haley’s take on burning bridges (10:36-12:57)
Jobseeking advice for new parents (12:58-14:48)
Haley’s non-negotiable work priorities (14:50-16:25)
Navigating the struggles of setting boundaries (16:26-22:34)
What Haley will tell her daughter about this experience (22:35-24:02)
Advice for those looking for a new role in the harsh climate (24:04-25:41)
Her outlook on accountability buddies (25:42-27:45)
Haley debunk an unpopular opinion (27:51-29:40)
Where to find Haley (29:41-30:28)
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Marketing and cybersecurity make an interesting team. Clark Barron says the only difference between marketing and a cyber attack is that one of them is legal.
It’s hard to market to cybersecurity professionals
If you’ve mastered cyber security marketing, you can master marketing in any industry. These professionals are tough nuts to crack!
The marketing echo chamber
Has the marketing echo chamber made us all dumber? Will marketers ruin ChatGPT? What can marketers do to protect their own sanity and how can their managers learn to better gauge their bandwidth? Find out all this and more in Clark’s episode!
Check out these resources we mentioned
Time Stamps of the Episode
The only difference between marketing and a cyber attack is that one of them is legal. (2:45-4:50)
If you’ve mastered cyber security marketing, you can master marketing in any industry. (4:51-7:46)
Backlash on his unpopular opinion. (7:47-10:13)
Coaching on this approach (10:14-15:03)
Marketing has gotten in way too deep with sales. (15:04-16:54)
The marketing echo chamber is making us all dumber. (16:58-28:21)
Marketers are burning out faster than ever. (28:22-29:04)
Advice to marketers on the job hunt today. (29:06-35:07)
ChatGPT isn’t going to ruin marketing. Marketers are going to ruin ChatGPT. (35:08-40:10)
Debunk an “unpopular opinion” you’ve found swimming around your feed. (40:11-41:39)
Closing notes (41:40-43:00)
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Don’t Fear AI
Who’s afraid of the big bad AI? With ChatGPT and other generative AI tools coming in hot, writers are uneasy about whether or not this technology will replace them.
It’s time to write like journalists
Adapting is the name and the game. It’s no longer enough to write to please the SEO gods. Writers must take a journalistic approach and conduct original research, interview sources and find the story. Ben Pines, Director of Content at AI21 Labs and Wordtune, shares some tricks content marketers can learn to use AI to their advantage.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Time Stamps of the Episode
Why Generative AI is great for writers (00.22-2:20)
Where the fear of AI is coming from (2:21-3:48)
Ben’s work history (3:48-4:55)
Doubling down on longform content (4:56-7:38)
SEO is a dying animal (7:39-10:36)
Planning for distribution (10:37-13:02)
How content writers can take a journalistic approach (13:03-17:54)
Generative AI is like a graphing calculator (17:55-20:22)
Should writers have to be SMEs? (20:23-24:52)
Backlash on Ben’s unpopular take (24:53-28:15)
Tactical ways to use generative AI to your advantage (28:16-29:48)
Ben debunks an unpopular opinion (29:51-34:00)
Closing notes (34:01-34:39)
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We’re not recognizing our team members the right way
Companies should create a culture of appreciation through their recognition strategies and programs that don’t focus on fancy trophies, expensive gifts, or money, but on a feeling.
Appreciation is an ongoing effort
The goal is to move the strategy to where every employee feels appreciated, not just a few. Organizations must make recognition occur for all of the small things that matter and make a difference, not just the big ones. With continuous recognition, people feel valued and appreciated. Above all, the efforts must be genuine, meaningful and inclusive.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Time Stamps of the Episode0.36-1:58 (Debra on employee recognition programs being feeling-focused, not gift or monetary-based)
1:59-2:53 (Debra’s work history and how it ties in with her take)
2:54-7:00 (Pushback on her approach and why we keep doing things just because “we’ve always done them that way.”)
7:01-9:24 (When did this concept “click?”)
9:25-10:47 (Can anyone become a rebel?)
10:49-13:13 (On mentorship)
13:14-16:34 (What annoys Debra about traditional HR)
16:35-19:56 (Steps to joining the “rebelution.”)
19:59-25:51 (Debunk an unpopular opinion, closing notes)
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Entrepreneurial advice annoying?
Pete DeOlympio, Director of Marketing at Cleartelligence, thinks there is an exhausting amount of advice on LinkedIn and ‘entrepreneur Twitter’ and refuses to believe the majority of users are scouring it day in and day out for some sort of direction in their work or personal lives.
Are Twitter solopreneurs serious with their 37 tweet threads explaining how to make $150k per year?
Are real people actually consuming this content? Who is this for? Who finds this entertaining or mildly helpful? When is enough, enough? Can’t we just be human?
Check out these resources we mentioned
Pete’s LinkedIn
Pete’s Twitter
Time Stamps of the Episode
0.39-10:37 (Pete doubts people are scouring LinkedIn & Twitter for business tips. He finds all the entrepreneurial advice overbearing and thinks you do, too.)
10:39-16:30 (Pete’s work history and how it ties in with his take)
16:31-19:18 (Who wants to hang out in this “hilariously crappy metaverse trade show?”)
19:19-22:47 (If everyone acted as they do on LinkedIn at a dinner party, they might end up on a Netflix serial killer documentary)
22:48-30:25 (Hug/apologize to a graphic designer)
30:25-35:52 (Marketing is not as important as 90 percent of marketers out there seem to think it is)
36:00-41:26 (How can others allow more of their personalities to come through online and in the workplace?)41:27-47:30 (Debunk an unpopular opinion, closing notes)
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Sensationalism and journalism are not the same thing
Meredith Metsker, Content Marketing Manager at uConnect, believes the national media coverage of the quadruple homicide in Moscow, Idaho, has been sensationalist, insensitive and harmful. As an ex-journalist, she would know.
Community news portrays the homicide differently
Meredith believes that the local media has done a much more ethical and accurate job covering the tragic incident. As an Idahoan and a graduate of the University of Idaho, this particular event is close to her heart, causing her to think back toward her days as a community reporter.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Meredith’s LinkedIn profile
Time Stamps of the Episode
1.23-5:02 (Meredith recaps the quadruple homicide in Moscow, Idaho, and how national coverage has been sensationalist, insensitive and harmful.)
5:17-9:04 (How the national coverage is unethical)
9:04-10:42 (Why sensationalism is trending)
10:43-16:27 (How community news covered the quadruple homicide)
16:28-20:31 (The aftermath of the tragedy in Moscow)
20:32-32:21 (Transitioning from journalism to content marketing)
32:23-34:51 (Debunk an unpopular opinion, closing notes)
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Burn down HR? Say it ain’t so! Jessica Winder, Senior VP of People at Refine Labs, thinks traditional HR is cruising for a bruising. She has found tremendous success by turning the world of people ops on its head.
Cut the b.s. and treat professionals like adults!
If HR feels a bit like the Wicked Witch of the West peering over your shoulder, you’re not alone. While traditional HR is focused on compliance and risk aversion, modern day people ops should spend their time and energy improving the employee experience and setting the team up for success.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/refinelabsjessica/
Jessica’s website: https://www.hiddengemcareercoaching.com/
The Refine Labs culture playbook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/refinelabsjessica/overlay/1635492068682/single-media-viewer/?profileId=ACoAAAyNGFUBsPSUrYTlRaiEN7ziBg0AjIrOxmI
Time Stamps of the Episode
0:45- 1:48 (Why traditional HR should “burn, baby burn.”)
1:50-3:50 (A look into Jessica Winder’s background and how that ties in with her outlook.)
3:53-4:49 (Pushback Jessica’s received on modernizing people ops.)
5:01-7:27 (The moment Jessica realized things needed to change in HR.)
7:28-9:52 (Turning an employee handbook to a culture playbook.)
9:53-12:12 (Advantages of cutting the b.s. and treating professionals like adults.)
12:14-13:34 (The importance of having and being a mentor.)
13:35-15:28 (Jessica Winder explains what annoys her most about HR.)
15:30-16:49 (Tactical ways to get your company to shift the way they think about HR.)
16:52-18:38 (Jessica debunks an ‘unpopular opinion.’)
18:40-20:25 (Closing notes, where to find Jessica.)
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In her content and when meeting new people, Michele’s style is to lead with the awkward or embarrassing stuff most people wouldn’t dare share.
Self-deprecating humor for the win
Boldly sharing something things most would consider off-limits can be a great way to connect. Maybe someone else hasn’t lived that funny experience, but they know what it’s like to be embarrassed. What gets the laugh is the surprise and the empathy. This messy human-centered theory is the reason Michele’s built a career from a social media intern to a ghostwriter for C-levels, and most recently, a brand strategist for Yata Golf.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Michele’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-hironaka/
That time LinkedIn blocked Michele for impersonating a pickle
Time Stamps of the Episode
1:26- 2:36 (why leading with the awkward is a winning approach for Michele Hironaka)
2:38-8:28 (a look into Michele’s background and how that ties in with her outlook)
10:22-18:02 (living with synesthesia—a synthesis of the senses)
18:10-23:47 (leading with the awkward as a coping mechanism)
23:48-27:30 (when self-deprecating humor backfires)
27:39- 35:09 (the story behind the famous pickle costume)
36:41-40:31 (comparing the grumblings on social media to the old town square grumblers)
40:32-44:07 (tactical advice on leading with the awkward)
44:09-48:28 (Michele debunks an unpopular opinion)
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Marketing is broken and Chris Walker of Refine Labs is working to mend it
Most B2B marketing isn’t actually marketing—it’s digital sales using marketing channels. Because the industry mindset about marketing is completely broken, they see marketing as a sales assistant or as lead generation.
Running single-channel lead gen to appease attribution software is pointless
Do you want your sales team to have a pipeline of low-intent leads? No? Then why are we still running this old playbook! Chris Walker’s journey to educate professionals and companies on this fatal mistake hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth the uphill battle.
Check out these resources we mentioned
Time Stamps of the Episode
Marketing is fundamentally broken (2:32-7:12)
Marketing vs. Sales (7:14-9:49)
Chris Walker’s work history (9:50-14:52)
How Chris navigated pushback on his unpopular opinion (14:53-17:51)
Dealing with the haters as a public figure (17:52-24:32)
On mentorship (24:33-25:49)
How Refine Labs attracts high-caliber talent (25:50-29:15)
What marketers on the job hunt should look out for (29:16-33:18)
Pros and cons of privately-funded companies (33:19-37:09)
Debunk an unpopular opinion/closing notes (37:10-40:38)
