IT job search blog How hiring really works.
Straight talk from Trevor Churchley on job seeking, LinkedIn, recruiters and staying visible in a market full of AI noise.
- Stop being the best kept secretHere's what I tell every job seeker who says they're not getting noticed. A strong resume and years of experience only work if someone sees them.
- Visibility. Or as I call it, hustle.I watched the 60 Minutes report on job seeking last night. One thing the job seeker from the UK said at the end of the story is a game changer: her visibility is what got her the next job.
- How do you stand out when there are 200 others in the pile?Trevor and Paul are joined by Heath, principal of Brennan Sourcing and H.I.R.E.D.'s first returning guest, for a practical conversation about showcasing yourself, your value and your achievements in a crowded job market.
- On ABC Business News with George the WonderDogIt's been quite a day! ABC Radio National and online news this morning, and now ABC Business News tonight at 8.45pm with George the WonderDog.
- Talking LinkedIn job scams with ABC NewsIt was a nice surprise to receive some warm messages this morning after I appeared on ABC News, both radio and online, talking about the rising trend of scammers on LinkedIn.
- How important is quick rapport building in an interview?Job seekers I work with spend hours rehearsing technical answers. Almost none rehearse the first few minutes, before the real questions start, which is when the interviewer is already forming a view.
- Say no to (your) unemploymentLast week the Reserve Bank governor said unemployment needs to edge higher to bring inflation down. Tell that to someone who has been applying for months and hearing nothing back.
- Is job seeker advice fatigue grinding you down?I met a senior IT leader recently who looked defeated, and it wasn't only the market. Friends, ex-colleagues, family, recruiters had all given her conflicting advice. Who to believe???
- AI hype? Dot Com bust? History repeating?Is history repeating itself. That's the question every AI pitch in my inbox seems to be answering without meaning to, and I lived through the dot com boom and bust once already.
- How can you turn job seeking rejection into success?John got knocked back for a tech leadership role three months ago. Last week the hiring manager called with a new position. Can rejection be turned into job seeking success?
- Filling my cup at the Job Seeker Cafe Sydney IRLThis fills my cup. Bringing together some amazing job seekers to help them on their journey towards job seeking success through the Job Seeker Cafe In-Real-Life mode. Pure magic
- What's with the 2am rejection emails?Another Hustle Game player told me their rejection email landed at 2am again, just before they woke up, just in time to add anxiety before another day of job seeking. Poor user experience, or do employers even care?
- Who do you need to check in with?An old friend of mine went quiet on me about four months ago. Turned out he'd lost his contract and didn't want to say anything. Today I'm thinking about him.
- Six Months of Applying, Barely Any Interviews. Here's Why.Someone booked a meeting with me yesterday to talk about 6 months of job hunting. Less than a handful of interviews. He said the job specs read like they were written about him but he's getting nowhere.
- Does LinkedIn's "Seems Like AI Slop" Button Actually Do Anything?I've used LinkedIn's "seems like AI slop" button more than 50 times in the last few weeks, on the same handful of posts. Every one of them is still sitting at the top of my feed this morning.
- Has Outplacement Become Redundant?A resume template. A tidied up LinkedIn profile. Sent back into the market and told good luck. That's what a lot of people tell me outplacement gave them, built for a market that doesn't exist anymore.
- The Golden Moment: When the Recruiter Calls You FirstJodie rang Travis on a Wednesday afternoon and said the vacancy had his name all over it. He was her only call. Eighteen months earlier he couldn't get anyone to call him back.
- The Rise of One-Way Video Interviews: Efficient Hiring or Candidate Experience Disaster?A growing number of employers are replacing human screening conversations with one-way video interviews. While the technology promises efficiency, many candidates are questioning whether removing interaction, feedback and human connection is improving recruitment, or making it harder for talented people to succeed.
- You Studied the Job, But Forgot the Room: Why Rapport Can Make or Break an InterviewYou can know the role inside out and still miss the job. Why rapport with the people in the room can make or break an interview.
- The AI Resume Illusion: Why the Perfect CV Is No Longer EnoughAI has made it easier than ever to create a polished, keyword-optimised resume. The challenge? Everyone else is doing the same thing. In a crowded market, standing out requires more than a perfect CV. It requires visibility, credibility and genuine human connection.
- AI Gave Everyone an Edge. So How Do You Stand Out Now?AI has levelled the playing field for job seekers. Resumes are polished, profiles are optimised, and applications look better than ever. The challenge is that everyone now has access to the same tools. In a crowded market, your real advantage isn't AI, it's your visibility, credibility and ability to show up as a genuine human being.
- Stop Approving AI Content That Sounds Fine, But Doesn't Sound Like YouChatGPT can write content that looks polished, structured and publishable. But that doesn't mean it sounds like you. In a feed full of AI-generated sameness, authenticity is the real differentiator.
- The Job Seeker Silver Medal: When "Internal Candidate" Becomes the Final Insult6 interviews. 40 hours of preparation. Weeks of emotional investment. Then the role goes to an internal candidate. At what point does hiring stop being evaluation and start becoming extraction?
- 500 Applicants Miss the Call. One "Easy to Place" Candidate Gets It.In today's crowded job market, the candidates getting hired aren't always the most qualified, they're the most visible, trusted and easy to place.
- Too Old for the Market? Louise Keir's CareerAGILITY Success Story Says OtherwiseWhen Louise Keir's contract ended, the modern job market felt different. Applications weren't enough. By rebuilding her brand, activating her network and showing up consistently, she turned experience into opportunity.
- Ageism or Invisibility? The Uncomfortable Truth About Job Search StrugglesAgeism is real, but sometimes the bigger issue is invisibility. If you're applying online, waiting and not following up, you may be staying anonymous in a market that rewards trust, relationships and visibility.
- Is LinkedIn Death Scrolling Killing Your Job Search Productivity?Scrolling LinkedIn feels productive, but it's not. If you're stuck in a loop of consuming content without engaging, you're missing where real opportunities happen: conversations, visibility and action.
- Did AI Really Take Their Jobs? Or Is This Just Market Theatre?AI is changing work, but the idea that it's "taking all the jobs" is overhyped. The real story is market correction, shifting value, and who adapts fastest.
- Are You a Waffler? The Silent Habit That Could Be Hurting Your Job SearchMost job seekers don't realise they're waffling, because no one tells them. But in interviews and networking, saying too much can make your message unclear and cost you opportunities. Here's why clarity wins.
- Layoffs Make Headlines. Job Creation Happens Quietly.Layoffs grab attention, but they don't tell the full story. While headlines focus on jobs lost, new roles are quietly being created every day, just not in the news.
- 0.6%: The Brutal Reality of Applying for Jobs Online (And Doing Nothing Else)Applying online feels like progress, but without visibility, relationships and follow-up, your chances are close to zero. Here's why the job search game has changed.
- Struggling to Find Your Next IT Job? You Might Be Solving the Wrong ProblemIf your job search isn't working, it's not always about effort. It's often about clarity, positioning and understanding how the modern job market actually works.
Podcast · Hosted by Trevor Churchley and Paul Seaman
H.I.R.E.D. Podcast
The podcast where job seekers find Help, Information, Reflection, Empowerment and Development. Trevor and Paul have candid, practical conversations about navigating unemployment, understanding the job market, and dealing with recruiters and recruitment processes.
From actionable job seeking strategies to looking after your mental health and resilience, they share tips, advice and honest stories, because you deserve support on your path to getting H.I.R.E.D.
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