Podcast
FutureProof You
Hosted by Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, John Lovig · EN
FutureProof You is a team comprised of: Career Pivot Expert Dan Yu, Recruiting Master John Lovig, and AI Consultant Aaron Makelky. Listeners will hear discussions of job trends, career advice, and actionable tips for making sure their careers are future proof!
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
EP 29 In-Person Networking Guide
2w ago00:25:54Tap to summarizeEP 29 - In-Person Networking GuideDate: 2026-05-07Co-hosts: Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, John LovigAaron, 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 real rooms after years of digital-first connection, and how to pick events where the conversation starts naturally. Aaron lays out his before, during, and after playbook for turning a conference into real relationships, Dan shares why hosting the side event can beat working the main room, and John explains how casual conversations with the people around you can become future career openings.TIMESTAMPS00:00:19 - Why in-person networking is back00:01:07 - Companies are trying to scale live events again00:03:24 - Aaron's networking playbook: before, during, and after00:04:54 - John on choosing events where the conversation starts naturally00:06:19 - Why transactional networking feels like asking strangers to marry you00:08:38 - Networking can happen anywhere: bars, flights, and casual conversations00:10:27 - Dan's move: host the room you wish existed00:13:14 - Dot cards, social prep, and follow-up DMs that actually work00:19:12 - During the event: vendors, security guards, AV teams, and hidden gemsCO-HOSTSAaron Makelky - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/Dan Yu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/John Lovig - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlovig/LINKSWatch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/IMQCaDccPdEFutureProof You Website - https://futureproof-you.comFutureProof You on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →EP 28: Are Entry Level Jobs Cooked in 2026?
2w ago00:22:18Tap to summarizeShow NotesAaron, 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, and why the students who network and work during school are the ones getting hired. The panel digs into whether grads are really less prepared than ever (spoiler: it's mostly an excuse), how AI uncertainty — not AI itself — drove the hiring freeze, and what college kids and their parents should actually do right now. Aaron closes with a pitch for the "permissionless project" as the new differentiator now that diplomas and theoretical knowledge are commodity.Timestamps[00:59] — The narrative we're pushing back on: "entry level is cooked"[01:24] — John: yes there's been a shift, but the class of 2026 actually has better prospects[02:50] — Dan on the AI spam-application trend and why networking beats it[04:09] — The WSJ finding: students who worked during school are landing jobs[05:33] — Hypothesis #1: are grads less prepared for work than ever?[07:12] — Dan: "B-plus and fast" beats chasing the A in the real world[10:18] — Hypothesis #2: companies froze hiring because of AI uncertainty, not AI itself[12:40] — The single best piece of advice for college students and their parents[15:16] — Dan's rule: network as if you don't have a job while you have one[17:24] — Aaron's "permissionless project" — why a diploma alone won't cut it anymoreCo-hostsAaron Makelky — LinkedInDan Yu — LinkedInJohn Lovig — LinkedInLinksFutureProof You WebsiteFutureProof You on LinkedIn We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →EP 27 5 Pieces of Bad Career Advice in 2026
Mar 3000:33:57Tap to summarizeAaron, 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 people think, and why waiting until you need LinkedIn to start using it puts you months behind. The recruiters on the panel share what they actually see on the other side of the hiring process.Timestamps- [00:00:38] — Why "do it on your own" is the worst career mindset- [00:02:35] — John's record: one cold-applied job in 17 years of working- [00:04:39] — AI as a job search crutch: spam applications and the recruiter arms race- [00:07:32] — Catching a candidate reading AI-generated answers on camera- [00:10:12] — Dan's "opium of action" concept and what to use AI for instead- [00:12:06] — Short stints on your resume: when to explain, when to skip- [00:14:58] — The Twitter layoff lie that backfired in an interview- [00:18:00] — Why being good at your job won't save you from a layoff- [00:25:44] — The hidden job market is growing because companies are done posting roles- [00:29:43] — Talent leaders are moving away from public job postings entirelyCo-hosts- **Aaron Makelky** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/)- **Dan Yu** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/)- **John Lovig** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlovig/)Links- [FutureProof You Website](https://futureproof-you.com)- [FutureProof You on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you) We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →Side Hustles, AI Agents, and the Human Skills That Still Matter
Mar 900:27:02Tap to summarizeEP 26 — Side Hustles, AI Agents, and the Human Skills That Still MatterJob 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 real competitive advantage? Authentic relationships that no bot can replicate.TIMESTAMPS00:00:30 — Google searches for "find job" and "new job" have never been higher00:00:55 — More people already have side hustles, not just looking for them00:02:33 — AI lowered the barriers to starting a side hustle: websites, taxes, video, all doable with one tutorial00:03:31 — Open Claw explained: an always-on AI agent you run on a Mac Mini or Raspberry Pi00:06:04 — John's Perplexity spaces setup and why colleagues ask how he handles so many searches00:07:12 — Knowing what AI can't do yet is just as useful as knowing what it can00:09:48 — 18,000 applicants for one job, and why AI-blasted resumes all look the same00:11:21 — Authentic relationships as the thing AI won't replace00:14:41 — The "Never Eat Alone" principle: it's how much time you spend with who you know00:19:32 — Why mass-applying feels productive but isn't, and the birthday party networking storyCO-HOSTSAaron Makelky — https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/Dan Yu — https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/John Lovig — https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlovig/LINKSFutureProof You Website — https://futureproof-you.comFutureProof You on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →Becoming a Consistent Creator on LinkedIn
Mar 300:39:55Tap to summarizeThe 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-effort video drove 70-80% of his annual impressions, while Dan argues for text-first posts and evergreen articles.Timestamps- **0:01:02** — Dan on the basics: why replying to your own commenters still matters more than anything- **0:03:02** — John on using bold photography and black-and-white images to stop the scroll- **0:04:39** — Breakdown of every engagement type on LinkedIn and what each one signals to the algorithm- **0:07:49** — How engagements create a network effect: the math behind impressions stacking- **0:10:12** — The 30-minute window after posting and why your replies during that time matter most- **0:12:17** — Hashtags are dead: what LinkedIn's own team told Dan at HQ- **0:14:13** — Tagging people and brands: when it helps, when it's creepy, and the missing feature LinkedIn needs- **0:19:30** — Content formats that work: carousels are out, writing is back, and the selfie fatigue problem- **0:23:30** — The hook formula: 62 characters on line one, 62 on line two, 50 on line three before the cutoff- **0:31:50** — Aaron's case for video after one clip drove 70-80% of his yearly impressionsCo-hosts- **Aaron Makelky** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/)- **Dan Yu** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/)- **John Lovig** — [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlovig/)## Links- [FutureProof You Website](https://futureproof-you.com)- [FutureProof You on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you) We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →Content Creation Systems
Jan 2600:40:31Tap to summarizeCheck out our website for additional resources: www.futureproof-you.comWe 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 school. Aaron was filming himself in front of a green screen for reasons he's still not sure about. We all came to content from different angles, and none of us had a plan.What we talk about:Getting past the early awkwardness of posting. Why you need somewhere to dump ideas the moment they hit—not when you finally sit down to write. How to figure out what you should actually post about by mashing up what you know with what you're into. (Pop culture, career pivots, Friday drink recipes—whatever.)We also get into platform stuff: why commenting matters as much as posting, how to share links without tanking your reach, and why it's better to treat posts like experiments than finished products.Topics:Why we started posting in the first placeHow to build a routine when you're scared to hit publishWhere to put ideas so you don't lose themFiguring out your content lanes (like Pop Culture Friday)How to look like a real person to the algorithmGreen screens, screenshots vs. links, and batchingTime Stamps for Chapters:00:00 - Intro: Content Systems01:08 - Why Start Posting?03:14 - John's Motivation04:22 - Aaron's Origin Story07:34 - Building a Routine12:08 - Idea Capture System15:01 - Content Pillars16:34 - Pop Culture Friday23:08 - Friday Drink Recipes27:17 - Platform Strategy31:19 - External Links Strategy33:24 - Green Screen Technique35:25 - Parting Advice38:14 - Outro We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →New Year New Career
Jan 1900:44:15Tap to summarizeNew Year, New CareerWe 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, integration, or scaling. AI engineer, data annotator, AI trainer. These are entry points for people switching fields if they're willing to learn new tools.Nurse practitioners and sales pros are still doing fine. Turns out emotional intelligence and people skills matter more when AI handles the rest.From a recruiter lens: we watch product manager openings and recruiter job postings as leading indicators. When those move, the broader market usually follows.We talk about "job hugging" during bonus season. Q1 is weird because budgets open up and hiring picks up, but a lot of candidates are still hesitating. If you're ready, you can move faster than most.For job seekers: holidays are over, so now's the time to actually network. Host something. Attend something. Stop relying on "easy apply."Our habit picks for 2026:Dan says "yes, and"—try industries you'd normally ignore.John says talk to people in your network before you need something from them.Aaron says pick a content format you like and actually stick with it.The takeaway: Habits beat resolutions. You can't control when opportunities show up, but you can be ready when they do.Resources:LinkedIn Quickstart Guide and other downloadable classes at www.futureproof-you.com. Use code NEWYEAR for 50% off.0:38 — Labor Market Statistics2:04 — Emerging Job Titles & AI Impact5:43 — Hiring Indicators & Recruiter Insights8:14 — Job Hugging & Bonus Season11:37 — Advice for Job Seekers22:56 — Best Habits for Career Success34:11 — What We're Working On39:15 — Closing Thoughts We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →Layoffs
Dec 2200:35:09Tap to summarizeIn 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, IBM, Starbucks, Meta, Microsoft, and UPS have made cuts, and seasonal hiring is down by about half compared to previous years.The hosts offer practical advice for those seeing colleagues get let go. Dan recommends downloading your contacts, performance reviews, and any kudos emails while you still have access. These documents become critical when job searching. John emphasizes starting to network before you need to: coffee chats, reaching out to recruiters, or posting content on LinkedIn. Aaron's mental test: ask yourself what you'd wish you were doing right now if it had been you on that list.John introduces the concept of "layoff fatigue"—the psychological and emotional toll of either enduring a prolonged job search or surviving multiple rounds of cuts at your company. The hosts discuss how this fatigue shows up in interviews (recruiters can spot cynicism immediately) and offer strategies for combating it, including finding joy outside of work, getting accountability partners, and maintaining perspective on what's actually within your control.The episode wraps with a discussion on outplacement services—what they actually provide, the right questions to ask, and how to maximize their value, including the tip to pause services during slow hiring periods like the holidays.For more resources, visit futureproof-yu.com.Timestamps0:00 – Intro0:49 – The state of the 2025 job market: 1.1 million layoffs, 54% year-over-year increase2:08 – Which job market numbers to trust (government data vs. ADP reports)3:10 – Industries hit hardest: tech, telecom, retail, airlines, federal government4:29 – Seasonal hiring down by half—what it signals about consumer spending5:10 – What to do when you see colleagues get laid off5:59 – Download your contacts, performance reviews, and KPIs while you can7:32 – Start networking before you need to9:25 – The difference between a transactional reach-out and a genuine one11:10 – Dan's story: calling a laid-off client every few weeks for 18 months13:02 – Take your laid-off boss out for a drink13:51 – Update your LinkedIn profile during any company change14:59 – Keep a file of thank-you notes for tough days15:51 – What is "layoff fatigue"?17:30 – Finding joy outside of work to reduce stress18:33 – Layoff buddies: accountability partners for your job search19:35 – Start a corporate alumni networking group on LinkedIn20:28 – Can recruiters spot layoff fatigue in interviews? (Yes, immediately)22:30 – "Bitter, angry, sad, and despondent is not sexy"24:00 – Separating your identity from job search outcomes25:40 – Locus of control: what you can and can't hold yourself accountable for27:26 – Increasing your surface area for good things to happen27:49 – Give LinkedIn recommendations as "lotto tickets with extra juice"29:00 – Outplacement services: what they actually do (and don't do)31:17 – Questions to ask about outplacement: success rates, coaching, databases32:22 – Tip: pause outplacement services during slow hiring periods32:35 – Outro and wrap-up We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →Q4 Hiring Trends
Nov 1500:14:26Tap to summarizeJoin 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 OverviewAaron introduces the episode topic and the team discusses what's happening in Q4 hiring across the market.[0:36] AI's Impact on HiringTech companies hiring for AI-enabled rolesAI-first recruiting: companies seeking candidates who use AI in their workflowsExecutive-level searches indicating company growthSurge in tech recruiter postings[2:13] Seasonal Hiring Patterns & Budget SpendingQ4 as a strategic hiring periodBudget constraints driving year-end hiring decisions"No fire, no hire" trend discussionCompanies becoming more mindful about talent acquisition[4:25] Job Hugging Trend ExplainedDefinition: Doing anything to stay in your current jobBehaviors: Taking on extra work, managing up, demonstrating valueConnection to AI adoption and productivity increasesImportance of being prepared for unexpected layoffs[6:00] LinkedIn Profile Optimization for AI SearchBuilding a robust LinkedIn presenceDocumenting accomplishments publiclyDownloading contacts and memorializing achievementsPreparing for potential career transitions[8:00] Agentic AI in LinkedIn RecruitingLinkedIn's new AI agents for candidate search and messagingHow AI search differs from traditional recruiting methodsImportance of profile visibility for AI algorithmsRisk of being overlooked without proper optimization[9:39] Keyword Strategy for VisibilityUsing ubiquitous, industry-standard keywordsBalancing specific and common terminologyKeyword frequency and recency matterStrategic placement in current role and about section[10:01] Using Pinned Posts EffectivelyThree pinned posts appear prominently on profilesConfirming expertise through contentRecruiter attention span: 6-8 seconds to engageExamples of strategic post pinning[11:11] LinkedIn Profile Knockout MistakesCreative roles without portfolio examples in postsMissing professional profile pictures for client-facing rolesLack of background/banner imagesNot showcasing work you're proud of[13:10] Closing & Course InformationLinkedIn optimization live course: November 6thDownloadable/asynchronous course options availableVisit futureproofyou.com for more informationKey TakeawaysAI skills are becoming essential across roles, not just technical positionsQ4 is an active hiring period driven by budget cyclesYour LinkedIn profile must be AI-search optimized with strategic keywordsRecruiters spend 6-8 seconds scanning profiles—make every element countDocument your accomplishments and maintain an up-to-date professional presenceResources MentionedFutureProofYou.com - Course information and resourcesLinkedIn Optimization Course - Live (Nov 6) and downloadable formatsConnect with the HostsFind Dan Yu, John Lovig, and Aaron Makelky on LinkedIn to learn more about hiring trends and career optimization strategies. We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →EP 19 Career Pivots with Terri Dien
Sep 100:55:20Tap to summarizeTerri 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 fastest teacher. Speed round at the end (Zuni roast chicken fans, unite).00:00 Intro02:00 White House → campaigns07:00 Burnout + food as signal13:00 Culinary school pivot20:30 Imposter syndrome → street cred23:00 How she designs classes that stick26:30 Risk and safety nets28:00 Networking > applying31:00 Mentors + “permission to fail”33:30 Advice if you feel stuck36:00 Voiceover 3- and 5-year plan41:00 Cookbooks44:00 Bon Appétit opportunity48:00 400 kids/day, food safety51:30 Speed roundCheck out futureproof-you.com for free resources to help you take control of your career today! We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Transcribe →