Podcast Summary: Help Wanted

Episode: Mail Bag Episode "What if Nobody Wants to Work With Me?"
Hosts: Jason Feifer & Nicole Lapin
Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This mailbag episode of Help Wanted features host Jason Feifer answering three pressing listener questions about getting noticed, overcoming self-doubt after a career break, and making sense of conflicting advice. The conversation is candid, practical, and delivered with the characteristic empathy and humor the podcast is known for.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. How Do I Stand Out From the Noise? (Listener: Paul)

Segment Starts: [04:27]

• Paul's Dilemma: He wants to start a newsletter but worries about contributing to "noise" when people are already overwhelmed with emails.
• Jason’s Response:
  • Empathizes with the concern but reframes the issue:
    • “If you worry about being noise, you will never have a chance to be heard. That is true in every part of life.” [05:22]
  • Encourages not to let fear of adding to the noise keep you silent.
  • Asserts it's not the sender’s job to decide what’s “too much” for others—it's their choice to unsubscribe or engage.
  • Urges to focus on creating the one thing people value most, not avoid adding to the quantity.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • “Never hesitate to become somebody’s best option.” [07:03]
  • Draws a parallel with the podcast itself: quality and distinctiveness are what wins attention, even in crowded spaces.

2. What if Nobody Wants to Work With Me? (Listener: Nicole)

Segment Starts: [07:28]

• Nicole’s Backstory:
  • Successful graphic designer who took a career break to raise children, now fears age (43) and shifting trends may make her undesirable to employers.
• Jason’s Advice:
  • Highlights that the question is framed around exclusion—who won’t want her—instead of possibilities.
  • Labels this negative framing as a “defense mechanism” that protects from rejection but stifles opportunity.
  • Encourages flipping the perspective: “Think about who would be excited to work with you, who needs access to your distinct skillset and experience.” [08:08]
  • Relays a story about Kara Goldin (Hint Water founder):
    • When told what wasn’t possible, she always asked, “What can we do?” and found ways forward from a place of possibility. [09:19]
  • Memorable Quote:
    • “Before ruling out what you can’t do, take seriously what you can do. I bet it’ll be a lot more than you think.” [10:02]
  • Adds a warm, personal note:
    • “By the way, I am 45, so you are not old or uncool at 43, I promise.” [10:13]

3. Whose Advice is Worth Trusting? (Listener: Macy)

Segment Starts: [10:23]

• Macy’s Concern:
  • Overwhelmed by contradictory advice; wants to know when to follow or abandon others’ processes for building success.
• Jason’s Guidance:
  • Tells of a novelist who fields many hyper-specific, tactical questions—exposing people’s belief that mimicking someone’s habits leads to the same success.
  • Identifies this as the “illusion of simplicity”: people crave easy, concrete steps in the face of complexity.
  • Points out that different people succeed through opposite methods; there is no universal system.
  • Prescriptive Take:
    • “Adopt someone’s process when it helps you understand yourself better. Abandon it the moment it stops serving you.” [11:57]
    • Other people’s systems are just “starting points—not destinations.” Your life is your own.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • “You are building your life, not theirs.” [12:11]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | 05:22 | “If you worry about being noise, you will never have a chance to be heard. That is true in every part of life.” | Jason Feifer | | 07:03 | “Never hesitate to become somebody’s best option.” | Jason Feifer | | 08:08 | “Think about who would be excited to work with you, who needs access to your distinct skill set and experience.” | Jason Feifer | | 09:19 | “What can we do?” (Kara Goldin story) | Kara Goldin (via Jason) | | 10:02 | “Before ruling out what you can’t do, take seriously what you can do. I bet it’ll be a lot more than you think.” | Jason Feifer | | 10:13 | “By the way, I am 45, so you are not old or uncool at 43, I promise.” | Jason Feifer | | 11:57 | “Adopt someone’s process when it helps you understand yourself better. Abandon it the moment it stops serving you.” | Jason Feifer | | 12:11 | “You are building your life, not theirs.” | Jason Feifer |

Timestamps for Key Sections

• [04:27] — Listener Question 1: Standing out from the noise (Paul)
• [07:28] — Listener Question 2: Self-doubt after a break (Nicole)
• [10:23] — Listener Question 3: Navigating conflicting advice (Macy)
• [12:23] — Weekly newsletter plug and outro

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, Jason uses an encouraging, conversational, and often humorous tone, blending hard-won professional insight with relatable anecdotes. The advice is practical yet empathetic, characterized by reframing negative self-talk and inviting listeners to consider new possibilities for themselves.

Takeaways

• Stop self-rejecting: Don’t let fear of “adding to the noise” or being unwanted keep you from sharing your work or re-entering the workforce.
• Flip the script: Rather than dwelling on what might not work, ask: “What can I do? Who might value what I have?”
• Make advice work for you: Other people’s pathways are suggestions, not obligations. Use what clarifies your own needs and discard the rest.

This episode serves as a blend of motivation and actionable wisdom for listeners at any stage of their career crossroads.