Ep 501: AI Slop Is Ruining the Job Search — Here’s How to Stand Out with LinkedIn’s Catherine Fisher

Summary

HerMoney with Jean Chatzky
Ep 501: "AI Slop Is Ruining the Job Search — Here’s How to Stand Out"
Guest: Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn Career Expert
Date: November 12, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this enlightening episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn’s career expert, to untangle the complex ways artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting the job search and everyday work. The discussion is frank, practical, and supportive—exploring how women (and everyone) can stand out in an era of “AI slop” crowding recruiting pipelines, how to build job security in rapid change, and why your network remains your most valuable asset. Expect actionable strategies for leveling up your LinkedIn profile, finding confidence amid uncertainty, and leveraging both tech and person-to-person connections to thrive.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The AI Disruption: What’s Really Changing?

• AI is Shifting Tasks, Not Just Whole Jobs
  • Fisher urges listeners to focus not on entire jobs disappearing but on the automation of specific tasks, creating more space for innately human skills.
  • “There’s a rising demand for a really good experience with communication and leadership collaboration ... it’s about how our jobs are changing.” (Catherine Fisher, 06:43)
  • Employees widely feel left behind, with little AI training—but Fisher notes everyone is learning together, making it “an equal playing field.”

How Fast Is the AI Shift Happening?

• Rapid, Yet Gradual Adoption
  • Routine AI (like automated meeting notes or draft writing) is rapidly integrating into day-to-day work, often starting as something novel and quickly becoming second nature.
  • Fisher encourages experimenting in “small chunks”—even simple experimentation builds AI literacy.
  • “Just little chunks of time...that’s when you’re going to start feeling more confident in your AI literacy.” (Catherine Fisher, 08:54)

Using AI in Job Applications (and Its Limits)

• AI Tools as First Draft Helpers—Not Replacements
  • AI can generate resumes, cover letters, and profiles, but the applicant’s personal touch is key.
  • “It should only be the first draft...you’re going to need to put your own thoughts into it.” (Catherine Fisher, 09:32)
  • Overreliance leads to generic applications (“AI slop”) that get filtered out.

AI + Humans: Augmentation, Not Replacement

• Real-World Example:
  • Fisher cites real estate as a field where AI can take over admin/marketing tasks, freeing professionals to focus on client relationships and sales.
• For Writers/Researchers:
  • AI helps gather information, but must be fact-checked; hallucinations and fabrications are common.
  • “AI will help, it’s a tool. It’s not going to replace...how I think about the world.” (Catherine Fisher, 12:35)

Essential Human Skills Can’t Be Automated

• Companies Want More Than AI Literacy
  • Collaboration, leadership, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and especially a “growth mindset” are increasingly important to employers.
  • “Those are innately human skills.” (Catherine Fisher, 12:56)

Building Confidence: Everyday AI Practice

• Daily AI Habits
  • Fisher tries to use AI every day—even just simplifying meeting notes or playing with prompting.
  • “When you see it as more your assistant, your tool, it becomes really fun.” (Catherine Fisher, 13:55)

Networking: The Real Superpower

• Networks Trump AI in Job Searching
  • 43% of LinkedIn users say their network is their #1 source of professional advice.
  • Relationships must be nurtured—don’t be transactional. Frequent, small gestures (e.g., “Just thinking of you” messages) keep ties alive.
  • “Your network is one of the most important things in your career.” (Catherine Fisher, 17:06)
  • If your network has gone stale, start small—comment on posts, reconnect, acknowledge the gap.

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Women, Skills, and the Confidence Gap

• Why Women Hold Themselves Back
  • Men tend to apply for jobs even if missing requirements, while women self-filter unless “100% qualified.”
• Fisher’s Advice
  • “You don’t need every single skill... but the most important, you want to be confident that you have those.” (21:18)
  • Use tools like LinkedIn’s Job Match to identify gaps; if missing, learn or highlight transferable skills and growth mindset.
  • “Give examples of your growth mindset...don’t pretend you can do something you don’t.” (Catherine Fisher, 21:52)

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Escaping the “Application Black Hole”

After break – [25:43]

• Quality Over Quantity in Job Applications

  • Over-applying dilutes success—be strategic and realistic about industry, qualifications, and skills. Look for matches, not just any opening.
  • Leverage transferable skills to pivot across industries.
  • “Your job is not your career. It’s the collection of experiences that create the opportunities for you.” (Catherine Fisher, 27:57)

• Showcase Growth Mindset & Transferable Skills

  • Don’t merely claim them—demonstrate impact:
    • “Lead with impact...how did your work, your skill set lead to something that mattered to the company?” (Catherine Fisher, 29:14)
    • Use LinkedIn profile sections for targeted storytelling and keyword skills.

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Personal Connections: The Human Edge in a Tech-Driven Market

• Referrals Matter
  • A personal referral or internal advocate raises your chances substantially—even if you must reach out via a mutual connection.
  • Be clear and specific in your request for introductions.
  • “Having that personal in is going to absolutely make a difference.” (Catherine Fisher, 31:06)

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Staying Relevant in Your 40s, 50s, 60s

• Focus on AI Basics
  • “Become confident in your fluency...just start incorporating it into your daily routines.” (Catherine Fisher, 32:29)
  • Don’t be intimidated by complexity; start with household or personal tasks for comfort.

Practical AI Use Cases Outside Work

• Menu planning
• Vacation itinerary building
• Drafting tricky emails

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Level Up: Quick LinkedIn Profile Fixes

Fisher’s Top 3 Profile Tweaks:

1. Add Skills to Experience Section
2. About Section: Turn it into a storytelling space focused on your impact and growth.
3. Professional Photo: Increases your visibility in searches.
   • “Just have a photo, you’re going to come up more in searches.” (Catherine Fisher, 34:35)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The silver lining is, the most trusted source of career advice is not AI. It’s people.” —Jean Chatzky (03:07)
• “There’s a bit of disconnect. Companies want to see more AI adoption, and employees think, ‘I’m not really getting this training’...But we’re all learning at the same time.” —Catherine Fisher (06:45)
• “Your network is not transactional. It’s the friend you just had coffee with last week, not the one you haven’t seen in five years.” —Catherine Fisher (16:11)
• “Your job is not your career. It’s the collection of experiences that create the opportunities for you.” —Catherine Fisher (27:57)
• “Be really thoughtful about the skills companies are looking for...If you don’t have them, go learn them, or at least show your growth mindset.” —Catherine Fisher (18:58)
• “Become confident in AI...start in your personal life if it feels overwhelming at work.” —Catherine Fisher (32:32)

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Timestamps for Key Sections

• 06:15 — AI’s impact on the workplace and skills in demand
• 09:26 — Using AI for resumes, cover letters, and profiles
• 11:10 — Combining AI with human skills in research and writing
• 13:18 — Building AI confidence through daily use
• 15:14 — The value of genuine networking in career development
• 18:02 — Reality check: Today’s competitive job market
• 21:14 — Women, confidence, and applying for jobs
• 25:43 — Breaking out of the “application black hole”
• 28:29 — Storytelling impact and highlighting skills in applications
• 31:02 — The power of referrals and personal connections
• 32:27 — Staying relevant in midlife and beyond in the AI era
• 34:14 — Catherine’s top LinkedIn profile improvements

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Final Takeaways

• AI is changing how we work, but not replacing the need for deep human skills—especially communication, collaboration, and adaptability.
• Be proactive about learning basic AI; confidence comes from regular, hands-on use.
• Your network is your career safety net and launching pad. Invest in relationships and give before you need to receive.
• Women especially should focus on applying for stretch positions, but only fudge “growth mindset”—never hard skills you lack.
• Customize your applications, demonstrate (don’t just claim) impact and soft skills, and leverage LinkedIn’s full suite of storytelling features to get noticed.
• In an AI world, the personal touch—in stories, referrals, and relationships—will always help you stand out.

Transcript

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[Catherine Fisher]

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[Jean Chatzky]

Hey everyone. Welcome to Her Money. I'm Jean Chatsky. Today we are diving into a topic I know is on many of your minds right now just because of the world that we're living in and it's how do you stay confident in your career and the future of that career career when it feels like everything everywhere is changing around you all at once. Expectations were already high, but now that AI has entered the chat, all the gloves are off. According to a recent LinkedIn survey, more than half of professionals say that learning AI feels like a second job. And many have even said that they've exaggerated their own AI skills just to keep keep up. But here's the silver lining. The most trusted source of career advice is not AI. It's people. It's our friends, family, colleagues, the mentors that we've been leaning on for years. Which is why I am so excited to welcome my guest today, LinkedIn career expert Catherine Fisher. Katherine's here to talk about why your network is more than just a list of connections. You may think about it that way, but it's not. It is a secret superpower. We're going to take a very quick break. Back in a sec. You all know and love Katherine, our chief content officer here at Hermoney. And lately she's been raving about a small change she made to her morning routine, one that has actually stuck. She's starting her day with a simple habit that's helped her feel more energized, more focused, and honestly, just more balanced, especially as we head into the chaos of the holidays. It's called AG1, a scoop a day daily drink that blends 75 vitamins, minerals and probiotics into one easy step. Katherine loves that it replaces a whole lineup of supplements, supports her gut, health and immune system and actually tastes good. Want to give it a try? Head to drinkag1.comhermoney to get a free welcome kit, including a bottle of vitamin D and free AG1 travel packs when you first subscribe. That's drinkag1.com HerMoney is your wireless bill still way too high? If so, it might be time to rethink what you're really paying for and what you're not. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no bs. Mint is changing the game with premium wireless starting at just $15 a month. Every plan includes unlimited talk and text and high speed data, all delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can even keep your own phone and number, so switching is seamless. Just better service, fewer headaches and a lot more savings. Ready to say yes to saying no? Make the switch [e-mail] hermoney that's mintmobile.com hermoney upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month limited time. New customer offer for first three months only speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. Katherine, welcome to the show.

[Catherine Fisher]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Jean Chatzky]

So let's just start with AI, because it's on so many minds what types of jobs are under pressure from AI? What do we have to worry about disappearing because of AI, and conversely, what's exploding in demand because of AI.

[Catherine Fisher]

Yeah, I would look at it as less about what jobs are going away, but what tasks are being replaced with AI. So if you look at your day to day, how you're doing your job, there's going to be parts of it that will change, that will be different. But then what replaces that are a lot of those human skills. With the rising demand of AI, there's also a rising demand of a really good experience with communication and leadership collaboration. So it's more about how our jobs are changing. And what's interesting is that there's also this, there's a bit of disconnect. So companies are wanting to see more AI adoption and then employees are thinking, well, I'm not really getting the training for this, I'm not really sure where to start. And so there needs to be kind of a coming together of the two. And this is why people, I believe, are feeling a little embarrassed that they don't know as much as they do. But the thing to remember is that we're all learning it at the same time. So it's actually makes it more of an equal like playing field for people. If you're all starting at the same time, learning together and really kind of figuring out what works in your job, that's kind of where the magic starts to happen.

[Jean Chatzky]

What does LinkedIn's data tell us about how quickly this shift is actually happening?

[Catherine Fisher]

You know, I would say that it is, it is happening rapidly in terms of different types of tasks changing. So think about whether it is transcribing meeting notes or helping with build an agenda or do research, there's different things that I've kind of slowly incorporated into our day to day work lives that maybe a few months ago felt really brand new and you didn't, you really weren't sure. And now it's second nature just to record a meeting and take a look at those notes. So I think it's, it's kind of slowly becoming more part of people's day to day work. But then there's obviously some people who have not tested it and tried it. And my advice there is just start playing with it. Just to, you know, it doesn't have to be all day every day, but just a little chunks of time. That's when you're going to start feeling more confident in your AI literacy.

[Jean Chatzky]

It feels like along with those meeting notes, I can't get rid of the little fireflies that follow me around these days. It feels like along with those meeting notes, resumes and cover letters are kind of AI table stakes, that if you want to get in there and do a little practicing, your resume and a cover letter and everybody should have those in this job market are a very good place to start and get your feet wet.

[Catherine Fisher]

Yes, absolutely. I mean, this is the thing, is that there are AI tools out there that are really at your advantage if you're looking for a job. So you can have AI tools help you with your, like you said, your cover letter, your resume, your LinkedIn profile, but it should only be the first draft. So what you don't want to do is just kind of take whatever is given to you and just use that as your final. You're going to need to put your own thoughts into it only, you know, kind of that special expertise that you have. So it's really important to use it just to help. Kind of it's with that, like, first draft that's sometimes so hard to get on the paper and just helps you kind of nudge you in the right ways.

[Jean Chatzky]

We hear a lot about people being replaced by AI, but we also hear a lot about people being augmented by AI. Can you just give me a few examples of where you see humans plus AI outperforming humans alone?

[Catherine Fisher]

Yes. I think one of my favorite examples is in the real estate market. So if you're a realtor and you're spending a lot of your time on pulling the comps, gathering the marketing materials, trying to figure out how to, like, write a really good description for the house that's going to sell. That's taking away from the time that you are out there networking with potential new clients or taking your clients on a house tour and really helping sell them the vision of, you know, raising their family in this home. So that's how it frees up time from the things that may not be their core skill set and allows them to do the things that they're really good at and is going to make a bigger impact on their job and on their livelihood.

[Jean Chatzky]

How about in terms of research? Many of us who are in jobs that require writing, require data packages, do research on a daily basis, and I think AI has proved to be incredibly fast and useful for that I'm working on a book. I got a perplexity subscription. I've used it to help me with research. But I, But I have had to go back and really prod and poke and double check to make sure that the examples, for example, that they are serving up are not 100% fabricated. Because in many cases they seem to be.

[Catherine Fisher]

Yeah, absolutely. And this is whether it is writing your cover letter or doing research, it's only to help you start. It should never be the full reliance on it. It helps maybe like get your juices flow flowing in terms of, okay, I want to kind of go deeper in this area or let me do that kind of three clicks down and really get to know the data that they're talking about. But absolutely, it is not meant to replace all of that thinking. And this is the. I think the good thing about what we're seeing is that AI will help you. It's a tool. It's not going to replace the things that are innately human, like having that experience of knowing, wait a minute, I'm going to go deeper in this and really make sure I understand the research that's getting pulled or only I know how I can sell myself in terms of a cover letter or a resume. It will help me. It's a tool, but it's not going to replace my experience, my network. You know how I think about the world. And I think that's why we're seeing these softer skills or human skills like collaboration, leadership, really becoming super important to companies as they're hiring employees. Yes, they want you to be AI literate, but they also want to make sure that how's your conflict resolution? How do you problem solve? Do you have a growth mindset? Those are innately human skills.

[Jean Chatzky]

You said in a recent video on LinkedIn that you are trying to do something with AI every single day. I think that's a laudable goal. What have you been doing?

[Catherine Fisher]

You know, oftentimes it's like figuring out new prompts. So yesterday I was in a meeting, I did my usual. In terms of like, it's now second nature to me just to hit record. And that just, it helps me because I personally get very distracted and so I need to be able to go back to it. But then I pulled out the notes and then I, I just did a prompt of like, can you make this shorter? That's. And so that is an example of just testing it and it spat out something that I still had to go back in and edit, but it really helped me make it more concise. Another one that I just heard of that I'm going to start trying is, can you make this, like, if you put in some text, make this 25% less. Fewer words and just those little things, when you start playing with it, you'll start feeling more confident and you'll start getting, I think, better results back. But it does. It just means you have to play with it. And then when you see it as more kind of your assistant, your tool, it becomes really fun. I think it's fun to see what it comes back with. And it just. It always helps me kind of shape, just get it a little bit better than what I would have done myself. And it definitely saves time. But again, only I know, like, some of the things that come back, I'm like, that seems a little redundant or I wouldn't have said it this way.

[Jean Chatzky]

Right. Sometimes when I'm talking to Perplexity and it does feel like I'm having a conversation with it, I go back and I ask for things to be more conversational. Talk to me like you're talking to a friend. Talk to me like you're talking to your younger sister. And they seem to react to that and come back with things that are a little bit closer to what I'm looking for.

[Catherine Fisher]

Yeah.

[Jean Chatzky]

Talking about the importance of people. I was at Fortune Most Powerful Women's conference yesterday, which is just always a room full of amazing, amazing women, making connections, exchanging information, helping each other. I mean, seriously, these are women who are there, yes, to get help for themselves, but helping each other. The latest date data from LinkedIn shows that 43% of professionals say their network is still their number one source of advice at work. How do we make these relationships with other people feel less transactional? How do we make it feel more. Friendly is the wrong word, but that's kind of where I'm trying to go.

[Catherine Fisher]

Absolutely. I think you hit the nail on the head is to not make them feel transactional. So just like the example I always give is that you wouldn't call up someone, you know that you haven't talked to in five years and ask them to help you move. Right. Like you would call a friend who you just had coffee with last week and know all about their kids and, you know, are really good friends with them. So it's the same thing in those that professional network. You want to keep up with the relationship, and it doesn't mean you have to take someone out to dinner every week. It just means that you're interested in what they're doing in their career, you're engaging in their content, you're reaching out. I heard a really great piece of advice is sometimes like if you're just standing in line somewhere, just send someone a text and just like nothing to do, not asking for anything, just hey, I was just thinking about you.

[Jean Chatzky]

Hi.

[Catherine Fisher]

Those small little gestures keep your network alive. And I think your network is one of the most important things in your career. We're all going to go through really good times, we're going to go through hard times in our career and that's really when your network will surround you and help you in those moments. But they're not going to be able to help you if they feel like we actually don't really have a connection and I don't know what you've been doing and if you find that you're in that spot where, hey, I haven't really been tending to my network and I need to really kind of build those relationships. Just start small, you know, whether it is just quick reaching out, commenting on a post that you've seen of theirs. If you do want to spend time, like if you do want to ask them some questions, always make sure you time bound and hey, do you have 15 minutes to ask these three questions? I know I haven't reached out, just acknowledge it. But just start small and that will kind of revive your network. And that, that network, honestly, it's going to help you learn new skills, it's going to help you make introductions to either new jobs or partnerships, et cetera. It's so important.

[Jean Chatzky]

Where are we right now in the job market? The data is up and down, right? If you look at, and you know we are taping this in the middle of a government shutdown. So we're not getting any data or the data that we're getting is, is sort of weird ancillary data. Where do you think we are in terms of the strength of the job market? What are you seeing in terms of people taking a longer period of time taking to get a job? In terms of people holding onto their jobs because they're afraid to leave, how bad is it?

[Catherine Fisher]

It's really competitive and I think it is taking people a lot longer to secure a new position. There is a lot of uncertainty and I think what's also happening is that people are seeing that there is companies are wanting you to be AI literate and maybe you are not. And then it's taking longer to get a job. It's harder, it's more competitive. So there's a lot of things that are kind of contributing to that feeling of unease. I think that what's happening also is people aren't necessarily being strategic in their job search. So what's happening is that they are just applying everywhere and so they're not hearing back because they're not really qualified or they don't have the right skill set for the jobs that they're applying for. And so then the requirements, recruiters and the hiring managers, they're getting inundated. They just simply don't have time to respond to everyone. So it's this vicious cycle then of wait a minute, I keep applying, I'm not hearing back. But what you're doing by not being super strategic is that you're putting all your energy into roles that you probably won't hear back. So my advice is to be really thoughtful in terms of what are the skills that I have that these companies are looking for. It's as easy as looking at the job description and taking inventory of the skills that they've published as a required skill. And then do you have them? And if you don't, and if this is something you're really interested, go learn those skills, et cetera. It can also signal to you though, that maybe you do have those skills and you're just not highlighting them enough, whether it's in your LinkedIn profile or your resume.

[Jean Chatzky]

I wanted to just jump in there and ask a very women specific question because when we talk about skills we have versus skills we don't have, women and men approach this very, very differently. Men can have a fraction of the skills, but talk a game like they have 100% of those skills. Go and apply for that job with full confidence and maybe even make it show up in their resume and their cover letter in such a way that they get an interview. Women, if we don't have 100% of the skills, don't feel as if we can put ourselves there and fake it till we make it. How much should we be trying to put ourselves forward even if we don't have 100% of what's being asked for?

[Catherine Fisher]

So I don't think you're going to need to have every single skill that they're publishing. But I do think that the most important skills, you're going to want to be confident that you have those. And if you don't go take online courses, go talk to your network about how do you build those skills. You know where AI does help in terms of the job searching is that on LinkedIn there's something called Job Match. And what it'll do is it'll show you how qualified you are for a role. So it's really important to look at this because then you can see, okay, they are looking for these five skills. I have, maybe I have all of them, but it's saying I don't. So make sure that you're adding those skills to your profile so that you do show up in those searches and that when you do apply that you're going to qualify. And if you don't, then I would say it's important to either, you know, start to acquire them. But in the meantime, give examples of your growth mindset and examples of when you have learned a new skill because you don't want to pretend you can do something that you don't because frankly, if you do and you're not able to talk about it with real confidence and fluency, then you're not going to feel good in the interview and it's going to come through. And then what if you get the job and turns out you're actually not? You don't have the required skills. So again, it's really about showing that growth mindset. It's it like how have you learned in the past is something that we know that having a growth mindset is really important to hiring managers.

[Jean Chatzky]

We're going to take a very quick break. When we come back, Katherine, I want to talk about this phenomenon of people applying for so many jobs, just getting stuck in the computer, not getting the interviews, even interviews for jobs that they are very well suited for and how you can get past that. Back in a sec, pop quiz. Can you name all your financial accounts right now? 401k savings, credit card, mortgage, investments. My producer Hayley thought she could until she started using Monarch and discovered a crypto account that she hadn't touched in years. With a couple hundred dollars just sitting there, that one surprise made her realize how easy it is to lose track of your money. Feel organized and confident in your finances with Monarch, an all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or your phone. And right now, just for our listeners, Monarch is offering 50% off your first year with code [e-mail] Now Hailey uses Monarch to keep everything in one place, spending savings, investments and even shared budgets. No more spreadsheets, no more surprises. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code hermoneyonarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first [e-mail] with code Hermoney. You've heard this story before. When I first moved to New York after college, I was so deep in credit card debt just trying to stay afloat. Every overdraft fee, every late payment. It all made getting ahead feel so out of reach. My younger self would have seriously benefited from Chime. That's because with Chime, when you set up direct deposit, you can get paid two days early. You can access fee free overdraft up to $200 and skip the monthly maintenance fees altogether. Chime also gives you access to over 47,000 fee free ATMs. That's more than the top three national banks combined. And you get real time alerts that help you stay on top of your balance and your spending. Work on your financial goals through Chime today. Open an account in 2 [e-mail] hermoney that's chime.com hermoney Chime feels like progress.

[Catherine Fisher]

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[Jean Chatzky]

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[Catherine Fisher]

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[Jean Chatzky]

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[Catherine Fisher]

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[Jean Chatzky]

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[Catherine Fisher]

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[Jean Chatzky]

We are back with LinkedIn's career expert Catherine Fisher. We're talking about the very, very frustrating process of applying for jobs these days. It's kind of in my mind akin to applying for colleges. Kids are applying to so many different schools that of course the success rate in admissions is going to go down. The same thing is happening in the job market. People are throwing their resumes into the pile for hundreds and hundreds of jobs and then not seeing it pay off. In interview. How do you, how do you escape the cycle?

[Catherine Fisher]

Yeah, it's a hard one. You know, I actually have a child who's applying for colleges right now and yeah, he's applying to many that he, I know that he may not get into, but it's kind of a gamble, right? Maybe he will. So I think it is really important. You do want to be strategic in your job search. So you want to have a good sense of what you would be qualified for. I think that where people sometimes get stuck is by being precious about the industry that they're in. So you're going to want to widen your aperture, but you want to widen it with being really strategic that you're a good match for that job. So it's Less about applying for every single job that's out there that you may or may not qualify, but it is about applying for as many roles where you're qualified across industries. And so the reason why this has become, I think, more successful for people is because companies are now looking at those transferable skills. So we really saw this during COVID was that when some industries like travel, obviously they were really hit really hard, whereas healthcare, you know, they were having a hard time finding people. So it was those transferable skills that really opened up roles for people. So I think it is about being strategic, looking beyond what you really thought you wanted to do. And then also sometimes you're going to make a lateral move. You may go down a level. But don't look at it as always a negative. Look at it as, how are you building up this skill set? How are you building up that network? How does it help you kind of with your longer term career goals? Because your job is not your career. It's the collection of experiences that really create. It's these opportunities for you. So reframing it. But it is, it is a really hard job market out there.

[Jean Chatzky]

Right.

[Catherine Fisher]

I don't want to also sugarcoat it and just say look at another industry and you're going to be fine because that's not the case. But it is really kind of trying to rethink your job search.

[Jean Chatzky]

You mentioned two things that you said employers are really looking for these days. One is a growth mindset and one is transferable skills. How do we put these things in our resumes and in our cover letters so that it shows up that we have them? What are the words that you want to be using? What are the phrases specifically that you want to be using? My guess is, and I got to be honest, I have not written a resume in a very, very long time. But I, I think I wouldn't want to put, hey, I have a growth mindset on my resume. How do I, how do I telegraph that I have it without saying it out?

[Catherine Fisher]

Always lead with impact. What companies want to see is how did you help solve a business problem, help bring in more sales, you know, turn around a team that was struggling. So by leading with what it is that you did and then if there was a new skill that you learned, is it that you helped? Let's take AI as an example. You helped the company train entry level people at the company, learn these new skills that led to whatever impact it is. You want to be able to really kind of do that storytelling. And I think people sometimes get A little awkward about this because it's hard talking about yourself and like all the wonderful things you've done, but you want to get used to it. And if you're job searching like your job is to sell yourself. So really think about like how did your work, your skill set lead to something that mattered to the company and that's how you frame it. You also want to make sure so on LinkedIn you can actually add the skills to the specific experiences. Make sure you're doing that as well. And then in the like, there's an about section, that's where you would do that storytelling of, of showing I increased sales by X percent, led a team that had 95% positive ratings in terms of the company score, et cetera. So you really want to show kind of like, like tangible examples of what you've done.

[Jean Chatzky]

Eventually it often comes back to the people, how much of a difference and how important is it when you're applying for jobs at companies where you really want to work to make that personal connection or to have a personal referral, or to have somebody in the loop helping your resume rise to the top.

[Catherine Fisher]

Of the AI pile, it really matters. I think that this is a great example of how your network can help you. Having that personal in is going to absolutely make a difference. And if you don't know anyone at the company, but you see that one of your connections is connected to someone at that company, reach out to them and ask, would you make an introduction for me? And again, this is one of those examples where I would say be really specific about what you're asking for and why, hey, I'm interviewing for this or I want to get an interview for this job. I see you're connected to the hiring manager. This is why I think I would be a great fit for the role. Could you, you know, help make an introduction? So being really specific about what it is that you're asking for. And this is, you know, I talked about how our careers have ups and downs and maybe this is a moment where you're really going to need to lean on your network. Do it especially if you're looking for.

[Jean Chatzky]

A job, because people are going to come back and lean on you and then you'll feel a lot more comfortable about giving that help. If you were advising a mid career professional today, someone in her 40s, 50s, maybe early 60s, what would you say are the most important things that she needs to learn right now to stay relevant in this AI economy?

[Catherine Fisher]

I would just say it is the basics of AI. So become confident in your fluency. And again, this is not like you don't have to go build the code. You don't have to use it for super complex business problems at this point. You may get to a point where that is easy for you, but just little things is start incorporating it into your daily routines. Ask your network, how are they using it? So I for example, saw when someone in my network did a post on LinkedIn how they upload the transcripts of podcasts and just say can you summarize this for me? Because they didn't have time to read it all. And those little things, just little examples from your network can really help you start thinking about how to use it. But I think that confidence in terms of it. The other piece of advice I always give is if it feels overwhelming in the workplace, start in your personal life.

[Jean Chatzky]

Absolutely. I was just gonna go there. I know so many people who are using it for menu planning or for vacation planning or just those little types of things. The important thing is to get comfortable with the technology.

[Catherine Fisher]

Exactly. Yes. Yeah. And just what you said, it's great for menu planning, it's great for planning vacations, even helping. I had a situation in our personal life where I had to send an email to someone that was a little uncomfortable and I asked for coaching. Like does this sound okay? And so little things like that will.

[Jean Chatzky]

Get you more comfortable as LinkedIn's career expert. Let's go back to LinkedIn as we wrap up this conversation. What are the three changes that you think most people need to make to their profiles to just make them a little bit better?

[Catherine Fisher]

Yeah. Add the skills to your experience section. So literally just going through where your jobs are, there's a little thing where you can just add those skills. Make sure that your about section has that storytelling. So really making sure that you're showing the impact that you've had for a company and interesting ways that demonstrate your growth mindset. And the third? This is such an easy one. Just have a photo, you're going to come up more in searches.

[Jean Chatzky]

Kathryn Fisher, thank you so much for this wide ranging conversation. A really important one. I think it's going to make people feel a lot better.

[Catherine Fisher]

Great. Thanks for having me.

[Jean Chatzky]

If you love today's episode, please take a moment to leave us a five star review on Apple Podcast. Your feedback means the world to me. And if you're ready to keep the money conversation going. Herman Money has three amazing programs designed to help you feel more confident and in control of your money. There's Finance Fix, it's our four week coaching program that helps you rethink your spending, find hidden savings, and make smarter choices for the future. Our Pre Retirement program runs for six weeks and walks you through building a retirement strategy that's personalized for your next chapter. Finally, there's Investing Fix, our investing club for Women. It meets every other week on zoom. It is a supportive space to learn, ask questions, grow your investing confidence and build your portfolio. And your first month is absolutely free. These programs are truly helping level the playing field for women financially. I'd love for you to join us. Her money is produced by Haley Pascalides and our music is provided by Video Helper. Thanks so much for listening and we'll talk soon.

[Catherine Fisher]

Are you the one keeping everything together in your family? But maybe you're secretly or not so secretly falling apart. Dude, you are not alone. We have been there too.

[Jean Chatzky]

I'm Joanne.

[Catherine Fisher]

And I'm Bri and we're the hosts of the no Guilt Mom Podcast.

[Jean Chatzky]

If your to do list never ends.

[Catherine Fisher]

Your kids depend on you for everything.

[Jean Chatzky]

And you're constantly putting your own needs last. Or if you're the go to parent.

[Catherine Fisher]

But you're starting to feel burnt out.

[Jean Chatzky]

And resentful, we're here to help. Each week we give you practical strategies from parenting and psychology experts and from our own real mom experience to help you take back time, energy and joy so you can stop feeling like you're the family martyr and start leading as.

[Catherine Fisher]

A confident, guilt free role model. Subscribe to the no Guilt Mom Podcast.

[Jean Chatzky]

And let's help you ditch the overwhelm.

[Catherine Fisher]

And actually enjoy your family again.

[Jean Chatzky]

Listen now, wherever it gets your favorite podcast.