EP 31 - Hiring When Everyone Looks Perfect

Applicant agents are flooding every posting with applications that look perfect. Companies are tired of it. Aaron Makelky and Dan Yu start with a Claude outage and ugly token bills, then get into why the volume game still loses and why recruiters went back to LinkedIn.

A real photo. A headline that isn't your default title. Pinned posts that show how you think. LinkedIn's new Connected Apps section as proof of work. John was out this week.

Co-hosts:
Aaron Makelky - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/
Dan Yu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/

Links:
FutureProof You - https://futureproof-you.com
FutureProof You on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:08) - When Claude goes down
• (02:24) - The token bill
• (07:06) - The human element
• (08:54) - Thousands of perfect applications
• (10:10) - The volume game
• (12:50) - They're hunting on LinkedIn
• (14:14) - Profile basics
• (16:04) - Pinned posts
• (21:36) - Connected Apps

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 technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve 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.

EP 30 - Stop Spamming Applications: How to Actually Stand Out in Your Job Search

AI has made it easy to write a polished resume and send hundreds of applications. That is also why the old volume strategy is breaking. In this episode, Aaron Makelky and Dan Yu talk about prompt injections in job postings, Aaron's test against four AI models, and why mass-applying can leave you buried in a pile of identical candidates.

They also talk about what works better: referrals, networking, and permissionless projects that show a hiring team what you can do before they hire you. Dan shares his "zero for 200" Wall Street story, where 200 mailed resumes got no response and one softball game led to an internship.

Timestamps:
00:00:43 - Everyone is using AI to apply
00:03:28 - Prompt injections in job postings
00:04:30 - Testing prompt injections on four AIs
00:06:33 - Should companies use AI traps?
00:07:55 - Colleges teaching students to spam
00:09:01 - Why the volume game is dead
00:10:11 - Standing out with permissionless projects
00:13:30 - Why custom work beats AI output
00:18:24 - The power of referrals
00:20:02 - Zero for 200: a networking story
00:23:53 - Connection beats volume

Co-hosts:
Aaron Makelky - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/
Dan Yu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danoyu/

Links:
FutureProof You - https://futureproof-you.com
FutureProof You on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureproof-you

• (00:00) - FPU EP 30
• (00:43) - Everyone Is Using AI to Apply
• (03:28) - Prompt Injections in Job Postings
• (04:30) - Testing Prompt Injections on Four AIs
• (06:32) - Should Companies Use AI Traps?
• (07:54) - Colleges Teaching Students to Spam
• (09:01) - Why the Volume Game Is Dead
• (10:10) - Standing Out With Permissionless Projects
• (13:30) - Why Custom Work Beats AI Output
• (18:24) - The Power of Referrals
• (20:01) - Zero for 200: A Networking Story
• (23:53) - The Lesson: Connection Beats Volume

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 technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve 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.

EP 29 - In-Person Networking Guide

Date: 2026-05-07
Co-hosts: Aaron Makelky, Dan Yu, John Lovig

Aaron, 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.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:19 - Why in-person networking is back
00:01:07 - Companies are trying to scale live events again
00:03:24 - Aaron's networking playbook: before, during, and after
00:04:54 - John on choosing events where the conversation starts naturally
00:06:19 - Why transactional networking feels like asking strangers to marry you
00:08:38 - Networking can happen anywhere: bars, flights, and casual conversations
00:10:27 - Dan's move: host the room you wish existed
00:13:14 - Dot cards, social prep, and follow-up DMs that actually work
00:19:12 - During the event: vendors, security guards, AV teams, and hidden gems

CO-HOSTS
Aaron 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/

LINKS
Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/IMQCaDccPdE
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 technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve 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.