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.

Show Notes

Aaron, 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 anymore

Co-hosts

• Aaron Makelky — LinkedIn
• Dan Yu — LinkedIn
• John Lovig — LinkedIn

Links

• FutureProof You Website
• FutureProof You on LinkedIn

• (00:00) - API Edit Codex FPU Podcast EP 28
• (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 anymore

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.

Aaron, 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 entirely

Co-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 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 26 — Side Hustles, AI Agents, and the Human Skills That Still Matter

Job 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.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:30 — Google searches for "find job" and "new job" have never been higher
00:00:55 — More people already have side hustles, not just looking for them
00:02:33 — AI lowered the barriers to starting a side hustle: websites, taxes, video, all doable with one tutorial
00:03:31 — Open Claw explained: an always-on AI agent you run on a Mac Mini or Raspberry Pi
00:06:04 — John's Perplexity spaces setup and why colleagues ask how he handles so many searches
00:07:12 — Knowing what AI can't do yet is just as useful as knowing what it can
00:09:48 — 18,000 applicants for one job, and why AI-blasted resumes all look the same
00:11:21 — Authentic relationships as the thing AI won't replace
00:14:41 — The "Never Eat Alone" principle: it's how much time you spend with who you know
00:19:32 — Why mass-applying feels productive but isn't, and the birthday party networking story

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
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.

The 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 impressions

Co-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 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.

Check out our website for additional resources: www.futureproof-you.com

We 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 place

How to build a routine when you're scared to hit publish

Where to put ideas so you don't lose them

Figuring out your content lanes (like Pop Culture Friday)

How to look like a real person to the algorithm

Green screens, screenshots vs. links, and batching

Time Stamps for Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: Content Systems

01:08 - Why Start Posting?

03:14 - John's Motivation

04:22 - Aaron's Origin Story

07:34 - Building a Routine

12:08 - Idea Capture System

15:01 - Content Pillars

16:34 - Pop Culture Friday

23:08 - Friday Drink Recipes

27:17 - Platform Strategy

31:19 - External Links Strategy

33:24 - Green Screen Technique

35:25 - Parting Advice

38:14 - 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 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.