Revenge of the Blue Collar

Breaking into the job market has changed — but so have the ways candidates can stand out. In this Ask a Recruiter bonus episode, Emily Durham talks with TLO's Leah Ova about practical strategies Gen Z job seekers can use to improve their chances, from getting applications opened to building real connections and showing confidence in interviews. A clear, encouraging guide for navigating entry-level hiring right now.

In this Best of 2025 special, The Lonely Office revisits the conversations that helped job seekers make sense of a new normal—where old career rules broke down and new ones quietly took shape. From power versus status, to remote work as negotiation, to AI’s real impact on hiring, these moments cut through the hype and name what’s actually happening beneath the headlines. Not shortcuts or silver bullets—just sharper language, better frameworks, and a little more agency for navigating work when certainty is gone. This is a great episode to recap 2025 and get ready for 2026! *Guests Featured Alison Fragale — Organizational Psychologist, Author & Professor of Management Daryl Fairweather — Chief Economist, Redfin Jeremy Schifeling — Founder and CEO, The Job Insiders Madeline Mann — Career Coach and Founder, Self Made Millennial Nick Bloom — Professor of Economics, Stanford University Phyl Terry — CEO and Co-Founder, Never Search Alone Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

In this special TLO Ask a Recruiter episode, Leah Ova dives into the realities of senior-level hiring with Amy Lentz, Chief People Officer at Toms and the HR strategist behind Hack Your HR. Amy breaks down why the path to director, VP, and C-suite roles feels so different and how seasoned candidates can successfully position themselves for leadership roles. From networking that actually moves the needle to navigating salary expectations and switching industries later in your career, this conversation delivers practical, grounded guidance for anyone aiming for their next big step.

Job seekers today are told to “network harder,” but what happens when networking fails to nepo hires? Also is networking just nepotism with better branding? In this episode, we break down why the line between the two and why in the current job market that line is blurrier than ever.

A young attorney finds herself trapped in a workplace where the expectations keep shifting and the finish line keeps moving. Her story mirrors what so many job seekers are facing in 2025: disappearing opportunities, unclear roles, and leadership that prioritizes itself over its people. In this episode, Matt, Aaron, and Leah break down how to recognize these red flags early and how to safeguard your career before you get stuck running someone else’s race. Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

Layoffs are rising, AI is being blamed, but the data doesn’t agree. Challenger reports the highest October cuts since 2003 with AI as the #2 reason, while Yale’s 33-month BLS analysis finds no real disruption in high-AI-exposure jobs. We break down the confusion, the “AI layoff boomerang,” and why companies still struggle to get actual ROI from AI. Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

A new trend is spreading through Silicon Valley’s AI startups as job seekers are being sold “hard mode” as a badge of honor. What began as a protest against overwork in China has quietly become a recruitment pitch in America, with some companies normalizing 80-hour weeks as proof of passion and purpose. In this episode, Aaron, Matt, and Leah unpack the rise of the 9-9-6 culture, the strange mix of ideology and ambition driving it, and whether burnout has become the new benchmark for success. Because if working nonstop is the future of innovation, who’s really winning? Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

Job searches are dragging on longer than ever with endless applications, ghosted interviews. Maybe it’s time to stop waiting for someone to hire you… and start hiring yourself. This week, TLO cohost and serial entrepreneur Matt Sunbulli shares the mindset and the literal script for turning frustration into a startup idea. We talk about why job hunts have become endurance tests, the rise of accidental entrepreneurs, and what it really takes to make the leap from job seeker to founder. Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

In a recent memo AT&T's CEO declared the company had “shifted away” from employment elements rooted in loyalty. Chief Correspondent at Business Insider, Aki Ito, breaks down how the employment contract has collapsed and what “strategic loyalty” looks like when the relationship becomes purely transactional. *Read Aki Ito's article about The Future of Loyalty Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato

Everyone’s using AI. in therapy, at work, even at the doctor’s office. Yet, we still avoid talking about it. AI has become the invisible collaborator behind so much of modern life, but it remains taboo to mention at work and in most public settings. In this episode, we explore the culture lag between private use and public admission and ask: when will saying “I used AI for that” sound as normal as “I used Google”? Hosts: Matt Sunbulli ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstdraft.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aaron Calafato ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leah Ova ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Leah on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editorial: Matt Sunbulli Brooks Borden Ken Wendt Senior Audio Engineer: ⁠⁠Ken Wendt ⁠⁠ Research: Matt Sunbulli Zaid Safe Aaron Calafato