Alyssa Cusano, PMP

After working for a company for nearly ten years, my partner is currently experiencing a lay off in slow motion. He’s been out of the job market for quite some time, and he knows there’s an expiry date. He’ll have 12 weeks afterward to land his next play. In total, this is almost eight months from when he was originally notified. He’s been on the job hunt, and I’ve been helping as much as I can. It’s changed a lot in the last 10 months, let alone the last 10 years. Some things he’s accomplished so far: • Updating his LinkedIn profile • Updating his resume • Updating his cover letters • Collecting letters of recommendation • Growing his professional network Some things I’ve advised and done to help: • Created a database of applications sent • Drafted tailored versions of his resume • Looked for jobs that might be a fit for him • Created profiles on job board sites  • Found LinkedIn Learning courses to upskill • Connected him with a Career Coach Everyone’s experience is different, but I can tell you that after my lay off over ten years ago, I did eventually find a job with the wage I needed. Currently, my partner has interviews and job offers, so he’s found a few, too. Below are some practices my partner and I found useful during his job hunt. • Grow your LinkedIn Network: some LinkedIn recruiter products only reach 3rd degree connections, so the larger your network, the more likely you’ll be to have a 3rd degree connection to a recruiter! • Tailor your resume: edit your resume to contain the specific language used in the job description. For example, if the job description says “Customer Satisfaction” instead of “Customer Service,” make sure your resume says “Customer Satisfaction” even if they are effectively identical role descriptions. Additionally, make sure your name is in the file title of your resume. • Tailor your cover letter: match your expertise to the role requirements to display exactly how you meet the company’s needs and will exceed expectations. Additionally, make sure your name is in the file title of your cover letter. • Watch out for scams and scam jobs: the Easy Apply button may look tempting when you’re pressed for time, but research the organization before you decide to share your information with them. Legitimate organizations will never ask you for your LinkedIn.com password or to change your LinkedIn.com password to apply for a job – never give out your password! • Upskill and stay sharp: if possible, upskill on apps, programs, procedures, and concepts pertinent to your industry. Keep your skills sharp and at the ready. Maybe you’re familiar with the way the job market is presently, or maybe you’ve been out of it for a while, but this could be helpful for anyone looking to make their next career move. I hope it offers whatever edge possible to whoever needs it.

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We all know the job market is screwed up now. The other day, I saw a recruiter’s post about receiving 1,763 applications for a role within just three days. This suggests that if you want to get a job, there’s no room for error. I decided to share some steps I've taken that hopefully can improve your chances of landing a job. 😊 1. CV When I started looking for a job, the first obvious step was to improve my CV. I thought it wasn't bad, but after revising it and comparing the before and after, I felt like I’d hire myself immediately! It’s a good idea to find someone who specializes in CV writing because even if it speeds up your search by 2-3 weeks, it’s worth it. I worked with the team at AgileFluent, who were a huge help with this (thanks, Inga Egorova!) and also with the next step. 2. Looking for Opportunities AgileFluent also helps me find potential opportunities matching my criteria. Meanwhile, I’m looking for jobs on LinkedIn (I won’t go into detail on this, as there are many posts on how to do it). One new thing I tried was to build a list of companies that might have roles for me and check their career pages weekly. This has already led to a few applications. I know it’s common advice to have a shortlist of desired companies, but I find that limiting, given the competition for each role. 3. Attracting Recruiters I wanted opportunities to come to me, so I worked on attracting more recruiters and getting noticed in search results. For this, I focused on my LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI)—regularly posting, commenting, connecting with thought leaders, and joining relevant groups. I came across a post by Alena Panshina(in Russian, sorry!) that was really helpful: https://lnkd.in/dN4_aZS6. 4. Offline Networking I think one must do everything possible, so I’m investing in offline networking. I’m attending relevant events in Madrid, talking to people, and mentioning that I’m looking for a job. You never know how this might work out. I heard of someone who got a job by mentioning their search to a fellow parent at their child’s school. It turns out that person was a gardener for a CEO and made the referral! 5. Taking Breaks and Seeking Support Last but not least, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Dedicate quality time for activities you enjoy. I spend at least 30 minutes a day playing guitar, reading, or cooking. There’s a lot of job search advice on LinkedIn, but I wanted to give a shout-out to two people whose posts I find truly valuable: Emily Worden 👋& Erin McGoff—thank you for your contributions; your content is always awesome and helpful. I’d love to hear about your experiences and ideas on what else can be done to get employed. Any suggestions (even crazy ones!) are warmly welcomed. And feel free to share this post if you find it helpful! #JobSearch, #CareerTips, #Networking, #LinkedInTips, #JobHunting, #CareerAdvice, #ProfessionalDevelopment, #HiringTips, #ResumeWriting, #PersonalGrowth, #Opentowrok, #Remotework

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So, I have a lot of thoughts about RevOps hiring as a whole, having experienced it now for three years and change. Here are my notes (TL;DR - industry is in its real nascent stages and still kind of figuring out what roles look like, especially outside of the States): 1) If you are the first hire, expect to be asked to do more than what your job title says. See it as a red flag if your pay is still as an entry-level or administrator level IC. 2) This job market has slowed down dramatically, especially outside of the states. We seem to be in a weird little spot where employers don't quite know what they want but have read enough influencer and whitespace literature to see it's a need for their org. 3) Kind of more of a 2a, but because the discipline is so mushy, you have to be the PERFECT hire to be considered beyond the second interview. You have to fit every single checkbox because there are hundreds of candidates, and even then, I'm seeing companies I've applied to and been rejected from still be hiring months down the line. Worse, I've seen the same spots open up only a year down the line. As a wise man once said, Bold Move, Cotton, let's see how this plays out. (Hint: with ballooning TA cost) 4) Guess this is a 2b (nier fans where), but RevOps is a discipline that really requires continuity - for your first hire, unless you're willing to invest in documentation early, that hire's going to be SWAMPED. Turnover at the position is really costly, not just in monetary cost, but in terms of institutional knowledge lost.

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I'm currently going through onboarding for my new position, and I have to say, I'm incredibly grateful for the detailed and well-thought-out process in place. It’s been such a relief not to feel like I’m floundering or wondering what to do next. This experience has made me appreciate the value of a solid onboarding process, not just for new hires, but for customers as well. When it comes to integrating a new product into a tech stack, the onboarding process can make or break the customer experience. Companies that excel at onboarding set their customers up for success from day one, which is important in terms of reducing churn. We've all seen it, a customer signs up, gets overwhelmed because they weren't guided properly, and soon after, they’re gone. It’s a loss in revenue, long-term relationships, and referrals. Poor onboarding can be a company's achilles' heel. It can lead to confusion, frustration, and ultimately, a customer walking out the door before they’ve even had a chance to see the value in what your product offers. And we all know that once a customer leaves, it's much harder (and more expensive) to win them back than to keep them satisfied from the start. Successful onboarding, on the other hand, sets the stage for long-term success. It ensures that customers understand the product, know how to use it effectively, and can quickly realize the benefits it brings. This early success brings loyalty and positions your company as a partner in their journey, not just a service provider. Here are four key things to consider for successful onboarding: 1️⃣  Clarity and Communication: Make sure your customers know what to expect and when. Clear communication is vital.    2️⃣ Tailored Experience: Understand the customer’s specific needs and tailor the onboarding to fit those requirements. 3️⃣  Support Access: Provide easy access to help, whether through tutorials, a dedicated support team, or a community forum. 4️⃣  Celebrate Early Wins: Highlight early successes to build confidence and momentum. With onboarding, preparation and strategy are necessary for achieving success. By making certain your customers start off on the right foot, you are setting them up for long-term success. 🚀 #CustomerSuccess #Onboarding #HotelTech #CustomerService photo credit - pixelrz.com

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Yet another "I've been impacted" post. What tough times for so many people. To those at any company impacted by layoffs, I can appreciate what you are going through, and I'm sorry you have to or had to go through it! I'm still processing the fact that I get to spend time finding a new role. I've never had the space to lean into a job search the way I've wanted. As a quick reflection on my career, I'm incredibly proud of a few things: 1. I've learned to protect people and culture fiercely. The people around us are essential in every way: fulfillment, laughter, commiseration, and sharing in our success. Showing up kind and empathetic in good times and bad is what I strive to do. 2. Learning and innovation have been present at every stop. In my career, I've had the pleasure of building three zero-to-one products. I didn't set out to do this; instead, it resulted from pushing against the status quo. Starting with ambiguity and crafting a new product is incredibly rewarding. Scaling organizations around these new products is a challenging and collaborative effort with learning opportunities! 3. No regrets! I've had a non-linear career path resulting from some great and not-so-great decisions. What's true is that they have all gotten me to where I am in my life with my family, friends, and colleagues. I would not trade any of it! With that said, I'm officially #opentowork! Any support with connections is welcome. I'm excited to see what's next!

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My heart goes out to all of my former Indeedians affected by the layoff at Indeed today, and all layoffs prior. I know firsthand how hard-working and personable Indeedians are; they truly are one of a kind. I want to share a bit about my experience at Indeed to let prospective employers know that when they hire candidates who’ve worked at Indeed, they will be some of the best hires they ever make. I faced challenges in my role, but I learned so much that helped me not only grow as a professional, but also become one of the top performers on my team. I was encouraged to share my ideas and they were welcomed. I was proactive in collaborating with cross-functional teams which led me to beta test new features, provide content for our Help Center, and share product feedback that led to major changes in the product. It was also the first time in my career that I got involved in committees outside of my role. One of my favorite committees was called Job Squad (at the time) where we volunteered our time to help members of our community navigate their job search on Indeed, provide resume support, and discuss interview best practices. I felt so good about what I did and had a great sense of pride in where I worked. I can’t take full credit for my accomplishments though. If it weren’t for my colleagues providing a safe space for me to communicate my asks, I wouldn’t have spoken up. If it weren’t for my colleagues connecting me with the right people to make my asks happen, those asks wouldn’t have been actioned on. If it weren’t for my colleagues supporting me, helping put my ideas into action (a majority of which resulted in company-wide positive changes), I wouldn’t have learned how crucial it is to foster genuine collaboration, with colleagues and clients alike. The list of the lessons I learned during my time at Indeed is incredibly long. Ultimately, Indeed laid the groundwork for the work ethic that I have today. Employers, know this: when you hire a former Indeedian, you’re bound to get an employee who cares about the work they do and genuinely want to do everything they can to help their organization be the very best that it can be. #indeed #indeedlayoff #indeedlayoffs

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_Turn this comment into a post_ - okay LinkedIn, done ✅ 1️⃣ The trend is obviously to shorter and direct interviews, test cases are helpful for specific roles but not for all of them. The good tone is to pay for homework, especially if it's commercial grade (here is the real life situation, please prepare a solution). 2️⃣ Reference checks.. guys have you ever gotten a bad reference? Not to mention that it's an outdated practice, I'm good at assessing on my own and don't need ex's memories (you also 99% time don't know them, so how can you trust their judgment?). 3️⃣ One bad hire can kill a startup - to be honest it can't, but the bad decisions will. A person can steer a startup to failure only if senior management 'agrees on a plan'. My advice after hundreds of hires and X more interviews, to mentally prepare that up to 5% of your hires may not work out. If the percent is bigger, the interviewing process may not be that good. To the date, there are no solutions which predict with 100% accuracy. Do you agree or disagree?

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Let’s talk interviews – they’re the heart of hiring, right? But as companies grow, going from one-on-one chats to a bigger hiring game? It’s tough! Early on, founders dig into interviews, making sure each new face fits the team vibe. But as teams expand, keeping things fair, squashing bias, and making candidates feel great? It gets tricky. That’s where JobTwine jumps in – an #AI-powered buddy here to shake up how you hire. With JobTwine, interviews run smoother, bias gets kicked to the curb, and your hires? They’re top-notch. Check out our video to see JobTwine in action! Calling all #founders and #HR pros who want to level up their hiring game – let’s chat! #Interviews #Hiring #AI #JobTwine #EasyPeasyHiring

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Let's Empower Those Impacted by Layoffs!! 🌸 If you or someone you know has been affected by recent layoffs, we're here to offer support. Drop a comment sharing your field of expertise and how long you've been on the job hunt. It doesn't stop there!! Let's turn empathy into action. Connect with these individuals, offer a helping hand, or extend internal referrals to your company. Together, we can make a real difference in someone's career journey. 📸 - Picture of my Pixel and Typ0 for good vibes. #supportinaction #empowerment #jobsearch #gamingindustry #layoffs #morale

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Being laid off during the holiday season isn’t easy. This is my first layoff experience and I won’t pretend it doesn’t sting. It’s a moment of uncertainty, but also one of opportunity. I’m choosing to stay optimistic, focusing on the doors that can open next. I’m incredibly grateful for the skills, experiences, and relationships I’ve built over the years, and I’m ready to bring that energy and expertise to my next chapter. If you know of opportunities in Customer Success or Operations, I’d love to connect. Here’s to resilience and new beginnings! #opentowork #customersuccess #operations

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While many people in my network are desperately struggling to find jobs right now, there's another aspect to all of this which I don't hear enough people being willing to talk about and which I feel needs to be addressed, based on what I'm hearing from friends and colleagues: Many Recruiting/HR people are proving to be exceedingly poor at their jobs, both in screening candidates and in actually handling the interview process fairly and with transparency. The market is just in such a state that there's no need for them to take any accountability. I'm talking things like the following: - Straight up ghosting candidates mid-way through the process (and even after the final stage, in some cases). - Severe disinterest in the candidate themselves during screening interviews, even to the point of near hostility at times. - Timelines or interview process changing midway through without any notification, resulting in a lot of frustration and anxiety as days tick away and request for updates go unanswered. If I came across as frustrated or harsh myself, it's because a lot of people I know and care about - many of whom are in difficult financial situations - are suffering and being further hurt by a shocking lack of compassion by many of these companies and their people taking advantage of their dire situations. Recruiters, HR Teams - Y'all really need to do better.

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Straight talk you might not always hear from a Recruiter. Volume is a problem. Those searching for jobs are challenged to apply to a 100 jobs per week. Meanwhile, recruiters, who should care about candidate experience, are pulling efficiency levers that maddeningly frustrate those they should want to build relationships with. Let me give you an example. A job post says you need 3+ years of experience with a specific software. An application question asks, "Do you have 3+ years of experience with [that specific software]?" You have more than 2, but less than 3. Even though you have far more experience in that line of work, you answer "No" because you are an honest person. That "No" triggers a decline because it's a knockout question based on if-this-then-that logic. It's frustrating, and all the more so when that decline note comes 30 seconds after the one that just thanked you for applying. That's not AI; that's lazy, and it's the opposite of people-first. Here's some other hard truths. When a role is advertised on a job board, the percentage of candidates that reach a final interview from that ad is often 2-3%. Referrals, on the other hand, often reach final rounds at 10x that rate. The same is true when a recruiter reaches out to you proactively. If you're playing the numbers game, invest a little less in the 100-applications-per-week challenge and a little more into networking and discoverablility. A well-framed, cold outreach to an executive often lands back in our court to respond to. Even when it doesn't net you the response you're looking for, it establishes communication. Recruiters still run references. If you're searching, or if you know someone who is, and you are asked to be a professional reference, fulfill the courtesy and then snag 2 minutes of our time. You just did us a solid by being helpful to our hiring; we'll repay the favor. Contract opportunities aren't always posted because recruiting teams often outsource them to agency partners. So, get to know our partners. Recruiters play a big role in designing the interview experience, but make no mistake, recruiting is a team sport. If the process changes dramatically, if the reason you're declined wasn't a requirement of the job, if your follow-up thank you is met with radio silence, that should tell you something about what it's like to work there. Hidden, whited-out keywords on your resume might work for those few shops that use the tech to index keywords, but when they're discovered using Ctrl + F by those that don't, those reviewing your resume will be skeptical and likely decline you. Looking for a weirdly fun way to network? LinkedIn just released games that are Wordle-like, with a networking aspect. It's an easy icebreaker if your connections also play. Use that as a fun way to reconnect. This market is crazy. But it's far less crazy when we value connection, and when we are authentic and empathetic, whether you're hiring for a job or you're looking for one.

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PSA: A layoff isn't a sack. It's incredible that needs to be emphasized and shouted on the rooftops but it's consequential to reiterate given a conversation with a few friends and former co-workers recently. A sack is typically a direct consequence of misconduct, or breaking company policies. A layoff on the other hand, is typically when an employee is let go due to company-related issues like financial constraints, downsizing or changes in market conditions. They're not the same thing. There's an unconscious bias in interviews a laid off applicant undergoes that's evident: the default assumption from the average interviewer is, "you were not a top performer, no one lets go their top performer". This couldn't be more wrong. On many occasions, top performers cost more to the company (and so, not being able to pay them for a struggling company isn't feasible) or their areas of expertise become redundant due to a new company direction. I was once asked in an interview by a company's country manager, "why were you laid off?". There was no befitting answer to that question, it seemed. In any case, if you're in this situation, let that not deter you from bringing your very best to every job interview. Human beings are creatures of biases, so validate to yourself that whether or not your value is recognized, regardless of the circumstances that brought you where you are, your sense of self-worth remains intact. Also, always be aware of market conditions at any point in time. And don't be too focused on the skills that brought you where you are. When a company pivots, those skills may no longer be relevant to them. Learn to always be on your toes and upskill yourself to maintain relevance. Have a beautiful weekend. #layoff #careers #corporatelife #skills

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I'm a "Top CS leader" 👍 And I've still: Been laid off - more than once. Been rejected for multiple leadership roles Thought about quitting CS Had multiple short stints Cried at work Had two children and taken extended maternity leave Had a resume gap of 1 year Felt in over my head Battled mental health issues And so has every other successful leader you might look up to. Why? Because we're all human. We're all uncertain about the future. We're all scared out of our minds sometimes. Anyone who thinks they have it figured out all the time is stark raving bonkers. We're all just figuring stuff out as we go. Career fear is normal. #customersuccess #mentalhealth #career For support with psychology-based CS Strategy, Leadership And Mindset, go to provansuccess [dot] com

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Mentorship programs in CS are broken. Most are glorified virtual meet-and-greets, packed with empty promises and little to no validation of mentor quality. Sound familiar? 💡 Paying for mentorship is a gamble. How do you know the mentor is someone you’ll actually want to work with long-term? You don’t. Unless you join Turbo Talks. In one evening, you’ll meet: • Six proven mentors. Handpicked for their track record. • Six unique approaches. So you can find the style that fits you. • Six opportunities. To decide who you want guiding your journey. • 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗻𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲. 💥 Here’s why Turbo Talks just sold out in Brussels—our first-ever event there: We don’t do fluff. We deliver results. ✅ Elite mentors only. Each one vetted for their ability to drive outcomes. ✅ In-person magic. Real connections need face-to-face interaction. ✅ No fluff, just fire. A short format that forces everyone to cut the BS. ✅ Prepped to win. Both mentors and mentees walk in prepared for impact. ✅ Make it count. Mentees can claim this as a PDP expense. This isn’t just coaching. It’s career acceleration at its best. 🚀 Imagine walking away with actionable insights, clear next steps, and a network that actually works for 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Not just off the mill broiler plate answers. ⭐️ Good coaching is rare. ⭐️ Great coaching is priceless. Turbo Talks delivers both—without the fluff. 👉 Want to be part of the next one? Join the waitlist now: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ek2eH4Sr The future belongs to those who show up. Will you?

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When composing interview panels, consider the balance of "filter in" vs "filter out" interviewers. Some people have a natural bias to see how somebody could fit into a team, others have a bias to see how people would not fit. Balancing these biases results in a healthy tension in the interview feedback.

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This is leadership.

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This one's for my friends who use Calendly 📣 Be honest: who has totally given up on reaching out to someone because you couldn't find a link or contact info? Don't make people hunt down your Calendly link — that makes it all too easy to lose meeting opportunities. Instead, make your scheduling link available everywhere! Use this list for inspiration. There are places I never thought about on this list! 💡 #BetterMeetings

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To everyone affected by the layoffs at 15Five, my heart goes out to you. Here are a few things I did for my former coworkers and how I'd encourage everyone to help: - write a recommendation on LinkedIn - I make this a practice to do this for all former coworkers I'd recommend to any org - it can go a long way - don't say "I'm here for you" - show it in action. The last thing someone that is no longer employed wants to do is reach out to ask for help. So just help. - the market is hard right now, if you have someone you know, don't know, are acquaintances with that are hiring, send it to your people - you don't need to be the judge if they're qualified. - I am more than happy to review your resume to optimize it for ATS if I have a relationship with you/would recommend you. Don't pay a resume writer, your community has got you Your next opp is right around the corner. My former coworkers are EASILY some of the most talented people I've ever worked with. Please let me know if your org is hiring and I'm happy to intro.

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