Ctrl + Alt Career

Episode 5: Special Guest, Jaeliza 💜

Imagine being at the same job for over a decade and then deciding to pivot careers in THIS economy? Yeah… our guest is braver than most of us. 😂 This week, we talk about what it’s really like navigating the modern job market as a mother. From confusing interview processes and recruiter nonsense to rebuilding confidence, learning a new industry, and realizing your résumé suddenly makes you feel 97 years old — this conversation is honest, funny, relatable, and very real. We also get into the pressure mothers face while trying to balance stability, family, career growth, and the terrifying idea of starting over -- Is being a stay at-home mom even an option these days? Because apparently adulthood now includes rebranding yourself every few years just to survive. If you’ve ever questioned your next career move, felt stuck, or thought “there’s no way I can start over,” this episode is for you.

Episode 4: Is AI the problem?

In this episode, we get into the messy reality of AI in today's hiring process. From ATS auto-rejections and ghost jobs to keyword-stuffed resumes and one-way interviews. We unpack whether AI is actually helping companies hire better...or just making the process more impersonal and frustrating for everyone involved. We also talk about recruiters being overwhelmed with AI generated applications, and candidates feeling forced to "beat the bots". So we ask ourselves, are recruiters going to be replaced by AI? ⚠️ As always, remember this podcast is about raw opinions, real experiences, and yes - a little explicit language along the way.

Episode 3: Let's Talk About These Job Descriptions

Yeah…we had to go there. In this episode, we’re breaking down everything that’s not adding up when it comes to job descriptions and hiring processes. Because how are companies asking for “entry-level” candidates while putting them through 3–4 rounds of interviews? Let’s be honest—entry-level should be 1 interview, maybe 2. Mid-level? 2–3. Executive roles? Sure, go deeper. But right now, it’s excessive across the board, and it’s wasting people’s time. We also get into these random assessments being thrown into the process. Personality tests, long-form questions, tasks that have nothing to do with the actual job—just to “test culture fit.” Meanwhile, candidates haven’t even had a real conversation with a human yet. Make it make sense. And let’s clear something up: a “recruiter screen” is still an interview. Calling it something else doesn’t change the fact that candidates are being evaluated from that very first call. We also talk about job descriptions not matching the actual role, titles being all over the place, and how confusing (and misleading) that can be—especially when you're trying to grow in your career. Then we get into the part that really gets under our skin: pay. The lack of transparency, the overuse of “competitive salary” with nothing to back it up, and how often candidates are lowballed. And don’t even get us started on salaries being tied more to location than actual experience and value. If you’ve ever read a job posting and thought, “What is this even saying?”…this episode is going to hit. ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit language. No filters, no fluff - just real conversation.

Episode 2: Recruiter Ghosting Needs To Be Studied

In this episode, we get into the frustrating reality of today's recruiting process - from being ghosted after multiple interview rounds to dealing with hiring processes that feel anything but organized. We talk about the lack of communication, the disconnect between candidates and recruiters, and how empathy seems to be missing from conversations that literally impact people's livelihoods. At what point did the human element get lost? This isn't just venting - we're breaking down patterns, sharing our personal experiences, and asking the bigger question: why hasn't this been fixed yet? If you've ever felt overlooked, confused, or straight-up ignored during your job search...this one is for you. ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit language. No filters, no fluff - just real conversation.

Episode 1: We Did Everything Right, Why Isn't It Working?

We're kicking things off by introducing ourselves - our career paths, how we got here, and what we've been navigating behind the scenes. From getting ghosted by recruiters to seeing roles reposted (with completely different salaries 👀), we're talking about the stuff people experience but don't always say out loud. We also touch on what it looks like to have real support during layoffs and career transitions - because let'e be honest, it can get rough. This episode is all about transparency, perspective, and setting the tone for what's to come. ⚠️REAL TALK WARNING: There is explicit language in this episode. We're just two real women having honest conversations - so yes, a little cursing comes with it. If you're here for authenticity, you're in the right place.