New: Google's new AI career tool to find your dream job
8 must-ask interview questions, and the Notion Job Tracker with automation is live
This week, I need to start with a correction.
Last week, I shared advice from Jasmin Alić, who I still think is brilliant. However, one of his tips was terrible career advice.
He suggested rewriting your LinkedIn experience section as a story.
🚫 Don’t do that.
Yes, you can include a story, but ensure you retain your roles, responsibilities, key achievements, and the systems you employ.
These keywords are how recruiters find you. Remove them, and you’ll be invisible.
Thank you very much to Kristof for flagging this. I’ve implemented better checks to avoid mistakes like this.
🎙 New Open To Work Podcast Episode
The great diversity debate & what it means for job seekers
This week, Matthew and Aubrey Branche-Sarellano tackle one of the most significant conversations in hiring—how political shifts in the US are changing the diversity landscape in recruitment.
Aubrey, VP at Culture Amp, shares insights on:
⤷ How hiring trends are shifting
⤷ What this means for diverse candidates
⤷ How companies can create inclusive work environments
🎧 Listen on Spotify
▶️ Watch on YouTube
What’s happening this week?
Google’s new AI career tool—your free career coach
A job seeker shares 8 months of tracking data
8 must-ask interview questions to stand out
How to remove AI-generated fluff from your résumé
📌 Visual of the Week: Tracking 8 months of job applications
Robert Michels tracked 1,293 job applications over 8 months.
His biggest takeaways:
- Less than 1% of applications led to interviews
- Applying early makes a huge difference
- Indeed, got 3x more responses than LinkedIn
- Google Analytics on his web portfolio helped him see which job applications got clicks
- Open-source projects & GitHub contributions got him noticed
Key takeaway: The job market is brutal—but tracking your progress helps you adapt.
This is a nice segue to: The Notion Job Tracker is live!
Most job seekers track where they applied.
But almost no one tracks how long they’ve been waiting.
Enter Candidate Waiting Time (CWT).
What is CWT?
CWT shifts the focus to YOU, the candidate.
It measures how long you’ve been waiting for an update—whether it’s:
✅ An interview invite
✅ A rejection
✅ An offer
How it works:
Every time a company communicates, your CWT resets.
Why does this matter?
Holds companies accountable
Improves transparency
Helps you spot patterns in slow or ghosting employers
Now, you can track this in the new Notion Job Tracker.
📌 Reminder: Delete the existing data before using it. Let me know if you need a tutorial video.
Featured posts of the week
1) Google’s Free AI Career Tool
By Glenn Cathey
Google just launched Career Dreamer—an experimental AI tool to help you:
Create a career identity statement
Explore new career paths
Get AI-generated career coaching
Key takeaway: This is still experimental, but free AI career tools are available. It’s only available to our US audience, but I’ll keep you posted when it’s live for the rest of the world.
2) 8 High-Impact questions to ask in an interview
By Reno Perry
Hiring managers remember the questions you ask.
Ask these in your next interview:
"What would success look like in this role in the first 6 months?"
↳ It shows you're focused on delivering results
↳ It helps you set expectations early
"Can you share the team’s biggest challenge right now?"
↳ Shows problem-solving skills
↳ Positions you as someone ready to add value
"How does this team’s work align with the company’s 5-year vision?"
↳ Demonstrates strategic thinking
↳ Shows long-term commitment
"What professional development opportunities are available for this role?"
↳ Demonstrates ambition
↳ Shows commitment to growing within the company
Key takeaway: Your questions shape how the hiring manager sees you.
3) How to fix your résumé in 15 seconds
By Sam Straun
🚫 Avoid this AI-generated fluff:
"Results-driven professional specialising in delivering measurable results. Proven track record of boosting revenue growth, operational efficiency, and process improvement."
Instead, answer these three questions:
⤷ How many years of experience do you have?
⤷ What roles/responsibilities have you held?
⤷ For what types of organisations? (Include company size & revenue)
Key takeaway: Recruiters don’t want generic buzzwords. They want facts.
🔄 Update on Open To Work Toolkit transition
I planned to move the Get Hired Toolkit to the Open To Work Toolkit. The branding is ready, but there’s a snag.
Notion won’t let me replace the domain—they want me to pay $120 for a new one.
Not ideal.
So we’ll wait until October (or if new funds come in).
Nothing changes for now—the site remains in the Get Hired Toolkit.
Find everything on the Open To Work Toolkit
📌 Reminder: The Open To Work Toolkit is live and evolving. Let me know what’s working for you and what needs improvement.
Thank you for being part of the Open To Work Community.
If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future topics, reply to this email—we’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to a successful job search in 2025.
Warm regards,
Matthew Parker
Founder of Open To Work Community
Darren Bush
Founder of Open To Work Toolkit
www.gethiredtoolkit.com | LinkedIn | X
Thanks for the mention Darren