No BS Career Advice: September 13, 2026

“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.”

— Babe Ruth

Pay Me What I’m Worth: Practical Tactics for Negotiating New Job Offers will be available for $5.99 until next Saturday at which point the price will more than double.

My full list of books and guides are listed below the blog posts from this week

As a reminder, please don’t put off any medical issues that you pick up on, thinking that they will go away. A year ago I felt something hard on the right side of my groin and it wound up being a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that was very treatable. This week I noticed that one of my legs below the knee was significantly larger than the other. I was able to rule out a thrombosis by having a simple ultrasound done. Still working on the cause but procrastination has killed a lot of people for many years.

Or men in particular, that’s a common mistake. For those of you who are working, you have insurance that pays for these doctor visits.

4 Micro-Actions to Create More Job Leads

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

When mid-career professionals hit a plateau in their job search, the default instinct is to increase raw output. They block off Sunday afternoons, open dozens of browser tabs, and spend hours submitting resumes into corporate portals until decision fatigue takes over.

This brute-force approach typically leads to severe operational drag.

High-yielding career transitions are usually built on precise, 15-minute daily micro-actions that sidestep automated filters, extract unlisted market intelligence, and force real decision-makers to take notice.

Over our previous entries in this series, we have covered many tactics, ranging from closed-loop referral bypasses and backend recruiter dashboard tweaks to vendor ecosystem mapping and AI-assisted changelog analysis.

Today, we add four brand-new 15-minute things to do: to expand your daily high-leverage toolkit.

1. Audit Target Companies for “Ghost Requisitions” (15 Minutes)

Corporate job boards are notoriously littered with “ghost requisitions”–open postings that have been frozen, fulfilled internally, or left active solely to gather talent pools. Spending hours tailoring cover letters for these listings is a primary source of wasted energy.

Spend 15 minutes validating an open role’s actual vitality:

Copy the exact job title and company from a public posting.
Search LinkedIn for current employees at that firm with that exact title.
Search LinkedIn for current employees at that firm with that exact title.

If two or three people were hired into that exact function within the last 30 to 60 days, the posting may already be filled or in late-stage interviews. Conversely, if you see zero recent hires and the role has been posted for 90+ days, use a direct 2-sentence note to the department lead instead of applying through the portal:

“Hi [Name], I noticed the [Job Title] role under Requisition #[Number] has been open for a bit. Given how quickly operational needs shift, I wanted to reach out directly to see if the core focus for this function is still centered on [Core Metric/Skill] or if the team’s priorities have evolved.”

In 15 minutes, you filter out dead-end applications and start a real conversation with the hiring manager.

2. Mine “Employee Turnover Clusters” via Alumni Networks (15 Minutes)

When multiple mid-to-senior operators leave a specific department at a target firm within a tight window, it often signals one of two things: an operational restructuring or an unexpected capacity vacuum. Both scenarios create immediate, unlisted hiring needs for experienced talent.

Spend 15 minutes conducting a quick Boolean search: “[Target Company Name]” + “[Target Department]”, filtered by Past Company.

Sort the results by those who left the target firm within the last 3 to 6 months. Pick one professional who recently moved to a new firm and send a low-pressure update note:

“Hi [Name], I saw your recent transition over to [New Firm] after building out the [Department] team at [Target Company]. I’m currently evaluating a move into that same space and would love to get your take on their operational velocity and team structure. No immediate ask. I would just value an honest perspective from someone who built in that ecosystem.”

This quarter-hour pull yields candid, unvarnished insight into which teams are actively hiring and which department heads you might want to avoid.

3. Use the “Industry Podcast Host” Connection Hook (10 Minutes)

Niche industry podcasts are frequently hosted by functional leaders, founders, or senior consultants who maintain deep networks across your target industry. Because host inboxes are far less saturated than VP-level hiring managers, they represent a highly responsive bridge to decision-makers.

Spend 10 minutes finding an episode of an industry-specific podcast covering your functional area.

Listen to a 3-minute clip or read the episode summary, then send a brief note to the host on LinkedIn:

“Hi [Name], I just finished listening to your episode with [Guest Name] regarding [Specific Topic, e.g., cross-border supply chain friction]. Your point on handling inventory buffer stock during Q3 cutovers was spot-on. I’m currently mapping out my next leadership move in [Industry]. Thanks for continually putting out sharp, tactical content for people in this space.”

Because podcast hosts actively track industry movements, establishing peer parity with them often leads to warm introductions when they hear of unlisted leadership openings.

4. Optimize Your Profile’s “Skills Endorsement Hierarchy” (10 Minutes)

When internal recruiters search for people inside enterprise talent systems, the algorithm evaluates not just whether a skill is listed, but its position and endorsement density relative to rival profiles.

Spend 10 minutes re-anchoring your top skills:

Open your LinkedIn Skills section and unpin legacy tools or outdated frameworks that no longer align with your target level.

Pin your top three target-role skills (e.g., “Enterprise Sales Strategy,” “SaaS Revenue Operations,” “Cloud Architecture”) to the top slots.
Send a 1-sentence message to two former colleagues: “Hi [Name], I’m updating my profile for an upcoming career transition. If you have 60 seconds, would you mind endorsing my ‘Operations Management’ skill? Happy to return the favor on your profile.”
This quick refresh increases your algorithmic weight in recruiter search queries without requiring a total profile rewrite.

The Bottom Line

As always, sustainable career growth is built on compounding daily execution, not sporadic application marathons. Pick one surgical 15-minute micro-action every morning, execute it cleanly, and force the market to bring high-value opportunities straight to you.

These are blog posts that I released in the last week:

What Should I Do If I am Rejected For a Job I Love?

Excerpt: Being rejected for a job can feel very painful but there are two things you can do and one of them may help you win the job you love.

Link: https://wp.me/p4aIk1-39w

6 Negotiation Strategies for Salary and Benefits

Excerpt: Negotiating salary and benefits can be challenging, but adopting strategic approaches can help professionals secure the best possible terms.

Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/6-negotiation-strategies-for-salary-and-benefits/

A Great Interview Tip #shorts Excerpt: A short video to help you get ready for an interview. Link: https://wp.me/p4aIk1-2l5

Stop Interview Self-Sabotage Excerpt: Learn how to stop treating interviews like an interrogation, dodge corporate traps, and take command of the table. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/stop-interview-self-sabotage/

Interview Red Flags: Sometimes You Need to Listen #shorts Excerpt: Big ears come in handy but you need to use them for this red flag. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/interview-red-flags-sometimes-you-need-to-listen-shorts/

Did I Ruin My Chances By Trying Too Hard To Get Feedback? Excerpt: You interviewed, felt good about it, but then didn’t hear back. Did pushing too hard for feedback hurt your chances? Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/did-i-ruin-my-chances-by-trying-too-hard-to-get-feedback/

The 24-Hour Rule Excerpt: What the heck is the 24-hour rule? Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/the-24-hour-rule/

3 Signals to LinkedIn Recruiter’s AI That It Should Refer You for a Job #shorts Excerpt: There are 3 signals that LinkedIn’s algorithm uses to encourage recruiters to contact you. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/3-signals-to-linkedin-recruiters-ai-that-it-should-refer-you-for-a-job-shorts/

4 LinkedIn Fixes That Get Recruiters to Find You Excerpt: Most professionals assume corporate recruiters browse LinkedIn the same way everyday users do Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/4-linkedin-fixes-that-get-recruiters-to-find-you/

In-Person Interviews #shorts Excerpt: A short video about in-person interviews. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/in-person-interviews-jobsearchagram/

15 Best High Paying Skills To Land A Remote Job Excerpt: 3007 Shane Hummus, a YouTube creator who has experience hiring and helping people find remote jobs, shares his list of the ⁠15 best high-paying skills to land a remote job, Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/15-best-high-paying-skills-to-land-a-remote-job/

LinkedIn Profile Optimization Excerpt: 3044 This episode will help you stand out from the competition and efficiently land your next role. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/linkedin-profile-optimization-for-2025/

The About Section of Your LinkedIn Profile #shorts Excerpt: You can say a lot in the About Section of your LinkedIn profile Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/the-about-section-of-your-linkedin-profile-shorts/

15 Minute Micro-Actions to Activate Your Job Search Excerpt: Here are four targeted micro-actions you can implement in fifteen minutes or less to jumpstart your Job search today. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/15-minute-micro-actions-to-activate-your-job-search/

How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life Excerpt: On this show, I interview Dr. Joanie B. Connell, author of Flying without a Helicopter: How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life, about how to prepare your sons and/or daughters for work (and life). Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/how-to-prepare-young-people-for-work-and-life/

Ageism in Hiring: Why & How to Overcome It Excerpt: This article delves into the reasons behind employer reluctance to hire older workers and offers strategies to overcome these biases. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/ageism-in-hiring-why-how-to-overcome-it/

Applying for a Job Through an ATS? Omit These from Your Resume #shorts Excerpt: Applicant tracking systems struggle with a few things. Here’s what to minimize and avoid. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/applying-for-a-job-through-an-ats-omit-these-from-your-resume-shorts/

The Real AI Hiring Bias Excerpt: Here is the raw data on who is getting hired, the fatal blind spot tech companies are creating, and how to position your existing domain expertise to become indispensable. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/the-real-ai-hiring-bias/

Where Do Recruiters Begin Their Search? #shorts Excerpt: There is nothing sneaky or devious about what they do to start off the search to find someone to fill a job. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/where-do-recruiters-begin-their-search-shorts/

Advantage You #shorts Excerpt: In this short video, I encourage you to find your advantage. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/jobsearchagram-advantage-you/

Passing The Water Test on an Interview #shorts Excerpt: A Reddit thread shared this unusual and IMO stupid test. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/passing-the-water-test-on-an-interview-shorts/

Which Looks Better on a Resume? #shorts Excerpt: What looks better on a resume, 8 years at one job and a good recommendation from the manager, or 2 years at four separate jobs with good recommendations from all the managers? Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/which-looks-better-on-a-resume-shorts/

Your Resume Isn’t Always The First Impression #shorts Excerpt: How do people gain that first impression if not your resume? Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/your-resume-isnt-always-the-first-impression-shorts/

No BS Career Advice: September 6 2026 Excerpt: No BS Career Advice offers help with job search, job hunting, career advice, Interviewing, salary negotiation, resumes, and more. Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/no-bs-career-advice-september-6-2026/

Differentiating Yourself #shorts Excerpt: A short video about job hunting Link: https://thebiggamehunter.us/jobsearchagram-differentiating-yourself-2/