Job Shopping

Supercharge finding your next gig.

Author

Jaime Solis
30 May

Welcome to Red Threads

Insider media strategy for creators who lead.

It’s Friday and welcome to Red Threads–your insider guide to strategies and tools at the intersection of music, podcasting, marketing, AI, and culture.

Today we’re exploring what happens in the wake of losing your job, and how to adjust your approach from “job seeking” to “job shopping.”

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“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
— Viktor E. Frankl

⏰ 1-Second Summary

  • The Red Thread: What happens after the layoff—and how to move forward with purpose.

  • The Unlock: Use AI to “job shop” with strategy, not just spray resumes.

  • Prompt Playground: 5 powerful prompts to supercharge your job search, resume, interviews, and negotiation prep.

  • Industry Pulse: TikTok’s top media brands, SoundCloud’s AI update, and Google Veo’s deepfake potential.

  • Trending AI Tools: AI platforms to help you teach courses, access therapy, create viral posts, and more.

  • Open Opportunities: New roles at Wondery, Domino, Kobalt, and more.

⏳Estimated read time: ~4min

The Red Thread This Week

The Aftermath

Last week, I had to let go of people I respect deeply—skilled, creative, generous team members who didn’t do anything wrong, but who found themselves on the wrong side of forces outside their control.

It was one of the hardest weeks I’ve had recently as a leader (I published a bit of a rant about the experience here.)

And as I sat with the weight of those conversations, one thought kept coming back: we spend so much of our careers building momentum—when one moment stops it cold, how do we reclaim momentum?

This week’s Red Thread is about what happens next.
It’s for anyone who’s been laid off, let down, or left wondering what their next move should be.

While you can’t control the market, the org chart, or the budget cuts—you can control how you respond. You can be more than a job seeker. You can be what Madeline Mann refers to in her book Reverse The Search as a job shopper—evaluating, qualifying, and designing your next role with focus and intention.

And in that process, AI can be your partner—not just to write your resume, but to sharpen your strategy, clarify your story, and help you regain your footing.

This issue is for anyone in transition—and for those who want to support them.

Let’s dive in on how to use the tools we have to build something better from here.

~ Jaime

🔑 The Unlock

How to Job Shop with AI

Instead of approaching your job search like you're auditioning—approach it like you’re evaluating. Like you’re shopping. That’s the core idea behind Madeline Mann’s Reverse the Search strategy: stop chasing jobs, start qualifying them.

And here’s where AI comes in.

Use it not just to write cover letters, but to:

  • Research company culture through tone analysis of execs’ LinkedIn posts.

  • Map career pivots by comparing your skills to real job descriptions.

  • Refine your positioning by training AI on your best testimonials and turning them into a brand narrative.

AI can be your:

  • Market analyst

  • Resume stylist

  • Networking scriptwriter

  • Interview role-play partner

You're not just “applying.” You're designing a better next move.

 ✅ Try this: Use tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity to turn your career narrative into a strong, story-led elevator pitch. Upload your resumé or LinkedIn profile and ask it to summarize your last role, based on what you provide, in the tone you want to be known for.

 🎲 Prompt Playground

Supercharge Your “Job Shopping” with These 5 Prompts

Copy + paste the prompts below into ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity, to help you land your next gig.

1. 🧭 Discover if You’re a Proactive or Reactive Job Seeker

Prompt:
Act as an experienced career coach. Ask me 5 questions, one at a time, to help me understand if I’m a proactive or reactive job seeker. At the end, rate me from 1–10 based on my responses (1 = very reactive, 10 = highly proactive). Then, for each area, share one specific strategy to improve and become a more proactive job seeker.

2. 🔎 Reverse Engineer Any Job Description

Prompt:
Act as a recruiter with deep experience writing job descriptions. My goal is to land an interview by uncovering what the company really wants. Read the job description I paste below and answer the following five questions for me:

  1. What’s the role?

  2. Who’s the company?

  3. What’s the salary?

  4. What are the main responsibilities?

  5. What are the 3 most important skills mentioned?
    Then, bold each skill, give a real-world example of it in italics, and share one actionable way someone could learn that skill if they don’t have it yet. Here’s the job description: [paste job].

3. ✍️ Rework Your Resume into a Results-Driven Document

Prompt (a):
Act as an expert resume writer with 30+ years of experience helping candidates land top jobs. Highlight the 5 most important responsibilities in this job description: [paste job description].

Prompt (b):
Based on those responsibilities, help me rewrite my resume bullets. Use this format: “I accomplished A by doing B, which led to C.” Each bullet should include a clear action, measurable result, and relevant keyword. Avoid jargon, do not make information up, and stay under 60 words. Here’s my resume: [paste resume].

4. 🎤 Prep Like a Pro for Behavioral Interviews

Prompt:
Act as an expert interview coach and former hiring manager. I’ll give you my job description and resume. Then, help me build a table with 10 interview stories—one for each of these topics: Leadership, Teamwork, Challenges, Problem Solving, Communication, Decision Making, Initiative, Organization, Time Management, and Ambiguity.

For each, write a question and a “STAR” response (Situation, Task, Action, Result) using keywords from my resume and the job description. Keep it clear, specific, and conversational.

5. 💬 Simulate a Real Salary Negotiation

Prompt:
Act as an expert recruiter and negotiation coach. I want to role-play a salary negotiation using the following job offer details:

  1. Name: [insert name]

  2. Job: [insert job]

  3. Company: [insert company]

  4. Location: [insert location]

  5. Offer: [insert salary]

  6. Target: [insert desired salary]

  7. Market Rate: [insert market rate]
    Play the role of the recruiter. Ask me up to 10 tough negotiation questions. Wait for my response before continuing. At the end, rate my performance from 1–10 and give clear feedback on how I could improve next time using proven negotiation tactics. If I say “end simulation,” wrap up with key takeaways.

💡 If you found these helpful, share them with a friend!

📡 Industry Pulse

  • Google Veo 3 raises deepfake concerns
    The latest version of Google's AI video tool creates ultra-realistic clips—sparking praise for its power and concern over potential misuse.
    Read more ›

  • SoundCloud updates TOS to include AI
    New terms of service referencing AI-generated content have triggered backlash from artists over copyright and creative control.
    Read more ›

  • TikTok’s “Mount Rushmore of Media” goes viral
    Outdoor Boys, Kai Cenat, Joe Rogan, and TED were named as TikTok's top media brands—highlighting how mainstream and niche creators now share the same spotlight.
    Read more ›

  • Business Insider cuts 21% of workforce
    Facing traffic declines and restructuring, BI laid off 21% of its staff—adding to a growing list of digital media contractions.
    Read more ›

  • Amazon inks major AI licensing deal with NYT
    Amazon and the New York Times have entered a licensing agreement giving AI systems access to premium journalism—signaling big shifts ahead for media and machine learning.
    Read more ›

🛠️ Trending AI Tools

  • AICoursify – Turn your expertise into complete online courses with AI in minutes.

  • AI Therapy – Chat-based mental health support powered by conversational AI.

  • OpenArtist – AI tools for creators on Reels, TikTok, and Shorts to spark ideas, generate assets, and assist creative workflows.

  • Canopy – Plug-and-play AI backend for real-time Amazon data like product reviews, prices, and sales.

  • Claude Voice Mode – Anthropic’s new voice interface is now available in English.

⚡ Final Note

Want more Red Threads in your life?

You can find blog posts here and connect on LinkedIn here.

You’ve got an idea. A message. A story worth telling. The only thing standing between you and your own podcast? Getting started.

That’s why I put together The 7-Day Podcast Challenge—a simple, step-by-step guide to getting your podcast live in a week. No fluff, no wasted motion. Just a clear path from idea to launch.

And thank you for spending time with Red Threads this week. I’m glad you’re here.

~ Jaime

P.S. My weekly Red Threads newsletter goes out every Friday. Move my emails to your primary inbox so you see the next edition!

P.P.S. Could you use some help with a project you’re working on? Let’s talk! 

📌 If this issue sparked something for you, forward it to a friend.

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