Writer | Marketer | Former Contributor at Forbes

Hi, I’m Dan! 👋

I typically spend my days buried in a booth at a local coffee shop. Ideas flow best with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other.

I've spent the last nine years helping brands like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Foundr, Google, Capital One, and SAP connect with audiences through meaningful, memorable content. I've also served as a marketing mentor for programs like the UCCS Scale to $1M Bootcamp, RMMFI, and MicroMentor. 

I now lead content marketing at Bryant Park Consulting, helping clients ditch the chaos and build businesses that run smoother with smarter strategy and tech.

Off the clock, I'm either spending time with my wife, chasing two little kids, or finding new ways to shank a golf ball.

Dan Marzullo

Want guaranteed interviews? Use code TIMEISMONEY on ApplyAll.com - the job search tool I recommend to professionals who want real results, fast.

I’m all about growth – whether it’s helping businesses scale or supporting professionals in landing their next big opportunity.

Over the years, I’ve partnered with a range of clients – from scrappy startups to global powerhouses – always with one goal in mind: to drive meaningful, measurable growth.

Behind the scenes, I’ve helped career coaches and coaching companies grow their businesses, attract more clients, and increase their impact. I’ve been their go-to growth strategist - the one ensuring their value reaches the people who need it most.

My background blends growth marketing, sales leadership, and business development. I specialize in turning bold ideas into revenue-generating strategies - whether it’s helping a company scale or helping a coach build a waitlist of clients.

Here’s what I bring to the table:

• Growth & Marketing: I design and lead strategies that don’t just meet KPIs - they raise the bar.

• Empowering Career Coaches: I’ve helped top coaches scale their influence and consistently sign new clients.

• Sales & Business Development: I create systems that turn conversations into conversions and prospects into long-term customers.

• Creative Problem Solving: I uncover and implement practical solutions that move the needle.

At the core of everything I do is impact - helping individuals and companies grow in ways that actually matter.

Let’s connect. Whether you’re ready to grow your business or just need a new approach to getting hired - I’ve got your back.

Maid Dizdarevic

They see the view. They don’t see the 1,000 failures it took to get here.

Today, sitting at the top of the Burj Khalifa, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s blessings and the growth that brought me to this moment.

But looking down at the city, I’m reminded of where I was just a few years ago. I wasn't at the top; I was at the edge of the cliff, trying to figure out the "next step."

If you’re a job seeker currently in the valley, here is what I’ve learned about the climb:

If you are currently hunting for a role and feel like you're getting nowhere, remember these "Unseen Truths":

1. The Expectation vs. Reality Gap 

You expected a steady climb. Life gave you a chaotic scribble. Most people quit during the "messy middle" because they think the chaos means they are failing.
Truth: The chaos is the process. If you can handle the mess, you can handle the success.

2. The 1% Rule of "Skill Stacking" 

You don't need a "Life Changing Idea" today. You need a 1% improvement in your outreach, your resume, or your interview presence. One drop of skill daily doesn't look like much today.

A year later? You have an ocean.

3. The Most Important Hire You’ll Ever Make 

Your partner.

Success is a lonely climb if you’re with someone who only wants to be at the top.

You need a partner who understands your "Basement Phase." Someone who supports your mindset when the "Motivation Spike" fails and only the habits remain.
If your partner doesn't believe in the version of you that hasn't arrived yet, the climb will be twice as heavy.

To the job seekers:

Don’t stop because you can't see the top yet. 

The Burj Khalifa was just a drawing in the sand once.

Keep building your foundation. The view is coming.

What are you building today that the world can't see yet?

👇 Let’s talk about the "Invisible Work" in the comments.

♻️ Repost and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

Helping Job Seekers Land Interviews Faster | 8x LinkedIn Top Voice | 💡Follow for Daily Job Search, Visibility & Career Growth Insights

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After 8 years in the job search industry, I’m going to tell you the truth that most HR departments want to stay hidden: The "Ghost Job" is the new corporate marketing strategy.

You see a "Now Hiring" post. It looks perfect. You spend 2 hours tailoring your resume. You hit apply. 

Then... silence. Forever.

It’s not because you aren’t qualified. It’s because the job might not actually exist.

Why do companies do this?

 * Pipelining: They want a database of talent ready for a role they might open in 6 months.

 * Investor Perception: A "growing" company looks better to shareholders. Constant hiring posts create an illusion of rapid scaling.

 * Internal Benchmarking: They want to see what the market "worth" is for their current employees by seeing what outsiders will accept.

It’s performative hiring, and it’s wasting your most valuable asset: Time.

Here are my 3 insider tips to stop being a data point and start being a candidate:

1. The "30-Day Expiry" Rule

If a job post has been live for more than 21-30 days and has over 500 applicants, stop applying through the portal. The "hiring window" is likely closed, and the post is now just a lead magnet.

2. Verify with the "Hiring Pulse"

Before you apply, check the "People" tab on the company’s LinkedIn. Are they actually growing? If they haven't added new headcounts in that department in 3 months, that "open role" is likely a ghost job.

3. Bypass the Database, Find the Human

Data collection happens in the ATS (Applicant Tracking System). Conversations happen in the DMs. Find the hiring manager or a peer in that department. Ask: "Is this a backfill for an immediate vacancy or are you just building a talent pipeline?" Their answer will tell you exactly where to spend your energy.

Stop playing the volume game in a rigged system.

Build leverage, not just a resume.

Have you ever felt like you were applying to a "ghost" job? 

How long did you wait before you realized no one was on the other side?

Let’s expose the reality in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others avoid the data collection trap.

Follow Maid Dizdarevic for more unfiltered career strategy and scaling insights.

8x LinkedIn Top Voice💡Helping Companies Scale Revenue & Retention | Driving GTM, Sales & CS Growth | Helping Job Seekers Land Offers Faster - Use code TIMEISMONEY on ApplyAll.co and get guaranteed interviews

In the job search, most people spend 90% of their energy looking backward.

They obsess over the "Thank you, but..." email.

They replay the botched interview answer in their head at 2:00 AM.

They regret staying at a toxic company for three years too long.

After 8 years in this industry, I’ve seen that the highest performers aren't the ones who never make a mistake. 

They are the ones who realize that every "bad move" is just data for the next one.

If your last move didn't work, here is how you make the next one better:

1. Perform a "Post-Game" Analysis

Don't just move on from a rejection. Analyze exactly where the friction happened. Was it the resume? The technical test? The cultural fit? If you don't find the "Why," you’ll repeat the "What."

2. Stop Playing the "Volume" Game

If sending 500 resumes didn't work, sending another 500 isn't a "better move." It’s just more of the same mistake. Shift your strategy to 5 high-depth, high-value outreaches. Change the game entirely.

3. Leverage the "Compound Interest" of Failure

Every failed interview is a free coaching session. You now know exactly what that company is afraid of and what they value. Use that "insider knowledge" to dominate your next interview with their competitor.

The scoreboard doesn't care about your past losses once you land the win.

Stop trying to "undo" your history.

Start optimizing your future.

What was a "bad move" in your career that actually led to your best one?

Let’s hear the stories in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more career-scaling insights.

11 Powerful Mindset Shifts

The most dangerous thing you can do in your job search is nothing.

Most job seekers think "playing it safe" is the smart move.

They wait for the perfect resume.
They wait for the perfect job opening.
They wait to feel "ready."

But while they wait, the "Risk of Inaction" is silently compounding.

(Look at the second image below 👇)

We perceive the risk of Action as high:
• "What if I get rejected?"
• "What if I look stupid posting on LinkedIn?"
• "What if I reach out and they ignore me?"

So we stay in the "Safety Zone."
But the risk of Inaction is actually higher.
It just doesn’t feel like it in the moment.

The risk of inaction is:
• Stagnation.
• Missed opportunities.
• The same anxiety, 6 months from now.

I used to be a chronic overthinker. My brain looked like the left side of that first slide. A tangled mess of "what-ifs."

Then I started doing one thing: Writing.
I didn't write to be perfect.
I wrote to find clarity.
Writing untangled the knot.
Action flattened the fear.

The only way to close the gap between where you are and the job you want isn’t by "thinking harder."

It’s by doing the scary thing.
Sending the DM.
Posting the thought.
Applying for the stretch role.
Don't let the fear of a "No" stop you from the possibility of a "Yes."

Your new rule:
When in doubt, choose the path of Action.

PS - Which "risky" action are you putting off today? 

Let me know in the comments and I’ll cheer you on. ♻️

Follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

Slides That Will Change Your Job Search

We’ve been conditioned to view a gap as a "stain" on a resume.

We’re told to hide it, explain it away, or shrink it until it’s invisible.

That is a legacy mindset that belongs in 1995.

Here is the truth:

A career gap is only a red flag if you apologize for it.
If you treat it like a mistake, the recruiter will treat it like a mistake.

If you treat it like a life chapter, they’ll treat it like growth.

Whether you took time for:

• Family: You managed complex logistics and high-pressure situations.

• Travel: You gained global perspective and adaptability.

• Health: You built the resilience to come back stronger.

These things add a level of value that a standard 9-to-5 never could.

The Reframe Strategy:

Don't say: "I'm sorry I was away from the workforce."

Do say: "I took a intentional break to [X], which sharpened my [Skill] and gave me the clarity to excel in this role."

Confidence is the only bridge between a "gap" and an "offer."

Your life doesn't stop just because your payroll did.

Own your story. Every page of it.

Have you ever been asked about a career gap in an interview? 

How did you handle it?

👇 Let’s normalize the "Life Chapter" in the comments.

♻️ Repost to help others and follow me (Maid Dizdarevic) for more helpful content.

After 8 years in the job search industry, watching thousands of high-performers navigate the market, I can tell you this is the single most lazy piece of feedback a candidate can receive.

It’s rarely about your skills. It’s almost always about their insecurity.

When a company rejects you for being "too good," they aren't evaluating your talent; they are projecting their own limitations.

Often, "Overqualified" actually means one of three hidden things:

1. The Budget Gap: They want senior-level results on a mid-level salary, and they know you know your worth.

2. The Flight Risk Fear: They assume you’ll get bored and leave in a year for a bigger challenge (because they don't know how to utilize top talent).

3. The Leadership Vacuum: The hiring manager is insecure and sees a competent subordinate as a threat rather than an asset.

If you are a senior candidate hitting this wall, you cannot just rely on your resume. You have to change the narrative during the interview process to address these fears head-on.

Here are 3 insider strategies to disarm the "Overqualified" trap before it happens:

✅ Pre-empt the "Flight Risk" fear.

Don't just talk about the skills required for the job; talk about your connection to the mission. In the interview, explicitly state: "At this stage in my career, I'm less interested in climbing titles and more interested in [Specific Impact the Role Offers]. That is why I am here."

✅ Position yourself as a "Force Multiplier," not a threat.

Insecure managers fear replacement. Secure managers want leverage. Frame your experience not just as what you can do, but how you will make the manager's life easier. Use language like: "I'm looking to use my background to help stabilize the team so you can focus on [Manager's Higher Level Goal]."

✅ Rebrand "Experience" as "Velocity."

A junior hire needs 6 months to ramp up and make an impact. You need 6 weeks. Shift the conversation from "years of experience" to "speed to ROI." When you frame it that way, you aren't expensive; you're a bargain.
Don't let a company's inability to recognize value make you question your own.

What’s the most ridiculous piece of "corporate code" rejection feedback you’ve ever received?

Let's decode it in the comments below. 👇

♻️ Repost to help senior talent navigate the hidden market. Follow Maid Dizdarevic for more unfiltered career strategy.

Most job seekers are fighting a war they’ve already lost.
They send 100 applications, get 0 replies, and blame the "market."

But after helping companies scale and seeing the "behind the scenes" of hiring, I realized the hard truth:

Recruiters aren’t looking for "qualified" candidates.

They are looking for "Low-Risk Solvers."

If your inbox is empty, you likely have one of these 3 "Invisible" problems:

1. The "Ghost" Profile
You’ve listed your tasks, not your Triumphs. Companies don't buy "responsibilities"; they buy "results." If you can’t quantify your impact, you don’t have any.

2. The "Beggar" Mindset
Sending "I'm interested" DMs is white noise. Instead, send a "Value-First" message. Identify a problem the company has and offer a 2-sentence solution. Turn the interview into a consultation.

3. The "Cold" Network
90% of the best roles never hit the job boards. If you aren't building "Social Capital" before you need it, you’re playing on Hard Mode.

The job market in 2025 isn't "saturated."

It’s just noisy.

The people getting hired aren't the ones with the best resumes.

They’re the ones with the best Proof of Value.

I help people bridge that gap every day.

What is the #1 thing holding back your job search right now?

👇 Drop it in the comments and I’ll give you a direct tip to fix it.

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

11 Visuals to Transform Your Thinking 

We glorify the "hustle." We are told that if we aren't sending 50 applications before breakfast, we don't want it badly enough. We are told that taking a Saturday off is weakness.

That is a toxic lie.

I put this message on a billboard because I know someone in my network needs permission to read it today.

"Looking for a job is a full-time job that pays zero dollars."

If you treat the job search like a 24/7 grind, you will burn out.

And here is the uncomfortable truth about hiring:

Desperation has a scent.

Recruiters can smell burnout in an interview. 

They can sense when you are running on fumes. You cannot show up as your best self when your battery is at 1%.

You do not need another application today.

You need sleep. You need fresh air. You need to remember who you are outside of your LinkedIn profile.

Your new strategy for the weekend:

1. Close the laptop Friday at 5 PM.

2. Do not check LinkedIn notifications.

3. Be human for 48 hours.

The jobs will still be there on Monday.

But your sanity might not be if you keep going at this pace.

Your mental health is not a sacrifice for career success. It is a prerequisite for it.

Who is brave enough to actually take this weekend off?

👇 Let me know in the comments if you're closing the laptop.

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

Job search burnout isn’t caused by working too hard.

It’s caused by working too long without a feedback loop.

Most job seekers treat their search like a sprint. 

They send 50 resumes on Monday, get zero replies on Tuesday, and by Friday, they are emotionally bankrupt.

That isn't a "tough market." That’s a failure of discipline.

Burnout happens when your effort is high, but your strategy is invisible.

If you are currently feeling the "search fatigue," here is the hard truth: You don’t need more motivation. You need a Stop-Loss.

Discipline in a job search looks like this:
1. The 90-Minute Rule: You do not "job search" all day. You spend 90 minutes on high-intent outreach. When the timer hits zero, you are done.

2. Input over Outcome: You cannot control if a recruiter calls you. You CAN control sending 5 personalized, high-value DMs. Measure your success by the DMs sent, not the interviews booked.

3. The "No-Fly" Zone: If you haven’t slept 7 hours or stepped outside in 24, your resume quality drops by 50%. Taking a break isn’t "lazy" - it’s maintenance for your most valuable asset: your brain.

Discipline is the bridge between the goals you set and the results you actually get.

Stop sprinting into a brick wall. Start building a sustainable pace. The "perfect" role is a marathon, not a 100m dash.

Which part of the search is draining your energy the most right now? Let's fix it in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

7 Visuals That Changed My Perspective

After 10+ years in the job search industry, I’ve seen thousands of resumes. Most of them share the same fatal flaw: they are "obituaries" of old roles.

But companies aren't buying your history.
They are buying a solution to a problem that is costing them money right now.

If you want to stop being "another candidate" and start being the "only choice," you have to shift your strategy from Applying to Consulting.

Here are 3 insider insights to make that shift:

1. Build a "Value Validation Project"

Instead of a generic cover letter, send a 2-page document identifying a current gap in their process and your 3-step framework to fix it. This proves you’ve already done the job before you’ve even been hired.

2. Focus on the "How," not the "What"

Anyone can list "Management" as a skill. Very few show the specific workflows, dashboards, or decision-making frameworks they used to get results. Proof of process is what builds trust.

3. Move from "Generalist" to "Specialist Solver"

A resume tries to fit in. A portfolio stands out. It shows you aren't just looking for "any" job - you are looking for the specific set of problems that you are uniquely qualified to solve.

The job market is crowded, but the "Solutions Market" is wide open.

Stop asking for a seat at the table and start showing them why they need you there.

What is the one project or win that proves your value better than any bullet point on your resume?

Let’s talk in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more career-scaling insights.

Stop paying for talent. Start paying for growth.

The traditional recruitment fee is a relic of the past. Why are companies still paying 20-30% of a salary just to find a qualified human being?

After 8 years in the job search industry, I’ve seen how the "success fee" model actually hurts companies. It incentivizes recruiters to push the most expensive candidates, not the best fits.

At Offered.ai, we’ve deleted the invoice.

Our platform is 100% free for hiring companies. No retainers. No placement fees. No "hidden" costs. Ever.

Why are we doing this?

Because the best way to help our community of high-performers is to remove every single barrier between them and a great role. 

When we remove the "recruitment tax," the best companies and the best talent find each other faster.

If you’re a CEO, Founder, or Head of Talent, this is your new unfair advantage:

• Zero Financial Risk: You can’t lose money on a $0 investment.

• The Top 1% Only: We don't send you a "database." We send you pre-vetted, high-intent professionals who are ready to execute.

• Total Efficiency: Skip the 40+ hours of manual sourcing. We handle the vetting so you can focus on the final interview.

The "Recruitment Casino" is closed. Partnership is the new standard.

We are looking for 5 growth-focused companies to join our partner network this week. If you want elite talent without the elite price tag, let's talk.

Drop a "HIRING" in the comments or DM me directly to see our current talent slate. 👇

♻️ Repost to help a founder save their hiring budget.
Follow Maid Dizdarevic for more industry-disrupting insights.

I saw a quote today that hit home for anyone searching for a role right now:

"Your thoughts are like water in cupped hands - they'll slip away if you don't write them down."

In the job search, this is the difference between a dreamer and a hire.

The 99% (The Thinkers):
• Think about updating their resume for 3 hours.
• Think about reaching out to that hiring manager.
• Think about why they didn’t get the "Yes."
• Result: Anxiety, stagnation, and "thought-loops."

The 1% (The Writers/Iterators):
• Write down 5 specific target companies by 9 AM.
• Write 3 personalized outreach DMs before lunch.
• Write a "Post-Interview Audit" to fix what went wrong.
• Result: Data, progress, and momentum.

Stop trying to "think" your way into a new career.

Your brain is a factory for ideas, not a storage unit for plans.

The moment you move your strategy from your head to a piece of paper (or a CRM), it becomes a system.

And systems get hired.

Thinkers get ghosted.

Don’t let your potential slip through your fingers like water.

Write the plan. Send the note. Close the gap.

Are you a "Thinker" or a "Writer" when it comes to your career goals?

👇 Let me know in the comments.

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

Stop apologizing for being human.

A career gap is not a failure.

It is a choice.

(Look at the billboard below 👇)

Most people treat a career gap like a dark secret.

They hide it on their resume.
They stammer when a recruiter asks about it.
They act like they’ve done something wrong.

But here is the truth:
A career gap is only a red flag if you apologize for it.
If you treat your time off as a "void," recruiters will too.
If you treat it as a strategic pivot, they’ll see a leader.

Confidence isn’t "I hope they don’t notice."

Confidence is "This is what I learned while I was away."

Maybe you were:
• Upskilling for a new industry.
• Caring for a family member.
• Recovering from burnout to come back stronger.
• Traveling to gain a global perspective.

None of these require an apology.

They require an explanation of the value you gained.

The market doesn’t reward the most "perfect" resume.
It rewards the candidate who knows their own worth.
Stop explaining your "gap" and start explaining your "growth."

The minute you stop apologizing is the minute they start listening.

PS - Have you ever taken a career break? How did it change your perspective? Let’s normalize the "gap" in the comments. ♻️

Your job description is a countdown timer. 

If your daily tasks can be fully explained in three bullet points?

You have about two years left.

Maybe less.

Efficiency is no longer a competitive advantage. 

For decades, we were told that being "consistent," "reliable," and "following the manual" was the path to job security.

In 2026, those are the exact traits that make you replaceable.

Algorithms don’t get tired.

Bots don’t need coffee breaks.

AI follows the manual better than you ever will.

So, where is the "safe" zone?

It’s in the mess.

• It’s in the uncomfortable conversations.
• It’s in the "grey areas" where there is no manual.
• It’s in the human judgment that requires empathy, intuition, and risk.

If your job feels "clean" and predictable, you are at risk.
If your job feels "messy" and requires complex decision-making, you are a moat.

The future of work isn't about being the best at following the rules.

It’s about being the person who knows when to break them.

Stop trying to be more efficient. Start being more human. The bots can have the bullet points. We’ll take the judgment calls.

Does your current role feel "automated" or "messy"? 

Let's talk about it in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful information.

I woke up to a DM that reminded me why I do what I do. 

It wasn't about a salary increase or a fancy title.

It was a message of gratitude from someone who had been battling the choice between their mental health and a toxic work environment. 

They told me that a resource I shared gave them the "push" they needed to choose themselves.

In the job search world, we talk a lot about "optimization."

We optimize resumes. We optimize LinkedIn profiles. 

We optimize interview answers.

But we don't talk enough about optimizing for Peace.

If you are currently choosing between your mental health and a paycheck in a toxic environment, listen to me:

1. The "Mental Health Tax" is too high. 
Staying in a toxic role doesn't just cost you 40 hours a week. It costs you your creativity, your confidence, and your health. No amount of money can buy back the version of you that a bad boss can break.

2. The "Invisible Support System." 
Notes like the one I received today remind me of something crucial: You can't climb out of a hole alone.
The ultimate career "cheat code" isn't a networking hack - it's finding a partner who supports your mindset.
You need someone who says: "I’d rather us be tight on money for a few months than see you lose your light in that office." If your partner supports your growth over your "safety," you are already wealthier than most CEOs.

3. Growth is a Blessing, not a Given. 

I’m reflecting today on how far I’ve come. I thank God every day for the platform to turn my past struggles into someone else's survival guide.

The grind is hard. The rejections are loud. But don't let the noise of the search drown out the value of your soul.

Motivation is a spark.

Community is the fuel.

Keep going. Not just for the job, but for the life that waits on the other side of it.

Have you ever stayed in a "toxic" situation because you were afraid to leave? What was the moment you finally chose yourself?

👇 Let’s share our stories in the comments. We aren't just building careers; we're building each other.

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

"Competitive salary" is not a number.
"Based on experience" is not a budget.

In my work helping companies scale, I’ve seen that transparency is the ultimate filter. When a company hides the pay, they aren't being "strategic." They are being inefficient.

Here is what a "Hidden Salary" actually tells a high-performer:

1. We want to see how low you’ll go.

The company is waiting for you to say a number first so they can save $20k on your back. They aren't looking for the best person; they are looking for the best deal.

2. We have a "Budget" problem, not a "Talent" problem.

If you can't afford the market rate for a role, don't list the role. Hiding the price tag only leads to "ghosting" after Round 4 when the truth finally comes out.

3. We don't respect your time.

Asking someone to spend 5+ hours interviewing before they know if the job can pay their mortgage is the height of corporate arrogance.

The Reality of 2026: The best candidates have options. They don't apply to "mystery boxes."

Transparency isn't a "nice to have" - it’s a competitive advantage. If you want A-players, you have to be an A-player company. And A-player companies don't hide the scoreboard.

Stop playing games with people's livelihoods.

List the range.

Hire the talent.

Get back to work.

Candidates: Do you apply to jobs that don't list the salary?

Recruiters: Why is your company still hiding the range?

Let’s have it out in the comments. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

The biggest red flag in a job interview isn't a low salary offer. It's one specific sentence.

"We're a family here."

🛑 Stop. Do not pass go. Do not sign the offer letter.

I put this on a billboard because it's the hardest truth in the corporate world, and someone needs to see it today:

"If a company calls itself a 'family', run. Families don't have quarterly layoffs."

When a company uses the "family" card, they aren't offering you unconditional love. They are often setting the stage for:

• Unpaid overtime ("You do it for the family, right?")
• Blurred boundaries ("We have no secrets here.")
• Guilt trips when you ask for a raise or time off.

A real family doesn't fire Uncle Bob to hit Q3 targets.

A job is not a family. It is a team. It is a contract. It is a transactional relationship where you exchange value for money.

And that's okay. In fact, it's healthier.

• A team has clear roles.
• A team has performance standards.
• A team respects your life outside the game.

Don't look for a family at work. Look for a professional team that pays you well and respects your boundaries. 

Keep your family at home, where they belong.

Have you ever worked for a company that called itself a "family"? How did that end?

👇 Share your story in the comments. Let's warn the others.

♻️ Repost to help spread the word and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

We’ve spent the last year talking about employees doing the bare minimum.

But we aren't talking enough about companies doing the bare minimum for their people.

A "Quiet Layoff" looks like:
• 0% "cost of living" raises.
• Promotional freezes while workloads double.
• Removing resources while expecting higher output.

When the contract of "extra effort for extra reward" is broken by leadership, the employee simply resets to the original contract. That isn't "quitting." It's logic.

How to handle this as a Job Seeker:
1. Move from "Thinking" to "Writing" ✍️
If you feel the "Quiet Layoff" coming, your ideas for an exit are like water in cupped hands - they'll slip away if you don't document them. Write down your target companies today.

2. Choose the "Burden of Discipline" 🏋️
It is hard to job hunt while working a full-time role. That is the Burden of Discipline. But it is much lighter than the "Burden of Regret" you’ll feel if you're suddenly replaced without a backup plan.

3. Stop "Gambling" with your Career 🎰
If you only apply to jobs online while you’re "quiet quitting," you aren't hunting. You’re gambling. Use your extra time to iterate on your networking.

The 2026 Reality:
Motivation is a spike that fails you when you’re burnt out.

Habits like sending 3 coffee chats a week are the only thing that will get you out of a toxic environment.

Success is temporary, and so is failure. Don't dwell on a company that is quietly letting you go.
Build your own bridge.

Have you experienced a "Quiet Layoff" in your industry recently?

👇 Let’s discuss in the comments.

The job market isn't rigged. Your mindset is.

90% of job seekers are stuck on a "Comfort Zone." 

They go round and round in circles:

• Using the same "Easy Apply" button.

• Waiting for recruiters to find them.

• Complaining that the "system" is broken.

But real achievements happen the moment you leap off the carousel and into the unknown.

Which candidate are you?

1. The Criticizer: Spends 4 hours a day blaming the algorithm and the economy.

2. The Talker: Posts "Open to Work" but never actually sends a personalized DM.

3. The Doer: The rare 1% who builds a bridge while everyone else is talking about the gap.

The difference is Mindset:

The Fixed Mindset: "I know everything." They stay small because they’re afraid to be a beginner.

The Growth Mindset: "I don't know enough." They stack books, skills, and failures until they reach the top.

And the secret ingredient? Consistency.

A job search isn't a single "log" of effort thrown into the fire. 

It’s a series of small, daily actions that build a ladder to your goal.

• One coffee chat is a log.

• Twenty coffee chats is a ladder.

Stop being a talker. Start being a doer.

Leap off the carousel.

Build the ladder.

Choose the growth mindset.

Are you currently a Criticizer, a Talker, or a Doer?

👇 Be honest in the comments. Let's grow together.

11 Powerful Job Search Lessons 

It took two decades to build Amazon into a titan.

It took one email to restructure 16,000 lives.

If you aren't paying attention, you're missing the loudest alarm bell of the decade.

For years, the career playbook was simple:
Go to a good school.

Land a job at a "safe" giant like Amazon or Google.

Work hard, stay loyal, and climb the ladder for 30 years.

Yesterday proved that playbook is obsolete.

These weren't just underperformers being trimmed. 

These were brilliant engineers, dedicated project managers, and tenured leaders who did everything "right."

They were loyal. The company was just "efficient."
After 8 years in this industry, here is the brutal truth that is hard to swallow:

Corporate loyalty is a myth.

Your employment is a commercial contract, not a family tie. The moment your salary outweighs your immediate perceived value on a spreadsheet, the contract is void.

If you are outsourcing your financial security to a single employer, you are taking the biggest gamble of your life.

So, what now? Do we panic?
No. We pivot.

The only true "job security" left in 2026 is the security you build yourself. It’s time to diversify.

• Own your skills, not just your job title.

• Build your network outside of your company's internal Slack channels.

• Create a personal brand that is bigger than the logo on your paycheck.

If you were impacted by the 16k layoffs, my DMs are open. You will bounce back bigger.

For everyone else watching from the sidelines in fear: 

Let this be your wake-up call. Don't wait for the restructuring email to start building your lifeboat.

Does this shift how you view "safe" jobs? Let me know your thoughts below. 👇

♻️ Repost to help others and follow Maid Dizdarevic for more helpful content.

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