Hiring for Skills, Not Degrees: The Good, the Bad, and the Reality Check
Release Date: 06/04/2025
Control Your Career
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Let’s talk about the part of job searching no one likes to admit: rejection, fear, and feeling like you’re not enough. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia sits down with Danny Cohen, President of Roc Search and One Life Science, to talk about the emotional weight of rejection, how fear shows up in the job search, and what candidates can do to stay focused and confident. With nearly 25 years of recruiting experience, Danny brings insight, energy, and empathy to this honest conversation about the realities of today’s job market. From decoding ATS systems to interview prep tips...
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What if your degree didn’t matter and your resume wasn’t the most important part of your job application? In this episode, Julia Toothacre sits down with Katie Rakusin, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Merit America, to unpack what competency-based hiring really looks like and why it’s changing how professionals get hired. Katie shares her journey from special education teacher to recruiting leader and explains why focusing on skills over pedigree creates more equitable and effective hiring processes. We cover the big questions job seekers are asking right now: Do you really need...
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Think recruiters are ghosting you on purpose? Think again. In this episode, Julia Toothacre speaks with Orlando Haynes, North American Talent Acquisition Leader at The Mosaic Company. Orlando shares his journey from candidate to recruiter, emphasizing the importance of honesty in resumes and the hiring process. We talk about the volume recruiters are up against, how the applicant tracking system actually works, and why timing is everything when you’re applying. Orlando shares actionable advice for tailoring your resume without going overboard, how to prep for interviews with intention, and...
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Most job seekers are using job boards the wrong way and wasting time because of it. In this episode, Julia Toothacre interviews Julie Calli, Chief Marketing Officer at Lensa. They discuss how job seekers can effectively use job boards like Lensa. Key points include understanding the difference between job boards and job aggregators, utilizing AI tools for resume and cover letter enhancement, and the importance of personal branding. They also address job scams, the role of AI in hiring, and the benefits of job alerts. The episode emphasizes the need for job seekers to engage fully with job...
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Job search advice is everywhere, but what’s real and what’s outdated? I’m cutting through the noise and giving it to you straight. In this special episode, host Julia Toothacre, a career coach and strategist at Ride the Tide Collective, recaps the major takeaways from the first three episodes of the season and digs even deeper into key hiring and job search topics. She shares crucial clarifications about the ATS, resume writing, interviewing, and how the job market is shifting in 2025. Plus, Julia previews exciting conversations coming up in the second half of the season, including...
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info_outlineWhat if your degree didn’t matter and your resume wasn’t the most important part of your job application?
In this episode, Julia Toothacre sits down with Katie Rakusin, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Merit America, to unpack what competency-based hiring really looks like and why it’s changing how professionals get hired. Katie shares her journey from special education teacher to recruiting leader and explains why focusing on skills over pedigree creates more equitable and effective hiring processes.
We cover the big questions job seekers are asking right now: Do you really need a cover letter? Can AI hurt your application? What does the ATS actually do (and not do)? Katie brings real-world clarity to these hot topics, with insights that help you stand out without overthinking every application.
You'll also learn how to navigate job interviews, craft better resumes, and avoid one simple application mistake that could get you disqualified instantly, without even knowing it.
If you’ve ever wondered how to get noticed in a skills-first hiring process or how to make sure your voice doesn’t get lost in the age of AI, this episode is a must-listen.
Explore all the Control Your Career episodes: https://ridethetidecollective.com/podcast/
Connect with Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliakrussell/
Episode Blog Post: https://ridethetidecollective.com/2025/06/04/season11episode7/
Learn more about the Career Advancement Intensive: https://ridethetidecollective.com/coaching/intensive/