A successful job search starts with knowing where you're going. In this episode of Promoted, Merit America career coach Anja shows how AI can help you move from career-search overwhelm to a clearer plan by narrowing your options step by step. The goal isn't to let AI choose your path—it's to help you find yours. 

 

Learn more about Merit America here

 

CREDITS:

Host: Anja Nikolic

Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan

Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan

Created by Merit America

 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Junior Producer: Aditi Sutar

Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, Kartik Kulkarni

 

Support Merit America here

A successful job search starts with knowing where you're going. In this episode of Promoted, Merit America career coach Anja shows how AI can help you move from career-search overwhelm to a clearer plan by narrowing your options step by step. The goal isn't to let AI choose your path&mdash;it's to help you find yours.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Learn more about Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/promoted-podcast/">here</a>
&nbsp;
CREDITS:
Host: Anja Nikolic
Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan
Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan
Created by Merit America
&nbsp;
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Junior Producer: Aditi Sutar
Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>
&nbsp;
Support Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/our-supporters/">here</a>

Promoted is a podcast about how to leave low-wage work for good, produced by Merit America, a national workforce development nonprofit that creates fast, flexible pathways to family-sustaining  careers for Americans stuck in low-wage jobs. In this season, Merit America’s career coaches chat with their former learners about their new roles—and how they used AI as a tool to build skills, navigate career transitions, prepare for job interviews, and move toward careers they love. Along the way, you’ll learn how you can leave low-wage work for good, too.

Promoted is a podcast about how to leave low-wage work for good, produced by Merit America, a national workforce development nonprofit that creates fast, flexible pathways to family-sustaining &nbsp;careers for Americans stuck in low-wage jobs. In this season, Merit America&rsquo;s career coaches chat with their former learners about their new roles&mdash;and how they used AI as a tool to build skills, navigate career transitions, prepare for job interviews, and move toward careers they love. Along the way, you&rsquo;ll learn how you can leave low-wage work for good, too.

Promoted

Turn Overwhelm Into a Plan: How to Use AI to Build a Career Roadmap

Andre Johnson joins his Merit America coach, Anja Nikolic, to talk about turning an unexpected layoff after 25 years in healthcare IT into an opportunity to rethink his career direction. Faced with uncertainty, Andre chose to lean into emerging technology, exploring cybersecurity and AI while continuing to build his skills, which led him to a new role. He shares how he used AI to identify roles that aligned with his experience and long-term goals, how everyday conversations and networking opened unexpected doors, and why staying patient and knowing your worth can make all the difference. Andre’s story is a reminder that a setback doesn’t have to be the end of the road—it can be a redirection toward a new career path.

Learn more about Merit America here

CREDITS:

Host: Anja Nikolic

Guest: Andre Johnson

Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan

Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan

Created by Merit America

 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Junior Producer: Aditi Sutar

Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, Kartik Kulkarni

Support Merit America here

Andre Johnson joins his Merit America coach, Anja Nikolic, to talk about turning an unexpected layoff after 25 years in healthcare IT into an opportunity to rethink his career direction. Faced with uncertainty, Andre chose to lean into emerging technology, exploring cybersecurity and AI while continuing to build his skills, which led him to a new role. He shares how he used AI to identify roles that aligned with his experience and long-term goals, how everyday conversations and networking opened unexpected doors, and why staying patient and knowing your worth can make all the difference. Andre&rsquo;s story is a reminder that a setback doesn&rsquo;t have to be the end of the road&mdash;it can be a redirection toward a new career path.
Learn more about Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/promoted-podcast/">here</a>
CREDITS:
Host: Anja Nikolic
Guest: Andre Johnson
Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan
Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan
Created by Merit America
&nbsp;
This is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Junior Producer: Aditi Sutar
Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>
Support Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/our-supporters/">here</a>

Turning Setbacks Into Opportunities: How Andre Turned a Layoff Into a Career Transition

In this episode of Promoted, Merit America career coach Patricia Harris explains how to use AI as a tool to translate your existing life and work experience into a professional resume. Learn how to feed specific prompts to AI to surface connections between your past background and your future career goals. Finally, discover how to shape the results so you can tell your authentic story (because interviewers don't want a perfectly optimized candidate, they want someone who is a genuine fit for the role).

Learn more about Merit America here

CREDITS:

Host: Patricia Harris

Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan

Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan

Created by Merit America

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Junior Producer: Karan Solanki

Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha
Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, Kartik Kulkarni

Support Merit America here

In this episode of Promoted, Merit America career coach Patricia Harris explains how to use AI as a tool to translate your existing life and work experience into a professional resume. Learn how to feed specific prompts to AI to surface connections between your past background and your future career goals. Finally, discover how to shape the results so you can tell your authentic story (because interviewers don't want a perfectly optimized candidate, they want someone who is a genuine fit for the role).
Learn more about Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/promoted-podcast/">here</a>
CREDITS:
Host: Patricia Harris
Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan
Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan
Created by Merit America
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Junior Producer: Karan Solanki
Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>
Support Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/our-supporters/">here</a>

You're Not Starting From Zero: Translating Your Life Skills Into a Career

What do you do when your career takes an unexpected turn—and the job search takes longer than you expected? Jason Prater shares how he used a period of transition to build new skills, rethink his career direction, and land a new role. In conversation with his former Merit America coach, Patricia Harris, Jason explains how AI became a practical interview-prep partner, helping him practice his answers, uncover stories from his experience, and walk into interviews with greater confidence. His story is a reminder that a career doesn’t have to follow a straight line—and sometimes the best way forward is to prepare for possibilities you can’t yet see.

Learn more about Merit America here

 

CREDITS:

Host: Patricia Harris

Guest: Jason Prater

Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan

Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan

Created by Merit America

 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Junior Producer: Karan Solanki

Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, Kartik Kulkarni

 

Support Merit America here

What do you do when your career takes an unexpected turn&mdash;and the job search takes longer than you expected? Jason Prater shares how he used a period of transition to build new skills, rethink his career direction, and land a new role. In conversation with his former Merit America coach, Patricia Harris, Jason explains how AI became a practical interview-prep partner, helping him practice his answers, uncover stories from his experience, and walk into interviews with greater confidence. His story is a reminder that a career doesn&rsquo;t have to follow a straight line&mdash;and sometimes the best way forward is to prepare for possibilities you can&rsquo;t yet see.
Learn more about Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/promoted-podcast/">here</a>
&nbsp;
CREDITS:
Host: Patricia Harris
Guest: Jason Prater
Creative Directors: Brittany Davis-Green, Anne Keenan
Executive Producer: Deshani Semaan
Created by Merit America
&nbsp;
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Junior Producer: Karan Solanki
Director and Video Producer: Jishnu Guha
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: Nihar Temkar, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>
&nbsp;
Support Merit America <a href="https://meritamerica.org/our-supporters/">here</a>

Turn Overwhelm Into a Plan: How to Use AI to Build a Career Roadmap

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