The Hiring System Is Broken. Trust Is Your Competitive Edge.

The job search isn't broken because you're not trying hard enough. It's broken because nobody told you the rules changed. Eric Woodard spent 25 years inside the White House, State Department, and Smithsonian. Here's what he knows about trust, AI, and getting hired in 2026.Kevin sits down with Dr. Eric Woodard, ICF Master Certified Coach and founder of Win at Work, who spent over 25 years inside the White House, U.S. State Department, and the Smithsonian. Eric has coached job seekers in over 70 countries.Kevin and Eric dig into why the hiring system feels broken, how AI is already screening candidates before a human ever sees a resume, and why staying human is the real competitive edge in 2026. Eric breaks down the difference between professional and formal, why trust beats skill in every hiring decision, and how making an interview about the employer instead of yourself changes everything.If you're job hunting, recently laid off, or mentoring someone starting their career, this conversation gives you a new way to think about the whole process.Key Takeaways

• The hiring system isn't fair or logical. Since it's not, you don't have to play by rules that don't exist
• Trust, not skill, is the real reason anyone gets hired
• Hiding details (age, gaps, language) destroys trust faster than revealing them does
• AI is useful for fixing mechanics (grammar, tense) but soulless for anything relational
• Being human is the competitive edge in an increasingly automated hiring process
• Make the interview about them, not you. Curiosity beats credentials
• Early career is the time to run experiments and build real experience, not chase passion

Dr. Eric Woodard is an ICF Master Certified Coach and founder of Win at Work. He spent over 25 years inside the White House, U.S. State Department, and the Smithsonian, working directly for Hillary Clinton and later serving as Director of Fellowships and Internships at the Smithsonian. He has coached professionals and job seekers in over 70 countries and is the author of Your Last Day of School and The Ultimate Guide to Internships.Connect with EricWebsite: winatwork.ioConnect with Kevinhttps://linktr.ee/kevinmcnulty#CareerGrowth #JobSearch #AI #SoftSkills #ProfessionalDevelopment