Ask HN: Give me your terrible job-search advice

1 SMAAART 2 9/16/2025, 3:29:30 PM

’m hunting for a new gig, aiming for an Operations role with an AI or AI-driven company in NYC, and the usual “good” advice hasn’t moved the needle.

I am reading Ideaflow by Jeremy Utley, and in it Jeremy reminded me that sometimes the fastest way to good ideas is to start with awful ones.

So I figured I’d ask the HN tribe: what’s the worst job-search advice you can come up with? The sillier, riskier, or more doomed, the better. I’ll sort through the carnage for anything I can twist into something useful.

Hit me with your terrible ideas.

Comments (2)

4ensic · 34m ago

"Follow your dreams". Without a backup plan, this will statistically doom the vast majority of those who dream of online gaming, being an influencer, or playing professional sports.

Sure there are people who make a living in all 3 areas, but the odds are definitely not in your favor.

mac3n · 27m ago

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Ask HN: Give me your terrible job-search advice

Comments (2)