The Yasar Ahmad Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Most people fail job interviews — not because they’re under-qualified, but because they walk in with the wrong strategy.I’m Yasar, VP of HR, and I’ve interviewed thousands of candidates across every industry. What separates the ones who get hired from the ones who never hear back isn’t luck — it’s process.In this video, I’ll break down the 6 steps that make you win any job interview - built on real HR psychology, not recycled advice. You’ll learn how to:These steps come straight from the other side of the hiring table — how HR leaders and hiring managers actually think when deciding who gets the offer.Watch until the end for a pep talk that’ll completely shift how you view interviews - from begging for approval to owning the room.

Get the full course here: Limited time only! https://yasarahmad.samcart.com/products/get-hired-in-72-hours-the-complete-job-search-system______Struggling with the infamous “Tell me about yourself” question? Yeah, you’re not alone. Most people answer it like they’re reading their Resume out loud… in slow motion. This free lesson cuts through the fluff and shows you exactly how to craft an answer that actually makes a hiring manager think, “Okay, this person gets it.”You’ll learn:Why this question exists (hint: it’s not to torture you… mostly).The psychology behind what interviewers really want.A simple, repeatable structure that instantly elevates your answer.Real examples - the good, the bad, and the “please don’t ever say this again.”Think of this lesson as a sneak peek into the full system I teach inside my complete job-search program. If this helps you land even one interview, imagine what the full framework can do.If you're tired of winging it and hoping for the best, go deeper and get the full blueprint.Sharp truth: You can’t control who interviews you, but you can control whether you walk in sounding forgettable or unforgettable. Your call.

In this episode of The Talent Community Podcast, we sit down with Deepak Parija, Chief Talent Officer at Wipro, to explore what it takes to lead talent strategy for over 240,000 employees across 60+ countries. Interviewed by Yasar Ahmad, VP of People at HelloFresh, Deepak shares his insights on:

🔹 The biggest leadership challenges of 2025 and how to prepare for them
🔹 Reskilling at scale and the role of AI in the future of talent
🔹 How to build a leadership culture that thrives in a fast-changing world
🔹 Lessons from leading at one of the world’s largest organizations

Most people think you need a promotion to become influential at work. You don't. You need a system.In this video, I break down the exact 5-step framework that took a mid-level project manager from completely invisible to influencing decisions three levels above her pay grade in just 18 months. No promotion. No longer hours. Just strategic, systematic influence-building backed by behavioural science.If you're tired of being overlooked, ignored in meetings, or waiting for someone to finally notice your competence—this is how you manufacture your own opportunities.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:→ How to identify and dominate specific "influence territories" instead of trying to be visible everywhere (and burning out)→ The 4 campaign types you can run to systematically build credibility in your chosen domains→ Why visibility without strategy is just noise—and how to be strategically visible in high-leverage contexts→ How to build a coalition of sponsors and advocates who have a vested interest in your success→ The exact playbook to institutionalise your influence so it becomes structural, not personalThis isn't motivational fluff. This is the systematic approach I've used to advise C-suite executives across Amazon, Google, HelloFresh, and the NHS.RESOURCES TO ACCELERATE YOUR CAREER:📊 Find Out Where You Stand: Free Personal Visibility DiagnosticNot sure which of these 5 steps you need to focus on first? Take my free diagnostic assessment and get a personalised roadmap for building influence in your specific situation.👉 https://ovdlab.com/📚 My 6 Bestselling Career Strategy Ebooks (Complete Bundle)Deep-dive scripts on toxic workplaces, salary negotiation, office politics, workplace influence, and more. These aren't generic career books—they're tactical, research-backed playbooks for professionals who want real strategies, not motivational quotes.👉 https://shop.yasarahmad.com/products/ultimate-bestseller-bundle-all-6-books📥 20+ Free Workplace Guides & ScriptsReady-to-use scripts for difficult conversations, negotiation frameworks, boundary-setting templates, and more. Download the exact language and frameworks I've tested with thousands of professionals.👉 https://www.yasarahmad.com/downloads🎯 Get Hired in 72 Hours: Complete Job Search SystemIf you're looking to move roles (and leverage your new influence), this is the systematic approach to landing interviews and offers fast. No spray-and-pray applications. No waiting months for responses.👉 https://yasarahmad.samcart.com/products/get-hired-in-72-hours-the-complete-job-search-systemLET'S CONNECT:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasarahmad/🌐 Website: https://www.yasarahmad.com📧 Business Enquiries: hello@yasarahmad.comIf this video helped you see influence differently, hit the like button and subscribe. It genuinely helps this content reach other professionals who are ready to stop being invisible.Which of the 5 steps are you currently strongest at? Let me know in the comments. 👇#CareerStrategy #WorkplaceInfluence #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment

Stop Being "Nice" at Work - It's Destroying Your Career - I firmly believe someone needs to hear this: Stop being nice at work at the expense of being real.CONNECT WITH ME: 📱 Instagram: @yasarahmad_ 💼 LinkedIn: Yasar Ahmad 🌐 Website: www.yasarahmad.com 🎓 OVD Lab: www.ovdlab.com🎯 RESOURCES:Take the OVD Visibility Diagnostic (Find out your visibility score and where you're going wrong at work): 👉 www.ovdlab.comGet the Toxic Workplace E-book (The Ultimate Guide, Scripts and Hidden Rules to Toxic Workplaces): 👉 https://shop.yasarahmad.com/______After 15+ years in HR leadership working with Amazon, Google, Deloitte, and scaling HelloFresh from 6,000 to 25,000 employees, I've seen one pattern destroy more careers than anything else - people who are too "nice" get steamrolled.Here's the brutal truth: Only 10% of career progression comes from performance. 30% is image. And 60%? That's exposure. But when you're busy being nice, saying yes to everything, and avoiding difficult conversations, you're not building exposure - you're building resentment.In this video, I break down:Why "nice" gets you nowhere (and the science behind it)The critical difference between being nice vs being kind at workThe exact frameworks and phrases to set boundaries without being difficultHow to say "no" professionally without over-explainingThe "I need to be real with you" conversation starter that changes everythingThe competence-likeability trade-off is real. Research shows that assertiveness + competence = promotability. But agreeable people who are just "nice"? They stay stuck.You can be professional, respected, AND authentic. You just need to stop performing niceness and start practising kindness through honesty.ABOUT YASAR: I'm a 20+ award-winning Talent & Organisational Change leader, named #1 Most Influential Talent Leader in the World by Recruiter Magazine for 3 consecutive years. I've strategised for First Ministers, C-suite executives, and built a community of nearly 1 million professionals learning evidence-based career strategies.Founder of OVD Lab | Author of "Toxic Workplace" | Speaker at NHS, Amazon, Google, Deloitte, Spotify, Oracle & more.#careeradvice #workplacetips #professionaldevelopment #careergrowth #workplaceboundaries #leadershiptips #careersuccess #toxicworkplace #workplacestrategy #professionalgrowth #careerprogression #workplacecommunication #behaviouralscience #YasarAhmad #OVDLab📧 For business enquiries: hello@yasarahmad.comIf this video helped you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Let's build a community of professionals who succeed by being real, not just nice.What's one situation this week where you'll be real instead of nice? Drop it in the comments below. 👇

Most career advice tells you to "think positive" or "manifest success." The Stoics? They tell you the truth: you can't control what happens to you at work, but you can control how you respond to it.This isn't motivational fluff. These are 20 ancient principles from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus—that directly apply to the chaos of modern work: anxiety before presentations, toxic colleagues, difficult stakeholders, missed promotions, and the constant pressure to perform.📊 Struggling with workplace toxicity or career stagnation?Take the OVD Diagnostic to identify exactly what's holding you back: www.ovdlab.com📖 Get the Toxic Workplace Survival Guide:Evidence-based strategies to protect your mental health and career trajectory: https://shop.yasarahmad.com/About this channel:I'm Yasar Ahmad—former corporate executive, with 15+ years working with companies like Amazon, Google, Deloitte, and the NHS. Named #1 Most Influential Talent Leader globally for three consecutive years. I translate HR insider knowledge and workplace behavioural science into actionable strategies for your career.This channel isn't about generic career advice. It's about understanding how workplace systems actually operate and using that knowledge strategically.Subscribe for weekly videos on:✓ Workplace psychology and behavioural science✓ Salary negotiation from an HR perspective✓ Office politics and influence-building✓ Toxic workplace survival strategies✓ Career advancement frameworks that actually work#stoicism #careeradvice #workplacetoxicity #professionaldevelopment #careergrowth #workplaceanxiety #leadership #marcusaurelius #seneca #workplaceculture #careerstrategy #officepoliticsLet's connect:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasarahmad/Website: www.ovdlab.comThe Stoics understood something most modern career advisors miss: clarity and calm aren't about positive thinking—they're about accurate thinking. This video shows you how to apply that principle to the daily reality of your work.

Most people think they know what they don’t know. They’re wrong.

This episode is about the blind spots that hold you back — the skills, habits, and assumptions you don’t even realize are working against you.
I break down how to spot them, what to do when you find them, and why true growth only happens when you admit you’ve been operating in the dark.

If you’ve ever thought you were self-aware — this one will test that.

Let’s get uncomfortable — that’s where the progress hides.

CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: instagram.com/Yasarahmad_TikTok: tiktok.com/@Yasarahmad_Facebook: facebook.com/YasarAhmadWinatWorkThreads: threads.com/@Yasarahmad_All links and resources: bio.yasarahmad.com

Join the conversation
What’s an unknown unknown you’ve recently discovered about yourself? Drop it in the comments or email me at hello@yasarahmad.com — I might feature it in a future episode.

Welcome to the first episode of The Rules of Work - where we cut through the nonsense and talk about what actually matters at work.

In this episode, I break down how to get in control - of your emotions, your reputation, and your direction. No fluff. No buzzwords. Just practical tools and sharp insights to help you stop reacting and start leading.

If you’ve ever felt like work was running you instead of the other way around, this one’s for you.

Let’s make work make sense again.

CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: instagram.com/Yasarahmad_TikTok: tiktok.com/@Yasarahmad_Facebook: facebook.com/YasarAhmadWinatWorkThreads: threads.com/@Yasarahmad_All links and resources: bio.yasarahmad.com

Join the conversation
Drop your questions or thoughts in the comments — or email me directly at hello@yasarahmad.com. I’ll feature the best ones in a future episode.

Subscribe to my newsletter here: https://bio.yasarahmad.com/Newsletter

Don't FORGET, please subscribe to this channel, I'll be sharing more knowledge videos on the workplace including strategy and techniques to grow your career and get paid more.

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10 workplace truths your boss won’t tell you - but I will.I’m Yasar, one of the most influential HR leaders in the world, followed by over 550,000 professionals who want to win at work.

In this video, I break down the hard-hitting lessons that separate those who stay stuck from those who get promoted. What you’ll learn today:

• Why hard work without visibility keeps you invisibleHow to speak up so your boss actually listens
• The real place where decisions get made (hint: not the meeting)
• Why results beat loyalty every single time
• The mindset shift that makes promotions possible

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re underpaid, overlooked, or left out of the big decisions - this is the small window into the roadmap.

In this episode of the Talent Community Podcast, host Yasar Ahmad sits down with Roopesh Panchasra, Vice President of Global Executive Recruiting & GTM Talent Acquisition at ServiceNow, to explore the nuanced world of executive recruitment, leadership qualities, and the evolving impact of AI in hiring. 🌍

Roopesh shares his strategies for building bionic teams, the importance of a strong personal brand, and how microdosing on discipline can transform both professional and personal growth. The discussion dives deep into skills-based hiring, the challenges of hiring bias, and why stoicism and discipline are crucial traits for leaders navigating complex environments. 🚀

🔑 Top Takeaways:

✅ Executive recruitment is about finding leaders who transform, not just fit roles.

✅ Personal branding is a game-changer for standing out in the recruitment field.

✅ Bionic teams combine creativity, intellect, and an appetite for learning.

✅ AI can streamline recruitment processes but can't replace the human touch.

✅ Microdosing on discipline helps maintain consistency and long-term success.

💡 “We don’t hire résumés—we hire stories.”📌

#Leadership #BionicTeams #AIinRecruitment #SkillsBasedHiring #PersonalBrand #Stoicism #Discipline #TalentAcquisition #HRStrategies