Jonaed Iqbal

@NoDegree.com | Recruiting Nontraditional Talent That Transforms Businesses | Host @The NoDegree Podcast | ATS Executive Resumes | Resume, Job Search, & LinkedIn optimization course on website | 290+ LinkedIn Reviews

Giving is my fuel.

I felt like I was locked in a cage, producing excel reports for executives that looked at them for just a few seconds at most. I wasn’t impacting anyone. My future was bound to be filled with useless meetings as the core of my personality, my passion for helping people, wasted away.

Did you know that 95% of job postings are inaccurate and misleading? The job search and interview process is broken. Many good candidates pass over listings because they don’t feel they’re good enough and, instead, unfit candidates apply. There is also a stigma associated with people without college degrees, who’re most often left behind as a result. You wouldn't judge your mechanic by his/her ability to pass a math test, would you? 

For job seekers who are seeking employment or looking to transition, NoDegree provides customized career strategy assistance. 

For businesses who need assistance with their recruiting and interview process, NoDegree’s role allows you to gain a competitive advantage by having “the right” employee. While you focus on your company culture and bottom line, the candidate you need for your business is being filtered and found. 

Most recruiters just try to push candidates through so they can get their fee. NoDegree is different. Through the established relationship with the candidate, knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses, NoDegree only places them in environments that they will excel in.

NoDegree works with companies that see past the college degree. Companies like Google, VaynerMedia, IBM and others are on the forefront of this new trend. I am a fierce advocate for extraordinary individuals who have chosen to bypass the traditional college route and go straight into impacting the world. 

I remember all the people that were kind to me and my mission is to make a difference in companies and in lives. Empathy makes the world a better place and I’m proud to be a contributor. My dream of giving for a living has come true in so many ways. 

Let’s connect. I have not hit the 30K connection limit. Send me a message if you feel we can work together. I will provide the highest level of service because that's what you deserve.

Talent Program Manager

ACE was created to bring premier virtual events to companies that need exceptional virtual events. 
 
With a strong background in the physical event world, marketing, and strategy, we apply our deep knowledge to every event produced for our clients. Our team has done 300+ events.
 
ACE can handle everything from virtual networking events to full, turnkey, virtual conference solutions. We made it happen many times before, and we will do the same for you.

• Partner with Remo engineering team to define/prioritize features, customer needs, and architectural improvements • Collaborate with 3 partners to generate $1M+ in sales from event management, tech support, and consulting services 
• Train and mentor 30+ college students and working professionals on tech support, careers, and communication 
• Hire team of 80+ through referrals and word of mouth globally
• Deliver exceptional customer service, resulting in recurring business and events from 22 clients • Host virtual careers with 300+ attendees and speakers from Google, Microsoft, Tesla, NBC, NASA, LinkedIn, and Twitch • Host 300+ virtual events with 30-1K+ attendees for global clients (nonprofits, associations, enterprises)

Brian Golod

🇺🇸🇨🇦 Tech Professional Looking to Switch Jobs? DM me | ✍️ Resume Writing 🤝 Interview Coaching 🚀 Salary Negotiation 🍒 Co-Founder at Next Badge

After 28 years in the tech trenches, I've become a 3x award-winning job search coach helping senior manager, director and executives land their ideal roles.

My journey began as a Full Stack Software Developer, evolving through Business Analyst and Product Owner roles across multinationals, government agencies, and startups.

Most recently, I led scrum cross-functional teams as a consultant at Scotiabank, keeping my finger on the pulse of industry trends, in-demand skills, and what hiring managers really want.

Then 2020 happened.

Mass layoffs.
Industry upheaval.
Career uncertainty.

That's when I co-founded Next Badge – a revolutionary job search and career development program built specifically for senior tech professionals and executives navigating rapid industry changes.

What makes us different?

We've created a strategic, industry-first job search framework that combines cutting-edge technology, powerful mindset shifts, and data-driven strategies that actually work.

Since 2018, we've helped over 1,000 senior tech professionals and executives land their next opportunity, growing to:

• 75,000+ email subscribers
• 200,000+ LinkedIn followers
• 100,000+ LinkedIn newsletter subscribers

The secret?

I've been where you are.

I understand the unique challenges tech professionals face when transitioning between roles or companies.

You don't need generic advice.
You don't need outdated strategies.
You need someone who knows the tech industry inside and out.

I'm regularly invited as a keynote speaker, podcast guest, and panelist at industry events, sharing insights on career growth, job market trends, and navigating the ever-evolving tech landscape.

Want to future-proof your tech career in this rapidly changing market?

DM me "Switch"

I reply fast (and no, it's not a bot) 🚀

Feel free to check out the 100+ LinkedIn recommendations in my profile to see how I've helped others advance their careers.

Let's connect!

Product Owner

Brian Golod, CSPO

You've been at the same company for 5, 10, maybe 15 years.

Great reviews. Consistent performer. Reliable.

And yet the people who "job hop" keep passing you in salary.

Here's the math nobody shows you:

Staying loyal (14 years):

• 2-3% annual raises
• Maybe a promotion every 4-5 years with 10% bump
• $120,000 becomes $165,000 over 14 years

Switching strategically (same timeframe):

• 30% increase every 2-3 years
• Multiple offers create negotiating leverage
• $120,000 becomes $300,000+ in the same period

The difference isn't luck. It isn't politics. It isn't "knowing the right people."

It's understanding one thing:

Your current employer will never pay you what you're worth.

They're incentivized to keep you underpaid and comfortable. That's the game.

The uncomfortable reality:

You're just a number on a spreadsheet.

They'll never care about you the way you care about them.

Stop confusing comfort with success.

Brian Golod, CSPO, SAFe

Stuck, underpaid, or burned out? I help senior tech pros switch to jobs they love in 30–60 days, with a guaranteed 30–50% raise 🇺🇸🇨🇦

Most professionals measure success wrong.

They chase titles. Salary numbers. Corner offices.

Then they get there and realize something's off.

The job owns their calendar. Every notification is urgent. Every evening is "just checking one more thing."

Success without freedom isn't success.

Here's what I've learned after 28 years in tech:

The goal isn't to make the most money possible.

The goal is to make enough money while keeping control of your time.

That means:

Setting boundaries that stick.
Working for companies that respect your life outside work.
Saying no to "opportunities" that erode what you actually care about.

Some of the most miserable professionals I've met earn $400,000+.

Some of the most fulfilled earn half that.

The difference is whether they designed their career around their life, or let their career consume it.

Before you accept your next role, ask yourself:

Will this job give me more of what I actually want?

Or just more of what looks impressive on paper?

Something to think about this weekend.

The uncomfortable truth about cover letters:

93% of employers who request them don't even read them.

You spend 45 minutes crafting the perfect letter. They spend 0 seconds looking at it.

I know this sounds crazy.

But think about it:

A hiring manager has 500 applications on their desk. They're going to spend 6 seconds on your resume. Do you really think they're reading your cover letter too?

The math doesn't work.

Here's what actually matters:

• Being one of the first 50 applicants (not the best applicant)
• Having a resume that communicates value in 6 seconds
• Understanding the rules of the game before you play it

Most professionals are losing not because the job market is broken.

They're losing because they don't know how to play.

If you don't know how to play chess and join a tournament, you'll be disqualified.

Not because chess is broken.

Because you don't know the rules.

If you're a senior professional preparing for interviews this year:

DM me "Interview" and let's talk about your strategy.

The best time to switch jobs is when you don't NEED to.

When you have leverage. When you can negotiate from strength, not desperation.

Most professionals wait until they're miserable. Until the layoffs hit. Until they're desperate.

By then, they've lost every advantage.

I watched a colleague who dedicated 26 years of his life get escorted out the door with a box.

26 years of loyalty. And then nothing.

The professionals who always land on their feet aren't luckier. They're prepared.

They have:

• An updated resume ready to go
• A network they actively maintain
I• nterview skills they practice (not "remember from 5 years ago")
• The ability to generate multiple offers in 30 days

That colleague who got promoted last month? He could be gone in the next restructuring.

That manager who's been there 15 years? First on the list when the board cuts costs.

This is preparation.

Make 2026 the year you take control before you have to.

There are two types of job seekers.

Type A follows the "rules":

Tailors every resume. Writes personalized cover letters. Researches each company deeply. Applies to 3-5 jobs per week. Waits patiently. 

Gets 1-2 interviews per month. Takes the first offer that comes.

Type B plays a different game:

Creates ONE strong resume. Skips cover letters entirely. Applies within hours of postings going live. Submits 20+ applications per week. Gets 5-10 interviews per month. Collects multiple offers. Negotiates from strength.

Same qualifications and same experience, but they get completely different outcomes.

Type A spends 6 months hoping.

Type B lands their ideal role in 30 days.

The difference is understanding how the game actually works.

500+ people apply to every job posting. Hiring managers spend 6 seconds on resumes. 93% of employers don't read the cover letters they request.

You can keep perfecting applications nobody reads.

Or you can start playing to win.

If you want to learn the strategies that help professionals switch jobs with their desired conditions in 30 days...

Click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gkEjWQyz

You spent 6 hours perfecting your resume.

Reformatted it 3 times. Ran it through the ATS checkers. Customized every bullet point.

And you still got rejected.

Here's the uncomfortable truth nobody tells you:

Employers spend 6 seconds on resumes.

Not 6 minutes. Six seconds.

That masterpiece you crafted? They're not reading it.

They're scanning for keywords and pattern-matching against a mental checklist.

The professionals who actually land multiple offers do the opposite.

They:

• Use one resume (not 50 "tailored" versions)
• Apply at 60-80% qualified (not waiting for 100% match)
• Prioritize speed over perfection
• Focus energy on the interview, not the paper

That 6-hour resume is costing you the roles you actually want.

DM me "Resume" and let's talk about what actually moves the needle.

My salary went from $110,000 to $300,000 in 4 years.

Here's the exact approach I used (that most professionals never consider):


Step 1: Create multiple options.

Never negotiate with just one offer on the table. One offer means you're asking for a favor. Multiple offers means you're choosing.


Step 2: Apply faster than everyone else.

500+ people apply to every job posting. The first 10-20 applicants get 80% of the interview spots. Speed beats perfection.


Step 3: Stop tailoring your resume for every role.

Craft ONE strong resume that positions you for the role you actually want. Then apply to 20+ relevant roles in a week. Volume with quality beats perfection with delays.


Step 4: Never discuss salary until you have a written offer.

Every salary conversation before the offer only eliminates you early. Would you play poker showing your cards?


Step 5: Interview like you have options (because you do).

Confidence comes from having alternatives. When you have 3 offers, you're not nervous. You're choosing.


Step 6: Switch every 2-3 years.

Those annual 2-3% raises will never match the 30%+ increases that come from strategic switching.


The math:

Stay loyal: $150,000 becomes $165,000 in 3 years.

Switch strategically: $150,000 becomes $225,000 in 3 years.

Same experience. Different strategy. $60,000 difference.

If you want to learn the exact approach that's helped 1,000+ professionals accelerate their income...

DM me "Strategy" and let's talk.

I spent 15 years waiting for the raise that never came.

Working 50+ hour weeks in tech.

Getting 2-3% annual increases.

Watching my salary barely move.

$18,000 to $110,000 in 15 years.

At 31, I realized something had to change.

Here's how I went from underpaid employee to $300,000 in just 4 years:

I stopped playing by the old rules.

The old rules said be loyal. Get recognized. Get promoted.

The old rules got me a nice title and a salary that didn't match my value.

I started treating my career like a negotiation, not a relationship.

One company wanted me. Another company wanted me. A third company wanted me.

That's what leverage looks like.

That's when salaries jump 30% instead of 3%.

I started creating options.

Fast forward to today:

I’ve coached 1,000+ professionals through career transitions.

And more importantly, I make breakfast for my kids every morning. I set my own schedule. I answer to myself.

Not because I'm special.

Because I learned the rules of the game everyone else is still ignoring.

This is why I started the Switch Jobs Challenge.

You can be a top performer, have a family, work reasonable hours, and still land a role that pays what you're actually worth.

You just need the right approach and someone who's done it to guide you.

If you're ready to stop settling and start negotiating from a position of strength...

Click here to learn more:

Open article: Switch Jobs Challenge by switchjobschallenge.com

Most professionals approach job searching completely backwards.

They research companies for hours. They tailor every resume. They write custom cover letters. They send thank you emails after interviews.

And they wonder why they're not getting results.

Here's what actually happens:

You spend 2 hours perfecting an application. The recruiter spends 6 seconds on it. Your beautifully crafted resume? It never gets seen because you were applicant #347.

What 1,000+ professionals learned in my program: the game has different rules than they told you.

• Don't tailor your resume for every posting (one-to-many beats one-to-one)
• Apply fast, not perfect (first 50 applicants get seen)
• Skip the thank you emails (they make you look desperate)
• Don't research the company until after you get the interview

I know this sounds backwards.

That's because everything you've been taught about job searching was written 30 years ago.

So if you want to learn what is actually working for career professionals landing their ideal jobs in 2026:

DM me the word "Career" and I'll give you the full rundown

Nobody tells you this about salary negotiation:

Discussing money before they've decided they want you is a losing strategy.

It's like going on a first date and asking "So what are we naming our kids?"


Here's what most professionals do:

They see a salary range in a job posting. They immediately calculate if it's "worth it." They either don't apply or they anchor themselves to that number.


Here's what strategic professionals do:

They ignore the posted range entirely.
They focus on getting the offer first.
They only negotiate after the company has committed.

Why?

Because once they've decided you're their candidate, everything changes.

They've invested time. They've told their boss. They've rejected other candidates.

Now you have leverage.

The number in the job posting? That's their starting point, not your ceiling.

I've seen professionals get 30% above the posted max.

Not because they were better candidates.

Because they understood timing.

taplio

The Battle

Jonaed Iqbal

Brian Golod, CSPO

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreBrian Golod, CSPO's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jonaed Iqbal

Brian Golod, CSPO

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Brian Golod, CSPO's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreBrian Golod, CSPO's LinkedIn Performance