Favourite Positions
Work has changed and so should the way we think about it. Favourite Positions explores modern careers, leadership and human skills so you can move forward with intention and confidence.
Hosted by Alex Young, the podcast brings honest, thoughtful conversations with founders and leaders who are reshaping how work works. From practical career insight to big ideas about purpose and growth, each episode helps you think differently about your next step, whether you’re early in your career, switching paths or leading others.
Favourite Positions is part of a broader platform supporting people and organisations to build careers they love and workplaces that empower them. With no fluff, real-world tools and a community of people who value clarity and curiosity, this is your go-to space for inspiring stories and practical guidance.
Favourite Positions
Episode 06: Work In Progress - Austin Okolo
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💬 Summary
In this episode, we speak to Austin Okolo – founder of Gen Z Recruits and a leading voice for Gen Z in the world of work – about turning lived experience into lasting impact.
Austin shares how his entrepreneurial journey began with selling football boots at school and how it evolved into a mission to fix a broken job market. We talk about building confidence from the ground up, creating opportunities where none exist and why visibility and vulnerability are powerful tools for career growth. Austin opens up about the loneliness of leadership, what most people get wrong about Gen Z and why effort still beats everything else.
💡 Takeaways
- Your audience might be you – build what you wish you had
- Confidence comes from repetition, not personality
- Gen Z aren’t lazy – they’re just unwilling to settle for outdated norms
- Recruitment doesn’t have to be transactional – it can be transformational
- Visibility leads to opportunity – show up even when you’re nervous
- Document your journey, don’t wait to be ‘an expert’
- Working in isolation can damage your mental health – community matters
- Personal branding works best when it’s grounded in lived experience
- Employers and employees both need to define their non-negotiables
- The future of work needs to include flexibility and connection
🕒 Chapters
00:00 – Who is Austin Okolo and what does he do?
01:43 – From football boots to fashion to founding a business
03:50 – The rise and fall of Clubhouse and building a real-life community
06:16 – Becoming “Mr Gen Z” and launching Gen Z Recruits
08:57 – Why he started a recruitment agency with no corporate background
11:39 – Starting from scratch: mentorship, prep and long-term thinking
13:15 – The real problems Gen Z face in the job market
16:13 – Are Gen Z expectations really that unrealistic?
17:56 – Rethinking traditional work models and expectations
20:43 – Meeting in the middle: flexibility vs reality
22:48 – The hardest part: loneliness as a founder
24:10 – Why we need to build our own communities after school
26:05 – The hidden cost of working from home
28:15 – How Austin got into the media – and why visibility matters
31:04 – Building confidence by doing hard things
33:35 – Personal branding tips for early-career professionals
35:14 – What not to post online (and how to avoid being cringe)
38:13 – Why Austin didn’t post about Coldplay – and how to stay in your lane
41:08 – What’s next for Gen Z Recruits
42:46 – Austin’s signature advice: reverse engineer your dream role
44:31 – Where to find Austin online
🔗 Follow Austin
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