FOUNDER’S PERSPECTIVE

I attend as many free Webinars as possible to learn new software, understanding AI offers and Job Searching hacks. I have been looking at slide decks for 40 years. As the CEO of Trace Solutions, I’ve spent hundreds of hours in these webinars—not to learn the tools, but to hear the intention behind my gift of 45 minutes to leave with a take a way that will help me.  

Did you know that 2026 is flooded with "Pop-Up Schools", I got that idea from Pop Up Restaurants that are a really cool way for chefs to gain a following. I have asked questions of those folks offering a $7 CERTIFICATION so I can tell others how to leave that abusive boyfriend.  It begs the question: If the systems we use to hire are so broken that we need a specialized webinar, just to bypass the problems, then why aren't we fixing the system instead of the candidate?  Well, that has to do with money and the AI hype.  I get it.  However, as an advocate for us humans, especially the 50Plus work force that has zero chance at beating a younger programed BOT, I will give it a shot.

At Trace, I advocate for the 50Plus Sage. I see a landscape where experts are being told to change their "mindset" while their actual skills remain invisible to a machine.   Side Note: I watched a 70-year-old Doctor in a webinar yesterday, being told by a 25-year-old to basically Hang in There and use a hack to beat the keywords.  It made me pretty darn angry, and I am sure that gentleman was just feeling lost and insulted. 

"Are you signing up for the next webinar hoping for a solution, or just hoping to feel less invisible?"  I go in with reading between the lines, then I verify.  I have done the work on a lot of past webinars for you below.

1. The "Samples & Templates" Library

• The Intention: To provide "plug-and-play" scripts for resumes and cover letters so you don't have to start from scratch to feed AI bots.
• The Trace Audit:  They help you fit into the box, but they also strip away the human nuance that makes a Sage stand out. If everyone uses the same "T-Approach" or "Qualifications Summary," we all become interchangeable parts in a machine.
• The Question: Why is the burden on the candidate to "template" their life, rather than on the company to "see" the person?

2. How to Stay Motivated (When it Isn't Going Well)

• The Intention: Encouraging job seekers to "clock in and out" of their search and set "realistic limits."
• The Trace Audit: This assumes that the reason for frustration is a lack of discipline. For a 50Plus worker with 30 years of success, the frustration isn't about "staying busy"—it's about the dignity of being ignored by a bot.
• The Question: Does a "Job Search Tracker" actually find you a job, or just give you a more organized way to document rejection?

3. Finding Your "Professional Purpose"

• The Intention: Asking big questions about "why you do what you do" to help you find more satisfying work.
• The Trace Audit: This often feels like "Mindset Gaslighting." Most Sages already know their purpose; they just can't find a company with the institutional memory to value it.
• The Question: Is "purpose" missing, or is it simply that the "Unicorn Hunters" are looking for something that doesn't exist?

4. The 5 Stages of a Career (Where Are You?)

• The Intention: Mapping your career from "Exploration" to "Late Career" to help you plan your next move.
• The Trace Audit: This often frames "Late Career" as a time for "reflection and planning for retirement." It ignores the reality that many 50Plus workers are in their Prime Epoch—ready to lead, solve, and mentor—but are being pushed toward the exit.
• The Question: Why is "Late Career" synonymous with "Coasting" in these slide decks?

5. How to Answer, “What Are Your Career Goals?”

• The Intention: Providing science-backed examples of how to sound ambitious and aligned with a company’s mission.
• The Trace Audit: This teaches you to perform a "script" for the interviewer, which is usually a Bot.  A true Sovereign Operator doesn't need to "sidestep" their goals, their goals are to solve the company's problems.
• The Question: Are we hiring actors who can read a script, or experts who can run a department?

6. 8 Strategies to Achieve Your Goals (Backed by Science)

• The Intention: Using "Reverse Planning" and "SMART goals" to make progress feel manageable.
• The Trace Audit: This is the "Gold Rush" mentality in action. It’s a scientific way to manage a marathon that has no finish line. Science says break it down into chunks; Trace says Fix the gate so people can actually finish.
• The Question: If you follow every "science-backed" step and still don't have a job, is it your failure, or the system's?

Interestingly, MIT Sloan just released a major framework (2025/2026) using this exact acronym—EPOCH—to define why humans are still more valuable than AI. They broke it down into five traits that a "Unicorn" doesn't have, but a "Sage" does. Thank you Isabella Loaiza-Saa who coined this acronym.

The MIT EPOCH Traits

E - Empathy  

P - Presence 

O - Opinion & Ethics 

C - Creativity 

H - Hope & Vision 

This video, "How to stand out on LinkedIn when you're over 50" . It captures the exact "Mindset" treadmill I have been documenting—where the burden of visibility is placed entirely on the 50Plus worker to "rebrand" as an influencer just to be seen by a bot.

Video Title: How to stand out on LinkedIn when you're over 50 

Core Premise: Your experience is "boring" unless you wrap it in a "Personal Brand."

• The Advice: Stop using LinkedIn as a resume. Instead of saying you "managed projects," say you "bring ideas to life" [03:01].
• The Trace Audit: This is a push toward Performance Art. While the speaker calls it "dynamic," Trace sees it as "Language Mush." You are being told to trade specific, verifiable accomplishments for marketing "fluff" to satisfy an algorithm that favors engagement over evidence.
• The Question: If a company can't value "Project Management," will they actually value "Bringing Ideas to Life," or are they just looking for a better keyword?

• The Advice: Your headline shouldn't be your job title; it should be a "Value Statement" or a "Billboard" [04:40].
• The Trace Audit: This treats the Sage like a product on a shelf. It forces you to "toot your own horn" [05:02] in a way that feels unnatural to many 50Plus professionals who value Grit and Results over self-promotion.
• The Question: Why is a 30-year career now a "billboard" instead of a track record?

• The Advice: First impressions are everything. You need a "Vogue moment" headshot [06:32] and a banner photo showing you "in action" [08:11].
• The Trace Audit: This reinforces the Grey Gap. It focuses on the "surface polish"—lighting, banners, and "vibes"—as a way to prove you aren't "out of touch" [12:30]. It’s a strategic way to hide age by performing "Modernity."
• The Question: Are we auditing your ability to lead, or your ability to hire a photographer?

• The Advice: LinkedIn isn't social media; it’s "networking at scale." You must show up dynamically to avoid looking "out of touch" [12:30].
• The Trace Audit: The speaker admits social media is a "necessary evil" [09:36]. This is the heart of the B23 Buddy struggle. You are being told to "stalk" and be "stalked" [12:02] long before an opportunity exists.
• The Question: Why has "Networking" turned into "Surveillance"?

 Video Source: Tips to Stand Out for Over 50's on LinkedIn 

Core Premise: Professionals over 50 often "throw their expertise out the window" the moment they log onto LinkedIn due to a lack of digital confidence [06:01].

• The Advice: LinkedIn has moved from a "basic resume host" to a tool for building personal brands [04:57]. The speakers suggest that over-50s must move beyond just listing their history and start "performing" their expertise through content [08:31].
• The Trace Audit: This confirms your observation of the "Mindset Treadmill." Even after 30 years of success, the system demands that you "re-verify" yourself by creating a "Digital Twin" so to speak. Who has this kind of time? [13:04].
• The Question: Why is a 30-year track record considered "invisible" unless it's packaged as a "Thought Leadership" post?

• The Advice: Executives are often terrified to share anything personal, fearing it means talking about "ingrown toenails" [08:31]. The speakers suggest that "personal" actually means sharing the humanity behind the technical expertise [08:51].
• The Trace Audit: This aligns with your Human Epoch philosophy. The "Metal" (technical skill) is common; the "Grit" (the personal story) is the differentiator. However, the speakers admit that for many, this feels like an exposure they aren't comfortable with [14:08].
• The Question: Is the goal to be "Human," or is the goal to provide "Data that drives decisions"? [10:12].

• The Advice: Many CEOs try to copy "cool" influencers like the CEO of Gong, but it fails because they aren't "Gong-ish" [12:50]. The advice is: "Just be you" [13:51].
• The Trace Audit: This is the ultimate paradox of the modern job market. We are told to "Just be ourselves," but we are given a 10-step "Personal Branding" course on how to do it. Trace recognizes that being yourself in a broken system is a Sovereign Act, not a marketing tactic.
• The Question: If the advice is "Just, be you," why do we need a "Digital Handshake" strategy to prove it? [13:04].

• The Advice: Zoe Bermant notes that "Data drives decisions" [10:12]. When an executive sees a post get 2 million views, their fear vanishes [10:21].
• The Trace Audit: This is a "Machine Epoch" metric. It suggests that your value is tied to your Views, not your Impact. A Sage might have only 10 views, but if one of those views is from a board member who needs their specific expertise, that is the true audit of success.
• The Question: Are we building a legacy, or are we chasing a "Ping"? [10:42].