The System Is Broken.
I Can Prove It.

If you’ve been laid off after years of strong performance — or applying to roles you’re more than qualified for and hearing nothing back — I need you to know something: It’s not you.

I’m Angela Malagon — a corporate recruiter with over 12 years of experience. I’ve been contracted to recruit for some of the world’s tech giants, like Cisco and Google. I’ve sat in the debrief rooms. I’ve watched resumes get buried by ATS before a human touched them. I’ve heard “culture fit” used to cover decisions I knew were about something else entirely.

And then I got laid off too.

What I found on the other side of that desk changed everything I thought I knew about job searching after 40. Being both the person making the hiring decisions and the person fighting to get past them — that’s exactly what this channel, this brand, and this work are built on.

12+ Years on the Inside

For over 12 years, I led talent acquisition for some of the most demanding companies in the industry. Contracted to recruit for some of the world’s tech giants — including Cisco and Google — I recruited across corporate and business functions: HR, finance, operations, legal, marketing, and communications.

I’ve built high-performing teams, navigated mass hiring events, managed senior executive searches, and partnered with hiring managers who had very strong opinions about exactly what they wanted. I know what makes a resume land. I know why a strong candidate gets screened out.

And I know the difference between a candidate who didn’t get the job because of their background — and one who didn’t get it because of bias they couldn’t even see.

Why I Built
The Jilted Recruiter

After my layoff, I spent time on the other side of the hiring process for the first time in over a decade. And what I encountered was a job market that had fundamentally changed — one that seemed almost designed to screen out the people with the most experience.

ATS systems that buried resumes before a human saw them. “Overqualified” rejections that were really about salary fear. Interview questions designed to surface age without asking about it directly. A hiring ecosystem that had quietly decided that experience over a certain level was a liability, not an asset.

I knew how all of it worked from the inside — and I realized that most people on the outside had no idea. That information gap is expensive. It costs people interviews, offers, and income they deserved.

You’re in the Right Place If…

• You’ve been laid off and the job search isn’t working the way you expected
• You’re getting interviews but not converting them — and you don’t know why
• You suspect ageism is playing a role but don’t know how to navigate it
• Your resume is getting buried and you need someone who knows how ATS actually works
• You’re considering a career pivot and need honest feedback on whether it’s viable
• You’re tired of generic career advice written for a 26-year-old
• You want someone who’s been on both sides of the desk — not a coach with a script

What You Actually Get

A Little About
the Rest of Me

I’m based in Indiana, married to my perfect match and biggest cheerleader for over 20 years — patience of steel, heart of gold. Truly my rock.

Two amazing adult children: my daughter at Indiana University in Bloomington (her spirit is all me), and my son in St. Clair Shores, Michigan — his entrepreneurial drive? Definitely inherited. He lives with his wonderful girlfriend and their dog — my beloved grandpup.

And then there are Miles and Molly — my two fur babies and the true loves of my life. They have absolutely no career advice to offer, but their moral support is completely unmatched.