Favourite Positions

Careers,
unfiltered.

A podcast and research project by Alex Young.

100+ honest conversations with the people shaping how we work - plus new research findings on AI, judgement and how junior careers develop.

Listen to the podcast Explore the findings →
Alex Young and Ellen Richardson working together at the Projects studio
Latest episodes

Three conversations to start with.

Start here

Isobelle Panton

The opening chapter of the Modern Career Playbook series - on building a career that actually fits you.

Most loved

Jemima Carr-Jones

Ex Diary of a CEO team. Creative strategist and founder of Loved Studios on personal branding, social and what it really takes to build visibility around your work.

Quick listen

Charlotte Davies

LinkedIn's Career Expert on the AI-driven hiring market - and how to build confidence, skills and the right network for it.

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An experiment built from the podcast and the research. Ask anything - get a grounded answer in seconds.

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20,000+
Engaged audience
5,000+
Downloads / episode
30+
Countries reached
100+
Conversations published
As featured in / on
  • BBC
  • Channel 4
  • Cosmopolitan
  • Metro
  • Startups Magazine
  • Imperial
  • Escape the City
Adaptability over experience✦Community over CVs✦Judgement over algorithms✦People get people✦Trust scales✦Adaptability over experience✦Community over CVs✦Judgement over algorithms✦People get people✦Trust scales✦Adaptability over experience✦Community over CVs✦Judgement over algorithms✦People get people✦Trust scales✦
Why this exists

Most career advice doesn't fit the world we're actually working in.

Real conversations with the people in the middle of it - about what's working, what's falling apart and what's next.

See the research in progress
Listen nowThe podcast →Favourite Positions, every week.New findingsResearch →AI, junior development and what needs to change.Meet the hostAbout Alex →Who's behind the mic.Try it freeAI Coach ↗Career answers in seconds.
Alex Young recording the Favourite Positions podcast
The Podcast

Favourite Positions.

Honest conversations on careers, culture and the future of work - hosted by Alex Young.

Listen nowOpen in Spotify ↗
Research updateOctober 2026

AI can do the work. Who learns from it?

My research at Imperial explores what happens to junior development when AI takes over the work people used to learn from.

01

The loss is repetition, not tasks

AI can remove the work that gave juniors a feel for what good looks like.

02

Output has come apart from understanding

A polished answer no longer tells you what someone actually understands.

03

Policies without development policies

Firms have clearer rules for using AI than for learning alongside it.

04

The two constraints

Time saved isn't automatically time spent developing people.

Read the findings so far
Listener questions

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