The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

Latest Episodes:

Jason Birmingham, Chief Technology Officer at Broadridge Financial: How to Find a Mentor and Why Executives Need One Too Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

Jason Birmingham, Chief Technology Officer at Broadridge Financial

Jason openly admits that he doesn't have the traditional resume of a CTO or a financial-technology executive. For one, he's a software engineer with finance degrees and a client-facing management consulting background. We dig into how he broke the mold and earned each promotion until he landed in the c-suite. He shares how he learned the value of mentorship and professional sponsorship and how he's been able to count on others to get over career roadblocks. Finally, we look candidly into the importance of having a solid personal and professional network and how anyone can build the skills to influence others and demonstrate leadership.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/7wb8jl6k

Trent Henry, Global Vice Chair, Talent at EY: How to Develop the Skills to Succeed at EY and the Big Four and Beyond Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Trent Henry, Global Vice Chair, Talent at EY

Before becoming the global vice chair of talent at EY, Trent was the CEO of EY Canada. He's seen how the economy has changed and why so many employers and professionals haven't yet caught up. We get Trent to teach a masterclass about how professionals can invest in themselves and develop the in-demand skills that EY, the Big Four accounting and consulting firms, and some top tech companies demand.

We dig deep into how professionals can pivot from skills to experience and impact, as the latter is what employers have now focused on in the age of AI, machine learning and new technology. Finally, Trent and Jack share their top advice for people who are job searching and looking to advance their careers. (Hint: It might involve ignoring the traditional career ladder and finding your own opportunities for growth.)

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/q1a4hj0o

Ariella Steinhorn and Amber Scorah, Co-Founders of Lioness: Everything You Wanted to Know About Whistleblowing and Workplace Misbehavior! Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

Ariella Steinhorn, Co-Founder of Lioness and Amber Scorah, Co-Founder and President of Lioness

Ariella and Amber explain what it means to be a whistleblower and why someone might decide to take something public. If you ever asked yourself, "What is a whistleblower?" you must listen to this episode.

We explore whistleblower rights and protections and the most common abuses, incidents and events which might lead to someone coming forward. Ariella and Amber also share how Lioness advocates for professionals by providing free resources, such as vetting and validation, referrals to lawyers, media training and more. Finally, we dig into why we hear about some whistleblowers and workplace misbehavior and not others and how to navigate the corporate lawyers and public relations teams that companies hire.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/luk1pr0u

CJ Jouhal, Head of Engineering at Anchorage Digital: The Highs and Lows on the Journey to Becoming a CTO Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

CJ Jouhal, Head of Engineering at Anchorage Digital

CJ has led engineering teams as a CTO or head of engineering for more than 20 years. In this episode, we get vulnerable and dig into the major decisions in his life that made him the technical leader he is today, diving into nearly every high and low point in his career.

CJ recalls how he decided to give up his comfortable job as a programmer at Lockheed Martin to join a startup. He then explains why it can be a curse when your startup gets acquired by a larger, more well-funded company and how a major promotion, which led him to manage a team of 400 engineers, was not as great as it might have seemed at the time. We explore what it means to be a leader, an executive, and a mentor to others and how it might differ as a software developer or technologist. Finally, CJ shares his advice about how to choose your career path and what it takes to become a CTO or c-suite executive.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/ahseop15

Jack and Rick Take on the UPS Drivers That Will Soon Earn $170k Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen chase down the labor agreement between UPS and the Teamsters Union to figure out if UPS drivers will really start to earn $170,000 in pay. We look into how the total compensation was calculated and if the reporters got their news headlines wrong.

Jack and Rick then discuss the evolution of the job market and how some professions are changing in response to new technology like autonomous vehicles and machine learning. Finally, we debate whether UPS will even have to pay these headline totals to drivers after all.

⁠https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/mhe5kscq

https://fortune.com/2023/08/08/ups-drivers-170000-union-agreement-teamsters-middle-class-bidenomics/

https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-comments-170k-ups-driver-deal-anger-admiration-2023-8

Jack and Rick Take on Google's $99/Night Hotel and the BS Behind the Return to the Office Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen explore Google's decision to discount stays at its on-campus hotels to $99/night. We explore why Google has an on-campus hotel and if the hotel rate is a good deal if you can no longer work from home.

Jack and Rick also explain why some companies like Zoom are all announcing return-to-office policies and getting stricter with in-office work. Finally, Rick reveals the nefarious things that some executives and HR teams are doing to justify their company policies, including the end of remote work or slowdowns in hiring.

https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/mhe5kscq

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-campus-hotel-touts-special-price-return-office-hybrid-2023-8

⁠https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/zoom-return-to-office-announcement-18283831.php

Jonathan Dughi, Former Senior Software Development Manager at Amazon: What It's Like to Lead a Team at Amazon. Plus, Does Amazon Have a 'PIP Culture?' Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Jonathan Dughi, Former Senior Software Development Manager at Amazon

Jonathan was the head of engineering at Amazon Smile, Amazon's charity program that made it easy for shoppers to give back when they purchased from the online retailer. We explore his background and how Jonathan landed a job offer at Amazon as a software engineer with a history degree.

Jack and Rick also quiz Jonathan about what it's like to work at Amazon. We take a deep dive into the responsibility of a manager at Amazon, including the day-to-day work of a technical lead, coaching teammates and performance reviews. Finally, we tackle Amazon's employer brand and the company's allegedly unique take on performance improvement plans and whether the so-called "PIP culture" really exists.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/skrb9zp7

Jack and Rick Take on the "Prestige" Meme on Blind: Does Prestige Matter? Can It Help You Get Jobs and Promotions? Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen react to the "prestige" meme on Blind, or how many professionals seem to be obsessed with whether a certain company, industry or job role is more prestigious than another.

We dive into whether recruiters and hiring managers care about your educational background and which university you attended, your past employers or roles, and even if your industry or ZIP Code matter. Then, Jack and Rick detail how to create your own prestige and share how they have built their brands and reputations in their respective industries of recruiting and communications.

https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/mhe5kscq

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/08/01/should-you-accept-a-job-with-a-high-status-company-or-the-one-that-pays-more-money/

Erin Faverty, Operating Partner at PeopleTech Partners: All Advisers Aren't Created Equal. Here's How to Tell the Good Ones from the Bad Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Erin Faverty, Operating Partner at PeopleTech Partners

Erin explains what venture capital firms mean when they say they have a platform team on-hand. We look into why investors even bother staffing marketers, recruiters, and even data scientists and how they help startup founders and early employees. Next, Erin gives us her top tips on how to tell the good, helpful advisers from the bad and what it might take to become an executive. Don't miss this masterclass in executive success!

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/6hzqb9kr

Michael Kascsak, Former Head of Software Engineering Sourcing, North America at Google: Insider Secrets into Big Tech Recruiting Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

Michael Kascsak, Former Head of Software Engineering Sourcing, North America at Google

Michael has been a recruiter for more than 20 years, connecting professionals with leading companies like Bank of America, Capital One, CBRE, and, most recently, Google. We compare and contrast what it takes to get a high-powered, high-paying job in the finance, real estate and tech industries and get into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to stand out as a job candidate.

Jack and Rick also push Michael into sharing the internal workings of recruiting and job placement at Google. We explore everything from how recruiters are incentivized, whether they are told to lowball candidates, what they say about you to a hiring manager or the hiring committee, and if it's better to work with a recruiter at the company or an external agency recruiter. Finally, Michael explains why ghosting happens during the job interview and how to beat the heat and get a callback.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/dljbe416

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