The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

Latest Episodes:

Jack and Rick Take on 'Job GPT' and AI Bots That Apply for Jobs for You While You Sleep Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen break down the advent of AI bots that apply for jobs while you sleep. We discuss Job GPT and other similar services that claim to guarantee job interviews with their indiscriminate job applications.

Rick thinks through the potential repercussions professionals could face for using these tools and AI technology. Jack shares his insights from his reporting about how employers are using AI and moving too slowly when hiring. After all, maybe employers have brought this upon themselves!

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

https://wired.com/story/this-ai-bot-fills-out-job-applications-for-you-while-you-sleep/

Marcelo Lebre, President and Chief Technology Officer at Remote: Finding the Tipping Point for Your Entrepreneurship Nov 08, 2023

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Marcelo Lebre, President and Chief Technology Officer at Remote

Marcelo recalls how he transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship. He gives us the rundown of what it was like to build the product that would become Remote.com and when he knew it was time to go all-in on his startup idea.

We explore everything from identifying the market potential of a startup idea to recruiting employees worldwide and the challenges of building a global business without any physical offices or locations.

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

Shirley Baumer, Director of Product Management at Monday.com: From Startup to IPO - What It's Like as the First Product Manager Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

Shirley Baumer, Director of Product Management at Monday.com

Shirley was the first product manager at Monday.com, back when it was a startup with fewer than 30 people. We explore how the company has changed in six and a half years, discussing everything from how the core work management product was conceptualized and built to the opening of new offices worldwide and a Nasdaq IPO.

Shirley shares how her untraditional background helped her hit the ground running. She was a journalist before working in tech and intuitively knew how to speak with customers and prospects, decipher their problems and summarize their needs. Coupled with her experience in behavioral economics and background as a medical-tech startup founder, we learn that you don't necessarily need to have an MBA or work in tech previously to succeed in product management.

Finally, we get the scoop on how Shirley and Monday.com recruit and hire product managers and tech professionals. She also reveals the common mistakes candidates make in job interviews and what you need to do to stand out.

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

Melanie Quandt, Former Recruiting Manager at Salesforce: The Inside Scoop to How Salesforce Hires Engineers and Experienced Professionals Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Melanie Quandt, Former Recruiting Manager at Salesforce

Melanie has spent more than 10 years as a recruiter placing software engineers, developers, scrum managers, and more at Salesforce. We get the inside scoop into what sets Salesforce apart and how they hire engineers and other experienced professionals.

Melanie reveals the performance metrics and key performance indicators she was held to as a recruiter and what that means for job candidates. She also shares the "hack" to get in front of recruiters and hiring managers. Finally, we explore Salesforce's total rewards philosophy and how they competed for talent when their total compensation offer might not be as competitive as other companies.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/h3z5bvlm

Jake Leach, Chief Operating Officer at Dexcom: Unleashing Career Growth, Tips From a Top Medical Executive Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Jake Leach, Chief Operating Officer at Dexcom

Today, Jake is the COO at one of the top medical technology companies in the world. But, before he became responsible for all things product, research and development, and the like, Jake got his start in the industry as an intern. We explore Jake's career journey, including how he learned to apply his studies as an electrical engineer to the health sciences and what gave him the confidence to take a chance on a startup called Dexcom early in his career.

Jake also shares his top tips for career growth and leadership. Notably, he explains why one of the most impactful things for his career growth was when he turned down a high-profile leadership role.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/3pz372ts

Frank Calderoni, CEO of Velocity Global: A CEO's Guide to C-Suite Roles and Leadership Development Oct 11, 2023

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Frank Calderoni, CEO of Velocity Global

Frank has been an executive at some of the most high-profile tech companies in the world, including IBM, SanDisk, QLogic, Cisco, Red Hat, Anaplan and Velocity Global. We get the inside track into his career progression, starting from IBM and its legendary internship and leadership development programs. He shares why he decided to go into tech instead of working at one of the Big Four accounting firms and what it was like working all around the world.

Frank then gives us a good look into what it's like being a c-suite executive, CEO and board member of some public companies. We explore whether the adage "it's lonely at the top" rings true, which promotions were most challenging to earn in his career, and the most valuable skills he credits to his success today. You don't want to miss Frank's master class on c-suite roles, people management and leadership development.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/9emoyqui

Erika Voss, Vice President, Engineering Platforms at Capital One Software: How to Break Into the Tech Industry With an Untraditional, Non-Technical Background Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Erika Voss, Vice President, Engineering Platforms at Capital One Software

Erika doesn't have the typical background of a technical executive at a large enterprise software company. She began her career as a corrections officer at a maximum-security prison. We explore how she transitioned from becoming a public servant, which she admits she would have been happy spending her entire life doing, to breaking into the tech industry with an untraditional, non-technical background.

Erika explains how she learned the technical skills, including finding a mentor that encouraged her to get trained, and bridged the gap with her communications and leadership skills. She outlines how to sell yourself in a job interview and best highlight your transferable skills across industries and professions. Finally, we dig into the challenges of becoming a technical executive and what it takes to get promoted to a director, senior director, and finally, a vice president of engineering at some of the most influential financial services and tech companies.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/4gorzood

Donna Helphrey, Vice President, Talent at Go1: Everything You Want to Know About Recruiting From Someone Who Hired 1,800 People in One Year Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Donna Helphrey, Vice President, Talent at Go1

Like many recruiters, Donna didn't have her heart set on helping others find their dream job. Instead, she grew into the profession and became a current executive at a multibillion-dollar "unicorn" startup. We look back at her start as a recruiter, from working at a staffing agency to hiring 1,800 people worldwide in a single year at Groupon.

As we explore Donna's career, we dig into how to stand out as a job candidate at a foreign-based company and what it's like as a recruiter and hiring manager responsible for international roles. We tackle the different professional cultures worldwide, like how Australian professionals might be more active in the job search than Americans or Europeans. As a talent and HR executive today, she reveals the incentive structures and KPIs that she has for external recruiting agencies and her own in-house recruiters and how you might negotiate unique benefits or one-of-a-kind total compensation packages in a job search.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/3v1fvlog

Josh Owen, Chief Technology Officer at Flourish: From Wall Street Developer to Serial Startup CTO, Here's How He Did It Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Josh Owen, Chief Technology Officer at Flourish

Before he became a two-time CTO in the tech industry, Josh worked at some of the largest banks. He explains what he learned from his time on the business side of software engineering at Citi and Goldman Sachs, including the day-to-day work of developers and technologists on Wall Street. We also explore how the smallest seeming things can be one of the most impactful things you can do for a business and your career. (You won't guess what the software he built does to save traders worldwide 45 minutes every day!) Finally, we explore Josh's transition from finance to the tech industry and how being an executive changes before and after a startup gets acquired by a larger company.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/8fgnkp3k

Andrew Duncan, CEO and Managing Partner at Infosys Consulting: Is It Always Bad News When Your Company Hires a Management Consulting Firm? Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

Andrew Duncan, CEO and Managing Partner at Infosys Consulting

Andrew hasn't always worked in management consulting, and it's likely one of the reasons he's been so effective as an advisor to companies worldwide and a c-suite executive himself. We dive into his background to learn how engineers, technologists and other experienced subject-matter experts can break into management consulting and why they might want to consider it a career. He also explains the "pyramid" career ladder within the consulting industry and what professionals can do to level up the fastest with promotions, higher-impact projects and more name-brand clients.

We also press Andrew to give us a behind-the-scenes look into why companies hire Infosys Consulting and other major consulting firms. He explains whether it's a bad sign if your company hires a consulting firm and what their day-to-day engagements are beyond the stereotypes of face-to-face interviews with executives, spreadsheets and presentations.

http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/70eau02l

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