The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

Dan Black, Global Leader, Talent Attraction and Acquisition at EY

Dan leads talent attraction and acquisition at EY and is responsible for the "Big Four" firm's recruiting strategy. We get the inside details into what he and his recruiters look for when hiring and how somebody can get on their radar. Notably, we dig into the diverse roles and backgrounds EY considers and hires, including mechanical engineers, software developers, lawyers, blockchain experts and more.

Dan also shares his top tips for job seekers, including the mistakes professionals make in today's job market, where AI-enabled recruiting processes and video interviews are now more common. We also get a sneak peek into how EY promotes its staff, decides project assignments and rotational programs, finds mentors for folks, and even how executives get rewarded and rise up through the ranks.

This episode of "The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly" is brought to you by MobSquad and BetterHelp.

Valerie Beaulieu, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at The Adecco Group

Valerie explains her secret to a remarkable career journey, what she calls her "career backpack," which landed her in the c-suite and on the boards of various public companies and organizations.

We look at when Microsoft was a startup and what it was like working in the tech industry when everyone was unsure if it would go anywhere.

Valerie explains how she became the chief marketing officer at Microsoft and the international moves and career pivots along the way. She also explains the skills and relationships she had to build and how we can replicate her career path today.

This episode of "The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly" is brought to you by our sponsors, MobSquad and BetterHelp.

Senior Director, U.S. Business Acceleration and Integration at RBC

Annette tells us how to communicate with executives and what it takes to influence them and drive impact. She also shares how to get started, including everything from networking and meeting CEOs and other c-suite executives at your own company to what to say when you want to get their attention.

We also find out what it was like as the first in her family to graduate from college and make a career in the finance industry. Annette shares the support and mentorship opportunities available for newcomers to the finance industry and her top recommendations about how to get noticed by some of the top hedge funds and Wall Street firms, like Citadel and Goldman Sachs.

This episode of "The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly" is brought to you by our sponsors, MobSquad and BetterHelp.

Ben Morss, Product Manager at Zocdoc

Ben shares his nontraditional career path, from studying computer science and music to working as a software engineer, developer advocate, and now product manager.

Ben also reveals that many of his colleagues at Google had nontraditional work experience or had to apply multiple times before landing a role at the Internet giant. He shares their common traits and professional experiences. Next, we also explore how to get matched to different teams and business units at Google and how he practiced to pass the Google product manager interview.

This episode of "The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly" is brought to you by our sponsors, MobSquad and BetterHelp.

Ginnie Carlier, Americas Vice Chair, Talent at EY

Ginnie reflects on the best professional advice she's ever received: You need to have an adventurous mindset. We explore how adventure and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone can unlock new career opportunities. Ginnie explains how she put the advice into practice and how it landed her hot roles in Silicon Valley, working on high-tech IPO transactions and getting international experience in a new role in the Middle East.

We also discover what it takes to stand out as a candidate at EY. Ginnie recalls her best interview and why it was with someone with a non-traditional background for a "Big Four" firm. She breaks down the application and what turned the resume into a must-read and must-interview, which is especially important as EY received more than 1 million applications worldwide last year!

This episode of "The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly" is brought to you by our sponsors, MobSquad and BetterHelp.

The Honorable Mark Takano of the U.S. House of Representatives

Congressman Mark Takano recently introduced a bill called the Thirty-Two-Hour Workweek Act, which would amend the definition of the workweek in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. If passed into law, it would require overtime pay for anyone who works more than 32 hours in one week, down from the current 40.

Congressman Takano explains why we might have AI, the COVID-19 pandemic and JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon to thank for the U.S. being closer than ever to a four-day workweek.

The Democrat from California also shares how a 32-hour workweek might work in practice and how it could lead to the creation of more jobs, higher pay, and unexpected economic activity. Finally, he outlines what's needed for everything to become a reality.

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen react to news that Glassdoor wants your real name. We explore the company's privacy practices and whether company reviews and other information posted to Glassdoor are really anonymous.

Jack explains the real-life repercussions of being outed about posts made on Glassdoor and social media and why anonymity matters. Finally, Rick gives Glassdoor some PR advice about how they could rebuild trust with their users and other professionals.

Rick Chen, Senior Director, Head of Public Relations at Blind

Rick never set out to work in public relations or communications. Instead, he took his teachers' feedback about disrupting class and combined it with a willingness to take on the tasks and jobs few others want to do.

We explore how Rick became a PR executive from the very beginning when he taught himself how to write a press release for the first time to build trust with CEOs, executives, and other principals in his coaching. He also shares why a humble approach and willingness to defer gratification can pay off in your career. Finally, we find out how executives and the busiest people might respond to your cold email asking for advice, an informational interview, or even a sale.

Disha Patel, Head of Shopping Product at Cash App

Disha explains why finding a craft and refining it over time is essential. It's how she's evolved her career, first as an engineer and then as a management consultant and a product head. We dig into what practicing a craft looks like and how to know if you have the right network and role to thrive.

Disha also shares how she earned her most challenging promotion. We break everything down, including who her manager was, what she did in her role before the promotion, the impact she demonstrated, and why a focus on landing a promotion or pay bump wasn't the catalyst for the big career move.

Heather Inocencio, Founder and CEO of The Product Consult

Heather is a sought-after product management consultant with more than 30 years of product management experience at large public companies and high-growth consumer startups, including The RealReal and HauteLook. We got her to share the details about how the product management discipline has evolved and what it was like to be a product manager as the internet blew up to what it is today.

Heather shares what many CEOs and startup founders get wrong about product management and what it really takes to succeed as a product manager. She explains how to find product manager-company fit and why a company with product-market fit might not have one. We also explore the common reasons product managers fail or leave companies and the secret that the best product managers have that can take them to the c-suite.

Jack Kelly, Founder and CEO of Compliance Search Group

In this episode, we flip the script and interview our co-host, Jack Kelly!

Jack did not always know he wanted to be a recruiter. Instead, he stumbled upon it after visiting a recruiting agency and having a friend recommend he meet someone in the business.

We look into the economics of recruiting and how many recruiters get their jobs. Then, we explore how Jack started recruiting for Wall Street banks, hedge funds and investment management firms when it was not always obvious it would be lucrative to do so and the work needed to start your own business. Finally, he shares his best tips on how you should approach your pay and why demonstrating passion in your next job interview might be what you need to land the offer.

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen explore what happened with Google's well-publicized blunders with its Gemini AI model. Rick explains what likely happened behind the scenes that resulted in the image generator creating odd illustrations and distorting the reality of historical events.

Next, Jack asks if Big Tech and the "Magnificent Seven" group of stocks—Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla—might be in a stage of complacency as growth in their share prices continues. Rick shares how some verified Nvidia professionals on Blind are getting paid and why some are already coasting.

Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO of Glean

Arvind spent more than 10 years at Google, going from one of the company's first engineers when it was a startup to becoming a distinguished engineer. We find out just how he earned the promotions and what it took to land the title fewer than 1% of all engineers ever earn, including the tips and tricks many senior engineers try to take and why they might not work.

We also explore why Arvind decided to leave Google and start different companies. Arvind shares his best advice on when to leave a comfortable job and the necessary insight you might need to launch a startup and lead it to a successful exit or meaningful business as its founder.

Justin Zhu, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Stand with Asian Americans

Michelle Lee, Counsel at Stand with Asian Americans

Asian Americans make up a large proportion of the U.S. professional workforce, but often, they are one of the least represented groups at every leadership level. Justin and Michelle describe how Stand with Asian Americans is fighting back and advocating for Asian Americans in the workforce and daily life.

We also explore how Justin and Michelle transitioned to political advocacy from their prestigious jobs as a unicorn founder and CEO and Big Law attorney, respectively, and how their experiences with racial discrimination shaped their work today.

Bonnie Dilber, Manager, Business Recruiting at Zapier

Bonnie leads the business recruiting team at Zapier, focusing on roles in the finance, sales, marketing, people, operations, support, legal and leadership teams. We dig into her untraditional background and why teachers might make the best recruiters and business leaders.

Bonnie also shares her hot takes and best tips about how to get hired at some of the leading companies, even in a tough job market. She explains that sometimes it's best to apply for jobs when others aren't, like around holidays or the end of the year. We also get her to reveal some "red flags," which you might want to look out for when reading a job description or talking to a recruiter to ensure that the opportunity doesn't turn out to be a bad one.

Mark Dixon, Founder and CEO of IWG

When Mark founded Regus, now known as IWG, he was the first to offer co-working space on a large scale. We explore how workplaces, offices, and even commercial real estate have changed since he started in the company in 1989.

Mark explains how companies are increasingly choosing hybrid or flexible work schedules, which mix working from home and in-office time, resulting in a $2 trillion total addressable market opportunity. We look into how trends like remote work and urban policy are impacting what it's like to work in major cities around the world and why on-premise or in-office work will never go away, even with the latest trends and changes in tech.

Neil Dhar, Vice Chairman, Co-Head of Consulting at PwC

We explore the secrets and advantages of longevity in the professional services industry, focusing on the advisory and consulting profession.

Neil has spent more than 30 years at PwC and has held various leadership roles across the firm's different service lines—everything from M&A deals, risk assurance, advisory and consulting. We learn why he's stayed and how the "Big Four" firm keeps things fresh for its more than 364,000 professionals worldwide.

Neil shares his framework for career growth, including how to stay intellectually curious, the value of keeping an open mind and the role of mentorship. Notably, we look into how anyone can build a network of mentors, sponsors and advocates and take a behind-the-scenes look into Neil's own network and the feedback they gave him.

Katya Laviolette, Chief People Officer at 1Password

Katya gives us a sneak peek into how recent mass layoffs in the tech, banking and finance industries have impacted the job market. She reveals that 1Password receives as many as 12,000 resumes every month and job postings for internships can add another 20,000.

We ask Katya to break down how to polish your resume and improve your candidacy to stand out in the hiring process and land the job offer. Notably, we dig into whether it's necessary to have domain experience in an industry like cybersecurity and why the secret just might be listening in a job interview.

Michelle Gonzalez, Corporate Vice President and Global Head of M12, Microsoft's Venture Capital Fund

Michelle explains how to really network and why most people think it's so artificial, transactional, or even cringe-inducing. She tells us about the cold emails she would send to entrepreneurs, investors, professors and other notable figures and what it was like to have dinner with Sam Altman and the founders of Lyft before they became household names.

Michelle then teaches us the importance of taking risks to develop professionally. She shares how to get on the radar of some of the busiest and most influential people and how building relationships and seeking regular feedback, even from people you've just met, can pay off.

Gleb Yushin, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Sila Nanotechnologies

Gleb has long been sought out for his background in materials sciences and physics background. Now, he's taken his expertise to clean energy and industries as diverse as connected devices and electric vehicles. We explore how Sila Nanotechnologies was born and how Gleb transitioned from his life in academia as a professor at Georgia Tech to the founder and CTO of a startup designing integral components for Mercedes-Benz and its iconic G-Class SUV or "G Wagon."

Gleb gives us a walkthrough of the hardware industry and how he navigates the pace of product and technological innovation. We also dig into how the culture at a hardware startup differs from one focused on software. Gleb also shares insight into how Elon Musk and other tech pioneers think about complex problems, such as climate change or working with government agencies like NASA. Finally, we get tactical advice about how technologists and senior professionals can advance their careers by finding impactful professional opportunities.

Jack Mardack, Co-Founder of Oyster

Jack began his career as an "accidental" marketer before working in banking and finance. Then, he had enough and decided to move to the San Francisco Bay Area to join the startup scene. There, he met like-minded, smart people who shared his interests in entrepreneurship and finding a way to create a human-centric sustainable business that aligned its business model with a positive impact.

We explore why Jack and his co-founders decided to tackle global employment, local benefits and payroll. He shares how companies have started to use business as a force for good and what sets Oyster apart. Finally, we dig into what it means to be a certified B Corp and how Oyster achieved a $1-billion private valuation to become a unicorn startup.

Amanda Richardson, CEO of CoderPad

Amanda says her career has been a windy journey. She admits that, at times, she didn't have a clear career path and has primarily created opportunities for herself. It's paid off, as she was hired to become the CEO of a high-performing startup she didn't start.

We learn how she became CEO and how a frank conversation with a recruiter proved to be a significant catalyst. Amanda also explains what it's like to interview to become a CEO and even how it feels to lay off your entire team because the startup is shutting down.

Amir Nathoo, Founder and CEO of Outschool

We explore what it is like to be a startup founder from the perspective of Amir Nathoo, who knew he wanted to be a software entrepreneur at an early age. Interestingly, he explains how a blog post he published in 2015 about a personal experience led to where he is today, as a founder and CEO of a startup last publicly valued at $3 billion.

Amir also shares his top advice about entrepreneurship and when he knew it was time to quit a high-paying software development job to start a new company. He also explains why a non-linear or atypical career path might be a key to success.

Max Tagher, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Mercury

Max had never worked at a bank, financial services company or even a financial-technology startup before starting Mercury. Instead, he drew from his firsthand experience as a customer of Silicon Valley Bank, the once-popular bank with many startups, and noticed others like him were also dissatisfied. Max explains how he entered the field without having prior professional experience.

We explore the challenges of co-founding a fintech startup and working with banking partners who often aren't used to operating the same way as a startup founder or technologist. He also outlines why startup founders shouldn't necessarily focus on the technology or engineering first and why a multi-disciplined and user-focused approach was key to Mercury's early success.

Lia Garvin, Former Team Operations and Organizational Effectiveness Lead at Google

Lia gives us an in-depth look into Google's program management and team operations. We explore how she became a program manager and what program managers do at Google and other Big Tech companies, including how they work with software engineers, product managers, designers and executives to map risks, ship regularly to meet deadlines, and help people perform at their best.

Lia explains why imposter syndrome can be so common in the tech industry and how she recommends getting over it. We also got her to reveal what she did at Google to improve team performance and the communication and feedback tooling and frameworks they used so that you can use them to level up your career, build relationships, and land your next, better role.

Ingrid De Clercq, Chief People Officer at Deliverect

Ingrid shares how four startup founders in Ghent, Belgium, developed the idea for Deliverect and what it was like conceptualizing and implementing a multinational company's vision, hiring process and performance philosophies from scratch.

We also get a sneak peek into how a Belgian and European startup hires and retains talent from all over the world from one of the first employees of Deliverect, a software-as-a-service startup last publicly valued at $1.4 billion. Ingrid also shares what she thinks sets Deliverect apart and how the company thinks about total rewards and total compensation.

Jesse Tinsley, Former Recruiter at 23andMe

Jesse Tinsley was a recruiter at 23andMe, Coinbase, Stellar Development Foundation, Protocol Labs and more. Now, he's the founder and CEO of a recruitment process outsourcing company, a largely unknown cog in the job recruitment process.

We explore what RPO companies are and how you can work together with these recruiters to land your next job. While it might be bizarre to find out that the recruiter you're working with might not technically work at the company, the experience is essentially the same. You might have even worked with an RPO recruiter already without knowing it!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Larry Gadea, Founder and CEO of Envoy

Larry has an untraditional background for a Silicon Valley CEO, including getting smuggled out of Romania to Germany before settling in Canada at the age of 3. We explore how his experience growing up led him to work at Google while a full-time student and how open-source projects opened doors for him. Next, we dive into the a-ha moment behind Envoy and its ubiquitous tablets seemingly in every startup and tech company's reception area. Jack and Rick then get a behind-the-scenes look into Envoy's culture and what Larry looks for when he's hiring. Don't miss our conversation about everything from what CEOs and managers mean when they say they like ambition to whether working in-office actually impacts your career and professional development prospects.

Michael Griffiths, Workforce Transformation Offering Leader at Deloitte

Michael didn't always know he wanted to get into consulting. Before he rose through the ranks of strategy and management consulting, he was a London school teacher. We explore why developing skills has become more important than job titles and the promotions that make up the traditional career ladder in today's job market. Michael also breaks down some research to explain how the economy shifted to become so skills-based and focused. Finally, we look into the human condition and whether we really want to work.

Mahe Bayireddi, Co-Founder and CEO of Phenom

Mahe spells out how employers use artificial intelligence, machine learning and data to hire employees. He explains that job-seekers and other professionals should focus on highlighting their core competencies, skills and behaviors and dives into the tactics to stand out in the job application and job interview processes. We explore how some companies and industries are using automated interviews and what the deal is with video interviews.