The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

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

Former CEO of EY Canada and now Global Vice Chair, Talent at EY, Trent Henry, shares insights on developing in-demand skills and succeeding in the age of AI. He discusses the shift from skills to experience and impact, offers advice for job seekers, and encourages finding opportunities for personal 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. http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/luk1pr0u

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 Kelly and Rick Chen discuss the labor agreement between UPS and the Teamsters Union, debate the changing job market due to technology, explore the impact of AI on jobs, and examine the influence of class and prestige in society. They also delve into the potential future of UPS drivers and the role of automation.

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, shares his experiences working at Amazon and discusses topics like managing a team, coaching teammates, and Amazon's performance improvement plans. He also talks about his background in software development and how he landed a job offer at Amazon with a history degree.

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, explains the role of venture capital platform teams and how they benefit startup founders. She shares tips on distinguishing good advisers from bad ones and insights on becoming an executive. A 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. http://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/dljbe416