Steer Your Career Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Has your job ever been eliminated unexpectedly? In this episode, career coach Anne Baker joins host Alan Stein to tackle the often-stigmatized world of "outplacement" services and share a bold new vision for helping displaced employees relaunch their careers.

Drawing from her decades of experience in the corporate world, Anne discusses why mass layoffs are becoming more common in the age of AI, and why being let go is no longer the career "scarlet letter" it once was. They also dive deep into what's broken with traditional outplacement support, from inconsistent coaching quality to outdated approaches, while exploring modern solutions for what they call career "re-acceleration."

Tune in to learn why traditional outplacement services need reimagining and how companies can better support their departing employees.

Tired of letting nerves sabotage your career opportunities?

In this episode, communication coach Nausheen Chen reveals her journey from being a brand manager to becoming an expert public speaking coach, sharing how she went from "faking" confidence to truly embodying it. Alan and Nausheen dive deep into the two biggest blockers to effective communication - nerves and delivery - while offering practical strategies to overcome them.

Tune in now!

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Get in touch with Nausheen: www.speaking.coach

From Google AdWords to YouTube and cutting-edge AI research, Tom Leung's storied career at tech giant Google spans over a decade.

In this episode of the Steer Your Career Podcast, host Alan Stein delves into Leung's journey as a top-rated product management director and his unique insights into Google's challenging interview process. Tom shares how the company's hiring practices have evolved, what sets product management interviews apart, and why even exceptional performers aren't immune to layoffs in today's tech landscape.

Tune in now to gain a rare insider's perspective on building a successful career!

Today’s guest on the SYCK Podcast is seasoned recruiter and interview coach, Margaret Buj. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, starting with how recruiters use keywords in LinkedIn to find candidates. Margaret talks about the top things that should be on your resume and how to make yourself more attractive to recruiters. We also talk about how to prepare for interviews with a recruiter versus hiring manager. With close to 20 years of international recruiting experience, Margaret has a lot of SYCK advice to share and I’m excited for job seekers to hear this conversation! 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:55] Margaret explains her Talent Acquisition role and how she pursues candidates for niche roles
• [11:15] Is it important to submit applications early and how recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates
• [16:50] How important is company experience and how referrals play into your job search
• [28:16] What recruiters look at on a resume
• [36:20] How to prepare for a screening call with the recruiter
• [41:52] What job seekers should not do and advice for improving your resume

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• It is really important to have relevant keywords, job titles, and sectors listed at the top of your resume and LinkedIn profile in order to get a recruiters’ attention.
• If you have only worked for less known companies, be sure to include one line explaining what the company does or the complexity of the organization as a way to help the recruiter better understand your competency or experience.
• As a job seeker, don’t rely solely on job boards. Be proactive and use multiple methods to improve your job search like targeting your top companies and connecting with decision makers and recruiters.

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Margaret Buj is an experienced Talent Acquisition Manager and Interview Coach who helps job seekers to get hired, promoted and paid more. She has 17 years of experience recruiting for global tech companies and tech start-ups across Europe & the US (including Expedia, King, VMware, Microsoft, Avanade, Typeform, Mixmax), and in the last 16 years, she's successfully coached over a thousand people worldwide to get the jobs and promotions they really wanted. She's worked with professionals at all levels in private (across multiple industries, mostly technology and FMCG) and public sector (including NGOs, UN jobs, education).

Margaret has spoken at career events & conferences and has done training sessions and workshops in London, Monaco, Athens & Saudi Arabia. Her advice has been featured in FoxBusiness, BuiltIn, GOBanking Rates, Management Today, Financial Times, Management Today and CIO Magazine. 

Margaret Buj Website
Margaret Buj on LinkedIn

I’m excited to have Brittany Williams on our latest edition of Steer Your Career with Kadima (SYCK) podcast! Brittany is a Georgia native and has worked primarily in marketing and advertising helping brands refine their voice and better connect with their targeted audiences. Recently with the help of Kadima, she landed her first job at a tech company! Alan and Brittany talk about how she used informational interviews to build relationships and get hired on at a tech startup. They also discuss how to deal with rejection, being a black woman in tech, and cultural differences of working at a startup versus an older, more established organization.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [01:00] Brittany’s personal tagline: Keep creating and keep evolving
• [04:17] Interviewing with Tik Tok and pursuing a job at other tech companies
• [10:60] Informational interviews through LinkedIn and how to manage rejection or lack of response
• [17:06] How Brittany landed the job at Supernatural
• [22:45] Unique perspective of being a black woman in a large tech company
• [32:22] Culture differences of working for a tech company and Brittany’s SYCK tips

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Informational interviews are a great way to build relationships and grow your network. Start with reaching out to first-degree connections on LinkedIn or make connections with people you have some kind of commonality with – like the same Alma Mater or worked for the same company.
• Try to end your informational interview with, “Thank you for taking the time to tell me about your company. Is there anything I can do to help you?” - Alan
• Being personable goes a long way in accelerating your career. People are a lot more willing to help you if they like you and they think a job is a good fit based on personality because skills can be taught.

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Brittany Williams is a Georgia native with a background in English literature. She has worked primarily in marketing and advertising for companies like Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, VR fitness app Supernatural, and is currently a Web Content Editor at Apple. Brittany would describe herself as a creative problem solver with a hybrid skillset of copywriting, content editing, content strategy, and UX writing. She helps various brands across multiple industries build and refine their voice, style, and tone, and help them better connect with their targeted audiences. She also runs her own freelance writing and editing business, Written Works, LLC, where she provides content strategy, writing and editorial support to small businesses. When she's not working, Brittany enjoys hiking, hitting a brewery, and being a kid again with fellow improvers. 

Brittany Willaims on LinkedIn

I’m excited and a little star struck to have Russ Laraway on the SYCK Podcast today! Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career at several companies including Google and Twitter and is the author of the book, When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager Is Simpler Than You Think. Russ and I highlight a few of the key concepts from his book and how the best managers create happy teams that deliver the best results. Russ shares two simple behaviors that managers need to be doing and how employees can coach their bosses to be better. Russ also throws out his number one career tip for listeners.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [05:59] Russ’ career journey and management experience 
• [08:57] Russ’ management playbook and the “Big 3” of improving leadership
• [18:39] What management behaviors lead to the best team results
• [32:44] Helping people in leadership and coaching your boss 
• [46:10] How to respond to negative management and understand you’re reporting to
• [49:46] Russ’ best career advice

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Better management means more engaged employees. More engaged employees deliver better results. The way for managers to improve is through direction, coaching and career. 
• The two main things a manager can do is 1) Gve specific, sincere and frequent coaching and praise that clearly defines team standards. 2) Asking your team for hard and challenging feedback.
• The best thing to do for your career is to establish a long term career vision. Don’t be short-sighted and just look for the next job. Determine what the dream job is and start working toward that long term vision in a very proactive and intentional way. 

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there, Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto management roles at Google and Twitter. He then co-founded Candor, Inc., along with best selling author Kim Scott.

Over the last several years, Russ served as the Chief People Officer at Qualtrics, and is now the Chief People Officer for the fast-growing venture capital firm, Goodwater Capital, where he is helping Goodwater and its portfolio companies to empower their people to do great work and be totally psyched while doing it. 

Over his career, Russ has managed 700 person teams and $700M businesses -- facing a vast array of leadership challenges along the way. He's the author of the book When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager Is Simpler Than You Think.

Paul Bauer is on the SYCK Podcast today for our latest edition of SYCK Tricks! Paul is a seasoned recruiter who has connected and hired hundreds, if not thousands, of people while working for companies like Amazon, Expedia, and Salesforce. Paul shares his insider knowledge about what recruiters are looking for and how to differentiate yourself among other candidates. We talk about his current role at GoPuff, best practices for negotiation, and what NOT to say when you reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn. 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:15] How changing jobs helps to accelerate your compensation and why Paul was drawn to a career in recruiting
• [09:42] What differentiates someone or makes them stand out to recruiters
• [15:53] Paul’s current role at Go Puff and how it differs from past roles
• [22:40] What metrics and specific goals do recruiters use to measure success
• [28:19] Internship conversions and how a recruiter sorts through thousands of resumes 
• [41:35] Good negotiation practices and advice for getting a job in tech

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The average professional has five to seven careers in their lifetime made up of closer to 12 to 15 jobs. If done the right way, changing jobs can actually help to accelerate your career and increase your compensation.
• When you reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn, don’t forget to attach your resume. It’s one less step that they have to do to help you.
• Recruiters need to be slow to hire and quick to fire. They don’t waste energy on the wrong hire or someone who’s not performing at where they need to be. Paul recommends leaders focus their energy on their top performers who often get overlooked because they're doing great. 

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Paul is a Seattle-based recruiting manager and founder of RPB Careers LLC. He started career coaching in 2011 and has been recruiting for Fortune 500 companies like Northwestern Mutual, Amazon, Expedia Group and Salesforce since 2014. He earned his Masters in Education from Indiana University, Bloomington and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Paul enjoys partnering with clients who are in their first 15 years of professional work (out of university or equivalent) and has worked with clients in various sectors. He thoroughly enjoys working with clients who are making a career shift and looking to articulate transferrable skills. Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time hiking, volunteering and with his friends and family. 

I’m excited to have Kimberlynn Hunter on the SYCK Podcast today! With leadership skills developed and tested during her 20+ years’ experience in the U.S. Army, she recently pivoted into the corporate world and is working at Cognizant, one of the top consulting firms in the world. We talk about the challenges she faced in her job search after retiring from the army and she addresses some of the common misconceptions that veterans face when re-entering the civilian workforce. Kim shares helpful advice for fellow veterans on how to use storytelling to leverage their military skills and experience and she addresses the importance of networking and building civilian relationships.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [03:34] Kimberlynn’s army career experience, pivoting to a non-leadership role and common roadblocks that veterans face
• [24:00] Navigating the job search after the military and MBA program
• [34:30] How to leverage relationships and the military as an alumni group
• [39:57] What does networking mean and how to build relationships 
• [41:29] How to build influence and transition from military to corporate world
• [45:01] How to accelerate your career 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Corporate networking is opposite from networking in the military. Veterans should try to get acquainted with corporate and civilian professionals before retiring by attending professional events or growing their LinkedIn network. 
• Storytelling is really important for veterans. Not only just for interviews, but it makes you more relatable and while skills are important, stories are what endear you to people.
• Believe in yourself and what it is you think you wanna do. Don't limit yourself because you never know what opportunities might come about or who you might meet that could help you find your next dream opportunity.

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Kimberlynn Hunter lives in the Dallas, Texas Metroplex and is a 2021 graduate of the Cox School of Business’ Executive MBA program at Southern Methodist University. Currently, she’s an Organizational Change Management Senior Consultant, at Cognizant where she specializes in Strategic Communications and Salesforce transformations. Professionally, she considers herself a strategist, an Organizational Development practitioner, one who sees the big picture and translates key details at every level of the organization. With leadership skills developed and tested during her more than 20 years’ army experience, she’s pivoted into the corporate world to share her insights and gain new perspectives. She’s constantly seeking ways to be an organizational multiplier by creating opportunities for everyone around her to expand, grow, and add their unique value.  A background in logistics with specialization as a Transportation Strategic Planner, Procurement Program Manager, and Director of more than 500 individuals provided a solid leadership and operations foundation. One of her passions is mentoring and developing those in the early career demographic. She’s been able to give back through programs at SMU as well as in the DFW community. She’s also a board member of GloComX and Lotus Village United. In her spare time, she loves to travel, meet new people, collect art, and spend time with friends and family.

Kimberlynn Hunter on LinkedIn

Earlier this year, I had a great conversation with Keith Powell and Ricky Robinson on their podcast, C-CRETS, and today I want to reshare it with you. I’m a longtime listener of C-CRETS, a career advice podcast for people of color with C-suite ambitions from hosts who’ve been there. We talked about diversity in the technology industry and how my own personal experience advocating for BIPOC and female employees in Big Tech led me to start Kadima. Keith and Ricky share some really important statistics on the current representation levels of BIPOC and female employees within this industry. I also walk through six steps you can take to begin a career in technology.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:55] Alan’s career journey and fighting for opportunities for BIPOC employees
• [16:60] The breaking point and why Alan started Kadima Careers
• [25:10] Why care about providing opportunities for BIPOC
• [28:01] Receipts on representation in the tech industry
• [32:58] What can BIPOC and female employees do to be ready for Big Tech jobs
• [36:09] How to survive and thrive in Big Tech companies 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Companies are looking to hire BIPOC employees. Make them aware that you are BIPOC or female in a subtle way with a link to your LinkedIn photo or make specific references on your resume about involvement with any diversity organizations or HBCUs.
• Define your career goals and start by creating a target list of companies where you want to work.
• Always negotiate for more. Remember, the first offer is not the last offer. So you can negotiate for more because you deserve more.

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Keith Powell

Keith Powell is a Chief Operating Officer in private education with over 20 years of corporate experience in the U.S. and Canada. Most of his career, Keith led global Finance and Operations functions for Fortune 1000 companies in the automotive, chemical, consumer and commercial goods, e-commerce, and smart home industries. 

After getting a taste of the top of Corporate America, Keith joined a start-up private equity firm, took a shot at an e-commerce start-up, and began advising entrepreneurs on start-ups, including working with the family of Golden State Warriors legend, Al Attles, on various philanthropic and business ventures. Keith also has deep roots in philanthropy - sitting on numerous local, state, and national Boards over the past 20 years.

Keith was the “first” or the “only” quite often climbing the corporate ladder. Having mentored and coached hundreds throughout his career, Keith continues to share practical, digestible advice to underrepresented employees as a co-host of C-CRETS, which is a career advice platform offering career coaching services, online courses and topical content through blogs and a podcast. Keith also holds an MBA from the Kelley School of Business in Indiana. 

Ricky Robinson

Ricky Robinson is a 25+ year Human Resources Executive. His career has afforded him leadership roles in Human Resources for some best-in-class global organizations spanning industries from commercial goods, retail, smart home industries and med tech.

Ricky is extremely familiar with being the “Sole Brother” on the Executive Leadership Team quite often challenging diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias issues within Corporate America, as an advocate and sponsor for underrepresented groups. He also advocates for several philanthropic causes with Board service at Attles Center for Excellence (ACE), Ability Now Bay Area and the Mary Valle Foundation.

Having spent his career as a mentor and coach, Ricky continues to share the tips and tricks that help underrepresented employees reach their full potential as a co-host of C-CRETS, which is a career advice platform offering career coaching services, online courses and topical content through blogs and a podcast. Ricky also holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Communications from San Francisco State University. 

C-CRETS website

C-CRETS LinkedIn

C-CRETS Facebook

C-CRETS Instagram

Today, I’m talking with the Chief Creative Officer here at Kadima Careers, Jay Cross, about how job descriptions are created at big tech companies and beyond. We are spilling the SYCK truth about the generalized and arbitrary requirements that most job listings have and how women are more likely than men to disqualify themselves based on the description. I’m sharing my best secrets and tips from my time as a hiring manager so you can better understand the process and accelerate your career by applying for jobs even when you might not fit all of the requirements.  

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [07:580] The static nature of job descriptions 
• [12:43] Alan’s experience with applying at Google without meeting all of the job description requirements
• [22:27] How job descriptions are created and what that means for you
• [26:59] What role do referrals play
• [37:05] Advice for those wanting to apply to roles that don’t perfectly match their experience 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Most job descriptions are static even though the role evolves over the course of time. Recruiters copy and paste from previous roles and only about 50 to 70% of the description will align with what the current role is supposed to be.
• Think about the risk and the return on investment of applying for a job. There's very little downside of applying for a job that you think you're potentially a fit for. The worst thing that happens is not getting any response or getting a quick rejection.
• Focus on the company you want to work at, then focus on the roles that leverage your strength and apply!

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

BIO:

Jay is an experienced writer, researcher, and marketer who loves asking The Naive Question: "If we weren't already doing it this way, is this the way we would start?" In the past, Jay was Ramit Sethi's Senior Direct Response Copywriter at I Will Teach You To Be Rich, as well as the Director of Copywriting at Kettle & Fire, the world's fastest-growing bone broth company. He also started an information publishing business showing self-motivated college students how to earn a bachelor's degree in 1 year or less. Jay is currently the Chief Creative Officer at Kadima Careers.