syckpodcast

Hady Mendez, previously a Director of Equality for Salesforce (Slack business unit), joins Alan Stein to discuss the recent wave of layoffs. Hady shares her personal story of how she was able to get back on her feet after receiving the news of her layoff. 

 

This episode also dives into a discussion on how to build resilience when dealing with challenging situations, offering invaluable advice to anyone looking to make a career change or better manage their professional lives. 

 

Tune in now to learn how to navigate through layoffs with confidence.

 

IN THIS EPISODE

 

• [02:32] Hady shares how she got laid off from Salesforce.
• [06:43] Your layoff is not always about your performance.
• [08:06] Hady’s mindset, process, and next steps after the layoff became official.
• [13:14] How Hady is preparing herself to land a better opportunity.
• [14:18] How Hady’s diverse network helped her in the job search process.
• [22:40] Diversity in Salesforce’s workforce
• [33:44] Advice to people who were laid off

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

 

1. Graciously helping others can reward you in the most unexpected times such as a sudden layoff.
2. Taking the time to process your layoff and reflecting on the situation while keeping your health, diet, and sleep in check should be a priority before you look for your next role.
3. Many people are willing to help those in need, especially in these difficult times. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. 

 

RESOURCE LINKS

 

SYCK Career Podcast

Hady Mendez LinkedIn

Hady Mendez Instagram

I AM REMARKABLE

 

BIO:

 

Equality for a major tech firm, held multiple customer-facing roles in high tech and financial services, served as a leader across various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), volunteered as an international champion for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, and served as Community School Director

at an elementary school in the South Bronx.

 

Hady’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Manhattan College, plus graduate certificates in eBusiness and eCommerce from NYU and NJIT, respectively. She also holds a Family Development Credential from the University of Connecticut. Hady’s additional advocacy work has her serving as a member of the NY Advisory Board at Room to Grow, a nonprofit organization based in the South Bronx. Hady also serves on the Board of Pan Peru USA, an organization whose mission is to empower low income women in rural Peru. Hady is a founding member of nFormation, a welcoming community by women of color for women of color. In her free time, Hady is an amateur street art photographer and an avid podcast listener.

Waziri Garuba is the founder of Harlem Labs. Before starting Harlem Labs, Waziri spent almost a decade working at Wall Street firms Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley.  Currently, Waziri leads and advises corporate executives towards strategic moves to enhance the workplace. Since 2013, he has influenced many CEOs to be authentic with their employees, creating a relationship where the employee feels valued. In addition, Waziri gives us an intimate view of how you can thrive in your job. Tune in today to hear this enthusiastic, fast-moving conversation. 

  

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:52] Waziri shares his educational and business background and his relationship with Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, and others who influenced his career
• [16:49] Waziri explains why he choose Columbia Business School and describes his time on Wall Street
• [25:05] Waziri speaks of himself as the Nigerian tech guy and what technology should accomplish
• [39:46] What it’s like working with his wife in her business, Urban Root
• [53:15] The importance of taking an earnest interest in others
• [59:06] Waziri suggests books that a CEO should read 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Employees need to have authentic conversations with their bosses.  You are not in the right job if you can’t have that relationship.
• Work at a job that leaves you fulfilled at the end of the day. Your kids won’t remember your title, but they will remember the impact you make on them.
• Managers who say they can’t keep talent are likely managers who don’t value their employees.

 

 

RESOURCE LINKS:

Podcast - SYCK

LinkedIn - Waziri Garuba

Website - Harlem Labs

 

BIOGRAPHY:

 

Waziri Garuba is the Founder and CEO of Harlem Labs, where he acts as the “Leader’sSherpa” to the visionaries, initiators, and teams he has navigated through roadblocks for the past seven years.

 

His work with key leaders in organizations led him to focus on defining the right strategies for CEO’s and Executive decision-makers to maximize their impact on the audiences they serve. Before his role in strategic leadership advisory, Waziri spent almost a decade working at Wall Street firms Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley.

 

He received his MBA at Columbia Business School in 2009. After business school, he worked as a consultant on projects in Las Vegas and Sao Paulo before eventually relocating to Austin, TX, where he launched his advisory firm in 2013. Waziri serves on the board of Fundr.AI, Columbia Business School’s African-American-Alumni-Association, and as an Advisor to the National Black MBA (Austin Chapter) and ManagementLeadership for Tomorrow (Southwest) leadership. In addition, Waziri keeps busy at home with a wife, a 7-year-old, and his 5-year-old twins.

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.

 

Today on the SYCK Podcast, I am really excited to have one of my team members on the podcast, Kelly O'Brien. Kelly has worked with us at Kadima for the last year while she was finishing her MBA at Simon Business School (the #1 most diverse MBA program in the country!). She has a lot of recent insight on the interview process, so we dig deep into some common questions and misconceptions about interviewing. We discuss what big tech companies are looking for in a candidate, how to nail your “narrative,” and share some really practical tips for answering behavioral-based questions. 

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:15] What do big tech companies look for in candidates
• [04:35] How to translate resume experience into to a narrative
• [11:12] Preparing for interview analytical and case study questions
• [16:05] How to prepare for an interview
• [23:06] Preparing for behavioral based interview questions
• [39:54] What happens behind closed doors after an interview

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• When sharing about yourself, keep it to 3-4 minutes and answer the following questions: What brought you to the company? Why this role? What’s something personal about yourself?
• There are three stages of interviews and within each stage there are four phases. First is rapport building. Second is your narrative. The third part is the meat of the interview, where questions are coming towards you. The fourth phase is you asking questions of the interviewer. 
• For behavioral based questions, remember the STAR acronym: situation, task, action, and result. 
• Have a list of 10 to 15 things that you're proud of, that you can easily leverage and apply to a range of interview questions.

 

RESOURCE LINKS

Syckpodcast.com

Amazon's Leadership Principles

 

BIO:

Kelly O'Brien is an urbanist and strategist who cares deeply about the intersection of technology and social equity. She recently graduated from Simon Business School at the University of Rochester with her STEM MBA and will begin the leadership development program at Discover Financial Services in Chicago this fall. She is also a Fulbright research grant alumna and obtained her MS in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in May 2020 as a Distinguished Graduate Fellow. She is dedicated to making the world a better place for ALL people, not just those for whom the platform was designed.

Kelly O'Brien LinkedIn

Amelia Noël is a Certified Life and Career Coach, Columbia MBA and host of the Breaking Free from the Grind podcast where she helps clients create lives they f*cking love! On today’s episode of the SYCK podcast, I’m talking with Amelia about her impressive career pivots from marketing to finance to coaching. She shares SYCK advice on intentionally building your network and etiquette for meeting with people. She also talks through how she helps her high achiever clients overcome common mental blocks related to burnout, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism. I learned a lot from this episode and I’m excited to share it with you today!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [05:20] Amelia’s early career and how she pivoted from marketing to finance 
• [10:40] How to build your network and increase the likelihood that you’ll land the meeting/interview
• [16:50] Etiquette for meeting with people and cold outreach tips and tricks
• [26:44] How Amelia helps her high achieving career-minded clients
• [40:56] How to overcome negative mindsets and find a job you f*cking love
• [47:29] How to get over the fear of doing new things and move forward in your career

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• All it takes is one connection to get closer to your dream school or job. When you meet with them, care about what the person is saying and ask them if there is anyone else that you should meet. 
• Always write a thank you note after every interaction and make your thank you note seem personal - reference a detail from the interaction so it feels more custom and heartfelt.
• The fear of doing new things is one of the biggest mental blocks for people. Our thoughts create the emotions we feel. When you are feeling afraid, ask yourself “What am I so afraid of?” and get really clear on what exactly your fears are. 

 

RESOURCE LINKS

SYCKpodcast.com

BIO:

Amelia Noël is a Master Certified Life and Career Coach, Columbia MBA and host of the Breaking Free from the Grind podcast. She helps people working in finance and consulting stop overworking and feel better at work. After spending 10+ years working in investment banking and consulting, Amelia developed her Breaking Free from the Grind 1:1 coaching program and corporate workshop series using a unique mindset and skillset-based approach that allows her clients to permanently break free from the grind of their own careers – and, ultimately, create lives they f*cking love.

Connect with Amelia for more coaching tools, tips and strategies that will help you stop overworking and feel better at work. For more information on how to work with Amelia, check out the links below and go to her website to schedule a free 1:1 coaching consult today.

Amelia Noël on Instagram
Amelia Noël on LinkedIn
Amelia Noël Website
Amelia Noël on Facebook

Today’s SYCK Podcast guest, Anthony Hernandez, has 14 years of experience across marketing, sales, and product for companies like Google, Royal Caribbean, and Amazon Prime. Anthony and I talk about how he has navigated changing jobs frequently and honed his skill set to add value to any team. Anthony addresses the age-old question of whether it's detrimental to your career to job hop, the benefits of mentorship programs, and how introverts can overcome their networking fears. Don’t miss Anthony’s wealth of knowledge about staying motivated in your job search and growing your career. 

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [03:28] Anthony’s career and honing the narrative of your career
• [011:07] Pros and cons to of switching jobs frequently and how to address recruiters’ questions
• [29:02] Benefits of mentorship programs and tips for finding more networking and mentorship opportunities
• [43:32] How to reach out to people and improve networking skills
• [49:31] Don’t turn off job search mode and which companies are on Anthony’s list
• [59:28] Anthony’s pop advice and inspiration

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Although job titles are important, it's even more important that you hone what your core skill set is and how you add value to a company.
• Three ways to improve your networking skills: 1) Overcome the belief that you will be a burden to someone when reaching out to them with career questions or for mentorship. 2) Be active on LinkedIn. Post articles and chat with people who are at companies that you’re interested in. 3) Seek out conversations with people in your industry. It doesn’t have to be transactional. Just ask questions or make a new connection.
• Never stop communicating, reaching out, and networking with people. You never know when the next job opportunity will present itself and how important a referral can be.

 

RESOURCE LINKS

SYCKpodcast.com

BIO:

Anthony has 14 years of experience across marketing, sales, and product. Most recently he helped launch facial recognition at Royal Caribbean across 8 countries, supported movie and tv studios at Amazon Prime Video, and is now working to improve the buying experience at OpenSea. He is currently enjoying Miami and is excited to help support the next generation of young adults getting into tech! 

• Linkedin
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