The recruiting market for tech is the hottest it's ever been. We sit down with top executive recruiter for Product roles - Andrew Abramson of Riviera Partners, a firm that has placed the senior leadership at companies like Airbnb and Uber - to find out the latest and unpack what it means for YOU as a potential candidate. 

Tune in to find out:

1. What sectors are the hottest,
2. What concessions are companies making to candidates to get them,
3. Which skills and experiences are most in demand,
4. How to position oneself as a strong candidate,
5. How to evaluate the financial opportunity in startups,

And much more!

In this episode, I explore the link between neuroplasticity and the road to becoming a thought-leader in your field - a goal that 9 out of 10 of our clients have for their careers.  The key is the distinction between CREATION and CONSUMPTION. I explain how and give you the steps to take to break the cycle of brain decline that comes with being only a consumer. 

Links to the books mentioned in the episode:
The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
The Brain's Way of Healing by Norman Doidge

Join me and CareerClimb acting and improv  coach Michael Schreiber as I vent to him my frustration about so many talented mid-career women in our community being asked by their (usually male) bosses to develop "executive presence".  I get Michael's perspective as a man and as an acting coach trained to develop "stage presence" about:

* What exactly is Executive Presence and what to do when you're being asked to develop one by your boss.
* How to not get trapped in an outdated stereotype about what "Executive Presence" looks and sounds like (aka white guy in a suit with a North American or a Commonwealth accent).
* How can we start developing our own brand and flavor of Executive Presence that feels authentic and effective as women and minorities in tech.

As a tech culture and society, we need to start being able to imagine an executive looking not only like a white guy on Wall Street but also like a South Asian (or East Asian or Eastern European) woman in a flowing dress and with an accent. 

Michael Schreiber is a former actor, director and coach to actors and creatives and to our community of mid-career women in tech, working on developing voice, speaking skills and presence.

In this episode, I talk about a very useful distinction that Adam Grant makes in his book "Think Again" - that between personality conflict and task conflict at work.  If you're like most of our clients, you find it hard to say no and to engage in conflict at work, which holds your career back.  That's precisely the reason why the second key to the CareerClimb™ framework is "Lead, Don't Be Liked". 

Tune in to see what the difference is between these types of conflict, why it's critical that you understand it as a woman in tech, and how to use task conflict to finally get ahead without feeling bad. 

In this episode, I break down  two long-term trends and one more recent trend that affect every woman's career in tech. The good news is that all of these factors increase the value of your talent in the marketplace. Tune in to hear the breakdown and more importantly, to learn HOW you can take advantage of these trends to increase your market value in tech as a mid-career female professional.

One of the biggest drivers of tangible results in our CareerClimb community is the work that our clients do with our acting, speaking and improv coach Michael Schreiber.  We're talking about strong presentations, confidence in negotiations and the ability to tell powerful stories in conversations and interviews.

I took the opportunity to sit down with Michael at the back of our first in-person live client workshop in Portland, which was all about Improv, telling stories and developing voice.

In this episode, learn:

* What is Improv and why should you care about it as a woman in tech
* The tangible benefits to you and your career from adopting the Improv mindset (you don't have to become an actor or a comedian!)
* How to negotiate with "difficult" people, not take conflict personally and create bigger results in your job, your teams and your life through simple Improv techniques.

The first 30/60/90 days at a new job is a critical time.  It can make or break the next stage of your career.  And it is also one of the most popular topics in our CareerClimb community.

In this episode, I list the most important proven strategies for your first month, first 60 days and first 90 days at a new role in a recommended sequence. These are strategies that have worked for our members with great results, so put some headphones in and listen on as I walk you step by step your plan for the first 30, 60 and 90 days at your new role in tech. 

Warning: May result in glowing manager feedback early on.

The next Product VP Challenge is a month away! Sign up for this free interactive live event that has created momentum and real results for dozens of mid-career women in product and related fields.  Perfect for Senior PM to Senior Director level people who identify as women or nonbinary.  Program Managers, Contract Product Managers, Designers and Business Analysts with a strong product mindset also welcome.  

Register here: www.productvpchallenge.com

Should you be vulnerable or not as a female in tech? If so, how to do that?  

In this episode, we tackle the hyped-up concept of VULNERABILITY.  We examine the risks and lay out which risks are worth it and which ones are not. We explore the advantages of using vulnerability intentionally and purposefully for building and strengthening key relationships.  

Listen in to find out how to be vulnerable safely as woman in tech to forward your career.

The next Product VP Challenge is 5 weeks away! Sign up for this free interactive live event that has created momentum and real results for dozens of mid-career women in product and related fields.  Perfect for Senior PM to Senior Director level people who identify as women or nonbinary.  Program Managers, Contract Product Managers, Designers and Business Analysts with a strong product mindset also welcome.  

Register here: www.productvpchallenge.com

I share a framework we recently play-booked in our Executive Development Program that provides a useful set of tools that will allow you to:

1) Decide how much direction to give to your team, based on each person's individual experience, readiness and capabilities

2) Give you a step-by-step approach to gradually give more responsibility and ownership to your team as they earn it

3) Allow you to judge if someone is coachable or not or if someone is a good fit for the role or if you should help them find a new opportunity

4) Develop you into a wise leader who is respected and loved by her team and stands head and shoulders above insecure micro-managers.

The next Product VP Challenge is 6 weeks away! Sign up for this free interactive live event that has created momentum and real results for dozens of mid-career women in product and related fields.  Register here: www.productvpchallenge.com

In this episode, find out:
- The three key strategies to acing your interviews, especially as you grow in seniority
- What prep work you should do and what’s a waste of your time
- Key frameworks for applying these strategies 

The next Product VP Challenge is less than 2 months away! Sign up for this free interactive live event that has created momentum and real results for dozens of mid-career women in product and related fields.  Register here: www.productvpchallenge.com