Tech Jobber Podcast

Is Silicon Valley really back? In this episode of Tech Jobber Podcast, we sit down with Eric Jones, founder of Memberly, to break down what’s actually happening in tech right now — from the AI funding gold rush to the post-pandemic revival of San Francisco.

Eric shares his unconventional journey from fashion into tech entrepreneurship, how identifying a real-world pain point led to building a community-driven events startup, and why bootstrapping is becoming the default path for founders without access to venture capital. We also dive deep into why human connection and live events are becoming more valuable — not less — in an AI-dominated world.

This conversation is packed with real founder insights, including:

- Why today’s tech cycle feels eerily similar to the dot-com era

- What investors are actually funding in 2026 (hint: it’s AI)

- Why only ~2% of startups succeed — and how founders can beat the odds

- The resurgence of opportunity in Silicon Valley and San Francisco

- How to bootstrap a startup without VC money

- Free startup resources (including AWS for Startups) most founders overlook

- Why community, IRL events, and subscriptions are the future of tech businesses

Whether you’re a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, tech professional, or career switcher, this episode delivers an unfiltered look at the real startup landscape — beyond the hype.

👇 Watch now and learn how founders are building resilient businesses in the AI era.

Silicon Valley comeback, tech startups 2026, AI startup funding, bootstrapping a startup, founder advice, San Francisco tech scene, live events startup, community-driven business, AWS for startups, tech entrepreneurship, startup failure rates, AI and human connection 
 

Subscribe for weekly tech career & startup insights

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Big Tech Is Quietly Giving Away Free Training (No Degree Required)

What if I told you Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, Cisco, and IBM are giving away the exact training they use to build their own talent pipelines — for free? 
 

This isn’t charity. It’s strategy.

In this video, I break down how Big Tech trains its future workforce, why they need you to learn their platforms, and how you can use these free programs to land a *high-paying tech job without spending thousands on bootcamps or degrees.

We cover:

- Where to find legitimate, free training from Big Tech

- What jobs each platform leads to

- Realistic salary ranges for each career path

- How to turn free courses into interviews and offers

If you’re trying to break into tech — or pivot into a higher-paying role — this is one of the smartest moves you can make in 2025.

🔗 FREE TRAINING LINKS (START HERE) 

🔹 Microsoft Learn (Azure, Security, Data, AI) [https://learn.microsoft.com/training/](https://learn.microsoft.com/training/) 

Best for: 

• Cloud Administrator 
• Security Engineer 
• Data Analyst 
• AI / Copilot roles 

--- 🔹 AWS Skill Builder (Cloud & Architecture) [https://skillbuilder.aws/](https://skillbuilder.aws/) 

Best for: 

• Cloud Practitioner 
• Solutions Architect 
• Cloud Support / Engineering 

👉 Start with: AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials --- 

🔹 Google Career Certificates (via Grow with Google) [https://grow.google/certificates/](https://grow.google/certificates/) 

Best for: 

• IT Support 
• Data Analytics 
• UX Design 
• Cybersecurity 
• Project Management 

⚠️ Tip: Many libraries, nonprofits, and workforce programs offer these 100% free via scholarships. --- 

🔹 Salesforce Trailhead (CRM & Business Tech) [https://trailhead.salesforce.com/](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/) 

Best for: 

• Salesforce Administrator 
• Salesforce Consultant 
• Business Systems / RevOps 

One of the highest ROI, non-coding career paths in tech. --- 

🔹 Cisco Skills for All (Networking & Cyber) [https://skillsforall.com/](https://skillsforall.com/) 

Best for: 

• Network Administrator 
• Cybersecurity Analyst 
• CCNA prep 

Includes free labs with Cisco Packet Tracer. --- 

🔹 IBM SkillsBuild (AI, Data, Cyber) [https://skillsbuild.org/](https://skillsbuild.org/) 

Best for: 

• Data Analyst 
• AI Fundamentals 
• Cybersecurity 
• Enterprise Cloud 

Includes *verifiable digital badges* you can add directly to LinkedIn. --- 🧠 How To Use This Strategically 

✅ Pick *ONE ecosystem* 

✅ Complete *ONE foundational learning path* 

✅ Post progress publicly on LinkedIn 

✅ Frame yourself as *already in the field*, not “trying to break in” 

This is how recruiters actually notice you. --- 💬 COMMENT QUESTION 

Which ecosystem are you starting with? *Microsoft, AWS, Google, Salesforce, Cisco, or IBM?* 

I’ll use the comments to decide which platform I do a *full step-by-step deep dive* on next (courses, projects, resumes, interview talk tracks).

-- 🔔 Subscribe for More 

I break down *realistic tech careers**, **actual salary ranges**, and **what hiring managers care about* — no hype, no bootcamp fluff.

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The worst-named job in tech might also be one of the smartest paths to a $200K tech career: becoming a MuleSoft Developer.

In this video, I break down how an “unsexy” integration role with a ridiculous name can quietly turn into a high-paying, stable tech career. If you’ve been chasing AI, data science, or FAANG roles with no luck, and you’re tired of the hype, this is the kind of hidden tech career you should be looking at.

You’ll learn what a MuleSoft Developer actually does, why MuleSoft integration is so valuable to big companies, and how this niche skill can lead to total compensation approaching $200K in the right markets and roles.

Timestamps / Chapters:

0:00 – The worst-named job in tech (and why it secretly pays so well)

1:05 – Why chasing AI & FAANG roles is weakening your tech job search

2:20 – What is MuleSoft? (And why Salesforce paid $6.5B for it)

3:35 – What a MuleSoft Developer actually does day-to-day (API-led connectivity)

5:00 – MuleSoft Developer salary breakdown ($100K–$200K+ realistic ranges)

6:15 – Who a MuleSoft career is best for (Java devs, Salesforce pros, integration folks)

7:30 – 12‑month roadmap to become a MuleSoft Developer (skills, certs, projects)

9:10 – Is a MuleSoft career worth it in 2026 and beyond? (hidden tech careers vs hype)

In this video, we’ll talk about:

• What is a MuleSoft Developer?

• MuleSoft Developer salary and total compensation

• How MuleSoft skills fit into integration engineer and API engineer roles

• Why MuleSoft and API-led connectivity are mission-critical for banks, airlines, healthcare, and enterprise tech

• How to pivot from Java Developer, Salesforce Admin, Salesforce Developer, systems analyst, or integration specialist into a MuleSoft career

• A realistic 12-month roadmap to go from zero to MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 If you’re searching for realistic $150K–$200K tech jobs, not just hype, this video is for you.

If you want to go deeper: 

• Start learning API fundamentals (REST, SOAP, JSON, XML, Postman) 

• Explore MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform and free training resources 

• Look for integration projects inside your current company that you can automate or improve 

🚀 If you’re serious about breaking into or leveling up in tech, hit subscribe. On this channel, we talk about real-world tech careers, salaries, and strategies to land offers in: 

• Integration & API engineering 

• Salesforce and CRM careers 

• Data engineering and data governance 

• Identity & access management (IAM) 

• Other “unsexy” but highly paid enterprise tech roles Subscribe for more deep dives into hidden tech careers, niche skills like MuleSoft, and practical roadmaps to six-figure jobs in tech.

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Be honest: are you trying to “break into” tech… or actually becoming the person hiring managers fight to hire? 

In this episode of Tech Jobber, I sit down with TEDx speaker and hiring leader Bobby McNeil Jr to unpack his powerful idea: “Becoming, Not Breaking In” — and how that mindset shift changes everything about how you job search in 2026.

We break down, step-by-step, what actually gets you hired now (AI, cloud, skills-based hiring) and why so many smart candidates are still getting rejected.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why “breaking in” is the wrong goal — and what “becoming” looks like in real life

• How hiring leaders REALLY decide who gets interviews, callbacks, and offers

• Why AI literacy is now a baseline skill (even for non-engineering roles)

• The cloud, AI, and data skills that instantly level you up as a candidate

• How to stand out as a junior with “no experience” using a becoming mindset

• The #1 interview mistake that kills otherwise strong candidates

• How top performers tell their career story without sounding fake or rehearsed

• The non-technical skills that separate $200K+ earners from everyone else

• How to prep differently for recruiter screens vs hiring manager interviews

• Why networking still beats blindly applying — and how to do it without being cringe

This episode is for you if you’re:

• A junior or mid-career tech professional trying to grow fast

• Getting interviews but not offers — and you don’t know why

• Learning cloud, AWS, AI, or data analytics and want that to actually pay off

• Feeling stuck using outdated “spray and pray” job search tactics

• Tired of trying to “break into tech” and ready to actually become the obvious hire

We also dive into Bobby’s TEDx talk “Becoming, Not Breaking In” and his book “Cracking the Code: 10 Possible Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job” — both linked below if you want to go deeper. Watch this before your next interview. One mindset shift could save you months of frustration.

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Most IT project managers are told to be versatile, adaptable, and able to manage any type of project.

That advice sounds smart — but it’s the reason many PMs are underpaid, overworked, and stuck competing on price.

In this video, I break down why generalist IT project managers become commodities in today’s job market and why specialization is the fastest way to increase your value, salary, and career leverage.

You’ll learn:

- Why “being versatile” hurts IT project manager salaries

- How executives actually evaluate IT project managers

- Why risk reduction matters more than tools, certifications, or frameworks

- How top IT PMs reposition themselves as specialists without starting over

- Which project management niches command higher pay

If you’re an IT project manager stuck at the same pay level or struggling to stand out in a crowded job market, this video will change how you think about your resume, LinkedIn profile, and long-term career strategy.

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If you’re a junior engineer trying to get hired in 2026, AI might feel like it’s changing the rules faster than you can keep up. Do you double down on LeetCode? Build random side projects? Learn every new AI tool?

In this episode, Yash Sheth – ex-Google AI engineer and now founder/CTO of Galileo – breaks down how junior engineers actually get hired in the age of AI, and what most beginners are doing wrong. Yash has 12+ years building AI systems at scale and working inside big tech. In this conversation, he shares what hiring managers really look for in junior developers today, how AI is changing entry-level roles, and the kind of projects that actually make you stand out – even if you don’t have a fancy background. 
 

What you’ll learn in this episode: 

How to get your first job as a junior software engineer in 2026 

- What “real” experience looks like when AI tools can write code for you 

- Why fundamentals still beat frameworks, tools, and buzzwords 

- How AI is changing what junior engineers do day-to-day 

- The mistakes Jr devs make when they try to “AI-wash” their resume 

- Simple, concrete project ideas that prove you can ship and think independently

Timestamps: 

00:00 From Google’s AI teams to founding Galileo 

02:30 How AI is changing what companies expect from junior engineers 

05:45 What junior engineers should actually focus on to get hired 

10:20 Why trust, reliability, and understanding systems beats “tool collecting” 

15:10 What hiring managers really look for in entry-level engineering candidates

If you’re feeling stuck between “learn everything” and “AI will take my job,” this episode gives you a grounded roadmap for becoming the kind of junior engineer companies still fight to hire. 

🔥 MORE TECH JOB EPISODES

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In this episode of Tech Jobber, we sit down with Luis Suarez, Chief Technology Officer at HIG Capital, one of the most influential private equity firms operating today.

Luis shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to be a CTO in private equity — from running lean technology teams and managing security at scale, to navigating AI adoption, automation, and modern hiring challenges in a high-pressure environment.

We dive deep into how AI is already changing tech jobs, why candidates who don’t use AI are falling behind, and what skills actually matter in today’s hiring market. Luis also explains how private equity firms think about technology differently than startups or Big Tech, including buy-vs-build decisions, low-latency systems, and why efficiency now matters more than headcount.

This conversation is packed with practical career advice for:

- Engineers, developers, and IT professionals

- Early-career technologists deciding what to learn next

- Anyone worried about AI replacing jobs

- Professionals considering tech roles in finance or private equity

What we cover in this episode:

- What a CTO actually does inside a private equity firm

- How AI is reshaping tech roles (and hiring decisions) right now

- Why “your job won’t be replaced by AI — but by someone using AI”

- The skills and certifications CTOs actually care about

- College vs certifications vs real-world experience

- How lean tech teams operate at scale

- What separates top candidates from everyone else in interviews

- How executives are personally using AI as a “chief of staff”

If you’re building a career in technology, AI, cloud, data, cybersecurity, or software engineering, this episode will help you understand where the market is headed — and how to stay ahead of it. 
 

🔗 Connect with Luis Suarez - LinkedIn/ lusuarez  

Luis is active on LinkedIn and frequently mentors professionals navigating tech careers, transitions, and leadership roles.

📌 Subscribe to Tech Jobber 

New episodes every week featuring: 

✅ CTOs, VPs, and senior tech leaders 

✅ Hiring insights you won’t hear from recruiters 

✅ Real talk about AI, certifications, salaries, and career strategy

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Most Gen Z engineers hit a career ceiling within 3-5 years, and it has nothing to do with their code quality.

In this episode, @IncrediPaul (Host of the IncrediPaul Leadership Podcast) reveals the "hidden curriculum" of engineering career growth that universities don’t teach.

We break down the specific soft skills for engineers that separate forever-Juniors from future Executives, and why real software leadership is about influence, not just job titles.

🚀 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

- The "Career Stall" Trap: Why technical skills get you hired, but communication skills get you promoted.

- The Gen Z Advantage: How to leverage your unique perspective to bridge the gap with older generations.

- Networking for Introverts: Practical strategies to build influence without feeling fake.

- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Dealing with the fear that you don't belong in the room (from Junior to Exec level).

- Maxwell Leadership Principles: Applying proven leadership tactics specifically to tech careers

🔗 CONNECT WITH PAUL: 

Podcast: [‪@IncrediPaul‬ ] 

LinkedIn: [/ paul-faronbi  ]

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🚨 Everyone wants to be an AI engineer… but these “boring” tech jobs are quietly paying $150K–$250K+ in 2025. 

And the craziest part? Most people are completely ignoring them.

In this video, I break down 9 overlooked, unsexy tech jobs that are ALWAYS hiring — because they solve critical business problems that companies cannot afford to ignore.

If you’re tired of competing with thousands of applicants for “hot” tech roles, this is the career strategy nobody talks about.

💰 9 High-Paying Boring Tech Jobs (2025)

✅ Mainframe Engineer ($140K–$200K) 

✅ Compliance Automation Engineer ($145K–$210K) 

✅ Database Administrator (DBA) ($135K–$195K) 

✅ Enterprise Integration Engineer ($150K–$220K) 

✅ Identity & Access Management (IAM) Engineer ($155K–$225K) 

✅ SAP Consultant ($160K–$240K) 

✅ Network Security Engineer ($165K–$235K) 

✅ Salesforce Administrator / Developer ($150K–$250K) 

✅ Data Warehouse Engineer ($170K–$260K)

These roles aren’t flashy — but they are: 

✔️ Recession-resistant 

✔️ Critically important 

✔️ Short on qualified talent 

✔️ Paying top-tier salaries

Many can be learned in 3–9 months without a computer science degree.

🔑 Why These Jobs Pay So Much

• Companies lose millions per hour when these systems fail 

• Regulations and security laws make these roles non-optional 

• Baby boomers are retiring faster than replacements are trained 

• Everyone else is chasing AI, startups, and “cool” job titles

Low competition = high leverage.

🛠️ What You’ll Learn in This Video

• Salary ranges for each role in 2025

• Why companies are desperate to hire

• Exact skills & certifications needed

• How fast you can realistically get job-ready

• Which roles have the best work-life balance

💬 Join the Conversation

Which job surprised you the most?

Are you already working one of these roles?
 

👇 Drop a comment and tell me:

• Which one you’d consider

• Or which roadmap you want me to build next

👍 Like the video if this helped

🔔 Subscribe for realistic tech career advice

📈 New videos every week on high-paying tech paths, salaries, and hiring strategies

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🚨 Rust developers are making up to $400,000 — and they’re earning $50K–$100K MORE than C++ engineers for the same work. As a tech recruiter who places engineers every single day, I’m seeing something in 2025 that I’ve never seen before in my career.

In this video, I break down why Rust now pays significantly more than C++, what companies are actually paying, and whether learning Rust is worth it for your career.

This is not hype. This is real compensation data, real hiring demand, and real industry adoption.

💰 Rust vs C++ Salary Breakdown (2025)

Mid-Level Engineers (3–5 years): 

• C++: $140K–$180K (Top tier $200K–$250K) 

• Rust: $180K–$230K (Top tier $280K–$350K)

Senior Engineers (8+ years): 

• C++: $200K–$280K (Top tier $350K–$450K) 

• Rust: $250K–$320K (Top tier $400K–$550K)

That’s a $40K–$100K+ premium for Rust — and this video explains exactly why. 
 

🧠 Why Rust Pays More Than C++

• Rust eliminates entire classes of memory-safety bugs 

• 70% of security vulnerabilities come from memory issues 

• Average data breach costs $4.88 million 

• Rust prevents these problems at compile time

• Supply is tiny — demand is exploding

Same performance. Same systems programming. Massively different risk profile for companies.

🏢 Who’s Actually Using Rust (This Is Not Theoretical) 

• Cloud infrastructure 

• Operating systems 

• Virtualization platforms 

• Security-critical systems 

• High-performance backend services 

Major companies have already committed — and now they’re competing for talent.

🎯 Who This Video Is For

• C++ engineers thinking about learning Rust

• Backend & systems programmers

• Developers optimizing for long-term income

• Engineers choosing what to learn in 2025

• Anyone tired of overcrowded tech paths

Are you learning Rust in 2025 — or sticking with C++? 

👇 Drop a comment and tell me: 

• Your current language 

• Your experience level 

• Whether Rust is worth the switch for you

👍 Like if this helped 

🔔 Subscribe for real tech career strategy, salaries, and hiring insights 

📈 New videos every week 

 

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