AI & Tech Careers: High-Stakes Navigation, Ethical AI & Innovation with Rebecca Beard | Ep 108

Rebecca Beard is an AI and technology career coach and privacy expert with a remarkable career history. She has led global teams at Fortune 100 companies, including Meta, Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Sciences, and Dropbox, and holds an EMBA from Yale. As a certified AI Governance Professional and Fellow of Information Privacy, Rebecca offers unparalleled insights into navigating high-stakes tech environments, ethical AI, and career growth.

In this episode, Rebecca shares her core mindset for successful career pivots: constant curiosity and tackling the hardest projects. She pulls back the curtain on tech hiring, revealing what surprises most candidates and the red flags hiring managers see. Rebecca provides invaluable advice for technical professionals on translating complex experience into compelling narratives and warns against common strategic mistakes when pivoting into AI. She also highlights the rare soft skills that make all the difference once hired, and pinpoints the non-negotiable emerging skills in AI ethics and privacy. Listen in for inspiring stories of career risks turned successes, practical advice for early career professionals, and a fresh perspective on future-proofing a tech career in the age of AI.

In this episode, you’ll discover:
· Rebecca’s core skill for successful career pivots in high-stakes tech.
· Surprising insights into the AI and tech hiring process from a Fortune 100 leader.
· How technical professionals can translate complex experience into compelling narratives.
· The single biggest mistake people make when trying to pivot into AI.
· The incredibly rare soft skill that guarantees success after hiring.
· Non-negotiable emerging skills in AI ethics and privacy for the next two years.
· An inspiring client success story in today's competitive job market.
· A personal career risk that felt devastating but ultimately led to significant growth.
· High-impact actions for early-career professionals in STEM to strengthen their candidacy.
· Why work experience is often more valuable than a PhD for career growth.
· What future-proofing a tech career looks like beyond just using AI tools.
· Rebecca's essential advice for young STEM professionals on long-term career management.
· What innovation truly means to Rebecca and how she applies it to a human career.

Connect With Rebecca Beard:
· Instagram: Rebecca Beard AI
· YouTube:    / @rebeccabeardai  
· LinkedIn:   / rebeccaprivacyexecutive  

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome Rebecca Beard: AI & Tech Career Coach, Privacy Expert
00:50 Pivoting Successfully: Core Skills & Mindset in High-Stakes Environments
02:12 Surprises in AI & Tech Hiring: What Candidates Miss
04:16 Translating Technical Experience for Non-Technical Hiring Managers
06:28 Common Mistakes When Pivoting into AI & How to Avoid Them
09:05 Rare Soft Skills That Make All the Difference in Tech Teams
11:36 Non-Negotiable AI Ethics & Privacy Skills for Future Tech Professionals
13:41 Client Success Story: Doing Everything Right in the Job Market
14:56 A Career Risk That Led to Growth: Knowing Your Worth
17:05 High-Impact Actions for Early Career STEM Professionals
18:37 Why Work Experience Trumps a PhD for Career Growth
20:43 Future-Proofing a Tech Career Beyond AI Tools
22:21 Long-Term Career Advice for Young STEM Professionals
23:38 What Innovation Means to Rebecca & How to Apply It
25:08 Connect with Rebecca Beard & Her Coaching

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