Tech Jobber Podcast

Top tech recruiter Mike Mello reveals why staffing is broken in 2026 — and what it means for every engineer, recruiter, and tech professional trying to navigate AI hiring. After placing 1,300+ candidates and building a $40K/week book of business as a top biller, Michael walked away from the agency game to launch SimpleSide AI and expose what's really happening behind the scenes. In this episode, we break down the death of cold calling, why enterprise accounts have collapsed for staffing agencies, the rise of AI-powered candidate vetting (including facial recognition to catch fake candidates), and how the smartest recruiters are quietly making $20K–$60K/month by niching down to mid-market clients between 50–500 employees. Whether you're a tech recruiter trying to stay relevant, a job seeker wondering why no one's calling you back, or an agency leader watching your margins evaporate — this is the unfiltered insider conversation no one in the staffing world will publish. 🔥 What you'll learn: ✅ Why Fortune 500 enterprise accounts are dead for staffing agencies ✅ How AI is detecting fake candidates (facial recognition + behavioral signals) ✅ The mid-market shift: why 50–500 employee companies are the new gold mine ✅ What killed the old-school cold call (and what replaced it) ✅ The content + outbound automation stack top recruiters use in 2026 ✅ Why hyper-niche specialization beats generalist recruiting every time ✅ The brutal truth about top-biller pay ($20K–$60K/month tier) ⏱️ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to Tech Recruitment and Mike Mello 02:42 The Evolution of Recruitment Strategies 05:04 Navigating Candidate Vetting and Technology 07:42 Shifts in the Recruitment Agency Landscape 10:14 Leveraging AI and Automation in Recruitment 13:01 Content Creation and Building Trust 15:44 Advice for New Recruiters in a Changing Market 18:19 Building a Personal Brand in Recruitment 21:45 Niche Down for Success 22:46 The Importance of Content in Staffing 24:11 Overcoming Fear of Vulnerability 25:44 Managing Emotions in High-Pressure Environments 27:32 Evolving Agency Culture 28:30 Leveraging Podcasting for Business Development 33:54 Navigating a Saturated Market 36:16 Finding Success in Niching Down 37:32 The Future of AI and Staffing 38:36 Simple Side: A Tailored Approach to Staffing 👤 GUEST: Michael Mello — Founder, SimpleSide AI | 1,300+ tech placements as top biller/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mello-7884b059/ www.simpleside.ai 🎙️ HOST: Chris Schwenk — 17 years in tech recruiting | Tech Jobber Podcast /https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherschwenk/ 📌 SUBSCRIBE for hidden tech careers paying $150K–$800K+ → [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyrxBCde2MK_IAe7lhrNGPQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former Amazon Principal Recruiter reveals the exact Amazon interview process — step by step, from application to offer. (Youtube Link in the Comments)Tony Yang, EMBA, CPHR spent 10 years hiring engineers and managers inside Amazon and served as a Bar Raiser. He breaks down why strong candidates keep getting rejected — and what to do instead. 🚀 What You'll Learn: - How the Amazon interview process actually works (application → offer) - The truth about the Bar Raiser — and how they can veto your offer - Why strong candidates fail behavioral interviews (not technical skills) - Resume mistakes that trigger automatic rejection - How Amazon's AI screening filters 80% of applicants - Amazon Leadership Principles explained — and how to answer them correctly - How to negotiate your Amazon offer (salary, bonus, RSUs) - Real Amazon software engineer salary ranges 💡 Insider Tips You Can't Miss: - Why applying to too many Amazon roles hurts your candidacy - How to structure your resume for recruiter attention in 6 seconds - The difference between "inclined" vs "not inclined" - How candidates lose money during offer negotiation 🎯 Who This Is For: Software engineers and tech professionals preparing for Amazon interviews — especially if you keep getting rejected and don't know why. 👤 About Tony Yang: Tony Yang is a former Amazon Principal Recruiter and Bar Raiser who helped scale hiring across AWS. He now runs Liminality, a firm that helps candidates land roles at top tech companies. 🔗 Liminality: https://liminality.services/ 🔗 Tony's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyyang409/ 🔔 Subscribe for weekly breakdowns on tech careers, high-paying job paths ($150K–$800K+), and Amazon interview strategy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How To Get Hired In Tech 2026: The 5-Step Blueprint Nobody's Using The tech job market in 2026 is brutal — but candidates are still landing $150K–$800K+ roles every week. The difference isn't years of experience or a polished resume. It's strategy.After 18 years as a Fortune 500 tech recruiter, I've watched the same 5 moves separate candidates who get hired from those stuck applying to 60-70 jobs a day with nothing to show for it. In this video, I break down the exact blueprint to land a tech job in 2026 — the same playbook my placed candidates use to get callbacks in a market where nobody else is hearing back. 🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✅ How to find niche tech recruiters who actually have your next job on their desk ✅ The Counterpart Networking strategy: 5 LinkedIn connections a week → 250 hiring contacts a year ✅ Why in-person user groups are the highest-ROI networking move in tech right now ✅ The 15-minute AI resume prompt that beats 7-second resume scans ✅ The Blueprint Strategy: how to reverse-engineer any tech role and close skill gaps in 60 days or less⏱️ Timestamp: 0:00 The Current Tech Job Market Reality 2:00 Strategy 1: Leveraging Niche Tech Recruiters 5:21 Strategy 2: Building Your Counterpart Network 8:55 Strategy 3: Joining In-Person Technology User Groups 10:35 Strategy 4: Optimizing Your Resume with AI Prompts 13:58 Strategy 5: The Blueprint Strategy for Career Growth 17:00 Summary and Final Takeaways 💡 ABOUT THE TECH JOBBER PODCAST The Tech Jobber Podcast uncovers tech roles nobody's applying for and the career paths turning $60K into $450K+. Hosted by Chris Schwenk, an 18-year tech recruitment veteran who places candidates at Fortune 500 clients in software engineering, AI, tech sales, ServiceNow, Salesforce, and more. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly deep-dives on hidden tech careers, real salary breakdowns, and insider hiring strategies: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyrxBCde2MK_IAe7lhrNGPQ Need help hiring? www.delosstaffing.com 📬 BUSINESS / GUEST INQUIRIES: [chris@techjobberpod.com] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Earn $100–$200/hour as a tech consultant — and almost no one is training for these 7 platforms. ServiceNow. Pega. Cerner/Oracle Health. Veeva. Guidewire. UKG. Ellucian Banner. These niche platforms run hospitals, universities, insurance companies, and Fortune 500 HR departments — and the talent pool is shrinking fast. Fewer competitors. Six-figure consulting rates. Companies searching for months, coming up empty. In this episode, we break down exactly why these 7 platforms pay $100–$200/hour, the fastest entry point into each one, and how to use The Blueprint Strategy to go from employee to independent consultant in 3 years: ✅ Why these platforms pay more — and why that won't change ✅ Junior entry points: certifications, first roles, and first contracts ✅ The 4-Year Plan from employee → specialist → consultant ✅ Which platforms have the fastest path to $175–$200/hour 💰 PLATFORMS + RATES • ServiceNow consultant / ServiceNow architect — $135–$200/hour • Pega consultant / Pega architect — $125–$175/hour • Cerner consultant / Oracle Health consultant — $100–$175/hour • Veeva consultant (pharmaceutical IT, clinical data management) — $100–$150/hour • Guidewire consultant (insurance tech) — $100–$175/hour • UKG consultant (formerly Kronos, healthcare scheduling) — $100–$150/hour • Ellucian Banner consultant (higher education ERP) — $100–$150/hour 🗺️ THE 4-YEAR PLAN Year 1 — Absorb: Get certified, land an entry-level role, learn the platform inside out Year 2 — Specialize: Go deep in one industry vertical (healthcare IT, insurance tech, higher education) Year 3 — Monetize: Independent consulting rates — control your clients, schedule, and income Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 2027 SAP deadline is creating one of the biggest talent shortages in enterprise tech — and most people have no idea it's coming. Fortune 500 companies MUST migrate from ECC to S/4HANA, and there aren't enough SAP consultants to handle it. That's your window. In this episode of the Tech Jobber Podcast, we break down how SAP Project Managers are billing $110/hour on 2-year contracts — nearly half a million dollars — and how you can position yourself for the same. ✅ The 3 SAP roles you NEED to know: Project Manager, Functional Consultant & Technical Consultant (ABAP / BTP) ✅ Real salary ranges — $80/hr entry level up to $130/hr for senior SAP consultants ✅ How to become an SAP consultant even if you're pivoting from another career ✅ Why the SAP S/4HANA migration is the biggest "Gold Rush" in tech right now ✅ SAP FICO, MM, SD — which modules are worth specializing in? ✅ The Hybrid "Unicorn" role combining functional + technical that commands $120/hr+ Whether you're a career changer, a tech professional looking to pivot, or an experienced SAP consultant trying to capitalize on the 2027 demand spike — this episode is your blueprint. Need Tech Talent for your team? www.delosstaffing.com Access the full Tech Job Offer System including the step-by-step playbook, resume & LinkedIn frameworks, interview strategy, execution checklists, and templates used to structure a successful tech job search: https://techchris6.gumroad.com/l/xjxkbs 📌 CHAPTERS 0:00 — The $110/Hour Boring Skill Nobody's Applying For 0:45 — Why the 2027 SAP Deadline Changes Everything 1:30 — SAP Project Manager: The Risk Mitigator Role 2:45 — SAP Functional Consultant: Best Entry Point 3:45 — SAP Technical Consultant: ABAP & BTP 4:45 — The Hybrid Unicorn Role 5:30 — How to Break In Without Starting From Scratch 🔗 Watch My ERP Careers Deep Dive Next: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e9PJheZ8G0] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI is changing everything in Healthcare IT — and if you're in product, BA, or clinical informatics, you need to hear this directly from someone inside the industry. I sat down with Qing Xia, Director of Product at ModMed (Modernizing Medicine), to break down exactly which healthcare IT jobs are at risk, which roles AI can't replace, and what the career path from BA → Product Manager → Director actually looks like in 2026. 🔍 What we cover: - Why health information technology is the most underrated career path right now - The difference between a Product Manager and a Product Owner in healthcare — and why it matters for your salary - Which repetitive healthcare IT jobs AI is already replacing (and which ones are exploding) - The #1 skill Qing says every healthcare IT job seeker needs (hint: it's not technical) - How to break into healthcare IT if you're coming from outside the industry If you're job searching in healthcare IT, thinking about a pivot into health information technology, or trying to figure out if your current role is AI-proof — this episode is your roadmap. 🎙️ Guest: Qing Xia, Director of Product @ ModMed (Modernizing Medicine) 📌 Like & subscribe for weekly tech career strategies, insider interviews, and job search tactics that actually work. 🔗 Connect with Qing Xia: [📷/qingxiahbs] 📩 Work with Chris: [www.delosstaffing.com] Access the full Tech Job Offer System including the step-by-step playbook, resume & LinkedIn frameworks, interview strategy, execution checklists, and templates used to structure a successful tech job search: https://techchris6.gumroad.com/l/xjxkbs Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Think supply chain jobs don't pay? Think again. 💰 In this video, I break down the full Warehouse Management System (WMS) career ladder — from Associate Consultant at $72K all the way to Independent Consultant clearing $280K+ per year. And no, you don't need to be an executive to get there. What you'll learn: ✅ What Warehouse Management Systems actually are (and why every Amazon & Walmart-scale operation runs on them) ✅ The top WMS platforms to specialize in: Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, SAP EWM, Oracle WMS, and Körber ✅ 3 entry paths into WMS — even if you're starting from a warehouse floor ✅ The salary breakdown at every level: Associate → Consultant → Senior → Principal → Independent ✅ How to position yourself for $130–$200/hr contract rates as an independent WMS consultant ✅ Why AI + robotics integration is the next multiplier for WMS professionals The WMS market is $6B+ and growing at 15% annually — demand for skilled professionals is massively outpacing supply. This is one of the most underrated career moves in supply chain management right now. 🎯 Career Paths Covered: Direct Consultant Track (vendor-side: Manhattan, Blue Yonder, Körber) Floor-to-Tech Path (warehouse ops → WMS admin → professional services) Systems Integrator Route (Deloitte, Accenture, Capgemini supply chain practices) 🔔 Subscribe for weekly tech career breakdowns, salary data, and strategies that actually work. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – What is a Warehouse Management System? 02:00 – The WMS Market Opportunity 04:00 – Top WMS Vendors to Know 07:00 – The WMS Career Ladder + Salaries 12:00 – 3 Entry Paths Into WMS 17:00 – How to Position Yourself for $280K+ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What would the cast of Silicon Valley actually earn in 2026? Richard Hendricks built a world-class compression algorithm — and took home less than Big Head, who coasted through big tech without breaking a sweat. In this breakdown, we run the real numbers on both career paths: startup founder vs. Big Tech engineer, and what the gap between them looks like today. 💰 Richard (Technical Founder): $180K–$220K base + equity lottery ticket worth tens of millions — if the company hits. 💰 Big Head (FAANG-Style Engineer): $250K–$400K+ total comp, zero existential dread, and compounding stock grants every year. The show got it right: the smarter play isn't always the startup. Sometimes the guy who coasts in big tech quietly wins. 🎯 Whether you're deciding between a startup offer and a FAANG offer — or you just want to understand how tech comp really works — this one's for you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

$250K+ in tech — no coding required. Here's the ERP career path nobody's showing you. In this video, I break down the Big 3 ERP platforms — SAP, Workday, and Oracle NetSuite — and the high-paying non-coding roles hiding inside each one. Follow the career ladder from NetSuite Administrator to Project Manager to ERP Consultant and watch the salary jump at every level. 💰 Salary Breakdown: NetSuite Administrator: $80K–$120K ERP Project Manager: $110K–$160K ERP Consultant (Senior / Contractor): $180K–$250K+ I also break down the Partner Ecosystem — firms like Deloitte and Accenture — and why that's where the salary ceiling disappears. Whether you're in finance, HR, supply chain, or just looking to break into tech without a CS degree — ERP is recession-proof, in demand, and pays like a developer without writing a single line of code. 📌 What You'll Learn: The Big 3 ERP systems and who they serve The no-code career ladder: Admin → PM → Consultant Salary ranges by level for SAP, Workday & NetSuite How the Partner Ecosystem accelerates your income How to pick the right ERP track for your background 🔔 Subscribe for weekly tech career strategies, salary breakdowns, and insider hiring insights. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amazon laid off 30,000 people. Google. Meta. Microsoft. Meanwhile — one industry has an OCEAN of jobs that nobody from Big Tech is even applying for. And the skills to get hired? You already have them. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Flores, Digital Transformation Executive at OpSite Energy, to expose the hidden tech job market inside Operational Technology (OT) — where SCADA engineers earn 20%+ MORE than their software engineering counterparts, and a mid-level Ignition professional clears $150K without a FAANG resume. Oh — and the FBI showed up to his office. We'll get to that 💥 WHAT WE COVER: → What OT, SCADA, PLC, and DCS actually are (plain English) → Why the FBI called the largest national security meeting since 9/11 → The exact salary gap: Software Engineer vs. SCADA Engineer → How to break in using FREE tools (Ignition University — no cost to start) → The full learning path: Python → PLC → Ignition → $150K → Which industries are hiring RIGHT NOW (Tesla, Toyota, oil & gas, airports) → Why this career is recession-proof (survived COVID, will survive anything) → The "mercenary to missionary" mindset shift that accelerates your career → How AI is reshaping OT roles — and creating NEW opportunities 💰 SALARY BREAKDOWN (from the episode): • Software Engineer (3-5 yrs): $105K–$120K • SCADA Engineer (same experience): 20%+ higher • Ignition Professional (mid-level): $150K+ 🎓 YOUR FREE ENTRY POINT: Ignition by Inductive Automation — used by 80%+ of Fortune 100 companies. Download it free → learn it free → deploy it free. Link: https://inductiveautomation.com/ignition/trial 🎙️ ABOUT MICHAEL FLORES: 15+ years in digital transformation across energy, midstream, and manufacturing. VP of Technology & Digital Strategy at OpSite Energy. In a single week he's served clients at Tesla, Toyota, John Deere, and Cummins. Co-host of the Energy Tech Podcast. 🔗 Connect with Michael: [📷/mikeafloresenergy] 🎙️ Energy Tech Podcast: [📷/@opsiteenergy] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI is replacing jobs faster than ever — but these 7 tech careers are virtually untouchable AND still pay $150K+. I break down exactly why AI can't automate these roles and how you can start positioning yourself NOW. Whether you're in a tech career transition or just want to future-proof your income, these AI-proof jobs offer real security in 2026 and beyond. 🔗 RESOURCES & TOOLS FOR EACH ROLE: ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 1. Cybersecurity / Security Engineer — [Linux Foundation Cyber Courses: Use Code "TECHJOBBERPOD" for 30% off - https://training.linuxfoundation.org/...] Ellington Cyber Academy - https://www.skool.com/eca-cyber-range...https://www.skool.com/eca-cyber-range-4625/about?ref=674cbede79de482fa76b88623c0cf89e 2. Cloud / Platform / DevOps Engineer — [Linux Foundation Cloud and DevOps Courses Use Code "TECHJOBBERPOD" for 30% off https://training.linuxfoundation.org/... Level Up in Tech Community - https://www.skool.com/luit-academy/ab...] 3. FinOps / Cloud Cost Optimization Engineer — 4. MLOps / AI Platform Engineer — [Linux Foundation Cyber Courses: Use Code "TECHJOBBERPOD" for 30% off - https://training.linuxfoundation.org/...] 5. Data Engineer / Analytics Engineer — [Data Engineer Academy - https://my.dataengineeracademy.com/lo...] 6. Solutions Architect / Sales Engineer — [https://www.skool.com/bigtechmoney/ab...] 7. Technical Product Manager (Platform / AI / Security) — [PMP Mastermind - https://www.skool.com/pmp-mastermind-...] ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 — The AI job apocalypse is real... for MOST roles [02:31] — #1 Cybersecurity / Security Engineer [03:47] — #2 Cloud / Platform / DevOps Engineer [04:55] — #3 FinOps / Cloud Cost Optimization [06:08] — #4 MLOps / AI Platform Engineer [07:27] — #5 Data Engineer / Analytics Engineer [08:48] — #6 Solutions Architect / Sales Engineer [08:58] — #7 Technical Product Manager 🎯 IN THIS VIDEO YOU'LL LEARN: • 7 tech jobs AI can't replace — each paying $150K+ • Why these roles actually get MORE valuable as AI grows • The skills and certs that make you untouchable • How to pivot into these roles from your current position 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly tech career strategies → https://www.youtube.com/@TechJobberPo... 🎙️ The Tech Jobber Podcast — Career acceleration, job search tactics, and insider insights from hiring managers & industry leaders. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🔐 Are cybersecurity jobs actually disappearing — or is the bar just getting impossibly high? In this episode, Chris sits down with Cassandra Mack, CISO at Tensorwave, for one of the most brutally honest conversations about the cybersecurity job market you'll hear right now. From the collapse of junior roles to AI automating away GRC workflows, this is the cybersecurity career roadmap reality check most people never get. 💡 What We Cover: → Why junior cybersecurity jobs are disappearing (and what employers actually want) → How AI is reshaping the day-to-day of every security professional → Cybersecurity certifications (CISSP, Security+, CompTIA) — do they still matter? → Hands-on labs vs. theory-based degrees: what CISOs are really hiring for → How to write a resume that gets past HR (the CAR method: Challenge, Action, Result) → The future of GRC and why automation is killing junior-to-mid level roles → How to break into cybersecurity with no experience using TryHackMe & bootcamps → Career advice for women in tech and security → What keeps a CISO up at night in 2025 Whether you're a cybersecurity beginner trying to break in, a SOC analyst looking to level up, or considering a pivot into information security — this episode lays out the exact cybersecurity roadmap you need. 🔗 Connect with Cassandra Mack: [ 📷 / cassandramack-lasvegas ] ───────────────────────────── 🎙️ The Tech Jobber Podcast drops new episodes weekly covering tech career strategies, job search tactics, and real talk from hiring managers and executives. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode → [ 📷 / @techjobberpod ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mainframe is “dead” right? Cool story. I brought receipts. In this episode of the Tech Jobber Podcast, I walk through a real mainframe developer role I’m recruiting for right now: – 💵 $102/hour (yes, really) – 🌎 Remote – 🧓 “Legacy” tech everyone told you to avoid If you’ve been told to only chase software engineer or FAANG roles, you’re probably sleeping on one of the biggest hidden opportunities in tech: mainframe developer and cobol jobs. Here’s what we cover: 0:00 – Why everyone says “mainframe is dead” 2:04 – The receipts: real job posting, real pay, real demand 5:17 – Why there’s a critical mainframe skills shortage 9:03 – Who is actually a good fit for mainframe work 12:45 – Step‑by‑step roadmap to get into mainframe in 12–18 months If you’re: – Stuck in help desk / support and want a real raise – A bootcamp grad struggling to land interviews – A mid-career dev who’s tired of hype cycles …this might be your fastest path to six figures. 🔔 Subscribe for more high-ROI tech career plays: Chris Schwenk | Tech Jobber Podcast 📌 To Access All My Resume/Linkedin/Interview Prep Templates: https://techchris6.gumroad.com/l/xjxkbs Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.