277: URGENT UPDATE: What's Really Happening in the 2025 Tech Job Market (AI, Hiring & Recruiter Insights)
AI is changing how people get hired — and it's happening fast. In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, Dr. Toni Collis sits down with Nicole Bugenske, a recruiter from Robert Half, to unpack what's really going on in the 2025 tech job market. From fake résumés and AI-generated cover letters to the rise of quiet hiring and risk-averse employers — we're breaking down what job seekers and hiring managers need to know right now. Learn how to stand out as the human signal in a sea of AI, what recruiters are really looking for, and how to future-proof your career in tech leadership. If you're applying for jobs, leading a team, or planning your next career move — this episode will help you navigate the new hiring landscape with clarity, authenticity, and strategy. What You'll Learn How AI-written résumés are flooding the job market (and how recruiters are spotting them) Why 1 in 4 candidate profiles may now be fake — and how hiring managers are adapting What to do when applying through job boards vs. networking directly The truth about quiet hiring and the hidden job market How to show strategic visibility instead of applying to hundreds of roles What makes a candidate a "safe bet" in today's risk-averse hiring climate Real recruiter insights on résumés, references, and interview trends What hiring looks like for women in tech leadership in 2025 Want to make your résumé stand out — without sounding like a bot? Download my free AI-Powered Résumé Writing Guide to learn how to use AI ethically and effectively to land more interviews: 👉 tonicollis.com/resume-guide Ready to connect with today's guest? Find Nicole online at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-bugenske-46165958/ Learn more about Robert Half Recruitment at: https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en
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276: Busy ≠ Valuable: How to Prioritize Work That Gets You Promoted
http://tonicollis.com/how-to-prioritize-work-to-get-promoted/If your calendar is overflowing but your career feels stuck, this episode is for you. You're not alone in the busyness trap. For so many high-achieving women in tech, doing more has always felt like the way to get ahead — but it's not what gets you promoted. In this episode of the Leading Women in Tech Podcast, we're unpacking the truth behind prioritizing impactful work, the hidden gap between performance and promotion, and how to build the kind of executive presence that actually gets noticed. If you're ready to stop being the go-to person for everything and start focusing on what truly shifts your career — this episode will show you how to lead smarter, not harder. 🔗 Take the free Promotion Readiness Scorecard. Wondering if your work is getting you noticed for the next level? → tonicollis.com/scorecard 💬 Want tailored support? → Book a strategy call with Toni: tonicollis.com/lets-chat 🛠️ Tools & Concepts from the Episode: ◾The CEO Filter — Would the CEO care if I did this? ◾The 90-Day Question — Will this matter in 3 months? ◾The 15-Minute Weekly Priority Reset — Realign your leadership each week ◾The Impact Multiplier — From busy to visible
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275: Leading Without a Title: Michele Doyle on Cross-Functional Influence, AI, and Recognition
How do you lead with impact—before you ever get the title? In this episode, I sit down with Michele Doyle, VP of Data & Analytics at Senos, to explore what it means to lead from the crossroads of engineering, operations, and strategy. Michele shares her unconventional journey from psychology to tech leadership, how to lead with influence before you're formally given the title, and what it takes to build trust, safety, and innovation in complex teams—especially in non-obvious tech spaces like fermentation. You'll hear about: ◾How to step into strategic leadership without the title ◾The underestimated power of cross-functional influence ◾Creating psychological safety and generous leadership ◾Real-world AI adoption (in the brewing industry!) ◾Why emotional regulation is the unsung skill of great leaders Whether you're an emerging tech leader or a seasoned exec looking to build empowered teams, this episode will help you lead with confidence, clarity, and real influence. **Useful links** Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Michele Doyle from Sennos: ◾https://sennos.com/ and Michele's ◾LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doylemichele/ Michele's current read: The Murder Bot Series by Martha Wells and Your AI Survival Guide by Sol Rashidi This episode was sponsored by our guest, Michele Doyle, and Sennos. Thank you Michele and Sennos for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!
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274: How to Stop Overthinking at Work: Tools for Clear, Confident Leadership Decisions
When was the last time you rewrote an email six times before hitting send? Or spiraled through a decision long after it needed to be made? If you've ever been told "you're overthinking it," you're not alone — and you're not failing. Overthinking at work is often the result of high pressure, perfectionism, and internalized leadership expectations — especially for high-achieving women in male-dominated spaces. But here's the truth: overthinking isn't helping you get promoted. It's quietly chipping away at your executive presence and leadership impact. In this episode, I'll walk you through: ✅ How to spot overthinking in real time (vs. strategic thinking) ✅ Why smart women overthink — and how to shift that pattern ✅ The 1-1-1 decision tool to stop spiraling and act with clarity ✅ Executive mindset techniques to build trust in your own decisions ✅ Real stories from my clients who shifted from "perfection mode" to promotion This is your leadership reset — a tactical, mindset-rich episode to help you step into Q4 with calm, confident clarity. If you're ready to build a reputation for decisive, strategic leadership — let's dive in. If this episode helped you shift your thinking, I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment, leave a review, or connect on LinkedIn @ToniCollis. 🔗 Mentioned in this episode: Free Strategy Call: https://www.tonicollis.com/lets-chat 📌 Primary Takeaways: – Overthinking is not a leadership trait — clarity is. – Learn how to reclaim your time and lead with confidence, even in high-stakes moments. – These tools will help you build sustainable leadership strategies and finally get out of your own way.
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273: Lead with Confidence: Building Teams That Don't Need You – with Sandy Motley
Can your team thrive without you in the room? And what does it really take to lead with confidence in a male-dominated industry? In this episode, I sit down with Sandy Motley, Senior VP at Nokia and former President of Fixed Networks, to talk about what it means to lead a high-performing team without overfunctioning—and how to build trust, autonomy, and strategic impact into your leadership style. We explore: ⏹ How to build a team that doesn't need you to function ⏹ What executive leadership looks like beyond control and perfectionism ⏹ Why inclusive leadership drives innovation in engineering and telecom ⏹ How to coach your team through conflict instead of fixing everything yourself ⏹ What it means to lead with confidence in male-dominated spaces ⏹ The mindset shift that takes you from tactical manager to strategic exec Whether you're a VP, a senior IC, or growing into a more strategic leadership role—this episode will challenge how you think about value, visibility, and voice. 📌 Want to step into your executive leadership without burning out? 💡 Explore coaching and resources at: https://www.tonicollis.com **Useful links** Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Sandy Motley from Nokia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-motley-b116659/ This episode was sponsored by our guest, Sandy Motley from Nokia. Thank you Sandy & Nokia for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!
For ambitious women ready to rise, lead, and thrive — without burning out.
Are you delivering results… but still waiting to be seen as a true leader?
Tired of performance reviews with praise — but no promotion?
Hosted by Dr. Toni Collis, executive coach for women in tech, this podcast is your go-to leadership toolkit. Whether you're a rising Director, lone female VP, or overextended operator tired of being overlooked — you're in the right place.
Each week, Toni shares real-world leadership strategies, career advancement frameworks, and executive presence tools to help you:
✅ Build strategic visibility
✅ Communicate like a trusted exec
✅ Navigate politics with integrity
✅ Advocate for yourself (without overworking)
✅ Lead with confidence, clarity, and influence
You'll also hear powerful interviews with women who've paved the way — and candid conversations on the unspoken challenges women face in male-dominated industries.
✨ If you're ready to go from "she's great" to "she's the obvious next Exec" — hit follow.
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