Alison Simpson

Jenny Leah, Sales and Operations Director at RightCue, explores how mentoring can help more women enter, progress and lead in cybersecurity. Drawing on her experience, she highlights common barriers including confidence and misconceptions around technical roles, while sharing practical approaches to mentoring, sponsorship, visibility and building supportive workplace networks.

Emily Steen, Applied AI Technical Lead at Thrive, shares practical advice for women looking to break into AI, even if they don't feel ready. From experimenting with AI platforms and starting small projects to building technical knowledge and connecting with others, Emily explores how curiosity, continuous learning and confidence can open doors in AI.

We're joined by Jiřina Nedbálková, AI Use Case Architect & Customer Intelligence Lead at Bull, to explore how AI and data are transforming the way businesses make decisions, engage with customers and shape the future of technology.

ARTICLE SUMMARY Landing your first tech job after academia can feel daunting, but a PhD can be a powerful asset.

Matthew Egan, author and technology leadership professional, explores how to fail in front of your team without losing credibility - and why admitting mistakes can actually strengthen trust. Drawing on experiences from Microsoft and insights from Brené Brown, he shares practical ways leaders can embrace failure, encourage openness and create cultures focused on learning rather than blame.

Madeleine Barnes, Director at Robert Half, shares practical advice for acing behavioural interviews and standing out beyond technical skills. From using the STAR method and preparing strong examples to confidently communicating achievements and learning from setbacks, she explains how women in tech can showcase their problem-solving, adaptability, leadership and impact with confidence.

Heather Payne, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Immediate, challenges the advice that a portfolio is essential for landing your first tech role. Drawing on 20 years of hiring experience, she explains why real-world projects, genuine connections, references and practical experience can make a stronger impression than polished personal projects.

What happens when a self-taught coder, working musician and entrepreneur decides to build AI for an industry she knows first-hand? In this episode, we're joined by Zoë Wrenn, founder of Tamber, an AI-powered creative technology company helping musicians turn ideas into action without taking the human creativity out of the process.

Kate Hawthorn, Director of Consultant Talent at FDM Group, explores the key skills employers look for in cyber security professionals, from network and cloud security to incident response and risk assessment. She also highlights the growing importance of frameworks, AI-assisted security and demonstrating real-world impact on your CV.

Charlene Young, Chief People Officer at de Novo Solutions, explores why soft skills such as empathy, communication, judgement and resilience are becoming increasingly valuable in an AI-driven world. She argues that while technical expertise and AI literacy remain important, these uniquely human capabilities can help professionals stand out, build trust and progress into leadership.