Tech Currents: Exploring the human side of technology.

MfdSam

“Tech Currents: Exploring the human side of technology” is a podcast exploring the ever-evolving landscape of technology and the world of work. Hosted by longtime friends and coworkers Sam Cavaliere and Ron Melanson, each episode dives deep into personal stories, industry insights, and career transitions. From layoffs and reinvention to remote work and the latest tech trends, we bring together voices from across the tech sector to share experiences and advice. Whether you’re navigating change, staying ahead of industry currents, or simply curious about the future of tech, this podcast offers thoughtful conversations for anyone looking to thrive in today’s dynamic world.

  1. JUN 3

    Tech Currents and Tee Morris Part 2

    Here's a short description for your podcast episode, optimized for search engines and LinkedIn: Tech Currents Podcast: AI, Copyright & The Future of Work – Tee Morris Interview, Part 2 Dive deep into the evolving world of AI, tech ethics, and the "Facebooking" of LinkedIn in Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Tee Morris on the Tech Currents podcast, hosted by Sam Cavaliere and Ron Melanson. In this compelling conclusion, Tee Morris, a pioneer in podcasting, paranormal investigator, author, engineer, and AI developer, offers sharp insights into pressing technology challenges: AI Utilization & Authors' Copyrights: The discussion confronts the thorny challenge of establishing fair payment mechanisms for authors whose works are used to train AI models. Morris highlights issues like Harper Collins selling non-fiction titles for AI training without author negotiation. Protecting AI-Generated Art: Tee Morris expresses strong opinions against granting copyright protection to AI-generated art, suggesting it be termed "computer rendered artistic product". He cites the disastrous Willy Wonka experience as an example of AI art failures. Ethical Implications of AI: Explore AI's impact on job markets (actors, graphic artists, job applicants), ethical concerns in healthcare decision-making, and the critical need for "clearbox technology". Current Technology Trends: A critical look at the societal expectation for instant, often rushed and buggy, software updates ("fix it in post") and a perceived loss of respect for technology, exemplified by issues like the CrowdStrike incident and problematic vehicle software updates. The "De-evolution of LinkedIn": A candid critique of LinkedIn's shift from a professional networking tool to a platform increasingly resembling "Facebooking", plagued by scam artists, excessive motivational content, and a lack of moderation. Don't miss Tee Morris's unfiltered perspective and invaluable lessons. His latest season of Old Spirits Investigations also drops this Saturday on YouTube!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0xUoaI9q95NrS6hYGOegjg

    1h 9m
  2. MAY 12

    TechCurrents talks AI and piracy with Tee Morris, part 1

    Welcome to Part 1 of Episode S1E10 of the Tech Currents podcast with your hosts, Sam Cavaliere and Ron Melanson. In this episode, Sam and Ron kick off with their segment, "LinkedIn Lunacy", diving into the current state of LinkedIn. They discuss the increasing prevalence of political content on the platform and question if it belongs on a professional networking site, noting issues with content filters. They highlight how posts can impact a job seeker's profile from a recruiter's perspective, and emphasize that content on the internet, especially LinkedIn, can "live forever". The discussion covers using LinkedIn for professional purposes versus treating it like other social media platforms for venting, and they critique non-professional content such as "give yourself a point" graphics and "glamour shots" or possibly AI-generated profile pictures that appear disconnected from the post content. They also briefly acknowledge Microsoft's 50th anniversary.   The episode then introduces their special guest, Tee Morris. Sam provides a detailed introduction, highlighting Tee's background as a pioneer in podcasting, notably being the first author to podcast an entire novel in 2005. His extensive work as a multi-talented author is mentioned, including the fantasy epic Morevi, co-authoring the Podcasting for Dummies series (now in its fifth edition), and the award-winning steampunk series The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Tee's wife, Pip Ballentine, is also mentioned as an accomplished author, including her work on Alien novels. Beyond writing, T. Morris is recognized as a social media innovator and for his streaming activities on Twitch, playing games like Destiny, VR, and Magic: The Gathering. They discuss the origin of Tee's paranormal investigation show, Old Spirits Investigations, which began as a Twitch streaming game playing Phasmophobia during the pandemic. Tee shares insights into his current focus on content creation for Old Spirits Investigations and balancing his time. They share humorous anecdotes about playing games with their daughters and the "Twitch Dad" persona, acknowledging that older gamers still have skills. Sam states that Tee was brought on specifically to talk about tech, particularly AI and what is being used to train the language models.   However, due to the significant amount of quality content in their conversation, the hosts announce that the interview with Tee was too extensive for a single episode, and this recording is Part 1. The deeper dive into the discussion about AI training data, ethics, and related topics will continue in Part 2, which will be published shortly after Part 1.   Tee's Old Sprits Investigations Channel on YouTube can be located at https://www.youtube.com/@OldSpiritsInvestigations/featured   The Store for Old Sprits Investigations can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@OldSpiritsInvestigations/store   And Tee's Twitch Channel can be found at https://www.twitch.tv/theteemonster #TechPodcast #TechCurrents #Podcast #Episode #Technology #AI #MachineLearning #AITraining #LinkedInLunacy #SocialMedia #TeeMorris #Podcasting #Author #Twitch #OldSpiritsInvestigations  #Copyright #Piracy #IntellectualProperty  #FairUse #DigitalMedia #ContentCreation #SamCavaliere #RonMelanson #TechIndustry #PodcastLife

    1h 12m
  3. APR 29

    Tech Currents and Amy Miller, the Sequel!

    Tech Currents podcast is hosted by Sam Cavaliere and co-hosted by Ron Melanson. It features real talk about technology and stories from working in the tech world. A frequent guest and "friend of the program" is Amy Miller and she joins the hosts in this weeks discussion focusing on more job seeking advice.   The episode specifically delves into "LinkedIn Lunacy," discussing various contentious topics seen on the platform, such as the "open to work" banner, debates on resume formatting, and unusual interview expectations.  A significant focus is placed on fake profiles and scams on LinkedIn, including the theft of personal personas and predatory practices offering paid services like resume optimization.   The conversation also explores the increasing use of AI in recruiting, raising concerns about the ethical implications of uploading candidates' Personally Identifiable Information (PII) into public AI tools like ChatGPT. They discuss resume scoring tools and question their validity and motives, viewing them as part of an "influencer economy" where individuals profit by targeting vulnerable job seekers. The hosts and guest emphasize sharing free, practical advice from the perspective of active recruiters to help job seekers navigate the challenges ethically   Worth noting, in this episode Sam references a video from Brene Brown regarding the psychology of blame.  The video is 3:25 and can be found at https://youtu.be/RZWf2_2L2v8?si=4JhA3HJm3V1_wsr0 . Its highly recommended. #Careers #technology #jobseeking #LinkedInLunacy

    1h 2m
  4. MAR 13

    S1E7 Freeform and the LinkedIn Profile Makeover

    The podcast episode "S1_E7_Freeforming_and_the_LinkedIn_Profile_Makeover_show.mp3" from the Tech Currents podcast features a free-flowing conversation between the hosts Sam Cavaliere and his co-host Ron Melanson. They deviate from their planned agenda to discuss current issues related to job seeking strategies and LinkedIn profile optimization in what they describe as the "worst job market any of us have ever seen," referencing recent significant layoffs. Key topics discussed in the episode include: The chaotic and potentially predatory nature of LinkedIn in the current job market, with warnings against scams offering expensive but potentially worthless services like LinkedIn profile makeovers or certifications. They advise listeners to be cautious of unsolicited offers and to explore free resources and seek feedback from their network. Sam Cavaliere even offers to personally review listeners' profiles. Strategies for optimizing a LinkedIn profile to attract recruiters and hiring managers. This includes advice on: Having a professional photo taken even with a smartphone, emphasizing neatness and business attire. Crafting a compelling headline that describes what you do and how you add value, going beyond just a job title. Writing a concise yet interesting summary or "about" section that tells your story and highlights your strengths without underselling yourself. Ron Melanson mentions that the character limit for this section is around 2600. Detailing experience and achievements using a bullet-point format with a focus on tangible, measurable results and the impact or outcomes of your work, rather than just listing responsibilities. They stress the importance of showing the impact of your work to stand out. Leveraging the skills section and the recent increase to up to 100 skills to enhance boolean searchability for recruiters. They discuss how recruiters actively search for candidates based on skills. A discussion on the limited value they place on endorsements and recommendations for hiring managers. The importance of active engagement on LinkedIn beyond simply liking posts, including sharing opinions, taking positions, and creating content to build a presence and get noticed. They emphasize that authentic engagement can lead to unexpected opportunities, as Sam Cavaliere experienced when his article led to an interview. Advice on maintaining professionalism on LinkedIn while acknowledging the frustrations of job searching. They caution against excessive negativity and suggest alternative platforms for venting. The impact of being "rusty" in interviews after a long period without job searching and the importance of practice. Ron Melanson shares an anecdote about mentoring someone who improved with interview practice. The necessity of using industry-standard job titles on LinkedIn profiles to ensure they are easily understood and searchable by recruiters. They advise against using unusual or non-standard titles. General encouragement for job seekers to leverage available resources, be wary of guaranteed results from paid services, and focus on the impact of their work. They suggest shopping around for resume and LinkedIn help if needed. Reassurance that being laid off is generally not a reflection of personal performance in the current economic climate. They criticize the characterization of laid-off employees as "low performers". The hosts offer practical, experience-based advice and encourage listeners to reach out with questions and feedback via LinkedIn or email. They also mention upcoming episodes that will delve deeper into networking and feature a return conversation with Amy Miller. The overall tone is supportive and aims to help job seekers navigate the challenges of the current job market.    Additional Show Notes: People to Follow on LinkedIn: Lisa Dupras - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dupraselev8coaching Ed Herzog -https://www.linkedin.com/in/edherzog-resume-writer?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Amy Miller -linkedin.com/in/amymil Ron Melanson -linkedin.com/in/ronaldmelanson

    1h 5m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

“Tech Currents: Exploring the human side of technology” is a podcast exploring the ever-evolving landscape of technology and the world of work. Hosted by longtime friends and coworkers Sam Cavaliere and Ron Melanson, each episode dives deep into personal stories, industry insights, and career transitions. From layoffs and reinvention to remote work and the latest tech trends, we bring together voices from across the tech sector to share experiences and advice. Whether you’re navigating change, staying ahead of industry currents, or simply curious about the future of tech, this podcast offers thoughtful conversations for anyone looking to thrive in today’s dynamic world.

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