Career Confidence

Within minutes, an interview was locked in. Within weeks, she was in the third stage interview. And she landed the job.
That job was never advertised. It never hit a job board.
And it's exactly the case in point of how powerful your network is.
In this episode of the Career Confidence Podcast, Georgie sits down with Priscilla, a transformation and technology leader who's spent her career connecting people, process and technology in some of Australia's biggest retail and tech organisations.
After years at David Jones leading digital trannew way
sformation, Priscilla recently stepped into a brand new AI-focused role at a fast-growing scale-up.
And here's the thing: the role was never advertised.
An old boss reached out. They had a conversation. And within weeks, she was in.
This conversation is about what it actually takes to break into AI roles when you're not the most technical person in the room. It's about why curiosity and problem solving matter more than coding. It's about the hidden cost of AI that no one's talking about yet, like token usage, data governance, and how one workflow change can break three other systems if you're not thinking holistically.
Priscilla shares how she's upskilling herself on AI, from using Claude for personal budgeting to building agents, to learning how Copilot works across different Microsoft tools, and why it's changing almost every month.
She also talks about what companies are getting wrong when they rush to implement AI without clarity on the problem they're actually trying to solve, and why the soft skills, the human connection, the ability to bring people together, are going to be the most valuable skills in an AI-driven world.
In this episode:
How Priscilla landed her AI role through her network, not a job board
Why technology is no longer a specialised area but everyone's business
Whether you actually need a tech degree to work in AI
The skills companies are hiring for right now: orchestration, communication, and the human touch
What Priscilla's doing day to day in her new AI-focused role
Why data strategy and governance are foundational to AI success
How AI is being used to automate credit processing and document intake
How she's upskilling herself on AI, from Claude to Copilot to building agents
Why Copilot in PowerPoint was terrible six months ago and is now amazing
The hidden cost of AI that most people don't think about: token usage
Why companies need to think about cost control, not just cost effectiveness
The new questions you need to ask vendors: where is the metadata stored? Is it overseas? What's your AI governance?
Why most companies are applying AI without clarity on the problem they're solving
Why delivery is the easy part, and getting clarity is the hard part
How Priscilla thinks about the future of work and why humans will always be needed
Why soft skills, critical thinking, and the courage to ask questions will matter more than technical expertise
Her advice for women who feel intimidated by AI: embrace it, give it a go, and remember no one is an expert right now
One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation?
You don't need to be the most technical person to break into AI. You need to be curious, ask good questions, and understand how to connect technology with people and business outcomes.
As Priscilla puts it: if anyone says they're an expert in AI right now, you should probably ask why they think that.
Because no one is. Everyone is learning. And that's exactly why now is the time to start.
—
✨ 60 Day Bold Move Career Accelerator
Learn more here 👉 https://www.georgiehubbard.com/bold-moves
—
📚 The Bold Move
https://www.theboldmovebook.com
—
Connect with Georgie:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/
🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard
♦️ Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com
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Connect with Priscilla
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillachanau/

AI is supposed to make us more productive.

So why are so many of us using it all day… and finishing work feeling completely mentally fried?

In this episode of AI Ready Women, Georgie Hubbard and Lou Compagnoni sit down with behavioural scientist Angela Bliss to explore what our increasing reliance on AI could be doing to the way we think, work and make decisions.

Angela has spent years studying human behaviour and decision-making, including completing a Master’s in Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics, where her research explored how humans build trust with chatbots.

And her message is one every ambitious woman using AI at work needs to hear:

The goal isn’t to stop using AI. It’s to become much more deliberate about what you outsource to it.

We unpack the emerging phenomenon of AI brain fry, the cognitive overload that can come from prompting, checking, comparing and managing multiple AI outputs at once, and why being able to produce more work doesn’t necessarily mean we’re doing better work.

We also explore cognitive debt, automation bias, why AI can feel so addictive, and what happens when we start outsourcing judgment, creativity and independent thinking alongside the menial work.

In this episode:

What “AI brain fry” actually is and why knowledge workers are starting to feel it

Why using AI can sometimes increase cognitive load rather than reduce it

The hidden problem with AI producing work faster than humans can properly evaluate it

Why hyper-productivity could be changing expectations of employees

How automation bias can cause us to trust AI outputs too easily

Why AI feels so compelling — even when we know there may be a cost

What “cognitive debt” means and why it matters for your career

Why creativity and your best thinking often happen away from the screen

How AI could change the way we make decisions

Why organisations need to rethink productivity in an AI-enabled workplace

Why women may be particularly vulnerable to the pressure to do even more with AI

How to decide what work to automate — and what thinking you should protect

Why your judgement, curiosity, creativity and expertise may become even more valuable as AI improves

Angela’s advice is simple but powerful:

Get AI to remove the menial work. Don’t hand over the skills that are building your expertise.

Because being AI ready isn’t about using AI for everything.

It’s knowing where AI can make you better — and where you still need to do the thinking.

——

✨ 60 Day Bold Move Career Accelerator
Learn more here 👉 https://www.georgiehubbard.com/bold-moves

— —

📚 The Bold Move
https://www.theboldmovebook.com

— —

Connect with Georgie:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/
🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard
♦️ Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com

— —

Connect with Lou Compagnoni:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loucompagnone/

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Connect with Angela Bliss:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-bliss-behavioural-design/

What do you do when you know something needs to change in your career… but you have absolutely no idea what the next move should be?

That’s exactly where Rebecca found herself.

After more than 15 years across experience design, leadership, coaching, and transformation, she knew there were parts of her work she loved, problem-solving, facilitating, helping people make better decisions, but she wasn’t sure what that translated into as a career.

Then redundancy gave her the space to stop, reflect and rethink what came next.

In this episode of the Career Confidence Podcast, Rebecca joins Georgie for a very real conversation about sitting in the uncomfortable middle of a career change, resisting the urge to jump straight into another familiar job, and using design thinking to work out what you actually want next.

Rebecca shares how she stopped focusing on job titles and started looking at the work she genuinely loved doing, the problems she wanted to solve and the values she wanted her next chapter to align with.

And then something interesting happened.

Once she got clearer and started sharing more publicly about the work she wanted to be known for, someone from her existing network reached out with an opportunity that was almost exactly what she had been trying to create.

In this episode:

How to recognise when you’ve outgrown your current career path

Why the “uncomfortable middle” is a necessary part of meaningful career change

Why jumping straight into another familiar job can take you back to exactly where you started

How Rebecca used design thinking to approach her own career

The questions to ask yourself when you don’t know what you want next

Why your values matter just as much as your skills

How to stop defining yourself by job titles and start thinking about the problems you love solving

Why experimentation is often more useful than trying to have your entire future figured out

How networking and visibility helped Rebecca attract her next opportunity

Why sharing what you know online isn’t just “self-promotion”

What redundancy taught Rebecca about job security and identity

Why AI doesn’t have to mean panic — and how to start using it to make your work easier

Why a learner’s mindset will be one of the most valuable career skills over the next few years

How to identify the human skills you want to double down on as AI changes work

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation?

You don’t have to know the exact answer immediately.

Sometimes the most important thing you can do is resist the urge to jump into solution mode.

What are you really good at?
What kind of work gives you energy?
What problems do you love solving?
What do you want to be known for?
What are you no longer willing to compromise on?

Rebecca’s story is a brilliant reminder that clarity doesn’t always arrive in one big moment.

Sometimes you have to sit with the uncertainty, experiment, learn, put yourself out there and let the next opportunity reveal itself.

As Rebecca puts it: great opportunities come from movement.

If you’re in that uncomfortable middle right now, this episode is for you.

—

✨ 60 Day Bold Move Career Accelerator
Learn more here 👉 https://www.georgiehubbard.com/bold-moves

—

📚 The Bold Move
https://www.theboldmovebook.com

—

Connect with Georgie:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/
🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard
♦️ Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com

—

Connect with Rebecca:
🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccakkarpiuk/

September is one of the most important hiring windows of the year. If you want to make a move before Christmas, this is the time to get strategic.

The market is still tight. Recruiters are flooded with applications. AI is increasingly being used to search, screen and shortlist candidates. So sending the same CV to every role and hoping for the best is no longer enough.

___________

✨ 60 Day Bold Move Career Accelerator ✨

Learn more here 👉 https://www.georgiehubbard.com/bold-moves

___________

In this episode, I’m breaking down the five-part strategy I’m teaching women inside the Bold Move Career Accelerator right now:

Clarity. Network. Positioning. Tailored CV. Visibility.

And I’m sharing exactly why each one matters.

One woman had applied for a role and heard nothing for four weeks. She reached out to one person she knew inside the company and, within 24 hours, she had an interview and was moved through to the next round.

Another woman repositioned her LinkedIn profile and, within roughly 40 hours, a recruiter contacted her about a role she genuinely wanted.

This episode is for you if you’re applying and hearing nothing, wondering why your experience isn’t translating into interviews, or simply want a clearer plan to help you land the right role before the end of the year.

In this episode:

Why September is such an important hiring window

How to get clear on the role, company, environment and culture you actually want next

Why your network is one of your biggest career assets

How to activate relationships strategically without networking feeling awkward

Why recruiters are increasingly using AI and LinkedIn search tools to find candidates

How to position your LinkedIn profile around where you’re going, not just where you’ve been

Why tailoring your CV is now non-negotiable

Why five strong applications can be more effective than 50 generic ones

How AI is changing screening and first-stage hiring

Why visibility is becoming career currency

How posting and commenting can create opportunities you never applied for

The five-part strategy: clarity, network, positioning, tailored CV and visibility

The goal isn’t more applications.

It’s more choice, options and the right opportunities.

If you want a new role before Christmas, make these five moves now.

___________

📚 The Bold Move: https://www.theboldmovebook.com

___________

Connect with Georgie:

🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/

🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard

♦️ Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com

The job market is changing fast.

More people are applying. AI is increasingly being used to filter applications. New roles are emerging. And some incredibly capable women are finding themselves applying for opportunities they could absolutely do, but never even making it to interview.

___________

✨ 60 Day Bold Move Career Accelerator ✨

Learn more here 👉 https://www.georgiehubbard.com/bold-moves

___________

📚 The Bold Move: https://www.theboldmovebook.com

___________

Connect with Georgie:

🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/

🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard

♦️ Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com

___________

Connect with Lou Compagnone:

🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loucompagnone/

___________

Connect with Adair Robins:

🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/

___________

So what actually gets you seen?

In this episode, Georgie Hubbard and Lou Compagnoni are joined by Adair, a transformation and diversity leader who has spent much of her career working across technology and helping more women build and sustain careers in the industry.

Adair shares her own experience of applying for roles and hearing very little back, until someone in her network referred her. Suddenly, the process moved incredibly quickly.

It’s a powerful reminder that in today’s market, your experience matters, your CV matters, but so does who knows you, what they know you for and whether you’ve built relationships before you need them.

The conversation also explores why women are leaving technical careers at a higher rate than men, what AI means for women returning from career breaks, why flexibility still matters, and the growing opportunity for women to step into emerging AI and transformation roles.

In this episode:

Why women are leaving highly technical careers at almost twice the rate of men during mid-career

Why age 40 is such a critical point for women working in technology

What happens when career progression collides with caring responsibilities

Why organisations that want more women need to rethink flexibility, hiring and workplace culture

How quickly technology and AI can change while someone is on parental or carers leave

Why structured reskilling can rebuild confidence after a career break

Why some of the most exciting new AI roles require far more than traditional technical skills

Why brilliant women are still being overlooked for emerging AI leadership opportunities

Why referrals and relationships can dramatically change your job search

Georgie’s experience receiving almost 600 applications for a single role

Why relying solely on job boards is becoming an increasingly difficult strategy

How to network without becoming someone you’re not

Why LinkedIn visibility and personal brand matter more in an AI-driven hiring market

How to use AI to improve your CV without removing the stories, personality and impact that make you different

Why continual learning needs to become part of your career strategy, regardless of your role

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation?

Opportunities come through people, not job boards.

You don’t need hundreds of transactional connections or to spend every night at networking events.

Start with the people already around you. Former managers. Colleagues. Clients. Stakeholders. People you’ve enjoyed working with throughout your career.

Stay connected. Share what you’re working on. Be visible. Help people understand where you’re heading next.

Because your network shouldn’t be something you start building when you suddenly need a job.

It’s career currency you build long before you need to spend it.

With Confidence

Georgie 💜

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Resources mentioned

Back in the Code — Cohort 2
A full-day agentic engineering course taught by some of Australia’s best engineers, designed for parents currently on or recently returned from parental leave.
Melbourne, 24 September: https://events.techcouncil.com.au/agentic_ai_course_cohort2

Back in the Code — Future Cohort Waitlist
Register your interest for future cohorts:
https://events.techcouncil.com.au/agentic_engineering_waitlist_form

Tech Careers Hotline Podcast
Featuring women in tech and their career stories:
https://techcouncil.com.au/tech-careers-hotline-podcast/

Women in Highly Technical Work Report
Tech Council of Australia research on the pipeline and retention of women in highly technical careers:
https://techcouncil.com.au/research/