In this episode, I sit down with Laura de Benedetto — product policy manager at Meta, Cambridge AI Ethics graduate, and the very first Career Queen to return for a second conversation — for an honest discussion about what it actually takes to build a career that holds when the ground shifts beneath you.

Laura was laid off from Airbnb. She didn't see it coming. And like so many high achievers, she had done everything right — which made the shock of it that much harder to process. What she did next is the conversation every career-driven woman needs to hear right now.

Because the layoff era is not slowing down. AI is restructuring entire teams. And the idea that hard work alone guarantees security is a contract that is quietly being rewritten. This episode is about what job security actually looks like when you build it from the inside out — through community, clarity, and a mindset shift that Laura didn't find until she was forced to.

If you are navigating uncertainty in your career, watching the industry change faster than you can keep up, or simply want to feel more grounded in where you stand, this conversation is for you.

In this episode:

• What it really feels like to be laid off as a high achiever and how to process it
• Why being open about your situation is one of the most strategic things you can do
• How Laura went from layoff to presenting at the UN General Assembly in the same year
• The human skills that become more valuable as AI advances — not less
• Why you probably don't want to be indispensable at work
• How to separate your professional identity from the company you work for

The job market has changed. Has your strategy?

In this episode, Career Queens, I sit down with Sonya, a senior recruiter at Netflix, for an unfiltered conversation about what is actually happening in tech hiring right now — and what candidates need to do differently.

With over 400,000 tech layoffs since 2022, companies getting leaner by design, and AI reshaping entire teams, the playbook that worked three years ago is no longer enough. Sonya breaks down exactly what recruiters see when they open your resume, why the shift to an employer's market changes how you should negotiate, and whether personal branding on LinkedIn is helping or just noise.

If you are in a job search, thinking about your next move, or building your career in tech, this episode will give you the honest, insider perspective you have been looking for.

In this episode:

• What recruiters actually look for on your resume
• Why referrals increase visibility but don't guarantee the role
• The AI skills myth — and what companies are really asking about
• How to stand out when everyone is applying for everything
• What Netflix's culture really looks for in candidates
• Salary negotiation in today's employer's market

In this episode of Career Queens Podcast, I sit down with LaKiesha Tomlin — engineer, MBA graduate, and investor — to talk about financial preparedness, emergency funds, and building income streams in an uncertain job market.

This episode is for women in tech, corporate professionals, and ambitious career women who want to reduce financial anxiety and build optionality.

Because your employer is not your safety net, and financial security is something you design.

If you’re thinking about emergency savings, career pivots, investing, or building income streams to prepare for a potential layoff, this conversation will give you both the mindset and practical steps you need.