Discover how to reclaim your professional narrative and lead with genuine intention in a rapidly shifting tech landscape. In this episode, Rocky McGuire connects with Sarah Caminiti, Career Strategist and host of The Roundtable, to discuss her unexpected transition from "behind-the-scenes" helper to an influential public voice for ethical leadership and employee empowerment.

They dive into:

• The "Unplanned" Career Snowball: How a single, detailed community response transformed Sarah's career into a journey of panels and podcasting.

• Occupying Your Space: Understanding the psychological importance of "taking up space" and why shrinking yourself is a sad, limiting mindset.

• Ditching Fear-Based Tactics: A look at why leaders resort to ego and power dynamics, and how "invisible work" like advocacy can change team culture.

• Strategic Vulnerability: Why admitting you're "not at 100%" or don't have a degree can actually build deeper trust and safety within a team.

• The Interview as a Filter: How to use the hiring process to "interview them back" and why being 10% more bold helps avoid toxic workplace misalignments.

• Remote Work & The Human Connection: Why remote teams must be intentional about meeting in person to prevent colleagues from becoming just "icons in Slack."

• AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: How the rise of AI makes human skills like strategic problem-solving and ethical implementation more valuable than ever.

Sarah Caminiti is a retention strategist and support leader known for bringing clarity, honesty, and operational depth to the customer experience world. As the creator of the CX Roundtable, she helps teams rethink how they build, lead, and scale support—grounding every conversation in real data, human behavior, and sustainable growth. Sarah’s work sits at the intersection of leadership, power dynamics, and customer loyalty, making her a sought-after voice for organizations ready to move beyond buzzwords and build systems that actually work.

Follow Sarah Caminiti on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-caminiti-5827b784/

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

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Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer/Alternate Host:

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

Unlock the insights you need to land your dream job—or your next great hire—in 2026.

In this episode, Rocky sits down with Cassandra Benner, Branch Director at Robert Half, to break down the brand-new Robert Half Salary Guide and what it reveals about hiring trends, high-demand roles, and how both candidates and employers can stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

They dive into:

• The most in-demand roles across AI, data, and emerging tech

• Why job titles vary—and why job descriptions matter more

• Salary transparency and how it builds trust with candidates

• Certifications that move the needle (AWS, Azure & more)

• Soft skills companies can’t find enough of: adaptability, EQ, problem-solving

• How contract talent keeps projects on track and fills critical skill gaps

• What employers must offer beyond pay—flexibility, balance, and wellness

Download the Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide - https://rh.roberthalf.com/ujmS4

About Our Guest

Cassandra Benner is a Branch Director at Robert Half Technology, specializing in recruitment strategy, business development, and leading high-performing teams. She’s known for creating standout experiences for clients and candidates and building strong, lasting partnerships. Cassandra develops innovative hiring solutions tailored to each organization’s unique needs. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Sciences from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors with her dogs.

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer/Alternate Host:

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

Contact centers are more complex than ever—AI, cloud platforms, and remote work have created a perfect storm for customer experience leaders. In this episode, Luke Jamieson, CX evangelist and host of 2020Ish, joins us to unpack the collision of technology and experience.

Luke shares how CX observability can reveal the upstream technical issues that silently erode trust, introduces the “10 by 10 rule” for agent burnout, and makes the case for a universal CX risk score to help IT and CX leaders speak the same language.

He also reflects on his 25-year journey from the phones to the frontlines of innovation, and why treating both customers and employees well isn’t just good business—it’s the foundation for meaningful work.

🎙️ Topics include:

The new complexity of contact center operations

CX observability and the power of unified data

The 10 by 10 rule and its link to attrition

Why voice is becoming the new white-glove channel

Building bridges between IT and CX teams

#BytesAndBanter #CustomerExperience #ContactCenter #CXObservability #AICX #ServiceManagement #HDILocalChapters

https://www.lukejamieson.live/

Luke Jamieson is a globally recognized thought leader in customer experience (CX) and the future of work, known for his infectious energy, creativity, and deep industry expertise. With over 25 years in the contact center world, Luke brings a unique perspective that blends hands-on leadership experience with a technologist’s view of how AI and data are reshaping CX.

As a practitioner, he led the transformation of some of Australia’s top contact centers. Today, as a technologist and CX evangelist, he helps organizations bridge the gap between technology performance and human experience.

Luke is the co-host of the wildly popular CX game show Twenty20ish, a sought-after speaker, and a featured contributor to industry outlets including ICMI, The Wall Street Journal, and The Australian. He studied Design Thinking at Stanford’s d.school and is a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, combining innovation and play to drive meaningful change in the CX space.

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com