218: How to Build a Career When the Rules Keep Changing w/ Taylor Desseyn & Jason Torres

Recorded live at All Things Open, Robbie talks with Taylor Desseyn and Jason Torres about the future of tech careers, AI’s impact on hiring, and why relationships still matter more than résumés. They share insights from years in recruiting and community building, stressing that genuine connection—not cold applications—opens doors in today’s market.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:48) - A toast to Busch Light
• (05:46) - Meet Taylor and Jason
• (08:14) - Is now a good time to get into tech?
• (13:12) - How AI is reshaping the tech job market
• (16:07) - Standing out in a crowded industry
• (20:36) - Can open source help you get hired?
• (23:48) - Will Shane Beamer head to Virginia Tech?
• (25:13) - Do pro athletes really make too much money?
• (26:47) - Should politicians be paid like CEOs?
• (30:43) - What it means to be an authentic creator
• (34:07) - How Torc is chasing greatness
• (38:01) - Is AI killing organic content growth?
• (39:26) - Parenting, perspective, and balance
• (42:20) - Where to connect with Taylor and Jason online

Links

• Busch Light: https://www.busch.com/
• Ep 216: Why Open Source Might Be Your Best Career Move w/ Shruti Kapoor: https://whiskey.fm/why-open-source-might-be-your-best-career-move-w-shruti-kapoor
• Jason Lengstorf: https://jason.energy/
• Costco: https://www.costco.com
• The Office: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office_(American_TV_series)
• Dragonberry Bacardi: https://www.bacardi.com/us/en/our-rums/dragonberry-rum/
• Goldschlager: https://www.sazerac.com/our-brands/sazerac-brands/goldschlager.html
• Jagermeister: https://www.jagermeister.com/
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/
• Guidance Counselor 2.0 podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/career-counseling/id1256154656?mt=2
• Ep 493 - Pretending to Have The Job Before You Get It w/ Josh Cirre, DevRel @ Laravel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-493-pretending-to-have-the-job-before-you-get/id1256154656?i=1000729870607
• Cobol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COBOL
• React: https://react.dev/
• X: https://www.x.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com
• Discord: https://discord.com
• Taylor's All Things Open talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEV7TO7UEBU
• Mr. Beast: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MrBeast
• Kai Cenat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Cenat
• All Things Open: https://allthingsopen.org/
• .NET: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/
• Java: https://www.java.com/
• React Miami: https://www.reactmiami.com/
• Taylor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tdesseyn
• Slack: https://slack.com/
• South Carolina Gamecocks: https://gamecocksonline.com/
• Shane Beamer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Beamer
• Virginia Tech: https://www.vt.edu/
• James Franklin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Franklin_(American_football_coach)
• Pennsylvania State University: https://www.psu.edu
• LaNorris Sellers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaNorris_Sellers
• Patrick Mahomes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Mahomes
• Kansas City Chiefs: https://www.chiefs.com/
• NVidia: https://www.nvidia.com/
• Apple: https://apple.com
• Elon Musk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• DHH: https://x.com/dhh/
• Rails: https://rubyonrails.org/
• Bain: https://www.bain.com/
• McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/
• Netlify: https://www.netlify.com/
• Barstool Sports: https://www.barstoolsports.com/
• Syntax: https://syntax.fm/
• Sentry: https://Sentry.io/
• CodeRabbit: https://www.coderabbit.ai/
• Torc: https://torc.dev
• Torc Community: https://torc.dev/community
• Torc Discord: https://torc.dev/discord

Connect with Taylor

• Website: https://linktr.ee/taylordesseyn
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/tdesseyn

Connect with Jason

• GitHub: https://github.com/jasonetorres
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/TasonJorres

Connect with the hosts

• Robbie Wagner: https://x.com/RobbieTheWagner
• Chuck Carpenter: https://x.com/CharlesWthe3rd
• Adam Argyle: https://x.com/argyleink

Subscribe and stay in touch

• Website: https://whiskey.fm
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whiskey-web-and-whatnot/id1552776603
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19jiuHAqzeKnkleQUpZxDf
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1552776603
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiskeyWebAndWhatnot

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