Episode Information
Show NotesThe people you least expect are watching your career. Rhonda Lemke built nearly 30 years in technology on that truth.Her career started at Arthur Anderson, where she worked as a secretary and executive assistant. A mentor asked her at 19 to quit her job, move in with her, and go to college. That moment set everything in motion. From there, Rhonda worked her way through help desk management, 15 years at Accenture in IT consulting and change management, network operations at cars.com and Sears.com, director-level roles at Arthur J. Gallagher and Culinary Health Fund, and eventually Director of Cloud Infrastructure at a healthcare AI company and Caylent, an AWS partner. She earned her MBA at 52. She is now in real estate in Las Vegas.The through-line in every move was not technical expertise. It was the ability to read a room, communicate across teams, and earn trust before she needed it.WHAT RHONDA DOES NOW:After nearly 30 years in technology, Rhonda recently transitioned to real estate in Las Vegas. Her technology career spanned help desk management, IT consulting, network operations, service management, and cloud infrastructure. She holds an AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification and an MBA.KEY INSIGHTS FROM THIS CONVERSATION:Advocacy Works Both WaysThe people who moved Rhonda’s career forward weren’t her closest work friends, they were the ones quietly watching her work ethic from across the room.Soft Skills Are Harder to Teach Than Technical SkillsShe was hired into technical roles without the technical qualifications because hiring managers knew she could communicate under pressure and translate between engineers and the business.Ego Can Block Your Best OpportunityPride almost stopped her from taking a step down in title at cars.com, the one move that opened every director-level role that followed.EQ Is a Skill, Not a GiftShe learned to read rooms, manage tension, and stay observant growing up in an unpredictable home and didn’t realize until later that those were professional superpowers.The Machine Behind the LeaderLooking like the smartest person in the room has nothing to do with being the smartest, it’s about having the right people around you and knowing how to activate them.Never Disqualify Someone on Paper Credentials AloneThe Pizza Hut manager who couldn’t fill her Sears.com night shift on paper ended up being one of the best hires she ever made, because he was building Linux servers in his basement.TOPICS COVERED:• Starting in tech as a secretary with no technical background• Building a help desk and ITSM system from scratch in Lotus Notes• 15 years at Accenture – internal mobility and consulting work• Why soft skills open more doors than technical certifications in leadership• Overcoming ego to take a step down in title• Developing emotional intelligence through childhood adversity• What real mentorship looks like (Marine boss, Friday affirmations)• The polar vortex that triggered a move from Chicago to Las Vegas• Navigating organizational politics in unionized environments• Hiring the Pizza Hut manager who became a NOC team leader• Getting an AWS certification and MBA later in career• Why the people you least expect are watching your career• What the job market in 2025 actually looks like for experienced professionalsWHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR:• IT professionals trying to move from technical roles into leadership• Anyone considering a career pivot later in life• New managers who are still too technically hands-on• Professionals navigating politically charged organizations• Job seekers trying to use soft skills to compete in technical interviews• Anyone who has let ego or pride block a good opportunityCONNECT WITH RHONDA LEMKE:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondalemke/ABOUT CAREER DOWNLOADS:Career Downloads explores technology careers through conversations with professionals who share their journeys, lessons learned, and practical advice.