Career Advisor - Photographer - Podcast Host
Michael
Lane
Smith
About Michael
Michael Lane Smith is a professional recruiter with extensive experience in tech, media, and professional services. He lives in Hollywood, California, and in his spare time, Michael is often hiking the mountains of the West Coast with his dog, Pepper.
Career Contrast: Having over time developed a unique interest in the ecosystem of different jobs, the idea of “Career Contrast” was born: a podcast for the curious to learn about a variety of different careers available to them. From government to private sector, and from corporate to trade jobs, there’s many different paths to making a living. Starting late 2026, a new co-host will be joining this effort.
In each episode Career Contrast hosts a conversation with a different professional, delving into their specific career path, challenges they face, and the unique aspects of their job. The podcast covers a wide range of career-related topics, the job economy and how the world works.
Work Together
1:1 career advising from a professional recruiter who has sat on the hiring side of tech, media, and professional services. Pick a starting point below, or just tell me where you are and where you want to go.
Career Strategy Session
A focused 1:1 working session on where you are, where you want to go, and the concrete next steps to get there.
Resume & LinkedIn Review
A recruiter’s-eye teardown of your resume and LinkedIn — what hiring managers actually see, and what to fix first.
Interview Preparation
Practice and prep for the real thing: story structure, salary talk, and how to handle the questions you’re dreading.
Career Change Navigation
For people moving between industries or functions — translating your experience into a story a new field understands.
Podcast
Career Contrast
A podcast for the curious to learn about a variety of different careers available to them. In each episode, Michael hosts a conversation with a different professional, delving into their specific career path, the challenges they face, and the unique aspects of their job — from government to private sector, corporate to trade jobs, and how the job economy actually works.
Starting late 2026, a new co-host will be joining this effort.
Let me know if you have a story to tell too!
Career Contrast runs on people willing to talk honestly about their work. If your job has a story in it — any job, any level — pitch yourself as a guest.
Pitch yourself as a guest →Recent Episodes
March 28, 2025
Nani Vishwanath
Sr. Strategist, Inclusive Design — REI Co-op
From studying to be an orthodontist to higher ed to DEI and inclusive design — how the field came to be, what jobs exist in it, and how it drives better business.
ListenFebruary 21, 2025
Josh Chinn
Procurement Manager — Spotify
The arc from education to the corporate world, and what procurement actually looks like inside a company like Spotify.
ListenFebruary 7, 2025
Sara Diaz
Sr. Manager, InfoSec and IT — Glossier
From cognitive neuroscience undergrad to cybersecurity leadership — zero trust, multi-factor auth, and breaking into infosec.
ListenFebruary 1, 2025
Conner House
Global Health Sr. Project Manager — PATH
Landing a first job at a global health nonprofit, and the career path of a project manager in global health and technology.
ListenJanuary 28, 2025
Ethan Ludlam
Space Services Software Engineer
The education, skills, and complexity behind software engineering for space services.
ListenJanuary 17, 2025
Sam Najmolhoda
Sr. Environmental Consultant — Trinity Consultants
How he landed the job, what the work is actually like day to day, and the education path into environmental consulting.
Listen