Hidden traps, career strategy and maximising your value. Darren Tompkins
“You can't get anybody to do anything unless they 100% agree to it and believe in it.”
Darren's carrot-based, wrestling-approved hot sauce. Fair warning: it creeps up on you. 🌶️
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Ryan Castle sits down with Darren Tompkins, founder of the Vedra Ray Group, to unpack what really holds technical professionals back from making the leap into people leadership, and it has nothing to do with their qualifications. Drawing on years of experience placing candidates across engineering, construction, and manufacturing, Darren exposes the hidden traps in the hiring process, why cultural fit matters more than the job description, and why showing leadership intent throughout the year beats announcing it at an annual review.
Darren shares three powerful insights: how to look beyond the job posting, why leveraging virtual support is a game-changer for reclaiming your time, and how to think strategically about maximising long-term value, not just your next pay rise. This episode is for engineers, project managers, and technical professionals ready to step into leadership. If you're job hunting, already in the seat, or simply wondering if management is the right move, Darren's honest, no-nonsense perspective delivers a practical roadmap. Oh, and stay till the end for the story behind a carrot-based hot sauce company with a pro-wrestling twist.
👉 Resource: Execution Strength Diagnostic: lvl10.us/execution
