Work Like A Laker

Your part-time job is valuable! In this episode, hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin will teach you how to tailor your experience to get you one step closer to a full-time job. Career Center Graduate Student, Katie Cwiakala joins to play the informational game, “Transfer That Skill!”  Additional Resources:  NACE Study  Read the full transcript here. #parttimejob #jobs #resumes #jobexperience #car...

Is the Secret Service portrayed accurately in Hollywood? In this WLAL episode, Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin interview GVSU Alum Ben Witt, a former Secret Service Agent. You'll also learn how to alter your resume and apply for government jobs. Resources: Federal Resume Sample Human & Public Service Career Community Read the full transcript here. #government #governmentcareers #secretservice #...

Megan Riksen and Brian Bossick are joined by former GVSU Career Connector, MacKenzie Payton to discuss the importance of informational interviewing. An informational interview is a conversation with an industry professional to learn about their career experience to further your own career exploration. Mackenzie shares insight on how to initiate conversations with professionals and remain connected...

Join Megan Riksen & Grace Joaquin as they discuss how to gather information about a workplace culture before stepping foot into the organization. In this episode, you will hear from Auto-Owners Insurance and Fifth Wheel Freight (FWF) to get to know how they define workplace culture. Learn interview questions to ask employers in order to gain a better understanding of their environment. Notes:...

In this episode, hosts Megan Riksen & Grace Joaquin cover different interview formats including phone, traditional one-on-ones, second round, virtual, panel or team, group, off-site, multiple mini (MMI), and career fair. To guide you through these interviews, they also discuss types of questions that you could be asked. Stay tuned to the end for a fun surprise!  Indeed’s article, “20 Common In...

Megan Riksen and Brian Bossick discuss the two main healthcare pathways: clinical and nonclinical. They interview GVSU alumnus, Rob Ayotte, who shares his experience at Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health) and how he navigated the nonclinical field. From this episode, you can find out if a clinical or nonclinical pathway is a good fit for you! Resources: ExploreHealthCareers.org O*NET OnLine Read...

Conquer your Career Fair nerves with Megan Riksen, Grace Joaquin, and Cindy Brown as they cover tips on starting conversations with employers. Learn more about ways you can stand out to an employer and show off your skills. #careerfair #professionaletiquette #whattowear #followup #interviewing #career #worklikealaker #gvcareers Read the full transcript here.

Wondering what to wear to work? Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman cover the Do’s and Don’ts of workplace dress. In this episode, you’ll learn how you can represent yourself and your employer in both a comfortable and work appropriate manner.  #businesscasual #whattowear #professional #dresscode #career #worklikealaker #gvcareers #gvsu Read the transcript here.

In this BONUS episode of the podcast, Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman give an introduction to career communities at GVSU.  They cover what career communities are, how to get involved, and why they are beneficial to all students at GVSU. Career Community Homepage Sign up for a Career Community Not sure which community to join?: Take our quiz! #gvsu #careercommunities #gvcareers Read the full transcr...

Join Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman as they discuss how to land an internship and how internships are beneficial to navigating career planning. They interview GVSU alumna, Caylie Peet, who shares her experience completing seven internships and gives students advice on what to take away from these opportunities. Tune in for some trivia and learn how valuable internships can be.  #gvcareers #worklik...

Special guest Nick Claus joins Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman as they discuss what to expect and what to learn from your first post-graduate job. They each will cover their post-graduate career journeys and what valuable skills they learned at some of their not-so-perfect jobs. Read the full transcript here. #dreamjob #expectations #postgraduate #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gvcareercent...

Join Brian Bossick and Megan Riksen as they discuss how failure can be turned into learning and career opportunities. Plus, listen to special guest and Career Center Director Troy Farley share a few stories about his own professional failures and how he bounced back from them. Read the transcript here. #failure #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gvcareers #worklikealaker #adulting #howto #gra...

Brian Bossick and Megan Riksen discuss how to intervene in situations involving microaggressions or other harmful workplace behaviors. Learn about “The Five D’s” and how to Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and be Direct in difficult situations. Resources: I Holla Back (now named Right to Be) Bystander Training #microaggressions #intervention #workplace #behavior #handshake #career #professiona...

Are you unsure of what degree path you want to take, but know you just want to help people no matter what? Join Megan Riksen and Brian Bossick as they discuss the myriad ways you can help people in education, healthcare, business, and more. Resources: Pathway U Career Communities Read the full transcript here. #help #healthcare #business #communityservice #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gv...

Join Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman as they cover behavioral-based interviewing and the STARR Method of answering this style of interview question. From this episode, you’ll learn how to confidently and thoroughly answer interview questions and impress employers. Resources: Big Interview GVSU Career Center Interviewing Website Read the full transcript here. #STARRMethod #bbi #behavioralbasedinterv...

Join Megan Riksen, Brian Bossick, and Grace Pushman as they discuss toxic workplaces. Topics include some of the hosts’ personal experiences, the signs of a toxic workplace, and what to do if you find yourself working in one. Read the full transcript here. #toxicworkplace #burnout #sundayscaries #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gvcareercenter #worklikealaker #adulting #howto #graduation #ed...

Join Megan Riksen and Grace Pushman as they debunk some of the most common student myths about working in office jobs. Topics include being stuck in cubicles, what defines hands-on work, and the dreaded “business professional” dress code. Read the full transcript here. #mythbusting #officejobs #handshake #career #professional #job #gvcareercenter #worklikealaker #adulting #howto #graduation #educa...

Do you ever feel like you’re going through the same established, boring routine every day? You might be stuck in a rut! Join Megan Riksen and Brian Bossick as they discuss how to break out of the funk and get motivated to try something new! Resources: GVSU Counseling Center's Self-Help Directory Read the full transcript here. #motivated #motivation #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gvcareers...

Megan and Grace discuss tips for helping your resume make it past the applicant tracking system, commonly called ATS, when applying for positions online. This episode covers how to spot if a company is using an ATS, how to utilize keywords from job descriptions, and how to format your resume to make sure it passes an ATS scan. Read the full transcript here. #ATS #applicanttracking #handshake #care...

In this episode, Megan and Grace discuss the huge variety of career paths within business. They are joined by Lori Staggs, Associate Director in the Career Center, and career advisor for the Seidman College of Business. Lance and Rayanne Beaudry from Avalanche Creative share their experience as entrepreneurs. The functional areas of accounting, human resources, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance...

In this episode, Megan and Grace cover how study abroad experiences can enhance your resume, and how they can be mentioned in interviews to set yourself apart from other candidates. Topics include how to reference study abroad experiences in answers to common interview questions, the STARR method, how to use study abroad to prepare for interviews, and why you should show excitement when discussing...

In this episode, Megan and Grace discuss introductions and how to make a great first impression with potential employers. Topics include how to research potential employers, how to practice your introduction, how to perfect a handshake, and what you should do after introducing yourself. Read the full transcript here. #introduction #handshake #career #professional #jobs #gvcareercenter #worklikeala...

In this episode, Brian and Megan cover tips and tricks for creating a well-crafted personal statement! Learn about the two types of personal statements, what you should include/avoid in your own personal statement, and how a personal statement can set you apart from the competition. Resources: Writing Personal Statements Fred Meijer Center for Writing Career Center Read the full transcript here. #...

Welcome to Season 4 of the Work Like a Laker podcast!  Did you know that 91% of employees would consider quitting a job within the first month? On today's episode Brian, Grace, and Megan cover the "do's" and "don'ts" when starting any job to help you navigate being a new employee. #gvcareers #worklikealaker #newjob Read the full transcript here.

In this episode, Brian and Megan cover topics related to preparing for life after college. Topics include: avoiding comparisons, building healthy habits, evaluating information, learning for a lifetime, and considering long-term goals. Additional Resources: GVSU Career Center Money Smart Lakers 5 Ways to Improve Your Social Media Presence #worklikealaker #adulting #firstjob #gvcareercenter Read th...