Career Bites Podcast

They put the “care” in “deathcare”. Also called funeral directors, morticians are a one (wo)man show - they do everything from sell caskets and write obituaries, to embalming and dissection, to hair and makeup. So I asked Kari Northey, a mortician with decades of experience, for the dirt on what it takes to work in a funeral home. How did she wind up in deathcare as a career? What do you learn in...

Can work be more calling than career? It is for Anna Parker, a realtor and this episode’s featured guest. Her journey from stay-at-home mom to real estate boss is full of twists and turns you have to hear to believe! What are realtors really doing for their clients beyond opening doors? What takes up most of a realtor’s time? And how do some realtors find listings their clients love but didn’t kno...

One man’s trash is another man’s career. In this episode, Thorin Meyer, a garbage truck driver and content creator in Nebraska, spills the tea on waste management. What is the strangest thing he’s ever picked up on a route? How annoying is improper bin placement? And are there any perks to being a garbage man? Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you wan...

There’s a career behind each voice you hear on the radio. So how does one get the chance to work behind the microphone? In this episode, we’ll hear from Brittany Butryn, a morning radio show host in Erie, Pennsylvania, about just that. How much creative freedom does a radio host have? What do they do when they aren’t on air? And how is the radio industry keeping up with social media and video stre...

You likely underestimate what optometrists do for their patients. When they aren’t asking “Is 1 better or 2?”, optometrists are flexing their eye expertise to tease out elusive diagnoses. And short of performing surgery, they are a one-stop resource for eye health. So I asked Dr. Colin Hunsaker , an optometrist in southern Utah, to spill the tea on optometry. What is optometry school like? What’s...

In this cut-throat job market, having an effective resume is key to catching a recruiter’s eye. In this bonus episode, HR expert Suzanne Lucas gives her insider knowledge on what makes a good resume - and what will certainly get your resume tossed in the bin. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to feature. Find Suzanne Lucas on her website T...

Companies are led and operated by humans - fallible, biased humans from all walks of life. And it is up to a company’s human resources (HR) department, to make sure these people are not only following the rules, but also protected from the poor decisions of their coworkers. This can sometimes make them unpopular. But that hasn’t stopped HR expert Suzanne Lucas from helping other HR administrators...

The phrase “ blood is thicker than water ” certainly holds true for Thomas Kim, a captain in the United States Army stationed in Virginia. As you’ll hear in the episode, there’s nothing like shared trauma to create a life-long bond with another human being. So I asked Thomas why he chose army life and what it’s really like to serve in the military. What type of personality makes you a successful s...

Bryan Norton is a real tough guy - he was once an Army Ranger, a SWAT team member, and a police sergeant. But he says that his best asset on the job was his mind. Police work is not as it seems, so I asked Bryan what it’s really like. How do officers deal with the trauma they experience? What is it like to train at the police academy? And should young people really consider careers in law enforcem...

When it comes to choosing a career, sometimes it’s best to look beyond your interests. This led therapist Mallory Douge to a profession she not only loves, but at which she excels. Mallory Douge is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) at a community center in Washington State. What does a mental health counselor do every day? What personality traits make you successful in this field? And how...

Dr. Marcus Dela Cruz is a small animal veterinarian in California who loves his job. So much so, that he shares his passion and expertise on social media as The Friendly Vet . What do you do when a counselor advises you against your goals? What does a vet think about after work hours? How do you avoid burnout from school or work? Find Dr. Marcus on Instagram . Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Se...

Lily Bullock is a project manager for the multinational healthcare solutions company Phillips. She has achieved everything she has set her mind to, from business case competitions in college, to creating life-improving technologies at Phillips, to her own personal business endeavors. What do project managers do every day? Is an MBA degree worth it? And what’s the one question Lily wants you to ask...

Dale Cox was a food scientist for over 20 years, working for major companies like Nabisco, Kellogg’s and Post. Now, he shares his food science knowledge through his own line of educational resources. Rachael and Dale talk about finding a career that blends passion with practicality, how he was talked out of going to medical school, and his role in the development - and eventual reintroduction - of...

Laura Fleming is an actress and TV presenter from the UK, and an amazing example of grit. She shares with Rachael the hard work that happens before landing a role, how she deals with imposter syndrome, and her tangential career touring as a member of a three-part-harmony singing group. Find Laura on Instagram . Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you wa...

Rachael is joined by Caleb Hatch, an attorney in Washington State working for a law firm specializing in intellectual property and commercial litigation. Caleb shares how a poster gave him the push he needed to pick a career, the breadth of intellectual property cases, and tips for getting through law school. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want...

Angie Rosier is a certified doula and doula instructor in North Carolina. She shares with Rachael what it means to prepare expectant mothers - and their loved ones - for childbirth, how she discovered the profession after having her own babies, and the physical and emotional demands of the job. Find Angie’s doula services on Instagram . Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have a...

Rachael first met Jonathan Canlas, a film photographer in Utah, when he shot her bridal photos over a decade ago. They reconnect to talk about the intentionality of shooting in film versus digital, how to find your creative voice, and what a week on his calendar looks like (he does a lot of traveling). Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to...

Leah Bishop is the founder of Royal Bees Cookies, a custom sugar cookie company she launched in the winter of 2020. Rachael and Leah discuss the importance of passion in maintaining a small business, finding your tribe on social media, and having the courage to take new career paths. Find Royal Bees Cookies on Instagram . Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a ca...

Teaching doesn’t happen just in the classroom. As Nathan Kristjanson will tell you, corporations need education as well. He shares with Rachael how he creates and delivers training, what he’s learned from mistakes in networking, and how he has overcome social anxiety. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to feature. Episode originally aired o...

Ella French works for MilliporeSigma, a major supplier in the life sciences industry. Together, Rachael and Ella talk about everything from bioreactors, the value of personal integrity, and company culture. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to feature. Episode originally aired on 03/01/2021 This is a public episode. If you would like to di...

Rachael explores the job of a 3D artist with Kenwood Huh of Infuse Medical. Kenwood shares his roundabout career path from a young studio photographer to a college drop out to an award-winning animator. How do you turn your knack for finding beauty into a career? How do you build a portfolio despite project failures? Why is it important to feed your creativity outside work hours? Follow Career Bit...

Like an architect designs a building, an urban planner designs a city. In this episode, Rachael talks with one such urban planner for Arlington County in Virginia, Courtney Badger about gathering community input, negotiating with third-party developers, and how she made a career course correction during college. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you w...

William McMurray is Deputy General Counsel for the governor of Utah. This week, Rachael uncovers the brutal realities of law school, which field of law has the most job security, and why the law will always be waiting for anyone looking for a career change. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to feature. Episode originally aired on 02/08/202...

Mary-Beth Nelson is a health and safety advisor for a large mining company, Rio Tinto Kennecott, and a former hospital emergency manager. Together, Rachael and Mary-Beth discuss the advantages of an online education, Mary-Beth’s role as an influencer (not the social media kind), and how a suggestion from Mom led her to a fascinating new field. Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you...

Rachael opens about her own career story and what inspired her to start the Career Bites Podcast. How did a part-time college job inspire a whole new career trajectory? What are the pitfalls of switching industries? And what can hindsight teach us? Follow Career Bites on Instagram ! Send us a DM if you have an idea for a career you want us to feature. Episode originally aired on 01/25/2021 This is...