Career Flair: Are You Business Ready?

Career paths are rarely linear. In this episode, host Ryan speaks with Jaclyn Kung , Director of Career Development for professional master's programs at the UC Irvine School of Information and Computer Sciences, about how students can navigate the job search with intention and confidence. Jaclyn shares her own unconventional journey—from law school to retail leadership at Target, and eventually i...

In this episode, host Chi sits down with entrepreneur Karim Al-Gabarty , founder of the financial startup Aallie , to discuss his journey from mechatronics engineering to building a technology company. Karim explains how frustration with repetitive financial modeling tasks led him to develop a platform that helps startup founders better understand their business through simplified financial tools....

In this episode of Career Flair , we welcome back UCI alumnus and storytelling coach Jay Golden ,  to explore why the most powerful tool in your career toolbox isn't your GPA—it's your story . Jay shares his journey from running a childhood car wash to managing a binocular business at the LA Forum and eventually creating his own career as a storytelling consultant when he realized the "job" he wan...

Welcome to Career Flair , the podcast for undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students looking to find—or create—their ideal career path. Broadcasting from the UC Irvine Entrepreneur Center , host Ryan sits down with UCI alum and entrepreneur Jeff Henning to discuss what employers are really looking for in today's competitive job market. In this episode, Jeff shares his journey from growing up in Eas...

In this episode of Career Flair, we talk with Cameron Geller, a PhD candidate in cancer biology at UC Irvine, about what it really takes to pivot from academia to industry. After years focused on becoming a research professor, Cameron began rethinking his path and landed a competitive internship at AbbVie, stepping into an entirely new field while balancing family life and the pressure to perform....

In this episode of Career Flair: Are You Business Ready? , host Chi Rey sits down with UCI alum and viral content creator Henna Noor to talk about the feeling most high achievers don't admit out loud, imposter syndrome. Henna shares what it's like to succeed publicly while privately wondering if it's all a prank. As visibility increases, so does the pressure. Instead of waiting for confidence to a...

In this episode of Career Flair: Are You Business Ready? , host Ryan Foland sits down with Miguel Caballero, a software engineering manager at the AI startup Harmonic, to explore what it really means to build a career across big tech and entrepreneurship. Miguel shares his journey from competing in the Microsoft Imagine Cup to landing an internship that moved him from Spain to Ireland and eventual...

In this episode of Career Flair: Are you business ready? Host Jennifer Ellinger sits down with Dr. Stephanie Narrow , a Humanities PhD from UC Irvine and current Engagement Manager at Talent Compass . Stephanie shares her personal journey from aspiring museum curator to B2B recruiting , exploring how a background in history translates into significant business value .   The conversation dives deep...

In this podcast interview, Benan Yuceer discusses his experience working as a  Talent Acquisition Leader at Taco Bell to founding BeYu Wellness, a holistic coaching practice. In this episode, we'll explore what emotional intelligence really means, how culture and mindset influence it, and practical ways you can develop it whether you're preparing for interviews, leading teams, or stepping into ent...

Are you business ready? In this episode of Career Flair , host Jennifer Ellinger is joined by Brad Gray , an industry veteran boasting over 35 years of experience in the biotech and medical device sectors at global powerhouses such as Baxter, Abbott, and Johnson & Johnson .   Together, they dive into one of the most daunting aspects of the job search: the behavioral interview . While these intervi...

How can you thrive in a professional landscape that is constantly being reshaped by technology?   In this episode of Career Flair: Are You Business Ready? , host Jennifer Ellinger sits down with Jeremy Schifeling ,  to explore the intersection of human potential and artificial intelligence .   Drawing on his extensive background at LinkedIn , his experience launching startups, and his success as a...

How do you build a personal brand that truly stands out in a crowded market?   In this episode of  Career Flair: Are You Business Ready?, host Jennifer Ellinger sits down with Dr. Jill Wells , the Associate Director of Career Education at UC Irvine's Division of Career Pathways .   Drawing from her 20 years of experience in education and leadership, Dr. Wells shares practical strategies for develo...

In the debut episode of Career Flair: Are You Business Ready , hosts Ryan Foland and Jennifer Ellinger pull back the curtain on why this podcast was created and what it means to be "business ready." They share real-world networking tips, stories from campus and beyond, and why your next opportunity is more likely to come from a conversation than a job board. Tune in to learn how to build authentic...