Work Like A Laker

Work is hard, but it shouldn’t be completely draining. The right career will feel energizing and exciting, because the right career will align with your core values — but what are your core values, and how do you know if a job aligns with them? In this episode of Work Like a Laker, hosts Megan Riksen and Dani Lauer dive into the process of identifying your values with special guest Renata Ellis, c...

Most people associate having a career with sitting at a desk from nine to five, but if that doesn’t sound appealing, a career working outside might be more your style. In this episode of Work Like a Laker, hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin dive into the realities of going into an outdoor career. From the benefits working outdoors can offer to the specific job titles and industries you should ke...

So you have— or are about to have— a bachelor’s degree in psychology. What now? Maybe you’ve heard that you need a graduate degree to “do anything,” or that the only possible careers for your degree are therapists and counselors. If those aren’t your plans, don’t worry, because this episode of Work Like a Laker is here to debunk all of those rumors.  From the skills you’ve gained to the jobs you q...

It’s time for another Intern Takeover, hosted once again by the GVSU Career Center interns for the 2025-26 year: Shea Hannigan, Sofia Pratt, Denys Zamaraiev, Brody Zondervan, and Callie Zwart! In this special episode of Work Like a Laker, the interns take a closer look at the realities of jobs that are popular on social media. While it may seem like the perfect job in a thirty-second clip online,...

Welcome to the 100th episode of the Work Like a Laker podcast! To celebrate this occasion, we’ve put together a very special episode for you that takes place in a very special location. That’s right— for the first time ever, this podcast is going on the road! Over the summer, hosts Megan Riksen, Grace Joaquin, and Dani Lauer travelled up north to beautiful Traverse City. With its stunning natural...

Passions change. Interests shift. Maybe you were set on a career and now you’re realizing that’s not what you want to do. Maybe you’re interested in a field that seems completely different from your current major. Maybe you’re feeling burned out. Change can be scary, but it can also be worth it. In today’s episode of Work Like a Laker, hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin are joined by Dave Bengry...

To any student interested in applying (or reapplying) to secondary admission programs here at GVSU, we know that the process for being accepted is an intimidating one. How important is a high GPA? How can a candidate stand out in highly competitive programs? What will the interview look like, and how can you prepare? Today, host Megan Riksen is joined by special guests Mike Saldana, Director of St...

Did you know that people with a professional mentor are promoted five times faster than people without one? It’s not surprising when you consider all the fantastic benefits of having a mentor, from an expanded professional network to personalized guidance on your career goals. But what is a mentor, and how do you get one? In today’s episode of Work Like a Laker, all of your questions will be answe...

Today’s episode of Work like a Laker is an extra-special episode, because it has some extra-special hosts. It’s time for the Intern Takeover episode, hosted by the GVSU Career Center interns for the 2025-26 year: Shea Hannigan, Sofia Pratt, Denys Zamaraiev, Brody Zondervan, and Callie Zwart! In this episode, the interns lead the discussion on professionalism in the workplace. Entering a profession...

How do you succeed in graduate school? Whether you’re currently a graduate student or you’re considering a graduate program for the future, you’ve probably had this question bouncing around in your head. Luckily, today’s episode of Work Like A Laker is here to help. Host Megan Riksen is joined by Erica Hamilton, Vice Provost for Distributed Learning and Dean of The Graduate School at GVSU, and Mol...

On today’s episode of Work Like a Laker, hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin take a closer look at how neurodivergence factors into the workforce. Whether you’re a neurodivergent individual preparing to enter the workforce or you’re an employer wanting to create a more inclusive environment, this episode will give you some great information— along with some helpful tips and resources. Later, Davi...

Entering the workforce can feel terrifying, especially when you have no idea what employers are looking for. What will make you stand out in a competitive job market? What do employers want to see on resumes? What are you supposed to do in the interview? In today’s episode of Work Like A Laker, host Megan Riksen is joined by special guests Lisa Zimmerman, Human Resource Manager at John Ball Zoo, a...

When it comes to the healthcare field, gaining experience is as necessary as it is daunting. Today, host Megan Riksen is joined by Meghan Veltri and Stephanie Dombrowski-Jensen, Assistant Directors and Career Advisors for the Healthcare Career Community– and they know that you have questions. How do you gain experience? Where do you gain experience? What do you do if an experience makes you recons...

Your future career is filled with endless possibilities… and also endless unknowns. On today’s episode, hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin tackle those unknowns with the career exploration tools O*NET and CareerOneStop– free websites that offer career assessments, salary information, job outlook data, and so much more. Whether you want to learn more about your dream career or are exploring your...

While we love to give our best advice on how to successfully earn the position of your dreams, there’s a stage of the job search process that is rarely discussed but just as important to address: recovering from job rejection. During this episode of the Work Like a Laker Podcast, hosts Megan Riksen and Dani Lauer will take you through their top five tips on how to bounce back from rejection as an...

As busy college students with an academic workload and little time to spare, it can be difficult to figure out how to juggle school and career planning all at once - but what if you also add athletics into the mix? Now THAT’s a whole new ball game.  On today’s Work Like a Laker Podcast episode, Megan Riksen, Grace Joaquin, and GVSU softball alum Hannah Beatus are hitting all of the bases on making...

In 2025, it’s safe to say most of us use artificial intelligence everyday: to get directions in traffic, to find new streaming recommendations, to unlock our phones… the list could go on and on. But how can we use this tool as job seekers? On today’s Work Like a Laker Podcast episode, Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin outline how you can use AI intentionally, responsibly, and successfully to support...

It’s a VERY common misconception that your career path has to align with your major - while this may be the case for some fields, like nursing or engineering, a majority of post-graduate opportunities are available to job seekers with various degrees. Still, how do you know which path to choose? How do you know which jobs you qualify for? What if you want to explore different options or hone a cer...

This special-edition episode of the Work Like a Laker podcast is hosted by the “Sensational Six” members of the 2024-25 GVSU Career Center Intern Cohort: Sheridan Maske, Katie Chitwood, Le Nguyen, Gracie Roginski, Shelby Huerta, and Lauryn Babb.  This takeover episode is all about the GVSU Career & Internship Fair! For those who haven’t attended one of these amazing events in the past, the Car...

If you’re applying to a new job or graduate school program, it’s a safe bet that “leadership skills” will appear high on the list of applicant qualifications. But we have to ask: what is a leader, and what skills define one? Why is it one of the most-asked-for skillsets from supervisors? And perhaps the most burning question: what does a candidate include on a resume to show they’re a leader? If y...

Join co-hosts Megan Riksen and Grace Joaquin as they sit down with Caitlin Horrocks, author of one of Wall Street Journal’s Top Ten Books of 2019 and member of the GVSU Writing Department, to talk about all things books! From discussing her writing process to giving listeners advice on breaking into the publishing industry, Caitlin unshelves all the secrets to a successful writing career. This boo...

On today’s Work Like a Laker episode, our hosts Megan Riksen and Dani Lauer get the chance to interview one of the 1300+ adult learners that are on our GV campus; and she just so happens to be one of our awesome Career Center interns, Shelby Huerta! Listen now to get an introduction to the students who bring diverse perspectives and experience to the classroom, hear firsthand about Shelby’s experi...

This November, the Career Center held our ever-popular annual Etiquette Dinner to teach students the best practices for fine dining in professional settings. From learning which fork to use to how to properly butter bread, 150 GVSU students got the opportunity to put these skills into practice.  If you weren’t part of the fun this time around, don’t worry! The Work Like a Laker podcast team has ta...

If you’ve ever wondered what working in a lab actually entails, you’re not alone! From medical to environmental, there are many kinds of laboratories that offer diverse opportunities for students. Host Megan Riksen and special guests Dana Vaughan, Meagan Eggebeen, and Sara Brown break down how different labs are run, what day-to-day work looks like, and what you can do now to prepare for your futu...

The problem: Building your resume with professional experiences is key to making your application stand out, but you don’t have the time to fit extra activities into your already jam-packed schedule.  The solution: Micro-internships! Whether you’re limited on time or simply want to test out a potential career path, these short-term opportunities are the perfect way to gain experience without compl...