Smalls Talk: How to Land a Job

Saray Smalls: Hey everyone it’s Saray Smalls and this is Smalls Talk. This podcast is designed to be the ultimate quickie that will provide you with the energy you need to make informed decisions concerning your total well-being as a college student. Each episode of Smalls Talk will feature one of the eight dimensions of wellness including social, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, and financial. Today’s episode focuses on occupational wellness which includes the exploration of career options as it relates to individual talents, the ability to achieve balance between work life and personal life and the ability to manage stress as it relates to the workplace. Today’s topic is how to prepare for an interview. I would like to welcome my co-host Erika Cary and Gerrilyn Mitchell are both assistant directors with the career development center. Welcome guys, how are you all doing today?

Gerrilyn Mitchell & Erika Cary: Doing well thanks for having us.

SS: Of course these are two of my favorite people. You all are probably going to hear me say that on every episode of the podcast because I just love everybody. Talking about the Career Development Center can you all tell me a little bit about the goals of the center and where is it located on campus?

Erika Cary: Sure maybe we can just break this up into Career Exploration and Career Development and I can take Career Exploration because they are in two different locations. Underneath the umbrella of Career Development one of the facets is career exploration and that is located right outside of McAllister’s and you’ll see our career exploration office. For those who have been here for a while it was also called Peer Career, but it has been Career Exploration for the past few years. That is really targeted toward folks who are maybe in the more trying to decide what major is right for them or doing some career exploration such as “I know I want to be a Psychology major, but I don’t know what I can do with that” so that’s a really great place to start. Thinking about counseling through the Career Exploration office is really thinking about your interest, your personality, your values, your skills and all of those important pieces that go into choosing a major and a career.

SS: You said McAllister’s and that is on the second floor of the Student Union, right?

EC: Yes, on the second floor of the union and you can stop in at any time. It is open from 10am until 5pm on Monday thru Thursday and from 10am until 12pm on Friday. Most of the time when you stop in you can make an appointment for later that day or the next day. They’re really a great office to communicate with. They have undergraduate interns and professional staff there to help every student with where they are at and their career exploration process.

Gerrilyn Mitchell: The Career Development Center is over in the John E. Thomas Building on the third floor, admissions side. If you take that elevator up to the third floor you will walk right into our lobby. The career development center is the place you want to go when you know what you want to major in and now you are ready to take those next steps. Whether that is applying for an internship, writing your resume, maybe getting information for application processes for grad school. Everything after that exploration piece is over you’ll want to get at the Career Development Center

EC: We also have the Office of Student Employment, it is up on the third floor. A lot of students ask us about which falls underneath our umbrella. For students that are looking for a job on or off campus, work study or not, we think the student employment process is an important piece of the career development process, because it teaches you a lot of those really transferable skills into life after college.

SS: Cool, today’s topic basically came about -- I’ve had the opportunity to spend the last couple of months on a search committee with Gerrilyn. For those of you that are listening, a search committee is basically all of the people you will engage with at some point during the interview process. I think on our search committee we have about eight different people that sit around and will interview a candidate for example. I was thinking about all these do’s and don’ts during interviews, so typically when someone interviews it is like “oh my gosh! Stellar, gold star you did x, y, and z then in other situations you’re like oh my gosh I can’t believe you did that. Red flag! Don’t ever do that again.” I remember thinking if I would have had all of this information when I was a student in college then maybe I would have been a little more successful in some of the things I interviewed for. College students are typically interviewing for internships, part-time jobs, student orgs, if it requires one and even their professional career. Thinking about your time back as a college student can you guys tell us, me and the listeners, about the worst interview you ever had? So tell me a time when you were being interviewed and it was just horrible. I already have mine in my head.

GM: I can tell you that when I came here at App to interview it wasn’t the worse interview because my ability, but actually because of my outfit choice.

EC: That’s mine too!

GM: I wore a -- I was thinking I was coming from the beach and I was like it is the mountains and it’s May it’s going to be a little chilly up there. So I wore a lined suit and then had to walk across campus to meet with some of the people that were interviewing me. By the time I got across campus from the JET building to the Student Union I was dripping sweat. I was so embarrassed. I was thinking I can’t take this blazer off because I’m just gross. Luckily the person who was walking me across campus did allow me to use the ladies room to blot my face off, but I chose the absolute wrong suit to wear in May, in Boone.

SS: So outfits matter! Not so much because you are going to be judged on what you are wearing, but you want to be comfortable.

EC: I’m also in this same boat. I didn’t interview here, but I did interview at another university that was very hilly and I made the wrong shoe choice. It was so bad that my ankle was bleeding and you could tell through my nude shoes that there was blood all over the back of my shoes. So wear flat shoes or be prepared. Also I have had many interviews where I got a run in my pantyhose and I just have to go without them. I would say that has happened to a number of people before, but if you are planning on wearing them pack an extra set in case that happens.

SS: That’s a good tip. I feel like for me -- it is funny we are all talking about our App interviews. When I interviewed here I was told not to wear heels because it is so hilly. Of course I was hard headed and wore my heels, but I actually packed flats. Anytime we walked across campus I made sure to switch my shoes out really fast, but even when I did my presentation I wore my heels and I felt like a boss. That was just me. I think the worst interview I ever had was when I interviewed to be an RA in college. I totally didn’t take it serious, I was like I’m Saray come on you know you’re going to hire me. I thought I was just going to show up and make it happen. I remember not being professionally dressed thinking it was just a resident assistant job and it doesn’t mean much (shout out to all the RA’s on campus). I just thought I didn’t need to dress up, but I remember there were friends of mine who were interviewing me and I was like this is super comfortable. I was just hanging out at the RA interview and I didn’t know any of the answers to any of the questions. They were some abstract ones like “If you were an object in a kitchen, what object would you be?” and I’m like what are you talking about -- I have no idea. Totally bombed that, never was an RA never worked for housing. Shout out to all the people in housing. It wasn’t for me. Thinking back to those times when we are interviewing let’s talk about what to do before, during and after an interview to be successful. What would you all say are some great things to do prior to going to your interview?

GM: I would say definitely research. Research the company that you’ve applied to that you are interviewing for. If you can get the names of the people that you are going to be interviewing with research them whether through LinkedIn, the company website or Google, whatever you can do to know what you are walking into and who you are going to be talking to. Be able to even build small talk off of the research that you are doing on the people that you are interviewing with.

EC: If you see on LinkedIn or social media that someone likes, I don’t know any football teams south of New York, the Buffalo Bills for example and you like that as well then if they ask what do you do for fun you could say I enjoy watching the Buffalo Bills. Then all of a sudden that person has something to connect you to beyond the job. I’ve had days where I have interviewed fifteen people.That rapport piece is really important because that’s what is going to make you memorable. Also thinking about it so you know why you want the job and know how you are qualified. Something I like to do, and I have students do, when they are constructing a cover letter for a practice interview is to make a T-chart. On the left side list out all the qualifications for the job. Then on the right, list out what you’ve done or what skill you’ve developed that resonates with that specific piece. Try to think about how am I qualified, why do I want this job and what is this going to do for me? I think going through that thought process ahead of time can help when they ask questions -- because you don’t know what they are going to ask, but you can know why you are qualified and why you want it which, I think is the basis of an interview.

SS: Anything else before?

GM: I think another piece is every interview you go to you will always be asked “tell me a little bit about yourself?” Be able to polish that answer. Nobody needs to know that I was born in 1982 in Scranton, PA, but none of that is pertinent to answer that question. So being able to polish that down and talk a little about your background, what you are currently doing and what your goals are for the future. Just focus on that in your ability to answer that question.

SS: You know it is funny I had an interview once and to this day I don’t remember exactly which one it was, but I remember thinking the first question would be tell me a little bit about yourself. As I was sitting there that wasn’t the first question and I remember thinking how my mind was blown. I thought there was no coming back from this because I was prepared to say “I’m originally from Charleston, SC…” If they don’t ask you that question just be prepared in case you need to throw it in anyway.

EC: I think what we talked about as far as our worst interview situations that professional dress etiquette piece is something you are going to have to think about before you even walk in. I remember one time an employer said that a candidate -- once it gets to a certain point in the process you may be going off site for job interviews. They remember the candidate was sitting in the car doing their hair and doing their makeup and basically getting ready in their car outside. I think that is something where you should arrive at your interview 100% prepared. Don’t be worrying about your hair and your clothes. They notice that and think you are not taking this seriously this is something you should have done a while ago.

GM: Along the lines of that professional dress is knowing the industry that you are going into. Not every job do you have to wear a suit to the interview, but know what is going to be expected of you from day to day and what the people you are going to be interviewing with are going to be wearing. Just make sure you are prepared for that industry that you are going into.

SS: I think along those lines to sitting on the opposite side of the table interviewing people to all those listening please iron your clothes. Just do it, you don't need a full crease, but I hate to see wrinkly clothing during an interview. If you don’t have an iron because I totally understand that there are some folks who don’t have irons, borrow one. Ask a friend, ask a staff person or faculty let them know you have an interview and need an iron. Just do it. Just iron your clothes.

GM: They’re so many people that want to help you.

SS: That is an important point too. They’re people in your corner that want you to be successful on this job interview. Identify those folks and really ask them for help. Can you sit and do a mock interview with me? I’ve done that with friends before. I’ll print off some questions that they might ask based on what the job description is or some things I may have found online and just practice answering those questions for you. Am I using my hands too much, am I saying “um” too much or am I looking at the ceiling and not making eye contact. That’s another good thing you can do right before an interview also.

GM: I’m glad you brought that up. On our website (careers.appstate.edu) we have a software program called Interview Stream, that will record you doing a mock interview. You can go back to look and watch that yourself. You’re interviewing with a computer animated person on the other side, but you can see if you are waving your hands around like a crazy person, twirling my hair, or biting my nails. You can see where you really excel in the interview process and see some of those challenges you may need to work on as well.

EC: I think students and people in general going through interviews, think it is all about content, but I think you know yourself and you know that you are qualified. More important though is your tone, your non-verbals, your attitude and optimism. Your answered content is important as long as it doesn't have major red flags. The other pieces of it can make or break your situation. Then again, thinking about your before piece, preparation and most important the after-piece which we will get to talking about. Your content is important, but if you are a nervous interviewer then practice those other pieces through interview stream.

SS: We have talked about what we want to do before. We want to do our research, think about who our audience is and who we are talking to, consider why we are qualified for this job, what we are wearing and potentially do a mock interviews with those people to support you. Now let’s talk about what to do during an interview. During an interview dos and don’ts, what to you guys think--

EC: Number one for me is eye contact. I know it is awkward and hard sometimes, but I think that can make or break that nonverbal piece. Good posture, eye contact and sounding enthusiastic. There is nothing worse than a monotone or somebody that feels like they don’t fit. I think all those pieces are far more important than anything else. You can make a sound judgement of what the interview is going to be like off of the first question. Setting that tone early on as well.

SS: I think to go along with that the idea of making eye contact; now being someone who has done interviews and interviewed other people. When I ask a question, eye contact is important especially in a group setting because sometimes people will wait for you to finish the question and respond to the entire group. They will make contact with everyone else in the room except for you. So given that person who asked that question to give them that eye contact and thoroughly answer that question so they know you are engaged and you heard them specifically. I think that is important too, what is some other stuff?

GM: I tell everyone that the interview starts the second you enter the parking lot. So if you cut someone off or you don’t thank someone that held the door for you, you never know who that person is going to be. So the minute you pull into that parking lot be on your best behavior, if you will. When you go to the reception desk or talk with an admin, introduce yourself and let them know why you are there. Thank them for helping you, because everyone can have a say. That person you cut off in the parking lot may be the person you end up interviewing with. I interviewed at a place that put me up in a bed and breakfast and the owner of the bed and breakfast was part of my interview. He said they call me after every person has stayed here to ask me how they behave.

EC: That is so smart.

GM: Was I rude to him or the people making the breakfast? That interview starts the minute you step on the property of that place.

EC: I think a really big thing is having questions for the people who are interviewing you. Don’t ask questions about salary or benefits that entitle you to self-gain, but instead showing an interest in the company or school and a future with them. You want to make them see you in that role too, so you want to be asking thorough and thoughtful questions to those interviewers. If you know who those interviewers are, show that you have done your homework. You don’t have to say I saw you like “How I Met Your Mother,” but you can say I’ve seen that you have been here for ten years and how have you seen this company grow and change over that time and why do you stay here? Things that are thoughtful. Don’t have twenty of them, but maybe a handful at your disposal so you can assess the situation and see which questions.

SS: What’s cool about that also, is after I have sat for an hour and asked you a bunch of questions and listened to you talk about you, ask me something about me! People love to talk about themselves! I remember doing one interview where someone asked what my greatest accomplishment in my time at Appalachian. I almost started crying because I recounted the time I got an award and I was so emotional. I just remember thinking, “Why am I emotional right now?” It was because they cared and they took the time to ask me a question about me. It was really cool.

EC: That’s so cool.

SS: What about things you shouldn’t do in an interview? Don’t chew gum. Just don’t do it. Leave it out. Maybe have a breath mint beforehand.

GM: And your cell phone! Put it on silent or turn it off. Leave it in your car. Sometimes that vibration is louder than a ringtone. Just shut that cell phone down.

EC: I think that some people have nervous habits. It’s important to be aware of what those are. We interviewed folks for a position on campus and everybody started off each answer with, “That was a great question.” I thought to myself, “Is every question a great question?”

SS: Of course it is because I asked it.

EC: At some point it becomes so distracting. It’s not a great way to be remembered. That’s why practicing is important. A friend or even someone who doesn’t know you can help. Come see a career counselor. We can tell you. We are broken up by an academic area. We’re really those industry specialists in those areas. We really know, “Okay so you’re applying for a social work master’s program? Let’s talk about some common questions that there are going to be asked of you.” Going to your career counselor is a great start.

SS: Another interview tip a wise person once gave me is, “Facts tell but stories sell.” If you have the opportunity to give information through a story it’s going to stick. They are going to remember that story. It also paints a picture in that person’s brain. Instead of just saying, “Well 30% of our students blah blah blah…” Instead talk about one student that is part of that thirty percent.

EC: I think that story piece is important but also long winded answers can be bad too. All right “land the plane.” I think it all comes back to practice. Do the things you need to do to be prepared and just practice. Sometime it takes students a really bad interview to finally come and see us but who is to say that the interview you just did terrible on couldn’t have been an opportunity for you, but because you were not proactive you missed it. We are available all the time. Even if you are a senior and know you will not be job searching until May, start now. Do one practice interview a month and by the time April rolls around you are going to be 110% confident.

SS: I keep referencing the university setting because that’s where I am right now but even if you are at a major company or corporation something we’re often told is to wear the company colors. When interviewing at Appalachian I remember someone told me I should have worn a gold shirt or black and gold. I actually wore a Carolina blue shirt.

EC: I was going to ask if you wore Carolina blue.

SS: Even though I’m not even a Carolina fan, I am from South Carolina so it’s just not the same but yes I wore a blue shirt and I thought it was great! It thought I looked super awesome. I had on my black suit, so yes. You will be viewed as taking the job serious and taking a real interest in that company if you’re incorporating the colors into your attire.

EC: I agree with that.

SS: Any other interview do’s and don’ts for during an interview?

GM: Remember to be polite and thank them if someone brings you water or offers you lunch. If part of your interview is that lunch, remember to be courteous and grateful and say thank you for their time when you are getting ready to leave that interview as well. Not enough people thank people these days.

SS: You’re right. Thank everyone that you come in contact with. Erika I know you mentioned something earlier about being engaging. I think there is a matter of when to be funny and when not to be funny. Make me laugh. Make me feel like this is the best interview ever, but also know the balance and when to be funny and crack a joke. What jokes are appropriate and what is not appropriate? I think professionals and students fail at that because they don’t have the ability to know their audience or feel their audience out. If you try one joke that doesn’t work it doesn’t mean keep trying. Maybe we’re just not in the mood to hear it.

GM: And like Erika said, you will know the tone of that interview after the first couple of minutes. You will know if this person will be a jokester or doesn’t even want to talk about the weather. You will now.

EC: Your industry might not be a fun industry. If you are going into computer science you’re going to have a technical piece of your interview. I think it’s important to know the company culture. Be perceptive and intuitive when it comes to the people around you.

SS: So we prepared for the interview. We have gone to the interview. What do we do now that the interview is over? I have left the airport or gotten in my car. It’s over. What do I do now?

GM: Thank you.

EC: Yeah thank you notes and emails.

GM: An email is better than nothing but a personalized handwritten thank you card to the person who interviewed you is going to make you stand out because again, nobody says thank you these days. Nobody sends a thank you card. I was telling somebody the other day, I was a recruiter for about two and a half years before I came to Appalachian and interviewed at least ten people a week. Over two and a half years that’s hundreds of people. I have gotten four handwritten thank you cards. I remember those people and they all got a job.

SS: I know someone told me once that they were concerned about the lag time. When I drop this in the mail it’s going to have been a week since the interview. So going ahead and having the outside of the envelope prepared with a stamp on it and before I leave I just drop it in the mail.

GM: If you’re in a different town and you stay at a hotel you can drop it off at the front desk and they’ll mail it for you. If you’re driving through a town or if you’re here and your interview was in Charlotte. That lag time isn’t going to be that bad. If it’s here to California it might be a different story. You can always ask what the next step in the process is. If they tell you they’re looking to hire someone on Friday and it's Wednesday then you probably just send the email. If they are still interviewing for three more weeks then you know you’ll be fine with a thank you note.

EC: The etiquette piece of how you write it is really important too. I’ve gotten thank you emails that were like, “Hey Erika…” First of all knowing how to address somebody appropriately is key. (Continuing) “Thank you for interviewing me.” That is not sufficient. Saying an appropriate thank you that has enough content is important. You can still add on pieces of why you are good for the job in the note. Use it to reinforce that idea. The follow up is not just something that you have to think about with interviews. If you meet someone at a career fair maybe for example from Carolina Healthcare System and you really want to work there. Get their business card. Find them on LinkedIn and send them a message. Say, “Hey it was so great to meet you at the career fest. I really look forward to having the opportunity to meet you again.” Something like that. The follow up is important in life. You never know. The people you meet in your college career are all the people who are connected to professional opportunities. It’s not just the employers who are on campus or your mentor. It could be just someone that you randomly meet who could know someone else. I think that’s so important for students who want to stay in Boone. Boone is a great place to live and there are a lot of students that want to stay here but there is not like a Boone Job Board. It’s about who you know. That’s really the case across the board. It’s all about who you know...not more than what you know but who you know is going to help you get those jobs. I think only 18% of jobs today are posted. That networking and connectedness etiquette piece is so important. I would say from employers the biggest piece of criticism they have of college students in general, not just App State students, but across the board is we live in a digital world so were not familiar with how to correspond over email in a super professional way. If you can do that it will set you apart 500 times from other people who write a poorly written email.

SS: Let me ask you a question to so I have sent my email of thanks or handwritten note and is appropriate to follow up with an employer and at what point? Let’s say it has been a week since the interview, is it okay to check on what the status is? What do you say in that type of email when you’ve noticed it has been a couple of weeks? What do you do?

GM: I would say from having been an employer before, you can follow up with me by all means, but don’t email me and call me daily. That is when it is important to know the timeline of the company. If they say we are going to hire someone on Friday and you haven’t heard from them, but it is now Wednesday of the next week, then it is completely appropriate to follow up even though it has only been a week. If they say they are going to have their final interview in three weeks then wait until a week after that final interview to follow up.

SS: I just had a thought, thinking about during the interview portion, not trying to go backwards. I know we are in such a digital age you’ve mentioned Erika, that a lot of interviews may be video or Skype interviews. Have you guys ever had one of those in your lifetime? I can remember preparation for a Skype interview and someone was like dressed up all the way. I was thinking I would just throw on a nice top and a blazer they are not going to see my pants and shoes. You may have to get up and they can see everything once you stand up, but it also contributes to your presence, tone and posture. It is different if you are completely dressed up. I think that is another tip too is how to prepare for a Skype or video interview. Dressing up completely or just be prepared.

GM: Well just think about if you’re sitting around the house in gym shorts versus sitting around the house in dress pants, how do you feel? I think it's just that mentality as well and some other things, now that we’re on this Skype interview piece, if you’ve got pets or roommates, put them in another room. If you've got posters behind where your desk is make sure that they are appropriate posters. Just be aware of your surroundings, it's not just going to be your face in the screen that they’re going to see, it's going to be everything around. So if you're a messy person, clean your room a little bit. We have interview rooms at the Career Development Center that you can borrow or rent out or use as well so if you give us a little bit of notice, we’ve got the ability for you to Skype or FaceTime in our office in a private, plain, closed door room.

EC: Yeah and I think that just due to our geographic location a lot of employers are moving to this method for on campus recruiting to just do Skype because that saves them a trip up the mountain, but they want App State students, employers love App State students but sometimes it just doesn't work for their schedule. So I think that really becoming familiar with the Skype interview process before that happens is important. And for a lot of students that are studying abroad and are still going through that job or grad school search process go through this as well, so know that that is an option. For students studying abroad their second semester of their senior year and also going through the job search process often panic, there's that adaptability as well.

SS: Okay so we prepared for the interview, we did the interview, we sent our thank you notes, we followed up appropriately and of course we didn't apply for just one job we applied for multiple, so say I hear back from a job that I didn't really want. They’re offering me a position but I’m still holding out for the job I really want. How do you make that decision on whether or not you take this job, or do you wait? What advice do you have for students?

GM: I would say typically a company will not ask you to give them an answer on the spot. So if they called and offer you a position on a Thursday, you could potentially ask them to have until Friday afternoon or even until Monday. Then what I would do, I would call the other company and I would say “I received an offer for another position, but I am really interested in you and I just wanted to know where you are in the process, if a decision has been made, and I want you to know that you are my first choice, so I just need some guidance as to whether or not I’m yours” basically.

SS: That's like putting it on the table, like are you going to hire me or are you not going to hire me because I need to know.

GM: And I think there's nothing wrong with that, with being honest with that company and letting them know that I’ve gotten another job offer, but you’re my first choice so I need to know before I make a decision.

EC: I 100% agree with that answer.

SS: So just to kind of wrap up a bit, you guys know that on every single episode of Smalls Talk you can't just get all this great advice without getting a challenge to go with it. Erika and Gerrilyn have done an awesome job with providing a lot of information on the services and resources available on campus and I’m going to urge you guys to really take advantage of those. Your first challenge is to visit the Career Exploration Center and really determine what type of career is right for you so, determine your major and after you’ve done that, what can you do with this major now that you have committed to it? If you already know what you want to do, you’re already locked into a major, set an appointment with Career Services to have your resume reviewed. Some of you guy’s resumes are trash and I’m okay with saying that. You’re putting little things--just go to Career Services and get it reviewed. I’m sure that both Erika and Gerrilyn will be phenomenal in how to arrange your resume; what to put on it, what not to put on it, what type of language is appropriate, etcetera, so definitely go to Career Services. Also with being in the JET building I know that you guys also do resume clinics over in the Student Union, so if that's coming up and you hear about it take the opportunity, stand in that line and get your resume reviewed and get some really good information there.

EC: and we have drop-ins every day from 2-4pm and so even though you don't make an appointment you can stop by the JET from 2-4. It's only a quick 15-minute thing so maybe you won't get the individualized attention of an appointment but there is that option as well.

SS: So you know, before you take your afternoon nap, just go on over to the JET ∫uilding and get your resume reviewed.

GM: Well Erika and I are such resume nerds that we would be so happy if you came with your resume.

SS: I'm really considering taking my resume to the JET building. And then your third challenge, if you already determined your career, already had your resume reviewed, have a conversation or shadow someone in your preferred field. So once upon a time I wanted to be a doctor and so I shadowed my mom’s oncologist, and that was interesting. It let me know that I don't want to be a doctor, I don't want to work at a hospital and I hate the smell, and it's so sterile-- the best thing about the job was the white coat--I’ll pass. So definitely have that conversation with someone that is in your field and determine whether or not this is a good fit for you. Major takeaways from today's episode, what are some things that you guys have? Things that stuck out to you.

GM: Prepare.

EC: I think etiquette is key. I can't stress the importance of what happens after it, and just having that professional correspondence and that whole process, whether it be through email or in person I think that entire etiquette piece is so important. I’ve sat down with so many students to draft up a prospect letter to somebody who works at a local nonprofit that they really want to have an internship with, so sit down with your career counselor, we can help you write a professional email if you don't know how to do that. That's what we’re here for, we’re not just the resume interview place, we can really help you with anything that you need and if we can't help you, we know how to find the right person to help you. I think sometimes there's a stigma that we’re people in suits in a scary place, but I think we are a warm, fun place that really wants to see you be successful, whatever that path might take. Sometimes you see Career Fest and you think it's all about jobs but if you want to take a gap year and go do Peace Corps, which is huge here, or AmeriCorps and take some time off or if you just want to work a part time job to figure things out when you go home. Whatever it is that your path looks like, we’re here to support you.

SS: And to be honest that's what occupational wellness is all about, the idea of exploring the career that you want. Exploring yourself, exploring what your talents are, what they consist of and how that will fit into a career. What are you bringing to the table? I think that’s a lot of what you guys do in the Career Center, so definitely do that as well. Go to the Career Center, get to know Gerrilyn and Erika, they’re awesome. By the way, do you guys have email addresses or phone numbers that you want to supply our listeners with?

GM: Yeah absolutely. Gerrilyn Mitchell can be emailed at mitchellgb@appstate.edu

EC: Mine is Erika Cary, not to be confused with Jim, John, Mariah or any other Cary’s-- my email is caryem@appstate.edu and again just give us a call, I think our extension is 2180, if it's a student employment question we’ll direct you to the right person. If it's a question about internships, we have an internship coordinator who can also help with that. So just stop in and see us, I know we’re on the other side of campus but we promise to make your visit worthwhile.

SS: Alright so last but not least we have to leave you guys with a song or two, or three. So Erika, Gerrilyn and I were having a conversation about what song we listen to whether it's right before an interview or in the morning before work, just to get pumped up. What song do you guys have for the listeners as a point of motivation that is a win every single time? Something that you can listen to before an interview.

GM: Like I said earlier, I'm a Katy Perry fan so I'm going to go with Firework--or really anything by her or as we mentioned, Lady Gaga, any of that.

SS: Oh yeah, Lady Gaga- Applause-- just do it.

EC: I think mine is Beyoncé- Who Runs the World. You don't have to be female identified to love that song.

SS: Oh no you don't! As a card carrying member of the Beyhive I would just like to say that Flawless is always a go-to for me. If I am walking around campus and you feel like “Saray looks like she is strutting across campus” it's more than likely that Flawless is playing in my head, and I just feel like all of Beyoncé’s superpowers are embedded in my soul and so yes, that would be the song that I have for you all, so go give it a listen. We have Katy Perry- Firework, Katy Perry-Roar, Lady Gaga- Applause and then Beyoncé- Run the World, Beyoncé-Flawless, also as we’re talking about Beyoncé also listen to Jay-Z-Encore, that's on the Black album. So if you feel like you need an encore applause, like “yes, I was awesome” definitely do give him a listen too. So again, thank you Gerrilyn and Erika for joining us today. For all our listeners I really hope that you guys got some really good advice from our episode today and that you go apply it. So, thank you guys so much.

GM & EC: Thank you!