Career Carrots

You can't be what you can't see -- Many people come into university with certain careers in mind, and many people work in careers they never considered after university. 

In this episode, Rob and Vivian are joined by Marissa Gibbard, a Food, Nutrition, and Health alumna from LFS for their first Community Garden episode of season 2. In first-year, Marissa thought she was going to be a teacher. She now works as a research manager in healthcare, at the B.C. Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR). Today she'll be talking about her unexpected journey to working in research administration and how having the opportunity to solve problems with other people in her LFS courses helped shape her career.

(2:17) How Marissa got to where she is today

(4:55) What does a research manager do?

(7:29) What did Marissa wish she knew in first-year?

(16:11) Job application tips for students

(18:32) Behind the scenes of a hiring process

(21:41) How Marissa's experience in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems supported her transition to her career

(25:03) Tips for demonstrating human skills and transferable skills in job applications

(27:23) Takeaways

In this episode Rob and Vivian discuss something that surprised them both about summer jobs -- the hiring cycles! Hear what summer hiring cycles look like at UBC, and how you can prepare for the applications. Vivian and Rob share different opportunities you can apply for at UBC in term 2, and different tips and considerations for your applications. Stayed tuned for the rest of season 2 to hear from different guests from our community garden! 

(1:52) Vivian's advice for her first-year self 

(7:54) Something that surprised Vivian as first gen. university student in Canada (hint, it was the hiring cycles!)

(14:55) Summer hiring cycles from the perspective of a hiring manager

(16:25) Different opportunities to apply for in term 2 at UBC

(19:56) Tips for preparing for summer hiring

(24:21) Takeaways

In this episode, Vivian and Rob give a recap of various career resources available to UBC & LFS students. UBC's Career Fair is on October 6, 2022 from 11:00am-4:00pm! Vivian has never been to a career fair, and she spends the episode asking Rob questions about what to expect from attending a career fair. Rob discusses different approaches to preparing for the career fair, strategies to test out at the fair, and ways to follow-up afterwards. Vivian and Rob end the episode by trying to build the best on-campus lunch using favourite items submitted from the LFS|US and LFS Student Services. 

We will be taking a mid-season break, thanks for tuning in this term! 

(2:03) A recap of different career resources

(9:22) UBC's upcoming career fair

(11:07) What can I get from attending a career fair?

(13:42) Should I bring a resume?

(15:54) Strategies for making an impression

(22:57) How much time should I schedule for a career fair?

(24:01) Resources to help you prepare for a career fair

(25:52) Following-up after the fair

(28:15) Takeaways

(32:00) Building the best on campus lunch

In this episode, Vivian and Rob discuss one of her interests -- food! Hear how self-reflection using the VSI can allow you to understand your own story, and how you can use your own values, skills, and interests to connect with others. Rob discusses how he has threaded Star Wars through his career, and how Vivian's love for magic helped her make a friend in high school. Vivian wraps up by sharing 2 movies she has enjoyed, and Rob pitches an idea for a GenZ rom-com movie.

(1:20) Vivian's current top 3 restaurants

(8:48) Using interests to get to know someone

(11:37) Using VSI tables to reflect on yourself

(13:55) How Rob has used his interests through his career

(16:30) How Vivian made a friend through a shared interest

(23:07) Takeaways

(26:49) Favourite movies and Rob's movie pitch

In this episode, Rob reveals his 3 secrets to networking and Vivian discusses how she has applied them while networking. In addition, hear how an informational interview led to Vivian running to be the LFS Student Senator and how the LFS Mentorship Program has helped Vivian begin networking with others. Rob and Vivian also share what they have learned and gained from networking and mentorship, and Rob wraps up this episode by making fun of ViViLi.  

(1:34) Rob's 3 secrets to networking

(3:56) How Vivian has used these secrets while networking

(14:24) How an informational interview led to Vivian's position as the LFS Student Senator

(17:59) Vivian's experience in the LFS Mentorship Program

(24:15) What Vivian has learned from informational interviews

(27:11) How mentorship has helped Rob in his career journey

(31:12) Takeaways

In this episode, Rob and Vivian discuss rejections they have faced, and the various strategies they have used to redirect themselves to new opportunities and paths. In addition, hear how strong and weak ties are important for careers, and how the LFS Mentorship Program helped Vivian develop confidence in her networking skills.

(1:24) Vivian's career plans in first year 

(6:38) Differentiating between interests, expectations, and your career

(12:24) Weak & strong ties in careers

(15:42) Using a skills-based approach for your career

(19:06) How Rob has moved on from rejections he has faced

(23:33) Informational interviews for networking & career exploration

(29:39) Takeaways

(31:39) Rob's final nickname for Vivian

Welcome to the first episode of season 2! Meet a new co-host, Vivian, a fifth year Nutritional Sciences student in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at UBC. In this episode, listen to Rob and Vivian discuss many firsts - elevator pitches for strong first impressions, first actions they have taken to get more involved and take more risks, and Vivian's first experience with professional coaching. At the end of the episode, hear the nicknames Rob has come up for Vivian. 

(4:33) Elevator pitches

(11:38) Vivian's experience with meeting peers in her first year

(15:14) A moment that pushed Rob to take more risks

(20:00) Vivian's first experience with professional coaching, and what she took away from it

(28:52) Rob & Vivian's takeaways

(32:11) Rob's nicknames for Vivian

Today's episode will be the last Community Garden for this season! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Afnan from the Applied Animal Biology. Afnan and Rob will be speaking about some of Afnan's experiences as the LFS Student Ambassador, her plethora of experiences at UBC, career and involvement advice, as well as what things Afnan looks for in a workplace. In this episode, there is an over-arching theme of birds, as it is one of Afnan's favourite animals, and she will be providing a great metaphor using her favourite bird. At the end of the episode, Rob and Elena will wrap it up by naming 5 celebrities they may have been near, with 1 of them not being one they've actually been near. 

(1:15): Rob and Elena's favourite type of bird 

(8:50): Something Afnan enjoyed in her role as the LFS Student Ambassador 

(11:00): Some of Afnan's experiences as a UBC student

(13:15): Some advice on how to start getting involved on campus 

(15:00): Rob's advice regarding opportunities that are relevant to your career path 

(16:11): Advice Afnan would provide her younger self 

(18:00): When did this advice connect for Afnan and what made this happen 

(21:42): Afnan's first week at UBC as a student from outside the Lower Mainland 

(24:30): Things in a workplace that Afnan looks for 

(28:07): The type of bird that describes Afnan's Career Journey 

(33:20): Rob's takeaway from Afnan 

(34:00): Rob and Elena guessing which celebrities they have not been near (4 they have been near, 1 they have not) 

In this episode, Rob and Elena will be joined by Maddy Huehn from the Nutritional Sciences major for their Community Garden segment! Maddy is a Youtube content creator, creating content on being a student here at LFS. She is also an LFS Student Ambassador. Today, she'll be talking about the type of Youtube content creates, what she does as an LFS Student Ambassador, and talking about her journey as a student who transferred from the Faculty of Science into the Faculty of LFS. Like usual, Rob and Elena will be wrapping up this episode with their takeaways, and will be ranking their Top 4 Pixar movies! 

(1:10): Something that's interesting to Rob and Elena on their social media accounts

(5:10): Community Garden segment with Maddy Huehn 

(5:40): The type of Youtube content Maddy creates 

(8:45): What Maddy does in the LFS Student Ambassador role 

(10:55): Recognizing that many experiences you may have can fit well into various career opportunities 

(12:35): Maddy's journey switching from the Faculty of Sciences to the Faculty of LFS 

(17:25): Insight from Rob 

(19:28): Tips from Maddy on how to prevent burnout

(21:55): A tip from Maddy on creating content 

(26:40): Subscribe to Maddy's Youtube channel and follow her Instagram account! 

(27:52): Elena's takeaways

(29:11): Rob's takeaways

(32:35): What Rob and Elena has been watching recently, and our Top 4 Pixar movies 

Career Carrots Jingle Credits: Missy Dee (@missydmusic), Francis Arevalo (@fancisarevalo music), and David Tallarico.