In this episode, I interview Meredith Davis about her career path and current role. She received her bachelor's degree from Davidson College in English and her master’s in occupational therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her previous work experience includes working as a Concierge at BF Saul, a Circulation manager for France Magazine at the French Embassy, and an Occupational Therapy Assistant at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is currently a Therapy Supervisor at the League Education and Treatment Center. We discuss:

0:46: An overview of her current role

1:57: What a typical day is like

3:20: The types of problems she helps her students with

4:08: The distinction between occupational therapy and speech therapy

5:58: The typical patient timeline

8:22: How students are typically referred to her

9:33: The process of determining a student's needs and goals

11:40: The level of treatment customization for students

15:02: An overview of the collaboration with other professionals in the role

17:10: The highs and challenges of her role

19:34: The training required for her role

22:00: Why she chose this career path

23:00: What she likes more about her current role than to previous jobs

24:47: Advice for narrowing down one's career interest

26:07: Advice for how to prepare for a career in occupational therapy in college

26:58: General career advice

Today we are talking with Charlotte McLaren about her career path and current role. She received her bachelor's degree from Davidson College in biology and economics and her Master’s in Business Administration from UNC. Her previous work experience includes working as a Sales Analyst for Sun Life Financial, as a Manager of Corporate Development at Premier Inc., and as a Client Executive for IBM. She is currently a Strategic Account Director at Salesforce.

We discuss:

0:41: An overview of her current role

1:37: Her typical roles and responsibilities 

3:12: The typical process of her sales deals 

4:48: The typical timeline of a sales deal

5:41: Examples of what client meetings are about

7:40: Examples of types of products she sells

8:48: How long people typically stay in this role

10:01: How success is measured

12:02: Benefits of the role

13:17: What a typical day is like 

15:16: How social the role is

17:52: Challenges of the role 

18:50: How she got into this role

21:16: Why she chose Salesforce

22:34: Prerequisites for going into sales

23:37: Pros and cons of getting an MBA for a sales job

26:28: Advice for how to be successful in a sales role

In this episode, Madelyn Buitendorp describes her first role out of college as a Strategy Associate at Penta Group. She received her bachelor's degree from Davidson College in political science and her previous work experience includes working as an Intern with Rock the Vote, as the director of communications for the college crisis initiative, and as a senior admissions fellow for Davidson College. We discuss:

- 0:34: An overview of her current role

- 1:35: Examples of projects

- 2:26: What a typical day or week is like in the role

- 6:29: The typical length of projects

- 8:14: How projects are assigned

- 10:11: What she likes and finds challenging about the role

- 13:31: Why she was interested in this role

- 16:56: What the training entailed

- 19:23: How long people usually stay in the associate role

- 21:46: General career advice

- 25:09: Networking advice

- 28:03: Final advice

In this episode, Caitlin Ranson describes her career path and current role. She received his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in Studio Art and her Master's in Architecture from Clemson University.

Her previous work experience includes working as a Marketing Director for William Rawn Associates, Architects, and as a Designer for McMillan Pazdan Smith. She is currently a Project Architect at Hacker. We discuss:

Her Current Role

0:39: Overview of what she does as a Project Architect

2:23: Examples of types of projects she works on

3:59: The typical timeline of her projects

5:00: How many projects she works on at a time

5:39: Her roles and responsibilities

7:35: A typical day/ week in her role

8:56: The most common areas of specialization

10:31: How social her role is

12:30: What she likes and finds challenging about her role

Her Career Path:

14:03: Why she wanted to become an architect

15:32: Education and experience required to become an architect

18:15: Opportunities for moving up

Advice:

20:18: Advice for choosing your first firm

22:28: General career advice

Today we are talking with Kirsten Allen about her career path and current role. She received his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in psychology and her Master's in Sport and Performance Psychology and her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver. Her previous work experience includes working as a Research Assistant for the US Olympic Committee and as a Sport and Performance Psychology Consultant for the Center for Performance Excellence. She is currently a Sports and Rehabilitation Psychologist at the Shepherd Center. We discuss:

Her Current Role

1:05: Description of her current role

2:41: Her roles and responsibilities

4:02: How social the role is

5:23: An overview of her patient interactions

7:01: What she likes and finds challenging

8:15: Examples of collaboration between practitioners

9:30: Her process of assessing patients

11:28: Opportunities for moving up

Her Career Path

12:30: An overview of how she got into this path

13:43: How she chose her graduate school program

14:21: Why she got a PsyD in addition to her masters

15:05: The difference between a Ph.D. and a PsyD

16:30: Why she chose sports psychology for her master's instead of social work or counseling

17:24: Differences between masters in psychology specialties

18:09: The difference in ability to practice between 
a master's and a doctorate of psychology

19:38: What can you do as a practitioner with a master's in psychology

21:15: Why she chose a PsyD over a Ph.D.

25:26: Financial differences between a master's and a doctorate

26:28: The timing of psychology graduate school options

28:45: An overview of the internship process

29:45: Post-graduate school steps

30:46: Stipends for Ph.D. vs PsyD

31:39: Options for income during graduate school

32:27: Job qualities she learned she did and didn’t want

34:21: Her plans for creating her own private practice

Her Advice:

36:23: Advice for picking a career track in psychology

38:11: Advice on how to get experience in different roles before internship

39:16: Advice for picking a graduate school

40:58: Advice for how to stand out in graduate school applications

43:55: General career advice

In this episode, Maddie Brodrick describes her career path and current role. She received his bachelor's degree from Colby College in environmental policy and philosophy. She has interned with the Maine Conservation Voters, and in the Environmental Crimes Section of the US Department of Justice and is now a Legal Assistant with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Environmental and Natural Resource Department (ENRD), Environmental Enforcement Section (EES). We discuss:

Her current role:

0:40: An overview of the Department of Justice Pathways Program for recent graduates

1:14: Her current role and main responsibilities

3:04: What a typical week is like

4:03: Examples of projects she works on

4:40: What she likes and finds challenging

6:26: Opportunities to learn

9:50: How social the role is

10:58: How many projects she works on simultaneously

Her career path:

12:15: Why she was interested in this role

13:36: How she got this role

15:39: Characteristics she has learned she does and doesn’t want in a role

Advice

18:38: Advice on applying to jobs

18:52: How applying to a federal job was unique for her

Listen to Alex Stoller describe her career path and current role. She received her bachelor's degree from Davidson College in Art History and Studio Art and her master's in Exhibition Design from George Washington University.

She has worked as a Lead Designer for the Sweetlife Music Festival, as a Designer and Project Manager for the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington DC, as a Store Designer and Project Associate for Sweetgreen, and as a Director of Art for Swatchroom. She is currently an Art Consultant for LK Art Consultants. We discuss:

0:39: What she does as an Art Consultant

1:41: Her main roles and responsibilities

4:15: How much traveling she does in her role

5:37: The purpose of travel in her role

5:55: The difference between her role and an art broker

7:16: Examples of types of projects she does and the steps they entail

11:56: What she likes and finds challenging about the role

14:00: Opportunities for moving up

14:57: The biggest points in her career path that led her to this role

16:15: Why she went to grad school for design

17:18: Her jobs before her current role

19:27: Career advice

19:47: Other job opportunities within art

21:22: Whether graduate school is necessary to move up

22:01: How she started her own company

23:49: Ways to prepare now for a career in art

25:24: Advice on how to get experience in the art world

26:51: Advice on persistence

In this episode, Mike Jucewicz describes his career path working for the federal government in finance roles and what he currently does. After college, he worked for seven years in the US Army as a Financial Management Analyst, as a Student of the Defense Comptrollership Program, and as a Lead Budget Analyst. He is now a Senior Budget Analyst at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller. We discuss:

His Current Role

0:46: An overview of the Office of the Secretary of Defense 

1:28: An overview of his role as a Senior Budget Analyst

3:29: His most common roles and responsibilities

6:02: The steps of vetting a budget request

8:10: The timeline of a budget oversight process

8:55: What a typical day/week is like

11:28: What determines his goals on projects

13:18: A breakdown of how social his role is

15:35: What he likes and finds challenging about his role

17:35: An example of a crisis situation that impacts his responsibilities

21:10: An overview of government job pay scales 

His Career Path

23:29: Career path steps that led to his current role

26:19: How the Army paid for his graduate school

26:50: What drew him to the Army

27:38: The pay scale on his federal career path

28:39: What he's learned he does and doesn't want in a role

30:07: Clarifying the distinction between his role and accounting roles

32:46: How he chose what qualities to prioritize in a job

Advice: 

35:40: General career advice

37:53: How he leveraged his network in an unusual way to get on his current career path

40:03: The importance of balance in one’s career

In this interview, Tomás Husted describes his career in foreign affairs research and what he does in his current role as an Analyst of African Affairs at the Congressional Research Service. After getting his bachelor's degree from Davidson College, he worked as a Research Associate for the Congressional Research Service and as a Strategy and Development Fellow for the International Rescue Committee. We discuss:

His career path

0:34: His original career interests

3:00: Why he chose to be a research associate

4:54: How he got his role at the Congressional Research Service 

6:55: An overview of the Princeton in Africa Program

9:35: How his experience living in Africa shaped his career path

His current role

12:58: An overview of the Congressional Research Service

19:23: Examples of common tasks in his role

28:53: His biggest roles and responsibilities 

31:29: What he likes and finds challenging about the role

Advice:

36:57: Advice for careers in foreign affairs 

38:41: General career advice

40:36: Tips for how to be a better writer 

47:00: Tips for how to be a better presenter

Today we are talking with Anjan Mukherjee about his career path and current role. After getting his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in Music, he worked in a variety of research roles including as a Research Associate for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and as a Research Director for US Senator Chris Coons and for the League of Conservation Voters. He then was a Partner at Hone Strategies, a communications and strategy agency, before founding his own strategic communications firm, Tunlaw Strategies where he is currently a Principal. We discuss:

His career path:

0:52: What his original career interests were

3:13: His career path from political research to strategic communications

6:47: Why he switched roles when he did

6:57: What to expect for job duration in politics 

7:44: Why he switched industries from research to strategic communications

8:21: What he loved about opposition research 

11:34: His role as a Research Director for Senator Chris Coons

13:37: His experience working for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

15:14: His experience working on a presidential campaign 

His current role:

21:03: His pivot into communications

23:42: The factors he looks for in a role

25:11: Keys to success in communications he learned through experience

26:16: What a communications strategy firm does

30:06: Examples of types of projects in his current role

32:46: The typical duration of projects

34:31: What a typical day/ week is like

38:18: How social his role is 

40:09: Advice