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, career coach and founder of The Life Room Connection. This episode covers it all, from common barriers that appear when identifying your values to strategies you can use if you find yourself in a career that doesn’t align with your values, so tune in!

Resources: https://www.liferoomconnection.com/

#worklikealaker #careeradvice #values #careerexploration #GVSU

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 keep an eye out for, this episode will provide you with everything you need to know to avoid a future behind a desk. Later in the episode, Leah Wilson from the GVSU Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) joins the podcast to share more about what it’s really like to work outdoors.

Resources:
Internship Opportunities at AWRI

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 qualify for, hosts Megan Riksen and Dani Lauer dive into the many positives of the psychology degree. Later, the episode is joined by Pine Rest Mental Health Services employees Cody Akers, Psychiatric Technician, and Amy Pierce-Danders, Workforce Development Manager, to discuss even more opportunities.

Resources:

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, there are a lot of other factors to consider before you commit to one path. But what are these factors, and how can you know if a job is right for you without actually getting the job? Tune in and get your questions answered as the interns cover everything from understanding the job to understanding yourself.

Read the full transcript.

Resources:
How and Why To Do an Informational Interview episode
How to Network When You Have No Network episode
Informational Interviews and Job Shadows website

#careeradvice #worklikealaker #socialmedia #viraljobs #interntakeover

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 scenery and local restaurants, it’s known as a go-to vacation spot, but what about as a realistic place to live and work?

To find out, this episode is joined by four Traverse City residents and employers: Rob Hanel, Director of People and Space at TentCraft; Madison Partak, Recruitment Manager at Cherry Republic; Shannon Owen, Director of Northern Michigan Programs at GVSU; and Abigail Baudry, Michigan’s Creative Coast Program Leader at Traverse Connect.

This episode covers it all, from how to network with small businesses that don’t attend career fairs to what Traverse City breakfast spots you just need to check out. To get all your questions answered— along with some questions you didn’t even know you had— tune in to the long-awaited 100th episode!

Read the full transcript here.

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, Project Coordinator in the IT department at GVSU and former physical therapist, and Drew Tocco, Senior Operations Coordinator at Magic Cabinet and former teacher. Tune in as they unpack the process of pivoting careers and all the possibilities that come with it.

Read the full transcript here.

#careeradvice #burnout #education #healthcare #worklikealaker #GVSU

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 Student Services for the College of Health Professions, and Mackenzie Ware, Student Engagement and Academic Resourcing Specialist with the Kirkhof College of Nursing. To get your questions answered and feel as prepared as possible when applying for these types of programs, tune into this episode of Work like a Laker!

Read the full transcript here.

Secondary Admit Program Requirements
GVSU Career Center

#secondaryadmissionprograms #applicationprocess #healthcare #GVSU #worklikealaker #careeradvice