The Unconference
By Graduate Career Consortium
The UnconferenceFeb 16, 2021
8. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the vainest of them all?
The last episode of the season. In this episode , we talk about the Zoom elephant in the room – looking at our own faces during video chats (or not!). We explore good reasons to do this, and the times when focusing on the other person becomes much more important. If you are interested in making a good impression in your virtual appointments and meetings, and finding out why advising from home can feel liberating for both career advisors and the students/postdocs we serve, then join us for this discussion.
Note from the hosts: We finish our season with the very first episode that we recorded, because it is interesting to see what has changed over the episodes. Creating this pilot season of the Unconference podcast has been a journey for us as presenters - from improving our own virtual technology and internet connections over time to sound better (can you tell?), to broadening our conversations to include more members of the GCC.
One thing is the same, we remained committed to creating a venue to discuss topics relevant to our work and our professional development. We hope that you have found this pilot season interesting and informative, and we very much hope that you will join us in some of our conversations for the next one! We are looking forward to continuing our podcasting journey with you in Season 2. Thanks!
Presented by Thi, Rosanne, Urmila, and Joseph
Recorded June 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
7. How would you hire your next teammate?
In this episode, we think about what we would be looking for if we could hire someone new to our teams. Guests Dr. John Vasquez and Dr. Beka Layton share their own interviewing experience, highlighting the importance of being your authentic real self, and making sure that you are also interviewing your future potential employer. We explore what questions can be asked to get to know candidates, and if we can look beyond simple questions to get better illustrations of skills and experiences to find effective candidates and to diversify our field of practice. Joseph may talk about animals again – you’ll just have to listen to find out which ones. Thanks for joining us.
Presented by Urmila, Joseph, Beka Layton, and John Vasquez
Recorded Sept 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
6. Are you looking for feedback on your feedback?
In this episode we are talking about feedback and how others’ opinions shape our work. Our guests Dr. Brandy Simula and Dr. Daniel Moglen share how they coach others to give and receive feedback, and how they are thinking about feedback on programming and advising while everything is conducted online. We tackle questions about the meaning of silence in workshops, on how to get feedback on feedback, whether 95% good enough is still good enough, what every guest asks Oprah when the cameras go off, and what makes the best sandwich. Thanks for joining us.
Presented by Thi, Urmila, Brandy Simula, and Daniel Moglen
Recorded November 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
5. What makes you credible – or incredible?
In this episode we chat with our guests Dr. Rachel Bernard, and Dr. John Taborn about the credibility question – do we always feel credible when working with students/postdocs interested in careers we’ve never had (or sometimes never heard of!)? We discuss different approaches to learning new career terminology (what is -omics!), sharing our own personal stories, and leveraging the always-helpful GCC network not just to be credible, but to stay incredible as we share our advice. Join us for this discussion where we touch on questions about imposter syndrome, building independent skills in the students and postdocs we work with, and even random forests.
Presented by Rosanne, Joseph, Rachel Bernard, and John Taborn
Conversation recorded November 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
4. How do you help others manage disappointment?
In this episode we talk about disappointment, and how we advise students and postdocs as they face setbacks during the job search. You’ll hear from our guests Dr. Yi Hao, and Bill Lindstaedt about how they structure appointments to support clients, and still positively challenge misconceptions that can create obstacles for students/postdocs. We also discuss common disconnects, and how reminding students/postdocs about the extensive evidence of success from their own CVs can help them to see and use their often-overlooked strengths in the job search.
Presented by Thi, Rosanne, Yi Hao, and Bill Lindstaedt
Conversation recorded October 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
3. What skills do you want to build?
Part 2 - In this episode, we talk about how we build our own skills, as GCC members and professionals – and how we face similar challenges of wanting to develop news skills as the students and scholars we advise. Some of us find peer mentoring within different GCC committees, while others do this on our own campuses. We talk about how we sometimes need motivation to get unstuck, and how a little bit of competition can be helpful for one of us. Join us for this conversation, and stick around to get the final word on the chicken v. egg question.
Presented by Urmila, Thi, Rosanne, and Joseph
Recorded July 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
2. Do you have rules of engagement in your workshops?
Part 1 - In this episode we tackle the topic of content sharing versus effective engagement in workshops and programs – especially in the virtual space. We discuss what students and scholars have told us about what they find engaging, and how we respond to their requests in advising appointments. Have you thought about starting with rules of engagement in your workshops to help students and scholars make the most of information? And can we actually teach someone to build skills and self-efficacy in an hour-long workshop? Join us and you’ll also find out why Rosanne is so quiet!
Presented by Thi, Rosanne, Urmila, and Joseph
Recorded July 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
1. How are you present in your appointments?
In this episode we discuss how advising appointments look and feel when there is also a lot going on in the world beyond just the job search. How can we have authentic, professional interactions with students/postdocs who meet with us, and how important is it to bring our own identities to the room as we provide advice and address career questions and even personal wellness? Hear about some of the ways we can engage with students/postdocs at the start and end of appointments to set the right tone.
Presented by Urmila, Thi, Rosanne, and Joseph
Recorded July 2020
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier
Intro to the Unconference
Urmila, Thi, Rosanne, and Joseph share what putting this podcast means to them and what they hope listeners will gain from listening and connecting in this way. Listen to the end to hear about chickens.
Music from the Sound of Picture library - Orange Juicier and Stamp.