Her Story
About Krystal
With 13 years of experience in education and career services, I serve as the Manager of Career Services and Transfer Services. What inspired me to get into this field was being relatable to my students as a first-generation student myself who needed the support and education from professional advisors and mentorship on campus that was given to me. That definitely made me want to pay it forward. I manage two departments - Career Services for students going into the workforce, and Transfer Services for students transferring from community college into the university level. My day-to-day involves assisting students with preparing them for mock interviews, job interviews, resume writing, cover letter writing, assistance with applications, taking students to career conferences and Dress for Success events, providing etiquette workshops, and bringing in guests to present best hiring practices. I've made it a mission to really challenge this current generation to be open-minded to the hiring manager's perspective versus just liberty and individualism, so they would be eligible for those positions that they went to school for. One of my biggest challenges is linking the generations - the baby boomers and millennials who are hiring managers with the students of Generation Z, helping them understand that the interview process doesn't change no matter what field of work you're in. They still require you to show up in a suit and professionally prepared, whether you're going into construction or any other field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Krystal
01What do you attribute your success to?
The greatest advice I was ever given was nobody owes you anything. You have to apply what you've learned, and you have to be receptive to continue to evolve and grow in any aspect of your career life, your personal life, your spiritual life. You have to be always receptive and prepared to evolve for where you choose to be in any sector of life. I've learned that nobody owes me anything - I have to show up and be willing to grow and change continuously.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Nobody owes you anything. The greatest advice I was ever given was that nobody owes you anything. You have to apply what you've learned, and you have to be receptive to continue to evolve and grow in any aspect of your career life, your personal life, your spiritual life. You have to be always receptive and prepared to evolve for where you choose to be in any sector of life.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My greatest piece of advice is to take advantage of the opportunities of people who are willing to help you, but they can't help you if you don't show up. They can't help you if you don't walk through the door. We're there to help. Networkers, business managers, companies are always excited to pay it forward. In many cases, they're excited to show you their do's and their don'ts, their ropes of life, but if students don't take advantage, and if they're shy, and if they're bashful, or reluctant, or just not receptive, then they won't be able to avoid what we escaped along the way. So they have to show up in order to get that opportunity to pay it forward to their generation.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is linking the generations that are hiring in these companies - the baby boomers and millennials who are hiring managers - with the students of Generation Z. Getting them to collaborate and understand that the hiring manager is looking for professional standards no matter what the field is. Students sometimes think that if they're going to be working in the construction field, they won't need the professional skills, but the barrier is that the interview process doesn't change no matter what field of work you're in. They still require you to show up in a suit and professionally prepared. Since COVID, there's been a lot of virtual laissez-faire practices. I had HP, Hewlett-Packard Company come and do some interviews, and they said many of their students wanting to do virtual interviews were sitting in bed, not wanting to take off the hoodie, just very laissez-faire and not ready to come prompt. I had a luncheon yesterday for my graduates transferring to the university, and we had a strict policy of coming dressed professional, and many students tried to enter with jeans and tennis shoes and just refused to come adequately dressed. Those are my challenges with today's generation.
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