Her Story
About Kylie
Kylie Gonzales is a career advising professional currently serving as Career Services Advisor at San Joaquin Valley College, part of Ember Education. In this role for about one and a half years, she supports trade program graduates and students through career planning, resume development, interview preparation, employer debriefs, and coaching to help them secure positions in their desired trades. Her work covers fields including electrical, maintenance, HVAC, business office administration, and human resources administration. Prior to this, she worked in workforce development for a nonprofit, assisting teenagers with similar career guidance and job placement efforts.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kylie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I feel like this is gonna sound really cheesy, but I think it's the women in my family. All the women in my family have been go-getters, outspoken, unafraid, and have really been, like, the backbone of my family. My mom, my aunt, my great-grandma, my great aunt, who has stepped in to be, like, a grandmother to me, they all are just absolutely incredible, and they all could be featured on this podcast. They have taught me to be unafraid, and taught me to go after my dreams, and really, like, making them proud and continuing that legacy, I think, is what gets me out of bed and to work every day. And then also, of course, you know, helping people get their dream jobs.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The biggest thing is not being afraid to advocate yourself. As women, we're told to ask permission, we're told to be polite. We can always lead with kindness, but we should also be brave enough to advocate for ourselves and not be afraid to take up space in a room. I often have been labeled too much, quote-unquote, too much, right? Both in my personal and for my professional life. I'm too loud, I'm too direct, I talk too much. That's what makes me stand out, right? Encouraging people to not be afraid of hearing that they're too much, especially as women in the workforce.
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