The Next Step: Leaping to Adulthood

Episode 19 of the Next Step podcast concludes a conversation with Ben Anderson of empeople Credit Union about maintaining and repairing credit scores, especially for college students. He discusses student loans as a long-term burden, recommending not sacrificing current financial stability to pay them off early.For monitoring, he suggests quarterly score updates from card issuers, reviewing reports with a banker when applying for loans, and using annualcreditreport.com for free reports. He strongly urges freezing credit with all three bureaus to prevent identity theft.

In Episode 18 of the Next Step podcast, the host welcomes Ben Anderson (“Bad Banker Ben”), with empeople Credit Union, to discuss credit scores. Ben explains why credit scores were created to replace biased lending decisions, tracing history from the origins in the 1950s to today. He explains that what counts as a “good” score shifts with economic conditions and details how credit scores affect approval, loan size, and interest rates alongside debt-to-income ratio. A bonus episode will cover student loans, repairing credit, and monitoring scores.

Episode 17, the final installment in the Career Services series of the Next Step podcast, features a conversation with Matt and Sarah about career fairs and how students—especially those outside business majors—can prepare and benefit from them. They explain the purpose of career fairs and how to best utilize them. They note students often struggle to present, interview, and “sell” their skills, so practicing and projecting confidence matters (even “fake the smile”) and rewarding yourself afterward can help. They describe how Career Services builds employer relationships and supports internship programs, and encourage anxious, unprepared seniors to come in without shame because staff coach students toward next steps.   Buy the Next Step book here! 

The third of a four part series with University of Northern Iowa Career Services professionals Sarah and Matt, explaining how academic advising and career services collaborate to help students choose majors and connect them to realistic job opportunities. They emphasize that careers are often non-linear, students should focus on transferable skills. 94% of UNI students complete at least one internship or pre-professional experience, which builds competitiveness and confidence, and describes how student employment has been reframed as a professional-development pipeline using a unified job board and career competencies. They also discuss networking as existing relationships and shared communities, encouraging students to tell others their interests and leverage alumni and everyday connections.

On the Next Step podcast, the host continues a conversation with Matt and Sarah from the University of Northern Iowa Career Services Office about post-graduation support, cover letters, and interviewing. They explain that UNI typically provides services for one year after graduation, but their expertise is mainly for internships and first entry-level jobs. On cover letters, they note conflicting recruiter preferences and a general decline in use, yet recommend having a strong, adaptable letter and repurposing key content for application emails or LinkedIn. They discuss how interviewing has shifted to phone, Zoom, and recorded screenings, stressing preparation through knowing one’s strengths and having ready stories, and recognizing that interviewers may be untrained or disorganized. The episode ends with a preview of the next installment.

On the Next Step podcast, the host welcomes University of Northern Iowa Career Services staff Sarah Goblirsch and Matt Nuese to discuss how career services offices are named and structured across campuses, including centralized, decentralized, and hybrid models. They emphasize that career services are generally free for students and outline key resume support, from helping students build a first resume to polishing near-final drafts. They note common student mistakes such as underselling experiences, omitting significant paid or unpaid work, and listing vague duties instead of transferable skills, and they warn against overly formatted resume templates and overly generic advice from short-form sources. The episode is the first of a four-part series.

In Episode 13 of the Next Step podcast, the host encourages soon-to-be graduates to initiate “breaking up with your parents” conversations to align expectations after graduation, especially around finances, taxes, insurance, vehicles, cell phones, legal documents, and medical needs.  A printable cheat sheet is provided, and the next episode features career services professionals.  Conversation Guide

In Episode 12 of the Next Step podcast, Nikki finishes a conversation with Tim Bakula, a university director of financial aid, about preparing to repay student loans after graduation. They emphasize that loan repayment and financial systems can be confusing even for educated adults, so graduates should take time to learn, ask questions, and use trusted sources such as their bank and loan servicer. Tim warns about scams and predatory consolidation offers, advising listeners not to click links or share personal information and to verify requests directly with known sources. They also note the importance of watching for the 1098-E form to report student-loan interest at tax time. Tim encourages graduates to set personal financial goals that balance repayment with saving, investing, and life plans, and urges students to make informed college and borrowing decisions by consulting financial aid offices.

In Episode 11 of the Next Step podcast, the host continues a conversation with Tim Bakula, Director of Financial Aid, about what graduating seniors should do regarding student loans. Tim advises students to identify their loan servicer, review how much they have borrowed, and develop a realistic repayment plan and budget based on expected job, earnings, and living costs. He explains that financial aid offices can still help graduates after the six-month grace period and recommends StudentAid.gov to find servicer and loan details. Tim discusses education debt as “good debt” when it results in a completed degree, notes federal loan interest rates around 6%, and describes how on-time payments affect credit. He outlines standard 10-year repayment, income-based options, the ability to change plans, and loan forgiveness programs like PSLF.

Episode 10 of the Next Step podcast is an extended bonus conversation with four UNI May 2026 graduates—Mae, Alli, Estelle, and Grant—who discuss career goals and the stress of job searching. After introducing their majors and childhood dream jobs, they describe what they’ve learned: tailoring resumes and cover letters with job-description keywords, focusing on job duties over titles, and using networks. They share frustrations about rejections, ghosting, automated responses, and the lack of true entry-level roles despite significant internships and campus involvement, and they discuss reframing rejection as a sign of poor fit. Each gives job-application tallies and interview experiences, and they talk about anxiety around graduating, moving, finances, benefits, and pressure to have life figured out. 

On episode nine of the Next Step podcast, host Nikki interviews Tim Bakula, a financial aid director at a Midwestern comprehensive university, about preparing for adulthood and managing student loans after college. Using the idea “find out before freaking out” (FOBFO) they define key terms: loan servicers, forbearance, grace period, and consolidation/payment structure. This is the first in a three-part series.

Episode eight concludes the conversation with recruiter David Leto of the Palmer Group, focusing on negotiating after receiving an offer, navigating a tough new-grad job market, and how to succeed in the first six months of a new job. He invites candidates to contact Palmer Group via thepalmergroup.com, email [email protected], or phone 515-225-7000. The next episode will feature soon-to-graduate students discussing their job search.  

This bonus episode of the Next Step podcast continues a conversation with David Leto of the Palmer Group about social media and LinkedIn, application materials, and interviewing. Leto explains that employers often search candidates online and warns students that private settings are not truly private; he recommends avoiding questionable posts and maintaining a professional LinkedIn presence through positive, professional content and networking. The conversation finishes with an interview tips and will conclude in episode eight.  

Episode six of the Next Step podcast features host and guest David Leto of the Palmer Group discussing career paths and what employers seek in new hires, especially recent graduates. Leto shares his journey from an organizational communication major to become the CEO of the Palmer Group. The conversation emphasizes the value of being teachable, adaptable, and willing to learn as industries and job roles evolve.  The episode previews a bonus continuation on March 3 and the regular episode drop on March 5.

In Episode five of the Next Step podcast, the host provides detailed guidance on navigating job interviews, starting from the pre-screening stage to post-interview follow-up.  The host advises on the dos and don'ts of interview behavior, provides tips for virtual interviews, and discusses the significance of a handwritten thank you note post-interview. The episode ends with a teaser for the next episode featuring David Leto, president and CEO of the Palmer Group, who will provide insights into the job search process and what employers are looking for.

In episode four of the Next Step podcast, the host guide listeners on creating impactful cover letters, securing references, and building professional portfolios. The episode emphasizes the importance of tailoring cover letters to job descriptions and organizational values. It also advises on how to choose references and using a reference form .Finally, the host guides the listener in creation of online portfolios that showcase professional skills. The episode concludes with a teaser on preparing for interviews.  

In this episode of the Next Step podcast, the host offers an in-depth guide on creating effective resumes. Emphasizing the importance of tailored resumes for different industries, the host suggests consulting career centers, advisors, and professors. Key sections to include are education, work experience, technology proficiencies, and any leadership or extracurricular activities. Specific formatting guidelines and best practices for each section are provided. The episode concludes with a teaser for the next topic: cover letters, references, and professional portfolios.

In this episode we discuss managing multiple job applications emphasizing the importance of staying organized by using a dedicated folder in the cloud and  detailed application tracker. The host also discusses the role of Applicant Tracking Systems and AI, advising job seekers to adapt their materials and remain authentic. Application Tracker

Episode one focuses addressing recent college graduate mixed emotions and decision fatigue as they transition from academia to the workforce. It emphasizes the importance of networking, leveraging connections, and identifying personal priorities—whether focusing on preferred job roles or geographic locations. 

In 1999, after graduating with a bachelor's degree, the speaker recounts an experience that made her realize just how unprepared for adulting she was. This led to struggles throughout their twenties and thirties before gaining clarity in their forties. The experience inspired the creation of the 'Adulting for Real' podcast, aimed at teaching essential life skills, from health insurance to job offer negotiation, to aid young adults in their transition to adulthood.