Porschia: [00:00:00] The day we are talking about graduate degrees 101. Should I get a graduate degree with Bethany Mills? Bethany Mills is the executive director of Mississippi State University’s Career Center and is a proud alum of Mississippi State University. She completed a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and chemistry in 2006 and a master’s in counselor education and community counseling in 2009.
After [00:01:00] 12 years of working at the University of Georgia’s Career Center, Bethany joined the MSU Career Center team in December of 2021. She is committed to student success and hopes to help make a difference in students career success after college. Hi Bethany, how are you
Bethany: today? Hello, I’m doing really great.
Happy to be here.
Porschia: Perfect. Well, we are excited to have you with us to discuss Graduate Degrees 101. Should I get a graduate degree? But first, we want to know a little more about you. Tell me about seven year old Bethany.
Bethany: Oh, seven year old Bethany was observing her two older sisters. To be really honest and honestly, enamored.
With just family life and being the youngest and so learning a lot from what she was observing and enjoying singing and dancing. [00:02:00] That was a big part of our family doing little songs together. Being really involved in the community, especially at church. And of course, I guess at 7, I would have been maybe kindergarten or 1st grade.
I’m an August baby. So I was always a little bit younger in my class. Yeah, I mean, I was just learning the ropes and I had really great models, honestly, with my two older sisters above me, but I’m sure I was just worried about having friends and making friends and being a good friend and then being a younger sister.
Porschia: Yeah, well, you are very thoughtful, Bethany. So I can see that in you as an adult. So I’m sure you were that way at seven, too. So what did you want to be when you grew
Bethany: up? This is a great question. I can remember four different specific careers that I had thought about. One was being a professional ice skater.
And I cannot tell you where that came from, except maybe I loved to roller skate [00:03:00] and I think it must have been at the time the Olympics and ice skating and just being really enamored with all of the, just watching all of that. A veterinarian was also a career of interest because I absolutely loved.
Animals. So I moved on to that and then I thought medical doctor for a while. I really loved science and math. Especially in, I mean, honestly, middle school and high school and onto college. And even at one time I thought I wanted to be an actor. So somehow I landed in education by the time I got to college and maybe teaching.
Is a little bit of a, of being an actor and I chose science. So maybe that’s where medicine and, I have pets. So I kept that veterinary animal loving part of me as well. But yeah, it’s been a little bit all over the place, but probably it’s a lot for others as well.
Porschia: Yeah. Yeah. And those are some great career choices.
I think as a kid to really [00:04:00] think about, I mean, I too was enamored by the ice skating at the Olympics. Like, I just remember I used to love watching ice skating at the winter Olympics. And then I liked watching gymnastics too, even though I was too tall for that. But yeah. And then I wanted to be a vet too.
Actually, Bethany, that was one of the first jobs on my list too. And I had my actor actress, Thoughts as well. That’s great. I love that. So we’ve got some similarities. So tell me what was your first job,
Bethany: Bethany? Yes. So my first job was being a bank teller at the local bank, which My dad worked at and helped me get a job before going into college I was really involved with sports and extracurriculars in high school.
So getting a job during that time, just like, I just didn’t have the time, but he was like, before you go to college, you’re getting a job. So that summer before college, I worked as a bank teller and really learned a lot about [00:05:00] the workplace. Right. And the dynamics of colleagues and peers and being on time and task.
And so it was, even though it wasn’t something that I would have chosen to do necessarily as a, as a job, it was really helpful. I feel like I learned a
Porschia: lot. Yeah, I’m sure. I think that’s a great first job. I mean, most of us, I think, have the, like, fast food. I hear a lot of people talking about, like, scooping ice cream and then for you to go straight into, like, that very, like, professional environment.
I would guess that really helped to get started. Set up a great foundation for you.
Bethany: Yeah, absolutely. You’re spot on for sure.
Porschia: So tell us about some highlights or pivotal moments in your career.
Bethany: Yeah, I can think about two specifically. The first really pivotal moment was deciding that I wanted to go into mental health counseling and getting my master’s degree.
I had a family of teachers and so teaching seemed [00:06:00] like The no brainer next move. And so deciding on my own and making doing all the research and doing my own application and deciding I wanted to go into a field that no one really knew about in my family was a really pivotal decision. And it was a great decision for me.
Along with that was. Getting a graduate assistantship at the MSU Career Center. So that was my first introduction to career services. Who knew this was a field? And just learning the ropes of career counseling and how that tied into some of my mental health classes. It was just like a really great experience.
And the second one I’ll just mention is I was in what I thought was my dream. And I was fortunate enough to get a job at the University of Georgia as the director of alumni career services. I loved helping adults with their next move in their career or exploring careers. It was incredibly rewarding.
And an opportunity [00:07:00] came up to go back on campus in the career center because my job was actually in Atlanta. So to go back on campus in Athens and to be the director to play a very. A very big leadership role for me and. Being terrified, but excited and just making that move, honestly, with my family at the time was I had a newborn.
I mean, it was a really big decision. And honestly, it’s just interesting how all of those moments or decisions lead you to the next thing. But certainly I would not be in this role now without that directorship at the University of Georgia’s career center. And so it was. It was a really great experience, but a really big decision.
Porschia: Yeah. Yeah. I’m sure because I actually met you right before that came up when you were at the alumni career center in Atlanta and then remember you getting that job and all of that. So yeah, I’m sure that was a really big [00:08:00] decision. So with this really interesting background that you have, Bethany.
I want to go back to the counseling part that you mentioned. What originally drew you to counseling? Because you mentioned your family full of teachers.
Bethany: Yes. I genuinely didn’t understand that it was a career. I know that sounds probably so naive, right? Like, we go through our high school experiences and you’re only exposed to so many careers and I knew there was a school counselor, but beyond that, I really had no general idea of what counseling.
And so when I was in my last semester, last year, last semester of my undergraduate degree, I had a friend who had just decided he wanted to start the graduate program in mental health counseling here at Mississippi State. And so he was the first. Person that I knew that had gone into [00:09:00] that, and he was telling me a little bit about it, about the license credential, this licensed professional counselor credential that you could get from that, and what all you could do with that.
And I just immediately, it was almost immediate that I knew that’s it. I knew that I loved working with people. I knew how much I had a love for people. And that’s why I went into teaching. And maybe I liked people and helping them through their difficulties than I did teaching them chemistry. And so I landed after doing again some additional research and I went and spoke to the department on my own, but it was really just that 1 contact that exposed me to this new profession and what I could do with it.
And it was very clear what a great fit. It would be for me. Yeah.
Porschia: So why do you think career counseling is so important?
Bethany: Oh, I think when we think about mental health, we’re often thinking about [00:10:00] to put it in, I guess, a way that people might understand maybe the sick part of your mental health, right?
The parts that you genuinely need. Medication, talk therapy interventions to really get to a back to a baseline standard of a balanced, healthy life. And that’s what we think about. We think about mental health counseling, but with career counseling, we’re dealing with the healthy part of the individual.
And so that’s really a way. For an individual like me and my career counseling role previously, we were really able to dive into enhanced conversations on growth mindset development, strategies. Where do you see a vision for yourself? And so a lot of visualizations, a lot of really specific, tangible strategies to really get to where someone is really hoping to get in their life [00:11:00] when they’re in that healthy state.
And the other thing I’ll say about career counseling, which I think is just so pivotal. Is that oftentimes career can impact mental health, right? And so we often see that someone who might be feeling depressed or anxious or some other debilitating mental health anxiety or issue, they might be feeling that way from their own career choices or lack of career.
Not, the instability of the job market, losing a job layoffs. And so it’s amazing how. Getting into a career can even also impact the health of a person mentally. And so there’s just so many things going on, but I just genuinely think that career counseling is a pivotal role in both the mental health of a person, but then, also like the healthy side of that person and how to even grow and leave a [00:12:00] legacy and make an impact on the world, those conversations are all just.
Really fascinating to me.
Porschia: I completely agree, Bethany. In your roles, you speak with people who have career challenges regularly. Or I’m sure you probably used to do a little more of that 101. Maybe not so much now. A common question that our clients who are executives and professionals ask is, Should I get a graduate degree?
What is your response to questions
Bethany: like that? I know the answer is not what people want to hear, but it is, it depends. I mean, the truth is, there’s got to be a little bit of research in that goal that they’re hoping to reach the requirements of reaching that goal. And if a master’s degree is actually imperative.
In order to reach that goal. So I can give some examples. For me, for example, for mental health counseling, that’s a great [00:13:00] example of someone where, you know, that degree is. imperative in order to get credentialing for a license. And so that’s just, that was just a two year program, master’s of social work.
They also have like a clinical license social work that is an additional credential. But again, that MSW is almost always required. So it’s just really knowing what’s required of those jobs that you’re really hoping To get, and it could be that it’s a job might support you in getting that particular degree in order to get that credential, or it could be something that you actually have to get in order to get to that specific job.
So I think that’s also where it can depend. I can remember meeting with them. With an MBA student at the University of Georgia, and he was fresh out of his MBA, and he was one of those students that went straight from undergraduate to graduate [00:14:00] school to complete his MBA. The economy was down, and he thought, let me use this time to get that extra master’s degree, which I completely understood.
The issue that he had in the job search, however, Was that he had an MBA with no hands on work experience, not an internship no project specific experience that he could relay those really hard, maybe technical skills that employers are looking for. And so in that case, that experience probably would have meant more than that MBA.
Although in the moment. I can understand why he made that decision because of a down economy and thinking that might help as a part of his job search. Without that hands on experience, I think it didn’t necessarily help him probably as much as he thought. So I think that’s another piece of the puzzle, right, is if you’re going to continue to get that extra degree.[00:15:00]
Then you’ve also got to really have that extra work experience alongside the degree so that you can showcase to that employer that you have not only have the additional education, but you’ve also got additional work experience in tangent with that as well.
Porschia: Yeah, great point. I actually want to come back to that.
But first, I want to get your thoughts on PhDs because sometimes people. Tell me that, hey, they just want to get a P. H. D. They might tell me like, they’re not necessarily interested in teaching or anything like that. Have you had people ask you about, doctoral degrees in that way? Yes, and
Bethany: I’ll be honest that I feel like the academy is going through a time.
Where they’re also trying to figure out the value of a Ph. D. We also have now E. D. programs, doctorate of education, which are in some cases synonymous for certain jobs, [00:16:00] Ph. D. P. H. D. or E. D. So those are some things to know what I think about a Ph. D. I tend to go back to more of a broader question, which is, Do you want to do the work that is going to help solve problems?
Through research and then theory and, like, contributing to the field in that way. That’s what I think about when I think about a P. H. D. when I think about the students who continue to stay at Mississippi State to continue their P. H. D. program, it’s often because they don’t want to leave the research.
They’re so excited to continue the research with our faculty professor, our mentor, and they can see how this research is pivotal or so important to solving these really real world problems that we have in our communities or in the state or the world. [00:17:00] And I think they just want to continue that work, and I feel like that should be a barometer for folks, if you really want to continue that research that.
Is going to really impact, make that impact on that higher level, then a PhD is probably a really great fit. Certainly, there’s some cases I know you and I have probably both seen. I mean, for my role, when I was applying for the executive director role, it had preferred PhD. I knew going in that I might have.
I might not have the credentials that other candidates might have because I do not have a Ph. D. But luckily they were okay with my applied experience and the ideas that I had to grow the career center here that they, made me the offer. But I do understand that in some leadership administrative roles in higher education, a Ph.
- is really required in order to do that work. So it’s just really [00:18:00] understanding the goal. But gosh, to me, it goes back to you just want to be a part of the research and the investigation and problem solving that goes into what a PhD really
Porschia: requires. I think that is a great way to think about it, Bethany, because we also have had, I would say quite a few clients over the years who started PhD programs and didn’t finish [00:19:00] them.
Some of them were, everything but the dissertation and then some were not. But when I think about, them reflecting on it. I do, to your point, think that they weren’t as interested in the research. Sometimes I think they were more interested in the title or what they thought the title would bring for them in terms of opportunities or just their own self confidence, because I’m sure you see this too.
Some people’s self confidence is wrapped up in the degrees that they have as well. So thank you for sharing that with us. And now I want to expand upon what you were talking about just a couple of minutes ago in terms of work experience, how would someone know if work experience is more valuable than a degree, you gave a good example earlier, but for other people who want to.
Think about that.
Bethany: Yeah, there’s a few things that come to mind a very basic strategy that I would [00:20:00] probably use for those who are just unsure is to just really look at their next step in terms of job description. So maybe they’re looking at not even the next step. Right within their career trajectory.
Maybe they’re thinking two or three steps down the road. What are they seeing as a general theme for the years of experience that it would require? And I would not be surprised if it’s going to say things like MBA plus years of experience or blank years of experience. So I think we see those things so often, so it’s just really important to know, okay, well, this might fast track my ability to get there faster versus, well, I just need to get these years of experience, maybe getting that additional degree just isn’t what I’m really looking to do.
So that’s one really basic strategy. I think that folks can use when they’re looking at job descriptions and requirements. I’d also say just. Talk to [00:21:00] people. Informational interviews are probably one of my favorite strategies that I tell people to use. I used it with a student here, a recent graduate in an appointment yesterday.
It’s a new industry she’s seeking. She’s really unclear about the requirements, if she’s even looking at the right job titles. And that’s sometimes those types of industries are, that are a little more hidden. You just have to talk to people in those industries to really find out, how did you get here?
If they’re a hiring manager, what are the credentials that would make me a competitive candidate? And I think you just have to ask those questions to really get the right answers.
Porschia: Yes. Informational interviews are so beneficial for people. I completely agree. So Bethany, let’s say that someone has decided that they definitely want to pursue a graduate degree.
What are some tips you can share that might help [00:22:00] them review different graduate degree programs and determine which might be the best fit?
Bethany: Yes, another great question that is often not thought through to be honest most of the time people are thinking about pursuing a graduate degree and wanting it to happen immediately.
And that is not often the timeline of how this works. I think it’s really important. You can look at accreditations for certain programs. So when I mentioned my mental health counseling degree earlier, as I was looking, I kept noticing this accreditation for that particular program. So when I looked up K CREP accredited institutions, that was a really great way to see a benchmark, if you will, or a comparison of those institutions and those that are accredited, because I knew that I wanted to, of course, graduate from that accredited institution.
So accreditation can be something that’s really [00:23:00] important when seeking out graduate programs, and if you don’t even know to ask that question. It may not be very evident that you should look for that. So accreditation matters. I would also say, look at their requirements, their prerequisites. I was just talking to my husband recently about he’s thinking about considering a master’s degree.
And right away, we noticed there’s 2 prerequisites that he would have to get right in order to even apply for the program. And so I would probably encourage him to reach out to the program coordinator to see if it could, if he could take those, like, in addition to the master level degree. Classes at the exact same time but for some programs, it is a hard no if you do not have those prerequisites.
So that’s something to look at. And the other thing I’ll say is looking at the application materials. Some require [00:24:00] GRE or GMAT. Do they have a waiver for those? Looking into that. Are they requesting a personal statement? Are they requesting references a resume or a CV? And so I think it’s just really important for the person seeking out these opportunities to know that getting those things completed.
Happens over months. It doesn’t happen over weeks. So it’s a lot of prep and planning that goes into and again, maybe that timeline for when they want to get into graduate school and when they’re accepting applications and when they start new cohorts. That’s also a piece of their decision making that they really want to take into account.
So that could be something else as well.
Porschia: Yeah, I love it. I have told some of our clients to really start planning six months to a year out because of what you mentioned, every university, they have their own windows of [00:25:00] time when they’re accepting applications. Some universities have rolling admissions and some don’t.
So to get all of that. Preparation done before you can even get into the program is important. And I also love what you said about accreditation. So when I was doing research for master’s degrees in industrial and organizational psychology, I found out about psyop, which a lot of people, if you’re not in IO psychology, don’t know about, but I noticed some programs were saying we are Well, what was it?
It was like our program is in alignment with the SIOP, which is the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology guidelines, right? And some didn’t. And I asked a program like advisor that their program didn’t say that. I said, I asked, well, is your program in alignment with SIOP?
And he said, what’s SIOP? What’s that? And that was obviously a clue that was not going to be the problem. Program that I was going to go [00:26:00] through, but you’re right. You can definitely do that kind of research and then weed out programs or select programs based on that. So great tip there. So I want to talk a little more about the application process that you touched on.
What are some key aspects of the graduate program application process that you think people should know about?
Bethany: Yes, a lot of what I mentioned earlier, of course, any kind of, examination or tests that they have to take with being very typical graduate program prerequisites. If you will but I have noticed more and more, and it does depend on the program, not even just a personal statement, but there’s some that ask for a teaching statement, or if it’s a, if it’s tied to some type of TA ship, they might include that within their application, or even a diversity statement, for example, as well that folks are asking for some Ph.
- [00:27:00] related programs. Especially as it relates to teaching. I see that quite often. So I think those particular statements often again, take more time than someone thinks it’s going to take, especially if you’re doing it well, because you’re getting people to read it, you’re getting some feedback.
You’re using that critique to make it better. So those are just a few pieces that come to mind. But of course, the resume and CV, I don’t want to overlook that. It’s also really important. I need, to make sure that all of your information is captured in a way that’s your own self marketing on a piece of paper.
So I think those things are important as well. And I know I just briefly talked about a teaching assistantship. But I would say often an assistantship can be tied to your application to a graduate program. And if that’s a new word that you’ve never heard of, definitely take a look to see if the specific program or department that you are hoping to get into graduate school for offers an assistantship, [00:28:00] whether that be a teaching or just a graduate level assistantship.
Those are. Fantastic opportunities to get hands on experience and to get some of your tuition potentially waived. We offer a hundred percent tuition remission here for our graduate students at Mississippi state. If they, yeah, for assistantships. So it’s a real perk for students to find an assistantship here on campus.
And honestly, it helps. the institution with research and providing great instruction for our students. So it’s a win. So look out for that as well in your application.
Porschia: Those are some great tips. And just to echo something that you mentioned in terms of the whole preparation, we have helped clients with their resumes and sometimes reviewing their personal statements before they submit them.
Two different graduate programs. And it’s so important to get that second set of eyes on those. [00:29:00] Because it really is that first impression that you can never get back. But also I think that sometimes when people look at their resume and what they’ve done in the past they surprised themselves with, their background and how they might be a little more ready for programs than they thought.
Bethany: That’s such a great point. I totally agree with all of that. Yeah.
Porschia: So what are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve seen people make when applying for and maybe even just pursuing graduate degrees as well?
Bethany: Yes, I have a story that comes to mind that I want to make sure that I tell, but… I think one of the biggest mistakes that I see is number one, not having a full understanding of the application process, which I’m not going to harp on that again because we’ve talked about it.
But I do think that’s a big piece. You cannot apply for a graduate program typically in a week’s period of time. It takes much longer. I’ll also say one of the [00:30:00] areas that I often see people just
not thinking about it. From the perspective of the admissions counselor, or the admissions coordinator is the personal statement. I have had to tell working with alumni or working with students, it’s something that I say over and over again. I really, as I read this it’s lovely.
It’s written well. But I don’t feel like I get a good sense of you in what I’m reading. I feel like I’m reading what you think they want to hear. And I say that really often to folks because we get really caught up in not saying the wrong thing. And then therefore we don’t say anything. When I get through reading a personal statement, I should really have a good sense, of course, it’s not an interview and it’s not in person, but I should have a really good sense of who you are.
As it relates to your professional journey, what you’re hoping to [00:31:00] accomplish, your passions, your interests, why that particular school, why that program, all of that should be really clear. I shouldn’t have to question. Or think, gosh, I wish I could ask them more questions after that, reading this personal statement, it should be really clear.
So that’s probably one of the biggest pitfalls. And the last 1 that I’ll say, and I’m going to share a story because I think about it all the time is with a student who applied for a program at a very reputable college science. A science based PhD program, and they got into the program, but they did not get an assistantship.
And therefore, the student financially just couldn’t make it work and she just didn’t get it and she just moved on and about. A semester later, actually, she ends up going to a conference and she’s speaking to a professor at that particular college. And he’s like, wow, [00:32:00] you should really apply for a PhD program.
And she says, well, I did apply and I actually didn’t get an assistantship. And I couldn’t go. And he was like, I wish you would have reached out to me. Because your interests are so in line with my research and what I’m doing, and had I known that, I would have been able to offer you an assistantship.
And I think that there’s a lesson here. You send in an application and it’s all very. It’s neat and tidy, but it’s not really human focused. So if you can find a way to connect with a human, it will often lead to that really awesome research opportunity or an assistantship or at the least a mentor as you go into that program.
And so I think making that additional point of contact with a human can really just make all the difference. So that’s a pitfall I would say as well.
Porschia: Wow, that’s a very powerful story, Bethany. Very powerful [00:33:00] story. So tell us more about your work at the Mississippi State Career
Bethany: Center. Yeah, I’ll try to keep this short.
I’m very passionate about what I do. I love what I do. And I think It’s a very unique position to be in when you get to make an impact at a place that made such an impact on you. Right? So I feel like I’m living a little bit of a dream. It’s pretty amazing. But right now, what we’re really focused on is.
Enhancing our career development opportunities for students on campus and our online distance ed students. We have a big population of adult learners as well. We’re really just trying to make sure they are getting connected to opportunities. It’s a really great time right now. For talent, it has not hit any kind of down her excuse me.
Any kind of downturn hasn’t really occurred yet [00:34:00] in Mississippi. We are still seeing a huge influx of employers seeking talent. And so we are continuously just trying to get the word out that, we have these job postings and our centralized job board, and we’re here to help and get the word out.
But the other thing I’m really passionate about is we have a really diverse group of students at Mississippi State. And I think it’s a point of pride for me. I know I experienced that when I was here. And what a great time to connect employers to talent that’s diverse. And I think they’re really seeking that right now.
So we just want to expose them. I know I’ve mentioned that several times, but it’s so important. For our students to know what’s out there and that it’s possible and that they’re, they can pursue those opportunities if they know they exist. So there’s lots of work to do. And that’s why I love career services because there’s always going to be work to do.
There’s always ways to improve the economy changes. What employers [00:35:00] are seeking changes, what our students are doing, and how they’re thinking about employment changes, right? Gen Z is just shaking everything up and I love it. And so I think it’s a, it’s just a great feel to be in, but definitely at the end of the day, it’s just making an impact on students.
Porschia: So Bethany, let’s say someone’s been listening in and they’ve loved all of your insights. What is the best way for someone to get in
Bethany: touch with you? Yeah. The best way to get in touch with me is via LinkedIn. I would say I’m very active on LinkedIn. I love to put out posts that hopefully are inspirational or encouraging to others in leadership and career.
But also I really love to hear from other folks and staying connected to all of the information, the wealth of knowledge that others have to bring to the table as well. So LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected with me. I would love that. Great. Great. And
Porschia: I love your LinkedIn posts too, Bethany. I want to ask [00:36:00] you our final question that I like to ask every guest.
How do you think executives or professionals can get a positive edge in their
Bethany: career? I’m not sure if this applies to every single situation, but what I would say is that I think if you are pursuing the things, the work, the impact that really just brings joy and meaning to your life, you are going to excel.
I think that others see that and it’s contagious and they want to be a part of it. I have very rarely seen The fruits of that go to waste. So I would just say continuing to seek out those opportunities to pursue the things that you just really enjoy. You get so much meaning out of it. It’s very meaningful work.
And continuing on that path and it will get [00:37:00] noticed and it will lead you forward in some way. I think that’s the, what I would tell others to how to get a leg up on their executive career.
Porschia: Well, Bethany, you have shared a lot of wisdom with us today, and I’m sure that our listeners can use it to be more confident in their careers and with their graduate degree endeavors.
We appreciate you being with us.
Bethany: Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it. [00:38:00]
