Episode 22: ROCS Alumni Success Story - Against All Odds with Caitlin Gunning

Leaving The Nest

Episode 22: ROCS Alumni Success Story - Against All Odds with Caitlin Gunning

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Leaving The Nest. I’m your host, Kathleen Pellegrino from ROCS Grad Staffing. Our mission is to help you find a job out of college and thrive in the real world.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer break and doing some fun things out there. It’s already the middle of July which is crazy how fast time flies.

I’m excited that you’re here because today is going to be a very, very, very special episode! If you listen to the whole thing, you’ll know why.

In the meantime, I wanted to introduce our special guest, Caitlin Gunning. She is a close friend of mine, and we met a few years ago when she was interning at ROCS and we have stayed in touch ever since.

I’m so glad that she’s here because her story is incredible! I look up to her so much, and it’s so inspiring with what she’s been through since a young age. Caitlin has never let any of her experiences stop her from accomplishing her goals.

And don’t forget to leave us a review wherever you are listening and to share this episode with others you know who are just leaving the nest or perhaps are starting one of their own. Enjoy my conversation with Caitlin!

In This Episode:

[1:54] – We’re introduced to our guest, Caitlin Gunning.

[3:28] – Caitlin takes us back to her high school years and we learn what drew her to the University of Houston.

[5:38] – Did Caitlin have difficulty transitioning to a school so far away from friends and family?

[7:30] – During Caitlin’s final year at college, she found out she was pregnant. This is what changed in her well-laid plans.

[10:27] – We hear about Caitlin’s internship at ROCS and transitioning to online school for her senior year in college.

[12:50] – What was it like having to reveal the “big secret” when working at ROCS?

[15:25] – Caitlin reveals her favorite memory of working at ROCS.

[19:10] – We learn more about when little Olivia finally arrived.

[21:12] – Caitlin shares what she believed her biggest accomplishment was as her friends in Houston were walking across the stage to graduate.

[22:46] – Caitlin went into a sales development role after she left her ROCS internship.

[24:16] – Rather than keeping Olivia as a “big secret” at her new job, she ripped the bandage off and let her new coworkers know she was a new mom, and here’s how that helped her career.

[26:49] – Caitlin talks about her move to Deltek.

[29:16] – Balancing a full-time career and a newborn at home was like working 2 full-time jobs. Caitlin describes how this motivated her to push herself harder.

[31:52] – We hear the advice Caitlin would give to someone who is inspired by her story.

[34:20] – Training is hard and painful, but Caitlin reminds us that failing is harder and more painful.

[36:10] – This is how we can connect with Caitlin.

[37:10] – Kathleen reveals a “big secret” of her own.

[38:30] – Kathleen wraps up the conversation and gives us an idea of what to expect moving forward.

‍Connect with Caitlin:

LinkedIn

‍Connect with the ROCS Grad Staffing Team:

Visit our Website:

ROCS Grad Staffing

Current Job Openings

Give us a call at: 703-579-6677

Send us an email: [e-mail]

Check us out on social:

ROCS Facebook Page

ROCS on Instagram

ROCS Grad Staffing LinkedIn Company Page

Connect with Kathleen:

[e-mail]

LinkedIn

Call: 703-579-6677