Students on the Blog: You Can Have The Job You Want In 2019

By Tanuja Ramchal

In January of 2018, I had a session with Eileen Marray (MS Finance '18), whom I’ve been coaching since her second semester in the MS program at Zicklin. In that session, she said, "I've been reflecting on the last year and can’t believe what I’ve been able to accomplish in 2017. A year ago, I was starting from nothing."

Eileen, an international student, didn’t have any professional experience in the United States. Prior to her MS, she held one entry-level job working at a bank in her country right out of undergrad. In a matter of a few months though, Eileen was able to land an internship in her field for summer 2017. As a result of her high performance, that internship was extended to the fall semester. That same semester, she applied for a summer internship at a top financial services firm and received an offer. This led to a full-time role, which she’ll be starting in February.

If you’re reading this and thinking results like this only happen for certain students, you’re absolutely right. It happens for students who are clear about what they want, develop a plan, stay committed, and do the work. This is where a career advisor at the GCMC can help you.

In case you’re wondering what the steps were that Eileen took, here’s a list:

1. She researched jobs and companies in her field, including reaching out to other students to learn more. This helped her clarify what she wanted.
2. She worked on her resume and cover letter to make sure they were targeted to the roles she was applying for.
3. She got a job on campus to gain experience in the United States.
4. She volunteered with a well-known organization.
5. She started volunteering for events with a club on campus and also became a committee member in another club, allowing her to develop leadership skills and network with students and professionals.
6. She clearly understood the value she had to offer employers.
7. She focused on her studies, earning a high GPA.
8. She leveraged her academic projects to build her knowledge and resume.
9. She developed her interviewing skills.
10. She attended numerous networking events.
11. She decided to slow things down, extending her graduation date to December 2018 instead of May. Because of that, she was qualified for great internship opportunities (based on all that she had to offer).
12. She met with her career advisor regularly to stay on track with her plan and work through the challenges.

So, as you’re right at the beginning of the year and thinking ahead, it’s evident from Eileen’s story that you can make great strides in your career this year. Remember to slow down if you need to - everyone has a different starting point and different pace. The important thing is that you’re moving in a direction you want. If you don’t know what that is, make an appointment with an advisor.

To learn more about how Eileen transformed her career in one year, check out my video interview with her below.

Where do you see yourself at the end of 2019? We at the GCMC are here to help you get there.