Q: WHY DID YOU APPLY TO BECOME A CHASE CAREER PEER?
A: I applied to become a Chase Career Peer because I was enthusiastic about UMass students striving for the best placements possible. I fundamentally believe Isenberg is a great program, and students just need a little nudge to seek competitive roles in which they will excel given their strong education.
Q: WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED MOST ABOUT SERVING AS A CHASE CAREER PEER?
A: My favorite experience as a Career Peer is assisting students who are trying to figure out which field to pursue. When they come in with such an open-ended question, it serves to be great fun to put it into a framework and then send them along with a few options that seem promising based upon the key drivers they want out of their life (such as work-life-balance, types of coworkers, etc.).
Q: HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CHASE CAREER PEER WILL BENEFIT YOU PROFESSIONALLY?
A: Professionally, I strive to serve in a client-facing advisory role, and I believe the Chase Career Peer experience I have garnered so far lends itself perfectly to that endeavor. Day to day, I become more well-versed in interacting with a real diverse group of people, picking up on their blatant and subtle cues, and helping explain and break down complex topics into digestible pieces of advice. I’d say this skillset is universally valuable, and so Peers should be fortunate that we get this type of experience!
Q: IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS A CAREER PEER, WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE YOU INVOLVED IN HERE AT ISENBERG/UMASS?
A: My primary endeavor aside from working as a Peer is serving as Director of the Isenberg Undergraduate Consulting Group, a student-run, pro-bono consulting group here on campus that serves a variety of clients ranging from nonprofits to the Fortune 500 on a host of strategic and operational issues. Our mission is to develop our members into strategic problem-solvers, deliver exceptional impact to our clients, and to achieve top job placements come graduation.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR TOP NETWORKING TIP FOR CURRENT STUDENTS?
A: Honestly, I believe the most important tip is to just get started! Networking takes time, and so it is pretty difficult to create organic relationships with professionals if you only give yourself a month. I’d recommend every student gives themselves a solid six-month runway to ensure they have both the time and the acumen to really impress their network and to secure referrals if desired.
Q: WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS UPCOMING SUMMER? WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS BEYOND GRADUATION?
A: I will be working alongside CVS’s internal strategy team as a Corporate Intern, where I will ideally be digging into some really complex, strategic business issues and providing recommendations. I personally find myself gravitated towards this strategy, but undecided on whether I would like to pursue it internally or externally, and so I hope this summer to use this experience to make that decision for myself. Beyond graduation, I would love to specialize in healthcare strategy, as it aligns on the edge of my two interests: the life sciences and business strategy.
Q: WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER CURRENT UNDERCLASSMEN TO HELP THEM MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR TIME AT ISENBERG?
A: I would say to really take the time to look at the student organizations you can get involved in and do your best to either apply or join them as early as possible. Incubating yourself in a group of driven peers really can make all the difference, and extracurricular exposure not only helps you figure out what you want to do – it also rounds you out as a candidate and differentiates you from the competition.
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