Starting a career in finance might seem intimidating, but networking is a great first step. On April 9, the College of Business and Economics hosted its second Finance Meet & Greet, bringing experienced professionals and students together in an intimate and unique industry event. The goal of the program is to provide students with valuable perspectives from practitioners within the broad field of finance and provide them with an opportunity to ask questions and network.
Chinedum Nwadiora, a lecturer in the Department of Finance who hosted the event, said it succinctly: “A grade isn’t enough. You need to make industry contacts.”
The virtual event, which drew more than 50 attendees featured keynote speakers Michael S. Harris, director of family office and partner at Verdence Capital Advisors; recent CBE alum, Jeffrey Niedzwiecki ’19 (financial advisor; vice president of Crossland Financial Group) and Seth Vittori ’18 (associate at Morgan Stanley), all who shared key insights from their professional experience.
Harris advised students to have an understanding of the marketplace at large, like understanding the different roles and the different types of firms. While a lot of research can be found online, the speakers recommended conducting informational interviews. However, they cautioned that the point of these is to pick professionals’ brains, not to ask for a job.
The panelists also encourage students interested in pursuing careers in finance to start preparing for their professional licenses now. There are several designations that can be earned while an undergrad, such as Bloomberg certifications, which are embedded in the finance curriculum in CBE.
Niedzwiecki and Vittori noted the advantages of pursuing the financial planning track, which helped hem professionally and personally by saving time and money once employed in the industry.
Neither hesitated to answer whether the CBE curriculum prepared them for their careers.
“I think it was perfect,” says Niedzwiecki.
“I couldn’t agree more. The curriculum really does prepare you well for the material you’ll study for the next 1-2 years in the CFA program,” says Vittori.
Regardless of which finance track students pursue, the speakers also agreed that another great way to prepare is through internships. Harris called them “super important,” and Vittori says he believes the experience he got through two internships helped him secure a job when he graduated.
Niedzwiecki called communication skills critical. Understanding financial concepts is not the end of the job – you have to be able to explain that knowledge, he says.
“You need to learn how to explain what you’ve learned at a college level at a fifth grade level,” he says. “If you can show you have better communication skills than the next guy, that’s the key.