Alejandra Thompson 09BBA
Assistant Vice President, Giorgio Armani Beauty, L’Oréal
Pursue jobs that you find fun! Being able to truly enjoy your work makes a huge difference in achieving sustainable and long-term, high quality output. As your career progresses build your personal skillset around things you enjoy doing. Passion always shows through, it is very hard to fake it over a long period of time and even more exhausting.
Scott Sigal 99BBA
Principal, Global Head of Investor Services, Prudential Real Estate Investors
Treat your first job as a learning opportunity—an opportunity to learn some skills, get an understanding of what is expected in the workplace, and figure out what you are good at and like to do. Find a mentor in the company who is not your boss to help you understand how things work.
Jesse Grossman 10BBA
Founder & CEO, Community Bucket
Don’t be afraid to take risks in your career. There’s no such thing as true job security anymore, so it’s up to you to explore opportunities as you find them. Keep learning, sharpen your skills, find what you enjoy doing, forge your own path, and build strong relationships along the way. I believe this is critical to your own success, fulfillment, and happiness.
Maureen Sweatman 11MEMBA
Director of Operations, Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement, Division of Campus Life, Emory University
Find and work with a mentor who you aspire to be like or has a career you admire. They will teach you much more than you can imagine. Also, do your part to make a positive impact on the world. If just one life breathes easier because you have lived, you have succeeded.
Douglas Baldasare 06BBA
Founder & CEO, ChargeItSpot
If you go on to grad school, you can leverage your time to start a business. You get the benefit of free time away from the workforce and the diversity, knowledge, and experience of your classmates and professors. You can make it efficient by tailoring your course load to build your company; business plans can become final reports. Independent studies become advisory relationships with professors. Another benefit is that when you’re still a student and starting a business, your alumni base and broader business community are super receptive to taking your phone call—if you have the gumption to reach out.
Lauren Hendricks 00BBA
Associate Vice President, Global Marketing Partnerships, National Basketball Association
Focus on finding a brand or company that you are passionate about and want to work for to help grow their business and make an impact.
Lisa Harrow 07BBA
Principal, Triago
If you don’t negotiate your salary from the beginning, you will make less money. Remember that a good negotiation isn’t just about money. Gather evidence, present your case, and think strategically about all of the moving parts. Also, be visible at your firm. Don’t assume that your boss knows everything you are accomplishing. Copy people on emails, respond to requests right away, say thank you, volunteer to coordinate a project, and speak up in meetings so people will notice you were present.
Jason Glushon 07BBA
Manager, Wasserman Media Group
Find something you are passionate about and work as hard as you can to achieve your goals in that field. No matter what path you take, there are going to be hurdles and disappointments. However, if you find a job that you truly enjoy, you give yourself an opportunity to become not only successful but happier.
Jeff Gordon 04BBA
Senior Vice President, Recovery and Transformation Services, McKinsey & Company
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and take on new roles. If you feel too comfortable in your existing role, then you probably aren’t pushing yourself hard enough and are missing valuable growth opportunities.
Be willing to fully commit to whatever new challenge you take on. Those who deliver real value and results are the ones who reap the rewards in the long run. Make the extra effort to think about the problem critically, understand the details, identify the best solution, and then execute against it. If you want to keep advancing in your career, you need to put in more effort to truly solve problems.
Vanessa Youshaei 13BBA
Associate Account Strategist, Google
Pitch new projects that aren’t on your manager’s radar. Don’t do just the expected; finding new opportunities that your manager may not see makes you exceptional. They will like that you’re taking initiative. Feel free to reach out to alums! We’re all here to help.
Jordan Pious 09BBA
Manager, Retail & Consumer Products, Kurt Salmon
Jobs and careers aren’t just about the company name, salary, and what it can add to your resume; they’re about enjoying what you do, every day. We spend more than 50% of our waking hours focused on work-related tasks. When you love what you do and you’re excited to go to work every day, you end up spending that time with a smile on your face. Take control of your life and your happiness.
Jeff Davis 10MBA
Marketing Consultant, Chick-fil-A Corporate
Embody a growth mindset as you embark upon your career. Challenge yourself to learn something new every day through reading, training, and networking. Such a mindset will serve you well not only as you grow professionally but also as you pursue your personal goals and endeavors.
— Carol Lindsey
