Committee of 100: How did you go about breaking into the "world of finance" and find yourself at a leading investment company?

Jessica: In college I did marketing internships at the St. Regis Hotel and Estee Lauder, but I really wanted to try something in finance. I didn't have any experience in it, and I thought it would be worthwhile to try while I was still in college. At the end of my junior year, I applied for an internship that was posted in the Economics department at my university and I was offered an internship at GE Capital Corporate Treasury. I ended up loving my internship and was offered a position in the Financial Management Program at GE Consumer Finance upon graduation. I guess you can say I "broke" into finance by accident because I was curious about other opportunities and experiences outside of my comfort zone.

I found myself at a hedge fund, again by accident, through a recruiter. I knew I wanted to be in Finance, but I wasn't able to articulate exactly what I wanted to do and the recruiter came up with a few options. I actually started at the hedge fund as a Consultant and was offered a full-time position within a month. It was a great opportunity for me as I was joining a newly formed group in Operations and I learned a lot about some of the instruments my firm trades. That knowledge has definitely come in handy as I just started a different role at the firm couple of months ago.


Committee of 100: What do you do to keep your job exciting and fun to go to work with everyday?

Jessica: There's a joke in my office that every morning is like Christmas because you never really know what's going to happen. In my current role, a lot of my work is accomplished before 9:30 am when the stock market opens. Depending on our firm trading volume or market volatility, I can have a very busy morning or a relatively calm morning. It's definitely the nature of my job and I think I'm lucky that it's not always predictable. For me, I need to be learning things to keep my job fresh and interesting; I think once you reach a certain level of knowledge and your job becomes monotonous, it's time to explore other opportunities. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to leave your job, but maybe work with your managers and redefine your role. It's unrealistic to think that what you're doing now will continue to keep your interest the same way a couple of years in the future.

Excitement is a natural part of my job especially in today's volatile financial markets, but another important part of what keeps my job fun is the people. I have some great co-workers and managers and the environment where I work is one that fits me very well. I think it's crucial to find a place where you fit in with the corporate culture.

Committee of 100: What advice would you give someone straight out of college and looking to get into finance?

Jessica: I think "Finance" is a very broad term. There are so many finance jobs out there that are so different from each other! Explore your options and try different industries. You may surprise yourself in what you learn, especially about yourself. If you have the opportunity, get an internship. The experience it gives you will be invaluable and you'll learn a lot about what you like and dislike on everything from work environment to managerial style. Try to look for experiences that will help you grow, and if you can, find a manager or mentor who will encourage you to learn new skills or knowledge.

Committee of 100: What is one piece of advice that you wish someone had told you when you were looking for a job?

Jessica: Don't focus all your energy on finding the "perfect" job. Find a job that's a good fit for you where you can learn and be promoted, and the opportunities will follow. You should have a job that's suited for you to develop your personal strengths and skill sets. These days a career doesn't have to last a lifetime, especially in Finance; one job will likely not last you for the rest of your life, you have to continue to grow. There may be opportunities out there that you never imagined, but that you would never have known about if you hadn't worked on a specific project or in a specific role.

Committee of 100: Do you have a mantra to live by? How do you use that to guide your life?

Jessica: I really have 2 mantras, but I feel like they relate to each other. The first is that you cannot reach too high. It's not good to be afraid of failure, everyone fails at some point! It's how you deal with adversity that shapes you. You can learn a lot from your mistakes and hopefully you can avoid making the same ones a second time. Also, you don't want to live your life regretting the chances you never took. It sounds maybe a little trite, but ask yourself, "If I don't do this, will I look back and regret it later?" If the answer is yes, then it's something you should make an effort to try. You may end up not liking it and think it's a mistake, but at least you learned something in the process and you can use that knowledge in the future.

My other mantra is that life is about the journey, not just the destination. This is actually something that one of my mentors passed on to me. Obviously you want to have goals and aspirations; but if you focus too singularly, you can miss out on chances to enrich your life and give you valuable experience. If you have a goal, keep an eye open for openings that will help you achieve your goal while helping you to grow as a person. You may even end up changing your goals or adding new ones. Life is unpredictable but I think it's vital to learn from opportunities as they come along. It's perhaps an unconventional view, but I definitely think it's the unexpected that has brought me to where I am now. If someone had told me when I started college that I would be working at a hedge fund and want to work on a trading floor, I would have thought they were out of their mind.

 

Committee of 100: Any other words of wisdom to someone a few years behind you?

 

Jessica: If you're still in college, try and get an internship, the experience is priceless. However, there is life outside of work! It's important to achieve a balance and find some activities that interest you and enrich your life. Work hard and be focused when you're at work, but savor life as well. Whatever your interests are, find something you enjoy and have a little fun.