On September 18th, I attended “Explore JP Morgan Chase & Co” at Baruch College. Going to this event without knowing anything about the corporate world was quite intimidating. However, talking to current employees at this firm, I was relieved that they were people just like me. Each employee was sincere and passionate in what they do.
My goals and aspirations for the future would be to be my own business owner/proprietor. However, for my goals to be realistic, I have to enter the corporate world and build the necessary capital. Understanding the corporate world is the next step in achieving my goals.
Although I was not offered a position because I was a freshman, I will continue to attend events to surround myself with ambitious people hungry for positions in the firm. The drive to succeed motivates me. Just because I got denied, this does not stop my ability to network with current employees to get informed about future available positions.
-Stephen Zhong
Stephen,
I’m so impressed you attended this event! I know it can be intimidating but once you start networking and getting to know the professionals, you’ll realize they all started off as ungrad students as well. In fact, there’s a lot of Baruch alumni at JP so if you’re interested in working there, definitely connect with them on LinkedIn; they’re a valuable asset when you’re applying for internships!
Also, not sure about JP Morgan specifically, but a lot of companies and firms now offer special fellowships and programs for students in their sophomore years so look into that for the future!
Hopefully, you’ll continue to go to these corporate events even as a first-year student because it’s never too late to gain experience and make a lasting impression.
-Lea