Rudy graduated in 2014 with minors in Marketing, Economics, and Spanish.
He is completing an MBA from William and Mary. Rudy currently works as the Knowledge Development Manager at United Automobile Insurance Company.
Rudy and International Business
I liked that IB is very broad, and that it does not limit you to one field. You also get the opportunity to explore the horizons beyond the United States by studying abroad and through the coursework. I made lasting friendships throughout the years and really liked having a broad range of possibilities with my degree.
Rudy on the International Business curriculum
Learning about global economy, interdependence of different countries and impact of government policies, taught me how to navigate both my professional career and personal life. Understanding how to communicate with people of different culture is a critical skill needed to build relationships in the business world.
Rudy’s Current Role
I currently work as the Knowledge Development Manager at United Automobile Insurance Company. This is a liaison role between the Business, Human Resources, and IT Departments. I coordinate with the business to see what opportunities they have from a training and development standpoint, work with IT to build on that product, and coordinate with HR to make sure we have the right feedback loops in place. The ultimate goal is to take the institutional knowledge that exists, codify it, and put it in a manner that is easily transferrable for different people. As such, I work on onboarding, employee training, career progression plans, and more. It is a high-impact position, that directly affects employees on a day-to-day basis.
Rudy on Trends in the Insurance Industry
One trend in the insurance industry is the advancement of personalized pricing through enhanced technology and access to more user data to personalize the pricing. The access to a multitude of data points from these technologies allow for more robust pricing strategies and good driver habits can result in discounted premium.
Rudy on Studying Abroad (in Spain)
Studying abroad is an important reminder that the world has a lot of other cultures that you can be a part where the food, language, priorities, sleep schedule, and values are all different. Being in a new environment and breaking away from your routine can be challenging but is a great experience. It also provides you with the opportunity to build lasting relationships.
Rudy’s Advice
When Joining A Company: Join an organization for the development you are going to get and the relationships that you will build. Salary is important, but don’t make it the most important criteria when deciding which job to pursue. Look for something deeper than that, that will allow you to show up everyday and give 110% to your job.
Skills to Develop: There are some important skills that are relevant across industries. Hard skills include Microsoft Excel and SQL. Soft skills might include public speaking, perseverance, critical thinking, and the ability to think outside the box. Try to cultivate some of these skills early on.