By Liz De La Cruz

Peers for Careers/SCDC Correspondent

(As originally published in The Ticker – http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/)

Are you interested in a career in Wall Street? If the answer is yes then keep on reading. If you have an interest in Wall Street and don’t know how to pursue it; if you have researched it and want to expand your network; if you are exploring your career options and just want to know what Wall Street is like; and/or if you can relate to any of these scenarios then the Starr Career Development Center (SCDC) has the necessary resources for you.

For example, the SCDC is hosting an event called “Recent Alumni on Wall Street” on Thursday, November 8th in NVC 14-220 from 12:30PM to 2:30PM. This event is open to everyone in Baruch: undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff. The event will be a panel composed of Baruch College recent alumni that graduated between 2008 and 2011 and currently work in front-office positions in Wall Street. The banking institutions represented include: BMO Capital Markets, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Prudential Capital Group, and Waterfall Asset Management. The panelists will be discussing what they did while at Baruch, what helped them to prepare for their careers while at Baruch, and what they do in their current jobs. There is also going to be a Question & Answer session at the end of the panel.

During your time at Baruch you will hear about and hopefully attend various events with representatives from companies. In order to get the most out of these events you need to do your homework and prepare for them. One resource you can access from home that the SCDC offers is Vault. It delivers insider information and advice that allows students and professionals to define and achieve personal success at every stage of their careers in a timely manner. In this website you can research both the company and the industry of the panelists and presenters of the events. This information will help you to better understand their perspective and you can use it to formulate well-researched questions that can help you stand out in the crowd. Remember first impressions count. They may not be able to get you a job interview, but you can always do an informational interview with that person which will help you extend your network. As they say it’s not about what you know, but who you know.

There are also some in person resources that the SCDC offers that can help you prepare for those events. If you would like to learn more about Finance you can attend the Finance 101 workshop. If you are unsure about how to formulate your personal pitch or how to mingle with people you can attend our Small Talk: Big Deal workshop. Many of us use Social Media in order to communicate with our friends and family but you can also use it to connect with people who work in your chosen industry.

If you are currently a sophomore and you are interested in a job on Wall Street, please watch for the Financial Leadership Program (FLP) applications in the spring semester. FLP focuses on training students for top financial analyst programs in a variety of firms. Baruch College also offers other programs such as Mentor for a Morning, Financial Women’s Association, Executives on Campus, Global Student Certificate Program, among others. You can also gain substantial knowledge and experience about the industry by joining student clubs and organizations.

When it comes to your career there isn’t a shortcut. There is no such thing as over-preparation. Keep in mind that you are always being evaluated, so you need to do your homework when you interact with other people especially if they work in the industry you wish to enter. Educate yourself about opportunities on and off campus because there are many resources to enhance your career success.

By Paulina Jankovic

Peers for Careers/SCDC Correspondent

(As originally published in The Ticker – http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/)

You wait a whole week wondering and obsessively checking your phone to see if you got the offer after a recent job interview. Finally, that company contacts you and your heart leaps. Although they do not offer you the job just yet, you are confirmed for a second round interview. You think to yourself, “another interview? What more could they want to know about me?”

If you made it to a second round interview, pat yourself on the back, because the company liked you enough to want to know you more. But before you go to the second interview, you will have to know how it will differ from the first interview, what to expect, and some tips to succeed.

The first round interview is relatively general; it assesses your overall personality, basic skills, and experience. It acts to simply screen out applicants. The second round interview focuses on more in-depth questions and getting to know if you are the right fit for the company. In this further round, your performance and what you convey is crucial. Every detail counts because there is a very fine line between you and the other interviewees.

Second round interviews come in a few different formats. In one instance, you might have to meet with various managers or team members of an office. If given a list of people you’ll meet before hand, it is recommended that you do a little bit of research on them, to help with small talk points and questions. Also, make sure you get all their respective contact information, so you can properly thank each of them later on. In another instance, you might have to “shadow” a day on the job. This means you will spend a few hours or even up to an entire workday in the office. If possible, you should ask what the day would entail so you know what to expect. In cases such as these, it is typical that you will engage in business dining, where the interviewer might take you to lunch. Though the atmosphere might become a bit less formal in this case, you should make sure not to let your demeanor and conversation get too informal or inappropriate. In a third instance, you might participate in a group interview or even a group project. It is important to show that you can work well with others and accomplish things collaboratively.

In a second round interview, there are a few things you want to be sure to communicate to the interviewers. The interviewer is trying to make a final decision on who would fit the company best and be the biggest asset. In order to hit this point, you should prepare stories of your successes, accomplishments, and projects from your previous jobs or academics. You know what you want to express and be aggressive in doing so. Do not be shy to talk about what you have done and can do. Also, be mindful to assess the company’s culture and its values; make sure that your answers convey that you are in line with its corporate culture. Lastly, make sure to conduct adequate research on the company beforehand and prepare some well thought out questions.

Second round interviews can seem daunting. However, with the enough preparation, information, and confidence, you can ace them! For more information on second interviews, you can attend Mastering the Job Interview- Advanced on Tuesday, October 30th at 12:30pm. For information on first round interviews, sign up for the Interviewing Techniques Workshops on Tuesday, October 23rd at 12:30pm. Finally, to prepare for lunch interviews and business dining, sign up for the Dining Etiquette Workshop on Tuesday, December 4th at 12:30pm. To reserve a spot and confirm the location of these and other workshops, please go to the Starr Career Development Center website at www.baruch.cuny.edu/careers, log on to Starr Search, click on “Events” and RSVP.

By Jason Ioffe

Peers for Careers/SCDC Correspondent

(As originally published in The Ticker – http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/)

Your college experience is an important journey of self-discovery and personal development. As you learn and grow, you will uncover new talents and interests that will shape your future career. Accordingly, a promising future greatly depends on the efforts you take today to gain both an understanding of your unique strengths and experience in your desired industries.

At the Starr Career Development Center, we are driven to ensure that Baruch’s students have the means to enrich their professional development. If you are unsure of which interests to pursue professionally, please visit our Center for free career counseling and vocational testing. Our career counselors are here to help you uncover your talents and guide you towards your potential future career. Additionally, our new online service via LinkedIn, Virtual Career Connect, provides seniors with motivation and the means to track career-related tasks and goals. Interested students should join the SCDC LinkedIn Group and request to join the subgroup. Other online resources, such as Career Zone which you can access at www.careerzone.ny.gov can also help you assess your greatest interests and their connection to the world of work.

Taking advantage of Baruch’s diverse community is one of the best ways to explore your interests. Currently, there are over 200 on-campus student clubs and organizations, each catered towards unique professional and personal interests. If your greatest interests are not currently represented by any club, then feel free to start your own! Getting involved with clubs will greatly boost your ability to build a network of peers with similar interests. Whether your career goals lean towards accounting, journalism, computer information systems, or anything else, Baruch’s vast resources can benefit all students.