On September 21^st, the Weissman Center for International  Business kicked off its first Mitsui Lunchtime Forum of the semester with Thomas Shapero, the Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Equities at Sanford C. Bernstein.

It was standing room only as Mr. Shapero discussed his journey from working as a doorman to becoming one of the leading professionals in his field to current Baruch students. His strong interest in investing led him to accept a job at Sanford C. Bernstein, where he learned the in’s and out’s of trading.

He currently sells high test research to the investing public to inform and find the best possible price for clients and manages 50-60 employees on a daily basis.

“There will be bumps in the road, it’s how you deal with them that counts,” Mr. Shapero said, having faced multiple lay-offs and challenges throughout his career.

He did, however share some helpful tips for students to keep in mind as they embark on their careers:

1.  Learn what you do best, find your passion.
2.  Dream big­­—don’t let anyone deter you from your aspirations.
3.  Take steps to go forward—network with your peers and keep in touch with them after graduation.
4.  Stay in tune with your industry. Keep up on news and technology and adapt your skillset to match.