A super-smart question
Earlier this month, the Claremont McKenna College Silicon Valley program and alumni network hosted its annual Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB) reception in Redwood City.
This event brings together a unique combination of Claremont alums with established careers in the technology sector and students who are seeking internships to jumpstart their long-term career paths.
There were 77 people in attendance at this year’s ITAB event. Approximately 18 attendees were current CMC students. The rest of us included a mix of alums, parents, and members of the CMC team who care about the vibrancy and legacy of an institution and community that we value being such an integral part of our lives.
I enjoyed learning about the students’ academic interests and professional ambitions. It was also eye-opening to hear some of their questions.
I was excited to see so many students majoring in 3 core fields: data science, accounting, and computer science. In my career path at the intersection of venture capital, public health, energy infrastructure, education, and business infrastructure, the question of what’s possible—and what isn’t—always comes back to financial engineering best practices.
Finance empowers commerce, and coincidentally, CMC’s motto is “civilization prospers with commerce.” Is there a need to do commerce better?
Yes.
One question that came up, among these students, was the concern of being able to stand out, to communicate what makes them unique from others with similar majors.
I think this is a question that a lot of people are grappling with right now.
After a bit of reflection, here are 3 tips I’d like to share—inspired by the students at CMC but applicable to anyone.
1. Your cohort is not your competition—it’s your network of advocates
Your peers understand your value in the market better than anyone
Finance, as a field, has been going through a prolonged period of innovation over the last few decades. After graduation, when everyone goes off to do their own thing, you’ll all be in a position to open doors for one another’s’ talents. Careers are long, and the road is windy. Keep elevating each other through the empathy you’ve gained through mutual learning as classmates with shared interests.
2. Be a person, not a major
The second recommendation I have is to maintain a well-rounded foundation of academic interests and hobbies. The fields of finance, data science, and computer science are all part of a bigger picture.
Long-term, you may find yourself working across a range of different fields and industries. Just because you’re doing a job, potentially as a small piece of a puzzle, doesn’t mean that you’re not shaping what that bigger picture looks like, ultimately. Especially at the intersection of finance, data science, and engineering, your decisions shape what’s possible for your organization, overall.
I think one of the biggest early career mistakes I made was losing myself in what I thought was expected of me. Oops.
That’s another story and whole adventure in itself.
3. Figure out how to tell your story—and allow that story to evolve
My third recommendation is to keep honing your communication, writing, and creative skills. Technical careers are just as much about people as they are about systems. Those with strong storytelling and presentation skills are the individuals who inevitably get ahead due to the ability to guide others towards a vision.
While it can feel extremely awkward to express who you are in a professional context, remember that you are in control of your narrative. Don’t want to tell your coworkers at the investment banking firm that you’re interested in comic book illustration? Great, build it on the side, wait 5 years, and then co-found a startup publishing comic books.
Financial engineers can do anything. You may not get it right now, but trust me, you will.