Career Path Of An Acquisitions Analyst At Intercontinental Real Estate Corp

Before college, I knew I wanted to work in business, specifically something financial. I was interested in how financial systems worked and learning more about the stock market and businesses. I wanted to pursue a career in high finance or investment banking.

Once I got to campus, I networked with seniors and juniors who were on that path. I asked them questions and sought their guidance on what I should do as a freshman. I also spoke with our career counselor, who offered valuable advice.

This led me to my first internship, a diversity and inclusion program with Morgan Stanley in New York City. There, I learned about high finance roles like investment banking, capital markets, and sales and trading. It was a great experience where I shadowed individuals and received training I lacked at the time.

This experience helped set me on a path to pursue a career in finance. In my sophomore year, I delved deeper into finance, particularly developing a strong interest in financial markets. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in wealth management.

During my sophomore year, I connected with a financial advisor in Scottsdale, Arizona. He mentored me, and I learned a great deal about the business. I even spoke with clients and provided research and information for him, which was a valuable experience.

I continued networking and, through mentors at school, secured an internship at Goldman Sachs in their private wealth management division. This was during COVID, so the internship was virtual and shortened to five weeks, a different experience than pre-COVID times. Despite its unique format, it was a great experience where I learned a lot from various individuals.

After that, I gained more experience in wealth management and secured a full-time offer. In my senior year, I wanted to explore other areas of finance and took a commercial real estate class. I also wanted a job that would help fund social activities.

I met someone with over 20 years of experience on Wall Street in the debt side of commercial real estate. He had started his own firm in Tucson, Arizona. I shadowed him there, and he became a mentor. This experience sparked my interest in commercial real estate.

However, I already had my full-time offer at Goldman Sachs. I worked there for about a year and realized I preferred the work in commercial real estate. So, I decided to pivot my career path.

This decision led me to my current role as an acquisitions analyst at Intercontinental Real Estate in LA. My journey hasn't been a straight line, but I've definitely learned a lot along the way.