College Experiences That Helped a Financial Consultant at Raftelis Financial Succeed
Erik, a Financial Consultant, prioritized practical experience over academics, stating that "one of the biggest setups...is to just go out and pursue part-time jobs with firms and companies." This included internships, which provided valuable professional skills—"baseline skills you just don't learn in a degree"—and allowed academic learning to translate into real-world experience.
Internships, Part-time Jobs, Professional Experience, Work-Life Balance, Practical Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erik Milde
Financial Consultant
Raftelis Financial Consulting
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
N/A
Engineering - Civil
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Energy & Utilities, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Disabled, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Gain practical experience through part-time jobs or internships to develop professional skills and work expectations.
2. Prioritize both academic studies and practical work experience to build a well-rounded skill set.
3. Consider balancing academic workload with extracurricular activities or part-time jobs to enhance your resume and gain valuable experience
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
What I did in undergrad wasn't the major setup for my career, though I do agree degrees are a huge pathway for work and I'm glad I got mine.
Honestly, one of the biggest setups in terms of experience is to go out and pursue part-time jobs with firms and companies. Some industries don't necessarily provide this, but some degree pathways make internships a credit requirement.
I think internships are worthwhile. While not everyone may be able to do them due to extenuating circumstances, I worked as an intern for a couple of years. You make a little money, or if not, you gain experience that translates.
You come in with expectations of professional work, like traditional email titling, and some baseline skills you don't learn in a degree. An internship is a huge boon for this. You can then use what you're learning in school to translate to your day-to-day job.
You can work an internship over the summers or a couple of hours a week, and it's helpful. We sometimes say our schooling is super involved, and we have to pass all these exams, but it's okay to slip a little on tests, not to fail courses, but to put things at equal priority.