College Experiences That Helped a Quantitative Analyst at The Grupe Company Succeed
Mariana's experience as a D1 water polo athlete instilled valuable discipline and perseverance, crucial for navigating the challenges of a quantitative analyst role where "you're constantly learning" and feeling like "the dumbest in the room" is common. Adaptability and effective time management are also key to success in a dynamic field, requiring the ability to adjust to evolving market conditions and personal life stages while maintaining a commitment to continuous learning.
Discipline, Perseverance, Adaptability, Resilience, Time Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mariana Roge Ferreira Duarte
Quantitative Analyst
The Grupe Company
University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific - Financial Mathematics
Economics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Real Estate
Data and Analytics
International Student, Scholarship Recipient, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Discipline: Develop a structured routine and be prepared for the workday. This includes time management and prioritizing tasks.
2. Perseverance: Don't be discouraged by feeling less knowledgeable than others. Embrace continuous learning and self-education.
3. Adaptability: Be prepared for changes in the work environment and adjust your approach as needed. This includes adapting to different life stages and making time for continued learning and skill development.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
That's a great question because I was very sports-oriented. I played as a Division 1 water polo athlete.
I think discipline is a big one, where it's like every day having a routine. Some people don't like it, but I love it. Being disciplined means commuting to work, so I have to wake up. If I want to work out, I have to set my bags and be prepared before waking up.
Then I drive to work. You prepare yourselves for the workday the day before, including all the meetings you have to do. It's a very structured thing, and you have to be prepared and have the discipline not to knock it out of your routine. This ensures it doesn't impact your performance at work.
The second one, I would say, is perseverance. It's really easy to feel like the dumbest person in a room when you're talking to some people. Coming out of college, you might think, "Oh my God, there's so much that I don't know." But there's also so much that not a lot of people know.
Whenever you're at work, you're constantly learning. So, persevere whenever you feel like you're the dumbest. That doesn't mean you are; it's just a feeling. You just have to understand and have the discipline to say, "Okay, I'm going to study and educate myself, and I'm not going to be the dumbest in the room."
So, it's just about persevering and having the resiliency to keep becoming more efficient and relevant to your company and your job.
Then, the last one I would say is adaptability. It's really important to adapt to different phases. Even though we think our jobs, when you work in a corporate job, a nine to five, that every day will look exactly the same, you look back and realize how much has changed.
Not just the economy overall changing or the way you see deals, but also adapting to different life stages. How am I going to make room to keep myself available to study, to do a different course, to keep learning? So, being adaptable and having time management is also important.