When facing a major life transition, people often look to those who have gone before them. What can I expect? What should I know? How can I get to where you are now?
We asked three 2024 Black School of Business alumni to share what they’ve learned in their first months of employment, and what advice they have for current students.
Matthew Fleming
Matthew Fleming
Majors: Management Information Systems and Project and Supply Chain Management
Position/Title: Insights specialist at Curtze Food Service
How he got his job: “I was hired as a project manager intern in the summer of 2023. While there, I implemented a software management system to give our development team the agility that is standard in today’s industry. I remained a part-time project manager until I graduated in May, when they offered me a full-time job as an insights specialist.”
Harness the power of Penn State: “Combining the Nittany Lion Careers job search tool with LinkedIn is a great way to find employers looking specifically for Penn State student interns or grads. Remember to keep your LinkedIn profile updated and put the link at the top of your résumé.”
Why he chose Curtze: “The number one reason is that they allow me to learn. I work in an environment with a lot of freedom, goals to achieve, and progress to be made. It’s a great opportunity to build my portfolio and skills and add value to the company. I also enjoy the atmosphere at Curtze, and I like the company’s values. Working for a company that works for you is a big plus.”
College to work: “Switching from a college schedule to a work schedule is little bit of a shock. These days, I work on things much longer than I did in college, when the subject matter and projects changed more often.”
Advice for students: “Connect with as many people as you can. Meeting new people is an everyday occurrence in the workplace, so use your time at college to build your networking skills.”
Tony Pham
Tony Pham
Majors: Accounting and Finance
Position/Title: Wealth management tax services associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Pittsburgh
How to find a job: “Nittany Lion Careers and Behrend’s Career and Internship Fairs (held each spring and fall) were the most helpful to me. The Nittany Lion Careers search tool helped me stay informed about jobs that were available to me in the accounting and finance fields that matched my career interests and experience. The career fair gave me experience talking face-to-face with recruiters and honing my interviewing skills.”
Why he chose PwC: “I interned with the company in the summer of 2023, and I had a great support system. I knew it was the place I wanted to work. One reason is that the company emphasizes the people part of work and how important relationships are. It’s also one of the Big Four accounting firms, offering a wealth of resources and opportunities that would not be possible at a small firm.”
Set goals after graduation: “Take time to plan your future. Setting a goal for myself helped guide me to some of the things I need to do now to reach the place I want to be in the future.”
Time management is still key: “I thought that after college I would have a lot of free time, but I’ve learned that the responsibilities (classes, homework, projects) that I had in college have been replaced with other adult responsibilities. I learned to block out time on my calendar for things that are important to me, like spending quality time with family and friends and working out.”
Britney Shaw
Britney Shaw
Major: Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies
Position/Title: Engineer at Zurn Elkay Water Solutions in Erie
How she got her job: “The summer before my senior year, I took an internship at Zurn Elkay Water Solutions. That led to a job offer when I graduated.”
Go to the career fair: “The Penn State Behrend Career and Internship Fair helped me find companies that were interested in my skills. When you go there, talk to everyone, even if you don’t think it’s a company you are interested in. You never know who you will meet or what opportunities may be waiting for you. Listen, and learn from the recruiters.”
It’s OK to not know everything: “Accept that you are not going to know how to do everything when you start a new job or internship. Figuring things out is part of the learning process, and it’s valuable experience for the future.”