Bryant’s hands-on educational philosophy and the opportunities provided by experiential learning programs such as the Archway Investment Fund and others offer a strong foundation for students entering the workplace, alumni panelists said at the recent Financial Services Forum.
While the technical aspects of fund management and strategic investment design are important, panelists advised students not to underestimate the value of the “soft skills” they can learn at Bryant.
A morning panel on “Financial Services Industry Pathways” moderated by Jessica L. Pouliot ’07, senior director of private investments at Cambridge Associates, addressed one of the key anxieties felt by college students: uncertainty about what comes after graduation.
For Erin E. Blanchard ’09, managing director at Bank of America, graduating from Bryant amid the subprime mortgage crisis added an extra layer of challenge to her job hunt.
At a job fair, she “went rogue” from her official interview list to corral someone who had a job that best appealed to her. That initiative eventually led to her current position, where she manages more than 400 associates in a department with $480 billion in assets.
“It seems like a paved road, but I assure you it was anything but,” said Blanchard.
Jessica L. Pouliot ’07, senior director of private investments at Cambridge Associates, highlighted opportunities for finance students in the world of private equity, which was far off her radar when she was a student.
“When I started at Cambridge in 2007, I didn’t understand how any of [private equity] worked,” she recalled. “But it was cool to see companies like Uber before they were a thing and see where they went.”
Pouliot said her time with the Archway Investment Fund proved invaluable in teaching her how to collaborate and have the confidence to present and defend her work. “I got comfortable being uncomfortable in front of other people,” she said.
Tutoring at Bryant provided Blanchard with another lesson in “soft skills” and gave her insight into how people can have differing perspectives even when working toward a common goal. It’s a skill she has used often in her career, she said.
“You have to put yourself in another person’s shoes in order to put egos aside and solve problems,” she said.
“What I liked about Bryant was everything was applied, not just learned,” said Staci Rezendes ’16, a senior account executive at Navan. Peter S. Corvi ’05, managing director of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., who manages investment for ultra high wealth clients with minimum portfolios of $100 million and moderated the second panel of the day on “Archway Investment Fund and Investment Management,” agreed.
“What you do in Archway is almost exactly what happens in the real world,” he said.
“What you do in Archway is almost exactly what happens in the real world."
Corvi also stressed the importance of learning how to listen to and empathize with others.
Corvi said that he spends as much time talking to his clients and building trust as he does managing their money. “There’s a lot of relationship building that goes into it,” he said. “Everything else flows from there.
“Performance comes and goes, but good relationships stand the test of time,” Corvi said.
Taking the fear out of networking
Networking can seem inherently awkward, especially when trying to initiate conversations with strangers who you’re hoping to turn into clients. Jeff Haydock ’08, president and CEO of ecoCFO, LLC, assured students that they are not alone in feeling that way. “Nine out of 10 people you meet at networking events are just as nervous as you are,” he said.
In terms of how to break the ice, “showing genuine interest in what they do goes a long way,” said Pouliot.
“Know who you are, be intelligent and thoughtful, be genuine, know your own story — then take a big swig of tequila and just go for it,” said Corvi, drawing a laugh from the crowd and fellow panelists.
"Nine out of 10 people you meet at networking events are just as nervous as you are."
Keynote speaker Geoffrey N. Cornell ’93, chief investment officer for investment strategy at AllianceBernstein, offered some market insights for the Archway Investment Fund portfolio managers and others. With the upward trajectory of stock prices, “the markets seem to be saying everything is fine”; however, the bond market, soaring prices on gold, and ongoing geopolitical risks indicate that there “could be some signs of stress on the horizon.”
Panelists said the gains experienced by tech stocks like NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft seem to have a logical basis. But they also discussed investing in non-discretionary sectors like food and beverage and alternatives to the stock market, including mortgage-backed securities.
Some age-old investment advice still applies, said Jonathan P. Burke ’03, vice president ofAmica Mutual Insurance Co. “Look for good fundamentals, not just because a stock is hot,” he said.
Assessing AI
The disruptive force of AI was discussed not just in terms of the market and investing but also its impact on the workplace. There seemed to be little argument among the panelists that AI could and would replace some jobs in finance.
Blanchard said she uses AI to prepare for client meetings, while Pouliot’s company uses a “recommend engine” to propose investments based on patterns found in companies’ public disclosure forms and other data. Staci A. Rezendes ’16, a senior account executive at Navan, queries ChatGPT about the strategic objectives of clients.
“First learn how to leverage AI in your work and then demonstrate that to those you work for,” said Pouliot. While AI skills like prompt engineering are important, and young employees would be wise to position themselves as the “go-to” for their bosses’ AI questions, Pouliot emphasized that “human qualities are still most important.” These include showing up on time and representing yourself and the company in a professional manner, she said.
“It’s not about proficiency in AI; it’s about being creative and incorporating that human element,” agreed Rezendes.
Embracing AI goes hand-in-hand with Corvi’s advice to "position yourself to be indispensable” to increase job security in uncertain times.
“Be a problem solver; be the person they can rely on to fix something,” advised Nicholas Gentile '13, interim president and chief investment officer at Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors.
Added Burke: “A lot of people focus on what they want. [Instead], look at what the whole organization wants.”