Campus leaders in the finance department offered words of encouragement for finance students who are unsure about what to do after graduation and where to find a job.
A seminar on Monday featured presentations from faculty and a student over topics such as job opportunities, graduate school pros and cons, and the importance of networking.
Students first heard from urban planning professor Bruce Frankel, who gave the finance students an option they may not have thought to explore.
Earning a minor in real estate development can be a way to find a specialization that not only interests students, but also has a wide range of job opportunities, he said.
"Every business has capital needs," Frankel said. "They all have real estate needs. Some of them are so great they have their own real estate departments and hire people to work for them."
Frankel said there are jobs for those specializing in real estate development, whether it's working for a business with its own real estate department or working for a company the business has hired.
Department of Finance and Investment chairman Srinivasan Sundaram also confronted many of the issues facing college students. The key to being successful in the career field, he said, is passion.
"Don't ever start the habit of saying, ‘I'll always have a job,'" Sundaram said. "You'll be miserable for the next 40 years," he said. "Say this is my passion, and you will find a job and do well."
Sundaram explained all the necessary information for students wishing to pursue a master's degree. But he also stressed that graduate school isn't for everyone.
The most important thing is for students to enjoy what they are doing, he said. While achievements, a high GPA, and a solid resume are all important, they aren't everything.
"Your resume won't sell you as much as you will in an interview," he said.
The meeting closed with a few words from junior Clark Trexler, president of the Financial Management Student Association, who placed emphasis on the importance on networking and professionalism.
The group meets every Monday at 4 p.m. in Whitinger Business Building 148 and works to put into practice what they are learning in the classroom.
Real estate development program:
Website: bsu.edu/cap/realestate
Contact: Chairman of the Department of Finance and Investment Srinivasan Sundaram — sundaram@bsu.edu
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