What was your major at Trinity?
I was an Economics major and I would recommend it to anyone because the Economics department at Trinity is very strong.

Could you please give a brief description of your current position?
I am an expense manager. I work with clients and help them solve business problems.

How do you feel Trinity prepared you for what you are doing today?
A lot of what we do is analytical. You are presented with a business problem and you need to figure out the best solution. I think Trinity teaches you how to think. Whether it is an Economics or science class, it teaches you how to work through problems, think about them, break them down into smaller pieces, figure out different ways to solve them and so forth.

What was your first job out of college and how did you get to where you are now?
Andersen was my first job out of college. I started as a campus recruit and have been here 11 years now.  I worked my way through it.  I was an analyst for 7 years, then a consultant and now I am a manager.

What major trends are affecting Andersen?
It depends on what sector you are working in. In mine, some of the legislations, some of the things going on in the political arena affect what we are doing.

Do you have a typical day here, and if so, what is it like?
I don’t have a typical day and that’s one of the things I like about the job.  Every day is different as well as every project. Clients are different too, so I don’t do the same routine over and over again.

Is there an aspect of your job that keeps you happy and makes all the hard work worthwhile?
I like the fact that projects are different. I never get bored. I also like the challenge of the job. It keeps me going.

What’s your least favorite part of the job?
There are times, as with college, you get caught in some deadlines and you have to put in extra hours to get the work done.  That’s something I would say I don’t like too much.

How do you stay current in your field? Is it courses, seminars, reading, the Internet?
All of the above – reading the business news and dealing with clients every single day helps you stay informed.

How important is networking in your business and how important was it for you when you were looking for your first job?
Networking is very important here at Andersen.  Meeting people, knowing people, knowing their strengths and weaknesses is really important in business. As far as getting into Andersen, I used the Career Services’ network, but back then it wasn’t as organized as it is now.

Did you participate in any extracurricular activities that you would recommend to Trinity students now?
I was a rower.  I think anything that has to do with a team is good.  It doesn’t have to be sports only.  Getting used to working with other people is really important.

Does your company offer any internship positions for undergraduates?
Depending on what projects are going on. Andersen will hire a couple of interns as needed.

What do you think a Trinity student looking for a job can do to distinguish him/herself from the competition?
Andersen looks at not only your academic record, but most importantly we look at who you are as a person.  Grades are important, but your potential, your previous experiences, who are you as a person are even more important to us. I would recommend Trinity students take advantage of all the things the college has to offer, get as much experience as you can and really explore who you are as an individual.

Do you have any last word of advice for students?
Have fun, get to know people, and use all the resources Trinity offers.  Think about what you want to do and try to prepare yourself for that next step.