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Want advice from a recent Bentley Alum? CHECK IT OUT!
Buddy Gormley – ’13
Major at Bentley: Management
Where he is now: Associate Account Executive at Epsilon
Here’s what he had to say:
What advice do you have for current Bentley undergrads while searching for internships?
Apply for anything and everything that catches your eye! Internships are not only a great opportunity to gain professional experience to put on your resume, but also a great chance for you to figure out what you want out of your career. I found that it’s just as important to know what you don’t want as it is to know what you want in a company – I don’t even mean this in terms of job title; I mean it more in terms of corporate culture, daily tasks, and the people you interact with on a daily basis. You can have the coolest job title in the world, but it’s more important to find out if you can thrive and be happy in the environment of that job. So use internships as your opportunity to find all this out before you choose a definitive career path.
What advice do you have for members of the Class of 2014?
I have three pieces of advice:
1) Pursue your passions after you graduate. They might be included in your dream job, or they might be something non-work related that you do on the side. But whatever it is that makes you really happy, go after it because it makes life so much more interesting and enjoyable.
2) Really get involved in the company you work for, more than just your daily job function. A lot of companies have sub-committees or task forces comprised of employees that plan fun events or work on charitable projects. These are a cool way to network, but also sometimes a nice break from the daily grind.
3) Remember that you are always allowed to change your mind, and your first job right after college is just that – your first job. So if it turns out to be your dream career right off the bat then that’s awesome. And if not, remember you are still gaining great experience in a job that will open doors to your next great job.
What is the most valuable skill you developed or knowledge you gained while at Bentley that helped prepare you for your career?
Learning how to effectively work in group projects is definitely the most valuable skill I gained at Bentley. I didn’t realize just how serious Bentley was when they say “the real world is full of group projects” but it is so true. You have to learn how to work with all types of people with varying work styles and ethics, many of whom you may never even meet face to face. But being able to manage all sorts of personalities in order to execute a project has been invaluable.
What is one thing you wish you knew during your time at Bentley?
I wish I had known just how awesome a study abroad experience is for students. That is my one regret during my time at Bentley, not going abroad for a semester or at least on one of the winter or summer session trips. I loved every minute of the time I had at Bentley, but I definitely wish I had taken advantage of those opportunities.
What is your best memory from your time at Bentley?
I have so many great memories from Bentley that it’s really hard to choose just one. The times I spent with my friends one-on-one just grabbing a cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts or an omelet in Seasons are some of my greatest memories and also how I formed some of my best friendships from Bentley. Actually also, I would say getting the opportunity to perform the music at my class’ Baccalaureate Ceremony was pretty surreal. That’s definitely an experience I’ll never forget!
