WesGold Fellows’ Post

Graduating from a non-Ivy League school, the path to a career on Wall Street was incredibly challenging. I vividly recall spending hours in the career center Union College using the only computer I had access to at the time to email hundreds of alumni for advice and support. Thanks to the incredible alumni network and my persistence, I was highly fortunate to connect with David Katz, a Union College alumnus who runs a successful multi-billion-dollar investment fund. I began my career with David as an intern, transitioned to an analyst role after graduation, and eventually advanced to associate and then vice president of equity research. Throughout this journey, I was able to learn from mentors who genuinely cared about my long-term career development and consistently provided opportunities for growth. Given the significant impact Union College had on my life and career, I was thrilled when David invited me to speak to his class about my experiences and offer insights on how to secure jobs on Wall Street. It was a pleasure to engage with the students and share advice on landing their dream roles. I was truly impressed by the aspirations of the students I met and the insightful questions they posed. Below are some key messages I shared with them. What advice would you give to students graduating looking to secure a role in a highly competitive industry? 1: Embrace Lifelong Learning: The landscape is always changing. Stay curious and be open to learning new skills, whether through formal education, online courses, or self-study. This adaptability will set you apart. 2: Be Gritty: Success in finance—and in life—requires hard work and determination. There are no shortcuts. 3: Differentiate Yourself: Engage with current and former employees, research the company thoroughly, and prepare thoughtful questions that showcase your passion and knowledge. 4: Be Resilient: Rejection is part of the process. Learn from setbacks and maintain a positive mindset. Each challenge can provide valuable lessons that contribute to your growth. 5: Leverage Your Network: In a competitive job market, getting your resume noticed is crucial. Utilize your personal and professional connections to make this happen. 6: Develop Transferable Skills: Focus on building analytical, communication, and leadership skills. These will serve you well, regardless of your long term career path. 7: Seek Out Mentors: Identify individuals who are where you want to be and learn from their experiences. Understanding their success patterns can help guide your own journey.

Anyone out there know an incoming college freshman or sophmore whose parents did not graduate from college? Please have them apply for this program that will help them with Financial and Personal Wellness & Career Readiness and Persistence. #FirstGenForward #NewCollegeStudent #CollegePrep #Collegesuccess #studentorientation #firstincollege #studentdebt #collegestart

This is the WRONG message to put out. This attracts the wrong type of new comers to this industry whose sole purpose and focus are prestige and money instead of the right reasons. Quant Finance has been around for decades and we don't need a new crop of people getting in under the wrong impression and with misled intention. The simple reason is that they will very likely to feel miserable because the reality is far from advertised. 👉 Compensation: yes, you will be paid more than average for people with a STEM Master degree. On the hand, you are going to work extremely long hours, stressful jobs, and live in high cost cities. You will get nowhere close to the $500K or work at Citadel. This role and similar ones are for an extremely few people. Definitely not something for people just getting into this industry. 👉 Status: again, if you getting this line of job for the prestige or bragging right, you are in the wrong business. You will find thousands of people smarter than you. Your job is to make money for your employer. Nothing more, nothing less.

As co-op programs gain popularity, these schools are seeing application numbers surge—students are recognizing the ROI these programs offer and the value of a direct bridge from college to career. In her latest blog post, Tina Brooks dives into the benefits of co-op programs, highlighting schools like Northeastern, Drexel, and Georgia Tech, where students can engage in high-level projects and make meaningful career strides before they even graduate. https://lnkd.in/epy-8GTh

I graduate Barnard College in 2 weeks. Here's a brief recap of all that I did so that it's out there. Freshman year: Worked with JUV Consulting (Acquired) after writing my first book; the Gen-Z Book. I got more involved with the crypto/blockchain space my second semester; working with Civics Unplugged and Dream DAO with their initiatives. That summer; I worked with Altum Capital, Senken, and with Ashni Mehta doing Public Relations. Safe to say; I learned a lot- and more importantly tried everything so I knew what I liked, and didn't like. Sophomore year: Sourced for a few venture firms, and got serious about recruiting for finance. Started the Barnard Investment Group, and interned at Scotiabank in their thrive rotational program. Junior Year: Focused in on finance, took the hardest courses of my college career. Wrote my senior thesis on Blockchain as an unbiased rating system for green bonds. Grew the Barnard Investment Group, wrote my second book titled Brewing Community, The Latte Effect. Interned with Bank of America. Senior Year/Semester: Wrote 3 children's books (releasing in January), started a fashion brand (launching next week), started consulting for Google as a Youth Advisor, and am finally wrapping up my time as a student. College taught me a lot both inside and outside of the classroom, and I'm so grateful to have had NYC as part of my campus as well! #journey #interning #internship #finance

Remember when an intern deleted an entire company database on their first day? Or when Knight Capital lost $440 million in just 30 minutes? These aren’t small setbacks - they’re worst-case scenarios, reminders of how a series of small oversights can compound into massive consequences. While we may not face disasters of that scale, preparing for anything means learning from the worst. What’s a lesson you’ve learned from tech’s biggest failures?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲? Last week, we hosted two virtual events on driving student employability, featuring Morgan Stanley’s VP of Campus Recruitment, Lizzie Weeks, for European universities and Evercore’s Head of US Campus Recruiting, Chelsea Herritt, for American universities. We explored key challenges facing careers and faculty, including: ▶ Connecting students with roles that fit their skills ▶ Helping students market themselves effectively ▶ Addressing gaps in work experience and technical skills Lizzie Weeks and Chelsea Herritt shared advice for students: 💡 Showcase all experiences: volunteering, jobs, or hobbies show you're well-rounded beyond academics. 💡 Demonstrate genuine interest: Research the company’s history, culture, and risk appetite to show motivation and effort. 💡 Be proactive: Join societies to demonstrate your passion to learn more. A holistic approach is vital to bridging the gap between education and industry. We’re excited to continue this mission through the second semester of our 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 in the 2025 spring term, offering immersive simulations to help students build practical skills and explore careers. #Universities #Education #Finance #Careers

Not a study you want read if you are in Talent Acquisition trying to attract new graduates in any of the top listed cities. New York City is no surprise, but my home base of greater Portland Maine holding strong at number 6, in the top 10 worst, confirms what my recently graduated kids are experiencing. #talentacquisition #jobs #costofliving #employment #Maine NYC is ranked worst for college grads as they start their careers https://mol.im/a/13423275

Is research important to you as a USF student? If so, consider these FWS, undergraduate, and graduate student job opportunities in HIPUR & Undergraduate Research! Hint 1: when you interview, be sure to be familiar with what REUs are: https://lnkd.in/e5Z3CwTb Hint 2: be familiar with the Undergraduate Research Conference: https://lnkd.in/eFC_vs8z Hint 3: be clear on your own research goals and agenda. I'm cheering for you!

Calling all aspiring Equity Research Analysts / incoming summer interns / graduate offer holders 📢 Want to get ahead and beat the competition?💪 A few weeks ago, a webinar attendee asked me for a break down of the stock research process🔎 so next Monday 27th of May for the bank holiday, I'm running a webinar which break downs the typical research process used in the buy-side. In the webinar, I'll run through the end-to-end of stock selection: ●Idea generation ●initial due-diligence ●deep dive on key investment drivers ●developing an investment thesis ●pitching ●investment decision ●thesis tracking drop me a DM or comment "ER" if you'd like to join. Share this to anyone who might find it useful. See you there!