Reflecting on Lessons Learned, Pushes You Forward

Understanding Your journey leads you to a more meaningful future

Below are a few things I shared with students in ECON 210 during Purdue’s 2024 Business Alumni Conference, with the Daniels School of Business. Am I an “Economist”, no, but few Econ grads are, so what is the value of the degree? It’s a quiet degree many are naive to, scared of, and it’s largely misunderstood. The panel discussed how Economics shaped our careers.

Economics

Official Definitions:

My real world application of the definition: The study of how resources, organizations, governments, and people make decisions, act and solve problems across interconnecting markets.

• Decision making

• Problem solving

• Resource allocation

• Intersection of people, process, and technology, with facts, details, thoughts, feelings, and analysis all weaved in

[Additional recommendations for early career in brackets]

(Prompts for discussion from Purdue’s staff are numbered)

1.            Can you share your educational journey in economics, including the reasons that led you to choose it as your major and your academic goals during that time?

• Started out in engineering and it wasn’t as interesting as expected, and much different than math and science from high school, and I didn't seem to have the natural aptitude for it as I had expected

• I realized I needed to do something aligned to what I am really interested in, business, which was something that gave me a broader perspective and taught me how to solve problems

• Wasn’t passionate about Management, Accounting, or Finance specialization so I thought economics would be a great degree focused on preparing me for business and leadership

• Wanted to start working, and that’s all I cared about

• What I have realized, is how much the technical experience has led me to have productive and collaborative work with technical professionals, how much I have learned by serving various industries, and the value you bring, in having even some experience with another discipline

[ Evaluate your strengths and interests, not just going off what people say you should study.]

2.            How did you start your career in economics? What were your first roles and how did they shape your path?

• I didn’t land a management consulting role, or an analyst role our of college, so I was pushed to use my people skills, hard work, and my drive for a career

• My first role was inside sales, selling print and digital marketing materials for customers, then moving to a small business where I was a GM for an early version of DoorDash or GrubHub, but way before their time

• I decided I needed to work for a large corporate environment for stability as I got closer to starting a family, which was with Allegis Group, specifically the Aerotek subsidiary

• This was the best decision I made early in my career because it allowed me to enter a professional training ground, not only for recruiting and sales, but how to be a professional, what hard work looked like, and how to work with people

[Early on, choose roles where you can learn and grow, and understand what you want. Curiosity, hard work, preparation and positioning.]

3.            In what ways has your economics degree influenced or contributed to your career development and success?

• It was a great avenue into the business world for me, and offered diverse concepts and perspective, helping spark a career of curiosity and an ability to specialize or gain broad experience

• Allowed me the ability to weave business acumen with leadership for executive leadership responsibilities

[Use economics as a vehicle to explore your career possibilities.]

4.            Could you highlight some of the most valuable skills you acquired that have been beneficial in your professional life?

• Analytical thinking, perspective and global view with ability to look more granular trends and problem solving

• Econ offered a great blend of studying the connections of free market capitalism with respect to other ways to do things

• Understanding markets and decisions is so much of business, and I see that skill becoming more important over next 5-10 years

[Embrace problem solving. That’s what much of business and life is.]

5.            As someone who has majored in economics and likely encountered various challenges and opportunities, what advice would you offer to students who are contemplating majoring in economics?

• Look at Econ and consider what you want to use it for in your career. It offers a broad background for so much in business and beyond. It’s a great vehicle for your professional career. Unique and broad, but perceived as specific.

• Economics made me stand out, with so many others having management, business, accounting, and finance degrees

• Focus on your peer group, make connections, and make friends

• Explore your strengths. Yes, you want to improve on areas where you aren’t as strong, but really look at what you’re already good at or are better than most

• Be intentional. Start. Go get what you want.

Hopefully, this added a little value to your business or your career. Thank you for reading. Please repost or share with someone who may benefit from this edition.

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