Katie Bibeau
Katie Bibeau
Economics ‘19, MSBA ‘20
FTI Consulting, New York, NY
Corporate Finance and Restructuring Consultant
What advice would you give students (grads and undergrads) who have an interest in STEM/Analytics/Consulting careers?
My biggest piece of advice is to start applying early, even if you do not know exactly what you want to do. When I started my job search, I did not know where I wanted to work or what jobs I wanted to apply for, which inhibited me from actually applying. After a few weeks of stressing about it, my best friend said, “Just apply for anything that seems interesting! You don’t need to know what you want to do right now but give yourself options.” By applying early, you are giving yourself more options, and through the application process you’ll be able to narrow down which place seems best fit.
What WFU career resources did you utilize that were most helpful to you (grad and undergrad)?
Sharron Vogler! The Market Readiness and Employment team and the OPCD are there to help you prepare for your career. They are AMAZING resources that you should take full advantage of. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them, even if you aren’t sure what you want to do. These teams help you recognize your strengths and help you narrow down on what jobs you may like to pursue. They are also great resources for interview preparation. Interviews can be a very nerve-wracking piece of the job search process and preparing with mock interviews can make a huge difference in helping you feel more comfortable.
What courses, activities or experiences gave you an edge in the job search process?
Network! Networking is the best thing you can do in your job search. Most people are happy to discuss their own career paths and they love helping college students. Learning how to network and develop professional relationships with people can be monumental in expanding your job opportunities.
What specific advice would you give regarding effective networking?
The first piece of advice I would give is to reach out to people. It can feel uncomfortable at times, but most people love to talk about their jobs and love to help young professionals grow. I would also like to add, however, that it is important to prepare for those conversations. For example, you want to make sure you research the company that the person is working for, so you can ask relevant questions.
What specific advice would you give to students regarding effective interviewing?
Use the MRE and OPCD resources and seek out their help early. Preparing for interviews and practicing with mock interviews will help you feel more comfortable in those settings and will help boost your confidence.
Are there any books, magazines, websites, etc. that you would recommend to students who are interested in STEM/Analytics/Consulting?
Marc Cosentino’s Case in Point is extremely helpful when you are preparing for case interviews. In addition, if you are preparing for a specific interview, you can look at what types of questions the company typically asks online.