Graduating college is hard, but what comes after is the really difficult part. But don’t take it from me, I sat down with a fellow post-grad to get a different perspective on this time.
If you are interested in a post-grad perspective – especially from someone working in finance and in Pittsburgh – this one’s for you.
Andrew Kuzemchak, 22, graduated from Penn State (WE ARE) a little over a year ago. Now he’s working in Pittsburgh, PA, as an Investment Associate for a private wealth management firm.
His job started in June following graduation, but his interest in finance started in high school. While other kids were playing games with their older brothers, Andrew enjoyed watching his brother trade individual stocks via TD Ameritrade.
“I thought he was so cool and I started to love watching people interact with money,” said Andrew.
He quickly realized a lot of his intellectual strengths aligned with the roles and responsibilities involved in finance. Come enrollment time for college, he chose to major in Finance and then further narrowed down his interest to wealth management; which is very different from his career objective as a child… a doctor or scuba diver (one practical choice, one dream choice).
“There are a ton of different routes you can go in finance,” said Andrew. “There are hedge funds, private equity, consulting and wealth management. Since cashflow projections are boring to me, what I really liked was the more portfolio construction type of deal.”
He made sure to take time during college to navigate the different sectors of finance to get a better idea of what he liked. Even one year into his current role, he continues to discover more about the industry and new areas that he didn’t know about that he finds interesting.
“I like seeing the decisions and choices that I help make and prepare actually take effect on someone’s portfolio. It’s so cool to see I have a tangible impact on something.”
So, after nearly a year of being in the day-to-day of his first “big boy” job, what has changed?
For Andrew, the biggest change he’s experienced is the adjustment from college life to employed life. This kind of adjustment sneaks up on you quickly and you’re forced to change your previous habits almost overnight.
“You learn quickly that you’re not in college anymore,” said Andrew. “You have to be locked in all the time.”
In college, skipping a class was no biggie if you weren’t feeling it and you could half-ass an assignment if you needed to. When you get into a full-time role – if you are looking to grow and find success – those things are not an option.
“It’s hard to find time for things. In college, you might think you’re busy, but you’re not.”
Prioritizing work, hobbies and relationships is a job within itself, so it took Andrew some time to find the balance between it all. Also, being in the financial industry, he needs to balance networking and studying for exams which only adds stress and work to an already full plate.
But the change hasn’t been all challenging. Going from being the intern and the new guy in the office to a full-time employee for more than a year, has its perks.
“When you start your first job you are the new guy in the room. You’re drinking from a firehose and you need to prove you deserve to be here.”
But once the growing pains subsided, Andrew felt as though he was beginning to harvest the fruits of his labor from his four years studying and grinding in college.
“Now I’m so much more comfortable with the team and the work I’m doing,” said Andrew. “It’s way easier to process information, have confidence and feel comfortable.”
He was pleasantly surprised when he realized that a certain stereotype that the financial industry has isn’t all true.
“In college, the wealth management industry has a stereotype of being competitive and cut-throat, that you’re constantly competing against each other,” said Andrew.
His experience is the complete opposite.
Andrew’s work environment is collaborative and safe, and if you’re curious about the financial industry, but worry about the negative stereotypes attached to this field, he says that there are places for you.
Even though his work environment has turned out for the better, he completely understands the nerves attached to graduating and getting your first job in finance.
“If you were nervous about graduating college, you were probably worried about graduating high school, but yet here you are!”
All of his worries and nerves have slowly dissipated in the past year, making him realize that post-grad life isn’t as scary as he thought it would be when he was walking across the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center last May.
Although the past year hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows, Andrew confidently can say he is happy where he’s at. His job, his city, his roommates and his life are all entirely different than they were one year ago, but different isn’t always bad.
For those living or thinking about moving to Pittsburgh, here is how Andrew C’s Pittsburgh:
- Super cheap
- Great golf courses. His rec is Lindenwood Golf Course
- There are tons of good food and plenty of opportunities to meet people outside of work (very important to work-life balance)
- Take advantage of how cheap the city is ($3.50 IC Lights at Stinkies)
- Where to live? He likes Lawrenceville, Shady Side, the Strip District, Mount Washington… you really can’t go wrong.
Final parting advice from Andrew:
“Just stay in touch with your friends, even if they don’t text you. Reach out, text them first, they will appreciate it.”
Andrew’s LinkedIn // https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kuzemchak-8033091b6/
Writer’s note: I will be turning this post-grad interview into a series! If you’d like to interview someone in a specific field or be interviewed, feel free to drop your ideas in the comments below or message me on LinkedIn
Second note: Andrew is my boyfriend 🙂
How Caitlyn C's It 
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