On October 21st, ABSA hosted a Foster Alumni Panel featuring alumni who majored in various disciplines during their undergraduate years at UW Foster. We had the privilege of hearing from several distinguished alumni, each of whom shared their unique journeys, practical advice, and tips for making the most out of college life. Here are some highlights from the panel, offering valuable insights on career pathways, networking, recruitment, and more:
Meet the Panelists!
Audit Associate at KPMG Seattle
BA in Accounting and Masters of Professional Accounting
Analyst at Bank of America
BA in Finance
Program/Project Manager at Microsoft
Previously worked in Consulting at EY and Moss Adams
BA in Finance, Information Systems, and Real Estate and Master of Science in Information Systems
HR Coordinator at Genie
BA in HR and Marketing, BA in English Literature
Co-founder of TOASTED. Bagels & Coffee
BA in Entrepreneurship
Co-founder of TOASTED. Bagels & Coffee
BA in Entrepreneurship
Analyst, CRM & Sales Automation at Seattle Mariners
BA in Marketing and Supply Chain & Operation
Creative Strategist at Goodo
BA in Marketing and Information Systems
Q&A
What kind of RSOs did you participate in as an undergrad and how did they help get you to where you are now (if it did at all)?
Hensen: served as the VP of Professionalism in Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), which allowed him to connect with recruiters early on and develop a strong foundation in his field.
Jun: benefited from being in UW Investment Group and Corporate Banking Club, meeting people with similar goals and learning essential financing skills like pitching and investing.
David: joined ABSA, where he made valuable connections and met his first mentor. Having a mentor provided him with essential guidance and ABSA’s community of people from similar backgrounds created an environment for both personal and professional growth.
Jaafar: joined StartUp UW, an entrepreneurship-focused RSO. This involvement helped him develop his entrepreneurial skills, preparing him for his current ventures and strengthening his ability to approach business challenges creatively.
What were your experiences of job search and recruitment as you approached graduation?
Hensen: Emphasized the importance of starting the recruitment process early, especially for fields like accounting. Many internships recruit up to 1.5-2 years in advance, so he advised staying organized and being proactive.
Cynthia: Received a return offer from her internship, which eliminated the need to go through the traditional job search. Her advice to others: study job descriptions carefully to understand what each company values, and find ways to align your interests and skills with those expectations.
Molly: interned during her junior year, which was critical in her recruitment journey. She emphasized the importance of knowing how to talk about your experiences, as this skill is vital for networking and creating opportunities.
Lauren: experience was unconventional—her boss reached out via LinkedIn, and she connected with her future role through a contact on TikTok. This underscores that job opportunities can arise from unexpected platforms, so staying active on social media can be beneficial.
If you could redo your undergrad career, what is one thing that you would do differently?
Hensen: he would have taken the opportunity to study abroad. Experiencing new places can provide a fresh perspective on the world, and he believes it could have broadened his outlook and helped him appreciate what he has.
Jun: stressed the importance of creating healthy habits early on. He advises developing routines that reflect who you want to become, as habits form the foundation for personal and professional success.
Cynthia: would have joined more RSOs (Registered Student Organizations). She agreed with others that networking in college is much easier than in the workplace, and RSOs are a great way to meet new people and make lasting connections.
Murat: he would have said “yes” to more experiences outside the classroom. Many of his most valuable learning moments came from extracurricular activities, and he encourages students to get involved beyond academics.
Lauren: echoed others' advice, saying she would have spent less time on academics and more on RSOs, case competitions, and volunteering. She found that these experiences were invaluable in shaping her career and building a solid network.
Accounting - Hensen Lam
What were your main values in choosing this career path and/or current company?
Hensen’s decision to join KPMG was influenced by the firm’s strong growth and exit opportunities. He also did a cost-benefit analysis and was impressed by the company’s 401k plan, which offers a 6-8% automatic contribution—much higher than other firms. His passion for accounting comes from its value as the “language of business,” applicable to almost every career and life decision.
What do you think is the most important skill or steps one must take to enter the accounting career?
Hensen says that in accounting, many companies already know your technical background, so interviews are heavily behavioral. Hensen emphasizes that strong communication and critical thinking skills are crucial to succeed.
Finance - Jun Lin
How has actively being involved in RSOs such as UWIG and UW Corporate Banking club helped you through your college experience and career after graduation?
Involvement in the UW Investment Group and UW Corporate Banking Club allowed Jun to gain hands-on experience in stock pitching and investment. These activities not only helped him master classroom concepts but also gave him a distinct edge in interviews.
What skills do you think are beneficial for entering the finance industry?
Jun believes that regularly reading financial news and cultivating healthy habits are essential. Interviews often focus on market insights, so staying informed and developing a clear point of view is crucial.
Information Systems - David Weir
Can you share a pivotal experience from your undergrad/masters that shaped your professional path?
Meeting professionals in product management shaped David’s career path. Their insights helped him understand the field and guided his early steps in the industry.
In what ways have you leveraged your network to advance your career?
All of David’s job opportunities have come through his network—mentors, family friends, and former colleagues. He recommends actively reaching out to people who can offer guidance or open doors.
Human resources – Cynthia Zhou
Can you discuss how your human resources education has impacted your approaches to HR issues in the workplace?
Studying HR gave Cynthia a solid foundation in employment law and ethics. However, she found the most valuable insights came from on-the-job experiences.
Can you explain your role, the skills, and responsibilities needed to succeed in HR?
In HR, much of the work involves career fairs, info sessions, and internal interviews. Cynthia emphasized the need for strong people skills and the ability to work through challenging interactions.
Entrepreneurship - Murat Akyuz and Jaafar Altameemi
For someone who is just starting out in entrepreneurship, what are some short-term objectives that they can strive to achieve?
Murat and Jaafar advise starting with a minimum viable product (MVP). If challenges arise, they recommend seeking advice from other entrepreneurs. They believe most successful startups begin as side projects, so their advice is to “just start.”
What was the business process like to open TOASTED. Bagels & Coffee? What kind of obstacles or successes have you encountered so far?
Inspired by a trip to New York, Jaafar was motivated to open a bagel shop with Murat, who brought content creation experience to the venture. TOASTED has now been open for three months, but their 2.5-year journey was filled with challenges, including permitting issues, supply chain hurdles, and legal code problems that delayed their timeline.
Supply chain management - Molly
What is operations management? How did you come upon this career path?
Molly’s interest in operations management began with OPMGT 301, a class she took with Professor Lila. Drawn to the logistics side of business, she was fascinated by the process of moving things from point A to point B and its ties to finance and project management (PM).
What does a day-to-day look like in your role as a CRM & Sales Automation Analyst for the Seattle Mariners?
Her role varies based on whether it’s a home or away game. She supports the sales and marketing team, preparing with plans that shift based on the Mariners’ performance. The offseason focuses on planning and working on major projects, ensuring smooth operations throughout the year.
Marketing - Lauren Huynh
How have your internship experiences prepared you for your current role as a Creative Strategist at Goodo?
Lauren’s internships provided her with a broad range of experiences that prepared her for her role. While she didn’t have a single critical experience, she dabbled in various aspects of marketing, which allowed her to understand the field better. She emphasized the importance of putting yourself out there, such as reaching out to restaurants and clubs to manage their social media.
What advice would you give to students about balancing creativity and strategy in advertising projects?
Data-driven decisions are essential for success in advertising. Lauren advises students to focus on the data and ensure that their strategies are valuable and effective in driving sales. Balancing creativity with strategic insights is key to developing impactful advertising campaigns.
We hope you enjoyed reading about the various Foster concentrations and personal career exploration journeys from the wonderful Foster Alumni! See you all next week for our Tea Time collab with BEA (10/28) and our Fright Night collab with AMA (10/30)!
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