Sinead
Sinead has worked at Bank of America for 14 years and is a crucial part of the team that takes care of the company’s security and government. It is her responsibility to ensure that the infrastructure is well housed and safe.
Her current role was not something she had always considered. She studied philosophy, general studies, and ethics at A level and completed her degree in social and economic history. It was only upon leaving university that she realised that she didn’t know what career path to take and that she had no understanding of what the next steps were. She met Bank of America at a careers fair and she started her current role by being a graduate associate. Although she did not have all the skills to begin with, she states that it is fine if you don’t tick all the boxes. It is more about personality and work ethic.
Mimi
Mimi, on the other hand, has worked in the project management team at Bank of America for just over a month. So far, all of her work has been virtual as a result of COVID-19. This means she hasn’t yet met any of her colleagues face to face.
Before starting at Bank of America, Mimi had always known she wanted to work in finance. She studied business and economy at A level and did financial economics at university. However, she could not have anticipated the Lehman’s collapse which occurred during the start of her career which has undoubtedly limited her options. She hopes to stay in her current role long-term and states the importance of looking for a workplace in which the careers have longevity.
Both Sinead and Mimi highlight the importance of networking and they point out that preparation and confidence when meeting people are useful. Networking can be done by speaking to family and friends, attending careers fairs, or via Linkedin.
This article is a summary of the Outbox 2020 session run by Bank Of America. You can find out more about Bank of America here >>
