Arlenys Reyes ’19, MA’20 went to Nashville with a game plan.
After securing a sponsorship to the annual convention of the Association for Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Reyes got to work. She wrote down a list of employers she hoped to score an interview with and practiced her elevator pitch.
But she was ready for anything. In fact, it was a chance encounter that led to her big break. On the opening day of the ALPFA event, Reyes struck up a conversation with a representative from the multinational firm PwC. By the end of the five-day convention, she was well on her way to landing a job as a financial services consultant.
“They immediately knew I would be a good fit for PwC,” said Reyes, a recent graduate of Brandeis International Business School’s
Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MA) program. “
I like problem solving, so consulting is a natural fit for me," Reyes said. "During the job interview process, I was really able to differentiate myself with the skills I acquired in the master's program.”Reyes’s journey at Brandeis began as an undergraduate.
She double-majored in business and economics before enrolling in the five-year
BA/MA program at the International Business School. Along the way, Reyes landed three summer internships in her native New York City: the first with financial compliance firm Donnelley Financial Solutions and the other two with JPMorgan Chase.
Reyes also prioritized her professional network during her time at Brandeis, making connections with students, professors and work colleagues.
After joining the Brandeis chapter of ALPFA, Reyes later became a member of the association’s Boston chapter. It was through this connection that she met a chapter officer who was also raised in a Dominican household. After several meetings over coffee to discuss their career aspirations, Reyes eventually earned her sponsorship to the ALPFA convention in Nashville.
Reyes credited the student services offices at the International Business School for helping her to develop key resources like her resume. After discussions with her program advisor at the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience, she decided to pursue the MA program’s
data analytics concentration because she knew it would place her at an advantage in the financial job market.
“I was really able to hone in and understand what I wanted to do,” said Reyes. “The data analytics concentration allowed me to distinguish myself and keep up with the technical skills that many firms require for their new hires.”
