It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed since our “extended spring break” turned into the beginning of our “new normal.” As a student (hopefully) graduating this semester, I wanted to reach out to the leading experts in leaving college in the midst of a global pandemic: QUESTees who graduated last May. I had the opportunity to catch up with a few of them on how they’ve adapted, and I gained some helpful advice along the way!
Ari (front row, right) and her roommates – many of whom are QUEST alumni – celebrate the holidays.
I had the opportunity to speak with Ari Riske (Cohort 29). Although her role as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company is currently remote, Ari is enjoying living in DC with friends from QUEST! “I live with four QUEST alumni, and it’s so much fun. It’s like the QUEST Lab in our living room, and we are all nerds at heart – we even used design thinking to figure out our ideal kitchen layout.”
During the pandemic, Ari suggests spending time reflecting on yourself and your career goals. “The world may never go back to ‘normal’ but this is an opportunity to step back and see what really matters to you. With the majority of jobs being virtual right now, students have the opportunity to intern year round and experiment more than ever because of the flexibility. This means students can more actively test what careers excite them, what style of company they prefer, and so many other important components of a job.”
The view from the office is beautiful when you can work remotely in Telluride, CO!
I also had the pleasure of speaking with Celine Moarkech (Cohort 29). Shortly after graduation, Celine started work at BD in their EDGE Rotational Program. In her first rotation, Celine is rolling out a learning management system for their customers since they can no longer train them in person by sales representatives. While Celine settled into her role with her team, she prioritized establishing a weekly coffee hour with peers in her program. “Be intentional about setting up time to connect,” she suggested. “Connect with people who will be your friends and plan social gatherings. Even though we’re all in the same organization, it’s good to get tips from each other and organically gather new employee information.”
Although many jobs like Celine’s are currently remote, working from home doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stay home (as long as you’re staying safe and social-distancing). For six weeks, Celine worked remotely from Colorado and Utah! “If you feel like work can’t be normal or in-person, take advantage, and travel,” she said. “Be mindful of time zones but an Airbnb somewhere new made the fall really fun. I explored our national parks which was a good change when there wasn’t much to be done indoors.”
David celebrates his (virtual) graduation!
The next recent alumnus I spoke to was David Rosenstein (Cohort 29). His original post-grad plan included working for LinkedIn in San Francisco soon after graduation. However, his startdate was postponed until July 2021 due to the pandemic. Gifted with unexpected time and lots of possibilities, David had to get creative with his decision-making process. “When I was thinking about all of the different opportunities and ways in which I could spend my time, I made a 2-by-2 matrix to figure out what was most important to me. In whatever I was doing to fill my time, there were two criteria that I identified as being the most important. On the x-axis, I wrote how much fun the opportunities I pursue will be. On the y-axis, I wrote how much money I was going to make,” he said. The end result of this process? David found a sales role at a college advising company, where he speaks to high school juniors and seniors every single day!
For QUESTees currently searching for new job opportunities, David shared some helpful advice. “Even though the world is on fire and there may not be jobs available, people are still fully functioning and able to network. If you’re interested in a job or company, waiting until the job is posted to start becoming proactive and doing your job search is going to be a waste of time. Because the moment those jobs resume, 90 percent of the job seekers are going to kick into action. What you do between now and then – when the jobs aren’t posted and most job-seekers are in dormant stages – that is going to be what’s going to make you stand out from your peers.”
Who said you can’t move during a pandemic? Doron explores his new city – London!
Finally, I spoke with Doron Tadmor (Cohort 29), who recently moved to London to pursue his MS in International Management at Imperial College Business School. “When I first moved to London, I was nervous about having to start from scratch – moving to a new apartment, starting a new school, making new friends, etc. all in the midst of a pandemic – almost as nerve wracking as freshman year in undergrad,” he said. “Unsurprisingly though, everyone in my program was also in the same boat, so the bonds were immediately quite strong. Although I will admit, I still have not gotten used to people driving on the other side of the road.”
The most unexpected thing Doron learned in the months after graduating was how students tend to get caught up on day-to-day tasks and often forget about the important things in life. “I would say my value for quality time with my family has exponentially grown. After classes went online last March, I moved back home, which, honestly, I was nervous about. But those six months at home with my family were ones I will most certainly cherish for the rest of my life. I got to spend time with my 4-year-old niece – since her school closed as well, my mom became her new teacher, and I became the teaching assistant. I got to learn new family recipes from my mom, and we tried new recipes as well.”
As for perhaps Doron’s most important advice? “I know it is a sappy message, but especially now, remember to call your loved ones and spend time with them!”