As a shy person, social gatherings with complete strangers can be very overwhelming. But realizing that at the end of the day, it’s not just what you know, but who you knows that matters, I had to take a plunge out of my comfort zone.

Andy just began his masters at Harvard Graduate School of Education after two years at Google. He is a former CFES Scholar and currently serves on the CFES board of directors.

As a shy person, social gatherings with complete strangers can be very overwhelming. But realizing that at the end of the day, it’s not just what you know, but who you knows that matters, I had to take a plunge out of my comfort zone.

My junior year at NYU, I attended a mixer with various employers and made it a personal goal to chat with every single representative. I last spoke to a VP from J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, and while finance wasn’t on my radar, we connected over shared interests of moving to the city and trying new things.

The VP told me I might be a nice fit for their summer internship program and although the deadline had technically passed, he said he’d make an exception. I followed-up with my resume that night and after a phone call a few days later, I was invited to final round interviews the next week. That summer I participated in the Chase Leadership Development Program and while I ultimately turned down my full-time offer, the experience empowered me to apply for other big firms with the knowledge that perhaps finance was an industry that didn’t fit me best. Without that knowledge, I may have never ended up at Google.

Have the Essential Skills helped you succeed? Share your story with us HERE and set an example for our scholars as they become college and career ready.