David

In college I really enjoyed my investments class, so I had hoped from early on to work in finance. I’m not sure I specifically thought I wanted to work at Goldman, because I didn’t decide to work on Wall Street until later. But I always wanted to work for the best-in-class wherever I ended up.

If I were to be asked advice from someone who is considering a career in finance, I would say: First, be honest with yourself—be sure this is what you really want to do and that you have the right skills to be successful. Then get out there, meet with people in the industry and get a sense of what people do. Read about the industry; keep up with current events and the markets. Then narrow down your interests to a few areas that interest you and match your abilities. Be persistent. If you’ve got what it takes, you’ll get the opportunity.