Neeti

Ten years ago, growing up in Kenya, I had not even heard of Goldman Sachs. However, I have always had a passion for markets and investments. Even in school, my favourite subjects were macro economics especially currencies, international trade, equity market analysis and understanding what drove bubbles and busts in financial markets. Thus, while I did not think I would be working at Goldman Sachs, I did expect to be working in this field. I feel incredibly fortunate to be doing what I am passionate about at a firm such as ours.

In this competitive landscape, having good grades is just an order qualifier, not an order winner. I think it’s essential for anyone interested in a career in finance to read broadly, to travel and expose yourself to different cultures and experiences, and to learn to question conventional wisdom. I don’t think there’s been a more exciting time to be in finance – globalization and democratization are changing the lives of billions of people whose incomes and standards of living are rising. Being a part of this change and identifying opportunities therein requires a tool kit that is much broader than what we learn in the classrooms.