Senior finance major RandeeK (pronounced Randee-Kay) McPherson recently spoke to Professor Ivan Hudson’s Insurance 3324 class about her lessons learned and how she secured a full-time job months before she is set to graduate in May 2024. McPherson credited her time spent at events like UCA Career Fairs, which helped her make the right connections to find internships.
Why did you choose this field of study?
I loved numbers and planning for the future. I didn’t know what job that would be or how that would look. I just knew it was the most enjoyable to me.
Tell us about your internship experience.
I knew I needed a potential job opportunity after graduation, and choosing an internship the summer after my junior year answered so many questions about what I would be doing.
One month into my second internship I realized I want to be a financial advisor, and because of that, I’m going into my senior year with a job already secured after graduation, and that makes all the difference when starting classes. During my internship, I noticed that I was ahead because I knew some of the things [my coworkers] were talking about just from my classes [at the College of Business].
If I hadn’t tried this internship, I wouldn’t have been offered a job after graduation! Knowledge-wise though, I learned that some things matter more than the dollar you’re making, if you’re helping others.
Any lessons learned you’d like to share?
I did two internships, and the first one was valuable because it helped me see that job path was NOT right for me. The time students take now to do internships will help so much more as you get closer to graduation. There are so many options, and you’ll never know which is right for you ’till you try!
I also realized that insurance knowledge is required in financial advising, which is why I am investing in those classes. This past summer I passed my Life and Health Insurance Exam and will be studying for the SIE [Securities Industry Essentials] this school year.
What advice do you have for your fellow students?
1. Do an internship.
2. Take any study group opportunities you can as well as bonus points!! They make it easier at the end when your final grade is due.
