Where Our Alumni are Now
Alumni Spotlight
Maya Mistry
Adlai Nissen
Graduated: 2021
Major: Business Administration with emphasis in Finance
Describe your typical work day:
“I currently work as a Finance Rotational Program (FRP) Analyst at Microsoft in Seattle! I just started my first rotation on the Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis team (OPEX). My typical work day includes helping with processes such as month-end close and forecasting. I also have to work within my own team to help contribute to the story about Microsoft’s financial health for specific time periods.”
What’s the best part about your job and why?
“The best part about my job is that I’m able to rotate through 4 different roles within Microsoft Finance every 6 months, and this allows me to get a feel for what aspect of Finance I’m most passionate about as I will pursue a long-term role after the rotation program.”
What skills did you gain from AKPsi that helped you get this job or help you do your job well?
“My time in AKPsi helped me learn how to network with people more smoothly and become a confident interviewer. Along with that, I was able to gain a lot of leadership experience through my time on the executive board as Brother Analyst and President.”
Do you have any advice for upperclassmen who are in the midst of planning for the future?
“A piece of advice I would give is to make sure you network with people as much as possible. Professors, friends, family, and anyone else you’ve formed meaningful connections with! It’s a great way to land jobs/roles because they may have access or knowledge to opportunities that you might be interested in.”
Graduated: 2017
Major: Economics and Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance
Describe your typical work day:
“Work is extremely dynamic. My role within the commercial business is very project-based and is centered around communicating with field offices to create a cohesive picture of the state of the business. Due to the project-based nature of this role, my typical day of work changes from week to week especially around review periods in the fiscal year. Overall though, my work day is often times spent analyzing data to find patterns as well as providing oversight and insights into how the field is operating and the investments they are making into their operations.”
What is the best part of your job and why?
I think the best part of my job is that with each project and each day at the office, I am actively challenged. The challenges that I face in my work have helped me hone my professional and financial skills. In addition to that, the projects I am involved in have real-world impacts within my team and the company as a whole. More importantly, Microsoft’s values align closely with my own so it’s truly a great feeling knowing that my work is not only benefiting the company, but also the communities it serves.
What skills did you gain from AKPsi that helped you get this job or help you do your job well?
I think the skills that AKPsi gave me to attain this role are the same skills that help me on a daily basis to succeed in my job. First and foremost, leadership capabilities. Through its Professional Development events, to the leadership opportunities, to the community within the organization, I was given the tools and knowledge to refine my leadership skills. In my work, I’m not afraid to take a lead role in projects or drive analysis in different areas of the company. Going hand-in-hand with leadership, I found my voice in AKPsi. AKPsi and each member of the chapter, supported me and helped me find my own voice in which to speak up for both myself and others.
Do you have any advice for upperclassmen who are in the midst of planning for the future?
A piece of advice that I would give upperclassmen is to measure your achievements and goals in your own terms and not that of others. More specifically, I believe that when you are looking to the future or even what is happening at this very moment, you should only measure yourself and your achievements to what you wanted and what you were hoping to achieve. It can be very easy to compare yourself to classmates and think that you are not doing enough, however, it’s important to realize that you might be looking to achieve something entirely different all together. In addition, I believe patience is key when planning for the future. I think that it’s sometimes hard for us to find or even know what our dream job is, but given a bit of hard work and patience, one will always discover theirs.