The PNC panel event on September 3rd hosted by Villanova’s Women in Business Society featured Nora Pinder, Claire Catcher, and Melissa. They shared their takeaways from journeying through different career paths and ultimately working in the male-dominated industry of investment banking and wealth management. Here are some of the highlights from the Q&A:

How have your career plans shifted since the beginning of your college experience?

Today’s youth has an aptitude towards catapulting into professionalism. However, we must also be open-minded to altering the blueprints we construct for our futures along the way.

Although Melissa majored in finance and investment banking, she ultimately pursued a career in wealth management. This pioneered her passion for managing families’ assets whilst utilizing knowledge from her tertiary studies.

“I use skills that are client-based, which relates to college, but I also learned about communications, which is an important skill because you want to communicate effectively, and marketing because I represent my brand.” – Melissa

Likewise, Nora started college as a chemical engineer but dipped into accounting, finance, and banking up until her recruitment at PNC during her junior year. Through Claire’s involvement with PNC’s chamber of commerce, acceptance into an executive mentorship program, and constant dedication to community service, Claire is always developing skills outside of her major. 

This suggests that range and flexibility is key to today’s workforce! Perhaps being a jack of many trades is effective in the current sphere of professionalism.

What strengths maximize my chances of obtaining preferable job opportunities? What personality traits will help me to succeed, especially in a male-dominated career path? 

The panelists echoed each other’s sentiments in regards to what comprises a competitive applicant. Here are the tips that stood out to me:

• Be comfortable talking about yourself in interviews. Take pride in the strengths you have honed and accomplishments you have amassed over the years!
• Go the extra mile, and be confident while doing so. Ask questions, communicate your thoughts, and take on challenging work.
• Simultaneously know your limits. As a young, newly employed woman, it is easy to become a “yes person”. While enthusiasm is important, know when to say “no”.
• Be open-minded. If someone invests the time to teach you something, the skill must be worthwhile to learn. They are handing you institutional knowledge that took them years to unravel and sharpen on their own.
• Use the “disadvantage” of being the only woman in the room to your advantage. Your distinctive perspectives and experiences give you a unique leverage!

It was exhorting to hear the panelists’ stories of conquering the business world as a female amidst a room filled with other bright women. Their anecdotes exuded a passion for women’s empowerment that implored us to adopt a like minded desire to instigate change in the workforce. They encouraged us to lead with confidence in our own experiences, knowledge, and strengths. After all, the Moment is Yours. Dare to be you.

If you are considering an internship opportunity with PNC Bank, check out their Summer Program: https://www.pnc.com/en/about-pnc/careers/students/our-internship-programs.html

To stay updated and take part in more events like these, follow @wibvillanova on Instagram!

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