For most students, getting a job after graduating that is not only relevant to one’s career goals but also exciting, is merely wishful thinking. Graduating college can come with fears of unemployment and also the fear of lacking passion for the job which they ultimately hold. For Michael Arguello ’17, these fears do not exist because he already has a job lined up for after he graduates from Brandeis—one that is both relevant to his career goals and exciting.
Arguello, a double major in business and psychology, had been preparing since August of last year for his interview with General Electric, and even “dropped a class to practice interviews” with other companies and prepare his application, he said. In October, he received the good news that he was accepted into General Electric Health Care’s Commercial Leader Program (CLP).
The CLP involves “testing different areas of business, specifically for sales,” and selling medical equipment to hospitals and private doctor’s offices. Arguello pointed out that the equipment could vary from a large MRI machine to a mini portable ultrasound machine. Not only does the work vary, but so does the location. During two years, he will be assigned to four different places in the country, so he will also have the chance to travel.
Arguello credits this opportunity to his active involvement on campus and his leadership experiences. He was an Orientation Leader for three years as well as a member of CORE for the 2017 midyear class, was on Student Events and is now captain of the varsity tennis team.
Studying abroad in Australia last fall was another helpful experience for Arguello. While there, he interned with two marketing firms. “One I liked a lot,” Arguello said, mentioning that the other company he did not enjoy as much.
He said that studying abroad and having both a positive and lackluster experience was beneficial in his process of applying for jobs because “it’s helpful to know what you like and what you want to do,” he explained. Now, Arguello is a study abroad ambassador at Brandeis and gives other students advice that will help them with their own journeys abroad.
Arguello is excited to work for General Electric, not only because his sacrifices, hard work and preparation paid off, but also because he has always wanted to work for the company. A long-term goal of his is to hold a leadership role in a company, because “a powerful company contains powerful leaders,” and he would like to be a part of that. He believes that this opportunity will pave the way toward that goal.
Among his many activities, Arguello said that his favorite was being an Orientation Leader. He “loved being involved in orientation” because “you’re the first face that freshmen meet.” In addition, being around all of the “hyped-up and energetic OLs” made the experience more enjoyable and taught him to really enjoy Brandeis and what it has to offer to its students.
For any students who are in the process of looking for a job after graduation, Arguello advised students to be “proactive about it, because jobs won’t find you.” This is especially true for corporate jobs with competitive applicant pools, he said. Arguello also suggests getting involved in “what you’re passionate about” at school, whether or not it is related to a future career.
