Caroline Roberts, a senior undergraduate studying statistics and economics, shared her experience connecting with Caitlin McLaughlin during the virtual meeting.
On Monday August 26th, Caitlin McLaughlin, EVP - Director of Talent and Total Rewards at PNC and University of Pittsburgh Alumni, spoke to Pitt’s undergraduate class, Professional Development for Economists. Caitlin provided students with an overview of what companies and recruiting professionals look for in undergraduate students when considering them for hire. She encouraged the importance of networking, utilizing tools such as LinkedIn, and the importance of non-corporate jobs in college (such as working in a restaurant) on your resume and in interviews.
The advice that I found most important is to prepare three questions for every interview. The first question should be a personal question for the interviewer, the second a question about the company, and the third a question about the industry. I found this very useful as at the end of interviews when I was asked for any further questions, I never knew what to ask! I think having three questions prepared with these guidelines would show a student’s interest in the company and that they had done the proper research on the company and industry.
All of the students were engaged in the conversation with Caitlin. It is rare for an undergraduate to receive insight from a leader of a company on how to network, interview, and craft a strong resume. The online platform was new, probably for all of us, but may have made the conversation less intimidating!
It was a pleasure to hear from Caitlin McLaughlin as this past summer I virtually interned with PNC in their Corporate and Institutional Banking Relationship Management and Credit Products division. I hope to continue to work in financial services over the next five years, but most importantly to secure a full-time job after graduation! I plan to return to higher education after gaining more experience in the working world.