How do you know what you want to do for a career? It’s a question that lingers in the minds of students everywhere. Some discover their passion early, while others take a bit more time to figure out. What better way to find out than by stepping into the real world and meeting the people who do it every day?
That’s exactly what we did. As members of the UConn Opportunity Fund Project, Professor Steve Wilson introduced us to the opportunity to attend Cigna’s Investment Management Bootcamp on Tuesday March 18th. Our goal? To see careers firsthand, ask questions, and learn from those who are working where we aspire to be a few years down the line.
The day started with anticipation. Some of us were eager, others uncertain, but all of us were ready to learn. Our visit took us to Cigna’s Investment Management Division, where we gained firsthand insight into how the CIM team operates. We had the opportunity to learn from professionals on how they manage their massive portfolio and assess market risks. We began by understanding Cigna’s business model, and where CIM fits into all of it. The more it was explained, the more fascinating it became. They generate revenue from premiums, then on that same day CIM tends to invest those premiums to generate greater returns. As we entered the CIM division of Cigna’s headquarters in Bloomfield, CT, we walked past the trading desk. As we all stopped and stared, the complexity was clear. Each desk had roughly 6-7 monitors, with traders hard at work analyzing the market. Witnessing this firsthand was such a great experience, as it genuinely piqued my interest.
Nate Baldi (Investment Advisor) then led us to go meet the team and begin our case study for the day. Ryan Bebyn (Investment Senior Analyst) went over a SWOT analysis about Disney, which proved to be very insightful. We then broke off into our groups and worked on our own alternative investments case study. This study modeled a situation that the CIM team had recently faced. As we presented our solution to the team, we then received feedback on our answers. We decided to invest in the case study company, which mirrored the actual decision made by the CIM team when faced with similar circumstances.
One of the most memorable aspects of the visit was the culture at Cigna. It was clear by the way the team spoke and presented themselves that it was such a collaborative culture. It truly did feel like a healthy working environment, and everyone was very welcoming. Along with that, the passion that the team had for their work was apparent. I really felt this during the last portion of the day, which was the networking lunch. I spent this time speaking to Nate Baldi and, through our conversation, he helped give me a clear view on what to expect if I chose to work in the investment industry. This lunch offered the opportunity to hear from an investment professional and some of the situations that he has faced so far. As Nate explained his day to day, I was fascinated, and it seemed like work that definitely interested me for the future. As I spoke with two other OFP members (Mya Bynoe and David Lu), their reactions were quite like mine, fascinated and eager to learn more about this fast-paced investing industry.
By the end of the day, if I was not sure before, I could now say I want to work in the investment management industry. This event inspired and fueled my passion to want to work in this field. That was the goal going into today, and I can firmly say that Cigna’s Investment Management Bootcamp was a success.
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that you may not always know what you want to do. Although, having the chance to explore different career paths is a major benefit. That’s what the Opportunity Fund Project offers: the ability to learn and take action to prepare you for your career. Thus, helping answer the ever-evolving question, how do you know what you want to do?
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