Professional & Denison Bio:
I am a Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase. I started at the firm in January 2023 and have been on the common tooling team in the Network Product Line. This team creates automated solutions to replace legacy functionality and improve the lives of our clients and other stakeholders.
What is the job you thought you would be doing when you were a student at Denison? What were key moments that changed your path (if you are doing something different now)?
When I was getting ready to graduate, I didn’t have any career expectations. I dreamed of working for a sports team, but I honestly hoped to find a job that would use my degrees. I had trouble finding an internship during the summer between Junior and Senior year. Eventually, I got one opportunity that I wasn’t too excited about, but I decided to do it. I was the only intern working for a small team, but I was able to make connections and leave a strong impression. Later that year, I received an offer from Epic because I was able to talk about that experience. And after three years of working at Epic, I was able to talk about my experience at Epic when interviewing with JPMorgan Chase.
Advice From Austin:
- What advice would you have wanted as you navigated your career as a young person?
- What should a student who is considering a career in your field/role be aware of or know?
Slow down and reflect. There were times when I was looking for jobs my senior year and applying to all sorts of jobs. I never took the time to reflect on what each company and offer could do for me and my career. Looking back, I ended up taking the right opportunity, but I could have saved a lot of time, energy, and stress if I had just slowed down and thought more critically.
Knowing how to interview is critical. Yes, your technical skills are going to be a large part of any interview, but in the industry your ability to talk with people is what sets you apart from others. Showing that skill in interviews will help you stand out throughout the process.
We often have students voice concerns about how their major connects (or does not connect) to their future career. As you reflect back on your Denison experience, what aspects of your majors or minors contribute to your success in your current or past roles?
In my field, I use the technical skills I learned from courses at Denison every day. Beyond the coursework and technical skills, my soft skills and human experience at Denison could not have been taught. I am able to think about problems from a number of different perspectives, present ideas, create connections, ask questions, find resources, and continue to learn. Each major and minor at Denison has these skills built into the curriculum and expectations.
Want to get in contact with Austin?
Austin is open to studets reaching out via LinkedIn and email (mcmanu_a1@denison.edu)
