Over the course of the summer, Point72 leadership spoke with our interns to share insights on their roles, career experience, and what makes Point72 a special place to work. With summer coming to a close, here is a roundup of some of the best advice they offered.
Have an Open Mind
“You never know where life is going to take you. There have been times when I fought back on some of the things I was asked to do, and they ended up being the best experiences. Don’t put guardrails around all the possibilities because the world is a vast place.” – Ariel Speicher, Chief Human Resources Officer
“You may have an idea of what a job is going to be like, but you can never know for sure. Be open minded towards where the opportunity takes you. Inevitably there will be bumps and changes to your vision, and it will hopefully motivate you to keep going.” – Anthony Paquette, Chief Financial Officer
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to maximize the summer, but since you’re here, make the most of it. And I think making the most of it means bringing a lot of curiosity and humility to the job.” – Gavin O’Connor, Chief Operating Officer
Be Humble but Resist Convention
“There’s something to being confident and ambitious, but doing it in a humble way will set you apart. You are not the smartest person in the room, and once you are comfortable with that, you gain so much more. You create a gravitational pull where you will be trusted and earn more opportunities.” – Krista Murphy, Chief Administrative Officer
“Remain humble but don’t assume that because convention says so it is right. It is your life, be the driver.” – Matt Dowd, Head of Market Intelligence
Your Reputation Follows You
“Invest in relationships and go the extra mile so that the people you work with are the biggest champions for your success.” – Daniel Gwak, Managing Partner, Point72 Private Investments
Be Curious – Ask a lot of Questions
“Early in my career, I’d have to write down my questions throughout the day because my trader was too busy to answer them in real time. Then I’d sit down with him after the close to go through them and I would take notes. I’d make sure to revisit these notes on a regular basis so I could learn, go deeper, and build on that work.” – Mike Jemiolo, Chief Risk Officer
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid to say you don’t know something. No single person can know everything.” – Vincent Tortorella, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
Make the Most of Your Colleagues at Point72
“I always say that if I were a young person at this firm, I’d be like a kid in a candy shop. There are a lot of extraordinary people here with diverse set of life experiences and talent. If there is something you’re interested in or heard someone talk about, send them an email to meet or grab coffee.” – Steve Cohen, CEO and President
“Reach out to interesting teams and talk to as many people as possible. There is so much to learn. Anyone here will give you the time of day, and especially with Zoom it makes it easier.” – Laura Sterner, Global Head of Capital Development and Investor Relations
“The biggest value proposition we have is the people that are working here, and the great thing about being an intern is that you have that excuse of being new and people are more likely to open up. Naturally, people move around, but you can keep your friendships and network forever” – Rafael Lopez-Espinosa, Chief Operating Officer, International; Head of Warsaw & Paris