From Milwaukee to Manhattan: shadow with mentor at Goldman Sachs inspires, opens doors

By Shawn Donahue, Business Administration mentee 

On April 8, I traveled to New York City to meet with my mentor Joseph Schuster, Arts ’10, Law ’12. Joseph is vice president and assistant general counsel at Goldman Sachs. Throughout the program, we’ve worked closely and accomplished many goals. Some of the primary areas of focus were interview preparation, improving my resume and refining my career interests. One of our final goals was shadowing him at Goldman Sachs in New York City. This opportunity gave me the chance to witness how banks operate daily and provide a glimpse of what to expect in my future. The job shadow was an incredibly valuable experience and one that I will use for a long time.

My day at Goldman Sachs was filled with learning and engaging. Being the first time in an environment like Goldman Sachs and on a job shadow, I tried my best to learn as much as possible. During my time, I participated in many thoughtful and informative meetings. Upon my arrival, we discussed consumer finance and his role at Goldman Sachs, he provided an office tour to see the building layout and get a sense of the company’s culture as well as scheduled meetings with professionals in areas I find of interest. This included conversations with vice president of consumer and commercial banking. We had a great discussion to learn about their career along with get advice about my future job and which skills I should develop. I also met with another vice president in legal who oversees global investment research, who explained the research done prior to acquisitions and how process unfolds.

My final meeting was with the vice president of product management. We discussed my career options moving forward and how to be better positioned. I’m very grateful for the time and efforts provided by many of Joseph’s colleagues. I’m also grateful for Joseph’s hospitality and planning a great day.

During my visit, I was exposed to the culture of Goldman Sachs and the day-to-day business world. The job shadow helped me solidify questions about myself, too. Some of the most impactful information I learned that day was what to look for in a company. Although each conversation was different, I noticed each meeting came back to enjoying working for the company and being passionate about what you do.

Goldman Sachs was creative and innovative and really helped me create an image of a company where I would like to be employed. I learned a great deal during my time in New York and don’t think that I’ll ever forget it. It was an experience that not reiterated my interests in finance and economics. I’m excited to continue my path and look forward to more opportunities like this.

2018-19 MUAA Mentor Program Resource Guide