Nick Aguilar

How did you start building your network?

I started to build my network by pushing myself out of my comfort zone and speaking to as many professionals in the accounting field as I could. In high school, I sought out former classmates of mine who had gone on to college, as well as business professors, to learn more about different business fields and the prospects each field possessed. In college, I attended a wide range of recruiting events for any accounting firm as soon as I arrived on campus as a college freshman so that I could leverage the experience and knowledge of all professionals I encountered. I was able to create many connections through these methods, as many people identified me as a determined individual eager to make strides in my career.

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

My most useful piece of advice as a student came in high school when my personal finance teacher explained to me the differences in the field of accounting and finance. When I was planning to pick finance as my major because of his class, he told me that it was a great major, but if he could go back to school, he would select accounting as his major. He sat with me for 30 minutes explaining the world of accounting and the major companies that recruited at his alma mater, the school I would soon be attending. He also told me about how inspirational and talented the accounting professors were, as well as the amazing successes of the accounting graduates he knew. His willingness to sit with me one day after school to really take time to help me plan my future in a way that I am actually currently living always stands out as my most useful piece of career advice.