Unlock Your Career Potential: 4 Essential Tips from Babson Alumni

In the coming weeks, the Class of 2025 has a big question to answer: What’s next? It’s exciting, if not intimidating, when the answer could be anything.

Thankfully, many Babson College graduates have answered it before. From alumni succeeding across industries to last year’s undergraduate class, who went from the pandemic to the highest starting salary in Babson’s history, there are many blueprints to follow.

While the next graduation class prepares their answers, we asked some recent Babson alumni for some real-world advice. Here are their insights:

1. FME Will Always Be Relevant

One of the first classes undergraduate students take at Babson is the most relevant. Foundations of Management & Entrepreneurship (FME) throws students right into entrepreneurial leadership through starting their own business, providing numerous opportunities to problem solve. This experience is built to stay with you.

For Lucy Figueroa ’22, she transitioned from selling foam fingers to working as a client planner and operations coordinator for the FIFA 2026 World Cup™. Her experience in FME helped her pivot into her current role.

Take stock of everything you did in that class; the ability to pivot, work as a team, and creatively brainstorm will be invaluable in interviews.

2. Faculty Are Here to Help

Your professional network includes company contacts and alumni, but don’t overlook your professors. They have their own careers and networks to draw from.

Emma Bouley ’23 found her current role on LinkedIn, thanks to guidance from Professor Lauren Beitelspacher. With her help, Bouley felt prepared and confident going into interviews, which ultimately led to her role as a supply chain planner at Spindrift Beverages.

3. Your Education Doesn’t Just End

You may not realize how much you’ve learned from a class until you put it into practice. Negotiations is a class Bryan Hanley ’24 uses consistently in his marketing role at Gateway Checker. It taught him valuable skills and boosted his confidence in professional situations.

James O’Brien ’24, a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors, credits his finance courses for preparing him for the Series 66 exams. Interestingly, he finds that a health class he took provides him with more day-to-day insights than some business classes.

4. Use the Career Resources

Engage with the Hoffman Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development (CCD) early and often. From career advisors to interview and resume preparation, no job search is complete without these resources.

Laila Raful ’24, a bank analyst at J.P. Morgan, emphasizes the power of tools like Handshake for internships. She witnessed firsthand the impact of award-winning career resources at Babson and the pride it brings to help fellow students succeed.