MELISSA BARNARD: My name is Melissa Barnard. I’m an analyst in RQA Fixed Income. I help investment teams manage their fiduciary risks.
I went to Colgate University. I majored in chemistry, minored in philosophy. After working in a lab all summer, I was like, this isn’t really for me. And so I started thinking what other applications can I apply my hard skills to.
And then I found the group that I’m in Risk and Quantitative Analysis. On the BlackRock campus recruiting website, it said the list of things we look for in an applicant. I like problem solving. I like math. I have a broad interest in financial markets and kind of the macro perspective on everything. And how that can affect the numbers and the patterns that we see.
It’s about the hard science and having skills and knowledge of maths and statistics, but it’s also about being able to effectively communicate those ideas. Coming from a liberal arts background or having another topic of study that might not be finance or quant related can be extremely helpful. It can help you write things, present things, and make sure that everyone is on the same page.
[MUSIC PLAYING]