Jose Gutierrez , Class of 2010

Hometown: Lima, Peru
Undergraduate degree: BS, St. John's University
Prior work experience: In Peru, I worked for IBM as a financial analyst and Banco de Credito doing commercial banking. After moving to the U.S., I worked on Wall Street as a Wealth Manager.
Current specialization(s): Banking, Finance, Strategy
Club affiliation(s): Graduate Finance Association, Stern Private Equity Club, Latin American Business Association, Stern Soccer Club
Career interest(s): Investment Banking, Asset Management
NYC neighborhood: New Rochelle (Westchester County)

May 4, 2009

We are so close to finishing the spring semester, and the last few months flew by! We are in the midst of taking final exams and doing final papers. Many students come to NYU for the chance to meet and learn from Professor Damodaran, who teaches Corporate finance for first-year students and Valuation for second-years. His final exams and projects have really contributed to how busy everyone is right now! You learn a lot in his classes but really have to be up to the challenge: three 30-minute quizzes during the semester, one small group project, a final exam and a huge final group project that involves all tools learned during the semester. The challenge of the final project is that it takes so much time and coordination with your group, but you also need to spend time preparing for the final exam. This weekend, I literally spent all days with my team preparing our final project-Stern was really packed the entire time with several groups from Damodaran’s first-and second year students, all working on their final projects. Just about all conversations in halls and study rooms were about free cash flows, balance sheets, dividends and all sorts of topics from the finance world!

Many students are looking forward to next year because they are going to spend a semester abroad. Students are going to Denmark, the UK, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Italy and Hong Kong, among others. This is a great experience to attend a top school in another country and take classes and live there for an entire semester. This experience is so valuable both professionally and personally, because students learn so much from other cultures and from living abroad.

Since summer is just around the corner here in New York, Central Park is getting crowded on weekends, and people are spending more and more time enjoying outdoor activities in New York. The city is more vibrant than ever, and it’s a great time to be in New York!

April 13, 2009

Spring break was a great time to relax, take a break from the usual routine and just take time to refresh and regain energy. Students usually go to Peru, South Africa, Egypt, Japan and other countries for Spring Break Treks, some of which even include community service programs. Other students use this time to take intensive classes in other countries through a program called "Doing Business in (DBI)…,” which may last several days or a few weeks, depending on when the classes are offered. DBI classes during Spring Break last a week, and they are available in countries such as Italy, China, Argentina and Hungary, among others.

If you can’t get enough of classes abroad or love learning about other cultures, the one semester exchange program may be the right fit for you. NYU partners with several schools in places such as London, Hong-Kong, Argentina and Italy, offering the opportunity to improve your network and learn first-hand about other cultures.

Getting back to school after spring break is quite a shock-everybody has been running around and trying to catch up with papers and presentations as the end of the semester is approaching. I’m actually getting back to homework right now…

February 26, 2009

Stern is offering students a free class about the current economic situation called “The Financial Crisis of 2007-2009: Causes & Remedies”. This course discusses how the crisis started, the current economic situation, financial policy alternatives and specific courses of action. The speakers are NYU professors with ample experience in their respective areas of expertise, and the material is based on a recently completed book by Stern faculty. Many students are taking advantage of this opportunity!

This semester is going very quickly, and we’re suddenly approaching midterm exams. The reading rooms are full of students who are trying to study and keep up with papers. The temperature in New York is still cold but will probably get warmer and more comfortable in the next few weeks. Since I grew up in Latin America and am still not used to the cold and snow, I am really looking forward to the warmer months ahead!  

February 4, 2009

Getting back to school after the holidays is hard, but rewarding. Most students went back home to different states or countries and came back revitalized and relaxed. After two weeks of class, I am definitely enjoying the second semester. I am taking courses that focus more on my interests and career aspirations, such as Options and Futures, Financial Statement Analysis and Investment Banking. We just started classes last week and already have a ton to read. Papers are due as early as next week, and the back-to-school social activities are pouring in!

It has been really cold in New York during the last month, and it looks like this will continue for the rest of the winter. This is causing everyone to look forward to spring, and the planning of spring break trips to Peru, Japan, South Africa, etc. has already begun!

December 11, 2008

The past few weeks have been pretty tough…the weather is much colder, the homework and group meetings are more frequent and final exams are just around the corner. We had a nice 3-day break for Thanksgiving though, which was great. It’s just amazing how many tourists and locals enjoy the window decorations along Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center and other NYC attractions during the holiday season. NYU’s ticket center also provides students with discounted tickets for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, and this is a great time of year to take advantage of the opportunity!

But back to reality…after attending corporate presentations and participating in informational interviews over the course of the semester, the time to apply for internships has arrived. Deadlines for most applications are late November and early December, and it’s very time consuming to customize your resume and cover letter according to companies’ job descriptions.

This semester will be over in about 2 weeks, and I’m excited about catching up on my sleep and doing some holiday shopping during a well-deserved break for a couple of weeks. It’s a good time to re-energize for the Spring semester. Everybody is looking forward to this time of the year, and most students take short vacations or go to visit friends and families.

November 17, 2008

Individual assignments and group projects are crucial in our learning process. Upon starting the MBA program, you will be assigned to a team with whom you’ll work on projects in various courses during the first year. Some classes demand more group work than others, so getting to know your team and laying out a plan at the beginning of the semester is important. While some teams prefer to work on everything together–even individual assignments-and like working as a group from start to finish, others prefer to lay out a working plan, divide the work, and get together only as necessary. Both approaches work, as long as the team agrees and works according to the set plan.

In addition to group work, we typically have a weekly homework assignment in every class. Some courses demand more time than others, and their assignments can be quite lengthy. At first, I was shocked at the number of individual assignments due in my core accounting class. However, now that we are past midterms, I realize how much I have learned and know that every second I spent was worthwhile.

This week, we have several group projects due, in addition to individual assignments, early breakfast events, and evening company receptions. None of us have much free time, so we’re really looking forward to some well-deserved rest over Thanksgiving break.

I’ll get back to you next week…

 November 4, 2008

This week, I’ll talk more about corporate presentations. There are many throughout the semester, which are advertised on the Office of Career Development (OCD) website. You can sign up for corporate presentations based on the industry you want to pursue, and there are no restrictions on the number you can attend. Don’t panic if you do not already have an industry focus. OCD hosts workshops throughout the year to help you narrow down your interests.

Corporate presentations typically follow a standard format: several representatives come to school (or invite you to their offices) and briefly give an overview of the company and the types of positions available for MBAs. They also talk about application deadlines and the process of requesting informational interviews. After the formal portion of the presentation, you can grab a glass of wine and start networking! It is important to pay attention to employees’ introductions during the presentation, so you’ll have an idea of who you want to target. Once you’re talking with a group, you'll introduce yourself, briefly mention your experience and, most importantly, ask questions. With several students asking questions in each group, most topics get covered.

Through corporate presentations, you get to know a lot of recruiters and can follow up with them if you’re interested in the company. After a few presentations, you feel much more comfortable with your networking skills. The toughest part is just getting started, but it’s gotten much easier.

October 20, 2008

After a few weeks of getting used to the new lifestyle, I can say that there is a big difference from being a full time employee and a full time student. For starters, time is scarce, and multitasking is very important. This experience is more than what I expected. Sure, there have been late nights spent finishing homework and preparing for classes, but the satisfaction of learning from the best is just worth the effort.

There are a couple of conferences that can be very useful to attend, especially if you are part of a minority group. The National Black MBA Association Conference (NBMBA) was held in Washington DC this year. It attracts a few hundred employers and MBA students from all over the country, and you can always register only for the career fair at a reasonable price. It is a good place to start networking and learning more about companies. The other conference is the National Society of Hispanics MBAs (NSHMBA) Annual event. This year it was held in Atlanta, GA, and it attracts a lot of MBAs and employers. In addition to getting to know employers and the opportunities they offer for MBAs, you get to know peers from other schools.

It’s been a little crazy lately. We are in the middle of midterm week, and the recruiting process has just started. We also have to prepare for corporate presentations, do our research and show our best face – you should see the hall, people transform in just a matter of minutes from sport to sharp business attire. There is barely time to breathe, but we have the privilege of meeting a lot of people at the companies for which we want to work. We are close to their headquarters, and we can attend their presentations at school, or by just walking a few blocks or taking the subway, in between classes. Living in the heart of New York pays off.

It’s been very exciting.

September 30, 2008

New York City is fast and dynamic, and so is NYU Stern! If you like an environment of constant change, and you are able to adapt fast; then NYU Stern is the place to be.

Pre-term, the two weeks of orientation before classes start, enables you to get to know a lot of people who will be with you during the next two years and also to learn more about Stern’s culture. You will learn what this culture is all about when you are at school or visit our campus, but let me tell you that going bowling with my professors and reading articles in the media about these same outstanding professors do not happen in other schools.

Now let me introduce myself. My name is Jose Gutierrez, and I am from Peru. I have been living here in New York for a little more than 5 years and worked as a Financial Advisor for a company on Wall Street for around 4 years before coming to Stern. My goal is to work for a bigger company in the area of Private Banking specifically in the Asset Management area or to move to Investment Banking. I decided to go for an MBA to strengthen my financial skills and enhance my soft skills.

Living in the northeast, specifically in New York, is an advantage. I had several schools to choose from, but I decided to attend NYU Stern because of the strength of its Finance department and its location. Because I had several friends in the Stern MBA program, I already knew a great deal about the life and culture of this school. That is why when the moment to make a decision came, it was a no brainer for me to chose NYU Stern.

Stay tuned guys because in the following weeks I will be talking about classes, professors, life outside of class, and the recruiting process at Stern.