MEET PAUL! Paul graduated in December 2019. He is currently working as a Contracts Analyst with Envoy Air.
We asked Paul some questions, advice for current students, and how UNT helped him to succeed and SOAR BEYOND!
When you started at UNT, what were your plans after graduation? How have these plans changed (if at all)? When I first started at UNT, my plan was to find a Supply Chain oriented role outside of Texas. I quickly realized that Dallas is one of the best places for a graduate to start their career. A lot of companies are moving to Dallas because of the low cost of living and space.
What advice do you have for prospective or current students as they decide what they want their next steps to be (internships/careers/etc.)? I would advise prospective students/current students to not freak out about what the future may hold, but to take it one step at a time. First, determine what interests you and [how those interests connect to] a stable career – easier said than done. I would also begin to seek out any opportunities that will provide you with skills for what you are looking for in your career field. It doesn’t matter how small the position may be, it just matters that you are working towards where you want to be in the workforce.
How did your program at UNT help you to feel prepared for this role? UNT prepared me for the role that I am in now by providing me with classes heavily based in Excel and other programs that I utilize daily. UNT also provided me with the career center where I got to speak with someone face to face about where I’m at currently and where I would like to be and how I can achieve that goal.
How did you find your current role (website, email, word of mouth, etc)? I found my current role through Envoy’s website. I interned with them previously so I knew that I had an opportunity at that company if I wanted it. When looking for other opportunities, I utilized UNT’s handshake website as well as LinkedIn.
What was the toughest interview question they asked you? The toughest interview question they asked me was a technical one- “How did you develop a forecast model?” I found that this question was very specific and did not know how to answer at the moment. I would also say that the toughest interview question was the one that they didn’t ask. I was required to take an Excel assessment to see where I was at with my Excel skills. This element of the interview was probably the hardest.
How did the Career Center help you? The Career Center helped me tremendously when I was extremely worried that I was not going to find an internship. I set up a meeting with someone at the career center to discuss what I’m looking for and how I need to get there. They were able to pinpoint specific things that I could do to help me land an internship.
Would you like to be featured in our Soaring Beyond Success Series? Email Jeanette Hickl. We’d love to share your story!
