Work as a financial analyst.Here is our interview with Drew Watson, a Louisiana Tech University history major who currently works as a Financial Analyst for Acquisition Management Group LLC in Macon, Georgia.
JF: Why did you decide to major in history in college?
DW: I originally wanted to be an archaeologist (a big part of me still wants to go dig in the future) and watched Indiana Jones a few too many times. The next best option was History, so that is what I jumped into at Louisiana Tech University.
JF: What is your current job/vocation?
DW: Financial Analyst and Account Manager for a commercial debt purchasing firm. We are a company who purchases delinquent debt from creditors and seek to work out settlements with debtors that the other creditors are unwilling or unable to make. I research the debtors’ information who owe delinquent commercial bank debts and determine what kind of settlement we can obtain for our company. I also negotiate with debtors on such accounts for repayment.
JF: Can you suggest some tangible connections between your current job and your history training?
DW: Primarily what I use are the raw research skills I learned from history. I look through the data available on a particular debtor – financial histories, assets, work history, etc. I take state, locality, nationality, and even religion at times into consideration. Most of what I do is not detailed accounting work, but finding and compiling information and looking at the big picture as to what kind of deal we may be able to make with someone. I also have to be able to write well and do some legal investigations at times, particularly on bankruptcy matters.
JF: What advice would you provide to current or future history majors about making the most of their studies and degree?
DW: I originally wanted to be an archaeologist (a big part of me still wants to go dig in the future) and watched Indiana Jones a few too many times. The next best option was History, so that is what I jumped into at Louisiana Tech University.
JF: What is your current job/vocation?
DW: Financial Analyst and Account Manager for a commercial debt purchasing firm. We are a company who purchases delinquent debt from creditors and seek to work out settlements with debtors that the other creditors are unwilling or unable to make. I research the debtors’ information who owe delinquent commercial bank debts and determine what kind of settlement we can obtain for our company. I also negotiate with debtors on such accounts for repayment.
JF: Can you suggest some tangible connections between your current job and your history training?
DW: Primarily what I use are the raw research skills I learned from history. I look through the data available on a particular debtor – financial histories, assets, work history, etc. I take state, locality, nationality, and even religion at times into consideration. Most of what I do is not detailed accounting work, but finding and compiling information and looking at the big picture as to what kind of deal we may be able to make with someone. I also have to be able to write well and do some legal investigations at times, particularly on bankruptcy matters.
JF: What advice would you provide to current or future history majors about making the most of their studies and degree?
DW: Look not into the specific information that you are being taught, but take a step back and look at the skills you are learning. Learning what questions to ask is a far better skill than learning what answers to give.
Take classes from professors with whom you may conflict philosophically. I am fairly conservative, so finding conflicting viewpoints in college was not hard. A couple of my favorite professors were stoutly liberal, and respected well-articulated views of students with whom they disagreed.
Learn how to research well, and learn how to write well. Knowing how to find the answers and communicate them is better than being able to answer the questions on a test. Those two skills put you in a good position for success down the road.
Focus on those courses which convey life skills. Looking back, there are several classes that I am glad I took (technical writing, creative writing, ballroom dancing) and classes that I should have taken (more basic business classes, statistics, and a logic/philosophy course). EVERYONE should also take personal finance courses – I am a natural penny-pincher, but with student debt so out of control now, learning how to handle money is essential.
While you are in school, or when you get out, do not limit yourself because of your degree. I got my job simply because I had an MA. Get a job. Be willing to move. Be willing to step outside your boundaries. Stick with it – do not let pride or ego limit you from getting your hands dirty – you may trip into something you like!
Take classes from professors with whom you may conflict philosophically. I am fairly conservative, so finding conflicting viewpoints in college was not hard. A couple of my favorite professors were stoutly liberal, and respected well-articulated views of students with whom they disagreed.
Learn how to research well, and learn how to write well. Knowing how to find the answers and communicate them is better than being able to answer the questions on a test. Those two skills put you in a good position for success down the road.
Focus on those courses which convey life skills. Looking back, there are several classes that I am glad I took (technical writing, creative writing, ballroom dancing) and classes that I should have taken (more basic business classes, statistics, and a logic/philosophy course). EVERYONE should also take personal finance courses – I am a natural penny-pincher, but with student debt so out of control now, learning how to handle money is essential.
While you are in school, or when you get out, do not limit yourself because of your degree. I got my job simply because I had an MA. Get a job. Be willing to move. Be willing to step outside your boundaries. Stick with it – do not let pride or ego limit you from getting your hands dirty – you may trip into something you like!
Thanks, Drew!
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For more interviews like this one click here.
