On the Path to Success: Jose Prado

Jose Prado

• Class of: May 2014
• Major: Finance
• Email: jprado5@uic.edu
• Internship
• Company: Caterpillar
• Title of Position: Corporate Treasury Intern

Why did you choose this position?
I chose this position because I needed to prove to myself that I belonged in the financial industry.  Being a finance student, I had to know whether or not this was something I could see myself doing as a career.

Describe your experience at Caterpillar?

Interning at Caterpillar was a very rewarding experience from both a personal and professional standpoint.  Caterpillar is a tremendous company with great opportunities for growth, but most important, good genuine people.  I was able to work on meaningful projects that would affect the company’s bottom line, such as; examining Caterpillar’s insurance program, analyzing historical data on the property side and correlating it with current market data, and integrating one of its subsidiaries to Caterpillar’s insurance program.  The internship also provided me with opportunities to job shadow business professionals, look at different business processes, and build relationships with others in other networking events.

How did you obtain your current position?

I built a relationship with a representative from Caterpillar whom I met at the UIC Business Career Center Resume Expo and it led to an interview which landed me the internship.

What advice do you have for students currently searching for internships or full time positions?

Whether you’re pursuing an internship, full-time position, or any other endeavor, the advice I give you is the following:

First, if you want to be successful, you cannot be afraid of failure.  You have to be fearless.  The only way to reach that mindset is by taking on new challenges because that is the only way you will ever truly learn.

Secondly, it’s important to be learning continuously.  Never fall into a stage of complacency because if you’re not growing, you’re dying.  Your competition is always finding ways to improve themselves; therefore you must do the same.  Learn new skills, read new books, meet new people.  All the tools are out there within reach, it is up to you to take action.

Lastly, surround yourself with positive-minded people.  You will not be able to accomplish your goals on your own.  You will need a strong supporting cast who can help get you there.  That is the art of building relationships.