Success Story: Svetlana Goldin ’18 takes role with Tradewind

Success Stories | Jun 28, 2018 | admin

By Maja Tarateta

When Svetlana Goldin, MBA ’18, moved to the United States from Russia with her husband, she quickly realized that she needed to get an MBA in order to be successful in her job search.

“I didn’t have experience in America or connections,” she said. “I looked at posted jobs and saw gaps in skills I didn’t have.”

She decided to pursue an MBA at Fordham to obtain the skills that directly related to the jobs she was interested in, particularly client-facing roles with a focus on finance.

“For me, the Gabelli School was also helpful because I needed to learn more about business culture in the United States and New York,” said Goldin. “I needed connections.”

Before she even finished the program she landed the job she was seeking and is now working as an account executive in the New York office of international trade financing firm Tradewind.

She said the individualized attention she received from the Gabelli School was key. As an international student, Goldin needed to start her program in January and attend full time. The Gabelli School “was flexible and fit my specific needs,” she said.

While there, she tried to take advantage of every opportunity the school offered.

“My recommendation is always to be open to the different resources the school offers and prioritize—have a sense of what is the most important to you,” she said. “The Gabelli School provides lots of resources, has a location in midtown, offers lots of networking opportunities, and speakers—too many—I couldn’t go to all of them!”

As she prepared to take the level 2 CFA exam this spring, Goldin noted how her time at the Gabelli School had helped her feel confident.

“You will get a sense of how businesses operate here,” she said. “You will improve your communication and language skills. And,” she emphasized, “you will build connections.”