Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Jones.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Being a native of Atlanta, the city is at the heart of everything I do. When the time to choose where I wanted to attend college came, it became clear Morehouse College was the place for me. I started college fall of 2020…and I think we all know what else came along in 2020. I started the year off at home, only 15 minutes away from the campus I couldn’t even stay at due to Covid-19. Starting my collegiate career in these circumstances was a challenge I didn’t know I was ready for at the time. But I still looked for positives and found opportunities out of that negative.
While attending a virtual call for the Morehouse Business Association, I learned about a non-profit named Memunatu Magazine, devoted to literacy, leadership, and empowerment for teen girls in Africa and the diaspora. After meeting with the founder and interviewing them, I was offered an internship as a Curriculum and Learning Intern for the Fall 2020 semester. Although working virtually, I learned so much from this internship and valued that experience during that time immensely. I worked on writing grant proposals and completed research audience sheets, empathy maps, and outreach projects with other non-profits.
Taking the experience I gained from that internship. I pushed for a summer opportunity. I attended a fireside chat with a representative from T-Mobile, who told me about their T-Mobile U of Magenta Internship program. I applied for the position of a Government Sales Intern, and just like that, my summer 2021 was set up. Once again, working remotely, this internship was a welcomed challenge for me. Time management was my biggest takeaway. I had to learn to balance everything on the job and still perform highly. I look back on my experience in that role with many fond memories. I am definitely beyond thankful for this experience.
Furthermore, this summer, I just concluded an internship at Bank of America as a Financial Management Analyst. When I first got the offer, I couldn’t even believe it myself. Personally, my goal had been to work in Financial Services with a company like BOA. The FMAP program was located in Charlotte, North Carolina. For ten weeks, I would work under a Fortune 500 company, mainly focusing on Quantitative Finance. My biggest takeaway from this experience is the value of a solid network. In school and college, they had always told us how important networking is, but until I got to a corporate setting, I realized “Your network is your net worth.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest challenge has been adapting to corporate life. Along the way, there were many things that I was not taught in school that are essential to day-to-day business practices. Learning that new environment and figuring out how and what I needed to be successful was a challenge at first. Things such as using new terminology, workplace flexibility, and networking were things I had known and worked on in the past but now took on a whole new meaning.
Another challenge was figuring out how to make sure my voice was heard. The best way to overcome this is by having the confidence always to speak your mind. It can be intimidating in those situations, but it will always reward you and the company in the long run. My mentor always told me that companies hire you to contribute while helping to add value to the company. It’s a lose-lose if you don’t use the power your voice has.
Furthermore, I would say another challenge of mine was time management. In high school, everything was laid out for us. When to eat lunch, when to go to what class, but especially in the real world, it’s not like that. I had to learn how valuable my time was, so I had to stop wasting it. Once you realize how important every minute of every day is, it’ll help you focus on what you can accomplish within the day. Optimizing your time can improve not just your professional career but your life overall, and it’s by far one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in the financial services industry. I’ve had experience in sales and corporate finance. I have worked with financial powerhouses such as Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and numerous other Fortune 500 Companies. Over this summer, I specialized in Quantitative Finance under the Global Banking and Markets division of Bank of America. During this time, I worked very closely with the Stress Testing team. Stress Testing is an analysis designed to determine the ability of a financial institution to deal with an economic crisis.
Also, I specialize in the organization of community events and service activities. I have always been committed to giving back through volunteer work, especially in the Metro Atlanta Area. As Chief of Staff for the Sophmore Year Class Council, I organized a drive to raise money and accept donations for 7 Bridges to Recovery, a women’s shelter in Atlanta. As one of the heads of the N’Tern Academy, a program devoted to helping incoming first-year students at Morehouse College, I’ve been drafting plans for opportunities to serve the community.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First and foremost, God, without his grace, none of this would be possible.
My mother she’s done so much for me and has been my everything. She’s my best friend and has been for as long as I can remember.
My dad’s insight and guidance on life has meant so much to me. I’m thankful and fortunate to have a dad who’s as active in my life as he is.
My grandparents, for the love and care they provided me from the beginning. All of my extended family is on both sides for being the village of support I’ve needed in dark times.
All of my friends who have had my back no matter what, those people are the family I’ve chosen in life, and I could not be more thankful for them.
Thank you to all my mentors, teachers, and anyone who has shown me kindness along the way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisjxnes/
Image Credits
Shot by Rapture Visuals (@rapture.visuals)
