GET TO KNOW UBS: Tommy Brooks
Name: Tommy Brooks
Grade: Senior
Major: Business Economics, Minor in Accounting
Career Interest: Strategy, Finance
Q - Any advice to students pursuing the same career path or internship experience?
A - Learn as much as you can about a broad array of topics and subjects. Get familiar with the kinds of problems that businesses face by reading the business section of any news source. I recommend finding a few news sources that you like and read them each day. The Economist, Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times are all great. (Morning Brew is also a good daily email newsletter focusing on business).
Q - What networking tips do you have?
A - My favorite, and thus far most successful, way to network is through informational interviews. Reach out to friends of friends, family friends or someone who has an interesting job on LinkedIn and ask if you could buy them coffee or ask them a few questions on the phone. Most people are willing to help and love talking about themselves. It’s a win win.
Q - Choose one food to have for the rest of your life.
A - Pasta. Every kind. Is that cheating?
Q - How did you first get involved with UBS?
A - I first got involved with UBS through a Deloitte Mentorship program my freshman year. My Deloitte mentor provided me with valuable career advice and helped me immensely in my search for a career path that interested me. This initial experience motivated me to join UBS and help provide similar opportunities to fellow undergraduates.
Q - Best advice someone has ever given to you, in general or in relation to your career interest.
A - My Dad always told me two things when growing up: “always show up” and “smile”. Always showing up means being consistent--showing up everyday and giving it your best no matter how you’re feeling that day. Smiling can get you a long way, and it’s so simple and easy to do. Practice these two things each day and you’ll be surprised at the doors it opens up for you.
Q - Why did you choose to major in Business Economics?
A - Interestingly enough, I had no clue what I wanted to major in my senior year in college. When I went about filling college applications I thought I would get dinged if I put undecided for my major, so I went through the alphabetical list of majors and chose the first one that stood out to me.
Q - Favourite class at UCLA so far and why?
A - Value Investing with Professor Bill Simon has been my favorite class at UCLA, hands down. Bill is an experienced investor and often invites highly influential investors in the community to speak to the class. Value investing can get pretty lucrative, and this class is a great introduction.