Graduating from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Economics as well as a B.S. in Business Analytics, Max Allen used the skills he gained during his undergraduate experience to join Slalom as an Associate Consultant in the Data & Analytics practice. “Econometrics offered a foundation for the analytical skills required to professionally pursue a career in data,” Allen explains, stating how his experiences in economics and business courses he took helped him discover his passion for working with data. “I often noticed myself entering a sort of “flow” state when using econometric methods to draw out correlations between economic trends.” These skills and experiences not only benefited Max in his work within the Data & Analytics practice, however. Allen now works within the Salesforce practice and finds that he still uses the skills he learned at UVM to handle and analyze data in his new role.  

Max recommends undergraduate students, especially seniors, focus on networking and developing relationships with professionals to learn about possible paths and opportunities after graduation. “I spent time doing informational interviews with professionals in finance, data science, fintech, and solutions engineering throughout my senior year, and those interviews often helped me figure out careers that I realized I wasn’t really interested in,” Allen recalls, continuing to say, “they also helped me find the career that I was truly excited about, and I wouldn’t have known about it if I hadn’t picked up the phone and asked people questions. These informational interviews helped strengthen my connections with those individuals as well, and they are now a piece of my network that I can always reach back out to.” For students interested in data and consulting specifically, Max's suggestion is to take advantage of all UVM has to offer. “Computer science, data science, econometrics, advanced macroeconomics, game theory, and more can all help contribute to a more holistic view of the data landscape, and employers love to see a diverse range of experience.” Allen also recommends becoming comfortable with SQL, a programming language he believes is crucial for any data-related role. 

Max’s experience highlights the importance of putting yourself out there to determine what may or may not interest you, as well as the importance of using the courses and people at your disposal as a UVM student to your advantage.