It’s only been about four months since I graduated from PUC with a BBA in Business Administration, but so much of my life has changed. Just a short time ago, I was making the daily trek from Newton Hall to Irwin Hall for classes, taking a quick break at the campus center for lunch, and then working afternoons at the radio station.

I now have a full-time job with Loma Linda University Medical Center. I work in the Children’s Hospital as a management resident, working on a variety of financial and operational projects. I help produce financial statements, create staff schedules, draft policies, and analyze patient flow. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with chief executives and observe their actions and decision-making process. Having had an internship here in previous years has definitely opened doors for me.

I’ve also begun studying for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam, not because I necessarily want to be full-time accountant, but because earning my CPA will give me a strong background for management positions in the future. After that, I will start to pursue my MBA (Masters in Business Administration).

Before I came to PUC, some friends of mine said that Adventist education wasn’t as strong as other state or private schools. I am proud to tell you that I am just as equipped, if not more so, for entering the healthcare sector as my coworkers from any of those other schools. PUC prepared me very well for making the transition into the “real world,” and I hope current students realize that they can succeed anywhere with a degree from PUC.

Since the job climate is so competitive right now, and there are many applicants for every open position, I’d like to share a few pieces of advice for PUC students:

1. Get an internship! This is the single most effective step to landing a job upon graduation. Even if it is not exactly where you think your career will end up, the experience you will inevitably gain will be transferable to any business sector, and will give you a leg up over other new graduates.
   
   
2. Take as many accounting courses as you possibly can. Yes, it may seem uninteresting at the time, but even if you don’t want to be an accountant, everything you do in the business world works on a bottom line, and you need to be able to speak this language.
   
   
3. Don’t underestimate the importance of practical classes like Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Business Communication. It may seem laborious as you work through all the homework, but these sometimes overlooked classes help you sharpen tools that you will definitely need to rely on down the road.
   
   
4. Get involved on campus! If you want a job when you graduate, whether that is this June or further down the line, you need to demonstrate that you have the initiative to work on projects that are above and beyond assigned homework. It can be the business club, SIFE, REVO, or anything else that interests you.

Steve Brooks, PUC class of 2010, is a Management Resident at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.