Hard Work, Persistence Pay Off

Quentin Liggins ’10 has business in his blood. His grandfather and great uncle owned, respectively, an auto body shop and a printing company, and Liggins recalls being “just fascinated with both of those shops. I always knew I wanted to be in an industry where I could be creative, and have an opportunity to lead in some way.”

Liggins, a history major and member of the varsity football team, has been living up to his heritage.

Following a sophomore year internship at Northwestern Mutual in Boston, Liggins applied to several prominent internships for this summer, including General Electric and Goldman Sachs, two renowned companies whose internship positions are highly regarded among business employers nationwide.

After interviewing at both companies within the span of two days, both GE and Goldman Sachs extended offers.

After some debate, Liggins, a member of the prebusiness program, chose the Goldman Sachs internship. “I had already worked in the insurance side of the business world, and I really wanted to expand my own experience into the world of finance,” he says.

Additionally, the recent troubles in the financial sector actually encouraged his decision.

“Goldman Sachs, like all companies in that industry, is going through a rapid period of change. For me, the opportunity to be there and be involved in something creative, just to see what I can learn from that type of innovation, is important,” Liggins says.

How is it that a history major was able to land such impressive finance positions? For Liggins, it all boils down to focusing on the details. After joining the Summer Internship Program at the College, Liggins worked hard to make sure that he maximized all opportunities.

“I worked over my resume intensely in the Career Planning Center, tailoring it to each job opportunity within SIP,” he says. “I was in there so much that the ladies in the office joke about putting a permanent plaque on one of the chairs for me.”

Liggins also explains that the simple but powerful processes of interacting with other people, the “soft skills” of the business world, were equally important to his success.

“What I’ve gleaned from my experience is that building a bond, making people comfortable, and making them feel like they can relate to you, is really a key skill, whether it’s in life or in business.”

That highly developed interpersonal skill was a valuable asset during his rigorous interviewing process at the various positions. At Goldman Sachs, for instance, Liggins describes being led through a series of rapid-fire interviews with six groups of people, an experience which he described as “challenging but exhilarating.”

While Liggins’ natural charisma has certainly played a role in his success, he also credits Holy Cross for broadening his scope and range of knowledge.

“My history major, specifically, allows me to study people and interactions across various cultures, and in turn, it just becomes one more way to build connections, to understand people,” Liggins says. “Plus, any challenging class that you take really pushes the boundaries of what you can accomplish as an individual.”

Also, important was his time in the prebusiness program, and his recent experiences at the Holy Cross Executive Leadership Workshop. While there, Liggins learned the essentials of business development, which he says “helped me get my feet wet in a few other sectors of the business world — it really expanded my focus and horizons.”

Liggins appreciated meeting the business alumni at the workshop, too. “For me, just being able to sit back and just watch how leaders walk and talk, helps me understand the intangibles, the more personal side of the business world.”

As for his future, Liggins says, he likes to take one step at a time.

“I really want to take as much from this internship experience as I can, to learn and improve myself as much as possible. Wherever I end up working, I’m really just looking to continually expand my knowledge. For me, that’s the ultimate goal.”

By Ross Weisman ’09