Patrick Hicks

Degree / Year: Bachelor of Science in Business, 2004

Major / Minor: Finance

When it comes to career goals, Patrick advises, "Network, network, network."

In Business Week magazine's latest ranking, Miami's Farmer School of Business ranked 8th among the nation's public universities.

Building Bridges

Patrick Hicks used every resource available to find a job in the entrepreneurial world while at Miami. Before he graduated in 2004, Patrick visited the Office of Career Services, attended career and internship fairs, and built strong relationships with professors who could help him with his career goals.

Know Thyself

When he started out, Patrick thought he wanted to pursue marketing. But after investigating the field and figuring out what he was really interested in, he chose finance as his major with a minor in entrepreneurship. "I realized my strengths were in learning how to raise capital," he said. "So I geared my internships (at Medical Mutual and Key Bank) around that."

Life of a Salesman

Patrick interviewed with large companies in Chicago, thinking he would jump right into the entrepreneurial field. But when he interviewed with Xerox in Columbus, the interviewer made a point that resonated in him: people are always selling, whether it's internally or externally. Patrick realized sales was what he needed a strong foundation in to prepare him for his ultimate career goal: selling commercial real estate. Today, Patrick says he's dealt with all kinds of companies through Xerox, as he "sells business ideas that help our customers help their customers."

Extra Effort

Besides his involvement in Miami Marketing Enterprises, Campus Activities Council, and the Multicultural Concerts and Lecture Board while at Miami, Patrick completed two independent studies, which he strongly encourages students to look into. "I built some pretty good relationships my senior year doing that, and they were very worthwhile for what I wanted to do in the future," he said.

Call for Help

Patrick wasn't afraid to make the most of his network connections. He has a team of mentors to help him stay focused on his career goals and apply what he's learning, including real estate lawyers, successful entrepreneurs, and still, Miami professors. "Network, network, network," he said. "I can't emphasize that enough."