In his last blog post (chat with Arvind, part one), Arvind (MFin ’23), an experienced business analyst, shared how he became interested in Rotman and how the CFA program compared to the Rotman MFin. Now, he discusses the benefits of being a Rotman student and offers advice for incoming students.

The Rotman community

As a Rotman student, there are a number of activities and opportunities that you can get involved in. Arvind has found a couple of them particularly beneficial.

“What I enjoyed most about my first year was participating in case competitions,” he says.

Arvind found it convenient that most competitions were completed online at the time, so he and his peers could collaborate and complete assignments from the comfort of their homes and workplaces.

“It was great connecting with people from places like TD or OTPP. These are people who know the industry. It’s a great opportunity to network and showcase your skills. If you’re looking for a job change, case competitions are a great way to make an impression.”

Arvind also took advantage of the mentorship program at Rotman, which links current students with a senior professional in their field, who offers guidance on goal setting, developing the tools for success and more.

“I am in my second year of being mentored by Darie Urbanky, President & COO at CI Financial. How great is that?!”

“Now, I have one-to-one time with someone with so much experience, and it’s fantastic. He is a contact who I am able to go to for support and guidance, and it isn’t a connection I was likely to make any other way than through the program.”

Career support

Though Arvind isn’t interested in a career pivot at the moment, he is making sure he utilizes the resources available should he want to make a move in the future. It’s all about being prepared.

“I’ve attended workshops and had discussions with a career counselor. Right now, I want to build my network, so I am making the most of opportunities to connect with alumni, to find out more about what they do and the areas of finance they work in. The resources available are really good, it’s up to the individual to leverage them.”

Arvind’s tips for incoming MFin students

Arvind’s first tip for incoming MFin students is that they take a reality check — this is a challenging curriculum. 

“You need to put in time and effort to succeed, so keep that in mind,” he says. “Having said that, when you’re here, you have everything available to you. There is support from staff, faculty and your classmates. There are waves of information coming your way every day, you’ll have all the tools you need to succeed. Rotman will give you the tools.”

His second piece of advice: enjoy the program.

“If you’re joining the program, the experience is going to be amazing. From the case competitions and using the lab, to interacting with faculty and your colleagues, you’ll quickly learn that everyone is smart.  You cannot beat that.”

Read part one of our chat with Arvind.

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