How A Week Abroad Shattered My Career Assumptions (And Why I’m Grateful)
PGS: Global Business Communication for Impact
William, one of the Penn Global Seminar Correspondents, shares his experience abroad during the Fall 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.
When I landed in London for my week-and-a-half-long Penn Global Seminar (PGS), I expected historic pubs, double-decker buses, and maybe a slight obsession with tea. What I didn’t expect? A complete recalibration of what I thought my career had to look like.
Because here’s the thing: At Penn, it’s easy to believe there are only two exits after graduation—investment banking or consulting. And in those first few days in London? The recruiting frenzy was real. People were commandeering hotel rooms for Zoom interviews, pulling all-nighters to polish cover letters, and whispering about “coffee chats” like they were state secrets.
But then something unexpected happened.
Our PGS didn’t just show us Big Ben and Buckingham Palace—it introduced us to people who had built wildly unconventional, thrilling careers—careers I didn’t even know existed. And by the time I left? My mindset had shifted entirely.
Lesson 1: The Most Interesting Careers Aren’t Linear (See: A Music Mogul Who Started as an Intern Filing Finance Papers)
Take Adam Granite (CEO, AMEA at Universal Music Group)—a Wharton alum who once sat exactly where I did, feeling the same pressure to follow the “expected” path. But instead of succumbing to it, he took an internship at Sony Music… in a random department.
His big break? Reading finance files.
That’s right—while his peers were crunching numbers in IB, Adam was studying the financial underpinnings of the music industry. Fast forward to today, and he’s working with icons like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Kendrick Lamar. His advice?
“You don’t have to follow the script. Sometimes the most rewarding careers come from curiosity, not conformity.”
Lesson 2: AI, Ethics, and Global Impact—A Career I Didn’t Know I Needed to Know About
Then there was Didem Ün Ateş, an AI powerhouse, World Economic Forum fellow, and founder of LotusAI Ltd. Over dinner at the enchanting St. Ermin’s Hotel, she shared her journey—from growing up in Turkey to becoming a leader in Responsible AI, advising giants like Goldman Sachs.
What stuck with me?
- She didn’t just stumble into AI—she pursued passion over prestige.
- Her dual-degree (M&T at Penn) gave her a unique edge, blending tech and business in a way that’s now reshaping industries.
- Her career wasn’t about climbing a ladder—it was about building bridges between ethics, innovation, and global impact.
“The future belongs to those who ask, ‘What problem do I want to solve?’ not ‘What title do I want next?’”
Lesson 3: Even the ‘Traditional’ Path Can Be Unconventional
Okay, full disclosure—this trip also reaffirmed my love for consulting.
We met Lena Koolmann, a McKinsey partner leading their TMT M&A practice. Her story was a masterclass in owning your path. Yes, consulting is a classic Wharton move—but Lena’s career was anything but generic. She specialized, she pivoted, and she carved out a niche that excited her.
The takeaway? Even within ‘traditional’ fields, there’s room to be bold.
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