Starting My Career: Noah Bargas, Finance Alumnus
Noah Bargas knew where he wanted to start his career and he opted for a novel approach for getting his foot in the door.
Bargas — who graduated from the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University as the top finance undergraduate in 2020 — knew he wanted to work at Silicon Valley tech giant, Oracle. However, instead of applying for the regular job postings, he opted for an entry-level paid internship position on Oracle’s tax and treasury department that provided him the opportunity to get a first-hand view of life inside the company while giving him real-world job training and networking experience. “I learned about the opening for the internship at Oracle while I was browsing their career website,” said Bargas, a native of San Ramon, California. “Growing up in the Bay Area, I was aware of Oracle’s presence and I decided to check out their open opportunities. I was not actively looking for a tax and treasury position, but the posting led me to believe it would be an engaging learning opportunity, so I decided to apply.”
Noah Bargas, the top finance student for 2020, is now an employee at Oracle.
While tax compliance was not an area that Bargas was familiar with before his internship, he was able to apply what he learned as a student at SDSU to help him succeed in the position. “In many of my classes at SDSU, the professors promoted an environment that fostered collaboration. As a result, I became very comfortable working on team-oriented projects,” he said. “My ability to interact cross-functionally and to learn from others within a team environment is a skill that I picked up from SDSU and it’s allowed me to thrive in my internship.”
It was the diversity at SDSU that prompted Bargas to enroll at the Fowler College of Business after graduating from high school. “As I transitioned away from high school and into college, I was searching for a school that would allow me to be exposed to new ideas from those who have different backgrounds and experiences than myself,” he said. “I believed this would prepare me for post-graduate life. In hindsight, I definitely made the right choice with San Diego State.”
He chose to major in finance at SDSU because “finance serves as the ‘puzzle piece’ that connects all areas of life.” “Whether you end up in business or in government, the financial implication of any action is what drives decision-making processes across the world,” said Bargas. “I chose finance because I was eager to learn a skillset that would help me better understand our world and would provide me with many career options.”
As Bargas’ internship comes to an end in June, he is looking for open opportunities primarily outside of Oracle. As he works on transitioning into a full-time position, he offers this advice to current SDSU students who are seeking their first job in their career path: “Take the time to fully reflect on your experiences, work-related or not. Every experience has provided you with a skill that can benefit you in your next job. The key is to be able to present that skill in the right way when an interview opportunity arises. Also, reach out to your network. People who were once in your shoes are more eager to help than you think.”
