Jenny Zhang W’16
What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?
I graduated from Wharton in 2016, and I studied Finance and OIDD.
What do you do now and where are you based? / What past positions have you held?
Currently, I am working at a new private equity firm called Two Sigma Impact, based in Portland, Maine. The focus of the group is on the workforce; we are trying to make better workplaces for the workforce and create a business that leverages their people in order to grow. A lot of the time in PE, labor is an area where all people try to do is minimize costs. It has been especially interesting to focus on this area during COVID-19.
What were you involved with as an undergraduate?
I spent most of my time in two groups, Wharton Women and Penn Music Mentoring. Growing up in Philly, I was involved in music programs at public schools, and at Penn I wanted to find a way to give back to the community. Through Penn Music Mentoring, I worked with local elementary schools and taught students how to play instruments and dance.
What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?
It’s important to spend time making friends. It is easy to fall into studying all the time, but this is your last chance to have fun without so much responsibility. Use friends to have fun and study with, and take advantage of the great network at Wharton.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
I only graduated in 2016, so I would say my career has been quite short. The biggest challenge is that I don't always have the same interests as a lot of my coworkers, who in the finance industry tend to be men, so it's sometimes hard to develop relationships with them.
How has being a woman affected your career trajectory, if it has?
In my first jobs, the men played a lot of golf and went to sporting events. From there, it was easier for them to shift to mentorship/advocacy with other men in the firm while I found it challenging to build the relationships that I wanted. It is really important to have people advocating for you and mentoring you in order to progress. Now I am building a network of women, for example through Wharton Women Circle, and seeking out more senior women at my firm.
What advice do you have for our members as they begin exploring careers and internships?
It is really easy to want to focus on banking or consulting, but I think that it is important to try to find a good connection with the people that you are interviewing with. Focus on culture and make sure you feel it would be a good fit.
What’s your favorite place you’ve ever been?
My favorite place is Myanmar. I studied abroad in Northeast Thailand and spent a few months travelling. Myanmar stood out to me because of how different it was. There was no wi-fi, which made it a great opportunity for me and my friends to unplug and immerse ourselves in the culture.