By Pablo Riddell – Co-Founder of Mai Mentor
Like many graduates, I finished university excited but unsure how to apply my degree. A year of travel left me even more clueless about my career. I stumbled into finance recruitment, drawing on some past experience.
While I enjoyed economics and excelled at maths, the practicalities of the financial markets remained a mystery. Fortunately, a connection through my father-in-law, a retired foreign exchange trader, sparked my interest. He demystified the industry, explaining various roles, necessary skills, and how my background might fit in. This guidance, combined with an introduction to a bank executive, gave me the context and focus I needed to land my first role, despite my lack of direct experience.
My mentor continued to offer invaluable support and advice in those early years. This career shift undeniably altered my life’s course, leading to opportunities in Sweden and then global financial hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore. Despite my artistic parents’ good-natured teasing about fulfillment, I found a profession I genuinely enjoy and have built a rewarding career in.
I recognize how fortunate I was to have such support. Many individuals, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, lack these crucial connections. This is the problem we aim to address with MaiMentor. We want to democratize access to information and guidance, leveraging the power of AI and the insights of experienced individuals to create brighter futures for everyone.
