Name: Enoch Cheng

Position: Officer, ETF Sales Consultant at State Street Global Advisors

Degree: BSBA Finance

Why did you choose this industry/field?

From Precious Jewelry Sales to Goldman Sachs Executive Counseling to PwC Asset Management Advisory to State Street Global Advisors ETF Sales, the passion that has marked my career has always been building and maintaining client relationships. Throughout the span of my prior roles, I’ve cumulatively driven millions of dollars in new revenue and developed into a dynamic salesperson.

Concurrently, I’ve always been fascinated with the Capital Markets. This is evidenced by my pursuit of the CFA Charter, having passed Level 1 prior to graduating Chapman University with the support of Professor Fadel Lawandy.

 Joining State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs on their Sales Desk was a natural progression marrying my interest in building relationships and Institutional Investment Management.

How did you strategize to get your career to where it is today?

 Life happens for you, not to you! I would have never found this specific niche of Finance (Distribution/Sales) if not for my NYC Housemate, who had suggested I check it out! The two keys for me in getting to where I am currently were: consistency and intellectual curiosity. The people who win the most in life are the ones that show up every single day, even on days when you’re not feeling 100% (think about the fable of the turtle and the hare). As for intellectual curiosity, the people who think they know everything usually know the least. I am constantly reading on and off the job, eager to soak up any new knowledge/insights from the experiences of people way smarter/learned than I am.

Any career advice for current students entering into the industry in this job market? 

I won’t be the first person to tell you this, but it’s who you know, not what you know that will help you get your foot in the door. I would suggest reaching out to as many people as possible to hear about their career path, even if they are not directly on the path you’ve set out for yourself. You never know who they know…whether it’s their cousin or neighbor or childhood friend.

How did getting your degree from Chapman set you up for success on your career path?

Chapman offers a number of rigorous courses that can help you set yourself apart, especially the advanced Finance electives and the plethora of Data Science oriented courses. In addition, Chapman is one of the few schools where you can get Bloomberg Certified and participate in the CFA Research Challenge. For what it’s worth, Professor Fadel Lawandy is also on the Board of CFA Society of Orange County and may be able to assist you in your pursuit of the CFA Charter.