David Corn ’16 mentors Clarkies looking to join the investments industry

David Corn ’16 may have graduated in 2016, but he hasn’t left the Clark community behind.  An equity research associate at MFS Investment Management, a global investment firm based in Boston, he decided to join the University’s ClarkCONNECT platform to recruit interns for next summer.

Corn will be giving a virtual presentation, “ClarkCONNECTions: Careers in Investment Management with MFS Investments,” to interested Clarkies on Sept. 3. The talk is hosted by the Career Connections Center.

In advance of that event, we spoke with him about his experience as a Clark economics major — it was overwhelmingly positive, he says — and entering the investment industry.

 Why did you join ClarkCONNECT? 

I’m interested in helping students who share a similar passion for investments and who are looking for guidance in pursuing a career in the field upon graduation.

Can you speak a bit about your role at MFS Investments? What does a typical work day look like for you?

As an equity research associate, my job is to assist our analysts and portfolio managers in the research process by developing deep knowledge about a given sector of the market — in my case, it’s technology — in order to make buy and sell recommendations for the various funds we manage here at MFS. One of the best parts of the job is that no day is truly ever the same, but a typical day may consist of reading through industry and/or financial reports, meeting with management teams of companies I am researching, or updating earnings models in Excel.

Why did you choose to share a position at MFS Investments with fellow Clarkies? 

MFS is a great organization with deep roots in the investment management industry. I think Clarkies would bring a unique perspective to the position and add tremendous value — not only to our investment process but also to our culture. Anyone who has a genuine passion for investing and wants to work in a fast-paced industry should consider applying!

How did your time at Clark prepare you for your career?

My time at Clark helped build the foundation for my current role. I learned to think critically and not be afraid to challenge the consensus. These skills help me analyze various industries and companies so I can develop a differentiated investment thesis with the goal of generating outsized returns.

What career development advice can you share with students as they prepare to enter the job market? 

The best advice I can give to any students preparing to enter the workforce is to develop a positive work ethic. There always will be people who are smarter than you, but there’s no reason someone should ever outwork you.

And you’ll be (virtually) back on campus in a few weeks! Can you talk a bit about the upcoming ClarkCONNECTions: Investment Management event?

I will be participating in a Zoom video conference to answer questions students have about potential careers in investment management, as well as about the internship opportunity here at MFS. It will be informal; I’ll give a brief overview of MFS and what I do, and then will turn it over to the students for their questions, which I’m looking forward to answering!

Clark students who are interested in the field of investment management are encouraged to attend our ClarkCONNECTions conversation with David Corn on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at noon in ASEC room 111.