Advice from Pam Torres, Legal Department

12 FEB 2018

Pam Torres, a managing director in our Legal Department, is general counsel of the Global Investment Research Division. Here she shares career advice that she would give her younger self:

Listen to people’s stories. Ask colleagues for coffee and listen to what they have to say about their careers and interests; find out what they love about their job and what advice has helped them along the way. You will learn so much, and you’ll also build an organic network of mentors, sponsors and friends.

New challenges should be embraced, not avoided. It’s too easy to get lulled into the comfort of a routine – and particularly hard to welcome a new challenge when you are finally feeling you’ve mastered your current job responsibilities. But a career is more rewarding and exciting if you are open to opportunities – and risks – that come your way.

Impressions are important. Successful presentation skills are as much about the visual presentation as the content of the message. Focus on how you present yourself  to more effectively deliver the message you’re trying to communicate. And try to be as succinct and direct in your speech as you would be in written communication.

Learn to delegate. We all like to think we are amazing multi-taskers, able to meet every deadline. But, the most successful people I know are the ones who know when to delegate and how to supervise without micro-managing. Self-sufficiency isn’t a virtue in the working world; knowing whom you can rely on to help you get a task accomplished is a much more important skill. 

Engage in activities outside of work or school. Join a student group, participate in recruiting activities, or volunteer for an organization in your community. At Goldman Sachs, there are so many opportunities offered by the firm to engage, including our affinity networks and interest forums, and making time to meet people in these informal settings will prove invaluable.