Will Ledig and Anthony Bagamian: Two roommates, different career paths

Interviews by Ann McAdam Griffin; story by Katelyn Powell

Two roommates, one major, the same graduation date, and vastly different career paths — one winding and one linear. Though Will Ledig and Anthony Bagamian have more in common than not, the course of their professional development proved unique for each student.

Senior computer science major Will Ledig came to Rice determined to utilize all CCD resources to launch a successful computer science career. In fact, he walked into Huff House even before he started school as a freshman.

“I wanted to get a head start on career development and internship searching because I’m a computer science major, and I know that’s a big part of landing those jobs and internships,” he said.

Ledig immersed himself in career workshops to improve his resume, get better at interviewing, and learn how to pitch his skills to employers at the Expo. With the help of a career counselor, he put together a list of companies he was interested in, organized from most passionate to least. And his efforts paid off at the career expo when he received a freshman summer internship offer from JPMorgan Chase.

With his plans falling into place, Ledig realized his carefully developed skills might benefit his peers as well. He applied to and was accepted into the Peer Career Advisor Program (PCA) at the CCD.

He said, “I wanted to help others with resume reviews and stuff like that because it was seriously beneficial for myself in my own career development. And I enjoyed helping other people.”

Covid-19 cancelled Ledig’s Seattle-based Indeed return opportunity. But he quickly pivoted by posting on LinkedIn about his situation to secure a part-time web development role.

He said, “(The misconception that engineers easily get opportunities) is not completely true. It only becomes easier if you are active about searching for jobs, going to Expo, and information sessions through Handshake.... Everybody has their own unique path and you have your own unique skills that you are bringing to the table. ”

Now a senior, Ledig looks forward to working full time with Indeed upon graduation, equipped with a variety of experiences and resources gained from his time as a PCA. Though well-versed in many topics, Ledig believes most in the impact of informational interviewing.

“There’s so many opportunities through the CCD to help figure out what you actually want to do … and that can change course, but you need to explore your interests. Go to a company you think you might be interested in and talk to them — figure out if it’s a job you would actually like,” he said. “If it weren‘t for the CCD, I wouldn’t have had my previous internships or the job opportunity I have now. Just reach out.”

Ledig’s first roommate, Anthony Bagamian, had a different experience. Though also a computer science major and PCA, he chose chemical engineering his freshman year with no clear direction on what that meant after Rice. But like Ledig, he also plugged into resources at the CCD immediately, talking to a career counselor about the importance of informational interviews when comparing career paths.

Bagamian started talking to his peers about chemical engineering, and he realized the jobs associated with the degree didn’t really interest him. So he applied to the Owl Edge Externship Program to jobshadow at NASA JPL. Between that experience and an introduction to computer science class, Bagamian decided to change his major to computer science.

“I thought since I‘m doing computer science, I have to do coding projects and stuff. But (my career counselor) told me … (Companies) want to see not only that you’re technological, but they also want to see those soft skills like teamwork, creativity. Like me playing intramurals, being part of different organizations … you don't have to stress yourself out or make yourself miserable just to make your resume look better,” he said.

While keeping that in mind and remembering the importance of informational interviewing, Bagamian started talking to his older brother, a video game engineer. Though informal, the networking led to an internship focused on user experience. While analyzing game factors like winning percentage, how close the games were, and kill/death ratios, Bagamian realized he really enjoyed solving problems and providing technical solutions.

Before the Virtual Fall 2020 Career and Internship Expo, Bagamian prepared a list of Expo companies he might be interested in, what types of jobs they offered, and which ones aligned with the skills and problem-solving functions he was pursuing.

“I was a little scared coming in because the hiring landscape was a lot different. But I really enjoyed the virtual career fair — being able to schedule time and not having to wait in line, not having to second guess yourself on whether you want to go up to them,” he said.

Though his path was not as linear as that of Ledig, Bagamian also found a job he was passionate about, and that’s truly all that matters. He secured a Business Analyst position at Capital One from the virtual fair, confident the role would meet his needs and creativity. He was also able to share his virtual experience with The Wall Street Journal, furthering his excitement for the future.

He said, “You‘re not in it alone for job search. Everybody struggles … but the CCD is here for you.”