{"id":61134,"date":"2025-04-17T16:39:57","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T20:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/?p=61134"},"modified":"2025-04-18T12:14:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T16:14:23","slug":"expert-on-call-alum-daniel-gonzalez-offers-key-career-insights-to-pardee-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/2025\/04\/17\/expert-on-call-alum-daniel-gonzalez-offers-key-career-insights-to-pardee-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert on Call: Alum Daniel Gonzalez Offers Key Career Insights to Pardee Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the latest <\/span>Expert on Call<\/b> session, alum <\/span>Daniel Gonzalez (BA \u201819)<\/b> shared his unique career journey and industry expertise with a small group of students in an intimate, interactive setting. These conversations are part of a broader initiative by <\/span>Pardee Career Services<\/b> to create a platform for networking conversations that help students explore career paths, connect with alumni, and strengthen their professional identity.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Daniel Gonzalez (BA \u201819)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Daniel unpacked his unexpected career path \u2013 from interning at the State Department and aspiring to join the Foreign Service to launching his career in consulting at Deloitte, and now working at <\/span>BlackBird.AI<\/span><\/a>, a startup focused on <\/span>narrative intelligence<\/b>. His current role sits at the intersection of strategic communication, cybersecurity, and emerging information threats, providing students a glimpse into an evolving field where global awareness, communication skills, and interdisciplinary thinking are in high demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students came prepared with thoughtful questions about translating their academic background into real-world value, breaking into competitive industries like consulting, and building in-demand skills. When asked by Charlotte Cheung (BA \u201827) how to create value from a Pardee degree, Daniel emphasized the importance of internships in shaping his career:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSocial science students don\u2019t think about internships enough. I sought them at every opportunity\u2014it was a process of elimination.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another student Matt Hurley (MA \u201825) asked Daniel about his experience transitioning from a large firm to a startup, and Daniel reflected on both experiences. At Deloitte, he described a culture of continuous networking and training. \u201cYou\u2019re immediately networking and looking for your next project. It\u2019s what you make of it.\u201d While at BlackBird.AI, he found greater flexibility and ownership. \u201cAt a startup, there\u2019s trust and freedom. Your impact is visible. I built a solution that was implemented within 3 weeks\u2014and it\u2019s still in use today,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The conversation also touched on communication as a career differentiator. Charlotte raised a common concern\u2014how can writing stand out when \u201ceveryone can write\u201d? Daniel responded candidly: \u201cYou\u2019d be shocked at how rare good writing is. It becomes a differentiator, especially when combined with public speaking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He introduced the concept of <\/span>intelligence writing<\/b>, common in his line of work. \u201cBottom line up front. Be concise, objective, and inform decisions quickly. That\u2019s what matters in most roles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel also spoke about the value of communication tools in the consulting world, particularly PowerPoint as a storytelling device. \u201cSlides are communication. Use visuals and concise text. Ask yourself \u2013 \u2018Can this stand on its own without explanation?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of technical skills, he shared that while certifications aren\u2019t always necessary, basic familiarity with tools like <\/span>Boolean search queries<\/b>, <\/span>SQL<\/b>, and even some <\/span>Python<\/b> were helpful in his data-rich work environments. These skills, paired with strong communication, have enabled him to thrive in both large institutions and nimble startups.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students left the conversation with actionable insights, clearer direction, and increased confidence in how their International Relations training can translate across industries. Daniel\u2019s story exemplified how careers can evolve, and how skills in global affairs, communication, and problem-solving can open doors in both the public and private sectors.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>Expert on Call<\/b> session emphasized the value of alumni engagement in helping students navigate the early stages of their careers. By hosting such high-impact events, Pardee Career Services continues to bridge academic learning with real-world insight and opportunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alum Daniel Gonzalez (BA \u201819) shares his career journey and industry expertise with Pardee students in the latest Expert on Call session.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24850,"featured_media":61135,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8811,12122],"tags":[12721,12727,12725,9399,11276,12720,11497,12724,12726,12731,12722,12719,12732,12729,12728,12730,12723],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61134"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24850"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61134"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61147,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61134\/revisions\/61147"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/pardeeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}