Throughout the fall and spring semesters, we will feature our professional mentors through a series of #MentorMonday blog posts. Stay tuned to learn more about these alumni and friends of Kansas State University and the College of Human Ecology!
This week’s featured mentor is Jamie Bosse, Financial Planner at KHC Wealth Management.
Degree/Year/College or University:
B.S. Personal Financial Planning / 2004 / K-State
Minor in Business Administration / 2004 / K-State
Current Job Title and Location:
Financial Planner, KHC Wealth Management
Talk briefly about your experiences in the College of Human Ecology at K-State. Specific major, any clubs you were involved in, memories that stick out to you and how your degree prepared you for your career:
While at Kansas State, I majored in Personal Financial Planning through the College of Human Ecology and earned a minor in Business Administration. One thing that sticks out to me is how involved the faculty and staff were in my success. The Financial Planning major was a pretty tight-knit group and everyone worked together to network, combine resources, and maximize opportunities. The faculty was always presenting us with ways to connect to seasoned professionals for internships, shadowing experiences, and job opportunities.
Please explain your current job position and how long you have been in that role/with the company?
I am currently a Financial Planner with KHC Wealth Management. I have been doing financial planning since I graduated, but I have been with KHC since 2013. In my role, I meet with clients to talk about their financial goals, anticipate any potential obstacles and help them put a plan together to reach them. Some of those goals include paying off debt, saving for retirement, planning to fund their children’s college education, and saving for major purchases like buying a home or planning a big vacation. I continue to work with clients through the many transitions life can bring – marriage, divorce, starting a family, moving, changing jobs, climbing the corporate ladder, and planning for retirement. It is an extremely rewarding career to help people reach their goals and better their financial lives.
Touch on the benefits of a mentor/mentee relationship and the big takeaway(s) you’ve had through the program.
I have had the pleasure of working with two mentees so far in the College of Human Ecology mentorship program. It is really fun for me to get to know them and hear how things have changed and grown at Kansas State and in the Personal Financial Planning Major. I enjoy giving back and hope that sharing my experience helps them to be successful in some way.
If you could give college students once piece of professional advice, what would it be?
Network and get involved! I always signed up for the extracurricular activities within the financial planning major and that really set me apart when it came time to look for a career. Employers want to know that you will put forth the extra effort and make the commitment to be successful. Through extra involvement, the professors get to know you on a deeper level, so they are more apt to recommend you to potential employers and be a reference for you. Network every chance you get! You know that old saying, “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know”? There is definitely some truth to that! I attended several industry events and conferences when I was a student that led to connections that eventually ended in job offers. Take advantage of all of the things available to you as a student – the mentorship program, mock interviews, tagging along with a professor to a conference. Ask to do informational interviews with professionals in the area and get their take on your industry. Read industry magazines and blog postings to see what the hot topics are and what experienced professionals are talking about. There are many different avenues that you can take in most majors, so explore as many options as you can and get to know as many people as you can.