Recent graduate lands job with one of the Big Four
Martaeus French has a passion for technology and he knows how to network. The recent management information systems graduate spent his entire collegiate career networking with employers through Handshake, an online recruiting platform, and submitting job applications in hopes of landing a job before graduation. His efforts paid off when, during his senior year at LU, he landed a job with Big Four accounting firm Deloitte as a data analyst.
Deloitte is one of the largest multinational professional services companies with offices in over 150 countries and territories in the world. The firm provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the worlds admired brands. French, who interviewed with the company just last December, received his official offer letter from the company days later on Christmas eve.
“That was the best Christmas present ever and, in that moment, it was really a breakthrough for me because in the middle of sophomore year, I told myself, ‘I cannot leave college without a full-time job,’ like that was just one of my goals,” he said. “And now, I actually landed a job with a great company that’s a part of the Big Four. I worked hard for it, I manifested it and I’m glad that it happened.”
French also praised Nicole Kyles-Burton, career consultant in the LU Center for Career and Professional Development, for his success in landing his job at the firm.
“I have to send a huge shoutout to Ms. Burton because without her, I would not have this job. I met her at the end of my sophomore year and together, she and I have been working to get the younger students at LU locked into Handshake to take advantage of it,” he said. “She always pushes students at LU to get into Handshake early to find career opportunities and when you have someone like her that to pushes you to take the initiative early, it’s beautiful.”
The Center for Career and Professional Development is a unique and valuable resource that assists LU students and alumni in elevating above the crowd when it comes to their career development. The center provides helpful services such as career assessments, resume and cover letter critiques, mock interview practice, crafting an elevator pitch, creating a LinkedIn account and job search strategies. The center also provides students with a career action plan to prepare for their future based on where they are in their college education. Moreover, career consultants like Burton work one-on-one with students to inspire confidence and assist students, and alumni, with the transition toward professional and educational goals through Handshake. 
“My job is to instill the confidence students need so they can sell themselves. Confidence in who they are, what they have done, what they are doing and what they will do so that employers will be willing to invest in them. Life beyond graduation is core to our mission, yet we want to start seeing students as freshmen, so they have capacity-building experience in place to facilitate a smooth transition from college student to career professional,” Burton said. “Martaeus and I would have conversations about how to encourage his peers to come and utilize our services because he wanted the same success for his friends as well. He is a special guy and deserves all the success that comes into his path because he puts in the hard work and his perseverance is an inspiration to everyone he meets.”
French had his first office visit at the firms Houston location in early April where he took an in-depth tour of the facility, reviewed the company mission and met with future teammates –– all of which he said helped to build his excitement even more for joining to firm.
“The office is beautiful and I’m excited to travel, to network with clients, interacting with people that have been in my shoes and just enjoying the campus. I'm really looking forward to everything –– it's a great company, great people, great ethics and I’m excited for it,” he said. “Lamar University has a lot of resources that they offer to help students land jobs like this, you just have to ask. Once you ask and get plugged in with the right people it’s like the sky is the limit.”