Chloe Darlington

Chloe Darlington: Aspiring business and marketing graduate joins investment start-up

Recent business administration and marketing graduate Chloe Darlington not only received her degree in three years, but due to her initiative and drive was hired as lead Customer Engagement Expert for the online investment firm start-up, Aspiration.

Chloe, who hails from Browns Point, Washington, found the job opening on AngelList, a website that promotes employment opportunities at start-ups.

After applying, she says she reached out to Aspiration's CEO, who then forwarded her information to the head of the Customer Engagement Team.

"You have to be very persistent with employers," Chloe said. "Anything you can do to reach out to somebody, do it. And if you lack certain skills, emphasize that you can more than make up for them in your own time. Don't be deterred if you don't fit all the skill set criteria."

As soon as Chloe received her offer letter from Aspiration she turned to one of her favorite LMU finance professors, Dr. David Offenberg, to help her compose a counter-offer, which was swiftly accepted.

Chloe says this sort of professor/student relationship is a hallmark of the warm climate at LMU.

"I liked the student and professor interactions," Chloe said. "I had more than one professor who went out of their way to help or advise me... something that I think is special to LMU."

One such person was theology professor Dr. Jeffrey Siker, who Chloe says was very influential in helping map out her long-term career goals.

"Down the line, I would like to get my master's in divinity and become a theology professor," Chloe said, pointing to her love of research and historical exploration.

For the time being, Chloe is focusing her efforts on her new opportunity with Aspiration. She says she felt fully prepared to enter the job market upon her early graduation from LMU, crediting her business courses for aptly readying her for her new job, which will include sales, data analytics and customer service.

"My advice to incoming students would be to focus on career opportunities," Chloe said. "Work on campus, off campus... put career interests over social interests — find that perfect balance."