NYC Gazette

Katz School alum Jesus Olivera recently provided career guidance to Sam Denker, a Yeshiva University graduate, at a YU career fair. Denker, who holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in real estate, had secured a position as a lease analyst at JLL but sought advice on integrating into his new role.

Denker reached out to Olivera via LinkedIn after learning about his background as a senior AI engineer at IBM and his involvement in mentoring. "That he worked at big firm was very interesting," said Denker. "I wanted to hear about how he acquired that role."

The two agreed to hold monthly hour-long conversations with additional availability for consultation. The mentorship exceeded Denker’s expectations. "He was very friendly, very nice," said Denker. "He was generous with his time and answered my questions to the best of his ability."

One key piece of advice from Olivera that resonated with Denker was: “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Once you start a new role, you can succumb to impostor syndrome, but they hired you for a reason.” This reassurance helped Denker gain confidence during the early days of his job at JLL.

Olivera is also the president of the Katz School Alumni Association and leads a mentorship program that pairs students and graduates with professionals for monthly consultations. The initiative aims to provide guidance, support career development, and foster lifelong learning within the Katz School community.

“Mentorship exposes both parties to new ideas and perspectives,” said Olivera. “It’s very much reciprocal, and there’s so much to be learned from the people you’re mentoring.”

Effective mentors are characterized by their listening skills, recognition of potential in others, and willingness to offer support. “As a mentor, sharing specific experiences that have helped shape my opinion on how to do things is a key element of mentorship,” said Olivera.

Olivera’s commitment to mentoring stems from personal experience. “I’ve learned that you have to give to receive; it never goes the other way,” he said.

Denker's experience highlights the value of mentorship in professional growth. “It’s not so much what you know; it’s who you know,” he stated.