Albert Cavallaro

1. Tell us about your current job and what it entails.

On any given day at my job I am either reviewing records sent from a court, law firm, historical society, or insurance carrier to identify evidence of liability insurance, or I am drafting requests to courts, law firms, historical societies, or insurance carriers for records.

2. What are some past jobs/positions you have held?

I was previously a writing intern with the Borgen Project, a non-profit dedicated to fighting global poverty, and a janitor at my local middle school.

3. How did you tailor your curriculum to prepare yourself for your current job? Any specific classes/minors/concentrations/internships?

I did not specifically tailor my curriculum to prepare myself for my current job. However, since I was a History and English double major, I was, while pursuing my joint degrees, greatly developing my reading, writing and researching skills, all of which have proved immensely helpful to me now as a research analyst.

Additionally, I did make sure to get an internship, specifically a writing based one, prior to graduation as I anticipated that this would help make me more attractive to potential employers. I think my getting the internship, particularly one where I was able to publish articles online, was crucial to my getting a job shortly after I graduation.

4. What are the most important skills you learned that you use today? 

The research, reading and writing skills I have developed as an English and History major have proved immensely useful as I do all of this. To a certain extent, I am still doing exactly what I was as an undergrad: spending my days reading and writing, even if the content is rather different.

The time management skills I developed at TCNJ have been very helpful to me as well.

5. Do you have any advice for current TCNJ students trying to break into the business?

While I don’t have any advice for breaking into the field of insurance archaeology exactly, I would say that one thing for all English majors who are anticipating their imminent graduation and are contemplating a life in business (or a life post-graduation in general) is to remember: don’t devalue your skills, and the skills you have developed as an English major.

I think a lot of people, and other majors, are very dismissive of the English major. However, in reality, the skills you are learning as an English major are these universal skills that can be utilized successfully in across a wide spectrum of work places.