Jane Jiang works at Morgan Stanley in global cybersecurity, fraud, and insider threat risk. Previously, she was a cyber big data scientist and engineer in threat hunting at Citigroup. She holds a bachelor’s from Cornell University in civil engineering and a master’s from Stanford University in management science and engineering. She volunteers as an alumni mentor for both institutions and raises funds for Restore NYC, which works to end sex trafficking in New York and restore the independence and well-being of foreign-national survivors. Jane enjoys writing and writing music, lifting and running, and reading about anthropology, business, history, self-improvement, and theology.
Q: What does a typical work day look like for you? How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your day to day routine?
A: A typical work day involves responding to emails and instant messages for the first 10-30 minutes, attending and scheduling meetings, and lots of researching, reading, reflecting, and writing these days. I carve out 1-2 hour blocks of time for each “major” task for the day. I’ve turned off all desktop notifications (from email and instant messages) so that I can use my time more efficiently and less reactively.
For the first part of the pandemic, I worked out of my studio apartment and only went outside to get groceries, run, and volunteer a couple of times with homeless relief. In the second part, I’ve been commuting to the office, sometimes stopping by the gym to lift, visiting a grocery store, or getting home to work on hobbies or catch up with friends on the phone. Because New York has opened up a bit, I’ve been able to meet with people in small groups, though that could change at the drop of a hat.
Q: Why did you decide to go into the function you are in - cybersecurity, fraud, and insider threat risk?
A: I originally entered the cybersecurity department at Citigroup via a referral because of my coding, data analysis, and math modeling background. I’ve stayed in this role because I appreciate the company culture and have grown significantly in the past two years -- leveraging my engineering and research skills while developing communication skills, and learning how people run big banks given our regulatory landscape -- all with the intent of pursuing a career in this industry long-term.
Q: What has been your favorite aspect of working in cybersecurity at Morgan Stanley thus far?
A: Something I never expected before joining Morgan is that the Firm truly abides by its core values (do the right thing, put clients first, lead with exceptional ideas, commit to diversity & inclusion, and give back). We reference and act on these core values in daily conversation. Regardless of cultural and professional background, whenever I engage with a colleague, whether across divisions and/or continents, I encounter great people who abide by these core values.
Therefore, I feel a deep sense of joy whenever my colleagues and I reach out across divisions throughout our work. I have the honour of meeting and learning from so many hardworking, high-integrity people.
Q: What has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced in your professional life?
A: If it’s a challenge of not knowing what to do, I generally wait overnight or multiple nights if there is time so that my brain can think slowly and thoroughly. Throughout this time, I research, reach out to experts, and journal with a blue ink pen to process and retain new information.
If it’s a person-related challenge, I speak to my manager or Managing Director who I trust 100%. I reach out to former colleagues for general career advice.
For all major challenges, I tend to confide in close, high-integrity, emotionally mature friends (who all live in different time zones), have a journal ready, and sometimes pick up a relevant non-fiction book.
Q: As someone with experience working in the technology side of financial institutions, what do you think are important technical and soft skills to have to succeed?
A: Competency affects whether we can complete our tasks successfully. For example, being able to think critically and analytically will help when you don’t know what to do next. Like attempting a problem set or a prelim, we use analytical thinking to solve problems that we’ve never seen before. Fundamental frameworks help with competency as you switch industries and job functions, e.g. knowing the OSI layers and red/blue teaming in cybersecurity, statics and mechanics in civil engineering, the fundamental laws in physics, and the digital marketing landscape of publishers and suppliers in technology.
Communication affects whether we can work with others. The ability to read, write, listen, and speak, demonstrate empathy, and cultivate self-awareness are all components of how we interact with our colleagues.
Character affects how we work, e.g. whether we reward honesty and candidness, the way we word things, and when we consider how our actions will affect the Firm and others.
Q: What would be the biggest piece of advice you’d give a college student interested in entering the finance industry?
A: Because there are numerous different careers within the finance industry, I’ll answer this question by asking some general questions that you could consider as you decide on your first industry. To remove some pressure, perhaps try to think about your next 6-12 months rather than your entire lifetime.
Do you prefer to have a more structured role and set of responsibilities or do you want more flexibility?
What kind of skills are your strengths? What kind of skills do you want to cultivate?
What kind of atmosphere at the office do you prefer - more laidback or professional? How do you prefer to communicate when working with others? How do you prefer to dress?
Who will be the client or consumer of your work - someone in a different company, the same company, or the same department?
Q: What Cornell experience has influenced your career the most?
A: I got really lucky because when I did poorly on a prelim in freshman year, my professor happened to be the type of professor who personally reached out to anyone who did that. In a short meeting, he reminded me that everyone at Cornell is intelligent enough to do the work. You simply have to develop the right study skills and use your time wisely. I’ve been able to apply that confidence to all of my work since then. I don’t focus on whether I can do the work; with the caring support and advice of talented people around me, ability to research (learn new things), and time to reflect, work is generally almost always doable.
Q: What was your transition from college to the industry and a full-time career?
A: I was the person who stayed back and didn’t go to the career fair my senior year. I focused entirely on graduate school applications, and entered and completed the qualifying exam (the first milestone in a PhD before completing the final dissertation) at my dream program in California. I had an incredible time and absolutely loved the experience, however I realised that I didn’t want to make a career out of academic research. This was valuable knowledge, and I quickly moved to New York and began to work in industry after struggling to find a job for about half a year.
Q: In your role as an alumni mentor, what do you consider the most important things students should focus on as they navigate the world with the pandemic?
A: Regardless of the ups and downs and chaos of life, every day we have is precious, and life is short. If we look back on today and we didn’t live it fully then it will have been lost. The only time we can enjoy is right now, because we can’t live in the past or the future. I like to focus on certain things that are still beautiful -- a sunset, a great song, prayer, writing, getting lots of sleep, etc. How you decide to navigate the world -- living fully -- is really up to you and your imagination. Ed Helms playing Andy Bernard, in the US adaptation of The Office, said “I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.” Ed Helms, our Class of 2014 convocation speaker, told us that “those foolish diversions are the real nectar of life; don’t relegate them to the good ol’ days.” “Take them with you; keep creating good old days.”