Capitalizing on an Opportunity

John Pershing ’10 on the value of the University of Rochester network

John Pershing ’10

On a Friday in October 2008, I was working on a project in the computer science lab when three alumni came in to talk to students about career opportunities. I thought to myself that I should probably take advantage of the time to chat with Chris Tice ’07 about the company he worked for that was really taking off (Facebook), and it was then that Dan Horowitz ’05 spoke to me about 1010data. I was fascinated by the company, and Dan had an electric enthusiasm about their product. As an added bonus, 1010data was in New York City and I didn’t particularly want to be in my native California that summer. As he was leaving, Dan asked if I had a résumé. Oops! Thank goodness for the free printing that the department offered.

Fast forward to October 2015. I had been with 1010data for six years and was staffing a UR career fair as the internship program leader. Ian Davison ’16, a senior at the time, made his way to the front of the line. After chatting for a couple of minutes, I could tell he was sharp and would be fantastic in our data engineering department. I resolved to pass his résumé to the manager when I returned to New York City. Low and behold, Ian was hired, and came to the top of my mind when Dan was looking for a project technical lead two years later. I thought it would be great to have another Rochester connection in the office.

May 2019 marked my tenth anniversary at 1010data, and it was then that I had started to think about my next opportunity. Dan ventured into the startup world in August, and agreed to serve as my professional reference without hesitation that October. One month later, I was saying my goodbyes to colleagues and getting ready for the next step in my career because I was able to maximize yet another connection.

I’m still in contact with both Dan and Ian today. Dan’s startup is doing well, and Ian continues to be a driving force at 1010data. Ian and I have spoken about his future career opportunities, and he knows that when he decides to make the next move, I’ll be there to serve as a reference.

I know communities like The Meliora Collective and Rochester’s regional networks, like my own Metro New York City, will continue to drive my success in the future. There are so many ways you can help support alumni professionally or find the support you need. Check out career volunteer opportunities, and explore the career resources available as part of your free alumni benefits. The power of our alumni network has changed my life.