Robert Decusati - The Herringbone Pattern

Robert Decusati knows how to build a successful long term career as a finance professional, because he’s done it. He offers the following advice to those embarking on a finance career:

Consider the skeleton of the herring. It has a straight central line (the spine) but leading off that to right and left is a series of lateral bones. A successful career follows the herringbone pattern: you start at the bottom (the base of the spine) and you progress towards the head, but as you go you take diversions on some of those lateral pathways to pick up business knowledge to augment your career “toolbox”. Each time you return to the central path you are that much better equipped – that much more competent – because of the extra knowledge and experience you’ve picked up.

Robert has followed his own advice to great effect. After graduating, he joined Cytec Inc. as a junior accountant, but by the time he left he had focused for a while on cost accounting and then taken responsibility for procurement and planning in a small plant. His next move was to Rubbermaid where he progressed from Controller to Director, Production Inventory Control, taking on responsibility for a $22 million restructuring program on the way.

As Director, Finance and Administration at Fuchs Systems, Robert Decusati designed and implemented a restructuring plan that returned the company to profitability. Further moves gave him the confidence and the skillset to buy a fabrication company where he used the widely varied experience he had to restructure the company and sell at a profit.

Robert DeCusati - Civil War History Junkie

Robert DeCusati has lived throughout the United States working as a finance manager. DeCusati has lived in two hotbeds of Civil War history, Richmond, Virginia, where he currently lives, and Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville was the site of a crucial battle during the Civil War that DeCusati loves to learn about.

Knoxville was the object of a long and bloody campaign by both sides during the Civil War. Both sides coveted the city’s railroad station that linked Confederacy’s east and west sides. The two primary generals during the Knoxville Campaign were James Longstreet on the Confederacy side and Ambrose Burnside on the Union side. Burnside came to occupy Knoxville and eventually hold it under Confederacy siege in the end. One of the decisive battles of the campaign occurred near where Robert DeCusati and his family lived near Knoxville in Campbell’s Station.

Robert DeCusati loves to think about the brave men who fought and died an hundred and fifty years ago in the places where he has lived and visited. Throughout his travels, DeCusati has always been drawn to the history of the places he has found himself, especially in Richmond, where he now lives, and Knoxville.
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Robert DeCusati - Many Career Options

Robert DeCusati had several career options when he graduated with a BS degree in Finance from Fairfield University. Throughout the course of his career as an accounting and financial professional, advisor, and manager, he found himself in positions with increasing responsibilities. These promotions created opportunities throughout the United States. Bob noted that those who sign up for a corporate career may face difficult relocation choices at various times as you progress up the ladder and those choices often have significant impacts for family and relationships. . Other than the financial manager avenue that Bob DeCusati chose, there are other career options for those seeking to enter the financial sector workforce:

• Financial Planning. For those who love strategy and building financial portfolios to help clients achieve their financial goals, financial planning is an excellent career option. You can get started in many companies, including banks, mutual fund management companies, insurance companies, and securities firms.
• Broker. Another name for a financial advisor, brokers work with individual and institutional customers of particular organizations to provide for them the financial help and services they need to manage their portfolios and more. You will need strong interpersonal communication skills and an unusual ability to clearly articulate complex financial products and ideas to customers on a regular basis.
• Claims adjuster. Most people equate claims adjusters with insurance companies, but banks and large retail companies also employ claims adjusters to ensure that clients’ claims match the company’s eligibility standards. They prepare documentation and reasoning behind the denial or approval of customer claims as well, so a meticulous eye for detail is required.

Robert DeCusati has worked his way up from an entry level job as a financial management trainee to a manager of finance.
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Robert DeCusati: Getting Started in Finance

Robert DeCusati got his start in finance soon after he graduated with a BS in Finance from Fairfield University. After graduation, he started the Financial Management Training program working at positions of increasing responsibility at three different divisions of his company.  Promotions created relocation opportunities across the United States. He got his start in industry by networking and identifying a few companies he would fit in well with and landing one with an excellent training program. Here are a few ways to get your start in finance after you graduate: 

•  Look for good employers. Much like Robert DeCusati, the best way to find positions you will like in the any  industry is to look for good employers you would like to work for, rather than open positions anywhere. The internet version of the local business journals can be a great resource for finding fast-growing companies looking for bright, young accounting and finance candidates fresh out of college. Identify ten companies you’d like to work for, and check back to see when positions at these companies open up.  Start in you junior year to develop these contacts, those relationships will reap rewards for you down the road.
• Network. As with any job, getting your foot in the door requires that you know someone who can help you. Take advantage of any and all resources that can put you in touch with recruiters or professionals in the financial field with experience. Robert DeCusati had several mentors along the way that helped him build his career and provided sound advice along the way.
• Dress up your resume. Fresh out of college, you won’t have much work experience, but make sure you list all leadership roles, key relevant  classes you took, , especially any internships or experience you have, and coursework you completed on your resume when you’re first starting out. 

Robert DeCusati works as an accounting / finance professional.

Robert DeCusati - How to Get Started in Finance

Robert DeCusati has worked as a financial and accounting professional for top tier companies in different industry sectors during his career as a financial professional. DeCusati got his start in finance after graduating with a BS degree in Finance from Fairfield University in Connecticut. DeCusati has worked for companies throughout the United States and resides in Virginia today after living for periods in upstate New York, California, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Connecticut. DeCusati has made the most of his training and has added value to different companies.

Getting started in finance usually means working a few different angles to find that perfect first job. Before you start looking at a specific company, decide what your career goals are.  Your personality profile may be better suited for a different industry. Sometimes students fresh out of college will take the first job that comes their way via the connections they made before graduating.

Robert DeCusati recommends to never accept a position until you have done your “due diligence” on the company and the industry. Sometimes, a better angle to take when looking for work in the finance industry is to look at companies you want to work for instead of a particular position. The internet, local business council members, and professional associations should be used for intelligence on industries and specific firms.  Robert DeCusati made full use of Fairfield University’s internal career center as a senior and recommends students to utilize this avenue at their respective schools.

Another means to land the right role is to seek out and develop relationships with financial recruiters.  Although the recruiters most frequently deal with professionals who have several years of experience this is a means that should not be overlooked.  Recruiters are in daily correspondence with CFO’s, Controllers, and other key hiring professionals.

Robert DeCusati - The Value of De-Stressing

Robert DeCusati understands the importance of de-stressing. He knows that too much stress can lead to a lower work performance. He takes the time to relax, so that when he returns to work, his mind is sharp and ready to take on any challenge.

Any career can be stressful. Making deadlines, preparing for meetings, and problem solving take a major physical and mental toll. Those late nights at the office, and those weekends filled with extra work can leave you burned out. It is important to keep your mind strong by letting go of work for a few hours and taking the time to relax. There are several easy ways to de-stress, so that when you go back to the office, you will be ready for anything.

A great way to unwind is to take a day off here and there. Make sure that you have a day all to yourself. A day that you can sleep in, go for a run, and enjoy time with friends. This will help keep your body and your mind in great shape.

Having a hobby is a fantastic way to get away from the office. Take up a sport, or join a club. This will help you socialize with people outside of work. It will also give you something else to focus on for a few hours here and there. These hobbies will get you out into the world, and away from the office. Then, when you go back to work, you will be refreshed and renewed.

Robert DeCusati has several hobbies that keep both his mind and his body active. They help him unwind on the weekends and prepare himself for another week of hard work.
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Robert DeCusati - How to Become a Skilled Hockey Player

Robert DeCusati is an avid hockey player and is a part of the Sperry Hockey Club in Charlottesville, Virginia. He loves being a spectator, as well as a participant, and wishes he had more time to play. Hockey is a contact team sport. It is played in a rink and on ice. During a game, each team has six members who are in play. Each team tries to score points by using a hockey stick to shoot a rubber puck into the opposite teams goal net. This game is fast paced and full contact. It requires a huge amount of energy, strength, and agility.

In order to become a great hockey player, the first step is learning how to be fast on the ice. You should practice skating every day, because it is vital that you become comfortable with different levels of speed. It is also important that your learn how to maneuver easily, so that you can make sharp turns and come to a sudden stop when you need to.

You need to be physically strong as well. This sport is full contact, so you need to be able to withstand other people skating and slamming into you. One way you can develop this strength, is practicing with your team members. The quickest way to train your body to withstand this force, is to practice on the ice. You will learn how to stay up on your feet when someone slams into you.

Robert DeCusati plays hockey with his team members, and is the club treasurer as well. He loves the physical challenge and the competition of hockey.
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Robert DeCusati - The Importance of Contracts in Business

Robert DeCusati knows that every business, and company, relies on contracts. Whether it is a contract with a supplier, or a client, each deal is delicate and vital to the company. There are three different levels of the creation of business contracts, negotiation, contract writing, and implementation. Each one is essential, and every company needs someone who is able to analyze and understand every point of a contract.

Contract writing is the most difficult stage. A contract needs to identify each party clearly and correctly, and cover every agreement the parties are making. A business contract needs to be simple yet detailed. Do not fill your contract with unnecessary legalese. Write it in a way that will be easy to read and reference in the future. Make sure to be thorough and detailed. Do not leave anything out, if one of the parties’ initiates a change, make sure that it is in the contract. It is vital that every contract details the circumstance for contract termination, and a way to resolve disputes. Most importantly, pick a state law to govern over your contract. Each state has a different set of laws that apply to business and contracts. Settle on one, and make sure your contract follows the laws properly.

Negotiation is the next step. Each party needs to come to an agreement on the contract. This means that each party needs to understand the contract fully, and know what their company wants. The final step is implementing the contract. Each party needs to hold up their end of the contract in order to avoid legal issues, and to maintain good business relationships.

Robert DeCusati is highly skilled at contract negotiation. He has years of experience dealing with contracts in several different industries.
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Robert DeCusati - How to Build a Career in Finance

Robert DeCusati is a tested and quality finance professional who has multi-industry experience. He worked hard to build a prosperous career in finance. If you are hoping to build a successful career in this industry, it is essential to be trustworthy, to have an extensive knowledge base, and to build a multitude of professional connections.

Transactions in business include making deals and building partnerships. They rely on trust and making a profit. If you are a financial analyst, wealth manager, or in the financial management ranks, you are responsible for monitoring and guiding individual/business’s profits and finances. This means that you need to be a trustworthy person. If a potential employer feels that he, or she, cannot trust you, then they will not hire you. It is also important for you to be reliable and attentive to detail. When you are dealing with a company’s finances, that company depends on you in part for helping to guide their profitable growth.

The business and finance industries are filled with policies and regulations. You need to regularly update your skill set and keep current on new laws, trends, and policy changes. It is vital that you understand tax codes and government regulations on corporations and businesses. If you have an extensive knowledge base, and are always current in your field, you will be indispensable to your company.

The best way to build a strong career in business is to network and develop professional connections. This is a good way for you to learn about future job opportunities, and to keep current on the standing of other companies and businesses. Robert DeCusati works hard to maintain his standing as a knowledgeable finance professional.