Profile - Melinda

	Degree(s):	Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Finance focus)
	Location:	Seattle
	Job title:	Analyst
	Group:	Alternative Investments

I work in BlackRock Alternative Advisors, where my primary role is the fund accountant for the real assets fund of funds products. The majority of the fund accountants in closed-end investment operations have accounting degrees. Many have also attended a fifth-year masters program in accounting and have previous employment with a big-four accounting firm. A smaller percentage, myself included, graduated from business school with a finance focus. A degree in accounting or finance is important in a fund accountant role.

Hear Melinda talk about her experience at BlackRock.

Intelligent and Ambitious Colleagues
On a daily basis, I work closely with very intelligent and ambitious colleagues from whom I learn so much. Working with such capable people pushes me to continue to expand my knowledge base and grow professionally.

Challenged by My Superiors
My job responsibilities are constantly evolving in a way that keeps me motivated to continue to learn new things and take on new responsibilities. BlackRock is large enough to touch many parts of the financial industry, offering an opportunity to not only learn about whatever your specific role may be, but also about the financial industry as a whole. I am constantly being challenged by my superiors to continue to learn and grow professionally by taking on new and more challenging tasks.

A Day in My Life at BlackRock

7:30 a.m. – Start the day. Arrive at the office ready to start work. Initially the team and I will look at what happened with our investments, etc.

7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. – Email and voicemail. Check and respond to any new email or voicemail messages.

8:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. – Investment analysis. Continue work on investment analysis and valuation of the real asset funds.

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Client requests. Work with client communication or client account relations to respond to various client requests.

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Reports. Populate various quarterly reporting templates for the real asset funds in preparation for sending quarterly reports to clients.

4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – More investment analysis. Continue work on investment analysis and valuations for the real asset funds.