Q&A with NJIT Alum Lorraine Nunes: My Journey from Brazil to Community College to NJIT to Accenture

Just two months after earning a bachelor’s at New Jersey Institute of Technology, Lorraine Nunes '20 landed her first big job, as a software architect analyst at Accenture. 

Nunes, who majored in business and information systems, graduated in December after transferring from Hudson County Community College and enriching her studies with real-world experiences, including jobs as a technician and office manager and an internship at a nonprofit. She credits a NJIT counselor and professor for guiding her toward a business-focused major that ultimately helped open the door to Accenture.   

In an interview with NJIT, Nunes reflects on her college experience, job hunting and how her proud parents cultivated her interest in learning.    

What do you like most about your new job? 
Being able to work with cloud architecture, being able to deliver optimum solutions to businesses and working with dedicated people who love what they do.

What initially attracted you to Accenture?
Outreach programs such as apprenticeships, which cater to those who do not have formal education and internships. My first thought was that I would like to work for a company that wants to give talented, deserving people their first chance because I was looking for my first chance. I started looking into them and saw they have many volunteering opportunities and that inclusivity was very important to them. One of the things that closed the deal for me was seeing that people worked there for many years and absolutely loved it. It feels like a home to them.  

You studied engineering at Hudson County Community College. What led you to business and information systems at NJIT? 
When I started at NJIT back in 2017, my major was computer engineering and I did a semester in it. As time passed, I realized the importance of having business acumen to succeed in the IT world and move up the ladder. I spoke with my counselor, Ryoko Mathes, emphasizing that importance but that I did not want to abandon being part of a STEM field. She patiently went through the list of majors offered at NJIT and we arrived at business and information systems. It was the best decision I made. Also, Professor [Richard] Egan explained to me that this major was designed so that you did not have to get an MBA to get into management.

Who were your biggest mentors at NJIT, and what did you learn from them? 
I had many wonderful professors and advisors who guided me along the way, including professors [Lin] Lin, [Bryan] Nissen and [Bo] Thompson. They not only taught class but showed me how to apply what I learned in real life. They also took their time to give advice about life outside of school. When someone needed help, they were there. They collectively made my time at NJIT more enjoyable because they love to teach. 

Any particular university programs that helped you? 
I took advantage of Career Development Services, such as its Handshake system for finding jobs and scheduling interviews. I have attended a few workshops for resumes and their career fairs. NJIT certainly has many programs to help students advance their careers. 

What skills did you gain from your internship at the nonprofit NPower? 
I went through their IT fundamentals course and then through their cloud computing course. I got certified in CompTIA ITF+ and AWS Cloud practitioner. Beyond technical skills, we were trained on how to do resumes, apply for jobs and how to use LinkedIn for networking.  

I will always be a student at heart because I love learning and because my career requires this from me.

What was the Accenture recruitment process like? 
They encouraged me to apply as a full-timer and I did the very next day. I applied through their career portal, allowing them to decide for me what job would be a good fit instead of applying to a specific one. I did their assessment, which involved simple analytics, company values and client challenges. A few days later, a recruiter reached out to me. I did a phone interview and in the same week, I did a three-part interview in one day: presentation, behavioral interview and client-based questions. Ten days later, I got an offer letter.

How did you pitch yourself? 
I used my capstone experience as an internship. I performed as a project manager for global solutions making an application for a robotic process automation system dealing with digitalization of documents. This capstone started in February 2020 and at the time I was going to school full-time and working as a server technician full-time. I had to quit my server technician job around August, hoping that I’d land a job before the year was over. 

What made you confident that you'd prevail? 
The fact that I was able to juggle so much responsibility in the midst of a pandemic. It gave me the confidence to apply and go through my interview process through the eyes of someone who deserved it or who at least was working very hard to become that kind of person. I managed to graduate from NJIT cum laude, with a job offer and several certifications and experiences on the way. 

Where did you grow up, and how big is your family? 
We are a family of four. I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil until I was 11 years old in a very modest community, with modest means. When I was 11, my father’s brother invited him to live in the U.S with him. I have been living in New Jersey ever since. 

How did your parents help you as a child?
From an early age, my parents saw my curiosity and interest in learning. I have always been a good student. That was the main reason we moved from Brazil to the U.S. My father saw my potential and knew that under the conditions we were living and where we were living, that the type of education I deserved, in his eyes, wasn’t there. 

What did you learn from them that stays with you today?
That we should try our hardest no matter what and the worst someone can say is no. They also taught me that happiness should be my number one priority. They are part of my happiness and that pushed me forward to want a better life for myself and them. 

What does it mean to them to see you thrive in college and land at Accenture? 
My achievements are as much as mine as theirs and they know this. So rightfully, they feel proud, accomplished and hopeful for our future.