Profile of Bram Ekstrand
Fast Facts
Current Position: Appraiser/Analyst, Oregon Revenue Department.
Graduation Year: 2001.
UO Majors: Economics
Profile
Bram Ekstrand graduated from UO in 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics with a focus on money and banking and a minor in Business Administration. I recently caught up with him to ask him a few questions about how things have been going since he left college.
Bram told me that the highlight of his UO career was graduation, not because he disliked going to school here, but because he was "anxious to return to the working world and earn a paycheck again." Usually graduating students are faced with the uncertainty and stress of finding their first job or getting into graduate school. Bram had the advantage of having worked prior to college in the military and with companies such as Hewlett Packard and Tektronix. He says that because he had previously held professional positions he was not intimidated by finding a job after graduation. Bram was successful in every interview he had after college, being offered a job every time he interviewed. His advice for current students who would like to have similar success is to learn how to interview well.
Currently Bram is working for the State of Oregon as an Appraiser/Analyst. Bram was hired on as a level two appraiser out of school but was promoted to level three in just over six months. His main job is to audit and evaluate property and asset listings of major companies to insure compliance with Oregon's property tax statutes. Economics is important for this task because is helps him evaluate the significant impact of market factors on the valuation of the properties he audits.
Working for the State of Oregon demands 40 hours per week, no more, no less. "This allows an excellent environment to start a family in," as Bram says. As far as continuing on to a more advanced degree Bram says that, "I don't really see the market reflecting enough incentive for the extra years of school as well as the significant cost."
Talking to Bram it became clear to me that for an Economics graduate from Oregon there are opportunities to find good jobs in Oregon. It also made me realize how important interview preparation is and how getting some experience before graduation can make finding that first job much easier and less stressful.
Profile by Walker Hanlon (2003)