NORWICH – Dozens of summer interns walking the path of career placement and professional experience at NBT Bank this summer attended a day-long event at the Canasawacta Country Club Thursday receiving job advice from bank executives and college advisors before they head back to school this fall.

“Don’t be afraid to fail. That’s something a lot of alumni come back and say. They wish they had gained more experience and gained additional personal growth. Don’t be afraid to try different things and get out of your comfort zone,” said Barbara Roback, associate director at the Career Center for Colgate University.

During her presentation to the 46 NBT Bank summer interns, Roback urged students to find a career that could accommodate their values and skills, explaining that money wasn’t always the answer.

NBT CEO Marty Dietrich agreed, saying, “Your short term satisfaction in a company is, ‘how much are you going to pay me?’ Your long term satisfaction comes from sharing the same values as the company. The difference is doing something you want to be doing or just doing it for the paycheck.”

“If it doesn’t meet your skills, values and interests, then you’re probably going to struggle with being successful, even if you want to be,” advised Roback.

Dietrich also told the group that he never had a “grand scheme” to one day become the bank’s top executive – he just took it one step at a time.