General Electric’s Paul A. McElhinney visited the CMU-Q campus to offer guidance and advice to students as they embark on their careers. McElhinney spoke about his own career trajectory, as well as the qualities that students will need to become great leaders in an evolving economy.

“Being humble is a huge asset. Whatever the job or company is, do your homework and be prepared for the conversation. Be confident, not arrogant,” McElhinney advised to an audience of CMU-Q students. With an intensely competitive market, McElhinney told students that companies like General Electric (GE) encourage collaboration, accountability, speed and empowerment.

McElhinney is senior vice president at General Electric Power and chief executive officer of Power Services. He began his career as a lawyer and made the shift to business management 28 years ago. “If you are good at what you do and a risk-taker, I am living proof that you can achieve great things.”

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar regularly brings in leaders in industry and government to help guide students as they begin their careers. CMU-Q has 570 alumni who are working in Qatar, the region and internationally.