From Orientation to Transformation: Mohit Sitlani’s Journey with The City Tutors and Mentorship with Liz

When Mohit Sitlani arrived in New York from India in August 2022 to begin his MS in Finance at Baruch College, he, like many international students, faced the daunting challenge of navigating a new academic and professional landscape without a roadmap.

“I remember during orientation, they mentioned a program called The City Tutors,” Mohit recalls. “At the time, I didn’t think much of it. But then I started seeing my friends post on LinkedIn—they were meeting mentors, attending events, and getting real help. That’s when I knew I needed to be part of it.”

Soon after, Mohit joined The City Tutors’ City Mentors program and started connecting with mentors who helped him revise his resume, improve his outreach, and better understand the New York job market. “It was tough,” he says of his early job search. “CUNY gave us tools like Handshake, but it was The City Tutors that gave me actual people to talk to—people who had worked in the field, who understood the realities.”

By February 2023, after months of applying and interviewing, Mohit landed his first internship through a referral. “It was random,” he says, “but I was ready.” That internship soon became a full-time role. While working and studying full-time, Mohit continued to attend City Tutors’ events—mentorship mixers, career talks, and even a Yankees game. “These weren’t just events,” he says. “They were opportunities to meet others in the same boat, hear their stories, and keep learning.”

But his most pivotal mentorship began in July 2024—nearly two years after that initial orientation—when he finally met Liz Goldenberg, a longtime mentor with The City Tutors.

“We had been trying to meet for months,” Mohit says. “She travels a lot, and we wanted to meet in person. Finally, we sat down at a Starbucks near Wall Street.” He arrived early, excited and hopeful. What happened next would change everything.

“She looked at my resume and said, ‘We have to throw this out. Start fresh.’ At first, I was shocked. I had built this over two years. But Liz wasn’t being harsh—she was being honest, and I needed that.”

That day marked the beginning of a transformational mentorship. Liz didn’t just help Mohit rewrite his resume. She helped him redefine his professional identity.

“She asked me to find five words that define who I am. Just five. It took us weeks. But it changed how I thought about myself.”

Mohit’s five words—creative, persistent, analytical, builder, manager—became the foundation for his new resume, his elevator pitch, and his job search strategy. Within a month of working with Liz, Mohit landed a new job as a Private Credit Analyst.

“This wasn’t luck,” he says. “This was Liz. She brought decades of experience, deep insight, and kindness. She knew how to push me while supporting me.”

Their mentorship didn’t stop there. Even after Mohit started his new job, Liz continued to meet with him, helping him reflect on his growth, build confidence, and prepare for his next steps.

In addition to his 1:1 mentorship, Mohit immersed himself in the City Tutors community—attending events like The Mentor Project, where he met professionals from the venture capital world, and volunteering at service days where he connected with peers across industries.

“These events gave me more than knowledge,” he says. “They gave me belonging. I met mentors from BlackRock, founding members of OpenAI—people who helped me understand not just my field, but the future.”

When Mohit reflects on his journey—from newly arrived graduate student to young professional navigating the job market—he credits The City Tutors and mentors like Liz for helping him unlock his potential.

“Liz didn’t just fix my resume. She helped me find clarity, confidence, and purpose,” he says. “And The City Tutors made it all possible. They built the bridge. I just had to walk across it.”