How much preparation is needed?

 

As you can imagine, recruiting is like having a second or third job and much preparation is needed in order to successfully land your dream job.  This is your chance to realize your expected return on investment on your MBA during this two to three month window.  As adults and professionals, it shouldn’t surprise you that nobody will hold your hands through the process.  Time management will be key as you prioritize what is most important to you.

 

Although not required, a number of students have recommended that you take only one class during fall recruiting season (preferably on a Monday as most of the recruiting events will be held between Tuesday to Thursday).  Consulting events are usually held on Thursdays.  Keep in mind that some industries have a different hiring schedule.  For example, investment banking firms will have hired their recruits by August.

 

In anticipation of the recruiting season, save up your vacation and sick days as you will be required to take time off to attend the recruiting events (company presentations and interviews).  There will be interviews held throughout the week, especially when you get to the second or third round.  Communicate with your bosses and professors to keep them informed ahead of time.

 

Also get your mindset ready for rejections; you will receive plenty of them.  A typical on-campus recruiting position will have 8-12 interview spots but at least 200 resume drops.  For example, one Marshall MBA.PM recruit had 21 resume drops, 9 first round interviews, 7 second round interviews and only TWO job offers.  Don’t despair and start your preparations early.

 

First Year Students

 

For first year students, you should be working on your resumes and attending workshops hosted by MBA Career Services.  Focus on academics and expand your network at the same time.  You never know if that guy you met at a mixer will help you land your dream job.

 

Second Year Students

 

For second year students, you need to use the entire year for your preparation.  Sign up with clubs and attend events.  Most importantly, sign up on CSO to get access to all the resources you paid for and get the most updated information on on-campus recruiting.

 

Third Year Students

 

For third years, if you are just starting now, it might be too late already to get you prepared for this process.  Contact Pete Giulioni of MBA Career Services immediately to see what you can do to catch up.

 

Once the recruiting window is over, it's very tough to get MBA level positions. 

The most prepared people will get the best jobs out there.  Start your preparations TODAY!

 

 

 

Still undecided on a career path??

 

If you’re still undecided on what you wish to do after you graduate, you need to start your research right now.  There are tools, such as CareerBeam, available at MBA Career Services to help you narrow down your options.  Feel free to reach out to Pete Giulioni or your AGBS.PM VPs of Professional Development.  Use informational interviews to gather information on the industries or functions you might be interested in.  Linkedin, Marshall internal networking spreadsheet or the alumni databases are good places to start.

 

 

 

What are the major MBA recruiting conferences?

 

There are four major national diversity conferences held every year by different organizations:

• National Black MBA
• National Society of Hispanic MBAs
• Net Impact
• Reaching Out LGBT MBA

 

Even though they might be hosted by organizations you have no affiliations with, major companies use them as recruiting tools for NUMEROUS positions within their companies.  Many of these positions are not available through on-campus recruiting and will be available at these conferences.  Candidates will have the opportunity to be interviewed on the spot or scheduled for the very next day.  These conferences also provide the opportunity for the additional consideration for positions that are also sourcing candidates through on-campus recruiting.

 

Preparation for these conferences is key.  You MUST research the companies you plan to speak with.  Know their history, industry, products, and services.  If you are not prepared to demonstrate that you have intimate knowledge of the company, you will not be invited to interview.  Be prepared to network and have your elevator pitch nailed!

 

 

 

What are company presentations?

 

Companies who regularly recruit on-campus will host company presentations at Marshall.  If you sign up for one, make sure you attend and be on time.  If you are a no show or come in late, you might as well say good-bye to any chance of you landing a job with that company.  Details matter and competition is stiff, so don’t let small things prevent you from maximizing your touch points with these firms.

 

Company presentations are great opportunities to meet and make an impression on the people who will decide whether you will get the initial interview or not.  Most of the time, they might even be the ones hiring you.  For some companies, they won’t even look at your resume unless they know you by name by the time of their resume drops. (I.e. Deloitte)

 

A useful tip is to try to reach out to these presenters before the company presentation.  One successful recruit was able to use various channels (personal network, LinkedIn…etc.) to find out who the presenters were going to be.  Make sure your conversations are compelling and relevant so that you can follow up with introspective stories to differentiate yourself from other candidates.

 

 

 

How should I prepare for interviews?

 

In preparing for interviews, it is suggested that you prepare some real life stories/examples that most exemplify who you are, and communicate certain qualities you would like the interviewers to know about your candidacy.  During the interviews, be ready to craft the stories to fit the questions they’re asking, and find ways to steer them toward the stories you are prepared to tell.  Frame them to make sure you deliver your value proposition.

 

Most importantly, find things that are unique about you and find ways to make yourself stand out from the herd (the Marshall herd as well as MBAs from other universities).  But ultimately, preparation is the key, as one recruit stated, “if you’re prepared, you would have the answers already, no matter what they ask.”

 

During the interview, find ways to communicate that you really want the job but don’t appear needy or desperate.  When asked to talk about yourself, don’t give a chronological or resume run down of your life.  This is a perfect chance for you to tell one of the stories you’ve prepared.  Be sure to explain why you’re here, where you want to go and how the job you’re interviewing for will help you get there.  Be prepared to give value propositions too as companies don’t want you to simply use them as stepping stones to where you want get.

 

 

 

What are case interviews?

 

“An integral step to getting a job in management consulting is the case interview – a certain style of interviewing introduced and used by the major management consultancies. It has become so popular that other types of firms have begun to adopt it, including strategy and marketing companies.

 

The case interview is somewhat different from a typical job interview. Rather than ask questions about the candidate, the interviewer presents a business problem and the candidate is asked to discuss, diagnose, and provide recommendations or thoughts about the situation.

 

While it may appear to have a broad or vague structure, it in fact involves a specific set of guidelines and procedures. Meeting these hurdles requires significant practice and experience.”

- Marshall Management Consulting Club

 

Case interviews are used increasingly in various industries, including: consulting, finance, marketing…etc.  They are designed to determine how you process information and to help identify candidates who are the most prepared.  It is also a major stumbling block for many highly qualified candidates.

 

Practice is required in order to do well in case interviews.  Join the MMCC for a certification program that will help you prepare.  Note that Harvard students practice more than 70 cases before they go on their first interview.   This is the level that you will be competing against.

 

 

 

How important is networking?

 

Networking is an important component of your job search.  You never know if the person you met at the Lab will be the one who leads you to a job offer.  Attend events, practice your elevator speech and get your name out there!  Your family, friends and colleagues can’t lead you to opportunities if you don’t let them know what your goals are.

 

During the recruiting process, you will interact with your vertical leads on a regular basis.  One complaint that PM students from previous years had is that full-time students are on a first name basis with the vertical leads and they have closer relationships established from when they joined the program.  Although this is true, those relationships are previously developed because full-time MBA students work with the vertical leads in order to secure summer internships the previous year.    It is important for you to attend MBACS events, industry nights and other events and in order to establish the same relationship with the vertical leads.  They’ll be better able to assist you if they understand your professional goals and know you better as an individual.

One example of effective use of one’s network: a recruit dropped their resume at the regular on-campus recruiting resume drop but did not get a first round interview.  Feeling that he is the perfect candidate for that position, he reached into his network and talked to people within the recruiting company and was able to “back-door” his way into the interview process because of his contact’s recommendations to the recruiting personnel.  This is one extreme example but nevertheless, it exemplifies the fact that you never know what you can get out of your network.

 

Another recruit had a similar situation, but then used the Face-to-Face Networking Opportunity at the National Black MBA Conference and was interviewed on the spot.  This recruit turned initial rejection from the on-campus Interviews into a Full-Time Job Offer!

 

 

 

How do I secure informational interviews?

 

Use informational interviews to learn more about a professional’s industry or function.  When setting up the interviews, clearly state that you’d only like a limited amount of time, what you would like to learn and make it clear that you’re not looking for a job!  Be explicit in that you are only seeking information.  Ultimately, anyone giving an informational interview understands that you are also searching for a job, however this is not the forum to ask for a job.  Start looking by searching the internal networking spreadsheet and the alumni database.  Look for people who recently graduated or students with recent internships.

 

 

 

How can career switchers transition into a new career?

 

Career switchers need to work harder than anyone else.  Companies today have the luxury to look for work-experienced hires, so you are competing in a tough field.  You must get related work experience if you plan to compete. One way of getting this experience is to work on projects internally within your company.  The more direct way is to get an internship.

 

Internally, you should communicate with your superior, and look for transfer opportunities.  If you cannot figure out a way to get the experience you need, it might be wise to weigh your priorities and see if there are external ways for you to get that experience.  In one case, a student used her flex hours to work on weekends so that she can take on an internship with another company two times a week while finishing her regular duties on the weekends.

 

Internships

 

A lot of work is required to land an internship as well.  You need to be willing to be humble and start from the bottom.  In one case, a student basically begged her way to an internship in a totally unrelated field than what her background was in.  But if you’re willing to put in the work, ultimately you’ll get the experience you need to land the job you want. 

 

An example is a student who quit her full-time creative job and took on two internships at once: three days at a real estate firm and two days at Bank of America.  Through these experiences, she was able to secure a finance position at Disney.  A good place to start looking is ConnectSC and the USC Internship Office.

 

Please be aware that PM students can now apply for traditional summer internships through the MBACS.  As more companies change their preferences (of accepting non-full time students) in the system, more listings will become available to the PM student body.  However, these opportunities are only available to students who signed up for Career Service Online (CSO) through MBACS.

 

 

 

What resources are available?

 

USE every resource at your disposal!  The MBACS is only one of them!  If there’s something you need that you cannot get from them, find a way around!  For MBACS resources, if you fully utilize the active and passive services provided, you would be in pretty good hands already.  The resume book proves to be one of the most useful tools.  There are many stories of recruits being called out of the blue and offered interviews just because their resumes in the system matches what the company is looking for.  There are also interview books that have previously asked interview questions for companies that regularly recruit on-campus.

 

Sign up on CSO through MBACS AS SOON AS YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT!!  Keep in mind that generations of AGBS.PM Professional Development VPs have fought long and hard for your timeline to match those of the full-timers in order for you to have a better recruiting experience.  Take advantage of it!!

 

Other than what you get from MBACS, the most important thing you need is external networking help, which can be gained through LinkedIn or other personal networks you have access to.

 

 

 

Receive too many emails??

 

We all understand that in this day and age, we are bombarded with an overload of information everyday.  And that’s what it seems like when we receive email communications from the MBACS that might not seem relevant to us.  However, many recruits have expressed regret that they did not pay more attention to those emails.  Most of the information you look for are contained in those emails, so look through them before you scramble at the last minute!

 

 

 

What’s the difference between on-campus recruiting and Pete Giulioni's jobs emails?

 

Traditional on-campus recruiting is a structured process where you have to follow the protocols to get traditional MBA level positions at Fortune 500 companies.

 

The other job listings you receive are MBA and non-MBA level positions through outside sources.  It might be a good place to look if you’re not looking for a traditional MBA position, especially at non-Fortune 500 companies.

 

 

 

Is it true that full-timers get the better treatment??

 

Full timers general are more desparate during recruiting season, especially in the middle of this economic recession.  They do not have the security most PM students have.  However, PM students tend to be less assertive when it comes to career services, as evidenced by the relatively low number of CSO sign up and less interaction with MBACS staff.  And when the time comes to find a job (whether voluntary or involuntary), they’re less prepared in general.

 

But don’t get me wrong!  PM students fare just as well if not better in landing jobs.  The major advantages we have are: 1) More work experience and 2) Maturity.  Make sure you keep that in mind and leverage it!

 

Full-timers on the other hand, are generally more prepared as they have been prepped early on due to their condensed schedule.  They need to decide what they want to do the moment they enter the program and start planning for getting traditional summer internships.  They also have more time since they are not sharing the workload of a full-time job/career.

 

One big advantage they have is their intimate relationship with the MBACS staff and vertical leads.  Look for opportunities to get to know these people early on!

 

 

 

Need help on your resume?

If you follow the resume guidelines and utilize the MBACS resume review services, you should be in good shape.  Some recruits emphasized the need to state the results and accomplishments of your career instead of just an itemized listing of things you did.

Keep all your resumes organized to make sure you don’t submit the wrong one for a certain company.  It is recommended that you keep a master copy of the industry/function you wish to get into, then make adjustments (and save each copy).

If you have an exceptional GMAT score or GPA, feel free to include it.  It can only help in most cases.

 

 

Common Sense

 

Please keep in mind that whenever you are networking, attending events or interviewing, you are representing the entire Marshall family.  Lack of preparation shows and reflects badly on everyone and that might negatively affect our rankings.  Your performance will also determine whether companies will come back to Marshall to recruit again.

 

Watch out for costly human mistakes such as putting the wrong company name on your resume and cover letters.  Try your best to avoid these pitfalls and have other people review them for you if needed.

 

Q&A

 

Q:

I read your recruiting facts and It seems like its going to be extremely competitive come fall. I have been preparing myself but feel that I haven't been doing enough.  I got an internship with a commercial real estate firm for the summer.  What else should I be doing this summer?  I will be networking.  I'll be doing informational interviews.  I am going to register for the diversity conferences.  Can you suggest anything else to help.

A:

Sounds like you're doing everything you should be doing at this point to prepare yourself for the recruiting season.  As long as your resume is ready and you have the interview questions prepared, you should be pretty good to go.  Once you find out more about the companies that will be recruiting on campus, you should research those companies as thoroughly as you can.  However, I would recommend talking to John Bertrand and Pete Giulioni to see whether there are other steps you take.

 

 

Q:

What companies will be recruiting in the fall. How do I find out exactly who's coming as early as possible?

A:

Regarding what companies will be recruiting on campus, they don't change much year after year, there's a database on CSO for you to look up that information.  Additional companies won't be confirmed until as late as August so you'll have to keep an eye on the CSO job listings, as well as talk to individual vertical leads as they're the ones responsible for bringing companies to campus.

 

 

Q:

I'm hoping for the best but also preparing for the worse.  "Once the recruiting window is over, it's very tough to get MBA level positions."  This is your quote from your recruiting facts. So you're saying that people are just screwed if they don't get a job during fall recruiting? Where did you get this info?

A:

Depending on the company/industry, recruiting season could start as early as August or as late as October.  And the final interview rounds may be conducted as late as January.  That's the window I was referring to.  Since MBA level recruiting are traditionally done during that time, the assessment is pretty accurate unless you really go out of your way to find a job through other channels, such as through the resume book on CSO, personal networking or headhunters.  But even those channels usually follow the same timeline as firms like to have their recruits secured and ready to go once they graduate.  However, there is the Just in Time recruiting event, which will take place in March with companies who weren't able to fill their positions during the recruiting season.  But those selections are very limited, and most likely, not as desirable.

 

 

 

 

Prepared by Stanley Fu

 

Contents contributed by:

Jarod Bock

Jenny Chen

Michelle Estrada

 

 

Kristin Fong-Lukavsky

Dave Galich

Jeff Javanbakht

Kay Kwok

Candy Lau

Jane Lee

Constancio Paranal

Holly Zeiler

 

 

Edited by:

Mia Deterding

Mike Huynh

Jeff Javanbakht

Cheryl Kung

Yong Steres