Booth On-Campus Interview Week: The Superbowl of Recruiting

The Winter Quarter is such a busy time for first-year students because most are interviewing through the on-campus program for internships. This week, Matthew Richman gives a first-hand perspective of what the investment banking interview process is like.

Dana

***
We huddled together, nervously clutching our leather portfolios, adjusting ties and name tags, and spending one last minute going over the finer points of corporate valuation. Suddenly, with a pronounced “click,” a nearby door opened and a head poked out.

“Matthew? We’re ready for you.”

I bid farewell to my classmates and entered the interview room.

Over the past few weeks, this scene has repeated itself over and over again on the second floor of the Harper Center. Beginning in mid-January, hundreds of companies—recruiting for roles from consulting to banking, marketing to investment management—have traveled to Hyde Park to conduct interviews with Booth students. One of Booth’s strengths is the relationships that Career Services maintains with some of the most sought-after firms around the world, as well as smaller boutique firms and startups—and the affinity that alumni at these firms have for Booth job-seekers.

Moreover, the on-campus recruiting process means that Booth students can interview with a variety of firms, all in one place. I saw the benefits of this arrangement in my own recruiting for investment banking. The banks were the first firms to come to campus in January, and spent a week conducting first round (and often final round) interviews in the Harper Center’s dedicated interview suite.

Interviews were stressful. After a long four-month recruiting and networking process, it would come down to 30 minutes. Would the interviewer be the one person we didn’t meet at the firm? Would he or she be having a bad day? Would one misstep or interview flub flush months of hard work down the drain?

After the first rounds concluded each day at 4:30pm, many firms conducted final round interviews the same evening. We were often told to wait for a phone call inviting us to the next round. We milled about the Winter Garden, obsessively checking our phones. All of the sudden, the calls would begin. Being one of the less fortunate candidates was tough, but on the flipside, getting that call for the final round was exhilarating; even more so was the late-night follow up call, often on the way home, from potential future colleagues with good news about a summer offer.

To be prepared for these pressures, we had plenty of help from Career Services, and crucially, our fellow classmates. During winter break, students got together in groups to grill one another on case studies or accounting technical questions. I didn’t expect to spend my holiday break camped out at the Gleacher Center with classmates for hours each day, sweating the finer points of the financial statement impact of a $10 increase in depreciation expense—but it really paid off when it came time for interviews.

Second-year MBA students were critical in sharing insights from their interview experiences, and helped us with mock interviews informally or as part of Career Services’ Interview Training Program, where we got formal feedback and a video of our performance.

The bottom line is that Booth’s on-campus recruiting and interviewing provides students an incredible opportunity to be part of the one-stop interviewing shop for interesting companies. One can’t overstate the convenience and advantage that comes from being able to spend a week in the Harper Center being considered for many of the different positions for which we applied, with no more travel than the ten feet between interview rooms. After the first round was conducted on campus, some firms flew candidates to their offices for a final round. However, in my case, apart from visiting the firm in New York during Bank Week, the internship I ultimately secured didn’t require that I even leave Hyde Park, since the firm came to campus in October for recruiting and also conducted first and final rounds here.

Of course, in addition to on-campus recruiting, Booth students can apply for some of the thousands of job postings from companies that are interested in hiring Booth talent, but either lack the recruiting resources to come to campus or need to wait until later in the spring to assess their hiring needs.

When considering a business school, it is important to evaluate its on-campus recruiting capabilities to ensure that you’ll be best positioned for your ideal job. At Booth, there is something for everyone in terms of function and sector. While this stage of my career transition to investment banking has required a tremendous amount of hard work, Booth—with its amazing Career Services team, collegial students, and dedicated alumni—provided me all of the resources to successfully land an exciting internship with a firm that is a great fit for me.
Matt Richman Matthew Richman UPenn TCNJ booth

Landing the Perfect Internship

While first-year students have been busy with on-campus recruitment for internships, second-year students have been volunteering to help through various Career Services programming and case interview prep. In this week's post, Nupur Bhargava describes her experience giving back to the Booth community and assisting first-year students on their internship hunts.

Dana
***

Hi everyone,

Hope the new year is treating you well. As an Admissions Fellow I have been spending a lot of time reading applications and continue to be amazed by the quality of the applicants to Chicago Booth. I often wonder how I managed to get in to Booth, but I’m glad I did. Continuing in the tradition of my past blogs on the career aspects as Booth, below is a note on how we as second years get involved with first-year recruiting.

This is the time for me and my classmates as second years to truly "pay it forward". Over the course of the last few weeks a lot of us have been helping first years with interview preparation. I’ve been particularly involved with consulting interview prep since that’s what I did over the summer. There are three avenues that most first years exploit as they try to get as much practice as possible before actual interviews happen in the last week of January/ early February.

1. Case prep with first-year classmates: Most of this happens over the winter break and is the best method for first years to get familiar with the process. Prior to the break the Management Consulting Group hosted a mock interview process where a few second years (myself included) demonstrated how a case is done and try to share the knowledge we’ve gained going through the process over the last year. This is usually the first time first years see how a case interview is conducted and how they will potentially be evaluated.



2. wInterview and ITP: Career services organizes two formal events: wInterview (winter + interview) and Interview Training Process (ITP), in early January.
   
   wInterview is a particularly fun event. The entire first year class took over the Harper Center in their suits early on Saturday morning, January 12,to go through a whole day of interview prep. The Winter Garden was completely transformed too, complete with polar bear and snowflake decorations. I remember being nervous coming to this event last year and about the day and the process ahead. As a second year, though, the day was a lot easier, since my task was to interview eight first years and to give them a feel of what an actual interview would be like.
   
   The best part of the process is that first years are recorded on video throughout the interview so that they can watch how they behave in the interview setting. I distinctly remember watching my own video last year and noticing how much I played with the pen in my hands while speaking! Overall I was quite impressed by how most first years were able to handle the stress as they fielded questions such as “tell me about a time you failed” or “tell me about a time you had to lead without being in an appointed leadership position”. The interviews last about 15-20 minutes and then we spent about 15 minutes debriefing on what was good and what needs further work. It was a particularly rewarding experience for me as I got to meet a number of really talented first years while honing the skill of giving actionable feedback.
   
   ITP is a similar concept where first years register for a mock interview with a firm. As a second year, I volunteered to represent Bain and conducted an hour long interview with a first year. This interview too was recorded so that the first year could reflect on his behavior. I spent about half the time interviewing and the remainder of the session giving feedback on what I believed were his strengths and weaknesses.
   
   
3. Case prep sessions: Individual case prep sessions with second years was where I learned the most and to "pay it forward" at the start of the quarter, I set up a Google doc with free time slots that a first year could sign up for to do individual case prep with me. I shared this document with a number of first years who had connected with me early on in the process and who had reached out to me over winter break with requests to do case prep. Although these sessions took ten hours of my time each week, I found them to be the most rewarding. Having worked with a few first years from the day they stepped onto campus, from conducting resume reviews to now helping them with cases, I’ve seen how they have grown and I’m glad to have been a part of it. Along the way I’ve made some friends and gotten to know a lot of really amazing people. I know a lot of my classmates have been doing the same and we are all rooting for Booth students to secure the right internships for them.

I know that we will all be glad once this process is over so that as a combined group we can all enjoy Spring quarter! Good luck to all the first years looking for internships!

At Booth, We’re Not Just About Finance (Though We Have That Too!)

In the first part of this three-part blog post, I explore the question of “Why Booth?” and focus on the diverse academic and professional opportunities for students. In the second part, I will talk about what I have gained from my own leadership positions at school. In the third-part, I will discuss the long-term professional value of leadership opportunities at Booth.

Donnie Phillips, President, Graduate Business Council

****

When I was thinking about applying to Booth, I was in my third year as a private equity associate. At the time, I was undecided on whether I wanted to stay in private equity or pursue a more entrepreneurial career path. I knew Chicago Booth had a reputation for having a rigorous academic program, so I wanted to make sure that the school was right for me: if I decided to stay in PE, how would I spend my time in the classroom and if I decided to pursue the world of startups, was an analytical school a good choice? As I continued to do my research, I was able to confidently craft a story as to why Booth was a great fit.

Always a fan of data, there were three salient pieces of information that helped convince me to apply to Booth.

1) More than 80% of classes offered are outside of finance: Every year Booth offers more than 150 courses across 550 class sections. With 20 courses required (plus LEAD) for a degree, I knew that if I wanted to go the entrepreneurship (or any other) route, I had more than enough courses available at my fingertips. Plus, with a fully flexible curriculum, I could take those courses in almost any sequence I wanted.

2) Private Equity / Venture Capital represents 7% of incoming students: As a big believer in diversity of thought, I knew that I would have different professional experiences than 90% of my classmates. Whether it was in study groups or case competitions, I knew my colleagues would bring a diverse set of opinions and perspectives to the table.

3) The school is rapidly expanding its foothold in entrepreneurship: The annual report from The Polsky Center – Booth’s hub for entrepreneurship – details some of the 75+ events put on each year. And the thirst for entrepreneurship at Booth is growing with more than half of students opting for entrepreneurship as one of their concentrations.

Collectively, these three pieces of information allowed me to dig behind stereotypes about Booth and helped me decide that Chicago was the best place for me to spend two years. With only two of six quarters remaining, the experience has exceeded expectations. Some examples:

1) Here are just two non-finance courses I have taken at Booth: The Ethics of Business, a course that builds a philosophical case for capitalism, starting with Adam Smith and going all the way to the likes of Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman, and Managerial Decision Making, a course about the dozens of psychological biases managers make and how to avoid them. This course in particular contained important concepts I would not have learned on the job or, if I did, it would have been the “hard way.”

2) On my student government executive team is a U.S. diplomat, real estate development analyst, private equity investor, commercial strategy manager for a soccer team, a consultant to domestic for-profits, and a consultant for USAID-funded projects abroad. The diversity of our pre-Booth backgrounds helps us immensely when it comes to prioritizing, marketing, and executing on programs and initiatives to enhance the student experience.

3) Last January, I attended the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club’s New York City Trek where we visited 12 startups and VC firms in two days. It was on that trip that I met one of the founders of General Assembly (http://generalassemb.ly/) and started a conversation that ultimately led to my internship with GA this past summer.

Whenever I speak to prospective students I encourage them to go through a similar thought exercise about how their learning style, social preferences, and professional objectives fit with Booth. For example, if they have more “traditional” career interests such as consulting, investment banking, or investment management Booth certainly fits with the bill, with more than 50% of our graduates pursuing such career paths. Or, if they are interested in marketing, social enterprise, or entrepreneurship, they should explore Booth’s Kilts Center for Marketing, The Social Enterprise Initiative, or The Polsky Center.

This story – from my private equity experience before school to my pursuit of more entrepreneurial environments after graduation – is certainly my own. So why is Booth right for you?

The Second Year Sprint

As 2012 draws to a close, Nupur Bhargava reflects on the first quarter of her second year at Booth. Life as a second year is certainly action-packed, but in a different way than it was during first year, as Nupur describes.

Dana
***

Happy holidays!! It’s been a while since my last post and as the year draws to a close I thought it might be a good idea to reflect on the quarter gone by.

This quarter felt a lot calmer than my first year at Booth in some ways, and a lot more hectic in others. On the calmer side, getting used to Chicago being home played a big role. When I came back this year I looked forward to being in the city, seeing my friends and navigating my way from downtown to Harper Center again. I knew what the weather would be like, and I knew how to find cheap coursepacks (thanks to a classmate, Farhan Ahmed, who created boothsell.com!) and I just felt a great deal more comfortable. Recruiting, on the other hand, did come a little bit faster and more intensely than first year. Whereas first year recruiting was more of a marathon, second year recruiting was a full-out sprint for a month. After our summer internships, most of us came back with a better answer to ‘what do I want to do when I grow up?’ or in many cases ‘what I definitely don’t want to do when I grow up’, which was important, as we needed to quickly act on these thoughts in order to secure full time positions. A large percentage of my friends have found jobs and our overall anxiety levels are significantly reduced.

The good news is the lightning fast sprint was over quickly and allowed me plenty of time to get to know lots of first-year students. It’s amazing how the caliber of students gets better each year, and I have to say I was completely blown away by the accomplishments and stories of many of the first years. My job now is to assist them in polishing and tailoring their stories to effectively navigate the first year recruiting marathon that they will go through in Winter Quarter. Helping many with resume reviews and coffee chats about the summer this fall was both rewarding and nostalgic, as I could remember going through the very same process last year and the people that helped me so much during that time. I’m very happy to pay it forward and am sure the tradition will continue!

Outside of the official work, be it classes or resume reviews, it has been fantastic to relax a little bit with my fellow classmates; whether it’s a game of Taboo, a quick Thanksgiving trip to Jamaica, or a night out in Chicago with my closest friends, it’s been a great quarter to further strengthen the bonds with my classmates, and I look forward to continuing to do so in the last couple of quarters we have left before we enter the big bad “REAL WORLD”!

In keeping with the holiday spirit, I wanted to have some fun and do a Booth fall quarter summary in numbers for me:
Number of admissions applications read (I'm an Admissions Fellow) = 24
Number of on-campus recruitment interviews conducted = 5
Number of coffee chats with first years = 8
Number of resume reviews done for first years = 15
Number of case interviews with fellow second years = 45
Number of books read (non-coursework related) = 1
Number of house parties attended = 15
Number of movies watched in the AMC theatre near Gleacher Center = 10
Number of holidays planned = 4 (executed 2, 2 more being figured out)

Happy holidays and good luck with the applications, especially as the Booth Round 2 (Jan. 9!) deadline draws closer!

Questions to Ask Before Spending $177,366

As the Round 2 application deadline draws closer, it's important to reflect on your motivations for wanting an MBA and why Chicago Booth is the right school for you. This week, Josh Hirschland, a first-year student and member of the DSAC Communications team, gives us an honest perspective on such a life-changing undertaking.

Dana
***

My name is Josh Hirschland. I am a first-year student here at Booth, I am a member of the Dean’s Student Admissions Committee, I am pursuing a concentration in strategic management, and I play a mean game of Settlers of Catan.

When leading information sessions with prospective students, one of the questions I am asked most is “How did I decide to come to Booth?” Every person has a different set of criteria that are most important to them. For some, it’s location and cost; for others, it’s prestige and career opportunities; and for others still, it’s size and networking opportunities. There is no one right or wrong answer, just as there is no single “best” school. But as you consider where to send applications or enroll, here are some things you may want to consider.


Do I want an MBA?

Are you sure? Are you really sure?

There’s a reason that every application asks you why you want to attend. Beyond the obvious—you should have a good reason before taking two years and spending upwards of $180,000 on a master’s —knowing why you want an MBA is essential because once you arrive, you will have precious little time to waste. Given Booth’s flexible curriculum, you have to choose your first semester courses less than two weeks after you arrive on campus, and recruiters for summer internships arrive within six weeks. If you don’t know what you want to do when you arrive, you could end up floundering or getting pushed in whichever direction is most popular.

Will this help me get the job I want?

While people get MBAs for many reasons, one near-constant is the desire for a new / better / different job. As such, one key criterion should be whether any particular MBA program is better aligned than another to secure your dream position. For me, one of Booth’s big differentiators was the list of major employers of Booth graduates and the fact that 93% of students had job offers within three months of graduation. Investing some time to determine which recruiters go to which campuses, job placement statistics, general reputations of different programs, and which departments are particularly respected within a given field are all ways to ensure that you find a place that’s a good fit for you.

What classes would I take if I attended here?

While it’s certainly not necessary to plot out six quarters’ worth of education before orientation begins, understanding the kinds of classes that different programs offer can help you better understand what your day-to-day will entail and how the school will (or won’t) prepare you for your career. Knowing that I could take Managerial Decision Modeling , Applied Regression Analysis, and Austan Goolsbee’s class on Economics and Policy in Telecomm, Media, and Technology was a big reason that I was so excited to apply to Booth.

Do I like the people?

One of the most important factors impacting your MBA experience is the students who surround you. Not only will your classmates play a crucial role during your time at school—joining you in classes, study groups, clubs, and happy hours—but they will also comprise your professional network after you graduate. As such, it’s important to find a program where you both like and respect the other students. Be sure to visit the schools you are considering applying to and soak up the culture. I figured out that Booth was for me the day that I came for my interview, during which I was able to attend a class, talk to students, and really getting a feel for the community. By immersing yourself, you can get a strong sense for whether you fit in.

Do I want to be here?

Entering an MBA program can mean moving thousands of miles and spending hundreds of dollars each month on plane tickets to see loved ones. Understanding how a move will affect your short- and long-term plans is an important part of preparing for business school. For me—a native Michigander who majored in Urban Studies—Chicago seemed like a great place to explore and to learn.

Beyond regional considerations, it’s also good to think about whether you like the campus itself. While facilities shouldn’t be the top priority for any MBA student, it’s not uncommon for MBA students to spend 50 or 60 hours a week in a single campus building. It’s important to feel comfortable on campus knowing that it may be the host to many future late nights.

How am I going to pay for this?

With interest rates low, federal loans readily available, and high average salaries for alumni, many incoming students brush off concerns about paying for business school until the invoice arrives. But even with all of the resources available to students, it’s important to understand how personal finances, loans, and expected future salary come together in meeting tuition payments. Talk to on- and off-campus financial advisors, create a budget, and begin plotting out your repayment cycle before you arrive, or your second-year diet may consist solely of ramen and boxed lunches from recruiting events.


These are just a few of the issues you may want to consider before applying to and selecting an MBA program. The key to finding a good fit is doing your research and visiting the schools you are considering so that you can make an informed decision.

First experiences at Booth: my first campus visit, Random Walk, and my first quarter

It's hard to believe that this is the last week of classes for the fall quarter. Especially for the first-year students, the fall quarter has been packed with memories and exciting opportunities on the horizon. In the following post, Felipe Marin, a first-year student and Country Captain for Cuba, recounts the highlights of his first quarter at Booth and how the experience has been for him thus far.

Dana
***

It almost feels surreal, but the end of my first quarter at Booth is almost here and the experience has been all that I expected, and then some. I first thought about applying to business school in 2009, but multiple factors did not allow the goal to materialize until I began to study for the GMAT in mid-2011 – from then on, time seems to have flown and somehow I’m here, reliving the process through this blog.

My first visit to the Harper Center, and to Chicago, was only ten months ago, but as soon as I walked into the Winter Garden I knew that I had found the place where I wanted to be for the next two years.

At Booth, many of us participate in one of the twenty-five Random Walk trips that take place before orientation, and I would absolutely recommend this exciting adventure to all future members of the Booth family. I had the opportunity to visit Russia for Random Walk and I am convinced that I made friendships on that trip that will last well beyond my on-campus experience. Having heard many Soviet stories while growing up in Cuba, I had always wanted to visit the Kremlin, and I’m thankful that I was able to visit Moscow with classmates who were also interested in seeing the evolution of Russia’s new capitalist society.


Statue of Peter the Great and the Russian Random Walk team

Many exciting things have happened since our arrival on campus, but I’d have to admit that our orientation retreat to Wisconsin tops all other experiences thus far. It is difficult to summarize the retreat on a blog; more than being read, it has to be lived: the outdoor adventures, the games, and the group exercises all converge into a mélange of unforgettable memories. To be perfectly candid, I really did not have many expectations from a three day trip to the woods in Wisconsin, but there’s just something about high rope obstacle courses, improvisational acting lessons, and hanging out by a camp fire that makes people bond – even when the group is as big as 576 new Boothies.

Before coming to Chicago, many people familiar with the business school process told me that the first quarter would probably be somewhat overwhelming, and they did not exaggerate. Since I had been working as a Financial Analyst at a REIT for some years, I wanted to join Booth so that I could switch into a career in investment banking. The banking recruiting process begins three weeks into the quarter and it is all about adaptability: one has to juggle classes, group meetings, the endless array of bank presentations, and social events, which of course, happen quite regularly at Booth. Recently, I’ve learned the true meaning of the phrase drinking from fire hose, but we all get through it. As a matter of fact, not only do we get through it, but we also help each other in the process. I’ve gotten contact information of recruiters and bankers from many classmates, and I’m convinced that other Boothies have been helped in this regard as well. In the end, we know that more than competitors for the same jobs, we’re a family of 576 rooting for each other. I’ve even heard some former students say that they wish they could do this process again, so I’m enjoying it as much as I can because I’m sure that, at some point, I will miss it as well.

All in all, the quarter has flown by, but I am thankful to be part of a community that has been extremely supportive throughout this initial process. From a professional development perspective, I have to say that our Career Services office has impressed all of us – yes, I really mean all of us. My classmates and I feel that the school does everything within its power to prepare us not only for the interview process, but also for a career post Booth. As a true baseball enthusiast, I would like to summarize my Booth experience with words from Dean Kumar’s welcome speech: “Swing for the fences, Chicago Booth has your back” – he means it!

Summer Internship Series: Private Equity in Chicago

This week TBE caught up with Federico Gonzales, who shared his experience interning in private equity. Read on if you want to learn about what a private equity intern does, how Booth's Private Equity and Venture Capital lab course helped Federico land his position, and what advice he has to offer those recruiting for PE internships.

Beth
***

Where are you working this summer? What is your title? What are your responsibilities?
I’m working at Equity International as a summer associate. EI is a Chicago based private equity firm that focuses on real estate-related investment opportunities in emerging markets. During my internship I’ve worked closely with the investments team exploring potential deals. I’ve worked on several macroeconomic and industry analyses, as well as investment approval documents and presentations. It’s been an amazing experience and I feel that I’m definitely getting a lot out it.

Where are you from? What’s been different about working here versus your home country?
I’m originally from Colombia, and this is my first time living and working in the US. Before business school, I worked for an investment banking boutique in Colombia for 4 years. Thinking about the differences between my job back there and my internship experience in Chicago, I would say that they are significantly smaller than I’d originally expected. I think it’s in part due to the nature of Equity International, and the fact that the company has very close ties to Latin America. Maybe one of the biggest differences that I’ve found while working here is the nature of the relationships with my co-workers. I feel like there is a lot more camaraderie in the Latin American work environment, relationships have a more personal quality to them and there’s definitely more joking around. That’s not to say that I haven’t been able to develop very good relationships with a lot of my co-workers through many office planned events such as a Segway tour of Millennium Park and the annual bowling tournament (of which I am proud to say I am reigning champion). A significant change from my previous work life in Colombia is the commute. Coming from a city like Bogota, where the traffic’s a nightmare, and being able to walk to work in less than 25 minutes is incredible. I really like riding the water taxi back home every day, and enjoying Chicago’s fine summer weather.

How did Booth help you transition from banking to PE?
Booth provides students with a great deal of resources to help them transition into private equity. From the annual private equity conference to several PE competitions, there are many opportunities for students to learn more about the industry and continue to build their network. In my case, I think that probably the most important resource was being able to participate in the Private Equity and Venture Capital Lab in the spring quarter. The lab allows students to work part-time for a Chicago-based host firm while taking classes at the same time. My host firm was Equity International, which helped me to build a relationship with them and learn how the firm operated internally. Ultimately, this experience led me to my internship and allowed me to hit the ground running from the first day.

You’re a career coach for the class of 2014. Do you have any advice for incoming students interested in recruiting for Private Equity? Start early! Recruiting for an internship in private equity is a long process and it usually lasts longer than the processes for most other industries; however this does not mean that you can’t start preparing for it from day one. Get involved in the Private Equity group, volunteer to help out at the annual PE conference, and begin building a list of firms which you would like to intern for. Also, get to know and build relationships with your classmates recruiting for the same industry; they will be a great resource and especially a significant source of support throughout your recruiting process. Finally, remember that recruiting is only one part of business school, never forget to blow off some steam and enjoy yourself every once in a while!

One of the perks of interning in Chicago is that you get to enjoy the city at its best. What have you enjoyed most about Chicago summer?
I’ve been blown away by what a fun city Chicago is during the summer. There’s a lot of cool stuff going on, from street festivals to awesome rooftops. I’ve tried to make the most of my summer here, and so I’ve been to plenty of barbeques, played soccer at the beach and gone sailing on the lake. The thing that I enjoyed the most was Lollapalooza last weekend. After 3 days of singing, dancing and partying alongside over 150,000, I can genuinely say that I am completely exhausted, but also extremely happy to have spent my summer in Chicago!

Navigating the Recruiting Maze

Hi everyone! This week we take a look inside Recruiting at Chicago Booth. In our Wednesdays in the Winter Garden video segment, we ask 2nd years and 1st years about how their experiences at Booth have helped shape their career ambitions, and how Booth’s community has helped in their career transitions. In this week’s blog, Nupur writes about learning to navigate the recruiting process as a 1st year.

***



You’ve heard it before: Your job hunt at business school starts before you even get there – my mentor mentioned this to me before I came to Booth – and having been in school for 10 weeks now, I can tell you how true this is from my own experience. As soon I accepted my Booth offer, I began receiving invites to pre-MBA networking sessions at firms in the industry I was hoping to break into post Booth. The value of the Booth brand was on display even before I arrived at Hyde Park! Having left a job at UBS that I quite enjoyed a little over 3 months prior, I did not expect the recruiting process to pick up so soon! The process itself is intense and particularly informative if you are exploring alternate career paths or switching careers. Booth however has a great support system and infrastructure in place to help navigate the process - from the impressive career services team to second years and alumni, all of whom are extremely eager to help you navigate the process. The strong reputation of Booth’s Career Services staff was a key factor in my decision to come here, and I’m pleased to report that the resources and training made available to me to date has far exceeded my expectations.

Formal Programming and Resources

Each week we have a designated 3 hour slot for career services programming. These sessions cover a wide variety of topics ranging from crafting resume bullets, to building your elevator pitch (refer to Chloe’s earlier blog on mocktails) and conducting informational interviews. Last week I had a session on drafting cover letters, and I’m finding it extremely useful to go through the various templates that were shared as I begin drafting my own! Additionally the career services team has a librarian dedicated to helping you conduct research on the firms you are recruiting for. She helped me reduce the number of hours I was spending researching firms significantly and I have class mates looking at starting new ventures who have gotten a lot of their consumer data quickly by just approaching her. This week I’m looking forward to the session on conducting informal and formal interviews.

Companies on Campus and Booth Alumni support

Every day as I walk into the Harper Center, I glance at the various TV screens that display the day’s on-campus events, and continue to be amazed by the number and diversity of companies that Booth attracts. In the last three months I must have attended over 50 corporate presentations, networking nights, lunch and learn, and breakfast and learn events (free Starbucks at 7am is awesome!). Most firms visit campus several times within one quarter, and this allows us to engage with senior Partners from a variety of different backgrounds. It really allows you to gain a holistic perspective of a firm: what type of work you might do, what type of people you might work with, and whereabouts in the country (or abroad!) you might like to work.

In addition to all the phenomenal on-campus networking opportunities that exist, several firms are eager to host Booth students at their company sites to really get an up-close look at specific opportunities. Last week I visited a firm headquartered outside Chicago where Booth alumni had organized a full day of events exclusively for current Booth students interested in interning at the firm. They brought in several senior executives to talk to us exclusively and, perhaps most telling, at the lunch event, 6 of us Booth first years had the opportunity to speak to over 15 Booth alumni who were more than happy to share their experiences with us and help us through the recruiting process.

Second year students

The alums are an integral part of the Booth community that eagerly provides support and assistance in your career search, and staying on that theme, so are second year students! Second years have been an amazing resource for me, not just in terms of learning about the firms that they spent their summer at, but also in terms of helping improve my profile and fit for the companies I am targeting. Sitting with a second year Career Advisor for just 30 minutes completely transformed my resume (just a side note, count on having about 20 different versions of your resume while you’re here!). The second years have also been extremely approachable and willing to be a source of advice not just for careers, but for life here in Chicago. In spite of their own hectic recruiting schedules, second years are always looking to help in whatever way they can. There is really a pay it forward mentality here, and I look forward to doing the same next year!!

Clubs

The various industry clubs at Booth are yet another fantastic platform to meet more firms and get advice on recruiting. The co-chairs of these clubs are very well networked with the HR teams of most firms in their respective industries, and they help organize a multitude of events. Each club also organized a resume review session with their members, which was especially helpful. Last week I attended a session organized by one of the clubs on interview preparation and leveraging my resume during informational sessions with firms.

Resumes, cover letters, informational interviews, coffee chats, corporate conversations, case interviews, fit interviews, closed lists, recruiting events, lunch n learns, breakfast n learns, cocktails, mocktails… the list goes on; but with the resources at hand I feel confident that I will be well prepared to tackle interview season!

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Below are pictures from a conference recently held by the Marketing Group, an example of one of many career-oriented events put on by students to connect with prominent industry leaders and alumni.


The conference was held at the University Club of Chicago


Pictured here: Panel on Innovation. Panelists included executives from American Express, PepsiCo, Groupon, and Campbell's. The panel was moderated by Professor Waverly Deutsch, of the Entrepreneurship department.


The evening concluded with a networking cocktail hour between students and representatives from sponsor companies.


Congratulations to the 2011-2012 Marketing Group Co-chairs on a successful event! Click here to learn more about the Marketing Group.