As an accelerated student (I have a BComm from the University of British Columbia with a Management Information Systems concentration), I had to jump in the deep end and figure out all the tricks of the b-school trade very quickly. (First tip: Have your resume polished for internships and permanent positions before even starting the program, recruitment events begin right away) So current and future students can have a smoother path to the three letters, I'm writing an "MBA survival lens" with links to great sites for researching material for course assignments (note: big bias to marketing here), networking, job hunting tips, and interview tips.
How to make your MBA fun, enjoyable, and rewarding
I admit, in undergrad, I skipped a few classes but by the time I got around to my MBA I was older and wiser...ok older. See it costs a lot more for the MBA so you might as well go to class and get to know your professors. You might find the lectures and discussions interesting, many of your professors have lead really interesting lives.
Use the services of your career centre early and often. Get to know the staff really well. You know how they say employers usually hire people they like? The career centre people will give more help to the people they like.
Join a few clubs, get on the executive of one (or a few) or start a new one. It's a great way to meet people and practice your skills. BTW, employers like initiative and leadership
It's an overused cliche but it has to be said: network, network, and keep networking. More importantly, socialize. You'll find it more relaxing than networking and you'll get more than a job or a business contact, you'll get a friend.
Use the services of your career centre early and often. Get to know the staff really well. You know how they say employers usually hire people they like? The career centre people will give more help to the people they like.
Join a few clubs, get on the executive of one (or a few) or start a new one. It's a great way to meet people and practice your skills. BTW, employers like initiative and leadership
It's an overused cliche but it has to be said: network, network, and keep networking. More importantly, socialize. You'll find it more relaxing than networking and you'll get more than a job or a business contact, you'll get a friend.
MBA Reference Sites
These are great for a quick reference or an interesting read.
- Quick MBA
- The Cliffs Notes of almost all MBA textbooks
- Harvard Business School Working Knowedge
- It reads like an online version of Harvard Business Review with though the articles are written in a more mainstream business press style. There's a good mix of academic and practical articles. A great start to an assignment but also a very interesting read.
- Top MBA
- A general resource guide to getting into the MBA. I went to their MBA fair before applying and I found it really helpful. Even got to take a sample class. I recommend all new applicants attend the fair to get an idea of what each school has to offer. Be sure to take the mock class.
- Knowledge @ Wharton
- Harvard doesn't have a monopoly of business knowledge. Another great resource for very insightful articles in business
Favourite Sites About Marketing
- Reveries
- If it's offbeat, quirky, or cutting edge, you'll find it here in Fast Company columnist Tim Manners' webzine, Reveries. Learn about the latest trends, offbeat products and services, and unusual marketing campaigns.
- Marketing Profs
- A collection of opinion pieces about various aspects of marketing. The "Know How Exchange" (Click Forums to access it) is a great way to pick the brains of marketing professionals. They have a special section for students. I've always been rewarded with fast and quick answers to my questions.
- Marketing Vox
- Short snippet articles about what's going on in online marketing
- Clickz
- Another great source for online marketing news. The articles here are a little more in-depth than Marketing Vox
Favourite Business Books
These books are great reads as well as informative. While all the career advice books say you should give a non-fiction book when an interviewer asks you what the last book you read was, don't neglect novels too. The brain works best when it's fed variety.
Career Help
These online tools are merely a starting point. The key to landing a career is to build a network of friends and acquaintances through social activities. Secondly, attend all the recruitment events and career centre seminars offerred.
- Linked In
- A social networking site for professionals and job seekers.
- Vault
- A great resource for finding out the good, the bad, and the ugly about working at most major North American corporations. It also gives good cover letter, resume and networking tips. A lot of the site requires a paid subscription. Some school career centres will provide access to Vault to its students as part of their tuition.
- Wet Feet
- Very similar to Vault.
- NexCareer
- Nex Career performs outplacement services while Destiny ME provides career coaching and job search help for those whose companies aren't paying for it. I've had really positive experiences with my career coach there helping me sell myself through my resume, my elevator speech, and finding themes among my disparate previous careers. So for those in the Greater Toronto Area, I highly recommend it.
- Second Harvest
- Ok this has nothing to do with careers but I volunteer for this charity and they could use the publicity. It's a great cause (delivering food that would otherwise go to waste to various social service agencies throughout Toronto) and I encourage anyone to donate.
Even if you do have that great job, you should try to give back to the community by volunteering. You make new friends and have a lot of fun.
Cool News of the Day
Fascinating articles about marketing and cultural trends from Reveries Magazine (mentioned above).
Reveries Extra Texture
Interesting marketing news collected from mainstream online publications throughout the world
by Jason_Dojc
I graduated from the MBA program at the Schulich School of Business - York University in December 2005 specializing in marketing. I currently work as... more »
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