The Internship Search

By Lauren

"Congratulations, we would like to offer you a position as a Summer Associate....."

Those are the words every First-Year MBA student is waiting to hear. After a TON of time and effort, I can happily say that I finally heard those words, and my internship search is over! The internship search is daunting, time consuming, and a lot of work. But it's also exciting- you get to explore new companies and career paths. Through the process, I learned a lot about myself and envisioned myself in a number of different companies and career paths.

While everyone's internship search is different, here is my advice on going about the internship search.

Lauren's Keys to Successfully Finding an Internship

1. Start Early!
2. Network, Network, Network!
3. Attend Information Services
4. Use Career Services

Start Early: Beginning in September, I met with my Career Services Advisor to identify an internship search strategy that involved networking, attending information sessions, and exploring companies I was interested in. She helped me realize that any work I did in the beginning of the year would help me later on and that the sooner I started, the more companies I could explore, the more connections I could make, and the more I'd learn about what I really want to do.

Network: I set up a number of informational interviews throughout the first semester that positioned me well to secure an internship at the beginning of my second semester. I held two informational interviews with two employees and networked with several other people at the company I am interning for this summer. Those conversations not only helped me learn about the company, but were incredibly helpful during my interviews because I had prior insight into the company, demonstrated interest in the company, and a good explanation for why I wanted to intern there.

Attend Information Sessions:  BC brings top-ranked companies to campus for Information Sessions such as John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, Hasbro, CVS Caremark, EMC, and Oceanspray, to name a few. I attended as many information sessions as possible to learn about companies and industries I was interested in as well as ones I wanted to learn more about. Every information session is a learning opportunity as well as a great way to network with company representatives and establish relationships for the future. I made connections with several representatives at information sessions and made a point to introduce myself to the representatives of the company I'm interning for!

Use Career Services:  My career advisor was amazing. She was willing to meet with me as often as I needed to help guide me through the process. At first, I met with her every two weeks to prepare for informational interviews, brainstorm new companies to target and connections at those companies. She provided helpful advice on some of my cover letters. The day before one of my interviews, I had a freak out moment, and frantically emailed her asking for advice on how to prepare. She met with me for an hour, simulating an interview, helping me build my impact stories, and providing insight on the types of questions they would ask and pointed me towards facts I should know about the company. She also pumped me up and gave me an extra boost of confidence for the interviews.

The Interviews

So, what are internship interviews actually like?

First Round Interviews: Most of the companies I interviewed with started with a 30-45 minute behavioral interview where they asked basic questions like:

• Why an MBA?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What is your least favorite class?
• Tell me about a time when you had to use data to make a decision
• Tell me about a time when you navigated a difficult situation
• Tell me about a leadership experience

Most of my behavioral interviews were very relaxed- the interviewer was trying to get a feel for who I am as a person and if I would fit into the company culture.  

Second Round Interviews: Most of my second round interviews involved a 30-45 minutes case and a 30-60 minute behavioral interview. The cases I did were not as bad as I imagined they would be, but I would say they definitely require preparation! During the case, my best piece of advice is to take a minute to organize how you are going to present your analysis so that you come across organized and make a more compelling analysis.  

"Super Day" Interviews: Some companies host "Super Day" interviews, where they bring lots of candidates to the company's office in for a series of interview (mix of case and behavioral). During these days, they not only evaluate you on how well you perform in the interviews, but also on how you interact with others while you're waiting for your interview. They may have a room reserved for candidates, where they converse with each other and current employees. This is a great opportunity to show that you can play well with others and fit in with the company culture. Not surprisingly, the interviews during Super Days vary- for example, one company I interviewed with had four separate 30-minute, back-to-back interviews, while another had a very relaxed pace. I came an hour early for my interview to mingle in the candidate lounge and stayed afterwards to eat lunch with candidates.

That has been my experience so far!  Hopefully these tips are helpful!

The G51 Venture Capital Scholar Program

by Khanh

In my last post, I briefly talked about my decision to attend the Carroll School and how much I enjoyed the applied learning aspect of the program here. This time, I would like to delve deeper into my favorite program, the G51 Venture Capital Scholar, and relay my experience so far.

The program was started approximately ten years ago by Rudy Garza, the Founder and Managing Partner of G51 Capital. Initially, Rudy was working with a couple of in-state institutions in Texas, including UT Austin and Baylor University. Thanks to its overwhelming success, the program quickly grew to a national level and, as of this fall, involved more than ten top tier institutions, including MIT, Harvard, Northwestern, Duke, and Boston College.

For every school, Rudy aims at selecting three to four graduate students from diverse backgrounds, such as business, engineering, and computer science. All share the same passion for entrepreneurship and venture capital. Working with Rudy and the other Managing Partners has been a fantastic experience and, frankly, my learning curve has grown exponentially over the course of three months.

During the program, G51 Scholars are expected to fulfill the following tasks: deal flow review, communication with entrepreneurs, local deal flow and specific projects as assigned by the Managing Partners. Says Rudy, “Our goal is to create an exceptional network of future business leaders grounded in technology innovation and entrepreneurship. We are connecting with the best business schools and entrepreneurial institutions, in the United States and internationally, to enable a global renaissance of science and technology commercialization.”

Since G51 invests in hardware, software, clean technology and internet service companies, the Scholars have plenty of freedom to carry out the sourcing process. So far, I represented G51 at a number of start-up events, including the MIT Bootcamp, Harvard Cyberposium, and the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum. In addition, another rewarding aspect of the program is our exposure to some inspiring visitors in the field of technology entrepreneurship during our teleconference. At one point, I found myself pitching a company to Rudy, without realizing that Lee Walker, the first President of Dell Computing, was also in the room. Thankfully, his follow-up comments were positive.

The G51 Venture Capital Scholar Program has been an amazing journey for me here at BC. I look forward to continuing my commitment to the program in the spring.

Introducing...

by Christopher

By ways of a late introduction, my name is Chris and I'm a Full-Time MSF student in the Carroll School of Management.

I know, I know, you've been reading these posts and everyone is either a Full-Time MSF or MBA student in the Carroll School here at Boston College. What makes me different? After I chose Boston College, Boston College chose me. That's because I'm a "Double Eagle."

Here's the part where I explain why I decided to come to Boston College and pursue my Master's in Finance. But that story begins nearly five years ago, as I was in the midst of undergraduate college applications. When I visited Boston College for the first time, I fell in love. The beautiful campus, the strategic location right outside the city, the homey feeling, and of course the fall New England weather, pulled me to Chestnut Hill like static cling from a helium balloon. After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Economics this past May from the College of Arts and Sciences, I knew I had to come back.

Most of my finance-related experience was personal - that is, non-academic. Though I took a number of electives in the school of management as an undergrad, my focus on economics detracted from my ability to foster and cultivate my expertise in financial theory - my other passion. Sure, I was trading stocks on an almost-daily basis during my sophomore year, and served as the Vice-President of the Boston College Investment Club during my junior and senior years, but if you asked me about the assumptions of the capital asset pricing model I would've been totally lost. So I came back to the place I called my second home for four years to get in some more schooling before going out into the "real world" - because a place like this makes you want to kick that can down the road for as long as possible.

So here I am - enrolled in the graduate program, taking four night classes while working as a Graduate Assistant. And I must say, the program is great. In the first seven weeks of the semester, we've already had a career fair, countless information sessions, and on-campus interviews. In addition, we've had numerous networking opportunities both on and off-campus, as well as multiple chances to reach out to recruiters about open job positions. I think you see where I'm going - Boston College has an amazing network. I know, lots of people say that. And even more people question how BC can have such a tight alumni network given how large of a university it is. But that's just it. Even if you didn't sit next to the head recruiter at your dream job during your seven-person senior seminar and grab dinner with the director of human resources after completing a group project, BC grads are BC grads through and through.

It's purely because Boston College graduates take so many different trajectories and career paths that going to a large school like BC gives you the benefit of a high-volume network and also a close-knit network. And for me that was really it - the people. I came back to BC because of the people, and I don't just mean the network. The students, the professors, the administrators, all the way to the man who starts his day cleaning Fulton Hall just as my day is ending - they're all classic. They're all great, wonderful, inspiring people, who each have a story to tell. And I'm here to listen to all their stories.

Until next time,
Christopher

Why BC?

by Lauren

I can't believe how quickly the last seven weeks have flown by! I just spent the last week crunching for final exams with my classmates and am relieved that they are finally over!

I'm excited to share my experiences over the next two years with you through this blog. Since this is my first post, let me start by telling you a little bit about myself and how I found myself pursuing an MBA at Boston College.

About Me:
I grew up in a suburb of Boston and went to Colgate University, earning my bachelor's degree in Political Science and History. Not yet ready to return to Boston, I moved to North Carolina (a big move for me!) to work in business development and marketing for an International Development non-profit. Now, you might be wondering, what exactly does that mean? It means I worked for a U.S. Agency for International Development contractor that designed and implemented programs to improve health, education, and governance systems in developing countries.

Raleigh, NC, 

I loved the work of the non-profit, but realized I was also passionate about marketing. So after two years, I made a career switch and started working in the marketing department for a pharmaceutical manufacturer. There, I had my hands in everything from event management, to online advertising, campaign development and other marketing activities.  I was also heavily involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society- Greater Carolinas Chapter in my free time. I loved it!


Why an MBA? 
I chose to get an MBA to advance my career. In my last job, I found myself struggling to understand some parts of the business, and realized that if I wanted to run my own department, I needed to have a better understanding of business and management. I saw a gap between where I was and where I wanted to be in my career. I knew an MBA would give me the skills, education and experience to get there more quickly.

Why Boston College?
I chose Boston College for a number of reasons, but the number one reason is the people. I was blown away by the sense of community I felt among the students I met. Everyone was engaging, motivating and had interesting backgrounds. BC is also one of the few schools I looked at that requires MBA students to complete a community service requirement.  Giving back to the community and being a part of the community has always been important to me and something I really enjoy, so I knew that BC would be a good fit for me.

Photo Courtesy of Boston College

The second reason? Boston! It's a great city with tons to see and do. Not only is it a fun city, but also it's the city I see myself ending up in after I graduate, and I wanted a school with strong connections in the Boston community. My family is also in the New England area, and I wanted to be closer to them.

The third reason is that once you're an Eagle, you're always an Eagle. Alumni networks are powerful, and BC has one of the best. It was important to me to be able to tap into an alumni network while I explore internship and job opportunities. While I also see myself ending up in the Boston area, I also wanted to go to a school with national connections, and there are BC alumni groups everywhere!

Great Decision!
It has only been seven weeks, but I already love Boston College! For a small program, there are a lot of events, information sessions, and activities going on. There's no shortage of things to do and resources to take advantage of.  So far, so good!

Making the Big Decision - Picking the Right Business School

by Zach

Welcome! My name is Zach and I am a first year MBA student at Boston College.


I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from Colby College in Maine, where I received a bachelor's in Mathematics. After graduating, I returned to Denver, where I worked for the Colorado State Treasury issuing municipal bonds to build public schools around the state. While I really enjoyed my time at the Treasury, I decided to move back to the East Coast. I took a job for a large financial services company in Boston, where I worked for two years before applying to business school.

I found the process of applying to business school to be a long and arduous task. Starting with the GMAT all the way through interviews; it was a stressful and time-consuming process. However, at the end of the day, I personally found making the final decision on where I should go to be one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make. Business school is a major investment in my future and will have an enormous impact on my career and life going forward. I'd like to take the time to let you all know the criteria I used to make my final decision.

Alumni Network
The biggest item I weighed in my decision process was the alumni network. I wanted to go to a school that not only had a robust alumni network, but also one that had close ties with the school. If I have learned anything since graduating from Colby, it's as much about who you know as what you know. I have found that BC grads really are committed to the school and actively help and mentor current students.

Once I committed to Boston College, I was shocked by the number of people at the organization I worked who came up to congratulate me and let me know each of them were BC graduates. Since starting b-school, I have also been surprised to see just how deep the alumni network goes. As I begin my internship search, I plan on starting with the BC alumni network.

Culture

The second decision criteria I used was culture. I wanted to go somewhere where I could develop close friendships and work in a collaborative environment. One of the first things that stood out to me was BC's Core Values: Honesty & Integrity, Mutual Respect, Pursuit of Excellence and Personal Accountability. You'll find these values framed and posted in every classroom in Fulton Hall. Visiting the campus, it is clear that these values are one of the driving factors of our culture. Since starting school, I can attest to the fact that we are a very close community who work collaboratively to further our understanding and skills. We also live by our core values.

Class Size
The third decision criteria I looked at was class size. I wanted to go to a school where I could really get to know my professors, advisers and classmates. Each incoming Full-Time MBA class is roughly 100 students. The smaller class size has allowed me to get to know each of my classmates as well as my professors, academic and career advisers on a personal level. So far, I have had a wonderful experience and could not be happier with my choice.

Location
Location was another major factor in my decision. Because I would ideally like to stay in Boston after I graduate, I picked a school close to the city. Going to Boston College has allowed me to develop my network and connections and target companies I am interested in within the Boston area. Finally, the BC name and reputation has proven to be invaluable in building my network in Boston. 

A Final Thought
Making the final decision can be very stressful and difficult. In order to make the process easier, I would suggest you pick a few important criteria to help you weigh the options.

If any of you have different criteria or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment!
  

Looking Forward

Casey, MBA '15

by Casey

Hello and welcome to my blog! I am excited to share with you all of my upcoming adventures in the MBA program here at Boston College. Although I have only been here a little under two months, I already feel at home. A Home is a place where you feel loved, accepted and can be yourself – and I can honestly say that is how I feel about my new BC community. Everyone from my classmates to the professors to the administrators has welcomed me with open arms!

Who Am I?
I grew up in a suburb of Buffalo, NY, and attended SUNY Geneseo (about an hour away from Buffalo) where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a minor in Spanish. After graduation, I returned to live with my parents and begin the dreaded first job search. The jobs available at that time were slim and so I accepted the first one that came along – a floor sales position with a furniture company. I quickly realized that this was not the job for me and began looking for something else. I visited a friend from college who was living and working in Boston, and she helped get me a job with her employer. Within a span of 4 weeks, I packed up my life in Buffalo and moved to Boston to embark on a new adventure. Boston is an amazing city and I am proud to call it home!

Why MBA?
Getting my MBA has always been a goal of mine, ever since I was an undergrad. Several of my Geneseo classmates were going on to get their MBAs right away, but I knew that I wanted and needed job experience first. An MBA is a seemingly natural progression from a business administration undergraduate degree, and so while I never considered obtaining any other master's degree, for me, it was all about timing. Could I get my employer to pay for my MBA? Should I go part-time or full-time?

Why Now?
For the last six years, I worked at a top 4 accounting firm in downtown Boston, preparing tax returns for international executives. I came in with no prior experience but was able to learn on the job and grow comfortable speaking the language of tax. I grew within the company and was promoted several times during the course of my employment. I was being challenged and the work was interesting, but I knew that I was not passionate about it and sometimes even dreaded the work day ahead of me. I was complacent at my job and fell into a rut. A change was needed! I had set a personal goal of getting my master’s within five years of graduating, but life got in the way. There comes a time and place (and this was true for me) when you can no longer make excuses and just have to make a decision. I realized last November that there is no time like the present! I kicked my MBA grad school application process into high gear so that I could make application deadline cutoffs for the fall start date.

Why BC?
The Carroll School of Management was the only MBA graduate program I applied to - and I'll tell you why. Hands down, it was the strength of their community. Because the MBA program is relatively small, I knew that the community of my classmates would be especially important. Now that I am here I also realize another key factor that I might not have known before attending, and that is that the students are collaborative rather than competitive. Personally, I do not think that I would have thrived in a highly competitive program, and so I am infinitely grateful that this is not one of BC MBA's espoused values or part of its culture. Does everyone want to do their very best and work hard in every class? Of course. But we are not cutting each other down to be the best we can be. Working on teams has really shown us the positives of being collaborative and working together. I know for a fact many of us would not have survived accounting otherwise!

Another part of BC's community is their alumni network. Although I did not know anyone that had graduated from the MBA program here, I knew several other alums from other BC graduate schools and they could not stop raving about BC and their experiences. There seemed to be such pride in being an "Eagle" that I just couldn't wait to be one myself! BC alumni seem to be in every city of every state of the country, and even internationally. The network is HUGE and a great resource for current students and recent graduates. With the support and guidance of this strong alumni network, I knew I could go and do just about anything.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, how could you NOT want to go to school on BC's beautiful campus? Since moving to Boston, BC had been in the back of my mind as the dream campus - the rolling hills, the beautiful buildings, the green quads, all next to the blue waters of the reservoir. When friends came to visit, I would actually take them walking around BC just because I thought it was picturesque.

What Happens Next?
Although I want to cherish these next two years, I know the time will fly by. We are challenged to look forward to what we will do when we leave here. I am excited to discover more about myself - my passions, my abilities, my skills, my weaknesses - and use this information to help direct and steer my career forward. Change is scary and we can dread the unknown, but I am confident that the MBA program here at Boston College will help equip me to be the best 'me' I can be - as corny as that sounds. They truly want me to succeed, even more than I do! I feel blessed for all the opportunities I will have and the doors that will open for me. Can't wait to see what the future holds!

Networking for Success!

by Siobhan

A major benefit of attending business school at a university with a network as large as BC’s is the access to various speakers and events on campus and in the greater Boston area. It’s easy to get caught up in your schoolwork and even the many social activities that a MBA program provides, but a huge part of the reason I returned to business school was to grow my network. The easiest place to start is by developing strong relationships with your classmates, along with faculty and staff at your university, but it’s also important to evaluate what other professional networking opportunities exist in your MBA program. A few unique networking aspects of BC’s program are:

• Classroom Guest Speakers: Over the past 3 quarters, a number of our professors have invited alumni and other relevant guests within their network to speak to our classes. These speakers have ranged from the Vice President of Marketing at Hasbro to the CEO of Boston Duck Tours to the CEO of Naragansett Brewery, to many other individuals who are eager to share their experience on various topics with our classes. Our professors are also happy to make introductions between students and their contacts and it’s always great when you are able to make that personal connection and relate it to a classroom experience.

• Manager’s Studio: A unique aspect of the BC MBA program, Manager’s Studio brings top executives to campus to share their personal and professional experiences with students. This year, I’ve attended three fantastic sessions that have provided me with great perspective on the skills I need to continue to develop during my time at BC in order to be a successful executive. Each session begins with an interview, followed by Q&A, and concludes with a reception that provides us with the opportunity to introduce ourselves and network with the executive.

• CEO Club of Boston: The CEO Club of Boston hosts seven or eight luncheons a year, typically at a location in downtown Boston. Although space is limited, typically there is space for MBA students. This provides an intimate setting to learn about key issues affecting both business and the economy from a leader within their industry.

• Boston College Events & Lecture Series: We are fortunate that Boston College has such an extensive network of centers and forums that are constantly putting on a variety of events and lecture series that are open to the university community as a whole. The Winston Center for Leadership & Ethics frequently offers lunch time lecture series or brown bag lunches with leaders on a specific topic. The speakers are sometimes alumni – but many times are notable leaders from the greater community eager to share their experience with the Boston College community.

• Being in Boston!: Although this may seem obvious, the access to other conferences and lectures put on by other leading universities is priceless. Recently, I attended the Dynamic Women in Business Conference put on by Harvard Business School. Classmates of mine attended the Social Enterprise Conference that HBS hosted as well earlier this year and others attended an Entrepreneurship Conference hosted by Babson. I’ve heard of students attending tech conferences hosted by MIT and there are countless other events that fortunately, due to our location in such a rich academic city, we are able to leverage as frequently as we would like.