The MBA Student Voice

The Sky is the Limit at UCLA Anderson!

Wow, so much going on at Anderson as always! This month is especially exciting for me, not because it is my birthday (which it is, but at my age you try to ignore them not acknowledge them), but because it is my WEDDING! That's right, while many of my classmates including Rikin Mantri and Rob Michlovich are headed off on the awesome-sounding Japan trip sponsored by the Japanese American Business Association (JABA), or to Hawaii, a mere 5-hour flight away, like my friend Sarah Fixler, Stanton and I are headed back east to my hometown of Atlanta for the Society Event of the Year. Just kidding, but it is going to be wonderful and I can't wait! (Less wonderful will be getting married Saturday night EST and being in class on Monday PST, but what are honeymoons if not opportunities for learning and stress?)

Stanton and I actually met because we discovered we both enjoy long walks on the beach.

For those of who you who totally freak out reading about something like a wedding, fear not, most of my fellow students are single and living the swingin' LA life. There are about 1,000 fun options to choose from any night you can possibly go out,and the always-amazing In-N-Out burger stays open late for your post-party hunger cravings.

There are many other activities besides nightlife- just this weekend was a fun visit to a winery up in Malibu that members of the Anderson Wine Club took advantage of a beautiful Saturday to enjoy. Check out that attire, yes it was 78 degrees!

Alan Druckman (far left) apparently mistook the theme of "wine party" for "pool party" but other than that it's a pretty solid group! (Thanks to James Vogl for photo.)

In other news, I know I mentioned in my last blog post that I was still conducting interviews with various companies to lock down my internship for this summer. I am pleased to say that I have now accepted an offer and will be headed to Seattle, WA to be a Product Manager at Amazon!

I couldn't be more thrilled, as I have been incredibly impressed by the company, its people, and a philosophy that really clicks for me. Plus they are doing some amazing things in the tech space and it seems like they are only getting started! I'm pretty psyched about spending a summer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where we get to live in downtown Seattle in South Lake Union near the brand new Amazon HQs and take the light rail to work!

It's pretty cool of Amazon to put its interns up in the Space Needle for our summer housing!

Recruiting, Races, Amazing Weather: Winter Quarter at UCLA Anderson!

It's hard to believe winter quarter is already halfway done! If I thought that things were going to slow down a bit after the craziness of Fall (full disclosure: I did.), well, I was wrong! But, at the risk of sounding like a broken record in all my posts, I am still loving all of it.

Where to begin: it's been a crazy quarter, full of RECRUITING and schoolwork and RECRUITING and wedding planning and Marathons and RECRUITING. That's right, first-years are allowed to attend company presentations and network in the Fall, but companies can't actually solicit applications from us until the Winter. So they do! Before we were even back to class, I was in Seattle for the great Days on the Job event put on by the High Tech Business Association (HTBA), visiting the offices of Amazon, Microsoft, Expedia, and T-Mobile. Resumes and cover letters were due en masse all throughout January, and interviews are still being conducted as I type. I have been lucky enough to interview with some truly excellent companies; a sampling of them includes:

Awesome companies that came to UCLA Anderson to recruit it's even awesomer students!

The process has treated me well with all my hard work this Fall and Winter paying off in the form of second round interviews and even an offer so far. You'll have to stay tuned to this blog to find out where I decide to spend my summer! But I do want to offer faith for those career and function switchers out there: if I can go from being a real estate developer to a product manager at a top-tier technology firm, anyone can do it!

In between recruiting I have managed to squeeze in two big races, qualifying for the 2012 New York City Marathon by running a 1:35 at the 13.1 Los Angeles Half Marathon in January, and qualifying for the 2013 Boston Marathon by running a 3:32 at the Huntington Beach Marathon last weekend. I bring this up here because I was talking to a prospective member of the class of 2014 over coffee the other day, and he told me he had heard that there isn't time for exercise because you are so busy in school. Well, he obviously asked the right (wrong??) person, because I set him straight. Continuing to run during all the insanity has kept me centered and provided me with some coveted "me time." In addition, I'm exploiting the fact that we don't have to look neat and polished like in a work setting at school, as I will go running around campus at lunch and then return just in time for class. This might explain why no one ever sits next to me, but hey, at least I'm staying sane. (Just kidding, I do have friends - honest!- and with SoCal's dry weather, I sweat about 1/16th as much as I did in humid Florida.)

This begs the question, was it me... or was it those amazing pink socks???

I should clarify that I did not photoshop myself into a beautiful beach background in the above photo, this is actually what I ran along for 26.2 miles. Yeah, it's pretty nice here. The weather has been downright amazing for the last two months. Temperatures hover around 78 degrees every day, the sun is shining, the air has a light breeze, people are wearing shorts- I feel like I need to pinch myself to be sure it's really January and February. Having experienced the fantastic weather out here, I think YOU would have to pay ME to go to business school in New England at this point! 

Hire Learning

In college football, signing day is a big deal. It marks the first day a recruit can sign a letter of intent to play college football. It also represents the culmination of what can be four years of recruiting. Signing day was especially kind to UCLA this year, as the Bruins hauled in a class that some analysts rank as high as number 12 in the nation. Why am I mentioning this? I don’t know. Maybe more people will go to Anderson tailgates next year.

What I’m getting at is that it’d be really nice if business school had a signing day. Why can’t the first Wednesday in February be the day in which every first-year student signs a letter of intent for a summer internship? Wishful thinking, I guess. Still, many of my friends have landed their summer gigs. If you’re an investment banker, you’ve most likely accepted an offer. Same goes with some on the consulting and marketing career paths. But for those of us who are chasing more non-traditional MBA roles, the recruiting process can take longer.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I’m recruiting for entertainment. I liken entertainment recruiting to Chicago winters. They can start as early as September and last into April or May. I started the recruiting process in September by reaching out to alumni for informational interviews. Right now I’m sending out applications and doing a few interviews. But I’ve fully conditioned myself to the fact that I may not have an offer until the spring. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing a pity party. Instead, I look at this process as an opportunity to network more, learn about the opportunities out there, and find the perfect one.

So what is the perfect role? I’m glad you asked. I don’t know. But what I do know is that Anderson is doing everything in its power to help me figure that out. Thanks to the resources of the Entertainment Management Association (EMA), I’ve been able to do some incredible networking this quarter. Since being back from break, I’ve made recruiting trips to a number of studios, including Sony, Paramount, Warner Bros., Disney and Fox. I’ve also participated in sponsored trips to Hulu and Creative Artists Agency.

Our esteemed group at Paramount. I’m the guy in the dark suit.

If you’re not impressed, consider my recent trip to New York. In two days in the Big Apple, a number of entertainment-focused classmates and I visited NBC Universal, IAC, Focus Features, Tribeca Enterprises, Google, ABC/ESPN and Fox. We met with alumni at pretty much each stop and adhered to my b-school motto: ABN (always be networking). 

I know what you’re thinking, but no, I did not make the cut in the Rockettes tryouts. Why do you think I'm looking for a job?

I also found time to go to the Sundance Film Festival with some friends from the EMA. I saw a few great movies, soaked up the celebrity scene, and attended a Stella Artois party that was highlighted by free waffles. Free waffles! I mean, seriously, does it get any better?

Snow in Utah. Very pretty. You know what it doesn’t do in L.A.? Snow. And I’m fine with that.

My point is that if I already had my job, maybe I wouldn’t be as eager to take advantage of these amazing opportunities. Still, if you’re hiring, let me know. 

-Willem

Follow me on Twitter: @willsouthwood

 

Guest post - Being ‘Out’ @ Anderson

Hello readers, I hope your 2012 is off to a great start!  Today I have a guest post from Joel Rosenzweig, a first year student who helped coordinate our first open house geared towards LGBT prospective students.  Please read on for highlights on the event as well as Joel's perspective on UCLA Anderson's LGBT community.  He also shares some helpful application tips for you at the end!

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On November 16th, the UCLA Anderson MBA Office of Admissions, in conjunction with Anderson’s LGBT student group Out@Anderson held our first Preview Day geared specifically to prospective LGBT students.  The turnout was impressive, with prospective students attending from around the country and world.  Candidates spent the day on campus, learning about the Anderson program, community and student life, with representation from Admissions, Financial Aid and the Parker Career Management Center.  After class visits and a campus tour guided by members of Out@Anderson, an informal reception was hosted so that candidates could mingle with staff, current students and LGBT alumni.  Dean Judy Olian even showed up to speak with prospective students, which was a treat for us all!

I am continually amazed by the passion that the administration, faculty and members of the Anderson community show towards embracing diversity.  Anderson proves to be not only a world-class institution, but also one that is welcoming to people and perspectives of all backgrounds.   Feedback from the event has been universally positive from those who attended.  We anticipate that this is the first of many such events in the future intended to build a stronger bridge between prospective LGBT candidates and the Anderson community.

One question that came up repeatedly throughout the day that I would like to personally address was most predictably regarding the admissions process.  Many candidates asked how ‘out’ they should be on their application.  Now I have to admit that at this point in my life I could not come across as “in” if I tried!  But, in all seriousness, why not embrace who you are?  After all, that is the entire point of the application- to highlight your accomplishments and shine a spotlight onto yourself.  As far as your achievements in life can be credited to your orientation, I believe it can only make a stronger case for yourself.  I, for example, am extremely passionate about serving the LGBT community and felt it was both necessary and relevant to elaborate upon this in my application.  I knew that whichever MBA program I would choose to attend I would continue to serve in this capacity.  My passion for service is a strong fit with the socially minded entrepreneurial culture that thrives at Anderson.  I am certain this is one of many elements that gained my admission to the Class of 2013.

I encourage all prospective students to spend the time learning about the school, its student body and their interaction with the surrounding community.  Is it an island onto itself or is it fully integrated into the neighborhood?  I desired the latter.  Los Angeles has historically been one of the most inclusive and progressive destinations in the world for LGBT individuals.  As the entertainment capital of the world, LGBT’s for many years have flocked to Los Angeles for jobs opportunities, a fresh start and general acceptance.  As such, I feel comfortable and welcomed being ‘out’ both on campus as well as outside of it.

Please reach out to me or other members of Out@Anderson if you have any questions about the application process, our decision to come to Anderson, or the “good life” in Los Angeles.  To me, UCLA Anderson represents a place where I can truly be my true, unabashed self. 

Cheers,

Joel Rosenzweig

joel.rosenzweig.2013@anderson.ucla.edu

Women's Business Connection Brunch Series II: Consulting

Gopi Jayaswal & Alli Alter, both MBA class of 2013. Thank you for organizing the event!

It's that time again: another post of the Women's Business Connection brunch series! This time, we're honing in on women in consulting in the greater Los Angeles area. The event was held on Sunday, November 20th at Hotel Angeleno in West Los Angeles (yes, I am behind on my posting schedule!). Companies in attendance were Bain, Deloitte (S&O and human capital), ZS Associates, Monitor Group, and PWC. Each company brought out two of its female representatives and it was another fabulous event hosted by the WBC here at UCLA Anderson. The great thing about these events is that us full-time students can also mingle & meet the fully-employed MBA students, who usually are only on campus once or twice a week as they're working full time and going to school (the resolve and dedication of these folks are amazing!).

So we all know the drill: consulting = incessant travel and time away from home. Ever see the movie, Up in the Air? Many fear that management consulting is a job for the lonely and emotionally unavailable. And it is true that the travel naturally comes with the territory and thus can easily burn out the most enthusiastic--but uninitiated--associate. This, however, is remediated by the fact that most consulting companies go above and beyond their call of duty when it comes to career development coaching and internal HR consulting services.

What was so important about this specific consulting brunch series is that these female consultants all focused in on the obstacles they have faced--and are facing--and how each company strives to tailor to their needs and accomodate their possible family plans. These are issues that hit close to home for many of us females and it's important that we all know what we're diving into when we face a new career. And as was the case for the previous finance brunch, all the reps in attendance were frank and candid in their experiences and that made the brunch experience all the more genuine and heartfelt. I know this sounds like a thinly-disguised plug, but the Women's Business Connection at Anderson really have set up a great set of brunches and events to make the business school experience all-the-more enriching for female students. I'm definitely looking forward to attending all of the brunch series and will dutifully continue to blog about them!

-- Connie Kim

connie.kim.2013@anderson.ucla.edu

@UCLAMBA

Second Year

Second year has a very different rhythm from first. This time a year ago I remember looking at a list of deliverables due in the next three weeks and having no idea how I'd survive until winter break. This year the list is daunting, but definitely survivable.

It isn't exactly that the second year is "easier" than first. (Though it probably is, insofar as I no longer have to contort my brain into accounting-speak.) Second year is equally busy; the difference is that you chose everything piled on your plate. 

One of the things I did last year, that I'm excited to do again, is Project Echo. A business plan competition for high school students, Project Echo introduces young people to every step of the process of creating a viable business. Each student team is assigned a group of MBA mentors. We advise them on how to build their business plan and help them prepare for the final competition, when each team presents their plan to a panel of judges from the community. 

Last year I had the opportunity to review many of the student business plans, and to watch a number of student groups present their ideas. It was amazing to see how far the teams had come during the months of competition, from an unformed concept to a detailed, well-informed and realizable business plan. Many of the teams have already successfully put their ideas into practice!

When it came time to decide whether to sign up for Project Echo this year, I did hesitate. So much to do, etc. But ultimately I had to recognize that Project Echo gave back everything we put into it last year and more. Gaining early experience with business and entrepreneurship will be tremendously valuable for the participating students. Plus, it was a lot of fun.

So I signed up. In a few days my team will be meeting our new students, who already have a number of great ideas for their project. I can't wait!

-- Tara Egan

tara.egan.2012@anderson.ucla.edu

@UCLAMBA

Odyssey Ropes Course at UCLA Anderson!

As Charlotte mentioned in the previous post, orientation has officially kicked off a couple weeks ago and then the bloggers disappeared off the face of the earth.  To be more specific, we clearly are enjoying our time too much socializing and studying (cough) to update our readers.  It sounds a bit blunt, but it's the honest truth.  On top of taking on a 2-unit course on the foundations of leadership--complete with a final exam--our schedules pretty much run from Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.  And sometimes, we have to stay on campus until 7 PM (the horror!).  The Anderson admin really has tried to break up the week as much as possible, so we'll have one day of being absorbed in academia and another immersed in various physical activities.  One such physical activity that we were subject to is the Odyssey ropes course.  

Click on to continue reading!

The Social Network

Me, Liwen Tsai, and Judy Hsu, all incoming first years, class of 2013!  Location: the Grove in mid-Wilshire area.

As I mentioned in a previous post, orientation didn't even officially kick in yet.  But I find myself being swept up in a flurry of social events over the last several weeks.  There have been unofficial get-togethers probably almost every other day, and already the pressures of time management and keeping commitments are building (and could there be a more important skill to have as a b-school student than time management?).

I've been here in Los Angeles so I was able to attend a few casual happy hours as soon as I found out I was accepted to Anderson.  It was defintely easier to connect with new admits during those events because the groups were kept small & tidy.  As time went on and more and more admits started to migrate to the west coast, the events kept snowballing and growing in size--culminating in a 150 students strong outing last week in Santa Monica.  This inevitably leads to quick five-and ten-minute meet & greets with a random sampling of new admits and the one thing that I quickly realized was how diverse the student body is.  Sure, there is your bevy of corporate finance folks and accountants, but I've also had the pleasure of meeting TV writers, food truck owners, teachers, and political campaigners.  You know how we always read about business schools wanting to "round out" their student bodies and we scoff at such remarks?  Well, I found out first-hand that there is truth to those statements.

Just yesterday a second year, Claire Pomeroy, organized a beach day for incoming students at Santa Monica beach.  I was finshing my move so I couldn't stay long, but was able to snap some photos of the scenery.

Click on!

UCLA Anderson Pre-Orientation Trip: Big Sur

Exactly four months ago, the UCLA Anderson Class of 2013 received an email inviting us to sign up for a Pre-Orientation trip. With options ranging from rock climbing, to hiking Yosemite, canoeing in Arizona, I knew it when I saw it: “Trip #4: Backpacking Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness.”

Activity level was marked as “physically demanding” and the UCLA Recreation department was not kidding. Each equipped with a backpack that would last us 4 days in the great outdoors, we were on our way. The breathtaking beauty of Highway 1 took us to our first stop, Limekiln State Park.

We gradually began our transition to the tranquil outdoors at Limekiln. We listened to the sound of crashing waves, got our feet wet in the Pacific Ocean, and stacked stones in cairn zen-like piles. 

That first evening we got the "101" on the great outdoors: we learned to recognize poison ivy and hiked a bit to a beautiful waterfall in the state park. We then worked together to chop ingredients and cook the best Thai Fried Rice I’ve ever had. No cell phones, no currency, just a group of 12 incoming MBA students with our 2 amazing guides – about to begin our adventure.   

Laid out like sardines on a few ground tarps, every single one of us slept under the stars. There is something so zen, so amazing about waking up to droplets of early morning dew falling on your face. And once you open your eyes, you see the vast height of redwoods stretching out into the dawn-colored sky.

Filled up on hearty oatmeal and fresh fruit we packed our bags, dividing all group gear we’d carry on our backs over the next 3 days. And thus we ventured off into the Ventana Wilderness, backpacking 10 miles each way across the rolling Pine Ridge Trail. 

Our guides jokingly described the trail as “uphill both ways” and that’s exactly what it was. The hilly terrain ensured that we were always walking at an angle. I had a few moments of revelation during the trip. The most memorable was the importance of taking life one step at a time. We hiked across some very sleep hills with 30 lb bags on our shoulders. I made a point to look around, left and right, but almost never directly ahead. Uphill or downhill I walked one step at a time. Hour after hour, taking pictures, stopping for breaks, chiming in on conversations – all of this was the focus, not the hills. I wasn’t tired; I was challenged. I was happy. I never dreaded an uphill, I simply conquered it one step at a time. This was my biggest lesson and realization, something that I will definitely apply during my MBA.

That second evening, we filtered our own water, boiled sausage and cooked sweet-potato fries. We saw a baby scorpion, and deepened our respect for “leave no trace.” We were fascinated by the story of Jack English who homesteaded land in the Big Sur wilderness.

The next morning, we made our way to Sykes Hot Springs. The springs sprout earth-heated mineral water into 3 separate hot-tub-like natural pools. Despite smelling a bit like sulfur, the water was unbelievably warm with temperatures ranging between 80 and 100*F. To cool off, some of us bathed in the river underneath. 

We started making our way back on the third day. We slept that last night under the stars near a flowing river, returning to civilization the next afternoon.

Thank you to everyone for a great time and I can’t wait to see you on campus in exactly 10 days!

~Anna

Westbound and Down (except I'm not down)

By the time this post is up, I will be three days away from making my move to California. I have packed up and left Vancouver, having enjoyed my final weeks with not only the many close friends I have made there, but my girlfriend who will be staying in Vancouver for now while I begin the MBA journey. (I get to have a home in LA and Vancouver - awesome!) It has been an emotional few weeks, and tomorrow I will be celebrating my sisters wedding as one final party with familiar faces before setting off to LA to make new friends.

As I wrote previously, moving to the US has been one to do list after another. With each task completed comes a new one uncovered, and it seems endless until you get on that plane, sit back and reflect on not only what you've accomplished, but what lies ahead (I write this post from my Vancouver to Toronto flight). While I relax with family and friends this week in Toronto, my roommate will be taking the keys for our Brentwood apartment. From the sounds of our class Facebook page, people are piling in daily, and happy hours are starting to take shape - it's all pretty awesome if you ask me. Of course there still sits an accounting case I should look at, some Parker CMC work to do, and other Anderson related tasks, but just like I told myself during undergrad, 'everything will get done, and everything will work out'.

Yesterday was my last day in Vancouver, and as I posted so on Facebook, what I found amazing was that alot of the people wishing me safe travels and wishes weren't only friends from the last few years, but classmates at Anderson whom I had yet to meet. If that doesn't speak to the culture that Anderson attracts and breeds, I'm not sure what does. Either way, I am getting more excited by the day to meet the hundreds of people I will be spending all of my time with over the coming years.

For now, I will focus on two more food and adventure to-dos!

Week 5 - Food: I've got a bit of a weak spot for ice cream, never mind ice cream sandwiches. Coolhaus (http://www.eatcoolhaus.com) has an awesome line up of ice creams and fresh cookies for great ice cream sandwich concoctions such as this one:

They've got a storefrount in Culver City and a truck...that's dangerous...

Week 5 - Adventure: My Pre-Orientation trip is to Mono Lake next weekend. Located to the east of Yosemite, Mono Lake looks like a great place for some kayaking and hiking, and I'm looking forward to doing all of that while building some memories with some of my new classmates. This view isn't too bad:

Here we go...

Evan (@abraisnic on Twitter)