The MBA Student Voice

Better than Letterman's Top 10 List.

10 days in LA = sunset in Santa Monica + moving into condo complex where The Hills girls used to live + canoeing 25 miles on the Colorado River + Dodgers game + UCLA tailgating + international orientation + multiple trips to DMV + NFL pool + career center Q/A + Redondo Beach barbecue + visit to Malibu …

The list isn’t done, but you get the point. I’m not cocky by nature; in truth, I hate people that are. Yet sometimes you have to take a step back and realize how good you have it. Well – this whole ‘I love LA’ thing … didn’t get it; now I do; took one week.

In lieu, I shall digress. 10 evocative recommendations based on the past 10 days (deep breath):

1.    Get out there, (wo)man! This is LA! … Everyone you’ll speak to will tell you that you should have started networking yesterday … errr … so we did. Don’t look at going out to bars before you commence your scholastic endeavors as irresponsible; nay, look at it as responsible. Use that liquid confidence to make connections. Meet your classmates and others, because someone knows someone who knew this girl that had this nanny who, too, cleans Paula Abdul’s house on weekends. Seriously.

2.    Pre-O Trip = Pre-O Yeah … There Is, honestly, no better way to meet new people than to be outdoors, with NO technology, overcoming serious obstacles. We trekked the Black Canyon in Arizona over 4 days, which included no less than the Hoover Dam, cliff jumping, rock climbing, sauna caves, hot springs, 110 degree heat, paddling to our excessive limits against the current, and some pretty new people (see excellence below ... 3 days sans showers). Don’t think about it; just do it. You’ll be glad you went.

3.    Listen to your Yahoo! Group, it is wise … Yeahhh, it might be horribly irritating to get PDA alerts about yet another person who has missed the last 30 messages about how to configure Windows to a Mac. Nevertheless, you may be ‘that guy’, so read with care. It has helped keep me in the loop, and will help you.

4.    Two years is not enough time to explore this place, so start now … This will be particularly true once school starts. Moreover, you sound much cooler when you can tell locals (or, really, anyone) that at A’Float Sushi in Pasadena, the sushi floats around on little boats and you take what looks good. Convo pieces = competitive distinction = insert that on your CV, big shooter.

5.    You now love baseball … It’s the American pastime, and a great place to meet people over a Dodger dog. Remember: people love sports, and baseball rules here, so head to the pre-O game and go bonkers over Mannywood.

6.    Please see Jon Stern’s advice on DMV appointments … If you’re not from here (and the majority at Anderson are not), then you should probably note that the DMV is closed the first 3 Fridays of the month. But, hey – it’s open on the 4th one! All right! Enjoy the Patty Bouvier replicas. And read the manual, genius …

7.    Get the ACT binder from the Parker CMC immediately … Everyone else will. It might be long, but I’m pretty sure it swayed me from consulting to brand management and biz dev. It might just change your lives … too.

8.    Eat @ Duke’s in Malibu … Go there. Order a Flat Tire pint and the parmesan and herb crusted Opah w/ sweet potato fries. Inhale the ocean air, and thank me later. Remember to open your eyes wide when speeding on PHC – it’s the nicest drive in North America in my opinion.

9.    Invest in a longboard and a beach cruiser … There are over 75 beaches and 350 km (yup, the metric system) of coastline in SoCal, and the above represent two of the best ways I know of to have fun and stay in shape (see Craigslist).

10. Let’s reiterate this one more time – network with your classmates … They shall be your lifelines. Last year 3,693 people applied to UCLA Anderson, so you know your colleagues have done something right. They’ll probably do a lot more, too. REMEMBER: You’ll rise and fall together, make questionable decisions together, take vacations together, and rock CEOs worlds together. Power in numbers, people – we’re now all part of UCLA Anderson for life.

Disclaimer: If you’re not part of UCLA Anderson yet, you want to be. Trust.

Until next time …

(Canadian) Matt K

 

An Amazing Anderson Outdoor Adventure

As a native Californian I have always loved California's natural beauty and all the awesome outdoor activities that California has to offer.  My love of the outdoors is one of the reasons I was really drawn to the UCLA Anderson community, there are lots of people like me who love the outdoors, there's even a student club dedicated to outdoor adventures. Anderson also has a really cool series of pre-orientation trips for incoming students, the trips send groups of about 15 classmates to a number of California's nicest areas.  Some of my classmates canoed in the Colorado River, others spent time in the Channel Islands and a number of the trips went into the High Sierra's. 

I grew up camping and hiking in the High Sierra's so when I saw that one of the pre-orientation trip options was to spend six days backpacking 26 miles in Hetch Hetchy I jumped at the opportunity to go. The trip was held about a week before orientation started, our group was made up of two guides from UCLA Outdoor Adventures, one second year Anderson student and twelve incoming students.  I wasn't totally sure what to expect going into the trip, I hadn't met any of the people coming on the trip beforehand but I figured spending six days together would end up being an amazing way to get to know my classmates.

The trip ended up being better than anything I could have imagined.  Our guides were amazing, they were very knowledgable and put together a program that facilitated all of us getting to know each other.  Our second year student was really cool and filled us in on what life is like at Anderson.  And most importantly all of my classmates turned out to be really great to camp with and very interesting to talk to.  Through a combination of structured activities and unstructured time while we were hiking, camping, swimming and exploring we really got to know each other very well.  My time in the mountains with my classmates really validated the fact that the Anderson campus culture was a good fit for me.  And the greatest thing was that after the trip I had a group of classmates who I'm really close to, so when campus orientation started earlier this week I already had friends in all of the sections and two of the people I camped with live within a block of my apartment so we already have a neighborhood hang out crew and carpool to campus. 

I had so much fun on my pre-orientation trip that I am already planning to volunteer to go as a second year on one or more of the trips for next year's incoming students.  For anyone reading this post who loves the outdoors and is considering Anderson, I can attest to the fact that there are lots of outdoor lovers at Anderson and if you end up coming to Anderson DEFINITELY do a pre-orientation trip.  My pre-orientation trip was one of the best trips I've ever been on. 

Welcome to the Rock

I survived.  As I mentioned at the end of my last post, I was about to head out on one of the pre-orientation trips that UCLA's Anderson School of Management offers.  I chose to go to Sequoia Forest for some rock climbing and hiking.  All in all, the two nights (plus change) in the wilderness were fantastic. 

Our group of about 12 split into two vans and left on a five-hour drive early on Friday morning.  I must've lucked out because everyone in my car was into the same movies and television shows as me and we had a blast sharing our favorite lines and scenes.  It definitely boded well for the trip, and school in general, I hope.  After a lunch stop at a Mexican restaurant owned by an Anderson alum's family, we completed the last leg of the drive and reached Sequoia (side note:  if you believe Wikipedia, which you clearly must, because anyone can write almost anything on it, refried beans are not, in fact, fried twice.  It's an unfortunate mistranslation, especially since I love all fried foods and something fried twice must be heavenly.  I had the chicken chimichangas, which is, of course, fried).

Anyway, once we got the campsite set up, we drove to a lookout to watch what we could of the sunset.  As many of you probably know, nature in California seems inclined to burn from time to time (though I believe arson is to blame in this instance), and the smoke from the current wildfire obscured the view somewhat, or so I have been led to believe.  Coming from Florida and New York, I'm not used to all the forms of natural disaster out here.  Now that I am here, I realize, for instance, that I took for granted that the ground never moves back East.  We'll see how I react when there's a tremble, which inevitably there will be.  All I had to deal with was the occasional hurricane, and while I know such an event can be disastrous, the irony is I never missed a day of school in Florida due to one.  However, classes were postponed during the first week of my freshman year at Columbia as a result of a storm.  Go figure.

Moving on.  On the first full day of the trip, we headed to our rock for some rappelling and climbing.  I think if I participated in those activities everyday for the rest of my life, I still would be terrified each time.  But, I'm a big believer in science, so I trusted the ropes and managed to contain my internal horror.  That doesn't mean, though, that I didn't want to get my two feet back on the ground as soon as humanly possible.  The next day, we took a short walk to see some ginormous Sequoias and had a dip at a swimming hole before heading back to LA.  Like I wrote earlier, it was a great time full of adventure and more important, introductions to some of my future classmates.  I highly recommend going on such a trip to all incoming first years in the future.

The only other somewhat official school related activity I partook in was a one-on-one counseling session at the Parker Career Management Center.  I figured I should try and get an early start on tweaking my resume and utilizing the school's resources, and my meeting was incredibly helpful.  I have faith that Anderson has many devoted and knowledgeable people working their tails off for us, and that definitely gives me a warm feeling in my cockles regions. 

The day after I returned from the trip, though, my parents arrived, as they were kind enough to visit from Florida and help out with any last minute details I had to take care of before starting school.  Tops on that list:  finding an automobile.  Car hunting must be the most frustrating activity on the face of the Earth.  The whole, "Let me go talk to my manager" thing is insane.  Let's just cut to the chase, buddy.  I don't think anyone truly feels good about the experience when it's over, and I certainly don't.  You see, while the Cash for Clunkers program appears to have been a huge success, it made finding a deal for me impossible.  The dealerships had virtually nil inventory and were unwilling to negotiate.  Who pays sticker price for a car, I asked?  According to the salesman, I do, apparently.  These guys did not care that in a couple months, they'd have a glut of cars that no one would want to buy, because right then, they had the upper hand.  I guess I can't blame them, and I suppose it's a good lesson for business school:  timing is everything.  Never in a million years, during one of the worst recessions in history, when car companies are hemorrhaging money, did I think I'd get such a crummy deal.  But hey, as I wrote in a previous post, it's LA and you need a car, so I sucked it up.

Speaking of cars in LA... I know we are all aware of it already, but it must be reiterated:  the traffic in LA is awful.  Truly horrific.  Driving more than five minutes from my apartment in this city makes me want to pull a Biff and steal Doc Brown's DeLorean and travel back in time to slap Henry Ford around.  Though, if I prevent the mass production of the Model T in the past, who knows if there'd be a DeLorean for me to steal in the future and then we hit one of those time paradoxes worthy of Lost.  Point is, if you're moving out here from somewhere like New York City or just don't like crazy traffic, be prepared.

While the traffic can drive you insane, I did fight through it to Manhattan Beach, which was incredibly nice.  It's just that I had to navigate the other motorists on the road to get there.  Nevertheless, I somewhat understand why people love the area so much.  We'll see if I become one of them over the course of the next two years.  And that fun officially begins in a couple days with Orientation.  More on that as the adventure ensues...

      

A New Two-Letter Home

As I stood at the baggage check-in with four 49.9 lbs suitcases and my sister's car fading into the distance, I couldn't help but smile.  3000 miles away, a new home, a new set of lifelong friends, and an experience that would forever influence my professional career awaited me.  Not even the sinking feeling that my phone charger and Big Lebowski DVD were not contributing to the absurd heft of my luggage could dampen my mood.  This was going to be an unreal new lifestyle!  A top-tier MBA program in a world class city.  A city renowned for its incredible diverse population and industry; one celebrated for its opportunity and scenic beauty.  Beaches and sun, here we come...

This Cali dreamin' lasted roughly as long as it took the poor Southwest attendent to carry/roll/kick my bags out of sight.  The only things waiting for me in Los Angeles were a rental car and a hotel reservation.   Everything that would transpire next would be a result of hard work and a disciplined approach.  It was this realization, the stark recognition that the next 22 months were going to be what I make of them, nothing more, that kept the smile on my face all way to touch down at LAX.  I spent the past year busting my hump, trying to exit my comfort zone in DC.  It was time to discover my true capabilities.

I'd love to continue with the "new adventure/self-discovery" platitudes, but unfortunately, real life kicked in the minute I got off the plane.  I stubbornly refused help with my bags and lugged my personal shantytown a few football fields to the rental desk; a decision that led to numerous pulled muscles in my back the next morning.  Word to the wise: If you need to drive around an unfamiliar city for a couple days, engage in stop/start traffic, and explore various apartment complexes, it's best to perform said tasks with a properly functioning spine.  Unless they are Victor Hugo enthusiasts, property managers tend to be wary of renting to those who look fit for a belltower.

Despite this episode of bad luck, I was able to secure a place in Brentwood relatively quickly.  It's close to campus, close to the highways, and close to the beach.  A solid trifecta for LA living.  I would recommend that any prospective students or admits come out to Los Angeles to familiarize themselves with the neighborhoods prior to applying or moving here.  There are so many desirable places to live in West LA that it's an enormous time-saver to know what you want before settling on a place. I spent my first three days here walking (well, shuffling awkwardly) the neighborhoods and testing the drives to campus before deciding on Brentwood.  Regardless of what's important to you (proximity to campus, nightlife, or the beach), you'll find a neighborhood that satisfies all your needs.

Since settling in, my days have been busy with getting prepped for orientation next week.  Resume preparation, Q&A sessions with the Parker CMC, registering my car in California, and if I have time, covering my textbooks with brown grocery bags (I'll be the guy with the "Arithmetic" book).   There is much to do before the madness begins.  However, there is no real trepidation, only excitement.  I'm about to spend the next 22 months learning from some of the best minds in business, all while surrounded by 370 talented, accomplished individuals whom I will soon call friends.

Many of my future entries will focus on the academic, recruiting, and social elements of Anderson.  I will also address my past experiences and what I hope to personally accomplish at UCLA Anderson. However, right now, there is much I'm in the dark in regarding the Anderson experience.  It would seem prudent to save my thoughts on the coursework and culture until I'm fully immersed.  Take my word for it though, I look forward to sharing them with you, through this blog and hopefully, someday on campus.

UCLA Anderson - Choosing a MBA Focus

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my first official blog. I am a first year MBA student at the Anderson School of Management. School has not yet begun, but I just attended a one-hour Q&A session at the Parker Career Management Center, which is a group that helps MBA students find internships as well as choose a career specialty (for those of us, like me, who are still not sure in which direction they want to go). The information session was informative to say the least. The discussion touched upon things like recruiting timelines, recruiting tips and tricks, and research tools and people that might help students decide on a MBA focus.

So, yes, the session was informative. Do I feel completely overwhelmed now? The answer is YES. You've heard it before, but I will say it again, students who know what they want to do with their careers have an easier time in MBA school. What the Q&A session reminded me is that B-school moves fast and decisions like career focus (and by extension the clubs you want to join) must be made within the first few weeks of starting school. The reason being that the summer internship recruiting process starts in the fall/winter.

So what am I to do? Some might call me a career-switcher, but I like to think of myself as an explorer - which still doesn't make it any easier but sounds cooler. I am not sure what I want to do, and I came to B-school to, dare-I-say-it, explore my options. Well, hope is not lost. I am not the first MBA student to feel this way, as the folks at the Q&A session reminded me, and I won't be the last. Countless students like me have made it work, so why can't I? The one great thing was that UCLA Anderson made me feel like they were there to support me in any way possible through one-on-one counseling sessions and other events. They also have second-years and a huge alumni network who are there to share their experiences and advice regarding summer internships and careers.  

I invite you all to join me on my quest in determining which career direction I should go. Will it be finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, strategic operations, consulting, or back to my previous career in accounting? I will describe the events I attend, the people I talk to, and the research I do to help me make a decision.

Until the next blog fellow explorers!

Ladies and Gentlemen...Start Your Engines!...

Finally!  The wait is over.  Orientation starts tomorrow. 

Since my last post, I've spent countless days getting my apartment into at least a functional shape.  And I've had the chance to meet a lot of fellow classmates.  It's been fun but exhausting at the same time.  

Here are some of the highlights and lowlights:  

* First impression of my classmates: excellent.  In particular, even though my classmates have accomplished a lot prior to coming to UCLA Anderson, they are really down to earth and easy to get on with.  I'm already in two fantasy football leagues!

* Rented apartments don't come with refrigerators in LA.  I didn't have a refrigerator until two days ago - which meant every morning I had to wander up to Westwood Boulevard to find breakfast.  (Incidentally, it's very hard to cure a hangover with no food or drinks.)  I finally bought a mini-fridge and it's filled to capacity, mostly with drinks -- yes, Mrs. V, it has soft drinks as well! -- so of course I put it in the living room.  

* Last week, I wrote that my LA research had taught me that Emmanuelle Chriqui would help me get settled in LA.  Many of my readers wanted to know if she turned up at the airport.  Sadly, no.  There must have been a communications mix-up.  Mrs. V. was only marginally sympathetic. 

* Am eager to join some of the clubs at UCLA Anderson.  I've met a few people from the Sports Business Association, and will definitely try to be an active member.  I'm also keen to join the Entertainment Business Association.  There are also many non-career focused clubs that seem interesting, so I'll have to pick and choose.  

* I rented a Chevy Tahoe for two weeks - loved it!  I've never driven anything that big before.  (For my friends in Europe, its closest European equivalent is the Vauxhall Vivaro.)  The best bit is driving on the motorway - once you get some speed, smaller cars move out of your way, which is very addictive!  I was VERY tempted to buy one, but my eco-conscious -- not to mention thin student wallet -- got the better of me.  Helped a ton with moving furniture, so would definitely recommend future graduate students to rent one for a couple of weeks while you furnish your apartment.  

* I've been to Q's on Wilshire and Westgate twice in five days.  I have a feeling this is going to be a regular spot for me. 

* It was a lot harder to find a manual transmission car than I thought it would be.  Finally got a great deal on a VW Jetta -- I realize I made the car-search significantly more painful than it had to be, but driving a manual transmission car just feels right. 

* There is loads of football on TV, between Fox Soccer Channel (which also shows Sky Sports News every night as well), ESPN, and the Spanish language channels; I think I get more football here than I did in England. 

* The IT support for Mac at our school could use a substantial upgrade.  The biggest issue is that us Mac-o-philes have to partition the hard drive and run Windows Vista with MS Office for Windows solely because the university has some personalized add-ins that we are required to use -- and they only provide the add-ins for MS Office for Windows.  I knew this when I bought my Mac, but I'm sure a lot of my classmates decided not to buy a Mac because of the required partitioning.  Why help Microsoft preserve its near-monopoly status? 

But that's all in the past now.  I'm as ready as I'll ever be.  Just two days to go.  The wait is almost over.  Time to fire up the Jetta. 

Wait - did I remember to buy petrol? 

International Student Orientation Days

Like pitchers and catchers who report early for spring training, international students are required to report early to UCLA Anderson and participate in International Student Orientation Days (ISOD). This year ISOD took place on September 3 and September 4, a couple of days before general orientation begins. It was great to meet my international classmates, and it was very cool to see all the different countries from which they originated. Especially handy was the fact that everyone wore name tags with their country of origin. Made it very easy to walk up to someone randomly and strike up a conversation.

The two day session covered issues that are relevant for international students. This included sessions on visa/immigration issues, finding a job as an international, general tips etc. Not the most glamorous topics, but all necessary and important to ensure a smooth transition into the actual MBA program. And just as important, it allowed for us to start getting to know each other.

With my appetite now whetted by ISOD, I'm excited about meeting the rest of my classmates and the orientation and Leadership Foundations that will comprise the next three weeks. I'm not exactly sure what to expect, but I already get the sense that it's going to be interesting, fun and certainly memorable. 350+ people, coming from all over the world, spending most of 3 weeks together....*woot!*

~Before beginning, prepare carefully.~ Cicero

My First Networking Event in LA

The importance of networking is something that I've heard of for a while. As a young associate making my way up the corporate law firm ranks, I was encouraged to go meet juniors at clients or potential clients. The rationale was that those juniors, while not currently in a position to retain the firm, will be in such a position sometime in the future. Therefore it made sense to start building relationships now. While I enjoyed going out for lunches, drinks and events, it was not something that I was able to make a priority. The top priority for a young associate is to meet your billable hour targets, and believe me, focusing on that makes networking and other things (like friends, family, eating etc. o_O) ancillary.

However, now freed from the shackles of billable hours, I am able to focus on networking and other things (like friends, family, eating etc. ;P). Networking is of particular importance to me considering the industry to which I am trying to transition: media and entertainment. Like most people, I've heard the adage that in media and entertainment, it's all about "who you know". Therefore, in advance of starting the program at UCLA Anderson, I undertook a networking project, in part as preparation, and in part to see if the adage was in fact true.

Prior to moving down to LA, I met as many executives in the media and entertainment industry in Toronto as I could. Ideally I would have undertaken this project in LA, however due to F-1 visa requirements, the earliest I could move down to LA was August 15. While Toronto's media and entertainment market is not nearly as large as LA's, it still has quite a presence in that area. Utilizing personal and professional contacts, I was able to arrange 30-45 minute meetings with executives in various fields related to media and entertainment ranging from production, cable TV, post-production and distribution. I learned a great deal (including that yes, to a large degree "who you know" does matter), received information of people they suggested I contact once I got to LA and overall gained a sense of confidence that I would be able to hit the ground running. In addition I was amazed at how accommodating and available they were.

My focus on networking has continued since arriving in LA. The other day a friend of mine forwarded me an email about an event held by The Asian Professional Exchange. The event was a panel discussion on the development of Asian-American media and entertainment. As an Asian, and interested in media and entertainment, it was a no-brainer to go. The discussion was extremely eye-opening and one of the panelists, a producer, also happened to be an Anderson Alumni. Needless to say I approached him after the discussion and we'll be meeting in the near future.

I know networking isn't exactly at the top of people's list of things to do, but I bet meeting people new and interesting people may. Being a people person myself, seeing networking in that light has certainly made things easier. And while I expect UCLA Anderson to provide a wealth of opportunities and I know the Parker Career Management Center is there to provide a tremendous amount of help and resources, at the end of the day my career will be what I make it, and getting to know, befriending, networking or whatever you want to call it, as many people as I can will only help. So if you ever see me at an event, remember to come say hi!

~Opportunity does not knock, and then ring the doorbell, and then knock again, and then leave a note that says, "Sorry I missed you", and then call you on the cell phone.~ Fez, from That '70s Show

Let Them Drink the (Housing) Kool Aid

One thing I learned from watching infomercials at 1 in the morning is that we can all make a quick buck in real estate because it NEVER goes down… until it does!  We now live in a renters market, and that’s great news since a significant portion of my precious money will go toward rent while doing my MBA at UCLA Anderson.  I have been visiting apartments in various neighborhoods around campus for a few days and I am happy to report that, while many landlords are still drinking the Kool Aid, rents are down.  In Brentwood, just west of the campus, you will find comparable 1-bedrooms priced anywhere from $1,400-$1,700/month; as a result, I had a lot of bargaining power and actually negotiated a rent reduction.  <Insert evil laughter here>

I chose Brentwood because I must protect my beauty sleep during finals!  I prefer to live as close as possible from campus, but I have learned to loathe the Midnight Yell four years ago, so Brentwood is just far enough.  Had I been ready to live a little farther than Brentwood, I have found several 1-bedrooms in reasonable condition for $1,200/month a few streets south of South Monica Blvd and West of the 405.  It takes about 15 minutes to drive to campus from there, and parking at UCLA is free if you are astute enough to commute on a scooter or motorcycle.  <Insert evil yet green-oriented laughter here>

–Simon