The MBA Student Voice

This is Winter?! And an A-Days 1 plug!

Well, it's been a steady 70-80 degrees this winter in LA. As a native NorCal girl who made the move to the east coast, this is definitely something I'm not used to, and has come as a pleasant surprise! And apparently, it's not global warming - this is a typical LA winter.

After the stress and full course load of Fall quarter, it's great that people are relaxing more and actually enjoying school and extracurriculars this quarter. From multiple beach days, to hikes, to brunch on rooftops, it's been a fun quarter. On top of that, the professors we have this quarter are stellar. I've never seen anyone so excited about Operations as Professor Roels, and Professor Sood has not disappointed as being one of the favorite Marketing professors year after year. I feel like I've really had the time to absorb what I'm learning in class and can see how what we're doing actually applies in the real world.

On top of that, it's been a good quarter so far for many of my classmates on the job front. While the majority of people find their jobs in the spring quarter, many finance, consulting and marketing focused students have found summer internships with top notch companies such as Goldman, Bain, McKinsey, Nestle and General Mills, just to name a few. Everyday brings more good news, and I think it's safe to say that everyone gets very excited for their classmates and friends!

And last but certainly not least, ADays 1 is a couple short weeks away - I hope that those of you who got in Round 1 attend. I did last year and it was an incredibly fun and informative weekend, and really showed me just how awesome Anderson is! I know it will do the same this year!

- Katie

Finding your value proposition

After a fun (class trip to Breckenridge) and relaxing (making up for 10 weeks of lost sleep) three week vacation, we are back in the full swing of things at Anderson. Like in Fall quarter, the first week wasn't really a rampup/introduction to the classes - we already have group projects due next week! Also, recruiting is on top of mind for people in marketing, banking and consulting. As part of the recruiting process, we are often asked "why brand management" and "why X company." I thought I'd use this post to reflect on what I wish I knew before I came to school so that it can be of some help to all you potential admits out there as you think about the application process and beyond.

As a career switcher from consulting to marketing, I think if there is one thing I could go back and do better is really take the time to think about my value proposition. A big part of recruiting is being able to communicate what your transferable skills are and why you want to make the switch. It's super important to figure out what it was in your old job that you loved and what was missing, and how this new career is going to fill the gap. Most importantly, you have to figure out the logical connection between old and new, and what you will do to get you to the place where you can do your new job with confidence and drive results. I think same goes for applying to business school. That's why they ask you all those essay questions of why an MBA and why Anderson!

Good luck to everyone applying!

- Katie