Career Services Update
New Programs Give Evening and Weekend Students an Edge
Image by Beth Rooney
Based on extensive survey feedback and direct interactions with students, Career Services has developed new programming for students in the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs. Designed to offer lifelong career management skills, the two foundation workshops—job search prep and job search tactics—are very hands-on, providing students with guidance on issues ranging from differentiating themselves to writing an effective resume, from networking to interviewing.
More practice is provided through Interview Focus, an evening-long event where students walk away with insights from interview demonstrations, as well as receiving a DVD of their own mock interview with a professional who works in their field of interest. Held in January, this year’s Interview Focus drew 250 participants—four times as many as it did last year. Students told us it gave them a reality check for what awaits them when they begin the interview process, including a chance to identify areas for improvement.
Chicago Booth also wants students to succeed in networking, a crucial component for a successful job search. May 19 is Mocktail, where 60 alumni volunteers will simulate a mock cocktail networking event. Students will have the chance to practice entering and exiting group conversations as well as juggling a plate of food and a drink when they introduce themselves to the “company representatives.”
On March 30, we hosted Industry Immersion, a conference that drew more than 300 students to hear nearly 35 alumni to speak about “a day in the life” at one of eight industries or job functions.
Students attended multiple sessions in this conference-style event and said they appreciated having a nonevaluative opportunity to find out what it’s really like to be an investment banker, for instance, or learn the differences and similarities between internal and external consulting.
Career Services also is hosting quarterly overview and introductory discussions during the first week of each quarter. We continue to offer coaching sessions where we discuss everything from how to get promoted to how to negotiate a raise. We’re also offering “keys to research” programs by industry through the Fisher Career Resource Center to ensure students are aware of the vast career research resources available to them through the GSB.
The feedback we’ve received has been positive and appreciative. It’s exciting for us to expand our programming further. To learn more, e-mail me at kevin.baltz@chicagobooth.edu.
