After spending two weeks in the US, I am now back in Finland and resuming my internship activities. Quite a few things happened when I was back in the US, mainly around recruiting but also around Sloan. However, as the school has requested that we do not discuss some matters, I won’t do so here.
What I will discuss, is some observations around recruiting, namely LGO recruiting as well as other opportunities. Also things I would have done differently, now that I’m almost done with the process.
Observation #1: Interviews are relatively easy to come by
Whether it is the regular CDO or LGO recruiting, I thought interviews were granted fairly easily. I guess first rounds do not require as much time or resources, but was still a bit surprised at the amount of interviews handed out. However, that directly leads to my second observation.
Observation #2: Second round interviews and offers have much lower yields
This is just talking with my classmates, but the yield do not seem to be very high for many of the companies. Of course, there are a few notable exceptions, a few companies that are trying to grow very fast and trying to hire all of the qualified candidates they can. However, those remain a minority in the recruiting process, and it was a little surprising to hear that even for second rounds for a few companies they have narrowed the field substantially. Certain tech companies narrowed the field down from 30+ first round interviewees to about 5 for second rounds, and trying to be one of these 5 is no easy feat. Second round is no guarantee either to an offer.
Observation #3: Companies sometimes have hidden criteria/limited positions.
Talking with some classmates, it seems that certain companies are looking for specific number of years of experience (minimum) and/or experience within a specific industry. Despite granting interviews to everyone who asked for one, you soon realize that second rounds only go to those that have met these criteria, despite no mention of it in the actual job description. It is definitely worthwhile to talk to people and find out these unspoken requirements before spending a lot of time on a role which they won’t even consider you for. Other companies are hiring for 1 or 2 positions, and they are interviewing 10 people at Sloan and probably at 3-4 other schools, so seriously consider the odds when applying.
Observation #4: There is a huge amount of luck involved.
And I cannot emphasize this enough. There are so many elements to an interview that if you miss one aspect, it could completely destroy your chances at getting a second round/offer from the company. Establishing rapport with the interviewer, nailing the case, asking intelligent questions, just to name a few. On top of everything else, we had Hurricane Sandy drop by this year and so many of our interviews turned out to be phone/video conferences instead of in-person interviews. I tend to perform very poorly in phone interviews and this was evident as I was not able to get past first round for two companies I had phone interviews with. I would much prefer an in-person interaction where I can see the other person’s reaction and better understand what they’re looking for. Do I think I could’ve done better in person? Absolutely. Do I have any choice in the matter? No. And can I change the results? Nope. The same applies for establishing rapport with the interviewer, getting a case format that you are familiar with, etc.
With these observations, here are some of the things that I would’ve done differently, had I known all of this beforehand. Of course, it certainly depends on your interests in industry and how much time you realistically have for preparation, so plan accordingly.
Recommendation #1: Cast a wide net
I ended up only applying for 8 jobs, 6 of which I spent significant time preparing. And it showed, as I didn’t even get an interview with the other 2. You never know if you will have good rapport with the interviewer or if the interview will be your preferred format, so don’t hinge on a single company’s job description as your dream position. Chances are, if that’s your dream job, that’s probably true for a dozen others at Sloan who are probably just as qualified. The right number varies by what you’re looking for, but I do remember a 2012 last year applying for 30+ positions, just to give an idea of the high end.
Recommendation #2: When in doubt, ask. If considering, apply. Do not miss a job opportunity because you missed the deadline.
If you are not sure if a company is the right fit for you, find out from alums and/or classmates who interned there. The LGO/Sloan network is tremendously helpful in this regard, and I have found most of the people to be very candid about their experiences. If you are considering multiple industries, apply to both, just make sure you have the time to prepare accordingly. Make sure you find out the deadlines for the positions you are interested in. You can always find out more information about the company after you apply. I made the mistake of not doing enough research and looking back, there were probably another job or two that I should’ve applied for. I also ended up missing a few application deadlines and either scrambling to try and get my application in or just ended up not applying. That’s just extra stress you can do without.
Recommendation #3: Set realistic expectations.
This is no longer undergraduate recruiting. This is MBA recruiting, and competition is fierce. Companies are not pitting you and the other Sloanies against each other. They are pitting the ENTIRE 2013 MBA graduating class from all of the top schools against each other. I was quite devastated when my phone interview with a company I was really interested in didn’t work out, as I planned my two week recruiting schedule specifically so that if I get a second round I would be able to attend without changing my travel plans. But looking back, the field narrowed from 30+ to just 5 or 6, and that’s just at Sloan. It is essential that you do not become overly reliant on any single company or position unless you have some kind of insider track that guarantees your acceptance. But if you’ve got that, why bother with the recruiting process to begin with? Companies are also being much more careful about handing out offers, and you may end up in wait lists and have to wait out certain decisions. Having an offer from another company during that time will bring certain peace of mind that at least you have a back up plan if things don’t work out.
It has been a hectic two weeks, and I am in the fortunate position of having fairly easy decisions to make while I wait for another decision. To all my classmates and friends who have accepted offers or have offers they will accept, congratulations! To those still in the process, I wish you the best of luck! Know that everything will work out in the end.
Now, about that thesis…
Time goes by... 