Tag: MBA recruiting

Beyond the Numbers: A Holistic MBA Application Evaluation

In the world of MBA Admissions, your numbers are not everything. By “numbers,” we’re referring to the stats and scores that applicants tend to focus on when they submit an MBA application– undergraduate GPA, total GMAT/GRE score, percentiles, etc. With limited seats in MBA classes, organizing applications by measurable figures is logical and helpful. That’s why preparing and doing your best on the GMAT/GRE and putting your best numbers forward in your application is important.

But, you are not just a simple sum of your numeric parts– You’re an individual. And your scores are just part of your story. Answering, “who are you?” is a much bigger question.

In our review of a typical MBA candidate, GMAT/GRE and GPA alone do not offer any consistent indication of success in the program. Even if you have a 780 GMAT score, this does not automatically indicate to us that you will make high grades, find an internship, thrive in your study groups, stay positively active and engaged, or find a good job after graduation. It is the combination of strong numbers, your unique story, a commitment to Texas McCombs, and many other factors that indicate how well you’ll do in our MBA program.

Because MBA programs are limited & competitive— many candidates are enthusiastic and have strong professional backgrounds and scores— we have adopted a holistic approach to evaluating your application. So what are the intangible qualities we look for? And what will make you stand out so that you secure a spot in the class over another applicant with similar scores and background?

 There is no single answer to these questions, but here are some good tips to offer some insight on the Admissions Committee’s process:
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MBA Career Management Report: Texas MBAs are in Demand!

The Texas MBA currently ranks #17 in the country by US News & World Report. Similarly, the Financial Times gave McCombs its highest Global Ranking in over a decade for 2015, calling out the strength of Placement Success with a rank that jumped 10 spots globally to #18, making McCombs #1 in the state of Texas.

Texas MBA Students Waiting To Interview

Texas MBA Students waiting to Interview during Super Week recruiting

MBA Career Management at McCombs works with the most discerning employers seeking innovative talent to fill their emerging leadership roles. With a student-focused Employer Relations team, we are working to create unique recruiting opportunities at global organizations throughout the year for companies that range from multinational organizations to start-ups, across the technology, finance, consulting and consumer segments.

The Class of 2014 had 94% job placement after graduation! Check out our full Career Statistics Report.

Our career advisors are professionally trained to help you assess and refine your post-graduate career goals through one-on-one guidance with additional support from Peer Advisors and specialized coaching resources. We work with you throughout your McCombs experience to create a customized strategy and timeline for your recruiting journey. We work to ensure our coaching services and recruiting events are student-focused and relevant, providing:

  • Resources, coaching and events for students interested in entrepreneurship, startups, corporate social responsibility, and nonprofit sectors.
  • Assessment and one-on-one advising to clarify the interests, motivators, and skills to craft a career plan that combines passion with talent.
  • Recruiting and networking events that leverage our students, our brand, and our geography:
    – Major career fairs on campus in the fall and spring.
    – 1st year career treks from coast to coast (New York, Seattle, and San Francisco) and in our own backyard (Austin, Dallas and Houston).
  • McCombs Entrepreneurship Night is a bi-annual event which highlights successful McCombs entrepreneurs from the Texas MBA program while giving students a chance to network with Texas MBAs, alumni, local entrepreneurs, and either Austin Startup Week attendees in the fall, or SXSWi attendees in the spring.

    “After coming to campus, it was clear that students drive and own nearly all aspects of the program and you really have the opportunity to define your own path while still having tremendous support from faculty and administrators. There’s also instant access to a vast network of alumni and companies seeking Texas MBAs!” –Michael Selvage, MBA ’15

Lessons from Recruiting

Depending on industries and functions of interest, recruiting season ebbs and flows in the Texas MBA program, starting with Banking/Consulting “Super Week” and continuing through April with the Careers Now Interview Forum.

I’m glad to say it has been a “net positive” experience for me, and I am feeling relieved in a major way now that I have my summer internship plans in place. In no particular order, here are my top takeaways from participating in both on-campus and off-campus recruiting over the past few months.

  • When you walk into an interview, bring extra copies of your updated resume.

  • Always wear deodorant. This seems like a no-brainer, right? But I’ve been to so many company events and stood in close quarters with classmates and recruiters only to catch a whiff of a nervous, un-deodorized body. If you want to keep it fresh and make a good impression, don’t be stingy with the Speed Stick.old spice - man your man could smell like - video
  • Invest in at least one great suit. Just ask Michael Scott: a well-fitting suit can be the difference between confidence and qualms.tumblr_lnaslkhqg81qa8ws4o1_500
  • Prepare questions to ask your interviewer. The more thoughtful, the better.Whats-your-policy-on-Columbus-Day-3
  • Smile. It will put you and your interviewer(s) at ease. And according to one of my fellow first-years, failure to smile “makes you look like a creeper.”emma_stone
  • Write thank-you notes. It will impress recruiters and will enable you to make a more personal impression. Most importantly, it’s just good manners.

  • And remember: you’re qualified, you’re capable, and everything will be okay!

When I was getting ready for one of my first formal interviews last fall at one of the national recruiting fairs, I called my older sister, who had attended similar career expos during her two years in business school. After I told her how nervous I was, she replied, “The only difference between you and your interviewers is that they have jobs right now–and you don’t. That’s it! So go in there and be yourself.” I’ve thought of that advice often over the past five months, and it has helped calm pre-interview jitters and recruiting event nerves.

With my recruiting process officially completed, I feel immensely grateful to the career advisors, peers, and alumni mentors who have helped me along the way. Now it’s full steam ahead till the end of the semester, and after that, a concerted effort to “hook ’em” as an MBA intern this summer!

McCombs Super Week Recap: A Head Start on Summer Internship Recruiting

Marketing and Finance are the largest employment functions for Texas MBA students, and over 35% of these jobs are in the Consulting or Technology industries. For the class of 2015, over 40% of our students pursued these functions. In order to respond to the high volume of recruiting interest from employers and students, the Texas MBA Career Management team has created an annual event: “Super Week.”

This year, Super Week was held on campus January 12-16 2015. For students, it provides a focused opportunity to conduct first round interviews with top employers for summer internship positions. For employers, it grants a streamlined and competitive process for accessing McCombs talent.

As working professional MBAs are fully employed, only Full-Time MBAs interview for summer internships. About 30-50% of working professional MBAs do elect to seek employment other than their current, and many of those participate in both fall and spring on-campus recruiting for 2nd year MBAs.

We’ve asked participating employers to reflect on their Super Week experiences. Here is what they said:

Why recruit Texas MBAs?

“We recruit at McCombs because of a history of long-term success here.”
-Associate, Barclays

“Candidates at UT fit the bill academically and technically but also socially and personally.”
-Associate, Citi

“We recruit here because McCombs consistently provides great candidates who are well prepared. You deliver year after year in terms of candidates.”
-Recruiter, Simmons and Co.

“Our firm has a focus on oil and gas. McCombs has one of the best concentrations of people interested in energy/oil and gas, which makes it a perfect place for us to recruit.”
-HR Manager, North & South America, Schlumberger Business Consulting

On January 12th & 13th, 20 investment banks or financial firms conducted more than 200 interviews with 43 unique students. Wednesday through Friday, saw 11 management consulting firms conducting around 200 interviews with 76 unique students.  On January 20, the Ford Career Center reopened for the spring recruiting season to include all other recruiting industries as well as a few additional banks and consulting firms.

For all involved, this event is the culmination of an intense recruiting process after months of networking and preparation. Many thanks to the MBA Students, Student Leadership, Alumni, MBA Program Office Management and Staff, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and the Recruitment Services Team for pulling together to make this happen and provide a competitive, aggressive yet “level playing field” recruiting environment. This high degree of collaboration led to McCombs being tied for 11th in the nation for business schools with the highest percentage of MBA job offers in 2014.

Hook ‘Em!

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