13 answers
Ahkilah
Student
1
Question
Asked
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Career advice for an MBA Graduate?
I am graduating with my MBA in management this Saturday! I am super excited but I am seeking advice on next steps. I don’t have much work experience, but I have lots to offer. Any suggestions for how someone like me can break through the barriers of entry level positions?
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13 answers
Tracie Giles
Recruiting
16
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Tracie’s Answer
Congrats on your upcoming graduation!! I would think about the field you are interested in and use tools like LinkedIn and Glassdoor to explore companies in that field. From there- I would use LinkedIn to find recruiters in that company and send them a direct message when there is an opening you are interested in, and even if there is not a current opening I would still reach out and start to build your network.
Thank you, Tracie!
Ahkilah
Behrad Zarandi
Talent Partner
4
Answers
Birmingham
Updated
Behrad’s Answer
Hi Ahkilah,
Firstly, congratulations on the imminent graduation!
I just had a few quick questions to enable me to advise more effectively. Firstly, what are you graduating in? This will help me maybe guide you on potential career paths which you may not already be thinking of. Secondly, are there any potential lines of business that are a particular interest to you?
I look forward to hearing back from you and hopefully sharing further direction!
Firstly, congratulations on the imminent graduation!
I just had a few quick questions to enable me to advise more effectively. Firstly, what are you graduating in? This will help me maybe guide you on potential career paths which you may not already be thinking of. Secondly, are there any potential lines of business that are a particular interest to you?
I look forward to hearing back from you and hopefully sharing further direction!
Hi Behrad, thank you! I am graduating with a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in management. Hopefully that helps!
Ahkilah
Thanks for coming back to me so promptly!
There are so many transferable skills from a business administration degree. Within the world of finance, technology and consulting, there are a multitude of opportunities that lend themselves well to the experiences you have gained, examples include; marketing, project management, financial analyst roles, business consulting and even sales roles. In todays world you should follow you passion, your degree is one thing however the great transferable skills you have gained along the way allow you to explore pretty much anything and everything, if you follow something you are passionate about - you'll find the perfect role/business :)
Behrad Zarandi
Thank you so much!!
Ahkilah
Sarah Solecky
Lead Recruiter
2
Answers
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hi Ahkilah!
There are few steps that you could take when considering next steps after your MBA for an entry level position.
Step 1: Knowing Yourself
At this stage you can do self assessment test to better understand your super powers, your skil-lsets and your interests
Some great self assessments that help with career discovery and exploration upon entrance into the working world are:
- MyPlan.com
- iSeek "Clusters"
- MyNextMove
- Holland Code Career Test
And additionally you could also do some personality tests to help with understanding your value, emotional intelligence and motivations such as:
-Keirsey Temperament Sorter
-Big Five
-Enneagram of Personality
Once you’ve completed a self assessment you can move on to the next step
Step 2: Research Companies and Job Postings
At this point research companies that you would like to work for. Think about places where you have had great experiences, enjoy their product, or are fascinated by their company culture, or even top companies that have made a list like Fortune 100 Best Companies to work for
When you are researching those companies, think about what is important to you - is it location, industry, size of company, their mission, vision or value, the products that they sell, the company culture, their growth trajectory etc.
Research job titles and industries - what are they looking for, what is the skill set, does it align to your why and what your interests are? Does it align to your personal values and passions?
Once you’ve done your research you are ready for Step 3
Step 3: Build a Network
When you are building your network it is important to remember that you can start with your personal network - friends, family, neighbours, coaches, peers, fellow students - do they know anyone hiring for entry level positions?
- You could start attending industry networking events, attend conferences to learn about new industries and potential positions and companies that are hiring
- You could look for a local job fair close to you, again to see who is hiring and for what positions - do any of those roles interest you?
- You can also create a LinkedIn profile and follow different thought leaders, connect with people in the potential industries you want to get into, follow people who have job titles of what you are interested in, you can follow different groups and companies that you are interested in
- You can also go to job boards like indeed.com or go under LinkedIn jobs to look for internships, entry level positions and then have that help with companies and networking opportunities to connect with.
Once you’ve built your network, done your research, done your self assessment and know who you are, create a strong cover letter, resume and start applying to jobs
Step 4: Start Applying To Jobs Of Interest
Here you have the opportunity to apply to different jobs, attend interviews, chat with different people and see if these roles are of interest to you
I recommend you to come prepared to the interview with knowing WHY you want to work for that company, know what they do, but also come with a list of questions to ask the employer so that you can educate yourself to make an educated decision if you get the job offer.
I hope all of this has helped, and good luck!
Cheers,
Sarah
There are few steps that you could take when considering next steps after your MBA for an entry level position.
Step 1: Knowing Yourself
At this stage you can do self assessment test to better understand your super powers, your skil-lsets and your interests
Some great self assessments that help with career discovery and exploration upon entrance into the working world are:
- MyPlan.com
- iSeek "Clusters"
- MyNextMove
- Holland Code Career Test
And additionally you could also do some personality tests to help with understanding your value, emotional intelligence and motivations such as:
-Keirsey Temperament Sorter
-Big Five
-Enneagram of Personality
Once you’ve completed a self assessment you can move on to the next step
Step 2: Research Companies and Job Postings
At this point research companies that you would like to work for. Think about places where you have had great experiences, enjoy their product, or are fascinated by their company culture, or even top companies that have made a list like Fortune 100 Best Companies to work for
When you are researching those companies, think about what is important to you - is it location, industry, size of company, their mission, vision or value, the products that they sell, the company culture, their growth trajectory etc.
Research job titles and industries - what are they looking for, what is the skill set, does it align to your why and what your interests are? Does it align to your personal values and passions?
Once you’ve done your research you are ready for Step 3
Step 3: Build a Network
When you are building your network it is important to remember that you can start with your personal network - friends, family, neighbours, coaches, peers, fellow students - do they know anyone hiring for entry level positions?
- You could start attending industry networking events, attend conferences to learn about new industries and potential positions and companies that are hiring
- You could look for a local job fair close to you, again to see who is hiring and for what positions - do any of those roles interest you?
- You can also create a LinkedIn profile and follow different thought leaders, connect with people in the potential industries you want to get into, follow people who have job titles of what you are interested in, you can follow different groups and companies that you are interested in
- You can also go to job boards like indeed.com or go under LinkedIn jobs to look for internships, entry level positions and then have that help with companies and networking opportunities to connect with.
Once you’ve built your network, done your research, done your self assessment and know who you are, create a strong cover letter, resume and start applying to jobs
Step 4: Start Applying To Jobs Of Interest
Here you have the opportunity to apply to different jobs, attend interviews, chat with different people and see if these roles are of interest to you
I recommend you to come prepared to the interview with knowing WHY you want to work for that company, know what they do, but also come with a list of questions to ask the employer so that you can educate yourself to make an educated decision if you get the job offer.
I hope all of this has helped, and good luck!
Cheers,
Sarah
Wow Sarah! Thank you for taking the time to give me such a detailed response. These are great actionable steps that will truly help me! I appreciate you!
Ahkilah
Chirayu Rupani
Data Analyst
295
Answers
Frisco, Texas
Updated
Chirayu’s Answer
First, congratulations on graduating with an MBA, it is no easy feat. Now comes the hard part - how to find a career that suits your skills and educational background. I was in a similar position once I left school with a MBA degree and it was networking opportunity that helped me out. Make sure to network with professionals in your field of choice, attend job fairs where you can meet recruiters and also other individuals who may have recently graduated. Attend workshops and get your resume checked by a professional so you stand out when you apply for jobs. Get certificates or skills that may help you with a career you want and even stand out. Research jobs online and apply to all that meet your criteria. Use the resources the schools career office provides as they may be able to open doors for you also. Good luck.
Kellee Scott
Director, MBA Admissions at USC Marshall School of Business
23
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Kellee’s Answer
Congratulations Ahkilah! There is great advice already on here, so I'll just add a few things:
- Manage your expectations of position and salary. If you don't have much work experience, it's hard to compete for roles again other MBAs, who on average have 5 year of work experience.
- Take advantage of any support from the career center at your college.
- Don't be afraid to take a position that may not seem perfect. It's time for you to have experiences so you know what you like and don't like, what you are skilled to do and what you need to improve.
All the best to you!
- Manage your expectations of position and salary. If you don't have much work experience, it's hard to compete for roles again other MBAs, who on average have 5 year of work experience.
- Take advantage of any support from the career center at your college.
- Don't be afraid to take a position that may not seem perfect. It's time for you to have experiences so you know what you like and don't like, what you are skilled to do and what you need to improve.
All the best to you!
Thank you so much! I appreciate the advice and I will take it into account!
Ahkilah
Jennifer Martinez
Senior Operations Manager
1
Answer
Jacksonville, Florida
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Hello Ahkilah! Congrats on your latest milestone- it will be one of many! I wanted to just take a moment to second the advice prepared for you from Sarah- many other great pieces throughout every response- but Sarah's nails it and helps you understand what you would actually enjoy. Taking a position just because it is there, leads us all down a path to feel stuck or trapped later. So please heed her advice and figure out what realm of the business world really gets you excited, what your priorities really are. This is the path to happiness!
Thank you so much! I will definitely take into account what Sarah advised. I want to be happy in the path that I choose for sure.
Ahkilah
Mike Kalansky
sales
1
Answer
Long Beach, New York
Updated
Mike’s Answer
Congrats! I'd recommend leveraging your existing network of working professionals and fellow students for a start. Look into any additional opportunities with your current employer (if applicable) and your universities career advisor. If you have any previous internship experience now might be a good time to touch base with them again.
Thank you! This was really helpful!
Ahkilah
Keith Rodgers
Sales Director
108
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Keith’s Answer
Wonderful! Congratulations on your achievement. To your question - "Any suggestions for how someone like me can break through the barriers of entry level positions?"
Everyone starts somewhere and entry-level is the usual starting point. With the wealth of information and opportunities in the marketplace, you really need to be purposeful on your path...and dare I say, patient. Not every job/career is the same, so time to promotion can vary based on circumstances. Advice that helped me breakthrough was "The Rule of 3".
Year 1 - Learn the job. Understand the "table stakes". Know the strategic direction and align your actions accordingly (including add'l training).
Year 2 - Exceed at the job. Put distance between your achievements and others. Deliver early and often.
Year 3 - Repeat Year 2 so your boss knows it wasn't a fluke, thereby creating an advocate.
After Year 1, you owe it to yourself to think what your next steps would be and work with your manager/supervisor/superior to help create a pathway to achieve it. Let your work speak for you, but don't let your acheivements (working with peers, elevating the business) go unnoticed by your leader.
Good luck
Everyone starts somewhere and entry-level is the usual starting point. With the wealth of information and opportunities in the marketplace, you really need to be purposeful on your path...and dare I say, patient. Not every job/career is the same, so time to promotion can vary based on circumstances. Advice that helped me breakthrough was "The Rule of 3".
Year 1 - Learn the job. Understand the "table stakes". Know the strategic direction and align your actions accordingly (including add'l training).
Year 2 - Exceed at the job. Put distance between your achievements and others. Deliver early and often.
Year 3 - Repeat Year 2 so your boss knows it wasn't a fluke, thereby creating an advocate.
After Year 1, you owe it to yourself to think what your next steps would be and work with your manager/supervisor/superior to help create a pathway to achieve it. Let your work speak for you, but don't let your acheivements (working with peers, elevating the business) go unnoticed by your leader.
Good luck
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! Your answer definitely opened my eyes to best take advantage of opportunities and experience! I appreciate your response!
Ahkilah
Martina Dove
Senior UX researcher
16
Answers
Bellevue, Washington
Updated
Martina’s Answer
Many companies take recent grads for interns. Take those opportunities if you can and try stuff out. Do you know what you want to do?
Microsoft has a great internship program called Leap. They pay very well and often that is a pretty cool way in.
Another thing I would recommend is to talk to as many diverse people as you can. Ask them about their jobs and get some ideas. Even within certain jobs and companies there could be wide variations. It's good to understand the industry and the role you are aiming at.
Then... just be persistent. Practice interviewing, seek advice and listen to feedback, find mentors. Few things to familiarize yourself with
1. How to make resumes so you pass ATS systems
2. STAR method for interviews
3. Typical interview questions (and practice aloud by recording yourself - to be aware of what you need to improve)
4. Seek workshops - try General Assembly workshops - they have great stuff on general job seeking as well as business and UX and often free
5. Learn which tools are typical in your chosen job and try to familiarize yourself with them as much as you can
6. Seek advice on your resume and portfolio, if applicable
All of these can make a huge impact on whether someone takes a chance on you
Good luck :)
Microsoft has a great internship program called Leap. They pay very well and often that is a pretty cool way in.
Another thing I would recommend is to talk to as many diverse people as you can. Ask them about their jobs and get some ideas. Even within certain jobs and companies there could be wide variations. It's good to understand the industry and the role you are aiming at.
Then... just be persistent. Practice interviewing, seek advice and listen to feedback, find mentors. Few things to familiarize yourself with
1. How to make resumes so you pass ATS systems
2. STAR method for interviews
3. Typical interview questions (and practice aloud by recording yourself - to be aware of what you need to improve)
4. Seek workshops - try General Assembly workshops - they have great stuff on general job seeking as well as business and UX and often free
5. Learn which tools are typical in your chosen job and try to familiarize yourself with them as much as you can
6. Seek advice on your resume and portfolio, if applicable
All of these can make a huge impact on whether someone takes a chance on you
Good luck :)
Thank you so much! I’m excited to put your advice to use. I have a passion for helping others. I don’t have much experience. I did a. Consulting internship with ParagonOne & CareerVillage. I want to do something like that but with a twist. Nevertheless, thank you again for your help! I’ll strongly consider applying your advice!
Ahkilah
Catherine Bovino
Performance Assurance Manager
4
Answers
Wantagh, New York
Updated
Catherine’s Answer
Congratulations to you! That is an amazing accomplishment and your degree is something you will take with you wherever you go!
My advice to you would be to seek out an industry that you want to be a part of. Something that interests you and makes you excited to grow with.
Then, look for company pages in those industries and look for their job openings and APPLY. With limited experience, you really just want to get in the door. Your qualifications will get you noticed, I promise. Start anywhere in the company and then network yourself from within to land that dream job. It may take a few different jobs along the way, but you are building your resume and work experience! Every job matters! Do the best that you can at each job. Do not just use the starting job as your means to the top. Be the best at whatever they ask you to do!
Also, remember that you will probably cross paths again and again with everyone you meet along the way, so make and keep those connections! Be appreciative for any and all opportunities and know your worth. You will get there, it just takes a bit of time.
Good luck!!
My advice to you would be to seek out an industry that you want to be a part of. Something that interests you and makes you excited to grow with.
Then, look for company pages in those industries and look for their job openings and APPLY. With limited experience, you really just want to get in the door. Your qualifications will get you noticed, I promise. Start anywhere in the company and then network yourself from within to land that dream job. It may take a few different jobs along the way, but you are building your resume and work experience! Every job matters! Do the best that you can at each job. Do not just use the starting job as your means to the top. Be the best at whatever they ask you to do!
Also, remember that you will probably cross paths again and again with everyone you meet along the way, so make and keep those connections! Be appreciative for any and all opportunities and know your worth. You will get there, it just takes a bit of time.
Good luck!!
Andrew Dill
Director, Growth Marketing
5
Answers
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
Hi Ahkilah - Congrats on the upcoming graduation!
Lots of great responses here already. Adding a couple of additional recommendations that have helped me as an MBA grad.
RESEARCH COMPANIES & JOBS:
+ There are lots of great resources about finding out about companies. Glassdoor and LinkedIn are some of my favorites. You can get a sneak peek behind the company culture and what it looks like to work there.
+ For jobs - again lots of great tools/resources. Would use a variety depending on what field you are in. Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn are my top go tos. Also, have you considered reaching out to a recruiting firm? There are a few firms that specialize in various fields.
NETWORKING:
+ Recommend honing your LinkedIn profile. Is it up-to-date? Would reach out to your network to endorse you for various skill sets. (Pro tip - look for a profile that fits the role you want and mirror that)
+ Leverage your school for it's alumni contacts. If there is an alumni at a place you want to work, reach out to them.
ONGOING EDUCATION:
+ You're about to finish your MBA - which is fantastic! Keep going. There are also ongoing technical courses and certifications you can take gain additional experience.
Hope this helps. All the best!
Lots of great responses here already. Adding a couple of additional recommendations that have helped me as an MBA grad.
RESEARCH COMPANIES & JOBS:
+ There are lots of great resources about finding out about companies. Glassdoor and LinkedIn are some of my favorites. You can get a sneak peek behind the company culture and what it looks like to work there.
+ For jobs - again lots of great tools/resources. Would use a variety depending on what field you are in. Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn are my top go tos. Also, have you considered reaching out to a recruiting firm? There are a few firms that specialize in various fields.
NETWORKING:
+ Recommend honing your LinkedIn profile. Is it up-to-date? Would reach out to your network to endorse you for various skill sets. (Pro tip - look for a profile that fits the role you want and mirror that)
+ Leverage your school for it's alumni contacts. If there is an alumni at a place you want to work, reach out to them.
ONGOING EDUCATION:
+ You're about to finish your MBA - which is fantastic! Keep going. There are also ongoing technical courses and certifications you can take gain additional experience.
Hope this helps. All the best!
Thank you so much Andrew! I really appreciate your advice on taking advantage of my network. Hopefully I can reconnect with some people. Also that’s such a wise idea to do research on other Linkedin profiles that are doing what I’m doing. This is awesome! Thanks so much!
Ahkilah
Shahwaiz Chaudhry
billing analyst
4
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Shahwaiz’s Answer
Hi Ahkilah,
Congrats on your graduation. For entry level positions, I would recommend you to search for jobs on LinkedIn, Glassdoor or Indeed by filtering out the positions that aligns with your interests. In addition, clearly read the position requirements and make your resume that matches with the job description keywords. You could use your projects, volunteering activities or internships to showcase your skills that aligns with the position. Since you have majored in management perhaps you could also try diversifying your job search such as look for positions in sales operations, sales development or billing.
Congrats on your graduation. For entry level positions, I would recommend you to search for jobs on LinkedIn, Glassdoor or Indeed by filtering out the positions that aligns with your interests. In addition, clearly read the position requirements and make your resume that matches with the job description keywords. You could use your projects, volunteering activities or internships to showcase your skills that aligns with the position. Since you have majored in management perhaps you could also try diversifying your job search such as look for positions in sales operations, sales development or billing.
Thank you for your advice! I have some work and skills I can showcase. I’ll check out those websites!
Ahkilah
Robert Watkins
Business Value Consulting
2
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Robert’s Answer
After earning my MBA with minimal work experience under my belt, I discovered the importance of flexibility in my early career roles. This allowed me to garner the necessary experience swiftly, rather than vying for positions against more seasoned candidates. For instance, during my school days, I willingly took on unpaid special projects during my Christmas break. This dedication led to a summer internship, which eventually paved the way for a full-time job. Although the job wasn't in my target industry, it provided valuable experience. After five years, I transitioned into the technology industry, and I've been relishing the growth of my career for the past 25 years. If your circumstances allow, don't hesitate to work for minimal or no compensation initially to gain the practical experience that will enhance and magnify the value of your fresh degree.