Have you already been admitted to an MBA programme, but are nervous about entering a new field in the job market? You are not alone. There are many applicants who have gained admission from varied backgrounds, and are still feeling anxious about entering a field in which they lack experience. Before starting her MBA at University of Maryland Smith School of Business, Jessica Galimore worked as a victim advocate at a trauma focus non-profit organisation. She says:
I wasn’t sure how I was going to communicate my interest to commercial recruiters given my background and intentions, but also communicate my skills and experiences in a way that correlated to the professional direction I wanted to move in. There was one key thing during that entire search process: my network.
Check out: How Internships Abroad Prepared Me for a Career
If you’re beginning your application to a business school, you have to scrutinise the relationships schools have with recruiters and alumni and current students. Jessica knew she was interested in consulting, so she was looking for programmes with strong ties to professionals in that field. She began using the network that the school opened up for her straightaway through LinkedIn. She also used shared contacts from professors and peers who advised her to go to informational interviews in order to speak to individuals in her chosen industry.
This allowed for an understanding of how people in a similar situation to Jessica’s approached the process of entering a new field successfully. They were also able to comment on her strengths, and what she could focus on during the recruitment process. Once she gained enough insight and knowledge from the informational interviews, the final component was to start going to real job interviews.
Watch the video in order to hear about Jessica’s preparation. And good luck with your application!
Comments