It seems like I begin every quarter with a discussion of what's changed and, in keeping with the trend, this post will offer a brief sample of what's new in Q4.
First ... choice!
For the majority of our first-year, my peers and I have diligently worked through Darden's core curriculum. Kept on the same schedule (three classes, 8 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.) and in the same room, we've learned Finance, Decision Analysis, Marketing, Accounting, Economics and Leading Organizations together. Yet now, during Q4, we've started to diverge. While we all still take Leading Organizations and Ethics, we also have three electives ... meaning that for the first time, we have the ability to choose classes based on interest and need. The result is an interesting split. With summer internships looming, there have been noticeable divisions: the bankers are in Valuation; the marketers, Marketing Intelligence, and the consultants, the Consulting Process.
Second ... leadership transition. As I mentioned earlier, the time has come for second-years to cede club positions to their first-year successors. For those successors (myself included), this means taking on new responsibilities and stepping up to provide real impact. Of course, as with anything, more responsibility equates with more demands on our time. But I'm sure I'm not alone in believing it's worth it. As an example, the new leadership team for the Media, Entertainment & Sports club met this week to hash out plans for next year. For me, the meeting was a great reminder of my peers' enthusiasm for, and their dedication to making life (and job-hunting) easier for fellow Dardenites.
Third ... internship prep. With just a couple months between me and my internship, I'm starting to worry about how to make the most of my summer. I want to feel confident going in that I'll be able to contribute and lately, that's meant taking stock of all that I've learned at Darden. Just from a cursory glance around my bedroom, that's about two feet worth of cases and technical notes.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Spring Break!
It's Spring Break and, perhaps in an effort to recapture beach weeks of years past, I am enjoying my break in Mexico. So far, it's been glorious. The weather in Playa del Carmen has been perfect -- mid-80's, slight ocean breeze; the resort is fantastic and stretching out poolside is a welcome change from curling up in front of my laptop.
Another welcome change? Apart from this evening's brief blog session, I'm completely unplugged here. No email. No texts. No phone calls. No meeting space meetings. In fact, I wouldn't even be online now if it weren't for Jordan, who apparently needed to check his stocks this morning (some things never change, even when you're surrounded by miles of white-sand beaches and endless margaritas). What makes this break from technology so remarkable is my Darden-fostered addiction to my Blackberry. Now, long before I walked Darden's halls, I'd heard about the dangers of the so-called "crackberry." But now I know it's true. In the past six months, I am rarely without my calculator-sized best friend. And because of it, I'm rarely inaccessible. I have friends with whom I'll email and text almost simultaneously ... 5 minutes before I see them face-to-face.
But not here in Mexico. Here, the sound of my phone has been replaced by the sound of the ocean and the blinking light of waiting emails has been replaced by the twinkle of stars. Give me a few more days and I might miss these signs of connectedness, but for now I'll relish the much-needed break.
Another welcome change? Apart from this evening's brief blog session, I'm completely unplugged here. No email. No texts. No phone calls. No meeting space meetings. In fact, I wouldn't even be online now if it weren't for Jordan, who apparently needed to check his stocks this morning (some things never change, even when you're surrounded by miles of white-sand beaches and endless margaritas). What makes this break from technology so remarkable is my Darden-fostered addiction to my Blackberry. Now, long before I walked Darden's halls, I'd heard about the dangers of the so-called "crackberry." But now I know it's true. In the past six months, I am rarely without my calculator-sized best friend. And because of it, I'm rarely inaccessible. I have friends with whom I'll email and text almost simultaneously ... 5 minutes before I see them face-to-face.
But not here in Mexico. Here, the sound of my phone has been replaced by the sound of the ocean and the blinking light of waiting emails has been replaced by the twinkle of stars. Give me a few more days and I might miss these signs of connectedness, but for now I'll relish the much-needed break.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Bidders welcome
A few posts ago, I wrote about the trials and tribulations of off-Grounds recruiting. Now, I'd like to tell a more uplifting story; a story about scrappy job-hunting.
But first, some background...
Here at Darden, students earn interview slots with recruiting companies in two ways. The first (and more traditional) route is by getting on the company's closed list. The second is by bidding.
At the start of recruitment season, all first years are given a specified number of points with which they can bid on a small number of interview slots set aside by companies. The highest bidders win spots on the company's interview schedule and, with luck, the opportunity to move on to second-round interviews. People bid for a couple reasons. Some might have missed the application deadline. Others, however, simply didn't make the closed list.
So, who would bid on an interview they'd already been rejected from?
Uh ... me.
In January I didn't make the closed list for my top choice on-Grounds company. It hurt my feelings. Badly.
But it also motivated me to prove them wrong. So, I bid on the interview and got it. Then I got a second round interview. And early last week, I got an internship offer. See, a happy ending!
Also, an ending with some important takeaways:
First, some people's experiences/personalities/leadership qualities simply can't be sold on paper. They have to be talked about.
Second, don't let anyone tell you you can't do what you want.
Third, bid.
But first, some background...
Here at Darden, students earn interview slots with recruiting companies in two ways. The first (and more traditional) route is by getting on the company's closed list. The second is by bidding.
At the start of recruitment season, all first years are given a specified number of points with which they can bid on a small number of interview slots set aside by companies. The highest bidders win spots on the company's interview schedule and, with luck, the opportunity to move on to second-round interviews. People bid for a couple reasons. Some might have missed the application deadline. Others, however, simply didn't make the closed list.
So, who would bid on an interview they'd already been rejected from?
Uh ... me.
In January I didn't make the closed list for my top choice on-Grounds company. It hurt my feelings. Badly.
But it also motivated me to prove them wrong. So, I bid on the interview and got it. Then I got a second round interview. And early last week, I got an internship offer. See, a happy ending!
Also, an ending with some important takeaways:
First, some people's experiences/personalities/leadership qualities simply can't be sold on paper. They have to be talked about.
Second, don't let anyone tell you you can't do what you want.
Third, bid.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Taking the reigns
Now is the time of year when the leaders of Darden's many clubs and student organizations hand the reigns over to members of the class of 2010. For us first-years, this can be daunting as well as exciting. After all, in just a few short months, the second-years with whom we've shared the halls will be back to work and we'll be left to guide and support a new crop of Dardenites. For someone who sometimes still feels like a newbie, this is a kind of crazy notion. I mean, I know I've made huge personal strides here, but am I really capable of helping others do the same?
I hope so. I've come to realize that one of the great things about this school is people's willingness to get actively involved in making Darden better.
I hope so. I've come to realize that one of the great things about this school is people's willingness to get actively involved in making Darden better.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Darden experience
A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to be a part of Darden's Perspectives campaign, an ad campaign featuring members of the Darden community talking about their experiences here at school (http://www.darden.virginia.edu/html/standard.aspx?menu_id=182&id=16954). I readily agreed and the piece I submitted is below. Since its submission, the ad's been tweaked and edited, but I thought I'd post the original here. It explains why I came to Darden and, for those newly admitted prospective students out there, it offers a taste of the kinds of changes you can expect next year.
In my mind, there are numbers people and there are words people. I arrived at Darden firmly established as a words person. An English major by education and a writer by trade, I loved nothing better than a beautifully crafted sentence. But a beautifully crafted spreadsheet? Not really my thing.
In the halls of Darden, however, they make no such distinctions. We’re all first-years. And, whether you come from consulting, banking or -- like me -- left field, you’re expected to leverage and un-leverage betas, draw up balance sheets and model risk.
A novice in the arts of Microsoft Excel, I often found it challenging to meet this expectation. During my first semester, I spent hours upon hours highlighting cases, flipping through textbooks and running Monte Carlo simulations. At times, it was exhausting. But really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I arrived at business school determined to stretch myself. I knew I’d be attending one of the most rigorous MBA programs in the world, but knew, too, that it was just this type of program that could transform a words person like me into the business leader I wanted to become. Within Darden’s student led discussions and case method curriculum, I’d learn not only the fundamentals of finance, but how to make, analyze and communicate complex business decisions.
As I go through my own transformation here in Charlottesville, businesses across the globe are also in flux. Faced with a down economy, they face mounting pressure to cut costs, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Perhaps now more than ever, these companies need leaders willing to take risks and innovate.
Darden is a training ground for such leaders.
Each day, I’m forced to deal with the unexpected; to run the numbers, to make the recommendations, but also to react. And, as I think to my future, and my plans to return to a media industry in tumult, I can’t imagine better preparation. Here at Darden, the days are long and the work is hard, but there is nothing like the confidence that comes with meeting high expectations.
So far it hasn’t been enough to change me into a numbers person, but I have to admit, I can craft some beautiful spreadsheets.
In my mind, there are numbers people and there are words people. I arrived at Darden firmly established as a words person. An English major by education and a writer by trade, I loved nothing better than a beautifully crafted sentence. But a beautifully crafted spreadsheet? Not really my thing.
In the halls of Darden, however, they make no such distinctions. We’re all first-years. And, whether you come from consulting, banking or -- like me -- left field, you’re expected to leverage and un-leverage betas, draw up balance sheets and model risk.
A novice in the arts of Microsoft Excel, I often found it challenging to meet this expectation. During my first semester, I spent hours upon hours highlighting cases, flipping through textbooks and running Monte Carlo simulations. At times, it was exhausting. But really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I arrived at business school determined to stretch myself. I knew I’d be attending one of the most rigorous MBA programs in the world, but knew, too, that it was just this type of program that could transform a words person like me into the business leader I wanted to become. Within Darden’s student led discussions and case method curriculum, I’d learn not only the fundamentals of finance, but how to make, analyze and communicate complex business decisions.
As I go through my own transformation here in Charlottesville, businesses across the globe are also in flux. Faced with a down economy, they face mounting pressure to cut costs, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Perhaps now more than ever, these companies need leaders willing to take risks and innovate.
Darden is a training ground for such leaders.
Each day, I’m forced to deal with the unexpected; to run the numbers, to make the recommendations, but also to react. And, as I think to my future, and my plans to return to a media industry in tumult, I can’t imagine better preparation. Here at Darden, the days are long and the work is hard, but there is nothing like the confidence that comes with meeting high expectations.
So far it hasn’t been enough to change me into a numbers person, but I have to admit, I can craft some beautiful spreadsheets.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Comfort and confidence
So, along with interview angst and return-to-school trepidation, the start of Q3 has brought some significant changes.
Among them, new sections. In a few of my earlier posts, I may have mentioned that I spent my first semester at Darden as a Section B-er. Each of the first year class's five sections has its own traditions and thus, being in Section B meant that I: a) often wore orange, b) frequently attended parties with a stuffed Big Bird doll, and c) sang an ode to section solidarity every Friday afternoon.
But no longer.
This past week I became part of a new section -- Section 3. And, while I have high hopes for this new group of peers ... it's just not the same. I miss the camaraderie and the closeness of my former section. Now admittedly, I was not the biggest ra-ra Section B-er. In fact, sometimes I was a little reluctant to pull on my Big Bird polo (sorry fellow B readers, it's just not my favorite look...). But being thrown into a new section has made me much more appreciative of the people, the atmosphere and yes, the traditions that made Section B, B.
See, in Section B (even while sitting in cold call alley), I felt comfortable. I knew my peers and trusted that when I finally got over my shyness and threw out a comment or two, they'd be kind. They wouldn't judge me -- even if I said something idiotic. Eventually this sense of comfort led to confidence and, while I was never the biggest contributor to class discussions, I eventually become a much more active participant.
So what happens now that I'm in a new section? Well honestly, I've been in what I like to call "observation mode" (read: "silent"). Blessed with a seat in the back row (affectionately called "the sky deck"), I spent the first few days of Q3 classes listening to my new section-mates' comments and trying to get up the courage to offer a few of my own. It's worked a few times but I know I need to do better.
But how do you rush comfort and with it, confidence?
Among them, new sections. In a few of my earlier posts, I may have mentioned that I spent my first semester at Darden as a Section B-er. Each of the first year class's five sections has its own traditions and thus, being in Section B meant that I: a) often wore orange, b) frequently attended parties with a stuffed Big Bird doll, and c) sang an ode to section solidarity every Friday afternoon.
But no longer.
This past week I became part of a new section -- Section 3. And, while I have high hopes for this new group of peers ... it's just not the same. I miss the camaraderie and the closeness of my former section. Now admittedly, I was not the biggest ra-ra Section B-er. In fact, sometimes I was a little reluctant to pull on my Big Bird polo (sorry fellow B readers, it's just not my favorite look...). But being thrown into a new section has made me much more appreciative of the people, the atmosphere and yes, the traditions that made Section B, B.
See, in Section B (even while sitting in cold call alley), I felt comfortable. I knew my peers and trusted that when I finally got over my shyness and threw out a comment or two, they'd be kind. They wouldn't judge me -- even if I said something idiotic. Eventually this sense of comfort led to confidence and, while I was never the biggest contributor to class discussions, I eventually become a much more active participant.
So what happens now that I'm in a new section? Well honestly, I've been in what I like to call "observation mode" (read: "silent"). Blessed with a seat in the back row (affectionately called "the sky deck"), I spent the first few days of Q3 classes listening to my new section-mates' comments and trying to get up the courage to offer a few of my own. It's worked a few times but I know I need to do better.
But how do you rush comfort and with it, confidence?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Interviews?!
I arrived back in Charlottesville last week to interview madness. For those first years on the banking and consulting tracks, it is suit-up-and-sell season -- a time when many are anxiously clicking on the Career Development Center's website scanning closed lists, holing up in learning team rooms for case prep and mock interviews, and receiving their first internship offers.
Me ... not so much.
The majority of my job search has been, and will continue to be, off-grounds. This poses all sorts of interesting dilemmas.
First, I'm on a totally different time frame than many of my peers. I, for one, do not have interviews this week. And, while I've put in some time prepping, it could easily be more than a month before I begin to hear back from some of the companies I'm interested in. On my bad days, this time gap makes me nervous and I begin to question whether it might not be best to start throwing my resume into contention for jobs that have a very clear interview and offer schedule. On my better days, however, I pat myself on the back for staying true to my interests.
Second, off-grounds jobs are, as implied by their name, more difficult to find. Throughout the past few months, I've become a daily presence on a variety of job sites. Sometimes I turn up hidden jewels. Other times though, I'm filtering through the same internships I spotted last week.
Third, often I feel like I am sending my applications into a great abyss. Unlike on-grounds recruiting, where you get to attend briefings, meet face-to-face with recruiters and submit your application through the CDC, applying online means you're often left in the dark about who is reviewing your resume and when they might contact you.
It all sounds so frustrating, doesn't it? Honestly, there are moments when it is. But then I think about what brought me to Darden. It definitely wasn't the dream of becoming an I-banker. While that may work for many of my peers, it's a job I know I'd hate. And I guess that makes waiting a little easier.
Me ... not so much.
The majority of my job search has been, and will continue to be, off-grounds. This poses all sorts of interesting dilemmas.
First, I'm on a totally different time frame than many of my peers. I, for one, do not have interviews this week. And, while I've put in some time prepping, it could easily be more than a month before I begin to hear back from some of the companies I'm interested in. On my bad days, this time gap makes me nervous and I begin to question whether it might not be best to start throwing my resume into contention for jobs that have a very clear interview and offer schedule. On my better days, however, I pat myself on the back for staying true to my interests.
Second, off-grounds jobs are, as implied by their name, more difficult to find. Throughout the past few months, I've become a daily presence on a variety of job sites. Sometimes I turn up hidden jewels. Other times though, I'm filtering through the same internships I spotted last week.
Third, often I feel like I am sending my applications into a great abyss. Unlike on-grounds recruiting, where you get to attend briefings, meet face-to-face with recruiters and submit your application through the CDC, applying online means you're often left in the dark about who is reviewing your resume and when they might contact you.
It all sounds so frustrating, doesn't it? Honestly, there are moments when it is. But then I think about what brought me to Darden. It definitely wasn't the dream of becoming an I-banker. While that may work for many of my peers, it's a job I know I'd hate. And I guess that makes waiting a little easier.
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