career development Archives

In addition to expert advising and free coffee, Olin’s Weston Career Center offers courses, skill-building workshops, networking activities, and resources to prepare students for a lifetime of career management.

Students new to Olin may not be aware of the plethora of resources the WCC provides students. (Did we mention free coffee?) Allow us to introduce some of the WCC’s best offerings for students interested in career development or embarking on the job search:

Access to the Bloomberg Terminal

The Bloomberg Terminal allows students to access the Bloomberg data service, which provides real-time financial data, news feeds, and messages. The terminal is available in the WCC office by request.

Career development videos

On the Olin Careers website students will find recruiter advice and insights on topics such as résumé writing, effective business communications, interviewing, and strategic relationship building.

Guidance for veterans

Veterans have a proven record of performance and are ready to serve in civilian jobs where there is a need for leadership, team building, organizational commitment, and advanced technical training. The WCC offers coaching and resources for veterans and collaborates with the Olin Veterans Association to prepare students for the transition to civilian employment.

Interview Wiki

The Wiki is a student-editable archive of historical interview questions, along with other information, that is searchable by company. Students can update the Wiki questions after interviews to ensure that the questions are current.

LGBTQ resources

For the sixth consecutive year, the WCC was recognized with the highest level of certification (A+) by the national OUT for Work Career Center Certification Program.

The WCC offers resources to LGBTQ students seeking information on locating gay-friendly companies, coming out during the job search and transitioning into the workplace. In addition, the Weston Career Center partners with the WUSTL LGBT Student Involvement and Leadership office to provide a variety of programming. Any student seeking a confidential advising appointment may contact the Weston Career Center at wcc-director@olin.wustl.edu.

Management 201–Management Communications

A collaboration between faculty and Weston Career Center career advisor, MGT 201 Management Communication is a required course for all sophomores and offers students tools for a successful job search. Students get individualized attention to identify, articulate, and sell their value to an employer. They will develop their résumés, elevator pitches, and interview skills and build a strong online brand presence. Each professional development session is supplemented with workshops led by Weston Career Center experts, to provide hands-on tools and exposure to the technology and resources offered at Olin and the Weston Career Center. The course also teaches students to develop their business writing and public speaking skills as they solve real life client communication challenges.

Seminar series and workshops

Designed to give Olin students an advantage in the marketplace, seminars and workshops are presented by outside experts and corporate partners.

Working closely with our network of alumni, employers, and faculty, our employer relations team explores domestic and global markets for hiring trends and employment opportunities. We’re continually cultivating our partnerships with exceptional companies—and building a reputation for interns and graduates who are ready for business, with the tools and talent to create value for their organizations.

A student meets with a representative from evetos at the 2013 Meet the Firms event.

On-campus recruiting

Throughout the year, hundreds of companies recruit Olin students through on-campus, phone, and Skype interviews. The WCC interview-suite computers are fully equipped with Skype services and webcams that are available for student use.

BSBA and specialized masters students can apply for positions and sign up for interviews through CAREERlink. MBA candidates can do the same through MBAFocus.

Upcoming recruiting events:

Networking road shows and career fairs

The WCC sponsors several events to provide networking opportunities, including Meet the Firms events, domestic and international road shows, symposiums, New York and Silicon Valley Career Treks, and club-sponsored activities. Other networking opportunities include all-campus career fairs at Washington University.

A network of professional associations

Olin has chapters of the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA), and Net Impact. These organizations sponsor annual career conferences that provide access to recruiting companies. In addition, these associations encourage academic and career development.

Olin is also a member of the Forté Foundation—a consortium of major corporations and top business schools that has become a powerful change agent in educating and directing talented women toward leadership roles in business.

In addition, Olin is a founding member of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management—the country’s preeminent organization promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. The Consortium has built a 50-year legacy of fostering inclusion and changing the ethnic and cultural face of American business.

Information sessions

Companies host these events to enhance visibility on campus, preview the quality of Olin’s talent, and serve as a precursor to their on-campus recruiting schedules. Don’t miss the chance to meet recruiters and learn more about their companies, industries, and career opportunities.

Upcoming company information sessions:

Salary information and employment statistics

The WCC compiles internship and job-offer data to provide employment information to students, employers, and relevant partners. Information that is reported is confidential, and statistics are aggregated in report format.

Laura Tellmann, EMBA 43

Laura Tellmann, Executive MBA 43, was born in Missouri and was the first in her family to go to college. “My first day of the Introduction to Computers class was the first time I ever touched a computer,” Laura said. Although a counselor in high school had encouraged her to study math and science based on a skills assessment, Laura still said it was by “sheer luck” she ended up a Computer Science major. “I love it,” she said.

After graduating from Missouri State University in three years, Laura went to work at Emerson Electric Company in the Government and Space Division where she provided Information Technology support for the group that created missile guidance systems. “I got progressively more challenging assignments, and a wealth of experience. After awhile I wasn’t comfortable making bombs.” Laura left Emerson after 6 years to work at Washington University Medical School, and has been there in some capacity every since.

Now, in her dual roles as Director of Healthcare Informatics at Washington University School of Medicine, and Director of Clinical Informatics at BJC Healthcare, Laura develops and supports enterprise clinical decision support, data management and electronic clinical quality measurement. Most recently she officiates the enterprise data governance program.

Laura had three main goals when she decided to enroll in the Executive MBA Program at Washington University. At the beginning of the program she said, “I want to become more knowledgeable about business in general, gain confidence, and take advantage of the huge networking opportunity the program presents.” She had already begun working out of her comfort zone, expressing interest in and being selected for speaking engagements at various conferences.

Reflecting on the EMBA program, Laura said she got what she hoped for and more. “I did get the fundamentals of business that I was lacking. It was a good introduction. I got the skills and confidence I needed to sit at the table with the executives where previously I didn’t think I belonged. What’s changed the most is how I operate in general. I understand more and I aspire to more. Before the MBA I never would have wanted to run a very large group. Now I am ready to do exactly that.”

Laura took advantage of the career development staff of the EMBA program who are available for additional assistance if a student requests it. She said that both Frans VanOudenallen and Lee Konzak assisted her with gaining additional insights. “Frans told me that there is no way I could not brag. That unless I feel like I’m bragging, I’m not selling myself.” They also helped with framing conversations she wanted to have with management regarding her salary and role.

In addition to what she had hoped for, Laura said the encouragement from her teammates took her even farther. “They never let me step back, they always pushed me forward. When I faltered, I couldn’t falter for very long. My team wouldn’t let me.”

Image: Laura Tellmann, second from left, on the Great Wall of China with fellow EMBA 43 classmates, March 2015

Tag: career development