Tag: Weston Career Center

Throughout the year, hundreds of companies recruit Olin students through on-campus visits. The largest such event is Meet the Firms, where dozens of companies and hundreds of representatives, students, staff, and faculty fill the three floors of Olin’s Bauer and Knight Halls. Meet the Firms provides a unique setting for employers and students to meet, discuss employment opportunities, and network among other company representatives—and it is just around the corner!

The WCC provides a Meet the Firms app which puts all of the information at your fingertips. The app includes participating companies, as well as where they will be located for the event. The app also includes details about the firm’s recruiting focus (for example, whether the company is looking for full-time or internship talent, and so on). It also provides an up-to-the-minute layout and agenda for the day. A few key resources for students to check out:

• Student Best Practices
• Navigating Recruitment Events (Part 1)
• Navigating Recruitment Events (Part 2)
• Successful networking

In addition, Meet the Firms has a new component this year: Recruiting Insights, where attending representatives share best practices. After, some firms attend the MBA Exclusive, in which MBA students and firms can meet and mingle, followed by the Meet the Firms career fair. This is an amazing, energizing, and truly interactive couple of hours.

Below are several of the confirmed firms for the event. Download the Meet the Firms app for the latest list of attending firms. We hope to see you there!

Firms attending September 13

• Abercrombie & Fitch
• Accenture
• Advisory Research
• Aggio
• Analysis Group
• Andersen Tax
• AT&T
• Avascent
• Axiom Consulting Partners
• Bain & Company
• Belvedere Trading
• Bloomingdale’s
• Capital One
• Centene Corporation
• Cognizant
• Crowe Horwath
• Deloitte (Audit/Tax)
• Eastman
• Education Pioneers
• Edward Jones
• EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials
• Express Scripts
• EY
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• Forsyth Advisors
• General Mills
• HBM Holdings
• Kimberly-Clark
• KPMG LLP
• Lumeris
• Mastercard
• Mercer Consulting
• Monsanto
• Morningstar
• NISA Investment Advisors
• Nomura
• PepsiCo
• The Procter & Gamble Company
• Prudential Capital Group
• PwC
• RGA (Reinsurance Group of America)
• Robert W. Baird
• Sense Corp
• Slalom
• Spectrum Brands
• Susquehanna International Group
• Teach for America
• Travelers Fixed Income Investments
• U.S. Bank
• ZS Associates

Firms attending September 19

• Advanced Technology Group
• Aegis Strategies
• Aggio
• Anheuser-Busch
• Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Belden
• Carindal Health
• CGN Global
• Citi
• Dimensional Fund Advisors
• Direct Supply
• EisnerAmper
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Emerson
• ePlata
• Equifax
• Essilor
• Executive Financial Group
• Forsyth Advisors
• Goldman Sachs
• Highmark Health
• Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Lincoln International
• M&T Bank
• Maryville Technologies
• Microsoft
• Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
• Protiviti
• The Resource Group
• RubinBrown LLP
• Varsity Tutors
• Wal-Mart
• Washington University Investment Management Company
• World Wide Technology

Is your…

✔️ Resume in Olin format?

✔️ LinkedIn profile updated using the WCC-provided workbook, checklist, and tips?

Have you…

✔️ Developed your Personal Brand Pyramid?

✔️ Scheduled an appointment with a WCC advisor to establish an initial relationship and foundation for building a career action plan?

Fall semester is definitely busy season from a recruiting perspective, full of information sessions and events like Meet the Firms, where recruiters expect students to have resumes on hand at all times. Sometimes it’s very obvious that an event will involve sharing your resume. But what if you run into an alumnus on campus or make an unexpected connection? Don’t let the opportunity pass by! Anticipating and having the refined resume always available will avoid being caught off guard—it also allows for a more proactive approach.

Use Optimal Resume as a template to easily develop your resume in the Olin format. Below are key tips for writing an impactful resume. Your resume should be:

• One page
• Concise, accurate, and professional
• Action- and results-oriented
• Customized to the specific position you’re seeking
• Proofed carefully for grammar, spelling, and conformance
• Printed on high-quality resume paper

LinkedIn has become the ultimate supplement for the paper resume, as recruiters increasingly utilize both as sources to evaluate a candidate. Having a tip-top resume without an equally strong LinkedIn may give the impression that a candidate lacks attention to detail, or that LinkedIn—a growing online networking force—is unimportant to them. But LinkedIn is very important to recruiters!

Imagine the recruiter becoming enthusiastic reviewing a resume, clicking into LinkedIn, scrolling down and reading the candidate’s information. If the candidate’s profile is easy to read, with content that is crisply written and rich with information, the recruiter may determine that they are a fit for the organization. As reading continues, the candidate’s education background, involvement, and other valuable nuggets of information further pique the recruiter’s interest. Conversely, if the LinkedIn profile is sparse or clunky, written poorly or incomplete, the recruiter becomes frustrated.  The recruiter stops and moves onto another candidate. The power of LinkedIn—as a networking tool and job search database—is huge. An updated LinkedIn profile, coupled with the resume, gives a candidate a terrific chance to make a lasting impression and inspire action from the reader to contact the candidate!

If you need assistance refining and updating your resume or LinkedIn profile, make an appointment at the Weston Career Center today. Don’t delay—Meet the Firms is in mid-September. Be sure you are resume-ready for Olin’s biggest recruiting and networking event!

Guest blogger: Karen Heise, Interim Director, Weston Career Center

Many new students have already arrived, and the first day of classes for everyone else is just around the corner. In the hectic first weeks of a new academic year, we like to point out some of the unique and helpful resources available to Olin students. One such treasure is the Weston Career Center’s Management and Communication Center.

The Weston Career Center and Management Communication Center share a common goal: to ensure that Olin students have the personal and professional skills required for lifelong career advancement in today’s global marketplace. We believe that professional success depends on the ability to communicate effectively, present confidently, and, ultimately influence business decisions.

The WCC–MCC partnership offers an extensive lineup of resources to help students hone marketable communication skills. Through personalized coaching, interactive workshops, and leading-edge technology, the staff of the WCC and MCC guides students as they sharpen professional communication skills that will distinguish them in interviews and help them secure jobs, leading to their career advancement. Graduates of Olin Business School will distinguish themselves among their peers as effective communicators who drive change and lead thinking. Below are some of the services MCC provides to business students:

Advising on résumés and cover letters

Consultants advise on effectively using the Olin résumé format and assist with creating compelling cover letters, making persuasive and descriptive word choices, identifying grammatical and structural weaknesses, and offering recommendations for improvement.

Practice interviews

Through in-person and recorded practice sessions, consultants lead you through behavioral questions common in most interviews. Your responses and body language will be evaluated and a personalized improvement plan is created.

Crafting effective presentations and PowerPoint slides

Personal presence, persuasive language, and audience engagement are just a few of the critical elements of a successful presentation. MCC consultants review your presentations and offer instruction and tips for improvement.

Often the weakest link in a presentation, PowerPoint slides should be a powerful reinforcement of the salient points of your presentation. MCC consultants can offer tips and recommendations for making visually interesting slides that complement the speaker’s points.

Guidance on written assignments

Executive summaries, case reviews, and professional emails are some of the written homework that you will encounter at Olin. Consultants review your written homework and make recommendations to help you develop habits to produce concise, convincing, and logical written work.

English as a second language (ESL) assistance

Consultants help students with the challenges of developing expansive English skills. Practice in pronunciation cultivates an understanding of the importance of intonation in comprehension. Both written and spoken work are evaluated for correct grammar and effective structure. Cultural questions are addressed in a friendly, confidential environment. In addition, the MCC offers individual practice sessions.

Could you use the support of the MCC? Schedule an appointment today. 

Recruiting events are usually large occasions and can be overwhelming if you are not properly prepared. To be successful at such an event, it’s important to prepare ahead of time. Here are a few tips from the WCC about navigating recruitment events. (Be sure to check out Part I.)

Sometimes recruiters won’t accept paper résumés

This doesn’t mean they’re not interested in you; instead, they are adhering to compliance policies and online recruiting procedures. Ask for a business card, and follow up with recruiters after the fair to let them know that you have applied, or plan to apply, online.

First impressions are very important

At recruiting events, employers are not trying to figure out how to screen you in.

Recruiters are looking for things that will screen you out. Your energy level, handshake, dress, and résumé can make you a success or failure in seconds.

Think of talking to the recruiter as an audition

What can you say and do in the first minute of conversation that will make him or her want to grant you an interview? Make sure to smile, have a firm handshake, and look recruiters in the eye.

Keep your energy high, be assertive, and ask engaging questions—especially ones that demonstrate your knowledge of the company.

Ask questions that reflect your research

Do not ask what the company does, what kinds of jobs they have, or what they can do for you. The recruiter will expect you to have done your research and to know these basic facts.

Dress as if you were going to an interview

A common mistake at recruiting events is to dress too casually. Both men and women should wear suits. If you have questions about professional attire, speak with a career advisor.

And last but not least, don’t eat, chew gum, use heavy fragrance, or smoke during a recruiting event.

Collect business cards from recruiters

Also be sure to jot notes about them and the company on the back of the card. Use these cards to send personalized thank-you notes after the event.

Thank recruiters

Write a thank-you note to every recruiter you speak to at the event; save contact information for future networking opportunities and to develop a target list of employers.

If you’re not looking for full-time employment at the time of the event, let the recruiter know.

Recruiting events are valuable—even for students who are not pursuing full-time jobs or internships. They’re a good way to meet recruiters and make early networking contacts. The senior-year job search begins in your freshman year—students who start building networks and identifying potential employers early are the most successful at getting internships and job offers later.

Recruiting events are great opportunities to meet employers from a wide range of industries and potentially obtain job interviews. If you make a favorable impression, you have the best chance of being invited to interview. Time spent at recruiting events can pay off—it’s your chance to see many career opportunities that are open to you, and you may connect with potential employers who can offer you a job. They also provide an opportunity to practice your interview skills in a less formal environment.

Recruiting events are usually large occasions and can be overwhelming if you are not properly prepared. To be successful at such an event, it’s important to prepare ahead of time. Here are some tips from the Weston Career Center:

Get a list of participating companies

Check the hosting organization’s website or looking for printed publications a few days before the event. Usually a list of companies and a map of their locations will be provided for larger events.

Find connections within those companies

If possible, find someone you know who works at a company you’re interested in; alumni are good resources. At the event, you can mention the name of your contact to the recruiter, which can help separate you from the rest of the students.

Research the companies

Employers expect you to know something about their companies before you talk to them. In addition to visiting company websites, you can use annual reports, press releases, and newspaper coverage that can be found on the Internet or in the WCC Resource Area.

Maximize your time

Maximize the brief time you have with recruiters by knowing how your skills and interests match their needs.

Understand the job openings and opportunities

Become familiar with types of career opportunities available at the companies of greatest interest to you (most company websites have this information), and prepare to sell yourself accordingly. You are the product, and employers are the customer.

Prepare your 30-second self-introduction

This should include your name, your education, and your career interests as they relate to the company. In addition, always come prepared with an example of your skills and experiences.

Schedule a mock interview

Set up a mock interview with an advisor to practice your introduction and to discuss your marketing strategy. Practicing will make you more relaxed and confident during the event.

If possible, arrive early

Recruiters may have to leave early, and they can be tired and less attentive at the end of a long day.

If you’re nervous…

Consider approaching a recruiter with a company that is not one of your top choices first as practice.

Choose your top booths ahead of time

It’s important to plan which company booths you want to target, and focus on no more than three to five that are of special interest to you. You can visit more companies if you like, but make sure that your efforts are focused on your top companies first.

Bring several copies of your resume

It is a good idea to have more than one targeted résumé with different career objectives if you are looking at several career options (résumé should be on résumé-quality paper, and you should bring at least one copy for each company you plan to visit).

Stay tuned for part 2!

As a career advisor at Olin, I do a lot—A LOT—of case interview prep with students—sometimes up to four cases a day. They can be exhausting for me, so I can only imagine how exhausting the practice is for the student. It is stressful, energy-sapping, and sometimes, depending on how it goes, defeating and demoralizing.

Case interviews are the standard with the top consulting firms. Many experts say that a student should practice up to 100 cases in preparation for the recruiting season. That is a tremendous investment in time and focus. It can be tiring. So what should a student do when they find themselves facing interview fatigue? There are a few options to help pull yourself out of the doldrums, refocus, and find that curiosity for solving business problems that initially fueled your desire to be a consultant. I jotted down five—you may have others that work for you:

Take a break

There is nothing wrong with skipping a few days of case practice. Put the pencil down and turn off the part of your brain that is evaluating every situation you face with Porter’s Five Forces Model or some other consulting framework.

Read and absorb

Now could be a good time to read about how real business issues were tackled. Pick up your favorite business journal—HBR, The Strategic Management Journal, The Economist—and see how the issues were approached, what solutions were discovered, what risks were mitigated. All of this information is fodder for your case interviews.

Celebrate your successes

Most students I know have a binder full of cases and notes from their practice sessions. Take some time to review those cases you did really well on and isolate why you did so well. See how you might capitalize on those strengths going forward. Remind yourself how good you really can be at solving issues.

Don’t forget behavioral question practice

I have seen a few students focus solely on case interview questions and heavy mathematical problem-solving only to get tripped up in an interview by the dreaded “What would be your biggest weakness?” question. Use this time to review your individual stories.

Maintain your network

You have probably worked hard at building your network—so don’t let it disappear! This is the perfect time to connect and update people in your support team. Ask what they are working on or what might be happening in their companies. It is a great way to fuel your interests and curiosity again.

The bottom line to all of this: find a way to get your mojo back. You will need it to get across the finish line and land that perfect consulting job you have been working so hard to get.

This post originally appeared on LinkedIn Pulse. In addition to founding LMHAdvisors, Lisa Hebert serves as a Weston Career Center Career Advisor, specializing in supply chain, consulting, and advising Olin’s veteran student population.