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Phase 1, Step 1 - Survey the MBA Marketplace

Step 1:  The big picture. This step is about surveying what is happening in the global business environment, in your geographical area, in the MBA marketplace in general and in the industries that interest you. What are the trends? What interests you? Having global knowledge gives you a framework for identifying opportunities. It gives you knowledge to share with your network and create win-win informationals. It also helps you identify pertinent questions and makes you a more appealing job candidate. Knowing what is out there helps you figure out where you belong and where you can be most successful. While this step must be started first, it should be considered something that is ongoing during a job search and should be continued throughout your career advancement to stay on top of trends and identify opportunities. You have finished this step when you can clearly articulate the trends that are affecting your industry and environment and how they affect your career goals. This is also the information that you will use to show how you can add value to an employer in interviews.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What are major trends that are affecting the global business environment?
2. How is your country/region/state/city adapting and developing its value proposition?
3. How are these trends affecting required competencies in my industry and geographic location?
4. What are some HOT TOPICS that I should know about?
5. What are some possible opportunities for MBA’s?
6. Which opportunities do I find most interesting?

Checklist:

1. Read business related materials:  Business Week, The Economist, Wall Street Journal, The Business Journal in your area, New York Times. Consider ordering and reading a year’s worth of articles of interest.
2. Identify websites and professional associations that provide business material in industries of interest to you. Consider subscribing to RSS feeds or daily/weekly news updates. Check resources section on the Career website for ideas.
3. Identify current business books and Harvard Business Review Articles – ask your professors what you should be reading.
4. Set meetings with professionals who work in your field’s interest.  Learn about the key issues affecting their industry and/or their job. (First year students should meet with at least five second year students who had internships of interest.)

Deliverable for GSM5108:

Meet with at least 5 second year students who had internships of interest.  Write an analysis of what is happening in that industry or geographic region in which you plan to work.  Post your essay including the list of who you talked with in your Optimal Resume portfolio.

Why this is important:  

By conducting in-depth research on your career interests, you are setting yourself up for success by showcasing your knowledge and speaking intelligently about the current trends in your field/s of interest.

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