Graduate Programs

This Friday the Albers Placement Center’s Mentor Program kicks off with the Mentor Fair, where graduate (and undergraduate) students have the opportunity to meet with over 150 upper level executives from leading companies around Seattle. As I missed the opportunity last year, I am definitely getting involved now, my last year at Albers. I have heard great things about the Mentor program, from students getting valuable help brushing up their resumes to career advice and networking opportunities. One student even landed a job through her mentor. As an international student with a background in the non-profit sector, there is so much I need to learn – both about the business world and American work etiquette. Here are some of the things I hope to get out of the mentor program:

How do I leverage my network to advance my career? In my first year at Albers I met a number of highly interesting and well-connected people. Some I established contact with through LinkedIn, Facebook, or even the odd informational interview. I am hoping that my constant effort to network and talk to people, sharing my interest and experiences, eventually can lead to an interesting job opportunity. But am I strategic enough? I would really like to hear from an experienced business leader about how they got their jobs, and how they recommend I go about talking to the right people, at the right time in the right way.    

What is the key to a successful interview process? What are companies looking for? I’ve heard stories of interviews that last for days, with panel after panel of HR representatives, subject matter experts, and managers grilling you to see if you are the right fit for their company. What are they going to ask me? How do I prepare? Looking forward to tips from someone who has experience sitting on the other side of the interview table.

How did they get to where they are today? I think one of the most valuable take-aways you can get from the mentor program is learning from the mentors’ experiences as managers and leaders. How did they get to where they are today? What inspires them? How do they deal with conflict? What would they do differently knowing what they know today? What are the biggest challenges facing new MBA graduates looking to land their dream jobs? I hope that meeting with a mentor can answer some of these questions, serving as food-for-thought, advice, and guidance.

I would love to hear from those who have participated in the Mentor program already. What was your experience like? Would you do it again?

By Kari Lio, MBA Candidate at Albers School of Business and Economics