Career Questions for Admitted Students to Consider

Now that EA decisions have been released, and the next round of admitted students are not far behind, I wanted to share some “advice” about the MBA career search process that I didn’t know last year as an admitted student.

When I was admitted to Tuck (a happy day!), I started asking more-detailed questions about the curriculum, community, housing… the list goes on. But one area I overlooked was finding out real information about what my job search would like for my desired career. Truthfully, I put these questions off, since I had some idea of what I wanted to do, and I told myself that I had two years to find a job.

The reality is, first-years are already in full-swing of applying for internships, which should (hopefully) lead to full-time jobs next year. So, my two-year deadline turned out to be more like four months... two very different timelines! Looking back, I wish that I had asked more questions about what my job search would look like at Tuck. It would have helped me get grounded before coming to school, and better understand how and when to apply for internships.

So, for you newly admitted students, here are a few general questions I encourage you to ask Tuck’s Career Development Office (or any school’s career office):

1. For your desired career, which companies recruit on-campus for internships and full-time positions?
   
   On-campus recruiting is when company representatives (often Tuck alumni) travel to Hanover to interview Tuckies for internships or full-time jobs. On-campus recruiting showcases most of Tuck’s best relationships with companies – many of which are highly-desired companies to work for. That being said, if none of these companies interest YOU, your job search will be much more independent and self-driven.
   
   
2. For your desired career, how many students find internships or jobs through on-campus recruiting?
   
   Hopefully, there will be companies recruiting on-campus at Tuck that you want to work for. For your desired career, if most Tuckies have found your dream job through on-campus recruiting, you shouldn’t have to do extensive groundwork. But if most Tuckies have found your dream job through off-campus recruiting (i.e., students get the job themselves, by meeting alumni or by making new relationships), you will have more legwork to do. (N.B. - Finding a job through off-campus recruiting is not a bad thing, but it is helpful to know what to expect.)
   
   
3. For your desired career, how many students interned or accepted full-time jobs in that area?
   
   Tuck has excellent relationships with many companies, but it is good to know to whether those relationships exist for your specific job search. Find out if recent graduates (or older alumni) are working in your desired industry/company/location to better understand how common your anticipated job search is.

Ask these questions not only for your “Plan A” career, but also your “Plan B” and “Plan C” careers. I hope the information you find out will help paint a clear picture of what you will need to do to achieve your post-MBA career goals.

Most importantly, in the unlikely case that your dream job is brand new to the Tuck Career Development Office, it certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t attend Tuck – it just means you’ll be busier when you get here!