It's the time of year to express gratitude for all that we have in our lives. For MBA students, that includes the education you're receiving right now, which has given you new insight, information, and experience that's destined to improve your potential for contributing to causes and organizations of your choosing. Your advanced education puts you in a distinct minority of individuals in the U.S. -- and an even smaller group worldwide -- who've elected to continue their studies beyond the undergraduate level.
The MBA equips you with a skill set suitable for a range of jobs, some of which even require the degree as a prerequisite for being considered. That said, the MBA does not entitle you to a job. I've yet to hear of any employer responding to a job seeker's plea "well, I have an MBA" by offering a job. The degree communicates that you have certain knowledge and skills -- that's it. It's not a free pass to getting a specific job, no more than a doctoral degree offers automatic admission to academia. Degree holders still need to demonstrate that their skills, interests, and personalities are a good fit for an employer's needs. That challenge seemingly never ends, regardless of your credentials.
So, in short, embrace gratefulness towards your education, and banish entitlement as you begin to look for work. This joint perspective will serve you well in a challenging environment for finding full-time work.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Job Search Sites Merely One Option in Your Search
An article in today's Wall Street Journal on job search Web sites illuminates the potential of such tools for your job search -- but gives short shrift to their shortcomings.
I've observed a tendency among students to rely on job search sites too heavily in their efforts -- to the detriment of their overall job search process. It's a trap I fell into myself in searching for work over the last several years.
Consider the appeal: you sit comfortably at your desk, a computer screen filled with listings for jobs. A few clicks later, you've applied for the job. And on it goes until you've exhausted all available options for that day. Satisfaction soon sets in, as you can rest comfortably knowing that you've exerted maximum effort in your job search that day.
Nothing can be further from the truth. Searching for a job in normal times is tough; in these extraordinary economic conditions, the process is even more difficult. If you really want a job, you must be willing to use a variety of tools to identify appropriate opportunities. That means you must go beyond your comfort zone, get away from your desk and the computer, connect with others, meet strangers, and try things you normally might not if you're serious.
Do people get jobs by applying for positions listed on job sites? Absolutely. Should you continue to peruse such listings, and apply for appropriate opportunities? Definitely. Should you limit the time you spend on such efforts? Yes! Yes! Yes!
I've observed a tendency among students to rely on job search sites too heavily in their efforts -- to the detriment of their overall job search process. It's a trap I fell into myself in searching for work over the last several years.
Consider the appeal: you sit comfortably at your desk, a computer screen filled with listings for jobs. A few clicks later, you've applied for the job. And on it goes until you've exhausted all available options for that day. Satisfaction soon sets in, as you can rest comfortably knowing that you've exerted maximum effort in your job search that day.
Nothing can be further from the truth. Searching for a job in normal times is tough; in these extraordinary economic conditions, the process is even more difficult. If you really want a job, you must be willing to use a variety of tools to identify appropriate opportunities. That means you must go beyond your comfort zone, get away from your desk and the computer, connect with others, meet strangers, and try things you normally might not if you're serious.
Do people get jobs by applying for positions listed on job sites? Absolutely. Should you continue to peruse such listings, and apply for appropriate opportunities? Definitely. Should you limit the time you spend on such efforts? Yes! Yes! Yes!
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