So this is a topic that I've wanted to write about for the loooongest time....but life and other topics simply got in the way, so now I'm finally getting to it.
Since we're all interested in business school we should know that many, some say most, times it's not what you know but WHO you know. I think this is true in many cases. There is a way to network before your MBA that will help you through the process while you're navigating through applications. This post will reference A LOT of people whom I've met this past year and have been able to help and have help me. I can whole heartedly say that I do not think I would be this far along in the process and have the understanding that I do without having networked the sh*t out of everything.
I will add that being in NYC has been invaluable in my ability to network. Hey if I'm here I might as well take advantage of it right? I understand that not everyone is in my position...
Can you pick which guy I am?!? hhahaha I crack myself UP!
.jpg)
Below I'm going to think about the events I've been too... who I met...and how we've helped each other... and yes.. this post is embedded with Bitly's so that people can reference the full posts. You'll be able to see... wow he's not making this up!
NYU Stern Marketing Event 2009: Last year I attended this annual marketing event at NYU. This was for current students and prospective students. Here I met two important people whom I still talk to.
Person 1 - Jessica - It's funny because the end of the event consisted of a reception. Sidenote - reception is just a formal MBA way of saying OPEN BAR. You guys don't know me but my saying is... "If it's free...I'll take three!" I didn't want to be a lush so I tried to contain myself, but there was a girl who said to a couple of us after the reception - "Who wants to go to a bar?" so.... we went to a bar! Jessica was one of the people who like myself loves to drink! Being a minority applicant, we already had a bond knowing that the process would be slightly different for us. We were also in the same boat because we were not applying in that current year, but would be applying this year. Since then I have become very good friends with Jessica. We speak on gchat everyday. She's a member of MLT and we pass nuggets along back and for to each other about this process. She has become an invaluable contact because sometimes just sharing App Process War stories is a good thing.
"DAMN GMAT - right Jess? Cuz I know she's reading this right now... laughing... all the while giving me the Side Eye at her desk like, "I KNOW THIS FOOL DID NOT JUST CALL ME OUT IN HIS BLOG"... OH HONEY I DID.. I DID! How you doing?
Person 2 - Matt - Matt was also an attendee at the marketing event. Unlike Jessica, Matt would be applying in that current cycle. R2 to be exact. We bonded because we both did Digital marketing for major fashion retailers. We kind of had the same job and similar reasons for wanting to go to business school. He's the classic case of WHAT NOT TO DO. He took a Manhattan GMAT in the summer of 2009 but didn't take the GMAT until December of 2009. Then he had to write 1 ESSAY PER DAY in order to meet all of the Round 2 Deadlines. He works a couple blocks from me and we meet up every couple of weeks to talk about our war stories. It was interesting for me to see him go through the process and then even decisions. I would email him "CHECK YOUR EMAIL I HEAR THAT _______ SCHOOL DECISIONS WERE JUST SENT OUT!" Then he would email me back with the decision. He ultimately got into Darden and was waitlisted at NYU.
Harvard LGBT Reception Nov/Dec 2009: I hadn't started my blog yet, so there isn't a Bitly link. ;-) I also, didn't know that this contact would be a contact until much later - you'll see when if you continue reading.
Person 1 - "Banker Boy" - Before the official event kicked off, I was talking to a student who would be applying in Round 2. We traded cards...and kept in touch, because well.. I wanted to see if he would get into HBS. He was a nice guy and we also talk on chat. gchat is great btw. He applied to the top 4 schools and unfortunately was not admitted to any of them. BTW he has a 750 GMAT score. I actually am amazed because the first time he took the GMAT he got a 690 and then he took it again AFTER WORK and got a 750. I was baffled. In any event, we keep each other abreast as to which events are happening when.
Person 2 - "Neighbor" - HBS 1st Year Student - While I was talking to Person 1, a current HBS student came over to find out who we were, what we did, why we want to go to b-school... all of the standard stuff so to speak. We traded business cards with him and went on our merry little way! More to come on this one....
BeatTheGMAT.com Contest February 2010 - Not going to provide a Bitly, but click on any post in February and you'll see what I'm talking about! I made an incredible invaluable contact because of this contest!
Person 1 - Brandon (Osirus) - I'm sure there will be a post after I receive an acceptance letter thanking everyone who is on Team Richard! Brandon will definitely get thanks. I'm not even going to go into everything he's helped me with and vice versa... But because of the contest I now have someone to text and who text's me at any time of the day with b-school sh*t on our minds. Like Jess he is a member of MLT. They didn't know each other because Brandon is in Chicago and Jess is here in NYC, but since they both know me... and I like to connect people...They were talking to each other THROUGH me. Brandon would ask... How is Jess doing with such and such? Jess would ask.. How is Brandon doing with such and such? Of course I was the messenger, so at the very least I couldn't be shot. They recently had a MLT conference out west and finally got to meet each other.
Sidenote - at first I hated Osirus. I was like "Who is this other fanatical posting fool? I don't like him... must take him down!"
Yale School of Management Visit January 2010 - http://bit.ly/YaleSOM2 : I think the title is self explanatory. I visited Yale...I met people there. BAM!
Person 1 - Jonathan - All I'm going to say here is read his incredible post: http://bit.ly/RossInterview
Person 2 - Spencer - I too met spencer during my visit. It was funny because I almost missed my train because I was talking to him in the train station. We exchanged contact information in the train station even though neither of us had any more business cards. He was visiting Yale SOM for his interview. So he had already gone through the application process. Spencer has been a great contact 1.) because he makes me laugh on gchat everyday. 2.) because he's been able to give me insight into the life at Ross. He too will be attending Michigan Ross this upcoming fall.
Sidenote - I wonder if it's a coincidence that the three people I met during my Yale SOM visit are all going to Ross. Hhmm... note to self to look into that! ;-)
Dartmouth Tuck Visit March 2010 - http://bit.ly/TuckVisit : I will not be using people's real names here, because they show up in Google searches! ;-) Yes I know because I made the mistake accidentally in another post and was like WHOA WHOA REIGN IT IN! and no... I'm not going to hold anything back here... You'll realize the power of the Tuck network at the end of this post.
Person 1 - "P. Diddy" - Prior to my visit I reached out to a member of the Center for Digital Strategies. He was kind enough to invite me to sit in on a speaker. Unfortunately the speaker cancelled but I was able to attend a luncheon with the other Center for Digital Strategies fellows. They were planning the upcoming theme for the program. "P. Diddy" has been an absolutely PHENOMENAL contact. I still talk to him to this day picking his brain, sending him articles, and finding out what he's been up to. He graduated this past spring but has offered to put me in contact with the new Center for Digital Strategies fellows, when I go back up to Tuck in the fall and interview. Another important piece to this pie has been that all of the Fellows whom I met...yeah we're connections on LinkedIn! So think about it this way... I now know people in my industry, who have MBA's, from a school I'll be applying too. More importantly, he'll be able to help me hone in on the meat of one of my essays. He's already offered! ;-)
Person 2 - "Ocean's 11" - I reached out to another student prior to my Tuck visit who was in the African American club, for short - didn't feel like typing out the entire name of the club. This person was unable to meet with me, so I believe she sent an email out to the whole club asking if anyone was available. One person responded to the email and I set up a meeting with her. Neither of them are "Ocean's 11." "Ocean's 11"is someone who responded to the email to make sure that someone else had responded. I told him that, yes someone did, but asked if he would be joining our coffee chat too. Long story short - He joined and while I don't speak to either of the first two contacts, I speak to "Ocean's 11" on a near weekly basis. He's currently doing his internship so the emails have slowed down a bit, but I will definitely 100% be tapping that resource when I'm filtering out my essays. He and I have a lot in common and he's been to many of the conferences I wish to attend. He's provided a lot of insight into the MBA process and just overall life of an MBA student. For instance, I asked him one time how people live without a salary for two years. (If you remember, I asked Jonathan a similar question). "Ocean's 11" spoke about loan disbursements and such. Who knew?!?! Not I said the cat...When I get back up to Tuck I told him that I have to take him out for dinner. "Ocean's 11" has also offered to help me hone in on the core of my essays! ;-)
Person 3 - "Miss Mary Mack" - I reached out to the LGBT club at Dartmouth prior to visiting of course. I was first put in touch with a student who was studying abroad. He then forwarded my email to another 2nd year and I was able to set up a call with her. This was a great call, and during the call I took notes. I will say that this isn't a contact that I kept up with over the months, because I already had another contact with the LGBT community at Tuck. I remember she too offered to read through my essays, so yes I will be going that route. Yesterday actually, I got a message from her via LinkedIn about the upcoming Diversity Conference at Tuck. Now mind you, I did not reach back out to her and our phone call was back in March the Sunday before I visited! So yeah, I got a message from her about the upcoming Diversity Conference and then we began to email back and forth in gmail, with me picking her brain! Mind you - we've never met in person because when I visited, she too was away. She's since graduated but will be trying to get to the Diversity Conference this fall. Hopefully I'll get to meet her in person then.
Hhmm let's see.. what was next after Tuck? Oh Harvard!
Harvard HBS LGBT Event April 2010 - http://bit.ly/HBSLGBT: These were unexpected contacts. I met the two of people below during the last event of the full day open house - during another Open Bar! Are you beginning to notice the trend?!?! Me = Lush! if it's free.. I'll take 3!
Person 1 - Ben - I met Ben during the reception at the end of the day. I honestly don't remember what we spoke about at all. I just knew that we were both from NYC. I'm sure we talked about that. We exchanged contact information and left the event. I remember him saying that he was taking the bus that was leaving an hour before mine to get back to the city. Then I remember being on the bus and finding him on Facebook and sending each other messages back and forth via Facebook. It was quite comical because we were making fun of people. (One of my favorite past times but I'll be the first one to make fun of myself so it's OK - at least that's how I reconcile it in my head). The next time I saw Ben was at the Dartmouth Tuck event at the Kaplan center on May 8th. The only reason I remember that date is because it was the day I took the GMAT! It was as if we were old friends. When I was attending the Michigan Ross event on Monday, Ben texted me and asked me if I was going to the InsideTheMBA.org event the following day. I hadn't even heard about it, but I registered and attended. During that event Ben had me dying laughing. Apparently he had been at an all day Wine tasting event and let me tell you.. he kept it going during the MBA Event! Jessica was also at this event, and now... ::patting myself on the back:: Ben and Jessica are friends on Facebook. He had her and her friends cracking up!
Ben, if you're reading this (I'm going to make you read it...) Thunderbird Business School will be at the Kaplan event on August 8th. Got some questions for them?
Person 2 - "He-Man" - Midway through the page - http://bit.ly/MBAMakesMeWhat - During the HBS event, I met a current student who had a similar background to mine. He had worked on the corporate side of retail like I was, so we swapped stories on that. In any event, so in the link I posted above I recall the meeting that he and I had at Starbucks picking each others brains. I know that he's dedicated to helping me flush out ideas for my HBS essays. We actually have a call set up for Sunday @ 6pm to discuss. I sent him the essay questions, with my ideas for each essay. We will discuss them then... He's great!
Person 3 - "Neighbor" - So now go back to the first HBS event I attended back last fall. Remember the 2nd person "Neighbor"? Well now he comes into play. So he was actually one of the organizers of the LGBT Event up at Harvard since he was now a 2nd year student. When we were at the breakfast reception early in the morning I spoke to him because I remembered him from the previous event. Granted - he didn't remember me... Anyway, after the event I emailed him and thanked him for organizing it. We emailed back and forth and it turns out that WE GREW UP IN BORDERING TOWNS. Actually, our High Schools were rivals! So we kind of bonded over that and I think I played against his brother in soccer!
I can think about 10 other contacts I've made, but in all honesty... I don't feel like writing it all. It's now 1:34am and I have class tomorrow at 9. Maybe another time I'll write it. In conclusion though, it's been important for me to keep in touch with everyone I've met on this journey... right down to now I don't have to find a hotel to stay in when I visit Ross! You never know who you're going to run into and who will turn into a great resource!
I think there are going to be more and more posts, because there's so much going on in my life right now that I need to update you guys... here's a preview!
- I was interviewed today for MBAPodcaster.com
- Update on conversation with VP
- InsideTheMBA.org event on Tuesday
- GMAT
- Kaplan event on August 8th and the sacrifice I will have to make to attend.
- ESSAYS!
- Fall calendar
- Something else in the pipeline for Monday.
Yeah sooo much stuff...
IF YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THIS POST CAN YOU PLEASE CLICK HERE: http://bit.ly/BlogLengthTest I want track an see how many people actually read that much! Thank you if you do!
Comments welcome!
No comments:
Post a Comment