A new week
This past week was quite busy with those World Economy essays to write, a finance case to finish and my work as an independent consultant. Next week looks quite busy as well with a job interview tomorrow for an associate position with a boutique consulting firm and another interview planned on Wednesday with my summer employer. I'm actually quite relaxed for those coming interviews since I already have an offer from one of the big name in management consulting. I haven't told them ‘yes’ yet so I’m still interviewing with other firms in case something better arises but in the end, there is a very strong probability that I will join them. The only problem: it's for one of their office in continental Europe and I was not too keen on leaving London after only 2 years there.
Consulting was not my initial objective when I joined the MBA. It was Venture Capital, in particular the funds investing in early stage in high-tech companies. It's a very small industry in Europe (may be 10 serious funds), each employing at max 20 people so their recruiting needs are quite small. After talking to most of them using introductions from the VCs who backed the startup I used to work for, I decided to expand my job search since I realized my chances for joining the VC industry, right after the MBA, were limited. So I applied for consulting jobs during the Milkround (that's what they call on-campus recruiting here) since I figured that after a few years as a strategy consultant, I will be in a stronger position to discuss opportunities with a VC. I still need to confirm that point with a headhunter but I’m quite convinced it’s right.
The Milkround is quite a stressful period at the School. It was stressful last year for internship recruiting and even more so this year for full-time. You need to be focused since you cannot go to all presentations but at the same time, you don't want to restrict yourself too much since it could mean missed opportunities. Yet, it really helps if you know broadly what you want to do: Consulting, Banking or Industry. Just an advice for the 2007 reading this blog: the Milkround for you start on the first day of the Spring term so during your Xmas holidays you should really prepare your cover letters and rehearse interviews. The first deadlines for applications will be mid-January so the earlier you are ready, the better.
Consulting was not my initial objective when I joined the MBA. It was Venture Capital, in particular the funds investing in early stage in high-tech companies. It's a very small industry in Europe (may be 10 serious funds), each employing at max 20 people so their recruiting needs are quite small. After talking to most of them using introductions from the VCs who backed the startup I used to work for, I decided to expand my job search since I realized my chances for joining the VC industry, right after the MBA, were limited. So I applied for consulting jobs during the Milkround (that's what they call on-campus recruiting here) since I figured that after a few years as a strategy consultant, I will be in a stronger position to discuss opportunities with a VC. I still need to confirm that point with a headhunter but I’m quite convinced it’s right.
The Milkround is quite a stressful period at the School. It was stressful last year for internship recruiting and even more so this year for full-time. You need to be focused since you cannot go to all presentations but at the same time, you don't want to restrict yourself too much since it could mean missed opportunities. Yet, it really helps if you know broadly what you want to do: Consulting, Banking or Industry. Just an advice for the 2007 reading this blog: the Milkround for you start on the first day of the Spring term so during your Xmas holidays you should really prepare your cover letters and rehearse interviews. The first deadlines for applications will be mid-January so the earlier you are ready, the better.
posted by k at 8:51 PM
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