After helping four MBA applicants with their resume and essays, Darren realized he was repeating similar advice. In this episode, Darren shares how you can use the five senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch - to make your application more three dimensional. Topics Introduction (0:00) Sight - paint the scene (2:23) Touch - make the reader feel something (8:00) Sound - have a point of view (12:54) Taste - be focused and break stereotypes (18:10) Smell - make sure your entire application matches (23:54) Episode write-up: https://touchmba.com/five-senses  Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Dr. Michele Roberts, MBA Academic Director of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at University of New South Wales (UNSW), discusses what makes the AGSM MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (3:20) | Admissions (31:00) | Careers (47:30) About Our Guest Dr. Michele Roberts is the MBA Academic Director of AGSM at UNSW, looking after all its MBA Programs. Michele teaches MBA courses in Marketing Management and Foundations of Management. Prior to academic life, Michele worked as a Marketing Manager at a Fortune 500 company in London and Melbourne. She holds a Masters’ Degree in Marketing and a PhD in Marketing & Public Policy from the University of Western Australia. Full write-up on what makes AGSM unique: https://touchmba.com/agsm-mba-program-admissions-interview-michele-roberts  Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

Chief Market Officer Kai Stenzel and Admissions Manager Sofia Syed Nasir discuss what makes the Mannheim MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (3:50) | Admissions (25:15) | Financing & Working in Germany (35:40) | Careers (48:30) About Our Guest Kai Stenzel is the Chief Market Officer for Mannheim Business School where he has worked for over 6 years. He is responsible for Marketing, Admissions, Career Development, and Alumni Relations. Kai got his MBA from Mannheim Business School and Essec Business School. Sofia Syed Nasir is the Admissions Manager for Mannheim Full-time MBA, Mannheim Business School. She got her Masters in International Business from Grenoble Ecole de Management. What is unique about the Mannheim MBA? Ranked #1 MBA in Germany by Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek and the Economist Ranked #1 in Business Administration by German HR professionals 14 years in a row (Wirtschaftswoche University Ranking) Targets and consistently ranks top 10 worldwide for ROI 1 year MBA starts in September with ~60 students per intake Admissions looking for collaborative mindset, teamwork abilities, and unique point of view that could benefit other classmates  10 core courses taught in terms 1-2; electives, social sustainability project and business master project offered in terms 2-4; students can extend with a term 5 to get a management analytics certificate, study abroad or pursue a business idea or internship 80% of graduates stay in Germany to work Graduates get a job seeker's visa that lasts 18-months  Mannheim MBA fast facts, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/mannheim-mba-program-admissions-interview-kai-stenzel-sofia-syed-nasir

MBA Recruitment Manager Alex Jones discusses what makes the Bayes Business School MBA (formerly Cass), City, University of London unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (4:10) | Admissions (19:30) | Financing & Scholarships (33:40) | Careers (37:30) About Our Guest Alex Jones is the MBA Recruitment Manager for Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, where he has worked for over 8 years. Alex got his Bachelors in Communication from the University of Leicester and his Masters in Media Production from Birmingham City University. What is unique about the Bayes Business School MBA? 1 year MBA starts in September with ~90 students per intake City's campus is in the heart of London’s financial district, which helps with career-related events, meetings and recruiting Core curriculum is taught in 4 blocks through the first 6 months of program: 1) strategy & organization 2) the financial environment 3) creating management advantage and 4) knowledge and policy, followed by a week-long international consultancy, electives and business mastery project Looking for minimum of 3 years professional experience and experience working multicultural teams with international outlook Hosts week-long London Symposium elective that gives a behind-the-scenes look into the economic drivers of London Has an MBA Expeditionary Society, which includes MBA and EMBA students, and explores leadership through stretch experiences, delivered by renowned mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington MBA alumni can take one free elective each year Under revised UK visa system, international students can get 2-year post-study work visa to look for employment in UK Ranked #2 globally for corporate strategy by Financial Times (2020) Ranked #1 in the UK for Entrepreneurship by Poets & Quants and Inc Magazine's 2021 50 Best MBAs for Entrepreneurship Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/the-business-school-city-university-of-london-mba-program-admissions-interview-alex-jones

Anastasia Georgiou, Director of Admissions at Melbourne Business School, discusses what makes the Melbourne MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (4:38) | Admissions (19:00) | Scholarships (31:20) | Careers (34:00) About Our Guest Anastasia Georgiou is Director of Admissions at Melbourne Business School. Anastasia has worked in higher education and admissions for over 20 years. What is unique about the Melbourne MBA? What are its key advantages? Highest ranked Australian MBA by Financial Times, Economist and QS Offered Australia’s first MBA program starting in 1963. Melbourne Business School is 55% owned by Australia’s leading companies and 45% by the University of Melbourne Melbourne was ranked the world's most livable city for 18 years straight and is the multicultural capital of Australia MBA can be completed in 1 or 2 years Well-known for marketing and finance, and has recently set up Centres for Business Analytics and Sustainability & Business Prides itself in offering a high-touch MBA experience for 40 students/year Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/melbourne-mba-program-admissions-interview-anastasia-georgiou

Job hoppers, this episode is for you! Darren shares three strategies you can use to mitigate your track record of job hopping. How can you present this as an asset to your target MBA programs? Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/mba-positioning-strategies-for-job-hoppers

Gilbert Chua, Deputy Director of Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions at Nanyang Business School, discusses what makes the Nanyang MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (2:30) | Admissions (11:50) | Scholarships (31:45) | Careers (34:20) About Our Guest Gilbert Chua is the Deputy Director of Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions at Nanyang Business School. Gilbert previously served as Head of Recruitment & Admissions for Singapore Management University's Postgraduate Programmes, where he also got his EMBA. What is unique about the Nanyang MBA? What are its key advantages? 1-year program includes 9 core courses + 4 electives + 1 leadership module + 1 business study mission + 1 strategy project, with option to add a summer / fall exchange or get Double Masters with Waseda (Japan), St. Gallen (Switzerland) or Essec (France) Offers 5 concentrations in Banking & Finance, Strategy & Innovation, General Management, Marketing Management, Human Capital Management, and Strategy Projects Admissions looking for academic capacity, those with "T-shaped" leadership potential, ability to contribute in classroom, and cultural adaptability The Nanyang MBA was ranked the 35th worldwide by Financial Times (2020) and 73rd worldwide by the Economist (2019), and Nanyang Technological University was ranked 48th Worldwide in the Times Higher Education's World University Rankings (2020) Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/nanyang-mba-program-admissions-interview-gilbert-chua

James Kent, Marketing Manager for the MBA Admissions & Marketing Team at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), discusses what makes the CEIBS MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (3:00) | Admissions (23:40) | Scholarships & Covid-19 (39:40) | Careers (49:30) About Our Guest James Kent is the Marketing Manager for the MBA Admissions & Marketing Team at CEIBS. James got his Bachelors in Chinese and Management from Sheffield University and has worked in recruitment and marketing for 10 years. What is unique about the CEIBS MBA? What are its key advantages? China's top-ranked MBA lasts 18 months and focuses on "China Depth, Global Breadth" CEIBS was co-founded in 1994 by the Chinese Government and the European Union, and has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Accra and Zurich CEIBS is looking for proactive candidates with a pioneering spirit Mentoring program matches each MBA student with a CEIBS EMBA alumni CEIBS 70 faculty members are 1/3 from China, 1/3 from the US and 1/3 from Europe, many of whom consult for MNCs and Chinese Companies in China CEIBS has three coordinated degrees options as well: CEIBS-Fletcher (Law & Diplomacy), CEIBS-Cornell (Hospitality), CEIBS-Johns Hopkins (Public Health) The CEIBS MBA was ranked the 5th worldwide by Financial Times (2020) Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/ceibs-mba-program-admissions-interview-james-kent

This episode is from my new podcast, ASE, which explores making a living and life as a solopreneur. I bring on artists, social entrepreneurs, and solo founders to explore the self-employed, creative life and how to do your best work. A number of my salsa friends in their 20s and 30s have found it helpful, so I thought I'd share it with you too. ASE showcases a different, more personal side to me (with some cursing, so be warned!). And for those of you who are looking for more MBA admissions content, don't worry, I have plenty more MBA episodes coming your way - including more interviews with MBA Admissions Directors - so stay tuned. Live the Questions A month ago my salsa friends and I shared our personal challenges over smoothies. Most revolved around feeling more whole and complete with ourselves and our lives. I've thought about that conversation for weeks. Here is my unsolicited advice to friends in their 20s searching for purpose, work, home and satisfaction. More than anything, this episode is a reminder to myself to love and live the questions - cause they never go away. Questions Satisfaction (6:20) Home (9:35) Work (13:30) Purpose (17:10) Subscribe to the ASE Podcast Email / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher / Google Podcasts / YouTube Show Notes ASE #18: Live the Questions  Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (Sebastian Junger) The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake (David Brooks) The Labyrinth of Solitude (Octavio Paz) Man’s Search for Meaning (Victor E. Frankl) Xiu Yang: The Ancient Chinese Art of Self-Cultivation for a Healthier, Happier, More Balanced Life (Mimi Kuo Deemer)

How did Henry Nguyen, who graduated from Kellogg 20 years ago, launch Vietnam’s first technology venture capital fund, Vietnam’s first professional basketball team, and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise? Henry recounts his journey from travel writer to MD to MBA to Wall Street and then back to Vietnam, where he has built a career as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Henry also gives a behind a scenes look into putting together a winning bid for LAFC, building a 22,000 capacity outdoor arena in downtown Los Angeles, and growing a raving fanbase before LAFC’s first game in 2018. Henry shares what he gained from his Kellogg MBA, as well as his advice to young professionals and entrepreneurs considering business school. "Being an entrepreneur is sometimes just saying 'Why Not?'" - Henry Nguyen Questions Introducing Henry Nguyen (0:00) Henry’s unanticipated MBA and business career (6:30) Henry’s heads to Wall Street (11:00) The travel writing experience that changed Henry’s life (14:45) Henry’s journey back to Vietnam (21:15) Starting IDG Ventures Vietnam – “My life is a serendipitous series of fortunate circumstances” (26:30) From “funny money” to “startup” – the growth of entrepreneurship in Vietnam (30:30) Breaking into venture capital (34:10) Henry’s thoughts on the value of a MBA for career changers vs. entrepreneurs, and what he learned from Kellogg (39:30) Henry’s foray into the business of sports, and starting amateur and professional sports leagues in Vietnam (49:30) Behind the scenes of Henry’s winning bid for LAFC (1:01:27) Growing LAFC’s fanbase – “the 3252” – in a city with 11 sports franchises (1:15:10) Opportunities for MBAs in sports (1:17:35) How Henry manages his businesses and engagements (1:25:20) Henry’s last advice to MBA applicants and students (1:29:40) About Henry Henry Nguyen is the Chairman of Phoenix Holdings, an investment company with operations in consumer, media, retail, food & beverage, and financial services sectors, and Managing General Partner of IDG Ventures Vietnam. He is the Developmental Licensee of McDonalds Vietnam and Chairman of XLE Group, which develops sports at the professional, collegiate and grass roots level in Vietnam. He is also Founding Owner of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and one of the Founding Trustees at Fulbright University Vietnam. After majoring in classics at Harvard University, Henry earned his MD and MBA from Northwestern University Medical School and the Kellogg School of Management. Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/mba-careers-vietnam-venture-capital-sports-lafc-henry-nguyen

Why did a Colombian civil engineer choose to do his MBA in Israel? Manuel Fajardo shares his journey to the Tel Aviv University’s Sofaer Global MBA, and how the program’s focus on new venture creation has helped him pursue his business idea. About Manuel Manuel Fajardo will graduate from the Sofaer Global MBA this Fall. Before getting his MBA, Manuel worked as General Manager of EDS LA PAZ, and as COO and Chief Engineer at Agregados el Rodeo in Colombia. Manuel got his degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes. Questions Introducing Manuel Fajardo (0:00) Why Manuel decided to study in Israel (3:38) Is Israel safe? (10:18) Attending a young MBA program (12:10) Tel Aviv University’s ties to the start-up ecosystem (13:55) Manuel’s business idea (17:45) Sofaer’s entrepreneurial curriculum, competition and opportunities (19:00) What Manuel found surprising about studying in Israel (24:05) Being in a small MBA class with less than 40 students (27:20) Working in Israel post-MBA (30:25) Manuel’s post-MBA career plan (31:50) Manuel’s biggest takeaways from the MBA (32:45) Is it tough to get a job in Israel as a foreigner? (35:20) Episode summary, show notes and more at:  https://touchmba.com/sofaer-global-mba-manuel-fajardo

Darren invites Dirk Hopfl from IE Business School to share how Covid-19 has affected its MBA program and IE's plan moving forward. IE, based in Spain, is one of Europe's leading business schools with one of world's most international MBA programs, regularly admitting 90% of its students from 75 countries outside Spain. Its response offers one possibility for how MBAs will evolve to meet student needs during a pandemic. About Dirk Dirk Hopfl is Regional Director South East Asia for IE Business School. Dirk got his MBA in 1999 from IE and has over 20 years of leadership experience in international management education. Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/how-is-covid-19-impacting-b-schools-dirk-hopfl-shares-ie-business-schools-response/

Tawan (Tina) Suvapatrachai shares her MBA journey from Bangkok to Virginia Darden and then back to Thailand to do strategy for Samsung. Like many international applicants, Tina didn't have the chance to visit her four target US business schools. How did she research schools and find her best fit? Why did she choose Darden and what did she take from her Darden MBA experience? Questions Tina's background (3:40) Tina's school research and application tips (5:00) How the MBA did not give Tina more career clarity, but rather a powerful career platform (11:30) Common problems Tina sees from international MBA applicants (17:00) Tina's Darden experience (24:40) Blending in as an international student (34:20) How to make the most of the MBA experience (36:30) The importance of the on-campus experience (39:00) Tina's internship and job search (42:05) Tina's big takeaways from her Darden experience (48:55) About Tina Tawan (Tina) Suvapatrachai works as a Channel Strategy Lead at Samsung in Bangkok, Thailand. Before getting her MBA Tina worked as an Account Manager at Proctor & Gamble. Tina got into Cambridge Judge, UCLA Anderson and NYU Stern, but chose to attend Virginia Darden, where she graduated in 2018. Tina got her B.S in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-virginia-darden-mba-tawan-tina-suvapatrachai

As a UX Designer and mother in Kansas City with no MBA network, Graciela Brewer wasn't sure if she "had a sliver of a chance" at her targets: HBS, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern and Cornell Tech. Four months later, she got into all four programs. In this episode, Grace shares how she shortlisted schools, submitted her strongest resume, essays, and recommendations, and stayed sane during a stressful application process. Questions How Covid-19 is affecting Grace's HBS plans (5:24) How family and motherhood factored into Grace's school choices (7:57) Grace's educational and work background (13:10) Grace's post-MBA career goals (16:38) How Grace shortlisted schools (18:33) Why Grace focused her school research process on student clubs (21:25) Grace's most helpful resources: Touch MBA, Poets & Quants, Applicant Lab (24:14) Grace's resume tips and extracurriculars (31:50) How Grace answered the HBS essay (37:00) Grace's HBS interview & post-interview reflection (44:15) How Grace handled MIT Sloan's cover letter & 1-minute video (48:54) Cornell Tech's case study interview (58:15) How Grace selected and prepare her recommenders (1:01:15) Grace's tips for dealing with a stressful application process (1:05:09) Grace's UX suggestions for MBA applications (1:17:55) About Graciela (Grace) Grace Brewer works as a Senior UX Designer at Netsmart, which designs and delivers electronic health records. Grace got into Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, and Cornell Tech, and will pursue her MBA at HBS. Grace got her B.S in Information Science from Missouri University of Science & Technology. Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/how-i-got-into-harvard-business-school-graciela-brewer/

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky has dedicated his professional life to helping others overcome cognitive biases and make better decisions. In this episode, Darren and Dr. Gleb discuss ways MBA applicants can make better decisions when it comes to business school and their careers. Questions Why Dr. Gleb has dedicated two decades of his life to overcoming cognitive biases with decision making (3:00) Autopilot vs. Intentional decision making (7:45) When our gut serves us in career decisions (14:30) Best practices for overcoming our cognitive biases (20:48) Common biases when making career decisions (27:17) How important are rankings? (33:33) Five questions to avoid decision disasters (37:07) Navigating emotions and decision making (43:48) About Our Guest Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist. Dr. Tsipursky has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Time, Scientific American, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. His new book is called Never Go with Your Gut: How How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters. Dr. Gleb earned his PhD in the History of Behavioral Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011. Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/dont-trust-your-gut-career-decisions-dr-gleb-tsipursky/‎

Do you have to quit your job to get your MBA? Darren invites Chris Healy from Alliance Manchester Business school to share how the part-time / professional MBA has evolved with new technology and student and employer demands. If you're unsure about getting an online, blended, part-time or Executive MBA, you'll get key insights from this episode. Questions How the part-time / professional MBA has evolved over the past 15 years (2:30) How employers view part-time / professional MBAs (15:50) Networking at b-school as a part-time / professional MBA (21:35) The quality of online courses (27:20) How do business schools with multiple campuses maintain quality of faculty? (33:25) The advantages of dual-MBAs (37:00) Grades, format, and commitment required of a typical Manchester MBA part-time course held over 6 months (40:35) The future of part-time / professional MBAs (47:20) About Our Guest Chris Healy is Head of MBA Marketing & Recruitment for Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester. Chris has been in the business education industry for nearly 15 years and got his Bachelors in Consumer Marketing from Manchester Metropolitan University. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/the-evolving-professional-mba-chris-healy

Inspired by the Harvard Business Review article Experience Doesn’t Predict a New Hire’s Success, Darren shares how you can demonstrate you're a great fit for your target MBA programs - or your next employer - even if you're short on experience. If you feel like you lack relevant work experience for the MBA, this episode is for you. Show Notes Experience Doesn’t Predict a New Hire’s Success (Harvard Business Review) Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/experience-does-not-equal-performance/

Sachin Tipnis, Senior Executive Director of HKU's MBA, EMBA & 6 specialized Masters programs discusses the Hong Kong protests, curriculum changes, admissions, and picking the right Masters program for your career goals. The Hong Kong Protests - How Has this Affected Students? (2:45) Curriculum, Admissions and Career Services Updates with the HKU MBA (17:30) Full-time MBA vs. Specialized Masters vs. EMBA - Which Should You Choose (45:15) HKU MBA Highlights (last updated Jan 2020) 12-months, Fall intake, 55-60 students/year Typical Class: 5-6 years work exp / ~15 nationalities / 640 GMAT Has 3 tracks: the London track, the New York track, and the Hong Kong/China track. After finishing 9 months of core courses at HKU, students can study at Columbia University in New York, London Business School in London, or Fudan University in Shanghai for one semester HKU has 2 rounds of interviews. The first is similar to a job interview; those that pass the first round may be required to give a presentation in the second round Graduates get a 1-year visa to stay in Hong Kong and find a job post-graduation Placement, Class of 2018: 83% w/job offers w/in 3 months, $82,551 USD avg post MBA salary (Economist MBA Ranking 2019) Top Destinations, Class of 2017 & 2018: 47% Hong Kong / 21% Other Regions of Asia / 13% Mainland China / 9% Americas / 7% India / 3% Europe Top Industries, Class of 2018: 36% Financial Services, Insurance / 12% Consumer Goods, Retail / 6% IT, Telecommunications Top Functions, Class of 2017 & 2018: 29% Finance, Audit, Accounting / 27% Consulting, Strategy / 21% Marketing, Branding, Business Development / 10% General Management Ranked #1 Asian Business School by Economist for 9 straight years About Our Guest Sachin Tipnis is the Senior Executive Director of MBA, EMBA Global Asia (joint Executive MBA Degree with Columbia and London Business School), and six specialized Master Programmes at the University of Hong Kong. Sachin was part of HKU's first graduating MBA class and has worked for over a decade developing the HKU MBA. Sachin worked in branding and marketing communications for 7 years before working in higher education. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/hku-mba-whats-up-in-2020  

Gregory Wool, Cornell Johnson MBA '21, scored below average on the quantitative section of the GMAT. How did he overcome this score to not only get into Cornell Johnson, but win a prestigious tuition free scholarship? Gregory also shares his experience surviving a packed first semester, leading the student consulting club, and recruiting into strategy consulting. Questions Gregory's application and GMAT journey (4:40) What Gregory did to overcome his low quant score (8:50) Gregory's experience with Cornell's L.E.A.D. admissions event (12:45) Gregory's career goals and how they affected his MBA search (18:50) Winning a Roy H. Park Leadership Fellowship (22:40) The importance of speaking to current students (24:30) Surviving first semester FOMO and coursework (26:50) Becoming an officer at Johnson Consulting club (32:12) Recruiting into consulting: clubs, case competitions, career working groups, and live consulting projects (36:15) Social life at Cornell Johnson (48:00) Being an older MBA candidate (54:00) Cornell's Present Value Podcast (58:16) About Gregory Gregory Wool worked as a Director of Operations at two boutique resorts before attending the Cornell Johnson MBA, where he is a first year MBA candidate and Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow. Gregory is also President of the Johnson Consulting Club, and Producer of the Present Value Podcast. Gregory got a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Dramatic Performance from the University of Cincinnati College - Conservatory of Music. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/quantless-in-cornell-gregory-wool

Around half of Insead MBA graduates end up working in consulting each year. Darren invites Massine Bouzerar, Insead MBA '19J, to share how he landed a job with Bain & Company AND made the most of his ten months at Insead's Fontainebleau campus. Questions Massine’s overview of management consulting recruiting at Insead (4:35) Differentiating yourself from thousands of other MBA students applying to consulting firms (7:55) How Massine's career plans evolved at Insead (10:30) Work visas in Europe for non-Europeans (12:35) How Massine explored consulting offices worldwide (14:46) What helped Massine prepare for recruiting in management consulting (18:00) The culture of recruiting at Insead (20:55) Student clubs and recruiting (24:10) Recruiting for non-consulting jobs (26:00) Dealing with FOMO in a 1-year program (29:20) Making connections at Insead (31:40) Academics at Insead (32:55) Massine's takeaways from his MBA experience (40:23) Outsead, Insead's LGBTQ+ student club (44:20) Dating at Insead (47:56) Massine's final thoughts (51:00) About Massine Massine Bouzerar worked as a product manager and e-commerce strategist in Canada before attending the Insead MBA. Massine served as President of Outsead, Insead's LGBT+ student club, and as the academic representative for his section. He currently is an Associate for Bain & Company in Brussels. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/management-consulting-student-life-insead-massine-bouzerar  

Gary Lo, Managing Director of Glo Consulting and former Head of Admissions for the HKUST MBA, shares three questions to ask before you make a career move - MBA included. Aside from working for 10 different companies in 7 industries, Gary has counseled hundreds of MBAs and professionals as a career coach, so don't miss this episode if you're thinking about making a career move. Questions Gary's three questions to ask before you make a career move (3:10) Is following your passion practical? (13:50) Why Gary believes 10-15 years a good long-term planning period (23:04) The power song exercise (26:55) Applying Gary's framework to the MBA: what should more MBA applicants consider before applying? (30:08) How MBA recruiting has changed (39:25) Gary's questions to help MBA students breakthrough career planning paralysis (42:20) Building your personal brand (46:20) About Gary Gary Lo is a seasoned trainer with extensive corporate experience. He spent most of his career working at Fortune 500 companies including LVMH, Apple, Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Nestle, with a scope covering the Greater China & APAC region. He was the former Head of Marketing & Admissions for the HKUST MBA Programs, and now serves as a Guest Lecturer for the HKU SPACE Institute for China Business and Nielsen University. He is also an appointed career coach for top Universities in the region, where he has trained hundreds of MBA and Masters students, professionals and corporate executives from all around the world. Gary holds an MBA degree from the HKUST Business School. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/three-questions-to-ask-before-you-make-a-career-move-gary-lo  

Darren recently attended a panel "Preparing Your Application: Advice from MBA Admissions Directors” at the MBA Tour in Ho Chi Minh. In this episode, he unpacks the application advice given by five admissions directors. Why should you get an MBA? (3:16) What type of experience are top business schools looking for? (7:20) How can you assess school fit? (10:12) What are your top essay tips? (13:00) What are your top interview tips? (16:37) Admissions Directors on MBA Tour Panel (August 2019) John-Derek (J.D.) Clarke, Ivey Business School Kylie Stewart, Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business Gulnura Rakhyshova, Asia School of Business Jessica Morgan, Schulich School of Business John Lee, UCLA Anderson School of Management Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/five-takeaways-mba-tour-panel-ho-chi-minh-preparing-your-application-advice-from-admissions-directors

Cristian Molina Cornejo, Tuck MBA '21, shares how MBA applicants can take advantage of two programs that champion diversity and inclusion: Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) and the Consortium. Cristian also gives his best application tips after getting into four out of five top 20 US MBA programs. Questions Cristian's background (3:20) What you need to know about MLT (14:25) What you need to know about Consortium (26:00) MLT's Professional Development program and its network (30:55) How to make the most out of MLT and Consortium (40:50) Cristian's best application tips after getting into four top schools (45:10) Cristian's thoughts on Tuck (52:50) About Cristian Cristian is a first year MBA at the Tuck School of Business. Prior to starting his MBA, Cristian graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Economics, and worked for Energeia, a research and advisory firm in energy technology and electronics. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/management-leadership-for-tomorrow-consortium-what-you-need-to-know

Hailing from Nigeria and having never visited the US, how did Ikechukwu Edeagu shortlist and apply to MBA programs? And what was his process for navigating internships and the job search as an international student? Listen to get a real-time, inside look into one international student's MBA experience at UNC Kenan Flagler. Questions Ike's background (3:53) How Ike shortlisted business schools  (8:02) Ike's application tips for international students (14:20) Ike's thoughts on financing your MBA (22:20) How Ike secured his internship and job with Microsoft (25:08) Ike's recommended resources and research process for your MBA job search (44:30) The importance of soft skills in building relationships and careers in the US (53:55) Ike thoughts on the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA experience and culture (1:00:00) Ike's final recommendations to applicants (1:11:30) About our Guest Ikechukwu Edeagu graduated from the UNC MBA with a double concentration in Capital Markets and Investments and Corporate Finance. Prior to starting his MBA, Ike worked in KPMG's Risk Consulting practice in Lagos, Nigeria. Ikechukwu is currently working as a Finance Manager, Cloud and Artificial Intelligence for Microsoft in Seattle.  Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/the-us-mba-experience-as-an-international-student-ikechukwu-edeagu-unc-mba

Do you feel like your MBA story is a bit bland? Or uninspiring compared to the applicant profiles you see online? What if you haven't overcome insurmountable odds or accomplished something amazing? Darren explores the possibilities of kishōtenketsu - a four act story structure used by Japanese and Chinese writers for centuries. What makes this story structure interesting is that it relies on contrast - not conflict - to generate interest. Kishōtenketsu in 4 acts: Ki (start) Shō (development) Ten (twist) Ketsu (conclusion) Listen on for ways you can use this Eastern story structure to keep admissions officers' attention AND demonstrate your self-awareness. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/kishotenketsu

Dr. Christoph Schneider, Associate Director of MBA Programme and Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems, City University Hong Kong, discusses what makes the City U Hong Kong MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (4:06) | Admissions (18:30) | Scholarships (33:58) | Careers (36:38) About Our Guest Christoph Schneider is the Associate Director of the MBA Programme at City University Hong Kong, where he has also been Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems for over a decade. Christoph has published in premier business journals as well as best-selling textbooks on management information systems and project management. Christoph got his PhD in Business Administration - Management Information Systems from Washington State University. What is unique about the City U Hong Kong MBA? What are its key advantages? 1-year program includes study trips to Silicon Valley (UC Berkeley), London (Imperial College) and an Asian country for a consulting project Offers (5 concentrations: Accounting, Finance, Information Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management The business mentoring programme matches students to 25+ MBA mentors according to their  backgrounds, experiences and interests; During a 6-month period, mentors and students meet through events, workshops, and 1-1s City U Hong Kong was ranked the #4 university for Economics and Business in Asia by US News and World Report (2019) and placed #55 worldwide by QS' World University Rankings (2019) Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/city-university-hong-kong-mba-program-admissions-interview-christoph-schneider

Darren invites Susan Bertulli, Director, MBA Career Management at Ivey Business School at Western University to discuss MBA employment reports. First, why and how are MBA employment reports produced? Then, what should you look for? Which employment figures and statistics matter? How can you use them to shortlist b-schools and plan your career? The Ivey MBA has been ranked #1 in Canada for five years running by Bloomberg Businessweek for both student and recruiter satisfaction, so don't miss this inside look into how a top MBA career services team produces their employment report. Questions Susan's background (5:00) The role of MBA career services (6:55) The challenges of MBA career management in a 1-year MBA program (9:12) What applicants should look for from MBA career management teams (12:16) The context surrounding MBA employment reports (14:30) The challenges of producing an annual employment report (18:00) Key figures for applicants to focus on (20:43) How applicants can approach career services with employment statistics questions (26:15) Does a business school's size affect diversity of industry recruiters? (30:17) Understanding a school's list of recruiting firms (34:00) How should applicants use employment reports to shortlist b-schools (39:40) How applicants can show employability in MBA interviews (42:30) MBA Career services: expectations vs reality (44:47) Actions of students & alumni that succeed in their career search (48:00) Have employers' criteria changed for MBAs? (50:20) Susan's recommended resources for career planning (53:05) About our Guest Susan Bertulli is Director, MBA Career Management at Ivey Business School at Western University, where she manages student engagement in career planning, from admissions through to job employment. Over her 10+ years with Ivey, MBAs have achieved 90% placement with over 90% of the students reporting on their success. Susan also serves on several boards including the Dorchester Minor Hockey Association and St. Peter’s Anglican Church. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/behind-the-scenes-mba-employment-report  

Betsy Kacizak, Director of MBA Admissions and Recruitment, and Brad Chandler, Director, Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking at the Wisconsin School of Business of University Wisconsin-Madison, discuss what makes the Wisconsin MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (10:45) | Admissions (29:56) | Scholarships (45:32) | Careers (49:08 About Our Guests Betsy Kacizakis the Director of MBA Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Betsy excels at walking you through the admissions process, including helping guide you toward the specialization that best fits your passions and career aspirations. She has expertise as a leader in the field of graduate admissions. She has worked for the Wisconsin School of Business for 11 years and worked for seven years at Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Brad Chandleris the Director of the Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking at the Wisconsin School of Business. At the Nicholas Center, Brad is responsible for both administering the Center's specialized programming focused on MBA and undergraduate students and teaching a number of its core courses. Prior to joining the Nicholas Center in 2017, Brad was a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley in New York City. While at Morgan Stanley, Brad advised corporate and private equity clients on mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism and defense, leveraged buyouts, debt and equity financings, restructurings, and fund-level financings. Brad successfully executed over 55 transactions representing over $225 billion in transaction value. Representative transactions include advising Dow on its merger with DuPont, advising Axiall on its hostile defense against Westlake Corporation, advising Agrium on its proxy contest victory over JANA Partners, advising Dresser Rand on its sale to Siemens AG, the Trinseo and Sensata IPOs, and numerous financings for Bain Capital, Advent Capital Management, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, CF Industries, and Eastman Chemical. What is unique about the Wisconsin MBA? What are its key advantages? The Wisconsin MBA asks applicants to select from 10 career specializations at the time they apply: Brand and Product Management, Marketing Research, Corporate Finance and Investment Banking, Applied Security Analysis, Real Estate and Risk Management and Insurance, Operations and Technology Management, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, and Arts Administration Wisconsin MBAs start taking courses and doing applied learning related to their specialization from very first semester Center Directors running Wisconsin's 10 specializations play a big role in admissions, curriculum design and career advising, as they connect students to alumni, recruiters and thought leaders in the space Wisconsin offers a tailored and customized approach to 80 students Wisconsin was one of 3 founding members of the Consortium in 1966 Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/wisconsin-mba-program-admissions-interview-betsy-kacizak-brad-chandler 

Guest Host Sabaina Kamara, Michigan Ross MBA '19, invites her section-mate Sheela Lal to share her experience applying for internships, founding DrunkShrub and securing a full-time job post-graduation. Listen to get a real-time, inside look into the MBA experience at a top b-school like Ross. Questions Sheela's background and reasons for getting an MBA (0:47) Sheela's approach to landing an internship (7:20) Sheela founds DrunkShrub (10:33) How Sheela took advantage of Ross' resources to further her business (14:43) How Sheela navigated running DrunkShrub and looking for full-time employment in consulting and government affairs (19:30) Sheela's advice to applicants about applying to business school and entrepreneurship (23:55) About our Guest Host Sabaina Kamara is currently an MBA student at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Prior to starting her MBA, Sabaina worked in as an HR Analyst at a management and employment law firm, focusing on HR compliance for diversity and inclusion. Sabaina will work in consulting for Deloitte Strategy & Operations in New York City after she graduates. About Our Guest Sheela comes across as someone who knows a lot, but really, she's just incredibly good at regurgitating things she's heard on any of the 30 podcasts she listens to. Her current favorites are Detroit Today, Splendid Kitchen, and The Foreign Desk, which reflect her long term interests - in-depth state government engagement, food science and chemistry, and lastly, very sassy international news analysis. Sheela has worked in Missouri politics on and off for 10 years, between congressional and local campaigns, the state house, and at Progress Missouri (a cousin to Progress Michigan). She founded Drunk Shrub, an alternative social beverage company, this summer, and worked in Sri Lanka and India for two years before returning to Missouri. She's found business school to be a surprisingly liberating experience - with very few expectations of appropriate post-graduation steps, she's free to explore her creative side. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/starting-a-business-during-your-mba-sheela-lal-michigan-ross-mba

Sean Ferguson, Associate Dean and Director of MBA Program for the Asia School of Business (ASB), discusses what makes the ASB MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (2:28) | Admissions (24:47) | Scholarships (40:20) | Careers (47:15) About Our Guest Sean Ferguson is the Associate Dean and Director of MBA Program for the Asia School of Business. Prior to joining ASB, Sean was Associate Dean of Masters Programmes at HKUST Business School and Assistant Dean of Degree Programmes at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. He worked at PROS, Cap Gemini, Ernst & Young, and Procter & Gamble before entering business education. Sean got his MBA from Rice University. What is relatively unique about the ASB MBA? What are its key advantages? ASB was established in 2015, a collaboration between Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia's central bank) and MIT Sloan School of Management Action Learning at ASB is a core (non-optional) course in each of the five different academic terms of the 20-month ASB MBA program. By the time students graduate, they will experience 5 different business challenges with possibly 5 different host companies, in potentially 5 different countries 1 week long industry treks to US and China 1 month immersion program at the MIT Sloan School of Management ASB MBA graduates receive a certificate of completion from MIT, and MIT affiliate status Students live on campus, currently the hotel for Malaysia's central bank Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/asb-mba-program-admissions-interview-sean-ferguson-action-learning-curriculum

Darren shares "three P’s" you can use to clarify the value of your accomplishments in your resume and MBA application. Doing so will paint a clear picture of your performance for MBA admissions officers and employers. How did your performance compare to the previous year’s performance? How did your performance compare to the plan? How did your performance compare to that of your peers? If you can match these to the "three P's" of leadership, you can can show even more impact: People responsibility Project responsibility Profit & Loss responsibility Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/3p-performance

Seán Meehan, Dean of the MBA Program at IMD, discusses what makes the IMD MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (5:33) | Admissions (22:41) | Scholarships (41:30) | Careers (45:10) About Our Guest Dr. Seán Meehan is the Martin Hilti Professor of Marketing & Change Management and the Dean of the MBA program. He joined IMD in 1997 after working for Arthur Anderson and Deloitte, where he was Director of Marketing. Seán got his PhD in Marketing from London Business School. What is relatively unique about the IMD MBA? What are its key advantages? Industry-focused general management MBA from a school that is consistently top-ranked in Europe and worldwide for ROI; over 70% of graduates go into industry 1-year MBA that starts in January Only 90 students are admitted each year from ~40 countries, More experienced class: the average work experience is 7 years There’s a 2:1 student to faculty ratio Strong focus on personal leadership development through a combination of classroom interactions, experiential learning and psychoanalytical coaching Also emphasizes entrepreneurship, globalization and digitalization Instead of an interview, IMD applicants participate in an assessment day which includes a 1-1 interview with admissions, individual presentation and group activities, lunch with IMD participants or alumni, and depending on the time of the year, a possibility to attend a class. The assessment days take place on campus in Lausanne or abroad. IMD is looking for candidates with strong analytical and communication skills and team-oriented leaders who want to shape the future IMD has 9,000 executive education participants each year, and MBAs have increasing opportunities to connect with these senior executives IMD is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has over 350 MNCs A global meeting place situated in the center of Europe in one of the world’s fastest growing science and technology hubs The IMD MBA in a Tweet: “We develop leaders who have a desire to make a positive impact in the world” Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/imd-mba-program-admissions-interview-sean-meehan-be-on-companies-leadership-radars

In 2017, US applicants made up 4% of candidates to European MBA programs and 2% of candidates to Asian MBA programs (versus nearly 70% to US MBA programs). What do you need to know about getting a top-ranked MBA abroad? Eddy Zakes shares why he chose to uproot his young family to pursue his MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, as well as the pros and cons of his experience. Darren also asks Eddy - currently the Director of the Center of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at IESE - about how business schools can help aspiring entrepreneurs and how you can assess your target schools' entrepreneurship offerings. Questions Eddy's background (4:08) As an applicant with 10 years of experience and a young family, why did Eddy choose Spain for his full-time MBA? (11:10) The pros and cons of getting your MBA abroad (23:20) Recruiting at top European schools (27:45) Getting an MBA with 2 young kids (35:00) Eddy's favorite class and thoughts on the case-study method (42:44) How MBA programs can help aspiring entrepreneurs (49:00) MBA graduates' typical path to starting their own businesses (54:25) Questions to ask your target b-schools about their resources for entrepreneurship (59:00) The startup scene in Europe vs. the US (1:04:50) Eddy's final thoughts on having a great MBA experience (1:11:04) About Our Guest Eddy Zakes is the Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at IESE. Eddy got his B.S. in International Business from Bob Jones University and worked as Director of Advancement at Dayton Christian School in Ohio before getting his MBA at IESE. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/pros-and-cons-of-doing-mba-outside-us-assessing-schools-entrepreneurship-offering-eddy-zakes-iese-mba

Chris Healy, Head of MBA Marketing & Recruitment of Alliance Manchester Business School discusses what makes the Manchester MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (3:40) | Admissions (29:48) | Scholarships (41:40) | Careers (45:45) Manchester MBA Highlights (last updated Sep 2018) Manchester has a Full-time MBA, Global Part-time MBA, and Kelley-Manchester Global MBA The Full-time MBA lasts 12, 15 or 18 months and has 1 intake/year in the Fall Typical Class: 100-120 students / 6 years work exp/ 80% international with 30 nationalities / 630 GMAT First 10 months dedicated to 5 core courses, 2 live consultancy projects and M&A project. The rest is dedicated to electives, exchanges and the international business consultancy project Manchester MBAs are required to do 3 live consultancy projects requiring over 900 client facing hours Manchester is the largest provider of transnational MBA education in the world, delivering its MBA program in the UK, Dubai, Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paolo. Manchester is looking for candidate with strong communication and interpersonal skills Students get weekly sessions and unlimited 1-1 consultations with career counselors Placement, Class of 2017: 85% w/job offers w/in 3 months, 51,370 GBP average starting salary Top Geographies, Class of 2017: 45% in UK / 16% Asia / 15% South America / 15% Europe /  4% Central America & Caribbean Top Sectors, Class of 2017: 24% technology / 19% manufacturing and engineering / 16% consulting / 15% financial services / 9% healthcare 30% of class receive merit-based scholarships covering 10-50% of tuition Manchester has 60,000 alumni in 170 countries Ranked #4 in the UK and #36 worldwide by The Financial Times in 2018 About Our Guest Chris Healy is Head of MBA Marketing & Recruitment for Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester. Chris has been with Manchester for over 12 years and got is Bachelors in Consumer Marketing from Manchester Metropolitan University. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/alliance-manchester-mba-program-admissions-interview-chris-healy    

Imran Kanga, Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions, Schulich School of Business, discusses what makes the Schulich MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (5:13) | Admissions (22:00) | Scholarships (34:30) | Careers (37:25) About Our Guest Imran Kanga is the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions, Schulich School of Business at York University, where he manages global recruitment for Schulich's Full-time MBA and International MBA. Imran joined Schulich's admissions team after getting his International MBA from Schulich in 2010. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/york-schulich-mba-program-admissions-interview-imran-kanga    

Are you pursuing an MBA to make a "3 dimensional" (3D) jump into a new geography, function and industry? Laura Pan, currently a full-time MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, shares how she went from wastewater treatment engineer to luxury brand manager, her dream job. Laura shares what it's like to study in Italy, as well as the mindset necessary to capitalize on opportunities as an MBA student. Laura also opines on the myth and reality of attending a business school outside the top 10. Questions Laura's background (4:34) Career goals and shortlisting schools (6:32) Studying luxury business management at SDA Bocconi (12:44) Living in Italy (18:37) Studying at SDA Bocconi and studying business as an engineer (23:44) How Laura landed her internship, despite it being a "3D" change (27:26) Proving your value during your internship to get a full-time offer (38:00) What foreign applicants need to know about career services and job searching at European b-schools? (45:11) The SDA Bocconi alumni network (51:20) What about SDA Bocconi gets overlooked (54:50) The myth and reality of attending a b-school outside the top 10 (57:10) About Our Guest Laura Pan worked as a quality control engineer for the Australian government, and then in the oil & gas and rail & automotive industries before going to SDA Bocconi for her MBA. Laura grew up in Australia and got a Double Degree in Chemical Engineering and Food Technology and Nutrition from RMIT University. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-mindset-career-change-laura-pan-luxury-fashion-management-sda-bocconi-mba

Brandon Kirby, Director of MBA Marketing and Admissions at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University, discusses what makes the RSM MBA unique, the school'’s admissions process, career opportunities and more. Program Highlights (8:07) | Admissions (28:32) | Scholarships (57:48) | Careers (1:04:40) About Our Guest Brandon Kirby is the Director of Marketing & Admissions of the Rotterdam School of Management's MBA Program at Erasmus University. Brandon got his MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler through the OneMBA. He ran a restaurant for 10 years, then worked in branding and marketing before joining the RSM MBA program. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/rsm-mba-admissions-interview  

What do MBA applicants need to know about the recruiting process into the energy industry? Darren invites Vince Faherty, London Business School MBA ’10, to share his experience moving up from a Marketing Manager to Director at EnerNOC and then moving to Nest & Google, where he is currently Head of Northeast & Midwest Energy Partnerships. Vince shares what it's like to attend business school during one of the worst recessions in history and MBA career lessons he's distilled since attending LBS 10 years ago. This is Part 8 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Vince's background (3:53) Why Vince, an American, applied to London Business School (12:50) How Vince landed his internship & job (17:04) Vince's tips for networking with alumni (30:08) An overview of the recruiting process (36:36) What do applicants need to know about succeeding in energy (43:58) Vince's recommended resources (49:06) Vince's thoughts on the future of the renewable energy industry (51:32) 10 years later, Vince reflects on the value of his MBA (55:00) About Our Guest Vince Faherty got his MBA from the London Business School in 2010 and is currently Head of Northeast & Midwest Energy Partnerships at Google in Boston. Previously, he worked at EnerNOC for over 7 years, most recently as Director of Utility Solutions & Market Development. Vince got his B.A. in History from Princeton University. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-energy-sustainability  

Your resume is often what MBA admissions officers first see, and frames how they view the rest of your profile. Follow this checklist of CV 'do's and don'ts' to make make a strong first impression and set the stage for a successful application. This is a re-run of Episode #6 Seven Deadly Sins of MBA Resumesand Rotman MBA's Leigh Gauthier's answer to the question we asked in Episode #100 What 1 Action Can Candidates Take to Dramatically Improve Their MBA Application? The "7 deadly sins" 1. Too long 2. Hard on the eyes 3. Emphasizes the wrong thing(s) 4. It's a job resume (not an MBA resume) 5. No evidence of impact 6. Lack of context for employers and accomplishments 7. No evidence of career progression Leigh Gauthier's Advice  “For every resume bullet, ask yourself, 'what have you done and how is the organization better for you having been there?'” Episode summary, MBA resume templates, and more at:  http://touchmba.com/mba-resume-tips-templates

Rob O'Reilly performed stand up comedy for 16 years. Then he decided to get an MBA. We discuss his journey to USC Marshall. Questions Rob's background (3:25) MBA career goals and positioning (8:00) The GMAT and showing "quant skills" (18:13) Shortlisting business schools (23:06) Communicating your interest to business schools (32:30) Interviews (39:55) The future of entertainment content (45:32) Looking forward to USC Marshall (45:50) About Our Guest Rob O'Reilly worked as a standup comic, production assistant, staff writer, video producer, and TV producer - most recently for MTV's Ridiculousness - before applying for an MBA. He has landed appearances on The Tonight Show, Last Comic Standing and Live at Gotham. He was named one of LA Weekly’s Top 10 Comedy Acts to Watch and one of TBS's 101 Funniest Comedians. He'll be attending USC Marshall's MBA program this Fall. Rob got his B.A. in Television from Boston University. Episode summary, show notes and more at:  http://touchmba.com/stand-up-comic-mba-student-rob-oreilly-usc-marshall-mba

Alex Tuininga, HBS MBA '18, discusses his transition from a navy intelligence officer to Harvard MBA to BCG management consultant. Alex also shares his thoughts on MBA recruiting and social life as a married, older student. Questions Alex's background (3:48) Alex's advice to military applicants (12:40) Where Alex applied and why he chose HBS (21:00) The HBS experience (24:28) Social life as an older, married student (35:02) The recruiting process (42:20) Summer internships and full-time offers at BCG (48:20) Alex's business lessons from business school (1:04:20) About Our Guest Alex Tuininga worked as an Intelligence Officer in the US Navy for 10 years before attending Harvard Business School. Alex majored in History at UC Berkeley and got a M.A. in International Relations and National Security Studies - Middle East from the Naval Postgraduate School. He'll be consulting for the Boston Consulting Group in Chicago this Fall. Episode summary, show notes and more at:  http://touchmba.com/military-to-mba-to-management-consulting-alex-tuininga-harvard-mba

Guest Host Sabaina Kamara, Michigan Ross MBA '19, invites her friend and classmate Kashay Sanders to share her experience as a first year MBA student at the Ross School of Business. Listen to get a real-time, inside look into the "MBA1" experience at a top b-school like Ross. Questions Kashay's background (3:32) First year internships and student activities (4:59) Reflections on the "MBA1" year and lessons learned (6:58) Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) at Ross (10:54) Dealing with imposter syndrome when switching industries/functions (16:16) First year summer plans (17:50) Healthy team dynamics at business school and getting to know classmates  (20:47) MTreks (26:34) Kashay's Vision for Ross as President of the MBA Council (27:59) Kashay's advice to MBA applicants (31:10) About our Guest Host Sabaina Kamara is currently an MBA student at the Ross School of Business. Prior to starting her MBA, Sabaina worked in as an HR Analyst at a management and employment law firm, focusing on HR compliance for diversity and inclusion. Sabaina is interested in pursuing a career as a strategy consultant post MBA. Sabaina will be interning at Deloitte Strategy & Operations in New York City this summer. About Our Guest Kashay Sanders is committed to building healthy workplace cultures to help people, and organizations, operate at their best. Prior to Ross, Kashay worked within the international development, government and nonprofit sectors, leading and designing programs aimed at gender equity, workforce development, neighborhood safety and ending homelessness. Kashay graduated from Dartmouth College in 2011, with a B.A. in Women's & Gender Studies and minors in Anthropology and Japanese. As an MBA student at Ross, Kashay is President of the MBA Council, a +Lab Fellow, and active member of the Human Capital Club. Kashay will be joining Microsoft this summer within the HR Trax Rotational Program in Seattle, WA. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/michigan-ross-mbas-reflect-on-their-first-year-discuss-the-journey-ahead

Guest Host and London Business School (LBS) MBA Mathias Keller invites Dr. Randall S Peterson, Professor of Organisational Behaviour and the Academic Director of the Leadership Institute at LBS, to share his thoughts on successful MBA students, how to develop leadership skills, and how to build high performing teams. Don't miss this episode to sample leadership lessons you'd learn at one of the world's top business schools. Questions What makes a successful MBA student? (7:10) How do you develop leadership skills? (16:02) How do you build high performing, diverse teams? (29:19) About our Guest Host Mathias Keller is currently an MBA student at the London Business School. Prior to starting his MBA, Mathias worked as a German diplomat in Bangladesh and Afghanistan focusing on human rights and counterterrorism. He is interested in pursuing a career at the intersection of business and government. Mathias will intern at McKinsey Berlin this summer. About Our Guest Professor Randall S Peterson is Academic Director of the Leadership Institute. His current research activities include investigating: leading diverse teams, how CEO personality affects top management team interaction, leadership transitions in organisations, board effectiveness, conflict management in teams, and the effects of member personality on group interaction and performance. As Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School, he teaches Executive Education and MBA programmes on leading teams and organisations, high performance teams, leadership assessment, and interpersonal skill development. Professor Peterson holds a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining London Business School, he was on the faculty of Northwestern University and Cornell University's SC Johnson Graduate School of Management. He is a former Deputy Dean (Faculty), Subject Area Chair of Organisational Behaviour, Chair of the Ph.D. Programme, and Vice President of the Campaign Committee of London Business School. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/successful-mba-students-leadership-high-performing-teams-randall-peterson-lbs

What do you need to know about MBA recruiting for top media and entertainment companies? Darren invites his good friend Mark Zee, UCLA Anderson MBA '14, to share his experience interviewing and working for companies like 20th Century Fox and the Walt Disney Company, where he is currently Director for Pay TV & Digital Sales. Mark also shares his thoughts on building relationships during and after the MBA. This is Part 7 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Common entry points for MBA grads in the entertainment industry (5:21) The entertainment industry is in flux (8:46) How Mark landed his internship with Fox (11:00) The importance of location in industry recruiting (19:08) How Mark landed his post-MBA job with Disney (20:10) Interviews (38:32) Mark's recommended resources (41:42) What do applicants need to know about succeeding in industry (44:21) Mark's reflections on his promotion at Disney (46:43) Mark's thoughts on the future of the entertainment industry (52:16) About Our Guest Mark Zee is Director of Pay TV & Digital Sales at The Walt Disney Studios. He joined the company after graduating from UCLA Anderson in 2014. In his current role, he negotiates distribution deals with digital platforms and MVPDs (e.g. iTunes, Comcast); develops new business opportunities (e.g. Movies Anywhere, VR); and provides strategic insights to senior leadership. Previously, he worked on the International Digital Distribution team. His responsibilities cover Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and ABC Studios. While pursuing his MBA, Zee completed a year-long internship in digital strategy and sales operations at 20th Century Fox International Theatrical. Prior to business school, he worked in investment management in Houston, Texas and starred in over a dozen television series in Asia. Zee received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.  As a Chinese-American-Brazilian, he enjoys food, sports, and dancing with his hips. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-media-entertainment Episode Sponsor At MPOWER we believe that helping to turn the dreams of future global leaders and innovators into reality is of utmost priority. Therefore we offer international MBA students flexible financing for their education in the US, without requiring co-signers or collateral. What matters most is their future potential. Visit mpowerfinancing.com/borrow-touchmba for more information. MPOWER Financing, DC consumer lending license: ML9261, Public Benefit Corporation

How can MBA applicants show evidence of quantitative skills outside of their university GPA and GMAT? Do top b-schools accept online courses like Coursera? Darren invites Admissions Directors from 3 top business schools - Cornell Johnson (USA), IMD (Switzerland) and CEIBS (China) - to share their thoughts. Eddie Asbie from Cornell Johnson MBA (4:20) Paola Eicher from IMD MBA (10:18) Christina Mou from CEIBS MBA (15:44) Darren's Thoughts (20:18) About Our Guests Eddie Asbie is Associate Director, Admissions and Financial Aid at Johnson at Cornell University Paola Eicher is the MBA Recruitment Manager at IMD Business School. Christina Mou is Marketing and Admissions Manager at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/how-to-show-quant-skills Episode Sponsor At MPOWER we believe that helping to turn the dreams of future global leaders and innovators into reality is of utmost priority. Therefore we offer international MBA students flexible financing for their education in the US, without requiring co-signers or collateral. What matters most is their future potential. Visit mpowerfinancing.com/borrow-touchmba for more information. MPOWER Financing, DC consumer lending license: ML9261, Public Benefit Corporation

  Could this be the only book you need to prepare for your MBA interviews? Inspired by Dale Carnegie's classic book, The Quick & Easy Way to Effective Speaking, Darren shares a simple 3-part framework to help you choose your best 'material' for your MBA interviews. Checklist  Have you earned the right to talk about topic through experience or study? Are you excited about your subject? Are you eager to share your subject with your interviewer? Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/quick-easy-way-effective-mba-interviewing Episode Sponsor Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development. Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today. Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.  

What do you need to know about MBA recruiting for top Consumer Package Goods (CPG) companies? Darren invites Ana Archbold, Michigan Ross MBA '07, to share her experience working for companies like Kraft Foods, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson, where she is currently a Senior Marketing Director for Neutrogena. Darren and Ana pay special attention to the recruiting process and what applicants can do to maximize their chances of landing internships and jobs. Ana also shares her thoughts on working internationally after getting a top US MBA. This is Part 6 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Ana's background (2:54 ) The importance of internships (5:48) Ana's tips to applicants on how they can get a leg up (9:16) What are top CPG companies looking for in hires? (16:24) The recruiting process (21:15) How important is prior industry experience? (25:20) Interviews (27:08) How interns are evaluated for full-time offers (30:15) Ana's advice to international students applying for US jobs & internships (37:09) How Ana landed a senior marketing role abroad in the UK (43:20) Ana's final advice to applicants (46:55) About Our Guest Ana Archbold got her MBA from Michigan Ross in 2007 and is currently a Senior Global Marketing Manager for Neutrogena, a Johnson & Johnson brand, in New York City. Previously, she worked as a Global Brand Manager, doing Strategy & Innovation for Unilever in London. Ana has over 15 years of experience in the marketing and brand management. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-consumer-package-goods

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in brand management? Darren invites Michael Schwartz, NYU Stern MBA '16, to share his experience working as a marketing and brand manager at companies like Philips, Unilever and Heineken. Michael has worked in marketing and brand management for 10 years – don’t miss his hard-earned insights into the industry! This is Part 5 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions Michael's background (2:30 ) What do brand managers do? (8:54) Common entry points for MBAs into brand management and industry trends (12:04) Why Michael pursued an MBA despite wanting to stay in brand management (14:36) Misconceptions about brand management (24:06) Traits of successful brand managers (25:16) Best part of job? Worst part of job? (29:15) Michael's recommended resources (34:00) Michael's thoughts on the value of a part-time MBA (38:10) About Our Guest After graduating from Baruch College with a degree in Marketing Management, Michael Schwartz has worked in Marketing and Brand Management roles for Philips, Unilever and Heineken. Michael graduated from NYU Stern's Part-time MBA program in 2016. Currently he is a Brand Director for Amstel at Heineken in New York City. Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-brand-management