The MBA Support System

"We commiserated over one another's defeats….We motivated ourselves to get back on the horse after a painful rejection. And together we greeted each 'yes' that trickled in with a cheer, even [among] those who were recruiting for the same position."

By Ellyn Charters

Ellyn Charters
University of Chicago
MBA Class of 2010

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It has been a while since my last entry, but not for lack of content. We left off in December, just before Winter Break, which incidentally was just what the doctor ordered. Everyone managed to unwind and rejuvenate themselves for the impending winter quarter. Many Booth students embarked on Treks (WestQuest, MinneQuest, Brand Week, Bank Week, to name a few) in pursuit of additional companies and contacts to aid their internship search in non-Chicago geographies. Some students left for exotic, warm-weather locales, while others ventured to Whistler for a week on the slopes. In one way or another, most of us spent the break (and holiday season) with family and friends, both those from school and those from our former lives.

It Started With a Bang

After this much-needed break, everyone returned with gusto, ready to tackle what would prove to be the busiest and most intense quarter yet: recruiting. For us "first years," we also returned with one quarter under our belts, a more focused sense of what we want out of these next two years, and an idea of just what it takes to succeed. We also had developed relationships that would prove incredibly important in the coming weeks. We were determined to stay on top of class work and to juggle networking, socializing, and recruiting in tandem. We were also busy writing applications to become club co-chairs and student leaders. 'Twas the season for New Year's resolutions, and scoring a coveted seat in the Nerdery (the nickname some of us affectionately coined for our study lounge) was the business school equivalent of finding a vacant treadmill at the gym.

School was abuzz with energy, excitement, uncertainty, and hope. It was also full of a sense of community. Like a well-oiled machine, we worked in unison, each doing our part to help one another prepare for recruiting. Career Services hosted mock interviews and feedback sessions, second-year students devoted endless hours discussing their summer internships and insights, providing case-prep and "fit" feedback. Professors hosted special sessions that condensed one course's material into a 90-minute overview session. We organized ourselves into case-prep groups and one-off sessions with peers to practice cases, to share insights about different companies, and to bounce bidding techniques and interview strategies off one another. For the consultants, companies that had invited us to interview hosted case-prep sessions, as well.

The anticipation and preparation held true for each career focus. I-bankers prepped for their technicals. The marketers walked aisles of local stores in search of merchandising insights, researched consumer trends, and dissected Super Bowl ads for hidden meanings and branding messages. And operations students met with professors to equip themselves with function and industry-specific information. Our sights were all set on the same goal: scoring summer internships.

Moment of Truth: Interviews

It was the third week of January, and the bankers were first at bat. After one short (and very intense) week, some would emerge with highly coveted offers, and others would head back to the drawing board. The consultants were next. After months of preparation (and anxiety), it all came down to a few short weeks. First-round interviews were typically two back-to-back 45-minute sessions, each composed of a short "fit" portion followed by a case. Later that evening, after interviews with hosts of students, the calls would come in. Inevitably, for every invitation to a second-round interview, you got a "ding" (or two) from another company. Few escaped unscathed. Never had any of us applied to so many things (clubs, student groups, companies) in such a short period of time. And therefore we had never dealt with rejection in such a steady and seemingly consistent stream. It took self-esteem, courage, good friends, and support from the Booth community at large (and sometimes a tear-filled phone call…thanks, Mom and Dad!) to take each ding in stride and continue forward on the path ahead.

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