Landing the Job
The CRMBA program is – above all else – a professional program. This means that among its many purposes, the primary one is preparing students for success in their chosen career paths. To this end, Management Career Services (MCS) exists to support CRMBA students as they look to land their first job offer (more than one hopefully!). With a dedicated staff and an array of programs/events throughout the year, they are able to provide support to and tailor their resources for first-year and second-year cohorts respectively; whether you’re looking to prepare for residency or in the final stretch before graduation, MCS can help.
First Year
During the summer semester, the CRMBA program is highly structured; all students work closely together, taking the same courses, and preparing for the culmination of the term: Interview Day.
For those who are new to the program, Interview Day can seem daunting. A 3-day marathon in early September, it begins with students attending a networking event with employer partners. Even before the event, employers will have perused the cohort’s resume book and chosen which students they would like to interview. This is followed by a series of in-person interviews on the second day and a third day of Skype interviews (make sure your WiFi is good!). Through this process, a number of CRMBA students will secure a corporate residency position for January. Despite how stressful it sounds though, MCS is there for students every step of the way: providing resume reviews, engaging in mock interviews and facilitating coaching on how to create a compelling personal pitch.
For those students who do not find the right fit for them during Interview Day however, there are still plenty of opportunities. MCS regularly posts Dalhousie MBA-specific job openings, sets up meetings through their extensive professional network and coaches CRMBAs in the right skills they need to nail an interview. At the same time, they invite many reputable companies to give information sessions and networking events; an important and common way for students to get noticed and hired.
Team MCS
Second Year
After returning from residency and resuming studies, the focus of PPE and MCS switches to preparation for graduation. After spending eight months working full-time, students have a much clearer idea of what they would like to do professionally. For many CRMBA students, returning to their residency organization for full-time post-graduation employment is a great option; for others, the hunt begins.
At this stage, MCS provides assistance in preparing students for the September rush of finance, consulting and rotational program applications. It also conducts the Toronto Connect tour in the winter: a 3-day event in which MCS arranges a series of information sessions and networking events with employers in Toronto. As always too, MCS is more than willing to help a student prepare for a big interview, polish a resume or make a connection.
These efforts go a long way to assist students in securing work. And while it is always the responsibility of the student to take charge of their career, build a network and forge their own path, the CRMBA program does all that it can to facilitate that process.
