While the internship search process started for all of us months ago, the last 20 days that I've been back in NYC feel like they've lasted forever and have aged me a few years for sure. By the end of this week, I will have done 20 interviews, some lasting just 30 minutes and others up to 5 hours. I'll pretty much be done with all my first round interviews, from which I've already gotten some rejections and a handful of 2nd round interview invites.
The interviewing process for MBA internships typically is done in 2 phases -- a round 1 that is more introductory and typically with someone who is a recent MBA grad or HR and a round 2 that is a lot more in-depth, where you meet with several people, including senior managers and executives. The interviews themselves are very different from what I'm used to - by the time you get into their office, you better darn well know the company backwards and forwards. No questions are off limits!! I've been asked several times to comment on the company's growth strategy, make suggestions for new areas of growth for the company, identify whether or not a company overpaid/underpaid for a recent acquisition. The hardest question I've gotten so far was about why a company's lead product was clinically superior to its competitor. It's CRAZY how much they test you, but in the end, they are screening for future company leaders so the question make sense... but when you are sitting on the receiving end, it's kind of nerve-wracking!
I hope all this searching will be fruitful and that I will be done soon. I'm still excited about my internship future, but the interviewing process has been very tiring!!
Best,
V
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
26!!
Today is my 26th birthday! I don't have any major plans except my last 1st round interview this week (phew!) and dinner tonight with a friend. As I enter the later half of my 20's, I feel like it's all been a blur, but a wonderful blur full of new experiences and milestones!
A brief timeline of my 20s:
20: Started dating H :)
21: Got my first real job, graduated from undergrad
22: Moved to a business job, got my first new car
23: Got my first promotion
24: Completely financially independent from my parents
25: Got into business school, started grad school
26: ??
I miss not being able to spend this day with H, but hopefully after b-school, it won't be a problem ever again :)
Cheers,
V
A brief timeline of my 20s:
20: Started dating H :)
21: Got my first real job, graduated from undergrad
22: Moved to a business job, got my first new car
23: Got my first promotion
24: Completely financially independent from my parents
25: Got into business school, started grad school
26: ??
I miss not being able to spend this day with H, but hopefully after b-school, it won't be a problem ever again :)
Cheers,
V
Monday, January 16, 2012
Off with a Bang!
WOW - can't believe it's already mid-January already! The past few weeks have be a flurry of internship-related activity. The first week of January I hosted CBS's first annual West Coast Healthcare Trek and we visited several of the top healthcare companies in the Bay Area. Visits included Gilead, Medtronic, Intuitive Surgical, Novartis... just to name a few!
I flew back to NYC about a week ago to prepare myself to interview craziness. Last week, I had two interviews and this week, I'll have a whole bunch more. It was kind of unnerving to sit on that side of the table again (after a few years of being the interviewer!), but I guess it's kind of like riding a bike -- after a few, you're back in the hang of it!
Being back in SF for the last few weeks definitely makes me miss home a lot more. As I spend more and more time out here, I grow increasingly fond of NYC but I'm also learning more about myself and realizing all the things I took for granted living out in the West Coast.
.... like mild winters! As winter-weather takes over the city, I can't help but wish I was back in California! Yesterday it reached 18 degrees. It's so cold now that you'd be absolutely CRAZY to leave the apartment without gloves, a thick scarf, a comfy beanie or earmuffs and Ugg boots. Most of the time when I'm walking around I zip my jacket all the way up and then sink my face into the collar so that only my eyes are showing. My friends joke that this is just the start, but I honestly can't imagine it getting any colder outside! I was not built for this kind of weather!!
Anyway, just wanted to provide a quick update on me. I'll try to post again after this week is over to sum up all my interviewing craziness.
Hope everyone's 2012 is off to a good start :)
Cheers,
Vi
I flew back to NYC about a week ago to prepare myself to interview craziness. Last week, I had two interviews and this week, I'll have a whole bunch more. It was kind of unnerving to sit on that side of the table again (after a few years of being the interviewer!), but I guess it's kind of like riding a bike -- after a few, you're back in the hang of it!
Being back in SF for the last few weeks definitely makes me miss home a lot more. As I spend more and more time out here, I grow increasingly fond of NYC but I'm also learning more about myself and realizing all the things I took for granted living out in the West Coast.
.... like mild winters! As winter-weather takes over the city, I can't help but wish I was back in California! Yesterday it reached 18 degrees. It's so cold now that you'd be absolutely CRAZY to leave the apartment without gloves, a thick scarf, a comfy beanie or earmuffs and Ugg boots. Most of the time when I'm walking around I zip my jacket all the way up and then sink my face into the collar so that only my eyes are showing. My friends joke that this is just the start, but I honestly can't imagine it getting any colder outside! I was not built for this kind of weather!!
Anyway, just wanted to provide a quick update on me. I'll try to post again after this week is over to sum up all my interviewing craziness.
Hope everyone's 2012 is off to a good start :)
Cheers,
Vi
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