Confession: tonight I am having serious doubts about this degree. Frankly, it's hard not to feel like I would have been better off taking all this tuition and starting my own business. I'm sure it's passing but it's the first time since arriving that this feeling hit me so clearly. What the hell am I doing here? I'm not a "suit". I have no interest in walking one more person "through my resume". Read the f****g resume and then let's talk about something real. Like investing. To think that employers spend all this time and money to pick a few interns who they are most likely not even going to extend full-time offers to. Has it occurred to anyone that maybe there's something wrong with their interview process? Maybe we should spend less time talking about why I left my first job after 10 months or how I feel about teamwork and more time about what businesses I think are worth investing in. I had someone ask me if I thought my financial skills were good ... ummm. I pointed out that I had I had passed all 3 levels of the CFA ... and another guy ask me if I felt comfortable with math ... ummm. The answers seemed so obvious I couldn't quite figure out how to answer them at all.
Sigh. Anyhow, it's really just one big sorting process. Eventually I'll find someone who thinks behavioral questions are a crock (I know, I know, there's value in getting to know someone - but too many of those questions and I just lose interest) and meanwhile the other folk will find their "suits" with the glib answers.
Cheers.
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6 comments:
You know, my perceptions of whom I wanted to work for, and who I likely WILL work for this summer, were turned on edge during the process. I totally agree; the firms which I thought would provide an incredible experience seemed to care more about my analytical skills and not my ability to talk to a client like they were human. It's left a somewhat bitter taste in my mouth, but has also opened up some conversations with people I never gave a first glance until I got my head kicked in a few times.
Don't worry, this process is worth it -- after all, you and I could both be sitting in our old jobs dreaming about working for the big guys for years to come. Instead, maybe we're discovering that they're not the people we really thought they were. Maybe you agree or disagree, I dunno. :)
I hear you. May be we should discuss this over coffee sometime - i have so much to say :)
There is so much triviality involved in the process that it makes me wonder what i've gotten myself into. But i should admit that it helped me realize what'r right and what's not right for me to do, and in that way i dont repent going through this process!!!
M@ is right -- this is part of figuring out how you live in the world, how you want to have an impact on others and who you want to work with while doing it.
I have an MBA from a while ago, from a different top school, and I have felt like it's enabled me to do anything I want. And I've done lots of things, and it's been a blast. Remember, you'll have more than one career in your life. My MBA has helped me have quite a few fun ones (and they were in business). And after the first job out of business school (which I got by bidding and then telling the recruiter, rather rudely I must say, that I was more than my resume), the rest are easy -- never again will you have to walk anyone through your resume.
Keep figuring things out. You're so bold to just go out there and try this. And it's not too late to start looking for companies that care about more than your analytic skills.
I'm hearing a bit of sexism here... maybe I'm wrong, but asking you if you're comfortable with math?!?! Absurd.
Yeah, that math comment is insulting. I wish this ridiculous women and math stereotype would die already. That's all you can do -- shoot back with your many finance related accomplishments and then if you're feeling brave, ask what prompted him to ask the question.
Dear MaybeMBA
I understand your frustration with behavioral interviews. They're what really turned me of during recuriting at college. I absolutley hate these questions "Tell me about a time when you ...". I was really happy when I was back in Switzerland (my home country) where they never seemed to have heard of behavior interviews where interviewers still were real persons who are genuinly interested in you as a person and your career. Interviewing here was a breeze :-)
Anyway, I discovered your blog today and I'm now reading everything backwards trying to get to the very beginning of it (it's taking quite a while). I find your story quite interesting as you had a 10 week old baby when you started the MBA. I would also like to have a child but have decided to wait 4 years until after the MBA, as I thik doing the MBA with a little child would just be too difficult. (I don't have a grandmother I can fly in to baby sit.)
PS. I'm posting under the Google Blogger ID of my husband who after years of telling me that I'm not management material, now finally agrees to move back to the USA so that I can pursue an MBA :-)
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