The Jones MBA Career Center at Scheller College of Business proudly welcomed over 30 employers and recruiters to campus June 7 for its annual MBA Employer Summit. The theme of the day was collaborative engagement — both in program content and the summit activities. With organizations representing a variety of industries, company sizes, and workplace cultures, the event was a microcosm of Atlanta’s vibrant and diverse business environment.
You are in excellent hands, as our Career Services staff has been ranked #1 globally by Financial Times.
Maryam Alavi, Dean of Scheller College of Business and Stephen P. Zelnak, Jr. Chair in IT Management, welcomed the attendees to the morning event, reminding them, “You are in excellent hands, as our Career Services staff has been ranked #1 globally by Financial Times.” Dean Alavi outlined Scheller College’s mission to develop principled leaders who are tech-savvy and entrepreneurially-minded — a mindset, she noted, that cannot be taught, but must be cultivated through intentional curriculum and experiential learning opportunities.
Katie Lloyd, Executive Director of MBA Admissions, the provided an insider’s look into MBA admissions, highlighting the distinctive advantages of having current students and Career Services team members participate in application review. As a testament to the successful admissions model at Scheller College, Katie proudly announced that the incoming Full-time MBA class will include at least 35% women and approximately 20% diverse candidates. “You will have a great pipeline of diverse talent to recruit from here at Scheller College,” she concluded.
To further explain the recruitment and hiring cycles, Caroline Player, Corporate Relations Manager, provided an overview of how employers work directly with the Jones MBA Career Center to meet their talent needs: “We are all about partnerships here at Scheller College, and we would love to spend this summer aligning what you are looking for with how we can help.” Caroline reviewed the average hiring and compensation of recent classes, noting, “One hundred percent of the Classes of 2017 and 2018 received paid internships for summer.”
Employers then broke out to small group discussions, providing an opportunity to learn from each other and share their feedback with the Jones MBA Career Center team. The employers and recruiters covered a wide range of topics from desired candidate skills and career preparation to successful recruitment tactics and employer branding strategies.
Once reconvened as a large group, Saby Mitra, Associate Dean of Programs and Thomas R. Williams-Wells Fargo Professor, reviewed the MBA curriculum highlighting immersive tracks and practicum courses. “We have to do something really special to make it worthwhile for Full-time MBAs to take two years off of work,” he explained, "and where we really differentiate our curriculum is our focus on hands-on, practical application."
Scheller College boasts an offering of 12 practicums, where students work directly with clients on hands-on projects. Saby remarked, “It is not uncommon for MBAs to graduate having completed more than five practicum courses.” Beyond the specific project takeaways in these practicums, MBA students gain company and industry awareness, confidence in their new skills, and career-preparedness for internships and full-time work.
Where we really differentiate our curriculum is our focus on hands-on, practical application.
A panel of recent MBA alumni joined the summit to provide their perspective on practicum experiences and recruitment. Panelist Harleen Jabbal (MBA 2018) elaborated on her IT practicum experience noting, “The practicum course provided a great experience in preparation for my post-MBA career. We were given a broad problem — as you often have in a company — and challenged with identifying the critical milestones for decision making in a short timeframe.” The panelists then offered the attendees insights into the MBA students’ side of recruitment, highlighting the tactics that were most impactful to them.
In general, the panel centered on two themes when discussing their recruitment preferences: authenticity and transparency. Through clear hiring timelines, candid feedback in the interview, and personal touch points throughout the process, the MBA alumni felt that recruitment can be not only mutually beneficial — it can also be mutually enjoyable.
Brian Jennings, Associate Dean of MBA Programs and Executive Education, wrapped up the Employer Summit with a framework of corporate engagement opportunities in talent acquisition, business and technology expertise, and talent development. From corporate programs that focus on supply chain, emerging technologies, innovation management, and business analytics to customizable student projects and internships, Scheller College offers a variety of engagement options to help advance company goals.
Thank you to all the 2018 MBA Employer Summit attendees for your participation in this year’s event! We value your partnership and look forward to another collaborative year together.
Interested in learning more about recruitment? Contact the Jones MBA Career Center at recruitMBAs@scheller.gatech.edu
Interested in learning more about practicums or custom partnerships? Contact Jason Parrish at business@scheller.gatech.edu