About Chris: Chris Kuchera (’23) is a first-year student at UCLA Anderson. He was born and raised in New Jersey and attended the University of Pittsburgh where he studied Industrial Engineering. Prior to Anderson, he worked at Deloitte in the Risk and Financial Advisory sector in New York. This upcoming summer, Chris will be returning to New York to complete an internship as an investment banking summer associate at Bank of America. Outside of academics, Chris enjoys the extensive health and fitness communities/events in Los Angeles and taking short trips to ski in the major western mountain resorts.
It is certainly true that an MBA degree equips students with the knowledge, skills, and frameworks to succeed in their post-graduate careers. However, most students will find that the process of finding summer internships, which most often lead to post-graduation roles, starts and ends well before even the core MBA classes are completed. Therefore, it is incredibly important to begin the MBA journey well prepared for the recruitment cycle. From my experience throughout this process, the three best ways to prepare before coming to campus are to:
Professional Accomplishments
I remember being explicitly told prior to Anderson to document my successes, failures, or other relevant anecdotes from my professional career before leaving my job. Trying to be efficient, I figured my current resume and previous versions of it dating back to my undergraduate studies would more than suffice as a record of my professional career, and therefore chose not to create this document. My first meeting with the Parker Career Center showed me this decision to rely on simple resumes and memory for my professional history was an extremely poor choice.
In my first Parker meeting, I found that I didn’t know nearly as much about the traits Investment Banks look for as I thought. Each item on my resume prompted detailed questions from my advisor that I couldn’t quite remember (e.g., did you create or edit an existing financial model for this project? How did you account for varying economic conditions?). I knew the exact documents or emails I could search on my work laptop to find these answers, however that access had long been terminated, leaving some small but important details from my accomplishments. Had I taken the time to record these details prior to Anderson, many of my professional anecdotes would have been improved from strong to outstanding accounts of my accomplishments.
Finding Your “Why”
In almost any interview, it is guaranteed one or all of the following questions will be asked: why did you choose to get an MBA, why do you want to work in this industry, and why do you want to work at this company. The first time I was asked why I’m pursuing an MBA, I thought that was an easy question – I chose to get an MBA to further my education, to expand my network, and to help pivot my professional career to one that better aligns with my goals and aspirations. If you’re thinking that sounds like a strong response (which I obviously did), I can tell you it is unfortunately not. These seemingly simple questions in reality require a lot of thought and preparation. My advice – really explore the second question about industry before you begin your MBA (or, if you’re undecided about industry, think about what motivates you, what aspects of work do you enjoy, which industries might fit you and why). The first question (why MBA) can be better answered after spending some time on campus with your classmates, and the third question (why this company) only becomes apparent after significant networking in your chosen field.
Practicing Networking
Just like any other skill, networking is something that can be improved with practice. To place into an MBA internship, some degree of networking will be required, and many industries require months of extensive exploratory conversations and coffee chats. Given the importance of having successful conversations and making meaningful connections during the recruiting cycle, my advice is to begin practicing in your close network. For example, connecting with prior MBA graduates, classmates from undergraduate (who have experience in your desired field), or even current UCLA Anderson students not only provides insightful advice but also helps to identify your strengths and weaknesses when developing professional connections. When networking for your summer internship, you will be more adept at selling yourself, developing intriguing questions, and keeping conversations flowing and engaging.
What I strongly advise against is to begin reaching out to potential employers prior to coming to business school (with the exception of official channels such as pre-MBA internships). Many industries have certain nuances and professional norms you may not be aware of, and beginning the networking process without the pre-recruiting training from the Parker Career Center may be detrimental to your efforts.
Student Blogger: Chris Kuchera ‘23
Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh (’15) – B.S. Industrial Engineering
Pre-MBA: Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory
Leadership @ Anderson: First Year Director, Admissions Ambassador Corps; First Year Director Day on the Job Investment Banking; VP of Yield, Admissions Ambassador Corps; VP of Education, Investment Finance Association
More...
How does this impact your International MBA decision?
I'd be glad to learn your thoughts on this story : How to Come to Anderson Best Prepared for Recruiting
It is certainly true that an MBA degree equips students with the knowledge, skills, and frameworks to succeed in their post-graduate careers. However, most students will find that the process of finding summer internships, which most often lead to post-graduation roles, starts and ends well before even the core MBA classes are completed. Therefore, it is incredibly important to begin the MBA journey well prepared for the recruitment cycle. From my experience throughout this process, the three best ways to prepare before coming to campus are to:
- Create detailed accounts of professional accomplishments, leadership examples, or even mistakes that led to learning opportunities
- Explore and articulate your “why” – why do you need an MBA, why do you want to work in your desired industry
- Practice networking in less formal settings to become more comfortable with creating professional connections
Professional Accomplishments
I remember being explicitly told prior to Anderson to document my successes, failures, or other relevant anecdotes from my professional career before leaving my job. Trying to be efficient, I figured my current resume and previous versions of it dating back to my undergraduate studies would more than suffice as a record of my professional career, and therefore chose not to create this document. My first meeting with the Parker Career Center showed me this decision to rely on simple resumes and memory for my professional history was an extremely poor choice.
In my first Parker meeting, I found that I didn’t know nearly as much about the traits Investment Banks look for as I thought. Each item on my resume prompted detailed questions from my advisor that I couldn’t quite remember (e.g., did you create or edit an existing financial model for this project? How did you account for varying economic conditions?). I knew the exact documents or emails I could search on my work laptop to find these answers, however that access had long been terminated, leaving some small but important details from my accomplishments. Had I taken the time to record these details prior to Anderson, many of my professional anecdotes would have been improved from strong to outstanding accounts of my accomplishments.
Finding Your “Why”
In almost any interview, it is guaranteed one or all of the following questions will be asked: why did you choose to get an MBA, why do you want to work in this industry, and why do you want to work at this company. The first time I was asked why I’m pursuing an MBA, I thought that was an easy question – I chose to get an MBA to further my education, to expand my network, and to help pivot my professional career to one that better aligns with my goals and aspirations. If you’re thinking that sounds like a strong response (which I obviously did), I can tell you it is unfortunately not. These seemingly simple questions in reality require a lot of thought and preparation. My advice – really explore the second question about industry before you begin your MBA (or, if you’re undecided about industry, think about what motivates you, what aspects of work do you enjoy, which industries might fit you and why). The first question (why MBA) can be better answered after spending some time on campus with your classmates, and the third question (why this company) only becomes apparent after significant networking in your chosen field.
Practicing Networking
Just like any other skill, networking is something that can be improved with practice. To place into an MBA internship, some degree of networking will be required, and many industries require months of extensive exploratory conversations and coffee chats. Given the importance of having successful conversations and making meaningful connections during the recruiting cycle, my advice is to begin practicing in your close network. For example, connecting with prior MBA graduates, classmates from undergraduate (who have experience in your desired field), or even current UCLA Anderson students not only provides insightful advice but also helps to identify your strengths and weaknesses when developing professional connections. When networking for your summer internship, you will be more adept at selling yourself, developing intriguing questions, and keeping conversations flowing and engaging.
What I strongly advise against is to begin reaching out to potential employers prior to coming to business school (with the exception of official channels such as pre-MBA internships). Many industries have certain nuances and professional norms you may not be aware of, and beginning the networking process without the pre-recruiting training from the Parker Career Center may be detrimental to your efforts.
Student Blogger: Chris Kuchera ‘23
Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh (’15) – B.S. Industrial Engineering
Pre-MBA: Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory
Leadership @ Anderson: First Year Director, Admissions Ambassador Corps; First Year Director Day on the Job Investment Banking; VP of Yield, Admissions Ambassador Corps; VP of Education, Investment Finance Association
More...
How does this impact your International MBA decision?
I'd be glad to learn your thoughts on this story : How to Come to Anderson Best Prepared for Recruiting