Archive for the 'On the Job Front' Category

Women’s MBA Association Featured at Pfizer’s Employee Diversity Day

Published by Meg Standing on November 10, 2009 in Student Experience, Professional Development and On the Job Front. 0 Comments

Thanks to Pfizer employee and MBA student Anita Hernandez, the Women’s MBA Association & the UR MBA program were featured at the company’s Employee Diversity Day two weeks ago. Here’s what Anita had to say about the event:

“The University of Richmond’s MBA Women’s Association was one of many sponsors showcased at the newly acquired Pfizer Consumer Health care Plant (formerly Wyeth) in Richmond, Virginia, Thursday, October 22nd.  Pfizer was celebrating their “Exploring our Community” themed Diversity Day by hosting organizations from around the Richmond community.  The University of Richmond’s MBA program coordinator, Lois Vogle, along with several current Pfizer employees - Anita Hernandez (current MBA student, Social/Networking Chair of the Women’s MBA Association) & Samantha Brock (Alumni of the MBA program, Member of the Women’s MBA Association), spoke with employees on the benefits of joining the MBA program at University of Richmond, emphasizing the fact that it is never too late to go back for your MBA.  Ms. Lois Vogle had many employees interested in attending her “Lunch with Lois” events to gather more information on the program and to meet current students and alumni.   The event ran all day, and many brochures were picked up by interested employees, hoping to take advantage of tuition benefits offered by Pfizer.  All in all, the event was highly attended, and it was said to be the best diversity day ever held at the plant.  Through attending these events, University of Richmond and its Women’s MBA Association, continue to play an integral part in helping to broaden the knowledge and experience of the employees working in companies around the Richmond community.”

Thank you Anita, Samantha and Lois for your work on this great event!

Anita, Lois and Samanthapfizer-employee-diversity-day-2009-8.jpgpfizer-employee-diversity-day-2009-9.jpg

“Pushing” Our Students

Published by Richard Coughlan on July 16, 2009 in Global/International Business, Student Experience, Professional Development and On the Job Front. 0 Comments

One of our MBA students wrote to me and several of his professors today to let us know he’s decided to accept a job offer in Lausanne, Switzerland beginning on August 3.  He’ll therefore need to put his studies on hold for a while. 

He writes, “I will deeply miss the school, the academic environment, and the stimulation…I hope to continue with my MBA at one of the schools in Switzerland and I would be thrilled if there are any opportunities to facilitate a relationship between the Robins School and one of the Swiss institutions.  There is some irony in that, if I hadn’t enrolled in the Robins School MBA, I would probably not have sought out alternative employment opportunities.  So, to some extent, it’s your fault that I’m leaving, and I thank you for the push.”

Although I am sorry he’ll leave the Richmond MBA program, at least temporarily, I am thrilled to know that his interactions with his professors and classmates led him to broaden his horizons.

Networking

Published by Meg Standing on June 26, 2009 in Professional Development, Business Ethics, On the Job Front and Uncategorized. 2 Comments

Keith Ferazzi, author and business coach, says that, “networking is the key to success in business.”

We all know that networking is important yet this loaded word often brings about emotions such as anxiousness and uncertainty. Why? Is it because we feel we don’t know how to network “properly” or that we feel it is unauthentic? Do we set expectations for ourselves too high in networking situations?

Designated networking events often do put people on edge because we know that we are expected to perform at a certain level and keep up with those to whom networking comes naturally. But truthfully, networking comes naturally to most all of us. Think about the last time that you went to a wedding or out to dinner with a group of friends you may not know too well. Did you consider those events networking events? Did you feel nervous before leaving your house? Probably not because you weren’t focused on networking – you were focused on having a nice evening and the chance for good conversation with new people. So over the course of the wedding or the dinner out you were able to relax, enjoy the moment and allow new people to get to know the real (although maybe the best behaved version of) you.

Personally I find weddings and other social events the perfect time to network. Often you are at these events with at least one other person that you know, and there is a good chance that they know at least one more person, who knows one more person, etc. Over the course of the event you may discover that the person seated across from you is in the same line of work that you are in or that you are interested in transitioning into. Because you are not concerned with networking, you ask valuable questions, make interesting comments, and leave with a new connection.

So the next time you’re at a formal networking event, just remember that these events are actually just a chance for you to meet some interesting people, have some valuable conversations and hopefully leave with a few new contacts.

Lastly, I have to add that electronic networking is huge and only likely to grow in the coming years. Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can be valuable networking opportunities, but we must all remember that the same rules apply online as they would in face-to-face situations: do not say anything that you would not feel comfortable saying to someone’s face; remain honest about who you are and what you have accomplished; follow-up when leads are provided to you; make sure you monitor pictures of yourself and things written on your profile very carefully as you never know who else will be able to access your pages (whether or not they are a friend/connection). And my final suggestion, do not hide behind your computer; it is fine to make an initial connection via the Internet, but there is nothing more valuable than face-to-face or phone conversations.

Some tips for creating valuable networking opportunities:
1)    Always be 100% authentic.
2)    Remember that a first impression is everything – go in with a smile, firm handshake and an optimistic view.
3)    Ask interesting, open-ended questions and say something meaningful that others will remember you by.
4)    Remember the golden rule – “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” If you want your connections to pass your name along or help you find a new job, you must to be willing and able to reciprocate this same help to others.
5)    Realize that not all of your connections will be able to help you now, so be sure to stay in contact so that they will remember you in the future when an opportunity arises.
6)    Have your brief “elevator pitch” ready at all times so that you can quickly and concisely articulate what it is that you do/want to do when people ask. Practice this self-introduction to close friends and family and ask for constructive criticism, but always remember to remain genuine in what you say and how you say it.
7)    Practice makes perfect. If you hate formal networking, force yourself to go to as many of these events as you can so that you feel comfortable. Get involved in activities you enjoy in the community and use these as ways to practice your networking skills.
8)    Follow up on leads and be sure to thank the person who helped you make a connection. The handwritten thank-you note will always help make a good impression.

An Enlightening Panel: Skills for Tomorrow

Published by Richard Coughlan on March 23, 2009 in Professional Development and On the Job Front. 1 Comment

I spent one morning last week at a meeting of the Institute for Supply Management’s Richmond chapter.  I was particularly interested in hearing from a panel of chief procurement officers on the topic of professional development.

Roy Grier (Dominion), Richard Kelly (Altria) and Tony Millikin (MeadWestvaco) spent ninety minutes talking about a variety of topics.  I sincerely wish more of our students would have been in attendance to hear their advice about the skills that will be needed among the leaders of tomorrow.  Each man was incredibly candid.  The question and answer period was very rich.

Millikin repeatedly referenced EQ as an important differentiator among procurement professionals.  (His view is shared by many of the executives I have talked to in various roles in other firms.)  The ability to truly understand others and to lead and react appropriately is an incredibly important skill that can be honed. 

Related to this, Grier talked about Dominion’s emphasis on “soft skills” including one’s ability to relate to others as a criterion for advancement.  He made specific mention of the firm’s focus on an employee’s ability to be part of a team.

Kelly advanced the discussion by touching on another aspect of interpersonal relations – one’s ability to persuade.  He and the others were clear that they were not just talking about a procurement professional’s interactions with suppliers.  In fact, Millikin specifically mentioned an individual’s ability to persuade partners within the business.  Grier couched this as an ability to articulate a position succinctly.

Each panelist mentioned one or two additional skills during the discussion.  For Millikin, it was a an individual’s willingness to be truly accountable and to show a strong desire to overcome a challenge.   For Kelly, it was an individual’s deep understanding of a market, with the financial and analytical skills to gain a fresh perspective through data.  For Grier, it was a combination of integrity and good judgment that separates out the stars at Dominion.

I am thrilled that the Robins School is partnering with the supplier development professionals in each of these three firms on a leadership program for CEOs of minority businesses.  (Capital One and Exxon Mobil are also supporting the program that will begin in June.)  Their collective commitment to the development of tomorrow’s leaders is evident in their own practices.  I hope our MBA students will take this advice to heart.

Point-Counterpoint Among MBA Bashers and Supporters

Published by Richard Coughlan on March 17, 2009 in Student Experience, Finance and Economics, Professional Development, Business Ethics and On the Job Front. 0 Comments

Among the most widely circulated articles over the last couple of days has been a New York Times piece by Kelley Holland entitled, “Is It Time to Retrain B-Schools?”  You can link to it here: http://tinyurl.com/ce5lnv. 

Holland offers a thoughtful piece on the state of the MBA today, with a particular emphasis on ethics and values in the curriculum.  She also includes quotes from several of the most vocal critics of MBA programs.  I encourage you to read through it and offer your comments below.

On the same day it was published, Financial Times published a column by Stefan Stern called, “Why MBA Bashing is Unfair.”  You can link to it here: http://tinyurl.com/dj29kb.  I think his piece has a great deal of merit.  Among other things, he touches on the topic of humility, which was the subject of a recent post here.

I am inclined to distribute these two readings to our incoming class as a means of starting a discussion during our Opening Residency.  We certainly have work to do on the curriculum and in structuring our cocurricular activites, especially in the area of personal assessments and career guidance.  We shouldn’t need major financial crises to prompt us to make changes.

I look forward to your feedback.