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careeroptionsmagazine.com/MBA
FALL 2013
Helping students
find the MBA
program and
post-MBA career
that is right
for them.
11
Today’s MBA students
come from all
backgrounds
17 Networking 2.0: Social
media strategies to
make an impression
21 How to sell your
MBA education to
employers
Invest in yourself:
the business case
for MBA studies
With profiles
of top Canadian
business schools
e
Flip tzhine
a
mag ore
for meer
Car ns!
Optio
career options
FALL 2013
21
On average,
the return on
investment in an
MBA degree can
be seen in four
years or less
6
ThE MBA
An investment
in your future
By Tess Allen
11
Opening
career paths
Why students from
all disciplines are
pursuing MBAs
By Kayla Redstone
17
25
MBA Networking
Online MBA
2.0: How to use
social media
to build valuable
connections
How to study from
a distance
By ACCESS MBA Tour
By Danielle Klassen
21
Landing a job
after graduation
Advice from MBA
experts and grads
By Meagan Campbell
We Would Like to Thank Our Advertisers…
10Conrad Business,
Entrepreneurship and
Technology Centre,
University of Waterloo
27Royal Roads University
2Hult International
Business School
16Sobey School of Business,
Saint Mary’s University
4IE Business School
7Thompson Rivers University
20International University
of Monaco (IUM)
5University of New Brunswick,
Fredericton
9Peter B. Gustavson
School of Business,
University of Victoria
24University of New Brunswick,
Saint John
28QS Fairs
15Vancouver Island University,
Faculty of Management
3, 18SchoolFinder Group
13Scotiabank
23Rivier University
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 3
Three tips to get the most
out of your MBA
What is the value of an MBA? Some U.S. institutions are struggling to fill
their programs—is this an indication that the MBA is a “bad investment”?
As CACEE President and the Director, Centre for Business Career
Development at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University
—and an MBA grad myself—I believe that the MBA degree is still the
right graduate program to effectively springboard your career. The ultimate
value you take away from an MBA is up to you, however, so here are
three “value-add” tips:
Choose wisely. There are over 30 MBA programs across Canada,
and hundreds worldwide. To help you choose the right program, you
need to ask yourself: why do I want to pursue an MBA? What is my end
goal? And which schools will best position me to succeed? And then the
work begins, from the application and admissions process, to the GMAT
preparation and, of course, the rigor of the MBA itself. The program
requirements are structured to build your knowledge, develop new skills
and stretch your capacity—all in the interest of making you market-ready.
Reflect frequently. Many students enter an MBA believing
they know their ideal career path. But, in truth, once you start to learn
more about different business functions, you may start to rethink your
career strategy. Be open to new ideas, companies and experiences.
This will allow you to assess your ‘fit’ with various cultures and positions.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Make mistakes and try again.
This is how you grow. Your failures will help you make better decisions
—and they make great interview stories during the recruitment process!
Optimize your experience. Some may argue with me, but
getting high grades is not the ultimate goal for an MBA student. While
employers may request your transcript, they want to assess you, your
skills and your style to ensure strong alignment with the role, the team
and the organization. So, ensure that you are engaging in your student
experience BOTH inside and outside the classroom. Student clubs,
volunteer experiences and extra-curricular activities truly make a difference when positioning your brand to employers. You will only have one
MBA experience, so use all the resources available to you: your career
centre, faculty, peers, the business community. These people are all
waiting to help you succeed. And, of course, there are many other
resources with expert knowledge just waiting to be shared.
Career Options MBA is just one example that can provide some
answers to your questions. Read it, dog-ear the pages, follow up with
companies that interest you or for more expert information, learn more
online at www.careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba. CO
Jennifer McCleary, MBA, Director, Centre for Business
Career Development, DeGroote School of Business,
McMaster University, and CACEE President
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 5
the
MBA
an
investment
in your
future
6
FAL L 20 13
careerop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
By Tess Allen
I
t’s an achievement recognized the world
over, a degree with a reputation for
launching graduates straight into success.
People from all educational and career
backgrounds are pursuing a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) for a whole range of
reasons: some want a boost on the career ladder;
others want to learn business skills to start their
own companies. Whatever the reason, there’s no
question about an MBA’s value.
Why get an MBA?
“An MBA is seen as one of the most prestigious
and sought-after degrees in the world because
of its versatility and application of business and
management principles that can be applied to
a variety of real-world business situations,” says
Teresa Pires, assistant director of recruitment
and admissions at Queen’s School of Business.
An
MBA is seen
as one of
the most
prestigious
and
sought-after
degrees
in the
world.
An MBA is designed to develop tomorrow’s
exceptional leaders, valuable team members
and highly effective managers by instilling in
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA students a wide variety of essential skills.
Among other benefits, MBAs offer students the
opportunity to sharpen their managerial skills
as well as the flexibility to pursue a full slate of
different careers.
The hands-on approach in which an MBA is
taught makes for an especially valuable learning
experience, through work placements and other
collaborations with companies. “Unlike many
other disciplines, an MBA is very applied. It’s
very difficult to learn about this if it’s not in an
environment where practitioners and experts and
academics are together,” says Murtaza Haider,
associate dean of the MBA program at Ryerson
University’s Ted Rogers School of Management.
“When you become part of this learning exercise
and community, you see the other side before you
join the other side.”
FA LL 2 0 1 3 7
Successful MBA students can increase their salary
potential and get ahead in whatever career they
choose to pursue, says Pires. “MBA graduates are
typically eligible for jobs that would not otherwise
be an option to those that hold only a high school
diploma or undergraduate degree. An MBA degree
is almost a necessity in today’s business world,”
she says, noting that some companies will not even
consider applicants who lack an MBA. “In most
cases, an MBA degree is required for executive and
senior management positions. People who hold an
MBA degree will find that there are many different
types of employment opportunities that are available to them domestically and internationally.”
One of the most crucial skills that MBA students
learn over the course of their studies is how
to manage people, says Haider. He calls an
MBA “empowering.”
“An undergraduate degree has told students
nothing about how to manage people. An MBA
fills that void,” says Haider. “MBA students learn
about how to manage conflict between individuals
and organizations. They also learn how to be
ethical and responsible, not just to people and
employees, but also to the environment.”
Vern Jones, associate dean of graduate programs at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne
School of Business, says an MBA is about
strategic and critical thinking. “Our program is
geared toward different markets, and in many
cases toward people who have degrees other
than business and want to acquire the skills and
the knowledge to enter the business world,” says
Jones. “Often they are working in a business
or they want a more managerial approach or a
more senior approach, so they learn how to think
strategically and learn the qualities of leadership
that take you further up into an organization.”
Since good teamwork is often very important in
the business world, the Queen’s MBA program
has a team-based approach that Pires says mirrors
a real-life work environment. Students gain valuable
insight into today’s progressive workplace while
learning from peers, she says. “You will leave the
program with a thorough understanding of the
best practices for successful team-building and
teamwork, well-prepared to be a valuable member
of a high-performance team.”
that it has become a pillar of the Haskayne MBA:
“It resonates really well with Calgary because
there are so many small businesses, so many
people who are very entrepreneurial. We’re
trying to enhance the capacity.”
How to get in
GMAC
statistics
show that,
on average, the
return on
investment
in an
MBA degree
can be seen in
four years
or less.
MBA programs differ in their application requirements. Some programs expect a few years of
real-world experience before allowing entry into
the program, and some permit students to study
right after their undergrad.
Queen’s, like many other MBA schools, accepts
individuals from diverse backgrounds, ages and levels of work experience. They ask for a minimum of
two years of post-graduate work experience so students can “draw from some form of professional
knowledge that can be transferable in a classroom
but also within their teams in order to help them
achieve success,” says Pires. “We feel that work
experience plays a large role in our teaching methodology as students gain valuable knowledge from
their peers through the global experiences that they
bring with them when they come to our program.”
So, where are the jobs?
MBA graduates can end up working in a vast
number of fields, including finance, management
consulting, energy and minerals, consumer products, technology, the public sector (education and
health care) and marketing, among many others.
GMAC statistics show that, on average, the return
on investment in an MBA degree can be seen in
four years or less. At Queen’s, a full 94 percent
of MBA alumni are employed at six months after
graduation, and averaging salaries of $80,000
to $100,000.
Types of programs
Entrepreneurship is another skill that students
pick up during their MBA education. Jones says
MBA programs come in all shapes and sizes, but
they often start out with the basics and then lead
into studying a specialized area of business. For
example, the Queen’s MBA program comprises
two modules: the Foundations Level, which
provides an overview of business fundamentals,
and Mastery, which enables you to choose an area
of specialization. Upon completion of your MBA,
you may then choose to advance to the Expert
level by pursuing a second Master’s degree in this
specialization.
8
care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
FAL L 2013
Also worth noting is the distinction between MBAs
and Executive MBAs. Haskayne offers both programs, and each is geared toward different demographics. “The academic requirements for the
program are very similar but the actual execution
of the program changes quite a bit,” says Jones.
Executive MBAs are targeted to senior executives
with years of work experience, who often continue
to work throughout their studies.
“The continuing healthy demand for MBA
graduates and the significant pay increases they
achieve confirm that MBA degrees remain the
gold standard of graduate management education
—and that the MBA is still extremely relevant
for today’s business leaders,” says Pires.
While the importance and relevance of an
MBA seems to change periodically through the
years, Jones says he has recently seen a surge
in Calgary employers seeking MBA graduates.
“We’re finding here that the MBA has a lot of
traction in Calgary where it didn’t used to so
much. We’re finding that there’s been a bit of
shift in the marketplace from the below-ground
skills to above-ground skills. The kinds of skills
that traditionally have been taught in an MBA
program have become quite a bit more
important,” he says.
able to function at an executive level; they want
to impact the leadership, the strategic thinking
inside the company. An MBA opens those
doors for them.”
Whatever MBA program you choose to pursue,
one thing is for certain: the skills you will acquire
over the course of your MBA will prepare you for
just about anything. CO
“People come here partly because they like our
program and partly because the job market in
Calgary is very strong. We even have an employment
office that helps students find job opportunities,”
says Jones.
Tess Allen is a third-year journalism and
communications student at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She
is a columnist and freelancer for the Moncton Times & Transcript and is the current
Seasoned MBA graduates have a variety of doors
opened up for them post-graduation, says Jones,
including opportunities in sectors like telecommunications, finance and transportation. He also says there
are a number of reasons students opt for an MBA.
arts reporter for The Brunswickan, Canada’s
oldest official student newspaper.
For more information, please visit:
business.queensu.ca, ryerson.ca/mba,
haskayne.ucalgary.ca,
careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba
“Often those people who seek an MBA are
seeking it as a way to more effectively lead their
organizations. People want the education to be
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 9
By Kayla Redstone
Opening career paths
Why students from all
disciplines are pursuing MBAs
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 11
I
f you’re thinking of applying to MBA programs but feel
discouraged because you haven’t taken business courses before,
you’ll be surprised to hear that the majority of students in some
of Canada’s top business schools don’t come from business
backgrounds. For many students, earning an MBA is a great way to
broaden their career options, regardless of their undergraduate degree.
“The reason that the MBA is becoming and continues to become so
sought after is that it allows you to move functions, move industries,
and it allows you to have some credentials that are known and respected
in different areas,” says Niki da Silva, director of recruitment and
admissions for the full-time MBA program at the University of Toronto’s
Rotman School of Management.
In fact, engineering students make up the largest part of some full-time
MBA programs: they comprise over one-third of the class of 2014 at both
Rotman’s and University of British Columbia’s MBA programs.
Engineers have become more interested in MBA programs because
they are exposed to financial assessments when they work on consulting
assignments, says Marja Harmer, who provides career guidance to MBA
students at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. “If you don’t have a business
degree, they have to hire someone else to do that work,” she says.
A great number of students entering MBA studies also come from life
sciences, computer science, and arts and humanities backgrounds.
For these students, an MBA can mean opening the door to new positions
in their field, acquiring the skills to develop an entrepreneurial idea,
or changing careers altogether, says Harmer.
Graham Huber, a second-year MBA student at Rotman, graduated from
York University with a bachelor of design in 2004. After working as
a designer at various companies and then eventually on his own, he
discovered that his graphic design skills alone weren’t enough for him to
serve his clients’ needs. “My role was increasingly less about the graphics
and aesthetics and much more about brand positioning and competitive
strategy,” says Huber.
How your inexperience can help you
A lack of business education won’t hinder you in your MBA studies—
in fact, it might even help you make the most of an MBA.
Da Silva says there’s tremendous value in having students with diverse
backgrounds in the program. She says students are there to challenge
each other and share the “different lenses they have to look at the world”
to help solve problems. That type of peer-to-peer learning won’t work
without a diversity of students from different backgrounds.
Furthermore, da Silva says coming to the program from another discipline
can give students a clean slate for learning the concepts, whereas business
students might be constrained by fixed ideas formed during their undergraduate studies. “[Coming from a business education], you sometimes
miss an opportunity to step back and reframe the problem, reframe the
question and understand from a broader perspective what’s really trying
to be demonstrated in class,” she says.
Diversifying your education could also have long-term advantages, says
Harmer. “I would think that when you have two different disciplines in your
past you have really strong positioning opportunities afterwards,” she says.
“For these students, an MBA can mean opening the door to
new positions in their field, acquiring the skills to develop
an entrepreneurial idea, or changing careers altogether.”
12 FAL L 2013
care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
MBA EMPLOYER Profile
A dvertorial
S cotiaban k
Feel the pulse of the global economy
at Canada’s most international bank
Summer Positions:
Starting your career at Scotiabank’s Global Banking and Markets division as either a summer associate
or post-MBA hire means you are working for one of the most reputable banks in North America. In fact,
The Banker magazine named Scotiabank its 2012 “Global Bank of the Year” and “Bank of the Year
for the Americas.” Since 1832, Scotiabank has strived to be the best at helping our customers achieve
wealth and prosperity. This is the goal that all of our people work toward, from our front line of tellers to
our award-winning analysts and economists.
Scotiabank’s Global Banking and Markets division provides a full range of corporate and investment
banking and capital markets products and services to help meet the financing and strategic development needs of our clients, including mergers and acquisitions, institutional equity sales, trading and
research, debt products, derivatives, foreign exchange and bullion and base metals. Your career can
develop in many different ways at Scotiabank—our structure is designed to encourage cross-selling,
which means exposure to other products and departments, and cross-training opportunities.
Training and career opportunities
At Scotiabank, we truly believe in investing in your future. We’ve designed our training programs from
the ground up, with an eye to prepare you for the challenges that lie ahead. All four of our summer
associate streams provide hands-on learning and are designed to give you real responsibilities to help
refine your skills right from the beginning of your career. New graduates may participate in the Capital
Ideas Program, an intensive training program developed by the firm. The program is designed to orient
participants to our culture, people, products and services, and to provide the soft and technical skills
critical for success. We reward performance and provide advancement for strong contributors, along
with competitive salaries.
“Scotiabank has been a great place to work as it offers advancement opportunities. I learn new
things every day and have the support I need to succeed.”
Jansen Shrubb
Rotman School of Management MBA 2011
• Equity Research (Toronto)
– Perform financial analyses such
as market comparisons, company
valuations and financial modeling
• Sales and Trading (Toronto, Montreal,
Calgary and New York)
– Equity sales and trading; fixed
income; risk solutions; energy and
agricultural commodities; global
prime finance; debt capital markets;
credit derivatives; emerging
markets; relationship management
• Investment Banking, Mergers and
Acquisitions and Equity Capital
Markets Rotation Program (Toronto
and Montreal)
– Debt and equity financings;
mergers and acquisitions;
financial advisory work; business
development
• Corporate Banking (Toronto and
Vancouver)
– Relationship management and
credit-related activities in several
industry sectors
Post-MBA Positions:
• Sales and Trading Associate Program
– 12-16 month rotational program in
sales, trading and risk management
including an international rotation
and potential for international
placement
• Investment Banking/Mergers and
Acquisitions Associate
• Equity Research Associate
• Corporate Banking Associate
Locations:
Headquarters in Toronto, with locations
in over 55 countries
Number of Employees:
Over 83,000 around the world
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Website:
gbm.scotiabank.com/careers
™ Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia.
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 13
“It is going to open up a world of opportunities that
you probably don’t even know exist now, both in terms
of careers and in terms of the limits and skills you
didn’t even know you had.”
Advice from the experts
What comes next?
Your mid- to late twenties are the ideal time to do an MBA, says Huber.
In your twenties, your mind is still fresh and you’ll relate more to your
peers, and you likely won’t have any serious commitments. However,
he encourages potential candidates to work for a few years before entering
the program, as most schools suggest, in order to gain real-world context
that will enhance the lessons.
With your previous degree and MBA in hand, you will be armed with a
variety of skills and interests that will help you find a job, whether it’s related
to your initial field of study or a completely new direction.
Huber also cautions against paying too much attention to news articles
that suggest the same business skills you acquire through an MBA can be
learned through Internet courses or books. “What those articles tend to miss
is that the inherent transformative value of the MBA is the experience itself,”
he says. “It’s not necessarily all about the coursework.”
It’s important to research every program you intend to apply to and understand what job outcomes you might expect after graduation, says Harmer.
“It’s an expensive investment, so in any intake interview they want to hear
the reasons why you want to do an MBA. Why does it make sense to you,
and why does it make sense to your personality?” she says.
Staying true to your personality is key. Da Silva says students from other disciplines often worry that their experience won’t be valued by the admissions
committee, so they submit an application that doesn’t reflect who they are.
The act can be tough to hold up throughout the application process and
the program, she says.
Students may face a similar problem when they see their MBA
classmates paying attention to subjects or activities different from the
ones they are interested in, she says. “Understand what it is that you’re
looking to get out of the MBA and what your priorities are,” says da Silva.
“It’s easy to be swayed by what other people are interested in and it
might sound interesting and exciting, but at the end of the day it really
isn’t you.”
14 FAL L 2013
“It is going to open up a world of opportunities that you probably don’t even
know exist now, both in terms of careers and in terms of the limits and skills
you didn’t even know you had,” says da Silva. And for those who want to
stay in their previous field, da Silva says, “The best advice is stick to your
passions because if you do what you love, you’ll excel at it.”
After graduation, Huber plans to continuing working in design, but with a
twist. He’s now specializing in business design, which he says will help him
delve deeper into business development, strategy, marketing and innovation
when he graduates.
He used to consider design to be about the visual aesthetic process. He says
now he considers visual design to be one of many important aspects under
the umbrella of business design.
“[An MBA program] should be transformative,” he says. “You shouldn’t be
the same person coming out of it.” CO
Kayla Redstone is a recent Carleton
University journalism graduate. She is
currently working as an English teaching
assistant in Lyon, France, and she hopes to
pursue a career in media upon her return to
Canada next summer.
For MORE information, please visit: rotman.utoronto.ca, sauder.
ubc.ca, careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba
care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
MBA School Profile
A dvertorial
Vancouver I sland U niversity
An Internationally Recognized
Dual MBA & MScIB Degree
Programs with Global Mindset:
Concurrent Canadian/British degrees
(two degrees awarded)
Specialization in Finance or Marketing
Accredited by the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools and
Programs (ACBSP)
Authorized by the Degree Quality
Assessment Board of the British
Columbia Ministry of Advanced
Education
Global learning environment and new
technologically enhanced facilities
Length of Program:
14 – 18 month program
Includes a 4 month business internship
Tuition Fees:
Overview:
Established in 1936 and located in the city of Nanaimo on Canada’s magnificent West Coast, Vancouver
Island University is a public university offering an MBA degree in association with the University of
Hertfordshire’s Master of Science in International Business (MScIB).
The University of Hertfordshire recognizes this program as fulfilling the requirements of the UH MScIB
degree. As a result, upon completion of the program, candidates will receive a Canadian MBA and a
British MScIB from two public universities, opening up a world of opportunities.
This powerful dual Canadian and British degree is highly sought after for its design, which reflects the
core values of our two universities: teaching excellence, an applied focus, faculty/student interaction,
a global learning environment, and a focus on educational and employment success for students from
diverse backgrounds.
Why VIU for your MBA?
VIU has a global reputation for excellence and our graduates consistently give us top marks for quality
of instruction. Each year, over 18,000 new and returning learners, including 1,700 international
students, choose VIU for their education. VIU’s inspirational setting, small class sizes, and hands-on
research offer students the opportunity to experience the best of both educational activities and
student life.
VIU is committed to ensure that students are supported, engaged and encouraged to excel. The core
vision of the program is to develop superior managers with global mindset. We help students develop
the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive world.
Upon graduation, students will have work experience from the internship program and networking
contacts in small, medium and large corporations in Canada and around the world. Students have
always been and remain VIU’s number one priority.
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA Canadian Students:
Foundation Program (non-business
graduates): $2,519 CAD
MBA/MScIB: $18,870 CAD
International Students:
Foundation Program (non-business
graduates): $4,850 CAD
MBA/MScIB: $31,500
Entry Requirement:
Two start dates per year (January
and September)
Graduates with any undergraduate
degree may apply
No GMAT required
Work experience preferred, but not
required
International Students:
A minimum TOEFL iBT 88 with no
sections under 20, or IELTS 6.5 with no
band under 6.0, CAEL 70, or equivalents
Job Acquisition Stats:
Recent graduates report salaries
of $40,000 – $50,000 with many
earning $75,000+. On average, 90% of
graduates are working full-time within
4-8 months of graduation (based on
2012 survey data).
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 250 740 6316
Website: viu.ca/mba
FA LL 2 0 1 3 15
MBA School Profile
A dvertorial
T he S obey S chool of B usiness at S aint M ary ’ s U niversity
Leadership, Sustainability and
Entrepreneurialism
Program Type:
Full Time MBA
Part Time MBA
Executive MBA (EMBA)
Joint Degree Programs
Offered:
MBA-CMA (Certified Management
Accountants)
Program Duration:
16 to 20 months (Full Time, MBA-CMA
and Executive MBA)
36 months (Part Time)
Tuition Fee:
CAD ($)15,708/ Total Program Cost
Full Time
CAD ($)14,258/ Total Program Cost
Part Time
The Sobey School of Business brings together top-notch teaching, a diverse student body and first-class
facilities in our dynamic and challenging MBA program. Our ACCSB-accredited program begins with
an intensive orientation week and is capped off by a team-building retreat, which helps students get
to know each other in a relaxed, yet academically rigorous atmosphere. The first year provides a solid
business foundation, with the emphasis on building leadership as well as analytical, problem-solving
and decision-making skills. At the Sobey School, we believe in enriched learning through real-world
application; therefore, we offer opportunities in both years for hands-on experience working on projects
for large and small businesses. Company projects and a week-long case competition are highlights of
the first-year experience.
Second-year students tailor their MBA to meet professional and personal goals. Students can focus in a
specific area or gain further breadth in courses from a variety of disciplines, such as the Management
Consulting stream offered in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Management Consultants.
Students are able to academically qualify for their consulting designation with the consulting stream.
The second year also features experiential learning through a consulting project, which matches student
teams with a company.
The Sobey School is committed to providing personalized and comprehensive tools, opportunities,
resources and training to help develop your career management skills and ultimately achieve your career
goals. Our innovative Professional Development Program and skill-building seminars and workshops,
coupled with an integrated learning approach, will help you understand and prepare for employer expectations and hiring requirements. We prepare you to proactively manage your career throughout your lifetime.
Why should you choose the Sobey MBA?
At the Sobey School, you will have access to world-class research and faculty. We facilitate experiential
learning for real-life skill-building including internships, consulting projects, case competitions and the
management of the IMPACT investment fund. The Sobey MBA will help you develop leadership skills
through a variety of team experiences and classroom instruction. We also provide a comprehensive
personal and career development program to assist you in finding meaningful employment. Your MBA
experience will be enriched by the opportunity to study with a small cohort of students from a variety of
domestic and international backgrounds.
16 FAL L 2013
care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
CAD ($)45,000/ Total Program Cost
EMBA
Entry Requirements:
Min. GMAT Score: 550
Min. TOEFL IBT: 100
Min. IELTS: 7
Min. Years of Work Experience: 2
Advanced Standings:
Must have taken two courses in the
subject area covering 80 percent of the
material and achieved B+ or higher.
Four year BComm or BBA grads
with a CGPA of 3.5 or higher may be
eligible for our accelerated program
(13 courses).
Application Fee:
CAD ($) 70
Contact
Name: Leah Ray, Managing Director,
MBA Program
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01-902-420-5002
Website: smu.ca/mba
By Danielle Klassen
How to use
social media to
build valuable
connections
T
hey’ve become the trademark—or perhaps the addiction—of
our generation. They’re the ultimate procrastination enabler and
homework diverter. Our fingers itch to check them the second a
web browser opens. Facebook and other social media sites steal
countless minutes of our days and offer little in return.
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 17
Rather than wallow in the guilt of hours spent shamelessly lurking your
ex-whatever, why not use your lurking, browsing and posting skills to build
a framework for achieving your career goals. Use your social networks to do
just that—network.
LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and yes, even Facebook, have taken off as
go-to platforms for professionals. People meet and connect online with the
intent to advance their careers, and maybe even help others along the way.
It’s networking 2.0.
When LinkedIn first took off, many of us “Millennials” were skeptical. “It’s
social media for middle-agers,” some would say, or, “It’s just a lame version
of Facebook.” Evidently, a forward-looking few saw LinkedIn as more than a
fad, as today over 225 million people of all generations across the globe are
connected on this career-oriented network.
To be effective with social networking tools, it’s essential to invest some
time into your online presence. It’s about more than simply existing online;
it’s about cultivating a personal brand.
“People are going to Google you for one reason or another. The more you use
[LinkedIn], the more likely you are to show up at the top of search rankings:
that means that you have a degree of control over what others first see about
you,” says Lisa Dalla Vecchia, manager of alumni and career communications
at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business.
For René Beaulieu, career advisor and employment counsellor at Laval University, you can’t initiate strong online networking until you can identify your
specific purpose for being on the platform. “I tell students to think of themselves as a company,” he says. By doing so, you can clearly articulate your
unique offering and determine what to share. For example, while you may be
an expert photographer, it’s probably not a good idea to write about photography
in your objective statement if you’re trying to sell your management skills.
But perfecting your profile alone won’t earn you connections. The next step,
Beaulieu says, is cultivating your presence. He recommends spending five to
10 minutes on LinkedIn each day.
“Students are often very occupied with studying and socializing. They don’t
put that much time into developing their business proposition,” he warns.
While it may be an old cliché, there’s definite merit to the idea that your
network is your net worth. Your MBA gets its value from the experiences
you gain along the way. Networking may be equally as valuable as the
degree itself.
With quick intervals of online activity, it’s easy to stay up-to-date with
interesting industry updates that your contacts are sharing, and to open
conversations with new contacts.
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Ten years ago when sites like LinkedIn were
in their infancy, networking might have meant
endless schmoozing at various network events,
exchanging business cards by the dozen, and
constant effort to keep up with the connections
you’ve made along the way. Your network consisted
of people you chanced upon, and the degrees of
separation between you and your desired connections weren’t always apparent.
When developing your online network, it’s important to practise the “netiquette” of connecting. The
generic LinkedIn invitation is often perceived as
stale, or even cavalier. Incorporate your common
ground into an invitation: maybe you attended the
same event or share an alma mater, and can suggest getting together to talk about old times. With
the endless amount of information available online,
you’re sure to find material for an opening line.
gically, it’s an indispensable tool for establishing your
leadership online. Experts recommend tweeting
about professional topics 80 percent of the time,
and using the other 20 percent for personal input.
On LinkedIn, most of your efforts should be put
into tracking conversation and maintaining an
up-to-date profile. Dalla Vecchia warns that your
contacts may see constant posts as spam.
“People are going to Google you for one reason or another.
The more you use [LinkedIn], the more likely you are to show up
at the top of search rankings: that means that you have a
degree of control over what others first see about you.”
Today, if you’re looking to break into an industry or gain connections at a company, a simple
Google search will give you incredible background
information and uncover relevant people in your
industry that you should meet. It’s a good place
to start networking online.
While the good old-fashioned acts of looking
someone in the eye, shaking their hand and starting a conversation will never become obsolete,
online networking can complement in-person
contact and make it easier to stay in touch. It can
also take the awkwardness out of first contact.
One of the main benefits of LinkedIn is that it
enables conversation. “It makes it easier to find
people, understand who the person is, what their
background is, and why you might want to talk to
them,” says Fiona Macfarlane, MBA mentoring
program manager at McGill’s Desautels Faculty
of Management.
LinkedIn’s clever design not only illustrates how
you’re connected to someone, through friends or
friends-of-friends, but also shows what you have
in common with a desired connection. These
commonalities go a long way toward opening
conversation, and demand a lot less room-working
and business cards than analog networking.
LinkedIn isn’t the only way to get a hold of your
desired contacts. Twitter constantly presents
casual opportunities to join conversations that are
already occurring—as long as you can contribute
in fewer than 140 characters.
“Through Twitter I’ve met a lot of great people,”
says Dalla Vecchia. She recommends using the
tool to scout out people before networking events.
Use the event’s hashtag to find out who’s going
and whom you could meet, and become a prominent part of the conversation before you even
enter the building.
Twitter’s fast-paced nature means there is hardly
such a thing as being too active. When used strate-
She suggests sharing information once a week.
Try posting industry news to show that you’re
keeping up with what is happening in your field.
With every connection you make, keep your ultimate networking objectives in mind and act within
them. “It’s not a race for the number of contacts,
it’s about getting in touch with great people who are
actually going to help you get further,” says Beaulieu. It’s about staying in touch too, experts agree.
The next time you’re delaying whatever daunting
task awaits, instead of refreshing your page every
few minutes to see what photos your friends
uploaded, think about how you could use your
time to get ahead. CO
Danielle Klassen is a graduate of Carleton University’s school of
journalism. With her background in business reporting, Danielle writes
to help readers understand how to navigate today’s economy. Danielle
has seen the effects of social media networking first-hand, having
connected with employers on Twitter before even being called in for an
interview. She loves meeting new people, so feel free to get in touch!
Twitter: @daniklassen
For more information, please visit: beedie.sfu.ca, twitter.com/SFUBeedie,
linkedin.com/company/1633160, ulaval.ca, mcgill.ca/desautels, careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 19
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By Meagan Campbell
Landing a
job after
graduation
Advice from MBA
experts and grads
A
fter graduating with an MBA from
McMaster University’s DeGroote
School of Business, Paul Gryglewicz found himself in his desired
industry—consulting in the field of governance
and executive compensation. Having accepted
an associate role to “learn the industry from the
grass roots” fresh out of school, he applied his
hard work ethic, humble approach and knowledge
gained from the MBA to accelerate his career to
his current role as managing partner of Global
Governance Advisors, where he oversees the
company’s Canadian operations. His role today
offers him his preferred type of work: a balance
between hands-on client engagement, business
strategy, management and entrepreneurialism—in
other words, a dream job for a young business
professional. How did he get there? There’s no
magic formula, but here are some tips and advice
that can help you get there, too.
Current
MBA Students
Build your network
Take on extracurriculars: Throughout
his studies, Gryglewicz played for McMaster’s
varsity squash team and taught golf at a local
club. “Joining teams or volunteering teaches
you about your skills and interests, expands your
network, and shows employers that you can manage your time,” he says. Another McMaster MBA
graduate Career Options spoke with, Shivalika
Handa, landed a co-op position and eventually
a job at RBC Capital Markets through her role as
president of the DeGroote Women in Management
Association.
Create genuine relationships: Although
a student with a vast social media network may
connect with thousands of people, few of these
online contacts likely know the student well
enough to recommend him or her. It is increasingly important for people to know students
personally, says Stephanie Harper, manager of
the Career Development Office at the Goodman
School of Business at Brock University: “It’s not
about what you know or who you know. It’s about
who knows you.”
Be proactive: Attend networking events, follow
up with people you meet, and reach out to those
you’d like to meet. Gryglewicz landed his first
job as an associate after inviting the CEO of the
company to be a guest speaker in his entrepreneurial class.
Research
Connect with alumni mentors:
Many MBA schools have programs that match
students with alumni who have experience in
the student’s field of interest. These partnerships
inform students about the trends in the area and
advise them on career paths.
Conduct informational interviews:
Set up an interview with someone in a role that
appeals to you. Many people are willing and
happy to take 30 minutes of their time to help
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA Quick Tip »
Customize a section header in
your resumé. For example, if the
job description includes businessto-business communications, then
replace your “Work Experience”
header with “Business-to-Business
Experience,” and revise how you
present the items listed below.
a student learn more about their work and their
field. Students should prepare questions so
that they control the conversation, says Anna
Cranston, director of Management Career Services
at Dalhousie University. “If you are professional
about the interview,” she says, “it can be a networking tool that makes your name come to mind
when the person wants to hire.”
Be selective: Do not apply for jobs that do not
suit your skills and interests. “If you don’t have
passion for it, you won’t interview well for it,”
says Handa. The interview process and potential
rejections will waste time and may shake your
confidence.
Don’t wait: Start your research early so that
you know where to apply for jobs. Cranston
emphasizes that students should be ready
to apply before September of their final year.
FA LL 2 0 1 3 21
Percentage of companies worldwide
hiring MBA graduates, by industry »
n
t
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e
2012
+12+2
«
+10
pe
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+17
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80%
know, you’ll be more likely to be referred to open
positions that they hear about.
+5
2013 Projected
-1
-7
60%
0
40%
Apply for jobs
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MBA Grads
Start your search
Prepare for the interview
Consult career services: Employers often
post jobs to career services centres at colleges
and universities rather than on regional posting
boards. Most MBA schools have their own career
services centre, which connects students and
graduates to these employers.
Interview the employer: Ask questions
that arose while researching the job, or that arise
naturally during the interview. Well-thought-out
questions demonstrate your interest in the position
and work environment.
Fi
Reproduced with the permission of the Graduate Management Admission Council®
Improve your credentials
Choose the right electives: Choose
electives that relate to your career goals. This
will make you better qualified for the position and
show employers that you use your time wisely.
Take on co-op or residency placements:
If your MBA program does not include a work
term, ask your professors and other contacts to
look for summer co-op positions or part-time work
in an area of interest. These placements expand
your network, give you experience and reveal
whether you like the type of work.
Quick Tip »
Career services centres at MBA
schools get hundreds of job postings
each year. To maximize the value of
your appointment, do research and
prepare questions about the type
of job you are looking for.
Great question to ask
in a job interview »
“What are some characteristics
of a person who has been successful
at this role in the past?”
Anna Cranston, director of Management
Career Services, Dalhousie University
FAL L 2013
Customize and perfect your
documents: Once you have found a job to
apply for, make sure you’re clear on the skills and
personality that the employer is looking for. Tailor
your cover letter and resumé for each application,
and perfect the language and formatting.
Prepare your references: Describe the job
to your references so that they know what skills
the employer is looking for. Bring three or four
copies of a typed reference list to each job interview, and include three or four references unless
otherwise required.
n
u
ti
li
g
y/
Ut
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er
En
n
es
g
n
lt
i
su
n
Co
g
20%
22 Set small goals: While the obvious aim
of a job hunt is to find a job, Harper suggests
having several goals along the way. For example,
attend one networking event per month or
apply to a certain number of postings each
week. These are achievable and will keep
you motivated.
Regional job boards: Along with Career
Options, other job boards include MBAjobs.ca,
TalentEgg and jobpostings. Search these online
boards in addition to consulting your school’s
career services centre.
Be confident: Practise your answers and
questions out loud to get them as concise as
possible without sounding rehearsed. Handa, who
now helps in the hiring process at PricewaterhouseCoopers, says to put 100 percent effort into
every interview and to reflect your personality.
Mine your network: Maintain connections
with students you met during your degree, family
friends and professors. Stephanie Harper offers the
statistic that 80 percent of jobs are never posted
publicly. By staying in touch with everyone you
Recognize external forces: Remember
that you have no control over the labour market,
other candidates, or an employer’s preferences.
Gryglewicz is encouraging: “Be patient, be humble
and keep a positive mindset.” CO
Meagan Campbell is a journalism student at the University of King’s College in
Halifax. She works as an editorial and publishing assistant at the Shambhala Sun
Magazine and is a novice documentary filmmaker. Contact Meagan by email at
[email protected]
For more information, please visit: mba.degroote.mcmaster.ca, bus.brocku.ca/mba,
dal.ca/faculty/management/rsb.html, gmac.com, careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba
care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 23
MBA School Profile
A dvertorial
U N B S aint J ohn
Experience the one-year MBA
at UNB Saint John
Types of Programs:
Master of Business Administration with
concentrations in: Project Management,
Entrepreneurship and Technology
Management, International Business,
and General Management. New in
2014: Accounting.
Length of Program:
12 to 15 months. The International
Business stream requires 15 months
due to a study abroad requirement.
Tuition Fees:
$18,000 for domestic students and
$24,500 for international students
Application Fees:
$100 application fee
Entry Requirements:
Offered by the oldest English-language university in Canada, the University of New Brunswick Saint
John’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program provides a world-class education and one
of the shortest payback periods in North America for one-year or part-time MBAs. Our MBA is an
investment in your future, with an intensive program that blends classroom learning with practical
applications and real-world experience. Our students enjoy small class sizes, a diverse international
student body, accessible faculty and a dedicated staff. All these elements work together to hone
the skills you need to compete and succeed in the global marketplace. The program is designed to
encourage students to think creatively and develop business ideas that can lead to entrepreneurial
opportunities upon graduation. Students will benefit from the entrepreneurial mindset and leadership
capabilities of our faculty members.
Concentrations
Our program offers four streams and two program options. International Business gives you the
opportunity to gain a deep understanding of doing business in other trade regions by pursuing
studies in North America, Europe and Asia. Entrepreneurship and Technology Management includes
an active role in a new venture or established technology firm. General Management students
may compose a broad program of study and work experience that helps them along their chosen
career path. Accounting (new in 2014) will prepare you for a CMA, CGA or CA designation. Project
Management will prepare you to challenge the PMI examination and gain either the PMP or CAPM
designation. Alternately, you may complete research within any of the streams with a UNB Saint John
faculty member.
Why UNB Saint John?
UNB ranks among the top six comprehensive universities in Canada, according to the Maclean’s annual
ranking. We offer an Individual Effectiveness Program that enriches your leadership potential, as well as
a Corporate Mentorship Program that builds your competitive edge by matching you with an executive
mentor. A low student-to-professor ratio guarantees access to respected educators and visiting scholars.
UNB offers value for your investment. A compact, comprehensive, cost-effective one-year program
minimizes both your real cost and your opportunity cost.
24 FAL L 20 13
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• CGPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.3 scale) or
“high B” standing in an internationally recognized 4-year bachelor degree
or equivalent; 3-year honours degree
with at least a second class standing
will be considered.
• Minimum GMAT of 550. The GMAT
may be waived for students with a 3.2
or higher CGPA.
• For international students: TOEFL
score of 580 (237 CBT; 93 IBT) and
TWE of 4.5; CAEL 60; IELTS 7; or
equivalent.
• Minimum of two years of relevant
post-graduate work experience.
• Personal statement.
• Apply by May 31 to be eligible for
bursaries. Bursary details are available at www.mba.unbsj.ca/apply/
FinancialAid
Job Acquisition Statistics:
• 35% employed to graduation
• 78% within 6 months
• 100% within 12 months
• Average salary: $65,000
Contact
Name: Sarah Craig
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 506-648-5973
Website: mba.unbsj.ca
Online MBA
By ACCESS MBA Tour
How to study from a distance
A large part of our lives today takes place online. Local news, world events, social trends,
entertainment and much more now come to us via our computer screens, and we connect to
the rest of the world through social media. The Internet is an increasingly comfortable place
to be. With this in mind, completing your MBA online seems logical and natural. While there
are clear benefits to learning at a distance, it’s not right for everyone. It’s important to weigh
your options and ask yourself if you can handle the pressure of learning from home. »
Ca reer O p t io n s M BA FA LL 2 0 1 3 25
A growing trend
According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, about 20.4 percent of all undergraduates have taken at least one distance education
course, and about 3.7 percent completed their
entire program through distance education.
The popularity of online colleges is growing
exponentially in relation to traditional education,
according to a recent study. In fact, the ratio is
more than 10 to 1. An online degree is usually
cheaper and shorter in duration, and it allows
you to continue your education without interference with your career, family responsibilities
and everyday life.
Factors to consider
Before registering for an online MBA program,
there some things you need to do. The first is to
consider why you are embarking on this journey.
Getting an online degree might seem like a walk
in the park, but unless you have real motivation,
the time and effort you need to invest will soon
seem overwhelming.
Next, you need to choose a program that will fit
into your schedule. Time management is crucial
in online programs, so plan ahead to ensure you
can get all the work done.
Last but not least, do your research and select an
accredited school—taking a program at a so-called
‘diploma mill’ will end up being a waste of time and
money. Bear in mind that you can choose from a
variety of different formats. Try to understand the
requirements and the deadlines of your program,
so that it can fit in with your usual rhythm of life
and achieve the best results possible.
Many distance learning
formats to choose from
The open schedule format provides the highest
level of freedom possible, enabling you to incorporate the coursework into your personal schedule.
Students are given the course material and a set
of deadlines—this style of online education is
designed for self-motivated people who do not
tend to procrastinate.
assignments at their own pace as long as they
meet the deadline required for communication.
Computer-based learning almost mirrors the
behaviour of the standard classroom. Students
are required to participate at designated times
and places, often ranging from a computer to an
actual classroom. This option is typically ideal
only for those who live close to campus and
are looking to take on extra coursework.
Fixed-time e-learning is the most common type
of online education. It sets a predetermined
schedule that can be kept from any location.
Students are not required to attend a physical
location. They’re required to complete the coursework and then log onto the online learning site
at the predetermined time. This type of distance
learning is popular since it provides a live online
forum with a social component that is often
lacking from online courses.
Online education is
not right for everyone
You need self-motivation, discipline and strong
willpower to avoid succumbing to procrastination.
Without direct contact with your fellow students
and professor, you might be tempted to miss
deadlines and skip classes and appointments.
To stay on top of your online degree, you need to:
» Set goals and stay motivated.
» Prepare for your online sessions in the same
way you would for a traditional, real-life class.
» Wake up early and review the material, be alert
and attentive, take part in the discussions and
ask questions, if you have any.
» Find the right study environment. If you are
distracted at home, going to the library or a
coffee shop to study might be the best solution.
Manage your time
Studying from a distance gives you the advantage
of setting your own pace; however, you need to
plan ahead and keep track of deadlines, midterms and final exams. Even more so, if you are
enrolled in a distance learning course, you will
have set locations for reviews and exams.
Blended learning is a common version of distance
learning that offers an open schedule, but requires
you to communicate with an established location,
in a physical classroom or online via message
boards or chat rooms. Similar to an open schedule, blended learning allows students to complete
Katia Vasileva, who recently completed a foursemester distance learning course in human
resource management at the Open University
of London, shares her experience: “The real
challenge is to find the extra time to complete
assignments. Between work and responsibilities
at home, you can easily forget that you have
26 care erop ti o n smaga zin e.com /M BA
FAL L 2013
“The real
challenge is to find
the extra time to
complete assignments.
Between work and
responsibilities at
home, you can easily
forget that you
have ‘homework’
as well.”
‘homework’ as well.” Out of the 13 students in her
class, only three completed the course. Surprisingly,
the people who completed the course on schedule
were the ones who had full-time jobs.
Finally, make sure you’re not wasting your time—
make sure that your program of choice has a
credible reputation. The best way to ensure this
is to study for a degree with the distance-learning
arm of a well-respected, traditional university or
an accredited distance-learning institute. CO
The Access MBA Tour is held by
Advent Group—an international media
agency with 52 executives based in Paris,
Sofia and Shanghai. With the experience of
organizing over 300 events, the company
has become a global leader in business education recruitment. The Access MBA Tour
is a series of 60 One-to-One events per year
held in 35 countries in Europe, the Middle
East, the Americas and Asia. The aim is to
match selected candidates with top-ranked
international business schools. Each event
gathers over 350 MBA candidates of
which only the best profiles are selected
and invited to meet the school representatives. The Tour represents some of the best
programs for global management education.
Attending schools are globally accredited
and highly ranked by influential media like
The Financial Times, Businessweek, The
Wall Street Journal and The Economist.
The Access MBA Tour will be back in
Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver)
February 2014 for the sixth consecutive
year, giving MBA candidates the opportunity
to meet face-to-face with admission officers
of top international business schools.
For more information, please visit:
accessmba.com,
careeroptionsmagazine.com/mba
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