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Career Development Centre
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
TEAM LEADERS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Robert Hines, JD
DIRECTOR Minoo Bhutani, MBA
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, INTERNA- Phanindra Deonandan, MPA
TIONAL MBA (IMBA) PROGRAM
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, INDUSTRY Lyla Korhani, MBA
ADVISING
STUDENT ADVISING / EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIP TEAM
INDUSTRY ADVISOR, Diana Caradonna, BHRM
ACCOUNTING & DIVERSIFIED
FINANCIAL SERVICES
INDUSTRY ADVISOR, Mike Nadal
BANKING & FINANCE
INDUSTRY ADVISOR, Amir Khan, BA
RETAIL AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
INDUSTRY ADVISOR, BUSINESS Gina Pagiamtzis, BA
ANALYTICS AND TECHNOLOGY
CAREER ADVISOR Lisa Pierosara, BA
OPERATIONS TEAM
RECRUITMENT ASSISTANT Khushbu Chokshi, BAS
COORDINATOR, EVENTS AND Rose Lucibello, BA
COMMUNICATION
COORDINATOR, Sybil Massey, BA
GRADUATE AND INTERNSHIP
RECRUITING PROGRAMS
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Zenith Taskin
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jungmin Lee
MANAGING EDITOR
Victoria Granova
CTO
Joseph Simile
MEDIA ASSOCIATES
Sajal Nazir
Dardan Emini
Saifullah Chaudry
ART DIRECTORS
Basilio Bagnato
Daniel Gary
Brendan Wu
CONTENT DIRECTORS
Samiha Maisha
Max Zhu
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Catherine Lu
MARKETING ASSOCIATE
Jessica Yuen
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Basilio Bagnato
Joseph Simile
Max Vidricaire
STAFF WRITERS
Daria Migounova
Priyadarshini Roy
Andrea Trozzo
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Rebekah Haeun Lee
FINANCE DIRECTORS
Mitul Shah
Fahd Chattha
ASSOC. FINANCE DIRECTOR
Usman Ahmed
CORPORATE RELATIONS
DIRECTOR
Joseph Truong
CONTENT EDITORS
Neema Motamedi
Sajal Nazir
Tatiana Tsoi
Harris Khan
Dardan Emini
CAREER CENTRE ASSOCIATE Ricardo, Rivera, BA
CHINA OFFICE
CHINA CONNECTIONS MANAGER Jonathan Cheung, MBA
INDIA OFFICE
INDIA OFFICE PARTNER Imran Panju, MBA
INDIA OFFICE PARTNER Subhabrata (Rontu) Basu
RUSSIA OFFICE
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Insider Media Group.
First Year Survival Guide 6
A Note on Personal Branding 8
Three Tips for Fall Recruitment 9
Tips About Attire 10
Having Trouble Finding a Fulfilling Career Path? 14
Recruitment - From Type Writer To Twitter 15
How To Slay the Networking Dragon 16
10 Steps to Preparing the Perfect Presentation 17
Four Business Student Must - Reads 19
Suit Up! Try a Career in Corporate Law on for size 20
The Consulting Practice: Defined 21
How Accounting Chose Me 22
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Table of contents
Understanding Schulich Culture 5
Understanding Schulich Culture
Hidden Exposure
Sajal Nazir
BBA 2017
Picture this: you graduated high school
with an outstanding report card. You entered an elite business school with a few
hundred other capable individuals who all
happen to be just as determined as you.
Not only are you overwhelmed just a tad,
you are also flustered. The school environment differs heavily from high school
and you don’t know if it is a change to
which you can adjust. You have many
questions and are not really sure where
to find the answers. You are in the process
of making friends but are overwhelmed
by all the new faces. All in all, there is just
so much change happening around you,
and adapting to it seems like a challenge.
If you associate with even a fraction of the
description provided above, then you are
in the same boat as your peers. First year
of university is an extraordinary experience which may seem stressful and overwhelming at times, but it is a rewarding
experience nonetheless. A major part of
university is about finding your passion.
Everyone is passionate about something,
whether it is public speaking or reading.
You will always find people who have
similar interests as you.
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The first step to starting out in a different place is finding like-minded people. Schulich has numerous clubs and
other activities that you might enjoy. If
you have not found anything that interests you, try creating that opportunity.
When you find people who are passionate about the same things as you, there
“Some people are naturally outgoing and can get along with
anyone, but others have to work
toward being social. Try to challenge yourself and make it a goal
to be that person who goes up to
people and strikes up conversations.”
is an instant connection. Try joining as
many new clubs as you can. Be open to
different clubs dedicated to various specializations; you may think you do not like
Finance now, but you may change your
mind two years from now. Remember,
first year is all about figuring out what
you like and experiencing as much as you
can.
Joining clubs is a great way to meet new
people, to connect with upper-years,
share experiences and explore more opportunities that would not available to
you otherwise.
Immersing yourself both socially and academically is equally important. Connect
with as many people as you can. The
Facebook group for 2018s is an excellent
medium through which you will be able
to ask questions and get help, as well as
have the chance to interact with your fellow classmates. Some people are naturally
outgoing and can get along with anyone,
but others have to work toward being social. Try to challenge yourself and make
it a goal to be that person who goes up
to people and strikes up conversations. I
can guarantee you that your not-so-positive thoughts on commuting, dispassion
for 8:30am lectures and criticisms about
the coffee served at Timothy’s may be reciprocated by not only first-year students
but by everyone attending Schulich.
As you may have heard before, the magic
happens outside your comfort zone, and
I can assure you that these famous words
are just as true in Schulich as in the real
world.
First Year Survival Guide
Tips on Handling the Workload
Daria Migounova
IBBA 2016
You have made it into Schulich. Congratulations! You have put a huge
amount of effort into your supplementary form, you have volunteered
for more hours than you thought
possible, you have made time for
impressive extra-curriculars, you
have hunted for well-written letters
of recommendation, and you have
maintained a steady A-average. For
this, you deserve a pat on the back.
However, this is only the beginning
of your undergraduate career. If
you have chosen this school and
successfully powered through the
application process, then you are
undoubtedly capable of rising to the
challenge.
Here are some tips gathered
through personal experiences and
advice from upper-years on how to
adjust to the increased academic
workload in your first year.
Do not underestimate the course load
or procrastinate
Immediately after the first week,
consisting mostly of introductions,
the academic ball starts rolling. You
may be assigned projects that are
due weeks or months from now;
however, you will quickly find that
course due dates often overlap, and
Unsplash
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midterms fall on presentation dates
along with 12-page papers. Some
readings may seem unimportant and
some assignments may seem easy,
but when things pile up, the difficulty level rises exponentially. If you
know that Tumblr or Facebook will
distract you, try to stay away from
If you have chosen this school
and successfully powered
through the application process,
then you are undoubtedly capable of rising to the challenge.
the Internet while working. You can
reward yourself with cat videos once
your BPTP is finished.
Go to class
It always baffles me when students
claim, “Oh, I never go to that class.”
Why? You paid the tuition – why not
get your money’s worth? Yes, there
are courses that follow a textbook
directly and have no class participation; however, in most courses, the
class discussions are an essential
element of learning and the professor’s explanations offer better
insight than the textbook. Knowing
people in your classes gives you
study-buddies that you can message
at 1am to confirm if there was any
homework.
Do not get discouraged
Some classes in your first year may
seem very difficult (not to point
fingers, but I’m looking at you,
stats and accounting). There will be
certain concepts that you will not
grasp immediately and quizzes that
you may fail. Do not let this get you
down – grades can always be saved.
I went from nearly failing a midterm to finishing the course with an
A. The most important thing is to
understand what you did wrong and
improve. Take your assignments and
tests back and use them to study.
Talk to friends who did better – what
did they do differently? Always ask
your professors for advice: they are
more than willing to help.
Get help if you need it
If you do not understand a concept
right away, ASK. It will only get more
complicated. Learning multiplication is very difficult when you have
yet to master addition. You have
many helpful tools available at your
disposal. Ask your friends, and have
your friends quiz you. Oftentimes,
two heads really are better than
one. Look up the information on the
Internet. Most importantly, ask your
professors.
Sleep and socialize
From a health perspective, do not
let work take over your life. An
v
Be Balanced
Socialize
Connect
all-nighter or two might be okay, but
sleep is necessary for proper brain
function. You have your entire life to
stress and to worry; do not exhaust
yourself in university. On that note,
remember to go out and have fun
when you can. Take your mind off of
economics and go see a movie, then
hit the books again when you feel
refreshed.
Do not leave everything until the last
minute
When you are scrambling to get
something done the night before (or
morning of, as I have seen happen),
it feels awful. Do not put yourself
through that stress. Plan a day in
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advance to finish a project. There are
many workshops designed for first
years to help you cope with university life. Take full advantage of them.
You left everything until the last minute – now what?
So, you messed up: you have two
assignments and a presentation due
tomorrow and it is already evening. First things first: do not panic.
Anxiety makes everything a hundred
times worse than it needs to be.
Second: do not complain. Telling
your friends that you are “definitely
going to fail” will not help your case.
Instead, put the world on hold for a
little while and concentrate. Third:
just do it. Take deep breaths and try
not to think about time or about the
amount of things you need to do.
Complete small tasks one by one
and slowly you will claw your way
out. Make sure to take it step by
step. If you cannot finish everything,
at least try to finish something. It
is better to have one completed
assignment than three half-done
assignments. Fourth: do not let it get
to this point again.
Good luck, class of 2018!
A Note on Personal Branding
Lyla Korhani
Associate Director
Industry Advising, CDC
Defining Personal Branding
The concept of ‘Branding’ is mostly
associated with marketers or careers
in brand management and is typically
used to define a product or service.
However, in this tough job market,
branding oneself has become more
and more important. Essentially,
personal branding is a way to make
yourself stand out. Simply put, “Your
brand is what people say about you
when you’re not in the room” (Jeff
Bezos, Founder of Amazon). As such,
it is even more important to ensure
the brand you have chosen is in fact
the one you want conveyed. We
brand ourselves on a daily basis without even knowing. Your behaviour at
corporate recruiting or networking
sessions, your attitude towards the
receptionist at the company you are
interviewing with, or your presence
online (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
all leave an impression with people;
hence your brand is created.
Discovering your Strengths
What are the three words that describe you? That is a tough question
and not one that many people think
about on a daily basis. But knowing
your three key strengths is a good
start in establishing what your brand
could be. People are complex and
may have many strengths, yet you
want to focus on what is relevant. In
brand management, key success factors include thinking outside of the
box, knowing how to push ideas, and
being results-focused. An investment
banker may need to be trustworthy,
have the ability to influence others,
and have a quantitative mindset.
A consultant has to be good at research, be a problem solver and critical thinker. Each career has its areas of
focus and you may have all of these
strengths but only want to showcase
the ones that are relevant to the career you are focused on. Developing
three areas of strength is a good start
in creating a brand statement that
best describes you.
If people do not know you or
know of you, having a personal
brand won’t matter.
Spreading the Word
A product or service is only as good as
it is marketed. And so is one’s brand.
If people do not know you or know
of you, having a personal brand won’t
matter. When you are in a job-hunting mode you want to be especially
mindful of spreading the word. Your
resume, cover letter, business card
and online profile all are important
marketing tools. Whatever you decide
your brand to be, it should be consistently communicated via these channels. Online vehicles such as LinkedIn
and Twitter have become more and
more prominent in communicating
your brand. Staying professional using these channels is a given. While
Facebook is a great social network it
is also used by professionals to get a
better understanding of you and your
brand. As such, your online presence
does not only include professional
networks but also your usage of social
networks such as Facebook.
Branding oneself is not a concept that
comes naturally to everyone; however, understanding the importance of it
and realizing that ‘standing out’ in this
competitive marketplace is a must,
motivates people to establish a brand
for themselves. Personal branding is
important at every stage in your career, especially when you are starting
out.
LinkedIn
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Hidden Exposure
Three Tips for Fall Recruitment
Nikki Simone, Manager
Campus Recruiting | RBC Recruitment (Royal Bank of Canada)
Hard to believe, but it’s back to school already. Fall recruitment season with RBC is
full of opportunity, but it is also very competitive. How can you stand out amongst
your competition? Building a strong personal brand through networking in todays’ market is absolutely essential, but
how can you get started? These 3 easy
steps can help anyone new to networking
get top marks this recruiting season!
Step 1 - Be Inquisitive
With all the amazing websites, social media campaigns and interactive recruitment platforms, it should be easy to learn
about the companies you want to work
for. So why aren’t more people prepared
for interviews and networking sessions?
It is hard for many students to network
– it can take them out of their comfort
zone. So take baby steps and start with
your Career Development Center (CDC).
Your CDC is full of advisors and coaches
that are there to assist you with all aspects of your career search. Put together a plan and stick to it. Next, try social
media platforms such as LinkedIn. Alum
sites and Company Groups, like our RBC
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Campus Recruitment Group, can provide
you an opportunity to actually meet individuals that have your ideal job! You can
also provide articles and make comments
– become a thought leader with your potential colleagues and get to know more
about the culture and the work environment. Ensure that this really is a company
where you would enjoy having a career.
Step 2 - Don’t underestimate first impressions
Treat every networking discussion or event like an interview
and come well prepared.
Treat every networking discussion or
event like an interview and come well
prepared. Your personal brand is extremely important to build and maintain,
so ensure you are professional from your
verbiage to your attire. Do not cut people
off and try not to monopolize the business representative’s time. Be punctual,
polite and do not forget that companies
are looking for authentic people. Your
personality is one of your greatest assets.
Don’t try and be someone you’re not - be
the best YOU, you can be!
Step 3 - Stay Connected
Do not be afraid to ask representatives if
you can follow up with them, or if they
can put you in touch with someone else
that might give you more of an in-depth
understanding of the role in which you
are interested. In your written communication, keep things concise. Make follow-ups brief and listen to what the hiring manager or recruiters tell you when
they explain how to connect with them. It
is also important to discuss the connections you made during your application
process. When you prepare a cover letter,
include the events you attended and the
names of the representatives you connected with. Show them how prepared
you really are!
With fall recruitment comes great opportunity, but you need to separate yourself
from your class. Building your personal brand with potential employers is an
absolute must. Ideally, networking starts
well beyond your job search, but there
is no time like the present to begin. Although it can be a daunting process,
break it down into the 3 steps, and go
after the career of your dreams.
Hidden Exposure
Tips About Attire
Priyadarshini Roy
BBA 2017
Invitations to various business events
are commonplace for business students; however, conforming to the
various dress codes can be confusing.
There is a lot of lingo in the world of
business dress codes, and this article
aims to clarify to the reader the various
types of attire that are appropriate for
each event.
“Casual” never means just casual.
Professionalism and courtesy are
always expected.
For the Ladies
“Casual” never means just casual. Professionalism and courtesy are always
expected. Here are some pointers to
keep in mind when picking an outfit for
a casual business luncheon or a workshop.
A great way to stand out during a casual business event is to wear bright
colours paired with a jacket and pro-
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fessional jeans, boot cut preferably, or
slacks. Boots are a great way to complete the ensemble. However, t-shirts
containing glaring colours with large or
offensive logos will not give off a proper first impression. While fashion trends
often gear towards see-through, tight
or torn clothing, that is not the type of
“casual” that is implied. Anything that
illustrates something inappropriate is
out the question as well. The bottom
line is: think classy, not tacky.
“Business Casual” may sound laid-back;
however, propriety and decorum are
still expected. While dress pants are not
always a necessity, pants should at least
be a dark colour. Buttoned shirts and
tops are a great choice, as are dresses.
Sweaters are great for this occasion as
well; they are modest, comfortable and
go well with black pants. Athletic shoes,
tie-die belts and garish multi-coloured
apparel should not be worn. Clothes
should be ironed for an overall put-together look. Shoes can be used to accentuate the outfit, and add a bit of
flare to an otherwise professional look.
An overall well-groomed appearance is
also a must.
“Business Formal” entails a strict dress
code in the world of business. Close attention should be paid so that skirts are
knee-length while standing. Events that
call for business formal attire include
interviews, networking, and meals with
important individuals - so appearance
is vital. Light or dark grey, navy and
black are all acceptable colours, and
dress pants are a must, along with a
blazer. Shoes should be comfortable, as
these events require quite a bit of walking around, and hobbling around in uncomfortable high heels does not imbue
one with a sense of professionalism.
Dress-shirts always need to be tucked
in, and this is not a recommendation - it
is mandatory.
For the Men
For casual attire, the difference between men and women is not significant. However, men are burdened with
fewer options. Capris are not recommended; it is advisable to wear something that goes down until the ankles,
such as dark-coloured jeans or flannel
pants. Dark-coloured T-shirts are ac-
ceptable, and so are running shoes, but
sandals are definitely not. Button-down
shirts, along with pastel or dark coloured sweaters can be worn for chillier
weather, but hoodies and windbreakers
should be left at home. Baggy pants,
shirts, and too-casual sweaters are simply not acceptable. It does not matter whether the setting is “casual” or
not, clothes should complement one’s
frame, not hang off it. When in doubt,
it is always best to go with something
that is formal.
While “Business Casual” does not call
for the fanciest suits, clothes do need to
be ironed and pressed. It is still perfectly fine to wear something under your
long-sleeved dress shirt. Something
like a crewneck should not be peeking
out. Dress shoes and loafers should be
polished as it is a great way to appear
fashionable and stand out from the rest
of the crowd. Loafers should be either
a dark brown or black. A shirt with a
collar and a nice jacket are also a great
choice, and jackets are both fashionable and functional, as small items
such as phones and business cards can
be stowed away safely in the pockets.
Pants can be jeans provided that they
are not denim but of a darker colour
such as grey or black, slim-cut, ironed
and well-fitting. It is advisable to avoid
carrying unnecessary items around as it
takes away from the overall appearance
of professionalism, but if it is a necessity
to have certain items in hand, it is best
stowed away in a smart looking briefcase or a professional shoulder bag.
“Business Formal” for men does not
leave much room for creative interpretation. There is a choice between dark
tailored suits, white or blue shirts, ties
and cufflinks. Socks should not be kaleidoscopic; dark grey or black is recommended. It goes without saying that
shirts should be buttoned-up fully, and
the aforementioned shirt should be a
dress shirt. Heavy shoes, like boots, are
not suitable for this type of setting, neither are open-toed shoes. Men should
also remember to tuck in their shirts
and wear a nice leather belt for good
measure!
chcp.edu
Hidden Exposure
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Hidden Exposure
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A Closer Look at The Executive Learning Center:
General Manager Scott Lannan Speaks of Improvements
Dear Schulich Community,
enhanced selection for guests who return
on a regular basis. We continue to offer our weekly Special Dinner Menu of a
soup or salad served with a special main
course including tea or coffee for $15.
This special is great for a quick meal before evening classes. Students, staff and
faculty are most welcome! Serving staff
in all our facilities are in new uniforms.
Furnishings have been refinished and at
the end of term new carpet and dining
room chairs will be installed.
Over the summer months we have instituted a number of positive changes to
improve our food and hospitality services
at the Schulich School of Business. You
will begin to notice the improvements
and we shall be introducing more changes as the term progresses. Our new food
items were developed by Chef Kris Kralj
and Sous Chef Jerek Bowman who will
be more visible this year. Their goal is to
provide food that is fresh, healthy, and
flavorful, at competitive prices.
Guest Accomodations:
With changes to 15 of our 60 guest
Schulich Market Café
rooms we now offer a choice of queen,
Timothy’s has been changed to the king, and twin beds. All rooms have
“Schulich Market Café” and we are now been refurbished with new flat screens
Proudly Serving STARBUCKS. We chose TV, IPOD clock radios, and new upgraded
Starbucks for their quality coffee and bed linens. The Penthouse Board Room
strong brand recognition. New refrig- has been expanded to seat 28 guests and
erated display cases are stocked with in the weeks ahead we will be introducing
a much greater variety of products in a a club service available on certain floors.
“grab-and go” format. The Café offers We encourage the Schulich community
sixteen varieties of sandwiches on a se- to consider our guest accommodation
lection of fifteen breads, on a rotation- for events, visiting faculty, meetings, and
al basis. There are six varieties of grab even overnight stays in bad weather for
and go salads along with Protein Packs, which we offer a special rate of $79 to our
Cheese and Crackers, Vegetables and community. Please forward any enquiries
Dip, and other assorted snack food. Crys- directly to me.
tal Falcione, whom most will recognize
from her Timothy’s days, is Manager of In the coming weeks, I hope you will have
the Schulich Market Café. Crystal and her a chance to enjoy the changes and expeteam look forward to serving you.
rience the variety of menu choices. Above
all we shall strive to offer a level of service
Tuchner’s Pub & Eatery:
commensurate with the reputation of the
Tuchner’s will continue to offer a variety
Schulich School. Welcome back.
of Sub Sandwiches, Pizza including Chef
Kris’s “Signature Pizza”, plus a similar
selection of “grab-and-go” items ofSincerely,
fered at the Schulich Market Café. New
items this year are featured in our new
Scott Lannan
refrigerated display case and include a
General Manager
selection of fresh salads, produced daily. Executive Learning Center
We have also introduced twelve new
Panini sandwiches and will offer Panini
choices with daily rotation. In addition
to the Traditional Grilled Cheese, we also
offer a “Signature Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Sour Dough Bread with Smoked
Provolone, Maple Smoked Bacon, and
Caramelized Onions. A new 65” flat
screen TV has been installed at Tuchner’s
so catch the action, whether you enjoy
sports or soap operas. Hope to see you
there for lunch, dinner, or snacks.
Executive Dining Room:
The Executive Dining Room menu offers
a number of new items and this menu
will be changed weekly on a rotational
basis. This offers greater variety and an
13
Having Trouble Finding
a Fulfilling Career Path?
Phanindra Deonandan
Associate Director
Career Education, CDC & IMBA
More often than not, we end up making poor career choices for a number
of reasons: yielding to family or societal
pressure; rushing into a career without
learning enough about the work culture
and your fit; or, being seduced by money
or status. The result: unhappy and unfulfilled career paths post-graduation. So,
how can you possibly uncover what will
take you on the path to a fulfilled career?
We can all benefit from a plan which includes some self-work and research before making that final decision.
Self Assessment
Who are you and what do you bring to
the table? What are your interests, motivators and skills? What types of organizational cultures would be the best or
worst fit for you? What do you value?
Answering these questions should be the
starting point in your search and self-assessment tools can provide you with
highly relevant information that can provide the foundation of your career planning process. During a self-assessment
you will gather information about yourself, including an analysis of your values,
interests, and abilities that will enable you
to make more informed career choices,
which is essential when considering both
your short-term and long-term career
goals. Self-assessments can also help
you to identify what is most important to
you in an employer and in a job, thereby increasing your chances of long-term
Self-assessments can also help
you to identify what is most
important to you in an employer
and in a job, thereby increasing
your chances of long-term employment satisfaction.
employment satisfaction.
The CDC offers a fully integrated business
career self-assessment tool, CareerLead-
14
er (for MBAs)/ CareerLeader College (for
BBAs), free to all Schulich students. CareerLeader frames your interests (application of technology, quantitative analysis,
etc.), motivators (financial gain, security,
altruism, etc.), and skills (communication,
conflict tolerance, etc.) in the language
and concepts of the business world. To
lead a satisfying and ultimately successful career, you will be prompted to think
about those areas in which you have a
genuine interest, not just the appropriate
skill level.
Take note, the CareerLeader Assessement will not give you a strategy on how
to achieve your goal, but it will generate
some great points for exploration and
discussion with an advisor in the CDC
who can help craft a search with these
factors in mind to avoid many potential
career frustrations.
There are a variety of free online tools to
help you gain further insights into determining personal values:
Employee Values Motivations Exercise,
which can be found at the link http:/www
sustainable-employee-motivation.com/
personal-values.html (a site devoted to
building and sustaining employee motivation), and
Informational Interviews:
After doing
some research online about a target function or industry, try out an informational
interview to learn more about real-world
applications.
This basically involves
talking with others who are currently
working in your target field to get a better
understanding of a particular job function or industry. Survey those you know
- classmates, professors, alumni, past employers, your dentist (seriously, you don’t
know where the next great lead might
come from). Also use LinkedIn, as it offers
a wealth of information at your fingertips.
Send a polite, well-crafted message, asking for 15-20 minutes to learn more about
roles, challenges and even how someone
got started in his or her career. Indicate
that you have done some research and
would like to verify or clarify some items
and applications to their real-world environment. Have a list of questions ready
to ask and ensure that you adhere to the
15-20 minutes they have allotted. Use the
information gleaned from online guides
to craft your message.
The Jung Typology Test which can be
found at http://www.humanmetrics.com/
cgi-win/jtypes2.asp (which is a free personality test along the lines of the Myers
Briggs Type Indicator).
Speak to a CDC Industry Advisor: The CDC
has industry-focused counsellors with
relevant industry and functional experience to assist students with their specific
needs. An advisor can give you more indepth information about the function or
industry you might be considering in your
career exploration stage, and also give
you a better understanding of whether
your values, interests, skills and motivators will be a good match for your target
career.
Research
This should be an integral part of your
career exploration after completing some
self-assessment work and might include:
Online guides: The CDC offers a number
of online resources which can help you
with additional information related to
your research. One very helpful resource
is the popular Vault site, accessible from
CDC’s Career Portal, which include extensive industry guides, career guides, top
employer profiles, and career advice.
Finding a fulfilling career requires some
important ground work. Start with you
(your interests, motivators, skills) and
work your way up: where can you gather
more information? Who are the people
who currently work in your target function or industry? What can you learn from
their experiences? Doing this important
leg-work upfront is paramount to ensuring you make the right choices from the
outset in order avoid many potential career frustrations.
Recruitment:
From Type-writer to Twitter
Unsplash
Minoo Bhutani
CDC Director
Stepping back in time: In the 80’s and
early 90’s, jobs were physically posted on
job boards, job applications were typed
on a type-writer, sent by mail (remember
- Canada Post, stamps, mailmen!) to companies, or applicants personally dropped
their packages at the company itself. Been
there, done that. Fast forward a few years
into the late 90’s and something called
the internet takes over – people use email
and not mail to apply for jobs. There are
no more type-writers - now computers
and websites replace the physical job
boards. Recruitment time drops. Moving
ahead on the time-machine to around
2004 -05– computers become portable,
big bulky cell phones become sleeker
and smarter, and we start getting introduced to things such as Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, E-bay, Amazon, Twitter,
YouTube, Skype. We start connecting socially over the Internet; distance and time
stop being a barrier. We begin to know
more in real-time, with no boundaries.
Everything is accessible. What started as
a social phenomenon has now become a
tool to brand, connect, buy and sell for
everyone and every function.
Recruiters, companies and applicants
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start using social media as their platform.
78% of companies used LinkedIn in 2010,
which rose to 93% in 2012. Recruiters
have overwhelmingly moved to social
media sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook
and Twitter as demonstrated below:
Social Media is now your brand – whether you use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
YouTube, or any other resource. Be aware
of how you are perceived. Recruiters are
looking at your social media brand, and,
Treat every networking discussion or event like an interview
and come well prepared.”
if managed well, it can be a powerful tool
for you. It is becoming more important
than your resume. Keep your LinkedIn,
Facebook and Twitter accounts professional at all times, highlighting your experiences and uniqueness. If you are using Facebook as a purely social tool, then
limit access only to your friends. Treat
LinkedIn as your online resume and use
this tool in your initial networking efforts
to connect with alumni and recruiters.
Update your profile and your experiences
on a regular basis. Join groups on LinkedIn that are related to your career goals,
and be part of the discussions. It is a great
venue for you to contribute information
and indirectly brand yourself. Build relationships and credibility. Remember – always give and take; do not always be a
taker. Share what you know on a regular
basis. Twitter is an amazing tool for you
to share relevant articles with your followers, and engage in discussion.
More and more companies are now posting opportunities on LinkedIn, Facebook,
and Twitter, and it is your responsibility
to be connected to the right groups. All
large companies have dedicated recruitment resources on social media to connect with you. Join these groups to know
more, and use your network wisely to
research the firms through formal and
informal channels. It will help you better
understand the true culture of the firm
and connect to people working there.
Just remember – educate, connect and
brand yourself.
Connect with me on twitter:
@Minoo_at_CDC
How to Slay the
Networking Dragon
Andrea Trozzo
BBA, 2017
For many first-year students, there is
nothing worse than being asked to network. Networking comes naturally to
some, though these lucky individuals are
few and far between. For many of us, we
become actors and actresses that transform ourselves into the most difficult
character possible: a natural, passionate, and genuine version of ourselves.
Networking can take on an awkward
tone – seemingly forced, fake and filled
with an inherent opportunism – that can
make the entire experience distasteful.
With practice, however, you can become
a networking pro who quickly navigates
to common ground and leverages those
opportunities into lengthy conversations
and lasting impressions.
Override your concern about the
self-interest of networking by
adding value to your conversation through confident energy
and sincerity.
As someone who is generally shy when
meeting new people yet genuinely in-
Unsplash
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trigued by conversations, my first taste of
the world of networking and self-marketing was complete with its ups and downs.
There were times when I fell flat on my
face; in others, I was able to brush myself
off and ultimately grasp its golden trophy
– a business card and an internship from
a recruiter.
Here are a few tips, tricks and insights
that will hopefully aid your growth as a
masterful self-promoter:
When you meet a genuine individual who
is interested in getting to know you, how
do you react? You feel flattered and enjoy
the chance to share your interests. This
does not change for someone meeting
you – in fact, if it feels even a little opportunistic, replace the word “networking”
with the phrase “making connections with
interesting people”. Override your concern about the self-interest of networking by adding value to your conversation
through confident energy and sincerity.
This genuine enthusiasm is essential in
making even the most uncomfortable situation seem a bit more self-assuring and
helps keep your nerves under control.
Networking is about connecting with
people. It requires two essential skills:
asking solid questions, and actively listening to the responses. Through active
listening techniques (such as nodding
your head and maintaining eye contact)
and visible displays of your interest, you
can strengthen your initial relationship
with a recruiter. Make sure to have a few
handy questions ready – at a conference,
you might ask: “What is the most valuable thing you’ve heard today?” while
questions such as “Who do you recommend I meet while I’m here? Would you
introduce me?” are more appropriate for
a social event. Nevertheless, if you find
yourself in a group situation where a recruiter is not including you in the conversation – try to avoid hovering and politely
remove yourself.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, recognize that becoming a networking expert will take time. After all, this is a time
of change in your lives – new school, new
friends, and a heavier course load. Your
first year at Schulich will be full of adjustments and, similar to every aspect of your
school life, networking is yet another one
of them. Embrace the challenge and, in
no time, you will find yourself getting into
stride and becoming a confident, poised
expert on yourself.
10 Steps to Preparing the Perfect
Presentation
Daniel Gary
BBA 2017
1. Understand your audience
We’ve all suffered through presentations
that are either condescendingly simplistic
or go way over the audience’s heads. Explore the background knowledge of your
audience and what they expect to hear
from your presentation.
2. Brainstorm/Research
Become an expert on your topic! Learn
everything you can about your subject,
and show a genuine interest in the content at hand. This will come out as confidence and enthusiasm in your presentation.
3. Outline
Create a clear outline for your presentation. This allows the audience to stay
focused and gives credibility to your presentation.
4. Build a narrative
The best presentations do not feel like
presentations. They are stories crafted by
the speaker specifically for the audience.
The start of your talk should have a hook
that commands the attention of the audience.
Stories have problems and resolutions.
In your presentation, identify an issue
and convince the crowd of your solution.
Create your presentation as a vivid story,
holding the audience’s focus with rich details and descriptive language.
If the story-telling format does not work
for your presentation, consider using anecdotes throughout the presentation to
add interest and exemplify concepts.
5. Write the script
The decision to script a presentation is a
hotly debated topic. Writing a script allows presenters to:
• Speak to what their slideshow
doesn’t display
• Capture and repeat the nuances of
their speaking style
• Feel confident and comfortable
• Avoid memorizing your script or
reading from it during the presentation - use it as a guide to your conversation.
6.Design Your Visuals
Just like your talking points, your visuals
should be designed to tell a story. Experts
recommend keeping to a maximum of 30
words per slide, but some of the most
powerful slides have less than five. If you
are pressed for space, consider moving
the information to a handout format.
Maximize your use of visuals on the slideshow. Full-screen images look stunning
when projected to provide the dramatic
backdrop that your speech deserves.
Your slide deck should complement
the presentation; never use it as a teleprompter. The most brave presenters feel
comfortable nixing the slideshow altogether, which brings the audience’s full
attention to the speaker.
7. Delete
Stay true to the saying that “Perfection is
achieved not when there is nothing left
to add, but when there is nothing left to
take away”. If part of your speech seems
repetitive or unnecessary, cut it out. Even
if your presentation falls shorter than you
expected, your audience will appreciate
that you respect their time.
8. Practise, Practise, Practise
Rehearse your speech until you feel comfortable with how the words flow out
of your mouth. This may take dozens of
Hidden Exposure
17
Hidden Exposure
“People who know what they’re talking
about don’t need Powerpoint”
-Steve Jobs
Pitch Your Talent
Hidden Exposure
times, but for your audience – it’s worth
every minute. A few tips:
• Keep your script and a pen handy.
When you think of a good analogy,
phrase, or joke, add it to your script.
• Don’t practise your gestures. Doing
so will make your body language
look unnatural and you may find
your hand gestures mismatching the
rest of your body language.
• Practise in a location similar to the
presentation room. At minimum,
practise standing up, projecting your
voice to the fullest. Try to simulate
presentation day as much as possible.
• If you are presenting with a team,
practise several times as a group
to make the transitions seamless. A
team is only as strong as its weakest
link!
• Prepare what you will wear in ad-
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vance. It is generally accepted advice
that presenters should dress similarly, or slightly better than their audience. Make your crowd feel comfortable. Your job is to either convey your
topical insight, or to convince the audience of your point. If you do this
properly, you will not need to rely on
your clothes to impress!
9. Present
Thanks to your efforts in preparing and
practising your presentation, you are
ready to grace the audience with your
words! A few tips at this stage include:
• Remember to talk slowly, clearly, and
loudly. If you tend to slur your words,
focus on pronouncing the last letter
of each word.
• If you feel nervous, chew gum immediately before your talk. It is shown to
curb pre-talk jitters.
•
After your speech, do not close with
a feeble or insincere “thank you”. The
audience should be thanking you!
10. Follow Through
Offering a question period after your
presentation gives time for the audience
to digest your information on a personal
level and clarify any ambiguous content.
When hosting the question session, act
as a moderator to the conversation; try to
stimulate a group discussion rather than
a back-and-forth exchange. Many presenters are nervous of the discussion period, but – thanks to your research from
step two – this is your time to shine! Make
your confidence, enthusiasm, and topical
knowledge apparent by answering questions in simple terms.
Four Business Student Must-Reads
Max Zhu, BBA 2016
Victoria Granova, BBA 2015
Below is a recommended list of books
that should be gracing every Schulich
student’s bookshelf, whether that bookshelf is in a corner of your room or on
your Kindle.
Barron’s How to Write Better Business
Letters by Andrea B. Geffner
While IMs and shorthand dominate present-day business communications, HTWBBL is the perfect go-to reference for
drafting that perfect document to any
client or manager. With over 70 letter
templates – ranging from formal business announcements to declining a job
offer – Geffner offers a comprehensive
set of writing styles for every business
need. A mastery of its material will equip
the modern worker with communication
skills to help them seamlessly transition
to new workplaces and avoid the pitfalls
of sharing incomplete or incoherent messages. If you have ever felt at a loss when
writing a business e-mail, this is a mustread (and -buy) handbook for you.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of
True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
Published in April, Creativity Inc. explains
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the creative backstory of Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull. As one of
the leading animation film studios in the
world, Catmull shares the various means
through which he has sustained a disciplined, yet creative, organizational culture
over the past 28 years. Full of memorable
quotes – from “If there is more truth in
the hallways than in meetings, you have
a problem” to “Failure isn’t a necessary
evil…it is a necessary consequence of doing something new” – this book is highly
relatable to individuals on every level of
the organizational hierarchy. Even if you
These books should be gracing
every Schulich student’s bookshelf, whether that bookshelf is
in a corner of your room or on
your Kindle.
dislike change, Creativity Inc. is a great
guide for discovering the type of employee that all managers would appreciate.
Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William L. Ury.
This 1981 best-seller has been extremely popular in business schools across the
globe, from here in Toronto to smalltown schools in France. This book focuses
on the psychology of negotiation and explores the pros and cons of using various
popular negotiation tactics (and yes, this
includes “dirty tricks”). Seeing as we negotiate constantly in our daily lives, this
book is sure to sharpen your reasoning
and - regardless of whether you are interested in a career in politics - polish your
debate skills.
Swindlers: Cons and Cheats and How
To Protect Your Investments From
Them by Al Rosen and Mark Rosen
This is a must-read for all, no matter
whether you are a student intending on
specialising in accounting or in life. This
cautionary tale reveals the gaping holes
in the Canadian financial system and
discrepancies in our regulatory systems.
The book explores several major financial frauds and imaginative investment
scams, including Nortel and BITS (Business Income Trusts), and criticises the
recent adoption of IFRS. The moral of
the story is that Canada needs more independent regulatory bodies to fight on
behalf of shareholders, and the current
system is simply not safe enough - even
for sophisticated investors.
We hope you enjoy these when you have
the chance!
Suit Up! Try a Career in
Corporate Law on for Size
Slavica Stojimirovic
Articling Student,
Stikeman Elliott LLP IBM
If you are the type of person who immediately reaches for the Business section of
the newspaper,the type who gets more
excited about the impact that Verizon’s
entrance into the Canadian telecommunications marketwill have on federal
competition policy than on your monthly
phone bill, or the type who is more curious about how Saks obtained the financing for its acquisition of HBC than about
which new brands will now appear on
the racks at The Bay retail stores, a career in corporate law might be just the
right fit for you (though we like cheap
mobile service and cute shoes too!).
An interesting thing about business
school is that while we discuss how to
hire the right people for our organization, how to market ourselves to new
clients, and how to calculate the value
of our current assets, we are seldom exposed to how intimately involved lawyers may be in each of those decisions.
For example, are your employment interview questions inadvertently contravening the Human Rights Code? Do
the commercials you broadcast contain
misleading or deceptive messages that
could expose you to liability under the
Competition Act? Are those company assets subject to seizure by a secured party
under the Personal Property Security Act?
A businessperson wants to focus his or
her energies on increasing the organization’s bottom line. The regulatory “hoops”
through which they have to jump in order to successfully purchase a subsidiary, offer their shares for purchase to the
public, or launch a new advertising campaign can be, at best, a distraction and,
at worst, a complete nuisance. Sometimes it takes the risk aversion, experience, and analytical skills of a lawyer to
find that buried legislative provision that
could stop a deal cold in its tracks and
address it before it becomes a problem.
In many ways, corporate lawyers become
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an extension of an organization’s management team. They are seen as trusted
advisors who understand the mechanics
of the firm’s business, including its goals
The skills that you learn in business school are easily transferable to a career in law: attention
to detail, strong communication
and presentation skills, careful
time management, and consideration of multiple stakeholders,
to name a few.
and strategies, and ensure that transactions are structured in a way that not only
crosses all of the t’s and dots all the i’s
from a legal standpoint, but also in a way
that captures the most value for the firm.
Corporate lawyers are just as client-focused as the owners, investors, and lenders who make use of their services. As
such, the skills that you learn in business
school are easily transferable to a career
in law: attention to detail, strong communication and presentation skills, careful
time management, and consideration
of multiple stakeholders, to name a few.
Furthermore, from the meagrebeginnings of your legal career to the time you
become a renowned expert in your niche
area of the law, an ability to work within
and, later, oversee a team, is fundamental. Given the overlap in skills, it is easy
to see why a background in business can
earn you a significant amount of respect
and trust on behalf of corporate clients.
I believe attaining a Masters in Business
Administration and a law degree through
the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School’s joint four-year
program has opened the door to a challenging and versatile career trajectory.
I am currently completing my articles
with Stikeman Elliott LLP, one of Canada’s
leading full-service business law firms. In
time, I hope to have accumulated alegal
expertise that, combined with my working knowledge of business dynamics,
will make me a trusted advisor to some
of Canada’s most influential corporate
actors. In the interim, the exhilaration I
feel when I see our work product result in
headline-making business transactions,
the privilege I feel when I get to learn
from some of the country’sgreatest legal
minds, and the humbleness I feel when I
realize the confidence our clients place in
us, assure me that my career in corporate
law will be more rewarded than I ever expected (plus, the suits are growing on me).
The Consulting Practice: Defined
Observations and advice in regards to consulting
Joelle Fricot
Global Business
Services Intern, IBM
Consulting is a big, broad term that involves giving virtually any form of advice. As a student or new graduate, it is
important to not only understand the
different types of consulting and the
varying services delivered by the various
firms, but more importantly what kind of
programs they have for new graduates –
and which firm will be able to ultimately
provide you with the job that you want.
To simplify, consultants are hired advisors to corporations. They tackle a wide
variety of business problems and provide
solutions for their clients. Depending on
the size and chosen strategy of the firm,
these problems can be as straightforward
as researching a new market or as complex as completely restructuring the client's organization structure or business
processes. The major areas of consulting
that you will find at all the major firms
can be grouped into three major categories, which are not mutually exclusive
or exhaustive by any means, and overlap much more than you would think.
Strategy Consulting
When you first start looking into the
consulting field, you will surely come
across management consulting (also
referred to as strategy consulting or
corporate strategy). This area of consulting specializes in providing advice
in strategic and core operational issues, including business transformation.
Business strategy consulting is done at
very high levels in the organization, typically amongst the Board of Directors
and Chief Executive Officer – the key decision makers in an organization. Once
the strategies are developed, the organization focuses on implementing their
decisions, sometimes assisted by other
consultants. Business strategy consulting requires not only creativity, but also
a degree of practicality. What works for
one company will not necessarily work
for another, even within the same industry. Strategists use tools to analyze businesses and industries, however ultimately
21
make decisions based on the objectives,
resources and limitations of the client.
Technology Consulting
With each passing year, organizations
in all industries are relying more heavily on technology solutions to drive
business success. Simultaneously, applications, systems and information architectures are becoming much more
complex. Organizations rely on technology consultants to come into their
business and design, build and deploy
complex technologies to meet their consumer and internal requirements. These
types of projects are much longer in
duration than the majority of strategy
engagements, and projects can last up
to, and in some cases, well over a year.
Technology consultants over time learn
to design, build and manage sophisticated technology solutions. As these
skills are in high-demand on the market,
technology consultants can earn higher
salaries than their strategy counterparts.
Human Capital Consulting
This stream can include everything from
designing an employee evaluation and
compensation system to conducting organizational effectiveness training to
helping an organization through a significant change event, such as a merger. It
is a very broad field, and there are many
aspects of human capital: cultural audits
and assessments, organizational development and succession planning, compensation consulting, leadership consulting, and board governance consulting.
Major Players in Consulting
When students think of top consulting
firms, they often think of there being
three major firms – McKinsey, Boston
Consulting Group (BCG) and Bain – and
in terms of strategy consulting, these are
definitely the major international players.
When looking broader than strategy, both
IBM and Monitor Deloitte should also be
included as top firms. IBM is arguably one
the largest business services firms and
has the strongest reputation in technology implementations. Monitor Deloitte,
formed earlier this year combining both
Monitor and Deloitte practices, is posi-
tioning themselves to soon be a leader
in the Canadian business services market.
The bulk of these firms' work consists
of providing strategic or operational advice to top executive officers in
Fortune 1000 companies. Because of
their vast corporate pool of knowledge
and experience they charge the highest fees and employees enjoy incredibly competitive salaries and benefits.
Landing an Interview
Attaining a job in consulting is no different than getting a job in any other field
– it takes a lot of work. Networking and
personal connections are, in my opinion,
the most crucial variables in terms of landing an interview. Consulting firms receive
thousands of applications every year,
and the easiest way to make it past the
first screening point is to have someone
on the inside looking for your resume.
The Interview
Once you land the interview, it’s important to do research regarding the specific firm’s interview process. The strategy-focused firms (McKinsey, Bain, BCG
and Monitor Deloitte) tend to weigh the
case components of their interviews very
heavily, whereas at IBM, it is predominantly panel interviews with a single preliminary case component. Regardless of the
firm, you can never know exactly what to
expect on the day of your interview – as
is for any interview, it is important to go
in with an open mind and a good night’s
sleep. The recruiters will likely try and
catch you off-guard, and above all else
are trying to see how you think – so don’t
do anything that feels unnatural. Remember that recruiters are professionals,
and will know if you are reciting something you memorized the night before.
The interview process, like the consulting
experience, will be different for everyone
and there is no one right way to approach
it. Be authentic; ask questions, find a mentor, and the rest will certainly fall into place!
How Accounting Chose Me
Ryan Lee
Staff Accountant
KPMG LLP
Walking past the doors of Schulich back in
2009, it was quite hard to imagine where
I am now, four years later. All I knew was
that I was hard-set on not being an accountant. After all, I was a marketing major at heart, was (and still not) particularly
good with numbers, and did not want to
become the “typical” Schulich student –
an accountant. With that, I spent my first
year pursuing my interest in marketing by
actively participating in the York Marketing Association (YMA). The club opened
my eyes to the colourful, and often-flashy
side of business, and my experience confirmed that marketing was exciting, interesting, and definitely a field I wanted to
pursue.
As any Schulich student will tell you, the
start of your second year also marks the
beginning of tremendous pressures to
find that elusive summer job. Taking the
advice of upper years, I spent countless
hours tweaking my marketing resume
and cover letter to perfection. In my blind
desire to secure a job, I did what any
reasonable Schulich student would do –
I sent out my resume to any company I
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could find, accounting firms included.
At first, recruiting season did not start
out as well as I had imagined. Going in,
I naïvely expected the Schulich brand
would get me an interview for every job
I applied to; but reality was harsh and
waiting became excruciatingly painful.
Days passed and with no congratulatory
email in sight, I was ready to give up and
face the realization that I would not have
a job that year. However, the world works
in mysterious ways and on that last day, I
received an email inviting me to an interview with KPMG!
With no prior intention of entering the
accounting industry, the email came as a
complete shock. My resume highlighted
all the strengths of a marketer, yet there I
was, being invited to an accounting interview. In my state of confusion and excitement, I reached out to upper years and
dedicated myself to the upcoming interview. I practised every single day for it: I
had a story for every strength and takeaway from every bad experience etched in
my head. I even participated in the mock
interview session held by the Career Development Centre. When the interview
day came, I went into my interview with
no expectations, yet came out knowing I
did my best in showing that I was capable
in becoming a future accountant. At the
end of that day, I was given an offer to
join KPMG as a Summer Intern.
Fast-forward to two years later: I have
worked two summers at one of the
world’s largest accounting firms, I have
made numerous intern friends, expanded
my professional network, and have finally understood why so many people go
into accounting. Accounting may not be
the most glamorous field in the world of
business, but it has instilled in me a basic
business “common sense” that is essential for any commerce student. Interning
at KPMG has dispelled for me the myth
that accounting is all about the numbers. Rather, it is about understanding
firm needs, and helping them fulfill those
needs in an efficient and legal manner.
Sure, some may ask, “You got the job by
luck?” However, had I not prepared for
my interview or sent out my application,
KPMG would have never chosen me. I
leave you with this: recruiting at Schulich
is a series of ups and downs. Chance favours the prepared. Be sure to try everything, work hard, and make sure to seize
your opportunity when it appears.