DomoDomo@INSEAD

Cracking the case

This week-end is devoted, to many students, to Cracking the Case sessions with Bain. The top consulting firm is organising "workshops" to help students experience what it is to solve cases in job interviews. This is supposed to be one of the toughest interviews you'll ever get, because cases can be as ludicrous as "How many pingpong balls can fit in an Airbus 380 aircraft?". Anyway, I'll let other people undertake this kind of torture, and will let you know on Monday about topics, and possibly processes.

Job search has intensified considerably. Johnson&Johnson held interviews during the week. Disney sent first round invitations. I received one letter and one phone call to be interviewed by one firm.

These are all "traditional", expected ways of getting interviews.

Let me share some other ways, which only INSEAD can provide, I suppose, thanks to an unrivalled breadth of contacts.
Remember Rajeev, the bright Indian entrepreneur in wine? Rumour has it that he offered a position to one student who is passionate about India, and wine...
Another student got interviews through company executives who were on campus for their Advanced Management Programme. He is getting second round interviews back in Fonty.
Students can also make the most of visiting companies for P1s, and reversely, P1s can benefit from company events for P3s.

One thing is seriously lacking in most students now though, is prioritization. There's so much going on on and off campus in such a short time, that it's difficult to stay focused on job search. That can explain why INSEAD students on average get their jobs later than other major MBA's.
Take Career Fair in Fonty, held a couple of weeks ago, primarily for P1s. A panel of top companies came, including Google. Still, only a dozen students showed off.
To Google, it's INSEAD students arrogance.
To Students, it's Career Services incompetence.
To School, it's Students lack of focus.

Whoever is right, on this glorious sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm heading for the pool...

Labels: Job search, Recruitment

posted by DomoDomo@INSEAD @ 5:05 AM