MBA friends Magazine MBA friends Magazine 1 issue | Page 15

way for me to make that transition. Since they were a sports entertainment company, I
did a lot of cool projects. I analyzed ticket sales and event survey data. So, it was a lot
more interesting than conducting some of the plain focus groups around consumer
packaged goods or other types of products that might not be as interesting as sports
and entertainment. Ultimately, I was able to create some me to try to come up with
some recommendations for these events that were related to AEG’s initiatives.
HOW HAS YOUR MBA NETWORK HELPED YOU?
In my first year at UCLA Anderson, there were 330 students in my class and there were
an additional 330 students in the class above me, the class of 2005. Another 330
students were below me in the class of 2007. So, I had exposure to over 1000 people
during my two years at UCLA Anderson that I can consider my classmates and hopefully
I can call on them 5-10 years down the road if a need arose- if there was ever a need
that came up and I needed to reach out to them or likewise, if they ever needed to
reach out to me. Having such a large network of students while on campus is
important. Most importantly, you don’t know what career paths your fellow students will
take and they could be well positioned to help you later in your career with things like
prepping for a large meeting. For instance, maybe you want to research a certain
industry or certain client and you have a former classmate that now works at that
company. He/she might be a great resource for deeper information that you might not
stumble across on your own. Or maybe you’re looking to make a career change,
preparing for an interview or doing an analysis for your own company. You might have
a former classmate who could help you with those things. These ar e all examples of
how your classmates, not only during the 2 years that you are at school, but over your
lifetime, are going to give you value. Of course, there’s a flip side to that and that is
that you need to be open and willing to share with your classmates if they ever turn to
you. So, the network is definitely a two-way dialogue and it needs people to participate
on both sides- people who are looking for assistance and people who are willing to give
assistance.
WHAT SHOULD MBA STUDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHILE AT SCHOOL?
If you’re considering a full-time MBA, it really is an opportunity for you to not have to
work and devote your full schedule to networking, going to classes, meeting fellow
students and meeting professors. That should really be your full-time job. That’s how I
approached my 2 years at UCLA Anderson. I said “This is my one chance to invest in
the experience of my classmates and invest in my own experience to get the most out of
it.” Whether it is extracurricular activities that aren’t in the classroom, or whether it’s
internships or putting your whole mind and body into your studies in order to get those
very elusive “A’s” that are especially elusive for the folks who are considering more
quantitative careers such as banking and consulting. Or whether it’s doing some
exploration on your own and trying to figure out what inspires you and what types of
business opportunities you can pursue in an entrepreneurial way (non-traditional in
terms of not just following a set career but maybe trying to pursue a passion project
that can become the next big thing in the market). Those are all things that a full-time
MBA opportunity offers to a potential student. To not give yourself permission to really
pursue all of these passion areas in order to get the most out of your experience would
be an opportunity missed.