Bren:Alumni

Just when I thought the MBA Journal series was over, Larry comes up with a big one!  Kind of like the Clippers landing Blake Griffin! (inside joke:  Larry’s a huge Clipper fan) Anyhow, yet another great article from our fellow alumnus, Lawrence Kao.  This time he talks about his job search after his MBA. 

"Do what turns you on, not what the statistics say is best…Business ceases to be work when you’re chasing a dream that has engorged you…And if the passion isn’t there, then biotech and plumbing will be equal drags." –Tom Peters, author and ex-McKinsey partner

Throughout my MBA year, I have had mixed emotions about going back to technology, jumping into a new career track, or starting my own company. Instead of writing snippets on these thoughts throughout the year, I thought it would be best to write one column wherein I sum everything up. Before I jump into my year at Saïd Business School, I thought it would be best to list my background and viewpoints before my yearlong journey. After all, nobody’s experience will be the exact same as mine, but perhaps my experience can be helpful to soon-to-be MBA grads.

This was me in October 2007:

Age: 26
Citizenship: USA
Ethnic Origin: Chinese-American
Born and raised in Southern California
Degree: B.S. Information & Computer Science at the University of California-Irvine
Career: Four years at Kingston Technology doing IT work

When I was an undergrad at UC Irvine, Professor Bernard McGrane’s sociology lessons forever changed the way I thought about education. He told us to pursue learning instead of the grade. Study what you want to study. It would be better to learn a lot and earn a ‘B’ grade than to learn nothing and receive an ‘A’ grade (Note to all: This may be not good for your GPA). Professor McGrane’s advice has changed me forever. In essence, he teaches that life is about the pursuit of truth and to seek out exciting projects that interest you.

These experiences have helped shaped my outlook on life and career, which has helped lead me through the turbulent job market and ultimately land a dream job in Central London without ever having to compromise. I’m positive that all MBA’s graduating this year will have the opportunity to well surpass the things I have accomplished. Stay focused, work hard, and be helpful.

MICHAELMAS TERM (FIRST TERM)—FALL 2007

As with all business schools, at Saïd there is a heavy emphasis on finance recruiting in the fall term, with financial firms making their first rounds at business schools during this time. I remember attending the Merrill Lynch recruiting event and one of the first things they did was crack a finance joke. Before the MBA, I sensed finance wasn’t something that would interest me and that joke confirmed my suspicions. My flat mate, a banker, insists I would make a great trader because of my quick wit and decision-making, but I decided to rid myself of striped suits and black ties. Finance was out of my life.

As the fall season continued, consulting began to "heat up." A few consulting firms had early application deadlines but most firms came to recruit during the winter season with applications coming later. For some reason, I was never too interested in strategic consulting firms either, and ended up missing recruiting events for some top firms such as McKinsey, BCG, and PWC.

Many big corporations offer great rotational programs. Rotational programs typically offer successful candidates the opportunity to work in 3+ job functions in international locations. To me, that sounded exciting. After accepting my place at Oxford, I targeted the Adidas rotational program as my top choice. I had researched the role, envisioned myself strategizing on how to run ahead of Nike and stave off Under Armor. Many of these programs are highly competitive and Adidas is no exception. There are only five spots open for 1,500 applicants, but I knew I could be one of those few. Why not? I’m smart and completely obsessed with sports. I fit the role and the role fit me.

Many corporations tend to recruit later in the year, typically a third wave in the winter and spring time. Adidas was one of these. I worked closely with Saïd’s Career Services so I’d be prepared early for the Adidas application.

Luckily, a Saïd alum and Adidas manager convinced the company to come recruiting in the fall with the banks and consulting firms. I felt extremely prepared and glad I decided to study Adidas so early in the process.

The recruiting event was different from any other I had attended before. I knew the facts. I loved the pump-up video. I had a great conversation with the recruiter. I was ready to join the team. I took an unconventional approach to my cover letter, sought additional help from Career Services, family, and mentors and submitted my application. A few days later, BINGO! I get an e-mail from Adidas saying they loved my cover letter and wanted to chat about my background for the position after the deadline in January. My hours of slaving over the application had turned into a winning formula. I used similar research, hard work, and persistence for my applications with the NBA and Nike, meeting recruiters and having great e-mail communication with them.

The first term at Oxford was a fast-paced and heart wrenching experience. I was thrown into the thick of six classes, while trying to settle into a new country and balance a healthy social life. But with a few key applications sent out, I finally felt my life was starting to settle down and I was walking down the right path.

HILARY TERM (SECOND TERM)—WINTER 2008

January rolled around sooner than expected and we all started to trickle back into Oxford as we began Hilary Term. Before we could catch our breath, the annual Saïd Business School Careers Fair came swooping in. I remember only having enough time to focus on three companies: two in consumer goods and one consulting firm. Soon after the career fair, I received a rejection from one of the consumer goods companies and another from the consulting firm. It was the first time I was rejected during the school year, and little did I know, it was a foreshadowing of things to come.

During Hilary Term, I fell in love with marketing and innovation strategy. My four favorite professors all came during this term. Every class was stimulating and exciting. I was also deeply entrenched in the entrepreneurial project and I was having a great term, but nothing perfect lasts forever.

As the deadline for Adidas approached, I didn’t hear anything back from anyone. Trying to contact the recruiters led to short generic e-mails. Shortly after, I received rejection e-mails, first from Adidas, then Nike, and I never heard back from the NBA. I was devastated. What happened with the Adidas situation? What happened with all the situations? In the span of what felt like a week, I was rejected five times.

The MBA forces you to lick your wounds and forget about the losses. I didn’t have time to figure out what happened. I was busy enough participating in competitions for venture capital and public relations and immersed in writing a business plan for a book publishing Web site. I couldn’t wait for Spring Break.

TRINITY TERM (THIRD TERM)—SPRING 2008

Trinity Term was the most critical term, as I tailored my MBA towards strategy and marketing. I came into the MBA wanting to learn more about the commercial side of business and I was now more determined than ever to come out with a job on that end. I came up with a plan, schedule, and goal. I promised myself I would research hard and tailor my CV for every company I targeted. My schedule had me apply to a minimum of one company every week. And my most important criterion was that any role I applied for had to make me say, "That sounds like an awesome job."

As the markets began to crash and companies went into hiring freezes, I stayed true to job searching as I repeated to myself, "There are five hundred Fortune 500 companies." Additionally, with our Strategic Consulting Projects approaching, a new opportunity to impress a potential employer was right around the corner.

Throughout Trinity Term, I applied to companies likes of Procter & Gamble (Hong Kong), the International Olympic Committee (Switzerland), and Li-Ning (China).

In a strange way, applying to different companies in foreign countries started becoming both frustrating and fun. Finding a job turned into a challenge I was determined to master. By the end of Trinity Term, I had made no progress. I was rejected by every single company I applied for with no opportunities to interview.

STRATEGIC CONSULTING PROJECT—SUMMER 2008

As I mentioned in an earlier journal entry, my consulting team landed our number one choice project working for Williams Grand Prix Engineering. We worked in offices next to Owner Frank Williams, Chief Operating Officer Alex Burns, and every once in a while, we’d have lunch with drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima (O.K., we never really ate at the same table, but the cafeteria is quite small and the drivers have been spotted eating there…by us).

I continued my intense job search with a goal of applying to three companies a night. By the end of summer, I had applied to approximately 50 companies with opportunities to interview at several. At one point, I started canceling interview opportunities because of the little time I had between work and applications. In the end, I focused on five specific interviews and landed a job at a consumer goods firm I had great conversations with back at the Careers Fair as a Brand Manager with a choice to manage any one of their three top brands. With a job secure, I dedicated the rest of the summer solely to Williams.

SEPTEMBER 2008

The school year ended in September and I began to really wonder if my soon-to-be employer was what I really wanted. I had lukewarm feelings about the company from the very beginning. I questioned whether accepting the role would be stimulating enough for me. At the same time, turning down a great offer in this job market could be career suicide.

I knew that Tom Peters would keep looking, so I decided to keep looking. I kindly declined the offer and began to search again. This led me to Singapore for a career fair. I’ve never had any big interest in working for a bank but Singapore changed my outlook. After a strange turn of events, I was given a great opportunity to interview several times with an international bank. Quickly following the bank opportunity, a few other opportunities began to emerge. It’s strange, but a mysterious momentum of success tends to lead to more success. One in particular stood out.

When I walked into the offices of McCann Erickson Advertising Ltd., I knew it was the right place for me. I never imagined working in an advertising agency or working in London, but this place clicked so seamlessly. I was hired as a Digital Strategist, a position that matches perfectly with my marketing/strategy focus as well as my previous IT background in a completely different industry. When it fits, it fits well.

MY TAKEAWAY

I had gone through a year of excitement and heartache. My first true love, Adidas, spurned me for someone else. At many points during the year, I was getting weekly, if not daily, rejections. I had to go through 50 companies to finally realize the right place for me. However, the entire process only makes you stronger, sharper, and faster so when you do meet that right career opportunity, you’re ready to seize it and take advantage. I still think "Awesome" every single day. I’m truly one of the lucky ones. I’m allowed to explore. Innovation is encouraged and creativity is mandated.

I do hope all of you who are studying for an MBA or are currently in the application process now get everything you dream of and deserve. And if you don’t, then create it. Don’t settle for second best. It’s your MBA, your career, and your life. Make it awesome.

via BusinessWeek

Gabriela Marcu, member of the Class of 2009, is giving back to ICS. Will you too?

Dear ICS Alum,

Forty years ago, ICS started its journey as an independent department with a handful of faculty and a small number of Ph.D. students. Today, as we celebrate the commencement of the Class of 2009, we have 73 faculty, more than 1,000 students, six undergraduate degrees and a variety of concentrations in our Masters and Ph.D. programs.

I invite you to look back at the memories shared by our alumni, to look forward with the hope we have in our students, and to reminisce about the special times you had in ICS.

Today, more than ever, your participation in our annual campaign is critical in helping the future Anteaters of ICS at UC Irvine make their own lasting memories.

I hope you’ll consider giving to your alma mater this year, and thank you, always, for your continued participation with ICS.

Debra J. Richardson
The Ted and Janice Smith Family Foundation Dean

Given it’s been a while I’ve contributed to this blog, I figured I’ll share my journey at CallFire. I’ve split it into three lessons:

1. Ignorance
2. Arrogance
3. Passion

I know some in the alumni community may disagree, so I’ll hasten to point out these are my personal observations, is by no means complete, and definitely not a prescription. I looked back at the almost two years I’ve spent at this company and tried to boil down the huge learning curve to its essence. So have a read, and let me know what you think, of course, please do share your lessons as well.

The Bren School Alumni Chapter is proud of our alumni, and we are pleased to showcase their activities in these “Alumni Spotlights”. To suggest a spotlight please contact Eric Kowalik.

David Cheng, ‘90, an avid scuba diver, shares his passion for UCI with the creatures of the sea, flashing them the Rip ‘Em Eaters hand sign. Cheng founded Accenx, a leading provider of health information exchange and interoperability solutions in 1997.

David Cheng, always wanted to be a businessman.

“My father told me the world is built by engineers, but run by businessmen,” Cheng a 1990 alumnus of the Bren School said.

In 1997, Cheng saw his opportunity and founded Accenx, a leading provider of health information exchange and interoperability solutions, with more than 150 customers and the largest dedicated team of integration specialists in the industry.

The company’s solutions allow hospitals, physician practices, and other participants in the healthcare community to quickly connect, and seamlessly share information, to improve patient care, reduce administrative costs, and create a high-quality experience for both patients and providers.

“I saw a need to provide information to physicians, we were ahead of our time, got a lot of support from health care vendors and got some great accounts around the country including the Cleveland Clinic one of the top health care organizations in the nation,” Cheng said.

With the recent passage of the economic stimulus plan that includes an emphasis on improving health care technology, Cheng and his company are excited to apply what they have developed over the past 11 years into a larger market.

“We want to provide better care for the patient, cut down on costs, and ultimately save lives.” Cheng said.

Cheng’s day is full of meetings and keeping an eye on cash flow, but it is as exciting as riding a roller coaster.

“Everyday you are going to get some great news, some good news and some bad news,” Cheng said. “Some days you feel like you are at the top of the ride, then the next thing you know you come careening down and feel like the car is going to fall off the track and you are going to land face first.”

Cheng is the first to admit that the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship is not for everybody.

“You have to have the heart for it, you have to have the stomach for it and you have to have the passion for it,” Cheng said. “Successful entrepreneurs are the ones who can communicate their passion to their customers, prospects and employees. People buy from people and the first thing you always sell is yourself. You may have the best technology, but if people don’t trust you or believe you can get the job done, they won’t buy from you.”

BACK TO BASIC

Cheng got his introduction to technology in 8th grade, after they ran out of math classes for him to take.

The school had recently purchased a TRS 80 and the math teacher asked Cheng to play around with it so he learned BASIC and programmed a pong game.

“So in 1981, I got the opportunity to write my first BASIC program, that was a time when most people hadn’t even heard of computers,” Cheng said. “I got really excited about it and have been playing with computers since.”

Cheng credits his degree from the Bren School with providing him the ability to understand both the technology and business aspect of a company.

“The information aspect of information and computer sciences was very interesting to me and it allowed me to see the business aspect of the technology which is what I was also interested in,” Cheng said.

While at junior college where he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do, Cheng heard about the computer science program at UCI and was also impressed with what a friend of his who went through the program had learned.

“I looked at the ICS curriculum and saw a lot of classes that taught students about the real life applications of the technology, not just the theory behind them and how to write them,” Cheng said.

The mixture of classes allowed Cheng to dive deep into the technical side, like the class in which he wrote his own operating system, but also provided him a glimpse at life in the real world, like in ICS 125, a class that required Cheng to work in a team with a real world client on a business application.

“You learned theories and the application of those theories, but the assignments were made to mimic real world work and it was left up to us to figure out how to apply what we learned to solve the problem in the assignment,” Cheng said.

One of Cheng’s fondest memories was having “parties” in the lab, where he and his fellow classmates would gather in the lab at midnight with snacks and sodas, occupy a corner of the lab, pull the workstations together to make a jury rigged multi-window environment and between jokes, worked together to finish their assignments.

“I meet a lot of really quality people during my time at ICS, and I still keep in touch with many if them, in fact one of them works with me today,” Cheng said.

The program’s reputation in the business community also provided Cheng a plethora of internship and part-time job opportunities that honed his skills and prepared him well for a job in the real world.

“My first job out of UCI was working for Xerox in a five-member team to develop an operating system,” Cheng said. “It was like ICS 125 all over again, so it wasn’t a tough transition to the real world.”

UNDERWATER

Cheng admits he hasn’t achieved a work life balance yet, but is trying his best.

“I’m not there yet,” Cheng said. “My life is full of work, but I do a lot of things to take my mind off work and spend time with my family. I do martial arts with my kids, I scuba dive and build model airplanes.”

Cheng likes scuba diving because it gets him away from everything. As soon as he goes underwater, everything disappears and he is in another world, a world that occasional provides enlightening anecdotes.

While exploring two navy wrecks with a dive group in Hawaii, Cheng almost got run over by the Atlantis submarine tour. As he frantically swam out of the path of the submarine, he saw a plethora of flash bulbs as tourists snapped pictures.

“I should be in some people’s vacation photos and I’m sure they wrote next to it, this is the idiot that almost got ran over by the submarine.” Cheng said with a laugh.

Calling all Alumni!

The Bren School of ICS would like your feedback on planning an Alumni event celebrating 40 years of ICS.  Please take a minute to responde to this 10-question survey.  We appreciate your feedback!

Feel free to leave additional comments to this blog post.

Take the survey here.

The Bren School Alumni Chapter is proud of our alumni, and we are pleased to showcase their activities in these “Alumni Spotlights”. To suggest a spotlight please contact Eric Kowalik.

Jeff Monroe ‘92, flashes the Rip ‘Em Eaters hand sign. While still an undergraduate at UC Irvine, Monroe co-founded MOB Media, a company that allowed him an opportunity to meld his passions for art and technology.

Jeff Monroe didn’t see a difference between the creativity of the artist and the creativity of the software engineer, so he co-founded a company that melded the two and provided him an outlet for both of his passions.

“You don’t have to pick between the two,” Monroe, a 1992 alumnus of the Bren School said. “Creativity isn’t in the realm of classic design or artistic skills. Creativity is about how you attack a problem and how you solve it.”

While still an undergraduate at UC Irvine, Monroe and two other partners founded MOB Media, a company that provides media and marketing solutions for local businesses. The company recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and generated $20 million of revenue last year.

“We wanted to do something a little different,” Monroe said. “We didn’t want to be the typical agency that had a very narrow niche that they operated in, we are very generalist.”

At MOB Media, Monroe’s role at the company is one of a generalist too. He does everything from management to programming.

A current project Monroe and his team are working on is a commuter solution website for the Orange County Transportation Authority.

“What is groundbreaking about this project is utilizing social networking to create communities where people can connect and create these carpools and vanpools,” Monroe said. “Before, you couldn’t use the Internet to really facilitate that.”

The social networking tools Monroe and his team are creating will make carpooling easier by allowing groups of individuals to get answers to questions such as who in my area can I carpool with.

“My education at UC Irvine definitely helped give me the skills to succeed in this field that blends both advertising and technology,” Monroe said.

Despite the fun he has running his own business, he cautions that while running your own company can be fun and exciting, it competes for your time, because even when you go home, you are never really done working.

“If you are married, like I am, owning a business is like having a mistress, at least that is what my wife tells me,” Monroe said.

LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE

Monroe was always a techie kid, pulling things apart and putting them back together.

“But that didn’t mean I didn’t have screws left over,” Monroe recalled with a smile.

When it came time to pursue a career path, Monroe initially attended Devry for a technical degree but found that the classes were too easy for him. He wanted more of challenge, something he found at UC Irvine, although he feels vocational schools have their place for some students.

“The experience of being at a research university as opposed to a vocational school was very beneficial,” Monroe said. “At a research university, like UC Irvine, the bar is set pretty high and the students are pushed to excel. You either sank or swam in the ICS program.”

Monroe credits his UCI education for honing his analytical skills.

“The ability to see a problem, analyze it and find solutions to it quickly without having to go down a development path and find out it was a dead end,” Monroe said.

CHANGING CHORDS

Monroe admits that there are some days where the technology side of the business can get monotonous and he can get discouraged from pressing on. But by switching chords, he finds a way to break the monotony and return later reinvigorated.

“Creatively your going to reach plateaus. There are going to be points in your life where you say, you know what, I just don’t want to go on because it seems like I’ve done everything there is to do,” Monroe said. “But you just have to look outside of your small little world your operating in and you can find other opportunities.”

Monroe does this by pursuing his passion of guitar playing and through the production of a reality TV show called House of Shred which is about building guitars.

“I played the guitar as a kid before putting it down, never really knowing how to read sheet music, then during my 30s I decided that it was going to be something I mastered,” Monroe said. “It gives me the opportunity to flex myself in other ways.”

Monroe stressed that current students should look to something outside of computer science they can turn to that will allow them to free their minds for a little while.

“Try to find a hobby or interest outside of the realm of computer science, something that you can get away from even if it is just reading something you can disconnect from the world for a while and helps you have dreams,” Monroe said. “If you can’t dream it you’re never going to achieve it.”

This is a 5 part series by our alum blogger Lawrence Kao posted by the MBA Journal of BusinessWeek during his MBA experience at Oxford Said Business School in the UK.  This is a series on his MBA journey from admission, job hunting, and reflection.  In Part 1, Kao talks about why he pursued an MBA education along with entertaining anecdotes.  In Part 2, Kao breaks down what career options his MBA program offers.  In Part 3, Kao talks about being in the Oxford MBA program and some of it’s unique traditions. In Part 4, Kao talks about finishing the 1 year program and the job hunting process.  In this final part of the series, Kao talks about his graduation and what the MBA experience meant to him. 

I was excited. I was jittery. I could no longer sleep. I jumped out of bed and into the shower. From my closet, I pulled out my sharp black suit, freshly pressed tuxedo shirt, creamy white bow tie, newly polished Johnston and Murphy shoes, and recently refilled Mont Blanc pen.

There are two pictures that may come to mind when you read the last few sentences: 1. This guy is getting ready for a formal Rotary Club dinner; 2. This guy is a ninny. Although I assure you I hope to be both one day, my situation was nowhere close. I was getting dressed for our MBA End of Course Ceremony.

It’s a familiar routine because it is virtually the exact same one I went through before matriculation, exams, and most of the other formal Oxford events I have described before. Although MBA students officially graduate with their colleges—so I will be attending New College’s graduation next summer with even fancier gowns—this may be the last timeI will see my MBA classmates together in the same place. In fact, this is one thing I did not think about before attending the Said Business School.

Surely the best business schools all boast leaders from around the world who study in their programs and my class is no exception. I cannot say how diverse our class is compared to other business schools, but I can say for certain that my friends and colleagues have invaluably widened my lens. Here’s a look back at some lessons learned:

September 2007: The Freshmen

On a cold Oxford night, I walked down a long "broad" street towards one of the city’s famous pubs to meet some new friends from the class. It was a funny gathering, including a Chinese-American Californian (myself), a bald and good-humored German, a fun and friendly Indian working out of Dubai, a studious London-based Indian, and a rock-star Thai chef. I thought to myself, "Wait, where is Dubai again?"

My Lesson: I have spent too much time focused on the United States and, specifically, California. I need to really expand my knowledge and viewpoints.

December 2007: The First Date

On a very cold Oxford night, I walked down that same street again, towards another one of the city’s famous pubs to meet a few older friends around the time we were heading into our first-term exams week. It was a full house with only one chair available. I sat down next to a shy Japanese classmate I had only briefly chatted with eight weeks prior, on the first day of our course. I learned she worked for the Bank of Japan. I thought to myself, "Bank of Japan is like Bank of America, right?"

My Lesson: The Bank of Japan is not like the Bank of America (BAC). In fact, it’s more like the Federal Reserve. They help set monetary policy, print money, etcetera.

January 2008: Getting To Know Each Other

On a cold, Spanish winter night in the Sierra Nevada, I found myself talking with my French-speaking, African-loving, venture-capital hungry, Virginian architect, Oxford-varsity-sailor, Skoll Scholar friend—yes, that is his official title. (Skoll Scholars at Oxford are five scholarship students who are terribly bright with unshakeable conviction that you can help the world and still be well off—if not terribly well off—financially. Pretty much those kids in high school you adore and hate at the same time because they are like you, but just a bit better in every single way). We were talking about the European Union, the opportunities in post-conflict areas, and many other subjects all way over my head. Midway through the conversation, I asked why we were talking about such deep issues on a ski trip. Besides, will we ever be in a position where what happens to the EU will affect how we do business?

His reply: "Yes, we will be."

My Lesson: Our MBA director said it best, "Things that seem elective now will be mandatory soon. Worrying about poverty, climate change, pollution, disease, and migration all seem elective now.

It’s overwhelmingly likely that they’ll be fundamental to any business in your lifetimes. You can choose to think harder about these things sooner."

May 2008: Making a Connection

On a very cold Oxford morning, we dragged our feet at 6 a.m. onto a bus, headed for a European MBA Sports tournament (MBAT) at the great French business school HEC Paris. I sat next to our class’ husband-wife MBA pair from Mexico. I never found the chance for a lengthy conversation with them and felt the long bus ride would be the perfect opportunity. I learned the wife had worked for Corona, and we talked about the exciting business of bottling and distributing beer. The husband had entrepreneurial aspirations similar to my own. He dreams of one day owning a vineyard and had previously thought about me when he found out I, too, wanted to start a wild and impractical business. I thought to myself, "Make sure you one day start a winery with Fernando."

My Lesson: No matter who we are or where we are from, MBAs have similar hopes and dreams.

September 2008: Remembering The Love

On a cold Oxford night, I sat in the Said Business School library, writing this note as my classmates left one by one.

The friend from Dubai, the one that taught me about the United Arab Emirates and the opportunities of the glitzy fantasy resort, had gone back to figure out her next career move.

The funny, bald-headed German is heading home to rock his country’s finance industry.

The Japanese economics researcher, my girlfriend, has headed back to Tokyo to research "stuff" that’s way too advanced for me.

The Skoll Scholar-sailor is making it happen, working with VCs from London to Africa on a venture to fund other African venture capitalists.

The Mexican couple is headed back to sunny Mexico to continue with their careers.

It was very exciting to think we would make friends with people all over the world, and we have. But eventually we must separate and now that the course has ended, our support system has stretched and thinned—globally. For all those first-year MBAs who will soon face these same experiences, I have three words of advice for you: Stay in touch. We may not remember what Ansoff, Wheelwright, or Clark did for business theory, but we will remember what our friends did for our lives.

Meanwhile, South Africa seemed to be the destination of choice for Oxford’s 2008 MBA Class. Thanks to a wedding and traveling happenstance, a few dozen of us found ourselves heading to the African continent. A group of us spent time together at the Waterfront Shopping Mall as if we were still in Oxford.

Now that the fun is over, we are all excited to move on with our lives. As we re-enter the business world, it is a changed place from where we left it a year ago. A financial crisis, depressed co-workers, and opportunities await us all. I hope all fresh business school grads will keep their MBA fires lit and that together we can do our small part to help lift the economic world back onto its feet, so that come June 2009, we will be able to welcome next year’s graduates with wide open arms (and jobs).

A note to my friends: Thank you for the best year of my life. You’ve challenged and argued and debated with me, which sharpened my crazy business plans and ideas. And if I forgot to mention you above, it does not mean I forgot you. It just means I wanted to thank you personally. Cheers.

via BusinessWeek

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this series as much as I have.  Many thanks to Larry for providing the alum blog readers with his personal reflection and insights on his journey. 

Do you tweet? Will you be attending UCI’s 2009 Homecoming this Saturday, February 28th?

Then provide us your first hand account of the Homecoming experience by sending your updates to Twitter with hashtag #brenics.

Your tweets - and your impressions - will be feed to the Bren School website on the day of Homecoming.

This is a 5 part series by our alum blogger Lawrence Kao posted by the MBA Journal of BusinessWeek during his MBA experience at Oxford Said Business School in the UK.  This is a series on his MBA journey from admission, job hunting, and reflection.  In Part 1, Kao talks about why he pursued an MBA education along with entertaining anecdotes.  In Part 2, Kao breaks down what career options his MBA program offers.  In Part 3, Kao talks about being in the Oxford MBA program and some of it’s unique traditions. In this part, Kao talks about finishing the 1 year program and the job hunting process.

As the Said Business School students near the end of the program, we are faced with one bold reality; the wondrous, gruelling, and tantalizing one-year MBA journey is nearly over for us. The fall Michaelmas term was filled with mystery and excitement as we attended matriculation in the 300-year-old Sheldonian Theater. Not knowing what to expect and dreading the exams a mere 10 weeks away, it felt like a long time before our winter break. However, the second term, Hilary, brought a new set of challenges. Whether it was applying for jobs, attending seminars, or joining case competitions, the fast-paced term catapulted us into exams faster than a blink of an eye. Many students can agree: “We’re almost outta here. Where has the time gone?”

With the last term, Trinity, in sight, a slew of options dangles for the class of 2008. Some students are ready to “do their own thing,” using contacts established during our first major event: “Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford.” This appetite grew as Said brought in successful entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs throughout the year. The ideas were ironed out as student teams were formed to create a business, complete with a business plan and a pitch to venture capitalists. Every student now has a viable business plan, and many of them can be successful. With Said Business School’s strong push towards entrepreneurship, the exciting world of startups, angels, and VCs is attractive.

Another major benefit of the Oxford MBA is being a member of a larger university with great schools and departments. Classmates can opt to continue their education in the form of research, PhD degrees, and other Masters programs. Others can use Oxford resources to network for opportunities or help raise money for their new ventures. They also might stay to take more classes to help round out their education. Many students apply to Oxford because of its one-year program but leave wishing it were the standard two years. Our time here has been so valuable, and we’ve barely begun to explore the wonders the great university has to offer.

Tough Topics

It’s events like the “Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship” that constantly remind me why I “gambled” by coming to Said . What other MBA school could host an event where we enjoy the company of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams on Wednesday, former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday, and former Vice-President Al Gore on Friday?

The Skoll World Forum, social entrepreneurship, social enterprise, and corporate social responsibility are why many MBAs are at Oxford. Many of the tough topics that leaders of corporations face in today’s business world are shared at the Skoll forum. With an energy that can only be created with hundreds of leaders in the social sector, the world of doing good and doing well are beginning to blend.

Attendees and MBAs see that as nongovernmental organizations are growing, it is ever more important to begin recruiting MBAs to help formulate strategies and action plans. Many social sector companies struggle with similar problems that for-profit companies face. Everyone, for-profit or nonprofit, is fighting for customers, dealing with egos, and struggling to retain talent. The forum is a beginning to help the social space consolidate ideas and resources. If we are the generation that needs to heal the world, then we need to stop fragmenting ourselves and beginning to share ideas for change immediately.

Jobs? Wait a Second

The most popular choice for students will be to continue their careers. Whether that means shifting gears into a different career track or continuing with their original path, either road will be a delicious journey after Oxford. No matter what, the 220-member class will be full of newly minted MBAs, internationally experienced managers, and multifaceted thinkers. That sounds pretty great, but how do I choose?

Said’s flexible summer plan affords students several ways to graduate. As I mentioned, students can take courses. And of course with the Oxford tradition, students can opt to choose to write a thesis and push forward the science of management. Finally, following the two-year MBA format, students who aren’t ready to make the commitment to a full-time job can test the waters with the summer internship.

Internships are great for the Oxford triple jumpers. Bankers can test careers in microfinance. Consultants can join ventures in social entrepreneurship. Engineers can prove their ability to enter marketing. Anyone who’s looking to make a change has an opportunity to take a test drive.

Speaking of driving, many MBA programs offer consulting-type projects for their students, and Oxford is no different. Teams of four place bids to consult for Oxford-sourced projects and will spend two months in the summer tackling a major issue for their assigned company. Top of my list: WilliamsF1, the Formula 1 racing team. What a cool project, right?

Other great projects include working with Coca-Cola (KO), Volkswagen (VOWG.F), IBM (IBM), Man Group (MNGPF), the International Cricket Council, and more. I am thrilled to see a diverse range of projects Oxford was able to source and I am looking forward to testing my game-theory knowledge to bid correctly and land a great opportunity to help solve a project problem for one of these companies.

Will the summer consulting project lead to a job opportunity? Will my new experience offer me insight into a field I never knew I loved? Tons of questions still loom for me personally, but at least my summer plans are clearer than they were one term ago. I’m looking forward to finishing my ultra-busy Trinity Term and working as a consultant in the summer. And who knows where I’ll end up, but I am optimistic about my choices.

via BusinessWeek

This is a 5 part series by our alum blogger Lawrence Kao posted by the MBA Journal of BusinessWeek during his MBA experience at Oxford Said Business School in the UK.  This is a series on his MBA journey from admission, job hunting, and reflection.  In Part 1, Kao talks about why he pursued an MBA education along with entertaining anecdotes.  In Part 2, Kao breaks down what career options his MBA program offers.  In this part, Kao talks about being in the Oxford MBA program and some of it’s unique traditions.

Monday morning, I was excited. I was jittery. I could no longer sleep. I jumped out of bed and into the shower. From my closet, I pulled out my piercingly black suit, freshly pressed tuxedo shirt, creamy white bow tie, newly polished Johnston and Murphy shoes, and recently refilled Mont Blanc pen.

There are two pictures that probably come to mind when you read the previous sentences: 1. This guy is getting ready for a Rotary Club formal dinner; 2. This guy is a ninny. Although I assure you I hope to be both one day, my situation was nowhere close. I should have been nervous or going over formulas. After all, I was getting dressed for exams.

It’s true Oxford’s MBA is quite academic. The benefit of the program is that it can draw upon resources from a university older than many tourist attractions. The business school can make use of a network that extends to 800 years’ worth of business and world leaders. However, there is a real challenge to understanding the traditions and customs and transferring these beliefs to contemporary students (myself especially). University administrators and proctors believe chivalry, honor, and wearing a suit of armor are more important than business ethics, social entrepreneurship, and a suit from Armani.

The Oxford Scholar’s Uniform

Add to that the perceived truth that MBA students are different from most others and additional challenges to uphold tradition surface. MBAs have worked before, we have had million-dollar budgets, and most of us have had the good fortune to receive a high salary (possibly more than our lecturers). This “real world” experience instills arrogance and a sense of entitlement: “We should decide our MBA experience and if I don’t want to wear a gown and bow tie, I shouldn’t have to.” Truth be told, I, too, had similar thoughts. Truth be told, I was childish.

In order to be allowed to enter the exam hall, students must adhere to academic dress. Oxford University enforces the dress code very seriously. Although looking like James Bond or a fancy butler seems quite ridiculous, most students eventually learn to enjoy this age-old tradition. This tradition is known as subfusc.

What exactly is subfusc?

Men:

• Dark Suit—brown does not count

• Black shoes and socks

• White bow tie

• White dress shirt and collar

• Graduate gown

Women:

• Black ribbon tie

• White blouse

• Black skirt or trousers

• Black stockings

• Graduate gown

A friend of mine told his father that subfusc was a useless and uncomfortable process. It’s bad enough taking exam after exam, but in a penguin suit to boot? His father’s reply: “Son, you have to understand the uniform. Football players have a uniform. Cricket players have a uniform. Subfusc is the uniform of a scholar. Son, you are not yet a scholar, and so you don’t understand subfusc.”

I’ll admit I hated the idea that a huge part of my grade would be based on one exam. Many MBA programs emphasize teamwork and group assignments. Oxford’s process was a turn-off for me. A manager would never ask me to write my formulas or explain every source for my numbers. Projects that run within budget while creating satisfied customers led to a nice bonus and small raise at the end of the year. MBAs should never have to take an exam. We’re different; we are professionals.

The Testing Standard of Champions

My previous line of thinking was: I am an MBA student. I thought the three letters at the end of my degree were more important than the three words at the front of it (for those visual learners: University of Oxford, MBA). My thinking was completely wrong. I didn’t understand that there is something more important, an even greater club that I had joined. I am a graduate student at the University of Oxford. This fact is more important than any three letters could ever be. Because of this, a strict and formal exam that could swing my grade from a pass to a fail was essential.

One day I will be back in the “real world” and I will meet other Oxford graduates. Whether they are lawyers, scientists, or fellow MBAs, there is no doubt in my mind we will see each other as equals. We will instantly have a rapport and we will respect each other’s accomplishments. Because underneath a fancy gown or a trivial title will be the small fact that every Oxford student shares a rigorous testing standard, the Oxford testing standard.

President Bill Clinton, the writer C.S. Lewis, and the 12 eventual saints who have walked the halls of Oxford, all have shared the experience of facing the unholy examination proctors and the wrath they bring as they tower over students’ seats during the three-hour, sweat-producing exam. This is why the exam, the scholar’s suit of armor, and the strict rules are important. To challenge these traditions is to fight history and to disrespect the great men and women who have graduated from our fine institution.

That Championship Season

In basketball, they say stars are born during the regular season, but legends are born in the playoffs. That’s why I was excited to jump in the shower that day. I was thrilled to put on my best suit and best shoes. No other word than ecstatic could describe my mood every morning of exam week. I was 98% excited and 2% scared, or maybe the other way around, but either way that’s what made it exciting. It was like Christmas morning for four straight days.

Case studies with an unlimited amount of time to get every word right and every phrase flowing let other students know who was smart and who was serious. Presentations allowed those gifted speakers to shine and become all-stars of the classroom. But final exams? Final exams are the championship game for academics. They give students a chance to work under pressure, to tackle never-before-seen finance problems, and the opportunity to become legends. It is the process of becoming an Oxford University graduate.

via BusinessWeek