Leveraging your LinkedIn network

Yesterday while I was home with my family I spent about an hour on LinkedIn searching for people at interesting startups and venture firms where I might like to work.

Since I started using LinkedIn a few years ago I have been able to amass over 500 connections (these are by and large people I have worked with or people I have met via phone or in person at least once) which I am now leveraging in a big way as I use it to reach out to folks who are 2nd and 3rd degree to me.

If you have a LinkedIn account but don't use it that much, I highly recommend that you try to build out your network. You never know when you will need it.

Also, I haven't seen it used this way, but there are a TON of MBA students on LinkedIn, and I think it would be a good way for applicants to search for folks who came from or want to get into the same industry, or just to find students at specific schools to chat with.

In fact, this is something that I did not do when I was applying, but very easily could have. I know alot of folks know people who attend their target schools through friends, past jobs, etc but this is definitely a good way to expand the breadth of MBA students you might be able to reach.

I'd be interested to hear if any of you have tried this in the context of your application process, and how it worked (works?) for you.

Happy Holidays

Happy holidays to all you readers out there. I hope you are enjoying some relaxing time with friends and family. If you have any suggestions on blog post topics for the new year, please share them with me, and I will see what I can do.

GMAT Class Scholarship Contest

Manhattan GMAT sent this to me today. Might be a way to get yourself into their prep classes for free.


Dear John,

The team at ManhattanGMAT would like to tell you about an exciting scholarship opportunity that may be a great fit for you!

ManhattanGMAT is now accepting applications for our 2008 Social Venture Scholars program. Developed last year, this program provides full tuition scholarships for up to 25 individuals in the New York metro area. Selected scholars will receive free admission into one of ManhattanGMAT’s intensive 9-session GMAT prep courses (a $1440 value).

These competitive scholarships are open to individuals who:
(1) currently work full-time in an organization that promotes positive social change
(2) plan to use their MBA to work in a public, not-for-profit, or other venture with a social-change oriented mission, and
(3) demonstrate clear financial need

The Social Venture Scholars will all enroll in a special course beginning on Monday, January 28, 2008, and will be taught by ManhattanGMAT’s founder, Zeke Vanderhoek, at our New York City center. View Zeke’s biography by clicking here: http://manhattangmat.com/staff-vanderhoek.cfm

To learn more about this program, and for details on how to apply, please visit the following web site: http://www.manhattangmat.com/svs.cfm. Applications must be submitted by January 17.

If you fit the criteria above, we encourage you to apply today and get one step closer to an MBA! Or if you have a friend or associate that might be interested in this opportunity, we hope you will pass along this information.

Feel free to contact us with any questions at 800-576-4628 or via email at svs@manhattangmat.com.

Warm Regards,

The Team at ManhattanGMAT

I am getting boring in my old age

Tonight was the end-of-semester bash at a club in Chelsea. I had bought an advance ticket and was planning to go out with a friend first and then hit the party. However, said friend ended up having to work late and at that point I had lost pretty much all motivation to get off the couch. :)

Lots of great marketing internships

Here are the companies who are coming to interview 1st years for marketing internships in the next month or so:

December 18 – American Express, Marketing Manager
December 18 – Merck, Marketing Summer Intern
December 21 – Colgate-Palmolive Company, Global Marketing Development Program
January 2 – Diageo, Marketing (MBA) Intern
January 2 – Johnson & Johnson, Various Positions
January 3 – Honeywell, Marketing
January 7 – Google
January 7 - Ely Lilly, Marketing Associate Intern (International & Domestic)
January 7 – Pepperidge Farm Inc., Summer Internship
January 8 – Novartis, MBA Summer Intern
January 8 – The Dannon Company, Marketing Internship
January 9 – Coach, MBA Summer Internships
January 14 – Unilever, Brand/Product Management Internship
January 15 – Reckitt Benkiser, Marketing Summer Intern
January 18 – PepsiCo, LDP Internship

Being unconventional

One of my J-term classmates, Ryan, did a video cover letter for his Yahoo! application, and was selected for the interview because of it. I thought it was a really cool idea and a risk that paid off in differentiating himself from other applicants.



If you want to learn more about Ryan, definitely check out his blog at playthegameoflife.org.