Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category
A little bird named Twitter a key to digital job hunt
Posted by: Kathleen Ong in MBA Experience, Tips on April 27th, 2011
Spring is here and before you know it we’ll be soaking up the summer sun during our last semester of the MBA program. As part of our degree we must complete an internship in the fall so that we can apply our new found knowledge and skills in the working world.
Searching for a job or an internship is never easy. However, many of us are getting a bit creative in finding ways to engage top employers through networking and conversation. Along with advice from our Career Management Centre and equipped with our list of dream companies, my fellow classmates and I are hitting the streets, or rather the Internet waves, for a job search adventure. Here are a few examples of what it’s like in our shoes. 
1. The hottest job searching tool on the market right now is that little bird named Twitter. Through short, real-time bursts of information called Tweets, anyone can follow a company, human resources profile, individual executive, association, or recruiting company to get notifications of job postings. Not only can you react to Tweets from these accounts, but you can also be proactive and seek out people in the industry or organizations you hope to work for and engage them in a conversation.
2. Facebook allows you to set up a profile for yourself, but you can also use the site to evaluate your interest for a company by joining their fan page. This way every time they post an update or job opening within the organization you’ll be informed through your personal newsfeed. As a plus, companies include additional information such as videos, articles, and photos that can help you gain a better understanding of what the company culture is like. Read the rest of this entry »
Application Tips from Current MBA Student Michelle Au
Posted by: michelle_au in Tips on October 12th, 2010
I didn’t really plan on doing an MBA in 2010. I have always wanted to complete a Master’s degree, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. One of the reasons why I was hesitant in doing an MBA was because I don’t have a business background. I was afraid that I would be playing catch-up throughout the whole program. I was at a career fair representing my former employer in March, and the SFU booth was down the hall from us. I went up to the representative just to see what the and I was surprised to discover that the SFU one-year MBA is designed for students with non-business undergraduate degrees, such as engineering or arts.
Top MBA Programs in Canada for Sustainability
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on June 29th, 2010
SFU Business’ Undergraduate and MBA Programs have again made the top ten list (out of 35 Canadian MBA programs) for “sustainable education”. The study looks at the integration of environmental and social sustainability issues into university programs. The research and report is done by a quarterly magazine publication called the Corporate Knights. The Corporate Knights study and report on about the corporate social responsibility and sustainability practices of Canadian Business, Education, Commerce, and Industry. Their overall goal is to help Canada become a leading country with regard to socially responsible commerce. This link will allow you to learn more about the Corporate Knights “Clean Capitalism” Magazine.
SFU Business and Graduate Business for the second time in a row has placed in the top ten for Sustainable Business Programs. Notably, the SFU MBA program in Vancouver has moved from the ninth position in 2009 to the eighth spot for 2010. While this full-time, one-year MBA program is still only in it’s third year of existence, it is steadily and consistently climbing the ranks of programs that have integrated social and environmental responsibility into their curriculum. It is in part due to the SFU MBA program administrator’s commitment to a dedicated Sustainability course along with a Business Ethics class that place SFU Grad Business among these top ranks. The fact that SFU is the first university in the world to name a Sustainability Entrepreneur in Residence, along with a fully supported student-run Net Impact chapter also helps the rankings. Read on for a more detailed view of the study as well as a link to the methodology. Read the rest of this entry »
SFU MBA Student Testimonial – Why SFU MBA Program
Posted by: Chelsea Guy in Tips on May 12th, 2010
I chose to apply to the Simon Fraser University (SFU), Master of Business Administration (MBA) program for a number of reasons. When I first attended the information session for the MBA Program, I felt instantly comfortable. I felt at ease in the state of the art classroom and I was very encouraged by the faculty that I met from the SFU MBA Program. Altogether, I felt a sense of confidence and warmth, and I was made to feel that I wanted to be a part of this MBA program. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Take a One-Year MBA?
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on May 5th, 2010
*Used with Permission
Why take a one-year MBA over a two-year or part-time program?
How will a one-year MBA help me gain success with my career goals?
These are all some of the most commonly asked question by students who are considering taking a condensed one-year MBA program over a more traditional program that lasts two years or longer.
There is a full gamut of MBA program choices in North America and Internationally. It’s important to evaluate a number of programs, especially with regard to their length and intensity, to find the one that best suits your profile and personal needs as a student. Read the rest of this entry »
SFU Vancouver MBA Admission Criteria – “Compensatory Model”
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on March 5th, 2010
The admission’s department at SFU’s Segal School of Graduate Business calls it “recruiting”, but I call it helping out someone in the same position as I was once in – looking for a great Business School to take an MBA. If you’ve decided to take your MBA, Graduate Business school selection can seem like one of the most challenging and complicated choices to make. Luckily, Graduate Business schools (especially Canadian MBA schools) provide multiple opportunities annually to develop a better understanding of the school and what it offers on a closer, more personal level. At SFU Graduate Business School, located in the Segal Graduate school (The old Bank of Montreal building) in the heart of downtown Vancouver, the staff and faculty make a concerted effort to give prospective students the information they need to make the choice about which business school to attend. Read the rest of this entry »
Quick GMAT Tip – Put More GMAT Study Emphasis on the Verbal Section
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on February 12th, 2010
As you read this post in preparation for the GMAT, you’re likely more nervous about one section over the other. This is totally normal, some people are really good at GMAT math, and others at GMAT verbal. Interestingly, and this is backed-up by the makers of the GMAT test, the verbal section has more weight attached to it than the math section. Read on to learn a bit about the explanation behind this, and how you can benefit from the knowledge. Read the rest of this entry »
List of All the Free Online GMAT Practice Tests
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on February 1st, 2010
The goal of this post is to become the one-stop, definitive guide for every single free online GMAT test that exists on the web. We will include tests for download, online, and section-specific practice tests for all your GMAT dry-run needs. If you know of a free test somewhere on the web that we have missed, please enter the address into the comment section and we will immediately update. Also, if you find a broken link, or have any comments whatsoever about any of the tests on this page, please let us know about them in the comments and we’ll respond appropriately. Please make sure you follow the advice written in the CAT Best Practices post; never do a practice exam less than 24 hours before your real exam. To read all of our other posts on the GMAT experience, studying, and what bschools look for, read the GMAT and MBA Admissions archive page. Read more for 10+ links to free GMAT practice tests: Read the rest of this entry »
What is the Best GMAT Review Book?
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on January 16th, 2010
The length of this post in no way reflects the amount of research put into the topic. For the past week I’ve made it my quest to seek out the best GMAT prep book that exists. As you know, if you want to attend any business school, you will need to take the GMAT (SFU’s Graduate Business Diploma course is one exception). Your GMAT score is an important factor in determining how likely you are to be admitted into the graduate business program of your choice.
There are many GMAT prep books and study guides currently available to help you prepare for the test. Make sure you check out the other posts in our “Tips for Applying” section for other GMAT tips and lots of ideas to help you with your application to SFU’s Graduate Business programs, or any other MBA program out there including application tuning, essay writing, references, and interviewing. We here at A Few Good Minds think that our advice is pretty universal.
In the end, I couldn’t choose just one GMAT prep book, so I took a poll and found the top 3. Check them out here: Read the rest of this entry »
GMAT Tips – Best Practices for Test Day (CAT Part 3)
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on January 12th, 2010
Now that you’re well versed on the ins and outs of the computer adaptive exam, and you’ve read Dave’s (SFU MBA ’11) harrowing GMAT tale, the only thing left with regard to the Computer Adaptive Test is a condensed list of best practices. This advice is specific to the strategies that you can use on test day. For tips and advice around studying, the best prep books, locating online practice tests, etc, be sure to take a look at our more general GMAT area. Also, this post gives more functional advice for test-day, which will always lessen stress levels. That said, sometimes it’s necessary to dig deep and find some mental focus to get through tough tests. The post on beating MBA Stress might be a good one to read for some tips on how to relax before the test. Read the rest of this entry »
GMAT Tips – How the GMAT Computer Adaptive Test Works (CAT Part 2)
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on January 11th, 2010
Unfortunately, the test centre's computer likely won't be this nice...
This is the second part of a three part series on the CAT. This post goes into technical detail about the inner workings of the unique test. The other two parts include a description of the Computer Adaptive Test Experience and a section about tips and tricks to help you feel comfortable with the Computer Adaptive Test. My sources include the GMAC website, as well as several SFU MBA students who scored an average 727.5 between the eight of them. This group also wrote up an article on the best GMAT Study and Prep Guides.
The CAT format for the GMAT exam is still relatively new, which means that many potential GMAT test takers still don’t know that the entire GMAT exam is done on a computer. The brains at GMAC have done this in order to create a test which has both increased accuracy and validity over a traditional pencil and paper exam. This makes university admissions departments rely very heavily on the GMAT, maybe moreso than they should. One nice thing about SFU’s Grad Business admissions team is that they look at the entire student and not just at their GMAT score. Lets start by making a list of the more unknown CAT facts. Read the rest of this entry »
GMAT Tips – The Computer Adaptive Test Experience (CAT Part 1)
Posted by: Dave Reichert in Tips on January 10th, 2010
So you’ve decided to write the GMAT. Now what? Congratulations, because you’re in the right place. This is a step-by-step guide detailing everything you need to know to successfully take the first step on your path to your MBA.
The first thing you’re going to have to do is visit the GMAT website and use their registration system to make an appointment to write the exam at a testing centre near you. The second thing you’re going to have to do is pay for it: $250 USD. The third thing you have to do is by far the most difficult: show up at the testing centre and actually write the exam. Read the rest of this entry »