Attn: International Students

A good friend stopped by Business Career Services today and our conversation ventured into the progress of our respective job searches.  I know how difficult the process is for a citizen--I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be for non-citizens.

None of this may be new to our international students.  But, I thought I would at least try to compile some good resources for those that might be feeling "stuck."

This link lists 30 reputable employers of International Students. I have no idea if any of these companies offers opportunities in the region, but most of you have already come half-way around the world....

Based upon my research most of the employment opportunities exist in the tech and finance sectors. So, it is no surprise that International Business Machines (IBM) has a site dedicated to attracting top international talent.  Go to that site here: IBM/Int'l

Check these links out!
--http://www.internationalstudent.com/
--http://www.asian-jobs.com/getstarted_jobseekers.php
--http://exm.nr/9ZeOFw, This is basic but still worth a look.
--http://bit.ly/d19dqy, From Indiana University


Want to share any other leads?  Please leave a comment or email me: mattschmidt79@gmail.com

Express Scripts Cont...

Hi All-- Express Scripts was on campus last week--did you happen to make it in for an interview?

I know many of you are still a bit confused as to what the company actually does, but no need to worry!  Please read this post...

Here is a link to an article that has been circulating about the potential expansion of the company.  Stay updated with this company, folks. They're hot and will likely be hiring--great news for us!

To the Future!

Growing up I had an awful impression of "business."  It seemed bland, mundane and downright boring.  What youngster aspires to work in an office, sit in traffic, wear a tie and crunch numbers all day?

I can't say I have grown up (I'm 31 and probably won't ever officially get there) but my impression of what business is has changed immensely since I was a young punk.  Of course, there will always be the "stereotypical" career I just described, but now, more than ever, it seems as though our society (driven by business) places significant value on nurturing and developing highly innovative ideas to make our world a better place.

For this reason, I really love business.  If you happen to be a 10-year-old, no, I don't want to "marry" it.  But I do want to point out a couple of things:

1.)  This is what Hollywood thought the future might look like:

2.) Here is a link to a really interesting website I found earlier today.

Twenty years ago, people thought we would be floating around on "hoverboards."  I'm not sure anyone expected blogs, iPads, or even electric toothbrushes.  Life is good. And life will continue to be good as long as we foster an environment of innovation.  We owe business a big thanks for all that it has done for this world. Consider this my apology for turning my nose up at it when I was a kid.

The $20 MBA.

This is the book that no MBA Director wants you to read:
www.fourhourworkweek.com/
I think it is a book every MBA student should read.  
---------------------
Last night, on my way out of the grocery store, I ran into a fellow Crosby MBA student that mentioned an interest in reading about local entrepreneurs.  Currently, I am working on developing some material on the subject, but for now, this is the perfect book for anyone that is interested in developing their own business.


In fact, even if you have zero interest in launching your own venture, this book is worthwhile because it offers numerous tips on how to work more efficiently and free-up time to go pursue activities that matter most in your life.


Tim Ferriss is an expert in "lifestyle design."  To get a better understanding of what this actually is and how it can benefit you, a.) read his book, b.) read his blog or c.) read them both.

This post is a bit cryptic. I've written it this way intentionally.  


If you have read the book or have input related to Ferriss' advice, please post your thoughts!

I Need a Beer!

Surprise!  I like beer.  Hooray for Beer!  Alright, enough of that.

The beer industry is fascinating--cool logos, fun atmosphere and a social product. And, in true Missouri form (Home of Anheuser Busch, Boulevard, Schlafly, O'Fallon) I thought it would make sense to discuss the beer biz a little.


As an undergrad at The University of Washington (That's Seattle, not DC, not WashU) I was the beer writer for the University Daily newspaper.  Any interest in reading some old columns about NW microbrews?  Go here: 


http://dailyuw.com/2000/10/6/n6.beercolumn/
http://dailyuw.com/2000/10/13/n6.maltandhop/
http://dailyuw.com/2000/10/20/n7.brewery/
http://dailyuw.com/2000/10/27/n8.beer/
http://dailyuw.com/2000/11/20/n6.maltandhop/


Otherwise, here is a link to an article about the largest craft brewers in the United States:
http://bit.ly/buNuSz


This would be a good place to start with a search on finding an "in" into the beer biz.  Also, listed below are some fun facts that I have learned about some of these companies over the years during my beer "research."
 --Harpoon:  Each year they throw a gigantic Oktoberfest party on the Boston Waterfront. It seems like half the city attends!
--Magic Hat: Has grown significantly in the last 5 years mostly due to its acquisition by North American Breweries.
--Deschutes:  Based in Bend, Oregon which is consistently ranked as one of the best towns to live in America.  The brewery is located on the Deschutes River which runs through downtown.
--Pyramid: Another NW product. It's brewery is located across the street from Safeco field in downtown Seattle.
--Spoetzl: Brewer of Shiner Bock, Lance Armstrong's favorite brew.
--New Belgium:  Promote a circus-like bicycle tour that visits multiple bike and beer friendly towns each summer.


Here are some of my personal favorite breweries:
--Bear Republic Brewing: Racer 5 might be the best IPA
--Ska Brewing: Located in Durango, CO--visit!
--Port Brewing: The ultimate SoCal surf brewery.
--Mammoth Brewing: Also home to Mammoth Mountain, a top-rated ski resort.
--Elysian Brewing: Located in the funky Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle
--Big Time Brewery: My personal Seattle favorite. They mix coffee grounds into their "Old Rip Stout."


Cheers!

Semper Paratus, Fidelis, Fortis...

During a morning meeting about an hour ago I was expressing my excitement about the CIA information session on campus today. The job descriptions are incredible! But, then again, I love intense and highly stressful tasks.


Prior to attending the Crosby MBA program, I served as a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer in the US Coast Guard (which I'm sure most of you know) and, at times, really miss the military camaraderie and challenges associated with the job description.

Fortunately, there is still a small window of opportunity to get back "in" to that lifestyle. If, like me, you are in search of a job that provides a huge sense of purpose, I highly suggest you consider one of the branches of the military.


What is great about our Armed Forces is that there are hundreds of job opportunities you probably never knew exist. Linguistic, Accounting, Special Operations, Flight, Search and Rescue, Environmental, Supply Chain, and many other careers are possible. Combine that with decent pay, the opportunity to travel and the best health care in the States and the US Military is a great option!


Don't be afraid to at least look. And, I am more than happy to answer any of your questions!


http://www.airforce.com/
http://www.goarmy.com/
http://www.navy.com/navy/
http://www.gocoastguard.com/
http://www.marines.com/


Keep in mind there are also opportunities with Reserve Units.

Non-Traditional Employment, Part II

You might recall I wrote a piece about non-traditional employment a little more than a week ago  and posted a link to a Businessweek article that featured ~20 recent graduates and their back-up employment plans.

One of the vignettes that caught my eye was of a University of Washington (my alma mater) MBA student named Eddie Minkoff.  He listed an interest in Product Development but when his plans didn't go as expected, he ended up climbing mountains all over the world--sounds like my kind of work!

This last week I tracked Minkoff down and asked him about his journey and where he ended up.  Here is a snippet of our conversation:

EM: The short answer is I did end up travelling after finishing up my internship at T-Mobile, ultimately spending 5 months in Iceland, East Africa, India, and Nepal. I came back to Seattle in February and the job market was still bad. I took a mountaineering course and got involved with a second non-profit called Intercity Outings, which is a part of the Sierra Club that takes disadvantaged K-12 students on outdoor trips to gain an appreciation for nature.

The last component is that I'm working as a contractor for Microsoft right now in Product Development for the Bing search engine. Still shooting for the product management in a consumer company path, but nothing there yet.

Coffee as a career?

Part of my daily routine is to get a coffee in the morning--Many of you know (despite the fact I am a Washingtonian/Seattleite), I am not a huge fan of Starbucks, so Bucky's usually isn't part of the weekly coffee "circuit." However, many of you don't know that there is a new coffee joint on campus (Vida Coffee Co.) across the street from the Rec Center.  A cup of joe there is not too shabby, but don't take my word for it, check it out yourself!

Anyway, I happened to find a coffee industry magazine there this morning and couldn't put it down.  First, most of the articles were accompanied by beautiful Central American landscapes or funky NW coffee houses and second, I had no idea how elaborate the coffee biz actually is.

This lead me to start looking up careers in the coffee industry, which is where this blog comes in.  Here are some links to coffee company websites that are hiring:

http://www.gmcr.com/careers.html

http://bit.ly/4cfEfS

http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/careers.jsp

http://www.starbucks.com/career-center

Job search--what does that person do?

For some of us, the most difficult aspect of job-hunting is trying to figure out exactly what job title we should be searching for.  For example, what is the difference between a real-estate analyst and an analyst in the biotech industry?  And, what do brand managers, hedge fund managers and human resource managers actually do on a day-to-day basis?

Do you know what industry you would like to work in? --Media, Manufacturing, Technology, Telecom, Transportation, Health Care....?

There are multiple resources available in BCS to find answers to these questions, including a book named "The MBA Career Bible."

If you find yourself applying to a wide range of jobs with little focus or direction, I suggest you stop by! I read all about sales and sales management in the pharmaceutical industry this morning and I now have a much better idea of how to proceed with my search.

Happy job hunting!

Not looking for traditional employment?

As I sit in the BCS office each day I see the excitement on the faces of undergrads immediately before they interview.  Actually, a few MBA students pass through here too--be sure to say "hello!"

When I graduated from the University of Washington I can remember getting excited about the possibility of interviewing and landing any job.  However, I've gotten older (done laughing at the old man joke yet?) and am getting more picky in my job selection process. I want to be a difference-maker, add value to an organization and find employment with a highly-ethical company.  My standards today, unlike a decade ago, are much, much higher.  Just working any old job doesn't sound very appealing.

But, what if nothing pans out for me (or you) in the traditional job arena?  Recently, I found a link to a BusinessWeek article that features numerous people that faced the same issue.  You can find the article here:

http://bit.ly/dXF8r

Saint Louis Top Companies

I love lists. People that know me well understand the infatuation.  This is not the forum to even begin to try and explain myself, but for your benefit, I have found a really cool list of companies in the St. Louis area that are considered great places to work.


Go here: http://bit.ly/96z9n0

You'll notice that the first company listed is Nestle Purina...If you haven't made the connection yet, our MBA Director, Joe Stephens was once an employee of the company.  Next time you see him be sure to ask him about his thoughts on Fancy Feast cat food!

No Jobs on CSO?

While I've watched the number of jobs posted on CSO (not sure what the acronym stands for) range from 65-95 this past week, I have heard quite a few grumblings among MBA students that none of the companies recruiting on campus interest them.

And, to top it all off, a lot of the jobs are also aimed at hiring undergrads...the horror, the horror.

No need to worry, though.  When you log into the database take the time to click on the 'Employer Directory' tab.  If you do not fill in any of the search fields, your search will yield ~740 listings!  Of course, some of the listings are obsolete, but at one point in time these companies had a connection with The University of Missouri.

We all know that job hunting can be fun but usually turns out to be a tedious endeavor.  Hopefully this tip will keep your spirits up!

If not, maybe this photo will put you in a good mood:

Davidson Surface/Air, St. Louis, MO

Attention:  Logisticians!

In a recent edition of the St. Louis Business Journal, Davidson Surface/Air, an International Logistics company was featured due to their acquisition of several new aerospace contracts.  Here is a more specific description of the company taken from their web-site:

"After 28 years of growth, Davidson Surface / Air has evolved into an International Logistics Company doing business around the United States as well as Canada, England, Denmark, and Japan. Our fleet is over 50 power units that are owned and maintained by Davidson Surface / Air."


The author of the article also noted that the company "expects to hire between 10 and 17 more employees by mid-2011."  


Does this mean there will definitely be jobs directly applicable to MBA students? No.  But, there is a chance!  Students interested in logistics/operations should keep this company on their radar.


To read the article, visit: stlouis.bizjournals.com and type in Davidson Surface/Air into the search query.
If you aren't sure what a logistician does, go here: http://bit.ly/ayfWv8

Career Skills and Coffee no longer! / Garmin

The Career Skills and Coffee Seminar was not generating enough interest, so it has been replaced by this blog.  Stay updated with this site as it will contain regular posts related to companies hiring on campus, city profiles, interesting business news and other features.

Many of the job postings you find on CSO are located in the Kansas City area, but there are a plethora of companies that are hiring and not necessarily making routine MU campus visits.  One company in particular worth mentioning is Garmin.

For those of you not familiar with the name, Garmin manufactures navigation and communication devices to make our daily lives easier. What I find especially interesting about this company is not only the fact that the headquarters are in KC, but each of their products is highly innovative and cutting edge. From watches and cell phones to helicopter avionics and tracking systems for hunting dogs, Garmin is worth checking out.

The company is also the main sponsor of one of the top cycling teams in the world: Team Garmin/Transitions.