Women's Leadership Blog

MBA Series Part 2: Your Candidacy - Community Service/Extracurricular Activities

Business schools pride themselves on training future leaders, not just educating a bunch of people who know how to calculate an IRR and overuse the word “leverage.”  They look out for individuals who are concerned about doing great work and improving the world around them.  Some young business people feel that even though they have not prioritized “extracurricular” activities early in their careers, they will definitely emphasize these sorts of activities once they are more established.  However, more often than not, the patterns we establish towards community activities early in our careers remain fairly steady.  If you feel that your commitment over the last several years to outside causes does not reflect the balance you want to establish in your life…well, put your money where your mouth is and get involved.

 Leverage your interests

Why are extracurricular activities important to begin with?

• They show that an individual is multi-dimensional.  They demonstrate interests, passions, and personality.
• Being involved outside of work shows that you can balance multiple commitments.
• They can show that you have a larger view of the world – that you see what is happening outside of your office and you are interested in being involved and contributing in some way. 
• They make you a more interesting person – someone that can contribute to the diversity and vitality of a class and alumni network.
• It’s an opportunity to demonstrate qualities such as creativity, leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and initiative.

 

If you haven’t been participating in outside activities, look up a few opportunities on the internet and get involved next weekend.  It’s really as simple as that, to be honest.  Candidates who get involved even early in the year they apply will have a six- or even nine-month track record by the time apps are due.  Or, if you have been involved with outside activities over the last couple of years, consider stepping your activities up a notch.  

 

When thinking about ways to become more involved, don’t get hung up on traditional volunteer work.  There are many, many ways to become involved and highlight your unique contributions.  A good place to start is with your own interests and passions.  Think hard about what excites you, and how you can leverage those interests. 

 

 

 

 

Founded in 2001, Stacy Blackman Consulting has helped thousands of MBA applicants gain admission to the most selective business schools in the world.  The Stacy Blackman team, comprised of MBA graduates, former admissions officers and expert writers, editors and marketers, helps clients develop and implement a winning marketing strategy.  Stacy Blackman clients have a significantly increased probability of admission to top schools and are frequent recipients of merit scholarships.  The company is regularly featured in publications such as BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist.   Visit the Stacy Blackman blog for daily news updates and admissions tips, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school by school guidance.

Rethink Networking

A guest post by Lynn Harris:

Why you should view networking as an essential leadership competency

 

 Many of my coaching clients either say they don’t like networking, or they simply don’t have the time for it. They say things like:

“People who network contact me only when they want something.”

“Networking events are awful. They are full of people thrusting business cards into my hand while looking over my shoulder for someone who might be more useful.”

“I don’t have the time or the energy to network. At the end of the day all I want to do is get home to see my kids before they go to bed.”

In the light of such comments, it might be helpful to clarify what networking is not about.

It’s not about exchanging business cards, working a room, having unproductive lunch or coffee meetings, sucking up to important people or manipulating others for your own benefit.

What networking is about is building strategic business relationships as a core leadership competency.

Why bother?

Building a network of professional relationships enables you to:

• Develop your leadership capacity by accessing diverse perspectives and relevant information from which you can gain new insights and make intelligent decisions.
• Influence successfully within your industry/profession and across your organization.
• Support others within your network of relationships.
• Get the support you need to be even more successful in your current role.
• Influence your career progression.
• And gain energy and stimulation from interesting people.

Taking networking seriously as a core leadership competency can make the difference between :

Being a good leader who is stuck you your current role, to an excellent leader who is going places;

Being a member of a profession, and a respected leader of that profession;

Being a person whose sphere of influence is small, to a leader who is known and respected by many;

And being a person who thinks and acts strategically to manage your career, and someone who reacts to career opportunities if and when they come along.

If you have so far viewed networking as a “nice to do if I had the time” it would be wise to rethink your approach and view it as “an essential leadership attribute I need to master.”

How to take a more strategic approach

 

A reactive approach to networking goes something like: “I will set aside five hours per week to network.” This doesn’t usually work because you are creating a task out of a perceived need.

As soon as more immediate needs come along, this task drops off the end of your to-do list.

A more strategic approach is to create a diverse network of relationships as a way of life. This means you need to:

• Be open and available to make contact with people around you, rather than burying your head in tasks.
• Find ways to invest in and become an asset to others.
• Dig your well before you’re thirsty – build your network of relationships through investing in others long before you need help or support from the people in your network.
• Build relationships all the time, as a way of life. We all have opportunities to develop relationships every day, both inside and outside of our organizations – take them.
• Be interested and interesting – building a network of relationships requires mutual connection where both parties are stimulated by the interaction.
• Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself – women, in particular, have a reputation for putting others’ needs and interests before their own, which might be an admirable quality but will not result in mutual connections and a network of mutually beneficial relationships.
• Be a connector – make introductions and bring individuals and groups together.
• Join professional networks where you can make new contacts, be exposed to diverse thinking and build new friendships.
• Follow through – reconnect and stay in touch with people.

In today’s organizations, building and maintaining networks of mutually beneficial professional relationships is the way we do business and progress our careers.

Just in case you hadn’t realized it – networking has become an essential leadership competency, not a “nice to do if I had the time.”

If you want more in-depth advice on how to build networks of strategic professional relationships, you will find a chapter in Unwritten Rules: What Women Need To Know About Leading In Today's Organizations.

 

About Lynn Harris:

Lynn Harris brings over 20 years of managerial, leadership and consulting experience in large organizations. She runs her own executive development practice based in Montreal, Canada where she specializes in executive coaching, team development and meeting facilitation. She also works internationally with colleagues from Europe delivering organizational change projects and leadership development workshops. 

Author: Unwritten Rules What Women Need To Know About Leading In Today's Organizations 
www.unwrittenrulesthebook.com

 

 

MBA Application Series: Part 1

As the MBA application season is quickly approaching, FWL in partnership with Stacy Blackman Consulting is launching a new series of articles that will give you helpful tips on how to make progress in your application process. If you are interested in MBA mentorship program that is kicking off soon, please sign up here.

Your Candidacy: Transcript Issues to Consider

Many applicants have a selective memory when it comes to their transcript.  They remember the 3.8 in their psychology major but have somehow blocked out the C in Calculus and the overall 2.7.  Your transcript is what it is, and it will not change, no matter how many classes you take after the fact.  However, if you have low grades, there are things you can do to somewhat offset the damage.  The following are some potential transcript issues that can be tackled head on with a bit of advance planning:

 

• Low Overall GPA – A low overall GPA may raise a red flag for an admissions committee.  They are seeking individuals with a track record of excellence, who prioritize academics and achievement, and who have the ability to excel academically.  By taking a few classes now, you can offset some of their concerns.  While straight A’s in post-undergraduate courses will not erase your original transcript, you can demonstrate that you have the ability to excel academically, that you have identified a weakness and are making an effort to rectify it, that you are committed to learning, and that you can balance multiple commitments successfully.  All of this can help mitigate the damage done by poor undergraduate performance. 

 

• Low grades in business or quantitative classes – Even if your overall GPA is high, if the two classes that you bombed were Calculus and Statistics, this could cause concerns about your ability to excel in a rigorous business school curriculum.  For some of the same reasons detailed above, taking relevant classes now will help to put the admissions committee at ease. 

 

• No business or quantitative courses on the transcript – If you are currently in a business role that does not require fluency with business or numbers, and you do not have any of these types of courses on your transcript, you might consider taking a class now. This will demonstrate an awareness of your deficiencies and help to provide a level of comfort around your abilities. 

 

Finally, if you do plan to take some extra classes, some suggested courses to take are Calculus, Statistics, and Accounting.  These basics will set the groundwork for a typical MBA curriculum. 

 

 

Founded in 2001, Stacy Blackman Consulting has helped thousands of MBA applicants gain admission to the most selective business schools in the world.  The Stacy Blackman team, comprised of MBA graduates, former admissions officers and expert writers, editors and marketers, helps clients develop and implement a winning marketing strategy.  Stacy Blackman clients have a significantly increased probability of admission to top schools and are frequent recipients of merit scholarships.  The company is regularly featured in publications such as BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist.   Visit the Stacy Blackman blog for daily news updates and admissions tips, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school by school guidance.

Featured Leader - Ciji Saso: One Woman to Watch

Guest post by Kate Stence

Question #1: Tell us a bit about your background.

I’m the eldest of two sisters and grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. I attended the University of San Francisco and graduated with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. Afterward I took a few classes at Stanford Business School. This experience led to my interest in industrial psychology and helped me find my current job at Lucasfilm in their Training & Organizational Development department. Alongside this, I am an active volunteer and advocate for human rights. I am an AmeriCorps graduate, and have continued serving the community through a variety of non-profits throughout the San Francisco Bay area. My most recent work has been with C.E.O Women, HandsOn Bay Area, and FWL as a member of the events committee

Question #2: Why did you decide to work in the field of human resources, specifically training and organizational development? How does this compliment your work with women and girl rights?

I work in the field of Training because it allows me to be in an environment where the growth and development of individuals is the focus. By working in a creative company, I am encouraged to think about new and innovative ways about getting my job done, which I really enjoy. My work in the area of training and organizational development has taught me so much about being an effective leader and understanding the importance of strategy to move forward with and carry out my visions and goals. I have been able to take these skills and apply them in my advocacy and volunteer work with groups that are committed to social change and strengthening the lives of girls and women all over the world.

Question #3: What are the biggest work-related challenges you have faced? How did you overcome them?

One challenge that I have faced has been balancing my time between my full-time job and my work in the non-profit world. For a while it felt that my life was pieced apart and I was getting pulled in two very different directions. I have come to realize that what I do in the space of organizational development and training holds a lot of value for non-profits and leaders in the community. Reversely, the constant drive for change and out of box thinking that non-profits are so good at has been beneficial to my personal development. By making connections in these different areas of my life I have been able to find a healthy balance, and at the same time bring a new way of thinking to the very different spaces that I work in.

Question #4: Tell us about the mentors you have had in your life (male/female).

My Mom. She has taught me and continues to teach me everyday the importance of honesty, standing up for what you believe in, and being fearless about life. She cares about the world and has shown me the impact that service can have on individuals and families that are fighting poverty and the many other injustices that afflict our world.

Question #5: Anything you wish you had known when you were in the very beginning stages of your career?

 Speak your mind and don’t be afraid to ask questions even if no one else is.

Question #6: What are leadership qualities you value most in others?

Listening really well. Curiosity. Passion. A desire for change. Asking really good questions.

Question #7: What is your greatest achievement?

Completing over 300 hours of AmeriCorps service in one year while simultaneously working a full-time job.

Question #8: Who inspires you?
My mother and sisters. Margaret Atwood, Mahnaz Afkhami, Gloria Steinem—the pioneers of our world.

Question #9: Do you have a mission statement or a tenet that you try to live by?

It’s important to have a strong voice in the world, that it’s okay to be different and try something new. When you take a risk and step outside of the norm this is when real change can happen. Elizabeth Blackwell really captured this spirit when she said, “It is not easy to be a pioneer—but oh, it is fascinating! I would not trade one moment, even the worst moment, for all the riches in the world.”

Question #10: Do you have work/life balance?

Yes, work/life balance is extremely important to me. Having a multifaceted life brings so much opportunity for growth and development. My family, the relationships I have with others, my volunteer work, reading, traveling allow me to have a greater awareness of the world around me. Even having to consider whether you have work/life balance, I think, is a privilege. I am truly grateful about everything that I have in my life and will continue to do my part to advocate for a better world for those in need.

 

Kate Stence is a writer, editor, and an avid endurance runner for SoleMates/Girls on the Run International and Run for Congo for Women/Women for Women International. She recently completed South Africa’s 85^th Comrades Marathon, a 56 mile endurance event for SoleMates. Currently, she resides in Paris, France and is the Associate Editor and a Blog Columnist for the International Museum of Women. Check out her writing at Her Blueprint.

Blowing the whistle on dragon lady bosses: why men prefer male managers and women do too

Guest post by Jen Dalitz:

New research from the Tuck School of Business has shown that 90% of female MBA students prefer a male boss.  A 2009 survey of 2,000 British working women revealed 63% would prefer a male over a female boss.  And a 2008 survey from the University of Toronto highlighted that women working under a sole female supervisor reported more distress and physical stress symptoms than women working under a lone male supervisor.  

So what is going on here?  Are all female bosses dragon ladies?  And if everyone prefers working for a male boss, what does this mean for the sphinxx vision of seeing women equally represented in leadership roles?

While it’s one thing for movies like The Devil Wears Prada and The Proposal to portray women bosses as dragon ladies, do the movies actually mirror your experience?  Is it history that sets the stereotypical gender of a boss as male, or all other things being equal, do women and men actually prefer men as bosses?

When I received an article from one of the sphinxx leadership program members, with links to the ForbesWomen views on Male Vs. Female Bosses I have to say I was stunned by some of the comments: “Women have been evil bosses to me in the past”; “A man any day of the week”; “Female bosses are either b*tches or bimbos”.  Wow.

For my part, I’ve had some spectacularly bad bosses who were men.  I’ve had great bosses that are men too, and a couple of wonderful women bosses who remain mentors to me today.  I haven’t had any dragon lady bosses, thank goodness, but I acknowledge that some people have.  I wonder what your experience is - whether you’re male or female - and if there’s anything women who aspire to leadership roles could learn from it.

I’ve been trying to think back to the men and women bosses I’ve had over the years, and whether there where any discernable differences in their management styles.  One thing that strikes me is that most of the women were more efficient and effective - they were really certainly caring, but also very focused on the business outcomes and had a track record in delivery.  Some of the men on the other hand were more, well, “fun”.  You know, they were lighthearted, they were the first to round up the team and take us to the pub to celebrate our wins, and apart from the odd crisis at work, they appeared otherwise to have not a care in the world, which may have made them seem more approachable.  And one big difference is that all of my male bosses had wives who managed their life away from work.  Many of these wives made a full time job of looking after their home and family and, in turn, my boss... so I wonder if that played a part in how these boss blokes were perceived. And whether the fact that my female bosses didn't have a "wife" made them - out of necessity - that bit more task oriented.

It’s just a sneaking suspicion... and I could be wrong... but I know in my case it’s the stuff away from work that very much drives how my colleagues and staff perceive me.  When the pressure is on away from work, it crosses over to my work life as well.  But maybe that's just me...

If you’re a woman reading this blog, I’d love you to not only to discuss this topic with your peers, and share your views, but also to forward it on to your male colleagues and bosses for their opinion.  And blokes: truly, we’re up for it.  Tell us what you think it will take to improve perceptions of women at the top and get involved in the discussion. I'd love to hear from you all on this very important issue.

 

Jen Dalitz is obsessed with getting more women into leadership roles, in our workplaces and communities. As the sheEO and founder of sphinxx, the network for female senior managers, she runs the wildly successful Ascend development days, publishes a weekly newsletter of tips, resources and articles for working women, and mentors, advocates for and consults on topics relating to working women.

Impeccable Word

A guest post by Nancy Shields:

Don Miguel Ruiz states in his book The Four Agreements, “Be impeccable with your word, speak with integrity, and say only what you mean.  Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others.  Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”  It is so refreshing when someone tells you they are going to do something and they actually do it.  I’m sure this can surprise you since we as a society are accustomed to people not doing what they say.  As a human, the word is a most powerful tool.  It’s the tool of magic.  But like a two edged sword, your word can create a most incredible dream, or the word can shatter everything around you.  

On one side you have the misuse of the word which creates hell on earth and the other side is the impeccable word, which creates love, beauty and bliss.  The word can set you free or it can imprison you more than you can imagine.  The incredible magic within you is all based on your word.  The word is pure magic that comes out of your mouth, or it can be black magic if misused.  I will tell you that is possible – it’s possible when practiced daily – if I can do it – you can do it – I am not better than you.  We are humans with the same kind of brain and bodies.  No excuses, you too can have the impeccable word.  

The word is the closest thing to us – we use our language to express ourselves daily – why not use it in a positive impeccable way.  Remember people may not remember you for very long, but they will always remember the way you make them feel.  This is accomplished by your word, your actions, your attitude.  Think of a person you know that tells you one thing and then never follows through.  I’m sure you get tired of all their idle chatter and probably you eventually distance yourself.  Now think of the person that tells you something and then follows through with what they say.  They are a delight to be around since you can trust their word.  The impeccable word - do as you say and say what you mean.

Remember, may the possibilities of today excite us ALL!

Author Bio:  I am a woman with a passion to inspire and encourage women to be better women for themselves and for this world.  I am creator/founder of a social networking website www.makegirlfriends.com where women can meet, share and inspire one another.  My blog can be found at blog.makegirlfriends.com.

Free tickets to 'The Magic of Instant Connections' by Ori Brafman the co-author of "Click"

 

Why do we click with some people and not with others?

In CLICK (June; Broadway Books) co-author Ori Brafman looks at the research across psychology, behavioral economics, neuroscience and sociology to unravel this mystery at the heart of romantic, sexual and friend relationships.

He looks to science to explore:

·        What happens in our brains when we click with someone?

·        How we can accelerate clicking with someone we would like to get attached to?

·        How to predict what type of person we might click with?

·        What we should do after we click with someone to maintain chemistry for an 
         enduring relationship?

·        How clicking with someone elevates our performance in everything including
         success at work?


Ori Brafman is also author of the New York Times bestseller SWAY: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, which was called “provocative” (New York Times), “breezy” (Wall Street Journal) and “amiable,” (USA Today). Ori holds a BA in peace and conflict studies from Berkeley and an MBA from Stanford Business School. He has appeared on ABC-TV’s “Nightline,” CNBC, and the Fox Business Network. 

 

 

Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 

Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM  

Venue: MySpace offices, 625 Second Street , San Francisco, CA 92107

This event is hosted by Girls in Tech, who have generously offered 10 free tickets to this event for FWL!

The free tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so HURRY and register now!

To register, go to http://oribrafmanauthorchat.eventbrite.com/event/731351492 and enter the discount code "FutureWomenPromo" to reserve your free space!

 

Featured Leader - Molly Barker: On Being Our Best

Molly Barker, MSW and four-time Hawaii Ironman triathlete, founded Girls on the Run® in 1996. To date, she remains the Founder and Vision Keeper of Girls on the Run, a life-changing, experiential learning program for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The program combines training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the program are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, and physical development. The mission is to educate and prepare girls for a life time of self-respect and healthy living. Please check out Girls on the Run at http://www.girlsontherun.org.

SoleMates is the adult charity running leg of Girls on the Run® (GOTR). The program gives girls the finest example of healthy living. Learn more at http://www.girlsontherunsolemates.org.

Question #1: Tell me a bit about your background.
I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. My southern roots influenced much of how I viewed the world as a young adult. I started running when I was fifteen years old. I also started participating in some very risky and unhealthy behaviors around the same time. In spite of the risks I was taking in my personal life, I graduated from college with a Chemistry degree and several years later with a Master's in Social Work. I competed at an elite level in the sport of triathlon, but discovered in my early 30's that much of what I was "chasing" wasn't attainable. I hit bottom at age 32. On July 7, 1993 while out on a sunset run I had an epiphany that eventually led to my developing the Girls on the Run program.

Question #2: Why did you decide to work in the field of women and girl rights?
I've always been interested in serving the underdog. Growing up in the South in the 60's and 70's, women were one of the underdogs. I couldn't understand why in spite of our intelligence, strength, and perseverance, we were unable to reach our greatest potential.

Question #3: What are the biggest work-related challenges you have faced? How did you overcome them?
At Girls on the Run, we talk a lot about the Girl Box. The Girl Box is an imaginary place girls go around middle school where we begin to morph into what we think we "should be" rather than staying true to our authentic selves. My greatest challenges have come from my own self-perceptions. Sure, our culture may box women in, but I have a choice to live life from inside that Box and all of its perceived limitations or I can intentionally live outside of it-choosing a path that honors the power I possess (in fact, the power that we all possess) which allows all of my gifts and talents to be utilized to their fullest capacity.

Question #4: Tell me about the mentors you have had in your life (male/female).
My mother was one of my greatest mentors.
When I was in fifth grade, my mother bravely stepped outside of her Girl Box and pursued a life that was authentic, alive, and honest. She began speaking up, standing up for her beliefs, and living!
My son, Hank, is one of my greatest mentors. He is a teenager and pursuing his dreams. He is fearless in his ability to be himself, in spite of the powerful (and often negative) influences of our culture's views of adolescence. My daughter, too, is full of life, radiant, and present.

Question #5: Anything you wish you had known when you were in earlier stages of your career?
I wish I had understood the importance of quiet time, reflection, and "slowing down." I had difficulty managing the perceived stress. Stress, of course, isn't real. Stress is the result of our own perceptions on what is going on around us, but I can clearly remember how stressed out I allowed myself to be in the early days of starting Girls on the Run. And as I write, I realize so much of our development as women isn't something we can force. It just happens through experience. As I always say, we don't know what we don't know. What I know now, certainly existed years ago, I just wasn't ready or yet able to see it.

Question #6: What are leadership qualities you value most in others?
I think there are two traits of key importance in leadership: Listening and being present. Leaders do not exist without the presence of others and so much of what creates a powerful leadership experience is being able to listen to those we serve as well as be present with them.

Question #7: What is your greatest achievement?
I'm in the process of accomplishing it, recognizing and achieving my greatest human potential.

Question #8: Who inspires you?
My children. I love them so much. I observe with joy in my heart how they are blazing a trail of their own. They see the world as limitless! They unconditionally love me and those around them. I seek to become more child-like and live life as they choose to live it!

Question #9: Do you have a mission statement or a tenet that you try to live by?
Yes, my mission is to inspire others to know and feel their worth.

Question #10: Do you have work/life balance?
I'm getting there. Stress is completely a perceived state of being. The quickest way to bring myself back to center in the work/life balance is almost embarrassingly simple. BREATHE. Breathing deeply gives me a momentary break from what feels like or appears to be chaos around me and pulls me right into center, then I am more capable of handling whatever is happening around me. On a larger scale, breathing deeply throughout the day brings peace and calm to my work/life balance that permeates everything I do, both throughout the day and throughout my life.

 

Kate Stence is a writer, editor, and an avid endurance runner. She has studied 18th Century Literature at the University of California Berkeley, feminist theory at Mills College, the French language at the Sorbonne, creative writing at New York University and the University of Iowa, as well as poetry at the Barnard Center for Research on Women. She recently completed the 85th Comrades Marathon, a 56 mile endurance event in South Africa, for Girls on the Run International and SoleMates. She will begin blogging for the International Museum of Women (www.imowblog.blogspot.com) as of July from Paris, France.

MBA Application tips: How to improve your candidacy

Guest post by Stacy Blackman Consulting

All aspects of the MBA application process will benefit from careful preparation. From your initial planning all the way to the interview, there is a lot to gain from investing hours up front. If you are planning to apply to business school in the fall, you may be wondering what you can do now to prepare. Aside from solidifying career goals and researching target schools, you can take several actions to improve your candidacy now that will pay dividends in the fall.

 

Community Involvement

Now is a great time to deepen or establish your involvement with a community organization. Consider roles that will allow you to take a leadership position and create real impact before September. Offering to organize an event is a great discrete activity that will allow you to work in a team, have an impact, and show results. For more information on various opportunities to get involved, visit our post on extracurricular activities.

 

Academic Enhancement

Whether you had issues with your GMAT score or your undergrad GPA, you can take action now to improve your overall academics before the fall.

 

If you took the GMAT once or twice and did not receive the score you think you are capable of, consider a prep course to enhance your skills and remind you how to solve those high school math logic problems.

An undergrad GPA hovering around 3.5 is generally considered fine. If your GPA is a 3.2 or below, or you majored in liberal arts, you may consider taking quantitative classes to enhance your academic profile. The MBA canon generally consists of Calculus, Statistics and Microeconomics. If you took any of those classes in undergrad and scored a C or below you should certainly re-take the classes now. Where you take the class is much less important than the course material and grade (aim for A's!!). The local community college is a fine option.

 

Leadership and Management Potential

Being promoted between now and the fall would be the ideal scenario, but you don't have to wait for your boss to act in order to enhance your overall leadership and management potential for business school applications.

 

Volunteer for that cross-functional team or project, offer to help your boss with a tough long-term goal, or get involved with employee groups at work whether through volunteering in the community or promoting diversity in your company. Letting others at work know you are interested in developing your people skills may uncover more opportunities to go above and beyond, and provide great material for your resume and essays.

 

As you prepare for application season, make sure you are taking action that lines up with your passions and overall goals. If you are preparing for your long-term future with excitement, you will be far more effective!

Please register for FWL MBA Application Workshop hosted by Stacy Blackman Consulting here.

Stacy Blackman MBA Admissions Consulting - personalized, comprehensive assistance with every stage of the application process.

MBA Admissions Panel: The Experts Speak

Calling all potential MBAs!

Thinking about going to business school? Studying for the GMAT? Mulling over the application essays?

The Harvard Club of San Francisco invites FWL members and friends to participate in a lively and interactive panel discussion with representatives of three of the world's top business schools on June 29 at the University Club. They'll be discussing curriculum
enhancements, job market prospects, global exchanges and
opportunities, and of course, admissions trends.

Hosted by Betsy Massar, Founder of Master Admissions and graduate of Harvard Business School, presenters include:

• Kirsten Moss, Director of Admissions, Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Hilary Caplan Somorjai, HBS '96, Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member and Career Coach
• Archana Ravichandran, Wharton MBA '08, Alumni Interviewer
• Erin Kellerhals, Associate Director of Admissions, Berkeley Haas
Full-time MBA Program
Plus, chat with recent b-school graduates during the networking
sessions before and after the panel discussion.

Cash bar, with complimentary appetizers

Open to Harvard Club/Ivy Plus Club members and their guests.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010
6 pm cocktails, program at 7 pm
University Club
800 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
$15 members of HCSF and co-sponsoring orgs
$25 non-members
Registration required by: 6/28/2010

Register here.