When does recruiting really happen?
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Andrea,
As summer kicks into high gear, it's time to start planning for next summer and your MBA internship. This week we'll take a look at the top industries and their recruiting timelines.
The 100 Week Sprint team
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Got 5 minutes? If you haven't already, update your LinkedIn profile to include your new MBA status. This will help recruiters to find you.
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Got 30 minutes? Connect with a second year student in your intended industry and find out how they approached the recruiting process.
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Got an hour? Watch the CareerBoosts panel that aligns with your industry of choice and hear how current and former students found their internships.
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When should I start recruiting?
A recurring question in our CareerBoosts webinar series was “When should I start recruiting?” The recruiting timeline for summer internships differ by industries and can often be confusing. While some industries like finance or consulting start recruiting early in the fall, other industries such as sustainability or entrepreneurship may not recruit until the spring--if they even come on campus at all!
We reached out to current and past students to explore recruiting paths and timelines for each of the different industries. While this is meant to give you a general idea, please be aware that timing varies by school.
Consulting
- Summer: Networking can start (informally), pre-school programs at some schools
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Summer: Some candidates orient themselves to case & fit interviews – a head-start that can be helpful! Watch CareerBoost on Consulting for more information.
- Fall: Applications are due in November/December for most large consulting firms
- Students spend the fall months networking and prepping for case interviews
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Interviews start in December and run through March (later in the cycle for smaller firms)
- Spring/Summer: maintain connections at top firms
Entrepreneurship
- Starting your own company? Some schools have competitions that begin early in the school year. Check on the timeline(s) for your school.
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Summer: begin exploring a few entrepreneurial ideas. Review timing for competitions and seek out interviews/connections with successful entrepreneurs. Watch the CareerBoost on entrepreneurship for more ideas.
- Fall: check out incubator programs and all other growth opportunities that students from your school have explored in the past
- Fall: consider your timeline for starting a business – if first year, get started on your ideas!
- Winter+: build out your ideas and begin applying to programs (particularly if you’re considering an incubator or fellowship program outside of school)
Finance in a Company
- Summer: explore a list of companies and roles, particularly rotational programs, that you find interesting. Connect with people to learn more about the types of roles at each firm.
- On par with Consulting and Tech, plan to spend November and December networking, applying, and interviewing
- Larger companies will conduct interviews in January and February, while smaller companies may continue to extend offers into March and April
Healthcare
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Summer: determine the size of organization and the type of path you want to follow into healthcare – be clear on the different opportunities and what aligns with your goals. Test those ideas using ProValues.
- Some people pursue consulting/banking/venture first to gain more exposure to the industry and then make the transition to a healthcare organization, others pursue healthcare roles directly
- For larger organizations, applications often open in September and extend through February. If a larger organization is of interest, especially if you have a specific one in mind, make sure you explore their career pages on their websites – many of them do not post jobs at all schools, but still accept applications. Don’t miss your favorite company!
- Start-up and mid-stage companies have much more just-in-time hiring. Plan to spend the fall networking and interviewing, with hiring starting well into the new year and continuing into the spring
Investment Banking
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Summer: learn more about the role and test your interest using ProValues. Investment banking recruiting is a big time and lifestyle commitment, and you want to do your homework in advance to ensure fit.
- Summer: connect with investment banking group to better understand course selection to ensure you are ready
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Summer: If you are new to finance, it will help to explore either Training the Street or Wall Street Prep to ensure familiarity
- Fall: Most students suggestion practicing for the technical aspects of interviews in late November to early-January after you have some of the basics from class
- Applications open in late summer and early fall with deadlines in November
- Plan to spend October, November, and December networking and interviewing
- Hiring can start as early as December, and typically finishes in January
Marketing
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Summer: Explore different types of marketing roles, from PMM roles in tech to brand management roles in CPG. Evaluate roles using ProValues.
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Start attending events in the early fall and submit applications through November
- Note: there are some exceptions for companies that start interviewing as early as October. If you have a “dream” company, make sure you explore their website to determine MBA recruiting timelines.
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The window for recruiting an internship in marketing is a lot longer than other industries and can require a lot of patience.
PE/VC
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PE recruiting begins in the fall for larger firms first, often conducted through private recruiters rather than through a formal on-campus process. Learn from career services or second year students about the expected timeline at your school.
- VC Summer: identify fellowship or internship opportunities and timing at your school.
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VC tends to not have established intern programs, so networking is key. Begin in the summer by connecting with a few VCs to learn more about their path. Our clients who have transitioned into VC emphasized the importance of aggressively networking from the beginning, seeking out Fellowships and other in-school internship opportunities, and the amount of preparation that goes into every VC recruiting conversation. Do not miss an opportunity to make a great first impression.
- Start your search and networking in the early fall, but be prepared that offers will peak later than other recruiting cycles - in early spring between February and April
- Winter: Explore venture competitions to showcase your learning.
Food/Foodtech
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Summer: determine the size of organization and the type of path you want to follow into food and foodtech– be clear on the different opportunities and what aligns with your goals. Test those ideas using ProValues.
- Some people pursue consulting/banking/venture first to gain more exposure to the industry and then make the transition to a foodtech organization, others pursue foodtech roles directly
- For larger organizations, applications often open in September and extend through February. If a larger organization is of interest, especially if you have a specific one in mind, make sure you explore their career pages on their websites – many of them do not post jobs at all schools, but still accept applications. Don’t miss your favorite company!
- Start-up and mid-stage companies have much more just-in-time hiring. Plan to spend the fall networking and interviewing, with hiring starting well into the new year and continuing into the spring
Start-ups
- Summer: begin talking with alumni early – use your .edu address to your advantage
- Summer/Fall: Prepare to articulate what types of roles are of interest.
- Expect recruiting timelines to vary greatly and extend late into the spring
- Talk with second year students to find out when startups came to campus last year
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Check out Wellfound (kind of like LinkedIn for the startup world), Crunchbase (a daily digest email) for funding announcements, and of course LinkedIn
Technology
- Similar timeline to consulting, students spend the fall networking and case prepping with interviews starting in December and January
- Larger companies tend to finish hiring in February and March, while smaller companies may extend further into the spring
- After you submit an application, you may be asked to complete a preliminary assessment activity (ex. coding assignment, project, or evaluation)
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Need a visual reminder? Click below to download our "cheat sheet" on MBA internship recruiting timelines | |
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