What can I do while I'm on vacation? |
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Enjoy reading? Before school starts, reading is a great way to get ahead. This is one of our favorite weeks, where we share our recommended reads, sorted by topic. Let us know if you have additional suggestions!
The 100 Week Sprint team
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Got 5 minutes? Order some books!
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Got 30 minutes? Pick up one of our recommended resources below and read! Admittedly, this 30-minute segment is something you may want to do every day!
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General management / leadership
If you're considering general management or leadership rotational programs, you'll want to start familiarizing yourself with some great companies early (review career reports from your school). In addition, check out our selection of books recommended by recent graduates in leadership rotational programs.
Identify the types of people in your class and learn how to work together effectively. Do you have a tough time saying "no?" This book will help.
A fantastic book about getting things done in organizations. This is relevant to how you interact in any group, especially group projects, which are critical in most MBA experiences.
Do you have interviews in the coming months? Are you trying to launch a business? Want to convince a group to take a new direction? Need people to help with something? Power Questions will make you confident in your efforts to tackle any of the above.
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Consulting
If you're an aspiring consultant, you may be asking, "do I need to start doing cases this summer?" The answer is probably not, however, you'll want to be familiar with what cases are (our first selection), what consulting firms are like (our second selection), and how to ready yourself to actually be a great consultant (our third selection).
Thinking about consulting? Case In Point is a great piece to start to familiarize yourself with cases. You'll want to get a head-start now so that you can establish your own approach to cases throughout the fall.
Before you start running around to presentations, getting to know the firms, this book offers a great perspective into the way consultants (and in particular, McKinsey consultants) think. It is designed to be a fun read, despite being full of content and a bit dated. Perfect for a beach read :)
Do you have interviews in the coming months? Are you trying to launch a business? Want to convince a group to take a new direction? Need people to help with something? Power Questions will make you confident in your efforts to tackle any of the above.
This book (and the workbook) are a great way to get up to speed on valuation AND a great resource that regularly gets referred to at work - consultants use it as a reference book when they don't need to do valuation as often.
There's a whole series which includes some of Bain & Company's best thinking.
This is considered the bible of strategy books from an HBS guru.
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Finance and Investment Banking
Two of the most fun and engaging books about finance ever written. As a non-finance person, I have read the first book more than once and loved it each time! If you don't have much finance experience, one of the most important things you can do this summer is to get a general background on Wall Street and the ways in which finance has evolved.
We reached out to a number of people who successfully transitioned into banking (with no prior finance background) and they suggested the following as a way to get up to speed:
Must-read background on one of the biggest transactions of its era.
Get the inside scoop on a huge insider trading scandal. It will give you a broader perspective on ethical issues and Wall Street.
An entertaining read that offers a straightforward and valuable perspective on trading.
A valuable account of the most recent economic downturn. Well-written and easy to read, it provides an account of all of the major players and events.
by Roger Lowenstein
Another era, another great account of the people and the issues in finance.
by Bethany McLean
The Enron debacle defined my first year in business school and was the topic of many accounting, finance, and ethics classes (both that year and in years to come).
This book (and the workbook) are a great way to get up to speed on valuation AND a great resource that regularly gets referred to at work (bankers typically use it for early background, consultants as a reference book when they don't need to do valuation as often.
by Jerilyn Castillo
A must-have resource for any banker. Referenced by every banker we spoke to. You don't need to buy it this summer, but know that you'll see it in the future!
Final tip: Go on business school websites, and look up the finance faculty. A lot of their research is usually publicly available for download. Even if you pay $30-$40 for the perfect article that fits your interests, it is an investment that is worth it!
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Start-ups
Considering a start-up? We will have many suggestions for you over the coming months. However, for the time being, we would love to suggest books that dozens of entrepreneurs have suggested over the years. It offers powerful and practical advice for anyone considering starting a business.
by Michael E. Gerber
Are you considering launching a business? This book will save you lots of time and energy helping you to focus on your endeavor.
Want to jumpstart your client/customer base? This book divulges the secrets of referral behavior and how to use them to garner a loyal customer/client base.
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VC and PE
Take the time to read VentureBeat daily! It will help you get into the flow of deals, and identify the areas of expertise of VCs all over the world. This will prove particularly helpful given most VC recruiting occurs outside of traditional Career Services at most schools.
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Technology
A portrait of Elon Musk's life and work, this is an interesting read on one of the most influential entrepreneurs today.
This is a helpful read for establishing good practices in tech.
These insights from a tech entrepreneur and CEO will provide great perspective on how to build resilience as a leader in tech (and elsewhere, too!). On a personal note, he is one of the most passionate, driven people you will ever meet!
by Richard Susskind, Daniel Susskind
An evaluation of how tech changes the career landscape and brings up questions about the roles of technology and human workers.
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Energy
Recommended by one of our clients to anyone entering the energy space, which reads more like a novel than a history book.
While it's author is a polarizing character in the ranks of the climate change movement (in particular the role he played in the Keystone XL saga), this Rolling Stone article is definitely worth a read.
The group hosts some strong guests and you can always count on a lively discussion of the forces shaping the energy industry.
A writer for Vox, formerly with Grist, David's writing is always worth a read--whether it's about climate and energy or Game of Thrones!
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Practical tips and life hacks
by Cynthia Burnham
Get ready to project the best possible image at b-school! This book offers practical tools to improve your presence and interesting context as to why it works.
by Brian Tracy
Want to get things done quickly? A good read through this book will help.
Love getting the day off to a great start? This book offers valuable suggestions to deal with everything from reducing stress to prioritizing activities.
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Building and maintaining relationships
The relationships you build in b-school matter, and usually are as intense as any you have experienced in life. The book, while helpful for married couples or attached people, is relevant for anyone who aims to prioritize relationships.
Full of useful guidelines to building relationships that matter - a must in business school. It's particularly important to think about who will have your back outside of school.
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