Top Ten Things for You to Noodle on Before the MBA Conference

1) Set a few concrete, specific goals for yourself and work towards it. Come home with X number of new contacts. Talk to Y companies. Come home with Z number of business cards. I find that if you are intentional about your desired end state, you are much more likely to reach it!
2) Know thyself 1: What are the characteristics of work that you have enjoyed or not enjoyed in the past? What trends exist? How do those align/not align with your future opportunities? What should you try to avoid?
3) Know thyself 2: What are you looking for in a career? How do you derive satisfaction? Some vectors to consider are: Daily Challenge, Work Life Effectiveness, Investment in your Continued Development, Social Welfare, Upward Mobility, Stability, Entrepreneurial Spirit. If you had to force rank these what is the order today? What do you foresee the order being in 5 years? How do those align with where you are thinking you want to go?
4) Know thyself 3: People talk about their 30 sec pitch a lot. My test for that is – does your pitch convey your personal style? Does your passion come out? Said another way – if you heard someone give your 30 sec pitch, would you want to learn more?! J
5) Know thyself 4: If you find yourself putting off something or not “getting out there”, ask yourself why. What are you afraid of? Try to get to the root of the issue and address it head on. You might try talking to one of your new friends at the conference about what you are experiencing/ feeling.
6) Network not only with corporate contacts, but also with your peers. Your peers will be a fantastic resource in a few years. Don’t overlook this wonderful opportunity.
7) Network in a way that lays the foundation for a future relationship. Ask for contact information or a business card, write a few things from your conversation on the back of the card. Try to capture personal information like children, hometown, and points of connection. Follow up the conference with an email and use your notes to make the email meaningful.
8) When talking to companies about Work Life Effectiveness programs such as extended maternity leave, flexible work hours or work weeks, inquire not only about the presence of these programs, but also ask about the percentage of people who take advantage of them. Employees’ behavior is the best measure as to whether the program is vibrant and socially accepted in the corporate culture.
9) When trying to understand a company’s receptivity to diversity initiatives and programs, it is helpful to understand what they are doing that is new and different. Are programs mature? Is there a culture of experimentation and innovation as new issues arise?
10) When you think about which companies you’d like to work for, think about the questions above and how what they offer aligns with your desires for today, as well as how those desires might change 5 and 10 year s from now. Any observations? What are the implications?

Melissa Evers-Hood is a Finance Manager at Intel in their Software and Services Group. Her current role is to manage the financial direction for divisions spanning Intel’s externally facing enabling work for partners, including Moblin.org. Prior to this role, Melissa has worked at several other roles in Intel, Dell in Corporate Finance, and ExxonMobil as an engineer and emergency responder. She holds a BS in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Evers-Hood also leads the Female Pipeline Initiative for Finance and Diversity Recruitment team. She is a parent of two young children and has a passion for community engagement.