You have spent the past two years trudging through business case after business case, creating pro formas, and working through discounted cash flows to evaluate an organization for a pending acquisition. You’ve read enough business books to forget what it was like to read for pleasure.  Welcome to post-MBA life. Is it what you thought it would be? 

For those of us who are now burdened by massive student loans and who sacrificed and put in countless hours that took precedence over family time, we are left wondering what that generalist three-letter acronym really offers us.  What doors will open that only two years ago seemed impenetrable?  What glass ceiling can we break to give us a coveted title and financial independence? 

Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is extremely valuable for most careers and you should feel proud of your accomplishment. There is, however, a direct positive correlation (remember stats) between the value of your degree and how you leverage what you have learned, your school network and the credential itself.  Despite what many entering a program may think, an MBA is not a career panacea that will cure professional mistakes, nor will it automatically allow you to leap frog your colleagues who don’t have the degree. In fact, the number of MBA degrees earned in the past 30 years has grown tremendously—less than 5,000 in 1960 to more than 100,000 in 2000 thereby potentially tempering the allure of MBA candidates.ⁱ

 So, what now? As a Partner in an executive search firm and an MBA myself, I pondered this question the moment I graduated.  Fortunately for me, my current position has enabled me to “sample” experiences from thousands of professionals and companies to determine what aspects of an advanced degree are most marketable and how they can best be leveraged.  Some of my findings are obvious; others are more ambiguous in terms of what “should” be done to maximize your possibility of a successful, profitable career.

 The first step is to do a bit of self-reflection: Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree in the first place?  Was it required to advance within your current organization?  Was it to stay in your current vocation but pursue new company opportunities?  Was it to change careers completely … or perhaps own your own business? 

 Lane Warshaw, MBA fromKelloggBusinessSchool,NorthwesternUniversity and manager with Deloitte Consulting, says, “While attending the MBA program, I was promoted to a VP position running professional services. But a funny thing happened once I started in that role—I realized the position was not right for me and my performance suffered as a result.  My MBA combined with my career experiences provided me a laundry list of experiences to draw upon, while I search for a better professional fit.  I culled relevant learnings from my finance, operations, sales and marketing MBA classes to determine what excited me about my next career choice.” 

 Whatever your reason, here are some fundamental steps that will help your MBA work best for you. Overall, you need to determine what is best for your situation and implement them accordingly.

 Let People Know

Revise your resume.  It sounds obvious, but it doesn’t mean simply adding a footnote to your education.  Work through your entire resume and revise it to be MBA-worthy.  Determine if it meets the standards of someone deserving of a senior-level position.  Use that B-school vernacular you acquired and apply it in a way that demonstrates the value you bring to your current and previous positions.  According to Ken Van Meter, vice president operations and CTO of Prenova, Inc. and MBA graduate of the Terry College of Business at theUniversity ofGeorgia, “Focus on accomplishments or attributes that are consistent with the job you want.  If you once excelled in an area, such as operations, but want to move into sales, talk about the revenues your efforts drove or the new customers you brought to the business, talk about enhanced service metrics and team-based training.”  Changes in your resume can make a remarkable difference to hiring managers. 

Update your business cards, e-mail signature, etc.  This really depends on your comfort level.  Some job titles can benefit from adding your new degree.  Others may come across a bit boastful.  Follow the example your predecessors set. Do the execs at your company that have graduate degrees note that distinction?  Use your best judgment or ask a peer that you trust will give you honest feedback.

Update your online profile.  Whether using LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, or other web-based networking tools, update your profile to let your extended networks know you’ve earned an MBA.  With the power of search engines both internal to these tools and external such as Google, your updated information is just a few keystrokes away from someone seeking an MBA grad.

Send out an announcement.  All companies are proud of their achievers and some have systems in place for disseminating information to the company, to their customer-base, or to the general public. This can be in the form of a press release, newsletter, web site update, blog, etc.  Consult with the department responsible for communications or marketing and see if there is a process for getting the word out.  Van Meter continues, “Get an announcement placed in your undergraduate alumni news and in your professional organizations’ newsletters.  Send an email to your accumulated Outlook contacts list.  If you don’t have such a list, start it now and update it continuously.  When there is genuine news that makes a positive impression—a promotion, new job or award of some meaningful achievement, distribute the information.” Announcements such as these are a win-win for you and your company.

 Use It, or Lose It

Whether you realize it or not, throughout the process of earning your degree, your head was growing … more physiologically than psychologically speaking.  When exercising your brain, more interconnected neural circuits are established, a process called “chemical synapses.” Chemical synapses allow the neurons of the central nervous system to form interconnected circuits critical to the biological computations that trigger perception and thought. Learning and memory are believed to be a result of long-term changes in synaptic strength. 

Studies suggest that neurons are adversely affected by factors such as stress, lack of stimulation, or neurotoxins; may be hampered in their ability to form new patterns of connectivity; and may lose synaptic connections.ⁱⁱ The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Even in old age, it can grow new neurons. So most age-related losses in memory or motor skills simply result from inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation. In other words—USE IT OR LOSE IT.ⁱⁱⁱ

So what can you do?  Try re-evaluating your current corporate responsibilities and determine ways that you can apply what you have learned to create additional value for your organization.  Or better yet, apply this knowledge to areas that you believe are projects that need attention but have not been prioritized.  This will help stave off intellectual deterioration, as well as get you noticed by senior management.  Increased productivity without increased expense is a winning combination.  The value-add that you are providing your organization will not go unnoticed. 

Also, applying your MBA knowledge and skills in your current position makes a remarkable difference to future employers.  When asked what comes to mind when considering candidates with MBAs for positions, Marty Parker, vice president of operations at STO Corp. and MBA graduate of the Terry College of Business at theUniversity ofGeorgia, states: “I believe a strong candidate speaks the same business language I do, similar to connecting through a foreign language. An MBA provides a way to view business disciplines such as finance, accounting, competition, consolidation, corporate governance and marketing in a unique way. With a few simple questions about previous roles, I can determine what the candidate really learned and whether or not they have applied that learning. An MBA actively in use is the only way it has value.” 

 Take Advantage of School Resources

 Utilize the career center. Every reputable college and university has a career center for the purpose of helping students make sound, practical decisions regarding career choices.  The resources provided can range anywhere from structured networking events to career counseling.  Often these resources can help students focus on their strengths and career aspirations. 

 Join your school’s Alumni association and stay involved with your school.  You are undoubtedly receiving communications in the form of email, post mail, phone calls, et al from your alma mater.  Read those notices and attend events of interest to you personally and professionally. This is one of those things you have to “make” time for.  Find an event, put it on your calendar, and commit to attending. It’s an easy way to have something in common with nearly everyone in the room. 

Ask for an alumni directory.  Some schools will offer an alumni directory to their fellow alumni free of charge.  Use it for networking purposes.  Stay in touch with your classmates or reconnect with those you have lost touch.  This is a very user-friendly, effective way to network which may lead to new ideas or employment opportunities. Staying connected with classmates cannot be understated.  According to Chris Drazba, MBA, Fuqua School Business at Duke University and currently Director of Franchise Strategy and Planning at InterContinental Hotels Group: “The power of an MBA stretches far beyond the education and the degree.  The common bond you developed with your MBA colleagues while tearing apart Harvard Business Reviews can be a tremendous asset in your post-MBA journey.  Odds are that many of your classmates will rise to affluent company positions and you truly never know how an ongoing relationship can benefit you.” 

In summary, it is important to understand that simply adding “MBA” to your resume or business card will not make things happen for you.  Kalpana Murthy,MS, MBA, Fuqua School Business atDukeUniversity, is anAtlanta psychotherapist who has counseled MBA students on career matters and recruited MBA graduates during her own corporate career. She states: “A solid approach to leveraging your MBA is to think about how your business school experience has changed you as an individual. How have you grown personally?  What have you learned about yourself?  How has this changed your managerial style, your leadership style, and your view of yourself and others?” 

 Applying what you’ve learned in your current employ and articulating your success factors when seeking new opportunities will better position you to take full advantage of what you have clearly earned.

Jim Montembeau, who specializes in information technology and related disciplines, is the Managing Partner of AES (www.AESearch.com), a nationally-recognized executive search firm. His deep understanding in this area provides him with the ability to extract pertinent empirical client and candidate information regarding all facets of searches. Montembeau earned an MBA from the Terry School of Business at the University of Georgia. He may be reached at jmontembeau@AESearch.com.

Sources:

i. Quintessential Careers, “The Master of Business Administration: Is the MBA Worth the Time, Effort, and Cost?” by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

ii. Belvoir Media Group, LLC, “Want to Improve Memory? Strengthen Your Synapses. Here’s How”

iii. The Franklin Institute, Resources for Science Learning, http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html

Our client is looking for an experienced, thoughtful, and energetic industry professional focused on business solutions to support end-to-end implementations and to analyze and evaluate client- and product-initiated changes to existing systems.  This person provides:

• The business direction for the project and defines scope and objectives based on client and / or product needs.
• Must create detailed business specifications and design flows.
• Helps build cohesive cross-departmental-teams and quality client relationships.

Essential Responsibilities:

Specifically, a Client Consultants responsibilities include:

• Provides global platform, product, development, and implementation expertise to prospective clients in the sales cycle as needed.  Works at multiple levels within the clients and client organization and across industry lines to assess business, system and resource requirements in order to provide solutions.
• Participates in evaluation of client systems and processes to determine client systems integration points and requirements for cost effective support of client business needs. Consults with other client subject matter experts to make decisions on business needs regarding the impact of client, association or regulatory change requests.  Assists with or coordinates the concept deliverables.. 
• Works independently as subject-matter expert, providing both internal and external consulting services.  Under little or no daily supervision analyzes complex problems and issues and offers business solutions. Makes recommendations which have significant impact on projects.
• Documents business solutions in solution concept documents for client and internal use that include detailed specifications, rules, and flows.  Ability to discuss business requirements and articulate complex technical concepts across diverse organizational teams is an absolute necessity. Advises or prepares, with other team members, the proof of concept and presents recommendations to management.
• Creates, maintains, and shares a center of expertise within the business.
• Participates on teams utilizing unique and custom approaches to scoping and assessment activities on new and prospective clients, which vary in size and complexity and may have products which span multiple platforms.
• Provides guidance to the assessment team and uses industry expertise to influence decisions which impact service, system and consultative solutions to meet client requirements.
• Interact with development and testing teams to ensure that the product developed meets defined requirements.
• Facilitates meetings / workshops and leads discussions.
• Requires a commitment to travel and fulfills on-site obligations, at times for extended periods.  Displays the ability to work with clients both internationally and domestically and demonstrates the ability to adapt and communicate professionally with different cultures, work ethics, industries and environments.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Superior analytical and planning skills.
• Superior written and verbal communication.
• Broad understanding of system and module relationships
• Experience implementing large end-to-end software solutions
• Ability to think logically/analytically
• Detail-oriented and thorough analysis
• Ability to apply functional business and/or industry knowledge to the development of business opportunities and solution of problems. 
• Business leader through actions as much as position
• Consultative and team-oriented
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent work ethic
• Excellent project management skills
• Proficient PC skills
• Works well in a fast-paced, high pressured environment
• Travels, as required

Education and Experience:

Four year college degree and 8 or more years professional experience or 10 or more years professional experience is required. 

• Previous experience managing teams or projects is required for matrix management. 
• Financial services experience is preferred but not required.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification is preferred

***If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Kipp Ramsey at kramsey@anteogroup.com or 404-418-6800.***

Anteo Group is proud to add the event, Atlanta Code Camp, to its association of nonprofit events aiming to make a difference in the Atlanta area. Anteo is a “Silver Level” sponsor for the grassroots gathering taking place, Saturday, June 25th, 2011, 8:30am to 5:30pm. The Atlanta Code Camp will be hosted at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta.

This event is unique in that it is “for the community, by the community” and is free for all that desire to attend. In past years, the Atlanta Code Camp has provided free training and networking opportunities for 300 of the best, most motivated development professionals. With our larger facility, we’re expecting this year to be even bigger and better.

Elizabeth Hill, a senior technical recruiter with Anteo Group, explains, “We are really excited about being involved with Code Camp. We have been making a
dedicated effort to continue our support of the Atlanta IT community and we recognize the importance of developers learning from each other. Staying active
in events is the best way to know and support the top people as they get better. “

About Atlanta Code Camp

Code Camps are free community‐focused events by and for the .NET developer community. The Atlanta Code Camp draws upon the expertise of local and regional developers, architects, and experts who come together to share their real world experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and general knowledge with other interested individuals. More information about the Atlanta Code Camp can be found at http://www.AtlantaCodeCamp.org.

About Anteo Group

Anteo Group specializes in sourcing high-level technology consultants. Anteo is unique in its approach by specializing only in the technology space and subsequent skill sets. The focus of Anteo Group is not only maintaining deep relationships with consultants, but also gaining a profound technical understanding of our client’s needs. Through this approach, Anteo saves clients: time, effort, and resources when filling both contract and permanent positions. Anteo’s attention to detail results in the placement of the most qualified consultant. Our proven process and methodical approach has launched the Anteo Group from a promising start-up to becoming one of the fastest growing firms in the country with offices in Atlanta, San Francisco, and London, UK. More information about Anteo Group can be found at www.anteogroup.com.

After years in the industry, some of the best consultants still get nervous in interviews. It’s difficult to know what to expect, how to prepare, and how to truly put your best foot forward. While no one can completely prepare you for the interview, there are many resources that can help.

It’s certainly a theme in our office right now, but social media outlets provide a plethora of ways to connect directly with folks that have interviewed previously, are current employees, former employees, have a friend of a friend of a friend that interviewed, worked for the manager, etc. – you get my point.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to people; pick their brains about recent interviews. I am reluctant to add LinkedIn to this category (I consider it more of a professional networking site than purely ‘social’), but the ability to see the profiles of the interviewers is invaluable. With as small as the Atlanta IT world is, there is a strong chance your paths (or a friend/colleague’s path) may have crossed. Take the time, flex your social media muscles, and do your research.

Great recruiting companies aren’t just body shops; they help candidates succeed in interviews by sharing every bit of client knowledge, enabling you to be an ‘insider’ before you walk through the door. We get really nervous when consultants don’t ask questions about what to expect in the
interview. If you are working with a staffing agency or internal recruiter, take the time to call beforehand and get specifics. If they have worked with the client before, they should provide you with feedback from previous interviews – exact questions, duration, attitudes, etc. If your recruiter can’t answer these basic questions, ask them to call the client and get specifics. Great recruiters (like our team ) take the time to get answers.

Continuing on trend of great recruiting companies, we have a list of basic interview tips that we share with each of our consultants prior to the interview – feel like it’s a great way to wrap up this post. Much of the information is common sense but a friendly reminder before the interview has gone over very well with our team. If you haven’t had the chance to work with us, here is our list of “Anteo Interview Tips”:

Phone Interviews

The advantages of a telephone interview are that it can be arranged with little delay, with little disruption and you’ll typically know the outcome quite quickly. However, what you say — and how — will be more important than in a face-to-face interview, so be prepared!

• Know your Resume – Plan what might be asked in the interview beforehand, e.g. personal details, education, career history, experience. The interviewer will be aiming to match candidates against the job description and person specification so re-read thoroughly.
• Answer with confidence – Just the way you answer the phone has an impact on the person calling. Talk distinctly and clearly. If you’re not confident in your speaking voice, you cannot compensate for it in other ways.
• Smile – Even though no-one can see you, smiling will help you to relax and sound positive. Some people also find that standing up while talking on the phone makes them feel more confident.
• Shut out noise – Make sure your surroundings are quiet (do not take the call in your car, stairwell of your office, etc.) and that you won’t be disturbed. Shut the door, turn off the radio – and your cell phone.
• Have pen and paper to hand – Make notes of what is covered — you may be asked the same questions if invited to a second interview.
• A two-way process – You should be given the opportunity to ask questions — make sure you have some in mind.
• End on a positive note – Thank the caller for time and express interest in the opportunity. (A good touch is to send an e-mail, reinforcing this.) Don’t be afraid to ask what the next stage is.

Onsite

• Dress for Success – Look sharp! Dress your best for the interview, regardless of the dress code at the organization. If you’re in doubt about how to dress for an interview, it is best to err on the side of conservatism. It is much better to be overdressed than underdressed (or undressed).
• Answer with confidence – Talk distinctly and clearly. If you’re not confident in your speaking voice, you can’t compensate for it in other ways.
• Eye Contact – Maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Show you want the job with your interest.
• Adapt – Listen and adapt. Be sensitive to the style of the interviewer.
• Have pen and paper to hand – Make notes of what is covered — you may be asked the same questions if invited to a second interview.
• Practice Makes Perfect: By practicing your responses to some questions, hopefully you will not be taken off guard if asked one of them.  Practice your interview skills with a technically savvy friend or ask yourself questions and then practice your answers in front of a mirror. Videotaping your practice interviews can be an extremely useful aid. Although you may be embarrassed the first time you watch yourself “perform,” you may be amazed at the little nervous gestures or speech habits (for instance, a peppering of “you knows” or “I means” or “ummms”) you weren’t aware of before.
• A two-way process – You should be given the opportunity to ask questions — make sure you have some in mind.
• End on a positive note – Thank the interviewer for their time and express interest in the opportunity. Don’t be afraid to ask what the next
  stage is.

Hopefully these tips help. Good luck in the next interview!

Kelley

Kelley Hafer was a senior member of the Anteo Recruiting Team for three years before transitioning into Business Development earlier
this year.

We currently have a client in Midtown that is actively looking to hire a .net developer on a 3 month contract to hire basis. This is a cutting edge company with a great culture and they really look for people who enjoy what they do and are eager to learn. If you are interested in the description below please send your resume to dgordon@anteogroup.com or contact me directly at 404-389-0637.

The Developer is responsible for developing dynamic websites and/or online applications, integrating code with additional systems, resolving code errors, and researching new technologies/solutions. The developer will work in a team setting and use Microsoft-based technologies, such as ASP.NET 4 (C#) and ASP.NET MVC. The ideal candidate must have a minimum of 3+ years of .NET programming and application integration, 1+ years of front-end development with a combination of HTML/CSS/JavaScript/and JavaScript libraries such as jQuery, and 1+ year of database design and maintenance. Experience with alternate languages (Java/PHP) and enterprise systems integration is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Develop websites and applications using Visual Studio 2010 in, but not limited to, .NET 4, .NET MVC 2 & 3 (ASPX & Razor), C# 3.0, HTML, CSS, ASP, JavaScript, XSLT, XML, and RSS.
• Understand and implement front-end design techniques such as unobtrusive JavaScript.
• Interact with various internal and external teams to understand the business requirements; analyze business requirements and wireframes and transform them into technical design.
• Implement prototypes into sites/applications and perform initial tests using functional requirements; interact with QA team to correct code bugs.
• Comfortably handle change requests and provide quick and efficient solutions.
• Proactively provide ideas and solutions towards the improvement of the site and the business.
• Provide effort estimates and prioritize tasks.
• Assess risk and impact on the existing system that may arise due to any requirement or functional change.

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree or higher in Computer Science or an equivalent amount of relevant experience including system analysis, design, coding and testing (must explain relevancy of experience).
• 3+ years of hands-on, software development using Object Oriented design (2+ years must be in a team setting/environment).
• 2+ years of experience with databases, such as SQL Server 2005 and 2008, including a thorough understanding and experience designing and tuning database tables and transactional queries.
• 1+ years of using an ORM solution as a data access layer.
• Being an advocate for using Test Driven Development (TDD) and other agile methodologies such as continuous integration, and automated builds.
• Ability to communicate clearly and display a high level of professionalism, including the ability to work with senior level IT staff and business-minded clients.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities/projects at once, and demonstrate a sense of urgency.
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly and create improved efficiency.
• Ability to work independently at times on multiple tasks while remaining organized.