With graduation from the MBA program quickly approaching, it's time to start applying for jobs. It can seem overwhelming, especially with the current state of the economy. Throughout undergrad in Business school, professors always stressed the importance of networking and building relationships, and now I understand why. It's all about who you know. The job market is really competitive, and it helps to have a connection in the company. Having an employee hand deliver a resume to HR is much more helpful than applying online and taking the chance of your resume getting lost in the sea of applicants.

Don't know anyone in the industry and don't know where to start with the job application process? Don't worry! The university offers resume building workshops, mock interviews, and have designated staff working at Career Connections to help students.

My advice: Network! It is never too late to start. I don't only mean with adults. Fellow students can also serve as great people to network with. They have family and friends, and who knows, maybe someone they know is in the industry/company you dream of working for. As an alumna of Quinnipiac, I joined the QU Alumni website and was amazed at what the website offered. You can search Alumni, what industry they work in, what they graduated Quinnipiac with a degree in, and contact information. I contacted an alumna who worked at a company I was interested in. I emailed her and asked her how she ended up at that company and what other relevant experience she thought was important in that industry. She emailed me and was incredibly helpful. She was more than willing to help me and answer any questions because we both graduated from Quinnipiac. In addition, the internet can be a great tool for searching for a job.I got my last internship from a posting on Craig's List at a very reputable company. While Craig's List can be seen as a scam for employment, some companies do post on there, so don't automatically think it is not legitimate. Use your best judgment. Other websites include linkedin.com, indeed.com, and simplyhired.com. Also, go to the company's website and they usually have a link to job openings.

As you look ahead and begin the job search, keep an open mind. A job is not going to land in your lap. You need to be aggressive and use all connections you have to get your foot in the door. Good Luck!

-Colleen Kelly MBA 2012

When I was accepted into the fast-track MBA program Junior year, I was ecstatic. I knew I wanted continue my education and pursue a MBA Degree right after getting my Bachelor Degree (instead of working for a few years and going back to school). Quinnipiac has a unique program that allows you to get a MBA degree in just one year instead of two. I already was familiar with the school and although Graduate School in general is incredibly expensive, enduring tuition costs for only one year instead of two was appealing. I was eager to get started.

Since the fast-track program has students starting Graduate classes in their senior year, it helped with the transition of work load. However, since I saved some of my electives for senior year, the heavy workload of my MBA classes were offset by the lighter loads of my electives. Now, as a full-time MBA student, I feel overwhelmed by the demands of the professors but consider this a transition period. In undergrad I was known for saving everything for the last minute, including staying up the night before a presentation was due or cramming for a few hours before a big exam. Now, I find myself sitting at my (now organized) desk in my room and planning out the study schedule for the next few weeks. After a painful first weekend of realizing that three problems would actually take four hours to complete, I now have the wakeup call that I need to live a much more structured lifestyle. No more saving things to the last minute. No more going out on a Tuesday night and saying "it’s okay, I can do it tomorrow morning". I no longer want to go out on a Tuesday night. I'd rather get ahead on work, go to bed early, and wake up refreshed and ready to pay attention in class. Not only has this been a transition from an undergraduate to graduate curriculum, but also a transition from a college student mentality to an adult. Teachers are no longer holding your hand in class. You want to skip class? Fine, but realize not only will they penalize you by deducting points off your final grade, but you will also miss a substantial amount of work that you will spend twice as long trying to teach yourself later. Although the transition has not been as smooth as I had hoped, and I spend days feeling overwhelmed, I know that it will be worth it in the end. This experience is not only expanding my knowledge in the classroom and increases my chances of landing a job upon graduation in the spring, but also is a lesson on growing up, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

-Colleen Kelly MBA '12