Enjoying brunch with some MMS friends in Boston.

Support Group

After I graduated, I moved to my friend’s house in Jersey City, New Jersey. Quite a few classmates also moved to the NYC area; I think approximately 11 of us were there. Most of us were looking for jobs in the big city, and we developed a great support group. Since I was an international student, there was nothing like talking about the woes of looking for a job in the US to someone in the same shoes! I remember when I had no leads and was feeling really down about my job situation, I talked to my friends around NYC. Thankfully, we all found our dream jobs here and now when we meet, we love to share our workplace stories.

Business Partners

A fellow MMS ’12 student, Ashita Patel, and I recently started our own online boutique, Just SVARA. We talked about doing this while in school, but after graduation, we decided to go for our dream. Another group of MMS ’12 students just started their own liquor brand, Scorpion Coconspirators (check them out on Facebook), and I’m excited to try a bottle when their first product comes out!

Advisers

I get great advice from some of the MBA friends that I made while at Fuqua. I’m planning to apply for an MBA after a few years of work, so I ask my MBA friends about work experience, schools to target, what their MBA experience was like, etc. These questions may be annoying to answer, but they always give me genuine answers.

Dinner in Manhattan.

Party Gang

We loved partying during the program, and that didn’t stop after graduation. Us MMS ’12 grads meet up wherever we are — Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, NYC, you name it. NYC especially seems to be a favorite destination, as there are a lot of us here and there are so many places to go! There’s also a Facebook group for electronic music lovers at Fuqua — it keeps the party going online!

Travel Buddies

During the MMS program, I went to London, Paris, Spain, Cancun, and Washington, DC. Right after we graduated, I went to EDC Vegas thanks to an MBA friend’s invite. Now I have Tomorrowland plans in 2013 (another electronic music festival held in Belgium) and plans for the Brazil World Cup in 2014 with MMS students.

Great Friends!

Overall, even after graduation, the Fuqua network stays strong. Not only do we have Whatsapp chat groups where we casually talk to each other on a daily basis, but we also give each other advice and help each other during hard times. We still throw surprise parties for each other (one friend flew in from LA for the surprise party we threw for an MMS friend in NYC!), chat on the phone, and meet up for brunch as if we were still in Durham.

My one year at Fuqua was great, and I think that being part of the Fuqua family will continue to be a rewarding experience.

Know Your OPT and H1-B Visa Situation

After you graduate, you’re able to work for a year on your Optional Practical Training (OPT) status. You have to apply for this. Go to the international student workshops that the MMS program provides and they will kindly guide you through the process.

You’ll be allowed to work for a year on a job that’s related to your degree. But after that, you will need sponsorship from a company for your H1-B visa to work legally in the USA. Every year, there is a quota of H1-B visas that the US government issues, and the new quota is released in April. That means if you apply too late, the number of H1-B visas that are issued may run out. Even if you have a company willing to sponsor your H1-B visa, you may not be able to get it, and you might lose that job offer.

This is really complicated to grasp at first, but to put it differently, being an international means that it’s best to secure a job at a company willing to sponsor you BEFORE April. That way, your company can file for sponsorship when there are a lot of H1-B visas available. Also, if you do not get a job by April, you should at least apply for an internship, which will allow you to stay in the US. An internship may be the one thing that will legally allow you to remain in the US so that you can continue to search for a full-time job.

Target Specific Companies

There are three kinds of companies that are best to target:

1. Startups. They are flexible and if you make yourself useful enough, they may be more likely to sponsor you because the cost of hiring a new person and training him/her is higher.
2. Mid-sized companies. These companies are also more flexible and have less strict hiring policies. Network your way into them and see if they have sponsored any international employees in the past. My Visa Jobs is a great site that shows how many employees companies sponsor.
3. Companies that are known to hire internationals. Some companies prefer internationals, and do not even ask what your citizenship is. Find them and network your way into them!

It’s more difficult to get sponsored by large corporations because they have detailed hiring policies built into their system, and it’s very difficult for them to be flexible and change the system for one person. So unless you know someone in a very powerful position it may be hard to bend the rules.

Think About What You Really Want

What do you really want? Is working in the US a priority regardless of the job function or industry? Would you rather go back to your home country if you don’t get your dream job? It’s important to get your priorities straight because if not, you’ll have trouble organizing the entire job search process. Things may get confusing and you might lose balance! The key to a successful job search is to know what you want, and to plan accordingly.

Network, Network, Network

Most of the career sites that I’ve applied to ask two very scary (at least to me they are) questions: 1) Are you authorized to work for any company in the US? 2) Will you require visa sponsorship in the future? These questions are designed to filter internationals because sponsorship costs money, and most companies don’t want that to happen. A lot of companies that I applied to rejected me immediately, and didn’t consider me as a candidate because I answered honestly to these questions. So networking is key! You need to get in a good word so your application will be considered. This goes for the US citizens and green card holders too, but it’s more important for internationals because otherwise, it’s virtually impossible to get noticed because of our visa status.

Good Luck!

If I knew these four things, I would have tried much harder in the beginning of the year, before the H1-B visa process started in April 2012. I just started working with a startup in NYC so hopefully, I will be able to work here permanently. It’s really tough searching for a job in the US as an international, but with persistence I’m sure the efforts will pay off. Good luck to all the internationals seeking a job in the States!

Learn more about MMS career resources for international students.

1. The Duke Gardens: I went there once and it was great! The day I was there wasn’t the best, but I can imagine how beautiful it would be on a bright and sunny day. I heard that the gardens were nice, but it never occurred to me that I could actually do things there. It would be great place to take a book or some class readings and just sit on the grass and sunbathe. The gardens are also really nice to walk around. I wish I would have known how awesome the Duke Gardens were during the fall when the trees would have been even more beautiful.
2. Restaurants and Cafes: There are quite a few nice places to eat around downtown Durham and Chapel Hill. My roommate and another friend loved to eat out and explore restaurants. Some of the places they recommend are Tonali, Watts Grocery, Jack Spratt (in Chapel Hill), Toast, Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, and Piazza Italia. Also, the brunch and afternoon tea at the Washington Duke Inn is amazing! I tried not to eat out too much because I like cooking at home, but I should have explored around a bit more. There are A LOT of good places to eat in the Triangle area.
3. The Ford Library: This, I regret the most. I should have taken more advantage of the Ford Library at Fuqua. I was in Section B, which meant my earliest class started at 12:15 pm. Because it was really hard to find parking if I got to school late, I would get to school at about 8:40 am. I used to do schoolwork or send emails before lunch and class, but then I discovered how many resources are in the library. There are so many great periodicals and books that will help you with your career; there are SO MANY movies and almost every TV show you can think of; there are a lot of interesting books for fun reading and for hobbies (like learning Japanese). You can spend so much time at the library because there are a lot of things to do, and since all the resources are free, it’s best to take advantage of them when you can! I wish I had known this earlier so I could have done more research for my job search and even just for fun. When you get to Fuqua, check out the library!
4. People: Don’t forget that you’re going to say goodbye to your classmates in 10 months. The people are great at Fuqua, and I miss a lot of them. I feel like we should have done more fun things and spent more time together in Durham. You’re going to meet some of the best people, and the friendships will last all of your life, so take advantage of the fact that you’re here with them and aren’t thousands of miles apart.

Favorite Professor: Bob Nau. He taught Spreadsheet Modeling, and he’s my favorite! He’s amazing – he included screenshots with every in-class exercise and homework, and included detailed explanations. Excel can be very confusing, but he makes every step easy to follow! He’s also really nice and quick at responding to you on problems with any of the programs. I learned a lot and found an interest in a subject that I never thought I’d enjoy.

Favorite Off-Campus Hangout: Shooters … I’m half joking! Shooters is the ONE club in Durham. On a more serious note, I loved going to Bean Traders Coffee and Francesca’s. I also enjoyed LoYo a lot – it’s a local yogurt place. It’s right next to the Lofts, and they have great yogurt.

Best MMS Social Event: The Halloween party by the Connoisseur’s Club! That was such a good night.

Best BBQ: Was there BBQ?

Favorite Late-Night Eatery: Honestly, it’s McDonald’s! But the new late-night places I discovered in Durham are Cookout and Waffle House. Cookout has the BEST cheap food I’ve ever had, and their milkshakes are the best!!

Best Local Deals/Happy Hour: Carrabba’s! You get $10 off a pitcher of sangria on Wednesdays, so it’s just $12. They have the best sangria I’ve ever had, so it’s definitely worth going. Torero’s is also good – they have Duke student discounts, and great horchata and margarita nights.

What I Wish I’d Done Differently: I should have gotten a place at West Village! West Village is within walking distance to the bars and restaurants in downtown Durham, and a lot of MMS students lived there, so it would be a lot more convenient than where I stayed. I’m too lazy to drive to downtown (although it only takes about 10-5 minutes)!

I also wish I had gotten a car at the beginning of the program. It’s so inconvenient to not have a car around Durham.

Also, I should have spent more time at Fuqua’s Ford Library taking advantage of the resources there. Toward the end of the program, I started going there in the morning before my classes (my earliest class started at 12:15). I read periodicals and books that looked helpful to my interviews and job search.

Bucket List: Go to the beach and go on a road trip to DC.

A Quote Encompassing My MMS Experience/Memories: This is too hard to pick!

Most Random Thing to Do In Durham: Crash my car. That was a sad, unexpected, and random moment.

I remember when I first found out about the MMS program – I was Googling master’s programs in the States when I learned that Duke had a one-year business program for students straight out of undergrad. I thought, “This is just for me!”

That was in 2010, and I started studying for the GMAT right away – it must have been in May. I decided to apply during the second application round, so I scheduled my GMAT test date, and began working on my recommendations and application essays so everything would be ready by the round two deadline.

Studying for the GMAT was so horrible. I hated it, but I had to do it! The first few days of studying were torture because I really didn’t like the quantitative part. But as I got more used to the structure of the math problems, I started to train myself on how to think “GMAT Quant.” The first test I took was so nerve wracking (I get really nervous during tests). I don’t even remember how I got through it! I came out of the testing area in a daze, but at least I got a score to report!

While I was studying for the GMAT, I started to think about the essay questions: How do I fit in the MMS program? What can I do for the program if I’m accepted? How could I add value to the program? I started making a map of all the work experience I had. I thought about what I learned from those experiences and in what way I could benefit the program with those experiences. I tried to be as honest as I could, and probably wrote a million outlines!

But as soon as I got the GMAT and the essay outline out of the way, it was smooth sailing from there. So, if you’re in the beginning stages of the application process, and are feeling overwhelmed, don’t stress! Make a plan and tackle it. Once you get through the first few steps, the rest will fall into place. If you haven’t already, be sure to carefully look through all the admissions criteria and information on the MMS website.

In my undergraduate program in Korea, I had four exam periods a year – a midterm and a final exam for each subject per semester. But here, we have five terms; there are three subjects each term, and a midterm and a final for a little more than two thirds of the subjects. That means you have to prepare for more than 20 exams in ten months. Since each term lasts only six weeks, that means you have about three exams every three weeks. So two weeks into a new term means that it’s time to prep for exams!

I’m pretty sure that no undergraduate institution is as fast-paced. So brace yourself – especially in Term 1 – because you may find yourself struggling and doubting your intelligence if you don’t get serious. If you have issues understanding the class material, tackle it early in the term by being honest and asking for help.

There’s Plenty of Help

On the bright side, all the professors are open to the students and are very willing to assist you. Scheduling office hours to meet one-on-one is never a problem, and there are numerous review sessions led by TAs where you can ask questions and try to learn something you may have missed.

There are also peer tutoring sessions, as I mentioned in my previous posts, where students who are better at a certain subject tutor a group of about five students. Everyone’s really open to helping each other out, so don’t be afraid to ask questions in class, in the hallway, or during lunch. Learning at Fuqua is all about how proactive you are – the resources are here, you just have to use them!

To be more specific, here are just some of the ways my career coach helped me with my job search (of course, this process will be different for everyone, depending on your situation and job goals):

Provides connections: When I apply to a job, I meet with Helen for advice. Sometimes she knows of alumni or has another contact at the company, and she helps me with the outreach and introductions. I learn more about the industry or company from these contacts, and I’ve received a lot of help from them.

Networking advice: Networking is difficult, especially if you aren’t used to it. I had a lot of questions about what to say, how to reach out, how appropriate/inappropriate it is to ask for certain things, when it’s appropriate to re-connect, etc. Helen has provided great advice for every question.

Resume and cover letter tips: Helen has reviewed my resume and cover letter. She’s helped me to understand why it’s important to keep revising both, and I’ve continually improved the phrasing and organization of the information to best represent myself.

Encouragement: She always tells me to keep it up, every time I update her with what I’m doing, and who I’m talking to. I tend to get a little anxious, but she’s seen a lot of other students get jobs and what they have gone through, so she always tells me not to be too impatient, even if I don’t have immediate results. It’s great to have someone like this, who knows what others went through and encourages you.

Interview prep: I used Interview Stream (which is a paid service that’s provided to us for free). It’s a website you can use to record your interview answers so you can watch how you do at an interview. I recorded the answers at home, sent them to Helen, and we went through it together and pinpointed my strengths and weaknesses. It really helped me to make some adjustments in my interview skill tactics.

Another great thing about the career coach program is that you still get access to career coaching even after you graduate from MMS! It’s one of many services for alumni.

We start by learning basic accounting practices and statistics skills in our first term, and then learn corporate finance and marketing analytics, and some more accounting along the way. Throughout the whole year, we take 11 quantitative courses that help us learn topics such as evaluating the net present value (NPV) of a new business model, diversifying a portfolio, balancing books, pricing a product/service according to certain marketing plans, etc.

A tool I especially thought was useful was SPSS. This software is used in marketing class to analyze customer preferences and behaviors. In our Fundamentals of Market Intelligence class, we used it to analyze survey data. We learned how to segment groups according to customer preferences, analyze what variables affect certain customer behaviors, how to run basic performance measures, and so forth.

I can’t say that I can do all of these things perfectly, but I can say that I’ve learned how to do all these quantitative analyses and have learned to get a more analytical view on matters. Although I’m not pursuing a career in finance, being more familiar with numbers will help me in marketing and advertising, where customer response and preference analytics are important!

Fuqua offers career-related resources that are relevant for every student:

• Career coaches are willing to meet with you any day of the school week and help you with mock interviews, resumes, and cover letters
• Voluntary Alumni Career Fellows (VACF) act as mentors during the whole process
• Resume and cover letter workshops
• The Duke/Fuqua alumni database
• Fuqua Fridays and other social events and company visits that give you grounds for networking
• Organized trips to cities like New York, where you can visit companies and meet industry professionals, etc.

Then there are additional resources specifically for international students:

• International career meetings where you can request specific information
• Pages on FuquaWorld (our intranet) where there are documents and search tools for international students
• International-student clubs like the International Business club, etc.

Through our intranet, you can also see what companies have hired the most international students. Sterling Ingui, Associate Director of MMS Career Services, is also a great resource. She has provided more specific information and guidance during the international career meetings.

I think you have to utilize everything you have to search for a job. So I use what I have, and try to be as specific as I can when I ask for help from my career coach and others. Hopefully, all this will come to fruition soon … Wish me luck!

Busy Day – A Typical Wednesday
There are no classes on Wednesdays

11:00-12:00: MMS blog editorial meeting

12:00-1:15: Lunch

1:15-2:00: Meet with Helen, my career coach. (She is awesome. She put me in touch with a Cross Continent MBA who works for a company that I applied to.)

4:00-5:00: Finish sample strategy final problem set

5:00-6:00: Strategy class review session

6:30- 8:00: Team meeting for strategy class to work on a paper

9:00-11:00: Make PowerPoint slides for a presentation on North Korea for strategy class

11:00-12:30: Finish PowerPoint slides for team presentation in Business Communications II class

Less Busy Day – A Typical Friday

10:00-11:30: Finish strategy class assignment

11:40-12:15: Lunch

12:15-2:30: Strategy class

2:30-5:00: Prepare for informational interview and finish assignments that are due on Monday

5:00-6:00: Informational interview with a Fuqua alumnus

7:00- 1:00: Cook Korean food for friends and go out downtown

NOTE: I’m the Secretary of the Fashion & Luxury Goods Club and a member of the Marketing Club. Also, I never go to the gym. If you’re into working out and you sign up for more extracurricular activities, then you’ll be much busier!