Career Coaches Take a Holistic Approach

When I began my undergraduate study, I was floundering about what to do with my career. I am sad to say that by the time I graduated, little had changed. I had developed a decent resume, taken lots of great classes, and had a solid grade point average. But I was still having trouble finding direction in my job search, and figuring out what type of career would ultimately make me happy.

My experience at Fuqua has been very different in terms of career development and the resources available to fine tune my job search skills. A central component of career development in the MMS program is the career coaching staff. When my class first arrived at Fuqua in the summer, we were divided into three large groups, each with a different career coach. These coaches provide insight into career fields and companies that might interest us, and they share their job search and interview experience.

To help in this process, one of the first assessments that MMS students are required to perform is a Myers Briggs Type Indicator test. This is a classic and much used test that indicates a person’s communication preferences or tendencies, which in turn indicate certain personality traits. Fuqua career coaches use students’ MBTI results to infer the various industries and areas of interest that a student might like to pursue. This is a unique aspect of Fuqua career coaching; their goal is to recommend jobs or a career which would make you the happiest. The job search is focused on overall quality, not on a single attribute such as salary, location, or company reputation. Coaches are also very knowledgeable about company cultures and job satisfaction, which is very important for students who are deciding on which companies to look at in the job search.

The interview process is another aspect of career development that can be daunting for students who have never interviewed for a real job, or who may not be used to the caliber of questions asked in business interviews. Career coaches help here, too. There are several opportunities for mock interviews through the Career Management Center (CMC), and career coaches help prepare students to answer difficult questions. Coaches also help students to learn how to establish rapport with recruiters and representatives. After speaking with my career coach, I felt much more confident about answering interview questions and was more effective in representing myself during interviews.

Career coaches are a unique and essential part of the MMS program, and are available to help guide students toward their career goals. Their job is to maximize your career expectations and help you to achieve your job search objectives. This is one of the most important resources at Fuqua, hands down.