Tag Archives: Recruiting

As we enter the mid-point of the first semester, and with more and more recruiters showing up on campus, I’ve heard concern over whether companies are still spending the money to not only recruit, but support their interns throughout the summer with relevant projects, travel opportunities, as well as other “perks.” I remember thinking the same thing last year. Therefore, I’d like to offer my internship experience not as an indication of what all companies are doing, but to illustrate that all hope is not lost.

Nearly five weeks into my internship, I was surprised when my summer employer offered to fly me across the country for a few days for just two short orientation meetings. Apparently, they felt bad that the rest of the dozen or so MBA interns were all based in Boston, and that I was missing out on some of the events. I was considerably more surprised when I saw the price of the plane ticket – $1600.  That, coupled with the hotel stay in downtown Boston, a few meals and ground transportation on the company’s dime must really add up. Apparently, some companies are not afraid to spend money despite the economy.  Or perhaps my small business background has me considerably more cost-conscious than I need to be. I distinctly remember in the past having to get approval to purchase even a $100 toner cartridge on the company Amex. I suppose there are benefits to working for a Fortune 100 company.

I came to Owen as a career-switcher, hoping to somehow transition my experience at a consulting startup in the insurance industry to a brand management position in the CPG industry. I assure you it didn’t seem as unnatural of a transition then as it does writing it now. My internship search, I was told, would have to begin as soon as I stepped on campus.

The initial attention I got from CPG recruiters was encouraging, but I found myself repeatedly losing out in the end to better prepared and more qualified candidates. After landing three successive interviews during one week in January, and even flying out to San Francisco on my own dime for one, and not getting invited for any 2^nd rounds, I reluctantly broadened my search. I had started an excel sheet back in August, tracking the date and position associated with each application I submitted, which had gradually grown to over 45 companies, and I soon had memberships to almost as many companies’ career websites. What began as a focused search at just the top 5 CPG companies that only recruit at HBS, had become an exercise in market sizing with the added benefit of receiving daily email updates for all the positions I didn’t qualify for.