agsm issue 14 - june 2015
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Made forSOCIAL IMPACT
AGSM MBA STUDENT MAGAZINE | ISSUE 14 | JUNE 2015
AGSM Social Impact Club
AGSM Social Impact Club: We can make a change now!
The (Great MBA) Switch
Guide to Consulting Recruitment - II
Inspiration Con Brio: AGSM at the MBA Summit
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Editors’ VOICE
Firstly, we would like to congratulate the class of 2015 full-time cohort for finishing the MBA journey; we wish you all the best!
It is hard to believe that Session 1 of our own MBA journey is now complete. Many memories have been made and much knowledge has been gained. It was an amazing experience full of events and workshops thanks to the Industry Clubs, Student Society, Student Experience and the fabulous Careers team. We are really looking forward to see what is in store for Session 2.
And most importantly, thank you for your continued support of Star mag! We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to some great issues ahead.
Cheers.Christine, Nandini & TatianaEditors-in-chief
Editors-in-chief | Christine Savage, Tatiana Rivera Hadad, Nandini GaurLayout designer | Nandini GaurCopy-editors | Justin Chmielewski, Christine Savage, Shane Simon, Tim FaganCreative contributors | Neelam Joshi
AGSM STAR Magazine (STARmag) is produced by MBA students from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM). This magazine is not for sale and intended only for educational and research purposes.
All published works are of the opinions of the individual authors and do not represent the view of AGSM or UNSW.
The ‘STAR Magazine’ logo is put together by Ace Choo using ‘Sommet’ fonts designed by Jeremy Dooley and ‘Cash Currency’ fonts designed by Jayde Garrow.
The blue and white AGSM logo remains the property of UNSW and any unauthorized use are strictly prohibited.
All rights reserved.
Website | http://stusoc.agsmclubs.com/
Corresponding email | [email protected]
Cover page and page 2-3 | AGSM Social Impact Club & Sydney Opera House | Photo Credits: Erik Burkhalter
Page 2-3 | Editors Photo | Photo Credits: Mikhail Narbekov
Page 6-7 | AGSM SIC Fundraisers | Photo Credits: Erik Burkhalter & Mikhail Narbekov
CONTENTS
Editors’ Voice 2
FEATURE
Made for Social Impact 4AGSM Social Impact Club: We can make a change now
IN FOCUS
The (Great MBA) Switch 8
Guide to Consulting Recruitment- II 10
Inspiration Con Brio: AGSM at The MBA Summit 12
Monthly Columns Industry Insights 14 Current Careers 16
Originally from Orlando, Florida, CHRISTINE SAVAGE is a Mechanical Engineer who has worked in the Aerospace/Defense industry for the past 5 years.
Originally from Cali – Colombia, TATIANA RIVERA HADAD is an Economist who has worked in a consumer product company in the business development/strategy and finance division for the past 4 years.
Originally from India, NANDINI GAUR is a Fashion technologist, who has worked in the Retail Industry for past 3 years, as a Buyer.
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MADE FORSOCIAL IMPACT
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Born in Pakistan & raised in Saudi Arabia, FOUAD QURESHI is a foodie who not only loves food, but is a self-proclaimed connoisseur—a fact that can be recognized by his ever growing waistline. From a very young age Fouad has been involved with various NGOs and volunteer organizations and has a passion to give back to society.
The Social Impact Club (SIC) has successfully managed to bring together the entire AGSM community, utilizing their talent and drawing on their will and effort to benefit the society as a whole.
Last year’s SIC leaders had a vision to be recognized and awarded Golden Chapter status with Net Impact, a global non-profit membership organization, which requires is 8 events per year. Well on it’s way to achieving this goal, SIC has successfully held 2 events this year: A Fresh Start for Vanuatu Fundraiser in April and Cystic Fibrosis ’65 Roses Campaign’ Fundraiser in May, both in collaboration with the Volunteer Army (VA) -UNSW ARC Student Society.
The Vanuatu fundraiser was the first bake sale for many AGSM students. With eleven talented bakers covering various dietary needs (i.e. Gluten free, Vegan, Low Fat), the AGSM SIC & VA volunteers ran a bake sale stall in front of the UNSW library; the sales and marketing abilities of many AGSM students were put to the test. After a long seven-hour day, the volunteers
AGSMSocial Impact Club: We can make a change NOW!by Fouad Qureshi Chairman, AGSM Social Impact Club
successfully sold every baked good, raising a total of $1,214.50 for the Red Cross to support the victims of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu.
Due to the complete success of the Vanuatu fundraiser, the SIC decided to incorporate a bake sale addition to expand the scope of the subsequent event: the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) ‘65 roses’ campaign. The event began with the honor of hosting Stephen Gallagher, Event Manager at Cystic Fibrosis New South Wales, to give a presentation about the disease and what his organization does to help those fighting it. Additionally, David Chan, fourth year medical student at UNSW, further explained the pathology of the disease in an effort to educate the volunteers in preparation for the fundraiser on the following day. The first day concluded with a lovely BBQ in the AGSM courtyard for volunteers and guests. Day two of the event consisted of SIC and VA volunteers operating stalls in four places across the UNSW campus, selling CF merchandise and baked goods, raising $1852, which was an overwhelming success.
Encouraged by the accomplishment of the first two events, SIC is in the process of planning seven additional events this year. The tentative events planned include a repeat of last year’s Personal War Stories in collaboration with the Women in Leadership club (WIL), Movember fundraiser, and a collaborative workshop with Nura Gili Centre for Indigenous Programs.
The Social Impact Club looks forward to receiving the continued support of the AGSM community in all future events. We can make a change NOW!
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The (Great MBA) SWITCHby Mike Moore
AGSM Class of 2012
So, now you’re here and you came into the MBA program with the hopes that it would allow you the chance to SWITCH career tracks.
The good news is that it’s possible, I would know (finance → marketing). The bad news is that an MBA on its own isn’t enough to make that happen.
Thinking back to the job prior to beginning the AGSM MBA- a job where you had built up experience and knowledge over a good period of time; now, imagine if a newly minted MBA walked into your office for an interview and declared, “I can do this job!” When you questioned them about why, they proudly respond, “Because I got an MBA from AGSM (or any other Uni)!” Think about “How would you have responded?”
To help you avoid that same fate post-graduation, here are the 3 keys that helped me make the transition:
TALK to people, LOTS of people actually about what you hope to achieve.This can be an amazing tool for evaluating just how correct your perception of your preferred new role might be. “Network” but make sure to actually LISTEN to the advice and thoughts the people you talk with are sharing with you and FOLLOW UP. Sounds simple right? In my personal experience
Boston native, MIKE MOORE spent the years preceding AGSM in DC working in finance and private equity. Upon returning from AGSM he returned to Private Equity before moving onto a fantasy sports startup in Boston and finally making the transition his current role in product marketing at an enterprise software provider in Boston. Outside of work he loves sports, espresso and being active. The two words to describe Mike are ‘Wicked Awesome’. Please feel free to contact him with any questions or inquiries.
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most people don’t follow up when they say they will; the ones who do, come out way ahead.
Once you’ve done this start, LEARN about what skills, experience, certifications, etc. you need to succeed in your chosen field/role. Learning more about the competencies you’ll need will help you figure out specific areas you should target while getting your MBA.When you have a sense of what things you are lacking go off and,
ACQUIRE the skills that you are lacking or could improve upon. I highly recommend seeking out internships, externships, and any chance to learn on the job (free or paid, although it’s always more fun to get paid). Don’t worry about the title, pay, class projects, etc., really just look at this as the best way to prepare you for when you walk into your new dream job for an interview and they ask you why you’re a good fit for the job.
You’ll have a lot more to say than just, “I got my MBA from AGSM”.
STAR 9
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September approaches with a mix of fear and excitement for AGSM students who are aiming to leap into management consulting. By that stage they will have spent the last few months preparing, and eagerly await the chance to prove their value during interviews in order to nail an offer.
This second instalment on how to get a role in management consulting discusses the interview process and some tips for success on the day.
The interview process at consulting firms is extremely well organised. Expect between 4 and 6 interviews, split over 2 or 3 rounds. You will generally know who you are meeting in advance, giving you time to stalk them on LinkedIn. Afterwards you will receive feedback on the outcome and some coaching on how to improve for future interviews.
Most people find interviews stressful. Some level of stress is positive and will enable you to perform at your best, however excess stress can be problematic. If you think stress may be an issue for you then I would recommend seeking stress-reduction techniques. A few hours spent here may allow your true level of preparation to shine through on the day.
That being said, in my experience the interviewers try to establish a comfortable atmosphere for the discussion in order to let the candidate perform at their natural best. To that end you should work hard to establish some rapport, it’s normally a good sign if you keep the interviewer chatting a little longer than they are supposed to.
If you are expecting a number of consulting interviews then plan ahead and attempt to reduce your other commitments around that time. Interviewing is tiring and you will be grateful for a little slack in the calendar to recharge. Also, try extra hard to keep Fridays available because most interviews happen on Friday and there may be little scope to alter proposed times.
Guide to CONSULTING Recruitment - II
by Daniel MurphyAGSM MBA StudentClass 2015
Got an interview? Congratulations! Things tend to move quite swiftly from here and so your interview skills, both case and behavioural, need to be polished already. To be honest, by this stage I started to feel a touch of case overload and so I took some time to clear my mind and review my development points from old cases rather than cram new cases in.
On the interview day itself, I recommend taking it easy. Don’t add to your stress by rushing across town from a morning lecture to an afternoon interview, arriving with only minutes to spare. Even simple preparations like picking your clothes out the night beforehand will lighten your cognitive load a little for the big day.
My pre interview ritual was to reach the city early, grab a coffee and then walk around mentally reviewing my behavioural question responses. In the waiting room I liked to try an Amy Cuddy “Power Pose” to boost my confidence. Whether you believe in coffee and power poses or not, you likely have invested over a hundred hours in getting to interview stage and so you owe it to yourself to take a few minutes to clear your head and create the right mindset to succeed.
Hopefully success is indeed the result of all your hard work. Even if it is not I am confident that the preparations made, and skills learnt, through the process will be of benefit in any future job application and interview.
I hope that in reading this article you will realise the value of preparation, and that preparation isn’t just limited to your application and interview content. Preparation includes thinking through all the elements of performing well in the interview, such as managing stress and projecting confidence, then diagnosing your own weaknesses and finding techniques to mitigate them. I believe that spending a few hours here may improve your performance far more than an extra case interview practice.
Good luck, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
Having studied Commerce at UNSW, DANIEL MURPHY worked as an Actuary at Ernst & Young before joining a fledgling derivatives trading firm called Tibra. After seven years as a trader, during which he claims not to have caused the GFC, Daniel decided to broaden his horizons with an MBA from AGSM. Daniel graduates from the Full-Time MBA program in June 2015 and is currently enjoying a few months break before starting at McKinsey in August.
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“Inspiration con brio”- Inspiration, vigorously applied – was the motto of the 2015 MBA World Summit, held this March in Barcelona. I was very honoured to be one of the 100 international students selected to take part in this great gathering of the global MBA community. This year’s summit received over 3000 applications from over 50 leading business schools and I was proud to represent AGSM and Australia. Now in its second year, the summit brings together MBA students from around the globe, enabling collaborative and interactive discussions about global business and economy topics, and sharing of knowledge, ideas and best practices. The event furthermore provides the possibility of connecting and interviewing with its corporate
Inspiration Con Brio - AGSM represented at the
MBA WORLD SUMMIT
by Frederik MayeresAGSM MBA Student Class of 2015
sponsors (this year: Bertelsmann, Deutsche Bank, Goodgame Studios, Merck, and BASF) and facilitates networking opportunities among the students.
The summit’s unique agenda is filled with discussion rounds and lectures – “Summit Laboratory Sessions” (SLS) – which are co-created by the participants, who apply to run these sessions. SLS topics included “What a business can learn from philosophy,” “The power of crowd sourcing,” and “Managing the millennials” and a panel discussion about “Disruptive innovation in healthcare.” The best SLS is selected for an award; this year’s winner was ‘Learning from a failed attempt to buy an NBA team: Understanding public-private partnerships through the lens of game theory.’
I had a great experience at the summit and met very interesting and inspiring fellow MBA students from all over the world (30 nationalities represented). What I enjoyed most were the interesting discussions about global topics, the exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience, and hearing about other people’s stories, where they come from and where they want to go next. These discussions also went beyond the
FREDERIK MAYERES was the Vice President of the 2015 AGSM Student Society and was a commodity trader in Hamburg, Germany prior to joining the full time MBA program at AGSM. Currently completing his last semester at the NYU Stern School of Business in New York, he will return to Sydney in June to start a job as management consultant.
All photos provided by the author.
official program and continued at night at the networking events and dinners. Furthermore, I had great conversations with students, who have started their own businesses, including a travel agency, a social enterprise oil business, and a fashion company, which was again very inspiring. Last but not least, I established many long-lasting connections and even friendships.
The summit was certainly one of the highlights of my MBA and also confirmed my belief that we as AGSM MBA students are not only part of an amazing community in Sydney and Australia, but also that the MBA network we have access to is a truly global one, which we should leverage every day.
Next year’s summit will be held in Miami and all alumni are invited again as well. So maybe next March I will be heading to Miami, to catch up with some of the great people I have met at this year’s summit. I encourage all current 2016 AGSM MBA students who are interested in the MBA World Summit, to apply next year to maintain the AGSM presence at the this great event, and show the world what we are made for.
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There is a new saying - ‘Earlier men were made of steel and boats were made of wood, and now men are made of wood and boats are made of steel’. I and anyone else who has worked in the maritime industry find the statement deceiving. As the sea condition remains the same, so does the toughness, both physically and mentally, required to run the ship. Another fact to support my argument is employee turnover is at persistent elevated levels in maritime industry due to higher Occupation health and safety risk.
A cargo ship has a crew of 22-27 persons and is divided into three departments: Deck department, which is responsible for navigation and cargo handling; Engineering department, which is responsible for resolving all the technical issues arising on the ship and Catering department. Another important aspect I would like to cover is office politics. Office politics have a minimal role in the maritime industry. Your life and other’s depend on your work and responsibility. If you circumvent, everybody suffers and there’s no one to save you in the middle of a rough ocean. Trust among shipmates is high and the spillover effect shows in the daily life of a seafarer when on shore.
Marine transportation is an efficient way to transfer goods and grow the world economy. One major focus in recent years is reducing the Carbon footprint for newer vessels. New technologies are in the trial and adoption stages. However, I believe there is a big potential to reduce fuel efficiency and in turn, the emissions of existing vessels through minimal investment. With my business education under my belt, I aim to venture into this area.
Industry Insights
by Ujjwal RathiAGSM MBA Student
Class 2016
Ujjwal has worked as a Marine Engineer for 11 years that culminated in becoming Chief Engineer in 2013.
He has sailed mostly on oil tankers specializing in carrying of hazardous cargoes. He has also sailed on
Container and Bulk carriers. He was engineer on watch when pirates attacked his ship “MT North Sea”
in 2009 at the Gulf of Aden. His action to meet the demand of a speed increase thwarted the attempt to
hijack the ship.
Kaizen is a Japanese term that means ‘change for better’ and in a business context it refers to ‘Continuous Improvement’.
Aiming to achieve operational excellence, my previous organization adopted the Kaizen philosophy and strategically implemented a series of ‘6 day’ blitz events annually. I led cross functional teams consisting of 10-15 members to solve critical problems related to Safety, Quality, Productivity, Delivery, Cost, Morale and Environment.
Day 1 of the event all the team members were introduced to principles and ground rules of Kaizen methodology. The next two days were designated for data collection, analysis and validation of previously collected data to identify the root cause. Idea generation, brainstorming, implementation of ideas, setting up trials and collecting results were the focus of day 4 and 5. On day 6 results were compiled and validated, a sustenance monitoring system was established and achievements were shared with the top management. Leveraging the skills of members from diverse divisions such as Production, Design, Planning, Quality, HR including blue collar operators’ significant results were achieved. Examples of results include:
- 37% improvement in productivity by eliminating wasteful activities (Muda) and achieving the production target in 2 shifts instead of three.
- Achieving customer satisfaction by eliminating 81% defects in Shower test by identifying root causes of water ingress.
- Achieved cost reduction of 40% in hand gloves resulting in an annual saving of AUD 74050 by optimizing yield and using alternate materials.
by Neelam JoshiAGSM MBA Student
Class 2016
Neelam Joshi, a production engineer, from India has over 2 years work experience with Tata Motors Limited (TML). TML is India’s largest automobile
company with consolidated revenue of USD 38. 9 billion in 2013-14. Neelam aspires to set up an enterprise that links competitive advantage and
social responsibility. She is a self confessed ping-pong fanatic and enjoys travelling.
Industry Insights
Maritime Industry: Route to growth in world economy
Kaizen: A Change for Better
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Its eYearbook season in the Careers office and the inboxes are overflowing with resume submissions for the 2015-2016 publication. Only five years ago there would have been the shuffling of printed final proofs to be checked with an eagle eye before sending off to press, but with technological progress the eYearbook has become streamlined and moved into cyberspace. Creating a live online profile, updating achievements on your resume, or searching for a potential candidate based on selective criteria has become as simple as a few clicks on your computer or smart device.
The developing capabilities of online platforms has allowed for the eYearbook purpose to evolve from a marketing and branding exercise to a go-to recruitment tool for large and small organisations alike to find their next shining candidate. Promoting the eYearbook is constantly at the forefront of our conversations when building employer relationships; and returning alumni who are looking to build their teams with MBA-equipped professionals will seek the AGSM eYearbook as a primary resource for recruitment. Participating in the eYearbook is a great way to be a passive job seeker - with so many companies actively using the book and a vast global alumni network; students have successfully been approached for positions and invited to exclusive events. This is a great indicator that the elusive “hidden job market” can be tapped into!
If you are not already and want to be part of the online resume book, submit your resume for review through the Career Management Platform.
As an employer, you can register on the our platform early to get updates on the release of the 2015 eYearbook. Don’t forget to join us for the official launch of this years eYearbook at the Careers Showcase evening in the CBD on the evening of June 11.
Current Careers
by Minh LeeAGSM Career Development Center
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STUDENT SOCIETY (STUSOC) COMMITTEE MEMBERSPresident Trevor Harris | [email protected] President Robert Ludwick | [email protected] Manager Rizzia Litany | [email protected] Team Christine Savage, Tatiana Rivera Hadad, Nandini Gaur | [email protected] Relations Manager Kaoru Nishinakagawa | [email protected] Manager Pablo Quintero | [email protected] Manager Karan Kaushik | [email protected] Managers Matt Kappler, Kenneth Pratt | [email protected]
STUSOC CLUBS CONTACTSPresident Consulting Club Timothy Fagan | [email protected] Finance Club Shane Simon | [email protected] Innovation, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship (ICE) Club Luis Vegas Arias Stella | [email protected] Marketing Mikhail Narbekov | [email protected] Public Speaking and Debate Club Tathagat Yagnik | [email protected] Social Impact Club Fouad Qureshi | [email protected] Women in Leadership Club Ambika Asthana | [email protected]