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Recruiting for Non-Technical Roles in Tech

Author: Scott is a full-time student pursuing a Tech MBA at NYU Stern. Prior to pursuing his MBA at NYU Stern, he worked in Technology Risk Consulting for 5+ years as a Manager in KPMG’s Technology Assurance practice. He managed a global portfolio of IT Assurance engagements and led a team of 10 associates in delivering IT SOX/SOC services, and automated compliance solutions to clients in the financial services industry.

Scott Dunleavy

Recruiting during a 1-year MBA is an interesting experience. Within one year you will leave your job, and transition back to student life, all while figuring out what you want to do for the next step in your career. On one hand you want to enjoy being a student and immerse yourself in the Tech-MBA experience; on the other hand, there is constant pressure in the background to recruit. Many students come to campus with an idea of their ‘dream job’ while others come in with a clean slate. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and everyone has their own unique recruiting journey. I will tell you a little bit about my recruiting experience, and I hope it helps you in your time as a Sternie! 

What do I want to do?

When I arrived on campus last May, I had an idea of what I wanted to do post-MBA but I told myself that I should come in with an open mind. I would have told you on day 1 of the program that my short-term career goal was to land a job in Product Management for a Financial Services Institution or a FinTech company. Like many Tech MBA’s, I saw Product Management (PM) as a very interesting career path and it was definitely top of mind. I told myself to be open and to talk to as many alumni as I could to see if there were any other career paths that would interest me. One thing I would recommend all students do in the summer semester is set up as many coffee chats and speak with as many alumni as possible to get a feel for what a Tech MBA career looks like after graduating. Compared to the fall and spring semesters which can be very busy with recruiting, the summer semester is a time for you to explore opportunities and potential career paths. From talking to alumni in Product Management / Financial Services I remained very interested in a potential career as a PM but I also spoke to a couple of alums who were working in Sales/Business Development for Tech companies and this piqued my interest more than I had expected. 

During the Summer semester you have the amazing opportunity to work with a real-world Technology client during Tech Solutions – lean into this. In my case I was paired with Salesforce and was able to work with them on building a product mockup and go-to-market strategy for a new Gen AI product. Throughout the experience with Salesforce, I realized that it was the client facing demos, storytelling, and sales / go-to-market pitches that got me the most excited about our product. While other students seemed to enjoy working with the product itself, it was really the storytelling that got me juiced up. One day after class a classmate came up to me and said ‘hey, have you ever considered software sales, I think you would be really good at it’, and this really got me thinking about a potential career in Tech Sales. I decided to go outside of the MBA and speak with some close friends and family who really knew me well, to seek their advice about Sales vs Product Management. The Stern network is amazing but never underestimate the power of your personal network, and the people in your life who have been your biggest supporters and cheerleaders. Lean on them as much as you can because in some ways – they may know you better than you know yourself. 

After having some conversations with friends and family about potential career paths I started to realize that Business Development or Technical Sales might be a better fit for me than Product Management. I am a relationship-oriented person who loves working with customers, and from a personality standpoint I think sales is just a natural fit for me. This was not the easiest decision because Tech Sales is not the most traditional MBA path, and most of my classmates remained interested in PM jobs, but I decided to follow my gut and focus on the career path that I felt best aligned with my strengths. I urge you all to think about the things you are naturally good at and find the career path that best aligns with those innate skills. I knew that I would have to carve out my own recruiting journey, as many of the traditional Tech-MBA roles that recruit on campus are PM jobs, but I bet on myself and followed my gut. Find the career path where you think you can excel, and where you think you will be the most happy. It is YOUR MBA experience, so don’t worry too much about where your other classmates are recruiting, because everyone has their own path and ends up where they are meant to be. 

Now that I know what I want to do… How do I recruit?

Okay get ready for some clichés in this section, but honestly these simple strategies really go a long way when it comes to recruiting. Remember that Stern will equip you with the resources and skills you need to approach your recruiting journey with confidence, but at the end of the day this is your responsibility. Throughout this entire MBA experience, you are betting on yourself. It is up to you to put yourself in the best position to be successful when it comes to recruiting. Here are some tips and tricks that helped me. 

  1. Make a list of companies you would like to work for. For each company, list the job descriptions or titles that would potentially interest you. Whether it is from the Stern network or your personal network, list all the contacts you have at these companies and network, network, network. Oftentimes you can set up alerts on specific companies’ job sites for roles you are interested in. 
  2. LinkedIn can be your best friend. For someone like me who was recruiting for jobs that were not posted on NYU Stern’s career portal (most of these were PM/Strategy jobs and not sales related), LinkedIn is an awesome resource. You can configure your LinkedIn to send you job updates for specific companies or job titles. I did this for my top companies and job titles such as Sales Engineer, Solutions Architect, Sales Enablement, and Sales Strategy. For those of you recruiting for nontraditional MBA roles like me, LinkedIn is going to be your best friend. 
  3. Coffee Chats – don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni or former co-workers/friends to network. It feels awkward at first, but the Tech MBA Alumni network is amazing and, in my experience, they are always happy to help. Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral on the call, especially if you are recruiting for a sales role. End the call with a simple “thanks so much for your time I really appreciate it, just curious after getting to know me do you think I would be a good fit for your company or -insert role name here-?”. This will show confidence and will give the person you are speaking to an action item. Best case they say you would be a great fit and they’ll offer you a referral. Worst case they say no which is totally okay cause then you know that opportunity wasn’t meant for you anyways!
  4. Take advantage of your network – Full–Time MBA students and Part Time students are helpful resources. They have their own networks which they can connect you with, especially the part-time students who are out in the world working at some of the companies you may be interested in. A conversation with a Part Time MBA student in the Fall at a Stern Technology Association event was the conversation that eventually led to my Full-Time offer and the next step in my career. You never know which conversation is going to be THE conversation. Also never forget the power of your personal network, whether it is your high school friends, college friends, family, etc. It is easy to forget about the other networks you have when you are in the Stern bubble, but these can be just as helpful for your recruiting journey.
  5. Follow Up – It is so simple but send a personal follow up email every time you speak with someone while networking. Make this a habit. It is simple but it goes a long way. 

Think outside the Box

If you are interested in working for a Tech company but don’t see yourself as a Product Manager or Technical Program Manager, remember that there are so many other positions at Tech companies. I accepted a job offer for a Sales Enablement position at a Tech company which was not necessarily on my radar when I began the program. It was only through committing myself to recruiting for roles in Tech Sales that I discovered Enablement which combines my passion for sales with my love of coaching and teaching others. 

Embrace and take advantage of the fact that you are in New York City. I cannot think of a better place to be an MBA student, you are surrounded by hustle and opportunity. Think outside of the box when it comes to Tech recruiting and look for networking opportunities outside of Stern. I joined SENY (Sales Engineers of New York) which is a professional networking group, and I attended a couple of their events this year. Throughout the process I met some incredibly helpful people who were working in Technical Sales that went out of their way to help me during my recruiting journey. 

Some parting advice – try to have fun with recruiting. It can and will be stressful – it was for me. But keep a positive attitude, because you wouldn’t be at Stern if you weren’t qualified for the amazing career that is waiting for you. Apply to jobs you don’t think you are qualified for, take risks, and carve out your own path. You will end up where you are supposed to be.

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Navigating the Andre Koo Tech MBA with a Non-Tech Background

Elizabeth Davis

Elizabeth is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Business Analytics, Tech Product Management, and Strategy. Prior to Stern, she worked at Methods+Mastery as a Business Intelligence Analyst supporting full-scale social intelligence and analytics work streams for Google and YouTube. Post-MBA, she plans to pursue a business analytics or strategy role in the tech industry. At Stern, she is a part of several clubs, including the Graduate Marketing Association (GMA), Stern Management & Strategy Club (SMS), Stern Women in Business (SWIB), and Stern Technology Association (STA). Additionally, Elizabeth is a part of the 2023-2024 Makhoul Family Leadership Fellows Program. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys playing volleyball, collecting rare plants, and spending time with her dog Shelby.

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Venturing into the tech world can seem like an arduous journey, especially if you come from a non-tech background like me. When I first enrolled in the NYU Stern Andre Koo Tech MBA program, I was thrilled and apprehensive. My resume spelled out my strengths in customer experience, analytics, and market research. I have worked with tech clients, but diving deep into tech? That was a different ballgame.

Initial Hesitation

My initial concerns revolved around whether I’d be able to grasp the intricacies of the engineering side of the tech industry and its ever-evolving landscape. The jargon, the coding, and the business models all seemed very distant from my past experiences. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my career, it’s that challenges are opportunities in disguise.

Embracing the Learning Curve

The start was, unsurprisingly, a steep learning curve. Terms like distributed cloud, blockchain, and quantum computing were often thrown around. Long hours were dedicated to online tutorials, intensive reading, and numerous consultations with professors and classmates. Every project became an opportunity, a stepping stone to assimilate and learn more.

One key realization for me was that my non-tech background was not a disadvantage but a unique lens through which I could approach problems. My analytical skills, honed from diving deep into consumer insights or strategizing market research for leading brands, allowed me to approach tech challenges with a distinct perspective.

Leveraging My Unique Perspective

In group discussions and projects, I found that my questions – often rooted in the “why” rather than the “how” – brought new dimensions to the table. It was a reminder that tech, at its core, is about solving human-centric problems. And as the classes unfolded, the parallels between my analytical background and the technical intricacies became evident. Coding, much like marketing analytics, became a methodical dance of logic and creativity. Each algorithm, every line of code, mirrored the systematic approach I’d honed over the years, albeit in a different language. 

The real victory, however, wasn’t just about grasping these technical skills but realizing that my background wasn’t a limitation; it was a strength. The skills I had developed over the years were adaptable, relevant, and crucial to my success in this new environment.

Building a Supportive Network

The NYU community was invaluable in my journey. From professors who went the extra mile to explain complex topics to peers who shared their tech expertise, I was surrounded by a supportive network. Study groups became collaborative learning experiences, and late-night discussions often led to eureka moments.

Key Takeaways

Joining the NYU Stern Andre Koo Tech MBA with a non-tech background is not just about acquiring technical knowledge but also about integrating diverse skills to bring fresh perspectives to the tech industry.

For anyone considering a tech MBA with a non-tech background, here’s my advice:

  • Embrace the Learning Curve: Every challenge is an opportunity to grow.
  • Leverage Your Unique Perspective: Your non-tech background can offer invaluable insights.
  • Build a Supportive Network: Surround yourself with those who can complement your skills.

In hindsight, my non-tech background was not a hindrance but a strength. It has equipped me with a holistic understanding of tech, blending the technical with the human, and uniquely positioned me in the tech world.

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The Summer Semester in the Tech MBA

Barak is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Tech Product Management, Leadership, and Change Management. Before Stern, Barak led a team of Product Managers at a FinTech firm in Tel Aviv, Israel where he helped the top financial institutions around the world to provide custom financial insights to their customers. At Stern, he is involved in the FinTech Club as the VP of Alumni Relationships and enjoys organizing pickup basketball games and swimming activities with his classmates.

As a new student in NYU Stern’s Tech MBA program, I recently relocated from Israel to New York in May, accompanied by my wife, our 2-year-old son, and our beloved dog. As I approach the end of my summer semester, I find myself eager to share valuable insights and tips that I’ve gathered throughout this semester. The goal of this post is to help future students and prospects make the most out of their time in the program.

A One-Year Tech-Focused MBA Program

The NYU Tech MBA program is exciting and innovative, lasting from May to May. In just half the time of a traditional two-year program, we achieve a full MBA degree through a unique approach. During the summer semester, we complete the core courses of the first year of the general MBA and seamlessly transition to the second year in the fall. 

Design Sprint Workshop at Google

 

The Summer Semester: A Sprint to Success

The summer semester is divided into three intensive sprints, each lasting four weeks. Picture this: Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 4:30 PM (with a refreshing lunch break from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM),  dedicated to immersive learning experiences. With 3-4 courses per sprint, we efficiently cover an expansive range of crucial business concepts, successfully completing the 11 core courses within a single semester.

Tailored courses for Tech leaders

As someone who thrives in high-pressure environments, this program has impressed me thoroughly so far. The opportunity to immerse ourselves in numerous fascinating courses in one semester, while also mastering the foundational principles of each subject, is simply extraordinary. The university’s creation of dedicated courses tailored for tech-enthusiastic business leaders ensures we receive precisely what we need. Additionally, the incorporation of pre-work, in-class practices, and post-class assignments and quizzes enriches our learning experience.

Communication Course Final Presentation

A Cohort of Family

The people in this program are its greatest asset. With an intimate group of approximately 50 students in the Tech MBA and 25 students in Fashion and Luxury, ​​the quiet summer campus provides the ideal setting for us to come together and form strong bonds. Collaborating on group projects and rotating through different groups for each class allows us to truly know our classmates on a personal level. We don’t just feel like classmates; we’ve become one big family.

Google Office Visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short pencil is better than a long memory

The summer semester can be intense and overwhelming with multiple deadlines, but it’s manageable with the right tools. Stay on top of your game by utilizing effective tools like calendars, to-do lists, and time-blocking techniques. These organizational aids will keep you on track and ensure you never miss a deadline.

Entrepreneurship Course Final Pitch

Prioritize one task at a time

Concentrate on the present importance and avoid getting overwhelmed with future concerns. Trying to handle everything simultaneously leads to accomplishing nothing. Identify high-priority tasks and tackle them first, maintaining control over essential assignments and preventing last-minute rushes.

Embrace the academic opportunities 

Take full advantage of the academic opportunities that the program offers. With captivating classes, experienced industry-proficient professors, and motivated teaching fellows, make the most of these opportunities to learn from some of the best educators in the world. 

Engage in Active Learning 

Take an active role in class discussions, team projects, and case studies, as this will not only enhance your understanding but also enlighten your classmates. The class comprises a diverse group of individuals from various backgrounds, and the beauty lies in how we enrich one another’s learning journey through shared experiences.

Uber Office Visit

Avoid lagging in the material

As classes build upon previous concepts, make it a priority to keep up, and don’t hesitate to seek assistance if needed. Like a snowball effect, staying ahead ensures a smooth progression without overwhelming yourself

Your friends are your best resource

This is always true, but particularly during learning sessions. Embrace the diversity within your cohort to leverage each other’s prior experiences and enhance your understanding of the material. Never hesitate to seek assistance when needed, as everyone is eager to support one another. It’s also a wonderful chance to deepen your connections and get to know each other better.

Multiple Support Options are available

Bear in mind that you have access to various forms of assistance to aid you along the way. If you require help, don’t hesitate to contact the faculty for support. The university offers a range of resources, such as extra office hours with professors or teaching fellows, additional practice sessions, and personalized accommodations, all designed to ensure your academic success.

Sternies Play Basketball in the John A. Paulson Center

If you only get A’s, it means that you’re doing something wrong

This is the thought-provoking statement that one of our professors began his lecture with. While academic excellence is important, a fulfilling graduate degree encompasses more. Invest time in networking, coffee chats, socializing, sports, and other activities that contribute to your overall growth and enriching experience.

Enjoy!

This year is too short to do anything other than enjoy the opportunity to live in one of the best cities in the world and embrace every aspect and moment of it!

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The NYU Stern Orientation Experience

AJ AlbaneseAJ Albanese is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Strategy and Technology. Prior to Stern, AJ held sales and fundraising roles at for-profit and non-profit companies. Post-MBA, he plans to pursue consulting to help businesses achieve technological transformations. At Stern, he is a Tech MBA Cohort leader and enjoys playing ice hockey and cooking when not in class.

This week, MBA Admissions sat down with new Tech MBA student, AJ Albanese, to chat about the NYU Stern Tech MBA Orientation!

Tell us a little about the experience at Orientation. What did it include, and what was the best part?

Orientation was a great way to get introduced to Stern, my classmates and the community at NYU. It included keynote speakers from Estee Lauder and Microsoft, introductions to our program leads, and provided a lot of time to connect with our cohort. It was really focused on getting to know the MBA program and how the year would be structured for us, as well as answering any questions we had. The best part were the two social events we had after the on-campus sessions. It was amazing to get to talk with so many of my classmates and learn more about their backgrounds. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, so it was really cool to connect with everyone!

What did Orientation teach you about the Stern community?

Orientation taught me about how supportive and welcoming the Stern community is. The staff/faculty members and previous students were all so nice and were willing to help in any way. It felt like I got turned around and lost in the building when I would have to move rooms, and I could always find someone to kindly point me in the right direction! Dean Grennan talked a lot about the strength of the community at Stern – this became more apparent than ever as I got to know my new classmates and students in the graduating class. 

What was it like making new friends at Orientation?

Like any first day of school, I was definitely nervous about meeting so many new people and worried about fitting in. Within minutes of getting to Orientation, I had been introduced to people and was immersed in easy conversation – everyone was so open and happy to be there. The social events after the on-campus sessions really helped as well. We went down to One World Trade for an event and were able to get to know my new friends on the train ride down there. Having already lived in the NYC area for 4 years, I found myself giving so many suggestions for things to do, restaurants to try and places to visit around here to the people that had just moved here. I’m excited to take my new friends to some of my favorite spots in the city!

What did Orientation make you most excited for in the coming year?

Orientation made me excited for the experiential learning opportunities at Stern and in our Tech MBA program. I am most looking forward to the experiential course known as “Stern Solutions,” where student teams get to partner with real companies to work on solving real business & technology challenges. I am also really excited to get to know my classmates even more. Everyone is awesome and this year is going to be great! 

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Building Your Tech Network

Aafiya Jamal is currently an MBA Candidate in the Tech MBA Program at the NYU Stern School of Business. She recently moved to New York City from Dallas, Texas. Prior to Stern, Aafiya worked in technology consulting and supported clients in the financial services space, from traditional, global banking institutions to FinTech companies. Outside of the classroom, Aafiya serves as one of the Cohort Leaders for the Tech MBA and is involved in the Stern Technology Association and Stern Women in Business.

As you are exposed to different areas of technology during the Tech MBA, you will likely find yourself wanting to learn more about specific roles, domains, and companies. Networking is a great way for you to understand what a professional’s career journey looks like, what a specific company’s culture looks like from within, and what kinds of skills employers are looking for. These are examples of types of questions I had and can tell you the steps that I took to effectively network during my time in the Tech MBA:

Find a Mentor

  • Firstly, I would highly recommend that you find a mentor to have career-related dialogues with during your time at Stern. I was fortunate enough to have formed a connection with a Tech MBA alum fairly early on and formally asked her to be my mentor for the duration of the one year program. We met in-person on a quarterly basis (while exploring some cute coffee shops in the city), where I would typically share what my career interests were and how they were changing based on what I was getting exposed to in the program. She would almost always connect me to someone in her network as a result of our conversations. These 1:1s also served as an accountability point for me to share what concrete steps I was taking to land my next career opportunity. 

Build Your Connections

  • There are many ways for you to form connections outside of the cohort. First, I would suggest that you maintain and / or re-kindle connections within your existing network. It is a great way to keep your current relationships warm, which can open doors to additional connections and employment opportunities. People move roles and companies all the time and individuals in your existing network may end up pursuing something that you’re interested in. Secondly, I highly recommend that you take advantage of Stern’s robust alumni network. I have found that Sternies are willing to connect, share their experiences with you, and almost always offer you a referral at their company, which can come in handy during recruiting season. You can easily get the conversation going by reaching out to a professional interest via LinkedIn. 

Start Early

  • Finally, I cannot stress the importance of starting to build your network early during your time in business school – especially if you are recruiting for specialized roles in the industry. Fall is when I had the most time at Stern, and I aimed to have at least 1 coffee chat or catch up on the books each week. This may seem like a lot, but definitely becomes easier to incorporate within your schedule over time. As a result, I felt like I had my bearings straight when I began to recruit in the Spring, knowing that I had a strong and supportive network.

Networking can often get a “bad rep,” but is an important habit to develop, particularly during your time at Stern, which can have long-term benefits. You can re-kindle existing relationships, while developing new professional connections, by using the Stern brand. I wish you the best of luck – happy networking!  

 

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Exploring the Startup Ecosystem in the United States through EFL

Nilesh Ramnani, CFA is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Strategy, Product Management, and Entrepreneurship. Prior to Stern, Nilesh had his own consulting firm and has also worked in Investment Banking and Private Equity. At Stern, he is a board member of Private Equity and Venture Capital Club; Business Analytics Club; Graduate Marketing Club and Adventure Club and enjoys traveling and exploring different cultures and cuisines.

I was standing in the queue for the most adventurous Velocicoaster ride at Universal Park Orlando during my spring break. I asked my wife – Are you scared? She said, “yes I am, but it will be so much fun! The excitement and a bit of fear makes this adventurous.” Once we were on the Velocicoaster, we were thrown upside down four times and all the moves were unexpected. The start-up world is no different. You just need to find your own balance of facing fear, uncertainty and enjoying the ride. You are pulled in different directions and you need to find your own path. 

Before joining Stern, I had experience working with many startups in India through my own consulting practice. But I wanted to get a deeper dive into the start-up ecosystem in the United States. That’s when I found the Endless Frontier Labs (EFL), taught by Professor Deepak Hegde. The course is a mix of lectures, working with a start-up and also meeting industry experts who mentor the companies in EFL. 

I was paired with OPTT health, a company that is trying to solve some of the biggest challenges in the mental health care space in the US and Canada. We read a lot about telehealth companies trying to make mental health accessible to everyone, but the facts are shocking. 55% of adults (28 million people) in the US with a mental illness do not receive treatment. This is partly because mental health treatment is highly subjective and labor-intensive, and treatment outcomes depend mainly on the skill of the clinician. We need efficiencies in the system to enable doctors to treat more patients and OPTT is trying to do this using a proprietary algorithm to capture and analyze patient data. It plans to transform the treatment of mental health using machine learning and Artificial Intelligence. 

I worked with founders Mohsen Omrani and Ali Omrani on the go to market strategy in the United States market. In our meetings with mentors, we identified a crucial goal: to develop a quantitative model that OPTT Health can use to effectively communicate its value proposition. I mapped out the patient journey and identified areas where OPTT can create value that could be quantified. Based on these findings, I developed a financial model to calculate the return on investment (ROI) for potential customers. OPTT plans to use this model to determine a suitable pricing strategy for the company, ensuring that the value they offer is commensurate with the price. My work will be used to communicate the value to all the stakeholders including customers, investors and partners.

Through EFL, I also learned a lot about other startups. We had multiple group sessions where we discussed the issues faced by EFL startups and brainstormed ideas to solve these problems. EFL provides a platform for students, mentors, and the EFL team, to discuss the problems startups are facing.

I think the EFL course gave me exactly what I was looking for. I got a flavor of the startup ecosystem in the United States and also learned frameworks to solve problems faced by startups.

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Career Resources & Recruiting

Zoish Pithawala is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Tech Product Management. Prior to Stern, Zoish worked as a Solutions Architect focused on startups interested in using cloud technologies. Post-MBA, she plans to move into a technical product management role specifically focused on data analytics. 

 

 

When I quit my job to go back to school, I was left a little nervous wondering what recruiting for a new role would be like. With the Tech MBA kicking off in May, it felt like there was barely any time before I had to start recruiting. Luckily, Stern has a ton of resources that helped me with my career development and recruiting process that made the whole process a lot easier.

Office of Career Development

The Office of Career Development is one of the first resources you’ll hear about when you start the program. They provide tools, events, and 1:1 meetings for any stage of the recruiting process. Here are some of the resources I found especially advantageous to me. 

  • Resume Reviews:  Before the program even began, we had access to a resume editing tool to help us start on our journey, followed up with some individualized feedback. This was a great starting point for me, because it got me into the mindset of what gaps I had in my resume that I wanted to fill throughout the year. Through the rest of the year, I scheduled appointments with the Careers Team team to continue editing my resume as I added more experiences. 
  • Recruiting Events/ Presentations: The Careers Team hosts several company recruiting presentations throughout the year. I signed up for the companies I was interested in applying to and it was a great way to hear more about the roles and find out about the recruiting process. My favorite event was the Tech Alumni Mock Interview where I got practice on how to interview for a technical product management position and got to network with  alumni. 
  • IGNITE: Over the summer, there are a few mandatory IGNITE sessions that help with general career development like working on your pitch, resume writing, and how to create a target list of companies. This really helped me get the ball rolling over the summer and I continue to utilize the provided workbook today.
  • 1:1 Appointments: This was the most valuable resource for me! I frequently scheduled 1:1 appointments with the Careers team to discuss more on my strategy and any questions I had about recruiting. The Careers Team even offers mock interviews that can help you practice interview questions.  I found everyone on the Careers team extremely helpful and I plan to have a few more mock interviews and offer negotiation strategy sessions before the end of the year!

Club Resources 

Outside of the social events, clubs can also help with your career development. As part of the Stern Technology Association (STA), I found their resources extremely helpful. They have consolidated resources including a handbook that has great notes on the types of interview questions, what to expect when interviewing, and tips for different tech companies.

Professional Opportunities

The Tech MBA has built-in professional opportunities as part of the curriculum. Over the summer, the Tech Immersion course gave us hands-on experience working with KPMG and in the fall, I got the opportunity to work with PayPal in Tech Solutions. These professional opportunities gave me a lot to showcase on my resume and helped me tailor my resume towards my career goal in product management. These professional opportunities also give me the chance to network and work with professionals in companies that I have always wanted to work for, like PayPal. 

Networking 

Networking is a big part of your life as an MBA student and for your recruiting process.  All of the resources I shared above involve networking with peers, alumni, and professionals. There are a variety of other ways that Stern helps you network. 

  • Networking events: There are a variety of networking events hosted through OCD, clubs, etc. throughout the year. These events range from alumni events to multi-school events that give you a great opportunity to meet new people.
  • Guest speakers: A majority of my classes at Stern have featured incredible guest speakers. These speakers range from experts in Blockchain, product managers at large tech companies, CEOs, founders, and more. Not only is it incredibly valuable to hear their insights and learn about their backgrounds, but you get the opportunity to connect with them and network. I have loved getting to connect with a lot of these speakers after the session!

As I continue to network and apply for jobs, I utilize these career resources frequently. These are just some of the career resources that I have utilized throughout this year as I recruit for a full-time job, and I know they will be immensely helpful for you if you end up at Stern!

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West Coast Immersion 2023

Divya Mehta is a current Tech MBA student at Stern. Within Stern, she is part of the Graduate Marketing Association and Business Analytics Club boards. Before starting her MBA, Divya has held various supply chain roles at Johnson & Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, and Intel Corporation. She studied Industrial Engineering at Penn State University with minors in Product and Entrepreneurship. Post-MBA she is interested in pivoting from a cost-savings role to a revenue-generation role at a B2B company. 

 

Welcome to the Journey! 

One of the standout features of NYU’s Tech MBA is its embedded West Coast Immersion Course during our winter break.  The West Coast immersion is an integral part of our curriculum, as it gives us exposure to a wide range of companies and opportunities beyond the NYC ecosystem. My name is Divya, and I’m here to bring you along on my personal recap of the West Coast Immersion trip! 

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Students had the option to visit either Seattle, WA or Los Angeles, CA before meeting up in San Francisco.

As part of the West Coast Immersion Coast, we were able to lottery for our choice of either Los Angeles or Seattle; I chose Seattle  so that I could  tack on a week in Portland, OR prior! At the end of the trip, 16 of us traveled to Steamboat, CO to join Stern Adventure club on their annual ski trip. This led to a total of 4 weeks of travel for me! 

My luggage for 4 weeks of travel was #Worththeweight

As the official start date of the trip neared, I couldn’t help but feel the adrenaline rush as my classmates began to share their travel to Seattle from all parts of the world. 

 

Shortly after our group touched down in Seattle, we met up at Flatstick Brewing for some beer and bites. There were so many fun memories but in the interest of keeping this short, I’m sharing my top 5 highlights, in chronological order, from each leg of the immersion trip!

Seattle Highlights: 

  1. Microsoft
  2. Amazon 
  3. Class-bonding
  4. T-Mobile 
  5. Starbucks

1. At Microsoft we had the pleasure of hearing from Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft Collaborative Apps, and a thought leader in the product space. I loved hearing his insights and experiences around disruption, culture, and customer empathy at a large enterprise company. I was also particularly fascinated by the Industrial Metaverse portion covered by Lili Cheng, given my background in Supply Chain.

Group shot from our first company visit!

2. At Amazon we learned the importance of Customer Obsession, Collaboration, and what makes an MLP or “Most Lovable Product!” We were treated to a delicious breakfast and lunch with an exclusive tour of the Amazon Spheres in between. 

An Amazonian welcome and tour of the Spheres


3. The small but meaningful class-bonding moments with Professor Vasant Dhar – I loved being in a remote classroom together, having a whole charter bus to ourselves, and taking in the beautiful Mt. Rainier views! 

  

4. T-Mobile was perhaps my biggest surprise. We had a blast learning about their 5G portfolio through interactive demonstrations. Salim Koudri, Senior Vice President of Technology,  gave  an incredible talk on the wireless value chain, the future of 5G, and some fascinating business solutions. We learned about concepts such as “latency” through VR, and then ended our day at the employee lounge for a cocktail reception with pool, shuffleboard, and networking with senior team members. 

Classmates learning the challenges of “latency” through VR games

5. Similar to T-Mobile, another company visit that surprised me was Starbucks. As someone who comes from a background in supply chain, I had always known of Starbucks as a “supply chain” company. As an Industrial Engineer, I really “nerded out” on the fact that they have an entire center dedicated to optimizing the barista experience. It turns out product design plays a huge role in speed and ergonomics. 

After a hectic schedule in Seattle, we packed up our suitcases and made our way to San Francisco to meet up with the other half of our cohort! 

Excited to meet up with the rest of our classmates in the Bay Area

San Francisco Highlights: 

  1. Weekend 1
  2. Palantir
  3. Nvidia
  4. Calm CEO
  5. Google

1. Weekend 1 in the Bay consisted of reuniting with the second half of our cohort (after 4+ weeks of winter break), exploring the city, meeting some admitted students for brunch, and of course, a cohort trip to Napa Valley! This was our first chance to breathe after a hectic first week in Seattle. 

  

2. At Palantir, we got the true Silicon Valley start-up experience as we challenged each other to ping pong and foosball games while our speakers set up.

Classmates enjoying a good post-lunch stretch at Palantir

3. One common theme that has been stressed throughout our program is the importance of coffee chats. Because of the networking and coffee chats I’d arranged, two of my classmates and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a personal tour of Google’s new campus where we rode bikes, grabbed a delicious Mediterranean meal,  made our own ice cream sundaes, and chatted about the variety of opportunities at Google and beyond. 

Posing in front of the new Bay View building in Mountain View

4. Nvidia was incredible. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside but their building looked like it was straight out of a futuristic movie. Their demonstration of generative AI showed the power of simulations in driver safety, and digital twins in manufacturing plants. 

5. An amazing way to end our week was to have an intimate conversation with the CEO of Calm, David Ko. One of my favorite quotes from the NYU Alum was “It’s not how you lead going up, it’s how you lead when things are going down.” This was especially important to hear while the Tech industry was facing economic headwinds because it taught us the importance of resilience. 

Our classroom views were absolutely gorgeous on our last day

In conclusion, the West Coast Immersion trip was an incredible opportunity for the NYU Tech MBA cohort to broaden our horizons beyond the NYC ecosystem and gain insights from a diverse range of companies and industry leaders. From Microsoft to Amazon, T-Mobile, and Starbucks in Seattle, to Palantir, Nvidia, Calm, and Google in the bay area (and this isn’t even all of the companies we visited!), we had the chance to learn about disruptive technologies, customer obsession, product design, 5G, and AI. The trip also provided us with invaluable opportunities for class-bonding and networking with senior faculty. Overall, the West Coast Immersion was an unforgettable experience that allowed us to deepen our understanding of the tech industry and prepare us for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

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Thriving as a Woman in Tech

Alina Vrsaljko is a current Tech MBA student at Stern. Within Stern, she is part of the Stern Women in Business Club‘s board. Before starting her MBA, Alina gained professional experience in Digital Strategy Consulting at McKinsey in Europe and in multiple roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Germany and Singapore. She holds a BSc in Business Informatics and a MSc in Management. 

Introduction

45% minorities, 9% LGBTQ+, 57% international students and 55% women – those are not target scores from exemplary studies on what ideal diverse teams should look like, but those are the actual numbers of the Tech MBA at NYU Stern. When I met my classmates for the first time, I was amazed by the number of strong women in the program. This was not at all what any of us had expected when signing up for a Tech focused MBA, but we LOVED it – both male and female classmates. In the picture below, you can see a small part of our amazing group of women in the Tech MBA.

Being the only one

Coming from a Tech industry background, I’ve gotten used to being the “only one”-the only woman in the room.  And even though my colleagues and clients meant well, there were certain situations where I could feel the impact of what it means to be the only person of a certain group in the room. And this did not just happen to me – a recent Women in the Workplace Study by McKinsey and LeanIn.org shows that “32% of women in technical and engineering roles are often the only woman in the room at work” (2022). This is one of the reasons why I believe the makeup of this year’s Tech MBA is so special and important – the more we normalize women thriving in Tech, the easier it’ll be for young women to imagine themselves in those roles.

Why is this even relevant? 

Throughout my career, one big factor I’ve considered when deciding on a next career move was around female empowerment – will this decision help me advance further and will this have an impact on women in the industry? Maybe that’s also why I specifically picked the Tech industry as an 18-year-old girl to start off my career. I believe it’s time that all of us start making a difference. Especially in Tech but also in leadership in general, women are still heavily underrepresented – in the US, still only 1 in 4 CEOs is female and even only 1 in 20 CEO’s is a black woman (LeanIn, McKinsey, 2022). Thus, I believe us as MBAs, and hopefully all future leaders, need to push further for equality to achieve the equal world we aim to live in. Another reason for focusing on gender equality is that diverse teams make better decisions (Harvard Business Review, 2016) – no matter whether that’s in business or politics. Additionally, especially in Tech, having diverse representation will matter even more than ever. With Artificial Intelligence solutions on the rise and tech firms not having a diverse employee body, those new algorithms are full of unconscious biases that will need to be resolved (Forbes, 2020). Thus, I am proud to be part of an MBA program that is educating so many women in Tech, sets us up with the tools to excel in the industry, and educates allies who are aware of gender equality issues and who will actively create an impact in this field.

When thinking about how to thrive as a woman in Tech throughout your MBA experience, there’s three main areas to leverage:

1. Role models: I can’t stress enough the importance of strong role models for your career development – I am still thankful to all the amazing role models in my previous positions who I am still in touch with. NYU Stern will also help by connecting you with strong, successful women – I was lucky enough to have met a few of them at multiple events hosted by NYU Stern, from Elizabeth Elting (see picture below) who was listed on FORBES’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, to Rama Akkiraju, who is leading NVIDIA’s AI/ML efforts after being responsible for IBM Watson for the past few years.

Those women are living proof that it is possible to break glass ceilings in all kinds of industries, and an MBA at NYU Stern allows you to connect with and learn from them. Additional events to connect with women are now also happening all over New York – and for every industry. Especially for Women’s History Month, companies like Google and Amazon have held great events around women in tech that were free to join for students.

2. Network within Student Community: Besides external speakers, who often can act as inspiration, the Student Community at NYU Stern is full of strong and ambitious women to network with. Starting from the Fall, Tech MBA students will get to interact with all full-time students and there are multiple opportunities to engage with fellow students. For example, I’m part of the Stern Women in Business Club’s Board for Alumni Relations. This involved connecting with a lot of female MBA alumni, and allowed me to network within the SWIB community to further build out my network. Of course, the small class size of the Tech MBA and the close connection to the smaller sized Fashion and Luxury MBA also allowed to create a close-knit network already in the summer. I’m sure I’ll carry my network of strong NYU women throughout my career and can’t wait to see what all of them will accomplish.

3. Allies: Finally, a concept that is gaining much more popularity is involving allies that do not identify as women. The great part about women’s engagement within NYU is that non-women identifying students are also asked to participate in a range of events. There are specific events like “Bring your Ally to Work” where all students discuss issues that women in the workplace have experienced to raise the awareness of discrimination, or “Real Meals” where an ally hosts a dinner at their place and invites women to listen and learn more about what discrimination currently still looks like. Additionally, our SWIB conference this year is also centered around the topic of Active Allyship. NYU Stern promotes a policy of equality that can only be achieved by working together and aiming as one for a more equal world and I’m proud to be a part of this effort.

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The Role of Clubs in the Tech MBA

Steven is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Financial Instruments & Markets and Management of Technology & Operations. Prior to Stern, Steven was at Deloitte in tech consulting where he was implementing financial software to complete full cycle digital transformations. At Stern, he is involved in OutClass and enjoys connecting with classmates.

Club involvement has been a significant part of my experience at Stern. I am currently a Vice President for Careers and Conferences in OutClass, an Assistant Vice President for Resources in Cellar, an ally in Stern Women in Business, and a member of the Management Consulting Association, Private Equity and Venture Capital Club and Stern Adventures. The first thing to note is that a lot of these clubs have lifetime membership. The professional clubs offer an abundant amount of important information including job opportunities, networking and trainings that can be leveraged in the future. I highly suggest joining any clubs that you have an interest in so that you can utilize these invaluable resources.

Affinity Clubs

The club that I am most involved with is OutClass, our LGBTQIA+ affinity group. In my leadership position, I have been heavily involved with connecting employers that are recruiting for diversity and inclusion initiatives to queer MBA candidates, and have organized multiple firm-sponsored queer networking events including cross club collaborations. OutClass has been one of the most important clubs that I have been involved with and has significantly enhanced my experience at Stern. This club has allowed me to meet classmates from all the different MBA programs (EMBA, Part-Time Langone MBA and Full 2-Year MBA) outside of the focused MBAs. I have also built a community in OutClass that has been instrumental in some of my deepest connections at Stern. I have seen firsthand how within this community, everyone really strives to help each other out to achieve the utmost success. With this group we have attended professional conferences such as ROMBA in Washington, D.C. (Stern had the highest representation of queer students out of any graduate school!), happy hours, group workout sessions, dinners, mixers with other schools and alumni, marched in New York Pride and have so much more to come, including a trip to Miami.

Professional Clubs

As for professional clubs, these clubs help students with securing summer internships and full time offers. They offer bootcamps, casing prep and competitions and a wealth of learning opportunities. The goal of professional clubs is to help students  prosper in whatever field they are recruiting for. In most of these clubs, MBA2s will lead sessions and help the other cohorts by sharing their experiences going through the same processes in the previous year, and giving advice on how to prepare for or learn about an industry. Overall, the interview preparation, job opportunities and connections that these clubs provide is outstanding.

A particularly special event that I went to recently was the kickoff for ‘Allyship in Stern Women In Business’ (SWIB). Coming from the tech sector, where women are disproportionately represented, it was incredible to see that my Tech MBA cohort was the largest representation. Everyone went around to state their various reasons of why they showed up as an ally, and it was impressive to see why everyone supported more women in leadership positions and how they would support these initiatives when they returned to the workforce.

Overall, I would recommend joining any and every club that you have any interest in. Both professional and social clubs offer a magnitude of knowledge, fun, connections and networks. These affiliations will last a lifetime and you never know when you will want to leverage any aspect from the membership. You will always be able to decide what events you will want to attend or how much you obtain from the relationship, but you will not have the opportunities unless you get involved.