Tuesday, December 9, 2014

UCSD Rady MBA Program to Host Event in Tokyo on December 27, 2014

Hello all,

I received the information summarized below from a current student in the MBA program at UCSD Rady regarding an upcoming event in Tokyo. Do consider attending if you are in the area and wish to learn more about this program (information below is in Japanese).

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com




カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校 Rady School of Managementでは、1227日(土)に在校生&卒業生によるMBAプログラムの説明会を開催します。アメリカからMBA現役生が来日し、卒業生と一緒に東京六本木にて学校説明会を開催致します。本説明会は、学校説明に加え、現役生・卒業生等によるパネルディスカッションを中心に、ウェブサイトだけでは伝えきれないRadyの魅力をお届けします。

 【日時】 20141227日(土)                                                                                 
             13:15受付開始、13:30スタート (予定終了時刻 14:45
 【場所】 六本木アカデミーヒルズカンファレンスルーム1



【費用】 無料
 【参加申込】 登録制となっております。定員がございますので、早めに下記URLよりお申し込みください。
  締切は1226日(金)までとなります。
  申込ページ:       http://goo.gl/forms/ot90Fd2v5U


Rady Team Japan一同
【お問い合わせ】 
  衣笠(Class of 2016):      satoshi.kinugasa@rady.ucsd.edu
  岩橋(Class of 2016):     Kanna.Iwahashi@rady.ucsd.edu
【関連情報】
  Rady Team Japan         https://sites.google.com/site/radyjapan2/
  Rady Official Site           http://rady.ucsd.edu/
  Twitter:                                    @radyjapan

  Facebook:                     http://www.facebook.com/RadyJapan





Sunday, November 23, 2014

Virginia Darden MBA hosting "Japanese Perspectives on the Darden MBA" online chat

Current Japanese students at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business will be hosting an online chat called "Japanese Perspectives on the Darden MBA". Sign up here if you are interested in joining this chat, to be held on December 6, 2014 (local time at the program).

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Monday, November 10, 2014

UCSD Rady Japan Team to host Webinar on November 15, 2014

The following information was sent to me by a current student in the UCSD Rady MBA Program regarding an upcoming webinar about Rady. Read on below (in Japanese) for details.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com



この度、カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校(UC San Diego) Rady School of Management の日本人在校生によるオンライン学校説明会(Webinar)を開催致します。
当校は 2004 年に開設、2014 年に創立 10 周年を向かえたばかりの新しいビジネススクー ルです。アメリカ西海岸最南端に位置するサンディエゴが誇るバイオテック、クリーンエ ネルギー、ハイテクなどに代表される強力な地域産業と、世界トップクラスの研究実績を 誇る UC San Diego・研究機関をブリッジする極めて重要な役割を担っています。また、 サンディエゴに本社・拠点を携える Sony Electronics, Qualcomm, illumina などの世界 的企業と協業し、西海岸のビジネススクールとして確固たる地位を固めつつあります。
本説明会(Webinar)では、現地日本人学生からMBA授業や受験対策、現地の生活などを ストリーミング放送でお伝えします。また、説明会参加者から事前に寄せられたご質問へ の回答や、アドミッションからの日本人受験生に向けたコメントなども予定しています。
既に強い志望をいただいている方はもちろん、MBA出願を考え始めたばかりの方でも、 お気軽にご参加ください。詳細は以下の通りです。皆様のご参加、お待ちしております。

【日時】 2014 11 15 ()午前 10:00 開始(予定終了時刻 午前 11:00)<日本時間> 【場所】 オンライン(Webinar)形式 ※ご登録いただいた方に後日詳細をお送りします 【内容】 学校説明、出願情報、在校生による座談会(受験対策、サンディエゴ生活など) 【言語】 日本語(アドミッションからのコメントのみ英語)
【費用】 無料
【申込】 下記 URL よりお申し込みください【締切:11 14 ()
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sxj57TLhXm57-1okLAm-pEKKqrxJVkqBT09lPWLhSo8/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link
※ 当説明会は入学選考とは関係ありません


【お問い合わせ】
景山 (Full-time, Class 2016)takuma.kageyama@rady.ucsd.edu
衣笠 (Full-time, Class 2016)satoshi.kinugasa@rady.ucsd.edu
 

【関連情報】 
Rady Team Japanhttps://sites.google.com/site/radyjapan2/
Rady Official Sitehttp://rady.ucsd.edu/
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/RadyJapan
  
  

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Wharton MBA TBD Interview Workshop in Tokyo on November 18, 2014

My colleague Adam Markus and I will be offering a Wharton Team Based Discussion Workshop in Tokyo on November 18th at 8pm.  You must be in Tokyo to participate.

Wharton MBA Team Based Discussion Interview Workshop
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 18, 8pm-9:15pm

Location: E4TG    Isshin Building 5F, 2-11-7 Yaesu Chuo-ku, Tokyo
東京都中央区八重洲  2-11-7 一新ビル 5階

This workshop is for those who will be having a Round 1 Wharton Interview. It is focused solely on the Team Based Discussion. It will consist of a simulated 35 minute TBD based on the actual topic being used. After that the remaining time will consist of feedback and discussion. Both Adam and John will be observing. In the event that the number of participants is over 8, the group will be divided into 2 for the simulation with Adam or John observing.

The feedback session will focus on such topics as
(1) Delivery of an effective 1 minute proposal
(2) Effective listening
(3) What makes for good team interaction?
(4) The role of body language

Please note that the 1-to-1 interview will not be covered in this session.

Cost:   10,000 yen paid in advance by bank transfer received by 11/15/2014
13,000 yen if paid in cash on the day of the event.

Prepayment is mandatory, so if we cannot confirm your payment by the 15th , you will need to pay in cash on the day of the event.

Recording: We encourage you to audio record the workshop. To protect your personal information please do not reveal anything about yourself that you would be uncomfortable having recorded by other participants. Therefore changing the name of your company, clients, etc. is highly advised during the participatory parts of the workshop.

To make a reservation and arrange for payment, please email me at john.couke@gmail.com.

Hope you can join! 

John Couke

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Michigan Ross MBA Students and Alumni to Host Information Session In Tokyo on November 24, 2014

Hello blog readers, I received information on this upcoming Michigan Ross event (more below) from a previous client.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com



University of Michigan MBA 在校生・卒業生による学校説明会・留学体験談

MBA受験生の皆様におかれましては、志望校への出願に向けて大変忙しい時期をお過ごしのことと存じます。当日はRossCulture、授業、課外活動等、Rossの魅力を存分にお伝えすることで、学校選定やエッセイ執筆のお手伝いができればと思っておりますので、是非ご参加ください。

Ross School of Business Tokyo Information Session
日時:1124日(祝・月)19:0021:00

形式:米国にいる在校生がSkypeを通じてRossの魅力を語ります。(Q&Aの時間も設けております)その後、会場にいる卒業生とのインタラクションの時間もございます。質問などがございましたら、事前に下記アドレスまでお送り頂ければ幸いです。
橋本  一郎(MBA1: ichiroh@umich.edu
参加登録:以下リンクより御登録ください。

Ross School of Businessのご紹介】
Stephen M. Ross School of Businessの一番の魅力、それは「人」「コミュニティ」「環境」です。優秀で協調性にあふれたクラスメイトとクラス内外で学び合うことにより、グローバルに通用するリーダーシップスタイル/チームワークスキルを形成していくことができます。また、自然豊かで治安の良い生活環境も大きな魅力のひとつです。
また、Rossはリーダーシップやマネジメントに関するプログラムを中心に、外部機関からも高い評価を得ております。
(#1 for 5 consecutive years in Top Leadership Development Programs by Leadership Excellence
#8 in Full-time MBA Ranking by Business Week
#1 in Top Schools for Sustainability by Business Week
#1 - 3 for 3 consecutive years in Ranking of Best Graduate Programs for Entrepreneurship by Princeton Review
#4 for Management, #5 for Marketing, #6 for International Business in US News MBA Rankings
#3 for Corporate Strategy, #5 for CSR / Ethics in Financial Times MBA Rankings)


学校公式サイト: http://www.bus.umich.edu                                   
日本人サイト: http://rossjba.jimdo.com

Monday, October 27, 2014

How to Practice for Interviews

Hello blog readers - I apologise for not having updated this blog in a while. I have been busy helping clients craft strong applications to MBA and other graduate programs. I cannot promise that I'll be posting a lot over the next few months, however if you need advice feel free to email me. If you are new to this site, please take a look around - there's lot of useful information in the form of interviews with students and admissions officers as well as my own thoughts on a variety of topics.

Effective interview preparation is the one part of the admissions process that most candidates overlook, or at least underestimate. Answering questions in an interview setting and doing so in a strategic, cohesive and impressive way does not come naturally to anyone. Careful preparation is required before you'll have the skills and confidence needed to be successful.

What's the solution? Live mock practice with people you trust to give you candid feedback on your performance. Ideally you'll work with an admissions counselor with a proven track record of success helping clients get into the program you are targeting. This will be effective - although it isn't the only way you'll practice. What do you do inbetween sessions with your counselor? Here's a plan that I recommend that will help you internalize your key interview messages while not memorizing anything.

(1) Develop visual keywords.

Once you (and your counselor or mentor) have arrived at the ideal answer to a given question, summarize it in the form of keywords. (Do not write out your answer word for word.) Choose keywords that'll help you recall core pieces of content in your answer.

(2) Practice using those visual aids.

Walk through your answers (out loud) using those keywords. Gradually you'll be able to give your answers without focusing too much on the notes. But if you forget what you want to say - it's okay to refer back to the keywords you've made.

(3) Adjust your visual aids as you practice.

Perhaps if you find that you are continually forgetting to add a part to your answer you should go back to the keywords and make some modifications.

(4) Focus your eyeline on something else.

As you practice giving your answers, it is a good idea to reduce your dependence on your keywords. But the key to this step is to not start looking at nothing, or letting your eyes wander about the room as you try to recall the things you want to say. Instead, focus your eyes on something else. Convince it of what you want to say!

Important point: if you are repeating your answers too much, to the point where they are starting to sound rehearsed (flat intonation, monotone delivery) then stop. Try the answer again a day or two later. In addition, many of my clients also record themselves. This is a good idea, although I advise them not to listen to their answer immediately after recording it. Instead, wait an hour or a day to put some space between the delivery and the feedback you intend to give yourself.

So - this is one way to practice. I find it highly effectively with more complex answers like stories, where there is a certain set of details that you want to get across in a particular order to tell the story effectively.

If you are still reading at this point, thank you. I am sure I have convinced you that interview practice is not enjoyable. This is true I think. It's meant to be something that you focus on, and that makes it difficult. But, when you are ready - and you know what you want to say and how you want to say it - you'll be comfortable and ready for you interview, and you'll be thankful that you prepared in the right away.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com




Friday, August 22, 2014

NYU Stern MBA Admissions Event in Tokyo on September 11, 2014

A former client let me know that NYU Stern Admissions will be hosting an MBA admissions event in Tokyo from 7pm on Thursday September 11, 2014. Details are here (click on Japan to RSVP).

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Monday, August 11, 2014

Tips on Organizing a Strong Resume

One point worth keeping in mind about your resume is the amount of time the reader will spend on the document - typically 1-3 minutes. Given this, layout and readability are both extremely important. A good resume starts in the presentation: how the document is organized and designed, as well as the content you choose to include, and how that is presented. Here are a few things to consider when judging the effectiveness of your own resume.


1. The document must be easy to look at.  For example, if the font is too small, the margins are tiny, and everything is crammed together, your reader will get a bad first impression.  This is especially important because the person reading your resume will likely only give it a minute or two, in total.  So it is vitally important to avoid having a bad impression.  Here is a small checklist to keep in mind:

a) Use a typical font, such as Times New Roman 10.5 or 11.
b) Use margins of between 10mm to 15mm all the way around, for instance using 10mm for the top and bottom, and then 15mm for the left and right sides. This will ensure your document has some white space in the margins and is centered properly on the page.
c) Ensure the paper setting is correct: for documents going to the US or Canada, use "letter-sized", and for outside the US, use "A4". Here is a page on betweenborders.com that explains the difference.  Even though many schools these days have computerized their application reading process, it is still worthwhile to be aware of the difference. 
d) Decide on line settings that will make your bullet points readable, and avoid crunching lines together in order to fit too much onto one page.  If you are using Microsoft Word, under "home" go to "line spacing options". Set it at "exactly" and at a setting between 12pt, 13pt or 14pt.  In addition, after each bullet point have a small margin, in order to ensure each bullet is separated nicely.  Experiment with these settings until you have arrived at the setting that makes your resume look best: not too packed together, and with a small bit of space between each bullet point.


2. Keep it to 1 page (see my previous post on why this is best) by selecting what to focus on rather than including everything you've ever done! When deciding, ask yourself what skills you possess that are most relevant to your future - either skills that demonstrate your ability to succeed at graduate school, or skills that are relevant to your future goals. What skills that you possess will an admissions officer or future employer value? Highlight your relevant skills in the bullet points of your resume. 


3. Avoid too much personal information (marital status, age, number of children, height, weight etc) unless requested. Such information can be distracting because it is not what your reader will be expecting when they review your document - so be sure to manage their expectations effectively.


4. Avoid long lists of adjectives like "dedicated team player" and other such fluff. These are not valuable additions to a resume, and are better included elsewhere. For instance for a job applicant, your personal description of characteristics relevant to the job to which you are applying could be in the cover letter.  And for grad school applicants, such concepts are hopefully to be found in your recommendation letters.


5. Include a short list of personal activities in the additional section. In terms of what to choose, this is the criteria I consider: 

a) The activity should demonstrate something appealing about you.
b) You can show a strong time commitment to the activity.
c) The content should be recent.
d) The content is strategic.  

If the activity fits all three criteria, then certainly include it.  For instance if you have been a starting member of a community basketball team for the past 1.5 years and you play twice a month, this is worthy of inclusion. You can highlight team and/or leadership experience, and also you have shown dedication to the activity.  It is easy to see how an activity that does not meet all three criteria would not be worth including: a 2-hour volunteer experience in 1994 that was never repeated is probably not worth fitting on your page, especially if you have more recent and significant experiences.

In terms of point d), some activities people do regularly are just not worth including in the resume, even if they fit a) b) and c). Many people read hundreds of books, or watch hundreds of movies, for instance.  However interesting such activities are, they should not typically be included in your resume, because they don't say anything interesting about you.


6. Make sure each individual bullet point, no matter what section it is in, is clear, impressive and impactful.


7. Have someone whose opinion you trust read your resume and give you feedback on it. It can be difficult to assess the effectiveness of your own work.



Steps 2, 6, and 7 will likely require assistance, so do consult with a professional to ensure your resume is working as effectively as possible. Finally, be sure to read carefully the instructions provided by the school you are applying to, or the recruiter or company to whom you will send your resume.  There may be additional instructions, including the number of lines to use, or other sections that may be requested such as international experience or situation-specific information.  Show that you may taken the time to understand their specifications and reflect them the version of your resume you send to them.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

UK MBA Programs and the TOEFL

A stir was caused in the application world a few months ago when news surfaced that the TOEFL test would no longer be accepted as a component of the visa process that accompanied successful applications to top MBA programs in England. This caused some MBA programs based there to announce that they were no longer accepting TOEFL as an element of their admissions process as well. This left applicants scrambling at the time to investigate other tests, such as IELTS.

Shortly after this occurred however, London Business School representatives stated publicly that they could continue taking the TOEFL both as a requirement of admission, and as a part of the visa process. Cambridge Judge, after initially posting on their admissions website that a test other than TOEFL would be required for admission to their program, are now saying that TOEFL is acceptable, both for their own admissions process and for the visa process as well.

Not all school have followed in that lead however. Here's a quick summary of the TOEFL landscape amongst MBA programs in England that I consider the top schools. Each school name can be clicked through to the page on their admissions website that contains instructions on assessing English proficiency.

London Business School:
Accepting TOEFL for admissions, no language requirement needed for the visa

Cambridge Judge:
Accepting TOEFL for admissions, no language requirement needed for the visa

Oxford Said:
Accepting TOEFL for admissions, no word on the language requirement for the visa

Manchester Business School:
Accepting TOEFL for admissions, no word on the language requirement for the visa

Warwick Business School:
apparently not accepting TOEFL for admissions

Cranfield School of Management:
accepting TOEFL, but including a note that the TOEFL is not accepted by the UK Home Office for Tier 4 visas

I am monitoring this situation and will post on it further when I have more information.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com




Monday, July 28, 2014

Is your LinkedIn profile ready for your Cornell MBA Application?

I found it interesting to see that Cornell Johnson MBA program is now allowing applicants to prefill elements of their application using their expanded LinkedIn profile. I thik that for those applying to Johnson this year and in the future, care should be taken to ensure that their LinkedIn profile is as strong as possible. What follows are some tips and suggestions towards that end.


1. Work responsibilities and accomplishments

Those who have considered their LinkedIn profile to be just as important as their resumes won’t have much of a problem here. I have long endorsed regularly maintaining your resume. The same thing goes for your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it is complete, and representative of your work and the impact you have had on all the organisations you have worked for during your career.

2. Extracurricular Activities

The additional section of the resume gives people headaches when it comes to MBA applications because ideally it would introduce you and your passions more effectively than any other part of the resume. (Read on here for suggestions on how you can do this.) Make sure that whatever efforts you have put into brainstorming interesting and memorable additional section bullet point contents is also reflected in your LinkedIn profile.

3. Proof

LinkedIn offers the chance for you to add recommendations to virtually any part of your profile, and you should definitely do this. I wouldn’t recommend getting 12-15 referrals for each position or volunteer role you have had, but I would certainly consider adding 1-2 impartial and objective voices to each major work role or volunteer commitment so that others can get a feel for your skill set as observed by others.

4. Consistency

Make sure that the resume and all other information you submit to the MBA program matches what is in your LinkedIn profile.

5. Network

“This modern platform gives our applicants the chance to […] show how they build a network.” I took this Ann Richards quote from this article at Stacy Blackman’s Consulting blog. It was revealing to me in that it shows that your network could be considered when evaluating your potential at Cornell. Now this to me is not just a numbers game, and I feel it is short-sighted to simply conclude that the applicant with 500 connections will be valued more highly the one with 5. However, I think it important that you show your ability to network. Certainly it makes sense to demonstrate connections with MBA holders if you are trying to position yourself as someone who is familiar with what goes on in an MBA. Beyond this, the ability to network demonstrates your potential to succeed, as having connections to people you know and trust can help you seek out opportunities that might not otherwise exist for you. 




When all is said and done, it makes sense for me to encourage Cornell MBA applicants to ensure that their LinkedIn profile is as strong, informing and accurate as possible. Beyond that, the same advice applies for anyone else using the platform. 

For more reading on this potentially trend-setting change to MBA admissions look here, here, here and here.


John Couke