Imagine case cracking with seasoned consulting leaders and insightful presentations on strategy, innovation, and sustainability, mixed with 1:1 interviews, recruitment updates, open roles, and leadership programs. Picture talent representatives, business leaders, and alumni networking at our campus in Lausanne. This is IMD’s Career Weeks – two full weeks dedicated to the upcoming recruitment season. Organized by the Corporate Engagement team in our Career Development Center, the event involves nearly 40 organizations across various geographies, industries, and sizes.
Career Weeks is not the first interaction our class has had with organizations this year, and it certainly won’t be the last. Since the program’s start, our students have engaged with talent acquisition leaders from diverse companies, discussing MBA-level summer internships, club involvement, panels, and external company visits. Following Career Weeks, our MBAs will attend additional company presentations in October and November, continuing their exploration of consulting, healthcare, tech, manufacturing, and FMCG sectors, among others.
A key highlight of our events is the active participation of Alumni. It’s incredibly energizing to see so many alumni involved in mentoring, supporting, and referring our talents to their organizations. This year, over 100 alumni have actively contributed to recruitment, career development, and mentoring – something highly appreciated by IMD.
A new initiative this year is the introduction of company ambassadors. For each company visiting us until the end of the year, an MBA student will take on the responsibility of introducing the speakers, leading Q&As, and covering social media. This offers a remarkable leadership development opportunity.
Top tips for the upcoming recruitment season
- Keep an open mind and think transferable: Consider all options and think in terms of functions rather than sectors. Be aware of the skills you can transfer from one industry to another. Don’t worry too much about your background—many companies hire based on mentality, attitude, and a strong appetite for leadership development.
- Be comfortable with ambiguity: There is no perfect CV or cover letter. Recruitment is more art than science, so think creatively. Remember, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
- Enjoy your networking: Networking doesn’t have to be boring or repetitive. Make it enjoyable by discussing your interests and what success and impact mean to you. Prepare intelligent questions to showcase your interest and way of thinking. Approach networking with a mindset of humble assertiveness.
Hope these tips help and good luck to all of our students as the recruiting season really kicks in!
The Career Development Center team
