There was a lot of hype around Get Connected when everyone arrived on campus, leaving many of us with some unsettling nerves before the start of the event. Leading up to the event, Career Management made sure that we were prepared for anything that may come our way. The event kicked off with breakfast on the Monday morning in downtown Toronto. There was excitement in the air—everyone was dressed so well and looked professional. Anthony Ostler, MBA 1997, kicked off the event by welcoming us to the Ivey family. Anthony reflected on his own career and provided us with some lasting words. Following Anthony was Recruiters Tips and Tricks that had recruiters from various industries talk about their companies and what an ideal candidate is for their company.
After these two sessions, everyone’s schedule for the next three days was dependent on the industry that there were interested in pursuing. However, Monday was capped off with a networking event at the Steam Whistle brewery. It was great meeting more Ivey alumni that evening. By the end of the evening, I think that most of realized how welcoming and sincere Ivey alumni are. Furthermore, the information sessions throughout the three days were very impressive and professionally ran. Everyone was receptive during these sessions and willing to answer any questions.
On the last day, all of us had a mock interview with a representative from a company of interest. This was time for many of us to portray our interviewing skills. Furthermore, we were going to receive constructive feedback from this person to help us get ready for recruiting season. In addition, later in the day, some of us were lucky to tour the RBC and Scotiabank trading floors—I want to thank Matt Doleman for putting on this event.
Overall, I was highly impressed with the professionalism and structure of the Get Connect event. It just showed all the hard work that Career Management put into this event and how engaged Ivey alumni are with the school. The main thing that I took away from Get Connected was that Ivey alumni care. The Ivey family wants to support each other because they know what it feels like to be in our shoes. Lastly, I want to give my sincere thank you to everyone involved with this event.
About Mike:
Mike has a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in economics, from Colgate University where he was also an NCAA division 1 athlete. Before attending the Ivey MBA program, Mike worked for Richardson International, which is Canada’s largest agri-business company. Mike had various roles with Richardson that included time in Saskatchewan, and at the company’s head office in Winnipeg, Manitoba. These roles allowed Mike to gain a holistic understanding of the agriculture industry in Canada. In addition, for the past two summers, Mike has volunteered at a youth MS summer camp, and is highly involved with the MS Society of Canada.