As a 2nd Year currently in the process of finding a post-graduation job, I feel compelled to tell my experience.
First of all, unless you had a great experience during your Summer Internship and you are sure to go back to this Company after graduation, there are a few reasons to continue the job search throughout your 2nd year:
Scenario 1: You had a riveting experience during your Internship and got an offer…but you’re still be interviewing for other positions just to see what is out there. You need to be able to conduct an educated negotiation on your initial offer, right?
Scenario 2 (My case): You had a great Internship and you wanted to go back to this company upon graduation. The only problem is that, for some reasons – the recession, in this case – said company did not extend offers to any of its interns. Well, life goes on and you need a job.
Scenario 3 (The Nightmare Internship): You thought you would love your project and the company…but it was the extreme opposite. You had an excruciating summer and realized that you did not fit with the company and could never relate to the company’s culture. That’s what Internships are all about, right? At least you could test the waters and didn’t make a bad full-time job decision. Still – back to square 1…
I am certain that you have all heard about the current state of the job market. Obviously, it is much easier to have an offer right out of your Internship and stroll through your 2nd Year without this sword of Damocles hanging over your head. But – let’s face it – not everyone is that lucky, especially in this economy.
Despite the doom and gloom, there are still plenty of jobs out there for MBAs, but you might have to make some concessions to get there: a lower pay grade, picking your 2nd or 3rd company choice, or relocating to Arkansas. The key is to keep looking and to network, network, network.
That said, I am off to applying to a dozen positions all over the US and Europe today. Wish me luck!
Alex