Marc's enthusiasm for fashion can be seen on his blog at www.lelakeeffect.com.
How did Marc do it? Here's his take on his experience and how he set himself apart:
Differentiation is critical for success in business. We learned about differentiation in Marketing, and as much as it applies to products and services, it applies to us as MBA candidates. Being able to differentiate yourself is what is going to get your name on the interview list, and help you get that all important interview or internship. Hundreds of MBA students across the country are competing for a shrinking job and internship pool, it is no longer sufficient to do well in courses, have strong work experience, or GMAT score. Along with those qualifications, being unique, well informed, passionate, and different is what is going to set you apart from the competition.
Way back in November I applied for a summer internship with L’Oréal in their Luxury Products division. The application was as challenging as one of Dr. Griffin’s cases, being 6 questions long and asking me to define a marketing mix, target market, and core benefit of Diesel’s Only The Brave. I received a phone interview a few weeks later, and right before Christmas break I was invited to a second round of interviews in New York City at the end of January. “A Taste of L’Oréal” as the weekend event was called, turned out to be exactly as the name implied, a chance for 40 potential internship candidates to get a taste of L’Oréal, it’s brands, the company culture, and the daily life of a marketer at the company. It was an incredible event held at the W in Midtown Manhattan, just blocks away from L’Oréals USA headquarters.
The weekend featured a cocktail networking event on Friday night where I was able to meet marketers, creative team members, and HR managers at L’Oréal and really get their perspective on what it is like to work for a Multinational Company in New York City. Saturday was an intense, but educational day, as all the potential interns were divided onto teams and worked on 4 cases under the watchful eye of L’Oréal evaluators. The evaluators were taking notice of how us candidates worked together on teams as well as our creative abilities, assertiveness, and the outcome of our decisions on the cases. After the case competition L’Oréal took us to a sit down dinner where we again had the opportunity to talk with L’Oréal representatives. The weekend ended with an interview on Sunday morning with the same marketers and HR managers we met throughout the weekend interviewing us as a final evaluation.
The entire weekend was a chance to differentiate myself from the other possible candidates. Having a strong knowledge of L’Oréals portfolio of brands, and the perfume and cosmetic industry was one way I stood apart from other candidates who might not have been as familiar with brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Lancôme, and Shu Uemura.
Another way I was able to differentiate myself was though dressing uniquely and not being afraid to wear clothes that expressed my creativity and personal style. I started my own fashion website (www.lelakeeffect.com), and I blog about street fashion that I see in Salt Lake. My website gave me an excuse to initiate conversation, and talk about how I have applied what I’ve learned in the MBA program to the industries I am interested in. Finding a unique outlet such as writing a blog, performing with an arts group, getting published, and volunteering with a non-profit are great ways to differentiate you on your resume, and give experience for you to draw on during an interview. Finally, being able to connect with people while networking is another way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Being personable, knowledgeable, cultured, and elegant are going to leave potential employers wanting to know about you, and invite you to an interview, internship, or job. If I could offer one simple tip it would be to always ask your interviewer for a business card after any interview so you will have their information to follow up with them. I always write a hand-written thank you note on Crane stationery because I know a simple email will be lost in the hundreds of other emails my recipient will get in any given day. Writing a hand written note on quality paper is a great way to thank them for the time they spent with you, and another way to set yourself apart and leave a unique impression on your interviewer.
Marc with Jean Baptiste
Marc working on a case study for L’OréalHaving made it through the application process, phone interview, multiple case evaluations, and a personal interview, it is clear to me that companies are taking a more 360° approach to finding the right types of candidates. Competing with candidates from Harvard, Wharton, Columbia, and other top ranked schools ever emphasizes the pressing need to differentiate ourselves if we are to compete for internships and jobs on a national level. The hours I spent helping to differentiate myself by researching L’Oreal, reading up on industry changes, and meeting with Nancy Furlong to practice interviewing I’m happy to report, paid off. Last week I received a call from L’Oréal asking me to join them this summer in New York.
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