Q. With 47.1.% of accepted full-time offers coming from return offers from their summer internship employers[1], MIT Sloan grads have been able to tap into the value of personal engagement to build their career paths upon graduation. Still, what other resources should MIT Sloan students and alumni consider as they build sustainable careers given evolving workforce dynamics?
A. (Sergio Della Zassa)
Students can leverage MIT Sloan’s ecosystem which includes not only the Career Development Office[2] but also its global network of alumni. But before engaging, remember to do your homework. For example, if you are a Gen-Z student who has been able to secure a meeting with an older alumnus who may be a seasoned executive, think about what you might be able to do for that person. Come prepared with some potential offers of help. Perhaps the person is an officer of your local alumni chapter, and they need volunteers to establish some fun new programming. While this person might be volunteering to share sage mentoring advice to you, think about what actions you can offer as well—this will enable that person to learn about your work ethic and collaboration skills. After all, it is going to be challenging for a new acquaintance to give a strong recommendation on you if they do not have any data points to reference. If your alumni contact happens to be an executive recruiter like me, their reputation is at stake with every introduction they make. Just because we are fellow alums, it does not mean that we are going to grant introductions to our personal networks.
In addition to networking within your own employer, explore external channels such as conferences and shared interest groups like angel investors to establish new connections. Again, when you volunteer on a committee with tangible outcomes, your new contacts can see you in action and observe how you work. For instance, if there are multiple generations represented at an organization, perhaps you can create a “dinner by the decades” event where all attendees mingle during cocktails and then guests eat at their designated tables for dinner. It has been a well-received program here in the Greater Philadelphia area![3]
Q. In order to build a long-term relationship with a premier executive search firm consultant, what are your top three recommendations?
A. (Sergio Della Zassa)
With over 5,800 executive search firms in the U.S.[4], these companies are looking to help fill roles based upon a variety of levels and/or years of experience. While each firm has its value propositions and preferred ways of engagement, here are three overarching recommendations:
First, always be kind and remember to invest time in building relationships, especially when you do not need their help. Even if you are not interested in someone’s outreach and you are “busy,” make the time to think hard about your personal network so as to provide qualified leads to them.
Second, leverage your personal network to help provide warm introductions. While “SHREK” firms[5], like Egon Zehnder, tend to focus on C-level roles, most in our industry understand that tomorrow’s C-suite leaders are today’s up and comers. That being said, instead of a cold-call outreach, identify someone who can provide a personal introduction to us. Interestingly, some of my personal contacts provided introductions between SHREK partners and me—even though I was not actively looking at the time for a new career role. But I remembered to always be nice to recruiters, and I took the calls. I did provide some suggested candidates who had the types of experiences which they were looking for and who might be interested in looking for new career opportunities. Lo and behold, these informal conversations led to my pivot to the executive recruitment vertical. It was an unexpected but valuable set of conversations.
Finally, figure out the WIIFIM (“What’s in it for me?”) for your search consultant. The reality is that I receive hundreds of resumes every month. If you expect me to provide an introduction to a hiring manager over other strong candidates, you need to find a way to stand out! For example, do your prep work to learn how my employer, which just celebrated its 60th anniversary and has a “One Firm” model, prioritizes shared interests over individual incentives. Knowing this information, you will realize that I not only have interest in top-talent in the Greater Philadelphia market but also in other global cities. This might expand your mindset around potential top talent within your purview. Remember, building a long-term relationship with an executive recruiter can support your sustainable career journey.
Sergio Della Zassa is an executive within Egon Zehnder’s global Health Practice and is helping to expand its practice within the Greater Philadelphia area. Sergio’s corporate experience includes roles as Adare Biome’s VP for Strategic Innovation and New Market Development and Zoetis’ (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) Director of Strategic Planning. Earlier in his career, Sergio was a consultant at McKinsey’s offices in Milan and Boston where he led projects across multiple industries, functions, and geographies. Sergio earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan, then completed an MBA at the Harvard Business School.
Partha Anbil is a Contributing Writer for the MIT Sloan Career Development Office and an alum of MIT Sloan. Besides being VP of Programs of the MIT Club of Delaware Valley, Partha is a long-time life sciences consulting industry veteran, currently with an NYSE-listed WNS, a digital-led business transformation company, as Senior Vice President and Practice Leader for their Life Sciences practice.
Michael Wong is a Contributing Writer for the MIT Sloan Career Development Office and an Emeritus Co-President and board member of the Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association. Michael is a Part-time Lecturer for the Wharton Communication Program at the University of Pennsylvania and his ideas have been shared in the MIT Sloan Management Review and Harvard Business Review.
[1] https://mitsloan.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2023-12/MBA-Employment-Report-2023-2024_2.pdf
[3] https://hrcphilly.clubs.harvard.edu/article.html?aid=462
[4] https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/executive-search-recruiters-industry/#IndustryStatisticsAndTrends
[5] https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/02/07/shrek-5-the-headhunters
