The MBA experience at MIT Sloan stands out for its distinct culture of exploration and collaboration, surrounded by an ecosystem designed to support transformative growth. In this series, MBA Career Peers share insights from their recruiting experiences to help others navigate the journey.
MBA Career Peer Jayant Wunnava, MBA ‘26 successfully secured an internship with positive impact in climate tech. Jay contributed his previous experience in operations/manufacturing and management consulting while expanding his expertise through a Business Development role. Jay shares how the MIT Sloan ecosystem, including an alumni connection, led to this opportunity.
Tell us about your internship recruiting journey. How did you choose a path?
Coming to MIT Sloan, my goal was to join an early-stage climate tech startup in a commercial role. I was excited about the unique opportunities at Sloan, given its strength in entrepreneurship for both founders and joiners, ecosystem of tough-tech ventures, and connections with climate companies.
Prior to Sloan, I worked in operations/manufacturing and management consulting. My experience was almost exclusively with Fortune 500 companies. I chose to pursue the startup “joiner” route in climate tech to get that hands-on experience building a company, and benefit from the broader functional experience you gain in an early-stage company, where roles and business processes are more ambiguous.
Climate tech spans industries and sub-sectors. As a career switcher, how did you decide where to target your internship search?
To bring my search into focus, I concentrated on two areas:
- Understanding the types of problems within the climate landscape that I wanted to solve and which subsectors would provide me an opportunity to engage in those projects
- Developing a strong narrative, rooted in my past work experience, that would position me as a strong candidate for my target roles
I spent my fall term researching the industry landscape, talking to MIT Sloan classmates, getting involved in club activities, connecting with alumni in industry, and attending conferences. This helped me get clarity on the overlap of business problems I found interesting and important, and that I also could address through my areas of expertise. During these conversations, I discovered the stage of a company generally reflected how much of a generalist vs. specialist they were seeking. Early-stage companies were more open to generalists, and by highlighting my experience as an engineer, manager, and consultant, I could demonstrate my ability to learn quickly and contribute across functions, a valuable skill set especially as startups scale.
How did you approach networking for climate tech and what resources were most helpful?
During my search, I engaged with about 30 climate tech contacts. I started with my classmates, then branched out to second-year MBAs and alumni. I also connected with industry professionals and recruiters. The CDO’s Employment Directories, LinkedIn, clubs, and classes were my primary resources for making connections.
My classmates helped me identify which startups or sectors were gaining traction. The conversations gave me warm leads to reach out to founders and operators and offered real-time industry insights (especially outside of funding announcements), far beyond what I could learn from job descriptions. They helped me understand which companies were actively scaling and which technologies were top-of-mind for commercialization, versus companies/technologies that were pulling back due to funding cycles or political shifts.
The CDO Employment Directory was key to identifying firms or roles in sustainability where there was strong Sloanie representation, as well as finding others who transitioned from consulting or technical backgrounds to startups. Using LinkedIn, I mapped out the different post-MBA pathways people took.
Crucially, these resources helped me course-correct my strategy. Although I was initially targeting strategy roles that might leverage my consulting experience, I learned these types of roles exist primarily at the largest climate organizations. When networking with my startup contacts, I found that they often fold strategy into broader functions until they acquire later-stage funding. Based on this, I shifted my focus toward Business Development, Commercial, and Go-To-Market (GTM) roles, which leverage my previous work experience and allow me to further develop and broaden my skill set.
How did you find the internship that you ultimately accepted?
Initially I focused on finding internships through the Career Central job board, Sloan alumni, and LinkedIn. After networking and sharpening my focus on the functions/climate verticals I wanted to work in (over the course of the fall semester and IAP), I connected with a second-year Sloan MBA (shout-out to Steph!) who previously interned at a company that was on my target list. I applied for a role at the company and interviewed in March. I accepted my offer in April.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known earlier in the recruiting process?
From my experience, I learned there is a “sweet spot of specificity” when searching for roles. I started off with an overly broad interest in climate verticals and functions, and the amount of industry research and networking was overwhelming. Although it felt nerve-wracking to narrow the scope of my search, it helped me focus my efforts on companies and roles I was truly excited to pursue. It also helped me bring more energy to the networking, recruiting, and interviewing process as I knew the roles I found were well aligned with my goals.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
MIT Sloan has been an incredible ecosystem, providing me with resources at every stage of my journey. My classes gave me insight into industry trends, clubs brought connections and leadership opportunities, and conferences connected me with thought leaders. Along my journey, the alumni network has been invaluable in helping me find roles and position myself for a successful career pivot. Remember the resources and support you have throughout your MIT Sloan experience – through your classmates, clubs and activities, faculty, alumni, and the CDO. Good luck with your search!
