Background:

I am an associate at Stax, a private equity consulting firm based out of Boston. In 2021, I was an international student studying at Babson College, aspiring to become a consultant in the United States. Not only did I have to navigate the difficulties of finding my first job, I also had to deal with the added complications of requiring a visa at a time when companies were rarely hiring international students. I was initially introduced to Jeremy through a Babson professor, and from there we connected and Jeremy provided mentorship throughout the later stages of my job search. Fast forward a few months, and with Jeremy’s guidance, I eventually landed my consulting role at Stax in the U.S.

How I previously approached my job search:

Prior to Jeremy’s mentorship, my job search practices had yielded minimal success. Like many, I was following the guidance of the career services department and my friends & family. While this support was initially helpful, a lot of it was about the “what to do” and provided less direction on the “how to do it.” I was submitting lots of job applications and sending generic outreach messages to hundreds of people on LinkedIn, which was a lot of effort with little payoff. When I did have conversations and interviews, my approach was too simplistic and wasn’t resonating with people I was connecting to. I needed more personalized coaching.

How Jeremy helped:

Jeremy very quickly helped me realize that I could make my process more efficient and effective, and it was clear that I especially needed to change if I was going to compete for a role as an international student. Together, we re-shaped my outreach strategy : who to target and what to say, sharing why I was interested in a way that would resonate with them, confidently expressing my qualifications for the role, etc. From personalizing my initial introductions to the questions I asked in interviews, we re-vamped my whole process in a way that yielded more effective results. I was more intentional about the companies and jobs I researched, how to create a path to learning about the roles, and customizing my applications with a story that was more authentic – and effective! Additionally, once I finally landed interviews, Jeremy provided support to best position myself throughout the whole process.

Outcome:

With my new processes, I saw an increase in the number of people willing to network with me. Further, I was finding that my conversations were more engaging, with people often providing referrals or introductions to other people at their respective firms. Once I finally got through to interviews, I consistently received positive feedback on my candidacy. Often the feedback was regarding aspects of my candidacy where Jeremy had provided guidance.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, the work with Jeremy turned my job search around and has well-positioned me moving forward throughout my career. I know the tools Jeremy provided have set up the foundation for when I look to my next opportunity.