IE Community Finds Creative Ways to Secure Jobs

Is it appropriate to bump elbows after a job interview? How to stand out from a crowd when you aren’t even in the room? The new reality has added fresh protocol and strategy questions to the job search.

Increasingly, IE students and alumni are not only becoming more versed in the nuances of zoom meetings and virtual events, but also applying their newfound know-how and IE’s new resources for support to find jobs in imaginative ways.

Networking is a crucial factor in any job search. And in that respect, some things have stayed the same-- albeit with a twist.

LinkedIn, the most instant form of connecting in the business world on a global scale, allows international connections to broaden job-seekers' search into a range of sectors and markets.

LinkedIn gives young to experienced professionals the opportunity to expand their network while also gaining valuable tips on how to create their own personal brand profile that will attract job opportunities.

But sometimes, a creative follow-up and some guidance are needed.

IE Business School’s Sofia Cirpriano, International MBA 2020, recently found a position through the IE network. First, she applied to jobs on LinkedIn, and then turned to a career coach in order to expand the opportunities she was being offered.

And the IE network responded.

“Thanks to one of the people I met in the clubs I participated in, who is an IE alumni now part of the company I will be working for, I was able to have a first informal call where she realized that I could be a good match with the team and position,” Cipriano said. “Then she decided to forward my profile directly to her boss. Thanks to her, I increased my chances to start the interview process, which ended up happening--and being successful.”

Finance and Mangement dual masters student Alexander Bergmüller took IE Business School networking to the next level and was able to secure a job at Goldman Sachs in London, where he will be working as a full-time Analyst immediately after graduation.

Then he watched IE Business School LinkedIn Live session Careers after Corona, featuring Erik Schlie, IE Vice President for Global Alumni and Talent & Careers and Eric Sim star banker, influencer and founder of Institute for Life.

He moved beyond his immediate network. He turned to career influencers on LinkedIn for inspiration such as Sim, Rafael Sarandeses and Sinead English. These references helped him build his professional profile to attract the types of positions that he was looking for in the financial industry.

“IE’s Talent & Careers department supported me throughout the application process by offering a mock video interview, organizing a Networking Call with an IE alumnus in New York, and arranging a Zoom interview with a finance professional in Switzerland.”
Alexander Bergmüller, IE Finance and Mangement dual masters student

And then there is the totally new experience of moving talent fairs and other job-search activities online--opening the door to waves more recruiters, headhunters and participants.

IE University’s main recruitment event, the Talent Forum transformed into the Virtual Talent Forum, adapting to the new “normal” of covid-19. Despite this change, the technology used in the Virtual Talent Forum enabled new possibilities for both recruiters and job seekers.

One Master in Management alumni, who asked only to be identified as Camille, said she was curious about what opportunities she could find in the Virtual Talent Forum. But deep inside, she said she did not expect to find a job in these trying times. As she navigated the Virtual Talent Forum, several companies popped up that had not been on her radar.

Then, she saw TikTok was holding a webcast and was immediately drawn to it.

After attending the webcast, Camille contacted TikTok’s HR representative directly, hoping to know more about the positions available. The representative directed her to a position she did not believe was suited to her expectations and experience.

But, after landing-- and acing-- an interview, TikTok offered her a job.

“What helped me for this company was to engage with them. Had I stuck to the jobs board, I would not have known there was a job waiting for me. The second thing is to be genuine, as this will help you find the best fit for your profile,” she advises.

Bachelor in Business Administration student Sergio Nührmann, the first IE student selected as a Schwarzman Scholar, secured an internship at Goldman Sachs, known for its extensive and intensive application process. After getting past the CV screening and completing a Hirevue interview, Nührmann had additional rounds of interviews, each round consisting of three thirty-minute interviews with two professionals from the team.

He will be joining in 2021 as a Merchant Banking Real-Estate Investments off-cycle analyst.

“My advice for interested candidates is to keep options open by applying for as many divisions as you might find interesting, in addition to several firms to increase your chances of landing an internship or full-time offer. Moreover, if you have two or more offers on the table, you are then in a very privileged position of choosing where to go,” he said.

Nührmann encourages his classmates to keep an eye out for job postings through IE.

“They often present opportunities you might not easily find online, such as recent postings for positions at Private Equity giant Oaktree and Ardian,” said the first IE student to be named a Swarzman Scholar and the first Angolan ever to participate.

“I would also recommend preparing early and thoroughly, given that some firms' onboarding is done on a rolling basis, and you are often up against some of the smartest students or professionals in that specific field.”
Sergio Nührmann IE Bachelor in Business Administration student

In response to the unusually challenging market, IE’s Talent & Careers created Job Search Groups, with the goal of improving job search productivity. The teams serve as an advisory board that enables members to stay objective. Additionally, the team becomes a personal and task support group through conversations about the best way to accomplish job search tasks.

Participants in the job search groups say one of the key benefits is they are more likely to stay focused, maintain a reasonable level of job search intensity, and become more effective in job hunting.

Mario Florez Escurra credits --in part-- the Job Search Group for landing a new job at Zalando.

“Most companies are firing instead of hiring right now, so it was very helpful to speak with alumni who had an insider perspective,” he said. “Whenever I approached alumni they were very proactive and very responsive. They gave me advice and were keen on doing referrals for me and coaching me for interviews.”

Another alum who participated in the job search group was Mihai Adrian Ionescu, who recently landed a job in Luxembourg for consultation.

“The IE job search group I was part of helped a lot, through open and supportive discussions, in full trust and confidentiality. IE careers team led the group discussions and we got valuable hands-on advice. It was an awesome idea,” said Ionescu.

The common denominators in each of these new paths to jobs are IE Business School’s resources and network.

“I was able to leverage IE University’s extensive resources to reach my professional goals in Real Estate Private Equity and Investment Banking. Essentially,” said Nührmann. “IE provided me with a strong base to continue my passion for learning at the highest level.”