With the economy in turmoil, many MBA graduates are finding the job search tough going. To give readers some insight into the strategies they’re pursuing and the difficulties they face, BusinessWeek has recruited four out-of-work MBAs to write about their experiences for a new feature called “The Hunt” that will appear periodically on the Getting In blog. Comments, as always, are welcome.
By Michael Janger
As I transition from my recent layoff from American Express (AXP) to a new role in either finance or strategy, I have been working on some engagements that have given me much fulfillment and satisfaction, and which has afforded me a convenient way to provide an essential service while I get ready for my wedding next week.
With my personal experience as a profoundly deaf person who has dealt with many challenges in his life, and my recognition that technology is a powerful enabler for people with disabilities, some clients in the disabilities space have been seeking out my services. With my substantial experience in finance and strategy, I often find that there are many companies in the disabilities market who have a need for this type of strategic leadership and guidance on its financial and marketing decisions.
Since I left Amex, I’ve had an unusual job search. Both my wedding planning and my career considerations combined to make it an extremely challenging experience for me. After 12 years of working in large corporations where I have built up a strong set of skills and developed deep experience in many areas of finance, I realized that I have little desire to work for this type of corporation. It is a risk to say this: by publicizing this on a well-known site like Businessweek.com, I am foreclosing options for interviewing with Fortune 500 corporations at the moment. Perhaps it is me – I need a different challenge, and working for a smaller company or a boutique firm is what I want to do. Or I can work for myself.