1. STA: Stern
Roles, Coasts, and Coffee Chats
October 3, 2018

2. AGENDA Tech Roles & MBA Fit East Coast vs. West Coast
Coffee Chat Tips and Strategies
Next steps

3. ~Roles really depend on the company~
TECH ROLES
Product Manager: business product / service owner, ‘mini-CEO’, comfortable with ambiguity, works cross-functionally, creative role, problem solving is critical
Project Manager: project owner, also works in cross-functional teams, usually utilizing project management platform
Product Marketing: marketing role focused on product strategy from the marketing perspective
Marketing: brand/product marketing, advertising, partnerships, very digitally focused
Sales / Business Development: strategic, consultative, data-based sales and partnerships (not the ‘old-school’ sales you might imagine)
Finance: corporate finance, profitability, develop financial models, assist in business review
Strategy: focused on strategy of specific product/service or general business unit, financially grounded, data-driven analysis
Rotational / General Management: Within a specific ‘track’ or general management, change roles every 6-9 months to learn business very well and grow your network in a short amount of time
~Roles really depend on the company~

4. ~Roles really depend on the company~
MBA FIT
Most common for MBAs: Marketing, Sales, & Finance - links with typical MBA skill set. A note on Sales - at several of the large enterprise-serving companies, these roles are much more consultative and less “typical sales roles”
Product Management: Harder to get these roles. Competitive and often require a computer science and/or engineering background. Amazon hires many non-technical MBAs for PM roles, but they’re the exception rather than the rule.
General Management/Rotational: Much more common at “East Coast” companies, traditional telecoms or financial services (i.e. Mastercard, Verizon)
~Roles really depend on the company~

5. ~Roles really depend on the company~
MBA FIT ( )
~Roles really depend on the company~

6. ~Roles really depend on the company~
MBA FIT ( )
~Roles really depend on the company~

7. EAST COAST VS. WEST COAST
Arbitrary distinction. Helpful to organize which companies recruit MBAs (and where)
More than “Big Tech.” When you think of Tech, think of more than just Google/Amazon/Facebook/Apple!
Tech can mean consulting, telecom, product management, entertainment/media, fintech & lots more!
Geographic Flexibility. Broken record, we know, but if you’re interested in tech, it can be hugely valuable to keep your options open.
There are opportunities in Tech beyond these two coasts! This is just the focus on the largest hubs.

8. “EAST COAST” TECH Older Tech Companies & Telecom
Usually founded anywhere between and 1980s
More of a legacy in financial services, telecom or manufacturing
NYC Offices of Larger West Coast Firms
Firms with west coast headquarters that are growing presence on East Coast
Many of their roles are sales and finance heavy in these offices
Startups and Early-Stage Companies
Not exclusive to East Coast, but NYC has developed much more of a startup scene in recent years
Heavy, though not exclusive focus on FinTech

9. “WEST COAST” TECH Large ‘traditional’ tech companies
Generally founded post 1990, roots are in software, apps and the internet.
More of a legacy in programming, technology, services
Smaller VC / Startup tech firms
Most have newer offices with “tech feel” and focus on perks, creative spaces, and open space environment
Many of their roles are in product management
California / Washington
Heavy concentration in SF / Bay area and Seattle
More casual in dress and culture
Coffee chats and networking are key

10. cof⠂fee ⠂ch⠂at WHAT IS A COFFEE CHAT?
noun
an informal networking discussion used for later leverage in a job search
an essential part of the MBA networking process
an awkward conversation with someone who probably has better things to do with their time

11. HOW IS TECH DIFFERENT?
(In)formality: Tech coffee chats are often done through outside channels (off campus), and tech companies are usually less formal in their recruiting process. As such, most tech coffee chats can have more of a conversational tone.
Position Specificity: Tech Recruiting (even for internships) is usually aligned to a specific job function, like product management, finance or strategy, so questions should be a bit more targeted to a role.
Timing: While companies with on-campus recruiting will hold standard coffee chats through OCD after posting a position, you shouldn’t wait to reach out to tech firms you’re interested in, regardless if a position is posted.

12. HOW IS TECH DIFFERENT?
Background Knowledge Needed: While many consulting firms or banks often do the same work, tech companies (obviously) do not.
While it’s ok to ask for more details about how the company operates and how they go about creating their products… you should know what the company does and how they make their money.
Degree of Impact: Coffee chatting is important, but impact will vary by company. You may have some coffee chats that lead nowhere. This happens. It’s important to cast a wide net.

13. HOW TO REACH OUT The Initial Reach-Out - Methods
LinkedIn: Great for identifying alums and people within personal network. Premium features worth considering.
Stern Gmail: All alums still have access to Stern - many still check it. Once alums are identified, this can be a great contact method. OCD may be willing to connect you with some alums who are willing to chat.
Networking nights and conferences: Good for starting conversations to continue later. “Hey, do you mind if I grab your address so I can follow up with you?”

14. HOW TO REACH OUT
The First Message:
Good:
Not So Good:

15. HOW TO REACH OUT First Message Email: Hi Human Person,
My name is Luke Galford, and I am a first year MBA student at NYU Stern specializing in Strategy, Technology and Marketing. I saw that you are a Stern alum on LinkedIn, and I wanted to reach out. I am very interested in the work being done at Tech Inc. Given my interest in strategy and technology, I have a lot of interest in the company.
A bit about me, I grew up outside Boston and went to Tulane University for undergrad. After college, I worked as a healthcare consultant for several years before deciding to get my MBA, with a particular focus on transitioning my career towards technology and product management. I have been very impressed with how Tech Inc. has positioned themselves as leaders in such a crowded space. If you have the chance, I would love to speak to you about your experience at Tech Inc. and hear your story.
Would you have time for a 20-minute chat sometime over the next few weeks? It would be great to hear about your experience with Tech Inc., what kinds of projects you're working on and how the company is growing. I’ve listed some times below that fit my schedule. Let me know if any of these work for you, and if not, I would be more than happy to find another time
Timeslot 1
Timeslot 2
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you.

16. PRE-CHAT HOMEWORK Company:
What do they do? What products and services do they provide?
How do they make money?
Where are they headquartered?
What are the most recent Google News or TechCrunch stories about them?
Person:
What’s their title? Do you know what that means?
Where did they go to school? When did they graduate?
What skills do they list? What kind of a person do they seem like? Intense? Outgoing? What can you tell about them from their public profile?

17. THE CHAT ITSELF
Place:
Good to book a study room or private place if over the phone. There are a few one-person interview rooms in the basement that are specifically for this purpose.
Coffee shop where you can hear them if in person.
Start of chat:
Start with some small talk.
Tell them how it’s going to go
“So, I’m just going to go over my background, tell you where I’ve been and then I’d love to hear more about your story and role. Does that sound good?”
Helps structure the conversation
Chat Questions:
Everyone loves to talk about themselves. Ask about their story.
Ask about what they’re working on right now. Don’t ask about a typical day.
Let conversation flow and ask follow-ups. Don’t sound like you’re sticking to a script.
Can check IGNITE workbook as well

18. THE REFERRAL Internal Referrals:
Can go a long way at tech companies towards getting an interview, but NOT at all a requirement
NOT appropriate to ask for directly unless they’re a close, personal connection
Do NOT ask an alum you just met for one.
Better: “Thanks so much for your time today. If there’s any more advice or help you can provide in the recruiting process, I can’t tell you how much I’d appreciate it.”

19. NEXT STEPS Your New Best Friend: Your Next Emails to MBA2 and Alums:
Your Notes for Follow-ups and the Future:
Talk to MBA2s first to get some practice and navigating the landscape.