GDC 2014

Posted on March 28, 2014 by btjreedy under Careers, Other

In December I started to plan my trip to the Game Developers Conference 2014 in San Francisco. Unluckily, it fell during one of the busiest times of the school year (Week 4 of Module 4) and was a fairly large investment, but I still decided to go because not only am I interested in games, but it’s an industry I would love to be a part of. So on March 18^th, I brought my suitcase with me to school and after a full day of classes, boarded a plane and headed to San Francisco!

The conference itself was a bit overwhelming at first. Having been to Tokyo Game Show (TGS) before, I half-knew what to expect, but the scale of GDC blew me away. It took up 3 massive convention centers! On top of that, the best and brightest developers in the industry were there and here I was – a student looking for a job. I had taken the advice of my friends and the BCC and set up a few meetings in advance, but for the most part I was going to have to figure it out on the fly. As such, I took the first day slowly – spending most of my time scoping out the companies I would like to learn more about and speaking with some of the larger studios.

That night I was able to attend some of the parties and really started to feel more confident about the entire trip. As someone who isn’t the best networker in the world, it was great to know that everyone at the conference already shared something in common (hint: we enjoy video games.) I met some great people and really started to enjoy myself. It was really nice to learn from professionals in the industry. I felt like it was a good day overall, but I really wanted to hit the ground running in the morning.

The next day (and the rest of the conference) proved to be just as awesome as I had hoped. I met tons of people, learned a bunch, and managed to get into some of the larger networking parties that night. In one night, networking had turned into something that was enjoyable. I didn’t leave the conference with any job offers, but I had a bunch of leads and more than a handful of business cards.

Since coming back to Vancouver, it’s been nonstop between school and following up with everyone I met. The trip was absolutely worth it from both a learning and career development perspective. It would have been nice to enjoy some of the sunny Californian weather, but with module 4 wrapping up soon maybe it won’t be so long before I return to Cali. Only next time, I hope it’s to start my career.

Trek Toronto – The Next Frontier

Posted on March 19, 2014 by menconi under Careers, Other

Among all the wonderful opportunities offered by this program, I believe that this was the one that contributed the most to my personal development. Along with this, I feel that I have obtained a clearer understanding of what my dream career path is.

The trek was a length of four days (Tuesday to Friday) during our break week. The schedule of our visits was excellently structured and the Business Career Center team was able to create a list of very interesting companies. We had the opportunity to visit companies of different sectors, from Facebook to IBM, from BMO to Google, and Labatt to Deloitte.

With a small group of MM colleagues, we decided to arrive to Toronto early in order to visit the city and understand what it would be like to live there. I must say we arrived to Toronto not in the coldest period, but most definitely not in spring. The city was covered in snow and it kept snowing during our entire visit. However, it made the environment even more magical and spectacular.

Both the visits to the companies and the alumni mixer were truly useful in understanding more about working environments and working possibilities. I would have never expected to see such a warm and creative environment within companies. It’s now clear to me how and why companies are driven to such perfection!

The opportunity to meet fantastic geniuses from big companies is not a frequent occurrence, and I would never have had the experience if I didn’t join the MM program. When it comes to applying for jobs or talking with friends about companies, you don’t really know how it is – you have to experience these things with your very own eyes. Some companies are so forward thinking and innovative that by just talking to them, it opened my mind to so many new perspectives.

I have just one comment about Trek Toronto: Fantastic!

And now… to the new adventure, to the final frontier!

Tiziano
ca.linkedin.com/in/TizianoMenconi

A Taste of the Real World

Posted on March 17, 2014 by mursalshamsi under Academic

It starts off on a Friday morning in November. You come in and get seated in a large, chic lecture theatre. Your guests are seated a few rows behind you. To start off the event, Jeff gets up from his seat in the first row of the theatre, walks up to the front and addresses the students:

“…. Our guests today come from various organizations and each one of them will have five minutes to explain to you what their company does and what project they would like for you to work on with them. After all the speakers are through, you are free to talk to the ones that interest you and ask them questions to better gauge your interest in their proposed project…”.

And sure enough every organization has exactly five minutes to sell their project to you. Some people are enchanted by the companies, some by the exposure a project may provide and some by the *ehem* attractiveness of the presenter.

After hearing about the companies and talking to their representatives, you have to make your selection for the Community Business Project (CBP). It’s not as easy as it sounds. You have to write a 200 word essay on each of your top four choices and submit it to the Business Career Centre (BCC). Based on the assessment of these essays and that of other students, the BCC assigns you into groups of 3-4 to work on one of these projects.

You will work with this group from November till May and will essentially play the role of consultants for your client. You will hold meetings with your client regularly, get to know them and each other better, and define the scope of the project. You will work on this project tirelessly, navigate through obstacles and in the end produce a convincing report and presentation for the client.

But what the CBP is really aimed at it is providing you a taste of the real world. It is aimed at making you utilize the knowledge you gain in class and see the wonders it can do. It is aimed at polishing your skills, helping you develop new ones and building the confidence you need to distinguish yourself when interacting with the business community.

Someone once said to me, “Never consider your college, your university is to be the defining source of your education. The real source of education is your profession. What you learn over the course of your career is what defines you, what helps you grow and gain wisdom”. The CBP provides a doorway and helps you take that first step towards this enlightening path. But make sure you don’t forget to have a little fun as you walk through it!

Mursal Shamsi

What I Have Learned About Myself in This Program

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Rachel Lim under Other

Hello, hello! We meet again!

Today, I’d like to share with you three major things I’ve learnt about myself in the MM program. They’re not anything too novel or profound but definitely a refreshing revelation!

1. I enjoy teamwork.

My undergraduate scientific training involved largely individual work, so I’m used to working independently. The thought of suddenly having to work frequently in teams had both excited and concerned me. In my experience, level of motivation seems the most important differentiating factor for successful collaboration. But it’s not just how motivated you are, it’s also how you motivate the people around you–which is the tricky part. In the MM program, I’ve been part of diverse teams. Having a tendency to focus solely on the work, I continually remind myself to pay attention to team dynamics and to learn from the interactions of my team members. It’s certainly a continuous process of learning, which has given me a newfound appreciation for teamwork.

2. I can be good at time management.

One of the perks of teamwork is that it forces you to be accountable to your teammates. Nonetheless, discipline still ultimately comes from within. It may have worked in undergrad, but I told myself that procrastination is no longer acceptable as a graduate student. Amazingly (to me), juggling different team projects with individual assignments vastly improved my time management skills. Since the beginning of the program, I’ve done a fairly good job at keeping up with lectures, which means more time to reflect on the things I’ve learnt and less overall stress around exam time.

3. The day may come when I look forward to making presentations.

<What I’ve always said about presentations, “Singing in front of hundreds of people? No problemo! Just don’t ask me to talk. :D”>

In the Philippines during my childhood and teen years, I performed in many social events and in several singing and drama competitions. I love it and I look forward to it, but the key thing is that I’ve done it so many times that it’s become natural. When I think back to my earlier years, it actually took a lot of time and encouragement from my mom and teachers to get me on the stage. My mom had to take time off from her busy work schedule to accompany me to every practice session because I was too shy.

I’ve never particularly liked talking in front of many people, even just in the classroom and especially when it’s not rehearsed because I sometimes lose my English (which isn’t my first language). But now that I’ve a few presentations under my belt (which I forced myself to do even if it was optional), I can say that presenting is really the same as singing in front of an audience. The first time was the most difficult, but it gets easier and easier. Just give myself time to practice enough, and practice in front of my team or another person. Plus, it’s hard not to even try with so many of my supportive classmates cheering me on during presentations.

I look forward to seeing you again in my next post! 🙂

Rachel Lim

Life in Vancouver

Posted on March 13, 2014 by maddieholeksa under Life at UBC/Vancouver

What makes Vancouver so great? Just about everything. You can kayak and ski in the same day here – seriously. It would be a challenge to find something that you can’t do in Vancouver. Below I’ve outlined the reasons why I like to call Vancouver home:

The food. The food the food the food. I love trying new restaurants, and there is never a shortage of those here. Virtually every cuisine you can think of is represented in some way in Vancouver. We even have a food truck festival in the summer. Throughout the rest of the year there are food trucks dispersed all around the city – one of my favourites is Tacofino (get a fish taco!).
The weather. People might complain about the rain, but I don’t mind it. Living in a city where -5 is a freezing day is my kind of city.
The mountains and ocean. I grew up in Vancouver and I’m still in awe of its beauty.
The culture. Vancouver is a melting pot – there are so many cultures represented and celebrated here. One event I look forward to every year is Italian Day on Commercial Drive. The Asian population is a significant influence on the culture of Vancouver, and there are many celebrations throughout the year associated with different Asian cultures – all of which are fun to attend.
The size. Vancouver is a city, but you still can run into people you know at the grocery store. There are distinct neighborhoods in Vancouver that all have a community feel. In Kitsilano, my neighborhood, I know some of the small business owners just from shopping at their stores.

I like to be a tourist in my own city, so I’ve outlined 5 must-do Vancouver activities below:

Bike the seawall around Stanley Park.
Either hike the Grouse Grind (or take the gondola…I won’t judge you) up Grouse Mountain to see the most amazing views of the city.
Wander around Gastown – our own cobblestone neighborhood! Some of the best restaurants are there, along with some great shopping
Eat sushi! Anywhere! Well, maybe not anywhere, but we have some fantastic sushi restaurants here. If you’re looking for more upscale, try Miku, for the middle of the road: Hapa Izakaya, and for a funky sushi experience: The Eatery.
Finally, one of my favourite things to do (and I do this often!) is to visit Granville Island. There are restaurants, art galleries, produce, flowers, toys, and everything in between. It’s in a gorgeous location and I always find something new there.

Off to eat some sushi…. Maddie

http://www.linkedin.com/in/maddieholeksa

Rate my Prof.

Posted on March 13, 2014 by juliashe under Academic, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

Let’s take a minute to talk about teachers. A real, 60 second minute.

Yes, those people who painstakingly taught you how to write your own name, do cursive (which I’m sure they now teach on iPads) and basic addition and subtraction. From your pre-school teacher to your favourite PhD toting master’s professor we all have educators we can look back on and appreciate for the impact they have had on our lives as students. Coming into Sauder from my undergraduate degree in Political Science from here at UBC I knew that the quality of the faculty at this school was incredibly high. I had the most incredible professors during my undergrad, with the exception of the occasional research based one who couldn’t care less about actually relaying information to students. You’re always worried about what your professor will be like on the first day of class – it really makes all the difference. Let me just say the first day of every new period has not not failed to disappoint.

The Sauder School of Business is known for many things, but man can their teachers teach. These people are highly accomplished in their chosen field to the point where you have moments in class where you sit back and mumble under your breath things like “genius”. Those are called lightbulb moments and they happen to me all the time. I just want to sit there and soak up everything that they know into my brain, as if being in the same room as these people will make me like them by osmosis. I was truly amazed when I realized I had learned basic finance and accounting, and I’m ashamed to say a lot of it had nothing to do with me. It had to do with my professors, people who made the subjects I was struggling to learn as digestible and learnable as possible. Real teachers, not just researchers who lecture on occasion but people who educate and do it really, really well.

These professors care about your success and learning more than you do at times, and they are of such high quality that you wish you could sit in on their classes until you were 80. You come to appreciate anyone who is truly great at something and I have come to appreciate the educators who have made this program truly great.

Until next time,

Julia

ca.linkedin.com/in/juliashepherd/

Feature Image from: http://www.archdaily.com/257561/sauder-school-of-business-acton-ostry-architects/

And the Gold Medal Goes to…Everybody!

Posted on February 11, 2014 by btjreedy under Careers, Other

The job hunt is important to all of us for some reason or another. Maybe it’s student loans waiting to bite back, wanting to move on from student life, or even just anxiety. In the MM program, there are 50 other bright students trying to figure it out along with you and we’re all more than happy to help each other out. We get a lot of coaching and help from the BCC (Business Career Centre), but I think as students we give each other the best shot of succeeding after graduation.

If we’re all students and we’re all trying to find jobs, how can we possibly be giving each other the best shot for success? At most, each of us only have a few years of experience and we haven’t come from business backgrounds. What can we do for each other?

We support each other and act as a team. Yes, I know this may sound wishy-washy and maybe it’s all the Olympic hype, but please bear with me and let me explain. We spend a lot of time together in the classroom, in teams, and outside of Sauder. We quickly get to know each other and what types of opportunities each of us might be interested in. This is fantastic because when we’re searching the web for own job hunt, we may not always find something interesting. However, you might find perfect opportunity for one of your classmates. So share it with them. On top of that, a lot of us are trying to enter industries where we may have little experience. With a cohort as diverse as ours, there is always someone to talk to who may have studied or has experience in that area.

I’ll admit when I came into the program I was a bit worried about finding a job after graduation. Now, however, it is more exciting than I ever could have thought and I credit this change to my classmates. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. And remember that even if our destinations aren’t all the same, right now we’re all in the same boat.

Blair Reedy

Fun and Social

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Emma under Life at UBC/Vancouver

I still can’t believe I have been in this amazing city for almost half a year. It feels unreal! The past five months of the MM program have been super busy and we might need to push ourselves even harder for the remainder of the program. But, if you think the heavy work load or final exam pressure can stop us from having fun, you’re absolutely wrong!

Hanging out with my classmates is one of the biggest reasons why I like this program so much! The program gathers like-minded people with diverse backgrounds which makes the social life in Vancouver so incredible and diverse. For example, last week a group of us went to try some of the spiciest chicken wings on earth – so spicy that you need to sign a waiver before you’re allowed to eat them. What’s more, for someone who’s born and raised in a completely different culture, I never thought watching a hockey game in a bar with a bunch of friends would be so much fun!

We also participate in a wide range of special events outside of class. The faculty and my classmates strive to provide many networking opportunities to make friends and connections. For example, at our alumni mixer in November I received precious advice on careers, job hunting, interviewing and even tips for new-comers to Vancouver. Another special event was Trek Vancouver. Trek Vancouver was very useful for the class, especially for international students to get acquainted to local companies as well as Vancouver’s business culture.

Almost every Master of Management student likes a good quality social life to enhance the value of their learning experience. I don’t think many of my classmates would sit in a class think “Geez! this capitalization table is the coolest thing I’ve ever learned!”. However personally, my classmates are my greatest support in this program and I have learned just as much from them as what I’ve learned in class.

A firm handshake

Posted on February 6, 2014 by talal under Careers, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

Early on Friday the 24th of January, 22 MM’s dressed in suits gathered at the Starbucks in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Hotel for Trek Vancouver.

What is Trek Vancouver?

Trek Vancouver is an awesome event planned and organised by Nate, our class’s VP of Career Affairs. The bible of job hunting states that you should have as many informational interviews with people in industries you are interested in as possible. Trek Vancouver is a super, day-long informational interview with 12 people from three companies and half of the MM class.

Fuelled by caffeine, the MMs headed to the BMO’s palatial offices next door where we were greeted with some more coffee by senior banking executives who were ready to meet starry-eyed students, share stories, and lavishly impart wisdom.

After an enlightening session, we grabbed some lunch and headed to Vision Critical’s trendy and picturesque office on Granville Street. There, we were greeted by 3 MM alumni and given a tour of their offices, which featured a kitchen with a foosball table much like the one in our MM lounge.

Having visited a suave bank and a creative marketing technology firm, I was longing for a Mad Men style boardroom with plush leather chairs. I was in luck as our final destination for the day was RBC Wealth Management. We squeezed into a large boardroom and listened to two executives share stories and insights from their careers.

Having spoken to professionals from three different firms in their own offices, we were able to really appreciate the differences in culture between seemingly similar firms. I was truly able to understand the sort of environment in which I would like to work.

Till next time,

Talal

A Day in the Life

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Rachel Lim under Other, Personal Profiles on MM Students, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

Hello there!

For my very first blog post, I’ve outlined for you what a typical Monday or Wednesday is for me. We follow a slightly different schedule on Tuesday and Thursday—days on which we start at 8:00 a.m., take a 4-hour break from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., and end at the usual 4:00 p.m. I like the 8:00 a.m. starts. I surmise that I’d like them even better if I could remember to sleep earlier the night before.

I live in Richmond, in a not-so-convenient area in terms of public transport. Most of my classmates don’t live as far away as I do, so my before and after-school routine may not be representative of my classmates’ habits. Living so far away means continually refining my time management skills, rearranging activities to be done at certain times instead. On the other hand, the most notable challenges I’ve faced are the following, ranked according to what I perceive to be the most dreadful:

(1) The exhaustion that eventually gets to you and slows your brain down as the period (what you may know as a “school term”) progresses

(2) Time and energy I may not have for peer-socializing (which may be less problematic if I owned a car)

(3) Inconvenient weekend trips to school because there’s no direct bus from Richmond to UBC (then again, it ensures that I try my best to minimize the need for these trips)

7:30 a.m. Get up and prep for the busy day ahead

*Ok, I may have snoozed my alarm a few times…

8:15 a.m. Cross a school sports field —> shopping plaza —> road —> BUS STOP!! (~1 block)

*There’s another bus that stops much closer to my house, but it’s a turtle bus!

8:28 a.m. Bus to Bridgeport Station

*You can get away with a shorter time buffer the earlier you have to leave (less traffic). Occasionally, I miss this bus and take an alternate route.

8:58 a.m. Transfer to the 480 bus —> read the free newspaper / review my notes / nap

*Seat, seat, seat… YES!! The 480 bus originates in Bridgeport Station. Ironically, your probability of grabbing a seat diminishes the closer you live to campus.

9:40 a.m. Arrive at the UBC Bus Loop and begin the long walk to the Sauder School of Business

*Sadly, I haven’t figured out how to get to Sauder from any other direction without getting lost. I found that the only other places you need to know to survive are the Student Union Building (SUB) and the UBC Bookstore.

9:50 a.m. Morning chat with fellow MM-ers

*I’ve never met a more wonderful, supportive bunch of people. It’s great to be part of this cohort!

10:00 a.m. Marketing Research class with Professor Joey Hoegg

*In our recent classes, we evaluated the UBC Course Evaluation Form and also created our own survey in groups. It’s easy to critique a survey, but man, creating one is complicated work!

12:00 p.m. Lunch + go through emails and update my calendar and to-do list —> team meeting / review my notes / work on an assignment

2:00 p.m. Managerial Aspects of Accounting with Professor Bill Dorfmann

*I admit, the first few lectures weren’t the most stimulating (which we were amply warned about… You can consider yourself cautioned when you hear the words “ad nauseam”). But we’ve finally gotten to the more interesting bits, like how to make add/drop (a business segment) and make/buy decisions.

4:00 p.m. 2 possibilities:

(A) GO HOME!! —> prep dinner and tomorrow’s lunch —> do work

(B) Team meeting —> maybe take out dinner from our neighbour, Triple-O’s (White Spot), if I’m still at Sauder at 6:00 p.m.

*The best outcome, of course, is being able to leave as soon as class ends because the commute at this time isn’t as painful. Leaving UBC past 9.30 p.m. may extend my commute to up to 2 hours.

Until next time!

Rachel Lim

Study Abroad? Why not!

Posted on February 4, 2014 by menconi under Uncategorized

One of the many opportunities offered by this exemplary Master program is the possibility to study abroad. As an international student, this is a great opportunity for me to improve my business knowledge and to study in different environments.

There are many locations that are offered to the students. Coming from Europe, I was especially interested in continuing my studies during the summer in an Asian or American location.

It would be very interesting for me to spend two months studying in Beijing or Shanghai. The difference from the American and European culture would help me acquire more experience when I would have to work with Chinese companies. On the other hand, why not go to Harvard, another opportunity that is offered by the program? The quality and recognition of this school could always help whenever you are looking for a job.

These are just some of the many opportunities that this program offers you. When you think about this, you know that you will come in contact with a different culture and you will gain flexibility in relating with different environments wherever you go.

This will not be the conclusion of the Master of Management program; this will be the beginning of the new life, granted by the MM program.

Tiziano Menconi
ca.linkedin.com/in/TizianoMenconi

Exchange Possibilities

Posted on February 4, 2014 by maddieholeksa under Uncategorized

For me, doing an exchange was a non-negotiable. It was a matter of when and where, not if. I didn’t take advantage of the great opportunity that exchange offers you in my undergraduate degree, so I knew I had to when I started the Master of Management program. Experiencing education in a different country has so much value not only educationally, but personally. You get to meet students from all over the world, to experience a new education system that differs from the one you are used to, and you get to explore! The travel really excites me – I have an insatiable wanderlust. The MM program offers a variety of summer exchanges that vary in lengths from two to eight weeks. A few cities include: Cologne, Copenhagen, Shanghai, and London. Choosing where to apply could be the hardest part for some! For me, because I have already spent a few months in Asia and only weeks in Europe, I wanted to head back to the motherland of croissants, macarons, and cassoulet!

The one potential negative to going on exchange is it may have an effect on your job hunt by extending it longer than you may prefer. This is a risk I am willing to take because I don’t know if I’ll ever have this amazing experience at my fingertips again. In the end, I get out what I put in to my job hunt. So I will be working extra hard, knowing I get to spend June here:

Nice, France

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kpsiu/5978996674/

Until next post,

Maddie