Diversity Conference Info
What are affinity conferences:
Affinity conferences are large-scale events where students and professionals have the opportunity to network with hundreds of companies, attend leadership development seminars, and interview for internships and full time positions. Although the conferences are geared towards minorities, all are welcome to attend, regardless of ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. Companies in attendance represent a variety of industries and recruit across a number of functions including, consulting, finance, marketing, and general management. The duration of the conferences ranges from a week to a few days. However, students typically chose to stay for 2-3 days, focusing on career fair recruiting events. Most of the conferences occur between September and October and their locations vary each year.
Top Affinity Conferences:
What happens at the conferences:
While at the conference students have the opportunity to engage in a number of professional development and recruiting activities. Some of the most common activities and events include:
Why you should go:
Attending an affinity conference allows students to connect with potential employers prior to the typical on campus recruiting season. Often this is the only way students will have the opportunity to connect with employers that do not recruit at Fuqua. The benefits of this early exposure are immense as a majority of students are able to secure job offers as a result of interviewing at the conferences.
How to prepare:
July-August (prior to arriving at Fuqua):
August-September (after arriving at Fuqua):
- BLMBAO/CMC Affinity Conference 102 – Corporate info sessions & Alumni/second year panels on how to
maximize your time at the conference(s) and ensure success.
- Kraft Foods Conference Prep Workshop – Corporate info session on behavioral interviewing and perfecting your
30sec story.
- Accenture Case Prep – Corporate info session on consulting case interviewing.
September-October:
Affinity conferences are large-scale events where students and professionals have the opportunity to network with hundreds of companies, attend leadership development seminars, and interview for internships and full time positions. Although the conferences are geared towards minorities, all are welcome to attend, regardless of ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. Companies in attendance represent a variety of industries and recruit across a number of functions including, consulting, finance, marketing, and general management. The duration of the conferences ranges from a week to a few days. However, students typically chose to stay for 2-3 days, focusing on career fair recruiting events. Most of the conferences occur between September and October and their locations vary each year.
Top Affinity Conferences:
- National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA)
- National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)
- Reaching Out
- National Association of Asian MBAs (NAAMBA)
- MBA Women International
What happens at the conferences:
While at the conference students have the opportunity to engage in a number of professional development and recruiting activities. Some of the most common activities and events include:
- Career fairs
- Internship and full time interviews
- Company networking receptions
- Alumni networking receptions
- Case competitions
- Leadership development seminars
Why you should go:
Attending an affinity conference allows students to connect with potential employers prior to the typical on campus recruiting season. Often this is the only way students will have the opportunity to connect with employers that do not recruit at Fuqua. The benefits of this early exposure are immense as a majority of students are able to secure job offers as a result of interviewing at the conferences.
How to prepare:
July-August (prior to arriving at Fuqua):
- Begin thinking about which conference(s) you want to attend. Most chose to attend just one.
- Register for the conference and make travel arrangements. Consider coordinating travel and hotel accommodations with other students to cut down on costs. Typically students can save money by registering and booking early.
- Begin thinking about the companies you would like to connect with while at the conference. Look at the conference website to see which companies will be in attendance.
- Be on the look out for an email from your BLMBAO second year buddy offering to help you review and polish your resume.
August-September (after arriving at Fuqua):
- Schedule informational interviews with Fuqua alumni and second year students.
- Continue to polish your resume and cover letters by having them reviewed by the CMC, your peers, and second year students.
- Schedule mock interviews with the CMC and second year students. Perfect your STAR stories.
- Attend CMC and BLMBAO affinity conference preparation events. A few of the events held this past year included:
- BLMBAO/CMC Affinity Conference 102 – Corporate info sessions & Alumni/second year panels on how to
maximize your time at the conference(s) and ensure success.
- Kraft Foods Conference Prep Workshop – Corporate info session on behavioral interviewing and perfecting your
30sec story.
- Accenture Case Prep – Corporate info session on consulting case interviewing.
September-October:
- Notify your professors if you will need to miss class in order to attend the conference(s).
- Sign up for interviews via conference website(s). Some companies may fill their all of their interview slots before the conference even begins, so be sure to apply early for your top companies.
- Attend the conference(s) and land an offer!