Advice from the MBA Class of 2010: Carolyn Demisch

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Carolyn Demisch (MBA '10)
NYU Stern Program: MBA '10
Current role: Senior Director of M&A Integration
Company: Visa, Inc

Carolyn Demisch shares how focusing on long-term goals and taking advantage of Stern's career support services helped her navigate the job search after the 2008 financial crisis. 
 

How did it feel looking for a job/internship during the financial crisis? How did you stay calm?

The most important thing for me was to keep perspective on the situation.  I knew B-school was an investment in my career, and that my internship and first job would be the bottom rung of the ladder—so even if neither one was perfect, it would be a step in the right direction.

What roles were you seeking/what were you interested in?

I was focused on media, entertainment, and technology. I interned at NBC Universal and ended up taking a full time role at Samsung Electronics.

What strategies did you use in seeking an internship/ FT offer?

I used the Office of Career Services job board, alumni network, and club-sponsored treks for my internship as the companies I was recruiting for didn’t do on-campus recruiting. I ended up getting an internship through an alumni connection. For full-time, I did selective on-campus recruiting and ended up getting an offer around Thanksgiving time. 

How did Stern's career office help? 

Just knowing that the resources of career services were available was super important to me—it helped me maintain the perspective that even though the job market was tough, I had a whole team of people who had my back. It's easy to feel helpless when what’s going on in the world is out of your control, and in times like that taking action helps to keep you grounded. I took advantage of all the OCS services to polish my resume, practice interviewing, and learn how to case interview. All these things helped to keep me focused and confident throughout the search.

How were you able to tap into the alumni network?

Alumni are a great resource, especially at challenging times! I was able to build relationships with multiple alums through my role in the Media and Entertainment club, which led to my summer internship. My internship manager was a Stern alum, and one of my classmates had interned with the team part-time during the year, so it came to me through a referral. 

Ten years later, we're living through great uncertainty and economic disruption. What practical advice do you have for current MBA students looking for jobs or internships?

Someone from career services had said that getting 2 out of 3 in your job hunt is what you should shoot for—e.g., you can get the industry and function you want, but not the location. I took that to heart at the time and ended up taking an unpaid internship over the summer at one of my target companies in New York, which was a great experience. Since then, that idea has also helped me to be thoughtful about trade-offs and ensured that I am really focusing on what is most important to me.

What lessons from your own experience in 2010 have helped you over your career? 

At the end of the day, no job is going to be perfect, but if you get something out of it that helps you develop, then it's valuable. Looking back I couldn’t have predicted where my career would take me in 10 years anyway, so the best advice I can give is to relax and enjoy the ride!

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