110
Technology
Finance
Self-funded
Chicago-Booth
EMBA
Rather than writing a typical admission success story, I would like to share my experience with Round One’s post-admission service, “Career Transition Support.”
Thanks to Round One’s strong support, I have been enrolled in the Executive MBA program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business since 2013. With most counseling services, support typically ends once admission is secured and essay counseling is completed. However, thanks to Round One’s flexibility and rapid, professional support, I received tremendous help even with my job search after starting my MBA.
When I entered my second year of the MBA, I decided to test my market value and began exploring career opportunities. During that process, interviews with a certain multinational operating company progressed to the point where I was scheduled to meet with a foreign C-suite executive. Unsure how best to prepare for an English-language interview, I casually consulted Stephen, and he immediately proposed a mock interview. To be honest, I did not go into this with particularly high expectations—I simply thought it might help me get a bit more comfortable speaking in an interview-like setting in English. However, based on the information I had shared in advance, Stephen conducted extremely detailed research into both the company and the C-suite interviewer. On the day of the mock interview, he had prepared multiple scenarios that closely mirrored what I would likely face in the real interview.
What impressed me most was that, because the interviewer’s background included a Harvard PhD—making them a particularly formidable counterpart—Stephen tailored the approach and questions specifically to match that profile. What was even more remarkable was that he went beyond interview tactics alone. By carefully listening to my current situation, he also provided concrete advice on negotiation strategy with my current employer. Specifically, through targeted questions, he helped me think through what position and treatment I currently held at my existing multinational firm, what potential future career paths and opportunities existed there, and whether there might be room to negotiate with my current employer if I were to receive an offer from the interviewing company. The strategic advice he provided through this process was highly insightful and made complete sense to me.
This comprehensive “Career Transition Support” that I have described may, in fact, have been even more valuable to me than the original application process itself. To be frank, the fee for this service is extremely reasonable—given the quality, it could even be described as inexpensive. By following Stephen’s advice, both my interviews and negotiations with my current company went very well to a significant extent. It truly felt like a revelation. At this point, my post-graduation career path is largely set, and I am now fully focused on my MBA studies and work as I move toward graduation.
If I were asked whether I would consult Round One again for my next career transition opportunity, I would answer “yes” without hesitation. I strongly encourage everyone to experience Round One’s “Career Transition Support” for themselves.
