In this episode, Erica DeBiase sits down with Connie Armento, Manager of Organizational Learning and Development at Babson College, to explore how identifying and leveraging your strengths can give you a competitive edge in today’s job market.

They discuss practical strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome, positioning yourself as a standout candidate, and using AI tools to boost productivity, profitability, and job satisfaction.

Whether you're job hunting or looking to grow in your current role, this conversation offers valuable insights to help you thrive!

Resource Links:

• https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx
• https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253715/34-cliftonstrengths-themes.aspx

Join host Erica DeBiase as she chats with Drin Govori, current MBA student and founder of the Intrapreneurship Initiative at Babson College F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, and Fabian Schmidt, 2023 alum and global entrepreneur-in-residence, about what it really means to be an intrapreneur. They explore how to spark change within organizations, overcome internal roadblocks, and build a mindset for innovation, no matter your title. Perfect for grad students and early-career professionals ready to lead from within.

Dan Beaudry’s book Power Ties can be purchased on Amazon. Dan is the former head of campus recruiting at Monster.com, and the former Associate Director of Corporate Recruiting at the Boston University School of Management.  "Power Ties" has been presented to thousands of international students from over 70 universities and business schools across country, and broadly endorsed by career counselors. This practical and comprehensive guide will surprise and empower you. 

This episode is hosted by Erica DeBiase, Associate Director at the Graduate Center for Career Development.

Resources 

Power Ties: The International Student's Guide to Finding a Job in the United States 

Webex Link to episode: https://babson.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/babson/recording/4d9bb0c5af14103cae3b0050568188a3/playback  

Lisa Halpert Mesicek, Babson MBA alum, and Chief Experience Officer and Executive Coach at Northwestern Mutual speaks with Lily Awad from the Graduate School at Babson College on Managing People. Lisa talks about learning and adjusting, getting to know your team members well enough to provide individualized support, honest communication, making connections, and much more. Whether you are currently a manager or an aspiring one, tune in for some inspiration and wisdom! 

This episode is hosted by Lily Awad.

Resources 

Lisa H. Mesicek Coaching & Consulting: https://www.lisahmesicek.com/  

What does a Chief of Staff do and why could that be an interesting career opportunity for you?  

In this episode, Melissa Castro, Babson MBA 2019 alum, Chief of Staff at Graffito SP, a Boston-based retail real estate advisory and investment firm, unveils the mystery of this often-overlooked business role. She shares with us how she found her true professional passion and turned her career into a more community-focused environment. 

Her perspective as a woman of color on DEI topics and learnings on how to forge a career in corporate America are truly insightful and valuable for current students and alumni. 

 This episode is hosted by Susanne Schneider-Kivelitz, Associate Director at the Graduate Center for Career Development.

Resources:  

National Black MBA Association 

Prospanica 

Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) 

Seizing Every Opportunity (SEO) 

Jopwell 

HACE Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement 

ALPFA Association of Latino Professionals For America 

List of Black Professional Associations & Organizations - JobStars USA 

Jobs for Black Leaders (jobsforhumanity.com) 

African American Job Boards - Black Job Boards - Diversity Jobs 

Indigenous Job Boards - Diversity Jobs - Diversity Jobs 

Latinx & Hispanic Job Boards - Diversity Jobs - Diversity Jobs 

The Conferences for Women   

Women Lead Festival 

Women in Tech SEO 

Ever wondered why some people get invited to an interview and others don’t? Or what tips the scales in favor of those who receive offers and others who don’t? Then this episode is for you. 

Brain Dardy, Sr. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Program Manager at Mathworks will pull back the curtain on the inside world of recruiting, addressing key topics such as, Critical do’s and don’ts of successful job hunters, How to leverage tools like LinkedIn, HireVue and Generative AI and Hiring trends for the 2023/2024 year. 

Ever wondered why some people get invited to an interview and others don’t? Or what tips the scales in favor of those who receive offers and others who don’t? Then this episode is for you. 

Brian Dardy, Sr. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Program Manager at Mathworks will pull back the curtain on the inside world of recruiting, addressing key topics such as, Critical do’s and don’ts of successful job hunters, How to leverage tools like LinkedIn, HireVue and Generative AI and Hiring trends for the 2023/2024 year. 

This episode is hosted by Jay Robie, Sr. Associate Director for Grad CCD at Babson College.

Marc Cosentino, CEO of Casequestions.com and author of “Case in Point”, joins Erica DeBiase, Associate Director of Graduate Student Advising, to discuss the case interview and what a candidate can do to prepare when an interviewer is looking for solutions to a real-world scenario. For three decades, Marc has been the voice of case interview prep worldwide. He has advised and coached over 100,000 students and has written 5 books on the topic of case interviewing and consulting. His book, “Case in Point”, has been the best-selling case interview focused book for 20 years, and was referred to by Wall Street Journal as the MBA bible. Hear from the case interview guru himself on how to prepare! 

This episode is hosted by Erica DeBiase.

Resources:  

Marc Cosentino - Case in Point 

Management Consulted (Babson Resource) 

Dominique Miles, MBA, ‘24 is a current MBA student and Private Equity Analyst at Babson College. She has lived, worked and studied in Europe, Africa and The Middle East. She is fluent in French having studied in France and at Middlebury College.  

Dominique began her professional career as a recruiter and has enjoyed the past 10 years of working with international institutions to place talent in new positions which support development and growth. In addition to her work in international development Dominique ran a small business which provided notary services for loan closings in DC, Maryland and Virginia. She managed a team of 5 notaries and was honored by the Alexandria SBA as a 40 under 40 leader.  

Dominique chose to pursue business school at Babson as a committed entrepreneur to expand her knowledge base and pivot into finance. She will join Goldman Sachs as a Private Wealth Management Associate upon completing her MBA. Her role at Goldman supports her belief and commitment to deploying capital in ways which make the world a better place. She currently works as an Analyst with the Private Equity Committee managing Babson's endowment and has enjoyed the opportunity to evaluate and craft thoughtful analysis of the school's investment portfolio. 

This episode is hosted by Jessica Chance.

Resources: 

Book: Meditations by Marcus Arelius, Philosopher 

Gratitude Journals 

How Can I Find My Why? With Simon Sinek 

What do start ups, the role of business development, and angel investing all share in common? Phillip Lachman, MBA alum, unpacks this for us as he shares what it takes to survive in an ambiguous start up environment, why business development is essential for any organization (and how to do it effectively) and how to become an angel investor. You don’t want to miss this episode packed with insightful tips, interesting examples, and plenty of resources.  

This episode is hosted by Lily Awad.

Resources: 

Walnut Ventures: https://www.walnutventures.com/ 

Cambridge Innovation Center 

Greentown Labs 

MassChallenge 

Startup Boston