Week 44: Electives - Block C (t-minus 7 weeks)

Week 44 is ending leaving one week left in Block C of electives and 7 weeks left in the program. Also, the weather has started to warm up (e.g. it is currently 6 degrees C in Kingston as I write this), which means spring is on the way. This also means rain and continuously grey, overcast skies.

Investments was focused on Equity Valuation techniques. Specifically, using dividend discount models, free cash flow to the firm and other methods to establish what a good price for a stock should be. Today we have a guest speaker. Brian Shaw, the CEO of CIBC Capital Markets from 2005-2008, will be talking to the class. Also, we are all working on evaluating the company we chose as the assignment is due Monday morning at 8 AM. After that assignment there is just the final next Friday.

Advanced Topics in Marketing continues to be a course focused on marketing more difficult products/services (e.g. hybrid cars, solar panels, etc.). This week the class had a speaker from Proctor and Gamble, who was the brand manager for Olay in Canada. She discussed her efforts for online marketing and various issues surrounding brand management. Today is a class focused on Canadian tourism. One of the main group assignments is for each team to present an aspect of Canadian tourism sometime next week.

Services Management continues to be based on discussions surrounding different cases that present issues surrounding services in a variety of industries (e.g. Hotels, pharmacies, etc.). Throughout the course there are 7 cases. Each student is expected to complete a write-up on any 2 of these cases. In addition, each case is presented by a certain group to the class. Overall people seem to be enjoying this course and the work. A few people completed the very first 2 cases for their individual write-ups and had their group present one of the first few cases. As a result, all they have left to do is to attend class to get participation marks.

This week the hockey team played their 3rd last game. It corresponded with this week's point four, so the stands were full of rowdy MBA students cheering the team on. This weekend will likely be filled with work as people push to get any final assignments complete.

Julia Blackstock has been having a series of smaller sessions to assist people with preparing to continue their search for full-time employment after the program. The good news is that there are still people managing to secure interviews and offers. I just heard of a friend of mine who has been made an offer.

As for myself, I have been taking advantage of the alumni network to continue to learn more about other areas I had previously thought my skill set would not apply. As it so happens, the management consulting companies in Calgary may like my credentials and not all of them focus on IT and telecom, despite my original impressions. This means that I need to begin getting ready for a potential "case interview". At first I was a little hesitant, but preparing for a case interview will make me that much better at interviewing in general. With any luck I will find myself in an interview with a management consultant that values my oil and gas experience and background.