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Hacking a tough labor market: Tips for recent grads

Colleen Rich — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:59:41 +0000

Hacking a tough labor market: Tips for recent grads Colleen Rich Mon, 06/17/2024 - 13:59

The Class of 2024 graduated into a relatively challenging labor market. Jackie Brown, assistant professor in the Business Foundations area at the Costello College of Business at ��AV, said recent grads should be leaning a little harder into core professional skills, such as networking.

Jackie Brown. Photo provided

She says that even in a competitive market, networking in the right way will make you a leading candidate for that dream first job. More importantly, it can start you on a path toward long-term career fulfillment.

What would be your main piece of advice to a recent George Mason graduate who’s looking for their dream job?

The most effective way to pursue the career you want is through networking. That is especially the case for early-career individuals, who have little or no professional track record to point to. And the intense competition created by challenging labor markets makes networking even more important.

Notice I said “the career you want,” not “the job you want.” That’s a key distinction, because networking is an indispensable professional skill to learn and use over the length of a career, not just on the job hunt. Networking for the purposes of information gathering and relationship building, rather than solely to identify job leads, can help identify trends and other salient factors affecting your targeted industry. You want to become familiar with the goals, challenges, and culture of the industry you’re attempting to join. As you engage with potential employers, you can use that knowledge to frame informed questions that will reveal more about what that company is looking for and how you could contribute.

Can you say more about how early-career professionals can use the knowledge learned through networking?

Having a deep understanding, both at the industry and company level, will help you craft an effective “pitch” for use in cover letters and interviews. The idea is not just to prove you have done your homework, but to make a strong case for your “culture fit” and the benefits you would bring to that employer. As much as possible, you should customize your pitch to suit the industry, company, and individual(s) concerned.

Beyond being informed, how can early-careers get the greatest bang for their networking buck?

Building strong relationships through networking is, of course, first and foremost about communication. When interacting digitally, it’s easy to communicate without first thinking about the context, especially for young people who fire off texts as easily and naturally as breathing. But in any written communication, such as an introductory email or LinkedIn connect request, it is vital to exercise rhetorical awareness, i.e., adapting language based on the context, scope, and expectations or understanding of the recipient. Think about the probable state of mind of the intended recipient, the information they would need in order to decide to grant or deny your request, any help you could potentially offer, etc.

What about the question of online vs. in-person networking? Which is more likely to move the career needle?

I would encourage recent grads to work against the inherent impersonality of post-COVID online interactions. For example, when attending Zoom webinars for industry professionals, being one of the few to turn your camera on will make you more memorable. After all, a digital encounter is OK in and of itself, but is perhaps most valuable as a stepping stone to an in-person connection, which can yield higher-quality connections.

How wide a networking net should people be casting? Should they be solely focused on folks who can get them a job?

Networking communications are opportunities to show kindness and inclusivity—two increasingly sought-after leadership “essential skills,” as I refer to them, or more commonly known as “soft skills.” You’ve probably already heard that after an interview, you should send timely, thoughtful, and thankful follow-up emails to the hiring manager (and any other participants). But have you reached out to thank that LinkedIn connection who steered you to the job posting in the first place? What about your ex-professor who helped you with your resume and cover letter? Or the administrative associate who did the work to align everyone’s schedules for the interview? Kind and inclusive networking communications certainly take time, but should be viewed as a necessary investment that will pay handsome career and relational dividends that go far beyond any one job opportunity.

Jackie Brown has worked in nonprofit organizations, legal establishments (law firm and court house), digital consultancies, and universities. She has been with the Costello College of Business at ��AV since 2012.

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Celebrate Mason Korea's 10th Anniversary

Mason Korea senior is making his mark through networking

Colleen Rich — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:59:02 +0000

Mason Korea senior is making his mark through networking Colleen Rich Mon, 06/10/2024 - 08:59

When Joonhyuck Lee was visiting the United States on summer breaks, he did not know that he would eventually study abroad there. When he had to choose between going to college in Korea or taking a gap year, he decided that the study-abroad track would be much more beneficial than attending a local Korean university.

Joonhyuck Lee. Photo provided

Unlike some students whose parents, friends, or private institutions introduced them to universities abroad, Lee attempted to find the best study-abroad option himself. Noticing the financial advantage of the tuition discount at Mason Korea compared to other institutions that required him to pay more than two times the cost, he took his chances to Songdo, South Korea, rather than straight to the United States.

“The fact that I could take part in an American college environment without leaving my home country was the most attractive aspect,” he said.

Initially planning to study finance during his freshman year, Lee’s passion and interest in the business world exponentially grew after he started saving money through his stock investments. Using his U.S. college education at Mason Korea, he successfully landed an internship at an investment firm in Seoul, where he met with foreign clients worldwide and dived into various market research translation projects. He further perceived the value of his U.S. college degree and the power of networking, something not as familiar to the Korean context.

“Realizing the limited scope of networking opportunities within the Korean industry enabled me to further want to help students voice their opinions so that they can take advantage of their U.S. college background,” said Lee.

Knowing that networking was more important in the United States than in Korea, he continued to move out of his comfort zone to broaden his perspective of the finance industry and build connections with professionals. His first semester at ��AV’s Fairfax Campus was filled with coffee chats with numerous industry leaders and information sessions with several investment banking companies. He boasts that his English skills improved considerably in Virginia and that his language skills are his most valuable asset.

With one semester left until graduation, Lee aspires to be one of the few pioneers for Mason Korea in the finance industry and wants to be a mentor that other Mason Korea students can look up to and ask for advice when navigating their careers.

“What sets Mason Korea apart from other institutions is the pride of being from a tight-knit campus and the passion of the students to elevate the success of this school further,” Lee said. “I hope to represent that pride in finance, where much is still to be established.”

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Celebrate Mason Korea's 10th Anniversary

Senior from Mason Korea’s PPP Program breaks Korean norms

Colleen Rich — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 20:02:17 +0000

Senior from Mason Korea’s PPP Program breaks Korean norms Colleen Rich Mon, 06/03/2024 - 16:02

Yoonsung Shin took a gap year after high school and worked to get a higher score on the Korean national college entrance exam. While considering his options for the next step on his educational journey, he looked at the possibility of taking his college education in the United States after his mom introduced him to Mason Korea.

Yoonsung Shin. Photo provided

“At first, I was honestly skeptical of the whole idea of studying abroad, since I had no exposure to it beforehand,” said Shin. “However, what attracted me was the fact that I could freely follow my interests without any hesitation.

Committed to learning all he could through Mason Korea, he started with something familiar, broadcasting, an interest he held since high school. He enjoyed making new friends with people in the student media, such as the large student organizations, Incheon Global Campus (IGC) Broadcasting Studio (IBS) and Asian Boss Next. However, as he started to realize that machines could replace human labor in the segments of broadcasting he enjoyed, he recognized the importance of becoming proficient in these rising automated technologies.

In response to this revelation, Shin changed his major from a broad concentration in management to a more specific concentration in management information systems (MIS) in his junior year. Although Shin thought the only skill sets that could effectively be applied to all fields were information technology (IT) and coding, he never stopped pursuing diverse experiences.

From interning at a law firm to serving as a resident advisor and helping international students as a teaching assistant learn Korean, Shin made sure that he took advantage of many varied opportunities.

As Shin nears his graduation in December 2024 on ��AV’s Fairfax Campus, he reflected on the value of the Patriot Plus Program (PPP), which requires students from Mason Korea to take a set of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses to reinforce their ability to learn in English. He said he understands why students might be hesitant in an unfamiliar cultural environment but also encourages them to break away from their comfort zone.

“Take the chance not to follow the life set by Korean social norms, but rather take responsibility to learn and experience as much as one can,” he said. “Being a Patriot has taught me that success is an equation of the freedom of choice and responsibility.”

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This student was a pioneer in management consulting at Mason Korea

Colleen Rich — Wed, 29 May 2024 16:44:38 +0000

This student was a pioneer in management consulting at Mason Korea Colleen Rich Wed, 05/29/2024 - 12:44

Throughout his time at a STEM-focused high school, Chanyoung Kim, BS Business ’24, aspired to be a scholarship student in Japan, following in the footsteps of his high school classmates. However, a rejection letter prompted him to pivot to a different cultural and language context.

Chanyoung Kim. Photo provided

“My first experience with Mason Korea was an exhilarating blend of anticipation and curiosity, intertwined with a strong awareness of the challenges ahead,” said Kim, who graduated from ��AV this May. “The transition to an English-speaking educational environment initially presented itself as a formidable challenge, particularly since I had spent a significant amount of time in Korea, where English was not my daily language.”

Despite previously being a STEM student, Kim had a keen interest in business strategies. At that time, as he did not have a strong career goal, he took a chance majoring in management, hoping that he might find a more specific area to delve into.

Later, coming out of his mandatory military service, he dove into the world of management consulting, hearing that it was a great job for those burning with curiosity. However, recognizing that management consulting was a difficult industry to break into, Kim took the initiative to get support from Mason Korea. He founded the Mason Consulting Group to create a platform for students to learn about the latest trends in consulting jobs, hone their skills in strategic thinking, and share their passion for consulting. The student group even participated in an international business case competition hosted by HSBC.

In spite of his initial trepidation about English, being a college student at a U.S. institution turned out to be an advantage as he applied for internships, as his English skills caught the eyes of a U.S.-based consulting firm’s Seoul office. He followed this experience with an internship with the Big 3 consulting firm, Bain & Company. His experience at these two firms and his involvement in mobility, blockchain, and hydrogen business projects allowed him to find his specialized interest in renewable energy and mergers and acquisitions.

“The experience of strategizing, presenting ideas, and receiving feedback in a real-world environment fostered a unique form of learning that went beyond the traditional classroom, enriching my understanding of the relevance and efficacy of business theories in addressing real-world challenges,” Kim said.

Realizing the importance of having a specialized industry focus in consulting firms, Kim started his journey in Fairfax in fall 2023, declaring a minor in renewable energy. The curriculum of the minor required an internship, which allowed him to be part of an on-campus research project that explores the possibility of installing solar panels on George Mason campuses.

To further develop his English skills, he went out of his comfort zone to participate in language exchange sessions and met with Writing Center tutors. “The initial struggles with language and adaptation were, in retrospect, a blessing in disguise,” he said. “They were not mere obstacles but opportunities that enabled me to rapidly enhance my English proficiency and adjust to new environments more efficiently.”

Looking back at his four years at George Mason and looking forward to his career, Kim hopes to continue helping other students interested in consulting to acquire meaningful experiences in the industry. He wants to help establish a management consulting association at Mason Korea to help prospective students. He hopes his experiences show other Mason Korea students an unexpected directional change in life can be a true silver lining.

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New Hazel–Peterson Scholarship will support undergraduate students in the Costello College of Business

Colleen Rich — Mon, 13 May 2024 18:41:34 +0000

New Hazel–Peterson Scholarship will support undergraduate students in the Costello College of Business Colleen Rich Mon, 05/13/2024 - 14:41

A new Hazel–Peterson Scholarship fund has been established in the name of the Hazel and Peterson families to support undergraduate students pursuing a minor in real estate development at the Costello College of Business of ��AV.

Jimmy Hazel, John T. "Til" Hazel Jr. and Milt Peterson at the ground-breaking in 2015 for an academic building that would be named Peterson Family Health Sciences Hall. Photo by Office of University Branding

“The best institutions in the future will be those that are well positioned to make education available to as many people as possible,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “Nicole and I want to help make this life-changing opportunity available to more young people. To do so not only benefits George Mason but the entire metropolitan region and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Washington and Presidential Partner Nicole Washington have donated $25,000 to seed the scholarship, which was matched 2 to 1 by S&P Global, the New York City-based capital market company, bringing the total of the scholarship fund to $75,000 by January 2024.

The ��AV Foundation manages the fund and hopes to grow it to at least $200,000 to provide lasting and perpetual support for scholarships in the Costello College of Business.

Three Hazel–Peterson Scholarships for $2,500 each are expected to be available this fall.

Recipients must be full- or part-time undergraduate students who graduated from a Northern Virginia high school located within 50 miles of the university’s Fairfax Campus and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Funds will be awarded by a selection committee appointed by the dean of the Costello College of Business in coordination with the Office of Student Financial Aid. This scholarship is renewable.

This Hazel–Peterson Scholarship recognizes the longstanding dedication and commitment to the university and region by these two families.

Business partners for 20 years, late family patriarchs Milt Peterson and John “Til” Hazel Jr. set the stage for George Mason’s rise to prominence with a shared affinity for the university and a vision that has been passed on to their offspring.

“What Dad and Milt did over the years was something, and seeing the second generation carrying it to new levels has been kind of fun,” said Jimmy Hazel, a local businessman who grew up close to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus and has served on George Mason’s Board of Visitors for 16 years.

Jon Peterson said that his father and Til Hazel would be proud of George Mason’s upward trajectory.

“George Mason has always been such a big part of Northern Virginia,” Jon Peterson said. “As Northern Virginia has grown, so has Mason. It’s been great to see.”

A prominent Virginia lawyer and later developer, Til Hazel is considered one of the university’s founding fathers after acquiring land and lobbying for a school of law in Arlington. He was the recipient of the first Mason Medal in 1987, the university’s highest honorary award for those with a record of service to their community or nation. His brother William A. Hazel was one of Northern Virginia’s most influential builders and was also instrumental in the development and growth of the university, establishing the Eleanor and Bill Hazel Endowed Chair in Civil Infrastructure Engineering in the Volgenau School of Engineering in 2014.

Jimmy Hazel is a proud Scalia Law School graduate with decades of service to the university including the Board of Visitors, 12 years on the ��AV Foundation Board, and a stint as the Alumni Association president. Also a recipient of the Mason Medal in 2017, the former George Mason Alumnus of the Year chaired the successful Faster Farther comprehensive campaign that closed with more than $690 million. He and his wife, Sally, established the Hazel Scholars Endowment Fund in 2011, which is now valued at roughly $1.2 million.

The Peterson Family has also given generously to the university and the Northern Virginia community through the Peterson Family Foundation, which was established by Milt and Carolyn in 1997. Through the foundation, the family has supported multiple causes, including health care, education, youth development, and the United Methodist Church, contributing more than $100 million to charity.

In June 2016, the Peterson Family provided $10 million to support the new academic building for what is now the College of Public Health, as well as funding for the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Now a CEO of Peterson Companies and chairman of the company’s executive committee, Jon Peterson first served on George Mason’s Board of Visitors from 2014 to 2018, and will conclude his second four-year term this year.

“If you’re fortunate enough to be able to give back, you do,” Jon Peterson said.

The scholarship is now accepting applications in the Blackbaud Award Management scholarship portal.

The Hazel and Peterson families hope to see the scholarship grow so that it might provide more opportunities for students.

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Costello College of Business News

Mason Korea senior bridges her American and Korean identities through marketing

Colleen Rich — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:37:48 +0000

Mason Korea senior bridges her American and Korean identities through marketing Colleen Rich Wed, 05/08/2024 - 11:37

Lucy Hong moved to the United States when she was 10 years old. What was meant to be a three-month experience over the summer became a decade abroad in Northern Virginia, thousands of miles away from her family in South Korea.

Business major Lucy Hong. Photo provided

Having a strong interest in art from a young age, Hong chose to go to Virginia Commonwealth University to major in fashion merchandising after graduating from St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020, Hong, like many international students, was asked to return to her home country. Reluctantly heading back to South Korea, she worried about how to continue her college education, knowing that Korean universities were not an option.

“It felt like starting from zero,” she said, looking back to the day she arrived in South Korea. “I felt really lonely and anxious if I could make new friends in this transition.”

Discovering Mason Korea was the answer to her fears. It provided an American college setting that she was familiar with, and having high school friends who went to George Mason for college, she was already well acquainted with the university.

She noted how it was easier to connect with friends who had similar backgrounds as she did, those who lived or studied abroad for multiple years. While it required a cultural adjustment, soon enough she also made friends who did not have a similar background, who had lived their whole lives in South Korea.

“The cultural setting that Mason Korea provided saved me from feeling lost,” she said. “I soon made lifelong friends through the community and even met back up with Mason Korea students in Fairfax.”

She also decided to move away from fashion merchandising and found a middle ground in marketing, which helped her bring her original interests to an area of UX design and expand her knowledge background in consumer trends. During her time at Mason Korea, Hong found she was able to connect with faculty members, talk in class, and get to know them at a personal level.

With support from professors and staff, she was able to win a business pitch competition for the beauty industry and launched an online clothing brand that reinterprets American fashion in Korea by using her UI/UX design and market research skills.

Now a senior, Hong is finishing her first semester at the Fairfax Campus this spring, part of a two-semester sequence in Fairfax that all Mason Korea students include in their four-year plan. Looking toward graduation in the winter, she is excited to see the future unfold and hopes to get a job in the United States.

“Mason Korea helped me see that I can keep my American identity and even bridge my Korean identity with my experience abroad,” she said. “I hope to share this unique perspective professionally through my work and the ideas it can provide.”

Mason Korea 10th Anniversary

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Costello College of Business News

By the Numbers: Costello College of Business

Lynn Tierney — Mon, 06 May 2024 13:05:48 +0000

By the Numbers: Costello College of Business Lynn Tierney Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:05

��AV's Donald G. Costello College of Business (CCB) officially launched on November 1, 2023. Much has chaned in the college since its humble beginnings in 1977 as the Department of Business Administration offering classes on the university's North Campus. Let's take a look.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE CONCENTRATIONS in accounting, business analytics, finance, financial planning and wealth management, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations and supply chain management

OF STUDENTS participated in at least one experiential learning opportunity last year

OF CCB ALUMNI live and work within a 50-mile radius of Fairfax

EMPLOYERS engage with students through industry panels, networking events, and career and internship fairs

STUDENTS participate in on-campus interviews with employers each year

Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship
Center for Retail Transformation

CCB's Rankings and Accreditations

Explore CCB Programs

This content appears in the Spring 2024 print edition of the Mason Spirit Magazine.

This Mason business major wasn’t shy about forging his path

Colleen Rich — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:33:56 +0000

This Mason business major wasn’t shy about forging his path Colleen Rich Tue, 04/30/2024 - 16:33

Teon Frazier said he will enjoy his May graduation from ��AV to the fullest.

Honors College student Teon Frazier has a job waiting for him post-graduation. Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of University Branding

After his high school graduation was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no way Frazier is going to miss the ceremony for those leaving the Costello College of Business or the larger university-wide ceremony at EagleBank Arena.

“It just feels so good to have a proper senior sendoff,” said Frazier, whose concentration is in management information systems and is a member of Mason’s Honors College. “It feels like the culmination of eight years, honestly.”

Frazier, from Capital Heights, Maryland, has much to celebrate, even beyond his graduation.

After two summer internships with J.P. Morgan Chase, Frazier has a job as a rotational HR analyst waiting for him with the company in Columbus, Ohio.

Frazier’s personal growth has been just as dramatic, as he transformed from what he called a “shy high-schooler” into the council president for the National Pan-Hellenic Council at Mason.

He is the president of the Rho Tau chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and was elected as the associate regional director for the fraternity, the highest regional position a collegiate member can attain.

“For two years, basically from Maine to Virginia, I was traveling, meeting more of my fellow collegiate brothers, hearing their struggles and being as much help as I could,” Frazier said. “From that, I was able to take a lot from them to bring back to Mason and to my own personal development.”

Glenda Cosby, assistant director for success coaching at George Mason, watched the transformation.

“I remember our first meeting, he was so nervous,” said Cosby, recalling how Frazier was concerned that one mistake would cause him to lose his scholarship and have to leave the university. “And just to see how much he’s grown, how much he has gotten involved. That fear, that lack of confidence, was completely out the window.”

Consider what Frazier accomplished at Chase, where he said he presented and helped implement a plan to increase the analytics and data retention in the HR department.

“I just looked at how I could start quantifying stuff, like how many cases that case managers were actually hearing or how many orders of a specific chair were being made because X-amount of employees had lumbar issues,” Frazier said. “So while other interns were pretty much just shadowing the whole time, I had a project I saw completed to the end.”

“Within six months or a year, he’ll be receiving a promotion or something like that,” Cosby said. “He’s that determined and that driven.”

It all started with his George Mason experience, Frazier said, in which he developed his inherent talents while showing the grit and audacity to overcome the shyness that had been a limitation.

“I loved Mason’s diversity, and I liked the campus’ potential for life,” he said. “I could tell the students here, those that are involved, are passionate about it. It taught me to really put myself out there. That’s a skill not a lot of people have.”

Spring Commencement 2024

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A U.S. college degree was a great investment for this Mason Korea student

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 12:15:44 +0000

A U.S. college degree was a great investment for this Mason Korea student Colleen Rich Mon, 04/29/2024 - 08:15

��AV accounting major Young Ho Ji grew up near Pyeongtaek, South Korea, not far from Camp Humphreys, the largest overseas U.S. military installation in the world. He attributes part of his desire for a U.S. college education to watching American officers walk by in the apartment complex every day.

Young Ho Ji. Photo provided

Even more, as a fervent researcher and investor of the stock market, Ji admired the investment bankers and traders in Hollywood movies. He also realized how much of the online information about investing, written in English, had a wider scope and depth. He recognized the value of reading and writing in English and dreamed of one day studying abroad.

While the financial hurdle to being able to study in the United States seemed too steep to climb, Ji never lost faith. After finishing his freshman year at a regional university in Korea, he worked at a construction site for seven months, six days a week, sleeping only five hours a day. This allowed him to save enough tuition money for at most five semesters.

“Every day when I wanted to give up, I asked myself if I could be satisfied with where I was as a normal Korean college student,” he said. “The hunger to work and study among the greatest in the [investing] field and industry was what kept me going.”

After spending two years of his military service studying for the English proficiency test, Ji found himself at attending George Mason in his home country. As he was eager to begin to work toward his long-waited goals and found a sense of belonging within the Mason family, Ji took advantage of all the opportunities that Mason Korea had to offer.

“Being a transfer student from a non-Seoul metropolitan area institution, I knew it was a privilege to confidently apply for internships in Seoul,” Ji said. “Internship opportunities from where I come from were nonexistent, even if you had the skills and knowledge to successfully do the job.”

Ji also engaged in every available networking opportunity, starting with connecting with Mason alumni in Korea. To help others enjoy the same sense of community he found, he encouraged other students to attend networking events and founded a student organization called the Mason Korea Investment Club (MKIC).

Not only did his initiative help him land an internship at one of the top accounting firms in Korea, but numerous students from MKIC later secured internships and jobs across different firms in the finance and accounting field as well.

After attending classes at Mason in the United States, Ji is eager to fulfill his childhood dreams as he soon returns to Korea following Spring Commencement in May with investment banking job opportunities lined up. He readily looks forward to mentoring Mason Korea students and plans to share with them the value of a U.S. college education.

“As a prospective investment banker, I can confidently state that the investment I made in my college education was beyond the worth that I expected it to be. It allowed me to see a bigger world, which is full of opportunities that are difficult to put a price tag on.”

Mason Korea opened its doors to in 2014. As part of Mason Korea’s 10th anniversary, Mason will host events in Korea and on the Fairfax Campus. This is the first in a series of stories highlighting Mason Korea students.
Learn more about Mason Korea's anniversary >>

U.S. Student? Study at Mason Korea!

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