MCFE and You!
Why would YOU want to take our Management Consulting Field Experience (MCFE) course? You have heard from your friends that it’s a lot of work, and sometimes you have a great team to work with, and sometimes the team dynamic can be a real challenge. Your client may be terrific, extremely responsive, involved, and love every idea you have, or maybe not. So why take the chance, why do the work? Because this is one of those uniquely Babson courses. Where else do you get the opportunity to take all that you have learned in the classroom, and apply it to a real world problem for a real company? Where else can you network with upper level management, defend your theories and spreadsheets, present your findings to the clients, earn 4 credits, and get experience to add to your resume?
Great MCFE teams are made up of students who settle for nothing short of excellence. They do endless organizational and industry research and challenge the status quo. Babson students deliver entrepreneurial solutions to appreciative organizations, and learn a lot about their own work style, and the importance of flexibility. So a few tips for those of you who are applying!
Work: Work hard from the very beginning! Hit the ground running the very first week of classes. Spend some time doing company/industry research before the start of the semester to gain a better understanding of the project. Come to the orientation ready to build questions for client, and have action items for team members so that the following week when you meet the client, you understand the project, have done some basic research, and can confirm with the client that the direction you are heading is one that they approve of!
Stretch yourself: You’re the numbers guy, so go for an area you are less comfortable. She’s a wiz at business writing, let her try market research. You may love to present, or hate it. Engaging with the client may seem really attractive or petrify you. The point is, this is the place to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. We have resources to help you with presenting, writing, researching, building powerful presentations and more. Use them!
Strive for Excellence: You are smart, you are extremely capable, but in this course you need to be on your “A” game. Your deliverables need to be on time, high quality, and entrepreneurial. This client could be your next boss. You are representing Babson. We expect, and know you can deliver excellence.
Have Fun: Enjoy your research, your meetings, and your interactions with the client. This project will add a tremendous amount of value to your education, but it is one small moment in your life. Stay organized, move forward, and enjoy the ride.