B-schools’ smart recruitment initiatives

Some of the new initiatives are:

1. Adaption of curriculum to employers' wishes:

University of California-Berkeley's Haas School of Business
After talking to employers the university added a course called "Problem Finding, Problem Solving". The seminar has no textbook and focuses on out-of-the-box thinking.

Northeastern University's College of Business
After seeing opportunities to place more students with biotech and pharmaceutical companies, the university developed a four-course sequence focusing on developing, financing and marketing new drugs. Students also travel to London to meet with international biotech firms and talk with executives.

Northeastern University's College of Business
After complaints about students writing skills, the college employed a writing instructor who now grades students' papers according to their writing and supports them with writing instructions if necessary.

2.  Assignment of a personal career adviser or one-on-one contact with career services staff at the schools during the whole program:

Georgia Tech College of Management
Boston University School of Management
Northeastern University's College of Business

This close relationship and focus on career opportunities seems to pay off. At Georgia Tech, for example, 97 percent of students reported having a job offer three months after graduation.

3. Corporate residency program:

Northeastern University's College of Business
The university permits MBAs to work full-time in MBA-level positions for seven months during the program, more than twice as long as the average MBA internship.

Sources:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808704576062190021341706.html
http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/dec2010/bs20101210_568188.htm