MBA 1Q08 Progress Report & YE Guidance

At the end of the last term, last year, I posted a report on how I was doing. As this period marks the end of companies' quarterly earnings period, it also marks the end of my 2nd trimestre at IESE.

1Q08 Guidance vs. Actual Results:
-Solidify intermediate term career path (meaning next summer) with an internship in Sales & Trading.
Well, Sales & Trading didn't exactly work out as planned. The bankers said that I was not aggressive enough, too "nice" and I couldn't multiply 19x23 in my head. So now I'm exploring other career options...
-Increase confidence by speaking up more in class. I must let go of this fear that what I say is insignificant.
I did try to speak up more in class, but only when I had something truly significant and relevant to say. Although some days were harder than others, I basically stuck to quality over quantity and didn't pressure myself to speak for the sake of speaking.
-To not be afraid to submerge myself into Spanish. This may be my last chance to live in Spain.
I think my biggest hurdle with that was to stay motivated with Spanish classes. Our professors Pablo & Reina were HORRIBLE. Then all of a sudden Reina disappeared and we got Carlos to come in (Pablo still helps but I basically ignore him.) Carlos is amazing. He treats us with a certain level of professional & individual respect. I would have quit the program if it weren't for him.
-To not be afraid to let go and let the "career river" take me along for a ride. Not everything has to be planned.
This is probably the only thing I hit right on the spot. Basically I'm just floating around in the career river and praying that someone takes me ashore... Maybe Novartis...




As far as investment recommendations, I had put a buy on my professional life, a sell on my social life, and a hold on my school performance. The actual results were more surprising. My professional life took a dive with the banking interviews leaving me clueless about career paths, hard economic times (and probably fate) kept me from a job, and I'm just waiting for that right one to come along. My social life was not so bad. Although there were a few blips, it was not nearly as hard as first trimestre. I would say it has stabilized. Or maybe I'm still in denial. School performance was qualitatively better but quantitatively worse. Although I feel I am learning and contributing more, because of the stress of the job hunt, Spanish and the economy, the term was hard, but not harder than expected.

2Q08 Guidance:
Goals for next Quarter:
- Try to make the most out of the second years. Soon they will graduate, and I know I'll miss them, so I have to be conscious to hang out with them as much as possible before they leave. :(
- Get a strong salsa program ready for the MBA Olympics & enjoy performing in front of a crowd. I love being in front of an audience, but I have to remember to just have fun.
- Get a job.

The other day I was thinking about the last time I was truly happy. I've decided that it was when I was at Tulane, when I was thinking like an Economist (which was one of my majors). I remember leaving my purse on a crowded bus DURING MARDI GRAS and me not worrying a bit because it was a sunk cost. That day I got my purse back. At that time, I made decisions on the margin, considered opportunity cost & incentives, and rendered the past irrelevant to present decisions. Instead of letting bad things in the past haunt me, I took inventory of what I had now and made decisions rationally. It took a Global Economics course to bring back some Zen into my life.

Though I still miss New Orleans from time to time.