After working as a Mechanical Engineer in the Oil and Gas Industry in Brazil, Camilla Matos (USC Marshall, ‘21) chose to attend business school to build her management skills. At USC Marshall, she found diversity amongst her classmates, a strong Trojan Alumni network, and time and resources in the career development curriculum to explore her future career of Product Management. In this interview, Mattos shares her journey from Brazil to Los Angeles, and her advice for admitted MBA students.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to come to business school?
Prior to business school, I spent the last four years in Brazil, where I am from, working in Operations and Project Management roles for an Oil & Gas company. Although I loved my job, I was working offshore on trips up to 28 days at drilling rigs. I wanted to stop working on the field, but I didn’t feel prepared to take a management position on the business side. I started to evaluate different possibilities to enhance my management skills. The MBA came to the top of my list for several reasons. As I was really passionate about my previous career, I wanted to give myself the chance to find new interests and an MBA gives you the unique opportunity to expand your horizons and explore different careers and industries. I also wanted the experience of studying abroad for a longer period of time.
MBASchooled: What were your big questions coming into making your decision on which school to attend?
My two biggest criteria to evaluate business schools were culture and future career opportunities. I was looking for a business school with a collaborative environment, where I could feel supported and encouraged by my classmates. Besides that, I am a lifelong philanthropist, and I wanted a place where I could keep doing charity during my MBA. In terms of future career, I also evaluated each school’s resources and hiring performance in the Technology industry. To do that, I spoke to members of the tech clubs and checked the career reports to see if the companies on my radar regularly hired from each school I was interested in.
MBASchooled: Why did you choose to attend Marshall?
I got offers from Marshall and another business school in a similar ranking position. Both schools attended my criteria for culture and career support, which made my decision harder. Two things shifted my preference towards Marshall: the location and the Alumni network. Being in such a huge city as Los Angeles brings to Marshall students a myriad of opportunities that wouldn’t be available in a small town. Even outside of Marshall’s walls, regardless of the industry, there are always training and networking events. In addition, it is easy for all the big companies to be on campus.
Furthermore, the Trojan Family is even stronger than its reputation. Not only all alumni are very open to supporting Marshall students, but also they are highly concentrated in California – more than 75% of all MBA alumni are here. As I am interested in the Technology industry, a stronger network in California is a very valuable resource.
MBASchooled: What about the culture and classmates stood out to you about Marshall?
I was amazed by the inclusion and blend of the class of 2020. As an international student, I was concerned that moving to Los Angeles would be difficult. With so many cultural activities available every weekend, I was afraid that all my classmates would have their own private lives and I could struggle to find my crew. I couldn’t be more wrong. Even living in the second biggest city in the US, I am very close to my classmates and found a group of valuable friends that help me to navigate all the surprises on my MBA journey. I believe this is the component that makes the Trojan Family so strong: everybody is open and willing to help at all times.
MBASchooled: What resources, programs or information were helpful to you in making your decision?
Besides the schools’ websites and blogs, the most valuable information I got by scheduling informational interviews over the phone and visiting the schools. I visited most of the schools I applied for. To me, those are the best ways to actually get to know the school culture and decide if the school is a good fit for yourself.
MBASchooled: How has Marshall helped you work toward your own career goals and aspirations?
Like any other business school, Marshall offers through the Career Center and the Student Clubs a myriad of resources – industry and company presentations, networking and hiring events, industry and function training, hard skills training, etc. Because it offers so many resources, it is common to get lost and waste valuable time on career paths that are not necessarily aligned to your goals.
I believe Marshall is one of the few schools which formally encourage and set a specific time early on the program to discuss individual career aspirations and internal motivations.
Specific to Product Management (my career path,) Marshall offered a Product Management Bootcamp. It was a six-week training function, skills and recruiting for PM. Since Product Management is a very competitive career path for MBAs, the Bootcamp was an extremely valuable resource to dive deep into the function and understand how to land at a PM job in the future.
MBASchooled: What parts or aspects of the academic experience attracted you to Marshall?
Since the class of 2020, Marshall offers a STEM MBA program. This is an optional certification in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math that focus on developing a data-driven decision-making mindset together with the regular MBA skills. This certification is highly connected with my career aspirations and background. Besides that, it allows international graduates to apply for a 24-month extension in OPT if working in a STEM-related position.
MBASchooled: What has been a surprise, or an unexpected element of your experience at Marshall?
The biggest surprise I had was to see so many different backgrounds in the same MBA class. The University of Southern California has a strong performance in the entertainment industry, and this attracts a lot of liberal arts students to the MBA program. In the class of 2021, we have actors, singers, producers, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors and engineers all together with professionals from more traditional backgrounds for an MBA, such as consultants, business developers, and bankers. I believe this enriches the classroom experience and offers unique perspectives, something I might not get elsewhere.
MBASchooled: What’s something you wish you knew more about before starting your MBA at Marshall?
Regardless of the program, being a first-year MBA is juggling competing priorities. Sometimes I felt so overwhelmed that I forgot to invest time in getting to know my classmates. At the end of the day, what makes your time at the business school unique is the people you meet, the connections you make, and the different experiences you try. I wish I had prioritized experiences instead of academics and job search in my first semester.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for those who are evaluating where they want to attend business school?
First of all, understand why you want to take a break in your career to invest in yourself and evaluate if an MBA degree is the best option, especially if you come with a non-usual background such as myself.
Second, understand that rankings are important but they shouldn’t be the major point of your decision. The MBA will consume two years of your life, so its important to find schools with a strong cultural fit so you can be yourself. This will make your MBA journey lighter and happier.
Last, but not least, think about the lifestyle you want to build for yourself in the long term. People tend to underestimate how the business school location will influence opportunities right after graduation and where someone lives significantly impact her daily routine. This approach will help you to evaluate the impact of your degree not only on your career, but also on your personal life.
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