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Kelley School of Business Indiana University Bloomington
Kelley School of Business MS in Management

Nailing job interview questions—with help from our graduate career coach

Posted on by Tracy James

In this article:

  • Get an inside look at the professional career development Master of Science in Management (MSM) students experience as they build their career path.
Headshot of Birgit Newman, Kelley School Graduate Career Services Associate Director and career coach

Kelley Graduate Career Services Associate Director Birgit Newman

Question: “What would you say is your greatest strength?”  

It’s an age-old interview question that can leave candidates thinking: What do I say? What does this person want to hear? Why can’t I remember anything I’m good at?!  

In the Master of Science in Management (MSM) program at the Kelley School of Business, students are thoroughly prepared to answer this question—a moment that could be pivotal in any hiring process. For the answer, we turn to the Clifton StrengthsFinder test; the book Now, Discover Your Strengths by Don Clifton; and a follow-up workshop with the MSM program’s very own Graduate Career Services Coach Birgit Newman.   

After completing the StrengthsFinder test, we spent time with Newman in a personalized workshop to thoroughly understand what our top strengths mean and how to not only capitalize on these in interviews but see how these strengths define the value we add to a team. It’s all part of a team approach used by the MSM program to support students as we explore and prepare for different management careers.  

The MSM way—collaborative and reflective  

During the workshop, we broke into small groups to discuss each other’s strengths and validate where we’ve witnessed these in group project settings. We also took time for personal reflection to journal about how we see these strengths manifest in our everyday life—how they form in our friendships, familial relations, and academic environments.   

Framing our strengths in these ways, Newman deliberately prepared us with a direct, rehearsed answer, such as, “My top three Clifton Strengths are X, Y, Z,” which we can deliver to a recruiter. But she also allowed us time to consider examples from our own lives where these strengths were tested and honed, as real-life scenarios we can capitalize on in hiring conversations.   

Graduate Career Services with MSM  

Graduate Career Services offers many similar workshops throughout a student’s MSM journey, such as Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch, Overcoming Impostor Syndrome, and How to Navigate Your Job Search with AI.   

The MSM program also has a designated career coach—Newman—who is available to meet with students whenever necessary to help us finetune resumes, provide feedback on cover letters, and offer priceless career advice. Newman organized a mock interview process for students still in the job-seeking phase where each student was offered immediate feedback on how to improve their interviewing skills. She is also first and foremost always a source of encouragement as students move to enter the workforce.  

Finding strength in the classroom  

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Professional development coaching: Improving your pitch to recruiters

Posted on by Tracy James

In this article:

  • Learn about the work that goes into creating a conversational and effective professional pitch for recruiting events and job fairs.
  • Discover the importance of nonverbal cues.
  • Get an inside look at the professional career development Master of Science in Management (MSM) students experience as they build their career path.
Headshot of award-winning Teaching Professor Tatiana Kolovou.

Teaching Professor Tatiana Kolovou

Does pitching yourself to potential employers come easy to you? Kelley’s MS in Management Program leaves nothing to chance. Teaching Professor Tatiana Kolovou demonstrated an effective pitch for MSM students recently during her Pitch Perfecting Workshop. We then worked in pairs to practice and improve our pitches—and our job prospects. 

What does the perfect pitch to recruiters look and sound like?  

It’s a natural conversation with minimal filler words, and it exudes confidence, warmth, and competence. Kolovou spoke with us about the importance of nonverbal cues, natural inflection, and countenance variations, and suggested replacing filler words with contemplative silence. We watched our pitches improve in real time as we followed Kolovou’s instructions for creating a naturally flowing, story-like dialogue that effortlessly incorporated the position and company of the recruiter. We worked together to determine our pitch starting point, then practiced and recorded our improved pitch at the end of the session for further reflection and practice. 

Tips for appearing more confident 

The best indicators of confidence are smiles, eye contact, and hand gestures. Our stance and posture communicate confidence as well. You want to show high levels of warmth and competence. To boost confidence and comfort before a networking event, scope out the space where these conversations will take place and know what you’re going to wear. Kolovou made it apparent that students must learn to “be okay being seen,” and understand the importance of their nonverbal communications: taking 10 minutes to iron a shirt or use a lint brush could make the difference between an interview and a forgotten interaction. 

Keep practicing 

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An imposter syndrome workshop with Kelley’s Carolyn Goerner

Posted on by Tracy James

In this article:

  • Learn how to identify imposter syndrome in yourself. 
  • Discover tips for lessening the effects of imposter syndrome in yourself and others. 
  • Learn how to direct the energy from imposter syndrome in more productive, holistic ways.
Kelley Professor Carolyn Goerner

Clinical Professor of Management Carolyn Goerner

Do you have imposter syndrome? Unaddressed, it can lead to self-sabotage and other issues that can negatively impact your personal growth and career. Carolyn Goerner, clinical professor of management, met with Master of Science in Management (MSM) students to walk us through this very common experience and to explain how to combat it daily. Imposter syndrome is commonly felt by talented high achievers—and the MSM program is full of them.  

What is imposter syndrome? 

A big component is self-doubt. This can manifest in many different ways, as exemplified by: 

  • The expert, who feels she must know everything about a topic but never feels like she knows enough. 
  • The workaholic, who tells himself, “I’m not as talented as everyone else so I need to work twice as hard.” 
  • The natural genius, who gives up on things she’s not immediately good at because it makes her feel incompetent. 
  • The perfectionist, who might make a minute mistake, then spends far more energy worrying about this mistake than it deserves. 

While imposter syndrome might seem like a silly thing to experience, it has real-world consequences. Those feeling imposter syndrome have tendencies to self-sabotage, undervalue their own worth, fail to assert themselves when necessary, and remain stagnant in their growth due to fear they won’t be good enough when they try new things or enter new roles. As blossoming professional leaders, it is vital that MSM students understand these effects and mitigate them as thoroughly as possible. 

Imposter syndrome exercises 

Goerner shared easy ways to feel grounded in self-confidence, such as:  (more…)

Intrigued by the business side of healthcare? Pursue the Kelley MSM to unlock a variety of master’s in management jobs across the healthcare industry.

Posted on by Mary Thomason-Smith

For high-achieving STEM graduates like Paige Davis, the Kelley MS in Management (MSM) offers advanced business expertise in management, analytics, and strategy—and unlocks a broad scope of master’s in management careers. See yourself in Paige’s story, from defining your unique interests and career goals to passionately pursuing them:

Paige Davis, a graduate student in the Kelley MS in Management program at Indiana University.Meet Paige Davis: Business-minded aspirations with a neuroscience background

“As a neuroscience undergraduate student heavily involved in research at the University of Michigan, I became interested in landing a role within a medical device or pharmaceutical company. I wanted to work alongside physicians and researchers on the business side of clinical trials, but I knew landing a job wouldn’t be easy without any experience in marketing or consulting. The real-world experience offered in the Kelley MSM curriculum was a crucial reason I chose the degree. With Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, and amazing pharma and medical device companies in Chicago, there are great opportunities nearby.”

Paige preps for the business side of healthcare

“Coming to the MSM with a science degree and without work experience, I needed to gain marketing and consulting knowledge to help me achieve my career goals. The project-based courses of the MSM are different to what I experienced in my undergraduate degree. I’m learning skills that are practical for the work environment—public speaking, effective communication, and collaboration, for example. In a venture business planning course, my team created our own product—pet-safe flowers. We’re actually considering expanding the business and moving forward with it.”

The supportive community inspiring Paige to achieve more

“The students in the MSM program see each other every day—both inside and outside the classroom. It feels like I’m part of a second family. I take classes with Kelley MBAs as well, which further expands my network. Being around them impacts what I believe I can accomplish. Our professors push us to the MBA level, the highest level—and that’s been amazing.”

Healthcare project management in her sights

“While I’ve admittedly struggled with imposter syndrome, I’ve been amazed by the helpfulness of Kelley Graduate Career Services—to have a career coach help me navigate interviews, recruiting, and networking. I’m also looking forward to my first company site visit, to actually get to know a company—it’s going to prepare a lot of us for the real world.”

Paige’s admission process? Straightforward.

“I chose a fast-track application process which included a pre-interview, an application, and an interview with Professor Richard Ash. It was a seamless and straightforward process. They got back to me relatively quickly—I would say one to two weeks—which gave me comfort and confidence.”

 

You can explore more of Paige’s tips and insights in her recorded conversation with Poets&Quants’ John Byrne and Kelley’s Director of Management Graduate Programs Danielle Richie. Fill out our information request form to let us know you’re interested in the Kelley MSM.

First MS in Management graduates launch consulting careers in New York and Chicago

Posted on by Kelley School

Marissa Streng and Nicole Hite, the first alumni of the Kelley School’s new Master of Science in Management Program, graduated in December and landed associate consulting roles—Streng with PwC in New York and Hite with Bain & Company in Chicago. They earned Kelley bachelor’s degrees in May 2024 and became fast friends as they completed their MSM degrees in half the normal time.

Building a consulting career path with MSM

Nicole, hailing from Fishers, Indiana, initially planned a career in law but she fell in love with what Kelley had to offer. The MSM program rounded out her technical undergrad degrees in finance and law, ethics, and decision-making (LEAD).

“All the HR, strategy, people-based courses were entirely different disciplines from what I studied in undergrad,” Nicole said. “The people-focus in the MSM program really honed these skills for me and added a lot of light to different elements that I hadn’t considered; now I feel like my toolkit is in full color.”

Building on feedback she received for a consulting internship as an undergrad, she wanted to focus on improving her storytelling skills, pushing a narrative forward in a way that makes sense to the client.

“In our consulting class and practicum in MSM, I had the chance to be the team lead and focus on a higher-level strategy perspective that I can apply to my consulting career,” she said. “I now feel confident in approaching my work on both a granular and comprehensive scale.”

Marissa, from Tampa, Florida, has been an entrepreneur since grade school. Though she studied management in undergrad as an international business and management co-major and has led her Puff-N-Fluff company for more than a decade, she learned many valuable lessons during her time in the MSM program.

“The opportunities to develop my leadership, communication, and teamwork skills were invaluable,” she said. “Along with learning how to approach diverse teams or teams with ever-changing compositions, like in our classes with MBA students, these are all skills I’m taking with me into my career.”

Note: The MSM program is open to all undergraduate majors regardless of your business background. Email msm@iu.edu if you have questions or would like to arrange an in-person meeting.

Friends in the business

Nicole and Marissa followed parallel paths in their Kelley undergraduate careers and ran in similar social circles, though they were complete strangers when they began graduate school at Kelley. Now, they finish each other’s sentences. How do they describe the MSM program? It’s “energetic, rewarding, people-focused, and collaborative.”

They share a focused drive and growth mindset—and they realized they were neighbors in Bloomington, too.

“I’ve never met someone like Nikki who is so driven, and at the same time compassionate and funny,” Marissa said, although she saw similar characteristics in her MSM peers.

“I’ve heard there are friends of time and place and then there are friends of soul, and both Marissa and I knew we were friends of soul early on,” Nicole said. “I would not have been able to do this program without her.”

A supportive culture

Marissa and Nicole said close connections are found throughout the MSM program, and both graduates capitalized on the widespread sense of community and support among students, faculty, and staff.

“We really embrace each other in this program, and a win for one of us is a win for all of us,” Nicole said. “Kelley undergrad is tight-knit as well, but here in MSM, we have so many people coming from different academic backgrounds. There’s no one mold for an MSM student. It’s been really refreshing to gain new perspectives in a way that’s collaborative and reflects the diversity of the working world.”

She mentioned a notoriously competitive game in a negotiations course that was completely upended by the cohort’s inclination to share things with each other.

“Our professor was completely shocked,” she said.

Marissa said their cohort clicked quickly and that the program is designed to encourage this kind of connection.

“Our staff and faculty are excellent; Richard (Ash) and Danielle (Richie)—MSM faculty chair and director respectively—made themselves very accessible to every single one of us, which really speaks volumes about the program,” she said. “They have been mentors and rocks for both of us, and all the MSM students feel their support daily.”

Supportive faculty is one of the reasons Nicole considered the MSM program, giving a shout-out to Business Law and Ethics Professor Joel Rubin, whom she worked with on case competitions and in workshops as an undergrad. Rubin and other MSM faculty and staff encouraged her to pursue all her passions no matter the scope, including her decision to take the LSAT prior to beginning the MSM Core classes last fall.

“Through Kelley, I was still able to balance my interest in LEAD while honing my other skills, and law is still something I still plan to pursue,” she said.

Marissa said the supportive MSM culture affected how she views herself, her leadership style, and imposter syndrome.

“I have a tendency to undermine the things I do, but everyone in MSM always made me feel celebrated for my hard work. Just knowing we all supported and celebrated one another is a really great feeling.”

This post was written by Katie Kobold, MSM’25. Katie began the MSM program after earning bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University in Psychology and English and a neuroscience certificate.

Taking leadership to the next level: Brian Benzing pursues the Kelley MS in Management

Posted on by Mary Thomason-Smith

IU student Brian Benzing's professional headshot depicts him smiling in business casual attire.For Brian Benzing, leadership compels his every stroke. When he joined the No. 4-ranked Indiana University men’s swimming and diving team as a transfer student and NCAA All-American, he had three years of experience as a team captain and had advanced through preliminary heats at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials. Swimming in the winning 400-medley relay team at IU’s 2024–25 season opener, Brian is representing the best of what it means to be a Hoosier. As a student in the MS in Management Program at the Kelley School of Business, he’s broadening his leadership abilities in new and exciting directions—and expanding his career possibilities. What are his biggest takeaways? 

Add business expertise to any undergraduate degree 

“I had an opportunity to transfer to IU as a member of the men’s swimming and diving team after earning my undergraduate degree in sports management from Towson University in Maryland. At IU, I was put in contact with Professor Joe Schroeder who talked with me about master’s degrees at Kelley, specifically the MS in Management. I knew Kelley was a prestigious school and Professor Schroeder helped me understand that the MSM would complement my undergraduate degree and set me up well for the future. The MSM’s flexibility to pick and choose courses within the management scope appealed more to me than a highly specified track. I’d like to build a career connected to swimming—potentially working with World Aquatics or an international swim company—to grow the sport.” 

 

Learn how to be a stand-out leader 

“I became a captain of my swim team as a sophomore—younger than most. As a Division 1 athlete in a high-level program, you learn a lot of leadership traits. But during the MSM Management Launch, I explored different perspectives on leadership. Where I used to expect others to respect my age, leadership position, and results in the pool, Kelley helped me understand the value of gaining my team members’ buy-in and setting team goals that consider others’ perspectives. If our goals aren’t exactly alike, I find a way to drive us in the right direction. Creating connections as a leader is a huge strength that carries over from swimming into the business realm.” 

 

Align yourself with a welcoming graduate community 

“My MSM cohort is a friend group of supportive, dedicated students from all over—from Thailand to California. One of my classmates is a member of the IU football team and we had a huge Kelley MSM and Kelley MBA tailgate to support him. We see the MSM as a stepping stone to the careers we want. The professors are passionate about their teaching and helping us succeed; they’re always there if students need help. I never used Excel before coming to Kelley. I turned to my classmates first for help, and later on, my professor—and they helped me through the academic challenge.” 

 

Get hands-on experience for career readiness 

“In the MSM Program, I’m getting experience that prepares me for the workplace. I just completed a course in consulting, and it opened my eyes to real expectations of work. My professor, Daphne Briggs-Clark, is an experienced consultant who coached us through a case in the healthcare industry. We collected data, wrote a proposal, and came up with solutions for an emergency department with overcrowding and overutilization of resources. Next, I’ll be taking a practicum course, working directly with a real sports company.” 

 

Keep perspective when balancing priorities 

“Success as a student athlete is about finding balance and time to decompress. I do my best to be proactive, stay on top of due dates, and communicate regularly with my MSM team members. If you decide to pursue the Kelley MSM, everyone will be rooting for you, and they’ll find a way to help you make it all work.” 

The Kelley MS in Management is a 12-month, in-residence program open to all undergraduate majors who want to gain a competitive career advantage. Want to learn if the MSM is the right fit for your career goals? Fill out our interest form to receive more information about the application process, career opportunities in management, and upcoming events. 

 

Advancing a new challenge: Gavin Wight pursues an MS in Management

Posted on by Mary Thomason-Smith

Gavin Wight knows that with challenge comes great reward. A California native, Gavin adventured to the Midwest—joining the No. 4-ranked Indiana University An MSM student at the Kelley School of Business, Gavin Wight boasts an IU bowtie in a professional headshot.men’s swimming and diving team as an undergraduate. After earning a degree in marketing and business analytics at Kelley, and with one year remaining to compete, he’s pursuing the MS in Management to gain skills in business strategy and managing people. Whether swimming at the Counsilman-Billinglsey Aquatic Center or studying in Godfrey Center, Gavin is ultra-focused on achieving his personal best, especially when he’s out of his comfort zone.  

Gain soft skills for managing people 

“The MS in Management appealed to me with options to focus on business strategy, customize with courses in marketing, and connect with students in other MS degree programs and full-time MBA students in electives, all while swimming a final year at IU. During my undergraduate degree at Kelley, I focused mostly on the process of business. The MSM degree is people focused. Learning a practical, people-focused approach to business will be impactful for my career. I hope to become a leader of an organization in the outdoor industry, perhaps a ski company in California. That’s when having an MSM will kick in, so that I can offer solid business strategy and support others to feel good about their work.” 

 

Know your strengths, add new ones 

“It was eye opening to explore six domains of leadership during the MSM Management Launch. I’m working on inspirational leadership—specifically, speaking in front of people and being persuasive in my delivery. My strength is in the quantitative realm of business. Stepping into a room of unfamiliar students and trying to get them on the same page is uncomfortable for me. Working on inspirational leadership is getting me out of my comfort zone and beyond academic rigor.”  

 

Choose a subspecialty in strategy, leadership and human resources, or entrepreneurship 

“I just finished a strategy course with Professor Doug Eibling where we looked at insightful and interesting business cases. An Indian car company had a great product but failed to make it successful due to supply chain issues. Nintendo became an industry follower rather than create new markets. By shifting their strategy, they achieved new success. This type of business strategy is where I want to be operating, and I plan to make strategy my subspecialty in the MSM Program.” 

 

Strive for your personal best 

“Consistency is key for me, both in the pool and in the classroom. There are days when I don’t want to get out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to swim—the motivation isn’t always there. But the ability to stick to a routine and get myself in the right headspace to do my best is something I’ve learned to practice. Whether I’m at the pool or at Kelley, I try to focus rather than multitask—to be there both physically and mentally, one thing at a time.”  

 

Stay connected to the Kelley network 

“Last Thanksgiving I was hiking a mountain in the Bay Area when I passed two IU alumni wearing IU hoodies. We shared our excitement for IU. The sheer numbers of IU and Kelley alumni, the way alumni stay connected with each other, and the passion we have for IU and the Kelley School makes it an amazing community.” 

The Kelley MS in Management is a 12-month, in-residence program open to all undergraduate majors who want to gain a competitive career advantage. Want to learn if the MSM is the right fit for your career goals? Fill out our interest form to receive more information about the application process, career opportunities in management, and upcoming events. 

For IU athlete Elijah Green, the Kelley MS in Management is the right fit for career flexibility

Posted on by Mary Thomason-Smith

IU football player and Kelley MSM student Elijah Green smiles in his professional business attire.

 

Touchdowns seem to come naturally to Elijah Green. A running back for the Indiana University football team, Elijah brings fans to their feet at Indiana Memorial Stadium. As a student in the MS in Management Program at the Kelley School of Business, he takes his disciplined approach and teamwork mentality into the classroom. He’s maximizing opportunities to launch a flexible career plan—and offering tips for anyone who wants to score career wins in their future.
 

Strive for your priority goals simultaneously 

“I have both a passion for entrepreneurship and a dream to make it to the NFL. For me, education comes first. The combination of world-class academics and the best athletics brought me to IU. Coach Cignetti connected me with master’s programs at Kelley where I discovered my career goals would align best with the MS in Management. I’ve got two ‘Plan A’s’ at this point—to play in the NFL and to start my own nonprofit organization targeting athletes’ mental health.” 

 Put your career plans into action now, not later 

“I’m taking a course in new venture business planning. My MSM team and I took a business idea for a nonprofit and developed a value proposition, identified the problem, and defined the venture aim we wanted to solve. We broke it down into specifics—what’s the competition like? Who are the key stakeholders going to be? How will we get funding? Do we need volunteers and donors? Step by step, we built a plan from the ground up. Now I basically have a whole blueprint for how I want my nonprofit business to look.” 

 Practice a disciplined approach  

“The demands on an athlete in a graduate program are real—it requires a lot of time management. I structure my day so that every time slot is allotted. My day begins with weightlifting, then classes at 11 a.m., football practice in the afternoon, study in the evening, and I’m in bed by 10 p.m. It requires being intentional about by my schedule—there’s little leeway. Structure ensures I’m able to do everything I need to do and excel academically. When I’m traveling all weekend, the faculty work with me and support me to be in the best position for success.” 

 Tap into the Kelley network for real-world career perspective  

“The MSM program connected me with Micah Pellerin, MBA’19, who recently retired from the NFL. It’s been a supportive connection for me. I asked him what he took advantage of at Kelley, what helped him the most, and what he would do differently. We talked about how to make the transition from college to the NFL to the workplace. He advised me to always follow up with those I meet in the program because they’re some of the most important connections I’ll make.” 

 Lean into mutual motivation  

“The MSM Program is a tight-knit group who brings a lot of strengths to the classroom. My classmates come from different undergraduate backgrounds—not just business, but art and English. We find ways to bring out each other’s strengths. Some of us are analytical, some innovative, and some look at business from outside the box. We feel like there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish, nothing can hold us back, and it’s good to be in a room with people like that.” 

The MS in Management is a 12-month, in-residence program open to all undergraduate majors who want to gain a competitive career advantage. Want to learn if the MSM is the right fit for your career goals? Fill out our interest form to receive more information about the application process, career opportunities in management, and upcoming events. 

The MSM brings a life in transition into focus for Kelley grad, student-athlete Haley Armstrong

Posted on by Brittany Marshall

Master of Science in Management (MSM) student Haley Armstrong

Haley Armstrong, BS’23, MSM’25, developed serious leadership skills during her four-year collegiate volleyball career at Indiana University. The Kelley grad returned as part of the inaugural MS in Management cohort so she can translate her passion for team building into a human resources career—and more.  Originally a volleyball sensation from Milton, Ontario, Haley was recruited to play for the Hoosiers. In this Q&A, she discusses her journey and the role Kelley’s MSM plays in achieving her goals. 

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One of the first graduates of Kelley’s new MS in Management program heading to New York City

Posted on by Brittany Marshall

An entrepreneur since grade school, Marissa Streng, MSM’24, has always seen her future in business. Applying to the Kelley School’s inaugural MS in Management cohort was an “easy decision,” she said, because she knew she’d gain the advanced business acumen and skills to launch the kind of career she wants in consulting.  

Marissa discusses her academic and career path in this Q&A, where we learn about her plans in New York, how she came from Tampa to Indiana, and what she likes best about the new MSM program. 

(more…)

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