The Setting Sail Series is a collection of blog posts from graduating Career Captains that include their favorite Brandeis International Business School memories, as well as advice for incoming and returning students. In this blog post, graduated CSE Career Captain, Djounia Saint-Fleurant, MBA’24, returns to the CSE Connect blog sphere to share words of wisdom and encouragement for students at the beginning of their journey – and showing once and for all why her originality and user-centered creativity earned her the CSE Superlative of “Design Star”.

Dear new students at Brandeis International Business School,

You’ve probably started school brimming with excitement, and the great thing about excitement is that it fuels a strong start. You’ll (hopefully) eagerly follow all the advice from orientation, attend every event in the first month or so, and try to connect with every student, professor, and alum.

… And as you get busier with schoolwork, you’ll naturally begin to slow down. But remember, you’re only here for a short amount of time (it goes faster than you think). To make those months truly memorable, you’ll need more than just academic success. 

You’ll need consistency, genuine connections, the ability to handle rejection, and, most importantly, strong time management skills. Here’s what I’ve learned after two amazing years at the business school:

Prioritize Consistency

Consistency will be crucial as the initial excitement starts to fade and the workload increases. 

Stay consistent in attending events, whether it’s speaker events, Industry Treks, or club activities. As assignments pile up, it’s easy to skip these events, but I encourage you to take the time to sign up and go. 

You’ll always learn something new, gain a fresh perspective, or make a new friend who values attending events as much as you do, and who can maybe become your “accountability partner.”

Consistency is also essential in submitting your assignments and communicating with your professors. Your professors are your first direct and most accessible network. Get to know them, and let them understand your true ambitions. They know the school, the country, and the people who might be important to you. 

When it comes to applying for jobs, consistency is just as important. You’ve probably been told that the best time to start applying for internships was yesterday. Those who start early probably have an advantage, but if you don’t find something right away, don’t panic. Most students eventually secure internships or field projects, and there are always valuable opportunities like starting your own project, business, or exploring a directed study with a professor. Your journey is unique to you.

The key is to never stop applying until you land an offer.

Build Genuine Connections

Next, you’ll need to learn how to build genuine connections. 

Adding someone on LinkedIn or getting their email is the easy part – maintaining those connections is where the real work begins. 

Maintaining connections means checking in with people on holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even their birthdays; those are the perfect excuses to reconnect with someone. If you’re unsure how to do this, it’s a great question to ask an alum during a 1:1 meeting. 

I’ve learned that it’s better to have 10 genuine connections – people you speak to even once a month – than to accumulate 1,000 LinkedIn connections that you barely know. 

Business, in many ways, is a people’s industry. Skills are important, but sometimes you need a referral to start showcasing those skills.

Build genuine connections with your Career Coach. It’s easy to overlook them but based on my experience working at CSE for two years, I’ve seen that those who engage with their career coach are twice as likely to achieve their goals. I’m not entirely sure why, but it’s been my observation, and it might be worth giving it a try. My guess is that they know the way and can help you in so many ways beyond just finding a job. 

Genuine connections with your classmates are equally important. Your classmates could be your flatmates, study buddies, travel partners, and maybe even your future colleagues. Don’t limit your conversations to school topics; take the time to learn about their backgrounds, cultures, and interests. These bonds will not only enrich your time at school but could also last a lifetime.

Learn How to Handle Rejection

Handling rejection is another skill you’ll need. I just told you to apply for jobs and network, but unfortunately, 99% of the jobs you apply to will result in a “no.” Sometimes, it’s the ATS rejecting you before anyone even sees your application; other times, it’s just not the right fit.

Getting one rejection might be easy to brush off, but when your inbox is flooded with “Unfortunately, we won’t be pursuing your application,” it can get into your head. But always remember the first piece of advice: consistency!

When rejection hits hard, take a break – go to the gym, go for a run, bake something, or go out with a friend. The business school often organizes gatherings just when you need them the most.

Don’t isolate yourself. Join those social events, laugh a little, talk to a friend, and if you really need to, talk to the counseling office. There will always be someone to listen. And when you feel better, get back to applying.

And remember, rejection isn’t just about jobs. You’ll probably send hundreds of LinkedIn requests asking people to connect with you or give you 15 minutes of their time and never get a reply. It’s important to recognize that these are natural parts of the journey. Use them as learning experiences, and don’t let them define your self-worth. 

Overcoming rejection will make you more resilient, which is a valuable trait in both your professional and personal life.

Practice Time Management

When you come to Brandeis, you become a superhero – you just don’t know it yet. Your superpower will be time management. 

Students here learn to juggle 20-hour internships, 20-hour on-campus jobs, 16 credits of classes, five weekly assignments (including long papers and thousands of lines of code), and still manage to apply to 50 jobs a week, make it to the gym, or take a road trip to Maine or Vermont. 

This superpower gets unlocked when you embrace the Brandeisian lifestyle. You might wonder how it’s possible, but it all comes down to effective time management and a strong desire to make the most of your two years here.

Let Google Calendar be your best friend. Schedule everything, even your “Me Time”, and assignment deadlines. It’ll give you peace of mind, knowing that everything you need to do, and when you need to do it, is right there. 

Plan your week in advance; business school doesn’t always allow for a set routine. Each week brings different challenges, whether it’s a New York Industry Trek or Professional Presentation Week at the CSE. Plan accordingly, and at the end of the week, evaluate what you’ve accomplished and what needs to be moved to the next week. 

Acknowledge Your Small Victories

I know it sounds like a lot, but it is more than possible. 

I haven’t always maintained perfect consistency, but I did my best, and I can honestly say that I’ve had the most amazing two years of my life, filled with great memories and genuine friendships, along with my fair share of challenges. 

What got me through those challenges was the community here. On the days when I felt overwhelmed, it was my friends, professors, and the staff who helped me push through. 

As I set sail, I felt like I would lose that support system in a country still new to me. But someone wise reminded me that Brandeis is only a phone call or an email away, and I needed to come back to become that support system for the next generation of students. Because once a Brandeisian, always a Brandeisian!