Name: Christine Parlamis, 26, editor of the Monroe Street Journal; the University of Michigan Business School.
Job before B-school: Worked as a marketing analyst at J. Crew and as a media planner at Bertelsmann Music Group.
Summer internship: Worked in the marketing-strategy group at Dell Computer.

What I've learned

Make the career center your learning center. Your school's office of career development (OCD) is where you do the work of landing a summer internship -- and of getting that dream job after graduation. Last year, there was a three-month period when I visited the OCD at least twice a week, doing everything from reviewing materials to mock-interviewing to interviewing with real companies.

I was pretty content with my résumé when I arrived at Michigan. But the OCD counselor just ripped it apart: The résumé contained a lot of words about what I had done, but it said nothing about how I had contributed in each position that I had held. I subjected my résumé to dozens of critiques and revisions before I got it right.

But improving my résumé was just the beginning. I'd always been told that I had strong "people skills" and that I performed well in interviews, but the OCD showed me that I had a lot to learn: Along with doing regular interviews, I practiced what are called "case interviews," in which you're judged on how well you solve difficult problems under pressure. I went through about six mock interviews with OCD counselors. I watched a videotape of myself being interviewed. That's not a very comfortable experience: I realized that I spoke in a somewhat monotonous voice and that I used too many hand gestures.

After one session, the mock interviewer told me that I should pull my hair back because I had "party hair." I guess I had never thought of my hair as distracting. But she was right: A certain image is expected, especially in interviews for consulting jobs. Consulting is so image-oriented -- which is one reason why I've decided to go back into marketing after I graduate!

Coordinates: Christine Parlamis, parlamis@hotmail.com

Name: John Knecht, 28, president of the Student Association; John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
Job before B-school: Program associate at the Los Angeles County Music Center.
Summer internship: Worked on a joint venture between Johnson & Johnson and Head Start, helping Head Start to develop a new business strategy.

What I've learned

Seize the day: Learn to lead. Going to a top business school will help distinguish you from the rest of the MBA pack. But the only way to stand out at such a top school is to learn to take leadership roles. I've been to a lot of company presentations this year, and almost every company representative talked about the need to be fast and nimble in today's global economy. The message is clear: Innovative leaders will be in ever-greater demand.

The good news is that getting an MBA can help you become a better leader -- for the simple reason that business school gives you lots of opportunities to lead. Here at Anderson, more than 100 students lead various groups, clubs, and activities. Because this is a public university, students are expected to step up and help out.

Being a leader is not a comfortable activity for a lot of people. You have to work at it, and sometimes you have to force yourself to do it.

But think about it: You'll never find a more supportive environment for taking risks than you'll find in business school -- nor will you find another place where you can make such a huge impact. B-school gives you so many opportunities to learn to lead. And when you return to the workplace, you'll take your new leadership skills with you.

Coordinates: John Knecht, john.knecht.1999@anderson.ucla.edu

Action Item: B-School Bible

Don't you wish you could crawl inside the head of an admissions officer to see what your B-school of choice is really looking for? Author Richard Montauk has sampled the relevant craniums, and he's handed down his findings in a veritable bible of the B-school application process. Based on interviews with admissions counselors, Montauk's How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs gives you the skinny on every aspect of the application game.

The book offers detailed descriptions of MBA program types. Equally important, it provides a shortcut for figuring out what admissions officers will consider to be your strengths and weaknesses as they review your work experience. This exercise helps you to anticipate the skills that you should show off and the weak points that you should be ready to defend.

Coordinates: $19.95. How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs, Prentice Hall, www.phdirect.com