Wharton MBA student Caroline Strzalka recently decided she didn't want to spend the rest of her life in the Northeast.
So she and 10 other students decided to spend part of their spring break scouting out potential job opportunities in Seattle.
Called "treks," these Wharton-organized trips occur throughout the year. Students in an organized group visit companies in a variety of industries all around the world and the United States. The treks consist of information sessions for the participants and provide opportunities for students to arrange summer internships or full-time positions.
"The purpose is to help students network with companies that recruit lightly or not at all with Wharton," said Christopher Morris, the senior associate director of MBA career management.
Another goal, Morris added, is to encourage companies to build a relationship with the Wharton School.
Wharton MBA student and trip organizer Kelly Ashihara agreed with this goal.
"It is really important [that] Wharton establish its own contacts in Seattle and not be dependent on other resources," she said.
Although only 1.6 percent of Wharton students attribute their securing a summer internship to a trek-networking connection, Morris said that the treks are a contributing factor for many jobs.
"It is just one touch point for which students have many," he said.
Over the course of the recent two-day Seattle trip, the group met with six companies, including Nike, Amazon and Amtrak.
Although many of the companies were not currently hiring, those who took the trip felt that the background information gained from the program was invaluable.
"There are very few times you are welcomed into the culture of a company like this," Strzalka said, "really going in and being there."
Others on the trip also said the experience was useful.
"By going into the office, you meet with a number of different people and get a more honest insight into the company," Ashihara said.
The group also met with recent Wharton alumni who live in the Seattle area and work in business industries.
"It helped me get an in-depth understanding into what the Wharton alumni are feeling and different companies in particular," Ashihara said.
Students also see the treks as influential in their career choices.
"You can't just go to look for a job, you have to go looking to gain an understanding in the industry. Long term, this is the most beneficial," Ashihara said.
Even if the trek does not have immediate results, the advantages can be seen later.
"The value is the extra demonstration of interest -- if you were choosing between candidates and one had traveled 3,000 miles more to see you, it can certainly be a help to your decision," Morris said.
