Surprising Ways to Boost Your Business School's Ranking

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Feb. 6, 2014 - PRLog -- With a confident smile, a 3.8 GPA MBA student strides into the office of a well-known corporation. He is on his way to an employment interview. But as he passes the reception desk, he does not realize that the interview has already started. He has only seven seconds to make an impression, only seven seconds left to make it or break it.

The young man leaves in a good mood only to find out three days later that he was not selected for the second round of interviews. It is an all to common outcome for MBA students, and one that also has a negative impact on the ranking of the business schools they attend.

There is a chain of components (http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/2013/03/11/methodology-best-business-schools-rankings) that influence MBA school rankings. Among them are employment rates, exam scores, faculty evaluations, and alumnus salaries. However, the best reflection of the quality of a business school is MBA grads’ ability to land a job by persuading an employer that they are the best candidates at the table.

Many recognized business schools offer special courses that help students bridge the gap (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/d22b02c2-8b0f-11e2-8fcf-00...) between their business knowledge and their ability to showcase personality and professionalism. Some other schools increase the number of in-class presentations. Notwithstanding, the problem is too complex to address in four units of organizational behavior and public speaking requirements.

In general, business schools emphasize such subjects as finance, marketing, or tech. But ActingPro (http://www.actingpro.us) identified a completely different combination of three specific skills that substantially increase the probability of success in an employment interview. We teach MBAs effective communication tactics, speaking with passion, and reacting to interviewer’s behavior. These three skills boost student’s chances of getting hired and immediately increase ranking of your business school.

Using Effective Communication Tactics

It is often very difficult for MBA students to gain and practice the full range of tactics in business communication. Communications concepts are scattered among disconnected electives in the second year of MBA programs. In his last year, a student has few chances to practice those concepts under the relatively safe environment of business school. As a result, many interviewers fail to leave a memorable message that will buy them a second-round interview or a job offer.

Projecting Emotional Availability

In a world where honest and easy expressions of emotion happen only in kindergarten, we have learned to shield our emotions. However, it is sincere emotion that makes us look alive, helps us stand out, persuades people, and gains us followers. Students who can bring positive emotions to dialogue are considered energetic and motivated. They are also perceived as active listeners and more interesting speakers.

Reading Body Language

When under pressure we tend to stay in our own head, turning inward in a way that disconnects us from others. We focus entirely on ourselves and become blind to the reactions of our opponents. When job applicants succumb to their nerves they lose the ability to accurately perceive how a dialogue is going. Those who possess the skill of reading human behavior and body language tend to be successful in maintaining proactive conversation that fits and exceeds expectations of the other party—despite their own nerves. The skill of accurately reading body language has been found to bolster the likelihood of being hired after an interview.

Now, imagine an applicant who brings an unforgettable story, emotional and truthful conversation, and a dialogue that resonates with the company's needs. As a hiring professional, would you invite that person for a second round? Of course.

These three skills boost student’s chances of getting hired and immediately increase ranking of your business school. To help business schools address all the issues stated above, ActingPro (http://www.actingpro.us/) developed the MBA Leadership Program. This skills-based program was designed specifically for MBA students to supplement their knowledge-based curriculum. The course comprises acting skills, behavioral science, personal branding, and business communications. In two weekends students learn how to get the most from their degree. They learn to represent their school to fullest and most positive extent through charismatic communication and persuasive personal interactions.

Bring ActingPro to your campus to help support your business school and improve rankings by producing more hirable MBAs. You will be fascinated by the results.

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About the company

ActingPro is a Los Angeles based consulting startup that bridges the gap between emotional intelligence and the business world. We teach MBAs to impress, persuade, understand, and lead others, using the power of human body.

Our signature program unleashes skills of emotional availability and applies them to the latest technologies in behavioral science, business communications, and branding. In 4 days, participants learn to become charismatic public figures. They begin acting with confidence, empathy, vividness, and authenticity.

The company is offering training sessions at major business schools in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego and Washington.

By Boleslav Zhukovskiy