Kristie Bradford Shares Sage Advice with Incoming MBAs

Kristie Bradford, MBA ’05, imparts wisdom from both her years at Smith and her career with General Electric to an attentive audience of incoming MBA students.

As a new MBA candidate in the fall of 2003, Kristie Bradford, MBA ’05, quickly earned the title of “Julie the Cruise Ship Director.” Harnessing a natural enthusiasm, she knew how to motivate her fellow candidates to test their personal limits, but also where to find happy hour after a long day of class work. Now a successful recruiter for GE, Bradford says she is constantly asked by students what they can do to become a viable candidate for a GE position, and proceeded to enumerate the five most important things the 2010 candidates could possibly do during their time at Smith.

First, Bradford advised being self-aware and to have a good grasp of their “hallway reputations”. She encouraged students seek out peer feedback from those most unlike themselves, and to be aware that at every point, they are being observed and judged. “You’re in charge of your own image,” she cautioned.

Secondly, the candidates should identify concrete goals and locate the resources to help fulfill them, again stressing the importance of feedback in this process. Two of the most important questions she says they should ask themselves are: “What will I do to improve Smith?” and “What change will I implement at my summer internship?” Bradford stressed that those who could answer and live these questions would be the types of job candidates she looks for – people who can make an impact.

Her third piece of advice was to consistently contribute on every possible level. Recalling the impressive contributions of fellow 2005 MBA graduate Ivan Cayabyab, Bradford stated how making an impact through contribution can positively affect one’s future. Her interactions with Cayabyab during their time at Smith led her to actively recruit him to assume his current position as GE’s International Brand Manager.

Bradford briefly touched on her fourth point: The ability to communicate your expectations and goals is 50 percent of the battle. She went on to her fifth point, which is to constantly practice the previous four.

Her confidence in the quality of a Smith MBA candidate high, Bradford offered one final piece of advice to the newcomers. She mentioned that many people view Tiger Woods as one of the luckiest players in golf. “Tiger,” she reminded, “is ‘more lucky’ because he practices more.”