FAQ
How does the HBS entertainment and
media club help students who are interested in a career
within these industries?
Is there a media or entertainment focus
at Harvard Business School?
Which classes focus on entertainment
and media?
What are field studies/ ISR's and how
can they help me towards a career in the entertainment and
media industry?
Do entertainment and media companies
recruit at HBS?
Within these industries, what types
of jobs are available to students graduating from HBS?
How does the HBS entertainment
and media club help students who are interested in a career
within these industries?
The key to a career in entertainment and media is a strong
network. The entertainment and media club works to provide
students with an opportunity to network with current students
and meet key industry players. Specifically, the club offers
the following:
- New York and/or
Los Angeles Networking Trips: Every year, the club organizes
trips to New York and Los Angeles to meet with marquee
entertainment and media companies. Past companies have
included: Disney, Time Warner, Viacom, NBC Universal,
New Line Cinema, The Weinstein Company, Universal Music,
Capitol Records, Sirius Radio, The New York Times, Conde
Nast and Bertelsmann.
- Entertainment
& Media Conference: Every year, HBS hosts one of the
premier entertainment and media conferences on the East
Coast with big name key note speakers and relevant panel
discussions.
- Speaker Series:
The club hosts premier speakers who share the latest industry
insights as well as their personal stories on how to succeed
within the industry.
- On Campus Networking:
The EMC organizes events for club members to meet each
other and identify similar interests. The club is one
of the key ways to identify potential partners for entertainment
and media field study projects in the EC year.
- Entertainment
and Media Resume Book: The EMC organizes a resume book
for club members and sends the book to all relevant entertainment
and media companies.
Is there a media or entertainment
focus at Harvard Business School?
There is no entertainment and media industry focus, or
any industry focus, at Harvard Business School. The school
provides graduates with a general management degree. The
first year, all students take the same set of courses (the
Required Curriculum) covering functional areas such as Finance,
Marketing and Strategy. The second year, students have the
opportunity to select their classes (the Elective Curriculum).
For the most part, these electives are more in-depth explorations
of the functional courses covered in the Required Curriculum.
Through the RC and EC classes, multiple industries are
explored (including the entertainment and media industries),
providing students with a solid business foundation that
can be applied to any industry. The way that students gain
in depth industry insight is primarily through the club
events and networking.
Which classes focus on entertainment
and media?
While there is no entertainment and media course, there
are some EC courses that have modules (a group of classes)
that are very relevant to the entertainment and media industries:
- Corporate Strategy
- Strategic Agility
- Strategy and Technology
What are field studies/ ISR's
and how can they help me towards a career in the entertainment
and media industry?
During the EC year, students have the opportunity to do
a field study. A field study is a "course" whereby
students can work together in small groups (an ISR is generally
done alone) to pursue a particular interest, such as an
interest in the entertainment and media industries. Common
field study projects include:
- Business plans
- Research projects
- Case writing
- Consulting for a company
Field studies provide students with an opportunity to gain
tremendous insight into an industry and potentially set
up a post-HBS job.
Do entertainment and media
companies recruit at HBS?
There are a number of entertainment and media companies
that recruit at HBS. These companies include, but are not
limited to:
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- Disney
- Sony
- Time Warner
- Bertelsmann
- NBC Universal
- Apple
- Yahoo
- Microsoft
- Google
- MTV
- HBO
It is important to note that while great companies come
to recruit at HBS, a large number of students find entertainment
and media opportunities through the incredibly strong HBS
network.
Within these industries, what
types of jobs are available to students graduating from
HBS?
The most common route for HBS students to enter the
media industry is through a corporate strategy position,
in-house or for an outside consulting firm.
Notable companies include:
- NBC Universal
- Time Warner
- Viacom
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- Yahoo
- Google
- Sony
- Bertelsmann
Consulting firms with notable entertainment and media
practices include:
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- McKinsey & Co.
Business development jobs are generally available at
most entertainment and media companies, but they are usually
limited to a small number of spots. Types of companies
and specific companies where these positions are found
include:
- Movie studios
- Music labels
- Broadcast and Cable Networks
- Digital media
Marketing positions are generally available at movie
studios in the home video distribution units. Marketing
manager positions are also available at new tech media
companies. Marketing management refers to the management
of a new tech media product such as Yahoo Music vs. Yahoo
Communities vs. Yahoo Email. Companies include, but are
not limited to:
- Apple
- Google
- Microsoft
- Yahoo
The emergence of tech media companies has created a new
position in the entertainment and media industries - product
management. Product management refers to the managing
of a new tech media product such as a Yahoo Music vs.Yahoo
Communities vs. Yahoo Email. Companies include, but are
not limited to:
- Apple
- Google
- Microsoft
- Yahoo
Very few companies offer students the opportunity to
take on a general management role upon graduating. However,
there are some companies that have rotational management
programs that last 18 months to two years. Companies include,
but are not limited to:
- NBC Universal
- Bertelsmann
- Sony BMG
Finance positions are generally available at all entertainment
and media companies. These are usually corporate positions
working under the direction of the CFO.
Frequently overlooked are entertainment and media job
opportunities at start-ups. These companies welcome
talented employees, often despite their previous background.
These opportunities are riskier, but provide students
with first hand exposure within the industry.
The above list tries to provide some insight into the
types of opportunities available within the entertainment
and media industries; however, it is limited to the standard
types of jobs that can be found. There are a number of
other opportunities available that can be created through
the HBS network, such as a position working under the
head of a company or division.
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