I’m posting the article below because it serves as a sort of companion piece to my Dec. 19th entry with job search tips from The Wall Street Journal. In the article, the author describes the support groups that are popping up at business schools across the country as students struggle in the worst job market in decades. I know several people from the MBA class of 2009 who formed these types of groups last year and credit them for helping to keep their sanity during their job searches. I feel really fortunate that I finished up my MBA in 2006 because I don’t know how I’d keep my spirits up if I were approaching graduation this Spring.

It’s great to see that MBA kids are supporting each other during what has to be a tough job search process. This sort of thing certainly shoots holes in the common criticism of MBAs that we’re all hyper-competitive, self-centered Type A people who only look out for ourselves. For all of the soon-to-be MBA grads who are still searching for jobs, I wish you the best of luck and encourage you to keep your heads up. The MBA is the most flexible grad degree that one can earn and, although the market is looking bad right now, you’ll DEFINITELY benefit from having the degree once the things turn around. The sun always shines brightest after a storm…

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Title: “Jobless MBAs Seek Solace in Support Groups”

Author: Alison Damast Date: Nov 13, 2009

Source: BusinessWeek.com, http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/dec2009/bs20091221_484129.htm

Excerpt from intro text:

“With the job market in shambles, MBAs need encouragement wherever they can find it. For tea and sympathy, many are now turning to B-school support groups

Students are banding together to help each other more than ever before as they navigate one of the most dismal MBA job markets in years. In the last year or two, dozens of job search support clubs, often called “job accountability” groups, have sprung up on MBA campuses across the country. Some are official school-sponsored ones organized by the career services offices at business schools, while others are student-generated and student-led meetings. While the format of the groups can vary—they take place in campus cafeterias, students’ apartments, or via conference call—all of them share a common goal: to help keep students motivated and upbeat while hunting for a job in a brutal market, career services officers say. In some cases, alumni from the MBA class of 2009 still job-hunting are participating. The groups can become a lifeline of sorts for students, who can easily get discouraged and frustrated as their job search drags on, says Robin Darmon, director of Rady’s MBA Career Connections office, who launched several job clubs for students last year and plans to do so again this winter.”