Update from the Career Development Office

In May, the CDO welcomed a new director, Ivan Kerbel. Kerbel, who has a background in management consulting and an MBA from Wharton, joined the SOM staff from Wharton’s MBA Career Management Office, where he was a senior associate director overseeing consulting and entrepreneurship. His first task on arriving at Yale was to conduct a comprehensive strategic review of CDO functions and resources, leveraging work that had already been completed by an advisory committee of SOM alumni, as well as input and feedback from students and employers.

As a result of this strategic review, two significant initiatives are under way. Both will result in enhanced services and responsiveness for SOM alumni who interact with the CDO, whether as employers, advisors, or job-seekers. The first initiative focuses on technology. In August, the CDO introduced a new recruiting software platform for both current MBA students and alumni. The new system provides greater functionality and ease-of-use, while at the same time realizing significant cost savings.

The second initiative focuses on the organization of the CDO itself. In order to provide more comprehensive services to both student and alumni clients, the CDO is expanding its Relationship Management team by three industry professionals. Each Relationship Manager will be responsible for a focused portfolio of related sectors/industries, and each will be available to counsel and assist both current students and alumni.

Now taking the lead in coordinating all SOM Alumni Career Services is CDO deputy director Kristin Irish. Kristin is already well known to many SOM alumni, and she is looking forward to bringing her energy and broad experience to bear on behalf of the SOM alumni community. You can contact Kristin at kristin.irish@yale.edu or the CDO for general inquiries at 203.432.5900. Other CDO alumni initiatives, including an Alumni Peer Career Coaching Network and an Employer Advisory Board, are also in the early planning stages; watch for announcements of these and other programs for alumni in upcoming issues of the Alumni eNews.