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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents, Job Market

Using Your Passion as a Competitive Advantage

August 13, 20250

By: Regina F.

One of the most challenging choices students confront is deciding what career to pursue during college. A study by Ohio State University reported that around 75% of college students change their major at least once before graduation. But the question is, why does this happen? When applying to college and deciding which career to choose, students hear many opinions from their parents, friends, and family; they search through the internet and social media and receive biased information from others. Thus, all of these factors pressure students in a way that they end up choosing a career they do not actually feel passionate about. In the end, only 27% work in their field of study. 

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Personal Strategy

Consulting Case as a Stepping Stone: How Investing in My Personal Capital Improved My Self-confidence.

July 18, 20250

My Story

Self-confidence is a crucial trait for any business leader to possess. It allows leaders to take decisive action, make difficult decisions, and inspire others to follow their lead. According to a study conducted by Indeed, “99 percent of employees surveyed say confidence is important for a successful job search.” Unfortunately, self-confidence is not something that comes naturally to everyone, and it’s something that I have personally struggled with for my whole life. Whether it was meeting new people, speaking up in a large group setting, or even raising my hand in class to answer a question, I’ve always preferred to blend into the background and keep to myself. 

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Edge-crafters, Global Talents

The Importance of Interdisciplinary Multidimensional Engagement

July 11, 20250

Two years ago, when I was finishing high school, I faced one of the most important  decisions of my life: should I follow my passion and study art history, or should I go to business  school. I was born in Mexico, and I lived there all my life. Mexican universities are different than  the ones in the United States. They are much more specialized in specific fields, and while that  prepares you a lot to be very good at one thing, it lacks the holistic approach of the liberal arts.  High schoolers pick their major before applying to university and they need to stick with it for the  rest of their college path. There is some leeway for combining similar fields like international  business and international relations, for example, but it is unthinkable to mix fields that are  “unrelated”.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Personal Strategy

How Relationships Fuel My Career Journey and My Path to Becoming a Member of the Electoral College

January 2, 20250

January 2, 2025

by Kaveesh Pathak

 

The Electoral College is a heavily debated topic in the U.S. today. For a long time, I’ve observed deep issues within our political system: divisiveness, bullying, and polarization. However, as a young Indian American, seeing Kamala Harris become the Democratic Nominee inspired me; and when the opportunity arose to become a member of the Electoral College and represent my community, it felt like the honor of a lifetime.

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents

Consulting Cases as a Stepping Stone to Business

December 21, 20240

by Katherine Prostick

December 21, 2024

 

One of the more exciting opportunities I have had since starting my academic career at Northeastern University was creating a consulting case for my international business class. Over the course of a semester long case, I learned more applicable skills and information than I had in many of my other courses. Being able to see a real and tangible product that was the result of my hard work both in and outside of the classroom brought an entirely new dimension to my learning experience – and I highly recommend using consulting cases as ways to learn both about yourself and about different industries if you are new to the business sphere.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents

The Foundation for a Newcomer in International Business

December 15, 20240

December 15, 2024

by  Benjamin Agatone

 

As a mathematics and finance major, I was much more interested in the quantitative side of business going into college and eager to apply my analytical skills to my real-world job someday. I thought that specializing in the math field would give me the tools I needed to be successful in my career.  However, the business world is constantly moving toward a more interconnected economy where technical skills will not be enough.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents

Navigating a Career in Marketing: your guide to success

November 13, 20240

by Isabela Harue Uemura Miyaki

November 13, 2024

 

Are you passionate about marketing and eager to carve out a successful career in this dynamic field? You’re not alone! Over the past 10 years, marketing careers have seen a significant surge as businesses ramp up their efforts to drive traffic and convert leads online, according to Forbes. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, that trend is likely to continue with the projected job outlook for market research analysts and marketing specialists for 2022 through 2032 being 13.4%. 

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents, Millennials, Universities

My experiences as an international student: How cultural diversity cultivated my global awareness

October 18, 20240

by Minh Tran

October 18, 2024

 

Spending my whole life growing up in Vietnam, I was surrounded by people that shared similar cultural identities as me. Most of the friends I’ve had come from the same cultural background, and we share similar mindsets, characteristics, and traditions. I didn’t acknowledge that until I got into Northeastern, a place where nobody comes from the same background, shares the same skin color, and has the same cultural experiences as me.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Millennials, Personal Strategy

Aligning your Career with your Passions

October 6, 20240

by Landon Mukaigawa

October 6, 2024

 

You attend high school, then you have a college degree. Then, after grinding out those long hours of studying in the library, it’s time to start working in the real world. It’s simple right? Well, not quite. According to a study done by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, it’s surprising to find that only 27% of college graduates work in a field related to their major.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Millennials, Personal Strategy

How I am shaping my Competitive Advantage from my foreign identity in the Global Job Market

October 2, 20240

by Bosen Zhang

October 2, 2024

 

In recent years, China has occupied the top position for sending international students to the United States; according to US Mission China, over 317,000 students have enrolled in US institutions in 2020/21 due to Chinese students’ and parents’ growing interest in the US education (2021). Sharing a similar interest, I have selected the USA as my destination for my educational journey.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Millennials, Personal Strategy

How Our Covid-19 Hobbies Can Craft Our Edge

September 25, 20240

by Caroline

September 25, 2024

 

The Covid-19 pandemic forced people to reevaluate their means and reprioritize what is important to them. Many people ended up taking up new hobbies that helped them pass the time during quarantine. This article by the American Heart Association highlights the benefits of taking up hobbies that include lowering stress levels and heart rates, increasing brain activity, and improving overall mental health. Hobbies can be a necessary creative outlet for people who need to improve both their physical and mental health. 

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Millennials, Personal Strategy, Uncategorized

How the underlying frameworks dictate the usefulness of your SWOT

September 18, 20240

by Karan Kwatra

September 18, 2024

 

By now, most of you have heard about the [S]trengths, [W]eakness, [O]pportuntity, and [T]hreat model. It is an approach created by Albert Humphrey and used by organizations to identify growth opportunities and complementary characteristics of the organizations which will synergize to take advantage of the opportunity.

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z, Global Talents, Millennials, Personal Strategy

I am a foreigner: how to convert it into my competitive advantage 

August 29, 20240

by Tianyang Bao

August 29, 2024

 

Takeaways:

  • Appreciate yourself: anecdotes are from facts and observations
  • Take responsibilities and risks: establish your own brand
  • Make bold moves: promote yourself for recognition

 

One of the most competitive advantages is rooted in my original culture. Coming from China, I am not only different by skin color but also by my logic and room for growth. Research has shown that various-ethnicity groups can bring corporations competitive advantages, including creativity (McLeod). With this possibility ahead of me, I am able to explore and establish more advantages and transform them to be competitive. 

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z

FOR IMMIGRANTS: Being a foreigner and turning it into a competitive advantage

July 20, 20240

by Justin Silverio Franco

July 20, 2024

 

I was born in the Dominican Republic and spent the first ten years of my life there. I understood the many different cultures and financial aspects of the island, including that it was a third-world country. In 2013, I was fortunate enough to live comfortably in the United States and move to Boston for college, where I started to understand a different perspective of the world economy. 

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Edge-crafters, Educators, Millennials, Universities

How Co-ops and Capstones Inspire International Students’ Career Design

April 28, 20230
By Ivan Todorov

April 28, 2023

 

After nearly 6 years in Boston, the finishing lines of my academic chapter have been written out. This time is filled with numerous joyful and rewarding moments that boil the excitement within me for what is coming. More than a million international students graduate from US colleges every year. They have similar excitement but also are facing similar challenges. 

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Accomplished Professionals, By Julia Ivy, Edge-crafters, Millennials

BE-EDGE FUNDAMENTALS: Built-in Employability, Boutique Employability, or Both?

April 12, 20230

By Julia Ivy

In my earlier post on three starting points for personal strategy coaching,  I shared stories of John (a veteran, 47), Tyler (recently graduated Millennial, 22), Dana (approaching graduation Millennial, 21), and David (multidimensional professional, 36) to illustrate that personal strategy coaching must start with the classification of the client’s “what’s next?” dilemma.

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Edge-crafters, Educators, Millennials, Universities

Crafting Your Edge On Co-op Abroad

March 25, 20230
By Liz Pereguda

May 7, 2020

 

A research study by IIE Center for Academic Mobility, Research and Impact “Gaining an Employment Edge: The Impact of Study Abroad on 21st Century Skills & Career Prospects in the United States” investigates the connection between study abroad programs and the development of 15 soft and hard skills considered to be most desired by 21st-century employers.

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Gen Z, Edge-crafters

Designing for Inclusion and Advocating for Diversity: EDGE-crafters can be change-makers too!

March 6, 20230

by Bhargavi Ram

March 6, 2023

 

There is a demand for businesses to be perfect in the world we live in today. With the plethora of information available to consumers, we can use our voices to hold companies accountable for their lack of inclusivity or their unethical practices. Microsoft has an entire site dedicated to Inclusive Design with resources to learn how to be inclusive. Read more

Edge-crafters, Gen Z

Invest in Real Life Case for Future

February 13, 20230

Children from Gen Z may have to endure significant competition for employment in the future. According to a study by Visual Capitalist, during the pandemic, Gen Z kids had nearly double the unemployment rate compared to the rest of the generation. This horrible unemployment figure should not have been there because Gen Z kids are expected to be the most educated generation, according to the Pew Research Center.

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Edge-crafters, Accomplished Professionals, Case Consulting, Gen Z, Millennials

BE-EDGE Institute: A Doorway for your Career Advancements

January 28, 20230
Are you uncertain about your future career path? Are you worried about how will you take an edge through your competitive portfolio? Are you confused while defining your field or industry?

If you find these questions resonating and you nodded yes on each of these questions, then you surely need to be aware of BE-EDGE Institute and its products. This is where you can get the solutions and answers to all these questions and more of your career-related confusions.

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Edge-crafters, Case Consulting, Gen Z

Consulting Will Bring You to a New Level in Your Career

January 11, 20230
January 11, 2023

by Maiia Poliakova

 

Have you ever done any consulting cases? Do you know what is it? Or what does it give? My name is Maiia and I had this amazing consulting opportunity with Dr. Julia Ivy. She gave us an experience life as real specialists. I have done a consulting case for the Russian company VALO Hotel City for the globalization of the market and thanks to this experience I can say what a big contribution it gave to my future career. 

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z

You Are a Foreigner: How to Convert It into Your Competitive Advantage

January 4, 20230
January 4, 2023

By Amir Elhelw

 

Let’s begin by painting a picture. You are a newly minted graduate; you have just picked up your bags and moved out to a new country in order to pursue a new business venture. You are new to this market and know only the essentials of its structure and how to go about doing business in it. You are a fish out of water trying to break in and make a name for yourself. 

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Edge-crafters, Gen Z

International Student in USA: Here is How I Crafted My Edge

December 22, 20220
Being an international student in the USA, the struggle gets real fast. However, you have to find a way to find your professional edge. All you need is some professional insight, community engagement, and genuine guidance to move past all the odds.

 

The United States has long been considered to have some of the best educational resources in the world, which attracts students from around the globe to come here to pursue higher education. My home country China is the second most populous country in the world, and nearly 300,000 students come to the United States each year to attend school. And I am one of those students. Read more

Edge-crafters

Career Development 101: Creating your Edge in a Competitive Market

December 12, 20220

What is Career Development?

by BE-EDGE team

 

Career development refers to the ongoing process of managing and enhancing one’s career path to achieve professional growth, personal fulfillment, and long-term success. It goes beyond simply finding a job or working in a particular field; instead, it encompasses a strategic and proactive approach to building a fulfilling and rewarding career.

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

Empowering Women: It’s all about making matches with the occupation of your dreams

December 9, 20220
by Ananya Sahni

Dec 9, 2022

 

Women have always been at a disadvantage when it comes to being represented and recognized at the workplace. As per a study conducted by McKenzie for 60 major corporations, there was significant drop in the percentage female’s employees up the corporate ladder. For every 3,25,000 women at entry level jobs, the study revealed that, only 7000 made it to the senior management level. Although in the recent years there have been severe improvements, there is still long road to progress with women still being underrepresented at all levels of managements. 

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Edge-crafters, Educators, Millennials, Universities

Experiential Learnings’ Impact on the Building of Critical Soft Skills

November 15, 20220

By Gerad Sockol
November 15, 2020                                                       

Experiential Learning: two words that every Northeastern University student sarcastically repeats back in a mocking intonation. And as Northeastern tour guides showcase the Boston campus (albeit virtually in these trying times) whose lush, green space juxtaposes the urban chaos yards away, the phrase “experiential learning” (one sure to enter into the prospective student’s lexicon should they choose to enroll at Northeastern) will bombard the ears of both parents and students alike.

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

How to Maximize Your Manager Mindset

October 26, 20220
by Cliff Akins

October 26, 2021

 

Articles like “If You Want to Succeed, You Need to Have the Manager’s Mindset” from Inc.com emphasize the importance of adopting a leader mentality. While Inc.com focuses on the manager mindset in a post-college, professional setting, the Huffpost asserts that thinking like a manager can be beneficial as a student in “How to be an Effective Student Manager.” As a business student, I learned this lesson first hand.

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

FOR IMMIGRANTS: Pursuing Careers and Crafting the Edge for People in a New Environment.

September 22, 20220

By Shreshthi Mehta

September 22, 2022

 

I was born and raised in Pune. For a major portion of my life, I had lived in India and had been a part of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. I was fortunate to attend some of the best schools and universities in my home country. In spite of the recession in 2008, I was able to secure a job as a new graduate and work as an HR manager.

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Edge-crafters, Educators, Millennials, Universities

Crafting the EDGE: Approaching Uncertainty with Determination

August 29, 20220

By Aqib Rahman
August 29, 2022

 

In just two months, the environment in America has completely transformed, leaving many to face uncertainty.  There are 40 million Americans that have lost their jobs, with an unemployment rate of 14.7%.  Many people have been distraught from layoffs, while others like me are recent graduates just entering the job market.  As we now start reopening and restarting our economy, we must stay determined to prosper.

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

How Professor Ivy’s story has greatly inspired me as an international student

May 9, 20220
by Kexin Li

May 9, 2022

 

I had an interview with Professor Julia Ivy, Northeastern Professor in International Business and Strategy. Professor has extensive global experience in Ukraine/ Vietnam/ Australia/ United States. She is originally from Belarus and has an established career before moving directly to the U.S. She has years of teaching experience, she was a top-rated executive professor, coach, consultant, and board member, but she must start over in the U.S, and in her words, “As a newcomer, I had to build my professional life from the scratch. I did it. And I learned how all of us, newcomers, could do it well.”

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

Practical suggestions on how local students can enhance their employability and enrich their personal strategy

May 1, 20220
By Zui (Jessica) Han 

May 1, 2022

 

In the context of the globalized economy, most large companies fall in the category of multination companies (MNC) (Barak,2021). Students who want to enhance their employability and maintain a completive advantage needs to understand the importance of diversity and how diversity could bring innovation.

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials

Through consulting, I learned the vast opportunities the business world has for me

February 16, 20220
by Angelina Joson. 

February 16, 2022

 

In the first semester of my college career at Northeastern University, I faced a heavy task: writing a consulting case for an existing company. It required that my team and I consult directly with the company. But how would we choose a company?

While all the team members knew a family member or friend who owned a restaurant, I knew that we should choose a unique company, selling a product that would provide an interesting and relevant case. So, I contacted my family friend, Michael Pink, who is the CEO and co-founder of SmartPM Technologies. Read more

Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials

How I developed a passion for expansion consulting as a newcomer to the CBD industry

February 15, 20220

by Stella Zilberberg

February 15, 2022

Over the course of the consulting case, I began to develop an understanding of emerging markets, and most importantly, began to think of ways of how to position industry leaders in foreign markets, where the industry itself is either incredibly small or is only beginning to emerge. As a researcher, I feel that I have developed strong habits for seeking out primary information about a government or an industry. 

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials

Equipping yourself for the future: The valuable lessons to learn in consulting

February 8, 20220
by Alyse Pasqualini

February 8, 2022

 

I worked with a team throughout the semester to develop a consulting case for a company. Working on this case provided me with a real world understanding of consulting which aligns with my vision of working in Healthcare Management, as the profession will require me to work in teams to create recommendations for the improvement of healthcare processes. This case served as a steppingstone to my personal strategy by introducing me to this area of business and allowing me to develop the skills that are necessary to collaborate effectively in a team and provide quality research and recommendations to support the decision-making process of a company. 

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials

The perfect building block for a potential career

February 7, 20220
by Vidit Shah

February 7, 2022

 

In a study published by Richard J. Kraft, talks about why experience is key and that the education systems need unique forms of teaching to reach out to students as everyone studies and learns at their own pace. The author explains that “adventure programs and other experiential learning environments have enormous potential for use in the mainstream of our educational settings.” Sitting in front of a classroom and listening to lectures repeatedly may not be the best form of education for some learners, so other experiential forms of education could have a better impact on the student. Read more

Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials, Universities

First Journey in International Business and the Business World

February 3, 20220
by Aye Myat Kyaw

February 3, 2022

 

Consulting for a real company was not what I expected to be tasked by my professor Dr. Julia Ivy on the first day of my undergraduate. I have only become a college student by title and being faced with this daunting task, I felt like a child thrown into the deep end to be taught how to swim. To a degree, I knew what the task was: I have run my own small business and worked at a local restaurant helping keep their book, but a consulting case was another task. Likewise, I know what swimming was; I could kick and paddle but to float was a whole other story. However, I was excited. Coming to a school like Northeastern, I wanted to push my abilities and knowledge. For me, the consulting case was one I saw as fruitful in the future, determining that it would be a fantastic learning experience.

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Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials, Universities

From Freshman to Consultant: Investing in my Employability

January 27, 20220
by Keegan Sharp

January 27, 2021

 

As an incoming freshman at Northeastern University, I craved an understanding of my skill level and a real-world challenge. That is exactly what I got through a consulting case project from Professor Julia Ivy. The project began simply with assigned teams and instructions to identify a company that wanted to expand globally.

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Edge-crafters, Millennials

How to Utilize Your Social Capital During the Early Stages of Your Job Search

December 2, 20210
While finding the ideal company as a recent college graduate may feel daunting, it can be equally as fulfilling if approached strategically and honestly. Strategy concerns how one will leverage their personal, social, and professional capital. Honesty is the imperative agent that allows one to be confident in their elucidated core and diversified skillset. If one is honest, not only with their potential employers, but more importantly, with themselves, they will be more likely to find a professional environment in which they can grow and excel.

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By Julia Ivy, Edge-crafters

The Impact of Boutique Employability on the New Reality of Employability

October 5, 20210
By Julia Ivy

October 5, 2021

 

Just a month ago, I started the article for graduates regarding a historically low unemployment rate. At that time, it was easy to find a job even though some jobs could be boring and one-dimensional. For those, who wanted more than just a job, I suggested the option of pursuing a personal strategy of BE for “crafting your edge for today’s job market.”

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Accomplished Professionals, Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Millennials

Employing Overseas Experience for My Boutique Employability

May 1, 20210
By Raul Najera Bahena
May, 2021

 

An article published by the King’s College of London “Why Overseas Experience is Important” states the reasons why overseas experience can make a difference in your future career- this type of assignments helps you gain a competitive advantage among your peers such as gaining a new perspective, learning a new language, bringing out your adventurous side, taking on a global mind-set and creating a new network from across the globe, among others.

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Accomplished Professionals, Case Consulting, Edge-crafters, Employers, Millennials

Strategic Senior Leaders are Looking to HR Leaders to Bring their Business to the Next Level

May 1, 20210
By Shana Feggins
May 1, 2021

 

The Forbes article “Can HR Strategies Create a Competitive Advantage for Your Company?” by Scholley Bubenik echoes the chatter from human resources and other functional leaders that YES “maximizing your human capital is a major contributor to achieving a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Be-Edge crafters like myself need a framework to uncover their core and competitive advantage. Dr. Ivy Be-Edge tool and methodology helped guide my experience of recognizing my personal, social, and professional capital through consulting projects. I was able to answer my own question of how I can be an HR leader for my organization.

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