This past weekend, I travelled with my undergraduate faculty to attend the HR Games competition. The competition was was hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno.
The competition consists of a series of head-to-head matches where the teams are tested on various Human Resources terminology. Topics covered include HR Strategy, Compensation, Employee Training, Globalization, Labor Unions, Landmark Legal Cases, Management, Motivation Theory, Technology, Staffing, Recruiting and Leadership. The game structure is similar to the format used in Jeopardy.
Many schools compete against each other in the regional HR Games competition. In Fresno State’s region, they compete against Boise State, University of Hawaii, Washington State, Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, and CSU Stanislaus. Each university sends two teams of three students a piece. Fresno State won the competition with flying colors.
Events like these are an important part of MBA networking. Attending this event allowed me to mentor Fresno State’s undergraduate team members, keep connections with my undergraduate faculty and meet other HR professionals. Getting the chance to hang out with undergraduate students gives me a chance to talk with them about their futures and answer their questions about graduate school. Keeping connections with my undergraduate faculty allows me to continue to be mentored by my former professors. Meeting HR professionals allows me to ask questions to people currently working in the industry that I want to work in.
My advice to MBA students is to make an effort to maintain their connections to their undergraduate institutions and their faculty. Being an active alumni, maintaining relationships and staying involved are all important aspects of networking.
