Three Lessons I Learned from Last Year's MHRM Case Competition

Case Competition is a huge event in the first year of the MHRM program.  For new students, worrying about adjusting to classes and thinking about how to land a summer internship is enough to worry about.  Add on concerns about making friends, adjusting to a new city, and learning how to manage the competing demands of graduate school, and the task of the first semester can seem a tall one.  Just when you think you’re too busy to manage anything else, along comes Case Competition to provide another major challenge to you as a new student.  

Though all of these different factors can seem overwhelming, managing your priorities in the first semester of the MHRM program can prove essential to long term success.  Here are some tips that I utilized in the Case Competition last year to ensure that the experience was not only manageable, but fun.

1. Get to know your team beforehand.
    Scheduling a brief coffee chat or zoom call with your assigned case competition team can be a great step towards getting to know your group.   Knowing the team you are working with before the actual day of the Case Competition can be a great way to ensure that the competition itself goes as smoothly as possible.
2. Come up with a game plan ahead of time. 
   The day of the Case Competition is hectic, stressful, and often overwhelming.  Because
   of that, coming up with a game plan ahead of time can be invaluable in having an enjoyable Case Comp experience.  Think about how you and your team will approach the problem at hand, and consider creating a schedule for the day of.  Preparation before the competition can help your team soar on the day of the event.
3. Enjoy it!
   With these preparatory steps taken, the Case Competition can be quite a bit of fun.  Take time to appreciate the opportunity to think about a unique business problem, and flex your creative muscles. Bring positivity into the room with your team, and encourage others to be their best.  

With these steps, you and your team can have an awesome experience in the MHRM Case Competition.