MyeEMBA

The web site, "Study Skills Tip Sheets & Advice" is directed toward undergraduate students. However, there are some take home points for MBA students.

"Nearly 100 innovative entrepreneurs and executives were interviewed by Jeff Dyer, a business-school professor at Brigham Young University, Hal Gregersen, a leadership professor at the business school INSEAD, and Clayton M. Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor, to see what makes them tick. The professors' conclusion: In order to "think different," you have to act different."

"Innovators aren't exceptional as much as they are confident. So says David Kelley, the founder of the venerable Palo Alto, Calif., design firm IDEO. 2011 Winners Gold: Cellular Dynamics International Makes Heart Cells-Billions of Them Silver: Joule Unlimited Forges a Faster Path to Biofuels Bronze: IBM's Watson Adds Innovation Award to Quiz-Show Win And the Rest of the Winners Are... More in Technology Innovation Awards How to Innovate More? Past Winners: Where Are They Now? Read the complete report . Mr. Kelley, whose company is responsible for designing a wide range of products and services, including the modern computer mouse, believes-and research suggests-that virtually everyone has the capacity to innovate. It's just that somewhere around the fourth grade most of us stop thinking of ourselves as creative, he says, so our ability to innovate atrophies."

"Here's a pop quiz: What foods are best to eat before a high-stakes test? When is the best time to review the toughest material? A growing body of research on the best study techniques offers some answers. With test-taking season upon us, Sue Shellenbarger on Lunch Break looks at the latest findings from the science of studying. For students approaching SAT/ACTs, midterms and finals, which memory tricks work best and does cramming help? Chiefly, testing yourself repeatedly before an exam teaches the brain to retrieve and apply knowledge from memory. The method is more effective than re-reading a textbook, says Jeffrey Karpicke, an assistant professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University. If you are facing a test on the digestive system, he says, practice explaining how it works from start to finish, rather than studying a list of its parts. "

What is the best way for an MBA student to study? This article may be helpful for MBA students that are having a difficult time studying. The article is not directed to MBA students, however there are some useful tips.

"Attending a top-tier business school is-you guessed it-an expensive proposition. Take Harvard Business School: The M.B.A. class of 2013 student budget hovers around $84,000 for tuition, living expenses, travel, and other ancillary costs. Once you tack on the opportunity cost of two years of forgone salary, it's easy to see why, as Poets & Quants points out, six-figure debt is commonplace for most graduating M.B.A.'s."

"Last May there were reports of exploding watermelons in China. Apparently, farmers applied fertilizer that made the melons grow really big really fast and then KAPOW! They exploded. It is with a fair amount of distress that I am observing a similar phenomenon at my own institution. No, we aren't growing fruit on campus, but we do seem to be growing some mighty big egos, and I fear the splatter of gray matter as a few heads begin to explode."

When reading this article, think about MBA students, and in particular EMBA students.

Two of my recent articles, "MBA Students Do You See Yourself as Your MBA Peers See You" and "MBA Program No Asshole Rule" addressed MBA student behavior while enrolled in an MBA program. A behavior related area that appears to be gaining interest is online business etiquette, a topic that is certainly something MBA students need to keep in mind as they use multiple forms of social media to advance their careers and interact with their MBA classmates, faculty, staff, and other professionals. One online misstep can have an adverse impact on one's career advancement. Click on the title to read the complete article.

"Most people assume being good-looking gives you a career boost. But just how much does it help? A lot. Good-looking people charm interviewers, get hired faster, are more likely to make more sales and get more raises. Daniel Hamermesh, an economics professor at the University of Texas in Austin, measures out the benefits in his book, "Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful." According to his research, attractive people are likely to earn an average of 3% to 4% more than a person with below-average looks. That adds up to $230,000 more over a lifetime for the typical good-looking person, Dr. Hamermesh estimates. Even an average-looking worker is likely to make $140,000 more over a lifetime than an ugly worker. We asked Dr. Hamermesh to discuss his findings. Edited excerpts follow:"

What does this mean for an MBA student? Perhaps a little "dress for success" training is in order.

"As companies find themselves swarmed with applicants, struggling to match workers with the right skills to job openings, many are turning to virtual career fairs. Employers say these online forums-accessed by companies and job seekers from anywhere in the world-can save them time and money, as well as broaden the candidate pool. Companies are turning to virtual career fairs as they find themselves swarmed with applicants and struggling to match workers to job openings. When participants log into a virtual fair, they can access a variety of "booths" organized by company name or job field. In the booths, they find information about the company and positions available. Sometimes there are videos or live, one-on-one chats with recruiters or even high-level executives. Candidates learn about fairs through the company's website, social-networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, or word of mouth. Procter & Gamble Co. and Citigroup Inc. customize their own company-specific virtual career fairs. Other firms, such as Boeing Co. and insurer Progressive Corp., join broad-based virtual career fairs hosted by companies like jobs sites Monster.com, which is owned by Monster Worldwide Inc., and Brazen Careerist Inc. The group fairs host anywhere from a handful to hundreds of companies."

MBA students looking for a job may want to investigate to see if the companies they are interested in are holding virtual job fairs. However, one person's comment suggests that job fairs of any kind are a waste.