MBA Recruiter Interview: Oriana Vogel, American Express

American Express, aka Amex, is ranked 28th in the Universum Top 100 Ideal MBA Employer ranking for 2014, 11th on Fortune’s Most Admired Company list and 23rd on Interbrand’s list of Best Global Brands.

Despite all these accolades, however, some MBAs applying for jobs at American Express aren’t familiar with everything the company does. According to Oriana Vogel, vice president of global recruitment and HR operations, “there is a misconception that we are just a ‘bank.’”

American Express is more than just a bank, however. MBAs have opportunities to implement innovations, such as Apple Pay, and to work on small business solutions, as well as the credit cards they are best known for.

Researching American Express is just one piece of advice that Vogel, an HBS MBA graduate who oversees up to 18,000 placements a year, offers to MBA candidates who are looking to work at the company.

In the below interview, Vogel also discusses where American Express recruits, what the company looks for in its MBA hires and what MBA interns can do to increase their chances for advancement

American Express is ranked 28th in the Universum Top 100 Ideal MBA Employer list. Why do you think so many MBAs want to work for American Express? What has American Express done to maintain its reputation with MBA job seekers?

Students tell us that the American Express brand, our people, and culture are the top reasons they choose to join American Express as a summer intern or a full-time hire. Every year we are on campus, we constantly look for new ways to showcase the challenging, innovative work happening across the company. When MBAs join our intern program, we give them business-critical projects that have high visibility with senior leaders, including our CEO, Ken Chenault, who hosts intern-only town halls every summer. Overall, MBAs get a chance to develop their skills and make a real, lasting impact on our business strategy. 

What are the most common job roles for MBA graduates?

At American Express, we offer MBA graduates roles across multiple functions such as consulting, marketing, digital product management, finance, client management, operations, and risk and information management.

Could you give an overview of the MBA recruitment and hiring process at American Express? Do the majority of MBAs with full-time positions start as interns?

The majority of MBAs with full-time positions start as summer interns. We actively recruit first year MBAs at schools across the country by partnering with student clubs and career services and creating internal school teams to attend events and network with students. We host a variety of events during the recruiting season on campus, virtually via webinars and on-site at our offices. We structure our summer internship as a 10-12 week intensive program that combines a challenging business project with professional development, exposure to senior leaders, and social activities. Students get a holistic look at our company during the summer, and in the end, we convert a high percentage of interns into full-time hires.

What are some examples of business schools and MBA job fairs where American Express recruits?

We build strategic partnerships with many core schools such as NYU, Columbia, and University of Michigan, only to name a few. Additionally, we sponsor and hire from key conferences such as National Black MBA and Reaching Out LGBT MBA to broaden our program reach beyond individual schools and diversify our talent.

What do you look for when evaluating résumés and candidate experience? Are there any important skills you look for that might not occur to MBA candidates?

While relevant work experience will always be a differentiator, we look for students who can highlight their analytics, leadership, and academic/personal interests. For those changing careers, a cover letter is important to communicate why they are targeting a new type of role and how their past experience can position them for success in a new environment.

What should students do during the recruitment process in order to make a good impression?

It's important for students to show they've researched American Express and are asking informed questions when they attend recruiting events. It signals a genuine interest in joining the company.

What are the biggest misconceptions MBAs have about working for American Express and the finance industry?  

Our more than 160 year old history and strong brand attracts MBAs to American Express, but there is a misconception that we are just a ‘bank’.  In reality, our success has been driven by a culture that thrives on innovation. Today we are in the midst of an exciting digital transformation that is changing the way we all do business. The opportunities are endless, from working on Apple Pay to designing small business solutions, our employees have the opportunity to develop and deploy groundbreaking technology that impacts a global audience.

What does American Express expect from its new MBA hires? What can new hires do to increase their chances for advancement down the road?

American Express is undergoing a digital transformation and innovation at all levels is critical to our success. MBA hires bring new ideas, new skills and an entrepreneurial spirit that help take our business to the next level. Starting from the summer project and continuing with full-time roles, we expect new hires to be curious, ask great questions and challenge the status quo.