Hi everyone, my name is Alisa Ogranovich! I am really looking forward to starting my new position in the hospitality industry at Montage International as a Business Systems Analyst this September. I was fortunate enough to receive not only one degree but two from Chapman – I received my B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a Minor in Economics in 2020, and I just completed my M.B.A. this past May 2021. I loved my four years at Chapman and would highly recommend this school and its multitude of programs to any potential student!

What excites you about this internship/company/job? 

I grew up going to the beach right off the Montage Laguna Beach Resort property, so when I saw this opportunity pop up at their Irvine Headquarters, I knew I wanted to learn more. This position will allow me to leverage my business acumen and skills and enable me to grow into this new chapter of my professional career. Finding an opportunity that allows me to add value to the company and personally grow within the role is important for long-term success. I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge by entering a new industry to continue growing my technical skills and learning about new technological systems and data-driven decision-making.

How did you strategize landing this internship/job? 

I discovered this job posting on LinkedIn and did some further research about the company and the position itself and realized this would be a great company to work for! Before job searching, I think it’s extremely important to list out your short and long-term goals so that way you have a clear path in mind of what you hope to both personally and professionally achieve. This will allow you to identify best which opportunities best align with your goals. LinkedIn is a great networking tool; it makes it easy to connect with hiring managers for roles you may be interested in. I also greatly appreciated the help and mentorship I received from the Career Center at Chapman.

Give students some career advice for anyone looking for an internship/job in this market?

Do not be scared to get outside of your comfort zone; that is how you grow as an individual and refine your career interests! In my undergraduate studies, I spent quite a bit of time attending various networking events that the Chapman Career Center offered. The biggest thing that I learned was that the Chapman community is always there for you, whether in the moment at a recruiting event or later on when you find out about a distant connection. I think that’s what makes Chapman so special – the constant support, guidance, and energy continued to inspire me and pushed me to work harder to achieve my goals.

Regarding landing a job in this current market, I advise students to leverage their network and not be afraid of making new relationships. It never hurts to send a quick message via LinkedIn or email and ask for a few minutes to meet. With the vast array of options to meet virtually now, it’s significantly easier to put 5 to 10 minutes down on a calendar and make a new connection. You have to be highly proactive, and I have always followed the motto of “you have nothing to lose.”

And going off of that, if there is any way I can ever help out, please feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn. I would be more than happy to give back and help out! Best of luck in all of your endeavors!