Bypassing Campus Recruitment

It's by no means a wave, but it is something of a trend: Some graduate business school students are opting out of the traditional campus-recruitment approach to job-hunting.

Instead, reports The Wall Street Journal, they're developing their own strategies and building their own networks, all with an eye toward landing a job that might not be considered "typical" among newly minted MBAs.

It often taken them longer to find a job, but their efforts are spurred by the realization that want to work at something that's not a traditional finance or consulting position - the kind of job big firms usually recruit for on-campus. Other students decide they want to remain in a particular region, while still others have put their eggs in the basket of an industry that's "known for just-in-time hiring, leaving students with no option but to hunt later on their own." Such industries include venture capital and media and entertainment and media and entertainment, the Journal says.

Though small in numbers, these students are prompting their schools' career offices to revise their approach and work more with individuals, leveraging their alumni networks and setting up self-directed programs for job-seekers. On the other hand, some schools - like Columbia Business School - can't provide such assistance until after its traditional recruiting period ends in February.