Inside UCLA Anderson: A Conversation with Phil Han, Assistant Dean and Director of Career Services
Phil Han has spent two decades guiding MBA students at UCLA Anderson through career exploration, skill development, and industry recruiting. As Director of the Parker Career Management Center, he’s helped shape a values-driven approach to career services that integrates personal reflection, tactical preparation, and industry insight.
We sat down with Phil following the annual AIGAC Conference in May – when Mef Shebi and Donna Robinson from the Parker team presented their model of personalized advising and structured programming. We also learned how the school supports its MBA students in building meaningful and adaptable careers.
Career Support Grounded in Purpose and Personalization
MBA Pathfinders: We understand that Anderson emphasizes values-based career development. As someone who has been at the Parker Center for 20 years, can you share how that approach evolved and how it fits within the broader landscape of Anderson’s MBA career services?
Phil Han: Like any top school, we track outcomes and rankings – those metrics matter to applicants and schools alike. That’s a baseline we’re all bound to. But over time, we saw the need to go deeper.
For example, about 10 to 15 years ago, there was a surge of interest in social responsibility roles – titles like “Director of Sustainability” at big companies. But many of those roles didn’t last. When budgets tightened, these were often the first jobs to go. We’re seeing something similar now with DEI roles. These trends pushed us to rethink what it really means to build a meaningful career.
At Anderson, we believe students can make an impact in any field. You don’t need to work in a nonprofit or hold the title of “Director of Sustainability” to make a difference Whether you’re in marketing or finance, the key is knowing your values and applying them to your work. If you’re a marketer, are you promoting products you believe in? If you’re in finance, are you aligning investments with what matters to you?
We’re not saying one value is better than another – just that you need to have a perspective on what matters to you. For some students, success means making a lot of money – and that’s perfectly valid. What matters is self-awareness. Values change over time – after graduation, five years out, ten years out. But when students understand what drives them, they’re more likely to build fulfilling, sustainable careers – regardless of industry or title.
A Deep Dive on Three Unique Anderson Programs
MBA Pathfinders: Your colleagues shared details about three Anderson programs: Summer Immersions, the Career Experience Lab, and the ALIVE program. Can you walk us through how each one supports different phases of the career journey?
Phil Han: Definitely. Each program is designed to meet students where they are – whether they’re just getting started, actively recruiting, or reconsidering their direction.
We start with the Summer Immersions in consulting, finance, and tech. These begin almost immediately after students arrive on campus. Over the years, recruiting timelines have become earlier and earlier, especially in these three sectors. We realized that if we wanted students to feel confident and competitive, we needed to equip them with foundational knowledge right away – before they even start their core classes.
Each immersion is 20-25 hours and combines academic frameworks with real-world job prep. For example, in the Tech Immersion, we cover emerging topics like AI, large language models, and the societal impact of innovation. But we also help students craft strong answers to questions like “Why tech?” – because an answer like “I’ve always loved tech because it’s innovative” doesn’t differentiate you anymore. In short, the content is both conceptual and career focused.
These early experiences complement the core curriculum really well. Students often come out of immersions saying, “I didn’t fully get that concept when it was first introduced, but now it’s clicking in class.” Or the reverse – what they learn in class reinforces what they saw in the immersion.
After summer, students move into the Parker Career Series and ACT – our Anderson Career Teams. The Parker Series includes everything from self-assessment and value proposition development to resumes, networking, and interview prep. It’s structured and progressive, and it happens alongside the start of fall academics.
ACT takes that one step further. It’s a small-group, peer-led program in which second-years coach first-years by industry and function. We have about 80 ACT coaches leading 30+ teams, each with its own recruiting calendar and curriculum. It’s one of the most popular elements of our career support. First-years get advice and feedback from people who just lived through the process, and that insight – combined with what they’re learning in the classroom – makes their recruiting approach more grounded and confident.
Then there’s ALIVE, which we launched two years ago. It was created for students who feel stuck in the process – either because their job search isn’t going the way they hoped, or because they’re starting to question whether they’re on the right path.
It’s a voluntary seven-week small-group program, led by two of our advisors. Every session is very interactive; students are asked to be vulnerable and open to get the most out of the experience. It focuses on the big questions like “What does success mean to you?” We hear a wide range of answers:
“Success means making my parents proud”
“Success means prestige”
“Success means balance.”
Then, we help students look at whether their job search reflects those values. Sometimes it does. Sometimes there’s a huge gap.
One student, for example, came in set on consulting, landed a great internship, but quickly realized the work and culture didn’t resonate. She joined ALIVE while still trying to push forward in consulting, but through the weekly discussions, she started to uncover her real strengths – storytelling, creativity, and energy around building brands. She pivoted into CPG brand management and found a job she genuinely loves. That kind of shift doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not something we can force – but the space ALIVE creates makes it possible.
So overall, the structure is layered. The immersions set the stage. The Parker Series and ACT build practical skills and industry fluency. And ALIVE offers a reset point for those who need to recalibrate. We’ve found that supporting students across those different modes – academic, tactical, and emotional – makes a real difference in their long-term success.
Entertainment: What Profile is Necessary?
MBA Pathfinders: One of the top reasons students tell us they’re drawn to Anderson is because of its strength in entertainment. But it’s also one of the hardest industries to break into. What does it really take to pivot into that space?
Phil Han: You’re right – it’s a highly competitive industry, and it’s important that students come in with realistic expectations. I’ll be direct: entertainment companies often look for MBAs with prior experience in consulting, banking, or other strong business backgrounds. Many job descriptions even say “consulting experience preferred.” That doesn’t mean you have to come from that world, but it does signal what they’re looking for in terms of skill set.
Additionally, entertainment is what we call a passion industry. But it’s not enough to just love movies or television – you need to love the business of entertainment. There’s a big difference between enjoying content and understanding how the industry works. Are you the kind of person who reads Variety or The Hollywood Reporter regularly? Do you follow box office numbers or streaming data? Do you listen to podcasts like The Town to understand what’s happening behind the scenes?
That kind of engagement is critical – not just to signal your interest, but because employers will ask those questions. They’ll want to know if you understand how studios make decisions, how streaming economics work, and where the industry is headed.
With the rise of platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, data has become central to the business. Content decisions aren’t just creative – they’re driven by analytics. Which shows get greenlit? Which get canceled? These are now data questions. So strong analytical skills are more important than ever. MBAs who want to work in content strategy, acquisitions, or distribution need to be comfortable with metrics and modeling – not just passionate about storytelling.
We try to help students prepare for all of that. Whether it’s understanding how to talk about their transferable skills or building the industry fluency they’ll need to compete, we’re honest about the challenges – and committed to helping them navigate the process.
Tech and Changing Trends
MBA Pathfinders: Tech has long been one of the top industries for Anderson grads, but the market has shifted in recent years. How are you supporting students who want to pursue careers in tech today?
Phil Han: It’s definitely been a tougher market. Starting around 2022, we saw large-scale layoffs at major tech companies, and that trend has continued. Fewer roles, more competition, and a lot of uncertainty – especially with the rise of AI. Students are asking: “What does this mean for my career? Will this role still exist in five years?”
Our role is to help them stay grounded, flexible, and resilient. The days of 25 students getting hired all at once by one tech company are over. Now, it’s about navigating a more fragmented, just-in-time hiring environment. Students may need to go through multiple interview rounds or shift their target roles. That’s where perseverance and adaptability come in – and we focus a lot on coaching them through that.
In terms of curriculum, Anderson has built out a strong tech track over the last decade. We offer electives in product management, data analytics, AI strategy, and digital innovation – so students can build real skill sets. And our co-curricular programming reinforces that. We host events, panels, and hands-on sessions that help students build their brand as technologists—not just as MBA generalists.
We also encourage students to look beyond the traditional product management track. That’s still the most sought-after role, but expectations have changed. A few years ago, it was easier to pivot into PM without a technical background. Now, many companies have tightened the requirements – you often need prior experience or a tech-adjacent resume to stand out.
However, there are plenty of product-adjacent roles that are just as impactful: product operations, product strategy, customer success, and go-to-market roles. We’ve seen increasing interest in strategy and operations roles at tech companies – positions that combine business acumen with executional rigor.
We try to expand how students think about the tech ecosystem. There are great opportunities outside the big names – at high-growth startups, B2B platforms, SaaS companies, and firms working at the intersection of tech and industry. Our advisory role is about helping students craft a focused yet flexible story – and then giving them the tools to go after it.
Geography and Nontraditional Paths
MBA Pathfinders: Many students are drawn to Anderson because they want to build a career in California – but we also work with applicants who have goals in other regions. How does Anderson support students who want to go beyond the West Coast or pursue less structured paths?
Phil Han: It’s true – like most schools, we have a strong regional footprint. UCLA Anderson’s deepest ties are in Southern California and along the West Coast. That’s where a lot of our alumni are, and where we’ve built the most consistent recruiting relationships.
But we also consider ourselves a national – and global – school. We’ve had students land roles in New York, Dallas, Chicago, London, Singapore, and beyond. It really depends on the student’s goals and how proactive they’re willing to be. If someone comes to us and says, “I want to be in Pittsburgh,” we’re not going to say, “That’s not possible.” We’ll say, “Great – let’s figure out what kind of role you’re looking for, and what industries make sense there.” Then we help them build a strategy: company lists, networking plans, outreach templates, and so on.
One advantage that students sometimes don’t realize is how willing alumni are to help, especially in cities that don’t have a huge Anderson presence. If you’re an alum in New York or L.A., you’re probably getting a lot of inbound messages. But if you’re the only Anderson graduate in Minneapolis or Nashville, you’re thrilled to hear from a student. You want to help. You want to build a local Anderson network. That dynamic can really work in students’ favor.
We also try to be realistic with students about what non-traditional paths require. If you’re not targeting structured recruiting or on-campus interviews, you have to put in the work. That means starting early, being organized, and often, being okay with ambiguity. But we support those efforts fully. Our advisors work one-on-one with students to build custom plans for geographies, industries, or companies that aren’t part of the typical pipeline.
So, whether someone wants to be in an L.A. entertainment company or a Midwest healthcare startup, we’re here to help them think through what’s needed – and walk that path with them.
A Unique Collaboration: The Admissions Committee and Career Office
MBA Pathfinders: One thing that stood out to us was how closely your Career Services team works with Admissions. That’s not something we see often. Can you talk about how that collaboration works?
Phil Han: It’s a relatively recent shift for us, but one that’s made a big difference. When Dean Gary Fraser stepped into his leadership role, he made a point of bringing Admissions, Student Affairs, and Career Services into tighter alignment. At the leadership level, we now meet weekly to share updates, discuss challenges, and stay connected. That structure didn’t exist in the same way before.
We also attend each other’s staff meetings, which gives us visibility into what’s happening across the student lifecycle – from application to enrollment to recruiting. That’s been helpful for creating consistency and shared understanding.
More specifically, we’ve developed a much more intentional role in the admissions evaluation process. In the past, Admissions readers would assign a broad score to each applicant, and part of that score touched on career readiness – but without much structure. A couple of years ago, Admissions asked us to help formalize that.
We created a rubric to assess employability – factors like communication skills, the scale of the pivot a student is attempting, and whether their story makes sense given their background. We made sure it wasn’t about things like GMAT scores – which, frankly, don’t correlate much with career success. We focused on the real predictors of career momentum: clarity, coachability, and transferable strengths.
We’ve also trained interviewers on what to look for during admissions interviews – not just polish, but potential. We want them to think about how effectively a candidate communicates their goals and how realistic those goals are.
Finally, we’ve started offering feedback on waitlisted candidates. Our team reviews select profiles and shares which individuals we believe are more likely to be successful based on the same employability criteria. That’s factored into final admissions decisions.
It’s been a great process – not just because we get to shape the incoming class, but because it gives us ownership. If we ever find ourselves wondering, “Why did this person get admitted?” we can now look back and say, “Well, we had input on that.” It’s made us better, more aligned partners – and it sets students up for stronger support the moment they arrive.
Employability, Goals, and Coachability
MBA Pathfinders: One thing we’re often asked is whether career goals in the application really matter. For example, what if someone says they want to be a product manager but doesn’t have the background? How do you assess whether that’s a red flag – or a teachable item?
Phil Han: It’s something we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about as we’ve developed our admissions rubric. We know goals can change, and we expect that. But we also know that certain pivots are harder than others. So, it’s not just about what the goal is – it’s about whether there’s a foundation to build on.
That’s where coachability comes in. It’s not easy to measure, but it’s incredibly important. When we review applications, we look at recommendation letters to see if someone has grown in their role. We listen for signals of self-awareness and adaptability. If someone doesn’t have direct marketing experience but comes across as creative, articulate, and open to feedback – and if their recommenders talk about them generating ideas or leading through influence – that could make us believe they’ll succeed in brand management.
On the flip side, if someone wants to make a big pivot but shows weak communication skills or no evidence of transferable strengths, we may have concerns. Not because the goal itself is off base, but because we’re not seeing the ingredients that make that goal realistic.
We also factor in how much support a student is likely to need. If someone has an ambitious goal but also seems highly coachable, that’s great – we’re confident we can help them get there. But if someone’s doing a major pivot and also seems resistant to guidance, that’s harder to support.
At the end of the day, we’re looking for employability and adaptability. Can this person land well in the short term – and grow in the long term? That’s the balance we try to strike. It’s not about narrowing what students can do, but about making sure they have the tools, mindset, and support to get there.
Looking Ahead
Phil Han and the Parker Career Management Center continue to evolve Anderson’s career offerings to meet students where they are – whether that means providing a deeper understanding of industry trends, supporting bold pivots, or helping students reconnect with their purpose. We are looking forward to continuing the conversation.