Kellogg School of Management | Groups

The Kellogg Tech Club is one of the largest professional clubs on campus. We seek to educate students on new trends in technology, promote opportunities within the tech industry, and connect students interested in this field.

With more than 800 active members, the club covers a wide range of topics including educational series, recruiting preparation, and social events to foster links between students interested in tech.

Membership is open to all full-time or part-time Kellogg students and JVs. 

Frequently Asked Questions by Prospective Students

What kinds of events does the club host?

We have several types of events designed to keep students current on trends and happenings in our Tech sessions:

  • In our Tech Talks series, we invite experts from leading technology companies to campus to speak about various segments of the tech industry, including hardware, software, digital media, and telecom. Past topics include Trends That Could Shape the Next Decade and an Internet of Things (IoT) presentation by Cisco.  

  • Our Company/Intern Panels give students an opportunity to speak with 2nd year students to gain insights into the recruiting process and an inside perspective into working for the company.  

  • The club hosts several social events to providing networking opportunities for students. Each year the Tech Club plans a fall and spring social for members of the Kellogg community to meet and interact. 

  • A number of events to help Kellogg students secure a job in the tech industry are hosted by the club. See below for more details about specific resources.

What are the recruiting resources available to club members?

Aside from the aforementioned industry events, the Tech Club holds events to help students recruiting for roles in the tech industry:

  • Resume review sessions where second year students help incoming students tailor their resumes for internship positions in the tech industry.

  • Interview Prep Groups (IPG) led by second year students to prepare students for interviews with tech companies. The groups organize mock interviews and provide feedback to help improve interviewing skills. The groups also provide case interview guidance, career panels, and interactive career guides where students share tips on the recruiting process and advice for career switchers.

  • Kellogg students organize a number of treks to visit companies at their offices. There are currently three tech treks that students plan. These treks are a great opportunity to learn about key companies within the tech industry and network with experts within each of those firms.

    • West Coast Tech Trek to San Francisco and Seattle: this trek occurs in December and targets companies including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Cisco, Evernote, Facebook, Intel, Intuit, LinkedIn, Medallia, Microsoft, Quantcast, Salesforce, Zillow, Zynga

    • NYC Tech Trek: this trek occurs over Thanksgiving break and targets companies including Facebook, Google, IndieGoGo, LinkedIn, Samsung
       

What tech companies recruit on campus at Kellogg?

To name just a few: Microsoft, Facebook, Intuit, Samsung, Sony, Apple, Google, IBM, Dell, Amazon, Intel, eBay, Expedia, and Cisco. In addition, many tech companies who do not interview on campus will interview Kellogg students off-campus. Leveraging the networks of current club members and alumni can help open those doors.

For more information on recruiting for tech positions at Kellogg, please see the Tech Recruiting Summary.
 

Do tech firms really require an MBA?

Historically, some tech firms have not made the MBA a priority. In recent years, however, the big firms have established large MBA recruiting programs. Take a look at the job sites for major tech companies and you are likely to find that an MBA is either preferred or required for many of their non-technical positions. The functional knowledge, leadership and teamwork skills stressed at Kellogg are very directly applicable to the tech industry dynamic.

What kinds of roles do technology companies recruit for at Kellogg?

Tech companies recruit for a wide range of roles at Kellogg. Primarily, companies recruit for internships and full time positions in product management, product marketing, corporate strategy, business development, finance and operations but check out the Kellogg Employment Report to see all the positions Kellogg students have taken in tech.

What types of roles do Kellogg students have as interns at tech companies?

Read more about several students' experience at various tech firms during their summer internship in the Tech Club Testimonials page.

How big is the Kellogg alumni network in tech?

The Kellogg alumni network in technology is strong and growing. In the most recent graduating class, about 15% of students chose to pursue technology careers after Kellogg, and the Tech Club alumni mailing list has 400 members.

Do I need to have a technical background to get offers from tech firms?

Most technology firms look at career switchers favorably. If you can illustrate solid industry knowledge, analytical skills, strategic thinking and problem solving abilities, you will be considered for the vast majority of positions. That said, a few technology firms require technical experience and/or a CS degree for specific positions. These technical roles are in the minority of what firms recruit for at Kellogg.

Other questions?

Have other questions? Contact the club at KTC Exec at htc-exec@kellogg.northwestern.edu. We'll do what we can to get you the answers you need as you're considering Kellogg!