"Entrepreneurship faculty are keenly aware what students are looking for and whether they might be a fit," Hall says. "If companies can forge relationships with the faculty, that can really help, particularly in a large school, where you might not be able to get into structured campus recruiting."
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6. Leverage Your Alumni Networks.
A little alumni favoritism never hurt anyone, especially when you're the one it favors. Hall recommends getting in touch with your own alma mater to see what new talent is popping up.
"We've created a lot of synergy with professional development events for alumni that we promote with the students early on, encouraging them to become active with the alumni network," she says.
Not only will you be somewhat familiar with the education the students have received, but the schools, themselves, are more likely to be receptive and welcoming to their own alumni.
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7. Find Schools With Funding.
If, like Weintraub, you're unable to offer prospective interns and hires the same amount of money that the large corporations can, there are some schools out there that offer students a stipend when they take a position in an entrepreneurial setting.
Hollander says Wharton is one of those schools. Their annual Entrepreneurial Intern Fellowship program supplements student salaries to cover whatever sum of money they might not be receiving for a given internship.
"If you feel, as a small business owner or manager that you have resource needs, don't make any assumptions about what students want or don't want," she says, adding that all career services offices offer different programs, and it's worth checking out what options are available to you, before you get discouraged.
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8. Work With the Schools That Work With you.
The fact is, no matter how hard you try, some schools may still be impenetrable. In the long run, though, it's better to invest your time and energy in a school that's going to be welcoming.
Weintraub, for instance, has built a solid relationship with Pepperdine, and he says he doubts he could find more qualified candidates anywhere else.
"Should I make the effort to go to a top 20 school when I'm going to strike out more often than not because of the competitive landscape?" he says. "At Pepperdine, I feel like we're wanted. Pepperdine is aggressive, and they invite me and my company into things."
In the end, Hall says, "The MBA degree is strong, and sometimes you're in the best position if you invest regionally and work with schools in your local market."
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9. Be Kind to Your Interns.
Every business owner knows how important word of mouth can be in finding new customers, but it's equally important in finding new employees. One bad review of a boss or working environment can make its way around a school, so make sure you don't leave MBA students who intern for you with a bad taste in their mouths.
"Positive internship experiences definitely spread quickly, so that's a way to increase interest and response over time," Hall says. "Just consistently post internships with the school to create some visibility."
Weintraub makes a point of telling interns on their way out that he will personally write them recommendations if they need them. "I was an intern at one point and my business partner was an intern back in the day," he says, "so we know how important that is."
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10. Talk up the Working Experience.
When all else fails, small businesses have something that Wall Street banks and high-powered law firms just don't. That is, they can offer recruits a broader range of responsibilities and access to the company.
"For some MBAs, if they're going to have a great story to share on their resume of all the accomplishments and skills they've developed, that's going to be very attractive," Hall says.
Hollander agrees. She says the small businesses that have been able to successfully land Wharton's top talent are the ones who can give students a clear road map as to what they'll be doing and why it's essential to the company.
"It's about offering the right role, responsibilities level and a little bit of mentorship that makes it a compelling opportunity for a student," she says.
In practice, Weintraub has found this tactic to be his secret weapon, as well. "If you're an intern here, you have full access to my company. You work directly for myself, the senior execs and you have high-level projects with real deliverables," he says. "You can actually touch and feel very intimate details of the company and help us grow."
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