Corporate human resources (HR) representatives at some companies—particularly those that operate in an industry you are interested in—have a good sense of what business schools and programs have helped make their top managers and executives successful. Most HR people will be willing to talk with you if you contact them.

When speaking with HR staff, describe your background and intentions for MBA study. Ask what advice they have for you and what types of MBA graduates they tend to hire. Not only will you gain helpful information, you’ll develop a valuable networking contact for your MBA internship search.

As you embark on the process of researching schools, don’t forget to tap an excellent resource that some people overlook—your friends and family and other personal contacts who have been to business school themselves or know people who have been to business school. These people can be very helpful sources of information because they presumably know you and are at least somewhat familiar with your interests, abilities, and goals. Be sure to make good use of them by asking about anything from the culture and learning environment of certain schools to the job prospects of graduates in the industry in which you plan to work.

Although you might not want to disclose your MBA aspirations to all your colleagues at work, you should seek the opinions of professionals you trust and respect in the business world. If you work with MBAs, find out about their experiences. Ask what they perceive to be your personal strengths in a work setting, and ask how they think an MBA could help you to develop personally and professionally.

Outside your job, network with people in organizations that represent the industry you aspire to work in once you have an MBA. If these people have MBAs, find out what types of schools they attended and why. Ask their opinions about various types of programs and specific schools. Discuss your plans concerning the MBA—not just your prospects of getting a degree, but your expectations once you graduate. See what they have to say about how you might evaluate which schools would be a good fit for you.