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Second half of the MBA journey in full speed!

09.03.2012

The second half our MBA is in full speed. After returning from Christmas break in January, it has been a whirlwind. I had the idea that after the 4th, and final core block, was finished we would be have a little “breather” in the curriculum. Wrong! We went straight into our Learning Assessment Week (more or less affectionately known by its acronym LAW), which was a 90 minute oral exam testing our knowledge of the MBA material thus far, presentation skills and current events in the business world. There was not a day that went by prior to LAW that every student in the class was deeply engrossed in world developments chronicled in the Financial Times. The students organized small discussion groups on what was in the FT that day, and during coffee breaks everyone was glued to the newspaper. The assessment itself was a fantastic experience (though I know I definitely was biting my nails just a few minutes before, trying to figure out what was waiting for me on the other side of the door where Simon Evenett, one esteemed professor, and two corporate panelists were waiting for me- but I am happy to report that it really was not as bad as it sounds), and I think this should be a mandatory assessment for all MBAs graduating from programs around the world.

I feel like I have been starring in my very own fast forward movie called the life of an MBA, as we are already now nearly in the middle of March! Job search and interview season is in full swing. This past Tuesday all the MBAs took part in the HSG Talents Conference, with a special treat for us MBAs with extensive prior work experience: the MBA Lounge. Many of us had interviews arranged with companies such as Zurich Financial, BASF, Glencore, Deloitte and many more, and we were able to discuss work opportunities with representatives at the Lounge and make new contacts. Outside of the Lounge, which by the way was located on a balcony above one of the large halls and the rest of the HSG students at the OLMA conference center, were many more companies looking to hire graduates from all the programs at HSG in the coming year. It was a great opportunity to see what is out there, and practice your 90 second pitch.  Pressure is definitely mounting to find a project and/or full time job, but the Career Services Office is working hard to find us opportunities. Rarely a day goes by when we are not forwarded opportunities in various industries by Career Services.

So, with only 12 more weeks of elective classes left, I am trying to slow my life down a little bit (though it seems impossible) and also enjoy some time with my classmates because I know once it is all over, I will miss them the most out of this MBA. Spring is also making its way back to Switzerland, and although the winter has not been that bad (really, I promise) I am excited for the warmer and longer days and everything that comes with them. But for now, I need to get back to my job applications and mounds of assignments….

 

It works! + practical advices on how to make it work

08.07.2011

It was a long time since I posted my last publication, which was about the core section of the program. This time I’m going to touch the topic of electives module and that of internship and job search.

Electives

There was a great variety of elective courses to choose from this year. It covered a broad range of topics such as finance, marketing, supply chains, business law, general economics, entrepreneurship, and many more. To me, that part of the program was enjoyable. I especially liked such courses as Applied Value Based Management, Supply Chain Management, Managerial Economics, Climate Change & Rise of Renewable Energies. I would say that most of professors turned out to be real experts in their fields, actively engaged with respective industries. I think we had a higher number of guest speakers during that module, while their level of expertise and overall “quality” were absolutely outstanding.

In terms of intensity, I wouldn’t say that electives module was any less demanding than the core part. Of cause, there were gaps between courses and in general, we were enjoying more flexibility. But with very few exceptions, one would spend a week attending a course itself and then another one, if not more, preparing all the deliverables, so usually all those gaps were filled with writing essays or doing calculations. At the same time, most of us were actively applying for jobs and internships, which is a very time-consuming process, as you may know. Considering all that, I would characterize the second part of the program as just as intensive as the first one, but with a little bit of flexibility built in.

Internship

Unlike some of my classmates I didn’t apply for full-time or internship positions too much. I was rather focused on finding a right fit and on quality of applications. That approach seemed to have worked out because eventually I got two internship offers (both competitively paid) – one in the Netherlands and another in Switzerland. The first one came through our career services and the other one directly as a result of my taking one of elective courses. The choice wasn’t easy though since both projects were neatly aligned with my longer-term plans and interests. Eventually, I opted for a Swiss one and started a week after completing all studies. I won’t go into many details and won’t even specify the company and content of the project (must honor a non-disclosure agreement). What I would mention though is that my current job is just as demanding and exciting as the MBA program itself. Interestingly, I’m not performing some dubious peripheral work. Right from the beginning I was involved with what is central to my department’s overall success, and it’s safe to say that my personal efforts have already created some tangible results. I believe, I’ve found a perfect match for myself, and there are early indications that the company would also want me to stay. What is absolutely amazing is that the content of my would-be job perfectly matches my long-term goals as described in one of my MBA application essays. Therefore I can say that for me, everything goes according to my initial plans.

How to make it work

As you can see, finding a great job, which was one of my main post-MBA objectives, is currently being materialized for me. Looking back though, I should say there are some things that I would have done differently and although those were not a big deal for the most part, I thought it could be helpful to some of you if you take them into consideration. Firstly, when I started applying for jobs for the first time during the program I realized how important it was to have a well thought-through and thoroughly polished resume. I spent days, not just hours, on mine and eventually came up with a decent product. But doing all that work before starting a program would certainly help since time is something that you really are going to be short of once you’re in the game. I also would recommend spending a few dollars, francs, euros or whatever on a good resume and cover letter writing guide. Unless you read one of those you won’t realize how many improvements you can make to your resume or a cover letter, which is equally important.

Another piece of advice would be to give a good consideration to your long-term objectives, define a career path for yourself on early stages, and focus on that throughout the program. That especially applies to those who plan making a career switch. You would argue that it’s better done during the program, while I would argue that you won’t be able to capture all possible opportunities by visiting every single event or shining on every company’s presentation. If you stay focused, on the other hand, and target a specific industry you’ll have more opportunities of advancing within that area. My mode of actions was skewed towards that strategic approach, but I saw some people acting rather randomly with no great success. Being realistic in your expectations is also very important. Trying to become an investment banker at Goldman Sachs after spending the whole life as an engineer is probably not the best idea. Talk to the career services when in doubt and do it as early as possible.

Lastly, I’d recommend everybody putting a lot of emphasis on networking. We’ve had a lot of opportunities for that during the program, but for my part, I can say I wasn’t always using them wisely. From my personal perspective, I would say that making the most of your time while having industry people in class, attending corporate presentations and other events, and (a very important point) having professors aboard in your job or internship search present the most opportunities for establishing good contacts within your industry of choice. And you’ll need those contacts to help you secure a good position since being well connected makes all the difference, especially here in Switzerland. I know that many people in our class have found their jobs or internships specifically through networking. Therefore, for some of us, attending a particular event or managing to involve a professor meant all the difference between being already employed or still being in the process of looking for something.

To conclude, I’d say that for me, the whole MBA experience so far felt like a single big dash. I’ve learned a whole lot of new things and in general, progressed significantly – all within a relatively short period of time. I wish everybody from the incoming class just the same and I’m positive that you will enjoy your journey, however challenging it might be.

Why St.Gallen?

13.09.2010

In a few short paragraphs, I will outline the reasons behind choosing to do my MBA at St.Gallen university.

Reputation. HSG is immensely popular in the so-called German-speaking part of the world (Austria, Germany, Lichtenstein and Switzerland). According to many sources (Wikipedia, online forums and so on), HSG is the indisputable leader in such fields as finances, economics, and business administration. Probably, you have already found plenty of evidence of that by searching the web for that matter. I’ve interviewed native Germans from my class regarding HSG’s reputation and they all told me that indeed this is the case. Exceptional quality of education, strong brand, and age-old ties with industries in German-speaking countries makes HSG stand out among other European universities. Founded in 1898 as a “Business Academy”, the university is one of the oldest institution of its kind in the world. It has the largest business faculty in Switzerland and it’s very much research oriented with 40 research centers and institutes as integral parts of the university. The MBA – a flagship program of HSG – is international, highly diversified, and is taught completely in English. For that reason, it’s a kind of entry ticket to the Swiss-German-Austrian job market for bright people from all over the world willing to pursue career opportunities there. Let’s make it clear though. An MBA degree from St.Gallen won’t necessarily get you a job here, especially if you’re not a Swiss or EU citizen (I’ll elaborate on that matter later in the “Recruiting” section). All I’m saying, is that there’s probably no better way to get started if you’re really interested.

Quality of education. I think that most of you would agree that the closest word one could associate the word “Swiss” with is the word “Quality”. HSG is no exception. Its quality of education as a whole and that of its MBA program specifically are in fact “Swiss-high”. HSG professors are of the highest caliber, earning international awards and providing consulting services to the big multinationals. Movers and shakers from a variety of big-name companies stand before students to present their cases. The university itself makes an incredible effort to develop and promote its MBA program and that of cause means a lot.

Class size / diversity / exclusivity. This year it’s only 45 people with as much as 24(!) nationalities. That results in way more attention from teachers and staff (which I’ve been experiencing ever since I started an application process), and an incredible environment to study in. In fact, once you’re here, you get the feeling that everything’s build around you, like you’re in the center, not the other way round. An average American B-school is nowhere near in terms of class size /way above/ and its diversity /way below/ (that’s a fact, don’t mean to be offensive). The mean GMAT score of nearly 700 and immensely diverse backgrounds and previous experiences translate to 44 tremendously bright and interesting people around me. It’s a completely new and refreshing experience to interact with these people no a daily basis, to have different prospectives and points of view – way above my wildest expectations.

Longevity. The program lasts for one year. Nothing special for Europe, but quite unlike many of the American schools. For those willing to work hard (like myself) it’s an obvious choice. Saves money (tuition + living costs + foregone salary) and time.

Location. Switzerland. Idyllic country in the center of Europe. Friendly people, excellent roads, excellent transportation system, excellent everything (and awesomely beautiful too). Fantastic ski resorts half an hour by car/train away and countless ways of doing recreational stuff. Two and a half hours by car to Munich, five to Venice or Genoa. Another year of government budget surplus, and another bunch of multinational corporations moving their headquarters there. I will not elaborate on that matter further, probably you know about Switzerland more than I do (especially if you’re someone from the university staff reading my blog:)