Able to switch careers at INSEAD (or other 1 yr prgms)?

oodl · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:18 am

Hey all. Looking to hear from some current students or alumni for first hand feedback.

I'd like to switch my career from the corporate sector (marketing/sales) to management consulting and am considering INSEAD, but am concerned the 10 month program won't adequately prepare me despite its strong ties in consulting.

INSEAD's marketing material promotes it's career switching student body with 60% changing function, 56% changing country, 40% changing sector, and 22% changing all three. Yet the common opinion is it's very difficult to pick up the skills, knowledge, and network needed to make a career change in a (brief) one year program. Especially without a summer internship.

http://gmatclub.com/blog/2011/10/is-a-o ... for-you-2/

Can anybody share their story of switching (or trying to switch) careers in a one year program, whether it be specifically INSEAD or another one year program (kellogg, cornell, ESADE, etc.). Thx

rasta · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:22 am

oodl wrote:

Hey all. Looking to hear from some current students or alumni for first hand feedback.

I'm neither of the above, but here's my 2 cents:
Yes, an internship is a big deal, and will not only help you land a permanent offer establish a good network blah blah blah, but also, and IMO more importantly, give you a feel of the job and help determine whether it's your "calling".

Only embark upon a 1 yr program if you've already identified your target industry/role. Ideally, you should have started networking well before your MBA program starts. Try and land a pre-MBA internship. A 1yr program is not for you if you want to use the year to "find yourself".

You might find this blog post interesting: http://insead-the-journey.blogspot.com/ ... er-or.html

oodl · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:38 pm

thanks for the reply rasta!

rasta wrote:

oodl wrote:

Hey all. Looking to hear from some current students or alumni for first hand feedback.

I'm neither of the above, but here's my 2 cents:
Yes, an internship is a big deal, and will not only help you land a permanent offer establish a good network blah blah blah, but also, and IMO more importantly, give you a feel of the job and help determine whether it's your "calling".

Only embark upon a 1 yr program if you've already identified your target industry/role. Ideally, you should have started networking well before your MBA program starts. Try and land a pre-MBA internship. A 1yr program is not for you if you want to use the year to "find yourself".

You might find this blog post interesting: http://insead-the-journey.blogspot.com/ ... er-or.html

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Able to switch careers at INSEAD (or other 1 yr prgms)?

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