https://gmatclub.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/differentiation-thing1-thing2-150x150.jpg By Adam Hoff, Amerasia Consulting Group Time to break out an annual PSA here. I'm talking all alarms ringing, sirens, whatever it takes to get your attention. By "you" I mean: anyone applying to business school. You need to stop doing something immediately. Here it is: STOP TRYING TO "DIFFERENTIATE" YOURSELF. Or at least, stop doing it without a professional by your side. Let's dive into the 4 Rules of Differentiation before someone gets hurt. Rule #1 - Do not "differentiate yourself" with a panicked career change. Throwing a Hail Mary at the last second is not a good idea. Trying to scramble to a cooler or sexier or "more noble" company is not going to make you stand out as a candidate - it's going to make you look directionless or (worse) fake. Now, some people change jobs (even right before applying) and that is fine, as long as there is a logical reason for it - ranging from "I hate my current job and may walk into traffic unless I leave it" to "this is a unique opportunity that I have to take." However, don't change just to change under some faulty logic that they are going to see "Adam Hoff, SpaceX" rather than "Adam Hoff, J.P. Morgan" and start doing backflips. If there is no logical reason to go work at SpaceX, then don't go work there. They look at your whole resume - and mainly to see what skills you have, not what brands you racked up - so it's not like changing the "current employer" line is going to change the formula for who you are. This is all risk, no reward. Would you do anything else in your life that is "all risk, no reward"? I am guessing not. Rule #2 - Listing a hard job to get as your short-term goal is not "differentiating." If you only read one rule, read this one. Please! Read it again. Done? Read it again. Okay, you get the point. I have heard many, many times the past two years the idea from candidates that they want to pick post-MBA job X or Y because it will help "differentiate" them. In basically every case, the job in question is somewhere between "insanely hard" and "impossible" to get after graduating from business school. I'm talking hedge funds, VC, luxury retail, etc. I've even heard the quote, "What I really want to do is work in management consulting so I can really see what works and what doesn't and build towards my dream of starting company Z - but I feel like everyone puts management consulting so I want to find something else." Well, yeah, everyone puts it because management consulting firms hire lots of MBA grads. And they do that because they need talent and energy to feed an "up or out" machine - and the reason that grads take those jobs is because they can indeed learn what works and what doesn't as they make some good money and build towards the next step. It's a win for both parties ... so if that is what you want to do and it makes sense, why fight it? Either way, the worst thing to do is list a job you pretty much can't get, all in some misguided attempt to stand out. You will stand out all right -for your cratering effect on their employment stats. Insta-ding. Rule #3 - The "quick and easy" place to differentiate is in the WHY of your long-term career goal. I have probably written more about MBA career goals than any subject on earth, so I won't belabor the point now, except to say that you can use your long-term goal to share parts of yourself that are deeply held, introspective, and unique. That's how you differentiate yourself. Not "hey, look at how I left Goldman to go work at an oil company for no reason" and not "all these other guys may want to take the slam dunk of management consulting, but I want a c-suite job at Prada!" - no, it's "what I want to do for the rest of my life is X, and the reason is That is how you do it. If you need a mental shifting device, try this: most admissions officers would much rather read a great novel or watch a great TV show than hear a business pitch or dial up a TED Talk. Don't try to stand out ("differentiate") with your ambition, win them with your humanity. Rule #4 - The real, pure way to differentiate yourself is to do the app right. Do you know how many people submit truly great apps? No joke, my guess from what I've seen is about 1% of the applicant pool. I'm talking about: 1) a strong baseline profile (3.3 and above, 700 and above, solid impact in the workplace), 2) a really good resume (a sales document that advertises that impact in different contexts), 3) essays that are easy to read, 4) essays that are structured correctly, 5) essays with thesis statements, 6) essays that are introspective (see Rule #3), and 7) essays that nail the DNA of the school in question. If you check all seven boxes, you just differentiated yourself. Rather than searching for some magic bullet, just do a really good job. If you had to read dozens of files each day and only a few were really good, you'd be pumped when you read the handful that were. I know it's boring and self-serving to lay this out for you, but that doesn't make the advice any less true, so there you have it. If you need help differentiating yourself in a way that does good rather than harm to your app, email us at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com or visit us at https://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact . You aren't going to hear buzz words or lame gimmicks, just a breakdown of the hard, steady work required for a great app.

We recently hosted an event with some of our wonderful alumni who came over from Europe to study one of our Early Career programmes . During the session they discussed everything from visas to the social life on campus to the recruitment process for post-programme jobs. Watch the recording below. 1ubwrqd7X3o Find out more about the alumni on the panel via their profiles: Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020) Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020) Nicolas Beck (MFA2021). Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help. The post Coming from Europe to study in the UK? appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School .

We recently hosted an event with some of our wonderful alumni who came over from Europe to study one of our Early Career programmes . During the session they discussed everything from visas to the social life on campus to the recruitment process for post-programme jobs. Watch the recording below. 1ubwrqd7X3o Find out more about the alumni on the panel via their profiles: Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020) Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020) Nicolas Beck (MFA2021). Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help. The post Coming from Europe to study in the UK: Everything you need to know appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School .

We recently hosted an event with some of our wonderful alumni who came over from the US to study one of our Early Career programmes . During the session they discussed everything from visas to the social life on campus to the recruitment process for post-programme jobs. Watch the recording below. DzAdoVpTkWM Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help. The post US to the UK: Making the move to London for your Masters appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School .

By Marisa Reventos , Senior Manager – Experiential Learning and Massimo Attina , MBA2022 Among the plethora of options for experiential learning offered at LBS, LondonCAP offers leading London-based companies a terrific opportunity to engage a diverse group of talented LBS MBA students to help address a pressing business challenge of strategic importance. This year, 213 MBA2022 students delivered 41 LondonCAP group consulting projects for clients ranging from start-ups to multinational businesses across a range of sectors and industries. Here, Massimo Attina (MBA2022) shares his experience of participating in LondonCAP, to consult Divido with a vision to make the fintech industry a more diverse and inclusive place. Hi Massimo! Can you please tell us a bit about your background and why you signed up for LondonCAP? Hi Marisa, my background is in management consulting and I’m currently studying for my MBA to graduate in 2022. I decided to sign up for the LondonCAP project because I wanted to improve my leadership and client management skills in order to be ready for my future role as Project Leader in consulting. I personally had a great experience and I would recommend the course to anyone interested in learning and applying the soft skills needed in consulting, which are applicable and useful to any industry. Most students with a consulting background tend not to do the LondonCap, however I believe that it’s a great opportunity to take on a more senior role in a safe learning environment. The rest of the team was composed of three more MBA students: Macarena Cossa (prior experience in fintech), Maria Gabriela Zarama Gonzalez (prior experience in PE), and Nir (prior experience in Law and Business Intelligence). Who was the client, and what challenge were you helping them to overcome? The client was Divido , a fintech BNPL firm headquartered in London. The CEO and founder of the firm, the visionary Christer Holloman had one objective: make Divido, and the whole fintech industry a more diverse and inclusive place. He asked our team to help him define a clearly implementable strategy to do that. The team from the client side was completed by the VP of People James Weller, and Danielle Devine, People Associate. How did you approach the problem? The first action I took was to look internally and make sure I was part of a strong and motivated team. We started by getting to know each other, and we defined team dynamics, preferences and expectations. We then developed our own hypothesis, as well as a preliminary approach to the problem that we could propose to the client prior to the kick off meeting. This preparation ensured we were fully prepared for our first meeting, and enbled us to leave a good impression on the client. Our team proposed a three-fold approach to the problem. The first stage, data gathering, included both a current assessment (internal analysis) and a benchmark analysis (external). The second phase, analysis, centred on defining and ranking options. The final stage, delivery, focused on strategy definition. https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/divido-1024x391.png We also asked for constant touchpoints with the client to ensure we always aligned and avoided unpleasant surprises, whilst also establishing a platform that encouraged open and honest collaboration. What challenges did our team face during the project? As with many group projects, it wasn’t as smooth as we had planned it. The benchmarking analysis was extremely difficult, due to lack of information (if they even existed) on D&I strategies for fintech firms. We expanded the scope of our research, moving into tech companies, but faced a lot of challenges from the client. Furthermore, we struggled to perform the internal assessment of the company D&I practices, given the highly confidential nature of the topic which meant we we weren’t allowed to gather internal company data and analyse it. Finally, due to the pandemic my team and I were mostly working remotely, and we didn’t have set times to work on LondonCAP. Everyone was in charge of a specific activity and carried out these tasks in their own time. As a result, this led at times to miscommunication and a lack of alignment between us. How did you resolve these challenges? For the benchmarking, we developed a series of slides to communicate our message to the client. Below is what we included in our slides: Although, we would like to benchmark the D&I strategies of other fintech, Divido is a pioneer in this field in the industry. Therefore, we decided to analyse the initiatives of the best D&I companies in the world and what impact those had, regardless of industry. This will allow us to develop a long list, which will then be refined using fintech specific evaluation criteria. Providing a clear context and involving the client in our thought process throughout the project (rather than at the end of the project), allowed us to find an agreement and move forward with our proposal. For the internal analysis, we had to run multiple iterations, involving the school legal department and LondonCAP management team. Finally, however, we found a solution. The client agreed to let us anonymously interview some of their employees (we couldn’t see their faces nor know any demographic or personal details). We then asked information about the perception on D&I in the firm, what was going well and not so well. At this point, we were able to identify all the internal issues and how to address them. Finally, we changed some of the team dynamics, we set up 2 recurring weekly meetings, where we worked together online. This made sure that we set up a specific amount of time each week to work this in a coordinated manner ensure we operated in a coordinated manner. What did you learn from your LondonCAP project? I learnt several lessons from the Divido LondonCAP project: I developed my leadership and soft skills I improved my approach in dealing with clients and PMO I had the opportunity to meet and create a long-lasting relationship with classmates I didn’t know before I expanded my professional network But most importantly I had plenty of fun! Any questions? You can reach out to us on londoncap@london.edu The post My experience of the LondonCAP project appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School .

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Meet Nicolas Beck (MFA2019)

Nicolas Beck is an MFA2019 graduate and a current Investment Banking Analyst (Restructuring), Rothschild & Co. He will be joining us for our upcoming ‘Studying in the UK panel‘ with a particular focus on what it’s like for students coming from Europe and joining our Early Career programmes.

What were the benefits of studying your Masters in London?

One
big advantage of studying directly in London, especially for a Masters in Finance,
was of course the proximity to the finance industry. Even after Brexit the city
remains the clear European finance hub and having access to tons of networking
opportunities and industry events can be invaluable during recruiting.

On a
more personal level, I also really enjoyed the diverse international community
in London during my time at LBS, which is also something you won’t necessarily
have in other cities.

How
do you feel studying at LBS has helped you in your career path?

First of all, the teaching and experiential learning activities at LBS were all very close to practice and the business world, which still often helps in my day-to-day on the job. More importantly however, the network and the close connections we built over our year at LBS have proven to be invaluable during my career path so far. Whether it was simply to get a better understanding of a specific field of finance or to get tips for interviewing – there is someone from LBS willing to have a chat in nearly every field and organisation in London.

If
you had to choose one highlight from your time at LBS, what would it be?

It
is hard to choose one single highlight, as LBS really has been a full year of
amazing experiences, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be
representing LBS in a private equity case competition together with three very
good friends in Singapore.

How
did LBS prepare you for taking the next step in your career? Were there any
services available that you found particularly useful?

The comprehensive interview preparation before the start of the highly competitive investment banking recruiting season in London of course helped a lot during recruiting and the comprehensive curriculum of the Masters in Financial Analysis (MFA) helped me to figure out where in finance I want to go in my career. But most importantly, my LBS network is still my go-to resource when looking for new business connections.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to those considering applying to a programme at LBS?

Make sure to make clear why you would be a good fit to the school community – academics are very important, but ultimately LBS is as much about building live-long connections and friendships.

Join us at our upcoming event to hear more from Nicolas and his fellow alumni.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The post Meet Nicolas Beck (MFA2019) appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Meet Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020)

Fanni Luca Szente is an MiM2020 graduate and a current Consultant at Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. She will be joining us for our upcoming ‘Studying in the UK panel‘ with a particular focus on what it’s like for students coming from Europe and joining our Early Career programmes.

What were the benefits of studying your Masters in London?

The
biggest benefit for me was the diverse, multi-cultural experience – I was truly
surprised by the number of different cultures living in London. Sometimes, just
walking a few blocks down the road felt like entering a new country. Even
though I have lived in several countries before, I have never experienced
anything like this! Also, this was reflected in my MiM cohort (and in the wider
LBS community as well) so that I quite literally got the chance to meet people
from all over the world.

Additionally, London has something to offer for everyone – whether you are a “foodie”, into arts, into sports or something else, you will find something whatever you are looking for in this city!

How
do you feel studying at LBS has helped you in your career path?

For
my career path, LBS was mostly beneficial in two ways. First, it provided me
with a good business skillset which I can build upon in my current (and
upcoming) professional roles. Second, it enabled me to start building my own
professional network which now spans several industries and experience levels.

If
you had to choose one highlight from your time at LBS, what would it be?

As
my highlight from LBS, I would choose the TATTOO festival. The live music, the
food stalls offering delicacies from all over the world, the talent competition
and the light show at Sussex Place definitely made it an unforgettable
experience.

How
did LBS prepare you for taking the next step in your career? Were there any
services available that you found particularly useful?

I found the services from the Career Center particularly helpful. From day one, the Career Coaches supported us by organising activities to prepare for our applications, offering 1:1 sessions for career advice, providing interview coaching and more.

Apart from the Career Center, the help from my peers cannot be underestimated either. As we were all in the application process, we supported each other by reviewing the others’ application documents, giving case studies and training for fit questions.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to those considering applying to a programme at LBS?

Do not hesitate to reach out to LBS alumni to learn more about the LBS experience!

Join us at our upcoming event to hear more from Fanni and her fellow alumni.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The post Meet Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020) appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Meet Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020)

Irina Zmyzgova is a MAM2020 graduate and a current Senior Consultant & Data Scientist at Deloitte. She will be joining us for our upcoming ‘Studying in the UK panel‘ with a particular focus on what it’s like for students coming from Europe and joining our Early Career programmes.

What were the benefits of studying your Masters in London?

First and foremost – being part of a diverse talented community, which for me meant the ability to learn not only from distinguished professors, but also just as much from people around me, be it at a lecture, in working group sessions, or outside the classroom. It has helped me broaden my perspectives on life and business in more than one dimension, with the help of case-studies, analysing global market practices, and mentorship – I got to know my mentor (an LBS Sloan) by chance while waiting for my session at the Career Centre, and we are in touch up until present day.

How
do you feel studying at LBS has helped you in your career path?

LBS
has opened many doors for me in terms of being able to make a transition to the
European market and landing a job in Germany, which was my initial goal. As the
time goes by, I am also growing to appreciate the skills and mindset I was able
to develop doing MAM programme – having joined my consultancy only a year ago,
I was already able to both participate in developing an AI-based solution and
digital strategy, and trusted to lead a team of five people and act as a
project manager myself.

If
you had to choose one highlight from your time at LBS, what would it be?

Definitely
TATTOO! We were lucky to be able to attend the event right before London
introduced a lockdown and all our classes were moved online. However, the
setting itself, the performances, the food and shared memories are certainly
there to stay.

How
did LBS prepare you for taking the next step in your career? Were there any
services available that you found particularly useful?

I
was able to work with several career coaches that guided me through my
preparation for the recruitment process. I am especially thankful to Kira
Hughes, whose advice proved invaluable in making it to the final rounds of
multiple application processes.

What
is the one piece of advice you would give to those considering applying to a
programme at LBS?

Remember that connecting to your classmates and other LBS students is at least just as important as your academics – and make sure to make the most out of your time at the School, it will be over before you know it.

Join us at our upcoming event to hear more from Irina and her fellow alumni. Register here.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The post Meet Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020) appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My experience on the MAM programme

By Ishita Gupta, MAM2021

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/MAM-reflections-ishita-gupta-sept-2021-1.jpg[/img]

With the new academic year fast approaching, the MAM team wanted to give our prospective students a better understanding of what they can expect from the programme. We teamed up with Ishita Gupta, an MAM2021 alum, to discuss her experience with the MAM programme and how it helped to shape her future career.

What were your reasons for joining the MAM programme?

Having done my undergraduate degree in computer science and working for 2 years in analytics back in India, one of the main motivations for me to come to LBS was to learn more about the business side of things and get to learn and grow in a diverse environment with people from various cultures. The MAM programme strikes the perfect balance between data and business with modules like Data Science and Machine Learning on the analytics end, and Business Strategy, Accounting and Finance on the business side. The course was also very practical and hands-on with a lot of projects on real data and other modules like LondonLAB and GIFT which gave an insight on working in industry after graduation.

How did you find the structure of the course and the classes? Was the workload manageable?

The structure of the programme is pretty comprehensive but manageable with the various social activities LBS has to offer and also in line with the recruitment cycles. The highlight for me were the electives. The portfolio was very broad and considering my interest in Technology, I had the chance to take up electives like Product Management, Fintech, Social Media and Internet Marketing and Managing a Digital Organisation which helped me immensely in my interviews. I also had the opportunity to interact with peers from other courses like MBA and EMBA, many of whom have already taken up senior leadership roles in industries of my interest.

What surprised you about the programme?

I think the best part of the programme was the diversity of the cohort. A common misconception I think about the programme is that you should have prior technical or coding skills, however my cohort had people from a variety of backgrounds. My peers had backgrounds in finance, engineering, life sciences, hospitality management. amongst others, and it was amazing to see how each of us had a very different point of view to approach the same problem. With our diverse backgrounds, we all had transferable skills that we used when we interacted together in study groups and various breakout rooms during the lectures. It is definitely true when they say the best part about LBS is the people you meet!

Did you take part in any clubs or societies?

I was a [url=https://www.london.edu/masters-degrees/global-masters-in-management/who-attends/students-alumni-and-ambassadors#sort=%40profilesurname%20ascending&f:profileisambassador=[Ambassadors]]student ambassador[/url] for the MAM programme and helped potential candidates get an insight about life at LBS. Apart from this, I attended events that the Tech & Media Club organised and workshops that the Consulting Club put on. I was fortunate to attend the Product LBS conference and the Dublin Tech Trek where we had the chance to interact with senior industry experts in the Tech industry. I also had the chance to be a part of the Project Aasha team and work as an impact consultant for a fintech start-up in India; we helped them provide actionable insights to their solution of providing low income workers access to their accrued pay so that they do not get trapped in a lending cycle.

Apart from this, I attended a lot of social events offered by LBS like networking sessions, Sundowners which was a great way to meet people from other programmes and get a gist of the true business school experience. I am also looking forward to attending Tattoo this week!

How’s being a MAM alum helping your career so far?

I’ve always been passionate about technology and the MAM programme shaped me to be able to achieve the goals I had set for myself. Being a MAM alum has helped me secure a job as an Operations Manager for the Customer side at Uber London which was in line with my goals as I wanted to work in a data driven role focusing on solving problems. I’m also grateful to the Career Centre resources and LBS alumni network who have always been the greatest support system for me throughout my time at LBS and helped me grow personally as well as professionally.

Who would you recommend the programme to?

I would recommend the programme to anyone who is interested in the role data plays in our lives and how we can leverage data to make business decisions. As companies are moving towards a more data driven business model, this programme is suitable for people who want to enter or transition into an array of industries like consulting, technology or finance.

If you’re interested in learning more about the MAM programme, please visit our websitefor more information.

The post My experience on the MAM programme appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My MFA Study Group Experience; Meet Nona Velez MFA2021

By Callum Charman, MFA Recruitment Associate

Collaborative working through study groups is an integral part of the MFA programme. Study groups consist of 6-7 students per group who work together on core group assignments. Each study group comprises of a mix of educational background, nationality, age and gender to give students the experience of working in a diverse team in a multi-cultural environment. Study groups are rotated halfway through the school year, to give students the opportunity to collaborate with different members of their cohort.

In the first instalment in this blog series, we spoke to MFA2021 graduate Nona Velez about her study group experience!

Hi
Nona! To start, can you give a brief overview of your study group?

I was in London for the whole of last year and I still consider the people in my study group as some of my closest friends, because we interacted so much with each other. Despite some study group members being in completely separate parts of the world, we were still able to become close friends and we now meet pretty often. I’m still in touch with people in my study group, especially those who stayed in London.

What
was the most rewarding part of your study group?

Academically, we were able to encourage each other to stay on top of things, despite challenging circumstances with Covid. That was a really rewarding experience for me, because we definitely lost morale at times and you could feel it across the cohort. We were able to come together and finish strong by mutually supporting and encouraging each other.

Additionally, there was a lot of diversity within the study group. Whether it was geographical, different ways of thinking, different ways of approaching problems or different ways of working within a team, it was always really enjoyable. Some people are much more introverted and can get a lot done on their own time, whilst others really value working with another person. Learning to manage those different types of personalities was a very rewarding experience.

What
were your key takeaways from the study group experience?

I didn’t have much study group experience at undergraduate level, if anything there wasn’t much focus on teamwork. It was quite predictable because you could choose your team/partner. The study group experience on the MFA programme was a really worthwhile experience, as you learn to appreciate people for their differences and what they bring to the table. I also learnt to understand that people have different working styles, and to respect that people in a team with different working styles can still work together and be cohesive. We spent a lot of time in the tutorials together, which was a really important part of the study group experience which I really enjoyed.

Naturally, I tended to take the lead role because it’s part of my personality. I’m extroverted and sociable so I used that role to help me get to know others in the group at the beginning. With that lead role, I learned that being flexible and able to adapt was one of the main challenges with group work. Dividing people into smaller teams and assigning roles can be a challenge, so it was important to understand that people are different and what works for someone isn’t going to work for everyone.

To find out more about the MFA programme, please visit our website.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Coming from Europe to study in the UK?

We recently hosted an event with some of our wonderful alumni who came over from Europe to study one of our Early Career programmes. During the session they discussed everything from visas to the social life on campus to the recruitment process for post-programme jobs. Watch the recording below.

Find out more about the alumni on the panel via their profiles:

Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020)
Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020)
Nicolas Beck (MFA2021).

Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Coming from Europe to study in the UK: Everything you need to know

Fanni Luca Szente (MiM2020)
Irina Zmyzgova (MAM2020)
Nicolas Beck (MFA2021).

Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: US to the UK: Making the move to London for your Masters

We recently hosted an event with some of our wonderful alumni who came over from the US to study one of our Early Career programmes. During the session they discussed everything from visas to the social life on campus to the recruitment process for post-programme jobs. Watch the recording below.

Applications are currently open to join our Early Career programmes. Want to find out more or have any questions? Get in touch with our team who will be happy to help.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My MFA Study Group Experience; Meet Erkka Salo MFA2021

Collaborative working through study groups is an integral part of the MFA programme. Study groups consist of 6-7 students per group who work together on core group assignments. Each study group comprises of a mix of educational background, nationality, age and gender to give students the experience of working in a diverse team in a multi-cultural environment. Study groups are rotated halfway through the school year, to give students the opportunity to collaborate with different members of their cohort.

In the second instalment of this blog series, we spoke to MFA2021 graduate Erkka Salo about his study group experience!

Hi Erkka! To start, can you give a brief
overview of your study group?

In the first study group, we didn’t really have a leader; we found that everyone had their own roles that they wanted to do, and they did very well which meant we had trust in each other and the wider team. Despite being a very diverse group of people, everyone had the same interests so the dynamic was really good and everyone did a fair share of the work. We only had one person who was outside of the UK, but the time difference wasn’t too crazy. We were able to have a lot of group meetings in person with the majority of the team.

In the second study group, it was a little bit different. I took a lead role and devised and divided tasks so that every task was completed efficiently. The dynamic still worked really well, which was down the diversity of mindsets and skills that we had within the team. Combined, our different skills and mindsets worked well to make a good collective product. We were all in similar time zones so we were quite lucky! It required a little bit of adjustment from everyone but isn’t this the nature of business?

What
projects did you do?

We did a Hedge fund Management Strategy project for Investment Management. We had to do research on different strategies to see how they performed historically and why it would be a great training strategy going forward. Once we were able to consolidate the project, everyone did a great job. There were no major adjustments to be made, as we trusted each other to do our parts well and we ended up getting the highest grade for the project! When you have that trust with your teammates, it’s always a good experience.

With the second group, we had a project for Security Evaluation. Everyone was busy with recruiting so it became a bit of a sprint to the finish, however with good teamwork and a couple of late nights we got it finished to a good standard.

What
was the most rewarding part of your study group?

I come from a very diverse international background, where I’ve lived in seven countries and really hoped there would be an international atmosphere. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to come to LBS and was the most rewarding aspect of the study groups. Furthermore, I wanted to experience the different ways people think and work as a team. Working with different people helps you to adjust to different working styles and puts you in a good position if you’re looking to manage people in the future.

What
were your key takeaways from the study group experience?

We were already limited in the social interaction we could enjoy, due to Covid, so especially in the beginning, we would always try to meet in person. When we started working together and dividing tasks, we would try and meet at one of our places. Outside of projects we would still try and get together; we went for picnics, we went to the pub and at some points we would also cooked for each other. I think doing activities together outside of work helps with the overall project that you’re trying to complete because it created a fun atmosphere.

The study group experience has especially
helped within my current role, in terms of the digital communication which was
required, due to the various lockdowns. Through Zoom, WhatsApp etc, getting
work done to a good quality, with everyone doing their fair share can be
challenging. I work a lot from home at the moment, so the experience of working
remotely at LBS has really helped me to communicate and collaborate effectively
in my current role.

Click here to read more about the study group experience from other MFA2021 students!

To find out more about the MFA programme, please visit our website.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My experience of the LondonCAP project

By Marisa Reventos, Senior Manager – Experiential Learning and Massimo Attina, MBA2022

Among the plethora of options for experiential learning offered at LBS,
LondonCAP offers leading London-based companies a terrific opportunity to
engage a diverse group of talented LBS MBA students to help address a pressing
business challenge of strategic importance.

This year, 213 MBA2022 students delivered 41 LondonCAP group consulting projects for clients ranging from start-ups to multinational businesses across a range of sectors and industries. Here, Massimo Attina (MBA2022) shares his experience of participating in LondonCAP, to consult Divido with a vision to make the fintech industry a more diverse and inclusive place.

Hi Massimo! Can you please tell us a bit about your background and why you signed up for LondonCAP?

Hi Marisa, my background is in management consulting and I’m currently studying for my MBA to graduate in 2022. I decided to sign up for the LondonCAP project because I wanted to improve my leadership and client management skills in order to be ready for my future role as Project Leader in consulting. I personally had a great experience and I would recommend the course to anyone interested in learning and applying the soft skills needed in consulting, which are applicable and useful to any industry. Most students with a consulting background tend not to do the LondonCap, however I believe that it’s a great opportunity to take on a more senior role in a safe learning environment.

The rest of the
team was composed of three more MBA students: Macarena Cossa (prior experience
in fintech), Maria Gabriela Zarama Gonzalez (prior experience in PE), and Nir (prior
experience in Law and Business Intelligence).

Who was the client, and what challenge were you helping them to overcome?

The client was Divido, a fintech BNPL firm headquartered in London. The CEO and founder of the firm, the visionary Christer Holloman had one objective: make Divido, and the whole fintech industry a more diverse and inclusive place. He asked our team to help him define a clearly implementable strategy to do that. The team from the client side was completed by the VP of People James Weller, and Danielle Devine, People Associate.

How did you approach the problem?

The first action I took was to look internally and make sure I was part of a strong and motivated team. We started by getting to know each other, and we defined team dynamics, preferences and expectations.

We then developed our own hypothesis, as well as a
preliminary approach to the problem that we could propose to the client prior
to the kick off meeting. This preparation ensured we were fully prepared for our
first meeting, and enbled us to leave a
good impression on the client.

Our team proposed a three-fold approach to the problem. The first stage, data gathering, included both a current assessment (internal analysis) and a benchmark analysis (external). The second phase, analysis, centred on defining and ranking options. The final stage, delivery, focused on strategy definition.

We also asked for constant touchpoints with the client to ensure we always aligned and avoided unpleasant surprises, whilst also establishing a platform that encouraged open and honest collaboration.

What challenges did our team face during the project?

As with many group projects, it wasn’t as smooth as we had planned it. The benchmarking analysis was extremely difficult, due to lack of information (if they even existed) on D&I strategies for fintech firms. We expanded the scope of our research, moving into tech companies, but faced a lot of challenges from the client.

Furthermore, we struggled to perform the internal assessment of the company D&I practices, given the highly confidential nature of the topic which meant we we weren’t allowed to gather internal company data and analyse it.

Finally, due to the pandemic my team and I were mostly working remotely, and we didn’t have set times to work on LondonCAP. Everyone was in charge of a specific activity and carried out these tasks in their own time. As a result, this led at times to miscommunication and a lack of alignment between us.

How did you resolve these challenges?

For the benchmarking, we developed a series of slides to communicate our message to the client. Below is what we included in our slides:

Although, we would like to benchmark the D&I strategies of other fintech, Divido is a pioneer in this field in the industry. Therefore, we decided to analyse the initiatives of the best D&I companies in the world and what impact those had, regardless of industry. This will allow us to develop a long list, which will then be refined using fintech specific evaluation criteria.

Providing a clear context and involving the client in our thought process throughout the project (rather than at the end of the project), allowed us to find an agreement and move forward with our proposal.

For the internal analysis, we had to run multiple
iterations, involving the school legal department and LondonCAP management
team. Finally, however, we found a solution. The client agreed to let us anonymously
interview some of their employees (we couldn’t see their faces nor know any
demographic or personal details). We then asked information about the
perception on D&I in the firm, what was going well and not so well. At this
point, we were able to identify all the internal issues and how to address
them.

Finally, we changed some of the team dynamics, we set up 2 recurring weekly meetings, where we worked together online. This made sure that we set up a specific amount of time each week to work this in a coordinated manner ensure we operated in a coordinated manner.

What did you learn from your LondonCAP project?

I learnt several lessons from the Divido LondonCAP project:

I developed my leadership and soft skills
I improved my approach in dealing with clients
and PMO
I had the opportunity to meet and create a
long-lasting relationship with classmates I didn’t know before
I expanded my professional network
But most importantly I had plenty of fun!

Any questions? You can reach out to us on [email protected]

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My MFA Study Group Experience; Meet Azmi Dzulkarnain MFA2021

Hi Azmi! To start, can you give a brief overview of your study group?

It was a little bit different for me because
I spent most of my time with LBS, studying from Singapore. My study group was
my only real interaction with people from LBS for actual active participation.
I was lucky because my study group was not only people who were really capable,
but people who I could really enjoy my time with. Without the study group I
could’ve felt a little detached from LBS.

One of the only good things about being so
isolated because of Covid is that we were able to become really close with our
study groups, whether you like them or not! They were the main interaction for
a couple of hours every day, which was a good experience.

I had a few close friends from the second
study group. Even now that I’m in London, my closest friends are from my study
groups, which is great. I met Nona yesterday for dinner. She’d never tried
hotpot before, not a good one anyway!

What
projects did you do?

We had a lot of projects but the biggest was
for Data Analytics. For that course we had tutorials for two hours a week,
where we had to sit and work together in our study groups.

The biggest challenge was coordinating
meetings across different time zones. With everyone busy with recruitment and
job searching, especially in the first term, getting five individuals on one
schedule wasn’t easy! Sometimes I had to stay up a little later than I would’ve
liked, which could be a challenge! At least I didn’t have to get up early. No
one likes getting up early, right?

What
were your key takeaways from the study group experience?

The main difference between LBS and undergrad
was with the study groups. These are the people you work with for all your
classes. You can’t chose them and you work with the same 5-7 people for 5 or 6
classes in a row. For better or worse, you have to work together, which is a
good proxy for real life. Your team are assigned to you, similar to colleagues
within a workplace. It’s a good introduction to working life.

Click here to read more about the study group experience from other MFA2021 students!

To find out more about the MFA programme, please visit our website.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: The new podcast series for the EMBA London programme

The Executive MBA London programme has launched a brand-new podcast called – ‘The Executive MBA: One step Closer’ – which gathers some great insightful episodes focused on different topics related the Executive MBA London programme. Whether you are interested in finding out more about how to submit a successful application, what types of profiles you can find in the cohort or what the dynamics of the LBS community are, this podcast is the right choice for you! Our mastermind behind this project – the Executive MBA London Admissions Manager Satouka Basso – hosted 5 episodes already along with some of the key LBS stakeholders, which have been uploaded on the SoundCloud platform here.

A short breakdown of our series up to this point:

Top tips on submitting your application
Learn the DO’s and Don’ts on how to put together a strong Executive MBA application from our very own Admissions Team – Zenab Matloob, Senior Recruitment and Admissions Manager and Elena Aldea, former Recruitment and Admissions Administrator.

EMBA History and class profiles
Discover the beginnings of Executive MBA and how the class have evolved throughout the years to what it is today. Listen as Brett Hunter, Recruitment and Admissions Director, breaks down the class profile as well as elaborating on the wide and diverse class profiles.

The faculty and classroom experience
Are you curious about the esteem faculty at London business School, what the format of the Executive MBA programme is or what the classroom experience is like? To better understand these, we invited Fiona Lennoxsmith, Director of the EMBA programmes to expand on these areas and give you a taste of what being an Executive MBA student is like at London business school.

The Community of LBS
One of our points of pride here at London Business School is the community. Hear more about the elements that make London Business School a vibrant, engaging and inclusive community from our subject matter experts – Rachel McConnell, Senior Manager of Business Systems and Analytics for Recruitment & Admissions; Mhorag Doig, Executive Career Lead for Alumni in the Career Centre, and James Boudreau, current MBA2021 student and President of the Student Association.

Scholarships and other funding options
Explore the Executive MBA scholarships, the ethos behind them and what you need to do to apply. Lydia Wakefield, our Associate Director of External Partnerships and Scholarships, provides essential key points on our scholarships as well as other funding options available and some advice on how to prepare financially for the programme.

Help us spread the word! If you have an interested topic you wish to be discussed, feel free to get in touch with us.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: The Belong bain Fellowship Programme for LBS Students

This October, we are honouring Black History Month UK and the theme this year is ‘Proud To Be’.

We are proud of what LBS has accomplished in the last year towards its
aim of increasing the number of Black faculty, students and staff. In line with
those new initiatives already implemented, we are delighted to be collaborating
with Bain & Company on The Belong bain Fellowship Programme.

Bain & Company are a global consultancy that helps the world’s most
ambitious changemakers define the future. Across 63 offices in 38 countries,
they work alongside their clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve
extraordinary results, outperform the competition and redefine industries. Bain
are committed to demonstrating their commitment to promoting racial equality
with a real focus on the recruitment of underrepresented groups.

The Belong bain Fellowship Programme, which launched in August 2021
exclusively to LBS students, has been specially designed to upskill and mentor
members of the Black community to ensure that their experience of applying to a
top consulting firm like Bain is a positive one.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Lydia1.jpg[/img]

“We are proud to be working with
corporate partners who share the commitment to progress diverse talent. Not
only do we want to ensure more Black students advance through post-graduate
business education, we are also working with industry to ensure our students
have opportunities to excel in their careers and reach their ambitions.

The Belong bain Fellowship
Programme provides these opportunities early, supporting our MBA students right
from the beginning and throughout their LBS journey.”

Lydia Wakefield-Yeung, Associate Director, External Partnerships and Scholarships

The Fellowship Programme, which is available to all Black-heritage candidates accepted onto the LBS MBA programme, is made up of the following elements:

A Mentorship Programme, where you will be assigned a Bain mentor for the full academic year. You will meet with your mentors either virtually or in person at least once a month.
You will take part in a Programme, spread over three days during the Summer. The programme includes elements from Bain’s new Consultant training programme and, in addition, you will work on a case example.
You will have instant membership to a unique community of other pre-MBAs and be invited to private events either on campus or at Bain’s London office.
You will be guaranteed a first-round interview at Bain & Company for the Summer Associate Role, and interviews usually take place in January.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Keith.jpg[/img]

“Racial equity has become a hot topic for a lot of companies lately. Bain has increased its focus on racial equity in recent years with a much deeper look at our processes and systems that affect outcomes for our team. More importantly, we’ve also embedded a DEI lens into all of our practice areas so that we can help clients that are struggling with this topic on multiple dimensions. We are also thinking about the role Bain should be playing in the communities where our people live around the world.

LBS continues to be an increasingly important school for Bain as we grow our need for talent and our ambitions for a more diverse firm. Historically, LBS has not had the number of Black heritage students that we like to see on campus and I’m thrilled to see the commitment made (and early results) to increasing those numbers.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet with several Belongbain fellows, which were all Black heritage students. The energy, the engagement, and the desire to make an impact on the world was admirable. Hopefully, our continued partnership with LBS can help both organisations move the world in the right direction.”

Keith Bevans, Partner, Head of
Consultant Recruiting at Bain

We checked in with Fellow, Babatunde Gafaar from the inaugural Programme.
Now three months in, he shares his experience so far.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Tunde.jpg[/img]

“Coming from a
medical background, this fellowship was a fantastic opportunity to gain an
insight into the Consulting industry as well as learn about Bain, its people,
and its culture.

There have been many
highlights so far. During the three-day camp, I had the privilege of having a
session with Keith Bevans (Bain’s Global Head of Consultant recruiting), who
spoke about his experience as a black consultant at Bain whilst also giving
really insightful advice on navigating the MBA programme. Another enjoyable
experience was the case I worked through with the other fellows, which we had
to present to a team of Bain consultants. This allowed me to experience how
consultants solve complex problems and present their findings and
recommendations to their clients. Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of
the amazing ‘Bainies’ in person at a recent networking event in the London
Office.

I’m really looking
forward to the monthly mentoring sessions that will continue to provide me with
relevant advice and support throughout my MBA programme.

The fellowship has
provided me with great advice and mentorship, which will aid me in my MBA and
my career ahead. In addition, I have made unique personal connections through
this fellowship which I hope to keep throughout my career.”

Babatunde Gafaar,
MBA2023

Applications for the next intake of The Belong bain Fellowship Programme will launch Spring 2022. We encourage applications from admitted students to LBS’s MBA programme and who meet the eligibility criteria. To apply, you must submit an up to date CV and answer a question based on your motivations for applying to the Fellowship.

Bain & Company are proud to be publicly recognised around the globe as a great place to work and in 2021 were awarded #1 on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list. In addition, they are proud to be one of Mogul’s Top 100 Workplaces with the Best D&I initiatives and Diverse Representation in 2021. This takes into account minority representation in leadership roles, support and resources for employees, as well as social contribution. Bain & Company in the UK are also proud to have signed the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter, an initiative that aims to improve outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic employees in the UK by tackling the barriers to recruitment and progression.

The post The Belong [url=https://gmatclub.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&un=bain]bain Fellowship Programme for LBS Students[/url] appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: The MiF student experience

What better way to understand what it’s like to be a MiF student than hear two of our wonderful alumnae reminisce?

Karolina Rybacka (MIF FT2020) and Amalia Tolios (MiF FT2015) share the highs and lows from their time on the programme, and how all of them became their defining LBS moments. Watch the full interview below.

“I was so overwhelmed with everyone’s experience… I felt really privileged to be with people from all walks of life; all sorts of companies, countries and work cultures.”
– Amalia Tolios (MiF FT2015)

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: Belonging at LBS: Meet the Out in Business Club Panel

In the first of the [b][url=https://www.london.edu/events/calendar/b/belonging-at-lbs---introducing-to-the-out-in-business-club]“Belonging at LBS” series[/url][/b], the [b][url=https://clubs.london.edu/oib/home/]Out in Business Club[/url][/b] will be talking about the club’s motivations, the students’ journeys through business school, and the challenges and celebrations of being LGBTQ+ in the business world.

Below is more information about our panelists:

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/connor.jpg[/img]

[b]Connor Van Gessel, MBA2022 [/b]
A Californian at heart, Connor hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he studied public policy and economics at Stanford University. Prior to attending the LBS MBA programme, he worked as a strategy consultant in Chicago. Connor came to LBS to cultivate a global mindset and to gain greater exposure through his professors and peers to cultures and backgrounds unlike his own. Outside of class, Connor is VP of Internal Affairs for the Out in Business club and Co-President of the Marketing and Strategy club. He is also an active member of the Tech and Media and Wine and Spirits clubs, and can often be found exploring London on his scooter.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/roomi-1.jpg[/img]

[b]Roomi Chowdhury, MBA2022[/b]
Roomi is an MBA candidate at LBS and a Laidlaw Scholar. She holds a PhD in Chemistry (Drug Discovery) from University College London (UCL) where she also studied her undergraduate Masters in Chemistry. Prior to the MBA, Roomi worked as the Head of Engagement for Students and New Alumni at LBS and before that as an Account Director at a charity fundraising agency. Roomi is Co-President of the Out in Business Club and Co-President/Captain of the Women’s Football Team. She is a passionate advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), and for environmental and social issues.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/than.jpg[/img]

[b]Thanh-Vi Le, MiM2021[/b]
Thanh-Vi is a Product Marketing Manager at Optimizely and previously served as a Vice President of Marketing on the Out in Business Executive Committee in 2020-2021. Prior to LBS, Thanh-Vi spent 2 years as a Product Owner at Société Générale where she led the delivery of banking applications. She holds a Masters in Management from LBS, a Bachelors in Business Administration from ESSEC Business School, and has studied in France, Singapore, and Chile.

[img]https://admissionsblog.london.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Acacia.jpg[/img]

[b]Acacia Taylor, MiFPT2023[/b]
Acacia is a Part-time Masters in Finance student at LBS. She is a MIF Student Ambassador and a member of the Out in Business ExCo holding the role of VP – Sponsorships. She is an Associate at Howden Capital Markets, a recently launched boutique investment bank, which focuses on buy and sell side insurance sector investment. Following her BSc in Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics from Kingston University London, Acacia was awarded a scholarship for her diploma in financial trading at Divento Financials. Acacia is half Irish, half Maori and sits on the Inclusion mentoring programme and LGBTQ+ committee at Howden. She is passionate about championing and creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Outside of work, she enjoys overeating in London’s food playground and holds a level 1 Sommelier certification from WSET. She is also extremely passionate about all sports, having previously represented Ireland in Hockey.

To register for this event, please visit our [b][url=https://www.london.edu/events/calendar/b/belonging-at-lbs---introducing-to-the-out-in-business-club]website[/url][/b].

The post [url=https://admissionsblog.london.edu/belonging-at-lbs-meet-the-out-in-business-club-panel/]Belonging at LBS: Meet the Out in Business Club Panel[/url] appeared first on [url=https://admissionsblog.london.edu]Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School[/url].

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: My journey to the MiM

By Niklas Vater, MiM2022

The time right before or after your bachelor’s can be quite overwhelming. Some university graduates already have clear ideas of where they want to go and what they want to do, and others don’t. I was part of the latter. With so many different paths and options before me, I felt quite lost. Many different questions were going through my mind:

Do I want to start working straight away or continue my education?
What subjects am I interested in?
Do I want to continue business studies or start something completely different?
What city do I want to live in?
And how am I handling all of this in a pandemic?

If these questions sound familiar, this blog post is for you!

Why LBS?

When researching top institutions in Europe and across the globe, sooner or later you’ll hear about LBS. Although rankings and prestige might be a useful tool to filter universities of interest, they shouldn’t be used in isolation to make a decision on your institution of choice.

I wanted to learn more
about the school and what makes LBS so unique. My choice of selecting and
ultimately joining the school boils down to three reasons.

Community
First and most importantly, creating communities and building bridges is at the heart of LBS. The school spends tremendous time, effort, and resources on making your time at LBS not solely focused on academia, but also incredibly enriching in terms of non-academic activities. There are Away Days, Sundowners, and weekly cross-programme gatherings at the iconic front lawn to enjoy dinner and drinks, amongst other activities. All this is complemented through activities organised by the various societies on campus with highlights such as Diwali Ball, EUROUT, and of course, Tattoo.

On top of that (yes, it doesn’t stop there), you have chances to travel internationally with your community through on the one hand Treks, organised by the respective society with destinations such as Japan, Spain and many more. There are also GIFTS (Global Immersion Field Trips) organised by the school to develop professionally. You probably can tell by now that there is a strong focus on making your time at the school unforgettable and building long-lasting friendships, something very unique and different from other business schools.

London
Second, London is a city to be experienced at least once in a lifetime. As a young student or professional, London is an incredibly enriching city through its cultural offers, recreational activities, and most importantly diverse communities. As the saying goes ‘In London everyone is different and that means anyone can fit in, you will instantly find your place in this stunning city’. Every day will be different here as thousands of opportunities are thrown at you. It’s also a great place to connect with people from the business world, which is also why they are going to be many events happening in the city with professionals.

Career Centre
The Career Centre are an integral part of your LBS journey. You will work closely with them over the course of your programme as they share their extensive network and expertise. Almost every day you have companies coming to campus, or events with alumni, which highlight their strong ties with the professional world. Furthermore, their areas of expertise are divided by industries, allowing you to get in contact with the person that fits your needs best and learn about industries you haven’t necessarily thought of before or which are hard to break into. Theemployment report for the MiM programme speaks for itself, not only if you’re interested in consulting and/or banking but also any other large industries.

Why the MiM?

Right after undergraduate graduation, I decided to take a gap year, partially in hope the pandemic would come to an end by the time I continued my education, partially to gain solid work experience.

However, to me, it was clear that I would want to do a Master’s degree at some point, as I didn’t feel ready to enter the working world permanently and wanted to continue to learn and grow academically.

Yet, coming from undergraduate business education, I wasn’t sure whether the MiM (Masters in Management) would be enriching to me or just a repetition of what I’d previously been doing. Hence, I also looked at the other Early Career programmes that LBS offers.

There are two
characteristics that distinguish the MiM from other Management degrees.

Although you learn the fundamentals of business in a broad sense, there are specific subjects that are less general, such as Data Analytics and Risk Analysis. For the more general core courses, such as Financial Accounting and Finance, the curriculum is much deeper than what I’d been studying in my undergraduate and thus, really strengthened my knowledge in those fundamental areas.

Additionally, through the electives you choose individually, which will take place in the third term, you can customise your learning journey. Compared to other programmes, you’ll only choose a limited number of electives, however digging much deeper into the content and gaining more ECTS per subject. For instance, I really fell in love with Data Analytics in my core courses and am very excited to develop more proficient skills in this area through my electives. Those electives are usually cross-programme so they are also a nice opportunity to connect and work with MBAs, MiFs, or even Sloan students.

Tips and Tricks?

If you’re unsure about your choice of business school (and trust me, I know the feeling), I encourage you to join one of the school’s information sessions. There are also calls organised by specific associations which might be of particular interest. I attended an information session by the Out in Business Club, the LGBTQ+ association at LBS, to connect with people and get a feeling for the school’s community.

If you decide to apply to LBS, here are my tips and tricks on how to nail your application and stand out as the unique person you are:

First (and that’s more of a disclaimer), don’t worry too much about the weight of individual items in your application. Although the GMAT average is competitive, strong experiences, interesting backgrounds or a unique story are of equal value to your overall application.

Second, be clear about where you want to go in your personal and professional development and how LBS can support you to achieve those goals. It’s important to sit down and reflect on the journey you want to build and milestones you want to reach to make sure LBS is the right choice for you.

Third, and probably most importantly, make sure your personality, interests, and possible contributions to the community shine through. LBS is about creating diverse stories and so every particular hobby or interest should be brought forward. LBS values dedication and extracurricular efforts so don’t hesitate to outline what you’re passionate about and ideally, how you can integrate that passion into life on campus.

Furthermore, LBS is one of the most international places you will ever be. Hence, it’s important (especially if you don’t have international experience) to show that you’re supporting values of diversity.

And lastly, be your best self!

Good luck with your application and do not hesitate to contact any of the staff or student ambassadors in case you have remaining questions!

If you’re interested in learning more about the MiM programme, please visit our website.

The post My journey to the MiM appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: How to deal with career uncertainty post-MBA

Jamie McGraw, MBA2023

Jamie is a behavioural economist and entrepreneur with 4 years of experience in financial services and public health. Particularly passionate about Tech, he is currently doing an internship at a FinTech start-up in London. He decided to do an MBA at LBS because he wants to build an international network and live in an international city while pivoting from a niche role into Tech. Jamie was also directly inspired by two South Africans who had done incredibly after doing their MBAs at LBS. He is also particularly passionate about making a difference in his home continent. He’s currently a member of many clubs including the Tech and Media Club, Africa Club, Consulting Club, Expedition Club, Football Club and Entrepreneurship Club.

How certain do you have to be about your post-MBA career?

The first time my class sat together in a lecture theatre, we were asked
to introduce ourselves to the class and say something about our post-MBA plans.
Most people repeated what they had said in the application that had earned them
the seat they were now sitting in. But a few brave souls came clean and admitted
they actually weren’t sure what they wanted to do – our class was audibly
amused.

Hearing people laugh at this refreshing honesty took a weight off my shoulders because I immediately realised that every person in the room, regardless of how certain their post-MBA plans were, could relate to the feeling of doubting their aspirations.

This is definitely something I wish I’d known before starting the application process.

The “contradiction” in your application process

If you are applying to a top business school, like LBS, you may have noticed an odd part of the application process. On the one hand, you’ll be asked several times by admissions committees about your post-MBA plans. What is your 5-year plan? What are your post-MBA goals? What are your short- and long-term goals? On the other hand, we know that one of the main functions of an MBA is to discover the answer to this question. At LBS, there are a number of students each year who don’t stick to the plans they stated in their applications.

When I started applying, I found this part of the application process
jarring. Initially, I felt like I would have to be insincere: don’t admissions
staff know, statistically, that I’m probably not going to stick to what I say? If
so, why am I saying it? And those of you applying may have wondered something
similar. Can’t you just “drop the act” and admit that in reality no one knows
what they’ll do after the MBA? You could tell them you have some rough ideas
but… you know… nothing specific! Won’t they appreciate this “refreshing
honesty”?

Why admitting your uncertainty is not a solution in the application
process

Well, put yourself in the admissions committee’s shoes. In particular,
imagine someone reviewing your application not in isolation, but alongside
hundreds of other applications. To be clear, what follows isn’t an official insider’s
guide to the LBS admissions process; it’s a general way to imagine the
admissions process that I found personally useful when going through this
exercise.

So, imagine you’re trying to recruit someone who has just told you they
have no idea what they want to do. There’s nothing wrong with being less than
100% certain about the future, but if you award a spot to someone in a prestigious
programme, you want to be sure they’ll use it wisely. In other words, you’d
want some assurance that the applicant has some direction, right? So, while admitting
uncertainty may feel cathartic to the applicant, it just makes it more
difficult for the recruiter to justify picking them over someone who has put
the effort into reducing that uncertainty.

It’s not that the admission committee is trying to coerce you into
saying things you don’t mean, they just want to know that you have at least one
thoughtful, realistic career plan. And if, during your MBA, you find a path
that you love even more than your initial plan then more power to you! But, on
the off chance that you don’t, you do need a basic plan to fall back on. So
what this means is you’ll have to put a “stake in the ground” for your
application.

Two reasons you might be feeling uncertain

Assuming you’ve accepted this, if you’re still feeling uncertain about how to do this, two things might be getting in your way:

Awareness; you actually aren’t aware of the full spectrum of opportunities available to MBA graduates.
Selection; you’re aware of the opportunities available, but you’re not quite sure how to choose between them all.

Fortunately, increasing your awareness is fairly easy; LBS (and most business schools) provide an employment report on their website which describes in detail what opportunities recent MBA graduates have been able to secure. So that takes care of one problem. Unfortunately, selecting your path is a little bit trickier and merits its own discussion.

Three tips to tailor your post-MBA plan

Here are some useful tips I received for my post-MBA plans that helped
me narrow down the set of viable options:

Connect it to your past. Telling the admissions committee you want to do something that has absolutely no connection to your experience signals that you might not be thinking carefully about the risks involved. Connecting it with your past (even in a small way) also helps to keep your aspirations realistic and craft a meaningful narrative about your career progression. This will be especially useful if you weren’t sure about your aspirations in the first place.
Show don’t tell. It doesn’t cost you anything to state your aspirations but it does cost you something to act in line with your aspirations. So a good way to differentiate yourself is to start doing something (again, even something small) that you can point to when you’re telling the committee about your plans.
Show how an MBA will help get you there. There are lots of ways to pursue your aspirations. In fact, most people pursue their aspirations without doing an MBA. So you’ll want to sense check whether the career plan is something your MBA programme of interest is known to help people get into.

Defining your post-MBA plans is good preparation for your MBA

The reality is that your MBA is about learning to form opinions and make important decisions during periods of uncertainty. Constructing your post-MBA plan will be good preparation for your time in class when you’ll be constantly taking positions in case studies about things you’re not 100% sure about. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. And, as you will hopefully see once you’re inside the programme, it’s very normal to feel uncertain.

Good luck!

If you’re interested in learning more about the MBA programme, please visit our website.

The post How to deal with career uncertainty post-MBA appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: The MiF and my Career: Marcial Domit Pacheo (MiF FT2020)

A large part of why many people choose to undertake a Masters is because they have a strong motivation to really drive forward in their career. So how exactly does the Masters in Finance (MiF) Full-time help you achieve this? We spoke with Marcial Pacheco Domit (MiF FT2020) to find out.

What were your motivations for joining the MiF programme?

I
wanted to make a change in my career and establish a long-term career in
Europe. The best way to accelerate my career was to the MiF at LBS. I reviewed
numerous universities across the world and definitely LBS was by far the best
option, as it offers the #1 Masters in Finance, and London is one of the
principal financial hubs of the world. The courses offered by LBS were optimal
to structure my career and pursue my long-term goal. As my background was
finance and economy and I had a clear view of what courses I wanted to take and
the career I wanted to pursue, the MiF was, without a doubt, the right
programme for me.

What impact has the MiF had on your career?

I have
been working in London at a Consulting firm for almost a year, without LBS I
would not be here; so there is no way to quantify the impact the MiF has had on
me and my career.

How did the Career Centre support you in achieving
your career goals?

It
helped me a lot! One of the most helpful things is the support with adjusting
your CVs and cover letters, as this can be new for students from some countries
and difficult to understand what UK recruiters are looking for. In addition to
this, all the sessions and mock interviews are incredibly valuable, they give
you the experience needed when having real interviews.

What was the most useful Career Centre resource?

It is
difficult to choose only one resource! But, the supply of jobs in Career Centre
is out of this world. In addition, all the sessions with LBS specialists like
Marcelle were of immense help in order for me to secure a job in London.

How have you used the LBS network to benefit your
career?

It is
amazing the network that I have created over the course of the MiF. I have a
very good relationship with my peers, and having any conversation with them is
enriching for me. I’m sure that these connections will help me significantly in
the future.

What is your top piece of advice to those considering
the MiF programme?

That you shouldn’t hesitate! You will not regret choosing the MiF at LBS. The courses are amazing, with expert professors and great material. And the network you will create is unparalleled. The vibes from the LBS community are just different, you simply know that you are part of the top finance programme in the world.

Interested in applying to the MiF? Our team would love to hear from you. Send us your CV or LinkedIn profile and we’ll be in touch for an informal chat.

The post The MiF and my Career: Marcial Domit Pacheo (MiF FT2020) appeared first on Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School.

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FROM LBS Admissions Blog: The MiF and my Career: Marcial Pacheo Domit (MiF FT2020)

A large part of why many people choose to undertake a Masters is because they have a strong motivation to really drive forward in their career. So how exactly does the [url=https://www.london.edu/masters-degrees/masters-in-finance-full-time][b]Masters in Finance (MiF) Full-time[/b][/url] help you achieve this? We spoke with [b]Marcial Pacheco Domit (MiF FT2020)[/b] to find out.

[img]https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5603AQFXwRO-SFurNQ/profile-displayphoto-shrink_800_800/0/1589812711183?e=1642032000&v=beta&t=oK7NZyleyYce4YRhP4zMD--N-btjaed9t09tCRQdHvs[/img]

[b]What were your motivations for joining the MiF programme?[/b]

I wanted to make a change in my career and establish a long-term career in Europe. The best way to accelerate my career was to study the MiF at LBS. I reviewed numerous universities across the world and definitely LBS was by far the best option, as it offers the #1 Masters in Finance, and London is one of the principal financial hubs of the world. The courses offered by LBS were optimal to structure my career and pursue my long-term goal. As my background was finance and economy and I had a clear view of what courses I wanted to take and the career I wanted to pursue, the MiF was, without a doubt, the right programme for me.

[b]What impact has the MiF had on your career?[/b]

I have
been working in London at a Consulting firm for almost a year, without LBS I
would not be here; so there is no way to quantify the impact the MiF has had on
me and my career.

[b]How did the Career Centre support you in achieving
your career goals?[/b]

It helped me a lot! One of the most helpful things is the support to adjust your CVs and cover letters, as this can be something new for students of some countries and difficult to understand what UK’s recruiters are looking for. In addition to this, all the career sessions and mock interviews are incredibly valuable, they give you the experience needed when having real interviews.

[b]What was the most useful Career Centre resource?[/b]

It is
difficult to choose only one resource! But, the supply of jobs in Career Centre
is out of this world. In addition, all the sessions with LBS specialists like
Marcelle were of immense help in order for me to secure a job in London.

[b]How have you used the LBS network to benefit your
career?[/b]

It is amazing the network that I have created throughout the MiF. I have a very good relationship with my peers, and having conversations with them is always enriching for me. I’m sure that these connections will help me significantly in the future.

[b]What is your top piece of advice to those considering
the MiF programme?[/b]

That you shouldn’t hesitate! You will not regret choosing the MiF at LBS. The courses are amazing, with expert professors and great material. And the network you will create is unparalleled. The vibes from the LBS community are just different, you simply know that you are part of the top finance programme in the world.

[b]Interested in applying to the MiF?[/b] Our team would love to hear from you. [url=https://www.london.edu/submit-cv?itemId=1da04a59-6a2b-467b-916a-49a2975b8b62&servicepagereferer=1da04a59-6a2b-467b-916a-49a2975b8b62][b]Send us your CV or LinkedIn profile[/b][/url] and we’ll be in touch for an informal chat.

The post [url=https://admissionsblog.london.edu/the-mif-and-my-career-marcial-domit-pacheo-mif-ft2020/]The MiF and my Career: Marcial Pacheo Domit (MiF FT2020)[/url] appeared first on [url=https://admissionsblog.london.edu]Student and Admissions Blog - London Business School[/url].

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FROM LBS Current Students Blog: A curious case of a Flu!

There are two things that happen when you catch a flu. One – you feel quite sick and miserable (and even more so if it is the latest bad Aussie flu strain going round). Two – you have a lot of time at your disposal that you spend doing nothing but cogitating. Interestingly, the flu hit me almost as soon as we had returned to our 2nd term at the LBS EMBA. The first term was just over and I presume we were all full to the brim and in fact spilling over with some newly discovered subjects and terms. The desire to outpour and apply these skills onto the first possible real-life scenario was intense. A flu was an easy target for me.

Economics of Flu: Economics is a very welcoming subject. It’s quite easy to start off most problems with what appears like a big cross (X) on a graph, and then use the right arguments to prove it right. Although mine hit at a fairly relaxed time, Flu inherently is an inferior product. However, it causes major supply and demand shifts in terms of sleep, food intake and peace. There are very few substitutes to it and in the flu market, consumer power is almost negligible and restricted only but to paracetamol. On a typical night of flu, the Nash equilibrium is usually achieved quite late in the night when the tiredness of body and mind finally take over and the body is just fighting a marginal cost battle of survival. The flu market is also quite elastic to seasonality and in the best market conditions, arbitrage presents a major problem too.

Accounting a Flu: The flu had a major asset impact on my household accounts. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen inventory has gone up significantly in the household increasing assets significantly. The plan is to capitalize these costs over subsequent flu’s. The cash flow effect is not significant and neither is the impact on P&L. However, provisions have had to be made to account for loss of work and social commitments.

Analytics of a Flu: The confidence interval of predicting a flu is quite wide. However, once you do get a flu, the significance levels of feeling extremely poorly are quite high. The mean recovery period is usually a week with about +/- 3 day variance. Certain strains (like this recent one) introduce high deviations though and skewness. Multiple hypothesis have been built around quick cures for the flu, but in most cases it has been quite difficult to either prove or disprove them. People do build up multiple regression models to find quick solutions from flu. Although honey & lemon, lemsip and good old paracetamol have all come up statistically significant in the models, whilst the cure model itself is quite weak with a low Adjusted R2. Assignments have been shown to have a highly negative correlation to the cure too.

Ethics of a Flu: Now this is a fairly tricky area to get into. You get a flu, because you catch it from someone somewhere. What is the proper ethical behavior in a flu? Are you really NOT infectious when you think you aren’t? Or is that a serious miscalculation of judgement. Do you miss a very important meeting just because of a flu or a class? There are no right answers sadly and at the end it is an ethical choice.

So there it is – a lot of the first term learning delivered via a flu. As they say, catching a flu is one thing, learning from a flu, quite another!