What motivated your decision to invest in business school early in your career?
I went to work straight after my bachelor’s degree. I realized after about two years that even though I had built up good experience, it was mostly in day-to-day operational activities. I aspired to managing a department but knew that I lacked the knowledge and skills necessary to understanding business from a strategy management perspective. So, I decided that it was time for me to earn a business master’s degree abroad and learn alongside like-minded talents from all over the world.
What advantages did you have in your job search as an enrolled business school student?
The reputation of Stockholm School of Economics as the top business school in the Nordic region gave me a great advantage. I also took opportunities during my time at school to try different paths—like interning with several different companies and working as a research assistant—to build up my work portfolio here
in Sweden and get myself prepared as an international student for the job search after graduation. Finally, I strived to expand my professional network, getting in touch with and speaking with the people who work in the fields that I am interested in. I’ve learned a lot and received a great amount of advice from them!
What advice would you give to aspiring international business school students?
First, do your own research and grab opportunities when you see them; do your best with the opportunities you have and doors will open for you. Second, take advantage of resources as a business school student to learn something new—your career will thank you later. I used my school credentials to learn new analytics tools such as R and Python and accessed a lot of useful resources for free or at a discount, which was extremely helpful for my job search.
Lastly, be curious and proactive. It never hurts to ask. Reach out to current students, alumni, or anybody who you think has the answer that you’re looking for. Most of the time, people are more than happy to help you out.