Interview graduate IMD MBA on admission and study in business school

Sergey, a graduate of IMD Business School and, concurrently, an MBA Consult student , gave an interview about how he acted and studied at the business school of his dreams.

- Introduce yourself, please, and tell us what your education is, and what did you do before entering a business school?
')
I am an energy engineer by my first education. Before joining the business school, I worked as a consultant for a big four company and head of the IFRS department at a large manufacturing company. In order to be ready for a larger role in the financial sector, I wanted to expand my horizons, communicate with people from different countries, get a global vision of various functions, not just finance.

For me, an MBA is a story to a lesser extent about money, more about knowledge and horizons. Well, and I wanted to work abroad after the program.

By that time I had been working in Russia for 7 years, I wanted to get European experience after MBA. Besides, I wanted to work not in the branch, but in the headquarters. After the MBA, I planned to continue working in the industry, did not want to go into consulting, I also did not want to change my function, I wanted to develop further in finance.

I chose between several well-known European business schools , I personally visited LBS, Oxford, INSEAD, IMD. He also went to MBA Consult for meetings with graduates of many schools, went to exhibitions of business schools in Moscow.

- Ie 4 schools considered, it turns out?

I ended up applying for documents only in two schools: at INSEAD and at IMD, they seemed more appropriate to me to pursue a career in the industry, and learn more about other functions.

- Did a visit to the campus somehow play in the selection?

Yes, after visiting the campus of other schools, I realized that it was not mine.

- Why did you choose IMD?

I applied to INSEAD and IMD, they accepted me to both schools. Then I had a long-term plan to stay in Europe, preferably in Switzerland, since there are a lot of headquarters of global companies. Plus Switzerland is located in the center of Europe, which makes it possible to travel comfortably. In addition, IMD focuses very heavily on the industry; only 15% of the class goes to consulting, which is noticeably lower than in other top schools.

In addition, I wanted to be in such a small community of 90 students who really know each other personally and will always be ready to help. Everyone gets the same access to everything a school can give. Individual approach: you personally know the teachers, MBA-office, career office. The approach to learning and finding work is becoming much more targeted in such a school.

- How did the admission process go?

I had a rather long process of preparation for the GMAT. I took courses here in MBA Consult. Then he prepared himself for a long time. The problem was with the "hedge", with mathematics everything was in order. As a result, I passed the first time at 670. I had 109 points on TOEFL and for me it was incomparably simpler.

- With these points you served?

Yes, served with these results. - Here you are. What was the first week in business school? - We had a new program director. It was clear that the program would be very different from previous years, that it would reform a lot, that a higher load would be returned. He believed that the load was less in recent years. Of course, there was a shock at how much they wanted from us, but I expected even the worst.

That is, for me with my big4 experience, this was not such a big shock as for those who came from the industry. Then came the rise of the load. January - it was still normal, but somewhere from the end of February - in early March it was already hard for me. Although it was hard for someone from the first week, for someone in the second month, for someone in the third, it was hard for those who came from management consulting a couple of times a year.

The load is set before the first exams, which are in late April. Then a short semester in May-June, and in July exams. There is also a fairly high load, but a little less than what was in April. In the summer, discovery expedition takes place. Students in groups of 30 people go on a small trip and meet with business leaders in different countries. In my case it was Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Considering that I was not in Asia before, it was a very interesting experience. In 2015, students traveled to Japan and China, Singapore and Abu Dhabi, to California and Mexico. For school, this is certainly not easy, because you need to organize three trips, three programs. Previously, all 90 students went to one place and it was a trip to a developing country. For students to see how they live in a poor country, it was South Africa several times in a row. In terms of business, there was not much point. Yes, people watched the shoemaker work in South Africa, but it’s much more interesting to go to Singapore or California. So I support this change in the program.

After discovery expedition, consulting projects begin. In the course of these projects, a group of students forms the company's strategy, studies new markets, gives recommendations on business development, on concentrating on certain products. Very interesting practice, which gave a lot. Especially for those who did not want to go further to McKinsey or BCG, but would like to get consulting experience. The group is supervised by a professor, and all the time he motivates and guides students based on his consulting experience, because most of the teachers conduct consulting projects.

Clients, as a rule, are very satisfied, make offers for students participating in the project, and also leave scholarships for students in the scholarship fund. By the way, incoming students from emerging markets will share a special stipend of 200,000 francs among themselves.

- What can you say about the infrastructure of the school?

The campus is excellent, maintained in perfect condition. Around the great nature, gorgeous city with a fun and active nightlife (by Swiss standards). Each study group always has its own comfortable large room in which students spend most of their time. Students have access to the gym, where teachers and school staff go. Nearby is a lake, which is 10 minutes walk.

Around the bike path, on which this year John Kerry rode. And the students saw him in the break of his negotiations with Iran. The restaurant in IMD is definitely the best among business schools in the world. All books, dinners for the whole year, discovery expedition are already included in the price of the program, you do not need to pay anything extra.

- It turns out that there was a lot of free time?

Not at all. In fact, IMD is proud to say that they have as many classroom hours in their one-year MBA course as they do at Harvard in a two-year course. IMD has always had a very heavy workload, especially when compared to schools in the United States. In fact, students have a 7-day work week all year.

- What is the role of the career office in the program? What is it for you? You have already finished, respectively, you can already share the latest information.

Career office organizes presentations of companies that are held in August, September, October. Since September, the first on-campus interviews have already begun. There are different formats. It happens that the company comes, organizes a presentation, and interested students attend it. Very often a graduate comes to work at this company and tells how he is doing. Further it is proposed to fill in the questionnaire online. And then spend the next round - an interview. Most companies come to interview on campus, which is very convenient. All major European and American companies with their proposals come to IMD. For example, in the Siemens CEO program there are always several students from IMD. Samsung Global Strategy Group always accepts students from IMD.

In BCG in London, 4 people from my class are now working, although when BCG came to interview, they said that they definitely did not take to London, but in the end they took four. There are no noticeable restrictions in terms of nationality. Yes, many companies do not want to do work permit for Russians, but much more than those who do not cause problems. In 2014, there were 5 students from Russia and 1 Ukrainian in the class, in 2015 there were 3 Russian women.

Of these 9 people, 6 are currently working in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

- If you judge our guys on the course, how are they anyway? Strong enough?

Yes, our level is quite good, and in general the class is very strong. The 90 people in IMD are really individually selected people. In the IMD, the process of selecting potential candidates is two-step: first you need to prepare an application package, which includes an essay and three recommendations.

Half of the potential candidates are eliminated at the stage of this package. But if the application is interested in the school, then the potential student will be called on the assessment day in Lausanne. Students should demonstrate their skills in a presentation, in case studies, in group discussions, and in a one-to-one interview with admissions.

The school is looking for people who fit its culture and has the opportunity to choose the best, because the class is only 90 people.

- During the interview, do you show your skills in a team?

Yes. One case is sent in advance. Students have about two weeks to familiarize themselves with it. Candidates will sort this case in a group, argue with each other about which strategy to choose the company described in the case. In addition, during the assessment day, candidates receive a second case, which they see for the first time. According to it, they prepare a small presentation and show other candidates and admissions, defend their point of view.

- Well, what was it like for you? This is probably a stressful day: you got into the atmosphere, when you need to give everything 110%.

Of course, this is a stressful moment. But I had a wedding on Saturday, and the next Friday I was interviewed. I was in a good mood and everything went perfectly.

Assessment day in IMD was a pleasant adventure during the wedding month, which ended well, because a week later I was informed. that i'm accepted.

- But in any case, you are actively preparing for this interview.

Yes, definitely. It makes sense to meet with an IMD graduate to find out the format of the interview. Yes, cases change, but the format does not change. It makes sense to discuss the school's culture in order to understand who the school is looking for. What qualities should be demonstrated and which ones to hold in this interview.

- What advice can give applicants? What you need to pay attention to?

They certainly look more at a person than at a position in a previous company or its size and fame. Leadership potential and business style are of great importance. How a person communicates with his colleagues during the assessment day, how respectful he is to others.

This is not a school that welcomes heading or tough style. There is a style of cooperation and joint problem solving. Any pressure that Russians could show on the interviews in this school will not be perceived well, you need to be softer. I think it makes sense to practice in presentations, in the story of your career history, to work out a logical answer to the questions: why do you need an MBA? Why now? Why IMD?

- What percentage of people who did not pass the assessment day?

About 50%.

- What is your relationship with classmates?

Very good, because the class is small and you will recognize many quite well over the year, working in different groups. For example, I need to supervise our business in Thailand right now. I did not understand some of the cultural aspects of doing business in Thailand. I called my Thai classmate, and he helped me to better understand how to work with our management in this country.

In general, during the year we actively helped each other, not only in preparing case studies and projects. They shared their connections with companies of interest, shared their experience in them, their understanding of various industries, conducted test interviews with each other. This is perhaps the most valuable acquisition for the year. Of course, classes are very necessary, important and good.

There are brilliant teachers. But the experience gained from classmates is of great importance. What is good about IMD is that the average age and average work experience on the MBA program is the highest in Europe and the world — these are 31 and 7 years, respectively. And this was another factor that made my choice in favor of IMD.

I prefer to study with more experienced colleagues. For example, if we talk about finance, then we had three financial directors in the class, that is, they came to learn from this position, although all three were slightly over 30.

- Are you, in principle, satisfied with IMD also at 110%?

Yes.

- Please tell us more about the professors.

IMD has very strong professors, I especially liked the teachers of Entrepreneurship and Finance. Entrepreneurship leads Benoit Leleux. He became a professor of entrepreneurship when entrepreneurship was not yet a science studied in a business school. He started doing this about 20 years ago at the only US school that then focused on entrepreneurship. He himself participated in the development of many entrepreneurs as an investor. He talks about all stages of startup growth, about venture capital, private equity.

He has awesome cases that have won contests more than once. He is very interesting in classes, visiting each lecture is an exciting 4 hours, you endure a lot. He goes through the whole cycle from creating a company somewhere in the garage to becoming a small corporation. He invested in many businesses of his students. Those who want to launch their startup can count on its support and its network, of course, if the project is worthwhile. Another cool professor is Nuno Fernandes, he leads finance.

Nuno has very interesting and challenging cases, even if you already have considerable experience in finance. He collaborates with the largest oil companies in the world, and every year he invites Shell's Chief Financial Officer to speak to students. Also, the Nestle CEO comes to IMD every year. Various speakers come and invite professors, in particular, we had the head of Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

IMD holds the CEO roundtable annually. We were represented by CEOs of numerous companies, for example, CEO Kone, who told how this Finnish elevator-building company, being a small regional player, in a relatively short period of time became one of the global leaders in this business.

IMD is a school that focuses on executive education. And most of the IMD alumni are just graduates of small programs that run from 1-2 weeks to a month, the so-called open programs. These programs are attended by top managers of major corporations in the world, members of boards of directors, and there is an opportunity to meet with them right on campus during the course. Some companies that come to teach their employees want to talk with students and potentially offer a job. IMD graduates are very dedicated to their Alma Mater.

Successful graduate of IMD due to the fact that students on the program are much less able to communicate with those 3-5 students who turn to him for the year, unlike schools, in which large classes and he / she receives dozens of letters from students of the current year .

Now in IMD there is a mentorship program. It helps to apply to graduates who graduated 10-15 years ago, so graduates help current students decide on their career development. IMD is notable for being able to conduct such courses, which are difficult to do in a large school. For example, there is a course Crisis Management, which holds a few former British journalists from the Air Force. They show for three days how to react in a crisis situation to the media, how not to lose their reputation and to retain management in the company. This is an invaluable experience, after which it will be easier when a crisis situation comes. The program includes carrying out fascinating simulations of the development of the company, when groups compete with each other in a changing market.

Integrative Exercises take place, during which students work on a problem in a group for 2-3 days. Most cases are solved during the 4-hour class, and Integrative Exercises are larger cases with different aspects, and students work on this project continuously for 2-3 days. For example, some students are teams that sell a company.

The other part is those who buy. They must first make a valuation and then negotiate with each other and close the deal. In addition, IMD holds a startup competition in Switzerland every year. And selects 15 startups which students help to rise to their feet, advising them for 4 months.

Interestingly, 15 years after Benoit Leleux started this competition, it turned out that of the 10 largest startups in Switzerland in recent years, 6 are those who have been helped by IMD students. And you need to understand that only 15 startups per year go through IMD. And this course runs in parallel with the toughest part of the program. But the contribution that students make to the start of this company has a very significant impact on its future. - What are your further global plans? - Globally, the plans have not changed - I want to become a financial director and I hope that my company will find ways for my development in this direction. I am very pleased with my new job.

- From a family point of view, are there any advantages for couples? Students are often interested.

Yes, this is a very interesting point. There are only two countries where a student’s MBA partner receives a work visa - this is Switzerland and England. Do not underestimate this moment.If a student's spouse is also professional and would like to continue his career, he / she does not need to do a work permit, it is enough just to find a job. In the case of my wife, she was able to find work before we left for Switzerland.

And as soon as all the documents were ready, she could start work. This is only possible in England and Switzerland. This must be taken into account: you lose your income, pay for tuition and living in these countries, and the ability to save at least one salary is a very good help. For those partners who have children, the school hired a special coordinator who deals only with them, organizes events for them, helps to solve everyday problems. Partners can often attend some IMD events held for the MBA. These are not only some parties, but also networking events.

- Did you search the accommodation yourself?

The school helps to find accommodation, because in Switzerland it is not easy, especially in Lausanne. The student chooses one of the available apartments, makes a deposit, moves in and undertakes to release at the end of the year for the next class. The school organizes this process with the help of the agency. The school has a hard criterion where there can be apartments from the agency - within walking distance, 10-15 minutes from the school. It is very comfortable.

In the interview saved the author's style.

PS We recommend another article on the topic - MBA Consult student interview on entering the Cranfield Business School .