by Aram Karakashian, Senior Global Recruitment Manager
At most business schools you will find similarities in the course content, the academics and the case studies used. What differs and sets them apart is the environment you study and develop in.
Here at London Business School, it is easy to point to the key characteristics that help to define this environment; the city of London, the diversity of the classroom, the practical nature of the academics. However a key characteristic that is vitally important for Early Career students in particular is the cross-generational learning opportunities. The LBS community is diverse, not just by nationalities but by the range of experience levels of its students. Our MBA and MiF students have on average five years of experience and our leadership students have on average twelve years. For a small community like LBS these individuals are easily accessible and quickly become part of your network. To learn and socialise amongst them can broaden your horizons and expose you to insights and learnings that would not be easily accessible in a standard workplace.
Within the Early Career programmes there are three key opportunities to maximise the impact of cross-generational learning:
1. Electives
Students have access to a range of elective courses whilst studying on the Early Career programmes. Not only does this allow you to begin to specialise your knowledge but you are in the classroom with students from across our Degree Education portfolio. With a vast range of diverse experience in an elective class this presents the opportunity to gain insights and thinking for tackling problems or solving issues.
However much experience or insight an individual has, everyone is treated as equal, allowing Early Careers students to have an impact and opinion on assignments and tasks. It is a mutually beneficial relationship for all involved.
2. Mentors
There are a multitude of mentorship opportunities for Early Career students through the MBA and MiF mentoring scheme or seeking out one of the alumni mentors. Equally within the community it is common place to find mentors in clubs/societies that can guide and advise on your next career steps.
Ben Jeffery (MiM2016) met his mentor, Mark Hosking (MBA2016) through the peer leader sessions run by the Career Centre. As Ben was preparing for a career in consultancy they staged mock interviews and went through the types of questions that he would face. “I had strong analytical and quantitative skills, but wasn’t familiar with how to present ideas to interviewers at a consulting firm” says Ben. Both Ben and his mentor now work together at BCG and Ben highlights how “having a friendly face around the office is great, if I’m not sure about something, Mark’s my first port of call.”
3. Clubs/Societies
The clubs at LBS represent the heart of the community and provide the opportunity to engage with individuals over mutual interests and passions. They are made up of students from across the degree portfolio and cover a wide range of professional, personal and cultural interests. Being a member of a professional club and gaining industry insight from experienced students is an invaluable experience. We often hear stories of students finding their future business partners in the clubs as this is a key way to network across the full community of students.
We actively seek to welcome a diverse group of students to our School to create a melting pot of ideas and views. Whilst we can influence who studies at the school, the community evolves in an organic way and provides opportunities for students to grow professionally, academically and personally. For Early Career students, this community represents the first step into the business world and we actively look for those who will make a positive impact towards LBS.
Find out more about the LBS community.