As a recent undergraduate/early-career professional, the world of opportunities can often be daunting. For many, it’s like the start of an immense decision tree. You can’t help but wonder how your choices today will impact your trajectory. Which field, which locale, which company? The confluence of ideas and resources at LBS armed me with knowledge that streamlined my entrance to the corporate world and meant that less was left up to chance.
I started my MiM in August 2019 with some view on my early-career direction and felt somewhat prepared. I knew the basics, such as my inclination towards consulting, but was open-minded and ready to take a more active role in charting my career path. I am confident that LBS was the best decision for broadening my perspective and maturing my view of the corporate world.
Being an Australian who had undertaken a semester exchange in London during my undergraduate studies, I felt that continuing life in this eclectic city would be enriching and immerse me in international perspectives. After catching up recently with my MiM friends in Copenhagen and reflecting on our time at LBS, we all agree that the experience made us feel comfortable and excel in applying for positions/networking and avoid being a deer in the headlights during interviews.
Not only were there a plethora of resources on offer, but it was evident through the numerous touchpoints and one-on-one sessions that the staff teams and broader community were backing us wholeheartedly. I am pleased to say this continued throughout COVID (which impacted the second half of my MiM) with ongoing career support and social activities.
The opportunity to surround myself with talented and motivated students, including the wisdom of MBA/senior career students, stood out relative to other Master’s programmes. I regularly took the opportunity to formally practice consulting cases with current consultants undertaking their MBAs. This was an excellent resource orchestrated by the Career Centre and paved the way for more informal practice. I was also able to take electives which are taught cross-programme (for example, I undertook classes on strategic negotiation and new venture development), which enabled me to work alongside more senior career professionals such as EMBA students. This exposure gave me more insight into alternative career paths and working in diverse teams.
Throughout the year, the vast student club network provided ample opportunities for enriching my time at LBS, including networking. For example, I took a committee member position in the Out in Business club, which allowed me to meet a range of inspiring individuals and learn more about LGBT+ in the workplace. I am still engaged with the club to this day, having attended the latest EUROUT conference last November. Another enriching highlight of the programme was the Global Experience where I went to San Francisco to learn about tech/entrepreneurship, including visiting the Salesforce headquarters and meeting start-up founders in Silicon Valley.
I am pleased to say that the culmination of these experiences meant that less was left to luck during my career search and facilitated my offer and continued success at Analysys Mason, a leading management consultancy focused on telecommunications, media, and technology. I was able to come in as a graduate with a base of professionalism, strategic thinking, and business acumen that I could bring to the day-to-day, which allowed me to hit the ground running and make a good impression with the team. Analysys Mason has a close relationship with LBS, involving regular representation at on-campus career fairs and a private information session. It feels rewarding to have come full cycle when representing the firm to current MiM students.
Written By, Sabre Konidaris, MiM2020