When I wrote my essay for the Cambridge Judge Business School, I started off by saying that I’m choosing Cambridge to expand my mindset into being more global. One year later, I can say that the Cambridge MBA has helped make it happen. Cambridge was the only business school in Europe I applied to, and I was drawn to it from the beginning when I talked to alumni about the effect it had on their careers and lives. When I got in, I accepted the offer within a day without any hesitation.
I grew up in two cities through my life, Delhi and Atlanta, and although that’s still more than most people, I felt that in order to make my long-term career goals a reality – starting my own business back home, I would need to get out there and step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to live in Europe, experience different ways of life, and garner a business education from one of the finest institutions.
My journey coming here was a little different than some others. Believe it or not, there aren’t many engineers pursuing MBAs, and in some ways, I felt a little misplaced coming here. However, one of the advantages of a global MBA is that you study alongside a cohort of such diverse backgrounds that it truly expands your mind. Over the last year, I’ve participated in discussions on the wine industry, completed projects on real estate, and worked on a consulting project, my GCP, with a shipping company in Athens. The breadth of things you learn from the MBA cohort is incredible.
You also learn from being in the UK and Europe. Before joining the programme, I had spent most of my time in the States, and I chose to come here as a form of challenging myself into doing something new. Over the last year, I can proudly say I have been to 11 countries (soon to be 13) in Europe and Asia, and connected with people all across the world.
And although I’m very happy with the outcome of the programme and and I am seeing it’s impact on my career already, there are a few things I’ve learned that I would love to share.
For the next MBA cohort, I offer a few insights from my past year’s reflections
- Reconsider bringing your cat – As much as you might miss the company of your pet, being in Cambridge is about spending a year truly worry-free. I was one of the folks who brought their pets over, and while I am glad I had the company, it does bring additional constraints in enjoying this time in Europe. (That said, if you’re thinking of bringing your pet over, feel free to message me for advice!)
- Network, network, network – The Cambridge brand and network are one of the best parts about this postgraduate degree. The Cambridge MBA Team does a really great job of putting together events for the cohort, but it’s still up to us to take advantage of them. I ended up receiving all of my job offers through networking, and will soon be joining an AI-tech company I connected with during such an event.
- Value your uniqueness – In the sea of MBA students all coming from different places, different backgrounds and with different aspirations, it’s easy to feel that you’re on your own. Embrace what’s truly unique about you, whether that’s being an engineer, being an Indian-American, or wanting to be a first-time entrepreneur (all true of me), and let that shape your MBA experience.
And finally, just have a good time. As early professionals, it’s important to remind ourselves that we won’t always have the remarkable opportunity to take a year’s hiatus while studying at such an esteemed University – so seize the moment while it lasts!