Of course, if you’re graduating from an MBA, this is unlikely to be your first corporate job. Nevertheless, a new job is a chance to start afresh.
We asked Jie Tang, who graduated from MIP Politecnico di Milano with an MBA in 2006, about what to bear in mind when heading to a new job.
Jie is no stranger to the demands of working for big multinational firms: she's worked at four since she graduated! Since leaving business school she has worked at the likes of Procter & Gamble, Levi Strauss & Co., and L’Oreal China. When we spoke she had just relocated from Shanghai to Paris to begin a new role with Schneider Electric.
To succeed in a big multinational firm with many businesses and customer rgoups, “You need to be open-minded and curious about the work you do and be able to learn fast in challenging environments”, she said. Curiosity, adaptability and having a passion for the work you do are essential to excel.
It's important to tap into the knowledge gained from your MBA and previous work experience but also remaining open to learning new things and working according to the company culture at the new place.
It's also a plus to get the right amount of acknowledgement and recognition at work. Good communication and presentation skills are important because they show people what you’re doing. If you’re working well, then it's easier to get your recommendations implemented. It also allows you to seek support to improve your skill set.
Before the MIP MBA, Jie worked as a financial analyst for China Construction Bank. However she wanted to movie out of finance and into retail, to be closer to consumers and discover lots of interesting information about them. While at MIP she landed an internship at Procter & Gamble, and went on to work for the firm for two years after graduating.
More recently at L’Oreal, Jie was a senior financial controller. Her job involved preparing budget forecasts for brands and working with other divisions to plan the company’s marketing and operations strategies. For examplem she completed a financial analysis to compare the profitability of selling goods online versus ind epratment stores.
She was also tasked with making sales forecasts and analyzing expected margins. Jie will have a similar role at energy firm Schneider Electric, but with a very different customer group.
Asked if she was having a challenging time relocating, Jie replied: “Not possible, it's Paris!”.
For those lucky enough to relocate to Paris, August is the best time to do it as many people are still on vacation, said Jie. She is spending time looking for the perfect apartment, and strolling around the city.
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Polimi Graduate School of Management
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