Jessica Poteet swapped wearing cool overalls and digging in the dirt at Chevron for a post-MBA career that’s taken her around the globe
American Jessica Poteet used to spend her time off sitting in a mobile trailer eating homemade spaghetti and watching Spiderman with her colleagues. She also witnessed her first tarantula stampede, enough to send shivers down the spine.
All of this was while working as a field geoscientist for Chevron in the middle of an oil and gas field in the American Midwest—she describes it as wearing cool overalls and digging in the dirt. It was the camaraderie and bonding between colleagues that affirmed for her that relationship building trumped desk work any day.This insight drove her to move into business development for the company, and eventually to Singapore to work for Chevron’s headquarters in the Asia Pacific.
Wanting to make the jump into business permanent, Jessica decided to pursue an MBA from .
How an MBA can change your career
One of the first classes Jessica took after her arrival on campus was marketing. She had never considered this as a potential career path, but her interest was piqued after receiving one of the top grades in the class on her first assignment.
She would dig deeper every assignment. By chance, a former colleague at Chevon called her up at that time of the MBA program and asked her to help pivot his company to a digital, social community. It was her first professional foray into the digital marketing space.
“Marketing is a great way to combine the science part of me where I get to collect data, and do testing, but what’s cool about the other aspect is you get to be super creative [when] coming up with branding and design,” she says.
Working on that initial project fueled Jessica’s interest in setting up her own freelance company. The HEC Paris MBA entrepreneurship specialization led by Professor Michael Safars allowed her to do just that, teaching her about small businesses and their pain points.
“If a CEO says, ‘I need a freelancer’, understanding their business strategy and case for hiring someone allows me to position myself better as a freelancer,” Jessica explains.
The HEC Paris network and tapping into tech
Jessica says there’s an entrepreneurial buzz around Paris, and the city is growing as a hub for predominantly tech startups.
HEC Paris’ connections to Station F (the largest startup campus in the world), her professors’ personal connections to top European businesses and entrepreneurs, and honing her own pitching skills and learning how to best offer her freelance services to tech companies are all highlights Jessica recalls from the MBA. “It’s why HEC Paris was really instrumental in helping me,” she says.
In the three years since she began the MBA, Jessica has completely changed her career and turned into a digital nomad. She has worked on digital marketing and business-strategy projects in Singapore, Paris, Bordeaux, Venice, Vienna, San Francisco, and Hong Kong, often travelling all over the world to meet clients.
“I work with a lot of early stage startups,” she explains, “on how to get funding, pitch decks, how to frame yourself to investors.
“At HEC Paris not only is the curriculum broad in the first semester, but then you dive down into a specialization.”
Overcoming challenges during the HEC Paris MBA
While Jessica was studying for the MBA in France, her mum was battling cancer across the Atlantic—something Jessica says was tough to handle, made worse by the distance between her and her family.
She recalls some days being unable to focus, but she was helped massively by the personal mentoring she received through TEC on Campus — every year, 48 MBA students at HEC Paris are accepted into this personal and professional development program.
“It was nice to have someone not only to mentor me in professional growth, but personal emotional growth [too],” Jessica says.
She also found it tough establishing herself as a freelancer, and had to get used to the initial rejection that inevitably comes when starting out on that track. After developing a name for herself though, Jessica’s experiencing first-hand how an MBA degree can change your career.
She’s now thriving in a full-time role in Iceland, where she works for the software company Men & Mice, tackling channel management and sales. The company logged record growth last year, and she’s excited to help the company take its next steps. She adds that Iceland is a country experiencing a lot of growth but without the adequate labour to support it.
“They’re very much looking for people with speciality training,” she explains. “I’m on a specialist’s visa and having the HEC Paris MBA is what ticked that box.
“They’re always looking for people here to do things. There’s a growing startup community and a lot going on.”
Jessica also has the benefits of social services and health insurance that she wouldn’t automatically have if she had returned home to America after graduating.
She also gets to hike in the wilderness nearly every weekend and tap into her geologist roots, in a country where a volcanic eruption wouldn’t be an anomaly.
“I was on a trail the other day and my shoes were boiling,” she says. “The country is alive and it’s beautiful. There is something sort of charming and challenging about living in Iceland.”
Student Reviews
Cultural experience
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
Cultural experience
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
Diverse
HEC, as an academic institution, serves as a launching pad for students to excel in their pursuits and careers. The diversity among students and professors is truly remarkable. The chance to attend seminars across five major continents is unparalleled. The exposure and relationships it fosters are invaluable.
Super diverse
It's a super diverse and fascinating environment with tons of chances, but the management is very French, and the facilities like the gym and classrooms are not great. This makes the academic side quite ineffective. Plus, we're graded on a curve, leading to a competitive and sometimes toxic atmosphere. Despite all that, the benefits definitely overshadow the drawbacks.
Surreal academic experience
What stood out to me about HEC was the direction and insight it offered on coding approaches. Prior to joining the program, I attempted self-learning, but I felt disoriented and lacked a starting point.HEC enabled me to grasp the basics of programming and provided support when I encountered obstacles. Without that guidance, I doubt I would have achieved the progress I have made to date.
Good security
HEC boasts a dedicated team of security personnel who undergo rigorous training to ensure the perpetual maintenance of tranquility and orderliness within the institution. Their unwavering efforts are directed towards fostering a sense of security among the student body, thereby enabling them to channel their energies predominantly towards their academic pursuits.
Innovative teaching method
I am thoroughly enjoying my time at HEC, from the innovative teaching methods to the welcoming campus environment, which is particularly supportive of international students. The extracurricular opportunities, such as sports and associations, are incredibly valuable. Additionally, the career services offered are exceptional. Overall, I find my experience at HEC to be truly enriching.
mim
HEC Paris has been a transformative experience for me. The caliber of the faculty, the diversity of the student body, and the global network it offers are unmatched. The curriculum is highly flexible, allowing students to tailor their learning experience to their career goals, and the focus on real-world application through case studies and consulting projects provides invaluable hands-on experience. The campus itself is beautiful, and the opportunities to engage with leading companies through internships, competitions, and networking events have been incredible. HEC truly prepares you to be a leader in today's complex business world. I couldn’t have asked for a better program to propel my career forward.
Unwavering enthusiasm
Here's the first paragraph:
I embarked on a journey to Paris, where HEC University welcomed me with open arms. As I stepped onto its prestigious campus, I was captivated by the infectious energy and innovative spirit that filled the air. The passionate faculty, industry experts, and fellow visionaries from around the globe shared their knowledge with unwavering enthusiasm."
Exceptional Experience
HEC offers an exceptional experience that I highly recommend. The small-town setting allows for a unique blend of academic rigor and community engagement. The peaceful campus and close-knit student body create a warm environment. Proactive engagement with professors yields valuable guidance. Friendships may blossom slowly, but persistence pays off. The city's beauty, scenic views, and diverse eateries near campus enrich the experience. University dining may not impress, but it's decent.
