Why? EDHEC is ranked first in Europe for entrepreneurship by QS, and first in France for opening new career opportunities by the Economist. 92% of EDHEC MBAs land new jobs within three months of graduation.
A global MBA experience, 37 different nationalities are represented in the MBA class. The program includes two one-week international trips – Kateryna visited Cape Town and San Francisco. The current MBA class is 42% women.
Now, Kateryna wants to break into the technology industry, and become a leading woman in tech.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA at EDHEC?
I was looking for a program with an entrepreneurship focus. After shortlisting schools, I considered rankings, pricing and scholarships, class diversity, and location.
EDHEC beat other programs in almost every area, and was also offering two study trips abroad to Cape Town and San Francisco. I was also amazed with how professional and fast to respond to any inquiries the EDHEC recruitment team was. It was a personalized approach, along with a good value-to-money ratio that finally made me choose EDHEC.
What should applicants think about when deciding to do an MBA?
Think carefully about the reasons and objectives of your studies. Why do you want an MBA? To make a career change? To get promoted at your existing job? To get exposed to opportunities in international companies? To find a business partner? Answering these questions will help in choosing the school, the program, and the location.
For example, there may not be much sense in moving abroad when you want to stay in your home country since you will not benefit from networking that much in that case. However, if you are looking for a job in an international company, it would be best to look for a program with high group diversity.
What stands out from your EDHEC MBA experience?
I have always been aware of the fact that the main take away of any MBA is developing a network, but I never expected that it would be the major one for me. In our class of 90 students, we had people from 37 different nationalities. During the year, we worked together in several teams where we learned how different we all are and how to manage those differences. I consider this experience to be priceless. I learned about different cultures and about the work style, management style and communication customs different cultures present.
How have you profited?
I have significantly improved my understanding of international business overall and entrepreneurship in particular. Now, I know first-hand what it takes to shape an idea, pitch it, and raise funds.
During a class trip to San Francisco, we had the unique opportunity to meet people who are engaged in the full-cycle of entrepreneurship. We learned from the startups who create successful businesses, and spoke with venture capitalists who told us what they look for when deciding where to invest.
What are your plans for the future?
The moto of EDHEC MBA is ‘make an impact.’ Nothing better describes my future career ambitions than that.
After years in the banking industry, I realized that I wanted to contribute to society more by working in a socially responsible company. Aside from social responsibility, I am looking for opportunities in the tech industry, where I believe I can contribute the most in terms of my experience and my broader understanding of business gained while earning an EDHEC MBA. That’s also the industry where an entrepreneurial spirit is of the greatest value.
What is the future for women in business? Will top-level CEO roles soon be occupied by as many women as men?
Considering that my MBA class had almost the same of number of women in it as men, I am confident that more and more women are willing and capable of pursuing top-level CEO roles. For me, there is no difference in gender when it comes to career opportunities. I truly believe that professionalism is not dependent on gender and companies who consider gender are losing the chance to get great managers and are becoming obsolete.
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