Tag: #MIPexperience

Develop your soft skills to capitalise on your hard skills

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Develop your soft skills to capitalise on your hard skills

MIP offers the possibility of choosing from among several elective courses and exchange paths.
During my International MBA course, I had the opportunity to follow not only a series of indispensable modules which furthered my quantifiable knowledge but also to explore the means of developing my interpersonal, or soft skills, which are fundamental in today’s business world.

What impressed me the most was the lesson learned from Prof. Passerini.
Filippo Passerini is known for creating new, progressive business models and driving innovation. He currently serves as global operating executive, consultant, and educator – with affiliations at The Carlyle Group, McKinsey, Columbia University and the University of Alabama, and is a personal advisor to a number of global companies.

His lecture was mainly focused on the importance of soft skills, like contextual and emotional intelligence, developing core strengths and active listening.
This part of the Master was crucial since in the latest business environment soft skills are becoming more and more required. Soft skills training, such as communication and problem solving, boosts productivity and retention. As companies increasingly need to become more dynamic, interconnected and flexible, soft skills are key and also executives now consider these skills important for fostering employee retention, improving leadership, building a meaningful culture and the drive to succeed.

In a sense, customers are also demanding soft skills. The modern market offers consumers an unlimited number of choices through technology. For these consumers, convenience is easy to come by, so customer service is often what influences the choice. The ability to communicate efficiently and effectively with customers is, therefore, a vital factor in an organisation’s success.

Problem-solving, controlling emotions, being goal oriented, time and stress management are among the most important skills, which are also extremely useful in the internal business environment. Managers should be able to listen to employees, have good speaking skills, and be able to think creatively in order to drive their team. A lean and agile approach to change is also key, considering the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the business scenarios in which we are living and operating.

Finally, we should figure out what we are good at and develop it even further in order to build our core skills and a personal brand. Hard skills are, of course, the bedrock to any successful career but understanding and developing our soft skills is what differentiates us from others, improves us and thus, our working environment.

All careers require at least some soft skills to make hard skills even more valuable.

That’s what MIP enables us to learn, through its challenging courses and activities, its international network and its top representatives willing to teach, such as Prof. Passerini.
That’s the MIP Experience!

Never blow out the flame
Salvatore

 

About the author
 Salvatore Interdonato

Salvatore is one of the students of the 2017 edition of International Part-Time MBA. Answering to the question “what’s your purpose in this world?” he will answer “I’m here to solve problems with more efficiency and productivity.
Problem-solving gives me energy and satisfaction as well as the proof that we can always face new challenges within our companies offering new valuable solutions”.

 

 

Four companies + one simulation: a glimpse into the MBA Sales Strategy Bootcamp

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Four companies + one simulation: a glimpse into the MBA Sales Strategy Bootcamp

The bootcamps are the most intense of the MBA program’s activities. These workshops usually last for a week and contain different lectures given by MIP and visiting professors, company visits and a group assignment. Professor Alberto Cellini, director of the Master in Marketing Management at MIP, has prepared a very exciting agenda for the 2019 version of the Sales Strategy Bootcamp.

We had some inspiring presentations from different companies that set out their sales activities in the Italian market. The team from Lyreco and the Ariston Thermo group presented their KAM activities and CRM application respectively. But the biggest surprise came from the Bayerland representative, who presented the selling strategies of this company that markets German mozzarella in Italy!

The highlight of the week, however, was the business case brought by the Hilti team. It was a contest where 6 different teams had to investigate, through a simulation, how the company approaches its customers and analyzes them. The winning team would be the one who maximized the share of wallet, by increasing the engagement of an existing customer and producing the highest sales figures.

On this occasion, my colleague Clara Diniz Piani, an engineer from Brazil, shared with me her point of view relating to this experience and the story of her success when she approached Hilti for a professional opportunity after finishing the MBA program:

“This simulation was the perfect illustration for grasping the methodology of what Hilti does in terms of sales. It is important to try opening your mind and to think outside of the box when thinking about sales. Understanding the customer’s needs and anticipating solutions is key for building long-lasting business relationships. In the case of b2b sales, it is relevant to analyze the different benefits for each department, so as to better understand what would be a successful action plan for both parties involved.

I met Hilti at their first presentation when they visited our MBA class a couple of months ago. I was impressed by their energy, the work culture and the way they invest in their team like a company. It really inspired me to apply to work with them.

The bootcamp was my second contact and I decided to apply to all the positions they had available through their partnership with MIP. They are a very international company. During the first interviews we had some very honest and transparent conversations. They gave me a lot of feedback and also asked for my opinion throughout the whole process. In the end, they offered me a business development position to attract new clients and build a relationship with them. It’s a new role in Italy but it already exists in some of their international markets. I’m very excited about this new beginning and I think the lessons learnt during the Sales Strategy bootcamp will come in very handy in my new position.”

Stay tuned for my next chapter, when I will give you a list of movies that encompass the spirit of the International MBA program at MIP.

 

About the author
 Roberto Niño Betancourt

Roberto is a student of the International full time MBA. He is a Colombian filmmaker and new media artist based in Milan.
He has collaborated as a post producer for MTV Latin America, as well as many European production companies. He is very passionate about international cross-cultural collaborations, craftsmanship and the sustainable conservation of natural resources.

 

 

The in-company visit, a great opportunity for comparison

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on The in-company visit, a great opportunity for comparison

Among the many different activities that MIP is building up in order to let its students acknowledge more and more the complexity of a business reality, some of the most interesting experiences so far have been for sure the in-company visits.

These visits consist in a full day of lessons related to the MBA topic of that moment, physically in the offices of a big multinational company partnering with MIP.

Up until today, I have had the opportunity to join two of these “alternative” sessions in the offices of Sandoz and Microsoft and during both of them I enjoyed lots of different aspects.

First of all, these are opportunities to meet top managers directly in the field, sharing their carrier path and personal experience. These moments are really valuable for sharing ideas and comparing yourself with different people and environments, opening up your mind in terms of your job routine.

Also, these meeting sessions are chances to become aware of what companies are doing, where they are focusing their growth and which resources they are willing to obtain in the short/medium term to reach their goals. I really appreciate the transparency used in sharing these details and the effort made in helping us to understand company strategies.

Furthermore, during these lessons you can concretely perceive how strategic a company’s culture and philosophy can be, and how the management is working every day with this focus in mind.

Visiting Microsoft was the perfect example of this; starting from a classic Silicon Valley company idea, they entirely rebuilt the company, and not only in a figurative way – they really built headquarters which are people oriented and open to everyone!

Personally I really appreciated this possibility, because for me it was the occasion to compare my daily activities and environment with another reality. It has made me more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the place I’m working in right now.

In order to unleash the best from this experience, I want to give a little advice to those of you who decide to spend two minutes of your life in reading my articles…be brave and do not be shy! These visits are mainly intended also to be opportunities to increase your network and share your CV, but no one will do it for you! MIP is giving us the privilege of meeting key managers and HR teams working in great companies but at the end of the day, it is up to you to use it as best you can.

Lastly a personal update: the second ½ of my kids has just arrived and of course, it’s another boy! Will keep you posted on:

  • Parents’ lost sleeping hours
  •  My first kid’s war of jealousy against his new worst enemy, his brother!

 

About the author
 Pietro Cavallo

My name is Pietro and I grew up in Milan, where I am currently living. I work in Switzerland, in the Supply Chain division of a clothing multinational. I am the husband of an incredible wife and father of 2 crazy kids.

 

A glimpse into Microsoft’s MBA Tech Talk and the future of the tech industry

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on A glimpse into Microsoft’s MBA Tech Talk and the future of the tech industry

Juan Algorta wouldn’t have imagined a couple of years ago while working as an accountant for Ernst & Young in his native Uruguay, that he would be the MIP MBA ambassador for Microsoft’s MBA Tech Talk event in the United Kingdom in November 2018. I have already mentioned in my previous articles the diversity of the MIP alumni. Now I would like to introduce another classmate from the 39th edition of the International Full-time MBA, sharing his experience at Microsoft’s UK Headquarters.

 

What was it like to attend the MBA Tech Talk in England?

Juan – I was very excited, because it was my first journey to Britain. Microsoft (an official partner of MIP) had invited MBA candidates from the best European universities to showcase the latest advances regarding Quantum Computer Technologies. This was a very important opportunity for networking with people from all over the world and a chance to get a better idea of the working culture inside Microsoft. It is worth mentioning that, like me, many of the attendees didn’t have professional experience in the tech industry. Nevertheless, we were all very curious to know more about the development and possible impact of technological innovations in the not-so-distant future. There were three engaging talks, which gave me relevant insight that I hope to apply during my MBA journey and in my future career opportunities.

 

Which were the main topics discussed during these talks?

Juan – The first seminar was Learn about the current and future IT trends by Lee Stott. It focused on trends related to artificial intelligence, a predominant force for the future of technology. Scott explained how machine learning will be the key to recording human interactions for the creation of 3D holograms, for analyzing the reality surrounding us. Afterwards, Anita Ramanan gave her talk entitled Quantum Computing – Don’t Panic. She explained the new generations of computers currently being developed by different technology giants. Traditionally, binary codes were used for programming computer systems. With Quantum, each code can be a complex combination of 1 and 0, enabling systems to enlarge storage capacity as well as processing velocity. This technology will also be a relevant force for the development of both machine learning and artificial intelligence. The last intervention was by Heidi Jenkin, who focused on how an MBA student can be successful in the tech industry, by initiating startups and even becoming an entrepreneur. She also stressed the importance of networking during an MBA as the prime action for shifting your career, even if you don’t have a background in technology.

 

Which was the highlight of that day?

Juan – The final part of the conference was a meet-and-greet session with seven Microsoft employees, who introduced themselves as former MBA students that came from different backgrounds. I spoke with Alonso from Spain who came from the finance industry, like me. His story was very inspiring and changed my perspective for applying to a position in a company like Microsoft, which I had not thought about before attending this MBA Tech Talk.

 

What is your takeaway from this experience?

Juan – Being exposed to so much new information, I feel more curious than ever to continue researching. Technology is very important for the future of business. I used to be an auditor in Uruguay, focusing on productive processes. I believe these processes are continuously evolving with the digital technologies, so it is important to keep learning about innovations so as not to be left behind in the global trends for business development. I have also become more confident about my future outlook and would like to remain in the financial sector, but with an updated and global mindset.

 

 

About the author
 Roberto Niño Betancourt

Roberto is a student of the International full time MBA. He is a Colombian filmmaker and new media artist based in Milan.
He has collaborated as a post producer for MTV Latin America, as well as many European production companies. He is very passionate about international cross-cultural collaborations, craftsmanship and the sustainable conservation of natural resources.

 

 

The MBA journey of an engineer at MIP

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on The MBA journey of an engineer at MIP

Three years ago, I graduated in Energy Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano University.

I was lucky enough to start working for a multinational electronics company immediately after graduation. In this environment, which was completely new to me, I immediately noticed the difference between my course of study, which had been mainly theoretical and based on notions, and the practicalities of the work.

During my short career, I occasionally found myself involved in meetings with managers and executives. The discourse often shifted to topics beyond my specific knowledge as an engineer, such as human resources management, financial accounting, business planning, decision making and more.
This is how I realized that I needed to complete my training with the missing “real-world skills”. Playing a strictly technical role, I felt the need to be able to participate and make my contribution during meetings as well. In such real work situations, I understood that deeper and also wider knowledge was required to aspire to the position of a team leader or business unit director. I therefore decided to join an MBA program with the expectation of acquiring new skills in different fields; in this way I would accelerate my career and also remove the limits to my professional growth, so that I could aspire to the highest executive roles.

An MBA program offers a big variety of courses and gives access to multiple aspects of business. It does not impose a specific career track – rather, it provides a big-picture understanding of business. Courses typically deliver high quality training not only in hard skills but also soft skills, such as team building and managerial leadership.

Lessons do not focus only on theoretical aspects of business, but also offer experiential learning opportunities where students work on meaningful business projects for actual companies. As a matter of fact, usually an MBA gives you the chance to learn directly from managers and executives of multinational companies. The in-company classes and the international weeks were an opportunity that I didn’t want to miss.

For a person with an engineering background, MIP Business School is the best choice, as it deals with innovative and industry-related topics, such as industry 4.0, biomarketing, artificial intelligence and blockchain. In-company classes are also held in the most advanced companies from an engineering point of view, and offer the opportunity to get in touch with their leaders and to listen to their talks on these topics. For the Data Analysis lesson we were welcomed at Microsoft House in Milan. In that situation, we learned how data analytics and artificial intelligence are transforming organizations, industries and society in general.

The visits to these companies also offer the opportunity to arrange meetings with potential employers. This is why it is important to choose a school with attractive partner companies for your career.

 

 

About the author
 Andrea De Donatis

I am Andrea De Donatis, a student of the international part-time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I Graduated in energy engineering and I am currently working in technical sales for a leading multinational electronics company based in Milan.
I am very passionate about technology, IT and digital marketing. I strongly believe that disruptive innovation is vital to create new value.

 

 

That’s amore!

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on That’s amore!

Coming back to my own country required a lot of time. I beat around the bush for almost a year, then realized I was just making the right choice.

After my graduation here in Italy I had several jobs in my hometown, Modena, one of the strongest areas in the country in terms of driving economic growth. At that time, I was a fresh-out-of-college student, eager to learn and ready to put myself in a challenging environment so as to grow into and improve on my abilities.

However, all of a sudden, I ran into the opportunity to move to a foreign country, Romania, where I spent almost three years of my life.

At first, I was excited about leaving to discover a new working and cultural environment in which I thought I could learn better but now, in hindsight, I can say that this experience abroad was, for me, just good training before the match.

When I left, I had the professional experience of a twenty-five-year-old. There, I had the chance to work non-stop for years, I was focused and, when needed, stuck to my guns but one objective was driving me forward: that of coming back to my home country.

After these three years abroad, I realize how much I’ve missed Italy and, even though we are known most for our heritage and traditions, we are all investing in our country’s future.

My days back home started in Milan, when I decided to join MIP for one of its MBA programs. Despite all the clichés about Italy’s recent economic scenario, a new cosmopolitan scene is growing up; this surprised me and helped me to excel in my studies, in an international environment full of stimulus and opportunities.

I believe there’s something deep and intimate in the relationship we all have with our homeland, with the emotional and cultural humus of where we grew up, which gave us everything, and to which we’d like to give everything back.

For me, this relationship is more akin to happiness than the amount of money I earn or the speed at which my career develops  ̶  it’s more about the challenge that everybody experiences day by day in Italy as they try to reach the top of their field on a journey which can have many challenges along the way. But  ̶  maybe  ̶  all these difficulties make the conquest better and sweeter.

This journey has been made better and sweeter also thanks to the fantastic path that MIP is allowing me to follow with its International Part-Time program… an international experience in a great, challenging environment, based in one of the most innovative cities of the world, Milan.

That’s Italy,

That’s the MIP experience!

Never blow out the flame

About the author
 Salvatore Interdonato

Salvatore is one of the students of the 2017 edition of International Part Time MBA. Answering to the question “what’s your purpose in this world?” he will answer “I’m here to solve problems with more efficiency and productivity.
Problem solving gives me energy and satisfaction as well as the proof that we can always face new challenges within our companies offering new valuable solutions”.

 

 

Why networking and social interaction are so important in digital learning!

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on Why networking and social interaction are so important in digital learning!

“Boarding completed!” It’s 7pm and I am ready to fly to Milano after a long and busy day in my home city, Tirana. Tomorrow, it’s back to school. We have another face-to-face week, a bootcamp organized at the premises of MIP Politecnico di Milano. I have the chance to meet up with some of my classmates again, but it’s not only this. This is a good opportunity to meet other international students, studying at MIP Politecnico di Milano or at other business schools, as part of the international exchange program between business schools and universities around the world.

In general, there is prejudice toward online studying, based on the fact that learning isn’t just an intellectual activity, but a social one. This is why many people would prefer traditional, as opposed to online learning, for the ultimate reason of avoiding the feeling of isolation and missing out on social interaction during the studying process. That was my concern too, when I first decided to register for an international online EMBA program.

But as this challenging and important journey reaches its end, I no longer have any doubts about the choice I made almost two years ago. The social interaction aspect of  the “online learning” process is not lacking at all, but of course it has changed form, through the use of digital platforms, just as the concepts of learning and knowledge have significantly changed lately. As Barr and Tagg say, “a college is an institution that exists to produce learning” (Barr, Tagg, 1996); it is obvious that there is an evolving shift from teaching to learning, which means more active participation in the gaining and sharing of knowledge among the participants of a learning community.

The first tangible aspect of this online EMBA program was the inclusion of a “warm-up” period at the very beginning of the journey, which helped us a lot in establishing the desired social interaction within our newly created community. The kick-off week in Milano was perfectly organized to support and facilitate the distance learning process over the following 2 years. It was a week full of discussions, emotions, curiosity, building trust through getting to know each other, training in self-awareness and soft skills, necessary for laying the groundwork for new friendships and a great network.

Another positive aspect of this virtual environment is the fact that the learning process is mostly based on working groups, facilitated by the MIP online learning platform. The roles and team members are continually changing for each course, thus giving everyone the opportunity to work with all the other classmates, as well to exercise leadership skills within a team, several times during the EMBA program. Alongside the clips presented by the professors and the weekly Q&A live sessions, in every course of this EMBA program we are engaged in virtual discussions within a team, where everyone must contribute something substantial to the project work: we can acquire information from the others, combined with that which we bring into the discussion based on our backgrounds and previous experiences.

Having said that, we have the opportunity to push our understanding beyond our own limits, by considering the ideas shared by other classmates in small groups. This kind of “learning by sharing” has the attributes of collaborative learning, as everyone within the class is changing their role from performing as an individual to creating knowledge as a group. The size of the group (four or five) is another important element to support collaborative learning in this virtual learning environment. In this way, knowledge creation is socially shared through the participation in virtual teamwork and on several video-forums organized on social platforms, such as Yammer. It means that the professors start to be more and more like coordinators, mediators or tutors in this learning process.

Last but not least, social interaction should be fed continually to stay alive and healthy in a remote environment. Almost every day we have some brief conversations for social networking within the group, trying to keep in touch with our classmates through different communication channels. The WhatsApp group created during the kick-off week in Milano has been kept active all the time, by posting comments, asking questions or sharing personal information to celebrate together, as part of a newly created set of friendships that helps us to motivate each other during this difficult and demanding period in our lives.

As I have already mentioned in one of my previous articles, we had the chance to prove the importance of our network, and the fact that social interaction through digital learning is so relevant and true, when we met face-to-face for the second time, with all the i-Flex students on the MIP International Executive MBA program. Everyone was so happy and enthusiastic to meet up again, but this time in the beautiful city of London. During the week, we had the opportunity to further strengthen our relationships within the group, having the chance to get to know each other better, not only during the day on campus, but also by enjoying the events organized together after school time, such as sightseeing around the city, visiting museums or having fun together in London’s very nice old pubs and restaurants. The positive energy created during that week was our motivation for a long time to keep going through the online learning process, while working and fulfilling family responsibilities.

The future of the labor market is smart working and I must confirm that this online platform was the best opportunity for me to recognize how to communicate, interact and socialize with people online and how to enlarge my professional network through digital means of communication.

 

About the author
 Elivar Golemi

Elivar Golemi is an Albanian candidate at MIP International Flex EMBA. She is working as an Executive Director in the dairy industry, after a long experience in the banking system. Skilled in Financial Analyses, Risk Management and Internal Audit. Nature lover, passionate photographer and mountain climber.

 

 

AMIE: My experience

Posted on | by Bendetta Biotti | Leave a Comment on AMIE: My experience

You come up with an idea. You see it in your head and you think about the many reasons why it would make the next hit. You tell your colleagues about it. You form a team.

You engage in the challenging ride of building a startup and making it epic. Your team loves it. So do you. You pitch, you test, you iterate. You find a few bumps on the way.

You tell yourself to keep on. You keep on. You and your team find more bumps. You all keep on. You find yourselves with market limitations. The idea falls short. Motivation soars. The team splits.

The truth is: that’s real-life entrepreneurship. So… never give up!

And it all started back in Mexico City in June of 2017, when I received notice from the Italian Ministry that I had been awarded a scholarship for my Master’s tuition. It had been a long time since I had wondered about the opportunity of living in Europe and pursuing further learning abroad. The possibility of diving deep into my favorite topics while sitting next to an international class made it all even more attractive.

And it was thanks to the Invest Your Talent in Italy program that I was able to pursue the Advanced Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AMIE), a joint program between MIP Politecnico di Milano in Italy and Solvay Brussels School in Belgium. The Master featured 3 main projects: the New Venture Lab, the Field Project, and the Summer Internship.

With its kick-off in October 2017, the New Venture Lab was aimed at engaging our class in a real-life simulation of a new startup venture. Throughout the year, we had the opportunity to design, pitch, and work in groups on the incubation of a business idea, all the way from the conceptualization of a business model, to the value proposition defining, and then to the go-to-market strategy design.

For me, the course began with an exciting start, working alongside a great international team of four, and focusing on an online tool for peer-to-peer education. Despite our great group spirit, as the project moved forward, we realized that the market we were targeting was not as responsive to our proposition as we had initially thought. After a few setbacks, the group opted to pivot towards a completely different sector. In this case, we were no longer addressing educational concerns, but rather we were trying to propose an alternative to help people quit smoking.

Even if this choice meant making a 180° turnaround, as a team, we were confident that our new solution, a motion-detecting wearable bracelet, would help this specific market segment reduce its smoking habits. This device was to be linked to an app that allowed users to create a tailor-made quitting program, obtaining rewards as progress was being made. We then had the opportunity to pitch this concept at the Microsoft House in Milan.

After moving to Brussels, with a great new team and a with a different objective in mind, our new venture model was built upon an online marketplace for upcoming Italian high-end brands. Through this framework, Italian designers could connect more easily with a growing high-end international market segment, a project that ended up building the foundation for the next challenges to come.

And that’s because on the Field Project, we got the opportunity to work on a textile recycling project for the Belgian office of a leading global FMCG company. For the Summer Internship, on the other hand, I performed industry research on the Mexican hosiery market, proposing a circular solution for an Italian textile industrial district. As a result, I got to present my findings in a regional workshop that was honored by the presence of the Mexican Consul in Italy.

In retrospect, I can say without a doubt that my AMIE year was an intense, fast-changing, and highly rewarding experience. I believe that the richness of it all comes not only from the course syllabus, the lectures, and the study hours, but it also lies within the quality of people you get to meet, the character you build when facing the bumps, and the learning you gain as a result of the process.

As it is with entrepreneurship, uncertainty is always around the corner. But after this exceptional journey, I believe it is time for us to take action, fill in the gaps, and start designing our ideal future.

And not leaving before we build it.

 

About the author

Bruno Leopardi

Bruno is a 26-year-old Strategy Specialist from Mexico. He recently graduated from his Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at MIP Politecnico di Milano and Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. His goal is to build and guide organizations through strategy and performance.

 

 

Applying to the International MBA at MIP: a seamless and friendly affair

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on Applying to the International MBA at MIP: a seamless and friendly affair

If you are wondering if doing an International MBA is your call, my recommendation as an adventurous soul is simply to jump the cliff and trust your instinct. The important thing is to have time to take the necessary steps, to get prepared for the journey.

I was already living in Italy when I decided to apply for an MBA. I won’t lie about the fact MIP was not my first choice for continuing my graduate education. What caught my attention about MIP was the kind and efficient support since the moment I asked for information about the Master programs on the school website. The Marketing recruiting team contacted me by e-mail, inviting me to send my CV to recommend me the program that suited my professional experience. They considered the MBA was my best choice for my career path. There are monthly promotional events, as well as fairs around the world to get first-hand information about the MIP and its Master programs.

I applied for the Full-time International MBA one year in advance. The application process started with an online form where I included my academic and professional records. I also did the TOEFL and GRE exams in Milan.

Just three days after submitting my application documents I was already contacted by Ann-Marie from Germany, who presented herself as my recruiter and invited me to schedule the MIP test and a motivational Interview on campus.

Due to work constraints I had problems scheduling my test before 5pm on a weekday. Ann-Marie was very kind and flexible, offering me the alternative to present the exam via skype from my home after working hours. The exam consisted of a business case analysis, data interpretation and a domino test. Compared to other schools which only ask for GMAT and GRE, I believe the MIP entrance test gives you the opportunity to show your logical and analytical skills, in a thorough manner.

During the interview on the Bovisa Campus I met Bhor from India, another caring and professional recruiter who made me feel at ease and was eager to answer my questions regarding the school and the program. During this experience, Bhor highlighted the importance of diverse and international profiles at MIP.

After completing the admission test and interview I chose to apply to the assistantship program, to cover part of my tuition fees. MIP offers many interesting scholarships, plus an early-bird discount.

Two weeks after submitting the remaining documents, I got the wonderful news: I was accepted to be part of the 39th Full-time MBA program at MIP. I couldn’t believe it. In less than a month I already had successfully completed the admission process, almost one year before the start of the program. I dropped my other applications immediately, I was convinced I had already made the smart choice.

I later found out my assistantship work was chosen based on my professional experience. Now I’m happily writing the monthly articles about my MBA journey and shooting videos with my classmates, while completing my business studies. How cool is that? Both Ann-Marie and Bhor are now my colleagues. Thanks to them and all the hard work of the marketing and recruiting team, the admissions process at MIP, is not a hassle but a smooth and pleasant process.

Stay tuned for the next chapter, where one of my classmates will share his experience after attending an MBA Tech Talk at the Microsoft headquarters in the UK…

 

About the author

Roberto Niño Betancourt

Roberto is a student of the International full time MBA. He is a Colombian filmmaker and new media artist based in Milan. He has collaborated as a post producer for MTV Latin America, as well as many European production companies. He is very passionate about international cross-cultural collaborations, craftsmanship and the sustainable conservation of natural resources.

 

First of all, together!

Posted on | by albe@mip.polimi.it | Leave a Comment on First of all, together!

Becoming an MBA student is a wonderful adventure, but also a hard choice!

You can’t predict how much your life is going to change, in terms of the resources you are going to invest and the time you are going to dedicate.

But if you are crazy enough to accept this challenge, then, once you kick off, you will discover an incredible and exciting world (assuming you are able to stick to every mandatory deadline…!)

Two months into the journey, thinking back to the first lesson makes me smile… it felt like my first day at elementary school. All around there were new faces, new professors, and of course, tons of information I had never heard before!

But at the same time, I cannot think about all these challenging moments without the face of someone close to me feeling the same way and motivating me with a smile or a joke.

Barcelona was exactly the consolidation of this first feeling: more than 60 people transforming  from unknown classmates into people sharing experiences, helping each other and slowly becoming friends.

I have so many concrete examples in mind, from the first moment we landed in Barcelona and none of us was able to recognize the face of another until the last day, when we were all enjoying free time together. And most of all, I bring back home the amazing experience that has been working with my team on our group assignment, so great experience!

Of course, the timetable was tight (otherwise it wouldn’t be an MBA), with the week’s schedule basically divided into two main parts: the first part on EADA’s Collbatò campus, with courses on leadership and ice-breaking outdoor training; the second part of the week in Barcelona at the EADA building, with lessons on Company behaviours and Macroeconomics.

And of course, group assignments every evening till dinner time (well, honestly, sometimes also after dinner time…) but, on top of all that, a lot of fun!

This experience made me think that the choice to apply for this MBA was the right one! MIP is really an incredible life experience! I am now eager to start the next topic and share a new challenge with a new team!

I am sure the bond that we created in Barcelona has represented only the fuse to the great network we are building as MIP students and, one day, as MIP Alumni   ̶  60 people feeling the same emotions and facing the same challenges, starting from the same point with the opportunity of discovering the power of our team!

 

 

About the author
 Pietro Cavallo

My name is Pietro and I grew up in Milan, where I am currently living. I work in Switzerland, in the Supply Chain division of a clothing multinational. I am the husband of an incredible wife and father of 1 crazy kid and ½…  I’ll keep you posted when the second ½ arrives…