Interview Practice Sessions in the ESSEC Global MBA

By Terrence Huang Yu, ESSEC Global MBA Strategy & Management major 2019-2020

Interviews are one of the most important aspects of the job search. The key to success in interviews is mainly about how to present yourself and your strengths, knowing the company well, and demonstrating how you can bring value to the role.

As part of the Global MBA at ESSEC, there is significant training and coaching on the career aspect offered by the school. One of them is a training on interview skills. There are several rounds of interview trainings, where we practice the general interview, the fit interview, the case interview, and salary negotiation.

Marie-Laure Dahan, our Career Services Consultant, manages the Career Services activities and initiatives for Global MBA participants, and also gives several workshops on various topics. During her seminar on interview skills, she went through the skills and tips for various forms of interviews including online interviews, group interviews, assessment centers and so on.

To prepare for an interview, there are several steps:

• Know yourself and your values
• Research the company
• Practice the interview with your peers and professionals
• Prepare your attire and know what to bring on that day

After the interview, it is always good to send a follow-up note thanking the interviewers for their time.

In terms of fit questions, one of the best strategies to answer them is the STAR approach, meaning situation, task, action and result.

• Situation: Describe the situation you were in or the task you needed to accomplish
• Task: Describe the challenges and expectations.
• Action: Elaborate on the specific action you took.
• You then conclude with Results.

Many candidates often forget to mention the results. However, the results are very important. The interviewer wants to see what you've achieved, in order to assess the value you can bring to the company. A solid record of past achievements is a huge competitive advantage.

Besides the interview skills training sessions, there are also mock interview sessions with recruiters from the industry. After the session, the recruiter gives us feedback on our performance with regard to five criteria:

• Business attire/Grooming
• Posture/Body Language/Eye Contact/Smile
• Enthusiasm/Energy
• Clarity/Conciseness/Structure
• Concrete/Specific Arguments & Facts

The interviewer will also give feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the interviewee. These comments are very valuable for my future interviews. I enjoy such activities and my career plan has become clearer after all these exercises.

Ireland : An Island with an Ocean of Opportunities

 

By Bhawna Periwal, ESSEC Global MBA Strategy & Management major 2019-2020

Many MBA participants pursuing an MBA in Europe are often looking to make a career switch to Europe. Have you ever considered pursuing a Career in Ireland? In our recent private talk with Auriane Thomasset, we uncovered the ocean of opportunities that Ireland can offer. 

With a population at just over 4.88 million, its largest cities Dublin and Cork are home to some of the most sought-after companies. Known as the Silicon Valley of the EU, Dublin is home to tech giants like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, etc. Even more so, Ireland is likely going to be the next hotspot after Brexit, the fate of which would be decided by the next UK General Elections. It is expected that post Brexit, there would be relocation of banks to Ireland and increase in Foreign Direct Investments in Ireland. Barclays, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have relocated their EMEA headquarters and will pursue their hirings.

So what is in it for the Global MBA Strategy & Management majors?

With the presence of major tech companies like Google, Facebook, Salesforce, Smartbox, and Intel, there is huge opportunity for strategy professionals inside the tech sector. Accenture, Deloitte and PwC also hire for management consulting in areas such as Digital, Data and Analytics, Technology and Corporate Finance.

What about the Visa process?

Professionals possessing critical skills identified by the Government of Ireland can apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit. Eligible occupations under this type of permit are deemed to be critically important to growing Ireland’s economy, are highly demanded and highly skilled, and in significant shortage of supply in their labour market. Examples of occupations that have been included in the Critical Skills Occupations List include: IT project and program manager, IT Business Analyst, Management consultants and business analysts specializing in big data analytics with skills in IT, data mining, modelling, and advanced maths, and Business and financial project management professionals specializing in finance and investment analytics, risk analytics, credit, fraud analytics or related and relevant specialist skills.

For any other skills not classified as critical, the employers will need to conduct Resident Labour Market tests.

Work Holidays Visa for up to 1 year can be availed by professionals up to the age of 30 for selected nationalities.

Below are the links to other Irish jobs and recruitment agencies:

• Jobs.ie
• Highered - EFMD Global Talent Network
• Morgan McKinley
• Next Generation
• Recruiters 

Technology: Threat or Opportunity?

By João Tapioca, ESSEC Global MBA Strategy & Management major 2019-2020

We had an inspiring session with Céline Marchal Dassonville from Ethiwork on how technology can be used to create a positive social and environmental impact. Our first lesson was that technology is not good nor bad in itself, but it is never neutral. Technology always brings change and the direction of change is highly dependable on human intentionality for its ordering and purpose. This is a pivotal role played by strategy consultancies especially those concerned with economic, social and environmental sustainability such as Ashoka, Ethiwork, BSR and GreenFlex among many others.

Céline stressed the difference between Tech for Good, Tech in Good and Impact Tech. While the first is related with the outcome provided by the technology, the second concerns the use of the technology itself. Tech for Good is developing a Bubble Barrier that prevents plastics disposed in rivers to reach the ocean, while Tech in Good is guaranteeing that this technology does not over oxygenate the rivers interfering negatively with the aquatic life. When both sides are addressed, this is Impact Tech. We were taught about the framework to measure this impact and reminded that we needed a common understanding of what is Tech for Good.

There is a forming consensus that it is any technology that addresses one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. I believe technology is what we make of it and I came from Brazil to ESSEC to learn how technology can be used to strengthen democracy (SDG 16). From here, I foresee a brighter future. Now, let's beat swords into plowshares.

Interested in finding out more about the #ESSECGMBAExperience?

Speak to one of our current participants.

Understanding the business side of the global luxury economy

By Urna Biswas, ESSEC Global MBA Luxury Brand Management major 2019-2020

As we returned from La Toussaint, our first long weekend in France, I was confident the entire luxury cohort was looking forward to the return of one class in particular that week- Global Economy with Professor Franck Asenkat. Part of a trio of courses with Professor Asenkat, Global Economy accelerates our knowledge of the business side of the luxury economy worldwide.

A look at the supply and demand of the luxury market

Covering all of the seven sectors that luxury encompasses and their respective market trends, the class provides an in depth look into the Supply side of economics by analyzing business best practices and strategies from product segmentation to compelling product development, created to make consumers dream as well as build long lasting margins. In parallel, to better understand the Demand side, we are given a thorough analysis of the typology of clients and targets through different lenses such as age, nationalities and wealth.

Current examples from the industry

Going far beyond applying the theories of economics in the luxury world, we discuss concrete cases from a panorama of companies across the sectors and how the theories have been applied. What sets this class apart from other courses is that Professor Asenkat shares hard data and trends from his discussions with luxury companies and industry experts. Hard data of the luxury economy is difficult to obtain since most companies are either large conglomerates that report only consolidated figures or privately held and do not publish numbers. Therefore, the behind-the-scenes look into company figures, operations and strategies has helped us analyze the ROI structure behind luxury companies as well as their exposure to risks and opportunities.

Though some of our cohort come from a luxury background, a majority of us are career switchers. Regardless, we all agree the class has strengthened our understanding of the business behind luxury as well as provided a context of how the industry has developed since the family owned businesses of the 80s to the global conglomerates of today. Having this context has prepared us well for our company visits and networking events, where we often establish our credibility through our knowledge of the Personal Luxury Goods Industry.

We are only three sessions into the 1st part, but we are already looking forward to the 2nd and 3rd parts of the trilogy- Brand Strategy and Brand Creation! If this course is any indication, the next few months will be just as accelerated to ensure we are well equipped to apply our learnings to our capstones projects come Spring, when we will tackle strategic challenges for partnered companies in the luxury industry.

Returning to Maison Collet

By Sarah Chen, ESSEC Global MBA, Luxury Brand Management major 2019-2020

One of the greatest advantages of studying at ESSEC is being in France, the cradle of luxury, famous for producing some of the world’s most renowned wines and spirits such as Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon. Like the previous cohort, this year we were blessed with a visit to Maison Collet and COGEVI (Coopérative Générale des Vignerons) in Oger, north-eastern France, for another inspiring Savoir-Faire visit.

We were greeted by Sébastien Walasiak, Chef de Cave, who gave us a brief introduction of Maison Collet and its family of champagnes, Champagne Collet being its hero product now sold only to high-end restaurants and hotels. We were then given an in-depth tour around their production facilities where we learned about every stage of champagne-making, which alumna Emilia Wilson brilliantly explained in this blog post.

NOTE: The champagne-blending facility consists of 300 stainless steel vats and 100 wood barrels, with the largest vat having a 300,000 litre capacity, able to produce approximately 400,000 bottles!

We then spent the afternoon learning about the history of COGEVI, France’s oldest cooperative founded in 1921 by winegrowers determined to protect the heritage, independence, and expertise of the area. Today the co-op hosts approximately 900 members and the breath-taking hillsides, houses and wine cellars of this region are included in the UNESCO Heritage list for their cultural and historical significance.

Personally, the most valuable part of this visit was meeting and learning from Olivier Charriaud, Managing Director of Champagne Collet and ESSEC alumnus, who after his successful feat at refreshing Rémy Cointreau’s brand image did the very same for Champagne Collet. Mr. Charriaud spoke of his trials and tribulations in reviving and re-positioning the dying brand by establishing his three-pillars strategy: (1) credibility, (2) visibility, and (3) profitability. Credibility consisted of first and foremost having a product of exceptional quality, providing excellent service, and communicating and ensuring all stakeholders believed in the story of the brand - the dream.

Visibility was achieved through COGEVI and a creative strategy of champagne-food pairing that significantly helped elevate Champagne Collet’s image and create brand awareness (please see previous blog post for more details). Last but not least, profitability meant positioning the brand at a luxury level and targeting niche markets. This last strategy was arguably the most challenging to implement; only by staying focused and remaining patient could one reap its rewards.

We left Maison Collet utterly inspired and revitalised for the journey ahead, as many of us plan to become luxury brand managers in the future. Similar to all other savoir-faire visits, we’ve learned that when it comes to luxury, every detail counts!

An opportunity to dive into Luxury Beauty | Visit to L’Oréal Luxe

By Chitra Birole, ESSEC Global MBA, Luxury Brand Management major 2019-2020

Participants from the Luxury Brand Management major of the Global MBA recently had an exceptional opportunity to attend a presentation at the L’Oréal Luxe office situated at the bustling route of Quai Charles Pasqua. As soon as we arrived in the heart of the L’Oréal Headquarters, we were warmly welcomed by members of the Human Resources team. Once we had settled down in their exquisite auditorium space, the team asked us to square in with our queries, questions and comments. This small gesture of hers created a very collective and comfortable atmosphere for all participants.

The presentation revolved around mainly five aspects viz., The Luxury Market of Beauty, understanding the L’Oréal Group, the multi-faceted L’Oréal Luxe, current and upcoming trends, and sustainability in the beauty industry. A substantial part of the presentation allowed us to deep dive into L’Oréal’s contribution to the Cosmetics and Fragrances industry worldwide.

It was a sheer delight to see the career trajectories of current L’Oréal executives who have been working with L’Oréal for more than a decade. It surely helped all of us to understand that L’Oréal is more than an organization – A family, A community!

After the presentation, we joined members of the L’Oréal Luxe HR team for a glass of champagne and some delicacies. This allowed every participant to network and converse with members of the L’Oréal team.

This year, we celebrate our 25th anniversary of the specialization in luxury brand management in the ESSEC MBA, with L’Oréal Luxe being one of the founding members of ESSEC’s MBA in Luxury Brand Management. This close partnership between the school and L’Oréal continues to give our participants the incredible opportunity to gain insights into one of the world’s leading Cosmetics and Fragrances groups.

We look forward to networking with such eminent leaders of the Luxury Industry, and a sincere thanks to L’Oréal Talent Acquisition team. 

Visit to Holding Textile Hermès | Luxury Brand Management major

By Catherine Kim, Global MBA Luxury Brand Management major 2019-2020

The visit to the Holding Textile Hermès was perhaps the Savoir-Faire Conference that our entire Luxury Brand Management cohort has been waiting for. For the first time in the history of the program, we had the opportunity to witness how the famous Hermès scarves (also known as Hermès Carrés) are produced.

Watch the highlight video from the visit at the end of the article!

We began our day bright and early for our train to Lyon, where the Holding Textile Hermès is located. The visit started with an introduction to the history of Hermès. Hermès is a luxury brand known not only for its leather goods such as its Birkin bags but also its iconic silk scarves, which were to be the main focus of this visit. The visit was a great opportunity for us to rediscover the brand, learning about its brand identity and values and understanding how its range of product offerings has evolved over the different generations.

 

 

Our key takeaway from the session was certainly that Hermès is a brand that respects time and quality. We were awe-inspired to hear about the time required for a product to be completed from the production of the raw materials needed till the product is ready for sale in a boutique. For example, a carré scarf takes 2 years to produce - from cultivating silkworms for the production of silk which takes approximately 1 year to 6 months for working on the design and 6 months for engraving, it is a time-intensive process. Understanding the various steps allowed us to understand the true value of an Hermès scarf and why they are such prized possessions for many.

Learning about the family tree of Hermès helped us understand the brand on another dimension, seeing how the passions of each CEO influenced the product offerings of the company. Through the visit, I realized how this family business has enabled the one and only luxury world of Hermès.

The company also respects the community built around the business in the local region. It keeps a keen eye on every process by keeping the business size compact, working closely with the ateliers for every detail and step of the creation and production process. We also saw how the company recognizes and appreciates the contributions of each person involved in the production process, for instance regarding their suppliers as partners.

A question may come to mind - how is the company maintaining a balance between its traditional craftsmanship and savoir-faire, along with integrating technology which could be useful for the production process? Hermès has continued to maintain the human touch in the production process, using technology primarily as a tool to help the craftsmen refine their work.

The company uses the screen printing method, also known as “méthode lyonnaise”, a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multicoloured image or design. (Source: Wikipedia). At Hermès, this can mean up to 46 screens for 1 single scarf which contains 46 colors identified by the engraving artist.

The process begins with the engraving artist painstakingly identifying and tracing one layer of each color they have identified. Screens are then created based on the traced areas of the design, with 1 screen for each color. A different team then prepares the ink based on the color recipes. The silk will be set on a 150-meter-long table where machines will color the engraved parts in layer after layer. After coloring, the silk is aired to let the colors dry and then to be steamed for the colors to be firmly stick to the silk. These production procedures were all done with the help of cutting-edge machines which Hermès have developed specifically for its needs.

However, as Hermès is a brand built on the foundations of craftsmanship, the human touch continues to make a difference in the production process. From folding the colored silks from the machines while ensuring there are no creases, to finishing the scarf with a rolled seam using the hand-rolled hemming technique, and last but not least the intricate quality checks, the craftsmen spared no expense in ensuring the quality of the Hermès Carrés being produced at the Holding Textile Hermès. Coming from the Luxury Brand Management major, getting to see these masters working was an amazing experience, allowing us to understand and further appreciate the savoir-faire that goes into the creation of a luxury good.

Our lesson learned from the trip was that no luxury good is made within a day. Respect for the savoir-faire, the time it takes, the people and community contributing to the process, and most of all, quality over everything, is integral for ensuring that luxury companies continue to produce products of the finest quality.

What do we learn in our Strategy course?

By Jennifer Thomas, Global MBA Luxury Brand Management major, 2019-2020

Strategy without process is little more than a wish list – Robert Filek

As future managers learning how to identify critical issues in a situation, acknowledging the challenges, making best use of your organization’s resources and implementing a focused and concentrated course of action are some of the key expectations that any organization will have from us after we join them. Often, we tend to overlap what we want to achieve (goals) with what we need to do (strategy). But like Professor Maciej warns us, goals are NOT strategy. So, how and where do we learn these nuances?

Cracking Consulting Interviews | ESSEC Global MBA Strategy & Management major

By Visakh Ram, ESSEC Global MBA Strategy & Management major, 2019-2020

With many of us looking to switch careers into Consulting, the ESSEC Global MBA team has organized several workshops and activities to help us understand the industry on a deeper level. The most recent session was one on preparing for consulting interviews, led by expert facilitators who work in the consulting industry. 

There were 3 things on the agenda for the first of a series of intensive training sessions:

• Quick Math
• Case Interview Methodology
• Fit Interviews

Quick Math - Which matters more; the answer or the process?

We started with the quick math session. The facilitator went ahead and asked us a few questions, but he didn’t want the right answers. He was focused on breaking the myth that final answers matter more than the process to arrive at the solution. He explained to us that consultants are more concerned about hiring structured and result-oriented people rather than selecting candidates who are smart on paper and give final answers with no clear thought process. The process increases consistency in the quality of answers and helps when reasoning with the client.

Case Interviews - The importance of clarifying the problem

The quick math session set the base for the next session – Case interviews. This time, the questions started becoming slightly vague: For example, estimate the size of the second-hand phone market in France (A market sizing question). We immediately started creating processes or using frameworks to arrive at a solution but the facilitator interrupted – “Do you really understand the question? What does the second-hand phone market refer to – is it servicing or sales or insurance? What is it?” We didn’t have an answer. This enlightened us on the importance of clarifying questions. Our clients might come up with vague problems. The first and foremost step is to understand the context of the problem. For that, we need to ask the right questions and understand the topic as much as possible.

Fit Interviews

In many consulting firms, the fit interview comes early on in the interview process. How important is this? For the facilitator, this is one of the key elements of the interview. Every company has its own culture and looks for candidates who share the same values. It is important for us to be truthful. A seasoned interviewer can judge whether the candidate is faking or not in the first few minutes. We discussed in detail questions like “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” and “Why do you want to do consulting?”. It was very interesting to see how the class perceived the answers to these questions.

The next series of intensive sessions are scheduled in a few weeks. We are all excited to see what we are going to explore and learn.

Get in touch with Visakh to find out more about the #ESSECGMBAExperience.

Polishing our soft skills with Charles Bennett

By Ariel Gendelman, Global MBA Luxury Brand Management major 2019-2020

This week, the Luxury Brand Management majors finally had our first meeting with Charles Bennett. Our Strategy & Management counterparts had already had their two sessions, so we were eager for our opportunity to pick up tips and tricks for navigating the ambiguity of professional networking events. We headed to the ESSEC campus at La Défense and filed into the red stadium seating of the cozy classroom, eagerly awaiting the evening before us.

To get things started, Charles asked us to introduce ourselves by stating our names, where we’re from, and a fact that no one knew about us. It was a great reminder that even though we’ve spent the last two months bonding and feel like we’ve known each other for decades, we’ve just barely scratched the surface—there’s always something new to learn about a friend.

After that, we jumped into the good stuff! For starters, Charles urged us to redefine small talk in our minds—instead of treating it like idle chatter, use it as a teaser to entice your audience so they’ll want to know more. By using small talk as a forum to ask open-ended questions, you create the possibility of sparking a deeper conversation. To do this, you must perfect your 30-second pitch by honing in on your USP (Unique Selling Point); the thing that makes your personal brand special.

Everything you do is relevant; you just have to find the way to apply it.

We practiced our pitches on each other, complete with video recordings. Charles explained that we often have little unconscious habits that can put people off, so watching and analyzing videos of ourselves allows us to reflect on how we come across to others.

After making the connection, we were advised to follow up the pitch with a question like:

• Tell me about your experience in this company. What has been your career path?
• What has been your experience with this company?
• What is the mobility like within your organization?
• What are the current needs of your organization?
• What are you expecting this current year?

We were given lots of practical advice about everything we’ve been struggling with during our previous networking endeavors: how to enter tightly sealed circles, exit strategies for stale conversations, and guidelines to setting boundaries for those who have none. 

Charles closed the evening with some sage career advice:

Never be afraid to ask for what you want. Remember everyone needs to start somewhere. You are your own unique brand so don’t try to be like anyone else. Don’t be afraid to reach out and always offer value first. 

If you don’t share what you’re bringing to the table, who will?

Dress for Success Workshop with Charles Bennett

By Huang Yu, Strategy & Management major, Global MBA 2019-2020

This week, Charles Bennett conducted his second workshop titled “Dress for Success”. We were happy to have him back to talk to us about key soft skills that MBA participants need for their career development. This time, he focused on the dress code and other codes of conduct in various professional conditions. 

Before the actual workshop, Charles invited everyone to talk something unique about himself or herself. As a group of MBA participants, we are very familiar with each other professionally. Hence, during this exercise, we spoke about our personal interests, hobbies, or anecdotes that we never shared with others before. It was a great moment that allowed us to be more connected with each other with empathy and understanding, after sharing our stories and ideas from our heart. 

After that, Charles moved on to the main topic of the day, the dress code. The dress code “Business Casual” is a frequently-seen required dress code in different professional events such as networking sessions, “Casual Friday”, company dinners, etc. Yet, the actual definition of “business casual” is not well-defined. The challenging part of the definition is that the line between business formal and business informal (or casual) is not clear. The company culture, or the general culture of a country, is unique. The dress code in a company or a country may not be acceptable in another. 

During the workshop, Charles discussed various rules to follow and here are just some takeaways:

• Our dressing is part of our identity and value. Hence, it is important to be consistent in our dressing and our behavior.
• Dressing in the correct way is also showing respect to others. 
• If you are new to an event and curious about the dress code, ask the HR for guidelines. As an alternative, you can always ask and learn the dress code by observing other people at similar events.
• Over-dressing is always better than under-dressing because it is easier to “downgrade” your dressing rather than “upgrade” it.
• To match the colour of your dressing/suit is less critical. The golden rule of “business casual” is to dress as close as you can to business formal, but adding your own style. 
• Looking good does not mean spending lots of money. The trick is to buy something relatively affordable, and get a tailor to make it perfect for you. 
• Your tie node is important. It is the “face” of your dressing/outfit.

Besides speaking about dress codes, Charles also mentioned various codes in other professional situations and here are some highlights:

• In France, being polite and formal in emails and phone calls is extremely important. You can only earn respect from others when you respect others in the first place.
• Whenever your supervisor asks you for a coffee break, go for it. It is a good chance to enhance your professional relationships.
• Patient is always the key, in both emails and meetings.
• Always be punctual for any meeting. 
• Don’t use your mobile phone during meetings.

There are also many questions during the Q&A sessions and Charles answers all of them with his insights. We look forward to meeting him again for the third session.

Integration Week in France | September 2019

Current participants Sarah Chen and Chitra Birole reflect on the Global MBA Integration Week in Chablis and share their key takeaways.

Sarah's Reflections on the Integration Week

This year, the cohort beginning their MBA at ESSEC's France campus, along with some of the alumni, spent 4 days at the scenic countryside of Chablis, Burgundy, in east-central France, a famous region for producing white wine. We felt immensely privileged to have been able to visit the Abbaye de Reigny, the Caves Bailly Lapierre, and the Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard to understand the wine industry more in-depth as a semi-formal introduction to the luxury industry as well as to get to know the French culture better. 

Even more exciting was having Station F professionals join us on our last day for a Sustainability Leadership seminar, where we learned about the triple bottom line and how sustainability impacts all sectors, and gave team presentations on strategies of how to handle PR issues in the luxury industry in connection with sustainability.

Fund Manager & Global MBA alumna Theany Bazet teaching us about
how sustainability plays a role in finance and economics.

The Caves de Bailly Lapierre and the Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard offered us first-hand insights on how the wine industry in the region was developed and how it is run today, the most interesting aspect being how they’re combating weather instability due to climate change and the strategies they’re implementing to stand out in the market (i.e. organic wines, biodynamic wines). We came to learn and appreciate the art and process of winemaking.

Tour led by Julien Brocard at the Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard

The Abbaye de Reigny is a beautiful and historic monument constructed in the 12th century by Cistercian monks as a refuge for other monks coming from neighboring regions; at one point, it hosted over 300 monks and it was them who developed this wine region. Most of our activities took place here, from learning how to play Pétanque (a game/sport born in Provence) to participating in play-pretend auctions, group activities (i.e. strategy games, blind-folded challenges, and barrel rolling competitions), and where we undeniably embarrassed ourselves by performing songs we wrote on the last night we spent at Chablis! All in all, it was a very memorable and fun experience where we got to know our peers better and we can’t wait to see how the year ahead of us unfolds.

Chitra's Key Takeaways from the Integration Week

1. You need to understand the person more than understanding his/her language.

During the week, I had the opportunity to work with people from several nationalities with whom I have never had the chance to interact with before. Initially, it was a little challenging to understand their thoughts and approach to certain problems. However, as opposed to many networking events I attended in the past, this experience made me realize how taking the time to understand the person is so important in exchanges with others. This practice also made us aware of everyone’s natural leadership style.

2. Focusing on improvement

When we were given tasks such as barrel-making and blindfold driving, all we had to do was focus on giving our 100%. We learned the power of unity. It taught me how we could make a great team of completely different people work just by understanding the objectives of the task and the strengths of each individual. Even in our victories, we could have done some things better.

3. Look out for each other

Working as a team through several activities, we learned that we all had our individual strengths and weaknesses. We leveraged our strengths to the advantage of the team but we also ensured that we covered for each other. For example, some from the team were great in creativity and some were stronger in analytical thinking We made sure that every team member is encouraged and supported. We learned that every individual is answerable to the sustainability of environment. We must work in a team to create the beautiful world for our next generations.

Into the Wild

By Mia Cara Mendoza, Global MBA Student Ambassador 2019 – 2020, Strategy & Management Major, Singapore

The ESSEC Global MBA 2020 cohort went on a one-of-a-kind learning experience that took us to the jungles in Northern Sumatra.

After an early morning flight from Changi airport and a 4-hour van ride through the bumpy roads of Indonesia, we arrived at Bukit Lawang. Bukit Lawang is a tourist village located on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the Sumatran orangutan. Racing through the village is the river Bohorok, where locals and tourists alike can take a leisurely swim or ride on a tube through the river’s rapids. The winding streets were lined with a mix of jungle foliage, small inns and restaurants, tourist shops, and glimpses of the Bohorok river. Our group carried our luggage on a 10-minute mini hike through the village until we reached our home for the next four days – Hotel Orangutan.

The ESSEC – Hotel Orangutan team wasted no time to kickstart our Jungle Innovation experience. After settling in and having lunch, we immediately dived into to our first workshop on Design Thinking. Here, we were taught to reframe our problem-solving minds and focus on being human-centric. Over the next few days, we would be living in and experiencing Bukit Lawang in the way the locals and visitors do. We were challenged to talk to the different people we meet, learn as much as we can, and come up with an innovative solution on how to make Bukit Lawang more successful.

ESSEC also arranged for us to meet with DBS’s former Chief Innovation Officer and the owner of Hotel Orangutan, Neal Cross. Neal is considered as one of the most disruptive CIOs in the world; and, within minutes of meeting him, we could tell that a passion for learning and a drive to do things differently was ingrained in him. Neal talked about his unconventional background – coming from years of martial arts training. He shared with us that what he learned then – and all his experiences since then – he takes with him wherever he goes. Whether it’s in the boardroom or in the jungle, Neal challenged us to find learning opportunities in every situation and to never limit ourselves to what we think a certain field of knowledge should be. He told us to never call ourselves an “expert”, because that means we already know all there is to know. And that’s never the case.

Jungle Trek

Our second day was dedicated to exploring Bukit Lawang and its most visited attraction – the jungle. We went on a 6-hour hike through Gunung Leuser National Park; and, with the help of our guides, we were able to spot different species of monkeys, birds, as well as the endangered Sumatran orangutan. Coming from a big city to being in the jungle made us realize that it can be so easy to forget that we share our world with many other living things. Seeing these creatures in their natural habitat was beautiful and inspiring, and allowed us to experience nature in a totally different way.

Our guides were so at home in the jungle. They shared with us their tidbits of knowledge that they learned over years of experiencing the jungle and its inhabitants first-hand. They spoke about the environment with much respect and reverence. The jungle was an integral part of Bukit Lawang’s community, and you could feel that the locals knew and appreciated that.

We capped off our jungle trek with a refreshing swim in the river and a trip down the rapids heading back towards Hotel Orangutan. Before ending the day, we took our new jungle knowledge and combined it with insights we gained from talking with locals and tourists both in the jungle and in the village. We were ready for the next day’s Jungle Innovation challenge.

No More Monkey Business – Time to Get Serious

In the process of Design Thinking, we were taught that it’s difficult but important to learn how to let go of your initial good idea and pivot to something new – especially if the stakeholder research points you in that direction. It was vital for us to keep remembering whose problem are we solving, what are their considerations, and how would they use our solution. People. People. People. They are the center of our ideas, and our groups had to tweak, adjust, and refine our solutions to better address their concerns.

We ended up with one group pitching a platform to push ecotourism in Bukit Lawang and another group developing a program to empower the locals to play a bigger part in improving their economic situation. Two powerful and interesting ideas centered on the same goal – how to make Bukit Lawang more successful. At the end, we learned that every proposal has its loopholes and even great ideas can still have a lot to improve on. Our workshop facilitators gave excellent feedback on our pitch and our overall discussion strategy that made the exercise that much more enriching. 

Bonding & Building Blocks

The journey we undertook to discover Bukit Lawang and meet the people involved in making it what it is was a one-of-a-kind experience that our MBA cohort now shares with one another. The lessons and memories that we took from this trip was an excellent foundation on which we’ll build the next 12 months. ESSEC showed us that learning doesn’t just take place in the classroom and that we can draw insight and learning from everywhere.

Enjoy this short video clip prepared by Lemuel Chua, GMBA Student Ambassador 2019-2020: HERE

Your Guide in Finding a Job in Singapore!

There are several reasons why students choose to study abroad. Not only can they gain new knowledge and experience, they can obtain a respected degree from a prestigious university. More importantly, it provides the opportunity for overseas employment. 

University is an expensive investment, and we all hope to receive the best returns. Overseas employment provides greater remuneration as well as unique experiences, which will be useful regardless of your decision to leave or remain in your home country.

Students who are studying in Australia will be familiar with the Post Study Work Right (PSWR) visa. It allows you to extend your stay for two years on the condition that you complete at least two years of a full-time degree program. Are there similar visas in other countries that will aid international students in their job search? Let us begin with Singapore, the island city right in the heart of Asia, as we learn about its employment situation. In Singapore, it is necessary for the employer to sponsor your work permit. The types of work permits are as follows:

Personalized Employment Pass (PEP)

The PEP is for high-earning professionals, e.g. writers, business leaders and professors. It is the highest level of work permit category.

Salary: Monthly salary must not be less than SGD$18,000 in the past six months; Employment Pass holders must earn more than SGD$12,000 a month.

Qualifications: Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and above; they must have a certain number of years of work or business experience, or an innovative business idea.

Eligibility for Permanent Residency (PR): Applicants can apply for PR directly; they can apply for their family as well.

Entrepass

The Entrepass is for entrepreneurs who are looking to start a business in Singapore. Upon approval, applicants will need to set up a company in Singapore and conduct at least six months of regular business operations.

Qualifications: There is no education qualifications requirement, but applicants must have a certain number of years of work or business experience, or an innovative business idea. The new company must also be relevant to the government's investments.

Eligibility for Permanent Residency (PR): Applicants can apply for PR directly; they can apply for their family as well.

Employment Pass (EP)

The EP is for foreign professionals working in managerial, executive or specialized positions. It is the highest level of work permit category.

Requirements:

Salary: Applicants must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD$3,600. They must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD$5,000 a month to apply for a Dependent's Pass (DP) for their family members.

Qualifications: Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a prestigious university.

Eligibility for Permanent Residency (PR): Applicants can apply for PR directly; they can apply for their family as well.

S Pass (Mid-Level Skills Work Pass)

The S Pass is for foreign mid-skilled technical workers.

Requirements:

Salary: Applicants must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least SGD$2,200.

Qualifications: Applicants must hold a local degree or diploma, or a foreign bachelor's degree.

Company Quota: S Pass holders must not make up more than 15% of the company's total workforce in the service sector; they must not make up more than 20% of the company's total workforce in other sectors.

Eligibility for Permanent Residency (PR): Applicants can apply for PR directly; they can apply for their family as well.

Work Permit (For Foreign Workers)

The Work Permit is for foreign semi-skilled workers.

Requirements: There are no salary and education qualifications requirements.

Age: Malaysians (18 to 58 years old); Non-Malaysians (18 to 50 years old).

Company Quota: Work Permit holders must not make up more than 8% of the company's total workforce in the service sector (for every Work Permit holder in a regular industry, the company has to employ 12 locals; for every local employee in a specialized industry, the company can employ 7 Work Permit holders).

Requirements for Employers: Employers must purchase and maintain medical insurance coverage of at least SGD$15,000 per year for each Work Permit holder; employers also need to place a SGD$5,000 security bond for each Work Permit holder.

Now that we have learned about the different types of work permits, we see that fresh graduates are able to apply for an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit.

Which work permits can graduates of different universities apply for? 

The Ministry of Manpower offers an Employment/S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) on its website. Although the final application result is dependent on various factors, the tool still serves as a point of reference. Instructions to use the tool are as follows:

ESSEC was invited by the Singapore government to set up an offshore institute with local campus here. As such, you will find both the Singapore and French campuses listed on the Ministry of Manpower's website. After providing accurate information about your major, graduated year and salary range, the system will determine your eligibility for the various work permits. For example, an ESSEC master's holder earning a fixed monthly salary of SGD$4,000 is eligible to apply for a S Pass.

If you're interested, you may access the tool via the link below. This will help determine your work permit eligibility based on your education qualifications.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices/services/employment-s-pass-self-assessment-tool

What are some of the job search channels in Singapore?

JobsBank

Established companies often utilize familiar job portals like Jobstreet, JobDB and Indeed. Studies

show that more than 73% of Singaporeans and foreigners residing in Singapore have utilized the abovementioned job portals. However, we shall discuss about another job portal today. JobsBank is a joint government initiative between Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Ministry of Manpower, and it is monitored by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).

Launched in 2013, JobsBank is an official government-run job portal for Singapore job seekers, and Singapore businesses may use it to post job vacancies as well. In the first four years of launch, it was only available for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, but it has now expanded to include certain work permit holders (Employment Pass and S Pass). In 2017, it expanded its reach to include registered students of any Institute of Higher Learning (IHL). After graduating from any Institute of Higher Learning (IHL), you may apply for a Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) which extends your stay for one year. You may use your LTVP FIN number to apply for a SingPass, which can then be used to log onto JobsBank. We have compiled a guide below on how to utilize JobsBank to find your ideal job.

Firstly, you need to ensure that you are eligible to apply for a SingPass. According to the requirements laid out by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), you must be eligible for a LTVP. In order to obtain a LTVP, you must have graduated from any Institute of Higher Learning. (This includes 6 local universities, 5 local polytechnics, 8 offshore institutes with local campus, 2 arts institutions and the MPA Academy.)

You should be able to apply for a LTVP before graduation. Once you have obtained a complete transcript, you may submit an application online. There is an application fee of SGD$30, and application processing takes around 6 weeks. You may check the status and results of your application online.

After obtaining a LTVP, you may register for a SingPass, which will be used to log onto JobsBank. There are many advantages to the JobsBank portal: it only shows job listings posted within 30 days; you may filter by industries and job levels; each published listing contains details about the company, job position, job requirements and salary range along with benefits.

Job searching in Singapore does not seem as hard as one might imagine. As one of the offshore institutes with local campus invited by the Singapore government, and home to a top ranking Global MBA program globally, graduates of ESSEC will be able to seek employment in Singapore successfully. ESSEC also has a team of career advisors that will help graduates prepare for employment. With comprehensive support from the school as well as government-backed initiatives, seeking employment in Singapore is the obvious choice. If you're interested, you may log onto the ESSEC official website to find out more:

http://www.essec.edu/en/program/mbas/global-mba/