During an MBA, gaining direct exposure to the real-world experience of life in your target industry can be key in developing practical skills and building a network that can propel your career forward.
Immersing yourself in relevant business environments allows you to tackle complex organizational problems, engage with leading professionals, and refine your ability to drive meaningful change in a company.
Recognizing the importance of hands-on experience, many business schools incorporate industry immersion experiences in their curriculums, for example, the MBA program at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) culminates with a four-month strategy project, where students work closely with a Danish or international organization to solve strategic, multidisciplinary issues.
We spoke with Jaimie Mingming, a CBS MBA alum, to explore three important lessons she learned while working with Capgemini Invent—the management consulting arm of the Capgemini Group—on her strategy project, and to uncover how the experience helped shape her career.
Consulting at Capgemini Invent: 3 key lessons
1. The value of listening to different perspectives
Participating in immersive industry experiences during your MBA can provide you with valuable insight into the world of business, equipping you with the skills needed to establish a long, fruitful career.
For Jaimie, time spent working on her strategy project was crucial for her development. She worked alongside others at Capgemini Invent to solve a strategic issue related to sustainability and AI—an area she developed an interest in through her MBA studies. The experience taught Jaimie the value of being able to listen to others and consider different perspectives. Listening to others helped her gain a well-rounded viewpoint, essential for efficiently addressing issues in real-world business scenarios.
“You’re not boxed in,” she explains. “My strategy project focused on the integration of sustainability and AI, but I also collaborated with people from diverse fields, such as consumer products and manufacturing, to gain their insights."
Her interactions within the company also extended to people outside of Denmark, with the consulting project involving collaborating with Capgemini Invent employees in other offices across Europe.
“Working alongside individuals with different backgrounds and interests was incredibly valuable. It exposed me to new ways of thinking and allowed me to view challenges from various angles,” she adds.
2. The need to bridge theory and practice
Industry immersion programs encourage business school students to apply the theoretical concepts they have learned in the classroom to address practical challenges they are likely to encounter in the business world. For instance, Jaimie's strategy project allowed her to utilize the business acumen and technical skills she had developed to explore how AI and sustainability could be integrated into Capgemini Invent Denmark's potential offerings.
“I applied what I learned in school and from my experience to create a strategy for Capgemini Invent, which I then communicated to the team to raise internal awareness. Through doing so, I came to understand the need to bridge theory and practice,” she says.
The CBS industry immersion also allows students to gradually ease into the complex world of business. "It was a great way for me to slowly shift from learning to the workplace, picking up along the way how to bridge theory and practice," Jaimie adds.
3. The importance of promoting yourself
For students, immersing themselves in the corporate landscape during their studies can provide a significant head start over others when preparing for life after business school, particularly given the importance of marketing yourself and the crucial role networking plays in securing a job.
While most business schools facilitate opportunities for students seeking industry placements, securing those opportunities still relies on students effectively promoting themselves. CBS organizes both an internship and a consulting day for students, attended by leading companies interested in hosting them for four months. It was on the consulting day that Jaimie met a representative from Capgemini Invent, but securing the position relied on her ability to build a connection, demonstrate she was the right fit, and convey her enthusiasm.
“I reached out to one of the representatives, discussed my experience, and expressed my interest in working on a project related to sustainability. This led to me eventually securing my contract with Capgemini Invent. Doing this taught me the value of networking and building rapport,” she explains.
Additionally, for many students participating in industry immersion programs, the ultimate goal is often to turn their placement into a full-time position after graduation. This is another valuable lesson in self-promotion.
Jaimie, who successfully transitioned into a full-time role and is now celebrating six months at Capgemini Invent, stresses this point: “I learned that keeping yourself visible and being upfront is crucial for career advancement. To convert my internship into a job opportunity, I had to ask directly and express my interest to all the people who could influence my future at the company.”
In line with promoting yourself, successfully turning an industry immersion experience into a full-time opportunity also highlights the importance of connecting with people who can support your self-promotion efforts, whether through offering guidance, sharing feedback, or helping you build relationships within the organization.
“You need to look for people who can advocate for you so that they can help turn your self-promotion into something tangible. For me, this included speaking to colleagues and mentors who witnessed my dedication to Capgemini Invent,” she adds.
Industry immersion experiences teach students a range of valuable skills, including the ability to appreciate different perspectives, bridge academic theory with practical experience, and promote themselves. These important lessons can have a profound impact on enhancing students’ employability.