Christina Poole had worked with management consulting firms, data specialists, and Facebook after graduating from a bachelor’s in psychology, but opted for a career change to follow her passion: marketing.
As an American who had only worked in Texas after graduation, she was also eager to explore her options outside of the US. She landed on an MBA as the best way to study abroad and increase her chances of securing a role in the increasingly competitive marketing industry.
Her decision paid off too. Christina is now a rotational leadership associate in Nike’s marketing department and is on the fast-track to leadership with one of the world’s top brands.
How the HEC Paris MBA marketing syllabus prepared me for a career with Nike
“I really wanted to go into industry rather than consulting after my MBA and HEC Paris had really good industry connections with big Fortune 500 companies,” she explains.
She also found the MBA curriculum appealing. While covering core business fundamentals such as finance, accounting, and management, the program also offers students opportunities to specialize in a range of industries and functions.
The curriculum includes seven specialization tracks such as Strategic Marketing, and Digital Innovation. Students can also select eight electives during the program, choosing from a wide range of options like luxury brand management and customer marketing strategies.
Classes are taught through a mix of theoretical and practical learning. During a brand management class, Christina completed a consulting project with a startup, working on building its brand identity and direction while receiving advice and feedback from professors and industry experts.
She also had the opportunity to gain professional experience through an internship with the French cosmetics company, L’Oréal, where she worked in the luxury division. This also helped expand her knowledge of brand management.
“I was able to see a lot of the theories that we talked about within my luxury management class come to life,” she says.
During the second half of the degree, when students are doing their specializations, they must also complete a Final Leadership Project, and choose between taking electives, completing an international exchange with one of 30 partner schools, or working on their own Entrepreneurship Project or an MBA Project.
Christina chose the latter, focusing her MBA Project on social media and branding in the beauty industry and building on what she’d learned during her time at L’Oréal. She conducted her own research into branding strategies across different companies by collecting data and interviewing experts.
“I’d say the biggest thing I took away from my MBA would be my MBA Project,” Christina explains. “That gave me a really in-depth look at branding and how to apply it to my industry.”
Best MBA jobs: How I landed a top marketing a role with Nike
There are few more well-known brands in the world than Nike, and Christina used the expertise and experience she gained during the program to successfully land a job in the company’s marketing department after graduation.
Through the rotational leadership scheme, Christina will move between different areas of the marketing department in her first two years, before choosing a specialist field.
The job description said Nike was looking for creative students with a global mindset and digital expertise. Christina felt her experience made her the perfect fit.
“They’re the three ways I've been describing myself as a business professional, and I really think that my time at L'Oréal and HEC Paris made me stand out,” she says.
How I’m developing as a rotational leadership associate
Now in her first rotation, Christina is in marketing operations. She’s learning the foundational processes that run the marketing department, including data reporting, strategy, and campaign planning.
The next rotations cover more traditional marketing roles, including brand management, brand creative, and consumer direct marketing. Combined, they give an understanding of the work Nike puts into the various stages of the customer journey, and a holistic view of the company’s marketing strategy.
“It's a really good program for people who are just starting out in marketing, who are still trying to see where their skill sets will fit best,” Christina says. “Learning about branding has really helped me understand my new role at Nike It’s a different type of brand where it's more about storytelling.
“Seeing how companies build that following and foster loyalty through their branding was a really interesting avenue to look at [during the MBA] and has helped me understand my job a lot more,” she says.
A deep understanding of branding and the various facets of marketing at Nike gives Christina a good platform on which to build her career at the company.
“Many leaders have told me that this will uniquely position me for leadership,” she says. “This program is basically bringing up the next generation of leaders within Nike.”
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Sarah
Verified
18/03/2022
On Campus
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Student
Verified
29/10/2021
On Campus
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Veronique
Verified
28/10/2021
Blended
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Ghadi
Verified
11/06/2022
On Campus
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
Student
Verified
27/03/2022
On Campus
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
Lb
Verified
26/03/2022
On Campus
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
Rajarshi
Verified
28/10/2021
Blended
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Student
Verified
19/10/2021
On Campus
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
Student
Verified
7/07/2022
On Campus
Cultural experience
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Sarah
Verified
18/03/2022
On Campus
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Student
Verified
29/10/2021
On Campus
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Veronique
Verified
28/10/2021
Blended
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Ghadi
Verified
11/06/2022
On Campus
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
Student
Verified
27/03/2022
On Campus
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
Lb
Verified
26/03/2022
On Campus
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
Rajarshi
Verified
28/10/2021
Blended
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Student
Verified
19/10/2021
On Campus
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
