Why did you choose Haaga-Helia's master's programme?
– I wanted studies that would support my career development and provide me with new tools and perspectives for strategic thinking. I also hoped to find theories and examples that I could apply in my own work. The international Strategising in Organisations programme at Haaga-Helia suited my busy life in many ways thanks to its virtual implementation, and I thought it would support my career.
Studies and everyday life as a master's student
– I was surprised how easily I was able to schedule my studies into my everyday life. Of course, studying required a lot of time and careful scheduling. I studied on weekends and attended online lectures a couple of evenings a week. I even bought an exercise bike so that I could keep up my exercise routine, especially when I had a lot of reading to do.
– I enjoyed the lectures because of their interactivity and the conversational atmosphere. I found the independent courses the easiest to complete, as it was easy to keep to the schedule. Courses that required group work could be challenging in terms of scheduling, as the participants were from many different countries and time zones, but they were enjoyable from a social perspective.
Developing my career
– For the past eight years, I have worked as a retail manager for a Finnish fashion brand, and before that, I worked with international brands in the fashion and retail industry. The best thing about my job is its versatility: I get to plan and implement strategic projects, lead and collaborate with wonderful teams and people, and develop commercial concepts through stores, online sales, and product ranges.
– My job requires many skills such as communication and interaction skills, the ability to implement strategic ideas, brand building skills, and the ability to manage people and processes. In my MBA studies, I liked the fact that these topics were approached from different perspectives and often through practical examples. I found the assignments where I got to reflect on my leadership style and our organisation's strategy from different perspectives particularly useful. In my thesis, I got to tackle a topic that was also relevant in my work: the internationalisation of an online store.
– My master's studies also gave me more confidence and courage to be open to new challenges in my career. These challenges presented themselves surprisingly quickly – I will soon be moving on to a new organisation as its CEO.
Tips for future master's students
– The studies provide a good opportunity to take a step back and look at your own work, and at their best, they can give you ideas for strategically important development issues. That's why I recommend applying for MBA studies once you've been working for a while already. It is very refreshing to discuss with other students of different ages and from different fields who are interested in the same topics. The secret to success? Good scheduling and starting assignments on time.
