UCD Smurfit MBA Blog

Archive for the ‘EMBA 2011-2013’ Category

It’s that time again… it’s the time that companies start opening their doors to MBA students and recent grads.

Internships are popular with MBAs, particularly those who are considering changing career paths.  There are two types, (1) internships for students who have graduated, and (2) internships for students who are in the middle of a two year program.  Whatever your situation, now is the time that those doors open and now is the time to get those applications in.

The majority of internships with multinationals are located inside the US.  There are exceptions, and for those of you who would like to have an experience in another country while performing your internship.  As there are many US multinationals that have internships on offer, I have chosen the following because they offer internships outside of the States.  Here are some details on them:

Company: BASF

Location: HQ is in Ludwigshafen, Germany although BASF is active in many countries

Number of positions available: Various placements

Note: BASF calls the program the Accelerated Development Program for recent grads. Also do a search for “Praktikant”

Company: Credit Suisse

Location:Melbourne, Hong Kong and Singapore close 28 June 2012. Sydney internships close 26 Jul 2012.

Number of positions available: Not specified, but numerous

Note: The application process is quite long, and they will ask you for exam scores(remember SAT and GMAT?)  Set aside some time before taking a stab at this one.

Company: Amazon

Location: Mostly UK and Germany, with some positions EU and worldwide.

Number of positions available: Four titles, several positions in each

Note: For internships in Europe use amazon.co.uk.  For US opportunities, use Amazon.com. (I think you have to register twice).  On the Amazon.co.uk site specific req numbers are: 168865, 154996, 132494, 170988

Remember, this is only a picking of companies that offer internships worldwide. If you choose to go to the States then the choices are virtually limitless.

So, there you go.  Dust off your CV, add your most recent experience, and get it out there.  Getting an internship at one of these companies is far from easy.  You are competing against MBAs from around the world, so companies essentially have their picking of graduates. Whatever the outcome, make sure to send out, make contact, and follow-up.  Best of luck!

- Michael Munevar, EMBA 2011/13

At the Sunday dinner table, we’re debating investing in Apple shares (alternative pension if you will…). I begin discussing perceived value, intangible assets and heavy reliance on equity while having what feels like an outer body experience.  Clearly some of this course is rubbing off on me after all; terms that seemed so alien not 5 months ago are now making a lot more sense.

Many companies in Ireland today have experienced a very different few years to Apple, implementing austerity measures across the board, struggling for investment and opportunity with cripplingly limited access to credit. Yet while I keep a measured line of caution I can’t help feeling that the country is turning a corner. It may just be the promise of spring, but the painful and difficult decisions implemented during the crisis; restructuring, refocusing, realigning etc should now be starting to bloom.

We move to slightly lighter topics but stick to optimism. April will see Michael D come to Inchicore to hand over the keys to our new Habitat homeowners. After more than a year of struggle with banks, cashflow and the grim reality of the economy, it looks like the cloud has parted. A family of four living in a one bed flat that the boom forgot, will finally move into their 3 bed home that they helped refurbish.

Maybe it’s just spring, maybe I’m a little too optimistic or maybe its these three great weeks of midterm, but I’m thinking it’s time that the corner was turned and perhaps it is a Reasonable Projection for the country, that thoughtful investments in the tough times can yield their benefits in the not too distant future…

- Karen Kennedy, EMBA 2011/13

What is the most important thing you have learnt in business?

The importance of surrounding yourself with good people.  At Smiles, we have built up a fantastic team who are qualified experts in their field, who work hard but who also are ambitious and enthusiastic about opportunities for the future. We have also built up a very experienced Board of Directors with a broad range of expertise from banking to software who bring a high level of strategic experience to the company.

What advice would you give to young students/graduates who want to start-up their own businesses?

I think one of the real benefits of setting up a business at a young age is that you have nothing to lose and can afford to take risks. I remember when I was in college, I was setting up a few businesses including a recycling company and coffee shops. Some things worked out and others didn’t but it was a great age to learn and start something up because you have the time to learn from your mistakes.

Do you think now is a good time to set up a business?

The good thing about the current environment is that the market reacts faster than before. You will probably find out very quickly if your business is a good idea and whether you can develop a customer base and a sustainable business. And that’s a good thing because you don’t waste time on businesses that don’t have a chance of succeeding.

In your opinion, what are the key skills that budding Entrepreneurs need?

I think someone starting up their own business needs to feel comfortable wearing a number of hats. You need to be a good sales person and be able to deal with the day to day pressures that come with running a business and employing others. You also need to be able to rally the troops from the outset. Have a strong drive and work ethic is crucial.

You are a UCD graduate – what role did college have on your career path to becoming an entrepreneur?

I enjoyed college and it gave me a good grounding in the different areas of business – from finance to HR to marketing. I also met new people from a range of different backgrounds and schools who became good friends. In fact, one of my best friends from college works with me at Smiles.

How can the Irish Government support more entrepreneurship in Ireland?

I think that the Government agencies are doing a good job on the big projects – the large multinationals – in terms of bringing them to Ireland. And that makes sense as larger companies will potentially create more jobs. However, I think Government also has to keep its focus on facilitating and supporting indigenous entrepreneurs and SME’s who also employ a lot of people.

What’s next for you?

The plan is to continue to develop the business in Ireland and to expand overseas. We are currently opening new Smiles Dental clinics in Scotland at present. I am also involved in a couple of other interesting projects so we’ll see where they take me.

- Conor O’Donovan, EMBA 2011/13

I am writing this blog during our mid-term break and can hardly believe that there are only 5 weeks of term to go and I will have finished the 1^st year of the Executive MBA (fingers crossed for the exams of course!). It only seems like yesterday when I was applying for the Irish Times/ Smurfit Business School Scholarship and dreaming of having the opportunity to do the MBA at Smurfit Business School.

The past term and a half have flown by, although they seem to have gone faster for my family and friends than me for some reason. I am amazed at when they all say “sure that flew by….. where did the time go?’ 24 weeks of lectures, eight hours a week, countless team meetings, presentations, assignments and so on….but you know what? I have absolutely loved it all. It has been tough and in some ways, inspiring too.  Balancing work, study and your personal life is not an easy juggling act but you do find you get into a bit of a rhythm.

One of the reasons I decided to the MBA was to broaden my thinking and to build a skill set that would enable me to progress to the next level. And I am finding that the academic course work really does broaden your thinking and give you more confidence in dealing with people in functional areas that you may not deal with on a day to day basis. However, I have also found that I have learnt the most from the group dynamics. Another reason that I did the MBA was to learn from others and I had heard that the MBA Alumni of UCD Smurfit Business School is second to none. I have always had an interest in reading about entrepreneurs and business people to see what makes them tick and to pick up some wisdom along the way.

I recently met up with Emmet O’Neill, who is a UCD graduate and co-founded Smiles Dental in 2005 after spotting a gap for tooth whitening in the Irish market. Since then, the company has expanded into offering full dental services and has 16 Smiles dental clinics nationwide. I asked him a few questions about his journey to business success, any advice he could share with aspiring entrepreneurs and his outlook for the future. (TBC)

- Conor O’Donovan,  EMBA 2011/13