Position Wanted: Experienced Executive and EMBA Participant Seeks Employment Opportunities
Since our beginning, our lecture rooms have been shared with our national participants and a considerably large international representation: individuals from throughout the EU, the Americas, and the Commonwealth. Mehtab joins us from Pakistan. Despite her illustrious career, she sought additional accreditation in a new country. Her research brought Mehtab to Europe, and the VŠE FBA EMBA. Welcome Mehtab to Prague, our University, and our Programme. May all your days be happy ones!
This chat is one in our on-going series that exemplifies our pride in our participants, alumni, and our EMBA programme.
Prior to your studies here in Prague, what was your career in Pakistan?
I am an accounting and finance graduate, but even before I deep dive into that, this is for you to know that as part of my personality I always seek to explore different areas and avenues both academically and professionally. So, when I tell you that I’m an accounting and finance graduate, you would definitely perceive that the next thing she tell us is that she works for, or aspires to work with one of the Big Audit firms. But throughout my career, I’ve worked in Sales & Marketing. That’s the first step I took out of my comfort zone.
Although being a finance graduate, finance failed to struck a chord in me, I always wanted to pursue something that is like more people oriented where I get to meet and interact with new people, contribute to business strategy and leverage market trends rather than number crunching and calculative formulations on Excel. I have been fortunate enough to land my first job with Nestle (The biggest giant when we speak of global food and nutrition brands). With my keen interest in field sales, shortly after joining I moved to a direct sales role which opened a whole new dimension of how the trade runs for the biggest brands.
This role was definitely new and challenging for me, but also majorly contributed to my personal growth as it helped me evolve as a Sales Professional. In addition, it was something completely new not just for me but also for people around because “Females in Sales” at the time was and still remains a new concept within the community I come from. So, it wasn’t just a matter of enabling myself successfully transition into the role but rather contribute in a way that helps females evolve in this new era of empowerment and inclusivity for challenging tasks and unconventional roles
I strongly believe it was my early years struggle that helped pave way for me to successfully land positions with amazing companies such as Coca Cola & Mondelez International in the capacity of Sales, Marketing, Planning and Strategy and Trade Executions itself.
We’ve discussed your interest in Project Management in the past. Please elaborate…
Again, a story of stepping out of my comfort zone and eagerness to explore something new I enrolled in a completely new programme, which was Project Management given its rising popularity and the potential it can add to my profile I set out to exploring more.
I can recall when I attended my first class, and saw the cohort full of engineers or tech people with high level IT related questions I thought to myself
“Why did I enrol in this programme?” To which my subconscious answered
“Because you keep putting yourself on new adventures”
So, in summary accounting done, finance done, Sales done, Project management done. I wonder what’s next?
Why Prague and our programme?
Well why not Prague? It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Ofcorse that, and also because my spouse was based in Prague and that alone was enough for me to make the biggest move in my life both metaphorically and physically to come and find my belonging here. So, I took a break from work and the struggle for me to fit into this new world began.
After a lot of research, I came across the this very lucrative, very amazing MBA programme that offered a hybrid study model. I knew this is what I wanted to pursue when I move there, and to my surprise I was fortunate to be selected with in a cohort that possess a much extensive work experience as compared to me as I still consider myself a newbie in the corporate environment. I don’t know maybe I was too interesting of a candidate to get on board.
Once established in Prague, what is your next move…
As a person, I prefer to establish short term goals, like a sprint mechanism with shorter timelines and ultimately aiming to reach my end goals. For now, all my efforts are truly dedicated on exploring new opportunities to help me find my place here in Czech Republic – specifically professionally.
Although I am keen on pursuing my past expertise, I am also open to discover new avenues. Especially given the exposure this EMBA degree has provided I have high hopes pegged on it to make way for my corporate journey to begin and evolve.