Business School Graduate In Detroit Values Networking For Career Growth
The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business is one of the most well-respected MBA programs in the country, offering those willing to work hard enough the chance at unparalleled successes within the current and future business field. The Detroit area hopes to keep these talented individuals close to home after they finish the rigorous program, and that's just what many hope to do, as well.
Shailesh Kumar is a graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business where he concentrated in finance and strategy. Later, Kumar worked at A.T. Kearney as a management consultant advising Fortune 100 companies on their operations and strategic issues. Shailesh then decided to take his insights on how businesses work and channeled them into analyzing companies for their investment merits. Currently Shailesh owns ValueStockGuide.com and advises his clients on longterm investment potential of public businesses.
What is the most relevant aspect of your education that applies to your day-to-day job?
"Graduate business programs do a great job of exposing a student to the key concepts of what has worked in the past and what has not. There are many stakeholders in a business that are affected by what may seem to be, at first, a logical decision. Without knowing the motivations and agendas of these stakeholders, you have no idea how a new idea or a process will actually work out in the real world. Having an historical perspective through repeated case analysis at school helps, especially when student peers play out the roles of different stakeholders, such as division manager, a line worker, regional director, etc."
How important is a solid education within your field?
"I think a decent education is extremely important in business. Typically, the employers view candidates who have taken the time to complete an intensive business program and excelled at it as more driven and committed, and this allows them to trust the new employee with a position of higher responsibility. Of course, one can reach the same levels of responsibility without an impressive education. A focused business education considerably shortens the time one needs to achieve higher positions and responsibilities within a company."
Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?
"I wouldn't change a thing. I have been completely satisfied with the business education I received at Michigan and the way it prepared me for my career and job search. The key advice I would offer younger individuals is to network extensively. Build a great network with your peers; this will come in handy as you continue to grow in your career. And never be afraid to reach out to alums and friends of friends. It may seem like a lot of work, but the fact remains that a large part of business today is conducted with people one can trust and it is hard to gain trust if you do not know many people."
Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in Ypsilanti Township. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com.
