Can you tell us more about yourself?
My name is Julien. I am a Belgo-Brazilian. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electromechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation Engineering from the Universite libre de Bruxelles. I joined Automatic Systems as a Mechanical Design Summer Intern and moved on to Sibelga where I joined as a Graduate Rotational Trainee and moved up to Grid Expert and Project Manager.
Since 2012, I also volunteer as a Project Manager, energy Assistance at Disaster and Humanitarian Relief on projects aiming to energize official premises in developing countries.
What prompted you to apply for an MBA?
Nothing original in my story at all, I am an industrial engineer and right after my studies, I was hired by Sibelga as a Graduate Rotational Trainee before being promoted up the ladder to a Grid Expert and Project Manager. Even though my career moved quite fast I felt that the career evolution offered an engineer were quite slow-paced and I would never reach the kind of responsibilities and strategic position that I was looking for within a fixed time range.
My dual nationality also inspired me to always seek to internationalize my career and even though I love Belgium I felt that if I wanted to grow and develop I would need to pursue a career outside the kingdom of Belgium and so I decided to apply for an MBA. I chose London Business School for three reasons: first of all, the quality and reputation of the program with a strong focus on finance and strategy appealed to me. Secondly, the location was also very apt, London is one of the most international cities in the world, and finally, my fiancée lived in Brussels where she was completing her medical studies and I decided that my place of study should not be too far from Belgium.
What did you find the most difficult in the application process?
I speak French and Portuguese fluently and never study English. It took me over nine months to get the 105 on my TOEFL and the 700 required to get into LBS. I had many friends in Brussels who have worked with Dr. Hubert Silly, who is also a TOEFL expert and has written quite a number of books on the TOEFL, and they recommended him to me. I spent over six months just working on the TOEFL to reach C1 level from the A2 I was at. I might probably be the only student of Dr. Hubert Silly’s career history who did not know English and still got accepted to NYU, LBS, INSEAD.
Writing the applications was also quite a challenging task due to my English. Fortunately, my brother who had graduated the previous year from NYU helped me with the application. I also got the support of the MBA Center team who helped me with my resume, letters and interview preparations.
What is life like at LBS?
As I mentioned before, I have a mixed heritage. I have always been on the lookout for places that have a wide range of cultures and traditions that one can learn about. Being a part of LBS gave me this opportunity. Apart from the great curriculum and facilities, LBS is unique as it also gives you the added benefit of being in London, one of the most dynamic cities of the last century. I was also a part of an exchange program with HEC Paris and got to see the life at Paris contrasted with life in London. Overall I am very happy with my MBA as I have managed to create a great network around me, not just from LBS but also from HEC.
What would be your advice to someone applying for an MBA program?
Do not go for the GMAT unprepared. Brush up on your English to get the C1 required to pass the TOEFL. I applied for the MBA when my knowledge of English was close to zero and this was a huge mistake on my part. Don’t make the same mistake.
Do not just go behind rankings. Do your research and look up the course format know what the program offers you and if they align with what you want. When I did my MBA, LBS was ranked number one, but my reasons for choosing LBS were varied and ranking fell at the bottom of my list.
Moreover, as an engineer I suggest that other engineers applying for the MBA should choose the two-year program like the one at LBS over the one year program offered by INSEAD or IE. This will be more helpful for them to help them develop their business acumen.
Finally, Dr. Hubert Silly had been instrumental to my brother getting into NYU. I was introduced to Dr. Hubert Silly by my brother and this was by far the best collaboration I have had the pleasure of being a part of in my life. I am very impressed by the quality of services offered By Hubert and the MBA Center team and have recommended them to many of my cousins and friends.