Alumni Interview_Chanjoong Kim ( Professional MBA class of 2019)
- SKKGSB
- Hit41634
- 2023-04-14
[The Korea Economic Daily - Alumni Interview]
"My MBA is a key point in my resume."
Chanjoong Kim, Professional MBA class of 2019
I'm Kim Chan-joong. I work for Nespresso Korea in the Finance & Control Team. My job is financial planning, so I analyze the company's recent performance and predict future results. More specifically, my team is responsible for a variety of tasks to improve B2B sales and revenue, and we have a review and guidance role to analyze promotion performance and to achieve maximum performance within our budget.
What MBA course did you take?
I graduated from SKK GSB’s Professional MBA course. SKK GSB offers students on this course an evening program and dual MBA opportunities at Indiana University, USA. As a result, I completed a full-time MBA program at Kelley School of Business in one year, and when I graduated, I obtained an MBA from both Sungkyunkwan University and Indiana University.
What prompted you to choose this MBA course?
I had completed my bachelor’s degree abroad, so I decided to enter an MBA to expand my network in Korea. There are many good MBA programs in Korea, but there were many reasons why I chose SKK GSB’s Professional MBA. First of all, it was recognized as the best MBA course in the country by the Financial Times from the UK. Another great advantage was that all courses and classes were conducted in English, and finally, I could obtain a dual degree in the MBA program at the prestigious Indiana University Kelley School in the United States.
Did what you learned on your MBA course actually help you at work?
I went through SKK GSB’s Professional MBA course, then concentrated on business analytics in the Kelley School MBA course. As a result, before entering the IU Kelley MBA, because I had focused on predicting the future based on analysis of corporate performance, I could grasp Predictive Analytics and Prescriptive Analytics after graduating from the MBA. Predictive Analytics helps us understand overall sales, marketing, and strategy trends behind performance figures, and helps us predict the future; and Prescriptive Analytics gives a more sophisticated analysis of what departments need to do to prepare for this predicted future and how they may prepare to benefit the company. Through my varied MBA courses, I gained a broad understanding of business areas beyond my financial field, and learned to use data analytics tools to find meaningful results, enabling more accurate analysis and facilitating critical business decisions.
For example, sales of Nespresso's home café products rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, from the perspective of financial planners, prescription analysis should be used to predict and prepare for a drop in sales in the post-pandemic era. It was necessary to predict when the pandemic would ease, and how the economy would be at that time; then we could consider what our company should do around that time. There are many business areas to consider, but the results derived from analysis technologies are shared with other departments at business operations meetings, where they collaborate on how to respond. The MBA experience has helped us understand this more broadly, deeply, and accurately from the perspective of the company's business as a whole.
What other knowledge or experience did you gain from SKK GSB’s Professional MBA program that was helpful or valuable?
I was in charge of B2B sales before starting my MBA. Among the subjects I studied, Prof. Rockney Walters' marketing class helped me learn more about sales and marketing departments’ work. This made it easier to understand the overall B2B business, and it helped me understand various trends in management.
I also received a lot of help in terms of network expansion, which was one of my original intentions on entering the school. I still keep in touch with MBA colleagues, and we can still interact with other students and alumni at events such as golf competitions. In particular, a group chat room with all professional MBA students is very helpful. There are industry-specific gatherings in fields such as IT, healthcare, travel, and startups; since our network includes experienced workers, we actively share recruitment information, and through this, many of us have also changed jobs.
Did the MBA course help you develop your career?
The term ‘MBA’ in my résumé is itself a keyword that represents me. It's a title that can only be obtained by investing time and effort to grow even though you're busy with your job. Perhaps that's why when I changed jobs, I passed the document screening process more easily than before, and I was treated well in the salary negotiation. I think when you reach a higher-ranking position, the true value of the MBA experience is expressed more.
What was the best part of your MBA program?
The SKK GSB Professional MBA is an evening MBA course, and it is a big advantage to provide a dual degree program with Indiana University Kelley School. Students on this course can get the most for the least amount of time and money. I think I got two prestigious MBAs—one in Korea, and one in the United States—at the same time with minimal financial investment, and this advantage clearly sets me apart from graduates of MBA programs at other universities. It was also very beneficial to be able to enjoy both domestic and overseas networks as an alumnus of two prestigious universities.
What was the most difficult thing while you are studying?
It was hard to digest a large amount of reading material while working during the day and raising children at night. In particular, many subjects focused on business cases from the Harvard Business Review, so I had to read and digest these materials in advance to keep up with the class smoothly. I shared the contents of the case with team members in advance to broaden my understanding, then put my child to bed, and finished the day by reading materials late in the evening.
Please advise prospective students
The biggest problem is delaying enrolling in a course. I hope you decide to invest in your own future. Starting at a young age, making great relationships earlier, and applying your studies to your work quickly will be a shortcut to creating a better career. Even though I graduated only recently, I believe the MBA experience is more valuable than any other investment.
Related article: https://www.hankyung.com/society/article/2023041189381