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Q&A with Jairo Romero Calderon: Pursuing my Full-time MBA

What was your job before the MBA?

I have already attained eight years of extensive work experience in Consulting. Specifically, I worked as a Management Consultant at PwC, one of the world’s leading consulting companies. In this job, I acquired a holistic view and developed different hard and soft skills in diverse business areas and sectors by working on international projects with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

Why did you decide to study the MBA?

I felt I was at the right stage of my career where I now needed to pursue an MBA to fulfil my long-term goals. I knew an MBA would give me international exposure and access to a global market. I believe an MBA will foster my technical knowledge, global management capacity and bring me anew vision of leadership. I also knew that it would provide me with a strong network in leading economies to learn from.

How long had studying an MBA been in your career plan?

I had been thinking about an MBA since pursuing my bachelor’s in the International Business Management School at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, which is the oldest university in the Americas and one of the best universities in Peru. 

During my first degree my big dream was always to study an international MBA in a top business school located in a leading country. To accomplish my dream, I knew I had to improve my English, so I started to read the daily news, learn new words, and watch series as well as go to business school networking events.

Why did you choose Manchester?

After researching the MBA programme and talking with alumni, I realised that Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) was the best programme for me. I could work in a leading country such as the United Kingdom where I would acquire technical know-how, and I would be exposed to global solutions that I can apply everywhere.

Another reason was to develop a global network of professionals so that would allow me to learn about industries, companies, and internships and ,during the path, find some mentors.

The live client consultancy projects were also a big draw for me, I was excited to immerse myself in these. This experience is unbelievable since you do not have to wait until the internship to start working with diverse teams.

What advice would you give someone thinking of studying an MBA?

Try to establish a clear plan with achievable objectives. Contact people who studied or are studying an MBA to compare business schools and find the best fit. Work hard to achieve the goals while having discipline and patience.

Studying for an MBA is one of the most wonderful experiences. Enjoy the process and do not forget that limits are only in our minds!

What are your end goals from studying an MBA?

I am looking forward to working in the Banking, Fintech, or Consulting sectors in top global companies. I am confident this goal is achievable since studying the MBA at AMBS gives me the necessary tools to accomplish my goals. For instance, As the Vice President of the Banking and Finance club, I can have access to speakers in the industry, and as a member of the Consultancy club, I can participate in the Case Competition which prepares me for recruiting processes.

What have you done so far on the programme?

I have performed the Not-for-Profit project, a truly live project, with people from three different countries, and four different professional backgrounds. The main aim was to design a growth strategy for an NGO outdoor centre whose objective is to empower disabled and disadvantaged people. This project enriched my technical skills as well as my ability to work in global environments while supporting people with special needs.

What are you most looking forward to on the MBA?

I am extremely excited about working on the International Business Consultancy Project so that I can continue to explore new ways of working, increase my professional network, and improve my skills, and management capacity.

I'm also looking forward to taking part in the MBA Tournament (MBAT) which is a sports competition in Paris (France) where more than 15 top Business schools from Europe participate. I am sure this competition will be unforgettable!

What has been your favourite part of the programme so far?

My best experience has been going to Brathay Trust in the Lake District, where we took sessions in people development and leadership coaching . I enjoyed working as a team with my colleagues in astonishing indoor and outdoor activities.

All these activities were meaningful for understanding my team and individual performance and then reflecting on them to improve my skills in my personal and professional life.