 |
Yang Eun-young, 27, second from the left, is in her fourth term in the one-year Global MBA program (GMBA) of Seoul National University’s graduate school of business. A Korean-American, she is also a member of a free consulting service team called PiNNO, comprising of seven GMBA students.
Why did you apply to SNU GMBA?
Why not? First of all, the school has a very helpful staff and amazing professors. It is an intensive program and I have learned a lot. It has been a place where I have started life-long friendships.
Isn’t it tough to take a one-year course?
It was tough in the beginning, but I feel much better now. These days, I am taking elective courses and searching for a job.
Could you tell us about your previous career?
In 2005, I did an internship in the assurance division of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an American consulting firm, and received a full-time offer. So after graduating from college (Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University) in 2006, I worked at PwC as an external audit associate for about two years.
Afterwards, I moved back to Seoul for a new challenge and decided to do something completely different. So I taught English to college students and business professionals. I enjoyed teaching so much that I thought about starting my own English school.
But my desire to return to the corporate world and to learn about Korean businesses was even greater. Thus I applied to SNU’s GMBA program.
In which area are you interested among many sectors of business?
I’m interested in a lot of things, but I’m very much interested in the financial planning area. And as a result of the courses I’ve taken at SNU, I have developed an interest in corporate strategy, too.
Could you tell us more about the classes?
Students go through one case study a day to learn strategies of a particular company and evaluate them under the guidance of the professor. I was glad that I had a chance to look into so many companies.
Any interesting events recently had at SNU?
Personally, I have been involved in a group called PiNNO which stands for People in Innovation, consisting of members from all different professional backgrounds. We have become very close and I think we make a great team. It started back in October 2010. Since none of us had a consulting background, we studied about the field for several months through books, research and presentations.
Then in March, we got in contact with Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI). KFHI’s goal is to collect used goods then sell them at low prices and donate the proceeds to the needy. After conducting a series of interviews and paying visits to actual sites, we identified KFHI’s financial situation, then advised them on inventory management, brand positioning, promotional methods and store operations. The end product was a PowerPoint presentation to the managers at KFHI and I think they were very pleased.
What was the outcome of the team’s consulting? Did sales go up?
We made the presentation in mid-May, so I am not sure about the outcome yet.
What’s special with SNU GMBA?
There is a great program called the “Global Leader Series” where the school invites prominent business professionals from domestic and foreign corporations to give lectures on their respective companies.
Also, late last year the GMBA program organized a “study tour” to Hong Kong and students got to visit companies like Bloomberg and Nomura Securities. It was an eye-opening experience to many of us.
Any plans for internship?
No plans as of now. I am just very antsy and excited to learn about the corporate world of Korea. Also I look forward to sharing the experience that I have accumulated over the years with my future colleagues.
Interview by Chung Min-uck
![[VIDEO] Filipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/230201chantyjoyce2web_5891a49058fb1.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[ANALYSIS] New order prevails in global battery industry](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/97f0a86072474a07bd1c388f4cfe0ff5.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Saudi Arabia seeks greater cooperation with Korea in NEOM](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/d8bcecac20a6465e8e44da2796041c64.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[Video] How Koreans' favorite convenience store foods are made in factories](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/230206_gs_4cb7fa5bc3856.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Tati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/d2f45162b11d4965a7168093560f59e3.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
