C E M S
C l u b
B u d a p e s t
JOURNAL 2015
FROM BUDAPEST, WITH LOVE
WOMEN IN CONSULTING
THE MACH PROGRAM
INTERNSHIP ABROAD
EXCHANGE CEMSIES ABOUT US PAGE #5
GRADUATE PROGRAM OF MICROSOFT PAGE #8
INTERVIEW WITH DIÁNA PAUZA PAGE #14
EXPERIENCES OF OUR CLUB MEMBERS PAGE #10
ALUMNI BIO
OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL JOURNEYS FROM OUR ALUMNI COMMUNITY PAGE #22
SPRING MEMORIES
AMAZING MOMENTS FROM THE LIFE OF CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST PAGE #18
#4
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CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
EDITORIAL DEAR READER, I have the honour to present you the latest issue of CEMS Club Budapest Journal. First of all, let me thank everyone who has contributed in this work and helped me during this journey. This journal has come alive as a result of a fruitful cooperation and I am grateful for this experience. As a board member responsible for Communications and PR I do believe that communication matters. Due to our diverse activities, we are closely connected to our partners, our Alumni and all the students at Corvinus University of Budapest.
Published by CEMS Club Budapest Hungary Editors Zita Csánki Dániel Drácz Balázs Hajnal Viktória Oxána Kis Nóra Kollár Tamás Nagy
Sharing information helps all members of this network. This journal is a great opportunity to introduce ourselves and our activities, to show encouraging career opportunities, but also to tell our best stories. Besides the news and opportunities regarding our corporate partners, we collected some inspiring stories from our CEMSies about their working experience abroad.
Graphic Design Zita Csánki Email: budapestcemsclub@gmail.com
Regarding the student life, this time we made a change. It is not us writing about the different CEMS Clubs and living abroad but our exchange CEMSies shared their best memories as previous members of CEMS Club Budapest. I wish you pleasant moments while reading this issue and an amazing finish for the fall season until the next Journal!
Club Budapest © CEMS 2015 November
Photos Members of CEMS Club Budapest // https://www. facebook.com/mag.veronika. photography // Photos from the Corporate Partners
Zita Csánki
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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3
EDITORIAL
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FROM BUDAPEST, WITH LOVE MEMORIES AND EXPERIENCES OF OUR EXCHANGE
6-7 8-9 10-11
YEAR 2014
MEET ALL MEMBERS OF OUR YEAR
AFRICA FOCUS
INTERVIEW WITH BÁLINT BALÁZS, BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP
INTERNSHIP ABROAD
BALÁZS HAJNAL AND VIKTÓRIA OXÁNA KIS ABOUT WORKING IN VIENNA AND WARSAW
12-13
THE MACH PROGRAM
14-15
WOMEN IN CONSULTING
16-17
DISCOVER VODAFONE
18-19 20-21 22
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STUDENTS AT CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADUATES AT MICROSOFT
INTERVIEW WITH DIÁNA PAUZA, IFUA HORVÁTH & PARTNERS
INTERVIEW WOTH VERA SZABÓ, VODAFONE HUNGARY
SPRING MEMORIES
BEST MOMENTS FROM THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST
DELOITTE
DELOITTE ADVISORY: THE PLACE TO BE FOR CEMSIES TO MAKE IMPACT THAT MATTERS
ALUMNI BIO
GET INSPIRED FROM THE STORIES OF ALEX HORVÁTH AND ISTVÁN MAG, MEMBERS OF THE CEMS ALUMNI COMMUNITY
FROM BUDAPEST, WITH LOVE STEFANIE BOHACEK “Szia. Ki vagy?” - this phrase will most probably be among the first things you hear when you meet the new CEMS Club Budapest crew. Later on your fellow Hungarian CEMSies will teach the exchangees how to pronounce “egészségedre” or other useful expressions. Among my personal highlights was the CEMS Wintercamp where we spent a weekend at the Hungarian countryside among horses and other animals and between presentations from corporate partners and great parties we could really get to know each other. Another great part was the culinary experience in Hungary. The running dinner, the alumni mixer and a farewell BBQ are only a few out of many occasions to try real, tasty Hungarian food. In the end of the semester we went to lake Balaton to enjoy the sun, swimming, sports, live music and parties and then it was already time to go home and say good-bye to the university, an exciting and beautiful city and the newfound friends. But what you can keep are many amazing memories. I really hope I can come back soon to refresh them.
CHARLOTTE NESS If you don’t want quality of life to be altered by your student budget, Budapest is definitely the place to be. Enjoying the opera, plunging in thermal baths, eating out several times a week, and enjoying drinks with your friends at a ruin bar are just some of the perks of being a student in Budapest. It’s a city with rich history, and buildings more breathtaking than the other. When the city lights turn on after dark, Budapest makes for the most perfect postal card. Hungarian people, culture, history, and the very interesting but extremely difficult language, makes staying in Budapest nothing short of unique. It has been able to preserve and broadcast its heritage and not to mention its famous goulash and other delicious dishes, while simultaneously being an international city with students and expats from around the world flocking to the center of Europe. Taking part in CEMS has been an absolute pleasure, the dedicated CEMS Club has delivered both fun social gatherings and engaging networking events, creating a great CEMS community at CUB. Thanks to my fellow students, the CEMS Club, and the great city of Budapest, I could not have asked for a better exchange semester.
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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MEET OUR YEAR
ANDREA BAJI
MÁRK BÖRCSÖK Exchagne: NOVA
Exchange: NOVA
FLÓRA CSELÉNYI
DÓRA DEZSÖ
VIRÁG DEZSÖ
ISTVÁN FILE
BALÁZS HAJNAL
ANDRÁS HERING
DÓRA HOLCZINGER
BENCE HORVÁTH
GERGELY HUSZÁR
DÓRA KACSKOVICS
RÉKA KASSAY-FARKAS
SZABOLCS KEREKES
BERTALAN KIÁCZ
VIKTÓRIA OXÁNA KIS
NÓRA KOLLÁR
PETRA ÉVA KOVÁCS
Exchange: LSM
Exchange: HSG
Exchange: LSE
Exchange: SSE
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ZITA CSÁNKI
ETELE BOSITS
Exchange: NUS
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
Exchagne: SSE
Exchange: UoC
Exchange: UoC
Exchange: GSOM
Exchange: NOVA
Exchange: LSM
Exchange: HEC
Exchange: ESADE
Exchange: NOVA
Exchange: WU
Exchange: NOVA
Exchange: WU
Exchange: UB
YEAR 2014
MÁRTON KÖVESDY
TAMÁS KNÁB
GYÖRGY LAKATOS
DÓRA MISNYOVSZKI
ZSÓFIA MOLNÁR
SZILVIA MOZSÁR
TAMÁS NAGY
ANNA POMPÓNIA OREHÓCZKI
Exchange: UCD
Exchange: CBS
LAURA PAPP
LÁSZLÓ RASKÓ
DÁVID SAYFO
ALIZ SIMON
Exchange: WU
Exchange: HSG
Exchange: UCD
Exchange: UB
Exchange: NOVA
Exchange: USYD
Exchange: RSM
Exchange: WU
Exchange: RSM
Exchange: NUS
Exchange: SSE
Exchange: FGV-EAESP
LÁSZLÓ SZÉKELY
TAMÁS SZILÁGYI
AMBRUS TARI
ESZTER TÖRÖK
STEFÁNIA VÁG
CSILLA VIRÁG
ANDRÁS WEIL
ZSÓFIA SIMIN
Exchange: RSM
Exchange: UB
Exchange: VSE
Exchange: UAI
Exchange: AALTO
Exchange: IMC
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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BCG’S AFRICA FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH BÁLINT BALÁZS, CEMS ALUMNUS AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST OF THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP
In this issue we interview the Change Management Specialist, Balint Balazs who has been seconded to WWF from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to assist WWF Regional Office for Africa’s (ROA) change processes to realize Truly Global objectives and the Africa Vision 2020.
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Tell us a little about yourself
Is change management an HR function?
Balint: I was born and raised in Hungary and I did part of my graduate studies in Sweden. I have been working with BCG in its Budapest office since 2010. Last year I applied for this secondment position which is part of the global partnership between WWF and BCG.
Balint: Change effects the whole organization thus is would be hard to restrict it to only one function. The expertise to manage change might lie with HR, but it definitely requires serious attention from the top management.
I started working in the Nairobi hub of ROA in January with the role to support and possibly accelerate the Change that is taking place at WWF Africa. I primarily work together with Yemi Katerere, Director responsible for Change Management in Africa, but I’m also in close contact with Fred Kumah, Africa Director.
What change is being witnessed in WWF ROA?
What is Change Management?
Balint: I think there are multiple visible elements of the change in Africa; one is the new regional organizational structure that was unveiled in June 2014. This meant that the governance of WWF Africa is unified and placed in the hands of a local leadership team (the RMT). This leadership team is now putting in place new ways of working within the region.
Balint: In my view the simplest explanation is that it’s a course of actions to coordinate people making the envisioned change happen. It also involves adequate interventions at decisive points to push the organization through critical phases. As part of this process the top management - in our case the Country Directors and Africa Regional Management Team (RMT) - has to be supported so that they are able to lead in the change and maintain the momentum against the natural resistance to change.
We are also witnessing the development of professional country level strategic plans, and some of the Country Offices are very well advanced in this process such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and Cameroon to name but a few. These documents represent a more mature and comprehensive view on the drivers and threats we face in the landscapes and seascapes. Furthermore, Country Offices are now thinking of broader programmes and are integrating key aspects of financial sustainability.
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
INTERVIEW WITH BĂ LINT BALĂ ZS How is WWF ROA managing change? Balint: The first step is to clarify what change we want to see at country and regional levels in the different functions. After that is done, clear plans need to be developed on how we want to move forward, the sum of these plans will provide a Change Master Plan that shall be used as a monitoring tool as implementation starts.
What could happen in 3 years if we successfully effect change in Africa? Balint: I believe Africa will become a more empowered and self sustainable part of the Network wih some of the current Country Offices becoming National Organizations (NOs). As a result of the Change process the African voice will also be better heard and the emerging African challenges adequately tackled.
How will WWF ROA staff be involved in the change process?
What plans does the change management team have for the near future?
Balint: Action plan development is currently taking place in Country Offices and it is expected that this process be as participatory as possible. Furthermore, a key aspect of change coordination is communication. There should be a clear strategy of how to communicate with all the staff in the organization (and to stakeholders outside the organization) so as to have everyone on the same page. The communication needs to be clear and consistent.
Balint: There is a Regional Leadership Team (RLT) meeting cosisting of the RMT and Country Directors taking place on the sidelines of the Annual Conference in May to create a shared understanding and responsibility of the change that is taking place in Africa. Furthermore, we will soon be sending a communique to all Africa staff on the change processes in WWF Africa so that people will know what is happening and how they can link up to the ongoing change.
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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INTERNSHIP ABROAD WORKSHOP IN PARIS When looking for prospective international internship opportunities, personal stories can also bring new information and inspire new ideas. For that reason, this time we asked Balázs and Viktória, members of CEMS Club Budapest to share their own professional stories from abroad. BALÁZS HAJNAL
Deutschothek (Vienna) I have always intended to try out myself at different types of organizations before making my final decision about where to start my career. After two successful internships at GE Capital in Budapest and Procter & Gamble in Warsaw, I believed time had come to gain invaluable insights from working at an SME. My choice was Deutschothek in Vienna, an innovative modern language school located in the city center where I started as a business development intern. During my on-boarding I immersed myself into the vivid and super dynamic atmosphere of a ‘startup’ (the language school opened only a year ago) with a unique business model.
My projects were very diverse: on the first week, I was mainly in charge of designing sales materials, I also obtained a hands-on experience how to deal with customers, the next week I took care of HR roles and conducted my first ever HR interviews from the other side of the table. Each day brought different challenges. My last month was mainly about create a full business plan for the company to support its expansion strategy to foreign markets. I observed many differences compared to my former professional experiences at multinational corporations. The impact of my work was obviously less compared to global cost-optimizing projects, but I enjoyed very high flexibility and could select the projects, I truly enjoyed and took me to the next level professionally. I also appreciated the ‘one family’ atmosphere at the company.
In hindsight, the most significant advantage I can identify from this position was that the working language was mainly in German, hence I managed to develop my professional German which I consider to be a great asset for a potential international career in Europe.
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VIENNA AND WARSAW VIKTÓRIA OXÁNA KIS
Procter&Gamble (Warsaw) I started my internship at P&G Warsaw in July in the Hair Care Team of the Brand Management department. Even after being with the company for only 1.5 months I can say I have learned a lot. The learning curve in this company is really steep and you will get the chance to develop your skills – not only in the particular area you work in, but in other areas of business as well. As a brand management intern I had trainings in marketing, sales, finance, e-commerce, and many other fields. Generally, each intern gets 3 projects, which (s)he is expected to complete during the 3 months of the internship. The great thing about it is that you are getting complex projects, which deal with real, ongoing business problems and the whole leadership, management and responsibility over the project is yours. You are expected to work closely with your colleagues, but also with other teams and external companies as well. Interns are treated very well at P&G. Apart from all the trainings we receive, the company is also organizing different events to help the integration. We had a few parties, lunches and a whole day FMCG sports day with interns from several different FMCG companies from all over Poland. There are several things which I like about working at P&G. Being responsible and accountable is something which you will definitely experience if you decide to join the company. You will also learn a lot and gain a very competitive knowledge. But what I like the most is the fact that you are surrounded by interesting and inspiring people. P&G puts a big emphasis on the personality of the people and the company fit when hiring and this can truly be felt on the culture of the company and on the people who you are surrounded by.
You will have the chance to – moreover you are expected to – effectively build your network of colleagues, as you will need to be in touch with several teams to be able to complete your projects. Therefore, strong social skills and being extraverted are absolutely necessary if you consider applying to P&G. All in all, I think this internship is a great opportunity to experience the FMCG lifestyle and to jumpstart your career – should it be at P&G or anywhere else. CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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“COME AS YOU ARE. DO WHAT YOU LOVE.” From inspiration to reality #Build on At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. Achieving that mission begins and ends with people. Our people and the people we provide products and services to, whether they’re organisations or individuals. Build on is what we do and how we do it. It’s how we live up to our mission. A challenge to each of us. We build on the work of others, and invite them in to build on our work. Because we know the best ideas come from wicked smart and insatiably curious people who constantly try, fail, learn and build. We build on because that’s how we’re wired and why we succeed. It’s this belief and collaboration between the brightest and most driven minds in the industry that has enabled us to accomplish amazing things.
What is MACH? The Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH) program is a customized learning experience designed for our newest university hires in various job families including Marketing, Sales, Services, IT and Operations. This two-year program complements your role by ensuring that you receive professional development to enable you to start strong, accelerate your impact, build your network and drive a long-term career at Microsoft. We do this by offering you world-class training, coaching from some of the brightest minds in the industry and a global community of MACHs from more than 60 countries.
Vilté Székely (Technical Consultant, MACH Program): “There are huge differences between graduate programs. In the MACH program, you have to set your goals at the very beginning and you will get all the support needed to achieve them. Graduates are deeply involved in the processes, value creation is a requirement.” Máté Gelei (Technical Account Manager, MACH Program): “I used to be a Microsoft Ambassador at the university before joining the company. When you get into the program, first you have to learn a lot about Microsoft, and then the next stages are rather about the preparation for your future position.”
The MACH Challenge MACH challenge is a core part of the program taking place after the first 3-6 months. The challenge is about finding the opportunity to work on business impact project and working it out as a project in teams. The teams have to come up with potential project ideas and then work on the chosen one as participants of a competition. At the end of the Challenge, all teams present their findings to the regional management. The top three teams will meet in finals at Microsoft office in Munich. The MACH challenge takes up to 3-4 months and is run once a year. This is a unique opportunity for graduates to learn on the job through peers and colleagues in a self-dependent way. Csilla Szabó (Product Marketing Manager, MACH Program): “The MACH Challenge is a demanding but very useful competition, which encourages the participants to be proactive and focus strongly on the business of Microsoft. With the efforts put into the Challenge you can have a real impact on the existing ways of work.”
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THE MACH EXPERIENCE Gábor Trefán (Sales Account Executive, MACH Program): “I got to know the MACH Program as a CEMS student and the atmosphere has been quite similar for me. You have to communicate and work in international teams and you also need to have critical thinking towards different issues.”
Application process
Mentoring A self-tailored mentoring system is available for graduates at Microsoft. They put in a lot of effort to find the best potential mentor for each member of the program based on that person’s professional interests, personal goals, and needs. At the same time, proactivity from the side of those being mentored is welcomed – it is the mentee who has to approach the potential mentor and show interest in starting a conversation. Microsoft has also turned this mentoring idea the other way around. They have introduced a new type of mentor program making the MACHs mentors and one chosen global leader for each mentor as mentee. The mentors and mentees can discuss different topics such as upcoming technologies and the linkages between generation Y and the major issues of today. The aim is to develop and maintain an up-to-date and openminded atmosphere around the people of Microsoft.
The program from a CEMS point of view Among the MACH graduates, several members of the CEMS Alumni community can also be found. The CEMS Program has many platforms to meet the company or to work with them during university studies. Furthermore, CEMS and the MACH Program share common values such as the importance of cooperation and teamwork, the international working context, and the openness towards challenges and proactivity. Microsoft puts an emphasis on career development and talent programs which is clearly felt at the level of the local offices as well.
The application period opens twice a year, in September and in February. It starts with an on-line application, and you will be asked to attach your CV in English. There will be on-line situation judgment test and Skype Interview. The MACHs are selected through an all day long assessment centre, where the candidates meet all the hiring managers and get a chance to learn more about Microsoft. Download our brochure for further information (www.aka.ms/opportunitiesatmicrosoft) and search among the MACH and Intern job roles (www.aka.ms/microsoftunijobs)! Do you have questions? Contact us via e-mail studhu@microsoft.com
Are you a potential MACH graduate? Last but not least, here are some personal factors that make someone a great candidate for the MACH program. Do you have them? Test yourself! INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION Willingness to work and develop in an international context. OPENNESS Openness towards ideas and people. TECHNOLOGY Thirst for knowledge about the industry. PERSONALITY Self-dependent and proactive personality. MINDSET Challenging ideas, ability to bring out of the box ideas, critical thinking. PASSION Drive to learn. RESPONSIBILITY Ability to take responsibility from the very beginning.
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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WOMEN IN CONSULTING
INTERVIEW WITH DIÁNA PAUZA, CEMS ALUMNUS AND CONSULTANT AT IFUA HORVÁTH & PARTNERS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS By Nóra Kollár
What is it like to work as a consultant at IFUA Horváth & Partners Management Consultants? Let us take one step further: what is it like to work as a consultant at IFUA if you are a woman? “Women in consulting” has become a frequently mentioned topic recently. Therefore we asked Diána Pauza, a CEMS Alumnus to share her own thoughts and experiences regarding to that.
What is your academic background? I was studying International Business during my bachelor studies. I completed two MsC degrees besides CEMS: I graduated from Management and Leadership, majoring in Controlling and Performance Management from Corvinus University of Budapest. Furthermore, I also finished an MsC in Marketing. I spent my CEMS semester abroad in Barcelona – I was studying at ESADE. I chose this university so that I could practice my Spanish, and most importantly ESADE occupies a very prominent place in the rankings.
Have you always wanted to be a consultant? During my studies I could not decide, which field I was specifically interested in. I could not decide whether I wanted
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to work at the marketing, finance or sales department of a company. However, I have always loved courses that were in connection with strategy and I also loved solving case studies. Therefore applying to a consultancy company seemed as a reasonable choice.
Does your current work meet your expectations? Do you work in the field of strategy? IFUA has a matrix organizational structure, which means that each industry and functional area has a so called Competence Center (CC), which includes 10-15 consultants that are specialized in that specific industry / function. I am a member of the SIS competence center, which stands for Strategy, Innovation and Sales, therefore I mostly work in the field of strategy creation and strategy implementation.
IFUA HORVÁTH & PARTNERS CONSULTING Therefore I can say that my current work meets all my expectations, as it is a company policy at IFUA that all the projects are very diverse and you can try yourself in many areas and industries.
Which was your favourite project so far? I had a project at a commercial bank, which was a classic consultancy project: short deadlines, many streams, many workshops. Although the work was very intense, we had 20-30 people who took part in the project from the client’s side, and it was fascinating to see how engaged they were. The banking industry was new to me and I also had the opportunity to lead a stream, which was also very challenging, as it was very early on in my career. IFUA has a career program, which takes 1,5 years and it prepares you for the life as a consultant. They pay special attention that you take part in many diverse projects, so you can get to know many industries and you can choose which Competence Center would suit you the most.. As you progress, you are empowered with more and more responsibilities, so there is a gradual change which enables you to accommodate yourself to the consultants’ life.
What is it like to work as a woman in consultancy? Being a consultant is very intense: we always have short deadlines, a lot of pressure and at the same time a lot of responsibility. However, at IFUA your superiors pay attention to that so you are never overburden. During my CEMS year I met IFUA on several corporate events and I really liked the values they had. Here you have a personal life and a challenging work at the same time. Since I joined the company, I can see how you work as a consultant and still have the work-life balance.
For example there are several options to work part time: you can choose to work 4-6 hours a day or 3 days a week. This flexibility is a great advantage of the company, which can be observed in all the processes that exist within the organization.
Do you imagine yourself working here in 5 years? Certainly. IFUA has the same client base as the other big consultancy companies, but you still have your private life. Moreover, there is a very clear and transparent promotion path that you go through after joining the company. I really like working here, as there are many opportunities to develop yourself: there are multiple trainings and personal responsibility gets higher as you go ahead. Furthermore the community is very good here: we have many corporate and private social events at the company. This enables you to have a direct contact with your superior colleagues and leads to a much better working atmosphere.
Do you still participate in CEMS events? Yes, I try to participate in as many events as I can. When there is a corporate event, I have a dual role: I am a CEMS Alumnus and a Corporate Representative at the same time. You could see me on Rotation Dinners or Charity Runs representing IFUA.
If you could send a message to the current CEMSies, what would it be? I would definitely tell them that they should keep in mind that besides the academic advantages of CEMS they should use the networking it offers. They should look at their groupmates – both at Corvinus and during the term abroad – not as competitors but as friends, because they can turn out to be long-lasting friendships.
So is this a company which is really supportive of women? Moreover, I first met IFUA on a Rotation Dinner, so it was a Yes. The ratio of women and men is very good at this company, it is roughly 50:50. Moreover, many leading positions are held by women: one of our managing directors is Viktória Bodnár Dr., and I could mention many more women in top positions. Therefore the classical glass-ceiling does not exist at this company.
great advantage that I knew the company before I submitted by CV. Therefore use all the networking opportunities that are offered by CEMS – both with your groupmates and with the corporate representatives. And of course: keep up the CEMS Spirit!
As the greatest value of the company is work-life balance, IFUA is very supportive if you want to have a family. We have many senior colleagues, who are still working here after giving birth to 1, 2 or even 3 children. CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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DISCOVER VODAFONE INTERVIEW WITH VERA SZABÓ, VODAFONE DISCOVER GRADUATE By Zita Csánki
The Vodafone Discover Program is a two-year long graduate program developing future leaders within a challenging and exciting working environment. The aim of Discover is to attract ambitious, competitive and enterprising young people who are able to create value for the company using their capabilities and innovative approach. We asked Vera Szabó, Vodafone Discover Graduate and member of the CEMS Alumni to tell us some information about the program and to share the story of her personal development. How did your journey at Vodafone start? Discover starts twice a year, in March and in September and candidates can get accepted through a multiplestage application process. I got into the Discover Program in March last year and I have already finished the first stage and worked for two different business departments within the company. The first stage was the Customer Facing and it took 6 months altogether. This phase is about meeting the customers, learning about their needs and their purchasing decisions. First I was delegated to the Customer Service department, which handles the customer complaints. Here I had the chance to hear and learn from the conversations between the customers and my colleagues. The challenge was to find ways to reduce the number of these complaints.
After the first 3 months, Discover graduates have to move on to Shop Experience for another 3 months. At the shop I got various tasks from the storemanager. I worked there as her assistant observing the sales processes, handling the customer complaints, delivering trainings for the sales advisors. The most important lesson I have learned at this stage is that consumer needs are driven by a complex set of factors which is completely different than the motivations I found relevant based on my previous assumptions. I had to face with the real market and the real business there.
Which fields have you been working at until now and what is ahead of you at the moment? After 6 months, Discover Graduates are rotated between different parts of the company. I have been working at the B2B field on the marketing background of SMEs. I was responsible for the product packages, the campaigns and the potential corporate clients. I contacted the manager of the SME segment on a daily basis. Then I got to trade marketing, a completely new area. Here I have been working on the interior look of the shops and their refurbishments. Even though my academic background was in the fields of marketing,
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INTERVIEW WITH VERA SZABÓ the program has been flexible enough to take my new professional direction into consideration. The company let me work in an area which is a great mixture of my original studies and my new interest, the sales of Vodafone. At this stage I have learned that the people you have to work with and the working atmosphere matters much more than I have ever thought. I loved my team and my colleagues there and this thing meant a huge plus for me. Now I am going to move on to the Düsseldorf office and my time there will count as my CEMS Internship. If you prove to be a great Discover Graduate, there might be a chance to work abroad at Vodafone which is really advantageous for internationally opened people such as CEMS students.
but they are also expected to ask for feedback in order to correct the potential mistakes as soon as possible. It is quite common to get one-to-one feedback during the year. At the end of the year there is an official feedback session and each employee gets a grade based on the evaluation of their managers.
How does Discover end for the participants? The last rotation has to aim the potential future career field of the Discover Graduate. This comes as a result of a dialogue between the Graduate and the Human Resources department. As for me, I am looking forward working in Düsseldorf now, where I will contribute to the business strategy of the M2M (Machine to Machine) sector. A new field and new challenges come again; this is what I like about Discover!
Do you have a mentor as a Discover Graduate? At the beginning of the program, the Human Resources department assigns mentors for each participant. It is important, that the role of the mentor is solely about consulting and supporting. Thus the mentor has to be someone who you do not have to report to but someone you can discuss all kinds of your professional issues with. Personally I We’re at our best am grateful for my former when you’re at yours. mentor as he Vodafone.com/graduates helped me a lot in my decisions Vodafone during the Power to you Program like choosing the Düsseldorf office.
For more information about the Discover Program go to the website (http://www.vodafone.hu/)!
How do you get feedback during the program? Graduates get feedback constantly from their managers
Ani, Cedric, Manvi and Jinglong
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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SPRING MEMORIES HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CEMSATIONAL SPRING SEMESTER By Tamรกs Nagy
Thanks to these experiences we were ready to dazzle each other in the CEMS Running Dinner.
After the kick-starting the semester with the RGL Seminar in the three star Hotel Queen Elizabeth in Godollo, we introduced our exchange student friends into the mysteries of the Hungarian culture and language.
The week after, we donated blood to the Hungarian Red Cross. As most of our courses were on Thursdays, we always used the opportunity of togetherness to visit the gastronomic peculiarities of the downtown restaurants around the Corvinus University.
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The parties at the Winter Camp will always stay a nice memory for all of us.
AT CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST
The CEMS Sports Days at the Corvinus Semesterending Festival were popular not just among current Cemsies, but also among a lot of future applicants. In the Summer Camp we chilled on the beach of Lake Balaton, the “Hungarian See” to relax a bit after our busy, but unforgettable CEMS Budapest semester.
One of the biggest parties in the semester was the Cocktail Party in the beautiful area of the Citadella. We also had our CEMS BBQ party there.
We also had opportunities to mix with the Alumni. One of these was the SAMP ON! (Student-Alumni Mentorship Program, or simply the “shampoo”).
CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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MAKE AN IMPACT DELOITTE ADVISORY: THE PLACE TO BE FOR CEMSIES TO MAKE IMPACT THAT MATTERS AN INTERVIEW WITH DELOITTE ADVISORY PARTNER IN CHARGE ANDRÁS FÜLÖP By Dániel Drácz
A professional entrepreneurship, colourful faces with exciting stories, opportunities to meet senior executives from various industries and an ever growing CEMSie team awaits fresh graduates of the Global Alliance at global corporate partner Deloitte Advisory.
It has been a busy day for András Fülöp, Partner in Charge of the Hungarian Advisory practice and Financial Industry Leader of Deloitte Central Europe. We are sitting in his brand new glass office overlooking the recently refurbished advisory department where the team has just moved in a handful of days ago. How do you like the new spaces, this radically that merging these two into one advisory team could help us offer something unique to our clients, a superior service different design? It is a fascinating discovery for me as well to explore all the new places, it also provides a good opportunity to test some new, innovative HR ideas. I believe we have managed to create a cosy ambience which is not only more adequate for working collaboration but at the same time it enables and encourages our colleagues to be, think and create together. Most importantly though, moving into the new office was not a choice, we simply needed more space. I send out one or two e-mails each week welcoming new colleagues, and we have ambitious growth targets for the coming years as well: we aim at doubling our advisory team in the near future.
package that differentiates us from our competitors. After all the efforts we made, we now see the synergies from this move and I firmly believe there is still a lot more to come. Secondly, diversity is a key value we search for in our people as well. As opposed to the traditional belief of having students of the most exclusive business schools, we now have engineers, linguists, mathematicians or even designers in the team – additionally to the best business people, of course. What is common in this people is that they are clearly among the bests in their area. What’s more, I could even imagine an artist to join us soon. The message I always spread among prospective candidates is no matter what you do, be the top in your own field and you will find your place at our firm.
What do you think Deloitte Advisory is special for among the other consulting firms in the market? Last but not least, we do not consider ourself a traditional First of all, the diversity of our services is a crucial characteristic that makes us special in this business. Two years ago, we had an at that time unconventional idea, a quite risky one indeed. However, an idea that is not dangerous enough is not worth of being called an idea at all, as Oscar Wild once said (He laughs. – the author). Back that time we had a very well-performing Financial Advisory department offering state-of-the-art M&A services and a consulting team with a more modest track record. Two completely different cultures, different performance lines and remuneration systems. We strongly believed though
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consulting firm but a professional entrepreneurship instead. It means, as long as you keep yourself to some key rules and our values, you will enjoy full freedom to make your ideas come true. Your leadership track at Deloitte Advisory is paved by openness but corresponding responsibility as well. A great example for that is our Portfolio Lead Advisory Services (PLAS) practice. A couple of years ago people were laughing at us hearing this idea but now whoever wants to buy or sell an NPL portfolio in Central Europe, is knocking on our door. We welcome and reward innovative service offerings like this, the next might be yours.
DELOITTE ADVISORY Over the past few months, there is a visible intensification of the Deloitte Advisory relations with CEMS Club Budapest. How do you see this cooperation? As I pointed out before, we want the best performers from every discipline. Apart from holding a degree from an institution constantly topping the Financial Times rankings for the past years, CEMS graduates have exactly the same skill set we need: result-oriented, internationally-exposed candidates with high leadership potential. These qualities perfectly came out during our joint business project we had in the spring semester: CEMS students were examining and redesigning our incumbent employee motivational scheme, iShape. They were not afraid of posing some constructive criticisms but offered a comprehensive solution in the end – a concept we will further elaborate on. From the project team, we have a new junior colleague and two further fresh graduates joined us over the summer. Apart from this, we keep on participating in various events of the club, we supported Kézenfogva Alapítvány with our runners on the Charity Run and are eager to join the rotation dinners soon.
What is your message to CEMS graduates? Why should they choose Deloitte Advisory? First, at our company you will have the opportunity from the very beginning to meet senior executives of various industries not only in Hungary, but beyond in the region as well. In a couple of years time, you will grow a professional network which can be acquired at very few other companies in this country. From this point of view, Deloitte Advisory is a certain CEO trainee programme. Secondly, the international exposure is guaranteed not only by many international projects but by secondment opportunities: colleagues have just returned from Beijing, Frankfurt and London from engagments ranging from a couple of months to two years. We make it possible for you to do your CEMS internship within the global Deloitte network. And last but not least, a great team with many social and professional events is waiting for the new joiners: advisory skiing and sailing, charity initiatives and much more build the everyday life of our team. At the moment we have seven CEMS graduates at Deloitte Advisory. I sincerely hope that by the next issue of this magazine we can report even more.
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ALUMNI BIO GET INSPIRED BY THE DIFFERENT CAREERS OF THE CEMS ALUMNI NETWORK MEMBERS!
Alumni profile: Alex Horvath
Alumni profile: Istvรกn Mag
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CEMS CLUB BUDAPEST JOURNAL // 2015
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