Springisintheair,andI’mbackasanalumnusinLangRunGarden,PekingUniversity,interviewingMBAcandidatesforBiMBA.Ihavehadthislovelyhonorforthreeyears,andtheexcitementseemstokeepgrowingbytheyear.

BiMBAistheinternationalMBAprogramatPekingUniversityandhasbeenrankedtheNo.1MBAprograminChinamanytimes.ItwasfoundedbyrenownedandrespectedeconomistJustinLinYifu.WhenItookapart-timeMBAhere,from2007to2010,theschoolwascalledChinaCenterforEconomicResearch(CCER).Aroundthreeyearsago,itwaschangedtoNationalSchoolofDevelopment.Thenamechangerepresentsadiscerniblere-positioningoftheschool–fromaresearchinstitutetoathinktankforthecentralgovernment.

FeelinggoodbypairingupwithMs.DaisyWang.

ThisyearIteamupwithMs.DaisyWang,associatedeanofBiMBA,tointerviewtwocandidates.It’sthenormallineup–oneBiMBAstafferandanalumnus.Eachinterviewlastsonehour,andcomprisesmainlytwoparts:Q&AandPowerPointpresentation.TheQ&Apartistoevaluatethecandidate’smotivationforMBAstudyandmanagementpotential,whilethePowerPointpresentationrequiresusingPorter’sFiveForcesframeworkandistoofferaglimpseintothecandidate’slogicalthinkingandpresentationskills.

IalwayswonderwhyIhavethisbighonorcomingbacktoBiMBAintheroleofinterviewer.TheschoolhasoneofthemostextensivealumninetworkinChinaandsomanyofthemhavemadeamazingaccomplishmentsasentrepreneurs,seniorexecutivesorgovernmentofficials.Maybetheyaretoobusy.Anyway,iftheschoolbelievesthatI’mgoodforthejob,whyshyawayfromit?

AndItrulyenjoydoingtheinterviews.Themostfascinatingpart:gettingtohearthethoughtsofaspiring,smartyoungpeoplewhotrulywanttochangethetrajectoryoftheircareerandlifeforthebetter.Whatsweetensuptheexperienceisthatthecandidatesbringinyearsofinsightsfromallkindsofindustries–ofthetwocandidatesthistimeoneisfrombiomedicalandtheotherfromchemical.

IstillrememberthefirstcoursewehadwasmanagerialaccountingbyaprofessorfromtheUS.Hislecturingwasimpeccable,andtheloadofassignmentswasalmostunbearable.Foronewholemonthit’snormaltoworkuntilmidnight.Mymother-in-lawadvisedthatIshouldn’tfeelembarrassedtoquitasitdisruptedmylifeupsidedown.

SowhytakesucharigorousMBAprogramlikeBiMBA?Classicalanswerswillpointtothelearningofskillsets,changeofmindset,andaccesstoagreatnetwork.There’snoshortageofMBAprograms,andatoponeisdefinitelymorerewardingintheseaspects.OnemightthinkthatanMBAdegreewillautomaticallyleadtoasuccessfulcareer.It’sjustnotlikethat.Butitdoesmakepeoplemoreconfidentfornewchallenges.Andhowmuchisconfidenceworth?

OneofthecandidatesaskedabouttheprospectforBiMBAgraduatestogetajobwithtopmanagementconsultingfirms,i.e.BCGandMcKinsey.Daisywasstraightforwardinsayingthattheratiohasbeengoingdownwardoverthelastcoupleofyears,astheseconsultingfirmsaresimplynotlookingforgraduatesfromChineseMBAprograms.Shesaidthatmoregraduatesarereapingrewardsfrominvestmentjobsorstartinguptheirownbusinesses,andadvisedthecandidatetokeepabreastwiththetrendsandopenuptonewpossibilities.ThebenefitsofBiMBAstarttoflowevenbeforeone’sofficiallyadmitted.

HowbeneficialhastakingBiMBAbeenforme?BesidesthepossibilitiesthatithasopenedupformycareerandthemanyfriendsthatIhavemade,Icanpointtothedoublingupintuitionfeefrommytimetothisyearandsaywithasmile:myinvestmentisupby200%invalueinlessthan10years!Thesamecanbesaidofmyconfidencelevelforthefuture.

（本文来源：威廉汇报，为陈伟贤的个人订阅号）