Rafael Lima, HEC Paris MBA Class of 2022
Age: 29
Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Undergraduate Institution and Major: UCEMA, International Relations
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 2 years of experience as Product Manager in AdTech and Education, and 2 years as Market Intelligence consulting in FMCG and Med Devices
Why business school? Why now?
First, I had no previous business education and I want to acquire the right skills to become a leader in the future. And second, I want a geographical transition, and the MBA can introduce me to a great network and get me closer to new opportunities that I couldn’t get in Argentina.
I am 29, I already had three career transitions during my life (International Relations to Consulting to Tech), so I felt like this was the right time for me to get the “MBA boost” and speed my career as a Product Manager; otherwise, I could get stuck and delay my career progression.
Why HEC? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
First, I decided to go to Europe because of an easier immigration process and better work culture. Then, I looked for the best schools with more than 12 months of curriculum. I talked with many LATAM alumni and current students, and all the HEC MBAs were unanimous in what a wonderful experience they had.
I personally valued the diversity in class, the amazing campus, the scholarship I got from the school, and the opportunity to live the French culture.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2022?
I feel like many students come from large multinationals and have the desire to maybe join startups or launch one, especially in the tech industry. Given that I am doing the opposite path, I can contribute a lot by helping my colleagues understand what kind of skills startups usually require, what they are looking for in new hires and what it is like to work in these fast and flexible environments.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
Hard question, because the HEC application is so complete that it feels like you put all of your life there. I guess a fun fact from my family is that we are kind of nomads. I’ve lived in 26 different addresses (almost 1 per year). And what I learn from this is the ability to constantly adapt to new environments and separate the essential things in life from what can be left behind.
Post-MBA career interests?
I would love to work for a few years in Europe in a big or medium-size tech company as a Product Manager. Maybe in Paris, if my French allows, or Berlin/Amsterdam because they are more expat-friendly cities. Later, I would like to return to my country and work on Ed-tech as an entrepreneur or join a startup in the industry, because the labor-supply gap in tech is a problem that I would like to solve.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Talking a lot with former and current students. The best information I got from my research came from 1×1 conversations, instead of from brochures and school websites. If COVID allows you, try going to all the business-school events in your city, because you will meet great people, learn a lot about their programs, and eat good food. If not, just find interesting people with MBAs on LinkedIn and ask for a 30-min call with them.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I would try to align school deadlines within the same period (taking advantage of schools that have many rounds or ongoing application processes).
I am more than happy with the choice I made, but I literally had only a few hours to make a decision of accepting and rejecting offers because the schools I had applied to had very different deadlines. I also had to forfeit applying to other schools on my list because of their deadlines.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I think getting referral letters was a hard part. Not because I had any issues with current or former bosses, but because I had to disclose to my company that I was leaving one year later for an MBA. It was also hard to keep track of them and make sure my referees had them finished by the correct deadline.
I think what helped the most was sharing the highlights from my application with them in order to help them think about what kind of message they could send.
What is your initial impression of HEC’s students/culture/community?
When I was a kid, my dream was to become a diplomat. And many years later, arriving on the HEC campus made me feel like I had made it to the United Nations. It’s the most diverse place I’ve ever been, and luckily, we have a very close community. The fact that most of us live together helps foster strong bonds starting from day one, and I think that is a great differentiator from other schools.
One thing you have learned about HEC that has surprised you?
I had an idea that HEC was a very prestigious school in France, but after arriving here and learning more about its history, I finally realized this school had formed the greatest leaders in the country. I knew that the HEC Alumni community was huge, but I hadn’t realized that you can find HEC graduates in the highest leadership positions of almost all of the big companies in France and outside it as well. Maybe this is obvious for a French or European student, but in Latin America, we don’t have that visibility.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I believe COVID stands out for many reasons, but for me personally, the border restrictions in France were a huge problem because I wasn’t able to move with my wife. As I am writing this, two months into my MBA experience, my wife finally was able to come to visit me for a short period, but she will have to return to Argentina after Christmas. So not being able to enjoy the full French experience with her is something I am anxious about this year. But like everyone in the world right now, we need to adapt to this “new normality” and learn how to change plans on the go.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
The fact of going back to school and making new friends really thrills me. But also something I am very excited about is going back to the job market (for now as an intern). It might be strange, but I really enjoy going to interviews, applying to jobs, and picturing myself in different companies while doing it. So, I believe, in the following months, I will be really excited to research internship positions and to prepare to sell my profile to new companies.
