The programme's focus on Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Consultancy fit perfectly with what I needed

I wanted to expand my international connections and expand my business knowledge

Before I started doing my MBA, I was working as Digital Marketing Communication Officer in an IT training and consultancy company and then made my way to become a Product Marketing Specialist, taking on more responsibilities. I have a really diverse background and experience and wanted to grow in my career. As my previous roles were tied to how business operates, I found having structured knowledge about business would be essential for my career growth. In addition, an MBA is perceived as essential for people who want to build more connections. Hence, I knew it would also be beneficial for me as it would open up more opportunities with the international connections I could establish.

The core pillars fit perfectly with what I wanted to get out of an MBA

Aside from its Triple Crown accreditation, placing Sheffield University Management School into the top one per cent of business and management schools in the world, I also wanted to study the Sheffield MBA because of the programme's focus on Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Consultancy. This is a unique combination that fit perfectly with what I needed - I particularly wanted to develop my understanding of SME matters. The curriculum is developed around those themes, with experiential learning at the core.

Sheffield was a very convenient city to study in

At first I found moving to the UK very challenging, even though studying in the country was my childhood dream. However, being independent far away from the comfort of home was quite stressful, not to mention adapting to winter blues, bland food and challenging times during the pandemic.

However, once all the anxieties faded, it became very convenient living in Sheffield. It is quite a small city compared to Jakarta, but it offered a fresh change. I was fond of its beautiful parks and historical landmarks, its hilly topography, tranquil but homely ambience, and the convenience of travelling in between places by walking which was something I could never do in Jakarta.

The UK has a different academic approach from the UK which I needed to adjust to

Whilst I was working, I was attending an intensive bootcamp after work so re-adapting to university life wasn't too challenging for me. However, what I struggled with the most was academic writing and all the assignments as my home country has a different academic approach from the UK, hence I need to brush up my writing skills. For this I was grateful that the University offered additional support in the form of resources and extra classes with practice to help me understand how to write well.

The Sheffield MBA helped me to understand how to solve real-world business problems

I highly valued the Challenge modules, such as the Marketing Consultancy Challenge and the Internationalisation Challenge, as they were very practical and helped me to understand more about real-world business problems and how to solve them. I got to work with and interview UK government officials and business owners which was a very insightful and unforgettable experience.

I found the Personal, Professional and Career Development module to be essential in guiding my next career path. Through this module, I developed a stronger understanding of what success really means for me, polished my strategic soft skills such as negotiation and interview skills and had the opportunity to attend talks from business professionals with various backgrounds.

As part of my dissertation, I worked on a company project which revolved around the internationalisation process for one of the UK's food and beverage start-ups. Working with the start-up was quite a challenge, as there were two founders with conflicting schedules. Their availability was also limited, so I needed to be creative and resourceful in working with them. From this project, I gained a lot of experience from understanding the internationalisation process and the bureaucracy and set up needed, to gaining stakeholder management skills.

The programme trained me to see the bigger picture

The Sheffield MBA has definitely changed my thought process. The programme has helped me to think more analytically, critically and in a structured manner. In addition to that, I was also trained to see the bigger picture and think strategically. This helps me to approach my work in a similar manner which has gained praise from my employers.

I have continued my learning journey following my MBA experience

After graduating, I went back to Indonesia and deepened my expertise as a digital marketer in a multinational digital agency. Two years later I felt the need to grow my career by moving to the Netherlands and expanding my skill sets there. I love it here because I get to learn a lot of things - from polishing up stakeholder management and cross-cultural communication, to managing paid search campaigns at an international level in a few markets.

Looking ahead, I aim to be a distinguished digital marketing leader with a data-driven approach. With this in mind, I need to master several aspects of digital marketing that can help me to gain this title. Beyond that, I aspire to open my own digital marketing consultancy to support SME enterprises with their digital marketing strategies.

My advice for future MBA students

Know what you want to get out of your MBA. Be proactive in determining your next steps. Both of these things will be really helpful in enjoying your time studying the Sheffield MBA.