Career Center Meet Ups: Exploring careers and building your professional future from year one

Discovering career opportunities, meeting professionals and starting to build a network from the very first year: at MBS School of Business, career development begins in the first months of the academic journey. Through the Career Center Meet Ups, Master in Management students gain first-hand insights into different professions and industries, helping them gradually shape their career plans and prepare for the job market.

Meet Ups: Turning Career Aspirations into Informed Choices

Which career path should you choose? Which industry is right for you? When students begin higher education, they rarely have all the answers — and they are not expected to. 

This is precisely the purpose of the MBS Career Center Meet Ups: giving students direct access to professionals who can share insights into their day-to-day responsibilities, career journeys and the realities of their industries. 

Designed to encourage open and informal discussion, these sessions allow Master in Management students to compare their aspirations with real-world experience and discover roles and sectors they may not previously have considered. 

Career planning thus becomes a gradual process, shaped by conversations, experiences and professional encounters throughout their studies.

Exploring Careers in Retail with Coopérative U

For the latest Meet Up, students explored retail and its career opportunities with two professionals from Coopérative U.

MBS welcomed Sarah Fadili, Sales Operations Manager at Coopérative U, alongside Justine Néel, Recruitment and University Relations Manager at Coopérative U and a 2021 graduate of the MBS Master in Management programme.

The discussion focused in particular on the role of a buyer, the challenges facing purchasing professionals and the wide range of career opportunities available within the sector.

Sarah Fadili encouraged students to remain curious and open-minded rather than limiting themselves to a predetermined career path:

“Anything is possible. It all starts with passion and motivation. You have to believe in your goals, challenge yourself, be bold and never stop learning. The world of purchasing is vast, and there is a place for everyone.”

Her experience also highlighted a key message for students: careers are rarely linear, and continuing to learn and develop new skills can open up opportunities throughout their professional lives.

From Career Discovery to Employment Opportunities

Career Center Meet Ups are not only about discovering a profession. They also give students practical insights into internships, work-study opportunities, recruitment processes and career development.

The session with Coopérative U offered a concrete overview of the opportunities available within the group and the different career paths students can explore.

“Our aim is to showcase the wide range of careers available at Coopérative U, highlight the different career paths students can pursue and support them as they shape their professional goals,” explains Justine Néel.

These conversations also help students begin building their professional network early in their studies by connecting directly with recruiters, managers and MBS alumni.

Building Employability from the First Year at MBS

At MBS, preparing for professional life does not begin shortly before graduation. Through initiatives such as the Meet Ups, the Career Center supports students throughout their academic journey.

Exploring industries, understanding employers’ expectations, identifying key skills, meeting professionals and discovering internship and work-study opportunities all help students make more informed career choices.

By bringing the professional world directly into the student experience, the MBS Career Center gives students the opportunity to explore, question and refine their ambitions over time.

Because a career is built not only through academic learning, but also through experience and meaningful encounters, these Meet Ups help students take an active role in shaping their professional future.