Tiny as it maybe compared to other universities in Finland, Hanken contains a whole world inside of it (and one you’d be reluctant to leave when the time comes, trust me!). There are so many activities arranged by the various student associations that sometimes it is very hard to keep track of everything happening here!
Since I’m a finance student, I’m more in tune with what is going on in the finance department. HankInvest is the student association for all finance students at Hanken (you can visit the website here to stay updated about the association: http://hankinvest.org/). This year’s newly elected board had its kickoff event on the 3rd of February. It was an amazing night, with live music and great food, and offered the invaluable opportunity to network with people in the same profession as you (the people who’d actually be looking at your job applications aka your future bosses!).
A few days after that, on February 8, we had a career night in finance, where students were told how to break into Management Consulting and Investment Banking – something I’m very interested in after I graduate! This event focused on the interview and application process, and the representatives gave examples of how the process works. In the second half there was a panel discussion with interns from JP Morgan, McKinsey, EY etc. Such career nights are regularly held for most majors offered at Hanken (but HankInvest is perhaps the most active in arranging these!), and offer invaluable insights into the practical life of working at such institutions. As you can see, after all the serious talk, people let loose with some partying.
In terms of courses, Hanken has much to offer. Probably one of the best courses I’ve taken so far (and definitely the most practical one in terms of landing my dream job) has been Cases in Finance. The top finance students are handpicked by our finance professor; Timo Korkeamäki to work on a different case each week with a number of top firms from Helsinki and Stockholm. So far, we have worked with PwC, S&P and Lazard. Each time we have received individual feedback on our work from representatives of these intuitions, and have clearly been told what is expected in a presentation should we choose to work at these institutions. The best part is that we’ve been encouraged to contact these representatives directly should we choose to apply for internships!
Hanken hasn’t been even been open for a month since 2017 started, and so much has happened already, with much more to come! Other student ambassadors will be keeping you updated about activities within their departments, as well as the legendary parties thrown by the masters’ committee.
There is so much more I could write; one blog post can’t possibly capture the colors of student life at Hanken. I just wanted to give my perspective on things that are a part of my life here at Hanken, and I hope you’d be curious enough to come join us someday!
A special thanks to HankInvest for all the pictures!
Sasha