After the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Nhat Nguyen – Head of Business – New Computing & Mobile Enhancements, Samsung Vietnam, realized the importance of expanding knowledge and relationships on his career path. Therefore, in 2022, he officially submitted his application and was awarded a valuable scholarship from the MBA Talent program.
When was the turning point for you to decide to join the MBA Talent program of Western Sydney University? Why did you decide to choose the MBA Talent program instead of a master’s program in a specific field?
The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic made me realize the importance of enhancing my understanding and developing relationships. I consulted and sought advice from many friends and colleagues to consider and choose a suitable program. Eventually, I decided to enroll in the MBA Talent program in 2022 and was fortunate to receive a scholarship.
In my view, an MBA program offers a more multidimensional perspective compared to specialized training programs. Therefore, I chose to pursue an MBA to broaden my knowledge in various fields, gain a deeper understanding of how senior leaders make decisions, and expand my network with other professors and students.
What are your thoughts on the professors, classmates, and the program itself after being involved with MBA Talent for a year?
Overall, the MBA Talent program has been a very exciting experience for me. The faculty at MBA Talent are all dedicated, highly competent, have extensive experience and knowledge in various fields. During the teaching process, some instructors delve deep into the content that managers need to focus on, and this knowledge has been very supportive in my work.
Furthermore, the program has sparked a great interest in me. However, the limited time for the initial courses prevented me from fully exploring and delving into the opportunities. Later on, when the time became more flexible, I managed my time better to absorb knowledge and conduct more in-depth research on the lessons.
MBA Talent students are very open to exchanging ideas. In each class, students often raise issues with the instructors about various events happening in the world, seeking professional perspectives. As a result, class discussions and knowledge absorption become more refreshing and enjoyable.
Which instructor did you find most impressive during MBA Talent?
I was most impressed by Mr Vo Hong Duc, who was in charge of the course Financial Reports for Decision Making. Before taking this course, myself and many others in the class had no knowledge of finance, especially corporate finance, so we felt quite pressured.
However, Mr Duc listed the key financial concepts that managers need to grasp and provided many insights about the market to make the learning process smoother. Thanks to his dedication, myself and many other students gradually realized that studying finance wasn’t as pressurizing as we initially thought.
What obstacles have you faced in your MBA Talent journey?
In my opinion, the biggest challenge that MBA students will have to address is the limited time available. Besides their work, MBA students also have family and other commitments. Choosing to pursue an MBA means sacrificing some of the time dedicated to other aspects of life to focus on studying.
The second major pressure could be the expectations of each student. When participating in an MBA program, each individual sets their own expectations, and the higher the expectations, the greater the pressure.
How has MBA Talent impacted or changed you and your career?
The MBA Talent program has helped me develop skills such as time management and stress management. As for knowledge, I have gained a deeper understanding of finance, business strategies, and human resource management. These have greatly benefited my daily work: Understanding trends allows me to formulate appropriate business strategies; grasping the financial situation of the market or certain large companies helps me envision the market’s movements; the human resource management skills I learned at MBA Talent enable me to manage the Product Marketing team more effectively, and so on.
Moreover, my mindset has shifted towards a more positive direction: instead of focusing solely on my expertise, I am now open to embracing new knowledge and market trends. This fosters significant long-term career development. Additionally, I have the opportunity to expand my network and build relationships with many talented individuals in the MBA Talent program, from whom I learn through their valuable shared experiences.
Do you have any advice for the next batch of MBA Talent students?
Before enrolling in the MBA Talent program, you should work on honing your time management skills to achieve the best study outcomes. If you pursue an MBA solely for the sake of obtaining a degree, I believe it’s unnecessary. Instead, dedicate time to the MBA Talent program to gain more experiences and learn as much as possible. This will greatly benefit your future career.
To be better prepared, I think future MBA Talent students should share their MBA study plans with their family and supervisors. Before enrolling in the MBA Talent program, I proactively shared my plans with both my supervisor and family, and committed to ensuring progress and work efficiency, as well as maintaining family responsibilities throughout my MBA journey.
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