Nick Konstantakis

 Through the London trip, the events on-campus and ad-hoc meetings, the alumni network plays a major role in supporting the students with their job search and the early stages of their careers 

Deciding on Master’s course can be a difficult and complicated process. To decide, I used three main criteria when evaluating the different Master’s courses: the quality of the alumni network, the job placements / reputation of the school and the quality of the course. As a result, the Master in Finance program at HEC Paris was at the top of my list, and I can definitively say that it did not fall short of my expectations.

Through the London study trip, the events on-campus and ad-hoc meetings, the alumni network plays a major role in supporting the students with their job search and the early stages of their careers. I have yet to meet one MIF graduate who is not willing to help and give advice to a current student!

This support network, along with the interview preparation course and ongoing feedback and support from the professors, made finding a job a slightly easier task.

A unique feature of the MIF program is the hands on approach and emphasis on the practical application, as many professionals are active teaching members of the faculty, such as Olivier Bossard, Jean-Charles Bertrand and Phillippe Henrotte.

Yet, to my great surprise, the best feature of the program is the relationship you build with your mentors, and most importantly your classmates and friends.

The MIF program’s contribution to launching my career has been twofold; my introduction to Exane and consequent interview invitation happened during an event on campus, while the knowledge base gained through the course helped secure a full-time position following my internship.

I am currently working at Exane as a member of the Equity Research Oil & Gas team in London, focusing on the Macro and the Oil Services companies. The technical and analytical skills gained through the courses, along with the Energy Certificate and Energy Market course have both been instrumental in ramping up my knowledge of the sector and coping in my role.