Geetanjali | Master in International Management and Sustainability

Could you introduce yourself in a few words and describe your academic career?

Hello, my name is Geetanjali Sharma and I am 24 years old from Mumbai, India. I have been in France for the past 2.5 years to do my master's in International Management and Sustainability at Sciences Po, Paris. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from St Xavier's College, Mumbai.

Why did you choose the International Management and Sustainability Master' program at the School of Management and Innovation?

I actually specifically remember the reason why I chose the International Management and Sustainability Master program at the School of Management and Innovation. I never found a program elsewhere that offered sustainability which is something very important to me. It was also fully taught in English with opportunities to learn French and even take courses in French.

Something else which I appreciated so much about this Master was the fact that you had a wide selection of courses to choose from - Marketing, Management, Finance, Public Speaking, Entrepreneurship, and of course, sustainability. That was something that attracted me the most to this master's because I could have a career in whichever field interested me.

On top of that, the courses were taught by industry leaders and innovators. The evaluation system wasn't very theoretical either, it was very practical and it prepared you for the real professional world.

You are currently doing an internship. Could you tell us about your missions?

I realized pretty early on in the master's that I was interested in marketing. It was technical and creative at the same time. When I came to France in 2019, I dreamt of working at L'Oréal. After two gap year internships, I finally got where I always dreamt of being - L'Oreal. I work as a Chef de Projet - International Communications at L'Oréal Luxe.

I work on implementing the marketing strategies internationally in our subsidiaries. I also have a lot of autonomy and I feel like I am learning something new every day. Also after 2.5 years, I feel comfortable working in French.

What learning and skills did you acquire during the Master's course?

So many! Starting with something I was the most intimidated by - Public Speaking. I was terrified of public speaking but after a wonderful course and so many presentations, I feel confident. This also helped me ace my internship interviews because I felt confident when I was speaking. I also really exercised my creativity with many projects. In fact, creativity was appreciated. I learned how to work in groups. We had a lot of group projects and when you work in groups and especially diverse ones, you learn delegation, effective communication, leadership and accountability. This is something that is essential for professional life.

Another skill which I didn't know I possessed was entrepreneurship. The courses pushed us to think as entrepreneurs.

What advice would you give to candidates?

My advice would be to really tell your story through your statement of purpose. Really highlight why you want to do this program and what drives you as a person. I promise, you won't be disappointed and you will learn so much. Another advice I would give is to at least finish two levels of French before you decide to come here.

Even though the education is in English and everybody does speak English, it will be a lot easier for your student and professional life if you have some understanding of the language.