Career Support at HEC: A Conversation with Pooja Prabhushankar
Pooja Prabhushankar, Associate Director of Career Development at HEC Paris, leads the team supporting MBA students in their career journeys: this includes developing a structured career curriculum and one-on-one coaching. Pooja also engages with recruiters to understand their experiences with HEC and to gain market insights. Originally from India, she moved to France eight years ago with her husband – who attended HEC’s MBA program – an experience that ultimately inspired her own path to the school.
MBA Pathfinders: Can you provide an overview of the career curriculum at HEC?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Our career curriculum is structured and for-credit. Students are required to complete four coaching sessions with a dedicated career coach. We also have mandatory workshops and bootcamps – including Interview Bootcamps, CV Workshops, and Networking Workshops – all for academic credit. The goal is to give students practical tools and structure.
We start working with students three months before arrival, hosting online webinars and providing resources including CV templates. Once on campus, students participate in "Career Essentials Week," which includes mandatory and optional workshops – covering CVs, networking, feedback skills, and a self-assessment exercise called “Know Yourself.”
Through our “First Steps In” sessions, we introduce students to different sectors – consulting, tech, luxury, etc. – to give them a lay of the land, with follow-up deep-dive sessions. Based on their goals, we assign sector-specific coaches. I coach students aiming for consulting, and we work together to refine their strategies, determine whether they need internships, and create a list of places to apply.
For students still figuring things out – what we call the "Explorers" – we have a program that helps them identify transferable skills and potential sectors of interest. They begin with a coach who helps them explore different sectors. They then decide which sector they want to pursue and are assigned a sector-specific coach. If they decide they want to switch, they can always change coaches. The program is personalized and flexible – and we’re there to support students throughout.
MBA Pathfinders: Thank you. That sounds extremely robust. You mentioned consulting and luxury many times — are there other sectors in which HEC has a particular strength?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Consulting is consistently the top choice, but finance has grown a lot recently, overtaking tech. Healthcare is a booming area with strong opportunities, even though many students don’t initially consider it. When someone says they want to work in strategy, we may guide them toward corporate strategy roles in healthcare if it aligns with their skills and goals. That’s why our early career sessions are so important – they open students’ eyes to new possibilities.
MBA Pathfinders: When we visited your campus last year, we were impressed by how many HEC students successfully changed sector, function, and geography. This is hard to do. How do you help them manage that transformation?
Pooja Prabhushankar: It’s really tough! We’re honest about that from day one. During Career Essentials Week, we say: “This will be hard work.” We discuss challenges in changing sectors, functions, and geographies, and talk about what students have done in the past.
We help students evaluate what's realistically possible. If someone wants to change all three, we break it down into steps: what can happen now, what may take longer, and what trade-offs are involved? Even if they want to switch all three, we split that into certain steps and if all three happen for them, that is great. I am amazed by the work our students accomplish between their academic requirements and everything they do to achieve their dreams.
MBA Pathfinders: That's amazing because we always hear: "You can change sector or function, but not both – and certainly not geography on top of that." It's really impressive.
You mentioned you recommend corporate strategy roles. Are companies now more open to hiring candidates without prior consulting experience?
Pooja Prabhushankar: It depends on the company and the candidate’s background. Some firms still want prior consulting experience, but others are open – especially if a candidate has strong analytical skills or relevant industry experience. For example, engineers can often make the transition given their analytical skills.
MBA Pathfinders: Great! Now we wanted to ask about location. When international students want to stay in Europe after graduation, what are realistic locations and sectors – especially outside of consulting? Are there certain countries that tend to be more open to speaking English on the job or visa requirements?
Pooja Prabhushankar: It varies, but generally in Europe the most open places are: Luxembourg, the Nordics, Berlin and – for consulting – Brussels.
That said, it’s not just about geography – it’s also about sector and language. The conversation is always about priority. What do you want to change?
• Is the sector more important to you?
• Or is geography your top priority?
For example we might say: “we know you came here with the idea that you want to do x. However, the reality is that if you want to do luxury you likely have to speak the language of the country where the company is based. Is that realistic within the 16-month MBA timeline? Or would you choose a different industry initially to stay in France and build language skills, then later transition into luxury or other sectors?”
MBA Pathfinders: Luxury was exactly the sector we were thinking about – so many luxury companies are based in France. Are students able to break into luxury even if they don’t speak French?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Italy as well. It’s possible, but rare. Some students do land internships in luxury without fluency but converting that to a full-time role is tough. Luxury is still very traditional – language matters a lot, especially in France and Italy.
MBA Pathfinders: What are some less traditional paths you’ve seen HEC students pursue?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Sustainability has really taken off. Students are interested in impact-driven roles, which can span sectors. But these roles aren’t always easy to define. We’re doing more to help students translate that interest into a job—both through coaching and by identifying potential employers. It’s exciting work.
MBA Pathfinders: Can you walk us through the four stages of the career curriculum?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Sure – our framework is:
Know Yourself – Embark on a journey of self-discovery to unlock your unique talents and core values. Through targeted self-assessment exercises, workshops, and personalized coaching sessions, gain a deeper understanding of your strengths, preferences, and motivations. Learn to articulate these attributes with clarity and confidence.
Explore and Connect – Navigate today’s job market by building meaningful connections with leading companies, experts and alumni. Gain insights into industry requirements, corporate cultures, and hiring practices. Engage in career fairs, company presentations, and exclusive events organized by HEC Talents and Clubs, and leverage our global alumni network to expand your professional reach.
Strategize and Practice – Develop a strategic career plan with clear, actionable objectives. Our specialized training sessions will empower you to refine your CV and cover letter, craft a compelling pitch, optimize your LinkedIn profile, and master case interview techniques. Regular practice ensures you present yourself confidently and effectively to potential employers.
Set Yourself Up for Success – Enhance your professional skill set to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. Through targeted workshops and one-on-one coaching, build soft skills and industry-specific expertise needed for immediate career impact and long-term growth. Lay a strong foundation for a successful career journey.
MBA Pathfinders: That’s really thoughtful. We’d like to ask about the Grand École students. Do MBA students have access to the Grande Ecole alumni and events? How does HEC differentiate itself? Can you explain that a bit more?
Pooja Prabhushankar: Absolutely. HEC is a big ecosystem so I think it’s a great place for anyone who wants to be in France because students have access to all events. However, we also try to offer the right contacts as not all recruiters can guide an MBA.
In France, the Grand École system is extremely well known. The MBA is less automatic in employer minds compared to the U.S., where MBA hiring is more structured. We encourage MBA students to attend broader campus events to network — but we also create MBA-specific career activities. For example, if a recruiter comes to campus, we now try to ensure there's an MBA-specific point of contact students can meet with directly. We want MBAs to have the right conversations that reflect their experience level and career goals.
MBA Pathfinders: This has been great. Thank you so much for your time!
Pooja Prabhushankar: Thank you both — it was great speaking with you.
Learn more