Two years into working as a software engineer supporting leading fashion brands, Moushmi Jiandani discovered her interests lay in business and luxury marketing.

In 2021, she joined the ESSEC Master of Management (MiM) program to help her make the switch.

Armed with the same meticulousness and precision trained from her days at RV College of Engineering, she conducted a thorough research process to find an internship, eventually landing one at the global beauty brand Sephora.

Why did you choose to apply to the MIM program?

ESSEC allows us to craft our program with so much flexibility, so even if the degree title may seem “generic,” you can tailor the classes to fit a specialization you’re interested in.

I hope to build my specialization in brand management, join the LVMH chair when I go to Cergy, and eventually work for a luxury brand!

What made starting at the Singapore campus appealing to you?

The cohort is smaller and more close-knit, and Singapore is a financial hub in the region buzzing with opportunities.

At ESSEC, specific tracks are only available in Singapore, like Corporate Finance, Business Management in Asia, and Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability—which was my choice!

Students at the APAC campus also have the Junior Consultant Experience, where we work closely with an honest company on an actual project as a consultant.

As part of this, my team worked with the multinational company Edenred and helped the non-profit organization Aidha revamp its financial literacy curriculum for foreign domestic workers.

How soon after beginning the MIM program did you start your internship hunt?

I compiled a list of companies I wanted to work for and researched the internships they offer in this region.

Then, I started “cold-calling” and used LinkedIn to reach out to employees in roles I was interested in. It was a long process, but I think it was worth it.

After all, the people you speak to can also vouch for you. They also offer insights about the company that you can highlight in your cover letter and during the interview process.

Were you surprised by people’s reactions when you reached out during your internship hunt?

One PR and communications executive I contacted was nice enough to set up a Zoom call to answer my questions.

At the end of the meeting, he shared how appreciative he was that I had taken the initiative to reach out and mentioned that it was rare to find students who make such an effort.

As a result, he was also willing to pass on my application.

Why do you recommend attending company events, especially for those interested in luxury brands?

I visited the Louis Vuitton 200th anniversary exhibition at Marina Bay Sands, another memorable event for Cartier.

At the Cartier event organized by The Hourglass watch retailer, I spoke to one of the retail associates for around an hour, just finding out what the business is like.

Overall, these events helped me get a first-hand taste of the brand DNA of each company so I could better understand if I would fit into the culture.

How would you describe the culture at Sephora based on your experience?

They try to get employees involved in events so we all can get to know each other.

They were also very transparent about my work scope, and before I joined, I was informed about what I’d be doing, who I’d be reporting to, and even how large my team would be.

In what ways has ESSEC’s emphasis on collaboration been helpful to you?

They specifically group us, so we have to work with people from different fields and countries. Everyone’s working style is different, so you have to adjust.

This prepares you for what it will be like when you actually join the workforce.