Plan your career journey at The University of Dundee, School of Business

“My most positive experience of the University came from the professors. They were so knowledgeable in their fields that they could [help] us to prepare our dissertation [to a] high academic standard.” – Chris Mok, MSc Finance, School of Business, University of Dundee

Statista reports that global business schools produced 25,849 qualified graduates in 2015/16. Worldwide corporate recruitment is a saturated market, that’s one thing we know for sure. As a result, it seems that ‘employability’ is the buzzword of the modern business sector, but what does it mean to be truly employable and stand a cut above competition?

Collins Dictionary states that for someone to be truly employable, they must demonstrate skills or abilities that makes them desirable for a particular role. Teachers are likely to display charisma, patience and a knack for communication, while scientists will be keen problem-solvers and excellent researchers. And when it comes to business, there’s a diverse heap of skills that allow you to succeed.

“Candidates who start their own societies, organise their university ball or start their own T-shirt-making business while at uni tend to have a good grasp of how a business makes money,” says Cary Curtis, Managing Director of Give-a-Grad-a-Go.

“You don’t need to be the next Mark Zuckerberg,” adds Curtis, “but having a good idea of how a business runs and the challenges involved are really useful skills to take into a company.”

Enter the School of Business at the University of Dundee. Part of an institution that ranks among the UK’s Top 10 for graduate employability, Dundee’s career-driven focus allows business minds to thrive.

Set on the serene banks of the Tay Estuary, students here benefit from the dynamic, cultural hotspot of Dundee – a city also known as a hub for brand-new business ventures. Known as Scotland’s coolest city and a much-loved global travel destination, this is the ideal launching pad for those looking to join the corporate game.

“Dundee is a very relaxing city to study and live in,” says Chris Mok, a former MSc Finance student from the School of Business.

“It is very different from Hong Kong where the pace is too fast,” he adds. “In my leisure time, I enjoyed riding a bike across Scotland and I enjoyed visiting Edinburgh. The Scottish traditional dress and bagpipes were amusing to me!”

Mok represents just one example of the school’s graduate success; a feat Dundee consistently achieves year after year.

Knowing that a Master’s would push his prospects to a whole new level, he committed to a course he felt would inform and deepen his knowledge.

“At the university, there was also a big focus on self-learning which I enjoyed,” he explains. “We needed to research [materials] outside of the classes.”

But Mok has gone far since his first days at Dundee; a time where every event, experience and activity could be used as prep for his career.

Now, the graduate looks fondly back on his time at the school, thankful for the academics and support that helped kick-start a rewarding career journey.

“I started my career in a local bank working as a business analyst,” he says.

“I was responsible for structured products and trading systems. After being promoted…twice, I jumped to an international consultancy and worked on [an] FX project for my client HSBC.

“Around a year later, I took the chance to change the field from banking to asset management. I am now working in Fidelity International as an analyst in business change management.”

After four years in this position, Mok is more than familiar with a range of outsourcing practices – including Operations, IT, HR and reporting; assets that would make him a fine addition to any corporation.

“Luckily the job nature of business analyst is also heavily people-centric,” he adds.

“You don’t need to worry about losing your job to other countries. Besides, the world is changing so fast that there are more new regulations, more tailor-made products and more automated processes than ever before.

“Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities.”

And when it comes to the Business School at the University of Dundee, life really is enriched with a wealth of opportunity.

In an example of this, the school recently formed a partnership with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) – a renowned professional management body committed to promoting the highest standards of leadership excellence. This means students of Dundee’s BSc Business Management, BSc International Business, MSc Management and MSc International Business receive a qualification that’s dually-accredited by CMI.

“A recent survey from CMI indicated that over 75 percent of companies expected business graduates to have or be willing to work towards an additional professional qualification,” says school director Professor Kevin Grant.

“The benefits that this will offer our students, and our staff is clear to see. Our degrees now offer something different to our students and the CMI link will ultimately help strengthen their employability upon graduation and sets them up as the business leaders of tomorrow.”

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