Madeline Williams

Studying MSc Management

When deciding on which school to attend, Madeline kept in mind that she was specifically looking to gain a set of transferable business-related skills which would further her career, as well as experiencing academic excellence and drive.

Why did you decide to study MSc Management?

I was looking for two things in pursuing an MSc Management. The first was a toolbox of business-related skills I could take with me wherever I ended up in my career, the second related to wanting to experience an environment of academic and innovative endeavour; involving other students, staff, guest lecturers and the wider ecosystem of Imperial College Business School.

I chose Imperial because the programme seemed like it answered a question I hadn’t yet put into words. It just clicked.

What was a typical day the Business School like?

No one day at the Business School was ever exactly the same, but a day would invariably involve lectures and working with my team on group projects. Then for variety; anything from a session with a career consultant, to lunch out in South Kensington, to a Staff-Student Committee or Advisory Council meeting, to a career fair or employer workshop, or even to sit in on a guest lecture on commercial space travel!

What was the Business School community like?

Seamlessly multi-cultural. I believe there were 53 countries represented in my programme alone, and I’m now lucky enough to have good friends from all over the globe.

Advice to prospective students

Try to figure out what you want to get out of an MSc before you walk in the door, both for your career and learning opportunities during the programme. It’s easy to see a path from the Business School to consulting or banking or professional services, but if that’s not the right path for you, do your best to work that out soon!

Career & Professional Development

What do you enjoy most about your work and what are the main challenges that you face?

I love knowing that the decisions I make and the work I’m doing impacts people and businesses all over the UK and abroad. That this is a job where I can make a difference every day. The pressure is high, but I work with some of the most committed and driven people I’ve ever met on some of the biggest challenges the country has ever dealt with. It’s inspiring.

The Fast-Stream is a leadership programme designed to push you and prompt fast and effective self-development. As such, there is no time for complacency. One of the most challenging things relates to the need to shift into a new six-month rotation and start again from scratch. But the rewards are obvious as you develop a bedrock of adaptable and professional skills that you can then build any career you want on top.

The Alumni network

In what way is remaining connected to your alumni network important to you? 

Like an iceberg, there’s a larger volume of people in the alumni network than there are currently studying. So being able to tap into that larger network is a great opportunity, available any time.

While I was studying, I made contacts in the alumni network who linked me with people working in jobs I was interested in, and since we’ve all gone through the same Business School journey, they were incredibly generous with their time and understanding. Because I benefited, I also like to be able to do likewise now that I’m an alumnus, and have since had some fascinating discussions with current students looking into the public sector.

Have you taken advantage of any of the lifelong learning opportunities offered to you as an alumni benefit? 

Yes, for example a recent webinar on Power in the Workplace offered free to Imperial Alumni. I’ve also attended a few evening lecture events like Imperial Business Insights 3:20. Since I now work in the public sector, I like to keep plugged into the latest thinking in the private sphere and think about how one can benefit from the other and vice versa. Secondly, Imperial’s events usually provide good opportunities for reconnecting with familiar faces, keeping networks intact.