MiM Class of 2020: Zainab Rubab Haider (MiM’20)

Since graduating with her Master’s in Management (MiM) from the McDonough School of Business, Zainab Rubab Haider began her position with the risk advisory team at Ernst & Young. She will serve a diverse number of clients and further develop her core risk consulting skills in a learning and experiential environment.

Why did you choose the MiM program?

When I discovered the MiM program at the McDonough School of Business, I was instantly interested in applying. After graduating from New York University Shanghai with an undergraduate degree in finance, I wanted to better equip myself with a greater understanding of business management and polish my business acumen before entering the corporate consulting world. The curriculum complimented my educational background and also served as an ideal stepping stone for my future plans to pursue a consulting career. 

How did MiM prepare you for this career opportunity? 

Employers in the risk advisory field were particularly impressed with the emphasis the MiM program puts on STEM education, in addition to my knowledge of multiple programming languages. Moreover, MiM made the recruiting process as seamless as possible through on-campus recruiting cycles, coffee chats, and other networking events. These experiences enabled me to gather the right information, talk to the right people, form connections, and really decipher for myself which companies I felt most inclined to work for after graduation. 

Which classes had the greatest impact on your personal and professional growth?

The two classes that had the biggest impact on my personal and professional journey were Leading Teams for Performance and Impact and Leadership Communications. These two classes thoroughly prepare us to be effective collaborators when working in teams so that we can create a positive, constructive learning environment. Leadership Communications also helped build my confidence when advocating my opinion on various business scenarios. The class concluded with a leadership challenge, which simulated a day in the life of a senior leader. Through this challenge, we were able to implement our leadership communication, influence, motivation, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.

What challenges did you overcome throughout your time in the MiM program?

The MiM program is an accelerated program, and I initially struggled balancing my time between classes, coursework, and exploring Washington, D.C. While adapting to off-campus living, I also had to think about my post-gradate plans. Fortunately, I had a very collaborative and helpful cohort. We helped one another alleviate the pressure of academics and career recruiting events. Along the way, I was able to foster some very beautiful friendships and soon enough, Washington, D.C., felt like home.