Management and Spanish

Applied in: Winter 2013

University Offers: St Andrews, Bath, Birmingham

Being a French national, having spent the first half of my upbringing in Singapore and spending the remainder in London, I have come to embrace the vibrancy and what can only be described as a hotpot of multiculturalism. I have always been fascinated by the spectrum of businesses around me, from corner shops to boutiques, but more so the individual culture that transpires through each, be it in mode of operandi or the simple display of products on offer. In a world full of competition, I believe that a multi-cultural view is essential in the understanding of international business and effective management. My travels around the world have triggered my passion in discovering new cultures and new languages such as Spanish which I have been studying and adoring for six years. I became enticed to this language, in particular, having spent four weeks in Marbella where I took intensive Spanish classes. I was truly taken by the passion and energy of the city's working environment which influenced my decision to deepen my knowledge of the language at university. It is these skills and attributes that I see myself using in any future career path that I choose to undertake.

As a student in the French educational system, I have been given the choice between three sections and chose the scientific one, known to be the most challenging. My knowledge of mathematics, particularly statistics and probabilities should help me to approach the quantitative aspect of an enterprise's business and management. Moreover, I have always had a taste for literature and am an avid reader in my spare time. My recent achievement having been to undertake Spanish novels such as 'Don Quixote' which I find very challenging yet most enjoyable. Otherwise, reading international newspapers and current affairs such as 'The Economist', 'Le Figaro' (French newspaper) and sometimes 'El Pais' (Spanish newspaper) keeps me up to date with the socio-economic and cultural issues affecting different parts of the world.  

The human aspect of business and management fascinates me. I am by nature a people's person, and strongly feel that my experiences and upbringing have taught me how to both deal and bring together people of different backgrounds. In June 2012 I have done a two-week work experience in a dental practice which was a good opportunity to leverage my scientific knowledge, particularly in biology. However, spending time with the patients and seeing how the dentist engaged with them made me realize the importance of human interaction in any work place. It also made me realize that my knowledge of English, Spanish and French was a key strength for any future career, as when I had to make appointments for example. By the same token, I also worked for a charity event, managing the cash register and selling children's clothes almost every two months back in Singapore.  

I have been elected class delegate for several years running, which not only requires team work but also making a judgement call on what I deem requires prioritisation. This role also enabled me to develop my skills as a public speaker and effective communicator. Moreover, during a 6 months team project for my Baccalaureate this year, I learnt how to lead a team and managed to achieve the highest grade. The project used my organization and planning skills, which are some of the most-valuable skills for business studies.  

I am extremely eager to further my knowledge in business to another level, and am particularly excited by the International angle that this course will provide me. I strongly believe I am well equipped with the right fundamental attributes for this course and look forward to overcome the challenges that I will be facing; as Dali once said; 'La inteligencia sin ambición es como un pájaro sin sus alas.'

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