Elisa Djuhar is an MBA Candidate in the Class of 2023 at Harvard Business School. Prior to HBS, she worked as a Quality & Product Safety Associate at The Hain Celestial Group, a leading organic and natural products company that manufactures and sells food and personal care products under 46 brands and in over 75 countries worldwide. In the interview below, Djuhar shares how she navigated the mba application and decision process, the challenges she overcame and why she decided to pursue an MBA.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school and why did you decide to apply?
Pursuing a graduate degree has always been at the back of my mind. My parents have always encouraged my sister and I to embrace continuous improvement and develop niche skills to set ourselves apart as the world becomes more and more competitive. As someone passionate about food and science, I thought that the only graduate degree that would make sense for me would be a master’s in food science. However, having been in the industry for a couple years now and talking to various professionals in the field, I realized that you learn a lot on the job itself and you don’t really need a master’s degree to advance professionally. Being in an academic environment is so different from working in the industry that I didn’t think a master’s in food science would be valuable for me.
Business school would be the next option that would make sense for me. Although I didn’t think that I was a “business” person in the beginning (I only took two business classes in college and I dreaded them), business is always relevant regardless of your function and industry. My professional experience has also taught me that even though I work on the technical side of things, I still needed business acumen and strategic thinking skills to effectively make and influence decisions and understand how different functions relate to one another. An MBA provides an opportunity for me to formally learn and develop expertise beyond the sciences.
MBASchooled: How did you navigate the decision process?
With the exception of London Business School (LBS), I applied to schools only in the Northeast and schools that are in larger cities. Growing up in Singapore, a metropolitan city, I knew that I wanted to be in a city that was connected and diverse. New York City was also where most of my friends and family were and so I wanted to be near NYC. I applied to LBS as I have many friends who went to school in London and/or are currently living there and have heard great things about London, its multinationalism, and its accessibility to the rest of Europe. Having been in New York for seven years, I didn’t mind moving and starting afresh even in a new city on a new continent.
Business school is also a huge investment – so I only applied to the top-tier schools to ensure that I was making the most out of my time and money.
MBASchooled: What resources did you find most helpful in making your decision to attend Harvard in the fall?
Talking to various Harvard Business School students and alumni – it really allowed me to truly hear and understand about the student experience itself and see how students and alumni have utilized Harvard Business School resources to advance personally and professionally. From the outside, most business schools “sound” pretty similar, but it’s really the insider experiences and opinions that really helped me distinguish schools and identify what’s unique about them. What I learned about Harvard Business School is that the network you gain, as well as the immense growth you experience with the case method, are truly invaluable. Harvard Business School has the largest global alumni network – and that is important for me as I look to work in different countries to pursue my goals. Being in the case method will also push me way beyond my comfort zone, forcing me to develop my own opinions and be confident in my own voice. As an introvert, the experience will allow me to grow personally and professionally as I gain courage and confidence in myself. I am truly convinced that Harvard Business School will be a long-term investment that will pay lifetime dividends.
MBASchooled: What challenges did you face in applying for business school and how did you overcome these challenges?
The GMAT was especially challenging for me. Having been out of school for a while, I had forgotten a lot of simple math formulas, I wasn’t thinking as quickly as I did before when it came to calculations and I wasn’t used to sitting down for such a long period of time to take an exam anymore. Studying and working a full-time job, all while trying to stay healthy and maintain a social life, was extremely challenging. I tried studying on my own for the first five months and I got a 660, which was not high enough for the schools I was applying to. So I signed up for e-GMAT and that really helped me solidify some concepts and hone my answering techniques. I took my second GMAT test two months later in September, but unfortunately, even though I felt more confident and prepared, my results weren’t any better. By this time, I was feeling very drained, extremely discouraged and I had to start working on my essays and other components of my applications. Based on my practice tests and how I had been performing on e-GMAT, I knew I had the potential to do better and so I decided to take my third GMAT test two weeks later. I didn’t want to drag it on any longer as I knew I had to move on and focus on other parts of the application. Thankfully, I got a 710 on my third try.
Another challenge I faced was coming from a non-traditional, professional background. I didn’t really have a mentor whom I could ask for advice when navigating this process. Not many people in the technical food industry have a business degree and unlike consultants or applicants who do, I wasn’t able to tap into resources within my organization. I had to do my own research and cold call others with similar non-traditional, professional backgrounds to seek advice from them.
Finally, being a younger applicant with slightly less than three years of work experience, I was competing against applicants who were much more experienced and accomplished than me. It was extremely daunting just thinking about it. And so I was forced to really dig deep and identify other parts of my life that are unique to me and that I could highlight in my application. For example, having lived in four different countries and traveled to 40+ different countries, I am a multicultural and highly adaptable individual; I have a diverse range of extracurricular activities, including leading a bible study group at church, feeding the hungry, and competing in various sports. Further, I made sure to highlight my unique passion for food and my unique experiences as a food scientist. Throughout my application, I made sure to demonstrate my leadership skills and maturity by highlighting instances where I rose above and beyond expectations.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for other students navigating the admissions process?
I would advise prospective students to really know their “why”. Applying to business school is a long, tedious, and demanding process and you really need to know why you’re doing this in order to endure the entire process. There were so many times where I felt like just giving up – not wanting to take the GMAT another time, not wanting to bother with yet another draft, another essay, etc. and it is in these moments where you need to be able to motivate yourself.
My second piece of advice is don’t be afraid to ask for help because you can’t do this process alone. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family to help with parts of the application, such as reviewing essays, helping you prepare for your interviews, or even just keeping you accountable. Don’t be afraid to reach out to current students and alumni for advice. I found many very willing to speak with me despite their busy schedules, and some even helped me with my interviews. As mentioned before, it is through speaking with current students and alumni that really helped me distinguish schools, tailor my application accordingly, and decide which school I wanted to attend.
Finally, I would say trust yourself and embrace your individuality. I had a lot of doubts about myself when I went through the process. I didn’t think I was accomplished enough for a spot at these top schools. But having dug deep and reflected, I learned that I am a unique individual with a unique value proposition. There is no one else who has the same experiences and background as I have. The fact that I was offered interviews and ultimately a place in several schools really reinforced this fact. I would advise applicants to really embrace who they are as a person and let that shine through. You are more than your age, which school you went to, GPA, test scores, and even your accomplishments! You can have a great resume, great accomplishments, and great scores, but if you come across as a robot with no personality or genuineness in your essays and interviews then that’s not going to help you stand out. rust in yourself, your unique personality, strengths and weaknesses, experiences, perspectives, etc. You are more unique and valuable than you think.
MBASchooled: What do you hope to pursue in the future career-wise?
In the short term, I’d like to try strategy consulting, hopefully, focused on food and agribusiness or the CPG industry. Because I come from a technical background, I see consulting as really being able to round out my experience and strengthen my business acumen. It will also allow me to gain experience reshaping business models and learn how other CPG companies are approaching the marketplace in light of challenges. This will be crucial to my long-term goal of improving the sustainability of food systems to address food insecurity and malnutrition in emerging markets.
MBASchooled: What are you looking forward to most?
Meeting lots of people from different backgrounds and with different life experiences! I look forward to listening to and just being exposed to the myriad of industries, functions, life stories, and goals that others have. There are so many things that I have absolutely no clue about and I really look forward to just learning.
Contributor: Julia Kryzan