MBA Student Profile: Zaur Shavlokhov, Cranfield

Zaur Shavlokhov traded the coal industry for an MBA and business school and tells TopMBA.com why.

“For the last several years, I’ve been working as a coal trader for a Russian coal mining company,” says Zaur Shavlokhov. “Our aggressive corporate strategy has meant we’ve increased our production volume and expanded our presence in the global coal market over a very short period of time, but it also means at the moment all of my future career plans are related to the coal business.”

So, the Russian-born MBA candidate has decided to go to business school. “I have to broaden my professional skills, sharpen my knowledge in finance, marketing, management, strategy and some other fields,” Zaur says. “Moreover, I should development my communication skills because this is a key point in the multinational business environment. Having a good understanding of the MBA, its advantages and disadvantages, I can say with confidence that it [the MBA] is exactly what I need.”

Zaur agrees with the common opinion in his home country that the MBA in Russia is in its very early stages of development. “There is no doubt that there is a huge difference between Russia and the USA or the rest of Europe but things are changing,” he says. “The number of MBA students from Russia is increasing, many schools in Russia offer their own MBA programs and the attitude of employers is changing too. Employers can see and realize the direct benefits of MBAs, whose knowledge and skills contribute a lot to the total success of a business.”

Zaur says people with an MBA degree continue to be considered in Russia as a valuable asset of a company. “The Russian economy is growing very fast and there is no doubt that the demand for the highly professional, well-educated specialists will dramatically increase within the next decade. Therefore I am sure that the MBA has very good prospects in my country.”

As more and more Russian candidates consider an MBA, Zaur recalls how he began the MBA process. “I made a lot of mistakes,” he admits. “And it took me much more time than it actually required. My advice for people who are at the beginning of the process is, carefully schedule all stages taking into account all relevant factors. I am sure that planning is the key point of the whole process. Of course you should do your best to keep to the schedule as well!”

But his advice doesn’t end there. “The GMAT and TOEFL are not as easy as they seem at first glance. Be careful, there are many success stories of real people, who share their experiences, tactics and strategies. Don’t ignore them, they are really useful.”

It didn’t take Zaur long to narrow down his search of business schools to his preferred three. “All schools are different. It is very important to find the right program that will best fit your requirements, abilities and future career targets. Before taking a final decision, you should fully realize what you need and what the MBA can give you,” he says.

“I think the combination of these factors gives us the prime formula for our search: the more correct it is, the better results you will have in future. A good ranking doesn’t mean that the school is exactly what you need. Talk to students, graduates, visit information sessions, meet admissions offices and you will finally find what you need.”