Rika Kebede is a Spring 2021 graduate of the Corporate Residency MBA program. In 2015, she completed her undergraduate degree in BioMedical Science at the University of Guelph. After taking a couple of years off, Rika decided a medical career wasn’t the right path for her. “The Dalhousie MBA was always on my radar, but I was kind of scared to make the pivot from science to business. Once I dug into it a little more, I realized just how beneficial the CRMBA would be for me as I tried to figure out my professional goals.”

Despite knowing that she wanted to pursue a CRMBA, in terms of a specific career path, Rika kept her options open. “I had no idea what route I wanted to take, whether that was consulting, banking, finance, or something else. And I think it’s important to share that because there are always people that have a clear goal or career in mind, but I wasn’t that person, and I know there are others like me that are in the same boat.” Rika set herself a goal to network with at least two people per week to help discover areas of interest. “Fortunately, CRMBA alumni (and Dal alum overall) are incredibly open and happy to chat, so I was easily able to meet a number of previous grads to get an understanding of the work they do and whether similar roles would be a good fit for my personality, goals, skills, and interests.”

During her job search for her 8-month corporate residency, Rika experienced challenges deciphering and understanding job descriptions. “Job postings tend to be generic and don’t always offer a ton of insight into what you’ll actually be doing or the team dynamics. Don’t rule out a job just because one or two lines don’t resonate with you, or because you don’t think you’re qualified. Do some networking beforehand (or leading up to the interview if you decide to apply) and shoot your shot, because it could end up being an awesome opportunity! And if it isn’t – you’ll have either gained interview experience or learned about what you don’t want to do.”

For her corporate residency, Rika worked at Deloitte Greenhouse as an Experience Designer. She admits that at first her idea of the corporate world was old-fashioned. “I didn’t really know what to expect when I first joined the Greenhouse, but being open to new experiences and opportunities was something I was really excited about,” she says. “The Greenhouse showed me that there’s an ability to blend behavioural-science, design thinking, and strategy to create immersive experiences for clients and teams, while still having fun!”

Rika’s advice for you:
• Not all networking calls will feel natural (especially at the start), but the more you network, the better you’ll get at navigating conversations and different personalities!
• Be open!

Instagram: @rikaakebede
Pronouns: She/her