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Завтра я иду на первое в жизни настоящее, важное собеседование в University College of London. Очень прошу вас, поругайте меня хорошенько!!
Пока ещё не решила, что точно мне надо про саму себя им рассказывать. Не хочу звучать слишком замкнутой, но также надо избегать излишнего выпендрёжа. Зная себя, я всегда стремлюсь запомниться людям, главное не запомниться в негатичном свете. Кстати, сам Университет потрясающе красив.
Можете ещё почитать мой personal statement - все абитуренты в UK пишут вот такое вот про себя, длинна писанины ограничена - 4000 знаков включая пробелы.
Growing up in Russia in the 1990's, I had the first hand account of the painful transition from a centrally planned to a free market economy, and the country's return to the global economic community as a major player. The process was led by daring and thirsty for success, entrepreneurs, though at first inexperienced, who gradually created the thriving companies of today. It is those courageous managers that inspired me to first study Economics at school and to pursue management at University.
When reading Dixit's 'Thinking Strategically', I realized that concepts, such as the Game Theory, called for a combination of economic, psychological and logical analysis to comprehend them fully, as does any managerial decision. Thus, I chose to study Philosophy, a subject that promotes clear, critical thinking and skepticism, as well as develops an inquisitive mindset, so important in decision-making. I have always enjoyed reading and studying Russian literature and my preferred author is Chekhov. The most poignant of his social dramas, 'The Cherry Orchard', is filled with concern with the instability of the society, which has made me aware of the need for a strong moral basis behind actions and today's economic meltdown is a bright example of the costs of careless decisions.
Through my passion for singing, I decided to explore the key factors that slow down the sales of digital music in Russia for my Extended Essay. Conducting various researches into the topic, with the help of 'Orange' and 'Apple', made me see how the concepts of the theory of the firm studied in class apply to real-life situations and the research experience gave me a fascinating insight into the consumer electronics industry. The most remarkable outcome of this experience was my realization of the close relationship between the subjective customer preferences and the success of products like mp3 players in a perfectly competitive industry, especially the reasons why one homogenous good is more in demand than another. I went on to read Schwartz's 'The Paradox of Choice', to discover more about the emotional component in decision-making process and the impact of human psychology on the economy as a whole.
Representing Sevenoaks in the Paris MUN Conference has boosted my confidence, communication and public speaking skills as well as taught me to be diplomatic, yet competitive. In addition to the MUN experience, attending the PPE discussion group and the Economics Society provided me with an opportunity to debate different problematic situations around the world, presenting me with an additional cultural and social perspective. Participating in those was also a chance to see other students' take on the issue of the international economic crisis, which is challenging all the existing economic theories of today and highlighting the extent of chain reaction sequences created by Globalization.
During my two week work experience in summer of 2007 I shadowed the head of marketing at MTS the leading Russian telecom company - observing the process of airing an advertising campaign for MTS' rebranding. My temporary involvement in the marketing department gave me a unique opportunity to observe the strategic side of non-price competition and the creation of brand loyalty in an oligopolistic market structure. The experience made me see the practicalities of business, the importance of efficiency and time management and moved me to seek the theoretical explanation of the strategies that turn an average business into a leader. As a follow-up to my work experience, I attended the "London Russ!a Investment Roadshow 2008" in April, where I met a wide range of different people in a variety of industries, from media to oil.
Studying management at University is an aspiration not only for my professional ambition but for the intellectual challenge, and I believe I am the kind of individual who will benefit from such a course, as I am eager to learn further and strive to succeed.