The Trinity MBA Blog

Gaining Promotion with an MBA: Alumna Laoise Mullane, Senior Manager at PwC

Written by Laoise Mullane | Sep 22, 2020 11:13:07 AM

 

Laoise Mullane is a Trinity Executive MBA alumna and Senior Manager with PwC’s People and Organisation practice. Laoise has experience working across a number of different sectors, including utilities, public Sector, education, and banking sectors. 

Our Alumni & Corporate Relations Manager Conor Edwards caught up with Laoise recently to talk about why Trinity, how it helped in her promotion to Senior Manager at PwC, recruiting Trinity MBA graduates, and more.

 

What made you want to study Business and why Trinity?

I was interested in the variety of an MBA and the opportunity to broaden my knowledge. In my career up to that point, I had had the opportunity to work across a number of different industries. I recognised that having a good understanding of how different businesses create value was critical. I felt that the MBA provided the opportunity to gain better insight into different elements of business.

I chose Trinity as it has an excellent reputation within Ireland and internationally. The deciding factor for me was the Company project. The more I heard about the project, the stages involved and examples of the companies that had been involved to date. I was sold by the opportunity to gain real, practical experience of applying the MBA learnings and insights into a real organisation.

 

 

Can you briefly sum up your career development after your MBA graduation – how did you get to where you are today? 

Since completing the programme I have stayed with PwC and been fortunate enough to experience promotion to Senior Manager. Completing the MBA demonstrated a commitment to my own development and this was something that was recognised. The programme provided me with a solid foundation of business knowledge that increased my confidence in having complex discussions with clients.

 

How has your degree and Trinity's network aided your career development?

The Trinity network is a real asset in navigating your career. Being able to connect with people across the network and sharing insights and experiences has been invaluable for me.

 

Trinity Business School's Pearse Street entrance to its state-of-the-art school building that was opened in May 2019.

 

What have been the standout achievements in your career so far?

I believe my standout achievements are yet to come, I still feel that I am in the early stage of my career. In PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. For me, my proudest achievements are when I have really felt that I am living this purpose, working in partnership with clients on problems that have a significant impact.

 

How have you kept motivated in these challenging times?

I will be honest and say that some days have been easier than others to stay motivated. A really simple tip that I find helpful to improve motivation is to complete one small thing. There is great energy to be found in ticking something off the list, no matter how small it might seem.

 

What does a typical work day look like for you?

No day is the same, which is something that I really value. At the moment, I am working the majority of my time remotely, so my day will often involve a number of video meetings. It has been an interesting challenge to adapt to this new virtual environment. Luckily, in PwC, the systems and supporting technologies we have in place allow us to work effectively wherever we are. 

 

How did you get involved with the Trinity Business School recruitment programme?

An opportunity came up to speak to the MBA classes about what it was like to work in PwC and I was happy to share my experience.

 

What has your experience been like with the programme, have you recruited any graduates yet and would you recommend it?

The sessions that I have been involved in have been really interesting. The students have been really engaged and asked interesting questions. I have had a lot of students reach out to me after the sessions and I have stayed in touch with many of them. We have recruited people into PwC from the MBA programme and I would highly recommend PwC as a place to work.

 

What advice would you give to recent business graduates hoping to secure positions in Dublin?

Be as proactive as possible and explore as many opportunities as you can. Reach out to people in your network, but be clear what your ask is of them, whether it is advice or insights into opportunities that exist in their organisations. The clearer you are with people, the easier it will be for them to help you, where possible.