Balancing choices and opportunities

If you think about the path that lead you to where you are today, to what extent has that path been the result of very careful choices as opposed to circumstances and opportunities that have come up along the way? 

My path has definitely been carved by a combination of choices and opportunities. When it comes to success, I believe that there is a clear line between things you can influence and things that are outside of your control. I think you need to strive for creating the best possible version of yourself at any time by choosing which skills to learn, which people to surround yourself with, and what mindset you set for yourself. So that when an opportunity arises, you are able to take it without any doubts and create the best possible outcome.

Can you give us an example of a pivotal decision moment in your career?

After graduating from Maastricht and taking a year for internships in the Venture Capital and Consulting fields, I had the privilege to choose between employers. Between a large, international consulting firm and SMP, a strategy boutique from Düsseldorf, I chose the latter which would seem like an unconventional decision for some. The deciding factors however were: faster potential growth due to more responsibility within a small firm, strong identification with the values and people at SMP, and lastly my desire to stay in Consulting in the long run, which seemed most realistic at SMP. Looking back five years later, I can confirm that I have made the right decision.

Words of wisdom: How can our students prepare themselves for the changing job market?

In today’s “permacrisis” environment, I believe the strongest asset you can develop is a flexible mindset with a passion for learning and high tolerance for ambiguity. Be open towards developing new skills (yes, including Generative AI), actively explore new ideas and contrary opinions without bias, and try finding passion in anything you do. This will not only give you an edge over other people in the job market but also create resilience for future challenges.

Y Chi earned a cum laude Bachelor's in Economics and Business Economics from SBE in 2018, followed by an exchange at Yonsei University and serving as SCOPE Focus Secretary. In 2023, Y Chi graduated as Valedictorian from IE School's Master's in Big Data & Business Analytics.