Professor Q&A - Prof. Yoany Beldarrain

This is the third post in our Professor Q&A series. The aim of the series is to allow present and prospective students to better get to know our amazing professors. This post features Prof. Yoany Beldarrain, professor of Business Communication and Head of Languages of the IB Programme.

    1.    In what roles have you contributed to ESB Business School?

Business Communication professor—too many specific points to list them all!

      Here are some of them:

-Coordinator of the ESB-wide language program (ESB Zentralsprachen),
-coordinator for languages for IB, IBD, IAT

-In total, I am responsible for about 19 language lecturers
-Speaker of the ESB Curriculum Committee
-Member of the core AACSB accreditation team

-development and implementation of the Assurance of Learning process,
  ESB-wide
-FIBBA accreditation process
-Drafting the latest ESB mission statement

-ESB´s SEP (strategic plan)
-Employability study
-Sharing e-learning best practices in multiple workshops, blended learning initiatives

-Grant writing

-Benchmarking projects with partner university

-Collaborative projects with partner universities

-liaison with several key companies

-International publications
-Student intake

-contributor to internationalization strategy
-much, much more…..

2.    What makes a good professor? (qualities, personality, skills etc.)?

In my view, a good professor is someone who inspires his/her students to be successful. This person sees the success of students as his/her own success. A good professor is a content expert, but above all, actively engages students in the learning process so they themselves can discover new connections. A good professor learns as much from the students as the students learn from him/her.

3.    Is there anything you would you like to change about your job?

More collaboration among colleagues is always positive.I would also like to have one ESB-wide calendar, it would help us coordinate the semesters more smoothly. We are working on it!

4.    What kind of student were you in university?  

I love to learn. During my university studies I was the one who forced my classmates to sit down and study before partying. I was organized and self-motivated. I actually finished the program ahead of all my classmates because I took extra courses each semester. I fell in love with e-learning because it gave me the flexibility to do things faster if I wanted to. I took the opportunity to take special exams so I would not have to take the actual course!

5.    Based on all of your experience, what is the most valuable lesson you have learned?
I have learned to see every glass as “half full” instead of “half empty.” In other words, always remain positive no matter how bleak the situation may seem. Be flexible, because positivity is the key to success.

6.    What's the most important word you would teach someone, if they couldn’t learn more than one?

Perseverance

7.    What one thing would you change in the world if you had absolute power?

People have free will, so you can´t force them to love or to care. I would try to promote tolerance through education. If I had absolute power and unlimited resources, I would establish a global education system that included compulsory exchange programs for every child so they would get to know different cultures and perspectives from an early age. I would hope that children would grow up more open-minded and willing to engage in cross-cultural dialogue as adults---which in turn would hypothetically promote peace, address poverty, etc. Right?
 

8.    What are your hobbies?

     Photography, writing, traveling

9.    What’s your favorite quote?

I actually have three:
Religious reference: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians  4:13
Pop culture reference: Never surrender—song by Corey Hart
Philosophical reference: The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. Paul Valery, French poet and philosopher

10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

      Dance to the beat of your own drum.

11. What’s the most important advice you would give to the ESB students?

Joy and happiness are a personal decision. Don’t wait for anyone to bring you either one.

12. What are your three favorite books?

They are actually all children´s books. They teach great lessons.
The Little Red Engine that Could. Watty Piper

Love You Forever. Robert Munsch

The Giving Tree. Shel Silverstein

13. What do you like most about being a professor? 

      Learning new perspectives from my students.

14. If you hadn’t chosen a career in teaching, what would you be doing now?

I would be a journalist. It was actually my first major in college.

15. Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I have three for you…three seems to be my lucky number!
--I wrote a weekly newspaper column at age 12.

--I hosted a weekly radio talk show (1 hour long) at age 13.

--I interviewed Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin at age 15.

Get ready for IBF – “The spirit goes business"

Just 3 days left before the International Business Fair starts! We are all really excited to welcome  71 first class companies on two fair days on ESB campus. The fair is an excellent opportunity for students to approach international and local companies from various industries and to build strong connections. We made a little research on the web, brainstormed ideas from students and came up with some helpful tips for our students.

The 5 tips every ESB student should consider during IBF

1. Seize the opportunity! Maybe it’s the first time you meet representatives from big companies, but don’t hesitate to get as much information as possible. Get in touch with the companies. Strong connections are always important, no matter in which semester you are.

2. Talk to alumni employees of the company who have been former ESB students. You can learn a lot from their experiences and stories. After all, they have been in the same place where you are.

3.  Ask interesting questions. In this way you'll show that you are well informed and interested in their work. It also makes them feel good about what they do. 

4.   Always remember that you represent yourself and ESB Business School. We want to live up to our reputation. When they communicate with you, the companies make an impression about ESB and its students.

5. Talk to impress. Be confident, motivated  and act professional when you’re talking to the representatives of companies.

For  those who are applying for internships, these days are a real challenge! Now it’s their time to seal the deal.  Here are some tips for “ the most challenged ones”.

1. Take your time to make a research

In today’s world, content is king.  So make sure you check the company on their web site, blog and any social media means. Most companies have a website with plenty of background information about the founders, company history, company mission statement and so on. Take some time to make a little research. Knowing more about the company shows your interest and enthusiasm about what they do . Moreover, knowing the company’s background you will know which skills you should highlight. 

2. Create a story statement

Though most interviews start with the same prompt (“tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume”), we blow it off with boring answers like: I studied [major X] because I really care about making a difference as you can see through my last job at [company Y]…This answer is like tearing out the first 200 pages of your autobiography. You leave out everything that gives meaning to why you want this job in the first place. What inspires you to work in a specific field? How did your childhood influence you? Why does this job move you? Most people don’t answer these questions. They start and end with their professional experience, leaving little to inspire the interviewer.

3. Use Social Sweepster App to clean your Facebook

Nowadays, 91% of employers search your social media for any red flags. While most people tell you to watch every single thing you upload, there’s a much easier solution. Use Social Sweepster, an app that detects pictures of red solo cups, beer bottles, and other “suspicious” objects.

4. Think about 3 PAR stories

Many people have fascinating experiences but forget them when they’re on the spot.  To remedy this, have three stories ready to plug into your interview. Your stories should follow a simple format:

1.      Problem – what was the situation?

2.      Action – what did you do to solve it?

3.      Result – what changed afterwards?

With this format, you can adapt your PAR stories to fit a variety of questions such as “tell me about a time you worked with a team”  or “tell me about a challenging situation you faced".

5. Think aloud on analytical questions

Some interviews include tough analytical questions. It’s important to talk through your thinking. Don’t just give an answer; show how you got there. Explain the entire way through, sharing your calculations and assumptions. It’s like solving a math problem, the result does not count if you can’t explain how you obtained it.

6. Prepare for the “What’s your weakness?” question

Most people overthink this question and give a canned answer like “I’m too much of a perfectionist!” Others give a genuine answer but still fall short of what this question is really asking. It’s not about admitting your weaknesses. It’s about showing how you overcome them.

7. Write an elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a 30-second blurb about you: who you are, what you offer, what you can bring to the business. It helps you focus on your essential skills and strengths.

8. Don't apologize for your lack of experience

After all, we all start from the bottom. They saw your resume and everyone is in the same boat. Instead, point out the merits of your education, your personal strengths, the skills you can bring and your motivation to succeed. 

Student's opinion

I made great experiences during the last IBF and the FIFO in November. These events were two really great opportunities for me. By making contact with the companies during the fair, I eased my way into two internships. So, my advice for everyone is to look at this event as a chance to build a network. You can strongly benefit from doing a couple of interviews ( which are even helpful if you are not that interested in the firm, since it will prepare you for interviews) or even just talking to the firm representatives. Of course they can give you valuable information but more importantly, if you can get their contact information and use it wisely, it will be a lot easier for you to get a position in that company. ( Louisa Zapf, IB3)

Bring your business spirit and be ready to capture the next opportunity!

Sources

www.forbes.com

www.investopedia.com