This week's Women in Business Spotlight features Lily Elsner (she/her), MBA Candidate at the University of Oxford. Lily is a multi-disciplinary professional in the financial services industry. After earning her B.A. in philosophy and biology at Wellesley College in 2014, she began her career at Shearman & Sterling, LLP as a Business Analyst in the M&A department. Eager to learn, Lily spent 2 ½ years in the Global M&A practice and moved up the ranks as a Senior Analyst — all while contemplating law school. She eventually realized business management was more suitable for her interests, which led her to her next role as a Chief of Staff at Capital One. Lily excelled at orchestrating daily operations of all US credit card data platforms for C-suite executives. Wanting a break before business school, Lily practiced self-care by moving to New Zealand to work at a winery. She is currently an MBA Candidate at the Saïd Business School, and aspires to make a positive impact as a C-suite executive.
Read more about our conversation about diversity in the recruitment process, the MBA program at Oxford, and Lily’s aspirations for her future.
September 24, 11 am EDT
Written by Sarah Chu
Diversity in the Recruitment Process
SC: Tell me about your recruitment experiences in undergrad.
LE: Growing up in South Carolina, I never considered working in banking. I only knew about bank-tellers. After working in Big Law and at Capital One, it’s opened my eyes to the financial services industry. I wish I had known earlier about other opportunities in consulting and finance, instead of the traditionally female roles in project management or human resources (HR).
SC: I have a similar experience of growing up in the suburbs and not having the exposure to other industries. I also had a hard time recruiting as a liberal arts student at a women’s college.
LE: Me too! Firms that don’t recruit at historically women’s colleges or historically black colleges miss out on a talented pool of applications!
SC: I agree – whether it’s intentional or not, not recruiting from these schools stem from institutional sexism and racism. If you don’t have them in the HR pipeline, you’ll never hire them!
LE: Exactly! I am so deeply passionate about including more women in the industry.
The MBA at Oxford
SC: There are so many MBA programs to choose from. How did you choose Oxford?
LE: I have always wanted to work internationally. After working in the U.S. for over five years, I knew I didn’t want to pursue an American MBA program. So, I mostly looked at European programs because it’s where my language expertise lie, and I hope to eventually work there. I’m also extremely passionate in fintech, and London was a perfect fit for me. I thought to myself: how interesting would it be to pursue my MBA during Brexit?
I loved Oxford because of its emphasis on responsible business. When I toured [the campus], I felt like I belonged here. The recruiters understood me. After getting accepted, I knew it was a done deal!
SC: How does Oxford’s curriculum compare to an American MBA program?
LE: Oxford’s MBA is a one year program and is divided into three terms: Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity term. It is very ‘academically-focused.’ They’ve changed it up this year, too. In the Michaelmas term, you take core classes in finance, accounting, operations, marketing, etcetera. In the next two term, you can take electives.
SC: What did you mean by ‘academically-focused?’
LE: I was expecting to be assessed more on my ability to do tasks in a business-context, rather than, say, writing 3,000 words on marketing exam. It’s been unexpectedly challenging, as essay writing is not how you function in a corporate setting, especially taking a few years off from being a student.
The Future
SC: After Oxford, what’s next for you?
LE: My goal is to stay in London. I hope to find a position as a manager or director in the fintech space. But, given the current state of the economy, I am staying open-minded about the industry. Whether working at a start-up or at a larger bank, I hope to bring these experiences back to the U.S.
SC: That sounds incredible. I cannot wait to see the great things you do next Lily!
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