How EY NextGen Women program opened exciting new opportunities for me

Anastasiia Ivanova won EY NextGen Women case event last year and shares her experiences and tips.

When I came across the EY NextGen Women competition, I immediately knew that I wanted to apply as I was in the Women of Aalto association board at the time. I saw NextGen as a great opportunity to get to know SaT and use it as platform to accelerate my career growth, meet brilliant people, and try something new. In addition to networking and making new friends at the case event, the winner receives an internship in EY SaT, a mentorship program and an invitation to the global finals abroad. That year the competition was moved from spring to fall. I had my flights booked for the exchange semester, but I changed my departure flight to make it to the case event, and I am so happy I did!

The case event lasted one full day. We were divided into groups of three and given two different cases to work on. One was corporate finance-related, the other EY-Parthenon-related. We got to know other participants and talk to EY employees ranging from consultants to partners while receiving case-related and other tips from our group coaches. The day was intense, but fear not! The cases do not have one definitive answer, so you are not expected to reach a certain conclusion. Instead, creativity, teamwork, and your way of thinking matter the most. Having fun is also a big part of the process!

I will remember the global finals of the EY NextGen Women competition for the rest of my life. It was my first time in the UK – how exciting! Before coming to London, we had weekly virtual workshops and events with various EY leaders and guest speakers. We discussed themes such as discovering our purpose and becoming better communicators and better leaders. Our days in London were also filled with self-development topics like building your brand and social media presence. I learned a great deal of new things which helped me challenge my point of view on some concepts. Apart from solving a case in teams, we had many events where I made friends with other participants and organizers. What felt special about the global event was all the encouragement and support we received. Many EY SaT leaders took time from their busy schedules to fly all the way from Canada, Australia, and the US to support us throughout the event. That showed me how important the NextGen concept was for everyone and that we, our learning and our future mattered.

EY was flexible with my traineeship start date due to my exchange semester. During my first days at EY, I was both impressed and a bit terrified to learn that my team consisted of super smart and brilliant people who are driven and quick with solutions. This initially made me doubt if I could ever reach that level, though I quickly noticed that my colleagues are also kind, friendly and encouraging. They share their knowledge with me whenever I have questions, and the atmosphere is welcoming and inspiring which is important for my learning and development. You get a say in choosing the types of projects you want to give a go. Thus, the learning curve is steep, and I’ve been having so much fun exploring myself in a new field. Apart from projects, I also like that volunteering and firm-building activities are encouraged. This is important to me because I see volunteering as a way to give back to society.

To sum up, here are my tips for applying for NextGen:

• Be yourself – as simple as it sounds, the panel wants to see the real authentic you since uncovering strengths and abilities happens best when being true to ourselves.
• Be positive, open-minded and creative – we tend to get nervous during important events and competitions, which is natural. However, staying optimistic and being friendly to your fellow competitors and judges while enjoying the case day is important! I believe life is about the process, not the end-result and you will get more out of the experience when having fun regardless of the outcome. The cases did not have one correct solution, so approaching them with creative ideas and out-of-the-box solutions is a good way to go.
• Asking questions – the EY crew were very supportive of all applicants, genuinely eager to help everyone to get the best out of the competition and answer any questions. It was a good environment to make friends with fellow participants and chat with EY representatives. Preparing a few questions in advance can be a good way to get to know EY, the panel, and strategy and transactions more.

The EY NextGen Women competition provided me with soft skills that are needed in today’s business environment, introduced me to brilliant female leaders across the globe, and opened new and exciting career opportunities. I am grateful for the opportunity and encourage all women to apply regardless of their field!