LMHers making connections

In June 2019, alumnus Jean Picotte (2016, MSc Contemporary Chinese Studies)  contacted the Development Office looking for some career help. 
After leaving LMH in the summer of 2017, Jean returned to his home in Canada and took up work in Labour Relations and HR. In the November of 2019 he had the opportunity to take a leave of absence; he was travelling to China and was very interested to try to gain work experience or an internship in Law, ideally Employment Law.
Jean reached out to ask if there were any alumni who might be able to offer advice on how to find internships in China. After some time searching the alumni database a handful of alumni were identified who may have been able to help and the Alumni Engagement Officer reached out.

Shortly after receiving contact from LMH, four alumni felt they may be able to help Jean; the LMHers were introduced by the Development Office and Jean took up correspondence with them.

Fast forward to October 2019, Jean got back in contact with the Development Office to let us know that one alumnus, Xiaobo Wang (2004, MJur), based in Shanghai, had been able to secure an internship for him at his office. The Internship that Xiaobo’s firm was able to offer had a ripple effect; the connections made and experience gained also led Jean to be able to secure a second internship during his trip. 

Of the opportunity, Jean says:

"I entered my legal internship with the aim of trying to increase my knowledge of labour relations and employment law in China. However, I left the country with not just this but an increased knowledge in corporate law, translation, Chinese language, HR technology, business development, and consulting. I believe these two work placements by virtue of the LMH Development Office - and the unique connections the Office provides students and alumni - are yet further proof of the excellence that LMH and Oxford hold as institutions. I would like to extend my greatest thanks to Emma Farrant, LMH Alumni Engagement Officer, who was in many ways my mentor and the one who connected me with an alumnus who is Managing Partner at Duan and Duan. I would like to extend a special thank you to the LMH Development Office that made this watershed moment in my personal and professional growth possible. My sincerest thanks."
 

Jillian Gedeon (2019 MBA) left LMH in summer 2020, at the height of the global pandemic and in to one of the most difficult job markets for years. She reached out to the Development Office to see if there was anyone working in a number of industries she was interested in pursuing. 

Several alumni were identified that may be of help and introductions were forged. Fast forward to January 2021 and Jillian has been able to secure a job as Strategy and Insights Planning Consultant at ZS Associates in London, where she contributes to the systems, operations, and strategies in the healthcare and life sciences industry. 

Jillian says: 

“At the time of the pandemic, I was exploring a few options for my next career move, from finance, to venture capitalism in health technology, to the world of health consulting. When I received an email from Emma, the LMH Alumni Engagement Officer, making herself available to connect me with the decades’ worth of amazing LMH alum, I took advantage of an inauspicious situation that was the quarantine life, and asked her to comb through the database for people who matched my profile. 

All it takes is one connection, and that contact can put you in touch with one or two other people. With Emma’s help, I ended up speaking with 60 different people in the span of 7 months, all of whom enlightened me about their careers and helped me decide how to steer my own.”  
 

(Phot credit: Andrew MacFarlene)

Max Hardy (1999 English Language and Literature) recently mentored a second year English student, providing study and career advice and sharing his knowledge of the industry he works in. Here he gives his take on this experience. 

"In utopia undergraduates at Oxford would be free to focus their thoughts, energies and concerns on their all too short time at the university.  However reality dictates that the world of work intrudes all too soon to distract students from their enjoyment of Gawain and the Green Knight and Great Expectations.

Equally for those of whom our time at LMH seems a dream like memory it is always possible to return to the college to have those memories refreshed.  However much more vital is the opportunity to speak to a current student to discover what the LMH of today is like and to hear what has stayed the same and what has changed beyond all recognition.

The benefit to a mentee of the mentoring process is obvious but less often acknowledged is the benefit to the mentor.  When wrapped up in work it is sometimes the case that one loses sight of the passion and enthusiasm that brought you to the job in the first place.  This can especially be true for barristers like myself who undertake legally aided criminal work.

All good things come to end and when students finish their stint at LMH we should all be happy that there are those that went before out in the world of work lighting the path ahead.  I am especially glad to be one of the lantern bearers."