GO HEC GOOOOO!!! HEC Paris leads the FT European business schools ranking 2006

By Jeremy Fain, December 4, 2006

I don’t believe in education rankings, apart from those in which HEC Paris comes first (it means the ranking’s serious)). HEC Paris had already ranked first amongst all European Master in Management programs (see my post here), a program of which I’ll graduate in June 2007. Now, HEC leads the overall business schools Financial Times ranking. What matters most isn’t the ranking in itself but the virtuous circle such a ranking might create. Since many people in HR departments and/or MBA admission offices can’t think on their own and have to rely on what comes out in the different league tables and rankings, having HEC Paris come on top will help HEC alumni get into top jobs/programs/whatever, and maybe get married with even more beautiful (rich) women (men) too.

Another positive point which is directly related to me being a student is that the number of internship and job offers coming from abroad on the HEC Paris Intranet increases everyday. Recruiters see: 1 – HEC Paris; 2 – LBS; 3- IMD; 4 – IE; 5 – IESE; 6 – ESCP-EAP; 7 – RSM; … 10 – INSEAD; 11 – ESADE; …

Here’s the full ranking (.pdf).

Just a couple things before I get nasty comments:

1) why I believe there are good and bad HR people. Bad HR departments can’t think.

Bad HR depts. are looking for profiles, not people, not individuals. Human Resources die to lower their risk in general. In case something goes wrong, they want to be able to say: “but (s)he just had the perfect CV!”. Had they hired someone who had followed an original path, showing a weird CV wouldn’t have helped their own career. Top HR guys want to bring in diversity, people and not CVs inside the company. But is seems the latter are in short supply.

2) don’t trust rankings (unless you come first ;-) , or you’re an HR person)

Last year, I took a 6-months job as a financial auditor in New York. We were four young graduates to join the team. We were all committed and good at our job. This being said, the best of us in my humble opinion (I actually believe he was blowing all of us away), my former colleague and now friend Matthieu, came from a fairly good (but not a leading) French business school, namely Euromed Marseille. Whoever you are, don’t behave the latin way, do like the Americans: never sleep on your degree, do your best and be the best at your job.

Related posts:

  1. Once again, HEC Paris leads the Financial Times 2006 Master in Management ranking
  2. Bill Gates, founder and Chairman of Microsoft, at HEC Paris: "A Vision of The World"
  3. Truffle 100 Europe ranking 2006: congrats to SAP & the UK
  4. Business Week ranking: Top 100 IT companies
  5. Just graduated

categories Consulting, Education, Entertainment, Europe, Finance, Friends, Globalization, Networks, media

  • Flo
    Vive HEC!
  • AurĂ©lien
    Bravo HEC!
  • Steve
    Hi Jay,



    Actually the impact of these rankings in terms of real perspectives for us HEC alumni seems very weak.



    If you wish to get a position within a large investment bank or in a consulting company, they will ALWAYS take, let's say 20% HEC, 15% Polytechnique, 20% ECSP and Essec, etc...



    I am afraid that these criteria are deeply engraved in HR people's mind, and that it will take many years before any downgrading/upgrading of a school occurs.
  • Steve,

    I totally disagree with you.

    1) This ranking puts HEC Paris on the map. You'll notice when you work abroad (I've been pushing you to do so for a very long time) that nobody knows our business school outside France (which forces you to give your best, competition is always a good thing), except maybe in French-speaking Switzerland and London. Coming on top of the FT ranking is something big, a major achievement and landmark of Bernard Ramanantsoa's strategy for Groupe HEC.

    2) You are biased, on two things:

    i) you think France and French.

    ii) you think investment banking and consulting. Allright, but trust me on this, there is a million other jobs outside. And although I doubt HR department's relevancy in many cases, I don't think HR guys are dumb enough to have quotas. If you're good, you're hired. If not, bye bye. That's the way it should be whatever the degree. Remember: "those who can't do teach, those who can't teach consult".

    Anyways, you've got much more interesting things to do at the moment than reading and commenting my blog if you see what I mean ;-) . We'll talk on Saturday.
  • alexandrelucas
    A rather violent commentary, from part of jeremy...



    I would just add that HEC is well known in the world of finance. Probably because we have had some top performers who proved it to be a good school. However, dont forget that HEC students study for 5-6 years while english guys go in the same places when they are 22, ie after 4 years of studies only. An companies are looking for people with pro experience. HEC is not that good when put in perspective.
  • Not at all Alex, my answer didn't mean to be even close to violent, just straight to the point. Steve and I have never made any use of salamaleks - which has never prevented our friendship to get stronger year in year out.
  • Steve
    Yep. But the symposium is well on track.
  • Steve
    Hey, you're getting spammed now.



    Just to get back to our debate: well, yes, I think France and London (where HEC is well-known, believe it or not), and I think traditional businesses such as consulting/investment banking/marketing in large consumer companies.



    And you know what ? That's exactly where 2/3rds of us HEC alumni will go in the end.

    So, once again: I m afraid these rankings are meaningless for most of us.



    But of course, for somewhone who's looking after cash from American VCs, it is definitely good news.
  • I am just happy 'cause ESSEC is so bad...
  • Jeremy, come on, why pretend you're short-sighted? Essec is a very good school. Its ranking is after all not so bad and I'm pretty sure you would've been glad to get into ESCP-EAP or ESSEC hadn't you been admitted to HEC when competitive exam results came out a while ago (wow, we're getting old)...
  • John
    What a joke - I visited HEC in the Fall, should definately be outside the top 5 in Europe
  • Hey John,



    I respect your stance, although I REALLY disagree, but could you please elaborate? You don't explain why you don't think HEC Paris deserves to be ranked on top of the European business school landscape.



    Moreover, I don't think visiting an institution allows anyone to actually judge it. HEC Paris has a beautiful, green campus outside Paris, top-of-class professors, it selects harshly its MSc students (5% get in), it promotes initiative, the HEC Alumni network is amazing, the career department does a great job, etc. Really, I don't understand John.



    Thanks in advance for clarifying your point.
  • Paresh P
    well, congrats!...



    i was looking for some real-time feedback and discussion on HEC and stumbled across your posts here...

    wow, i sought validation and am more than glad to find it in such affirmative abundance... :)...



    i am very keen on making it to the HEC MSc Mgmt class that shall commences 2008... in the regard, apart from calling the admissions office, i would like to contact you to discuss a few things, if you wouldn't mind i.e.... :)
  • Of course Paresh, feel free to leave me an email with your questions and I'll be glad to answer them.



    All I can say is that by choosing HEC Paris you made the right decision. I hope you pass the exams to get in!



    Btw, since we're a few HEC alumni blogging on Tech IT Easy, don't hesitate to leave a comment (unless the information you're asking for are private) to get multiple feedbacks and for those to benefit the entire web.
  • hey ya all HEC alumni/pre-alumni,



    glad to stumble upon this post as i'm currently a student finishing 2nd year of my studies at university of nottingham in malaysia and hoping to do Masters in Management at HEC after my final year. I'd be great if any of you guys could help me out with the admission process, the requirements, wht to do, and wht not to do. etc etc for a successful admission. anyway, hope to hear from any of you guys!. cheers.



    milton



    milton_foo@hotmail.com
  • Dear HEC alumni,

    I am planning to apply for Jan 2010 intake for full time MBA. I believe that HEC is definitely a top notch mba and need further information about the course and placement prospects for international students like me. I have 4 yrs IT experience with 660 gmat and lot of extra curriculars.

    Pls advice what are my chances of getting into HEC mba and how do you compare it with Leeds UK, and Nottingham UK ??



    Would be obliged if you could respond me at: onlinearora@gmail.com



    Thanks n best wishes



    Ankit
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