Enhancing the professional identity of master’s students: “knowing why,” “knowing how” and “knowing whom”

Purpose This paper aims to explore how teaching activities can enhance the professional identity of master’s students as they explore careers. Design/methodology/approach The data were gathered through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 57 participants, 2nd-year master’s program students from a Russian business school, shortly before graduation. Findings The research results reveal a lack of reflection on professional identity and introspection through personality traits among master’s program students. This insight is vital for strengthening students’ professional identity in higher education, emphasizing the importance of reflection. Furthermore, our research underscores the idea that business schools should prioritize career-related courses to bolster the student’s professional identity. These findings provide a new perspective on the role of professional identity in career development, enlightening the field of management education. Research limitations/implications Understanding the professional identity and career strategies of young people is crucial. It equips educators, employers and policymakers with the necessary guidance and teaching activities to prepare students for their professional journey. This study provides practical insights that can be directly applied in management education, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their future careers. We suggest using the concept of an intelligent career and three interdependent competencies (“ways of knowing”) reflecting why, how and with whom people work to develop course matriculation and teaching activities. Originality/value This study contributes to a better understanding of the students’ professional identities and identifies teaching activities that could be considered in management education.