The follow-up questions are primarily skewed towards understanding six factors:
An MBA should not be the first attempt at upgrading your skills or experiencing cross-cultural learning opportunities. Most successful applicants demonstrate the initiative to gain additional experience by taking on projects that require them to come out of their comfort zone. Marketers and Finance professionals learning a new technology to complement their core skills is a typical but effective example. Technologists and consultants taking certification in Finance or Marketing courses to develop an in-depth understanding of Businesses and using the newly acquired knowledge in designing systems, software or campaigns are some of the other examples we have seen applicants leverage. Many, travel to client location, meet multiple stakeholders, develop the perspective on cultural and organizational challenges, integrate technology to overcome systemic inefficiency, and take the ‘extra’ effort to define the problem from multiple angles.
When post-MBA goal is cited, with evidence of gaining cross-functional exposure and going the extra mile, the believability of the goals improves considerably. Anyone can cite ambitious or even outrageous post-MBA goals. It is not what you desire but what baby steps you have taken that would persuade the admission team that you have the work ethic and drive to achieve your goals.
2) Volunteering and Secondary Skill Development
Volunteering has become an integral part of admissions at the undergraduate and graduate level and for a good reason. Functional expertise and learning from books are essential but not the only criteria for achieving your post-MBA goals. Most of the skills for the future is heavily dependent on emotional intelligence. Without interacting with people from diverse cultures, hierarchy and motivation, understanding the ‘ground’ realities is an uphill task even with a complete understanding of management concepts. Since many of the MBA candidates would take on an advisory role, volunteering experience pre-MBA and during MBA is an essential part of recognizing the ‘human’ side of the problem.
Although top MBA programs are heavily concentrated in the US, the problems that affect the majority of the world population are not ‘first world’ in nature. Governments and non-profits are inefficient in tackling problems of such scale. The expertise of a professional, who has worked in a highly systemized and incentive-based environment could be effective in improving the efficiency of the non-profit’s operations. In addition to the altruistic nature of the engagement, social initiatives give MBA applicants, the exposure to adapt in a cross-cultural environment – a criterion quoted as the most vital part of excelling in an International Business.
3) Shadowing Projects and Sacrifice
Most applicants who seriously began contemplating an MBA had the ‘talk’ with the supervisor – the person up the hierarchy, on the ineffectiveness of persisting in the current role. Depending on the persuasion skills, the candidates take on roles that range from ‘shadowing’ a project to sacrificing seniority while joining as an ‘entry’ level professional in the new job function. Some realize that the Employer is not willing to take the big risk without the proof of an ‘MBA’. Others who work in the new job function finds out that there are skill gaps that no short courses can bridge.
Evidence of ‘Sacrifice’ is essential for career switchers to convey the message that they are willing to put in the hours for the internship opportunity and take full advantage of the curriculum’s customizability. A targeted list of electives mapping the post-MBA skills with the course curriculum is an exercise that applicants should perform to refine their goals.
4) Leadership = Bias Towards Action
Applicants with military background consistently outperform any other demographic in MBA application. The clearly defined command structure, respect of authority, focus on goals and mission, team above self, and integrity to remain unaltered by the politics of the organization, make military applicants a highly desired group. Finance and Consulting – two of the most common post-MBA functions require considerable sacrifice in personal time either in the form of travel or staying in the office till 2 am. Military personnel are used to such sacrifice on duty; while many attributes make them unique, the bias towards action is one ‘winning’ trait that gives them an edge over other candidates.
Post-MBA goals are often ambitious. Any plan to take on roles with considerable roadblocks require personalities that are not discouraged by setbacks. The experiences of persuading team members, motivating them after a setback, and demonstrable resilience are valued in MBA admissions.
What is the chance that a Marketing professional would successfully transition to investment banking?
Customizing your narrative according to the school’s culture is a strategy that would help the admission team look into your post-MBA goals seriously. Without the cultural and academic fit, your essays would barely receive the attention it deserves.
