In this MBA Application Resume Tips, I will share about a strange but obvious lack of focus that I see among applicants who are programmed to think only with respect to their team.
M7 Candidates - Openness
When I talk to applicants who eventually got into M7 schools, there is a balance in how they think about themselves. The metrics captured in the resume are impressive, but they are also open to the idea that they are not the best in the market. That openness to get feedback and help in branding for a highly competitive m7 market gives consultants like me the opportunity to explore ways to brand them.
Narrow Scope of Achievements
On the other side of the spectrum, I see applicants who are so programmed to think only with respect to their team or function, or company that they fail to see the larger picture.
The entries in the resume are narrow in scope, with the focus exclusively on the niche specialization that they are in. Either the IMPACT is with respect to a milestone that is relevant for the team, or there is a lack of context connecting the milestone with the IMPACT on the team and the company.
Technology Consultant – Resume
If you are a Technology Consultant, the solution that you developed clearly had an impact on your client. But it also allowed your company to target a larger client or explore a larger market or renew a contract. Often such IMPACT is missing even for consultants who have an impressive record. Because even the 360-degree feedback is narrow in scope, and they have never explored their IMPACT outside this lens.
Investment Bankers – Resume
I see this problem quite a lot among Investment Bankers where performance metric is focused on deal size, which should be captured, but due diligence, research, and report template are often reusable for other clients in the industry. Investment Banks save a lot of time by customizing the research for another client. Even due diligence frameworks or internal software tools that applicants developed or contributed with their subject matter expertise have long-term value. Many don’t capture such nuanced IMPACT. If you need help in branding your profile, contact me, Atul Jose
Management Consultant – Resume
If you are a Management Consultant, a lot of metrics like the scale of the project, the geography you are serving, and the niche industry you are in all determine the overall IMPACT of your contribution. So if you only focus on this narrow scope, the admissions team will always find someone else in a competing consulting company with better metrics. But if you can capture in a logical way how that contribution had a ripple effect on your client, on beneficiaries, and the larger industry, you will stand out. To frame it and connect all these dots requires an independent eye.
