The technology applicant demographic that have fast-tracked into a career in technology has gained the insight that an ML career and super specializing in technology has its limitations.
Despite the 3-year ROI, an MBA is a path to mitigate any future risks for master’s degree holders in Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and those with a super specialization in Technology.
The competition from similar profiles is intense.
To stand out in your essays for any Top MBA with a Consulting or General Management focus, follow these 4 tips:
1) Speculate
The disruption in the job market with the arrival of new technology is not a new phenomenon. The horse and buggy businesses didn’t see the rise of automobiles, the policymakers who forced businesses to spend on minimum wage didn’t see outsourcing to lower wage countries, radio didn’t see TV coming, Music Studios didn’t see the internet coming, and Movie theatres didn’t see Streaming coming.
ML/Data Analytics are all the manifestation of one of the shifts. None of the shifts last a career.
In MBA application essays, one angle that I don’t see ML/Data Analytics applicants make is an argument about the shift in customer preference and industry trends.
Switching to Consulting should be presented with a specialized perspective from your function. Don’t write general lines about the ‘value of Consulting.’
Speculate that with an MBA, especially an MBA program known for Consulting, you will gain hands-on experiential learning in multiple geographies that are part of the Global experiential learning curriculum for top MBA.
2) Promotion to Leadership Position
The realization about gaps in leadership only arises in a new role where the applicant must manage teams from multiple functions and not just their niche ML/Data Analytics or Technology teams.
The interaction with cross-functional peers and the management on strategic objectives is a learning curve that require expanding perspectives in accounting, finance, operations, and strategy.
A roadblock that MBA applicants often cite is the exposure to multiple leadership contexts. Leadership developments are not integrated seamlessly into the MBA curriculum.
Only a few MBA programs have thought deeper about providing this experience by building skills in communicating cross-culturally, understanding incentives, familiarizing with conflict management, thinking strategically and building resilience to manage the ups and downs of the company’s growth path.
For the Tuck MBA Goals Essay, it was challenging for me to capture all the growth paths in just the resume for the client. On paper, the client looked like your Typical ML candidate who was neck-deep in a Technology product. But there were finer details on the growth path, the problem solved and the recognition he earned from the leadership. We had to strategically allocate more words about the growth before citing why Tuck MBA is essential.
3) Skills for Long-Term Goal
The short-term need to manage a team or find a better opportunity in consulting or general management is often the narrative in the goals essay. If the essay hints at mentioning long-term goals, you must spend more time understanding where you will be in 10 years’ time. Typically, it is either in Product Management or a transition as an entrepreneur.
For those leveraging an MBA for a Consulting career, typically the long-term goal is to start a boutique consulting company offering specialized consulting solutions. The cliched long-term goal makes sense as the industry has shifted rapidly from operations and strategy experts to candidates with hands-on experience in the industry, especially if the industry is in Technology or Finance (PE/VC).
If the school’s research center has reputation for supporting entrepreneurs, strategically mention it. Otherwise, fine-tune your long-term goals for tackling a larger societal problem.
4) 50-50 or 70-30
Another question that I often get while editing post-MBA goals essay is whether to allocate 50% of the words on the journey and 50% on how the school will offer the support.
My answer is it depends.
There are narratives I have read and created where 70% of how the applicant grew and 30% of how the school’s curriculum will offer the last-mile support made more sense than just quoting the curriculum. The scenario works only for super-achievers who need just a push to transition.
A large percentage of applicants need more than a push to transition into a Consulting career from Technology. And that is where the Consultant with a history of writing best-selling essay guides and branding technical candidates to M7 candidates, creates magic.
