Searching for a job function that you enjoy and get paid well requires a lot of trial and error. I started F1GMAT with the goal of helping applicants with GMAT preparation. Hence the name. Soon, I realized that although I am a good teacher, I didn’t enjoy the process.

What I really liked was writing. Teaching through Writing was appealing to me as I could have an impact on thousands of MBA Applicants from over 180+ countries. There is some element of ‘God Complex’ there. If you are planning to do anything worthwhile that will change people’s lives – expect to see the world through what you can do instead of what the world can do for you.

Schools don’t hesitate to ask about IMPACT. The word by definition is a little narcissistic. But would schools accept you if you cite an increase in salary by 120%, and 'Buying a Yacht' as motivations?

How customizing curriculum gives value in MBA

Professionals who are delusional write long-term goals with ‘IMPACT.' You work in a Fortune 500 company and with a few Global Experiential learning trips with an MBA; you are going to acquire the skills to change the world?

The truth is you just might.

How you customize the curriculum and what you believe is the only thing that matters when you are solving a complex problem. Don’t use your long-term goals just as a narrative for essays. Work on it. Attract the right people to your network. Start offering pro-bono consulting if you have not yet already for non-profits. And you never know what you would solve – maybe Energy Crisis, Access to Education, Global Warming or Disease control.

From the thousands of interactions I had, only 20-30% don’t have any idea on what they want. Most have some idea on what the world/school could do for them. The rare few want real change (professional or industry). It is not a strategy for a narrative. They have done the legwork – extracurricular, research, community service, and travel (work and experience).

Base Skills vs. Secondary Skills for an MBA

I, like most with an Engineering background, is an ambivert – extroverted when the topic of discussion interests me and introverted if the thing doesn’t interest me or find less important.

By starting a company, I have become 75% extroverted and 25% introverted. My role as a Marketer, Manager, Writer, and Editor helps me switch between extroversion and introversion on a daily basis. I need the quiet time to write and give advice, but while pitching for F1GMAT (Interviews, Advertising, and Partnerships), I have to turn into Jerry Maguire.

I truly enjoy guiding applicants and creating interesting narratives.

If I were to categorize my skills, it would be:

Base skills (that I enjoy): Consulting, Writing + Storytelling, and Editing

Secondary skills (Essential for running an online publication): Marketing, Interviewing, Partnerships, and Management (managing employees, vendors, investors, and partners)

Some of the secondary skills will become base skills after a certain number of years in the industry. For instance, I have found a particular liking to asking nagging questions that the Admissions Officers were avoiding in MBA Tours. What the admission officers avoid tells a lot about the MBA program.

Most common spin I have seen career service team use when they can’t find opportunities is the use of Global Mobility. If as an International candidate if you couldn’t find an opportunity in the host country, and had to return back, you didn’t get the value that you expected. The experience should not be translated to a Stat in Global Mobility trends.

Next time you are attending an info session; see if they address the Elephant in the room (dramatic fall in ranking, decrease in post-MBA salary, low recruitment from Consulting Companies/Amazon/Google/low opportunities in the host country).

If they don’t, avoid the school.

How Badly you want it?
 
Your current role has limited influence on your post-MBA career path although schools require that you create an interesting narrative to connect pre-MBA interests/career with a post-MBA function. So when applicants reach out to me with a career path that looks outrageous, I don’t discourage them. Starting an Online publication with Essay Review and MBA Admissions Consulting services was not part of my plan in school, college, during my pre-startup career, or even when I started F1GMAT. The idea was to create an alternative to Forums – a knowledge base that thousands of readers will find useful.

When I began offering editing, writing and storytelling tips, I learned that I was helping readers acquire a life skill. Suddenly, I began thinking about IMPACT and reach. Books became a natural extension. Services for applicants who were really motivated to get into a top MBA program became another option.

Similarly, your short-term and long-term goals will change with core courses, electives, and experiential learning. Initially, you will find a problem appealing, but later when you find a match between your base skill and IMPACT, they would be less relevant.

A bottom-up skill matching should not alter your Essay Writing Strategy, but the wide career options available for an MBA candidate is real. Be open about the schools. Don’t get carried away by rankings. Use them to limit the available schools to 30.

Potential Career Path: I would be a good fit as a Consultant for EdTech companies, Marketing for Business Schools and Editor for Magazines. Even though the roles are diverse, the base skills + secondary skills gave me the exposure to take up three diverse career paths.

Similarly, you have to list your base and secondary skills, before even shortlisting the schools.

Reach out to me using the consulting form to start the conversation on skill matching.