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Senior Manager
Joined: 04 Dec 2009
Posts: 376
WE: Consulting (Consulting)
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
70
[0], given: 4
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
 05 Dec 2009, 07:12
I come from an industry that swears me to confidentiality. I suppose that's true whether you're a spook, a regulator or you clean toilets for rich people.
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Manager
Joined: 05 Dec 2009
Posts: 59
Schools: Cornell, Haas, USC, Tepper
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
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[0], given: 10
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
05 Dec 2009, 21:21
I do healthcare research at a top medical center. Only have a BA so far.
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Manager
Joined: 24 Jul 2009
Posts: 197
Location: Anchorage, AK
Schools: Mellon, USC, MIT, UCLA, NSCU
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
17
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
22 Dec 2009, 17:59
During the day, I work on lease contracts for federal agencies. At night, I research and think about spaces repurposed for leisure.
_________________
Reward wisdom with kudos. 
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Manager
Status: Darden '12 Alumni
Affiliations: USMC
Joined: 15 Jun 2009
Posts: 183
Schools: Darden '12
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
26
[1] , given: 22
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 05:44
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non profit guy by day.
video producer by night.
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Manager
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 245
Location: New York City
Schools: Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Harvard, Stanford
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
99
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 07:49
International development at a major foundation.
Previously: socially responsible investing.
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Manager
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 174
Schools: HBS (R2), Stanford (R2), Columbia (RD-ding), Booth (R2)
Followers: 3
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33
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 08:08
Not sure if this falls under the non-trad. category.
International retail buyer in Asia (from Canada)
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Manager
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 245
Location: New York City
Schools: Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Harvard, Stanford
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
99
[0], given: 13
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 08:35
To echo Ntang's questions from last year: do people view their non-trad backgrounds as an asset or a liability? Schools are paying a lot of lip service to people like us, but I wonder if they aren't just doing what they always do: highlighting outliers in order to seem different / better than their competitors.
I'm thinking it goes like this: if you take a banker and a non-trad side-by-side and otherwise their stats are very, very similar -- that's where the non-trad gets the edge. But I doubt coming from an atypical background automatically qualifies you as an URM or a "wow" or whatever.
Thoughts?
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Manager
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 174
Schools: HBS (R2), Stanford (R2), Columbia (RD-ding), Booth (R2)
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
33
[1] , given: 1
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 08:58
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Aenigma, some thoughts: I've had the opportunity to work with individuals from IB/MC (top 3). These same remarkable people were actually more "impressed" by my work experience/accomplishments, something I truly came to appreciate. While these folks may have the title/brand name employer, they don't necessarily have REAL impactful positions... I think when adcom members go over applications, they seek diversity in the classroom. In fact, my visit to HBS confirmed this. While I did see your typical McKinsey/GS student, I met a lot from "no-name" companies (Pharma, Family Business, etc.). Ironically enough, one guy had a very similar background to me (Westerner who worked extensively in China, spoke Mandarin...) Just my opinion... 
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Manager
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 245
Location: New York City
Schools: Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Harvard, Stanford
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
99
[0], given: 13
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 09:08
That's a helpful insight, triple5soul, thanks.
I too I have had experiences where friends or acquaintances in more traditional lines of work have been like, "Oh, you work at [Foundation]? COOL! I would love to do that!" But of course even in interesting jobs it's rare to feel really gung-ho about the unglamorous day-to-day tasks, so I'm usually thinking that what THEY do seems much more impressive. (Probably 'cause they ballin'.)
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Manager
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 174
Schools: HBS (R2), Stanford (R2), Columbia (RD-ding), Booth (R2)
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
33
[0], given: 1
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 09:51
I definitely share some of the same thoughts. I do admit that I often worry that adcom will automatically discard an application on such premises. It speaks immensely of a school's culture when it is open to interview/admit non-traditional applicants. I know S is extremely open to individuals who are diverse in background and have led meaningful life experiences (hence "What matters to you most"), whereas typical applications are solely about goals/accomplishments.
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Manager
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 245
Location: New York City
Schools: Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Harvard, Stanford
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
99
[0], given: 13
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 10:03
Ah, Stanford. If only there were more seats in that class...
Your comment reminds me, actually, that my recommenders (all non-trad) have totally hated on the business school admission process. They think most of the applications, as you note, focus too much on goals and accomplishments -- especially quantifiable accomplishments concerning money and management, which are almost impossible to ascertain in the work I do -- and not enough on potential and richness of experience. In this respect, they think law school recommendations are much more representative of a person's potential contribution to the field (not to mention they're much less onerous). This is, of course, debatable, but I think they make an interesting point.
I wonder how thoughtful AdComs are about perspectives like this.
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Manager
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 174
Schools: HBS (R2), Stanford (R2), Columbia (RD-ding), Booth (R2)
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
33
[1] , given: 1
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Jan 2010, 12:00
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I may be completely off here, but I would hypothesize that most non-traditional applicants don't need an MBA in the same way than traditional applicants do. For example, your typical IB/MC requires the degree to move up the ranks (if he/she so chose to stay in the same industry) whereas many non-traditional applicants either require it for career swtiching (just an example). This is highly debatable - however, in industries such as retail, CPG, etc. the MBA won't make much of a difference (as opposed to experience).
Ultimately, the MBA won't guarantee anything (for a traditional or non-traditional applicant). I honestly believe that most of the applicants on this board would do just fine without the degree...
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Intern
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 5
Schools: Carroll School of Management, Fuqua
Followers: 0
Kudos [?]:
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[0], given: 0
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread [#permalink]
06 Mar 2010, 12:34
I kind of worry about how my "non-tradional" background will affect me, because i don't come from the usual industries but also don't do anything that exotic. I work in property management and lease luxury apartments. I would like to make a move into brand management and even though I have 5 years experience in real estate, 3 years working for myself and another 2 working for a national re development and management company, i don't see a future in real estate for me.
Tghis is very much a high pressured sales position -- I make as much in commissions as I do in salary, and i'm good at what I do. I work with a really diverse and very international group of clients.
I also work in the fitness industry on the side, teaching group exercise.
I guess i'll find out soon enough...
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Re: Nontraditional Applicant Thread
[#permalink]
06 Mar 2010, 12:34
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