mbaMissionJenK wrote:
Hi there,
Thanks for your post. Your profile was interesting to read, which should help you stand out from the crowd of applications/be remembered!
What you've got going for you (strengths) based on what you've described so far:
-excellent GMAT score
-excellent academics
-interesting, and fairly unique, work experience, especially your current role, with analytical, quant, and leadership skills in an industry that is less common in b-school (i.e. you would have an interesting perspective to contribute to the classroom, one way to look at it)
-vast international experiences are great to draw from and again provide a different perspective
Potential weaknesses or questions that could be asked:
No major weaknesses so far, but areas that either could be questioned or that you could strengthen:
-slightly random career path, as self described... however that does not have to be a major issue, people can change their minds and direction, just be prepared to explain fully in essays and interviews. It's good that you've been on the current track for a while now.
-Though as I'm reading it now, could be a touch confusing on relating your current role to your post-MBA goals? Is your plan to totally leave the music industry?
-Along those lines, could work on tightening up your goals descriptions some, and being sure that you show how your past experiences and the MBA lead to those future goals
With strong essays/application, I think you could have a shot at top programs around the world, including those you mentioned. Of course competition is always fierce, and there are many factors to consider, but just be sure to focus a lot of time and effort on those essays-- that is the one part of your application where you create something FROM SCRATCH to represent who you are, so lots of opportunity there to make an impact on the admissions decision!
Please let us know what other questions you have, and if you'd like to speak further with one of us, we do offer a free 30 min consult option at
https://www.mbamission.com/consult.php if interested at any point. Good luck and keep us posted!
PS-- shout out to London, I lived there for close to 4 years and loved it!! Also visited Bocconi, loved visiting Italy while over there!
Jen, thanks so much for your detailed reply. Really glad to hear that my two host cities, London and Milan, treated you well!
It's encouraging to hear your feedback. Especially your analysis of potential weaknesses, if not addressed properly in the application, is super useful. My story is peculiar, which as you say is good to stand out, but I agree I need to be very clear to the AdCom on what has driven my choices and my path. And how MBA will help drive this path forward to where I want to go. Good news is - it's all very clear in my head, I just need to refine the short/mid/long version of the pitch.
Re your points:
1)
career path. There clearly is one major turning point - Banking to Music, which sounds somewhat crazy. But not random, knowing my full background! I think this actually can work in my favour if explained properly. Despite having brilliantly graduated in Finance just 6 months earlier, feeling huge peer pressure, working for a high-salary high-prestige company, etc. I was brave enough to listen to my inner voice. I felt
VERY unhappy with my life as a junior M&A inv banker (plus it was Autumn 2008, which made things worse!), and I decided to take the helm of my life. I could have chosen a finance job with less intense working hours - but no, I decided to take a step forward, and use my skills to do what I truly loved. Music had been my overwhelming passion since I was 9 years old, as my extra curricular activities show. I taught myself how to play several instruments, how to professionally record music, and I wrote/self-released a few records in my spare time. I even turned a profit from all cd sales (not including in the P&L a value for my own time spent playing/recording, but that is priceless!). When I decided to have a shot to the music industry, I realised that my strong quantitative skills, which I had developed through my studies and 10 months overall at Morgan Stanley, would be golddust for an industry in transition from simple CD sales to complex digital/streaming models. That's how I pitched myself to Universal back in early 2009, that's how I was promoted to a Head role at 27, about 5 to 7 years less than the average age. Five years later, I feel I turned a potential failure into a success story.
2)
goals. My current role is de facto already within my target industry (Digital Content / Internet Services), perhaps just at the edge of it. Hence the "slight" industry change. As one of many examples, if I negotiate a deal with Apple on iTunes Radio, for distribution of rights owned by my employer, I need to be aware and try to model out the tiniest details of their business plan, product features, strategic positioning, marketing activity, etc. The huge difference being that iTunes Radio is Apple's product, not something I have any input on. In the last few years I realised that developing and bringing to market a digital product, especially if with cutting-edge technology and great vision, is exactly what excites the most. So the big plan for next phase of my life would be to leave the record company, after a gratifying experience, and to transition my knowledge/skills into one of the big Tech companies I already interact with. Not necessarily on a music digital service though. An MBA would help me (i) get more exposure on the wider target industry, beyond digital music products; (ii) get wider knowledge on functions/management principles I am currently not exposed to on a day to day basis (my role is mainly Commercial); (iii) develop further my leadership and innovation skills.
Let me know if you think any of the above is still obscure. I will work very hard on the essays, because I know that they will be the make-or-break factor of my application. And I will reach out for a 30-min session if I feel the need in the near future.
Many thanks again - warm regards from cold London!