What is the right time to pursue an MBA? Well, it's a highly personal decision, and there is no ‘one shoe fits all' approach. Usually, candidates pursue management education after gaining 4-5 years of work experience to enhance their skills, switch careers, or fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. At MER (myEssayReview), we have also worked with some candidates who pursued management education after obtaining 8-10 years of work experience to upskill themselves further. However, some candidates with only two years of work experience can also demonstrate readiness for pursuing an MBA to embark on the next phase of their careers. I recently worked with two amazing candidates, Katherine and Reetvik.
During our recent conversations with Katherine and Reetvik, we delved into the reasoning behind their decision to pursue management education early in their professional lives. In this blog post, we will closely examine their profiles, the compelling insights they provide into their unique motivations, and the factors that led them to embark on this academic pursuit after only two years of professional experience. We will also share Katherine’s invaluable advice to applicants to navigate the MBA application process with less professional exposure.
Now presenting our conversation with Katherine and Reetvik about their decision to pursue an MBA after working for two years.
Katherine
Profile: Katherine graduated from Temple University, USA, with a GPA of 3.9. She had a GRE score of 335 and two years of work experience in accounting. She works at PwC as Senior Associate. Katherine received admission offers from Kellogg, Anderson ($120K scholarship), and UC Davis ($ 70K scholarship). She was waitlisted by Booth.
Poonam: You decided to apply for MBA programs with only two years of work experience, whereas most people apply after gaining 4-5 years of professional experience. Can you explain the reasons behind your decision?
Katherine: In the summer session of 2021, I had the opportunity to work in the consulting department of PwC on an acquisition case. During that time, I realized that the team environment in consulting was quite different from that of accounting and auditing. The consulting team was more dynamic, with everyone actively collaborating and combining their ideas through brainstorming sessions. We would conduct calculations and research to find the best solutions for our clients' problems. This experience energized me because I saw how my suggestions could influence a company's future. This was the turning point when I decided to transition from auditing to consulting. That's one reason why I chose to apply for an MBA program at an early stage.
Another reason is my personal interest. I have a strong desire to focus on the metaverse and data transformation after graduating, as this area is currently gaining momentum. I aim to become a consultant specializing in this field. In the long run, I aspire to establish my own consultancy. Starting early will allow me to secure a position in this evolving field without waiting too long, as the competition may intensify in the future. These two reasons justify my decision to apply for an MBA program with only two years of work experience.
So, Katherine decided to move to the next step of her career for 2 reasons– her newly developed interest in consulting after working in the consulting department and her desire to focus on metaverse and data transformation.
We also asked Katherine for her suggestions for applicants with less experience. Here is what she advised.
Poonam: Would you like to provide some advice to prospective applicants, especially those aiming to pursue an MBA program with only two years of work experience?
Katherine: Sure, my first piece of advice is that if you have limited work experience, it may be viewed as a weakness, but you must have strong reasons to convince yourself why you want to apply for an MBA and why now. As you mentioned in our first meeting, the MBA application process is an opportunity for self-reflection. That's something I learned throughout the process. Initially, consulting was just an idea for me, but now I know it's what I truly want to do. So, you must have compelling reasons to convince yourself, which will help others trust your decision.
Another suggestion for top MBA programs is to allocate enough time for preparation and aim for a good score. A good score is important, whether it's a language test or the GRE/GMAT exam. It would be unfortunate if you have an impressive essay, strong qualifications, and good interview skills but cannot showcase them due to a low score. A good score ensures that people can see your capabilities.
The third point I want to highlight is the importance of having a support system. The MBA application process can be challenging and time-consuming. It's possible to face failures, like my experience with the first-round applications. Having people who support you is crucial. When I was disappointed with my initial applications, you encouraged and reassured me that I could still succeed. It gave me the courage to persevere and eventually achieve positive results. This support is valuable for all applicants, as it can help them continue even when they feel like giving up.
Katherine offers three pieces of advice to applicants with limited work experience: having strong personal reasons for pursuing an MBA, allocating ample preparation time, and aiming for a good score, and lastly, cultivating a supportive network to navigate the challenges of the application process.
Reetvik
Profile: Reetvik graduated from VIT, Vellore, in 2020. He has a GMAT score of 720 and 2 years of work experience in the IT industry. He works at Innocaer as a Site Reliability Engineer. He received admission offers from two prestigious programs -ISB and McDonough. Reetvik is headed to McDonough in Fall.
Poonam: So, you decided to apply for an MBA program with only two years of work experience. Usually, people apply after four or five years of work experience. What inspired you to go for management education at this stage of your career?
Reetvik: There are a lot of pros and cons of working in an early-stage startup. So, one of the main pros is that there's no limit to the responsibilities which you are given. It depends on how much you can handle. So I think I leveraged that really well at the start of my career because I took on more responsibilities even though I knew when I was getting overboard, but I was like, "OK, let's take it, let's see how it works out." Because of that, I was lucky to work with some senior professionals and some stalwarts of the IT industry, whether they were senior engineers, architects, or even CxOs. For a project, I was reporting to my CEO for 2-3 months, and I worked with him on a personal level. That gave me an idea of the path I was on and where I would end up if I continued down that path. However, it didn't click with me because it was too technical.
I didn't want to restrict myself to a particular implementation or technical domain. That's when I realized I love tech, and that's why I did engineering. I want to stay in this industry, but I want to have a different kind of impact. So, I needed to gain technical expertise. But what happens after that? I started researching and saw that an MBA aligns with the kind of impact I want to have in my career. After a couple of years of thought, I realized that if I'm clear on what I want to do, why wait? Let's give it a shot. The GMAT is valid for five years, so I decided to take it one step at a time. And that one step at a time led me to you. We had our initial communication, and then things progressed from there.
Reetvik also lists two reasons to pursue management education at an early stage of his career: first, his experience in leadership roles at a startup, and second, his desire to go beyond technical expertise and make a meaningful impact, for which he needed an MBA.
The journeys of Katherine and Reetvik highlight their exceptional progress during the early years of their careers, surpassing the typical responsibilities expected at that stage. Their rapid advancement allowed them to gain valuable insights into their aspirations and chart a clear path toward their future goals. Their fast-track career trajectory, extensive leadership experiences, and notable impact on their respective organizations gave them the clarity and confidence to decide to pursue an MBA earlier than most candidates.
I encourage you to watch or read their complete interviews to delve deeper into their inspiring application journeys and explore their accomplishments.
Chinese Finance Professional's Path to Kellogg, UCLA, and UC Davis w/substantial Scholarships
Indian IT Professional's Journey to ISB and McDonough -720 GMAT and 2 Years’ WE
Thus, the ideal time to pursue an MBA varies for each candidate based on their professional journey and career goals. Some candidates may feel prepared after two years of work experience, while others may find the right moment after 4-5 years or even after 8-10 years of work experience.
Stay tuned to first-hand experiences of MER students who were successful at top programs after obtaining 8-10 years of professional experience.
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Indian Techie Got into NUS and HKUST with Substantial Scholarships
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About MER (myEssayReview)
Poonam Tandon, the founder of MER (myEssayReview), is a Ph.D. in English with 12 years of MBA consulting experience and three decades of teaching experience in India and the US. A master storyteller, Poonam has successfully guided hundreds of students from around the world to gain admission into the esteemed MBA, EMBA, and specialized Masters's programs in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Throughout her four-decade-long professional career, she has reviewed 10,000+ essays written by applicants worldwide. Poonam is recognized as one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club (141 reviews).
Do you have questions about your application for the 2023-24 application cycle? E-mail Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com or sign up here for a free consultation.
