{"id":62297,"date":"2024-04-12T12:30:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/why-you-need-a-personal-mba-soundbite\/"},"modified":"2024-04-12T12:30:50","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:30:50","slug":"why-you-need-a-personal-mba-soundbite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/why-you-need-a-personal-mba-soundbite\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Need a Personal MBA Soundbite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter wp-image-43553 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/applicant-back-building-business-businessman-businesswoman-1652046-pxhere.com-1-1500x1000.jpg\" alt=\"personal MBA soundbite\" width=\"734\" height=\"489\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Admissions officers and employers often make up their minds about an applicant during the first few moments of a conversation. That&#8217;s why starting on your best foot in a compelling, dynamic, memorable, and authentic way is critical. Today, we&#8217;ll discuss powerful opening statements that we call the personal MBA soundbite. Just as with essays, the first sentences of your interview have an outsized impact.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Imagine your interviewer asks a quintessential icebreaker, such as, &#8220;Tell me about yourself,&#8221; or &#8220;Walk me through your resume.&#8221; That&#8217;s when it&#8217;s vital to pause, reflect, and then share a concise and thoughtful summary of who you are, your work, and your future goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;I would hazard that they are the most important sentences of your entire interview,&#8221; says SBC consultant and\u00a0<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">B-Schooled<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0host Chandler Arnold in\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/blog\/b-schooled-podcast-episode-147-your-personal-mba-soundbite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">this episode of the podcast<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. &#8220;Avoid the impulse to dive quickly into the weeds.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s say the interviewer asks you to walk her through your resume. The obvious option is to go chronologically. For example, &#8220;After graduation, I took an entry-level position at the American Cancer Society, then blah, blah, blah\u2026&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, there are more dynamic and memorable ways to start an interview. More to the point, that approach uses up the first substantive sentence of your conversation by going into detail about something that is potentially one of the least relevant or interesting work experiences you&#8217;ve had in that first job after college. So, rather than making the first sentence of your first answer about that first job, consider answering the same question with a different introduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>What are your chances of getting into a top business school? Contact us to talk strategy with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/contact\/\">free 15-minute advising session<\/a>\u00a0with an SBC Principal Consultant.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><strong>Try this Instead<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What if you said something like, &#8220;You know what? I&#8217;m a cancer survivor and my personal passion is to develop new corporate and individual fundraising models to raise the funds needed in partnership with cutting-edge researchers to find a cure for the cancer that I had during my lifetime. After graduation, I took an entry-level position at the American Cancer Society and blah, blah, blah\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;re still answering the question and talking about that first job. Yet the second opening is a much more powerful way to start a conversation. It also sets the tone for the rest of the dialogue over the next half hour or so.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And to be clear, you don&#8217;t need to be a cancer survivor to have a powerful opening statement. Anyone can create a personal MBA soundbite that immediately piques your listener&#8217;s curiosity. Now, by definition, these should be personal. No one format or formula will work for everyone. But before we share some of the elements you might consider as you develop your own, let&#8217;s cover a few of the main goals of what this personal MBA soundbite should accomplish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter wp-image-42927 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-christina-morillo-1181715-1500x1000.jpg\" alt=\"personal MBA soundbite\" width=\"734\" height=\"489\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">First, it summarizes who you are in a memorable, dynamic, and compelling way at the start of your interview. Second, it creates a framework for the first part of your conversation so that the interviewer understands your life and work experience in the appropriate context, given your future goals. Beyond its use in interview prep, it can also help in other elements of your application journey, such as when speaking to current students, alumni, admissions officers, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Ingredients of a Stellar MBA Soundbite<\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So, what elements should a perfect MBA soundbite include? Let&#8217;s spell out four of them. Number one, it shares something personal and vulnerable about you. Again, you don&#8217;t need to be a cancer survivor to be vulnerable. However, sharing something candid and authentic at the beginning of an interview can create a nice dynamic and connection between you and the interviewer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Number two, the opening soundbite must be short. If you share something vulnerable about yourself, do it briefly. If you add a personal tidbit, don&#8217;t tell the whole story. Instead, reference it as an on-ramp to your larger point about who you are and the work you&#8217;re passionate about. The interviewer will likely come back and ask a follow-up question. Or, you&#8217;ll have the opportunity to dig deeper into this personal story later in the interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-35267 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Passion-734x490.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"734\" height=\"490\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Third, it&#8217;s crucial to highlight <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2019\/04\/how-to-show-youre-passionate-in-a-job-interview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">what you&#8217;re passionate about<\/a>. Whether it&#8217;s sustainability, diversity, or any other cause close to your heart, painting a vivid picture of your passion can engage the interviewer and show them your drive and commitment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;I&#8217;ve done alumni interviews myself, and if there&#8217;s one common thread to the applicants who didn&#8217;t wow me, I would say that they failed to share their passion in the interview,&#8221; Chandler says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Finally, consider how to set up your overall career pathway narrative. This is your opportunity to connect your past experiences to your future goals and why you believe an MBA is the next step. While it&#8217;s important to keep it short, this context can guide the interviewer&#8217;s understanding of your journey and aspirations.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Check out: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/blog\/the-scoop-on-the-mba-elevator-pitch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The Scoop on the MBA Elevator Pitch<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><strong>Case in Point<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">With the applicant who&#8217;s a cancer survivor, the person sums it up by touching on new fundraising models to help researchers find a cure for that cancer in the applicant&#8217;s lifetime. This isn&#8217;t long or complicated, but it does begin to paint a picture of who the person is and what they want to do with their life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Once you share that brief personal MBA soundbite, you dive into the details and describe those work experiences, knowing that the interviewer now understands the context and why these experiences were so important to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-43552 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-alexander-suhorucov-6457519-1500x1000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"734\" height=\"489\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Personal MBA Soundbite Makeovers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">During the podcast episode, Chandler shares examples of how applicants might workshop their personal MBA soundbite. The first case is a straight white male with four years of experience in private equity in the oil and gas space who wants to stand out in an oversubscribed category. Here&#8217;s a familiar way that a typical interview opener goes:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Interviewer:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<em>Could you walk me through your resume?\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Applicant<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">: <em>Sure thing. As you can see from my resume, I have four years of private equity experience: a year with firm A and three years with firm B. In my first role\u2026blah, blah, blah.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, here&#8217;s a new and improved answer from the applicant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Applicant:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<em>Absolutely. But first, it might be helpful to give you some context. Looking at my resume, I realize I probably don&#8217;t look like a rebel. I&#8217;m a white private equity guy who plays lacrosse, for goodness&#8217; sake. However, during my first year in private equity, I worked on this awesome sustainability initiative for one of our portfolio clients, which changed my outlook on the industry.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Not only did these sustainability efforts help the planet, but they also considerably increased our company&#8217;s profitability. As a senior on the team, I&#8217;ve been able to encourage five other portfolio companies to explore their own green energy sustainability efforts.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Having done this work for almost four years, I know the sector is ready to evolve, and I feel like I&#8217;m in a powerful position to drive positive change in the sustainability category. So, let me walk you through my resume with that in mind.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That&#8217;s a much better opening to the interview. Not only does it give some context, but the applicant also injected some self-deprecating humor that showcases his emotional intelligence and makes him more approachable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-43294 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-5439428-1500x1000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"734\" height=\"489\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Applicant Combining Work in Two Different Sectors<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For this example, let&#8217;s say the interviewer starts with a general question like, &#8220;So great to meet you today. Why don&#8217;t you start by telling me a little about yourself?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>Applicant:<\/strong> <em>Sure thing. I grew up in New York City, and as you can see from my resume, I have spent my time since graduation working in two very different fields\u2026.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, here&#8217;s a more compelling way to answer this question:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Interviewer<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">: <em>Hey, why don&#8217;t you tell me about yourself?<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Applicant:<\/span><\/strong><em> Sure. I grew up in New York City, and when I was ten years old, Disney&#8217;s Pixar released the movie Wally. I was captivated by this story! Not only because it was about a cute little robot who literally saved the world but also because it was essentially about a super-powerful computer that could not only think but also feel.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>For as long as I can remember, I&#8217;ve been fascinated by this connection between artificial intelligence, human emotions, and how people make decisions. So, I started my career in AI and spent the last year or so doing marketing work with a Fortune 500 company.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>When friends hear this, they sometimes make fun of me, seeing these as two completely different worlds. But I&#8217;ve always considered these two sides of the same coin, and leading brands must understand both.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>So, let me walk you through my resume and tell you why\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Both examples show that these more thoughtful personal openings bridge the gap between your past and future and offer you a powerful way to start the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Listen to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/blog\/b-schooled-podcast-episode-147-your-personal-mba-soundbite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B-Schooled Podcast Episode #147<\/a>: Your Personal MBA Soundbite<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A Roadmap\u2014Not a Formula<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Starting the interview off on the right foot not only means aceing the first question but also confidently approaching future questions in a way that allows you to truly enjoy the conversation. We&#8217;re not suggesting there&#8217;s a single formula that works for everyone. Nor do we believe your entire personhood can be boiled down to a soundbite. But we do think this format can help anyone set themselves up to succeed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So, remember these four key points.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">1.) Share something personal and vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">2.) Keep it short.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">3.) Highlight your passion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">4.) Signpost your overall career path narrative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We&#8217;ll sign off by challenging you to develop your own personal MBA soundbite. We hope you&#8217;re already thinking about how to start that all-important conversation with your admissions interviewer. Remember, we&#8217;re cheering for you!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p><em>Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/comprehensive-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">All-In Partnership<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/mba-interview-prep-coaching\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Interview Prep<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/hourly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hourly help<\/a>\u00a0with essay editing, resume review, and much more! Contact us today for a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free 15-minute advising session<\/a>\u00a0to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.<\/em><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Here\u2019s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/about\/mba-admissions-consulting-team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SBC team<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-41509\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-08-23-at-10.02.38-AM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-08-23-at-10.02.38-AM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Ashley<\/h2>\n<p>HBS Admissions Board<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School<br \/>\nHBS MBA<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-37267\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-04-at-7.30.19-AM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-04-at-7.30.19-AM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Kerry<\/h2>\n<p>HBS Admissions Board<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School<br \/>\nKellogg MBA<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-41714\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-11-12-at-7.14.19-AM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-11-12-at-7.14.19-AM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Pauline<\/h2>\n<p>Director HBS Admissions<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School<br \/>\nMBA, the Wharton School<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-41781\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Geri-pic.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Geri-pic.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Geri<\/h2>\n<p>HBS Admissions Board<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-36146\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/laura.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/laura.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Laura<\/h2>\n<p>HBS Admissions Board<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School<br \/>\nHBS MBA<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-33615\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/andrea_k.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/andrea_k.jpg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Andrea<\/h2>\n<p>Director HBS Admissions<br \/>\nat Harvard Business School <br \/>\nHBS MBA<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-36122\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jennifer-Foster.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jennifer-Foster.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Jennifer<\/h2>\n<p>Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)<br \/>\nMBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-33613\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/erin-k.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/erin-k.jpg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Erin K.<\/h2>\n<p>Asst Director MBA Admissions <br \/>\nat Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) <br \/>\nDirector MBA Admissions <br \/>\nat Berkeley\u2019s Haas School of Business <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-42822\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Susie-Burrus-photo.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Susie-Burrus-photo.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Susie<\/h2>\n<p>Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)<br \/>\nMBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-35390\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-08-at-9.08.05-AM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-08-at-9.08.05-AM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Dione<\/h2>\n<p>MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) <br \/>\nMinority Admissions, the GSB<br \/>\nDiversity Programs, the GSB <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-34284\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/anthony.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/anthony.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Anthony<\/h2>\n<p>Associate Director MBA Admissions <br \/>\nat the Wharton School <br \/>\nat the University of Pennsylvania<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-33611\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/meghan_e.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/meghan_e.jpg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Meghan<\/h2>\n<p>Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing <br \/>\nat the Wharton MBA\u2019s Lauder Institute<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-36612\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Amy-Hazen.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Amy-Hazen.jpeg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Amy<\/h2>\n<p>Director, the Wharton School<br \/>\nat the University of Pennsylvania<br \/>\nProfessional Writer<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-37475\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-03-09-at-1.53.23-PM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2021-03-09-at-1.53.23-PM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Ally<\/h2>\n<p>Assistant Director MBA Admissions<br \/>\nat Columbia Business School (CBS)<br \/>\nNYU Admissions<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-33607\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/erin_B-v2.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/erin_B-v2.jpg\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Erin B.<\/h2>\n<p>Assistant Director MBA Admissions<br \/>\nat Columbia Business School (CBS)<br \/>\nM.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania\n<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#consultant-41568\"><\/p>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"consultant-image owl-lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-09-14-at-12.38.38-PM.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2022-09-14-at-12.38.38-PM.png\" width=\"114\" height=\"114\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2>Emma<\/h2>\n<p>Associate Director MBA Admissions<br \/>\nat Columbia Business School (CBS)\n<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Ashley<\/h2>\n<p><span>Ashley<\/span> is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.\u00a0<span>Ashley<\/span>\u00a0holds an MBA from HBS.<\/p>\n<p>During her HBS years,\u00a0<span>Ashley<\/span>\u00a0was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving  ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/ashley\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Kerry<\/h2>\n<p>Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).<\/p>\n<p>During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions.<\/p>\n<p>Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and\u00a0 ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/kerry\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Pauline<\/h2>\n<p><span>A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter &amp; Gamble, and IBM.\u00a0 For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/pauline\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Geri<\/h2>\n<p><span>Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.\u00a0 Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.\u00a0 In additio ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/geri\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Laura<\/h2>\n<p><span>Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/laura-h\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Andrea<\/h2>\n<p>Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.\u00a0 In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee.<\/p>\n<p>In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School \u2013 a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.\u00a0 Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/andrea\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Jennifer<\/h2>\n<p><span>Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/jennifer\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Erin K.<\/h2>\n<p>Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB).<\/p>\n<p>Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/erin-k\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Susie<\/h2>\n<p>Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students\u2019 applications.\u00a0 She holds an MBA from Stanford\u2019s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation\u2019s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/susie\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Dione<\/h2>\n<p><span>Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is  ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/dione\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Anthony<\/h2>\n<p><span>Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span>Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/anthony\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Meghan<\/h2>\n<p>Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA\u2019s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies.<\/p>\n<p>In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed  ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/meghan\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Amy<\/h2>\n<p><span>Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.\u00a0 She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions  ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/amy-3\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Ally<\/h2>\n<p><span>Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/ally\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Erin B.<\/h2>\n<p>Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business.<\/p>\n<p>At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/erin-b\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Emma<\/h2>\n<p><span>Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.&lt;\/sp ...<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/consultant\/emma\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/#our-team\">&times;<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\/blog\/why-you-need-a-personal-mba-soundbite\/\">Why You Need a Personal MBA Soundbite<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stacyblackman.com\">Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Admissions officers and employers often make up their minds about an applicant during the first few moments of a conversation. That&#8217;s why starting on your best foot in a compelling,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,749,775,243],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-stacy-blackman","category-admission-consultants","category-blog","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62297\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}