Post-mba goals in application vs Reality

Question

Hi all

Maybe the title is a little bit "catchy". What I'd like to ask is: do the majority of applicants write post-mba goals that could give them more chances to enter in an MBA?

For example, If my post-mba goal is to be Financial Controller after MBA but it can be seen better to be a Consultant in MBB by the admissions committee, should I state that my goal is to be Financial Controller or should I build my application around consulting?

I suppose that the question is pretty obvious and stupid, however I've seen people in job interviews being honest regarding their career goals and being rejected by HR because they didn't answer what the HR person wanted (even if the person was fully capable and could do a great job)

So the real question is: do the schools really want that you are totally honest and they will support you if your story is compelling, or they take really into account how to place candidates in jobs that would increase the School's reputation/ranking/etc?

How many people during the mba change their career goals from the ones in the application?

Narenn · Answer

I don't agree with the argument that your admission chances can increase if you state a certain post MBA goal to admission committee, which is different from your real post MBA goal and which you believe will appeal to them. From what I heard from adcoms of many Bschools in our live chat sessions , schools want an applicant should know (1) your post MBA goals ( short term and long term)?, (2) a professional path that allows you to accomplish your objectives, (3) how your previous experience can help you in the pursuit of these objectives? (4) How MBA and a School that you are applying can help your achieve your post MBA goals. You should be fine as long as you have answers for these questions. It may be possible that you might change your goals when you enter into Bschool, interact with peers, or explore various other opportunities, and schools know this often happens with many students, so they never say that you should have a clear-cut post MBA goals while applying. All they expect from you is that your post MBA aspirations should make sense with your overall profile & previous experience, and should be supported by thorough research. Yes, schools care about their employment stats and if they are convinced that your post MBA goals make sense and you have a well defined strategy to achieve these goals, then they would love to admit you in their class. I encourage you to read this nice article written by Critical Square in GMAT Club MBA guide - Article #23, Short Term Goals. https://gmatclub.com/forum/new-gmat-clu ... 23494.html Hope that helps! See Also... Connecting the Dots - Strategy for career goal essay

MBAIvy · Answer

I'm a Harvard grad, and former adcom: the schools want to see, above anything else, that your post-MBA goals LOGICALLY stem and make sense given your past experience, EVEN if you end up shifting into a completely different field. In other words, "no experience or time lost" is their (unstated) motto.

You want to demonstrate that everything on your resume was valuable and helped get you to where you are today, and where you intend to go in the future. What the schools DON'T like, are applicants who appear to be all over the place, and shift from one field to another, or one niche to another, without any "through-line" or logic.

So, in plain English, you want the post-MBA goals that you state in your application to MAKE SENSE given your background. Don't submit an application that shows a resume with 4-5 years experience in digital marketing and then tell them you hope to get into Private Equity investing. You can use the MBA degree to pivot your career, but everything needs to MAKE SENSE.

Hope that helps!

NateFromHBS · Answer

Very few MBAs actually follow through with the career goals outlined in their admissions essays. Even for those who do, the average tenure in a post-MBA job is only ~2 years.

What MBA programs want to see in your short term goals are the following:

1. Are they realistic? Does this candidate understand which career moves are possible? Has the candidate done his or her research on these jobs in advance?

2. Is the desired outcome impactful? It's hard to give an admission slot in short supply to someone who doesn't seem like they will do very much with it.  The mission  of Harvard Business School is to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. Therefore its adcom is looking for those with a grand vision.

3. Does the applicant's career goals align with their personal narrative? If not, the adcom may believe that the applicant is not being authentic. In any case, people naturally find those who are consistent about their motivations and interests more compelling.

4. Do these career goals require an MBA? Do MBAs from our school recruit for them? If not, it shows low commitment and low research on the part of the applicant.

This narrative piece is something that I personally spend a lot of time thinking about -- specifically as it pertains to post-MBA goals as that it where I believe the narrative can be best communicated. In short, I think the shortest, simplest story is best and am happy to share thoughts on your unique case. In any case, check out some of my writing on the subject  on my blog here . Happy to help!

IvyAdmissionsGroup.com

SheaRai · Answer

Hi 50groszy,

The schools want to know that you are serious and committed to your career goals. And if you are, then I'd assume you would have given a deep thought about your career prospects, your plan B, your alternative options and how you would consider recruitment. Its not really a so much of a school's concern than it is yours. Yes, their rankings also depend on it, but most schools shy away from students who come across as unfocused because there are limited seats and there are always people who know why they want an MBA, what they will do with it. Those people are seen (I think,rightly) as more deserving of the MBA seat.

When I work with my clients on their essays, start with talking candidly about why they want to do an MBA, we discuss the real authentic professional, and personal reasons. Often if that is not clear, I push them to get clarity. That introspection is must and you will do yourself a favor by going through that process. Because if that main reason is not clear or realistic, then all else would not be able to stand on a shaky foundation.

Hope that helps

If you want to talk about your career goals, feel free to reach out.

If you want to talk more, drop me an email.
You can also connect with me on LinkedIn

You might like to read:
What B-schools look for and how they evaluate your profile
Essays, Tips and Deadlines of more than Top 50 global MBA/EMBA programs

Good luck!

If you want to talk about your career goals, feel free to reach out. If you want to talk more, drop me an email. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn You might like to read: What B-schools look for and how they evaluate your profile Essays, Tips and Deadlines of more than Top 50 global MBA/EMBA programs Good luck!

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

I think it is always best to start from a place of authenticity. You are applying to b-school for a reason, and you will come across as more passionate about this if it is actually true. Now where you need to balance is that your goals need to make sense and come across logically particularly for what the school can offer. If you say you want to do MBB in consulting only but are at a top 100 school, that school will have little to no chance of placing you so that would be an example. So it is not just about saying a common or sexy career but something makes sense for you and the school.

MBAbot · Answer

Hello from the GMAT Club MBAbot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

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Post-mba goals in application vs Reality

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