Career plan and drafting an MBA career goals essay

Question

Building your career plan and drafting an MBA career goals essay

In general, a strong career plan is one that brings the candidate to a very successful future, and one that is very likely to happen. This translates to 9 foundations for a strong career plan:

9 foundations for a strong career plan

1. Specific industry

Specific enough to make it unique and concrete.
For example, banking is “too broad” an industry, whereas Project Finance or Biotech Finance is more specific and therefore more unique and concrete.

2. Specific positions

3. Connection to past

4. Assured first step

Rather senior position
A company you work with / worked with
Impressive company description (i.e. largest…)

5. Unique career plan

6. Rich, famous or both in the long term

7. Likely and natural connection of goals.

8. Community agenda

9. Sexy industry
In general, the more specific and personal the essay is, the better.

The key to the Career Essay:

Connect most sentences with the future goals and the industry name.

Most of the sentences should relate to the goals.
For example: Why School X? Because Professor X is the world's best in Y, and I need Y to achieve my goal Z.

Necessary to have:

What are the short and long term career goals?
If the first step is assured – a VERY clear statement of this fact. Because some admission readers may skim the essays, you want to make sure this paragraph is very noticeable (make it a separate paragraph), and to mention it twice if possible.

Nice, but not necessary, to have:

Repeated mention of the exact same industry name.
Why are these your goals (why do you feel they are the right goals for you)?
When/how were your goals conceived?
Why these goals of all possible goals in the world? Should be personal, deep.

OK to have:

How did your goals, once conceived, drive your actions/career choices up to here?
What elements/experiences in your past make you feel that these goals are realistic?
Any other details that a. promote and candidacy and b. answer the question: "what are my career goals and why these are my goals". It needs to be clear how these details are connected to explaining your goals.

Usually not OK to have:

Descriptions of the candidate's past/resume/background which are not clearly connected to the career goals - unless the essay question specifically asks for it.

Here is a good example of a strong career goals essay, written by an HBS admitted candidate:

Question: What are your career aspirations and why? How will you get there? (300 word limit).

Long Run Objective:
My long-run objective is to achieve a senior managerial position in a large multinational corporation that markets, or preferably manufactures, commodities. One of my highest aspirations is to be one of those who establishes, or significantly advances, such a corporation. Therefore, I intend to develop within the scope of one firm. I believe that on my way to achieve my goal I will express my talents and interests and contribute to society’s prosperity.

Short Run Objectives:
Looking ten years back, I view my interdisciplinary experience in business management, army service, political and public positions, and traveling as a part of the solid background that can generate a successful senior manager in a multinational commodities corporation. To complete my preparation process, my short-run objectives are:

First - to acquire quality general academic education in business administration while also mastering the English language.
Second - to develop within the scope of one firm.

HBS - a Measure and a Target In Itself

I wish to say, sincerely, that in my opinion HBS will fulfill my first short-run objective optimally. HBS has the qualities that best fit my expectations, objective, and background. The more I hear and read about HBS - the more I feel I belong there; it is considered the best school in the world for developing general management skills and acquiring management tools in the marketing and consumption areas. Graduates gain excellent placement services and leading positions. HBS has no competitors in academic level and in world-wide fame (I learned that from talking to people in China, Eastern Europe, and Arab countries).

In conclusion, I believe that studying at HBS will be a great experience. Moreover, it will provide the optimal accomplishment for my first short-term objective, as well as a significant advancement towards achieving my long-term goal.

For more MBA goals essays: https://www.aringo.com/Career_Goals_Essay.htm
Check out our recent blog post regarding drafting your career goals for MBA application: https://aringo.com/hacking-the-mba-appl ... plication/

Summary of key comments/ discussion happened in the following replies

Question from farhanc85: From most of the articles that I have read online and also websites of my target schools, adcom usually likes to know where you see yourself going post your mba, can it be 2 places? or may be just may be I can figure out the real option during my 1 or 2 year at school.
Reply by CrackVerbalGMAT: It is definitely okay for you to figure out where you want to go during your 1 or 2 year course - in fact, most aspirants look at the MBA as a means to expand the opportunities available to them. However, it is not a good idea to show this ambivalence in your application. This is because admission committees evaluate potential candidates on their employability - and showcasing excellent clarity of goals is one way to demonstrate your employability. (If you don't know where you are going, etc. etc. ) And don't worry about sticking to the goal you mention in your application - B-schools know very well that your goals may change during the program, when you get exposure to many new functions, industries and experiences. So, nobody is going to question you about a discrepancy in what you said you want to do and what you actually end up doing!
CrackVerbalGMAT, Some simple do's and dont's for talking about career goals:
- Your goal must strike the right balance between 'ambitious' and 'realistic'. Don't cite a goal that is too low-hanging or something impossibly difficult to achieve in the time frame mentioned.
- Your goal must be something that is in line with your past experience. i.e. you should be able to cite some experience or knowledge or transferable skills that will help you achieve this goal after a 1 or 2 year MBA.
- Your short and long term goals must be logically connected. You should be able to defend how this short term goal will give you skills or exposure that will let you achieve your long term goal. Or why this short term goal is necessarily the first step to achieve your long term one.
- Be as specific as possible - in terms of role, function, industry and even company. When you mention company names, make sure these companies recruit alumni of your target school.
- Always always have a good idea about what the role entails - so if you say product management, make sure you know what a product manager does on a daily basis, what would he be responsible for, what his career progression is like, and so on.
Erjan_S: I found this post to be quite helpful, my gratitude to the author. However, I was quite surprised that the essay cited in the post actually won acceptance to HBS, seriously? It seems to be quite a banal one, I would not call it too bright.....

) And don't worry about sticking to the goal you mention in your application - B-schools know very well that your goals may change during the program, when you get exposure to many new functions, industries and experiences. So, nobody is going to question you about a discrepancy in what you said you want to do and what you actually end up doing!

CrackVerbalGMAT , Some simple do's and dont's for talking about career goals: Your goal must strike the right balance between 'ambitious' and 'realistic'. Don't cite a goal that is too low-hanging or something impossibly difficult to achieve in the time frame mentioned. Your goal must be something that is in line with your past experience. i.e. you should be able to cite some experience or knowledge or transferable skills that will help you achieve this goal after a 1 or 2 year MBA. Your short and long term goals must be logically connected. You should be able to defend how this short term goal will give you skills or exposure that will let you achieve your long term goal. Or why this short term goal is necessarily the first step to achieve your long term one. Be as specific as possible - in terms of role, function, industry and even company. When you mention company names, make sure these companies recruit alumni of your target school. Always always have a good idea about what the role entails - so if you say product management, make sure you know what a product manager does on a daily basis, what would he be responsible for, what his career progression is like, and so on. Erjan_S : I found this post to be quite helpful, my gratitude to the author. However, I was quite surprised that the essay cited in the post actually won acceptance to HBS, seriously? It seems to be quite a banal one, I would not call it too bright.....

farhanchaudhary · Answer

Hello,

I am in the middle of my application. Your article has been really helpful to put some filters in my thought process for my career goals.

My current dilemma is related to number of short term career goals.
i understand that clarity of goal is required in these essays and I would be taking a huge risk if I write 2 short term goals.

One goal is related to an upward movement in my current industry and the other one is a lateral movement in different industry.

Honestly, both these options are lucrative for me. I would love to have the flexibility to be in one of these positions. I understand my MBA will be a means to attain the end goal but can it be a means which can give me flexibility of pursuing either of the goals.

From most of the articles that I have read online and also websites of my target schools, adcom usually likes to know where you see yourself going post your mba, can it be 2 places? or may be just may be I can figure out the real option during my 1 or 2 year at school.

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Hi Farhan, It is definitely okay for you to figure out where you want to go during your 1 or 2 year course - in fact, most aspirants look at the MBA as a means to expand the opportunities available to them. However, it is not a good idea to show this ambivalence in your application. This is because admission committees evaluate potential candidates on their employability - and showcasing excellent clarity of goals is one way to demonstrate your employability. (If you don't know where you are going, etc. etc.

) Therefore, my suggestion is to pick one of the 2 options you have mentioned and elaborate on that in your goals essay. Whatever option you pick, make sure that you bring out the following 3 aspects very clearly: 1. Why do you need an MBA to achieve this position (progression or shift)? 2. Why is NOW the best time to do this? 3. How can B-school X help you get there? As long as you are able to answer these 3 points effectively, you are good. And don't worry about sticking to the goal you mention in your application - B-schools know very well that your goals may change during the program, when you get exposure to many new functions, industries and experiences. So, nobody is going to question you about a discrepancy in what you said you want to do and what you actually end up doing!

Gowri N Kishore Admissions Consultant

Paul25 · Answer

Hello,

I am in a similar situation.I am currently drafting essays for a top 15 US MBA program. I come from a first-generation family business -it is a startup. We are into the marketing of certain capital goods. My real short term career goals are to work in B2B marketing for a few years before returning to our business. This is essentially because first,the post MBA work experience would really prepare me for bigger responsibilities for our business and second, i would need some time to recover the cost of the program.
However, i have heard that to improve my chances of admission, i mention in my essays that i shall return to business immediately after MBA, i can always work for a few years after MBA and there is no need to mention that in the essays.

I am worried that if i do as mentioned above, the school might start viewing me as one of those wealthy family business candidates and might as well suggest me their other programs. Also, they might assume that I already have a job ready after MBA.
I am a bit confused on this, please help !

Regards

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Raman, Why don't you go ahead and say it like it is?

Tell them that your short term goal is to work in a B2B marketing role with a different company, gain some experience and in 4-5 years' time, join your family business. You can leverage your business background in other ways: you can touch upon your understanding of business functions, market trends, vendor management and customer engagement, something you have gained as a result of being part of a business family. Highlight your own contributions/participation in decisions related to the business. Secondly, make sure that you articulate your goals very clearly. Answer the following points in your essays: 1. Why do you want to work with a different company after your MBA? What sort of exposure and experience do you hope to gain? 2. Specify what kind of company you would want to work with - in terms of industry, domain and role. 3. In the long term, when you join your family business, what is your vision and goal for the business? Expansion? Diversification? Make sure you let them know that you have a vision of your own and that you will contribute something valuable to the business. Hope this helps. Gowri N Kishore Admissions Consultant

Paul25 · Answer

Thanks for these great inputs ! It really makes a lot of sense.

MBAjunkie16 · Answer

This is really helpful as I am looking to draft my essays and I was wondering how specific should we be. For example, " leading the strategy and business development for a global organization to be able to influence the strategic direction of the organization and contribute to the growth of the industry as a whole." would that be too vague/fluffy?

j0yd1v1s10n · Answer

That HBS admit essay has to be old and the essay doesn't apply anymore for HBS...the career goals section on the application for HBS 2014 admissions is 500 characters (NOT WORDS) with the following prompt: "How does pursuing an MBA support your choices above?" The "choices above" are industry and function.

Obviously schools besides HBS have the "career goals" essay, but since so many people apply to HBS, it is worth noting that that example above is outdated and no longer applicable.

Obviously schools besides HBS have the "career goals" essay, but since so many people apply to HBS, it is worth noting that that example above is outdated and no longer applicable.

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Yes, I'm afraid it might be. While AdComs do not expect you to know exactly where you will be after you graduate, they definitely expect you to have a pretty good idea about what direction you want to go. Here are some simple do's and dont's for talking about career goals: 1. Your goal must strike the right balance between 'ambitious' and 'realistic'. Don't cite a goal that is too low-hanging or something impossibly difficult to achieve in the time frame mentioned. 2. Your goal must be something that is in line with your past experience. i.e. you should be able to cite some experience or knowledge or transferable skills that will help you achieve this goal after a 1 or 2 year MBA. 3. Your short and long term goals must be logically connected. You should be able to defend how this short term goal will give you skills or exposure that will let you achieve your long term goal. Or why this short term goal is necessarily the first step to achieve your long term one. 4. Be as specific as possible - in terms of role, function, industry and even company. When you mention company names, make sure these companies recruit alumni of your target school. 5. Always always have a good idea about what the role entails - so if you say product management, make sure you know what a product manager does on a daily basis, what would he be responsible for, what his career progression is like, and so on. These links may help you research some post-MBA career goals: https://www.crackverbal.com/category/post-mba-careers/ Cheers. Gowri N Kishore Admissions Consultant

chat15 · Answer

I want to give my huge gratitude for the information. i did a huge overhaul and tried to incorporate your feedback to be exact in defining my career and goals. i do have a nontraditional work history so it is important for me to explain it clearly.

bestrahul123 · Answer

How does this sound as a concludatory statement of an SOP:

An experience in the demand side of the industry coupled with an MBA in Operations from a reputed institute such yours will provide me to attain skills and knowledge of the industry and also attach a brand name to me, factors which will surely help me to attain my long term goal of having a top management position in a leading manufacturing firm of the world.

StratusDonna · Answer

Hi bestrahul123 I know this is an old post that has been revived- but for the purposes of the active applicants out there.. let me say this is a PERFECT example of GENERIC and not what you'd want to say!! Let me make notes in the statement below to show where you can improve by being more unique! You have wasted several words placating the school- just say the name of the school- save your words for your unique story. What specific skills and knowledge? leadership, the ability to scale a company? stronger finance? This part reads as completely self serving... attach a brand name to me? how about how can YOU help the school! Again- too generic- what position? what firm? the specifics are what make you sound like someone unique and not just another applicant! So as you write your essays and review- ask yourself- can anyone say this? Am I writing a story that only I can write? Does this make me human and interesting and someone adcom would want to know more about? To have someone challenge you to write the story that only YOU can write, I encourage you to go for a free consult to find out how our strong counselors can help you tell your best story in the MBA admissions process. Link here: https://stratusadmissionscounseling.com/ ... b-visitor/

Erjan_S · Answer

I found this post to be quite helpful, my gratitude to the author. However, I was quite surprised that the essay cited in the post actually won acceptance to HBS, seriously? It seems to be quite a banal one, I would not call it too bright.....

JamesValente · Answer

Short-term goals are goals that focus on the immediate future. They focus on today, this week, or this month.Use short-term goals to improve your quality of life and increase your happiness.

shashankawasthi · Answer

I am in middle of drafting my application for Top B school in India. I am really confused regarding the long term goal. I am from technology background working as a Product Owner. In future all I want to do in build comprehensive technology solution and sell them . Basically move upto executive roles in a technology based Product firm. Does this sound really vague. Do we really need to know the exact product that we wish to work on in long term ?

epsilon8 · Answer

I don't think you have to be very specific in your career essay and mention the exact product you want to develop in 10-15 years, but you do have to mention the career track that you plan for yourself, the industry you want to work in and the roles you wish to take, and of course link everything to where you are now and the degree you wish to pursue.

ARINGO · Answer

Check out our recent blog post regarding drafting your career goals for MBA application: https://aringo.com/hacking-the-mba-appl ... plication/

Narenn · Answer

Hello GMAT Club,

We have revamped this topic: formatting the top post, adding a few links of blog posts that are related to this topic, and posting a summary of key/helpful comments posted by users in the subsequent conversation.

Tell us what you feel about the new structure, anything we can include further, etc.

Thanks  Aringo  for writing this brilliant article, and  StratusMBACounselor  &  CrackVerbalGMAT  for your helpful replies in subsequent discussion.

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).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

Career plan and drafting an MBA career goals essay

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