Fortune 5 to Start up : Impact on Admission Chances

Hi there,

1. As long as you can explain why you made the move to the smaller company and how it fits with your overall career trajectory and post-MBA goals, then it should not be a problem from an admissions perspective.

2. Since you are joining a new company and understandably won't be able to get an LOR from a direct supervisor since you would only have been there a short time by the time you apply, you can explain that in the "Additional Info" section. That happens quite often, so it should not negatively impact your chances.

I hope this helps! If you'd like to discuss your profile in more detail through a free consultation, feel free to let me know. I can be reached at info@ivygroupe.com or https://www.ivygroupe.com/contact.

Best,
Shaifali

Hi abhimahna,

It is uncommon, though definitely not unheard of, to switch jobs before a B-school application. If you decide to change jobs, it would also be good to remember that you may want to justify the change directly or indirectly in the application.

To answer your first question of brand vs small company, we think while a brand adds value, the role should be the deciding factor. Which role is more aligned to your long-term goals? Will it help you demonstrate traits of leadership better? These answers matter more.

In terms of LOR, you can always explain the choice of recommendation in optional essays/additional information sections and avoid ambiguity.

Since you come from a competitive pool, a combination of good GMAT, clear essays about how your career choices are linked to your career goals and good extracurriculars would give you the right ammunition to make a strong application.

Feel free to reach out in case of more queries.

Hi abhimahna,

If you make the move from a Fortune X company to a startup and then within 3 months apply to B-schools, the person reading your application may wonder why you made that move (to the startup). If you’re moving to a smaller company, potentially riskier, you must have thought of some solid reasons. (This may just invite more scrutiny than if you had moved from Fortune X to Fortune Y.) You need to think harder on a justifiable short-term goal (it would be hard to link to long-term goals) that warrants this transition.

On the second question, you’ll have a valid reason for not taking LoRs from the new company.

First of all congrats on the new job. That sounds exciting.

I don't think that there's going to be a problem changing companies, you already have an excellent brand on your resume for a tenure of four solid years.

So I actually think that taking a new direction actually kind of shows that you're willing to step outside your comfort zone. As long as this fits in with the bigger plan, I think this is really a solid move actually.

I am mildly concerned about how it will be perceived with you planning to leave within a year..but that's a fairly minor concern.

The cool thing about Chicago is that they have two outstanding Business Schools there and both of them have part-time programs. Not to say that you should go that direction but it's an option in that City unlike many others.

It's been my experience with both Booth and Kellogg that living in Chicago is a significant advantage... they know that they have a greater likelihood of getting an acceptance from you, which makes it more likely for them to extend an offer.

With regards to letters of recommendation I would just make sure that you set that all up before you leave your current company. I've had great success with candidates who have not submitted letters from a supervisor but rather internal clients or peers. So while your soon-to-be ex manager would be ideal if it isn't then lay the groundwork for getting a letter from a peer. If you do volunteer work and someone supervises you in that capacity, that's a good option for the second letter.

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