A stellar MBA resumé is essential to get that much-needed edge when applying to Top 20 MBA programs. However, with thousands of impressive applicants targeting top B School admits, it can be difficult to ensure your resume stands out.
If you are in the advanced stages of resume creation for upcoming applications, these tips can help you take your resume to the next level. However, if you have not yet started to work on crafting your MBA resume, you can come back to these advanced level tips later. 1. Prioritize accomplishments over responsibilities Unlike job resumes that require equal emphasis on responsibilities, an MBA application resume requires you to highlight your accomplishments, the impact of your contribution, or your measurable achievements that are tied to the company's overall goal.
Expert Tip- In the initial stages of resume writing, applicants find it difficult to identify the accomplishments or success metrics that properly represent the success of their contributions. To structure your project achievement bullet points properly, use the PAR (Problem Action Result) approach to verify that each of the bullet points highlights these three aspects. Anything less would be an inferior resume bullet point.
Here's an example- •
Led analysis in an 8-member team with India and US offices to increase adoption of a new and efficacious lung cancer therapy in ABC market in reaction to competitor launch. Adoption doubled to 75% via impeccable metadata analysis and targeted marketing campaignsCan you notice how this bullet covers A)Problem - to increase adoption
B)Action - led analysis, data aggregation and marketing campaigns
C)Result- Doubling adoption
2. Avoid repeating action verbs Applicants who want to highlight their leadership qualities tend to repeat the word "led" before other action verbs, which conveys desperation and carelessness. You can show confidence by using other action verbs such as "
achieved," "
introduced," "
managed," "
handled," "
improved," "
strengthened," and "
designed etc."
3. Do not overstate your impact When applicants can't convert accomplishments to numbers or when they feel their contributions are inadequate, they exaggerate their role or impact. They may try to compensate by saying they had a “
leadership role” or they “
led teams” to illustrate their impact on the organization. This is not the right strategy.
Breaking down your impact into tangible project deliverables and comparing it to the revenue or size of the project would add a realistic perspective to your resume. This is important to convey authenticity.
Mistake Type1Here a poorly worded example, "
Led the development of a simulation model for the $7 million Mergers and Acquisitions worst case scenario prediction project."
A better wording would be, "
Developed a simulation tool that helped the M&A team predict worst-case scenarios for the $7 million projects the company was analysing."
Mistake type 2A mistake that is often repeated concerns applicants who are a year or two younger than the average for the class.
To compensate for lack of experience, younger applicants emphasize, "
Exceptional for my age" Overcompensating applicants overlook the real accomplishments when repeating “
the youngest” phrase in more than one entry on the MBA resume or application.
Mistake Type 3While we recommend highlighting the "
top X percent of the class" if the performance is authentic, applicants get carried away and start citing the top ten or 20 percent to stand out. Anything outside the top five percent is not really the best performance of anything.
4. Simplify jargon Applicants with technical, engineering, or military backgrounds generally have a hard time simplifying project- or company-specific jargon that they believe is extremely important to understand the context. Applicants from marketing and consulting backgrounds do not have this problem to the same degree.
Remember, it is much easier for the recruiter to absorb the information in your resume if you simplify the technical language so that anybody can understand it.5. Highlight unexpected extracurricular activities Focus on highlighting qualities that are unexpected for the type of applicant you are. Pleasantly surprise the adcom and break stereotypes.
Highlighting extracurricular activities that complement the personality traits required for your job role can be a great way to stand out from other applicants.
For example, a military applicant is generally expected to be disciplined and serious. Having a creative streak is unexpected for this type of applicant. So if we highlight an extracurricular involvement in projects like stand-up comedy or drama club, suddenly it's a big differentiator from competing military applicants.6. Third-party validation Awards and recognition within your organization are good, but any recognition from an industry association or mention in the media can further enhance your accomplishments. Look for mentions in the media for your projects and recognition from industry associations, unions, or non-profit organizations before highlighting internal awards.
7. Manipulating metrics Applicants who have worked in startups generally tend to exaggerate metrics without providing a plausible explanation. They assume that the technical solution or growth they achieved is unique.
When you apply to top 5 Business schools mentioning the scale of growth is as cliché as highlighting proficiency in Microsoft Excel. Novice applicants mention metrics such as "increased revenue by 700%," and others mention "leading a start-up that was acquired by the ABC brand." These are filler words and indicate that the applicant may be omitting something very important.
For example, "
700% revenue growth"
may indicate that the applicant is hiding actual revenue. "Bought out by a brand name" may hide that the exit was not that big. The admissions team is experienced enough to see through your exaggerations. Conservative estimates, even if they do or do not lead to an exit deal, come across as more authentic. Avoid basing the success of a project solely on your position. Instead, emphasize your contribution and collaboration with your team.
8. Taking credit for the wrong success metric For startups, contributions to product development and revenue growth are important. But depending on the case, such as technology startups, the contributions of certain key functions like engineers and growth strategists may be more important than functions in sales and marketing. In such cases, sales and marketing professionals should not take credit for achievements that fall beyond their scope of responsibilities.
To increase profile credibility, it's important to avoid black-and-white terms and instead use words like "facilitated growth" and "contributed to X% increase in revenue."
First, assess how your role fits into your employer's overall business model. In a good example, a sales manager in an ed-tech mentioned that he worked strategically between the technology teams and the customers to enable the ed-tech product market fit fast.For established companies, the opposite can be true. It is easier to maintain technology than it is to find new markets or growth strategies, so sales and marketing professionals can highlight the meaningful contributions in their role. On the other hand, engineers at such a company can skip the growth metrics.
9. Combine multiple deliverables Instead of splitting your accomplishments into multiple entries, consider combining multiple areas of responsibility into one meaningful resume entry. Say more in few words. This comes with practice. Take help of an expert to speed up the process.
10. Validate yet challenge the profile statistics The admissions team will evaluate your position among your fellow applicants based on your resume, essays, GMAT score, and GPA. To make your resume interesting, you should provide information to validate yet challenge their biases.
For example, an Indian engineer applicant might highlight being in the top one percent on standardized tests but also demonstrate the potential to contribute to a quantitatively focused MBA program, despite a low GPA of under 3. This can be done through showcasing quant heavy skills, examples of working on finance or statistics focused projects.I often encounter applicants who have a hard time quantifying their accomplishments on their resume. They have a narrow view, are limited to their current role, and inadvertently neglect the broader landscape. Their attention is usually focused only on their immediate company, the ongoing project, or a specific area they are well versed with, so they overlook the broader impact of their contributions.
This limited view (is seen as limited business acumen) shows up on their resume when quantified metrics or accomplishments are presented without the necessary context that connects their accomplishments, team dynamics, and overall impact on the organization’s business and objective. This oversight is a major missed opportunity because their resumes do not stand out in a sea of similarly structured applications.
Here are 3 use cases of how applicants can broaden their approach to quantifying impact on the resume1. Techies and engineersSoftware developers or technology consultants, often focus their achievements on the direct impact their solutions have on client operations. But many times, they miss recognizing broader synergies. For example, they might overlook how the same technology might have been used on other projects to enter new categories or markets or extend contracts with existing customers.
Here's a draft of a resume bullet when the applicant has a limited perspective
“
Designed and developed End to End supplier network visibility for client and flow of material traceability tool with AI-ML based recommendation."
The same can be made more impactful along the lines of
“
Improved client’s supply-demand planning process through an AI-ML-based solution that provides visibility on material flow and traceability, as well as accurate detection of capacity bottlenecks; the Cutting-edge solution led to $XX Mn in further collaborations with client. Similarly, people who come from the manufacturing sector are somewhat limited in their perspective on production metrics and timelines.
They should, however, realize their contributions are more far-reaching and
include critical factors such as substantial cost reductions through recycling or optimizing processes, strategic timing of market entry/market launch, optimal use of working capital, or mitigating lost revenue by avoiding supply/production bottlenecks.2. Bankers or FinanciersInvestment bankers, who can be excellent salespeople can also have difficulty presenting their achievements effectively. They tend to focus too much on deal size metrics, which are an important part of their role. However, fixating exclusively on transaction volume can obscure their broader impact.
In the investment banking world, every deal requires careful research, thorough due diligence, and complicated templates. While these elements are critical to individual transactions, they also hold hidden potential for synergies. Processes, methodologies, and templates developed for one deal can be used effectively across multiple projects and clients within the same industry. Investment bankers often develop customized solutions to complex financial challenges faced by their clients. While these strategies are tailored to specific scenarios, they can also be applied to similar situations.
Tools developed or polished by investment bankers go beyond individual projects to improve efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making across different ventures.3. Management/Strategy ConsultantsSurprisingly enough, many management consultants too face a similar challenge. Consultants often focus on criteria such as project scope or size, geographic reach, and industry expertise. However, this limited focus can sometimes cloud the larger impact of their work.
For example, consider a management consultant leading a supply chain optimization project for a specific client. The refined processes and best practices put in place as part of the project could have broader applications across different clients and industries (this sure is an opportunity to demonstrate further impact). In addition, the consultant's recommendations could lead to cost savings and operational efficiencies for the client, increasing profitability and competitive advantage.
This ripple effect illustrates how a consultant's influence extends beyond a single project to positively impact clients, beneficiaries, and the industry as a whole.Heres an example which demonstrates added benefit for the client beyond the scope of deliverable• Led analysis in an 8-member team at India and US offices to increase adoption of a new and efficacious lung cancer therapy in reaction to competitor launch; Drug adoption doubled to 75% via impeccable metadata aggregation followed by targeted marketing campaignsWith guidance from an expert, prospective MBA applicants can learn how to clearly highlight various impacts on their resumes strategically. An outside perspective does help connect the dots between their individual accomplishments and the broader outcomes they have achieved.
Note: If you are a re-applicant also read this--
How to succeed at Top B Schools as a re-applicant Planning to apply this year for an MBA but not sure about the right strategy? Reach out for a candid conversation.Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
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