Your most beautifully written words in the B-school essay will fail to earn the admission committee’s attention if they do not convey how you are different from the outset. The evaluators have already formed mental images of profiles based on nationality and profession, even before reading a single word. Creating strong applications requires deep analysis. Many applicants who simply follow the STAR and other similar commonly used frameworks without much "analysis" run the risk of making their stories too predictable. This contradicts the objective of
"challenging common typecasts" that Adcoms may have about you.
I suggest refining the STAR (or any other framework) approach to incorporate analysis. Demonstrating your ability to critically analyze situations before taking action showcases higher-order management skills
When you ponder over a crisis situation, you do three things:1. Evaluate the power dynamics and what management style would suit your objective
2. Evaluate the risk factors for the organisation- time loss, financial loss or credibility loss
3. Rise above the norm to build right communication strategies. Whether you work for dynamic startups with informal communication styles or legacy organisations with formal communication channels, once the company culture and the crisis at hand have been critically assessed, the task can be clearly defined.
Here's an example illustrating how drafts for compelling stories are structured using the upgraded SATAR (Situation Analysis Task Action Result) framework.Situation: When Company ABC made the strategic decision to relocate the R&D office from Thailand to India, it jeopardized the professional dynamics and confidence that the Thai R&D teams had built over decades with the Chinese production teams. The new and young Indian R&D team had little in common with the highly experienced Chinese production managers, resulting in a lack of trust, differences in approaches, and functional logjams that led to a complete halt of projects.Analysis: As an Indian R&D project manager, I recognized this development as a significant risk to our team’s credibility if we couldn't persuade the Chinese production teams to see the value in our ideas. Instead of enforcing the chain of command in design to production rollout, I saw the importance of building consensus within the Chinese teams and win their confidence for seamless long-term collaboration between the two teams.Task: With this in mind, I proposed to the Company ABC’s Technical director that we should invite senior managers from China for a workshop to address our differences and create new SOPs that would streamline Company X’s operations in Asia.Action: .
With support from Company ABC’s Technical director, I organized a week-long workshop, where I brought all the major stakeholders from China and India on the same table. I facilitated intensive discussions among all the participants to iron out their differences, resulting in a jointly prepared action plan for production, design and supply chain teams – which everybody has followed since.Result: Following the workshop, our relations have greatly improved and Company ABC’s growth in both India and China has reached new heights.Did you notice how the applicant cleverly analyses and demonstrates an understanding of power distribution? Most applicants miss out on presenting a critical analysis of the situation in their essay stories. Those who do not include ability to evaluate next steps, prevent the adcoms from looking into how their minds work. In any situation, there are power owners and a distribution of power among CXOs, project managers, and team leads. MBA candidates should show that they closely analyze leadership experiences. Despite not having direct authority, the "R&D project manager" in this case takes ownership of resolving issues by influencing those in power, such as Company’s Technical director. This example highlights how common engineering or technology profiles can stand out as strong differentiators.Going further in the write-up, I'll share tips on combating stereotypes in the B-school admissions processBut before you sit down to write a business school’s essays, find out what values and skills are important to the school. Those candidates applying to business schools for the first time sometimes miss one critical aspect: various business schools may seek different qualities in their applicants. Some seek candidates with strong analytical ability. Others want individuals who flourish in a team setting and have extensive cross-functional or global experience. During your MBA application process, take the time to grasp the distinctive attributes that each business school is searching for. This will help you decide which traits to highlight as your strengths. If a school values cooperation, you should highlight your experience leading or working in a team by outlining your leadership style and providing a particular example of when collaboration outperformed solo effort.
Here are some common Unfavourable Stereotypes that adcoms have:- Applicants from technology and finance backgrounds are often labeled with low social skills and high analytical capabilities.
- A low GPA is interpreted as a lack of seriousness about education or an absence of skills to thrive in a competitive learning environment.
- Finance folks face the stereotype of being one-dimensional too focused on numbers
- Nonprofit candidates are seen as being idealistic and oblivious to/lacking an understanding of incentives.
- Marketers struggle to communicate achievements beyond abstract concepts.
- Older applicants may be perceived as lacking ambition if they didn't consider an MBA 2-3 years ago.
- Younger applicants might be viewed as lacking the experience to make meaningful contributions to a class.
To overcome these stereotypes, applicants must project typecast opposites.Low Social Skills (Indian IT Engineers, Chinese Production Engineers, Finance Analysts)If you are seen to have weak interpersonal skills, provide instances of how you have coordinated events or managed a team even when you did not have direct control over the stakeholders. Transversal management or cross-management is as important as direct management. If you have a dearth of stories, you may even highlight extraprofessional activities where you brought people together for a community initiative. You can include extensive information on the recruiting process, such as the difficulties you had in securing venues, negotiating pricing with vendors, acquiring permits for public events, and inviting special visitors.
Many software engineers have asked me if joining an NGO is good enough. Participating in a community service activity as a volunteer is not the same as planning it, which is why most references of routine community service fall flat in admissions committee essays. By stressing how you accomplished something on your own, you demonstrate that you can overcome apparent deficiencies.A low GPAIf you have a low GPA, highlight your successes in computer-based tests, GMAT, math, Olympiads and similar exams to showcase your academic abilities. If you've addressed your weaknesses through courses on platforms like Coursera, emphasize those improvements. Opt for course platforms associated with leading US schools where you can print your grades on certificates. Before enrolling in courses from institutions like Wharton or MBA prep courses from HBX, make sure they cover statistics and align with deadlines that you are targeting.
You must also pay heed to your undergrad transcripts and take relevant courses in the weak areas.
If your grades in calculus, statistics, accounting or economics were mediocre, you should take courses in these subjects and let the school know. If you have a liberal arts background, take calculus and statistics. If you get an A in any of these courses, you should submit the proof of improvement as early as possible.
Older applicantsLike it or not, but the schools, especially ISB and the 2 year US programs have a clear bias against you. If you are age 30 or above, and don’t have figured out a career with an MBA suffixed to your name, the adcoms will likely think you missed the ball. You do not ideally want to be seen as someone who couldn’t crack it at work and is looking for an exit path through an MBA program.
However,
if you are a non-traditional applicant, military or nonprofit or entrepreneurial, worked in multiple startups or founded some, age will not be considered against you as long as you articulate your career choices clearly. Don’t oversell the diversity of your experience. Show just enough diversity and capture the weakness that will be filled by a full-time MBA.
Younger applicantsFor younger applicants who do not yet have experience, there is an early application round at all top schools. It is the applicants at the borderline with 2-3 years of experience who will find that stereotypes weigh most heavily against their chances of admission. Experience in a start-up can be a boon to your profile as you will get the opportunity to put on a variety of hats.
Show years of experience you have gained in just one year and the impact you have had on the strategic and immediate work of the company. We have seen success at top competitive business schools with this strategy. Do not get carried away by the percentage increase in the startup's revenue, if you did not have direct impact on it. Look for projects where your influence was directly related to the outcome of the project. If you work in a larger organization, leverage the scale of the projects. Create narratives to demonstrate the complexity and multi-functional knowledge you had to employ to achieve the milestones.
Finance FolksLike it or not, the cultural narrative is against you.
Demonstrating a search for meaning beyond the numbers is very important. Look for nonprofit organizations where your creative and social skills are on full display. Look for experiences that highlight your impact on a community or the underserved people in the world. The more hands-on the role you have played - traveling, tutoring, mentoring - the more likely you are to be the antithesis of your type.
Nonprofit or Impact Profiles Many nonprofit applicants' essays show a disregard for any profit-driven goals, ignoring the fact that affluent donors are the major source of funding for nonprofit organizations. To address this, applicants should showcase a practical grasp of "non profit investments" and shed light on the financial dynamics of non-profit organizations.
The traditional "I want to change the world" narrative falls short if the technology and financial industries are not recognized as playing a critical role in bringing about tangible change. Applicants should highlight the inadequacies of the nonprofit industry and offer an excellent opportunity to advance the non profit sector.
MarketingMarketing candidates struggle to successfully present what noticeable effect they achieved in their campaigns. Marketeers should provide a comprehensive examination of specific contributions, such as the detailed background information about the clients they served and emphasize how their involvement dynamically changed various facets of the campaigns.
A strong MBA candidate with marketing background can demonstrate a deep understanding of the client's strategic objectives and emphasize his/her ability to align the efforts with the client's overarching goals. Creativity is a focal point in showcasing a marketing manager's unique approach.Sometimes marketing folks can fail to convey the real impact of their work especially if they come from more traditional sectors like automotive etc. They often only cite enhancing brand value through launching campaigns as their major accomplishments.
From a b-school point of view, marketers should have a better sense of how your actions such as campaigns translated into sales and other tangible metrics, but most importantly how their messaging targeted respective marketing channels and impacted traffic. Write deep stories for the essays with human sentiment at the core but do not miss the big picture behind the objective of an MBA.
Get a free one to one personalized advice session tailored to your specific situation in the B school application journey. We do not cap discussion hours with our applicants.Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
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