Optional Essay

Question

EXPERT ,  admissions  team,  bb ,  Bunuel

Should you write about the upcoming new job that you are about to join?
What if you are in between jobs and you are nt sure which role will you join?
How to address employemnt gap perfectly?

bb · Answer

I think it is a fair and a great idea to notify AdCom that you are going to start a new job at some point, esp if this is a promotion or a good step up. You definitely want that show up in the application.... you could do something like this:

MBAGuide · Answer

NCC  hope this finds you well

The employment gap is a dreaded subject of conversation for job seekers and MBA applicants alike. Our insecurities surface when we fear being judged. But speaking from experience of working with several MBA applicants with long employment gaps (between 1 and 2 years), the employment gap can also be seen as an opportunity to pursue activities that add meaning to our lives or to pursue passion projects or mindfulness. Be honest about your employment gap but at the same time, also illustrate how you utilized time and experienced self-growth during that period.

If you are in between jobs and do not know the exact "role" that you will join, you should still enlighten the Adcoms about the opportunities you have at hand. This will be a sign of your growth potential. You may not know the exact job title, but you would know about the broader responsibilities you will handle, given your prior experience and skill sets. It would be a good idea to touch upon the offers on hand briefly.

I prefer to follow a more direct and proactive approach to addressing employment gaps and ask my applicants to speak about employment gaps as growth opportunities in the main essays rather than the optional essay. This shows confidence. The optional essay can be used bring some other interesting aspects of your personality, address the reason for applying in late rounds and showcasing research about the school.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

bb · Answer

MBAGuide  that is right. A gap is a red flag.

There has been more leniency and understanding during the pandemic, but the gaps and unemployment issues, but it still is a red flag and requires an explanation…. you want to show that you were just doing nothing and you were indeed productive during that time.

Posted from my mobile device

ARINGO · Answer

In general, you should use the optional essay to provide information that you didn't provide anywhere else in your application and can make you look like a stronger applicant! If your new job shows career progress, include it. If you are not sure about the role, be honest and say you will probably be doing X or Y... 
You can watch this video for more tips on how to use the optional essay:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efDVOu3utIQ

Admissionado · Answer

NCC :

Chiming in here:

Q: Should you write about the upcoming new job that you are about to join?

A: You definitely can send in a note, but to be honest, it will not carry much weight. The AdCom evaluates your profile almost exclusively based on what you have achieved to date, not what you might achieve in the future. If that were the case, everyone would make promises they may (or may not) deliver.

Q: What if you are in between jobs and you are nt sure which role will you join?

A: That's fine. If you applied while you were in between jobs, that's a snapshot of your situation at that time. If you do intend to update the AdCom about a new job (in your first question), you should do so only after you have accepted the offer and, frankly, have started. Otherwise, there's no real update to provide.

Q: How to address employemnt gap perfectly?

A: If the gap is a significant period of time, then you need to address why that is the case in an honest way. You don't have to disclose every bit of detail, but enough so you appear genuine and forthright. If it's a few weeks or even a couple of months, you can just let it go. Gaps are totally fine and acceptable.

If the team can be of additional help, please ping us.

-Admissionado

NCC · Answer

Oh my my eyes are full. 
Thank you to all experts from the bottom of my heart for their guidance. I have been having such a tough time with my councelor who offers no clarity whatsoever.

I will keep these points in mind.
Thank you!

Posted from my mobile device

MyMBAPath · Answer

You have already gotten some great insights.

I will add that one point I see consistently overlooked by candidates (I was doing a ding analyses of someone with formidable stats last night who ultimately got dinged, quite likely due to a large extent by overlying on a monster GMAT to overcome a low GPA challenge).

It's not enough to explain (low GPA, gaps, low test scores, whatever it might be). You need to mitigate as well - and do it appropriately and unequivocally.

I have a very specific tool for leveraging the optional essay here:  The optional MBA essay – and how to best opt in

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