B school essay..career break?

Regarding your career break - put it out there. Emphasize how the career break allowed you to reflect on your career priorities and made you even more focused and ambitious about your ultimate goals which are x, y and z (spell them out). Talk about your "pre career break self" which was on career path x. If you want to return to the same career you left then talk about how you left goals on the table that you have yet to achieve and how the mba is going to help you get there. If you want to move in a new direction now then talk about how the career break was a gift in that it allowed you to step back and analyze whether you were on the right career path to begin with. You decided you were not and now your goal is career path y and your ultimate goal is a c-suite position at an xyz company or owning your own company that does xyz. Emphasize leadership in terms of actual roles you have had in whatever context- school/work/volunteer AND also thought-leadership. Talk about how you have studied during your career break and started to become an expert in your field or have developed your knowledge that you started before your career break and its now about to rise to a new level and B school will be a big step in getting you to that next level. Talk about your most ambitious goals. B schools want leaders. They want people who are going to become prominent in their fields. Dream big and go big with your essay in your application. They won't dwell on the career break if you don't and if you can show it is a tool in developing yourself as a leader then all the better.

If you do not explain why you are out of work, adcom will assume the worst FYI.

I had a gap in my resume, and I explained why I was out of work, and what I did during that time. Simply saying, "I left my job to take care of my child" isnt good enough. What have you been doing with your free time (Dont kill me, I know, free time is limited with a new born). But you need to prove to this program that you are driven, will succeed in the classroom, and that you will be employable post MBA.

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