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Need some help and advices

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Positivemindset
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Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   18 Jan 2018, 02:47
Hello everyone,

I need your help and feedback.
Here is my situation :
I graduated as Pharmacist in June 2014 and want to make a career change to become a management consultant (Pharmaceutical industry or other type). I worked in 3 different countries in 2 years. Passionate woman by nature, I was VP Education at a Toastmaster club in Brussels during 6 month. The University I graduated from is low ranked and even though I got good grades (GPA around 3.0 (French system : 14/20)) I was never the best student in the class.

The problem is :
- I got fired from my last job and had to return to my mother's home...
- At the last practice test I took, I got a 510...

I feel really terrible and don't see a lot of hope in my applications.
Indeed, when I look at the type of profile that succeeded in their applications to top business school, I see consultant from BCG that studied in top university or engineers from India who got a stellar GMAT 750+...

I had interviews this summer with consulting firms which all told me the same thing : return to business school (more or less).

My questions :

- Will a top business school like INSEAD, ESADE or HEC Paris accept somebody with my profil if I have a good GMAT score (700+)?
- How can I improve my chances to go to business school? I never worked for a major company like PwC or Pfizer...

I am afraid that being a pharmacist with just 2 years of professional experience will be a serious disadvantage for me.
What do you think?

I can't work as pharmacist anymore and place all of my hopes in business school.

Thanks for tips and feedback.

Best for all of you.
Positive Mindset
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bb
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   18 Jan 2018, 15:10
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Hello and welcome back to GMAT Club!

Sounds like you are in Europe so the rules of the game may be a bit different. There are a few ways to look at any situation - 1) what can you do and 2) what do you want to do.

What you can do can be limited by others or by yourself even.
What you want to do cannot be limited by anyone (well, yourself i guess by wanting too little).... you can dream and you can achieve your dreams if you believe in them. It sounds like you have some plans about working in management consulting or a similar area - you can start pursuing it right away or consider what is really your end goal?

The value of the MBA is that it does let you switch industries, so no matter who you were, it allows you to be reborn in a way - it allows you to be what you want. When 2 people enter a coffee shop and one is a coordinator and another is a VP, they may be the same age - the only difference is how they handle themselves and what they think they're worth. You can change your identity.

Business Schools look for leadership experience and capacity. They look for people who are able to stand taller than the rest, who are able to work hard, and achieve results. You need to demonstrate commitment and dedication to your career. You will need more than just GMAT to get into a business school. GMAT is just a pass to get passed the bouncer - lots of other people have GMAT 700+... you need to demonstrate those things above....

Good Luck!
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   19 Jan 2018, 03:31
Hello bb,
first of all thank you for your answer. Indeed, leadership is a word that was mentioned in each business school's brochure I saw.
Well, to show such quality I have many options:
- continue to look for a job in the consulting field like I did in the past
- or start a company

I can't see another way to show I am highly motivated to change career. Is there any member here who made a career change thanks to MBA and can give me some pieces of advice?

I also have a start up project on a diving material but it's not ready at all.
It's an idea I worked on for a year and made market research to know my potential customers better.
I don't have a prototype yet nevertheless I still believe in the project.

Thanks for your help.
Best.
Positive Mindset.
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StratusDonna
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   19 Jan 2018, 15:49
Expert Reply
Positivemindset wrote:
Hello everyone,
Hi @positivemindset, Thanks for your questions- will be happy to take a look below.
I need your help and feedback.
Here is my situation :
I graduated as Pharmacist in June 2014 and want to make a career change to become a management consultant (Pharmaceutical industry or other type). I worked in 3 different countries in 2 years. Passionate woman by nature, I was VP Education at a Toastmaster club in Brussels during 6 month. The University I graduated from is low ranked and even though I got good grades (GPA around 3.0 (French system : 14/20)) I was never the best student in the class.
So focus on the positives- you have good speaking and communication from Toastmasters.
The problem is :
- I got fired from my last job and had to return to my mother's home...
- At the last practice test I took, I got a 510...
OK let's unbundle these... first YOU are not a 510. You are just someone who needs to put more effort into the test. And if needed, take some MBA Math type program to get up to speed.
For the job- just think about what you learned. Again you are more than just someone who lost a job. Welcome to the club- that just about everyone goes through at some point. The key is how fast you bounce back.
I feel really terrible and don't see a lot of hope in my applications.
Don't think of it as one big thing-- but many small parts- and just take it step by step
Indeed, when I look at the type of profile that succeeded in their applications to top business school, I see consultant from BCG that studied in top university or engineers from India who got a stellar GMAT 750+...
There are many many successful people who don't have 750+ GMATs!
I had interviews this summer with consulting firms which all told me the same thing : return to business school (more or less).

My questions :

- Will a top business school like INSEAD, ESADE or HEC Paris accept somebody with my profil if I have a good GMAT score (700+)?
- How can I improve my chances to go to business school? I never worked for a major company like PwC or Pfizer... Yes- and the best way to stand out is to know the school well-- and know why you are a good fit and how they can help you... as well as how you can help them.

I am afraid that being a pharmacist with just 2 years of professional experience will be a serious disadvantage for me.
What do you think? Don't think of yourself as "just a pharmacist" but as someone who has been on healthcare's front line and that you understand how healthcare is delivered at the grass roots level. It's all about how you frame what you do as something that contributes to the bigger picture.

I can't work as pharmacist anymore and place all of my hopes in business school.
Good luck! We do offer an early edge program that could help you develop a solid plan for how to approach b school. To learn more about that-
reach out to us at this link: https://stratusadmissionscounseling.com ... b-visitor/
Thanks for tips and feedback.

Best for all of you.
Positive Mindset
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   20 Jan 2018, 11:44
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Hi Positivemindset,

first of all, I'm also European and I made a career change thanks to my MBA at INSEAD. Previous to INSEAD, I held an IT position in the telecom industry. After INSEAD, I went to internal management consulting for Samsung HQ in Korea, then HR Head at one of Samsung's biggest subsidiaries, and now I'm a full-time MBA Admissions Consultant. So yes, it is possible to change careers after an MBA ;)

Being a pharmacist does not put you in disadvantage. Business Schools look for diversity of backgrounds in their classes, therefore pharmacy is as good as a background as any, and it could also help you to set you apart from the rest of candidates as it is not so common.

You're right, you'll see the word "leadership" in every business school brochure. But schools like INSEAD look for "Leadership Potential", therefore you do not necessarily need to have held leadership positions pre-MBA.

GMAT is only one of the admissions criteria, and you got 510 in a practice test, not the real one. Just focus on studying and practicing and you'll get a much higher score.

In short, nothing you mentioned is a real deal breaker for business school. But I think it is important that you work with an admissions consultant since a very early stage.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!
Alex
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Positivemindset
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2018, 00:50
Hello guys,

thanks for all the support you gave to me, it really helped me believe again.
I'll check the links you shared with me.
Positive Mindset on the way to B School.
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Re: Need some help and advices [#permalink]
22 Jan 2018, 00:50

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