Pre MBA experience in Pharmaceutical industry.

Question

Hello everyone,

Hope you are doing well. Given that the world has come to a standstill due to the pandemic, is it okay to assume that pre MBA experience in the pharmaceutical industry will work in your favour while applying to an MBA ?

I have heard from a few adcoms that they would be interested to hear the perspectives of those who made a difference during the whole covid phase. However, I have not seen any significant increase in the percentage of candidates with healthcare experience across the top 15 schools. Wonder what constitutes the difference part.

All this makes me wonder what counts as a whole non traditional profile at a top b school and if it's good to have one.

Cheers !

Posted from my mobile device

Admissionado · Answer

avinash1105 :

It could be an asset if you play your cards correctly. The impact and creativity you had during Covid-19 could be considerable your experience was genuine and significant.

I would not overthink whether your profile is traditional or non-traditional. Schools do not category people as such. They consider your holistic profile and think if you can add an interesting perspective. Certainly not coming from consulting, finance, corporate, etc. would be an off-the-bat way to distinguish yourself but you still have to demonstrate many of the same technical skills, industry knowledge, and polish that these candidates tend to display.

Good luck with crafting what should be an interesting narrative!

-Admissionado

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi Avinash,

That's an interesting question. 
Many bschools had introduced an essay question last year, about how applicants stepped up during unprecedented times/ worked around uncertainty. These applicants belonged to several industries and they were able to come up with their own stories on how they took ownership during a crisis.

So I would not equate the adcom's desire to know more such stories from applicants this year with any particular industry. basically business suffered across the spectrum, and executives had the chance to react in a meaningful way no matter which industry they belonged to. That said, applicants from the pharma/ biotech/ healthcare industry were likely to find themselves at the center of this upheaval, and also in a position to help the rest of the world figure out what they were supposed to do. If you have stories pertaining to this, then it would be absolutely great and can be a big differentiating factor for you.

That said, remember a few things:
1. write your applications on the basis of YOUR strengths. What special skills, knowledge, and experience do you bring to the table, and how will the class be better with your presence in it (Don't give undue importance to how competitive will admissions be for people from your industry. 
2. You are the protagonist of your application, therefore your essay stories should reflect how you stepped up during uncertainty, how you demonstrated your leadership, dependability etc. Many applicants make the mistake of writing stories about how the industry/ organization/ team worked, while their own contribution and impact to a situation may go unanswered.

These two tips can make your applications great, no matter what the application trends are.

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi Avinash,

That's an interesting question. 
Many bschools had introduced essay questions last year, about how applicants stepped up during unprecedented times/ worked around uncertainty. These applicants belonged to several industries and they were able to come up with their own stories on how they took ownership during a crisis.

So I would not equate the adcom's desire to know more such stories from applicants this year with any particular industry. basically business suffered across the spectrum, and executives had the chance to react in a meaningful way no matter which industry they belonged to. That said, applicants from the pharma/ biotech/ healthcare industry were likely to find themselves at the center of this upheaval, and also in a position to help the rest of the world figure out what they were supposed to do. If you have stories pertaining to this, then it would be absolutely great and can be a big differentiating factor for you.

That said, remember a few things:
1. write your applications on the basis of YOUR strengths. What special skills, knowledge, and experience do you bring to the table, and how will the class be better with your presence in it (Don't give undue importance to how competitive will admissions be for people from your industry. 
2. You are the protagonist of your application, therefore your essay stories should reflect how you stepped up during uncertainty, how you demonstrated your leadership, dependability etc. Many applicants make the mistake of writing stories about how the industry/ organization/ team worked, while their own contribution and impact to a situation may go unanswered.

These two tips can make your applications great, no matter what the application trends are.

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hi avinash1105 , There is often a misconception that business schools only want applicants from certain backgrounds (i.e., investment banking and consulting). However, a unique career background such as the pharmaceutical industry can certainly work in your favor. Business schools desire well-rounded classmates and appreciate the unique perspective that candidates with non-traditional backgrounds can bring to class conversations. The key is to show leadership and demonstrate how your past experience and perspective can be leveraged during your future career path. Personal MBA Coach works with many applicants from non-traditional backgrounds and would be happy to discuss our services and strategy with you. Feel free to reach out to scott@personalmbacoach.com to learn more! Regards, Personal MBA Coach

Pre MBA experience in Pharmaceutical industry.

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