tr1ckythe0ry wrote:
I have posted my profile for evaluation before. as i worked on the stern essay about the "two distinct career paths", i have established two different career goals. now my question is, for the other schools which only ask applicant to talk about one career goal, which one should i choose?
here is my profile:
Background: 30 year-old male Asian American, married, Born in China and immigrated to US at age 18. Proficient in both English and Chinese.
GMAT score: 740 (50Q / 39V) AWA: 5.5, IR: 6
Undergrad School and GPA: SUNY Binghamton, Computer science major, 2.95 GPA
Work experience (6 years total):
I worked in a small retail business (a chain of two local cellular phone stores). I started as a IT Consultant. In one year, I was promoted as an assistant GM. In two more years, I became the General Manager (my current title). Under my supervision, the company structure was enhanced, new positions and departments were created, the total revenue was significantly increased, and four more new stores were opened in different cities.
Extracurricular:
1. I am a guitarist. Back in college time, I played in a band(one reason for the low GPA, lol), and actively involved with the music worship for the student christian fellowship group.
2. Other interest includes photography (not just one of those amateurs, i have professional skills and equipments), skiing, and snowboarding
Community work: I used to be an interpreter and guitarist of the worship team member in my church for a few years, but I became too busy and didn't continue that role.
Target Schools: McCombs, Cornell, Darden, Stern, Sloan (i know my chance is extremely small for sloan)
The two possible Career Paths:
1.
Short term: Career change - like to change from working in small business to working in big corporation. Interested in general management, like to get into a good rotational leadership program in a fortune 500 after MBA.
Long term: Becoming a operational leader, in Asia-Pacific region, of a US or international company (utilize my multicultural background).
2.
Short term: Join the same company again as a strategic partner. Use the knowledge and experience i get from MBA to further grow the company. I want to add a marketing department, promoting the services and building the company brand image. i want to expand the business, launching more stores covering more cities. Ultimately, i would like to turn the business into a franchise system. I don't have academic background in business administration, that is why i need to knowledge and experience from a top MBA to help me in planning and executing those ideas.
Long term: After the company becomes mature enough, i would like to move onto the emerging markets in china, utilizing my multi-cultural background. I live there for 18 years, i know its culture and how to work with its people. I also have close family member who is a entrepreneur in real estate (big projects), therefore i have good connections to start a business there.
Questions:
1. Between the two different paths, i am still debating which one works the best for me. but before i have to decide what to do in my life, i guess i need to first figure out which one to put in the career goal essay. any suggestion?
2. For both of the goals, are they too general or vague? should I add more details?
3. If i decided to pick the entrepreneurship, is it a good idea to mention my connections in china such as the entrepreneur in the real estate? Also, for the long term goal, do i need to specify i would like to focus in which fields or industry? Or it is ok to say something general? since the long term goal doesn't require as much detail as the short term one?
4. also about the entrepreneurship, does my short-term goal and long-term goal make sense together?
5. many of the entrepreneurship concentration also focus on innovation, for example the entrepreneurship and innovation concentration in Johnson. For such concentration, does the school expect the candidates have both entrepreneurship and technology background? for someone like me, who has some experience of working in a start-up business and like to continue entrepreneurship in retail, is that an disadvantage for me if i want to go with one of those "entrepreneurship & innovation" concentration?
6. I remember reading one of the article talks about "DNAs of the top MBA programs". If i decide to go with my entrepreneurship career goal, does it go well with "DNAs"of Johnson, Darden, Stern, and Sloan?
Thank you for your time!
You're most welcome, but I think we are butting up against the limits of forum advising here. I'll do my best.
1. An MBA can help you achieve either path and could make sense. It probably clearer why you need an MBA with the first path, but again both paths make sense.The former is also more traditional, but a more significant placement challenge for the school. The latter means you will have a job when you finish because you will just return to the company you already have. I would choose the one you are most interested in.
2. The corporate
goalis more general and a little vague. The entrepreneurial goal is pretty clear.
3. Not sure. It depends on what you will leave out if you mention this.
4. yes.
5. You can be innovative in retail too, but if the schools is focused on STEM and is talking about innovation in technology, then retail could be a disadvantage.
6. I really can't in a short post give the DNAs of these schools. I'm not sure I could give it in a log post. Remember: DNA is very complex and multi-faceted.
Best,
Linda
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Linda Abraham
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