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eastcoaster9
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Q regarding specific work experience 12 Jan 2005, 22:09
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I'm curious how a particular position might be viewed by various ADCOms of top tier programs. I'm working as a financial analyst for small, regional HMO. The work is much more biased toward operations finance as opposed to capital budgeting, etc. I know a lot comes down to what you make of the position, but what would be the first honest impression of the application reviewer?
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truthringer
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Q regarding specific work experience 17 Jan 2005, 14:52
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Depends on what you're stating as your career goal, what school you're applying too etc.

Generally speaking, a lot of people tend to believe that if they don't have a big name behind their career experience, that they don't have a chance. That's not the case. As to your question about first impression. It would probably be something along the lines of "hmm don't recognize the name. Well, let's see what types of experiences eastcoaster has had. Is eastcoaster a leader? A team player? Does eastcoaster have the types of experiences from which his/her classmates can benefit?
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eastcoaster9
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Q regarding specific work experience 04 Feb 2005, 12:18
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Thanks for the response, but I'm thinking the first impression would be something more like .."Certainly have never heard of that company! What's wrong with this guy that he couldn't land a more reputable job? Well, let's take a look at the rest of the application, but there better be something damn impressive!" Please tell me I'm wrong.

I'm utterly confused as to what constitutes quality work experience. Are folks that worked as teachers/artists/ski instructors automatically out of the mix? Thanks
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truthringer
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Q regarding specific work experience 06 Feb 2005, 11:36
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Since the tone of your post shows that you don't believe me, I'll past Stanford's response to your question:

Do I have to work for one of the top five companies in my field in order to be a competitive candidate for admission to the Stanford MBA Program?
We make a concerted effort to attract and admit students from a broad range of professional backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, there are no particular industries or sets of companies that put an applicant at a competitive advantage in the admission process. Although investment banks and management consulting firms are represented at Stanford, we also draw students from non-profit organizations, multi-national corporations, family businesses, entrepreneurial ventures, and the public sector.

As you approach your MBA application, keep in mind that we are more interested in the impact you have had in your work place than the name or stature of your organization. Have you made the most of your professional opportunities? Are you cultivating your leadership and team skills and making a difference? In the end, don't build your resume simply to be an attractive business school applicant, but rather seek opportunities that are truly challenging and rewarding for your own professional and personal growth.

And yes all of the career types that you pointed to can get an MBA. One of my most impressive study group members was a middle school teacher before HBS. Not trying to plug our book too much, but your skepticism leads me to believe that you would benefit greatly from its insights!