Round 3 Applicant- Would a Luxury job help my application?

Yes this would definitely help. We do a lot of work with these boutique luxury programs and I know the folks at ESSEC quite well. I just finished an app for someone else for their luxury brand management program so feel free to reach out with questions. www.personalmbacoach.com

Good luck!

Best,
Scott

Hi Fred, I imagine you know the risks of applying in R3, most of seats are gone and acceptance rates are way lower than for R1 and R2. However if you bring a lot of diversity to the school, and feel that now is better than the summer in terms of time to prepare your apps - go for it. Sorry to hear your contract wasn't renewed, and it is a wise move for you to consider how to spend your time. I will tell you that the GMAT does not always go off without a hitch the first time so make sure to keep that in mind, when planning how to use your time. My question would be - can you get exposure to the industry without working retail? It might be better to do an internship, paid or unpaid, at a corporate or region level than working in a store. However, better that nothing - I would not list it on your resume alongside the other positions if you are a sales associate. Make sure to couch it as an internship, a means to gain a close up view on how consumers make decisions in real life. Couch it as research and not the next job. Not sure where you are applying - because you said you only wanted to do one semester abroad?
recommend fashion track at NYU, SDA Bocconi and
there is a fashion focused MBA in Paris, it's very well regarded https://www.ifaparis.com/courses/postgr ... n-business

Also - if anyone has had a similar experience I'd love to speak with you directly via message - any advice helps

Hi! Much thanks for the detailed response. Really appreciate it.

Yes the risks I am aware of and unfortunately worried about. The contract end is really a killer for me.

Would you recommend delaying to the fall then? Perhaps find a job in that industry under my current skill set (project/account management)? This certainly gives me more time to focus on personalizing my application and probably a higher GMAT score.

My target schools are all NYC market focused - NYU & Cornell. I would definitely consider applying directly to a European school too.

Would you recommend trying to find a job in the industry first and then applying next fall? I am pretty set on brand management because I know it would make me most happy. The prestige of doing ER in Luxury Goods keeps hanging over my head as well.

Well since you're not employed, explore all venues. It's a bit late for R2, but there's no reason to delay your application, if your profile has been good thus far. Obviously if you can get a job/gig in the luxury arena, it would be better.