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09 Jul 2021, 13:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Carnegie Mellon University Tepper Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i1.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CMU_Tepper_School_of_Business.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i1.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CMU_Tepper_School_of_Business.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1[/img][/url] Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business has only one required traditional application essay. For it, the school asks applicants to discuss how they have triumphed over some kind of adversity in their life and what they learned about themselves from the experience. The topic seems fitting in light of the turbulence of the past few years. Candidates are also tasked with providing two brief statements (mini essays of a sort) on their post-graduation aspirations. Applicants who feel the need to convey an additional important aspect or two of their candidacy to the admissions committee can take advantage of the optional essay, whose prompt is broad enough to accommodate topics other than problem areas in one’s profile, though we would encourage candidates to do so judiciously. Our in-depth analysis of Tepper’s 2021–2022 questions follows. [b]Post-MBA Goals[/b] [list] [b]What is your professional goal immediately following graduation from Tepper? (150 words)[/b][/*] [b]What other role would you consider? In other words, what is your Plan B? (150 words)[/b][/*] [/list] With these two questions, Tepper first asks candidates for a standard element of a traditional personal statement—one’s short-term career aspirations—and then for a rather nonstandard one—an alternate path. Candidates often feel they must be totally unequivocal in their career goals to impress the admissions committee, but in this case, Tepper is directly instructing applicants to speculate on and articulate a second option. The school knows that sometimes the best-laid plans do not play out as expected or might even yield unintended results, and it wants to know that you are prepared to switch gears and recommit to a different path, if necessary—and that you are fully capable of doing so. The key in answering this question is showing that your backup goal is just as connected to your skills, interests, and ambitions as your original plan and does not come “out of left field,” so to speak. For example, you would probably have a difficult time convincing the admissions committee that your short-term goal is to work in technology consulting while your alternate goal would be to work in human resources, because these industries, for the most part, require entirely different skills and personalities. Just be mindful that both goals you present must be plausible and achievable. As we have noted, this question concerns one of the core topics covered in a typical personal statement, so we encourage you to download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b]. This complimentary guide offers detailed advice on approaching and framing these subjects, along with multiple illustrative examples. [b]Required Essay: The Tepper community is dynamic and unique. Each community member’s individual journey has shaped them into classmates who are collaborative, supportive, and inclusive. Describe how you have overcome adversity during your journey. What did you learn about yourself and how has that shaped who you are? (Maximum 350-500 words.)[/b] As a quote typically attributed to Albert Einstein goes, “Adversity introduces a man to himself.” Facing adversity is often revelatory and can show you what you are capable of, which values are most important to you, and how far you are willing to go or how hard you are willing to work to overcome whatever stands in your way. That Tepper would pose such a question in the wake of the past few years seems only natural, given the level of hardship so many people have been dealing with, and candidates’ responses will undoubtedly be very informative for the admissions committee. First, take care not to conflate adversity with a setback or failure. To fit the school’s query, the situation you describe in your essay needs to relate to a state of opposing, unfavorable, or even hostile conditions rather than a finite or easily quantifiable impediment. And adversity can take many forms: societal, financial, mental/emotional, physical, etc. The source can be external (e.g., a persistent lack of money, others’ prejudices, physical limitations) or internal (e.g., phobia, mental illness, language abilities). It can be quietly oppressive or overtly so. We doubt that you have faced adversity only once in your life—though we are happy for you if this is somehow the case—so be sure to consider all your options thoroughly to identify the one that has proved the most affecting and influential. With this essay, the admissions committee wants to learn about how you interpret, process, and react to (and in) such situations. To craft an effective response, you will obviously need to convey what form the adversity took and what it prevented you from doing and how. What effect did it have on you, in terms of both what you could do and how you felt? What were your thought processes and actions in response? Describe how the situation was resolved or has improved for you (the essay prompt implies a resolution in asking, “how you have overcome adversity,” emphasis ours) and what you realized about yourself as a result. Note that Tepper specifically asks not what you learned in a general sense but what you learned about yourself. Lastly, share how that knowledge has subsequently influenced the person you are today and how you interact with the world around you. Showing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the individual you were (or believed yourself to be) before the situation and the individual you are now will help the admissions reader understand how and why it was a major factor in your personal development. [b]Optional Essay: Is there anything else that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee as we evaluate your application? If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application. This could include clarification of your employment or academic record, choice of recommenders, or helpful context for the admissions committee in reviewing your application.[/b] (No word limit is indicated.)[b] [/b] Tepper’s optional essay prompt is somewhat broad in the sense that it does not demand that you discuss only problem areas in your candidacy. That said, the second line of the prompt not too subtly implies that the admissions committee expects you to use the essay this way. If an element of your profile would benefit from further explanation—such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, or a legal or disciplinary issue—this is your opportunity to address it and answer any related questions an admissions officer might have. We caution you against simply trying to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you, and this is definitely not an invitation to dump a bunch of remaining information about yourself that you have not included elsewhere or to offer a few anecdotes you were unable to use in your required essay. However, if you believe you have something pivotal or particularly compelling to share that is not mentioned anywhere else in your application and that you feel would render your profile incomplete if omitted, Tepper has offered some leeway to do so here. Although no word limit is stipulated, be mindful that by submitting a second essay, you are making a claim on an (undoubtedly very busy) admissions representative’s time, so be sure that whatever you write is worth the additional resources and effort. For more guidance, download our free [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], in which we offer detailed advice (along with multiple examples) on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay. [b]Are you a re-applicant? Use the optional essay to explain how your candidacy has strengthened since your last application.[/b] Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Tepper wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities since your previous application to do so, because an MBA from its program is important to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts are presented in the best light possible. |
10 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Limit the Use of “I” When Beginning Sentences in MBA Application Essays, and Never Use “Etc.” |
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Although putting yourself at the center of the stories in your MBA application essays is certainly important, a common mistake applicants tend to make is beginning too many sentences with the word “I.” As a general rule, you should never begin two sentences in a row this way. Consider the following example: “I worked for three years at ABC Plastics, a small injection molding company. I was responsible for overseeing the overall management of ABC Plastics, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. I managed 100 people. I worked very long hours, but I learned more than I could have ever imagined.” Now, consider the same statement reworked to avoid using “I” at the beginning of subsequent sentences: “For three years, I worked at ABC Plastics, a small injection molding company. My responsibilities at ABC included overseeing the overall management of the company, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. Because I supervised more than 100 staff members, my days were long, but the experience taught me more than I could have ever imagined.” As you can see, the second example reads much better than the first—and none of the sentences in the second example begin with “I.” Our next tip applies to the entire essay, instead of just the beginning of a sentence. As a general rule, “etc.” should never appear in the text of your MBA application essays. Consider the following sentences:
In the first example, “etc.” replaces information that the reader values. The reader cannot make the leap and just assume where the writer’s experiences lead and what they include. In the second example, “etc.” trivializes the school’s resources and may even suggest to the admissions committee that the applicant is just too lazy or disinterested to properly do their research. We are at a loss to think of one instance in which “etc.” could be used appropriately in a business school essay. Very simply, ensure your essays do not include this term. |
11 Jul 2021, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Luxury Brand Management at the GCU British School of Fashion and London Business School |
 In the fall of 2013, Scotland’s Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU)—known as a leader in fashion education since the 19th century—inaugurated a new fashion business school in London and soon after opened a satellite campus in New York City. Rather than focusing on the design aspect of fashion, however, the GCU British School of Fashion aims to offer a specialized business education with applications to the fashion industry, as the school’s then-director, Christopher Moore, explained in a BBC article at the time the new campuses were being revealed: “The remit of the school is clear: we are about the business of fashion. And while there are other great international design schools, we are quite different. Our aim is to be a leading school for the business of fashion.” The British School of Fashion’s MBA in Luxury Brand Management program aims to impart industry tools and skills related to such topics as consumer behavior, globalization, and strategic management. The school also professes a commitment to social responsibility, sustainability, and fair trade as part of its core values. With support from a number of British fashion brands, which have included Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, AllSaints, and the Arcadia Group, the school’s faculty also features a team of honorary professors and fashion industry leaders. The program was designed “to meet the growing demand for experienced managers who really understand luxury brand management in a global context,” the school’s website states. The school also offers programs in Luxury Marketing, Fashion and Lifestyle Marketing, and Fashion Business Creation.  London Business School has also taken steps to attract applicants with an interest in luxury brand management and retail. Although the school does not offer a degree on the subject, students can partake in numerous activities in the field throughout their studies. One of the most notable opportunities is the Walpole Luxury Leaders of Tomorrow Programme, a partnership with the Walpole British Luxury brand. The program equips students with the tools necessary to enter global management positions after graduation. Students take elective courses, visit companies, participate in workshops, complete internships, and work with a mentor from Walpole throughout the program. In 2019, for example, 16 MBA students participated in the program. The London Core Application Practicum (LondonCAP) module, which was launched in 2017, is a hands-on learning opportunity during which students work with companies on projects related to their interests—a notable past partner is the British Fashion Council. Students can also join the Retail & Luxury Goods Club, which is one of the largest clubs on campus, with reportedly more than 4,500 members. The group welcomes industry speakers and organizes career treks to such locations as Milan and Paris, in addition to hosting an annual e-commerce conference, whose past speakers have represented such companies as Net-a-Porter, Marks & Spencer, and LVMH. The theme of the Retail & Luxury Goods Club’s virtual 2021 conference was “Rebuilding Retail’s Future: Consumers and Technology in the New Normal,” and the event welcomed such speakers as the CEO of Walpole, the managing director of Harrod’s, and the chief operating officer of Drest. |
12 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Common GMAT Concerns: Taking the Test Again and Dealing with a Low AWA Score |
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When candidates who have already taken the GMAT once ask us whether they should take the test again, we always reply with this key question: “Do you think you can do better?” If the individual does indeed believe that they can improve, the next question we inevitably get is “What do business schools think of multiple scores?” Fortunately, most MBA admissions committees do not frown on candidates taking the GMAT more than once. Many applicants feel that they must be “perfect” the first time and that any subsequent test they take—particularly if they receive a lower score on it—might be damaging to their candidacy. This is not the case. Dartmouth Tuck, for one, anticipates that applicants will take the exam more than once and openly states its willingness to “consider your highest quantitative and highest verbal scores,” if they occur on separate tests. Meanwhile, other programs have been known to call candidates and tell them that if they can increase their GMAT scores, they will be offered admission. Accepting a candidate’s highest GMAT scores is actually in an MBA program’s best interest, because doing so can help raise the school’s GMAT average, which is then reported to rankings bodies such as Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report and could positively affect the school’s position in these surveys. So, do not be afraid to take the test two or even three times. It can only help. Now, if you took the GMAT and feel like you finally “nailed” the exam but later learn that your score on the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), the essay portion, is low, should you panic? In short, the answer is no. Although we have always encouraged business school candidates to do the best they can on the AWA, the truth is that we have never been told by an admissions officer—nor, as far as we know, has a candidate ever been told in a feedback session—that the AWA score is a factor in a school’s decisions. Generally, the AWA is not used to evaluate candidates but to detect fraud. If, hypothetically, you had tremendous difficulty expressing yourself via the AWA essays but wrote like a Pulitzer Prize winner in your application essays, the school would get suspicious and begin to compare the two. Not to worry—the schools are not punitive and are not acting as fraud squads. Your AWA essays are expected to be unpolished, so no one will seek out your file if you did your best in both areas. However, if an enormous discrepancy arises between the two, the AWA serves a purpose. So, if you did well on the GMAT and have a low AWA score, that is unfortunate, but it will not be the difference in a school’s decision about your candidacy. Rest easy—as long as you truly did write both! |
13 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Sloan) Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MITSloanLogo_MASTER_Web-cropped.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MITSloanLogo_MASTER_Web-cropped.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1[/img][/url] Rather than framing its required application essay as a traditional “essay,” the MIT Sloan School of Management instead requests that applicants submit a “cover letter,” including even the standard formal correspondence elements of an address and opening salutation. Writing cover letters will undoubtedly be a large part of students’ career development efforts at Sloan, after all, so why not start now? Candidates must also submit a one-minute self-introduction video in which they are expected to convey their personality and basically “be themselves.” Some MBA programs use video essays to evaluate candidates’ communication skills, grace under pressure, and potential to contribute to classroom discussions, and even though Sloan’s admissions committee will likely be able to glean hints about these qualities through its video, its primary purpose appears to be to reveal who the school’s applicants are as living, breathing people, rather than one-dimensional aggregates of words and numbers in a folder. As we have noted in the past, while somewhat unorthodox, the school’s “essays” allow applicants to deliver a balanced view of their professional and personal profiles, with a good amount of leeway for creativity. Read on for our full analysis of MIT Sloan’s application prompts for 2021–2022. [b]Cover Letter: MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative—true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.[/b] [b]Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).[/b] To start, we strongly advise that you avoid beginning your letter with a rote opening like “My name is , and I am seeking a place in the MIT Sloan Class of 2024.” Your admissions reader will likely be asleep before they even finish the sentence! Such information is obvious—we can assure you that the admissions reader is well aware of your desire to be admitted to the MIT Sloan program—and is therefore a waste of precious word count, not to mention that it is hardly the kind of gripping opening that will grab and hold someone’s attention. The broad scope of this essay prompt allows you a great amount of freedom to choose and share the information you believe is most important for your candidacy. The 300-word maximum is equal to roughly three short paragraphs. Including specific examples of impact and leadership that clearly illustrate that you possess the qualities discussed in the prompt is crucial (we would encourage you to share at least two). Informal guidance provided by MIT Sloan’s admissions committee after the initial release of this essay question in 2017 indicated that applicants should focus on sharing their personal experiences, accomplishments, values, viewpoints, and/or skills to demonstrate (1) what they can contribute to the school’s greater community as a result and (2) why Sloan’s MBA program in particular is the best one for them. The school does not ask you to outline your post-MBA goals, but if doing so allows you to better substantiate your need or desire for a Sloan MBA specifically, a (very) brief explanation of your aspirations could be appropriate and useful. After discussing your accomplishments—being careful not to brag!—along with any other elements of your profile that you feel make you a strong candidate for the MIT Sloan MBA program, strive to relate these achievements and qualities to the school’s offerings and community. Citing specific courses, experiential opportunities, or other relevant resources can help you make a compelling case for your spot in the next incoming class. For a thorough exploration of the MIT Sloan academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, be sure to download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mit-sloan-school-of-management-insider-s-guide]mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the MIT Sloan School of Management[/url][/b]. [b]VIDEO: Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you! Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:[/b] [list] [b]No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length[/b][/*] [b]Single take (no editing)[/b][/*] [b]Speaking directly to the camera[/b][/*] [b]Do not include background music or subtitles[/b][/*] [/list] Before you do anything else, stop and take a deep, cleansing breath. We know video essays can be scary, but MIT Sloan is not trying to stress you out. The admissions committee just wants a more dynamic representation of your personality than a written essay can provide, so your primary goal is simply to be as authentic and natural as possible. This is not a job interview, and you are instructed to consider your fellow students your intended audience, which certainly implies that a less rigid and traditionally “professional” demeanor is okay, though you should obviously never be inappropriate or offensive. Do not concern yourself with trying to say the “right” things in your video. The topic here is one you know very well—you! A good brainstorming tactic is to imagine meeting someone for the first time at a party or other event and to think about the kinds of questions you might ask one another in the process of getting acquainted. What kind of information would you want to know about this person, and what facts about yourself would you be most eager to share, as a way of conveying who you are and making a connection? (You can even Google “icebreaker questions” to find examples of these sorts of questions.) Take some time to delve into your personality in this way. The admissions committee’s enthusiasm comes through very clearly in this prompt, and we encourage you to make sure your own enthusiasm comes through just as clearly in your video. In 2019, [b][url=https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2021/07/10/limit-the-use-of-i-when-beginning-sentences-in-mba-application-essays-and-never-use-etc-6/]Sloan’s associate director of admissions noted[/url][/b] that this submission is “one of [their] favorite components in the application,” and we are pretty confident that is not because these videos tend to be stiff, boring recitations of applicants’ resumes and cloying compliments of the school. Spend some time really delving into what makes you you, what you are proud of, what you get excited about, what you like about yourself and feel you can offer to those around you—all the elements that make you the individual you are today. This is the content that will breathe life into your application. For further inspiration, consider asking your family members and friends how they would describe you to someone who had never met you and what they believe are your standout qualities, abilities, and/or accomplishments. Such outside perspectives can be inspiring and can alert you to compelling points you might have otherwise disregarded or forgotten. Even though in the scenario the school presents, you are supposed to be addressing your fellow students, your actual audience will be the admissions committee, so keep in mind what the school will already have learned about you from your cover letter essay and the other portions of your application. If you have a particularly significant story or relevant aspect of your candidacy that you have not been able to convey elsewhere in your materials, this could be a great opportunity to share it (though this would not be the time or place to explain any problematic issues). Also, avoid pandering to the school or expressing your generic admiration for the program. You have only one minute in which to make an impression, and even without knowing you personally, we are confident that you have more to your character than can be conveyed in a mere 60 seconds—so do not waste any of them! Given that this is a video, you will want to pay some extra attention to the clothing you will wear, your tone of voice, your language style, and other such details. In the end, your message is what is most important, so no fancy bells or whistles are needed, but if you are a more creative type, you might consider ways of nonverbally communicating some of your strongest attributes and key aspects of your life to help permeate your submission with as much information as possible. For example, if you are an avid cook, consider filming your video while standing in a kitchen, perhaps wearing an apron (if you typically do so) and surrounded by the ingredients and tools you need to create one of your favorite recipes. If you are a dedicated guitar player, perhaps hold your guitar as you speak. If you are especially confident, you could even sing about yourself! In short, think about what makes you who you are today, decide what you most want to share with your future classmates, and then let your creativity flow. On a practical note, be sure to speak clearly. You naturally do not want any part of your message to be lost or misunderstood, and the admissions committee could view your communication skills and style as indicators of how you might interact with your classmates and/or speak in the classroom. Although we recommend spending some time practicing in front of a mirror or a friend, do not over-rehearse, and avoid simply reading from a prepared script. You want to come across as genuine as possible so the admissions committee can “meet” the real you. [b]Reapplicants: We strongly encourage you to submit new application materials and emphasize what has changed since you last applied. Re-applicants may submit their applications in any round, and will have an opportunity to highlight changes since their previous application in a short-answer question.[/b] Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success this time around is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. MIT Sloan wants to know that you have been continuing to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the time since you last applied to do so, because earning an MIT Sloan MBA is important to you. Make sure the admissions committee is fully aware of any significant work you have done and progress you have made since your previous application. Those candidates fortunate enough to be invited to interview at MIT Sloan (congratulations!) must respond to two additional essay questions. [b]Pre-Interview Essay 1: The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.[/b] The key with this submission is showing initiative and input on behalf of others and making sure your actions and motivations are readily understood. In business school—as in life in general—you will encounter people who think differently from you, operate according to different values, and react differently to the same stimuli. And success in an endeavor often involves evaluating and even incorporating the views of others. With this pre-interview essay, MIT Sloan is hoping to learn how you view and respond to such differences, using the principle that past behavior is a fairly reliable predictor of future behavior. In the MIT Sloan MBA program, you will be surrounded every day by people who are unlike you in a multitude of ways, and you will need to work in tandem with and alongside these individuals when analyzing case studies, completing group projects, and participating in other activities both inside and outside the classroom. Note, however, that the essay prompt is not about simply participating in a diverse and inclusive culture but actually helping to cultivate one. The admissions committee wants to know that you are comfortable within such a dynamic, of course, but seems especially interested in hearing about a time when you stepped up to actively bring various people together in a harmonious and productive way. MIT Sloan does not specify that you must have led the effort you are describing, though an example in which you have played a leadership role would be ideal if you have one. What you do have to do, in any case, is be sure that both the extent and the nature of your particular contribution to the project or event is front and center. The school does stipulate that the incident you share involve “a work environment or organization,” so your selected story should not be about a time you did something of this nature completely independently. Perhaps, for example, you organized (or helped organize) a welcome-our-new hires potluck for your department after a number of new employees joined the team. Or maybe you instituted (or participated significantly in) a mentorship program at your company, in which employees with different tasks and personal backgrounds were matched to learn from and support one another. Whatever your story, we recommend using a narrative approach to present it, while also conveying the thought process and motivation(s) behind your actions. This way, the admissions committee will take away both a clear picture of what you accomplished and the aspects of your character that inspired you and enabled your success. [b]Pre-Interview Essay 2: We are interested in learning more about how you use data to make decisions and analyze results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to:[/b] [list] [b]In 250 words to less, please describe a recent data driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF. [/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research.[/b][/*] [/list] The important thing to understand here is that with these prompts, MIT Sloan is testing not your ability to present data but rather your ability to use data to make decisions and to explain the data in a way that is understandable to the non-quantitatively minded. To craft an effective response, you need to create a data visualization that is clean, clear, and easy to digest. The admissions committee wants evidence that you can communicate complex ideas in simple ways—or even simple ideas in compelling ways. We suggest you start by identifying a difficult problem you recently solved or considered at length. What were the factors involved in helping you reach your final solution or conclusion? Some were undoubtedly qualitative (what your instincts told you with respect to the situation), but many, if not most, were based on the facts, numbers, and other data involved. How was your decision-making process driven by these numbers or data? And which numbers and data? Once you have determined the answers to these questions, you will have the foundation for your submission. Your next challenge is determining the best way of presenting the data so that anyone can understand it, and this part is key. If you opt for an overly complicated or sophisticated visualization, perhaps thinking you might impress the admissions committee with your advanced analytic capabilities, you will end up with a slide that is opaque and confusing—and that will not likely bring you the response you want. Instead, imagine that you were drawing a diagram for a ten-year-old (or at least someone with absolutely no knowledge of your area of expertise) to understand; what would it look like? A regression scatter plot? Probably not. Two bar charts? That sounds about right. Similarly, crafting and presenting your chosen situation using a narrative format will make your essay both more compelling and more accessible. Consider starting with the 250-word essay, and strive to clearly describe the problem you addressed, the factors you considered in reaching your ultimate solution/resolution, and why these factors were central to your decision(s). Then, create a diagram that uses data points to illustrate how you came to that conclusion. Remember, the enemy here is being overly sophisticated in your diagram. Presenting a straightforward argument supported by a clean, accessible diagram is your goal. [b]The Next Step—Mastering Your MIT Sloan Interview:[/b] Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. We therefore offer our free Interview Guides to spur you along! Download your free copy of the [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mit-sloan-school-of-management-interview-guide][b]MIT Sloan School of Management Interview Guide[/b][/url] today. |
14 Jul 2021, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Irv Grousbeck, Stanford Graduate School of Business |
 Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Today, we focus on Irv Grousbeck from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of the founders and former directors of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), Irv Grousbeck first began teaching at the business school in 1985 after co-founding Continental Cablevision (later Media One) in 1964 and teaching at Harvard Business School (1981–1985), where he helped found the entrepreneurial management department. He is a co-owner, a managing partner, and an executive committee member of the Boston Celtics, a National Basketball Association team. One of Grousbeck’s popular classes, “Conversations in Management,” features role-play with characters ranging from mid-level executives to external respondents. During the 2020–2021 academic year, Grousbeck has also taught the “Entrepreneurial Acquisition” course, which is intended for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to acquire small businesses. In addition to his work at the GSB, Grousbeck has in recent years taught a course at the Stanford Medical School titled “Managing Difficult Conversations” that is available to medical students and second-year business school students “who aspire to improve their ability to deal effectively with difficult interpersonal situations,” the GSB website states. For more information about the Stanford GSB and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
15 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Vanderbilt-Owen.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Vanderbilt-Owen.jpg?resize=300%2C73&ssl=1[/img][/url] In addition to completing a 90-second video, applicants to Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management must submit four 75-word statements as part of their application. The four corresponding prompts are largely professionally focused and request that candidates expound on their intentions for their time as an Owen MBA student and for their career after graduation. The brevity and scope of the statements do not offer much opportunity for creativity, but we encourage applicants to try to make their responses as personal as possible to help them stand out better among the multitude of similar submissions Owen will receive. The school’s optional essay prompt allows candidates who might need to explain any elements of their profile to the admissions committee to do so and reapplicants to provide an update on how they have improved their candidacy since their previous application. Our more in-depth analysis of Owen’s statement prompts and video component follows. [b]The video response is a chance for you to provide a glimpse of the authentic you, speaking without a script. The video questions are designed to be easy to answer and help us to get to know you as a person. You will have time to prepare your response and the application will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to record your answers.[/b] First, take a deep breath. We understand that video essays can be intimidating and nerve-racking, but the admissions committee is truly not trying to scare you or set you up to fail. Video essays are generally meant to provide a more dynamic representation of an applicant’s personality than can be conveyed in a written essay. Owen is not looking for the next prime-time anchor or expecting an Oscar-worthy performance—the school just wants to get a sense of your spoken communication style, personality, and perhaps demeanor. Because the different questions you might encounter are not provided in advance, the admissions committee is likely also using the video as a way of gauging how you deal with the unexpected, think on your feet, and convey relevant answers in a time-conscious way. This is, after all, similar to what you will be doing in the Owen classroom as an MBA student. When the time comes to record your video submission, you will receive a question and then be given 30 seconds to prepare your response. You then have 90 seconds to record your response. If you are not satisfied with your submission after reviewing it, you can actually record another video to replace it. The twist, however, is that you will not be asked the same question, and you are limited to just three attempts, so you cannot simply keep repeating the process until you perfect your response. Take care to not be too exacting, or you might paint yourself into a corner. Again, you will not know ahead of time what question(s) you will receive, but this does not mean you cannot prepare in advance. You could, for example, ask a friend or family member to help you get ready by asking you questions and providing feedback on the content and presentation of your responses. To find practice questions, consider Googling “MBA interview questions” and/or downloading a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-interview-guide]mbaMission Interview Guide[/url][/b], which includes a list of 100 questions commonly posed in MBA admissions interviews. This will give you a feel for what delivering an oral response within the school’s 90-second timeframe feels like (ideally without speaking at lightning speed!). As you practice, strive to minimize your use of filler words and phrases (e.g., “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”) so that you are less likely to depend on or default to them when the time comes for your actual video submission. Do not feel that you must fill the entire 90 seconds if you do not have good content with which to do so, but also, take care to not be too brief. This is the admissions committee’s chance to get to know you better as an animated, three-dimensional person, so do not shortchange them on getting to see how you speak and behave. And again, do not panic. If you make a small mistake or bungle your words, just pause, smile, and get back on track. If you make a more significant blunder—perhaps you run out of time before you have finished answering the question or totally draw a blank and fail to provide any real answer at all—take comfort in knowing that you can try again. Let us reassure you that none of the questions will have a “correct” answer, and you are not going to be judged on how energetic or enthralling you are in delivering your response. You should speak as naturally as possible so that the admissions committee can get a feel for your true character and bearing. If possible (meaning you can do so without forcing the issue), sharing a story from your life that helps illustrate or support your answer will make your response even more compelling. Otherwise, simply breathe, relax, and give the school insight into the unique individual you are. Respond to each query honestly and as smoothly as you can (despite any nervousness you might be feeling), and be yourself. [b]Statement 1: What are your short-term career goals after obtaining your MBA and what functional area do you plan to study while in the MBA program? (75 words)[/b] Like pretty much all top MBA programs, Owen is interested in understanding the motivations behind its applicants’ decision to pursue an MBA. Very simply, the admissions committee wants to know that you have given serious thought to your professional trajectory and have identified where you want to go and how an MBA education will help you move forward. The specific goal you present is less important here than demonstrating that you understand what is involved in progressing toward your objectives and recognize where you need to focus academically to do so. [b]Statement 2: What are some specific skills that you want to develop during your time in business school to help you achieve your career goals? (75 words)[/b] This statement builds on Statement 1 in that you now need to go a little deeper into the study area(s) you have said you intend to target and pinpoint which capabilities and knowledge you currently lack that are necessary for you to be successful. Given that you have reached a point in your professional development where you understand that you need an MBA to advance further, we assume you are well aware of what you expect a business school to provide for you, and this is where you would spell that out for the admissions committee. Above all, you absolutely must ensure that what you present in this statement is in fact achievable at Owen. If you declare outright that you need to attain a specific capability but the school does not offer any opportunities or resources that would allow you to do so, you will reveal your lack of understanding of the Owen program and severely hamper your chances of being admitted. [b]Statement 3: The role of the Vanderbilt MBA Career Management Center is to partner with students to discover and define their career goals; to educate and coach students in developing and refining skills and experiences to achieve their career goals; to facilitate partnerships among students, the business community and the Vanderbilt community. How do you plan to direct your career search and collaborate with the Career Management Center to work toward your career goals? (75 words)[/b] This is a pretty straightforward question that should be equally straightforward to answer. The admissions committee has provided a brief summary here of the kinds of advantages and services the Owen Career Management Center provides. Your job is now to identify which of them you believe will be most helpful to you (and why), as well as what you are prepared to do yourself to further increase your chances of landing your target summer internship and full-time position. For example, if a firm you would be interested in joining does not actively recruit at the school, let the admissions committee know how you would navigate this issue and ensure a way of connecting with the company’s recruiters. [b]Statement 4: Our mission is to provide world-class business education on a personal scale. What does personal scale mean to you? (75 words)[/b] With this statement, the school wants to know that you are not just familiar with its core mission but also feel a connection to it. Owen prides itself on developing its students on an individual level, according to each candidate’s needs. If the school is going to invest in you in this way, the admissions committee needs to feel confident that you will be an appreciative and active partner throughout your MBA experience there. Numerous articles and posts address Dean M. Eric Johnson’s passion for and commitment to Owen’s “personal scale” mission, so you should start by reading as many of these as you can find (if you have not already). Most likely, along the way, you will develop an understanding of how and why the program’s dedication to this approach resonates with you, and this will constitute your answer to this question. [b]You are encouraged to provide an additional statement to clarify and explain any of the following: gaps of more than three months in full-time employment, lack of recommendation from your current or most recent supervisor, limited full-time work experience (ignore if you are a recent undergraduate), poor academic performance, weak test scores, academic misconduct, violations of the law, or anything else you think is important for the Admissions Committee to know about you that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. Applicants reactivating a previous application submitted within the last two years should provide their additional statement here. (300 words)[/b] With this rather “catchall” prompt, Owen obviously wants to give applicants an opportunity to clarify any potentially problematic elements of their profile, but the admissions committee is likely not interested in long-winded expositions or unnecessary filler. So do not view this as a chance to squeeze in another accomplishment story or pander to the school in any way, and only take advantage of the optional essay if you have complementary information the admissions committee truly needs to hear to be able to fully and fairly evaluate you as a candidate. For help in deciding whether and how to respond to this kind of prompt, download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b]. On its website, Owen states that reapplicants “are encouraged to use the explanatory statement to describe how [they] have improved [their] candidacy.” So, whether you have bolstered your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success here is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. The admissions committee wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so because an MBA from Owen is important to you. The responses to this question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible. |
16 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Oxford University (Saïd Business School) Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SBS_School_logo_Blue_1181x261.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SBS_School_logo_Blue_1181x261.jpg?resize=300%2C66&ssl=1[/img][/url] The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford takes a rather minimalist approach to application essays, asking its candidates to compose only one short, traditional written submission. The essay’s prompt gives applicants the leeway to share whatever additional information they believe the school needs to fully evaluate them, so they are not restricted by any particular topic, though the 250-word limit might feel restrictive for some candidates. However, Oxford also requires applicants to complete an online assessment involving several video questions and an on-the-spot mini essay. We imagine that most candidates would much prefer to write a second essay over contending with videos and spontaneous queries, but Oxford’s applicants should embrace this opportunity to showcase themselves in a more dynamic way for the admissions committee. In our full analysis, we provide guidance on approaching Oxford Saïd’s single essay question and online assessment, as well as its separate prompts for 1+1 MBA candidates and reapplicants. [b]Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words)[/b] If you are not paying close attention as you read through Oxford Saïd’s application information (though of course, you are, right?), you might accidentally interpret this question as a standard optional essay prompt. The wording could understandably give some applicants this initial impression, given that it is almost verbatim what we see from other schools as an add-on essay invitation, but in this case, the essay is required, so this is not a mistake you want to make. Perhaps Saïd is hoping to check candidates’ attention to detail with this query? If you have a notable problem or issue in your candidacy, this might be the right place to address it, given that the school does not offer a separate optional essay opportunity with which to do so. However, because this is an essay that all applicants must submit, your goal is to provide some key additional information here for the school to use in deciding whether to include you in its next incoming class, even if your profile is free of questionable components. You will therefore need to determine what is most important for the admissions committee to know to be able to evaluate you thoroughly and fairly, whether that is the story behind a seemingly unfavorable part of your application or whether it is one about a significant learning experience, impressive accomplishment, or unique ability (or something else altogether). As always, take time to consider everything the admissions committee will already be able to learn about you via the other parts of your application, from your statistics and resume to your recommenders’ contributions. With this essay, you want to round out that information in a positive way that pushes your candidacy forward in the direction of acceptance. Even though this submission is not optional, we still recommend downloading a free copy of our [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b]. It might help you in determining whether or not you should write this essay on a problem area/issue (or perhaps which one, if your candidacy includes multiple questionable elements), and if so, the advice and many examples within will direct you in how to do so most effectively. [b]If you are applying under the Oxford 1+1 scheme you also need to submit the following essay:[/b] [b]Explain why you see this as particularly beneficial for you and how it fits with your career and personal development aims. (Maximum 250 words)[/b] For this essay, Saïd provides a very straightforward prompt. Oxford has created an innovative two-year program through which you can earn two master’s degrees simultaneously. But the school has a simple request first—explain why the additional, non-MBA master’s degree is necessary for you. If you hope to participate in this program, you will need to help the school understand exactly why and how doing so will affect your career. With a mere 250 words in which to detail precisely how the 1+1 program will contribute to your management education and where you will apply that learning, you have no room to be vague. Clearly demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between the dual-degree program and the achievement of your goals. Your underlying message needs to be readily comprehensible: “I will complete X degree, which will benefit me by manifesting in Y part of my career.” [b]Re-applicants will need to submit an additional essay: What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words) [/b] Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or accepted some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Saïd wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the time since your previous application to do so, because earning a Saïd MBA is important to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts are presented in the best light possible. [b]Online assessment: You will need to complete five questions via our online assessment platform.[/b] [b]To virtually meet you, get a sense of your personality and see how you think on your feet, you will need to complete an online assessment as part of your application:[/b] [list] [b]Two motivation-based questions – all candidates will answer the same questions[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]Two competency-based questions – these will be randomised[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]Written response – this will be randomised and light-hearted to show us how you can think on your feet![/b][/*] [/list] [b]The motivation-based questions give you the opportunity to demonstrate your motivations for undertaking an MBA and why the Oxford MBA is the right programme for you. The competency-based questions let you demonstrate the skills and qualities we look for, such as decision-making, problem-solving, influence, leadership, and strong communication skills. [/b] [b]Once you have submitted your application for either the Oxford MBA or Oxford 1+1 MBA you will see a link in your application status portal. This will enable you to register with Kira Talent, our online assessment platform, and complete your assessment. This link will appear up to 24 hours after submitting your application, therefore we strongly encourage you to leave yourself enough time to practice and complete the online assessment by the deadline in which you are applying.[/b] [b]You will be provided with preparation time and practice sessions before going live with your real responses. The whole online assessment should only take up to 30 minutes for you to complete. All you need is a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning webcam, microphone and internet connection.[/b] We know that required videos—and spontaneous ones, in particular—often strike fear into the hearts of business school candidates, but let us reassure you a bit about this component of the Oxford application process, so you can relax and put your best self forward. First of all, keep in mind that these kinds of video questions are not intended to trip you up or entice you to do or say anything that would immediately disqualify you from consideration. Video submissions most often are opportunities for the admissions committee to put a “face,” so to speak, on your written application and learn a little more about your personality, energy level, communication style, and other such intangibles. In reference to the video component, the school’s [b][url=https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/programmes/oxford-mba/faqs#onlineassessment]admissions FAQs page[/url][/b] even states outright, “There are no right or wrong answers, and this isn’t a test. It’s just a way for us to get a glimpse into you and your personality and help to let you stand out as the unique candidate that you are!” If you focus on being authentic and sincere, you will provide the admissions committee with exactly what it is seeking. Thankfully, the Kira platform is set up so that you can practice an unlimited number of times, so you will not have to go into this portion of the application cold. This is a valuable opportunity that we cannot encourage you enough to make the most of. To start, you will need to respond to two “motivation” questions, which will be the same for all applicants. Although the school does not present outright exactly what these questions will be, it does explain that it is interested in the “whys” behind your application and offers on its FAQs page the sample question “Why is an MBA the next step for you to further … your career?” We assume from the prompt that the other question would then naturally be some version of “Why do you want to earn your MBA from Oxford specifically?” (You might also want to be prepared to answer the query “Why is now the right time to get your MBA?” just in case.) You will be given one minute in which to prepare your answer and 90 seconds to record it. Because these topics are common elements of a traditional personal statement, we encourage you to download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b], which explains how best to prepare for and respond to questions related to these subjects and offers multiple illustrative examples. You will also be required to answer two “competency” questions, which will be drawn from a group of options and will therefore vary for each candidate. Judging from the school’s proffered example—”Take a minute to tell us about a time where you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation?”—these appear to be in the vein of typical interview questions. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method when responding to these questions to ensure that your answers include all the relevant information the admissions committee seeks. Take time to do some research on what this technique entails, and make it a central part of your practice efforts. You will be given 45 seconds to prepare your answer to these questions and one minute in which to respond. For sample questions you can use to practice, consider downloading a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-interview-guide]mbaMission Interview Guide[/url][/b], in which we present a list of 100 common interview queries. We recommend practicing in front of a mirror to exercise maintaining a pleasant and natural expression as you speak and timing yourself to ensure your answers do not tend to run long. Although you can prepare as much as you want, you will have only one chance to record your response(s) when you do the official interview. If you stumble while answering or ultimately are unhappy with your answer, unfortunately, you will not be able to rerecord anything or try again another time. This might make you nervous, but we encourage you to view the situation a little differently. As we have noted, Oxford wants to get to know the real you through these video essays. If you fumble for words or lose your train of thought, just laugh or shrug and continue with your response. Accepting a mistake with a sense of humor and grace will give the admissions committee a more positive and natural impression of your personality than rigid scripting and overpreparation ever could. The final portion of the online assessment involves a written response to a query the admissions committee describes as “light-hearted,” offering as an example “Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss.” Because truly preparing in advance for such a casual and nonpersonal prompt is largely impossible, this is the question that will give the admissions committee the best impression of how you improvise and perform extemporaneously, as well as communicate clearly under pressure. Focus a little less on trying to write a serious treatise and more on being authentic to your personality and letting a bit of your creative side shine through—though be sure to stay on topic and actually provide an answer to the question! You will be given five minutes to craft your response, which the FAQs page notes should allow you to write up to 500 words. If you want to practice for this part, ask a friend or family member to Google “silly questions,” or “funny” or “random” ones (a quick search brought up such examples as “Is cereal soup?” and “If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?”), and choose some for you. Then give yourself five minutes in which to formulate and type up a response to each. This will give you a feel for how much time five minutes really is, how much you can generally write in that period, and how well you are able to develop a mini essay that both provides a clear answer and is reflective of your personal style. Business schools outside the United States are increasingly popular among MBA hopefuls, and we at mbaMission are proud to offer our latest publications: [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/collections/international-program-guides][b]International Program Guides[/b][/url]. In these snapshots we discuss core curriculums, elective courses, locations, school facilities, rankings, and more. Click here to download your free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/said-business-school-program-guide]Saïd Business School Program Guide[/url][/b]. |
17 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: My Work Performance Is All That Matters |
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Because you spend so many of your waking hours working, and the MBA is the vehicle you are choosing to use to drive your career forward, you may naturally believe that your professional experiences are all that matter to the admissions committees. Do not get us wrong: you need to have strong professional stories to share, but top-tier business schools are looking for much more than just examples of professional excellence. If you discuss only your work experiences in your application, you will present yourself as a one-dimensional character, and today’s managers need to demonstrate that they can handle a multitude of tasks, situations, and personalities—both inside and outside the workplace. Occasionally, we at mbaMission post an offer on our blog to review applications submitted by candidates who did not use our services and who did not receive an offer of admission from a single program of their choice. We find that the most common error committed by these applicants is that they discussed only their work accomplishments and gave no sense of who they truly are as well-rounded human beings. Although professional accomplishments definitely have a place in your applications, do not go overboard and focus on this one aspect of your candidacy to the exclusion of all else—balance is crucial. To the best of your ability, strive to offer a mix of accomplishments from the professional, community, and personal fields. Your goal is to keep the reader learning about you with each essay. A diversity of stories will reveal that you have the skills to accomplish a great deal in many different fields and circumstances, which is the hallmark of a modern general manager. |
18 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Introduce Without an Introduction and Own Your Story in MBA Application Essays |
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Most high school students in the United States are taught to write essays that have a formal introduction, a body that supports that introduction, and a conclusion that reinforces the main point presented in the introduction. Although this approach and structure yield easily comprehensible academic work, business school application essays are constrained by word count—so candidates often must use alternative, less lengthy openings because they do not have the luxury of “wasting” 100 words to introduce their topic. We recommend sometimes using the “non-introduction” introduction, depending on the context and pace of your story. If you have a gripping opener that places your reader in the middle of a scenario, we suggest you launch right into your story to grab and keep the reader’s attention. Consider this traditional introduction: “Throughout my career, I have strived to continuously learn and develop as a manager, frequently taking enrichment courses, seizing mentorship opportunities, and seeking frank feedback from my superiors. When my firm staffed me on its $4.5M Oregon Project (our highest profile product launch in a decade), I considered it a tremendous opportunity to deliver and never imagined that it would become the greatest test of my managerial abilities. When I arrived in Portland, I discovered a project deemed so important by our firm that it was overstaffed and wallowing in confused directives from headquarters in Chicago. I quickly surveyed the situation and began to create support for changes to…” What if this essay, under the pressure of word limits, were to begin with a slightly modified version of the body? “When I arrived in Portland, I discovered that my firm’s $4.5M Oregon Project—our highest profile product launch in a decade—was overstaffed and wallowing in confused directives from headquarters in Chicago. I quickly surveyed the situation and began to create support for change…” In this case, approximately 70 words are saved, and the reader is immediately thrust into the middle of the story, learning how the writer jumped into the project and ultimately saved the day. Although the “non-introduction” introduction should not be used for every essay, it can be a valuable tool when applied with discretion. In addition, applicants should consider how to assert a sense of ownership in their essays. Many business school candidates unwittingly begin with platitudes—obvious or trite remarks written as though they were original. For example, when responding to the essay question, “Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision,” an applicant might mistakenly write the following: “Managers constantly face difficult decisions. Still, everyone hates indecision.” The applicant does not “own” this idea and cannot lay claim to this statement. A simple alternative would be to insert their personal experience and viewpoint into the sentence: “I found myself back in the boardroom with Steve, anticipating that yet again, he would change his mind on the mbaMission file.” By discussing your personal and unique experiences, you demonstrate ownership of your story while engaging your reader. Avoiding platitudes and generalities—and ensuring that you are sharing your experience, rather than one that could belong to anyone else—is a simple but often overlooked step in creating a compelling message. |
20 Jul 2021, 12:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Columbia Business School’s Financial Studies Program and Increasingly Flexible Curriculum |
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Already well known as a finance powerhouse, Columbia Business School (CBS) stepped up its finance game in 2010 with the establishment of the Program for Financial Studies. This umbrella initiative connects faculty who approach financial studies from a variety of disciplines with students, alumni, and external organizations. The program’s main goals are to support research, to enhance the CBS finance curriculum and related resources, and to create opportunities for the exchange of ideas between CBS students and faculty and members of the external finance community. The program’s recent studies have included “ABC Coalition Game: Relationships and Bargaining,” “Amazon: Taking on India,” and “Anheuser-Busch InBev and ZX Ventures: Thirst for Self-Disruption.” The structure of CBS’s core curriculum has also evolved—the school’s first year was at one time very rigid, and first-year students took all core courses with their cluster unless they were able to pass an exemption exam. Students complained, however, that this inflexible system meant they could take only one elective course their first year, which could put them at a disadvantage when competing for summer internships. For example, previously, a CBS student who accepted a summer internship at a bank may have completed only one finance elective by the end of their first year, but that student’s counterparts on the internship from other schools may have taken two or three—potentially putting the CBS student at a disadvantage with regard to being considered for a full-time job at the end of the internship. So, after an intense process of research and evaluation, CBS launched a more flexible core curriculum in 2008. Five years later, in 2013, CBS implemented further changes to its core curriculum, including an increased emphasis on cross-disciplinary thinking and even more flexibility. The revamped core courses make greater use of online teaching tools in an attempt to “free up more classroom time for deeper dives and discussions,” as a 2013 Poets&Quants article explained. In the second term of the first year, students can pick three full-term electives and three half-term electives, replacing the school’s previous “flex-core” configuration and allowing students to better prepare for summer internships. In addition, students may take exemption exams in areas in which they are already proficient, thereby accessing the option to replace core courses with electives. This revised curriculum was developed in response to student feedback that a full term was not needed to cover the “core” elements in certain courses, and the change has given students significantly more flexibility in the first year. CBS has attempted to find a middle ground where students learn what the school considers fundamentals while having the latitude to specialize, and anecdotally, students have responded favorably. For a thorough exploration of what CBS has to offer, download a free copy of the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to Columbia Business School or one of our 16 other complimentary Insider’s Guides. |
21 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Stressed Out? Meditate to Lower Your Anxiety and Boost Your GMAT Score |
 With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense. Are you feeling overwhelmingly stressed out when you sit down to study for the GMAT? Do you find that concentrating on the task at hand is difficult? Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara published the results of a study following 48 undergrads preparing for the GRE. Jan Hoffman details the research in a blog post at the New York Times. The motivation for the study “We had already found that mind-wandering underlies performance on a variety of tests, including working memory capacity and intelligence,” said Michael D. Mrazek in the NYT blog post. We have all had this experience. We are taking a test, the clock is ticking, and we keep finding ourselves thinking about something other than the question we are supposed to be answering at that moment. Maybe we are stressing about our score. Maybe we are thinking about applications. Maybe we are even distracted by work, significant others, family, or other issues that have nothing to do with the test! How do we stop fixating on other things and concentrate on the task at hand? This study tried to find out. The study First, the students were given some “baseline” tests, including one verbal reasoning section from the GRE (yes, the GRE, not the GMAT). The students were then split into two groups. One group (group M) attended meditation classes four times a week; these students learned lessons on “mindfulness,” which focuses on breathing techniques and helps minimize distracting thoughts. The other group (group N) attended nutrition classes, designed to teach the students healthy eating habits. Afterward, the students did another GRE verbal section. The performance of students in group N stayed the same; the nutritional studies did not make a difference. Group M students, however, improved their GRE scores by an average of 12 percentile points! The students also reported (subjectively) that they were better able to concentrate the second time around; they felt that their minds wandered less than they had before. Here is the best part: the study took just two weeks. How did that happen? The students did not become smarter or learn (much) more in that time frame. Rather, the mindfulness techniques helped the students perform closer to their true potential by reducing negative thoughts or habits that were interfering with performance. Think how much better you could do if you could turn off, or at least minimize, all those distracting thoughts that interrupt you when you are trying to concentrate! How can I use this? That short, two-week time frame is both good news and bad news. The good news is that you can achieve results without having to study meditation for six months. The bad news is that we do not know whether this provides only a short-term boost—the effects may fade over time. So let’s speculate that the effects will fade unless you keep up with a regular meditation schedule. Let’s also assume that most people are not going to make meditation a regular part of their daily life; most will try it for a time and then drop it. Here is what to do, then: Start learning some of these mindfulness techniques about eight weeks before you plan to take the test. Give yourself enough time to learn what to do, and then make these meditation sessions a part of your regular study schedule until you take the test. (If you would like to continue after that, great!) Here is a resource to get you started: the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. They offer free meditation lessons and podcasts. They also periodically offer a six-week online course (for a small fee, roughly $200 at the time of this publication); in addition to the prerecorded classes, you will be able to take advantage of live chats with an instructor. If you would rather meet with someone in person, run a Google search to find someone in your area. Take a deep breath, exhale, and start learning how to minimize distractions and concentrate on the task at hand. Good luck! |
22 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Terry Taylor, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business |
 Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Today, we focus on Terry Taylor from the Haas School of Business at the University of California (UC), Berkeley. After stints at Columbia Business School and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Terry Taylor joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business in 2007, where he is currently the Milton W. Terrill Chaired Professor of Business Administration. Considering that Taylor, who has a PhD from Stanford in management science and engineering, is often named in student blogs and online student chats as a favorite among the school’s aspiring MBAs, he not surprisingly won the Earl F. Cheit Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2009 and again in 2011. He was also named the fifth most popular professor at a top U.S. business school by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2011. Taylor’s academic interests include the economics of operations management and supply chain management. His “Operations Management” course looks at operational issues confronted by manufacturing and service companies. In addition to reportedly having both a curriculum and classes that are well organized—the latter of which include “no down time,” according to a second year we interviewed—Taylor can make technical subjects very interesting, sometimes even using references to Seinfeld episodes to illuminate concepts. A second year told mbaMission, “He’s pretty young and has a style that mixes high energy with a dry sense of humor.” For more information on the defining characteristics of the MBA program at UC Berkeley Haas or one of 16 other top business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
23 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: The Admissions Committee Will Not Notice My Weakness(es) |
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Our clients frequently ask, “If I write the optional essay about my [low GMAT score, low GPA, bad semester in college, long stretch of unemployment, etc.], will it call attention to that weakness and overemphasize it?” In short, no. Writing the optional essay about a weakness will instead allow you to control the narrative about that issue and thereby better mitigate any negative effects it might have. The admissions committee very likely will take note of a low GMAT score or a low GPA and will be left with unanswered questions about that weakness if you do not use the optional essay to address it. Rather than putting the committee in the position of having to guess at an explanation, take control of the situation and grab the opportunity to explain the details behind the weakness. For example, let us say you have a weak GPA overall because you worked full time in your first two years of college, but your GPA from your last two years is much stronger. Not writing the optional essay means that you are hoping the admissions committee will take the time to search through your transcript, note the change in the GPA, and examine your job history—and then make the connection between your two years of full-time work and your subsequently lower grades during those years. On the other hand, if you use the optional essay to explain exactly what happened, you no longer have to simply hope that they will put in that extra effort and can instead be confident that they are evaluating you using complete information. Likewise, they will not have to guess at the reason behind your low GPA, because you will have proactively filled in the story. The bottom line is that the admissions committee is made up of professionals whose obligation is to examine all aspects of your profile. They are not punitive, but they are also not careless and will certainly note any weaknesses like those mentioned here. Keep in mind that these individuals are only human and are dealing with thousands of applications. Any way that you can save them time and effort by guiding them through the story of your application can only work to your advantage. |
24 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Take Ownership of Your Post-MBA Goals and Show They Are Attainable |
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When admissions officers read your MBA application, they want to feel inspired by your personal statement; they want to know that you have a strong sense of purpose and will work energetically to attain your objectives. Thus, you must ensure that you are not presenting generic or shallow goals. Although this problem is not industry specific, it occurs most often with candidates who propose careers in investment banking or consulting but do not have a true understanding of what these positions entail. For example, a candidate cannot merely state the following goal: “In the short term, after graduating from Wharton, I want to become an investment banking associate. After three years, I will be promoted to vice president, and then in the long term, I will become a managing director.” This hypothetical candidate does not express any passion for their proposed course, does not show any understanding of the demands of the positions, and does not explain the value they could bring to the firm. To avoid these kinds of shortcomings, conduct this simple test when writing your personal statement: if you can easily substitute another job title into your career goals and the sentence still makes perfect sense (for example, “In the short term, when I graduate from Wharton, I want to become a consultant. After three years, I will be promoted to vice president, and then in the long term, I will become a managing director.”), you have a serious problem on your hands and need to put more work into your essay. To effectively convey your goals, you need to truly own them. This means personalizing them, determining and presenting why you expect to be a success in the proposed position, and explaining why an opportunity exists for you to contribute. For example, a former forestry engineer could make a strong argument for joining an environmental impact consulting firm. (Note: This candidate would still need to explain why they would want to join one.) Similarly, a financial analyst in the corporate finance department at Yahoo! could connect their goals to tech investment banking. Although the connection need not be so direct, especially for candidates seeking to change careers, relating your past experiences and/or your skills to your future path is still extremely important. This approach will add depth to your essay and ensure that the admissions committee takes you seriously. While some candidates struggle to effectively convey their immediate post-MBA goals, many also have difficulty defining their long-term goals. Although short-term goals should be relatively specific, long-term goals can be broad and ambitious. Regardless of what your short- and long-term aspirations actually are, what is most important is presenting a clear “cause and effect” relationship between them. The admissions committee will have difficulty buying into a long-term goal that lacks grounding. However, do not interpret this to mean you must declare your interest in an industry and then assert that you will stay in it for your entire career. You can present any career path that excites you—again, as long as you also demonstrate a logical path to achieving your goals. For example, many candidates discuss having ambitions in the field of management consulting. Could an individual with such aspirations justify any of the following long-term goals?
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26 Jul 2021, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: University of Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Rotman-School-of-Management.png?resize=300%2C92&ssl=1[/img] Applicants to the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management must submit one traditional written essay and are given the option of attaching up to three photos to support the message and claims made in that essay. In addition, candidates are required to complete a two-question video “interview” that involves a short, additional written component—none of which can really be prepared for in advance. Together, the school’s “essays” seem designed to round out the essentially one-dimensional stats and data points provided in the rest of the application to give the admissions committee a dynamic impression of each candidate as a unique individual—basically, to breathe some life into their profile. Read on for our more in-depth analysis of Toronto Rotman’s prompts for the 2021–2022 admissions season. [b]Essay: Our admitted students stand out by doing interesting things with their personal and professional lives — something we describe as the ‘spike factor’; what are the things that you have done in your life that demonstrate Passion/ Grit/ Resilience/ Innovation/ Drive/ Ambition and more? This can cross all or any aspects of life outside of work – hobbies, volunteerism, awards, entrepreneurial ventures, sports, and the arts. We believe that exposure to a rich diversity of viewpoints makes for a superior learning experience, and pride ourselves on building a diverse class of exceptional individuals who will go on to make the School proud as professionals and alumni.[/b] [b]Explain your spike factor (something unique about yourself) that you believe will contribute to the Rotman community and is aligned with Rotman values (up to 1,000 words).[/b] [b]Optional: Please upload 1-3 of your ‘spikiest’ pictures to the supplemental items section of your application. Note: Your photos must be uploaded as a single PDF.[/b] “What makes you you?” “Introduce yourself.” “What will you contribute to our community?” This prompt appears to be Rotman’s twist on these kinds of essay questions, and it uses the interesting angle of the “spike factor” as its framework. We assume that if you are targeting Rotman for your MBA, the “spike factor” concept is already familiar to you, but if it is not, you will clearly need to do some research before you can craft an effective essay response. In short, the concept was originally developed by (and subsequently borrowed from) McKinsey & Company to refer to an individual’s primary differentiator, what makes them special or sets them apart. It could be something they do, an aspect of their personality, a unique or particularly impressive ability, a compelling background or upbringing—the options are understandably personal and practically limitless. Although early on in the prompt, a reference is made to students’ “personal and professional lives,” the query really directs you to focus on your life apart from your career (your “life outside of work”), so keep that in mind as you explore your options. To simplify, the admissions committee is looking for three key components in this essay: [list] [*] You discuss your personal life, rather than your career.[/*] [*] You stress your diversity—what makes you different from your peers.[/*] [*] You demonstrate that what you are highlighting aligns with one of the values emphasized in the prompt (passion, grit, resilience, innovation, drive, ambition—or one that is similar/would fit with this group).[/*] [/list] A good way to identify your best options for this essay is by making a list of things you believe are notable about you. Ask for input from your friends and family members, who might note or remind you of aspects you had forgotten or simply take for granted but that others value and admire. Then, home in on the options that best fulfill the three key criteria. Submitting “spike” photos with your essay is not required, but we strongly encourage you to do so. You generally want to take advantage of any opportunity to build or strengthen the admissions committee’s impression and knowledge of you. But in this case, you do need to take time to identify strong options that clearly support whatever you are claiming in your essay. You do not simply want to upload artistically appealing pictures (unless, perhaps, you are claiming to be a skilled photographer); you want the photo(s) to substantiate and thereby reinforce your core message. Consider the mnemonic technique in which one creates a mental image to help them more readily remember certain facts and numbers. If selected wisely, your spike photos will help create a deeper and longer-lasting impression with the admissions reader by giving them corroborating nonverbal information and a kind of visual “anchor” to associate your profile with. [b]Required Video Interview: Required video interview (2 questions) with a timed written response component (10 minutes in length)[/b] When this video component of the Rotman application was introduced in 2012, an [b][url=https://inside.rotman.utoronto.ca/admissions/2012/09/14/innovation-in-the-admissions-process-introducing-the-video-essay/]admissions blog post[/url][/b] (which we assume remains relevant, given that the current application requirements page still links to it) clarified that it was “not an introduction of a video creation contest—we are interested in the content of your answers and not how well you can produce videos.” And when the written component later appeared in 2015, a [b][url=https://inside.rotman.utoronto.ca/admissions/2015/09/03/rotmans-2016-intake-application-is-open/]blog post[/url][/b] clarified the reason behind its addition: “We were missing an opportunity to see the more casual and real-time style our students use most frequently to write emails communicating with team members, professors, etc. and a style that they will carry forward in their careers.” Very simply, this application “essay” is all about demonstrating how well you can think and express yourself on the spot, both verbally and in writing. For typical application essays (including video ones), candidates can take time to consider their options, prepare and compose their potential submissions, ask others for input and/or feedback, revise or practice, and even start over from the beginning and try a completely different approach or use totally new content. Rotman’s video essay and written accompaniment completely preclude all of this, leaving you nowhere to hide, so to speak. They demand your natural, authentic instincts and nature. The admissions committee is basically banking on the idea that “what you see is what you (will truly) get.” However, we encourage you to not see this as something bad or scary. You undoubtedly have much to offer as a potential Rotman MBA student, so view this as an opportunity to show the admissions committee what that looks like in action—how you will act in the classroom, in job interviews, as part of the school’s greater community. We simply cannot say this enough: as with all MBA application essay questions, there is no “right” answer. You either mesh with a program or you do not, and you definitely do not want to have to fake being someone you are not for two years, so just be yourself. Answer the school’s questions honestly, in your usual tone, voice, and words. Be confident, relaxed, and true to yourself. The content of your responses will not count as much as your presentation and authenticity. That said, we recommend starting to work on minimizing your use of filler words and phrases (e.g., “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”) right away so that you are less likely to depend on or default to them when the time comes for your actual video session. This will serve you well in the classroom and in interviews down the road, too, so you might as well begin retraining yourself now. Business schools outside the United States are increasingly popular among MBA hopefuls, and we at mbaMission are proud to offer our latest publications: [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/collections/international-program-guides]International Program Guides [/url][/b]for international programs. In these snapshots we discuss elements such as core curriculum, elective courses, locations, school facilities, and rankings. Download your free copy of the [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/rotman-school-of-management-program-guide][b]Rotman School of Management Program Guide[/b][/url] today. |
28 Jul 2021, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Entrepreneurship at Northwestern Kellogg and Chicago Booth |
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How about a quick game of word association? We will start. “Kellogg.” Okay, go ahead. “Entrepreneurship,” right? No? Aspiring MBAs may be surprised to learn that Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management offers a number of courses in this discipline and that its Entrepreneurship and Innovation major is among its most popular areas of study—defying the stereotype that Kellogg produces only marketing MBAs. As part of Envision Kellogg, the school’s strategic plan at the time, the MBA program introduced four new impact initiatives in 2012, one of which is the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative (KIEI). Overseen by the Larry and Carol Levy Institute for Entrepreneurial Practice, the KIEI offers numerous opportunities for students to develop their entrepreneurial acumen and currently features a total of 67 professors in its faculty. In addition to business plan competitions, the Levy Institute manages the Kellogg Entrepreneurial Internship Program Stipend and the Entrepreneur in Residence Program, an experiential learning option through which, for a day, an experienced entrepreneur hosts half-hour one-on-one sessions with students who aspire to careers in this field or are seeking advice on their already active projects. The school’s Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital offers the Private Equity Lab, wherein rising second-year students intern with small businesses or private equity firms—receiving a stipend—to facilitate career transitions that would otherwise be challenging for those without experience. MBA student entrepreneurs coming from or planning to enter a family business will likely be interested to learn that the Kellogg John L. Ward Center for Family Enterprises not only publishes research and cases on such businesses, but also confidentially consults with family-run companies. Indeed, this is all just the tip of the iceberg. Let us continue the guessing game: Chicago Booth is just a finance school, right? Not at all. We feel that not enough applicants are aware of Chicago Booth’s robust “hands-on” entrepreneurial offerings, which are available through its Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Where to begin? Chicago Booth’s practical academic programs extend into the field of entrepreneurship with the school’s “New Venture and Small Enterprise Lab.” Herein, students work within a host firm or take on a dedicated project in a class designed to train those who intend to ultimately join start-ups or provide consulting services to them. Other courses offered by the Polsky Center include “Lab to Launch,” “Building the New Venture,” and “Entrepreneurial Selling.” In addition, the Polsky Center sponsors the annual Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge, a business plan competition that awarded $450,000 in funding to its 2020 winner. Further, entrepreneurially minded Chicago Booth students can apply for funding from the Hyde Park Angels (HPA), a group of former Chicago Booth Executive MBA students who make investments in start-ups—in 2019, for example, the group invested more than $17M. Although the HPA is an arms-length organization and does not source investments exclusively from Chicago Booth, it maintains a connection to the Polsky Center, which supports the HPA’s mission. So, students hoping to get in front of the HPA’s investment committee will have a built-in networking advantage. Also, the HPA offers students the opportunity to apply for the Hyde Park Angels Venture Capital Award, which is only available to Chicago Booth students. Believe it or not, we are just scratching the surface here. Again, Chicago Booth is most definitely not “just a finance school.” For more information on Northwestern Kellogg, Chicago Booth, and other leading MBA programs, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
29 Jul 2021, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Emory University’s Goizueta Business School Essay Analysis 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/emory.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/emory.jpg?resize=179%2C282&ssl=1[/img][/url] Emory University’s Goizueta Business School demands three relatively brief written essays and a one-minute self-introduction video essay from its applicants. The school’s first essay question asks candidates to discuss their short-term career goals and why the choices are fitting ones. For the second essay, applicants need to discuss a past leadership experience—perhaps one that relates to or demonstrates one or more of the qualities of the school’s namesake that the prompt extols, though this is not explicitly requested. In the third essay, candidates must explain their interest in the Goizueta program in particular and the give-and-take relationship they anticipate having with it. The program’s video essay might cause some applicants a bit of anxiety because Goizueta provides no advance information about what the questions will be. Candidates must therefore be ready to respond extemporaneously. If needed, applicants can use the optional essay to provide clarification or explanation about elements of their candidacy, but with only 200 words maximum, they will need to do so very succinctly. Read on for our full analysis of all Goizueta’s 2021–2022 application essay questions. [b]POST-MBA CAREER GOALS: Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience, and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)[/b] Like most business schools, Goizueta wants to learn the reasons behind its applicants’ decision to pursue an MBA, but unlike many programs these days, it still asks candidates to actually write a full essay on the topic. Very simply, the admissions committee wants to know that you have given serious thought to your professional trajectory and have identified where you want to go, how equipped you already are to get there, and how an MBA will help you move forward. The specific goal you present is less important here than showing that you understand what is involved in progressing toward your objectives and recognize the qualities and abilities you currently possess that will help position you for success. Because this essay covers several key elements of a personal statement, we encourage you to download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b], which discusses in depth how to approach and write these types of submissions (with numerous annotated examples). [b]LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS: The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, creating unprecedented shareholder wealth, and demonstrating a commitment to values and positive impact on society. Roberto Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating principled leaders to have a positive influence on business and society. Please provide a specific example of your leadership and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)[/b] Goizueta Business School clearly appreciates the leadership abilities and professional success of the former trustee after which it is named. The leadup to the actual essay prompt mentions the business leader’s core values and lists some of his most impressive accomplishments at Coca-Cola’s helm. However, the prompt itself neither references values outright nor requests that applicants discuss a comparable or related achievement. The idea, perhaps, is simply that the school has high expectations for its graduates and community members and seeks individuals who aspire to make a real impact on the world around them. They are guided by their values and seek to create positive outcomes for others as well as themselves. The admissions committee is not expecting you to be able to claim an accomplishment on the level of Roberto Goizueta’s, but you should strive to identify a story that illustrates both your leadership style and your long-term potential. Because you have only 300 words for this essay, we recommend responding in a straightforward manner. Launch directly into the story of your leadership experience, detailing the specific actions you took in directing others to achieve your result. Although we often note that not all great leadership stories end in success, in this case, you should discuss a situation that had a positive resolution. The key here is to show you shared a valuable experience with colleagues, extracted the most from your team members, and attained a desired outcome. We recommend using a narrative approach for your story, but be sure to include the thought process and motivation(s) behind your actions. This way, the admissions committee will take away both a clear picture of what you accomplished and the aspects of your character that inspired you and helped enable your success. Lastly, do not forget or neglect to explain what you learned from the experience—the admissions committee specifically requests that you do so! Omitting this element from your essay could be viewed as an indication that you are not good at delivering what is asked and/or at engaging in constructive self-reflection, and you definitely want to avoid this. You also want to avoid sharing that you learned a specific skill or business truth, because the prompt specifically says, “learned about yourself” (italics ours). To craft a compelling response, you will need to give serious thought to how the situation made you aware of a facet of your character that you had not previously perceived. [b]WHY GOIZUETA? What are you looking to gain from the Goizueta MBA program and how do you see yourself contributing to the Goizueta community? (200 word limit)[/b] With this rather straightforward and traditional essay prompt, the admissions committee is requesting fundamental information that will help it understand your motivation for pursuing an MBA from Goizueta specifically and why you believe its program is the right one for you. By asking this question separate from its request for your short- and long-term goals, the school leaves the decision of how to frame your motivation(s) up to you. Briefly explain why you are inspired at this point in your life and career to have the “MBA experience” and earn this advanced degree. To illustrate how Goizueta can help you, you must demonstrate a thorough understanding of what the program offers and a well-thought-out game plan for engaging with these offerings. Effectively doing this and subsequently writing a reasoned, nuanced essay requires that you familiarize yourself with Goizueta’s various resources and pinpoint those that truly pertain to you and the direction in which you hope to head. Go the extra mile in learning about the school. If possible, visit campus and sit in on a class, or at least attend an admissions event in your area. Also, connect directly with students and alumni (online or via phone, Skype, Zoom, etc.), read student blogs and the program’s recent press releases, and peruse [b][url=https://www.youtube.com/user/EmoryGoizueta]Goizueta’s YouTube channel[/url][/b]. This will provide the kind of in-depth insight that will show the admissions committee you are serious about the school and are confident you belong there. Simply presenting a list of classes and clubs you think sound interesting will not suffice, and absolutely avoid vague, pandering statements about how great the school is. You must reveal clear connections between your aspirations, what you need to achieve them (e.g., skills, experience[s], connections, exposure), and what Goizueta in particular can provide that will enable you to fill those gaps. Thoroughly exploring what and who make up the Goizueta program is also key to identifying what is unique about you viewed against this backdrop—so you can then highlight what you would bring to the mix and how. As you research the school, pay special attention to the aspects of and areas at Goizueta that resonate with you personally in some way, and consider social events/clubs and professional development opportunities along with course work and academic offerings. Business school is meant to be a comprehensive environment and experience that enriches students in ways not just related directly to business, and perhaps your best potential for contribution lies in one of these areas. If you have years of experience teaching, for example, you could perhaps help facilitate discussions among the students in your study group or on team projects. If you have a depth of knowledge or years of experience in a particular area, whether through your job or in a personal capacity (such as being a dedicated wine aficionado), you could serve as a kind of subject matter expert for those around you in the program or even a valuable component in someone’s recruiting network. If you are particularly funny, creative, or athletic, you might be the ideal fit to lead an extracurricular group or play a significant role in a nonacademic project or event. This prompt, like the school’s first, deals with several basic components of a typical MBA personal statement, so we again recommend downloading a free copy of the [b][url=https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2021/07/23/mba-admissions-myths-destroyed-the-admissions-committee-will-not-notice-my-weaknesses-5/]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b]. [b]VIDEO ESSAY: Telling your story in the written essays is an important part of the application process, but we also want to hear you tell some of your story. The video essay lets every candidate talk to the MBA Admissions Committee and we enjoy getting to know you through the “small talk” questions. [/b] First, try not to panic. Most MBA programs that include a video component in their applications do so just to get a better idea of who their candidates are beyond the statistics in their files and the written words in their essays. They are not looking for the next prime-time anchor or expecting an Oscar-worthy performance—they just want to get a sense of your spoken communication style, personality, and perhaps demeanor. Because the school does not offer applicants a choice of questions to which to respond or let them know ahead of time what their question will be, the admissions committee is likely also using the video as a way of gauging how you deal with the unexpected, think on your feet, and convey relevant answers in a time-conscious way. This is, after all, similar to what you will be doing in the Goizueta classroom as an MBA student. Although the school does not present any sample questions in advance and refers to the queries as “‘small talk’ questions” in the prompt, a slight possibility exists that you could encounter one (or more) of the options offered in past years: [list] Of Goizueta Business School’s core values (Courage, Integrity, Accountability, Rigor, Diversity, Team, Community), which one resonates the most with you and why?[/*] What is the best advice you have received and how have you used it in your life or career?[/*] Outside of family and work, what is something that you are passionate about and why?[/*] [/list] If nothing else, these are good practice queries. You could also ask a friend or family member to help you prepare by asking you questions (consider Googling “MBA interview questions” and/or downloading a free copy of the [b][url=https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2021/07/22/professor-profiles-terry-taylor-uc-berkeley-haas-school-of-business-10/]mbaMission Interview Guide[/url][/b] for some options) and providing feedback. This will give you a feel for what delivering an oral response within the school’s 60-second timeframe feels like (ideally without talking at lightning speed!). As you practice, strive to minimize your use of filler words and phrases (e.g., “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”) so that you are less likely to depend on or default to them when the time comes for your actual video submission. But again, do not panic. If you make a small mistake or bungle your words, just pause, smile, and get back on track. Let us reassure you that none of Goizueta’s questions will have a “correct” answer, and you are not going to be judged on how energetic or enthralling you are in delivering your response. You should speak as naturally as possible so that the admissions committee can get a feel for your true character and bearing. And if possible, sharing a story from your life that helps illustrate or support your answer will make your response even more compelling. Otherwise, simply breathe, relax, and give the school a brief glimpse of the unique individual you are. [b]OPTIONAL ESSAY: If there is an important part of your story missing from your MBA application (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic probation issues), please use this section to provide a brief explanation. Please use bullets if you need to address more than one topic. (200 word limit)[/b] With this prompt, Goizueta obviously wants to give applicants an opportunity to clarify any potentially problematic elements of their profile, but the admissions committee is clearly not interested in long-winded expositions or unnecessary filler. Its note in favor of bullet points is evidence of this. So do not view this option as a chance to squeeze in another accomplishment story or pander to the school in any way, and only take advantage of it if you have complementary information the admissions committee truly needs to hear to be able to fully and fairly evaluate you as a candidate. For more information about deciding when and how to respond to these kinds of prompts, download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b]. [b]REAPPLICANT ESSAY 1: Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)[/b] [b]REAPPLICANT ESSAY 2: Explain how you have improved your candidacy for Goizueta Business School’s MBA Program since your last application. (250 word limit)[/b] Interestingly, Goizueta asks its returning applicants (defined as those reapplying within two years of their previous application) to respond to the same first essay question that new applicants face. And because this has been the program’s first prompt since 2015, we imagine that most of the school’s reapplicants this season will have written an essay response to it before. If this is not the case for you, we direct you back to the first part of this essay analysis, in which we discuss our advice for the question. But if you are a reapplicant who has addressed this query in recent years, you will need to revisit your original answer. If your goals have not changed, do not simply resubmit what you provided in the past. Instead, give some thought to what more you have learned in the interim about the career you are targeting or about why it is fitting for you, and use these insights to enhance your essay. If you have not gained any additional knowledge on these topics, now is the time to do so—before you make any amendments to your essay. Read industry magazines and websites, for example, or reach out to individuals in your preferred field or role to get their first-hand perspectives. You want to show Goizueta that you are truly committed to your desired path and have continued to progress and learn, despite the temporary setback with respect to your MBA goals. If, instead, you have revised your post-MBA aspiration, you will obviously need to craft an entirely new essay. For the school’s second reapplicant essay, whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Goizueta wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so, because an MBA from its program is vital to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible. |
30 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Georgetown McDonough Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/mcdonough-school-of-business_416x416.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/mcdonough-school-of-business_416x416.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1[/img][/url] Candidates for Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business must provide just one written essay (of a mere 300–350 words) in response to their choice of one of three question options. Applicants can discuss a time when they led a team, a challenging situation they navigated, or their personal brand and someone they admire. The school also requires a short video essay in which candidates share how they are “unique”—likely to encourage them to dig deep with their response and provide some profound insight into their individuality and personality. The school’s optional essay gives applicants the leeway to discuss anything they feel is necessary, so it should be sufficient to meet everyone’s needs. Our full analysis of McDonough’s essay prompts for 2021–2022 follows. [b]We want to hear your story. When responding to our required essays, be authentic and take time to reflect on your goals and past experiences. Craft a response that explains how these experiences led you to pursue an MBA.[/b] [b]Our goal at Georgetown McDonough is to craft a diverse class with people who have had varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select one essay (from a list of three) that allows them the ability to best highlight their experiences, characteristics, and values that showcase the value proposition that they can bring to the McDonough community. Please select one of the following three essays to complete in 300–350 words (approximately one page, double spaced) and include the essay prompt and your first/last name at the top of your submission.[/b] [b]Essay Option One – Principled Leadership: Georgetown McDonough places a strong emphasis on principled leadership, providing both curricular and co-curricular opportunities to strengthen your leadership skills. Describe a time when you have led a team in a professional environment to implement a new idea or process. What leadership characteristics did you utilize? What could you have done to be more effective? And most importantly, what skills will you be able to bring to the teams you lead at McDonough? [/b] With this essay question, McDonough tasks you with sharing a time when you led a team specifically “to implement a new idea or process.” This means that the situation you discuss should be one in which you had to apply your skills and thought processes in a novel way rather than simply repeating ones you had executed before in a similar context. You must demonstrate, then, that the abilities and knowledge you possess are broad and keen enough to apply to novel situations and—even more—that you know how and when to exercise certain ones to fit the demands of the task at hand. This essay is about revealing not only your existing leadership qualities but also your instincts in identifying the ones that are appropriate and helpful in a given situation and in using them effectively. The specification “in a professional environment” requires that the experience you share be related to your career. The prompt does not stipulate that you must have succeeded in your effort, but you will of course want to show yourself to be effective and that your leadership skills are such that they direct people to the desired result, so we would caution against sharing an instance in which you and your team failed to attain your goal. You want to focus on conveying the skills you engaged and steps you took to guide your team, as well as your thought processes along the way. The admissions committee will thereby gain both a clear picture of what you accomplished and the aspects of your character that inspired you and helped enable your success. Take time as you are planning your response to this prompt to carefully read the “[b][url=https://msb.georgetown.edu/executive-masters-in-leadership/academics/principled-leadership/#:~:text=A%20Unique%20Learning%20Experience,be%20global%2C%20principled%20business%20leaders.&text=Global%2C%20principled%20leadership%20requires%20conscious,that%20benefit%20all%20stakeholder%20groups.]About Principled Leadership[/url][/b]” page on the McDonough website. Although you obviously want to be authentic in conveying which skills and qualities you in fact relied on in the situation (and therefore not claim to possess any you do not because you think the admissions committee is seeking a specific “right” answer here), if any you plan to discuss align with the school’s stated values, they might warrant a little extra emphasis in your essay. The query “What could you have done to be more effective?” constitutes an invitation to demonstrate to the admissions committee your capacity for self-assessment and both your motivation and ability to identify areas for improvement. This is also your opportunity to explain how the McDonough MBA experience will help you address and mitigate those shortcomings. Absolutely do not denigrate anyone else on your team or related to the project by saying or implying that you could have been more effective if others had acted differently. Also, note that the admissions committee does not ask what you learned from the experience, so we caution you against using valuable word count on this point. As for which skills will enable you to contribute to your teams at McDonough, the admissions committee will already understand that the ones you applied in the situation you describe are ones you will bring with you to the program, so you do not need to reiterate those. Also, the committee is aware that the single leadership experience you highlight in your essay might not have required or allowed you to engage all the strengths and expertise you actually possess. So this part of the query opens the door for you to mention ones that are complementary and/or that you know would be helpful in other team situations to show the school the full breadth of your capabilities in this context. [b]Essay Option Two – Hoyas for the Common Good: Georgetown McDonough embodies the ethos that people and organizations can and should contribute to the greater good. The admissions committee would like to better understand how you have demonstrated these values during uniquely challenging times. Describe a time where you’ve put the needs of others ahead of your own or ahead of the bottom line. We look forward to learning more about the challenge you faced, what unique characteristics you brought to that scenario, and what you learned from it. [/b] We imagine that the COVID-19 pandemic could have inspired this essay prompt, given that we have all been challenged in new and often intense ways, and trying situations can really bring out the best in a person—or the worst. Some people step up when adversity arises, while others retreat, and McDonough is clearly interested in candidates who fall into the former category. The school is seeking individuals who not only naturally feel a sense of responsibility toward others but also proactively embrace opportunities to act on that value. Because the admissions committee does not specify what part of your life the situation you describe must come from, be sure to plumb all your options to identify your strongest and most applicable story. It could be in a community service capacity, within your family, at the office, related to an extracurricular activity, with a single friend or loved one, or any of a multitude of possibilities—as long as you were inspired to put yourself second to another in some way. The scale or scope of the situation is not as important as how affecting and meaningful it was for you personally and for the other party. You must present a complete narrative that outlines the quandary so that the different actions you could have chosen in the situation are clear. The admissions committee needs to understand what would have been gained or lost, and by whom, in the alternatives you were considering. What exactly was at stake for both you and the other person(s) involved? Also describe how these options were revealed—as in, did you recognize on your own that you could do something other than what you might have originally considered and that would put someone else’s welfare ahead of yours, or were options presented to you from which you then had to choose? Be sure to detail your thought processes as you considered which route to take. Also make sure that the “challenge” aspect of the incident is clear; an easy choice between two positive outcomes would not fulfill this element of the school’s query. You need to have experienced some kind of struggle or conflict either within yourself or with an outside force to be able to move forward with your ultimate decision. What values, beliefs, or abilities do you possess that made you the right person to step up in that instance and be able to deliver an important benefit or kindness to another? What past experiences have you had that might have guided, informed, or inspired your decision? What made putting your own personal gain or fulfillment aside the more attractive option? And lastly, what did acting on your impulse ultimately teach you, whether about yourself or about someone or something external to you? Strive to convey these core elements of the situation so that the admissions committee gains a full understanding not only of what transpired but also of your motivations and character. [b]Essay Option Three – Personal Brand: Think of a business leader or role model you admire or aspire to be. What are the defining characteristics of his or her personal brand that you see in yourself? Give an example of how you have been able to emulate these characteristics in your professional career and how your personal brand will enrich the McDonough community.[/b] Here, the admissions committee wants to know which values and strengths you believe are important in a leader, why you feel they are important, which of them you already possess (with associated evidence), and how these fit with the McDonough brand and environment. You will need to provide an illustrative example from your past—essentially to prove that you indeed have the qualities you claim and can apply them effectively—as well as an envisioned future example. This is a lot to cover in just 300 to 350 words, but if you focus on conveying all four points in a targeted and concise manner, you should be able to craft a compelling essay response. Before we address how you should approach this prompt, we want to point out a few things you should not do. First, avoid choosing any individuals who would come across as obvious or cliché, such as Steve Jobs or Barack Obama. Second, like all application essay questions, this one does not have a “right” answer, so do not spend any time or effort trying to guess who the admissions committee wants or expects you to pick. Third, resist the urge to choose a parent, grandparent, or other close relative, unless the person in question really has something distinctly and obviously special to offer. And fourth, do not make your chosen individual the star of your essay and spend too much time or word count describing and praising them. McDonough wants to learn about you, so make sure your description of the leader/role model you have selected serves its purpose as the jumping off point for describing yourself and then move on. Authenticity is key to your success with this essay, so start by thinking of people who truly inspire and appeal to you—who elicit a strong response from you in some key way. Then identify the qualities you have in common with these figures and single out the ones you feel play a significant role in your selected individual’s success and/or compelling presence. Once you have this information, you should be able to recognize which person will be most effective in helping convey who you are to the McDonough admissions committee. Do not forget to address the final part of the school’s question—” how your personal brand will enrich the McDonough community.” With this, the school wants you to touch on why it is the right fit for you. The admissions committee will be looking for evidence that you have researched its MBA program thoroughly enough to understand how and why it aligns with your interests, needs, personality, and style. Please allow us to once again repeat our advice about getting to know a school beyond its website and published materials. Connect directly with McDonough students and alumni, read recent news stories and press releases, review student blogs, check out the [b][url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHeuijPU7-NutC90tnqzbw]Georgetown McDonough YouTube[/url] [/b]channel—whatever you need to identify aspects of the school where the characteristics you are highlighting in your essay would prove complementary and additive. [b]Video Essay: What makes you unique? In a one-minute video, describe the most compelling aspects of yourself that you believe make you unique from other MBA candidates. (Hint: one minute goes fast! We already have your resume and goals – share something new!) Use this video as an opportunity to bring life to your application. [/b] McDonough’s video essay is a great opportunity for you to offer the school a glimpse into your character and personality. As the prompt says, the video can “bring life to your application,” so your focus should be on ensuring that it as authentic and natural as possible. Do not use it to pitch your candidacy, express your admiration for the program, detail your career goals, or blatantly pander to the school, and avoid repeating any information that is already clearly conveyed in your resume. We interpret the prompt’s request that you speak on what makes you unique as a way of pushing you to get really granular and distinctive in your submission. After all, in a basic “introduction” video like the ones many programs request these days, you could easily cover topics that, while authentic and relevant, would not necessarily make you stand out (e.g., hobbies), whereas being tasked with explaining exactly why and how you are unique requires you to share much more personal and detailed information. You have only one minute in which to make an impression, and even without knowing you personally, we are confident in our belief that you have more to your character than can be conveyed in a mere 60 seconds—so do not waste any of them! Given that this is a video, you will obviously need to think beyond what you will say and consider the clothing you will wear, the setting or background of your video, your tone of voice, your language style, whether you will include music, and a host of other details. Brainstorm ways of nonverbally communicating some of your strongest attributes and key aspects of your life to help permeate your submission with as much information as possible. For example, if you are an avid biker, consider using a GoPro or similar camera to film your video while you are actively riding. If you are a dedicated guitar player, perhaps strum your guitar as you speak (or, if you are especially confident, you could even sing about yourself!). Think about what makes you who you are today, decide what you most want to share with your future classmates, and then let your creativity flow. On a practical note, be sure to speak clearly in your video. You naturally do not want any part of your message to be lost or misunderstood, and the admissions committee might view your communication skills and style as indicators of how you might interact with your classmates and/or speak in the classroom. Spend some time practicing in front of a mirror or a friend, but do not overrehearse. You still want to come across as genuine and natural. [b]Optional Essay: Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included (300–350 words, approximately one page, double spaced).[/b] We tend to believe that the best use of the optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, and this prompt offers an opportunity to do just that. So, if you need to, this is your chance to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your profile—a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, etc. In our [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], we offer detailed advice on how best to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your application. However, because the question can be interpreted rather broadly, it does open the door for you to discuss anything that is not addressed elsewhere in your application and that you feel is truly critical for the admissions committee to know to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. We caution you about simply trying to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. Remember, by submitting an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you need to make sure that time is warranted. If you are using the essay to emphasize something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, take this opportunity to write a very brief narrative that reveals this key new aspect of your candidacy. [b]Re-Applicant Essay: Required for re-applicants. How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally (500 words or fewer). [/b] Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. McDonough wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so, because a McDonough MBA is vital to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible. |
31 Jul 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Set Yourself Apart on LinkedIn: The “About” Section |
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This post was written by our resident Career Coach, [url=https://www.mbamission.com/who-we-are/team/elissa-harris/]Elissa Harris[/url]. To sign up for a free 30-minute career consultation with Elissa, please [url=https://www.mbamission.com/consult/career-coaching/]click here[/url]. Many steps are involved in building a LinkedIn profile, and drafting a compelling “About” section is one of them. Here are five key criteria to keep in mind to ensure that your “About” section makes a positive first impression:[b][/b] [list] [b]It tells your story.[/b] Explain who you are as a professional (e.g., industry, function, and level of seniority), your skills and contributions, as well as your passions. The “About” section is basically the “pitch” (or an introduction) you would give verbally during a networking conversation. Do not shy away from incorporating a bit of your personality. [/*] [b]It is targeted.[/b] Think about your intended audience: who is visiting your LinkedIn page, or who are you hoping will find you on LinkedIn? Determine what information is most compelling to that audience. Show your value-add. The “About” section is not a summary of everything you have done, but rather a curation of the most relevant things you have done that you want to keep doing in the future. [/*] [b]It quickly grabs the reader’s attention.[/b] There are 2,000 characters in the “About” section, but only 90 on a mobile device and 200 on a desktop will be visible to the reader without clicking “see more.” Write a catchy (not cheesy) first sentence that encourages the reader to continue engaging with your content. [/*] [b]It is error-free.[/b] Proofread! Ensure the content is easy to digest quickly and has no grammatical or typographical errors. Confirm that all the information is factually accurate and appropriate for a public platform. [/*] [b]It uses relevant keywords.[/b] Think about the terms a recruiter might plug into the search bar—perhaps job titles or industry-specific words. [/*] [/list] If you are getting stuck writing your “About” section, follow these tips to identify appropriate content: [list] Reflect on your values and goals. What are your guiding principles? Why are you passionate about your current job or industry? Do you have any unique knowledge? [/*] Review the LinkedIn profiles of people in your industry and/or people who have your target job.[/*] Read job descriptions that interest you and take note of recurring hard skills and keywords—especially in the responsibilities/tasks section. [/*] Record your verbal introduction. Write down what you said, and then tweak the language to be appropriate for the written form. [/*] Ask friends and colleagues to describe you and how you contribute to your employer.[/*] [/list] Bottom line: Your content and tone need to be consistent with who you are and your goals for LinkedIn. |
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Hi Generic [Bot],
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