Need essay writing tips for tech guys

Question

Hi guys

I have got a query about how to write essays when one is from the technology background and come off as truly unique.

My work ex :
I belong to the technology arm of one the biggest banks on earth and I am solely into corporate banking. Have 3.5 years WE, 2 as a Module lead/subject matter expert/global rollout co-ordinator (And when i say global, i  actually mean 30 countries type global) and now keeping MBA in mind have jumped into Business analysis and kind of left development far behind. Youngest BA in my department and some awards as well.

Good EC's have been a core member of the CSR committee in my organization, so i am one of the few who control which NGO gets how many $$, organizing events so on and so forth

My concern is that whenever I look at the essays of some of my friends who are in the energy sector or into journalism, I feel that my essays dont have the punch at all! My greatest achievement could be rolling out corporate banking services in eastern europe, whereas theirs is dodging bullets in kashmir or setting up 4000 solar lamps and electrifying a village in bangladesh. As an adcom I would be inclined to call these guys than the guy who setup high value payment services for XYZ corporation.

After a ding from Darden, I am beginning to wonder whether I am doing this wrong somehow? What could i possibly write in an essay that is an achievement and still will not pale when compared to what people from other industries are doing?

driege · Answer

I am applying in Round 2, so my ideas aren't yet battle-tested, but I don't think your essays need to be all about the vast significance of your accomplishments. You will want to touch on your successes, but I think your resume is where you want to really drive home your biggest feats.

For your essays, I think it is more critical to show that you have reflected and learned from your experiences. For instance, if the essay question asks you to describe some formative leadership experiences and what you have learned from them (Kellogg), it is fine to choose examples where your leadership did not have the broadest of impacts (e.g. saving refugees or single-handedly managing an IPO). Rather, choose a modest example where you learned a lot and make sure to explain what you learned from your experience and how this lesson can be applied to the types of situations you are likely to face later in your career. In one of my essays about risk, I talk a programming project in college. I think the strength of my essay is not the story itself, but the way I analyze it and explain what I learned both about managing risk and about myself.

This is just my opinion, so maybe others will disagree.

asimov · Answer

I too struggled with essays during my application process, since to fully appreciate a tech accomplishment, you will probably bore the reader. Instead of thinking about the accomplishment from a technology perspective, think about it from a people or business perspective. Use examples that will show your transferable skills in business (creativity, analytical, consensus building, etc.), and not tech skills like your ability to hack into the DoD mainframe.

For example, you can talk about how your saw that your company utililizing technology to its full potential (business need), thus you proactively help make business efficiency improvements and save the company $$$$. You can also talk about your passion for social responsibility, and how you used your CSR position to provide housing to XXXX people. In essence, just use the STAR format, focusing on the action and the (quantifiable) result. If you do not have exact numbers for the result, make a good faith estimation. It will make your essay much more power.

ElminaKenley · Answer

Good essay writing requires two important things first you should do research for the topic what you are up to secondly to make your essay catchy in readers eyes make structure to use bullets. Surely you have to read famous writers magazine and books to make your writing legal.

fxMBAconsulting · Answer

The world is as we are.

If you see your own WE as uninteresting the adcom will too. One easy way to spice writing up is to think about what you and other thought, said and did in different situations - and use that as a springboard for adding detail and dialogue to your essays. The Adcom is not interested so much in what you've done, as in what you have the potential to do. By understanding the way a candidate frames the world, as an adcom member, I can get a pretty good idea of his/her potential at my school and in life.

If working with an admissions consultant is prohibitive then I highly recommend Avi Gordon's book MBA Admissions Strategy https://www.amazon.com/MBA-Admissions-St ... 0335241174
I've read all the books and e-books out there and this one is the only one worth spending money on.

Best of Luck

Leah

Admissionado · Answer

Hey dude, Well I think a lot of the time, it has to do with your ability to make the story readable and then exciting for the layman. So obviously f you give them a list of all the bugs you debugged, it's not going to excite anyone.

But if you are able to translate them into a story, where you can get out the business success, and the people side of things, sometimes even the most boring seeming tech story can turn into a magic of an essay. One part of this is in understanding what B-schools are looking for and how to approach them - for example to focus on teamwork, and leadership, or to put an emphasis on results, or to learn how to expose your introspection upon failure or success. all of these things will give your stories the punch they need. Of course let's not pass by good old simple "great writing". I mean, a few fancy twists of a phrase, a few good hooks and a nice quote or two as well as a smash-bang ending can transform just about every essay into a a great one. The good thing is that it's possible to do this with almost any story, all you have to do is figure out how...

Best, Jon

Jamestinker · Answer

In order to write a successful essay, you must organize your thoughts. By putting what you already have in your mind on paper, you can see the connections and links between ideas more clearly. This structure lays the foundation for your thesis. Use outlines or diagrams to write down your ideas and organize them.

Need essay writing tips for tech guys

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