Job-change effect on future application

Question

edited

cwhs · Answer

Adcom "may" be okay with this, but also think about what your future employer might think. If I was looking to hire some guy and saw that he jumped ship 6 months after joining a firm because of a salary jump, I'd think of him negatively. On the other hand, if you were jumping ship because of a cultural misfit, that's a better story. You can even say that you learned a lesson in how to pick companies that are best for who you are, therefore you're applying to X company (or X biz school) now. Getting my drift?

teabiscuit · Answer

Don't ever, EVER make a career move based on how it would effect an MBA adcom's opinion of you. ALWAYS do what's best for you and your career. If an MBA happens to fit into those goals, then I'm sure you'll find a way to explain or "spin" your job hopping in your favor. Maybe you realized you're the type of person who can't sit still, who likes a variety of projects, so you want to move into consulting, which involves this kind of frequent change. See what I mean? Do what you want to do now, then figure it out later.

jk12 · Answer

thanks for all the input. Do people here think that rise in salary translates to "career progress" as seen and asked in rec letters by admin committee? I understand that monetary reasons alone for job change are never openly admitted in an formal forum, but genuinely speaking they are an integral part of a career opportunity. B-school application do ask for salaries in their online applications and most likely than not read something into rise in salary as acknowledgment if contributions made by and rise in responsibilities of the applicant at his or her workplace. Do bschools associate rise in salary as not openly admitted but secretly understood type of career progress too?

cwhs · Answer

They may or they may not read into the salary increase as career growth; you can't bank on it either way. What you need to draft is a good reason why you left a company, and that reason cannot be solely $$$. It may be that the position was titled the same but the responsibilities were a lot more leadership oriented... It may be that it gave you some intl exposure... Etc... Other than that, like the other user said, don't let MBA plans stop you from making career moves.

MBAUncle · Answer

jk12 , I am in a similar situation. However, I believe I have a sound strategy. The guy that wants to hire me, a director from a supplier, is my second recommender on this year application (I have been waitlisted on the 3 schools I applied ;-(). He knows that I will apply again and therefore I would stay with the company for only one year. He likes my work and he needs desperately someone with my knowledge to be able to bid for a new big project. Additionally, I would live in another country, have increased responsibilities and salary. The only impediment is how we will manage to not harm the relationship between my current company and this supplier.

If this thing works, on the time of the application I would be with this company for only 3 months, but I believe it would sound just right as a career move in which I would not only grow professionally but also show my will to be a more interesting applicant.

Job-change effect on future application

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