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FROM Vantage Point MBA Admissions Blog: How Successful Applicants Choose Their Recommenders |
Key Takeaways
Truly spectacular letters of recommendation complement and enhance an MBA application seamlessly. But before agonizing over the content that you want your recommenders to include in their respective letters, make sure you have dedicated ample time to choosing the best recommenders. You may already be familiar with strategies for preparing your recommenders to write stellar letters of recommendation. We have written a great deal about that topic as well. But what isn’t discussed nearly frequently enough, is how to choose the best recommenders…for you…in the first place. The optimal choice is rarely straightforward. It often warrants further conversation that considers several important factors: from recommender familiarity with your work to their perspective on your strengths and weaknesses. (Notice we didn’t mention your recommender’s title!) Our hope is that after reading this article you will understand how to think through these tradeoffs. Create a Potential Recommender List For starters, create a list of all potential recommenders. And think broadly. They can go well beyond direct and indirect managers at current or past employers. Clients of ours have successfully tapped clients, vendors, organizational mentors, board members, and others to write strong letters of recommendation that lend a valuable perspective to their overall candidacy. This list typically ranges from 3 to 10 individuals. The number is less important than the quality of your relationship with each person. If someone is older and more senior to you in their career and you had a meaningful experience working with them, then they belong on your list. How to Identify the Relevant Pros and Cons The next step is then to write a classic “pros and cons” list for each recommender. Doing so will help you clarify what each recommender brings to your application and what they may be lacking. Only then can you choose the best recommenders for you. (Trust me, it’s a worthwhile exercise!) So how should you be thinking about the pros and cons of each person? Here are 6 questions and topics, ordered from most important to least important, to steer your focus in the right direction. Sample Pros and Cons List 1. Quality / Depth of Relationship Ask yourself how closely you have worked with each recommender and how well they can amplify your strengths and mitigate the potential “weaknesses” in your candidacy. For example, if quant is your Achilles heel, determine the extent to which each recommender can “plug” that gap by sharing the impact your quantitative abilities or problem-solving approach has had on people or businesses. If you have a global exposure weakness, try to recall specific projects or workstreams where each individual may have observed you working across cultures, countries, or markets. 2. Length of Relationship Assess the length of time that each recommender has worked closely with you (on a daily or near-daily basis) and how long ago those interaction(s) were. Longer-term and more recent relationships typically have the most credibility in the eyes of the adcom. 3. Enthusiasm How glowingly do you believe each recommender will speak about your time working together? Don’t forget to consider whether you think the individual is a strong writer, will want to go the extra mile for you, and tends to be more positive than negative in reviews. PRO TIP: Reading past performance reviews is a great way to refresh your memory on this point. 4. Capacity to Commit Be realistic about each recommender’s willingness and availability to commit significant time to writing and revising your letters of recommendation. Though questions are largely similar across programs, the word counts differ notably, and many programs ask additional questions unique to their program. 5. MBA Alumni Identify which of your recommenders have an MBA from a top-tier program and whether you are applying to those same programs. This background positions them to speak to the qualities and skills you will lend to the MBA community and classroom. 6. Personal Relationship Think through how well each potential recommender knows you outside of work and can speak to your personal passions, character, extracurricular endeavors, etc. Also consider how familiar each recommender is with your intracompany leadership and community initiatives such as recruiting, mentoring, training, involvement in Employee Resource Groups, social planning, and office team sports. Don’t leave your MBA applications to chance. Work with the best in the business so you too can become an MBA success story! Request An Initial Consultation Weighing the Tradeoffs Once you have effectively charted the key considerations, then you need to assess the tradeoffs. And that involves giving relative weight to the various factors. Although the 6 topics listed above are ordered by importance, this is far from an exact science. You will likely find that no recommender checks every box. So, start by looking for red flags that could singlehandedly rule out a recommender. For example, if you don’t have confidence a recommender can write glowingly, has the necessary time to commit to the effort, or has worked closely with you for at least 3-6 months in the past two years, then it may not make sense to pursue that individual at all. Then, try to focus on what is “nice-to-have” versus what is a “must-have”. For example, it’s benefitial, but not essential, that a recommender have a top-tier MBA and/or know a lot about you outside of work. You can inform them about relevant info if they don’t. Conversely, it’s critical that a chosen recommender knows you well in a professional capacity, can write glowingly, and has worked with you recently and for long enough. PRO TIP: Show your spreadsheet to someone you trust who can assess it with fresh eyes and less bias. This could be a friend currently pursuing an MBA, a mentor, or an admissions consultant. Applicants are understandably “in the weeds” with all the details of this important decision. Sometimes it can be hard to see the forest! An unbiased individual can ask questions that clarify your thinking around choosing your recommenders. Choosing Your Recommenders Now you’re ready to make decisions. After eliminating anyone that failed to meet the necessary criteria and identifying which ones offered the most attractive tradeoffs, you can choose your 2-4 recommenders. Notice that the number ranges from 2 to 4. And that’s because there are instances where you may have a recommender only write your letter for one or a subset of your schools. This may be driven by their capacity, their affiliation with a specific school, or other considerations. There’s no right or wrong here but successful applicants won’t overcomplicate this. If you’d like expert input on choosing the best recommenders, we’d love to chat. Our team is here to help you make the best choice for YOU. Simply fill out the brief questionnaire through the button below to schedule your free initial consultation. Request An Initial Consultation Other Recommender FAQs We also wanted to share some of the frequent questions we hear from our clients regarding choosing their recommenders. They include: What if I can’t ask my current manager for a recommendation because I’m not planning to tell my company that I’m applying? That’s OK. Applicants find themselves in that situation all the time. And it’s nothing to panic about! The adcom understands that individual circumstances range dramatically and won’t penalize you for that. However, you should explain your rationale for your recommender choices in your application. You can do so either in a section dedicated to the letters of recommendation (in the online data form) or via the optional essay. How do I decide between someone more senior in my organization versus someone with a lesser title but who works more closely with me? 9.9 times out of 10 the person who knows you best will be the better choice. The content of your letters is far more important than the title or accolades of the author. A great letter of recommendation is not only positive and passionate but is specific and detailed in order to bring your personality and accomplishments to life. Someone who has only interacted with you briefly likely won’t be able to bring those elements into their writing. However, if you’ve worked closely with this more senior member of your organization and feel confident in the relationship you have developed with them, then they could be a great advocate for you. Bottom line: choose who knows you best. Can I have someone from academia or an extracurricular endeavor write one of my letters? Yes, you absolutely can. But make that decision carefully and only after you have fully evaluated all of your professional recommender options. The upside of choosing such a recommender is that they will bring a different perspective than your supervisor will. Particularly if your extra-curricular is related to your post-MBA goals, that might be a huge value-add to your story. However, depending on this individual’s background, they may be less familiar with the qualities that business schools are looking for and how to assess you vs. your peers. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to seek input from an MBA admissions expert to get some feedback. For programs that only require one letter of recommendation (like Sloan), how do I prioritize which recommender to move forward with? In general, we recommend choosing your current manager / supervisor as your sole recommender. If that’s not an option for you, the next best choice will be a former supervisor (if from your recent past). Someone who oversees your work currently but perhaps doesn’t have a direct reporting relationship with you will also fit the bill. Otherwise, choose the recommender you feel will write the strongest, most positive letter. The post How Successful Applicants Choose Their Recommenders appeared first on Vantage Point MBA. |
FROM Vantage Point MBA Admissions Blog: 7 Signs You Are Ready to Apply to MBA Programs this Year |
Key Takeaways
If getting an MBA has been in your career plans, it’s not a matter of whether you will apply– but when. It’s a decision that often unexpectedly creeps up, after an external event – a layoff, a failed promotion, a gentle nudge from management, unfavorable market conditions. But what would it mean to be in the driver’s seat in deciding when you’re ready to apply? The timing of when you apply for MBA programs is a critical factor in how competitive you are. Here are seven signs that you might be ready to apply this year: 1. You have achieved professional milestone(s) and an MBA would help you hit the next one The most common reasons why people decide to pursue an MBA is to move up in their organization or make a change in their career. Some industries – like finance, consulting, or marketing – often require an MBA for an individual to advance to upper management roles. If you find yourself at a point in your career where your learning and progression have plateaued because of the need for a broader network, deeper skillset, or leadership development, you may be ready to apply for an MBA. The best time to apply is when you’ve achieved at least one major milestone or promotion and have had experience leading projects, initiatives, and/or cross-functional teams. Your leadership and real-world work experiences will allow you to contribute to classroom discussions, select appropriate classes and experiential learning opportunities to enhance your skillsets, and overall make the most of your MBA experience. 2. You have developed a strong foundation of leadership experiences One of the most compelling elements of an MBA application is leadership potential as demonstrated through leadership roles. The MBA, after all, is more than just about academics and learning about business foundations; it’s a leadership development program. MBA programs look for candidates who have a perspective on leadership that is grounded in their own experience and who have a desire to build on their leadership abilities. Leadership experience doesn’t necessarily mean that you have had direct reports or outright managed people. In the workplace, it could be leading a project/workstream/initiative, mentoring junior colleagues, or being the junior representative on a DEI council. Outside of work, it could be being a community leader, mentoring youth, starting a nonprofit, or organizing a fundraiser. If you’ve had meaningful experiences of influence working with different people to achieve a goal, then you have a solid foundation of leadership experiences to draw from to make further exploration of your leadership potential through an MBA worthwhile. Ready to take the first step towards your MBA? Request an initial consultation with a member of our team to discuss if you should apply this year or wait. Request An Initial Consultation 3. You have strong recommenders waiting in the wing In a sea of accomplished applicants, a strong endorsement of an applicant’s leadership potential can make a difference in whether that person is admitted or waitlisted rather than denied. Most MBA programs require two letters of recommendation from current and former supervisors. This allows the admissions committee to get multiple perspectives of a candidate’s professional contributions, leadership potential, and personal qualities. What makes a strong letter of recommendation is specificity, examples, and stories. It can take time to cultivate the kind of relationship and mentorship with a supervisor that would lend itself to a strong recommendation. If you have developed meaningful relationships with two supervisors who support your decision to get an MBA and who would agree to write you a recommendation, it may be a good time to apply while these people are still in their roles. 4. You have a short list of MBA programs that you’d like to apply to Deciding which MBA program is right for you naturally follows making the decision to pursue an MBA. You may have an idea of which programs you’d like to apply to based on rankings or where people you know have gone. But it is important for you to develop your own rankings based on your values and goals for pursuing an MBA. This process can take some time and dedication, if done right. But it’s important not only for yourself but also to stand out amongst other applicants. Invariably, there is a part of the application where you will have to answer the question, “Why our program?” The stand-out answers demonstrate an intimate knowledge of the offerings and culture of a school gleaned through deep research by way of conversations with students, alumni and admissions members, campus visits, and even class visits. Consider applying when you are motivated to do this work and think earnestly about your personal and professional goals. 5. You are in the age “sweet spot” Most people do not consider their age when deciding if they’re ready to apply to business school. But it can be an important factor in your competitiveness to full-time MBA programs. Admissions committees use age as a proxy for maturity, experience, and even ambition. Applying too young (2-3 years out of college) and you run the risk of seeming too green and inexperienced to make meaningful contributions to your classmates’ learning. Applying too late (6+ years out of college) and you run the risk of seeming unprepared and “late to the game,” having a shorter runway to reach your career goals post-MBA. The average age of the current full-time MBA classes of HBS and Stanford GSB are both 27. The sweet spot tends to be 5 years out of college. So, if you are approaching your fifth year of work experience, it is a good time to consider applying before you move into an age range where your application may be met with more scrutiny. Whatever age you are, it’s worth looking at the average age of admitted students of the programs you’re considering to get a sense of whether you are above or below and how to strategically approach your application accordingly. 6. You have clear career goals This may be one of the more misunderstood aspects of the MBA application process. Many MBA hopefuls believe that business school is where they will figure out their career path and discover the right next step. And while an MBA is certainly a time for exploration, the heavy lifting of career goal development needs to take place long before you set foot on campus. In fact, it’s an essential part of the work you’ll do even before you write your MBA essays. If your post-MBA career is the “R” in the ROI of an MBA, it’s very difficult to know if an MBA is worth it for you without knowing what success looks like on the other side. In addition, having a strategic vision for your career path will help you choose the right MBA programs. That said, don’t let lack of clarity around your goals paralyze you. This is one aspect of the application process that you can accelerate and seek help with. More than half of our clients begin working with us before having full clarity on their post-MBA goals. We work with them on further developing their vision and filling in the gaps so that by the time they start writing their essays, they know exactly what steps they want to take next – and how an MBA fits in. 7. Your personal financial ducks are in a row This is a big one because business school is most likely the most expensive investment you’ll make in your adult life so far. A top MBA has a 6-figure price tag for tuition alone. Add in rent in a new city, travel costs, and the opportunity cost (i.e. lost income for 2 years) – and the figure is eye-popping. So you want to be prepared to shoulder the expense and have a game plan for how you plan to finance your MBA. Thankfully there are many ways to pay for an MBA, from merit-based scholarships and need-based aid to student loans and good old-fashioned savings. Every applicant’s situation is unique and many applicants will pay for their MBA using a combination of those methods. No matter what you do, be sure you’re comfortable with it and have a buffer. Once you get to school, you want to focus fully on your classes, recruiting, and networking opportunities rather than worrying about financial burdens. Ready to apply to business school? Schedule a free consultation with our team of experts to assess your timing, refine your application strategy, and ensure you’re on the right track. Request An Initial Consultation The post 7 Signs You Are Ready to Apply to MBA Programs this Year appeared first on Vantage Point MBA. |
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