Work ex Gap || How to approach the same?

Question

Hi!Need opinion on how to justify a break during the MBA Application process.

Education 
 10th - 9.6 CGPA
12th - 84.6%
UG - 7.5 CGPA

I am a Textile Designer, who graduated from the foremost Fashion College in India (T1).
Was clear on joining in a core textile role to understand the industry better - secured a Pre Placement Offer from India’s Leading Texile MNC (a conglomerate.)
Role - Design and Development for Soft Home Furnishings
Led Key Retailer Accounts for Europe and Middle East Markets.
Experience -  3 years 7 months .

Parallely, co-founded 2 startups. One in the fin-tech space - failed after 3 years of ideation and MVP deployment due to a lack of resources and relevance.
Other was an online blogging platform for closed communities, the amalgamation of Medium & Facebook Groups.

Always wanted to turn entrepreneurial; designing for the mass market and failed startup experiences also added to me realising that I lack the proper skills and knowledge to move towards Business Development. 
Hence, the idea of pivoting by pursuing an MBA.

Now,
I have  quit my job , in May for 2 reasons :

Was too comfortable in my current role due to lack of significant growth oppurtunities, wanted to work on projects at the intersection of strategy and design. 
 Want to focus on my MBA Applications and apply diligently for R1.  
For context, I wanted to apply last year but was unable to get a desired GMAT Score. Got a  630 . I will be re-appearing for GMAT in June end.

Concern :
Not only do I need to justify pivoting entirely from my current role, but also a break of 3 months. How can I approach this?

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  harora98 ,

Thanks for writing in.

You seem to have justified the need for a pivot in your post itself and what you really need to do now is to put it forth in a compelling manner in your essays.

With regard to the 3-month break, frankly speaking, you have no other option but to be state the reason as it stands; the GMAT will coincide with the gap and the reason will be fairly evident; however, what you can do is to focus on using this time to build your profile; this will enable you to showcase this gap as one that you took to work on your candidature in different ways and put your best foot forward in so far as the MBA application is concerned.

All the best!

AugustAcademy · Answer

Hi there!

I would just say - present your reason (1) as the reason for your break.  About reason (2) - folks may completely get why you had to take a break to prep for the GMAT - but it may not reflect well.  So I would avoid talking about reason (2) unless you have to.

Having said that, it is still pretty easy to guess like  ExpertsGlobal  says.

So here goes - all you can do is:

1. present the actual reasons for why you took a break
2. To the extent possible, try to do something that helps your career during this time. (Like wat other projects would you want to work on?  Any startup ideas?  Probono consulting?)
3. Try not to let the break become very big.

If you want to chat, feel free to reach out at:  https://bit.ly/GM_AugAcd_Profile_Evaluation

Best,
​​​​​​​Karthik

TheRedPen · Answer

Hi  harora98 ,

Your overall profile seems diverse which we will have to place in your applications to ensure your chances strategically. Your entrepreneurial spirit will go very well in your applications.

Since you plan to apply for R1 intake, this is the right time to start with the essay brainstorming process and applications. 3 months of gap is acceptable, provided you back it up with the right reasons to upskill yourself, or any other reason.

Our MBA consultants have helped ample applicants submit successful applications to M7 and Tier 1 business schools across the globe. You can schedule your free consultation with the team  here .

You can also connect with the team via call at +91 7780769732

MBAGuide · Answer

harora98 thanks for sharing your story Its usually never a good idea to quit your job right before the applications. I have worked with applicants with years of career gaps, but the most successful admits had regained employment at the time of application. If anything, the employment gap at the time of application becomes the first sign of weakness (not being able to balance work and GMAT) according to the admissions officials who read thousands of applications every year. If you say that you left your employer to look for better growth opportunities, by the time you submit your application, you should be able to tell what those "growth opportunities " are, even without having an MBA. The B schools dont want to be your only exit path from your current situation. They want to see your true potential and that you are able to navigate your career even without an MBA. The sooner you accept that the admissions evaluators are smarter than you, the better it will be because then it allows you to be more authentic in addressing why you really need an MBA. Your work experience is fairly decent, but you must thoroughly research your goals and pick your schools where the odds of getting the admit are better. Your side ventures will have some significance but the impact wont be the same as having a full time job. (If you can wait) Your profile would become fairly strong if you give yourself some more time to grab projects and professional opportunities that add a new dimension to your portfolio. The profile enhancement would need to show as a take-off point in your career graph depending on your goals. For example, in a strategic role in a startup or in business development where you get hands-on experience in the building blocks of businesses, negotiate an international assignment, or get into beginner roles in an industry you want to break into post MBA. I feel there would be no dearth of opportunities for someone young and ambitious. Feel free to connect and discuss your case directly Hope these can help you- How Winning Candidates Convince Adcoms about Post-MBA Success : Wharton (gmatclub.com) Managing Career Gaps in MBA Application: Common Scenarios & Strategies : IIM Group Discussions (gmatclub.com) Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer) Founder, MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

MBADecoder · Answer

Hi harora98, First and foremost, get working on the GMAT with fervor. As you don't have a job right now, you will have enough time to conquer this beast. I have seen many applicants who take a career break to study for GMAT not utilizing their time as well as they should be. Everyone loves free time after all, and time can really fly. So, come up with a study plan and stick it to it, no matter what. As other consultants have pointed out, a career break for GMAT doesn't look too good. MBA programs are very rigorous in nature and you are expected to manage your time, prioritize and multi-task to move things forward. Quitting to study for GMAT is therefore not a good option. Anyhow, as you have already quit, let's try to work around this. Obviously, scoring HIGH on GMAT should be a top priority. That said, you will still have to address a gap of anything more than 3 months through optional essays. As already said, attributing it to the GMAT study is not a good reason, so try to engage yourself in something that 1. helps you stay employed (freelance, salaried or probono), 2. Helps to show growth and development even during this period. If there are some freelance projects / volunteering work that you can take up, that would be great. You can also explore some options that align with what you'd like to do post MBA or enable you to work upon some areas of interest that you may not have had the time to explore while you were working. Also continue to explore job opportunities. Just in case your R1 plans move to R2, you wouldn't want a widened career gap on the resume, as that would be more painful to explain. Moreover, as you would join b-school only a year later (Fall 2025), you'd want to get back to work much before then. Your work experience sounds impressive. While managing the European accounts, were you involved with the business aspects - such as growing the business, expanding market, increasing revenue per client, personally managing client relationships? These would be important elements in your resume, essays and LORs. The entrepreneurial bit sounds interesting- but would need to know more details on those. Are you still running the FB and social media communities? Would need to know more details here on what these are / who they help - accordingly these could be impactful experiences to share in the applications. Regarding your goals- the most common reason one does an MBA is to pivot into a new function/ industry. Having discovered gaps in your business knowledge through failed startups or through the demands of your regular jobs are very valid reasons to need an MBA. That said, your storyline should be coherent. What this means is - you should connect the dots between what you have done in the past- what you wish to do in the future - why you cant do it straight away (the skills you lack) and why you need the MBA. On the face of it, you have worked this out, but the devil lies in the details- your storyline must be watertight. Hope that helps. Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/ Helping MBA Aspirants secure admission to their dream programs since 2011

Work ex Gap || How to approach the same?

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