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MBAGuide
Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 21 Apr 2026
Posts: 2,357
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 28
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
31 Mar 2026, 02:48
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Most applicants don’t have a “bad” profile. The problem is, they all start to sound the same. I see it a lot with people coming from IT, Big 4, PSUs, or large MNCs. On the surface, everything looks strong. But when you read the resume or essay, it all blends together:
“Worked in cross-functional teams”
“Led a team to deliver projects on time”
“Improved efficiency and reduced costs”
Nothing wrong with that. However, it doesn’t reveal anything unique about you to anyone.
Adcoms are not trying to map your job description. They just want to understand how you think, how you react under pressure, and what kind of judgment you bring to the table.
Saying you “worked with cross-functional teams” doesn’t tell me that. But if you describe the situation, how you had to bring a resistant operations team and a demanding client together under a tight deadline, balancing trade-offs between cost, quality, and timelines, that shows me exactly what kind of problem solver you are. This is where most applications fall flat.
People underestimate how common their work environment is and overestimate how “special” their wording sounds.
Another thing I notice: everyone wants to stick to safe stories- Leadership, Impact, Teamwork. Very few talk about the messy stuff, the failures, or the conflicts. And ironically, that is what makes a story believable and memorable.
Here’s a simple test: if someone in a similar role could copy your resume or essay and it would still sound convincing, you haven’t differentiated yourself.
Your goal is to make your experience real, situational, and reflective of how you make decisions. That’s the difference between a “good” profile and one that sticks in the reader’s mind.
Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals.
Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]
“Worked in cross-functional teams”
“Led a team to deliver projects on time”
“Improved efficiency and reduced costs”
Nothing wrong with that. However, it doesn’t reveal anything unique about you to anyone.
Adcoms are not trying to map your job description. They just want to understand how you think, how you react under pressure, and what kind of judgment you bring to the table.
Saying you “worked with cross-functional teams” doesn’t tell me that. But if you describe the situation, how you had to bring a resistant operations team and a demanding client together under a tight deadline, balancing trade-offs between cost, quality, and timelines, that shows me exactly what kind of problem solver you are. This is where most applications fall flat.
People underestimate how common their work environment is and overestimate how “special” their wording sounds.
Another thing I notice: everyone wants to stick to safe stories- Leadership, Impact, Teamwork. Very few talk about the messy stuff, the failures, or the conflicts. And ironically, that is what makes a story believable and memorable.
Here’s a simple test: if someone in a similar role could copy your resume or essay and it would still sound convincing, you haven’t differentiated yourself.
Your goal is to make your experience real, situational, and reflective of how you make decisions. That’s the difference between a “good” profile and one that sticks in the reader’s mind.
Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals.
Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- [email protected]
