MBA application help (family business)

I’m planning to apply to business school next round and am looking for advice on listing work experience. If I am part of a family business - is that something i need to mention specially in the application? Does this negate my current role and position progression? Will probably get my recommendation from a non family member in the company.

 

I doubt b-schools will deeply look into your company. Although I'm not quite sure if coming from a family business hurts/helps. I would assume it may be valuable assuming you wont need to use the career center (if you are planning to stay with the company).

 

In my undergrad b-school we had a mandatory 6-month full-time internship requirement instead of a semester of our studies, and we were not allowed to work in family business or any companies affiliated with our family.

 
Most Helpful

Many MBA application forms include a field asking specifically if each employer you work for is owned or controlled by a family member. So, you will have to disclose this.

Although being part of a family business can make selecting recommenders or explaining your career path a bit trickier, it can also be a huge benefit to your application.

A family business can provide a path to much faster career advancement than what is otherwise possible, and MBA programs find it very attractive to recruit students who will progress quickly to executive roles.

My colleague Yaron has written about tips for family business MBA applicants elsewhere.

David White Founding Partner, Menlo Coaching (MBA admissions consulting)
 

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