How important is your previous job to breaking into a BB after getting an MBA?

I currently work for a boutique M&A shop that, most likely, no one has heard of. I plan on going to a top 20 MBA program following my 2 year analyst stint in an attempt to break into a BB, and am wondering how much emphasis is placed on your employment history during MBA recruiting.

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Best Response

Some emphasis is put on your past experience but that can usually be controlled by configuring your story to explain why you had your previous job and what you learned during it.

Now in your case you have a great past experience and easy story - worked for small m&a shop, loved what I did and want to transition to a BB / EB. (Or my boutique doesn't do A to A). But with your past experience you will have more technical interviews and also technicals very early on in the informational process.

 

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