Does MBA admission office require proof of working experience

Dear all,

I'm planning to apply for MBA next fall, but it strikes me that the admission office might requires an official proof of my working experience. But I'm certain that my firm won't agree to provide it because of the firm's policy regarding staff leaving, they won't give you the convenience for leaving the firm for a better place (very typical in China).

Also, my job requires some sort of license and I got it after 5 months on the job. I have been working at my firm before I got the license but due to legal limitation, the HR department cannot keep my name on the book (Also, very typical solution in China, they needed man power right away and couldn't wait for me to finish my exams). Even though I have actually worked for the firm for two years, the official record shows it is 1 year and 7 months.

I could ask my boss to prove my experience in the recommendation letter, but will that be enough? Will the admission office require official proof before enrollment?

8 Comments
 
Best Response

They'll run a background check through a third party firm. In the US, they'd call your firm and check a credit report. As a Chinese applicant, I'm sure they still have some way to contact your firm.

If your employment is legitimate, I wouldn't worry about this unless it comes to pass. Do you have pay stubs/tax forms/email/etc that could corroborate your employment just in case? Would your boss really say that you didn't work there, and if they did is there a central office that could be contacted?

If this was truly deep under the table work, with no records at all, I'd put your official HR dates on the app but then explain the gap briefly in your optional essay.

 

We used to have people sign an internship contract before they get the license (but of course, it won't be the same as real interns because the firm uses you as a full time employee). But 15 months ago there was a classified information breach with one of the "real interns", which led to a complete abortion of all internship programs. As a result, there is not "temporary" internship contract any more.

There is no official record at HR department, but my supervisor can definitely prove my case. Pay stubs might not work because the firm combined all payments from the 5 months with the first months' salary after I officially signed the full time contract.

 

Yes they check, and yes they will find out. If you are lying on your resume someone will find out and black ball you.

--There are stupid questions, so think first.
 

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