Is Changing Jobs Acceptable AFTER Application Submission?

I'm currently in my fourth year as a Big Four Auditor. I graduated summa cum laude (3.6 GPA) from an engineering school majoring in management (satisfied pre-med requirements, switched my fourth year because I wanted to do business). I am way too smart for audit and want to actually DO something, not account for what someone else has done. Ultimately, I want to do management consulting. I scored a 740 (97th percentile overall, 86th Q, 95th V) on the GMAT (choked, consistently hit 780 on practice tests). My wife wants to start having kids soon so I really want to enter b-school by Fall 2011. I've been a high performer in Audit and I do very well in interviews.

Anyway, in order to position myself better for a job after business school (hopefully consulting, maybe finance), I am considering accepting an offer from another Big Four firm in M&A due diligence. The offer is considerably more than what I make now ($20k+) and I really don't want to waste my time in audit anymore, especially during busy season. The M&A due diligence job will be more interesting and will be a way for me to re-brand myself. It seems like a logical transition out of audit.

I am planning on applying to the M7 schools during Round 2 and taking a "shotgun" approach (app fees funded by my parents), hoping to be accepted by one of them.

Would I be completely screwing myself over by accepting the M&A due diligence job? Would it be better to submit my application before or after accepting the offer?

6 Comments
 

I'd say hit apply and THEN change jobs. You can talk about your new job in your interviews. Otherwise, you'll risk getting bad recommendations, which is a pretty hefty risk. Also, you'd need to write a supplemental essay on why you are looking for an MBA so quickly after changing jobs etc. etc.

If the job offer will no longer be on the table come the January Round 2 deadline, definitely take the job now.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Actually, my recommenders are extremely supportive of finding a new job before b-school as they have either left recently or wish they had left years ago, so that is not an issue.

 

Laborum saepe enim aut deserunt maiores. Laboriosam quo sapiente ducimus voluptatem rerum illum. Tenetur quidem ipsa quos est deserunt pariatur voluptatem eum. Non consequatur beatae provident aut.

Accusantium dolores ullam asperiores mollitia consequatur ut laboriosam. Et modi dolorum id ea praesentium veniam.

Laborum et veritatis maxime et quia fuga nesciunt deleniti. Ratione amet dolores sit non officia. Et adipisci iusto possimus similique expedita provident.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”