Hi everyone,
I have posted a few times on the sight, but couldn't find much on this topic and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to build up my profile for business school. I graduate in May 2014, so I will have at least 3 years to pull some things together and build up a strong application. I will be working with a large asset manager after school, am studying for my CFA currently, have a 3.4 gpa at a non-target regional school (think bentley size school). I really am trying to figure out what I should do once I begin working to really increase my b-school chances. I realize the GMAT will be huge, but what about community involvement anything in particular that looks really great to admissions? I really am looking to a top 10 program ideally MBA business schools">M7 with HW as top choices. I realize they are reaches at best with what I have provided, but that is why I want to really polish up my application and resume over the next few years.
Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated, PM me or comment if you have any other questions regarding my background or goals.
I'll bite.
If you are working at a large asset manager, then you will have a great opportunity to learn on the job -- especially if you are on the portfolio side. If you can take it upon yourself to go above and beyond, so that you really contribute to the firm and to the investment team, then all the better. The schools are looking for different kinds of leadership, and that means (among other things that you can do in your first few years), raising your hands for projects, initiating new ideas, leading official or unofficial teams, defending your ideas, changing someone else's mind, making things at your firm work more smoothly, finding ways to make the firm to be better at what it does, understanding your company's stakeholders and figuring out ways to help them,
That's for the work side of your life. As for the rest of your life, anything you can do to become more involved with your community (however you define community): your neighborhood, your sports or hobbies, your affinity groups, your church, helping kids, refugees, non-English speakers, elderly, you name it -- where you can add value and learn something about the way different organizations work.
The reality is that these suggestions will not get you in. The experiences, however, will give you ideas about how you operate in the world and they will help you grow into the leader you can become. You may have already started this path at college. If so, you know what I am getting at.
Finally, and I tell this to everyone, possibly because I lived overseas for so many years and loved it: get out of your comfort zone and work with another culture. If you can get on international teams, start there. If you can work in emerging markets, definitely do that! You will not only differentiate yourself, but you will learn more about stuff you had never even imagined by putting yourself in a new, and radically different environment.
How's that for starters?
Thank you very much,
I understand completely where you are coming from and I really appreciate the advice. I will make sure to try and take on more responsibility and leave my comfort zone as early as I can. I am also in the process of looking for some places to volunteer on weekends to add to my experience as well. Thank you again for the great advice, I have read some of your other postings and you always have some very insightful comments!
You are always welcome. I wish others would help out here @"BGP2587" might have some insight too. He's definitely a great contributor here.
Betsy is certainly on point. I 100% agree with everything she said. I think it’s good that you’re thinking about this stuff now, but I wouldn’t let it govern your professional and outside-of-work decisions. By that, I simply mean do things that you want to do and that you can make an impact doing. Don’t feel like you have to work with the poor, or a third-world country because that’s a way to check the boxes for b-school. If it’s not something that fits who you are and what you want to do, then it’s probably going to be quite obvious for AdComs.
On that note, I will repeat what I always say on here: find one or two things that you have always wanted to do, or have been meaning to get involved with, and take them on full force (as in, make an impact). Basically, that’s just a different way of saying what Betsy said, but it really resonated with me when someone told me that.
For me, I had things that I really liked, but wasn’t doing much with since college: networking/helping people get jobs, and baseball. Instead of just coaching a little league team once a week (that would be checking the box in my book), I got involved with an inner city youth baseball organization, and helped them raise a bunch of money, while also coaching and doing some more fun things. For networking, I didn’t just have a call once a week with someone from my undergrad, but I worked with a few MBB/Deloitte people to start a consulting day to inform/connect students with consulting jobs.
In my book, none of that stuff is that exceptional. I didn’t save the world or start anything new. It took a decent amount of work, but was actually pretty enjoyable at the same time. It’s certainly stuff that I’m proud of. Moreover, I’m relatively confident it looks good to AdComs, and made for great essay material. I know that the bulk of my Sloan interview was about my extra-curricular involvement, both in work (non-client work for my firm) and outside of work. Consultants/bankers/asset managers are relatively a dime a dozen, so I think it ends up being a great way to stand out.
Thank you,
I couldn't agree more, I have been thinking of what I want to get involved with and have a few ideas. As you said I really want to do something that I will enjoy and can make an impact with. I really appreciate the help and will take all of what you said into consideration when I move to my new location and am looking for extra curricular activities to take part in or create my own.
By the way, you sound like you have a good head on your shoulders -- always a good attribute when you are embarking on a new career. And not to make too much of a love fest with @"BGP2587" -- definitely do something that works for you rather than checking the box.
I see also that you are relocating, so that gives you a chance to start out fresh and use the fact that you are new in town to try a whole bunch of things up front.
I found getting a consultant early to be incredibly helpful. Basically, if you’re doing a school package (as in, paying $XX for comprehensive help with the application for once school), you get more bang for your buck if you start earlier. Assuming it’s a flat fee of $2000 for the first school (random number), then every call you have decreases the hourly rate you’re paying, so assuming that each call adds some sort of value, it’s definitely worth it from a number perspective to start earlier.
More importantly, my view is that the real value of a consultant is not essay editing (although that’s certainly huge), but it’s the crafting of your story and profile. Starting early with a good consultant can pay huge dividends in that regard. First of all, my consultant, and I’d like to think most good ones, was not just an admissions coach but sort of a life coach. As a former management consultant, she would actually give me advice on how to manage tough client situations, leading to some good success stories that I used in essays and interviews. Beyond that, we had a lot of discussions about what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. She pushed me to take on certain things at work and extra-curricularly, and also to explore different avenues. In the end, this led us to basically come together on what my story was (past) and what my goals are (future). This wasn’t just made up – it was genuine based on who I am and what I might want to do. The extra calls and knowledge about me also made her a much more valuable essay coach. Instead of just editing my essays, she actually knew my background and my experiences, so she was able to contribute good ideas when my essays needed a change of direction. A consultant that you just started working with two weeks before essays simply won’t know you well enough to do this.
Long story short, my advice is to start with a consultant around a year before applications are due. I started September the year before I applied for R1. There’s no reason not to if you know when you’ll be applying. Obviously, your calls/discussions will be less frequent in the beginning, but will pick up as essays are released and such. Plus, it provides nice accountability for getting things done.
Great advice by both of you!
I will look into the consultant when the times get closer and I have more of my application pieces in orders!
Thanks again!
Should I claim conflict of interest? I am glad to see @"BGP2587" had an outstanding experience, and I know that he did well in the process with another member of my ilk. I think 1 year in advance of applications sounds long, but he sounds planful. I would say that 6 months before R1 gives you plenty of time to work officially.
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