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?
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Will taking a new job in the middle of applying to b-school adversely affect my chances of getting accepted?
depends on where your recs are coming from. if you are getting them from your old employer they will probably not write as good of a rec if they know you are leaving. obviously you cannot get them from your new employer as they don't know you well enough, nor will they be too happy to hear that you are peacing out after 1 year
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.
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.
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