If you have decided to apply to business school, chances are you have an idea of what you want to do with your MBA degree once you graduate. But have you thought about how best to communicate these post-MBA goals to the admissions committee?
Articulating your post-MBA goals is a key part of the application process and can actually be quite challenging to do successfully. Most MBA programs want to learn how you plan on making the world better once you graduate and how you will leave your unique mark.
As you start to think about your MBA goals, Personal MBA Coach encourages you to consider these six crucial pieces of advice.
1. Be decisive
No one is going to hold you to what you write in your business school applications. However, you should typically be decisive when writing about your post-MBA goals. Choose a set of goals and go with them. Applicants should not say that they expect to “discover themselves” in business school or learn more about a given field (though you would be surprised at how often this does happen).
If you are someone who still has more than one idea in mind, some MBA programs are okay with learning about your thought process (Personal MBA Coach helps our clients navigate this on a case-by-case basis). That said, most business schools want applicants to have their plans solidified before they begin their studies.
2. Communicate how you will be unique
Even if your MBA goals are very common, like becoming an investment banker or a management consultant, you want to be sure you are communicating how you will leave your unique mark.
For instance, maybe you plan to build a particular area of expertise in consulting or focus on a specific sector. Do not simply share the position that you hope to achieve. Instead, consider your vision for improving a certain field or company.
3. Remain consistent
Your MBA goals should not vary from one application to the next since applicants often lose credibility by tailoring their goals to a particular audience. This is typical because it can be challenging to articulate genuine passion for MBA career goals that are not authentic.
4. Articulate passion
As mentioned above, a successful MBA career goals essay must communicate a passion for your future chosen field. While you do not need a long-winded explanation as to why you are interested in this profession, the reader should immediately be able to tell that you are excited about this career path.
Although there are several ways to show such passion, sharing what led you to this field and highlighting current innovations that interest you could be a good approach.
5. Make your MBA goals ambitious, yet attainable
As valuable as an MBA degree is, you most likely will not be overseeing a department on the first day of your new job. Thus, it is important to do your research and determine positions that are realistic for you.
Looking at career postings from companies within your target industry is a good place to start. Pay careful attention to experience requirements, especially if you plan on switching careers.
This will help you get an idea of the roles you might be qualified for right out of business school and will enable you to articulate the specific position you hope to secure post-MBA.
6. Consider a logical career pathway
Once you have identified your attainable role as a launching point, consider your long-term goal. This goal is your chance to be ambitious and demonstrate the impact you will have on your future industry. Your long-term goal should flow logically from your short-term MBA career goals, though not necessarily obviously.
Although you do not need to rise through the traditional career ranks at your target company (it is also completely fine if this is your goal), your chosen career path should be clear to the reader. This path should enable you to use the skills you will build in business school and during your early post-MBA career.
About Personal MBA Coach:
Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 14 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants.
We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers.
Last year, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships!
Scott Edinburgh
is a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan BS graduate and founded Personal MBA Coach 13 years ago with the goal of providing customized one-on-one support. Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, and is invited to speak at MBA Admissions events globally. Our clients have been accepted to all top schools globally with a 96% success rate. They received $6.5M in total scholarships last year.
