Essay on career: specific means narrow?

zebracxy

周末参加了emory的面试，在问到我未来career的时候，我回答senior management position in manufacturing industry，刚答完kate就问我有没有flexibility，比如说marketing，我当然回答有，视机遇和这两年学习经验而定。面试最后我请她给我一些帮助申请的建议，她再次提出了flexibility的问题。

至少对于emory我会提出这点，但是比较困惑，是因为emory的general management不是很强才这样引导我的，还是这样说真的显得我的目标太过narrow？不是一直是说career要尽量specific吗？困惑ing...

望高人指点，高温跪求！

JonFrank

Hello there!  I would love to answer this question—mostly because so many of our clients have told the exact same story!  Here is what happened, from the admissions interviewer’s point of view.  As we have said countless times, schools are worried that you wont get a job!  Therefore, when you describe your career vision to a program, it is important that you have a back-up plan.  She may not have been saying marketing in particular—but just something OTHER than your top-choice.  This year for the first time, our clients have reported that interviewers especially are asking about back-up plans.  I bet this is what she was asking you about.  I hope this is helpful.  Good luck!

Jon Frank
Founder,
jfrank@mba2005.hbs.edu

katsuna

I enjoy reading Jon's replies, every time I can learn something from your perpective!

In this case, do we need to mention our backup plan in essays or we just prepare to be asked in interview？

Thanks

JonFrank

I enjoy reading Jon's replies, every time I can learn something from your perpective!

In this case, do we need to mention our backup plan in essays or we just prepare to be asked in interview？

Thanks

-- by 会员 katsuna (2010/9/22 16:29:48)

Thanks so much for the kind words!  J  The answer here is not so simple—it is up to you.  IWOULD include a backup plan in two main instances:

1) Include a backup plan if you are targeting a career in a VERY competitive industry, such as Private Equity—or if you are a career change candidate.  Because in that case, your career change is quite risky.  By indicating a backup plan, you will be able to help the adcom be relaxed in your decisions
2) Include a backup plan if you have 1,000 words to write about your career goals.  J  There are more important things to talk about—in a 400 word HBS essay, or a 300 word Wharton essay, you wont have the luxury of getting into the backup plan!  But for other schools, where you have 600, 750, even 1000 words, then it could make sense.
Good luck!


Jon Frank