Ask Jon Frank- P69-Q&A:WHY MBA? 7 OVERLOOKED REASONS TO GET AN MBA

JonFrank

Hi Jon,


Thanks for your insightful ideas.


Do you mind giving some advises for the career switchers here? You mentioned that the Adcom don't like the career switch-but most of people do switch career paths after their MBA, and I believe most of the applicants  intend to land a different job(either in another industry or for another work junction or both) by means of taking an MBA. So, how to deliver an essay that speaks our minds, and, at the same time, convinces the Adcom?


Regards,
Nic

-- by 会员 perain (2011/9/25 17:49:47)

Nic, it is easy dude. simply…don’t talk about career changes in your essays for the adcom.  J  Stick with your past background; speak your mind…as though you were going to stay along the lines of your current job.  That is your best bet for sure.  career changes make adcoms nervous; simply because it is hard for anyone to get a job in an area where they have no background of course.  So…why bother? Why stick with the career change story?  Just let it go dude, that is your best bet by far…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

bulldogi

Hi Jon
I just retype message here. Hope I can get your help.

I was sales manager in top publishers in China. Now I am project manager in Canadian think tank. What could be my short term career goals?  

My current one is to be marketing manager of Pearson Education to cut into China's market since china just gave out green light on publications market on 2010.


Thanks a lot.
Kun

asap

Hello Jon, thanks for your insightful posts.

As you mentioned about career goal, currently I'm working in the postion of Corporate Finance of a energy company, short-term goal is to do consulting, and long-term goal is to come back  in corporate of energy industry, do you think it will be a logical trajectory as a career goal in the essay?

Thank you

-- by 会员 asap (2011/9/20 15:39:56)

Hey there.  Suuure that sounds just fine.  But one quick question for ya—why bother with all the career switching?  Why all the changes? Why not just…stick with your current career?  Why add consulting into the mix, since you already have such great stuff with energy, corporate finance, etc.?  Of course you can CHOOSE to do consulting once you get to school.  But why bother with a career change if you don’t have to?  Schools don’t like career changes typically, if we can help it…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

-- by 会员 JonFrank (2011/9/21 11:13:24)

Thank you, Jon
But I still wonder that if I choose to stick to my current career, let's say, corporate Finance, and set a  long-term career goal as CFO, would that be too simple or too common?  

Besides, after MBA, I would like to return to the corporation that I'm working in, should I mention this in the essay?

so eager to know your opinions about these 2 questions.
Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

JonFrank

Hello Jon, thanks for your insightful posts.

As you mentioned about career goal, currently I'm working in the postion of Corporate Finance of a energy company, short-term goal is to do consulting, and long-term goal is to come back  in corporate of energy industry, do you think it will be a logical trajectory as a career goal in the essay?

Thank you

-- by 会员 asap (2011/9/20 15:39:56)

Hey there.  Suuure that sounds just fine.  But one quick question for ya—why bother with all the career switching?  Why all the changes? Why not just…stick with your current career?  Why add consulting into the mix, since you already have such great stuff with energy, corporate finance, etc.?  Of course you can CHOOSE to do consulting once you get to school.  But why bother with a career change if you don’t have to?  Schools don’t like career changes typically, if we can help it…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

-- by 会员 JonFrank (2011/9/21 11:13:24)

Thank you, Jon
But I still wonder that if I choose to stick to my current career, let's say, corporate Finance, and set a  long-term career goal as CFO, would that be too simple or too common?  

Besides, after MBA, I would like to return to the corporation that I'm working in, should I mention this in the essay?

so eager to know your opinions about these 2 questions.
Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

-- by 会员 asap (2011/9/28 17:44:21)

Hey there—don’t worry about being too boring!  Besides, what could be more boring than consulting!  Nah, we worked with a bunch of Chinese clients last year who had the same background as you—said they wanted to be CEO or CFO—and got in!  J So go with it, and don’t worry so much!  The only thing you need to worry about, is if you come in as a career changer, in your application…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

JonFrank

QUESTION:

I am working on the third essay for MIT application: Please describe a time when you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page).

For this kind of topic, it is OK to write something not work-related, but purely personal? Like a life decision, etc? Will this kind of topic fit in with the application, or is should all essays be focused on work and business?

ANSWER:

The answer to your question is that by all means, YES – and this goes for any school you may be applying to – you can absolutely write an essay that is not work related.  In fact, we recommend that you do!  Like we always say, b-schools are hiring people, NOT profiles, and throwing something a little personal in there really humanizes you and shows the adcoms who you are as a whole.

But, of course, there are some ground rules here, folks.

First of all, you must remember that you are applying to business school and not…erm…life coaching school. What does that mean? It means that if you want to write about a personal experience, you should only do that in one essay per application. One. Then make sure that aaaall your other essays are work related.

The other thing to keep in mind is…well, business. Even if you’re writing about something personal, try to keep business in mind. For example, you could write about a time that you went to meet a friend for dinner but you didn’t know where the restaurant was. That qualifies as a “decision without having all the information,” but what does that really say about you (besides the fact that you don’t have a navigation system in your car….)? Nothing. So why tell it? When you’re using a personal story in response to this question or any question, you want to make sure there’s a GOOD reason to include it.

Does this story show that you have the skills (able to think on your toes, resourceful, rational, logical, etc…) to be good in business?

Does it present you in a way that will be endearing and appealing to the admissions committee?

Make sense? As long as you keep those two things in mind, throwing a personal story into your application can (and should) only help ya.

Good luck!

– Jon Frank
HBS 2005

JudithTsai

Hi Jon, thanks for sharing your insights with us. You really helped many CDers solve their puzzles on the road to MBA. I'm wondering whether you can help me to check whether my target schools are realistic and whether the one which i selected is fit for my career goal.

Thanks ahead for your time and efforts on my question.

JonFrank

Hi Jon, thanks for sharing your insights with us. You really helped many CDers solve their puzzles on the road to MBA. I'm wondering whether you can help me to check whether my target schools are realistic and whether the one which i selected is fit for my career goal.

Professional experience: 3 year British Venture Capital focus in mainland China market. Main job is early stage  
                                      funding and technology commercialization; built and managed the first office in
                                      mainland china, settle down three projects in china.
                                    2 year entreprenueship, now running a Advertising company with 10 employees.

Education: Bachelor of engineering,major in Double E, GPA is 3.83, TOP2 of 75 students, founding a HR
              company with a Singapore friend in college

Test Score: GMAT 730/4.5; TOEFL 108


Career goal:Build a consulting company in mainland china to provide technology transfer and early stage funding
                 services.

Target school: MIT  Chicago
                      Duke (Dream School)  Hass
                      UT-Austin    Cornell Johnson

I know MIT and Chicago might be tough based on my test score but i still would like to have a try.

Thanks ahead for your time and efforts on my question.

-- by 会员 JudithTsai (2011/10/4 10:04:32)

Yes my friend, I do like your chances very much.  Your test scores are good (though not exceptional) but your work experience, especially in the international stuff, is VERY strong.  Well done!  One question though—why bother with consulting?  Why stray from your background in VC, or your background in entrepreneurship?  It feels like consulting is NOT a logical progression for you.  Why introduce this kind of career shift, if you already have some good credibility in finance and entrepreneurship?  That would be my advice dude, keep things niiiiice and simple.  No changes if you don’t need one…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

DORAEMONMM

Hi Jon，
Thanks for your advises and postings on CD, it is really a great help!! Appreciate if you could give me some suggestions on below questions:
I've taken GMAT for 5 times : The highest score is 710, if I want to get in M7, do you suggest I retake? Will M7 reject me because too many attempts in GMAT even I finally got higher than 710? If yes, with 710, what range of school I can choose? thanks for your time ahead.

JonFrank

Hi Jon，
Thanks for your advises and postings on CD, it is really a great help!! Appreciate if you could give me some suggestions on below questions:
I've taken GMAT for 5 times : The highest score is 710, if I want to get in M7, do you suggest I retake? Will M7 reject me because too many attempts in GMAT even I finally got higher than 710? If yes, with 710, what range of school I can choose? thanks for your time ahead.

-- by 会员 DORAEMONMM (2011/10/11 18:19:28)

Hey there.  Yes you are right, it would be foolish to retake the GMAT.  Five times?  J  That is more than enough.  You now have what you need to apply to a top-20 or top 30 school.  Not M7, but a top school just the same.  You have also likely missed Round 1, right?  So again, top 20 or top 30 will be fine, especially in Round 2.


Jon Frank
HBS 2005