A Recipe for Career Goals that Admissions Officers Will Eat Up
Dunkin Donuts made headlines this month with its latest menu item: the Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich. The sandwich consists of fried eggs and bacon tucked into a glazed doughnut, and it has generated cries that Dunkin is trying to scare off its customers. Yet the sandwich is actually a great move on Dunkins part. Why? Because it allows the company to play to the strength of its brand.
After all, no one goes to Dunkin Donuts because theyre on a health kick. They go because they want sugary iced coffee and dessert concoctions. So the new sandwich seems very true to Dunkins brand, and customers are responding in kind.
Theres a good lesson for MBA hopefuls here. Most MBA applications require candidates to write an essay answering some version of the question, What are your long-term career goals? This question is intended to allow applicants to discuss their career vision and explain why an MBA is crucial to getting there.
It has also been known to send applicants into a spiral of despair. A career goal to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company is an MBA-worthy goal, but you start to worry that these ambitions are shared by too many of your fellow applicants. So you create for the admissions committee an entirely different goal that you think theyd like to hearsay, launching a nonprofit that will provide medical supplies to hospitals in developing nations. While this sounds impressive, the committee will be skeptical if youve spent your career in a consulting firm and have never set foot outside the U.S.
So MBA applicantsor anyone figuring out their big career goalswould do well to take a cue from Dunkin Donuts. Heres how:
Figure out the strengths of your personal brand.
Think back on all the jobs youve had. If your managers were asked to name your strengths, what would they say? Chances are, youd hear the same descriptors. Like Dunkin is known for decadent treats, figure out what you bring to the table.
Incorporate your strengths into your career plans.
Its fine to state on your application that you want to be a CEO. The admissions committee will want to know why youll be a successful one. This is why its so important to know your strengths. Make a case for how those strengths will help you meet your career goal.
Dont disregard current trends.
While the Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich sounds like the proverbial heart attack on a plate, the sandwich comes in at a reasonable 360 calories. By keeping the calories under control, Dunkin has made a concession to health concerns while still being true to its brand.
Shakespeare said it best, This above all: to thine own self be true. That is one of the most valuable pieces of advice for gaining admission into the MBA program of your dreams, and for future career success. If youre the doughnut guy, be the doughnut guyjust be the best doughnut guy you can be.
*The Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich. Photo credit: Dunkin Donuts.
This piece originally appeared in Wharton Magazine.
***
If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more.