The Application Process

GMAT: 730 (47Q [76%] 44V [97%])
GPA: 3.44 (Cum Laude)
Undergrad: 2010 Mech. Engineering from Northeastern University (A's in accounting, finance and statistics electives... no basket weaving here) 1.5 years of co-op work experience.

I think that I'm a pretty unique applicant for better or worse. A quick bit about my work experience - I design and build optical systems that go into space to take satellite imagery for science, intelligence, etc. for a relatively small division (~150 people) of a large defense contractor. It's a very entrepreneurial environment that has allowed me to take on a broad range of roles and responsibilities, getting exposure to everything from detailed systems analysis to project costing and scheduling, and biz dev/proposal generation stuff. I also manage a product line for an MIT start-up turned side business that makes modest money (selling aero products to Ferrari owners... bonus points?).

To my questions - any thoughts on how to lay out project-based experience on a resume? I would like to list my experience by program because I think giving an overall picture of the program may help (because they're very cool), however this conflicts with a chronological progression that shows increasing responsibility as the two main programs I've worked on overlap. Also, should I spend time listing individual technical contributions (that don't necessarily demonstrate leadership)?

Does anyone have input on how important the overall impact of the program is (not just my contributions)? For example, I've worked start to finish on a program for a high profile start-up customer that has raised ~$100M in VC funding to launch a constellation of imaging satellites. My contributions (along with several others) have led to program success and a production contract that will lead to 10's of millions more in recurring system manufacturing revenue. Is this downstream impact of interest to the AdComs? Any suggestions on the best way to communicate this big picture in the resume if it's not a personal accomplishment?

Also, any general tips are appreciated! Thanks!

tommymoose,
Your professional profile does sound distinct. And, yes, you do get bonus points for the Ferrari-related startup work. The two approaches to your resume--chronological and project-based--do not have to conflict. Business schools tend to use resumes to get an overview of your career so the chronological approach is probably preferred, but you could still break out/highlight the projects with a separate section within each position (kind of the way IB applicants break out their transaction experience). For the purposes of the B-school resume, I would minimize the technical contributions and emphasize the broader context, including the larger impact of the projects you've worked on. It's actually a good idea to paint out the overall impact of your projects over and above your own contribution as long as you definitely detail your contribution. Feel free to send me your resume for a closer look: [email protected].

tommymoose wrote:GMAT: 730 (47Q [76%] 44V [97%])
GPA: 3.44 (Cum Laude)
Undergrad: 2010 Mech. Engineering from Northeastern University (A's in accounting, finance and statistics electives... no basket weaving here) 1.5 years of co-op work experience.

I think that I'm a pretty unique applicant for better or worse. A quick bit about my work experience - I design and build optical systems that go into space to take satellite imagery for science, intelligence, etc. for a relatively small division (~150 people) of a large defense contractor. It's a very entrepreneurial environment that has allowed me to take on a broad range of roles and responsibilities, getting exposure to everything from detailed systems analysis to project costing and scheduling, and biz dev/proposal generation stuff. I also manage a product line for an MIT start-up turned side business that makes modest money (selling aero products to Ferrari owners... bonus points?).

To my questions - any thoughts on how to lay out project-based experience on a resume? I would like to list my experience by program because I think giving an overall picture of the program may help (because they're very cool), however this conflicts with a chronological progression that shows increasing responsibility as the two main programs I've worked on overlap. Also, should I spend time listing individual technical contributions (that don't necessarily demonstrate leadership)?

Does anyone have input on how important the overall impact of the program is (not just my contributions)? For example, I've worked start to finish on a program for a high profile start-up customer that has raised ~$100M in VC funding to launch a constellation of imaging satellites. My contributions (along with several others) have led to program success and a production contract that will lead to 10's of millions more in recurring system manufacturing revenue. Is this downstream impact of interest to the AdComs? Any suggestions on the best way to communicate this big picture in the resume if it's not a personal accomplishment?

Also, any general tips are appreciated! Thanks!