- 1. Focus on projects where you have control over the variables that culminate into a solid quantifiable result. Track everything you do and limit doing what isn’t trackable. Follow up with internal and external clients to figure out how you added value.
2. Get involved with some kind social impact project at work, or outside of work, where it will be complete by the time you are applying.
3. Contribute at your job internally (recruiting, interviewing, mentoring and training). Track results. Did all your interns get hired and later promoted? Add that to your CV.
4. Young employees at large organizations don’t always get free reign to take the initiative. Bump up your leadership profile by joining a nonprofit project, committee or board working on something that will complete prior to applying and create a positive quantifiable result.
5. Strive to get some international work experience or some type of professional international exposure. Focus on how it is expanding your perspective; reflect on experiences that your future fellow MBA colleagues would benefit from and share them in your applications.
6. Do informational interviews for your ideal post-MBA job(s); this way you speak as someone informed about your goals when you write your essays. Less risky to adcom.
7. Strive for a GMAT score at or above the median for your target schools; above the median if you are overrepresented.
8. Do what you can to gain extemporaneous speaking skills; lead meetings, join Toastmasters. This will help with video essays and interviews.
9. Interview colleagues and bosses and/or write down anecdotes you can share in essays and with recommenders that show leadership, teamwork, communication skills, entrepreneurship, and impact.
10. Find ways to demonstrate progression at work and outside of work. When have you been entrusted with more responsibility? Show people are willing to entrust you with a new intern, training the department, being on the board.
11. Work on understanding yourself – start with assessments like Strength finders, Myers Brigg (16 personalities), Enneagram, therapy is useful. The better you understand yourself at a deep level the more you can achieve a certain emotional resonance with the admissions committee (adcom). Know yourself so you can better help them know you, trust you, campaign for you.
12. Don’t drop all your hobbies because you might have to write about them. These little things can make you stand out. Impact at work is important but hobbies and interests are more memorable and easier to visualize; you need to seem like someone who is interesting at a cocktail party. A social value-add to the class.
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