WL for Part-time - Suggestions on WL strategy

[aromacloud]

Hi,
here is my profile:
740/Chinese/F/ GPA: 3.6 undergraduate in communication with MA from U.S / 6 WE in sales/marketing based in U.S top leading technology companies.

I has 3 jobs in the 6 years. got promoted 8 months on the first job/small company, leading a 5 persons team.
then moved to big companies - no promotion in the second job . but just received promotions last week on the third job - when I received WL notice. the last two are not management position.

I can add another recommendation, so I have the following people to choose from:
my boss on the first job: know me pretty well 3 years - keeping touch after I left
My co-found of the non-profit organization - we founded that npo together
my another boss on 3rd job - changed 5 bosses in 3 years on the third job - always re-org and merging (kind of hurting my career progression).

I think there two weak spots:
- analytical skills - I will address that by taking waiver exam
- lack of career progression - I did pretty well in my first job, but not on the second/third. I will update my resume to show the promotion for sure. but anything else I can do?

thanks

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear aromacloud,

I do think you need to update the admissions committee of your recent promotion--congratulations! If you have not spoken to anyone at the school yet regarding your application, it might be worth a call to try and get feedback on what concern(s) the committee has on your application, if any, so you know what to address in a letter. If the school has specified that you not contact the admissions office though, then don't--ignoring directions will reflect poorly on you.

Depending on what you find out, another recommendation might also be helpful. It is hard to really say whom you should choose as I don't know what you already submitted in your application, but I don't think a boss from your 3rd job is a good choice. You have not worked together long and he/she probably does not know you as well as the other two choices. If you feel that you need another perspective on your professional abilities and success, then go with your boss from your first job. If you feel you did not highlight your NPO enough in your application, then go with the co-founder (be sure to have him/her highlight your contribution, leadership, teamwork there). Other than that, I think it is a matter of waiting for the admissions committee to make determinations on the folks on the waitlist and hope that you stand out.

Best of luck,
Lisa

[aromacloud]

Hi Lisa,
thank you so much. Just a follow up question:
My first boss thinks highly of me, because my performance was outstanding in a small company. I got a promotion in 8 months, started to manage 2 teams. However, my career progress slowed down in the second/third jobs.
My managers in second/third jobs wrote me 2 recommendation letters.
if I ask the first boss to write another professional recommendation for this WL, will it make me look bad on the second/third job? but I think it might help address my leadership skills.

thanks

[Lisa Anderson]

How would a good recommendation letter from the first boss make you look bad relative to your other jobs? The letter generally will address the recommender's perception of you in a professional capacity and examples of you from when you worked together, so it should not include any references to other experiences. If you feel this boss from your first job can add a valuable perspective on your leadership skills, then it sounds like he/she might be the one to ask.

Good luck,
Lisa