HBS 2+2 Career Goal

[rg123]

I'm a senior undergraduate at an IIT applying to HBS 2+2 in Round 3. My post MBA goal is to get into venture capital especially in the high-technology sector in India. I have a full-time offer from a BB Investment Bank (from my internship), but am unsure whether to really mention it in my application, since it does not exactly fit in with my future career goals (I was on the quant trading desk - not a profile that could be of help in VC).

How important is it really to mention what you intend to do in the 2 years before HBS? Also, is it negative if it doesn't fit in with your long-term story (although many other things in your profile fit perfectly?).

Thanks.

[Stacy Blackman]

Hi rg123,

This is a complex question that is probably more easily hashed out live in conversation. However, I will do my best to distill this into simple simple thoughts:

Career goals are always important because you need to show that have you a reason for applying. Why do you want to be at HBS? Why does the program make sense for you?

There are many things that you can gain from work experience that contribute to a career path OUTSIDE of directly applicable business skills. For example, perhaps there was something about your internship that exposed you to the investing world and triggered your interest. Maybe you developed a pure love of numbers. Perhaps you analyzed something that made you want to stretch your analytical skills. Perhaps it was working with others, supporting others, refining communication skills... You gained something in your internship and some part of that must be valuable when looking at your next steps. It does not need to be a VC specific skill.

If you're interested, we provide free 30 minute phone consultations here: https://www.stacyblackman.com/contact/


Cheers,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team