Optional essay to discuss why I left my last job?

[ksc1940]

I'm sort of in a dilemma regarding the optional essay and need some advice. So I left my last job early this year afte bein there for 5+ years. Although i liked the job in many ways, I am not happy with the direction the industry is taking and also felt totally drained from the stress of the job. After leaving i got a few full-time offers but did not want to go back into the same industry. Meanwhile, I have been working on several part-time projects since then, that i find quite interesting, but are unrelated to my previous job. One of my recs is from the previous supervisor and another is from a current supervisor on one of these projects.

Someone whose opinion i value told me that i should discuss this in the optional essay since he thinks my resume since leaving my last firm looks a bit "random," giving off the impression that i'm a dabbler and don't have a coherent theme or message. Although I see the merits of his argument, I'm very uncomfortable about using the optional essay to talk about this since it could easily come across as defensive. Also, plenty of people do quit their jobs to work on random stuff and still get into top b-schools. So I'm not sure if an optional essay is really necessary.

Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[money9111]

how long have you been out of that long-term job? when are you submitting applications?

[ksc1940]

how long have you been out of that long-term job? when are you submitting applications?

I left early this year and am applying round 2 at a number of top programs. My resume is solid and interesting, but i did just write an optional essay (somewhat long for optinal but don't have a choice) to discuss specific context of my decision to leave.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Depending on your other materials I think this can be a good idea. I think the "trick" here though is to not take a defensive position (as you have recognized) but to weave a pro-active and POSITIVE story. So do not write "I left my job because I didn't like xxx, I was stressed etc." Nobody cares. But DO write "I left my job because I wanting something else. I wanted YYY. And so far I have been doing A B and C to get to zzzz"

Meaning build the story as you not moving away from something but TOWARDS something (namely your new goals), if you are uplifting and inspirational and passionate, nobody will even notice that you weren't happy at your last job, but that you had other and grander dreams!

Far better, if you ask me...