What makes a great profile for MBA application? The MBA applicant's profile is actually the persona of the applicant, which many a times is not even clear to the applicant himself. The crux lies in the experience of the guide in the process to be able to judge the capabilities of the applicant which add the spike to his personality. There is no specific formula for success to build a profile for applying to an MBA course.
Here are some tools that we would suggest should be added to your profile to prepare for future career options. To get the maximum access to opportunities after your one year MBA, expand your skill sets from beginner to advanced levels in the below mentioned skills.
1. Agile: Agile will no longer be limited to the IT workplace. Study agile and innovate your workplace. Adoption of Agile as a workplace norm would be increased in the times to come till it takes more specific industry forms. A one year MBA might introduce these concepts during the course but your perspectives on the applications is what the prospective employers would value.
2. Blockchain: The economy has seen an unprecedented slowdown. This has necessitated the use of blockchain in far more diverse business applications as have not yet been envisaged. Blockchain and its business case should be a key skill for any future ready professional.
3. Purpose: Why does purpose fit in here? The way people evaluate their future organisations will change. Professionals will value the purpose of the organisations they interview with and the brand more than the remuneration they are paid. Being laid off in times of crisis with no respite is not a situation where one would choose to go. Similarly, organisations will value human resources which fit to their purpose. It just helps in times of crisis to have resources who "fit" and give in their extra bit when required.
4. Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence is no more a technology which will come. It is time that organisations will look into proactively adopting this technology in the workplace. Accessibility and acceptability for artificial intelligence will see a paradigm shift. Whatever industry you belong to, your professional capabilities will increase by multitudes with this tool in your kitty. Is doing courses enough? Not quite! Even Coursera and other platforms provide capstone projects which allow you to become hands on with the knowledge you gain. Aim for not just courses but implementation of the knowledge you learn. Show not tell!
5. Analytics: Know how analytics applies and will be applied in the future in your industry. Every job role virtually can apply analytics and it is an essential skill set in a management professional's tool box, especially ones seeking higher education options like an MBA as game changers. Analytics and advanced knowledge of the subject is today a part of all leading one year MBA programs in India and abroad. Make sure you select the right electives.
6. Resilience: Meditation, yoga, exercise helps you build a mental resilience to face challenges. Unexpected jerks in our careers are things that we are never prepared for. The practice of meditation helps build an inherent shock proof layer to hold upto such challenges. There is no better time than to start today if you have not paid attention to this skill. The decision to forego current salaries and pursue a one year MBA is a tough one. You need resilience and focus on the bigger picture that has motivated you for many stages to come.
7. Activate your Vagus Nerve: Vagus nerve is the information super highway in your body. It connects the main organs of the body and it is a major part of the parasympathetic nervous system in the body. This system is responsible for the body's rest and digest state of the body. When we are faced with a tough situation our body activates the flight or fight response i.e. the sympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve should be consciously activated daily to keep the parasympathetic nervous system in control. The vagus nerve also connects to the pre frontal cortex which controls logic. Thus, you are able to think of solutions to a problem.
8. Be serious about your hobbies: Your hobby that you loved but didn't get time to pursue because of the undying hard work you had to put in at office could offer you many advantages today and in the years to come. It's worthwhile to build advanced skills in a hobby because it is something that you of course love to do. Second, it keeps you motivated. Third, your advanced knowledge in any domain could just be a strategic side gig which gives you a financial stability to take risks and face challenges on the work front.
9. Communication skills for remote working: Update yourself on different means of virtual collaboration. In a day's work it is important to realise what tool must be used when. Know when to use instantaneous and delayed communication. This goes one step further from understanding multicultural teams. Even during a one year MBA teams might be collaborating online for quite some months to come. Even, as a manager you would need to empathise and choose the right means of communication for smooth work flow in the team. No doubt that clarity of communication is an added plus in the scenario. Speaking skills now involve an element of subliminal communication that connects with the audience which is not in front of you. There's no eye contact here and getting your message across as you want it to across multicultural teams can be challenging.
10. Enhance your adaptability: Being adaptable is an acquired skill. Being savvy today means being adaptable. Listen carefully, actively, and ask questions to clarify. Don't assume. Establish a trust in your teams and develop coaching skills to lead the careers of your teams. Rest assured that a one year MBA would be a taut test of your adaptability and you will see the results or the lack of it long before you enter the work force.
These days will be over but make sure you calibrate these skills every now and then.
What is the importance of goals in the profile of a successful MBA applicant? The next step to a successful MBA application is to build the vision for the future. The journey outward begins with a very good attention to the journey within.
MBA candidates should realise their true potential and passions before they start building their application for MBA admission. Aspiring to be business leaders they should have a strong core within. The profile building activity when done by a person who has a knack to locate the best in individuals gives exceptional results.
Self awareness has an important role to play in a successful MBA profile:
There are many cases where even a high GMAT score has not resulted in a clear admit. A well groomed personality with awareness on all accounts and a balanced inner core empathetic towards the world is what makes a great MBA applicant profile.
Why are academics important in an MBA profile?
The learning environment at an MBA course is very rigorous and anyone with a lack of focus on academics will suffer. An MBA education has a huge cost so an applicant getting into this experience should have the skills to justify the ROI it demands. Such an ROI also requires leadership, self awareness, concrete goals and vision to make it possible.
Thus an individual who himself is convinced of what he wants and how he will get it is the right profile for MBA.
Reviewing some profiles of applicants to one year MBA courses in India, mainly ISB and IIMs our MBA admission consultants derive that every profile has something special to offer, it is the process which is equally important.
"I am a business and tech guy with passion for sales and marketing. Worked with multiple startups for last 5+ years along with having my own for a year. Have helped multiple billion $ companies build complex business applications."
"Over 11 years of experience in IT industry primarily into IT services. Served different clients across globe and been into multiple roles starting from system engineer to Solution Architect."
"I am currently working as a business associate in life science industry and involved in designing compensation plans for different types of drugs."
"I am an engineer graduated from IIT ISM Dhanbad. I have been associated with fast-growing startups from the past 4 years which projected me to various roles including operations, BD, sales, client management, and vendor management."
"I am currently working as an Analyst with McKinsey and Company and have close to 4 years of total experience. I majorly work in consumer insights and pricing domain. I have served the client across the globe and has got the opportunities to be part of big transformations in Marketing and sales domain. I have completed my engineering in electrical from PEC University of Technology with a CGPA of 6.9. Also, I have a GMAT score of 690."
What applicants say about the MBA admission consulting process?
What was the most challenging part of submitting your application to different schools? Please discuss how you handled these? Any pointers for future applicants?
"Every B-school is different in what the look in candidate. Therefore, you application should be costumed to meet the requirement and need of that particular b-school. With the time pressure, I felt that was the most challenging part. The only way you can attract the admission committee is being honest in your profile and showing them clearly how MBA and the schools fit in your profile."
"The most challenging part was writing and compiling essays for different applications as this was something which was unique for every B-school. It takes a lot of time and effort and is thus tiring at times. It gives you a feeling that you are able to finish it within 5-10 days but a good essay takes more than that and considering the influx of international applications, one must give it time. I was able to take help of my friends, colleagues to write these. For ISB, I went with Goalisb which proved to be the best decision. Because of different deadlines one looses the track of time and often starts panicking which happened in my case too. So, I would like to urge all the future applicants to start preparing at least advance 3-4 months before submission to improve on your chances."