10 years ago, in 2013, I was working in Bombay for Teach For India. I had a GMAT score of 730 in my pocket and I knew MBA was somewhere on the horizon. I couldn’t wait. All I wanted to do was get into a good international MBA program. I felt that getting into that program would solve all my life’s problems- most of which centered around money. As soon as 10x my salary, I would be happy and fulfilled.
I was, of course, naive. Oscar Wilde said a long time ago-
There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.
I got into my dream MBA program in 2016 and moved to Singapore. The MBA was a great experience- I met wonderful people, learned new things and made some money. But, it did not, in fact, solve all my life’s problems. After graduation, I had new problems, new ambitions, new insecurities and a yearning to go back to simpler days.
I don’t want to go full buddhist this early in the morning, but they got it right. This circle of -
desire → work → success → despair → desire
is not very fulfilling.
An MBA is not the solution to all of life’s problems. It is a career progression shortcut. Treat it like that- nothing more, nothing less. Be strategic. Don’t blindly chase a particular program. Think of the the life that comes after the MBA program- that is the entire purpose of doing an MBA.
Our first read for this month is about preparing for an uncertain future after the MBA program is over. Our second read is about setting yourself apart from other candidates.
Let’s dive in 🤿
Notable Upcoming Deadlines
How Do I Prepare for a Job that Doesn’t Exist?
For most of us, an MBA is about securing THE job. Of course the academics are stimulating and the socializing is unmatched – but for us Indians, the "kitna deti hai” question is always at the forefront of our decision making process. But what happens if your job doesn’t even exist yet? With tech changing the landscape of employment so fast – not to mention major disruptors like pandemics and climate crises – the future of the job market is unknown even to the pundits.
When you’re sinking a huge amount of money, effort and time into a decision – it is only natural to want to be certain of your outcome. While we might not have all the facts in hand, we can still utilize our time to best prepare for our own uncharted path.
Learn New Things
Consider swapping more traditional MBA activities with hands-on opportunities that are included in your student fees. This could mean free coding lessons at the library, completing dual degree programs from other disciplines like CompSci or Analytics, or studying emerging fields in classes offered by other colleges.
The objective behind learning CompSci isn’t to be an expert coder alongside being an MBA student. However, these skills will just ensure that you have a breadth of knowledge and can communicate confidently with others in your cohort or workplace about your data needs.
Build a Personal Brand
There is no secret list of SEO-approved keywords for jobs. Rather than relying on buzzy job titles, try to keep your networking conversations such that they frame your core competencies and interests. This is especially helpful when you’re unsure which department or role at a certain organization matches your skills.
Keep your language open at first and then more tailored as the conversation progresses. Don’t prematurely box yourself into outdated roles or things that you were doing in the past. Framing your personal brand in terms of essential MBA competencies, as opposed to role will never let you down.
Ask Better Questions
At coffee chats or networking events, move away from trying to force fit into the company today. Focus instead on the future – the growth trajectory and goals of an organization. Rather than asking for the hundredth time, “What types of personalities succeed in your organization?” try “What are you working on that excites you?” or “What’s a big challenge you foresee”. These are likely to expose you to dynamics, upcoming changes, or opportunities that you wouldn’t otherwise be aware of. Once you know where a firm is headed, you can better communicate your competencies that match their future needs – aka convince them that you are the answer to their prayers.
Collect the Clues
Put those insta stalking skills to good use – and pay attention to what information an organization releases across its channels. This gives you insight into their growth goals and associated hiring needs.
Start with the organization website. Look at their quarterly earnings reports; the things they are highlighting or boasting about in their roundups. Find the investor report pages that have the nicest design. These are the things that contain what the company wants to be known for and what they are likely investing in for the future. Same goes for linkedin and industry news sites – follow the money!
For many MBA students, strategy consulting, finance, and general management will remain the old faithfuls. For those of us who are interested in emerging roles – product management, innovation consulting, or business analytics – learning how to predict trends and capture opportunities in the future is a vital skill.
Oh you like travelling? Cool, so does everyone else
Do you like to read, cook and travel? Did you organise a fest in college? So did everyone else applying to your dream school. In a competitive applicant pool where everyone is fighting to stand out, unique extracurriculars are an easy way to make your app memorable and give proof of your well-rounded personality.
What you do in your free time (however little of it you might have of it) is as interesting to the admissions committee as what you do at the office, because it tells them the kind of student and alum you’ll be.
Top business schools are intense and fast-paced, and are on the hunt for people who are ahead of the curve; progressing at a faster pace than their peers. But it’s not just about wanting to be successful in the business world. B schools can be very culture-heavy places, where being mission-driven is prioritized, so they want those who are looking to create a positive change in the world. What motivates you and gets you up in the morning aka your burning desire to save the Amazon rainforest or your need to better the lives of K-12 kids in rural India – these are the things you can showcase in your additional information section.
Your extracurricular section is an opportunity to showcase leadership, collaboration, initiative, and passion for a cause. It’s also about your commitment to, and involvement in, the communities to which you belong.
This is especially true for some of the more common career track profiles, such as consulting and finance. As an analyst at a top consulting firm, the adcomm knows that you've not had the opportunity to lead a project. But if you serve on the board of your local NGO (and have done so for many years), or if you lead the company’s annual CSR event, you have a shot at setting yourself apart.
Make sure to:
Quantify:
If you helped organize volunteers, how many people were there? If you support a yearly fundraising event, how many people attend, and how much does it raise annually? For example, the concise description, “Serve on the gala planning committee; assist Executive Board with the planning and execution of an annual event raising $300K+ each year,” is more powerful than, “Assist with planning the annual gala.”
Qualify:
The key is to succinctly describe your unique contribution, learnings, and impact from your experience —especially if you are describing a more common thing like serving as Fest Secretary at your college. As long as you can show added value and prolonged engagement the actual thing doesn’t matter.
Demonstrate impact:
Some activities carry more weight than others, but often it’s about the positioning. Explain to the admissions committee why what you did is important. If you are a self-taught coder, don’t say “Completed Intro to Python on Coursera” but instead consider “1st place winner at 3 hackathons 2020-2021, totaling $15,000 in prizes.”
Get specific:
The devil is in the details. Carve out your niche by getting really specific about what you do in these organizations or activities. Is there a specific child you worked with who captured your heart? Was a particular marathon that you ran especially challenging? Why? Be prepared to share details.
Show range:
Schools look to see a variety of characteristics in an applicant’s profile, by professional experience, personal interests or extracurricular activities. It’s about engagement —demonstrating your own unique skillset to make a difference in the community, whether that’s at a local, regional, national or international level.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your activities or interests are too boring. Even the most mundane of activities can be spun to give the admissions committee insight into the kind of person and leader you are.
What are we reading at Base Camp?
Opinion- Succession nailed the unreal way we live now
Sure it seems to be everywhere but AI is expensive- upto $16 for a query 😵💫
Is Apple’s weird headset the future?
Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter- Base Camp.
If you liked this newsletter, share it with your people. If you didn’t like it, reply and tell me why so we can make it better. If you are targeting Tier 1 MBA/Masters programs and need some advice, feel free to schedule a call 👋
See you next month!