A common mistake that many applicants make is that they don’t focus on their positioning. This is also something that many counsellors overlook.
A very strong candidate, who is in every way the ideal student for a program, can receive a rejection if their application does not focus on what makes them different from others.
This is exactly what happened with one of my clients when he first applied for an MBA.
He was working at McKinsey & Co., a top consulting firm, and had carried out many interesting projects. For instance, he created a technological phishing net for a government project aiming to reduce terrorism. Here, he bridged the gap between the public and private sectors and aided communication between these vastly different bodies.
This is obviously not an experience that most have. However, he had only written a sentence or two about this.
Perhaps, this is because even he did not fully comprehend the value of his contribution to the project. When he told us about his involvement in the project, it was us who made him understand how his subtle leadership ensured the success of the project.
While reapplying, we picked out different instances from this example to showcase his interpersonal strengths. We also highlighted examples that showed his strengths across the six pillars that MBA programs look for (leadership, teamwork, analytical skills, social responsibility, ethical decision-making, and diversity).
This focused application that highlighted his most unique experiences and set him apart from his peers got him admission to Wharton.
So clearly, positioning is key. Have you thought about yours?
Contact us to learn more about how you can leverage your experiences to distinguish yourself from the competition.
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