Were you one of the thousands of recent IT layoffs? Here are five helpful tips for IT employees who are thinking about applying for an MBA... within four to six weeks.
Since October of this year, over 60,000 tech workers have been laid off. Kellogg Northwestern stated in November 2022 that it will waive the GMAT and GRE tests for laid-off IT professionals. Other top business schools have followed suit in order to attract the market's flow of elite talent. For newly laid-off individuals, MIT Sloan and Berkeley Haas have extended round-two deadlines. Cornell Johnson is waiving the application cost and the application test. And, for its January 4th deadline, UCLA Anderson reduced the application procedure to just one essay question, as well as extensions for test scores and recommenders.
If your professional ambitions have been interrupted, business school has a lot of appeal as a great way to adjust. If you go to business school now and graduate in a year or two, you will have new experience and competence when employers start recruiting again. And if you're on the fence about applying to business school, take the challenge for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will boost your future career opportunities. If you are a "techy," now is the time to apply because many top MBA schools are rewarding you to submit your application as early as possible while simultaneously removing obstacles. It's difficult to prepare for and take the GMAT, write essays, and obtain strong letters of recommendation in four to six weeks. However, depending on where you apply, you may be able to take advantage of quicker applications, exam and cost exemptions, and other benefits. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
7 Tips for Engineers Pursuing an MBA
So, how can you prepare to submit a competitive, yet timely, round two application in four to six weeks? Here are five pointers for IT applicants considering an MBA:
Make your adaptability a selling point.
Given your circumstances as an IT layoff, schools will be understanding of a gap in your résumé. However, it is about using this time productively to generate value, which is compatible with who you are in a bigger picture. You may believe your achievements define who you are, but it is the challenges that build your character and spark your growth and transformation. The admissions committee looks for this. Search for behavioral characteristics that indicate your leadership potential. Describe how you took an initiative at work, for example, or responded to a need in your community.
2. Highlight your individuality
Many individuals have done extraordinary things, but consider beyond what you have done that is extraordinary. What distinguishes you from others with comparable (or identical) career backgrounds? If you're applying to a top MBA program, your exceptionality is a given, but if you're grabbing the time to apply now, you're doing so alongside many other individuals with a similar job title. The admissions committee will be searching for what makes you distinctive and what value you will bring to your future MBA class in order to create a diverse cohort. As a result, emphasise what makes you unique.
3. Highlight your transferrable skills
Many engineering applicants may face the problem that their past work experience and job title may not be immediately applicable to the MBA classroom. Furthermore, many engineers are considering a career change. As a result, you must move outside of your specific function and develop a broader picture of your job-related abilities and qualities. Consider the transferrable qualities you've acquired, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and presenting abilities. Think about the patterns of behavior that show up in your work and how they show up in your involvement in the community, the roles you played, and how you helped.
4. Demonstrate a logical professional path
The benefit of working in the technology business is that there is a lot more movement than in other areas such as consulting or banking. Furthermore, the admissions office will be familiar with a higher level of mobility within your industry. What matters most is that the career story you convey is coherent. You'll want to show that you've had the time and chance to take ownership of a project and see it through, so you're not seen as a "hired gun" who has worked for many different companies. Concentrate on the impact you've made and get to it as soon as possible. Go beyond what you did and talk about what you learned from your experiences. You should also be able to show how what you've learned will help you in the MBA classroom.
5. Prepare your recommenders
Your recommenders may be experienced experts, but don't assume they'll understand exactly what's required of them. Make them happy by guiding them through the process. In order to address specific situations and your contributions, emphasize the value of depth, specifics, and stories. You don't want to instruct them what to write since you want your recommender's voice and genuineness to shine through. However, prepare your recommender by describing your goals and how business school would help you achieve them. And, with the holidays approaching, it's critical to interact with them early and frequently to ensure your letters are ready by the deadline.
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In closing, you are more than your job, and the MBA Admissions staff is far more interested in your unique skills, how you make decisions, and what inspires and drives you than your recent layoff.