An MBA resume is very different from a professional resume; it is also the first element of your application an admission officer will read. It’s important to give a good first impression and make your mark!
During this webinar, Loubna Bouamane will talk about the key elements that need to be highlighted in your resume: academic and professional achievements, extracurricular activities, certifications, and hobbies. You will learn how to maximize space while highlighting the impact you’ve had as well as your leadership and analytical skills.
Dr. Bouamane is a former director of MBA admissions and the founder of the Admission Concierge, a boutique MBA admission consulting service. She has over 15 years of higher-ed experience and has coached hundreds of applicants through the MBA application process.
Watch this insightful webinar to learn useful tips and mistakes you should avoid while writing your resume.
Why is your resume important?
The resume is the most important point of contact between an applicant and an admissions officer. What you put in your resume may very well determine whether they will review the rest of your application, or move on to the next candidate. Loubna pointed out four things that you can convey through your resume.
Firstly, you can highlight your leadership skills and potential. As an MBA candidate, no one expects you to have 15 years of management experience, but the admissions committee wants to see candidates who have the capacity to be successful leaders, according to Loubna.
Your resume is also a way to highlight your analytical skills. It will showcase your ability to use your quantitative skills and how successful you were at solving complex problems.
The third thing your resume can display is the impact you’ve had. And in order to show that impact, everything has to be quantified. According to Loubna, this is the main difference between a professional resume and an MBA resume.
Another important element your resume can highlight is your ability to give back. This is one of the main qualities that admissions officers are looking for – people who will be investing in the program and the university. They are looking for someone who’s going to be involved in the classroom and will help enrich the atmosphere by actively participating and also stay engaged with the school after they graduate.
What is the difference between an MBA and Professional Resume?
Both types of resumes have similar elements. The difference is the way you present that information. Both resumes have your contact information and an introduction. But while the professional resume focuses on your area of expertise, an MBA resume should catch the essence of who you are and what your ambitions are.
Another difference that Loubna highlights, is the use of technical terms. While a professional resume is usually aimed at a specific position and technical jargon looks good, you should avoid that for your MBA resume since that could make it less accessible to the admissions committee.
Tips to follow and pitfalls to avoid
Loubna thoroughly outlines all the ways you can take your resume past the seeding round. Carefully crafting your extracurricular activities section is one of the tips she points out as a great way to shed light on your interests and personality. After that, she shares her expert opinion on some of the biggest mistakes you can make that are a certain resume killer (besides bad grammar).
If you want to find out more about the dos and don’ts of crafting a winning MBA resume, watch the full webinar here. Admission Concierge is also offering a free consultation or profile assessment here.
