Nafeez has a diverse background and over 15 years of experience as a GMAT, GRE, SAT, and ACT instructor – with many of his counselees having matriculated to the top programs in the world.
Nafeez has also co-authored several of Sherpa Prep’s textbooks and has helped develop their app. Sherpa Prep specializes in GRE and GMAT preparation and graduate school admissions services, particularly for MBA programs. Their mission is to increase access to opportunity, helping students from all backgrounds tell their stories memorably and with authenticity.
What is the key to creating a successful MBA CV?
Is it possible to reveal the key to creating a successful MBA resume in one word? Certainly! Differentiation! Though prospective students are free to use online templates to craft their resumes, bland and cut-and-paste CVs are not a good idea.
According to Nafeez, any applicant should make sure their experience and education stand out. One of the main ways to achieve this goal is by becoming an engaging storyteller – a storyteller who knows how to make their CVs come alive, with authenticity and compassion and contextualized achievements.
Nafeez notes that MBA CVs are fundamentally different from industry resumes. Why? Simply, the audience is different! While employers often use KPIs to ensure that applicants would provide value to the company, admissions committees do not hire prospective students for specific tasks or for their knowledge of specific programming languages. Rather, they care about the qualities that make YOU special, envisioning your cultural fit within their program and your contributions to your cohort.
What makes an MBA CV stand out?
For Nafeez, there are a few main aspects to consider when creating an MBA resume. As mentioned above, being an articulated storyteller is crucial. Most MBA admissions teams are trying to figure out who you are. Thus, make your personality shine. List actual accomplishments instead of vain, almost random bullet points. And be specific! Talk about what you’ve done in particular contexts, and why it matters. And don’t be shy to quantify your accomplishments. Including real milestones and figures can be beneficial.
That said, show your human side as well. Nafeez recommends including volunteer experiences and pastimes. Be not afraid of showing vulnerabilities or revealing opportunities for personal growth. After all, schools aim to make students better human beings.
Most of all, to create an outstanding MBA CV, you should use clean formatting and align your CV with your letters of recommendation and application essays. According to Nafeez, this holistic approach will show the admissions committee that you are a real person who has taken the time to prepare seriously for the entire application process.
Can an MBA CV show you in a bad light?
For Nafeez, an MBA CV that is poorly formatted is a terrible no-no and easily correctable. Therefore, always check for spelling and grammatical errors and make sure that your document is easy to read.
Also, avoid being generic. Do not forget that MBA admissions teams are always trying to understand you as a person. Imagine your MBA resume as a chessboard – your creative and witty chance to beat the other players! In an applicant pool replete with individuals possessing similar university results and job titles, emphasize what makes you unique.
It is certainly possible to do so. Because, as Nafeez says, you’re already a unique human being!
If you want to learn more about MBA CVs, join Nafeez’s webinar and don’t miss your chance to get a USD 100 discount.
