“When should I go to Business School?”

by

Timing is everything and this is true as well when you think about when the optimal time to go to business school. Most people go after having 2-8 years of experience.

If you work in consulting, anytime between 3-5 years is optimal. If you work in corporate, it really depends on your experience and how well you can build a good case for your readiness for school. The average years of experience for top schools are around 5 years for all students (3-4 years for consulting or banking folks and 6-7 years for corporate folks). ...  read more

Should I go to Business School?

by

It is not a simple answer. It depends on where you are in your career and what you hope to achieve with a business school degree. Business school is a huge investment of time and money and your reason for going should be more than just all my friends are applying or have a MBA (although I know plenty of people who went for that exact reason). ...  read more

Business School Advice

by

A friend visited me today and said he is applying to business school. I told him I would be glad to give him some advice if he needs it. This made me realize that I actually have a lot to say on the topic of business school.

  • Should I go to business school?
  • When is a good time to go?
  • Where should you apply to?
  • Checklist / Timeline for completing business school applications
  • GMAT 101
  • How to build your brand and present your story in applications?
  • Recommendations – who to ask and how to make sure you get good ones
  • and Finally, how to decide if you have multiple acceptances

I graduated from Wharton in 2001 and got plenty of invaluable help from friends and mentors in my application process. I have also written recommendations for colleagues and reviewed numerous essays for others since graduation. It’s a pleasure to help others who is considering this important step in their career. So look out for more posts on this topic ...  read more

Survival is the Name of the Game

by

Everyone seems to know someone who is unemployed or just got laid off these days. While I don’t want you to give up on the dream of your dream job, a health dose of realism needs to set in right now. It’s all about survival in this market. It’s a buyer’s market. Employer can have their pickings today of talent out there as some of the most talented people (like you) are out of work today. ...  read more

One Step at a Time

by

I am also not immune to have doubts once in awhile, despite my own advice. It’s human I guess. As I look at my blog posts, I think is the tone too preachy? would it help anyone? does it sound practical? Initial doubts can then easily lead to de-motivation if I indulge on them – what if people think xyz? what if this is a waste of time? what if ….? ...  read more

Key Differentiators in Job Search

by

Last week, I saw on the news. “Unemployment is now at 8.5% and FedEx just laid off a 1000+ employees.” It’s easy to feel depressed or demotivated with news like that especially for anyone looking for a job.

Dwelling on those statistics will only make you doubt your ability to get that next job. For you, I say stop wasting time with things you cannot change. This can begin by stop watching depressing news, stop telling other people depressing stories about the job market, and stop letting other people tell you these stories. These news and stories will just unconsciously weigh negatively on your psyche. It is important especially in this tough market to hang in there, maintain a positive attitude, and keep your mind clear to focus on job search. This is what can separate you from the masses. ...  read more

Cafe Exercise: Dream Your Dream Job!

by

Job search does not have to be all work. It can be fun too. There are plenty of things you can do for your job search while sitting at a cafe drinking a hot latte. Here is one of them.

Cafe Exercise: Dream Your Dream Job
Part 1: Go to a nice cafe and get your favorite drink. For the next 30 minutes, just write down a list of things that you would want in your next dream job. It can be 3 pages long, the more detailed the better. Don’t worry about how you will get this job. Assume you will find a Genie who will grant you whatever job you want, and just brainstorm all the characteristics of that job. Here is a sample brainstorm list ...  read more