Five Tips to Craft Your Resume for MBA Admissions

Crafting a compelling resume is the most crucial part which one has to pay attention to during their MBA admission journey. A resume is the bearer of your individuality and tries to convey to the admissions committee regarding your suitability/eligibility for the MBA program. However, the Adcom members overview the resume in less than 60 seconds. They are well seasoned to determine which resumes are of good caliber and which ones are merely copied versions. The adcom will know to look out for specific factors while examining a resume. Therefore it is necessary to pay adequate attention to all aspects of the resume while drafting the same.

Generally, candidates spend a maximum of their time towards preparing for the GMAT exam and they end up neglecting to develop other aspects of their profile – SOP, LOR, Resume, Additional certifications etc. However, finally, they end up submitting their professional resumes the same ones which they use while looking for job opportunities. Sometimes, not investing in an MBA resume can cause adverse effects like receiving rejections from the universities you are applying to for admissions. So in this article, we share some of the significant components which are required to craft a resume which ultimately makes your profile stand out from the crowd.

1. Make it about the skills and abilities gained.

When you draft a Curriculum Vitae to apply for jobs at a non-profit organization, a private sector firm or with the government then you will have to indicate all your previous achievements which will prove your level of competencies to the employer. On the other hand, when you submit a CV for an MBA application it will have to establish your academic prowess and your achievements in the field as well. These will certainly influence the adcom and give them a clear idea about your skills and proficiencies. The members of the admissions committee have to be aware of your abilities so that they will know if you are qualified enough to pursue an MBA at their university. This will not be possible if you have a resume which simply states your results and accomplishments. You could talk about how you developed and learned specific characteristics while working on projects assigned to you. Talking about your interactions with people will demonstrate your capabilities to work in a team and the knowledge you have gained as well.

2. Focus on the results

The former explains what you did, and the latter tells the reader why he must care. Like our instance bullet point above, bullet points so frequently leave the reader questioning, So what? , What impact did you have? This question must be, above all, answered by every curriculum vitae bullet. To assess if this hurdle is cleared, you can try adding the words resulting in, to every other bullet point. Quantifying your results also forms a vital part of creating your resume since the admissions committee will be interested in getting to know about how you had performed in your previous roles. It will showcase your problem solving, analytical skills, teamwork, and management skills. These characteristics will tell them if you were competent enough to be in charge of a team and how you handled the responsibility as well. The adcom will look to admit candidates with such specific skill sets since they would be better suited for managerial programs in comparison to candidates who have failed to mention the above key factors.

3. Specify enough details about your achievements

You can specify actual numbers which depict your achievements at work instead of using vague terms. You can include the exact percentage by which you reduced costs for the company, mention the number of people who were under your direct supervision for a project, completed interviews with about 100 individuals before establishing findings for a presentation, conducted training sessions for over 200 new hires etc. When you mention such metrics on your resume it makes it much more compelling. It could help project your analytical skills as well in the process. This is another essential trait which is bound to impress the adcom members since they believe such candidates will be able to adapt to the management program in a better manner.

4. Must support your persona

The information you mentioned in the resume must be authentic and match your persona. Don’t mention jargon of words while describing yourself and your work experience. There shouldn’t be any unrealistic version of yourself which you would have created just to impress the adcom members. You can highlight all your strengths and portray them accordingly without exaggerating any of your achievements. It is imperative that you don’t lie on your resume or give any false details. In the event that you are caught it could lead to negative consequences including rejection of your profile by the universities of your preference.

5. Use business language

Do not under any circumstance use slangs or jargons while you are writing your resume. It will reflect very poorly with the adcom members if you have resorted to using such terminologies. You must always use universally understood business language and clear descriptions when describing your achievements. Remember that the individuals reading your resume may not be from your field so it is best to refrain from using business jargons which they may not understand. Additionally, do not use words like may, might etc which might make you come across as unsure. Ensure that you are not repeating any achievements or descriptions about a job which you have already elaborated on in your SOP (Statement of Purpose). Do not use any different font styles other than prescribed ones. You should maintain a standard font size as well instead of selecting random ones as per your choice.

6. Restrict your Resume to one single page

The admissions committee will receive thousands of applications which they have to review before they proceed to select the shortlisted candidates. Therefore it is prudent to keep this in mind and keep your resume to one single page instead of several pages. You will have to keep the content of your resume crisp and to the point. This will also assist you to prioritize your accomplishments and form a clear structured version as well. Even though it has only one page it can still be a powerful one and create an impact with the person reading it. You can also opt to read other candidates resumes which will help you gain an idea about how to frame yours as well.

7. Proofread!

It can’t be stressed how important it is to proofread the entire resume. You may have overlooked some important/significant details or missed out on punctuations. Even though it may seem trivial proofreading will certainly assist you in correcting any errors which you may have either grammatically, spelling wise, formatting wise etc. You could also gain help from a friend or a professor who may be able to proofread on your behalf and help you identify where you have gone wrong with your resume.

The above points will aid you immensely when you are preparing your resume. Do keep in mind that if you are shortlisted for an interview it is your resume which will take center stage and you would have to talk about all the details which you have mentioned on it. As already mentioned it is therefore absolutely necessary that you have a strong resume.

BYJU’S will be glad to help you in your GMAT preparation journey. You can ask for any assistance related to GMAT and MBA from us by calling at 088845 44444, or you can write to us at gmat@byjus.com.

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