What type of work experience helps MBA applicants?
Most of the respected MBA Degree qualifications undoubtedly will require some working experience as part of its admission requirements. However, how many years do you need? In short, this is usually ±3-5 years, of which ±2 should be in a supervisory or managerial capacity. When putting together an application for an MBA programme, you will typically need to outline some kind of professional experience obtained on the job through either part or full-time work. However, volunteer positions and internship experience can also count in your favour.
Why do applicants need to have work experience first?
Professional know-how and having to be a part of a work team can often go hand-in-hand with leadership experience or potential, which is also important to many business schools. This is the best way for future leaders, entrepreneurs and global business moguls to be created. Any educational institution works hard to provide applicants with this gateway to an extremely successful career.
Many institutions have also come to find that applicants who have professional experience will not only better understand the material they’re studying but will also be able to thrive in class discussions by providing their own opinions and practical experience.
What’s the best pre-MBA work experience?
Usually, quality is better than quantity. This is because MBA students tend to come from a wide and diverse array of backgrounds. For example, an applicant with 5 years’ experience in professional finance stands as much chance to succeed as someone who has 3 years’ experience running a small yet successful family business or being a political leader in their community. There is no single or one specific employment profile to reference. You need to ensure that as a business enthusiast, your work experience is relating to business and leadership in some way. Focus on factors like:
• Your ability to work in a team environment
• Your leadership style and experience
• Communicating your ambitions and goals
• Achieving these ambitions and goals
• Having a well-rounded application
• Collecting strong recommendations
At the end of the day, you should find work experience in the field of business that you most love. Find ways to demonstrate these key leadership and commercial qualities and then incorporate them into your MBA Degree application. This is the best way to thrive academically and professionally in any MBA programme. Don’t hesitate to speak to one of our student advisors for more information!