Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg.
Sample One
When I first stepped foot on the African continent eight years ago, my life was forever changed. I initially went to Africa upon graduation from university to lead conservation projects. After 18 months leading surveys in Lake Tanganyika and dodging elephants in Tanzania, I returned to school for my Masters degree and upon graduating, secured a position with GreenWorld leading cross-cultural teams to establish new national park networks in Madagascar and Liberia. After 18 months at headquarters I wanted to be closer to the heart of conservation. I saw a gap for supporting programs in the field and successfully transferred my job to a field-based role where I led a strategic plan analyzing our impact across the African continent resulting in an eight-fold increase in funding. As a result, I was promoted to Senior Manager in 2007 and recently, promoted to Scientific Advisor managing our field programs across Africa and Eurasia and advising on emerging strategic priorities across the continent.
In my experience, the conservation industry draws scientists passionate about wildlife but often ill-equipped with the essential management skills critical to achieve their lofty goal of saving the planet. In Africa, poor management of conservation efforts leads to gross inefficiencies and a waste of precious financial and human resources. Sadly, passion alone is no longer enough to ensure the safety of this planet for us and for our children. I am pursuing a Kellogg MBA to gain the knowledge and tools I need to best effect change; my goal is to make radical changes in the effectiveness of conservation organizations across industry, ultimately pioneering a new approach to conservation.
Upon completing my Kellogg MBA, I plan to shift to the private sector working in the emerging CleanTech industry. One company I am targeting is a green consulting firm, Plan Blue, where I would serve as an Associate Consultant helping organizations reduce their environmental impact. In time, I strive to be among the emerging ranks of Chief Sustainability Officers, applying my scientific and managerial skills along with my acquired experience to bring about change in a major multinational company. In the long term, I plan to build my own nonprofit organization focusing on conserving African biodiversity.
Kellogg is the best place for me to embark upon transforming the conservation industry. This industry suffers from a dearth of managers who are competent and trained in business fundamentals. Moreover, one of the industry’s principal weaknesses is its inability to communicate and market the importance of this work to humanity. Kellogg is the best school in the world to gain these business foundations and to learn successful marketing strategies.
The Social Enterprise at Kellogg (SEEK) program will provide me with the content and contacts to secure a position in the burgeoning sustainability industry. Courses in Sustainable Strategy, Environmental Management and Sustainability, and Environmental Finance will strengthen my skill set, enabling me to convince companies and governments that incorporating sustainability into business models and political decisions is truly profitable for corporations, shareholders and local communities.
Outside the classroom, I would like to lead the Environmental Sustainability Business Club and Net Impact Club to build contacts in the CleanTech and sustainability sector. In this role, I hope to bring a CleanTech/Sustainability conference to Kellogg. On a lighter note, I am keen to organize an overseas rugby tour in the Kellogg Rugby Football Club fueling my passion for competition on the pitch.
The unique student-led initiatives, the unparalleled opportunities for pioneering new approaches to sustainability combined with the SEEK program and Kellogg’s collaborative learning environment make Kellogg the perfect place for me to achieve my goals of transforming the conservation sector.
Sample Two
I entered the financial analyst program at Citibank because it offered training and on the job experience that would allow me to develop the skills necessary to conduct financial analysis. During my time as an analyst I have worked on tax-exempt financings for city and state governments, worked on a $1.0 billion middle-market CLO platform, and managed a $10 billion portfolio of regulated utility company loans. These experiences have been all the more interesting and challenging as I have learned to assess and manage risk in an extraordinary economic environment. I have worked on restructurings for middle-market companies, witnessed the divestiture of my group’s CLO platform as a result of Citibank’s decreased appetite for structured credit products, and worked on the integration of the Citibank Utilities & Power portfolios. My experience in the financial services industry and my keen interest in internationalism are what drive my plan to pursue a career at a sovereign wealth fund. For me, a career at a sovereign wealth fund presents not only the opportunity to work in the exciting world of international finance, but also the opportunity to generate social and economic value for many peoples and countries of the world. I am accustomed to interacting with foreigners from my study abroad experiences and from the international student body at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown. While I have learned a great deal about finance from work experience, I lack the general management skills necessary to lead the multi-national teams of sovereign wealth funds. Also, I need to build an understanding of various industries and lines of business since these funds are pursuing increasingly diverse investments. An MBA is a critical step in helping me achieve this goal since the structured environment of an MBA will enable me to amass the necessary knowledge and skills more quickly than I could otherwise.
A Kellogg MBA will expose me to different ways of thinking and doing business. In this regard, the breadth and depth of experience among professors and fellow students will be invaluable. The first-year curriculum will provide me the background I desire in general management. My Kellogg MBA would be enhanced by my participation in the International Business and Markets Program. Through this program, I would build upon the principles learned in the core curriculum with electives like Cross Cultural Negotiation, International Business Strategy, and Global Initiatives in Management.
At Kellogg, I would gain the knowledge and analytical skills to answer some of the key questions that I will face throughout my career. What forces drive the global economy and business? How are businesses different across borders? How are they the same? Can any assumptions or generalizations be made? If so, to what extent are they valid? How do I gain credibility as a foreigner in business situations? Or in certain circumstances, how do I gain credibility as a female in business situations?
Kellogg is the ideal place for me to pursue an MBA because of its commitment to the global experience. The fact that the school has a Global Elective Requirement indicates that I will be joining a community of globally minded peers. Kellogg mirrors the professional environment I will seek, and I will be learning alongside the future leaders of global businesses that I would be interacting with after graduation. Kellogg’s diverse student body and commitment to the collaborative learning experience will enable me to expand my cultural, historical, political, and social knowledge. It would be an honor to contribute to and be a part of such a dynamic community.
Sample Three
Fresh out of undergraduate business school, I was ready to make my mark in financial services. I joined Hudsons, a clearing firm, in a rotational program to gain exposure to several business disciplines and learn the inner workings of a company. With my strong performance in each rotation, I convinced the firm to create a position for me in a newly established product development team for institutional clients. Embracing the challenges of managing these products and building the structure for the group, I quickly became one of the few subject matter experts on institutional business at Hudsons, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President at the age of 23. Soon after, a former colleague persuaded me to join the clearing division of Price Beemon (competitor to Hudsons) to ramp up its institutional product offering. Here, I led the analysis of possible solutions to enhance our products and also educated senior management on this business. The recent collapse of Price Beemon (and subsequent takeover by TH Price) gave me an upfront view of unprecedented events in financial history and taught me to work in stressful situations. For example, when a colleague left, I stepped up and learned the retail business to manage a suite of products related to mutual funds. With my success in rapidly learning and managing the intricacies of products catering to a different segment of the firm’s clients, I was promoted to Associate at TH Price.
In my product development experience, I learned to manage cross-functional teams, develop customized solutions and products, forge relationships with clients, and learn on the fly, all tangible skills I can apply to my future goals. Since childhood, I saw the satisfaction and joy my father attained through his pro-bono work as an attorney and this solidified in my mind the principle that service is the key to happiness. Thus, my deep desire to have a lasting impact on society was born. My long-term career goal is to launch a triple bottom-line social venture focused on sustainable tourism. I aspire to use this business as a vehicle for social change by educating people on the importance of sustainability, promoting economic development and providing insight into different cultures. To prepare myself to tackle social problems, my short-term goal is to work on strategic issues for companies across multiple industries in management consulting, for a firm such as Booz & Co. in its Strategy and Leadership practice. I see management consulting as a boot camp in problem-solving which will help me face the challenges of running a social venture. A Kellogg MBA is key to reaching this goal.
At Kellogg, I plan to major in Management and Strategy, SEEK, and Entrepreneurship. To achieve a position as an Associate at a management consulting firm, I will solidify my problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills through classes such as Empirical Methods in Strategy, Decision Analysis, and Business Strategy. Through the core classes and SEEK, I can obtain a well-rounded management education, prepping me to launch a social enterprise. Faculty such as Professor Rogers and the Social Entrepreneurship Lab will help me further my social venture plan. The Consulting Club’s close ties with major consulting firms will provide access to leaders in the industry through the Speaker Series and Lunch ‘N’ Learns. By participating in Neighborhood Business Initiative and Global Lab, I can hone my consulting skills and gain international experience. Also, Kellogg’s proximity to Chicago will provide easy contact to networks of social entrepreneurs. The collaborative approach, student-led culture, and tight knit community have affirmed that Kellogg is the ideal school for my personal and professional development.
Sample Four
Growing up, I watched my parents help build and run successful and not so successful small businesses. As a result, I directly observed the triumphs and failures of entrepreneurs. I also realized the power of capital to build and grow businesses. Based on these experiences and a desire to develop my analytical skills, I chose to study finance and joined an investment bank after graduation. As one of seven bankers in the Oil & Gas Group of USBank Group, I was actively involved in raising capital for and advising entrepreneurial clients in the energy sector. In early 2007, Carey Morgan, a former executive at one of our clients, offered me the opportunity to join him at TTA, an energy infrastructure private equity fund.
TTA offered an entrepreneurial and intimate team environment in which I could gain more in-depth transaction experience. The new position greatly expanded my network, and offered the opportunity to create long-term value after a transaction, compared to the short-term nature of investment banking. During my first year at TTA, I proactively sought more senior roles to expand my knowledge in the energy and private equity industries. As a result, I was promoted to Senior Associate in January 2008. The recognition of my hard work, initiative, and ability to succeed in unfamiliar situations was a watershed moment for me. I knew then that I wanted a career in private equity. It would offer me the excitement of structuring and negotiating transactions, the satisfaction of capital value creation, and the entrepreneurial zeal of ownership.
While my past learnings have been exciting, I have reached a plateau in my professional development. I am particularly interested in exploring different industries and other business functions such as strategy and operations. By gaining such breadth, I seek to “bridge the gap” between business operations and financial analysis in order to achieve my ultimate career goal of managing a middle-market private equity firm.
A Kellogg MBA will be the key next step; teaching me to collaborate with others to critically analyze all aspects of a business, craft unique solutions to complex issues, and ultimately, lead and motivate others to implement those solutions. Through the diverse experiences of Kellogg classmates and faculty, I will learn to solve problems from different viewpoints, which is critical to creating value. I look forward to debating David Stowell and Mitchell Petersen about how they would’ve structured my first private equity transaction differently and learning how a classmate solved a supply chain issue while at Toyota. Kellogg’s Core Curriculum will provide the holistic insight into the other facets of business that my current position does not expose me to. In addition, the Private Equity track will reinforce and expand my private equity acumen while exposing me to private equity transactions in diverse industries. I eagerly anticipate gaining more real-world experience in Buyout Lab by working with prominent private equity firms such as Sterling Partners and LaSalle Capital. I also hope to succeed in Kellogg’s Private Equity case competitions, combining my in-depth transaction experience with the strengths of my teammates. Most importantly, I will thrive in the collegial culture and camaraderie at Kellogg, which I attribute to the student body of engaged, personable, and diverse individuals. Finally, a Kellogg MBA will represent a professional “re-branding” and provide access to a worldwide network of mentors, peers, and collaborators.
Armed with a well-rounded business degree from Kellogg rich in cooperative leadership, analytical rigor, and strategic management, I will undoubtedly be prepared to deal with complex business issues encountered throughout my career in private equity.
Sample Five
By my senior year of college, the recruiting pitch on campus had reached a near frenzy. While my friends compared base salary against bonuses, I had my mind set on another goal, an MBA. Markon Consulting offered me the unique opportunity to develop business insights important for successfully pursuing a business degree. Therefore, I eagerly joined Markon Consulting as a Business Analyst in 2004.
After an initial exposure to Mergers and Acquisitions, I quickly found home in our Customer and Market Strategy practice. Using my analytical foundation, I learned how to create and analyze complex profitability models. With additional experience, I soon started managing quantitative work-streams, to identify margin enhancement opportunities due to ineffective pricing strategies or poor product placement. As I progressed through my career, I began delving in more qualitative business roles such as developing price execution processes and conducting executive-level client reviews. Simultaneously, our practice was undergoing a fundamental shift from small data-driven exercises to larger strategy-oriented projects and I found myself at the forefront of this change. I was part of Markon’s first product lifecycle management project and also a member of its first service parts pricing strategy team. These opportunities further broadened my skill set to include strategy development and project planning, leading to my promotion to a Consultant.
Through my varied industry experiences at Markon, I cultivated my passion for solving complex business issues and providing impactful solutions, which reinforces my desire to continue to pursue my career in Consulting. My short term goal is to join Markon Consulting in Europe to further refine my consulting resource management skills. To this end, Kellogg’s Marketing program provides me the opportunity to expand my knowledge beyond my expertise in price and product management. At Kellogg, classes such as Consumer Behavior provide cognitive insights to predict customer choice while Customer Relations teaches the use of statistical models in customer retention strategies. Through this diverse academic exposure, I will develop a holistic sense of marketing strategies used by international businesses while refining the ability to derive business solutions from quantitative data, which is a motivating factor for pursuing an MBA at Kellogg.
A global perspective is the cornerstone of my long term career plan of starting a marketing consulting firm in India that caters to both multinational and Indian businesses serving the burgeoning Indian consumer goods market. Currently, many multinationals attempt to refine their global strategies to meet local market conditions but fail in the cost-competitive, government-policy driven Indian market. Alternatively, many Indian businesses do not successfully incorporate leading marketing strategies such as value based pricing and brand awareness because they lack a global perspective. I envision filling this gap by starting a marketing consulting firm that converges the global leading practices with local market knowledge to provide businesses with a definitive market strategy.
To successfully achieve my long term goal, Kellogg will provide me with a unique mix of academic rigor and global hands-on experience, which is another reason why I chose Kellogg. I am deeply interested in Kellogg’s Entrepreneurial and Innovation Program as it will help me learn the building blocks of starting a new business. I am additionally attracted to the multiple global learning opportunities such as KWEST social trips, global economic knowledge provided by Global Initiatives in Management, hands-on international projects through the Global Lab.
Kellogg’s diverse student body is another motivating factor to earn my MBA at Northwestern. At a case-study discussion during my school visit to Kellogg, I was impressed by the multi-faceted nature of student opinions derived from investment banking to consulting experiences. Kellogg’s culturally diverse, student-led and collaborative learning environment will present me with multiple leadership and personal development opportunities. I selectively chose Kellogg because it provides me the ability to tailor my graduate school experience enabling me to achieve my short term and long term goals, while also enhancing my personal growth.
Sample Six
My passion for real estate development surfaced after graduating from college while I was working in commercial banking. In this position, I developed core skills in financial analysis and customer relations while exploring potential careers. This overview served as a catalyst for my industry switch as I discovered then that real estate would allow me to have a direct, tangible impact on my community. I began networking and soon was offered the unique opportunity to join a prestigious Project Manager training program with a national homebuilder.
From the beginning, the program covered the full scope of real estate development. I rotated through several areas, with significant exposure in land acquisition and development, sales, marketing, construction and accounting. I consistently completed each rotation with distinction, demonstrating my ability to lead others, multi-task, and remain poised in stressful situations. Because of my performance and ability to grasp multiple disciplines, I was promoted and became one of the youngest Project Managers at the age of 24.
As a Project Manager, I essentially operate as the CEO of my own venture with the backing of one of America’s largest homebuilders. Initially, this position was challenging with its steep learning curve, rigorous work schedule and high level of responsibility. I quickly adapted to the new role proving that I can operate a project profitably as well as launch a new project successfully. Like many startup CEOs, I have had to improvise and self-teach along the way. Being responsible for the entire operation has thrust me into unfamiliar situations, where I have used my instincts and creativity to formulate a solution. Consequently, I was excited to learn about the nationally-recognized Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program. While speaking to a current student, he emphasized how the Levy Institute was ideal for my career plans and the real life experiences available through its summer internship program. Through the exposure to future entrepreneurs and its coursework, I believe the program will nurture my entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen my capacity to lead a new venture.
My project management experience has both affirmed my belief that I want to continue in this industry and assisted in clarifying my career vision. After I earn my MBA, I plan to work for a real estate investment trust (REIT) as a development manager in commercial real estate and broaden my exposure to other areas of real estate finance including market research, terms negotiation and transaction structuring. Along with an MBA, this position will allow me to build upon my experiences to fully realize my dreams and effectively pursue my long term career goal of launching a multi-faceted development firm in the Midwest.
Having identified my goals, Kellogg is clearly the program that will complement my operational background and facilitate my transition to a REIT. I plan on majoring in Real Estate Management and look forward to the benefits of the small class sizes, in which the curriculum will fine-tune my current managerial skills and introduce new strategic problem solving methods. The coursework and projects will educate me in new finance techniques, as well as how to evaluate market risk, economics and industry trends. In addition, Kellogg’s reputation as an unsurpassed marketing program will provide exposure to numerous marketing practices, expanding my ability to market my future firm’s projects and better brand myself. Outside of the scholastic opportunities, the proximity to the city and the access to real estate professionals in Chicago will allow me to leverage their expertise and experiences to jump start my own career vision.
On my recent campus visit, I was impressed by Kellogg’s strong sense of community and found it to be a great cultural fit. All of the alumni and current students I spoke with reinforced the idea that Kellogg is the best program for me. They spoke about how active the Real Estate Group is, and the many opportunities to interact with other students interested in pursuing similar careers. The Executive Speaker Series is of particular interest with the valuable exposure it provides to successful real estate executives. Moreover, a recent alumnus and I discussed the atmosphere at Kellogg and how the collaborative nature of the student body, along with the class offerings, is a natural fit for the type of institution I seek to become a more well-rounded individual.
Through my Project Manager position, I have proven that I can persevere through both strong and weak markets. My unique experiences in real estate operations and management will allow me to bring a fresh perspective to the student body, and I look forward to contributing as a leader inside and outside of the classroom.
Sample Seven
After several years of being a Wireline Field Engineer, I am at a crossroads where I will start to define the future of my career. I envision becoming the Vice President of Strategic Marketing at a technical firm. Unlike most of my fellow engineers, I plan to merge my technical background with a marketing education to put myself in a position where I can be successful in such a career.
Over the past two years I have had an incredibly rewarding experience with Matrix’s Oilfield Services. During recruitment, I was awed by the opportunity to live abroad and the non-conventional work schedule of a field engineer. Then there was the first day of training when I realized just how difficult this job is. To sum up my experiences, I’ve worked in four countries on three different continents performing high-profile explosive and radioactive operations for state-owned and major international clients. I’ve been placed in situations with subordinates who lack English skills, and I have come through feeling accomplished and confident. I have developed a strong work ethic through six-week stints on offshore drilling rigs while sometimes working forty consecutive hours under pressure. Now, if something needs to be corrected or management needs something done right, I’m the one they choose to send to do their bidding. A challenge around the corner is something I long for.
While I’m happy in my current role, I know it’s not the long-term career path I envision. I love the challenge of problem solving, and I thrive in an international role, but the position lacks what most engineering jobs lack and the one thing I’m most passionate about: personal interaction. While solving a complex engineering problem can provide great pleasure, it is no match for the satisfaction I derive through teamwork. Similarly, I have always enjoyed coaching others--whether it is by conducting mock interviews with students at the high school where I volunteer or teaching a new engineer nuclear theory at a wellsite. The idea of taking a complicated concept and packaging it in such a way that a client clearly understands the benefits is highly appealing. A strategic marketing position in the high-tech sector that combines my technical background and my interpersonal skills to explain and package the technology is a home run.
The missing link that is preventing me from obtaining this goal is a strong business background. All things considered, I do not see a career path leading to a strategic marketing position unless I take the initiative to gain further business knowledge. My motivation for choosing Kellogg is two-pronged. First, Kellogg has a top-notch marketing program, bar none. Second, the camaraderie I felt during my campus visit and the approachable, “go-getter” attitude of the students is in line with my personality. I know this is a place where I can make a difference!
I understand that a position like Vice President of Strategic Marketing requires a great deal of work. I embrace the challenge and look forward to a career which combines my professional skills and my enjoyment in working with others. However, for the near future, I look forward to an MBA program with exposure to the brightest teachers and young professionals from different business sectors across the globe. Learning to solve business problems, not just technical ones, is the next critical step on my way to a career in which I will thrive for years to come.
Sample Eight
My interest in software technology lies in both strategy and results. By strategy, I mean the day-to-day design, brainstorming, and teamwork required to produce an attractive and effective product. By results, I mean the significant impact the software will have on its users. As a software vendor, I am invigorated by the idea that a key decision on a product or service can have far reaching implications on an entire organization. It is for this reason that my long term goal is to become a Vice President of Product Management, steering the course for an entire product line at a mid-size enterprise software company. Obtaining this position at a mid-size software firm will allow me to have a greater impact on the direction of the company. In this role, I would ultimately be responsible for managing the product’s life cycle, ensuring a return on investment, and providing a high value to the business consumer.
I started my career at Hammond International as a software developer in 2002 because I wanted to gain exposure to product development. Joining a small division of 40 people allowed me to have a greater voice in key decisions. I established myself as one of the lead developers within the organization. Because of this reputation, I was asked by one of Hammond International’s most important investment banking clients to travel to London to lead a product launch. Because of my efforts, we closed a deal generating close to $1M in revenue. In 2005, I transferred to the Professional Services team in order to gain experience on the client services and pre-sales side of the company. I successfully managed the implementation of Hammond International’s first corporate client in Berlin and was promoted to become the youngest Senior Business Analyst at Hammond International. I have since managed numerous implementations and played a focal role in the pre-sales process.
Working at Hammond International has provided me with product development and client services experience; however, my goal to lead product management necessitates that I diversify my experience and gain a broader insight into the software industry. I cannot achieve this if I continue on at Hammond International. After completing my MBA from Kellogg, my short term career goal is to gain this insight by working in a product management role at a larger, more diversified software company. By working at a company of about 10,000 people, I will be exposed to a multitude of different business and product development strategies. Securing a role at a prestigious software company will provide me with first-hand access to the innovation think tanks that exist within these organizations. I will then use the expertise and contacts I gain in this capacity to one day develop and apply my own strategy at a mid-size enterprise software company.
I believe that working in product management requires a clear understanding of the product development process, the ability to multi-task, the know-how to survive in pressure situations at client sites, and the willingness to take calculated risks. Throughout my four years at Hammond International, I have played both a leading role in designing and developing our flagship product as well as managing multi-million dollar global implementations in the demanding financial services sector. I believe that my experience in supervising product development and client relationships in combination with an MBA from Kellogg will place me at an ideal vantage point to obtain a lucrative product management function at a larger software corporation.
A Kellogg MBA is critical to understanding the implications that a weak business model will have on a technology product’s potential. An MBA from Kellogg will provide me with both a core set of financial skills as well as the tools required to assess a business’s strategy and organizational techniques. I will be able to analyze how other companies have applied technology to meet their needs and study cases where the introduction of a vendor’s product both failed and succeeded. In addition, I will use my time at Kellogg to study various management techniques, gaining a clear understanding of what it takes to promote incentive and effectively manage a team. Finally, I will be exposed to numerous marketing practices, gaining the proficiency needed to convincingly evangelize a new product to potential clients.
There are many reasons why Kellogg is my top choice. My good friend who attended Kellogg spoke at length about the highly collaborative environment within the Kellogg MBA program. In addition, she has remarked on how the smaller class sizes foster better interaction with both the professor and fellow students. Because of Kellogg’s small, diverse class sizes and its strong focus on team projects, I will be exposed to the viewpoints of students from significantly different backgrounds in a work intensive environment. Given the increasing globalization of today’s markets, the diverse student body, comprised of around 30% international students, will lend a real-world atmosphere during my time at Kellogg.
The multitude of different courses at Kellogg will allow me to fine-tune my intended majors, Technology Industry Management and Marketing, to meet my needs. Courses like Technology Marketing and Innovation Process Management will provide me with a clear understanding of managing the product life cycle and innovation through group interaction and case studies. Kellogg’s many extra-curricular opportunities will offer valuable exposure to viewpoints outside the classroom. From speaking with alumni, I have heard that a great way to gain valuable experience is by helping to plan a conference. I hope to gain this experience by helping to run the Kellogg Technology Conference. I also plan on joining the Kellogg High Tech club in order to gain access to forward-thinking guest lecturers as well as to develop a strong network of fellow technologists. Finally, I plan on participating in the Global Initiatives in Management program. Working with others to shape the course syllabus and spending two weeks in a foreign country analyzing a business will be a challenging and unique experience.
Guiding a software company’s line of services will require the ability to foster client relationships, key ideas, and product development strategies. My experiences to date have put me on the track to acquiring this skill set. However, continuing on at Hammond International will push my goals further out of scope. An MBA from Kellogg at this time in my career will greatly increase my business acumen, vault me into product management, and bring me one step closer to fulfilling my end goal.
Sample Nine
After graduating Berkeley with a Computer Science degree, I ventured overseas to Paris, France to gain international experience and build a complimentary, qualitative skill set. By day, I perfected my French, translated marketing materials, and analyzed foreign competitors at Technocom, an international IT consulting firm. By night, I lost myself within the immaculate aisles of Le Bon Marche luxury department store, impressed with their sparkling visual presentation and merchandising. This experience sparked my passion for marketing luxury goods and led me to my current position at Robert Smith Associates (RSA).
Upon returning to the US to be closer to my family, I chose a position as merchandising technology consultant at RSA because it would be an ideal way to leverage my technology background while positioning myself for a career in retail. The firm’s values aligned with my values, providing a team-oriented environment, collegial community, and a vehicle to drive positive change. By leading large-scale systems implementations, testing, and training efforts, I built expertise in retail systems, worked in dynamic cross-functional teams, and applied my problem-solving skills to challenging issues.
One of my early assignments was to implement a new warehouse management system at a large specialty retailer. I made special efforts to connect face-to-face with the associates at the immense distribution center, understanding firsthand their specific business needs. While providing support to the associates testing the new system my team implemented, I surfaced system issues quickly and relayed them to the remote IT and software team. My facilitation of open and timely communication amongst these diverse groups enabled a successful and smooth implementation. Due to my strengths of understanding each client’s pain points, facilitating collaboration and managing expectations, I was promoted to senior consultant in less than two years and earned roles within more strategic, high impact projects.
Recently, I led a three person team at a luxury department store with perpetually declining sales to evaluate the effectiveness of its buying, planning, and allocation techniques and tools. In preparing my recommendations, I considered all of the issues this company faced. How will these strategic initiatives affect its target consumer? What financial analysis was needed to understand the costs and benefits of these initiatives? Would the management effectively execute our recommendations? I realized that my questions were beyond the scope of the mandated project. Yet these questions were critical in establishing the company’s long-term success.
At this juncture in my career, I have gained expertise in implementing marketing systems and processes, but I fully understand my current limitations to make lasting positive change within an organization. I now have clarity around my career vision: I want to become a senior executive within the retail industry, leading teams to develop strategies from concept to execution. In order for me to attain my goal, I plan to pursue a post-MBA position within a strategic planning group at a luxury goods retailer. The critical missing link is an MBA from Kellogg. While at Kellogg, I want to broaden my understanding of business principles, build my expertise in marketing and consumer behavior, and fine-tune my effective teamwork and leadership style through classes, club activities, and international experiences.
Kellogg is my top choice and I firmly believe that Kellogg is the right place for me. Beyond the top-notch academics and renowned professors, there is one main reason why I am so passionate about Kellogg: the student-driven community. I am eager to join Kellogg to learn how to more effectively work in teams, take initiative to lead new activities, and become actively involved Kellogg’s community. After being introduced to Professor Besanko and the Managerial Economics class when I visited in October, I immediately felt the inclusive and supportive nature of the community. Even within a lecture, the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration at Kellogg was evident. I am excited to learn from my classmates and equally prepared to give back.
I look forward to contributing to the collective business school experience. I would like to work with fellow students to create and lead a GIM course and trip focused on sourcing and product development issues in Asia. Intent to join socially responsible student-run initiatives, I aspire to give back to the community through Neighborhood Business Initiatives. I can apply my consulting experience and marketing skills to develop new marketing strategies for local non-profit businesses, such Chicago Children’s Museum, and drive new initiatives within the local Chicago community.
I will bring my energy, spirit, and positive attitude to the Kellogg community and look forward to contributing and growing as a leader inside and outside the classroom. The business acumen, team and leadership skills, social entrepreneurship experiences, and lifelong connections I will gain at Kellogg will enable me to fulfill my dreams of becoming a successful leader within the retail industry.
Sample Ten
Working in New York politics over the past four years has underscored for me the potential to truly improve lives. From casework in the Bronx to economic development in Buffalo, implementing the visions of politicians with moral clarity has been stimulating and rewarding, and I take much pride in being a player in my home state of New York. It is in this vein that I want to ultimately continue my service to New York as chief of staff to the Mayor of the City of New York, with an MBA from Kellogg guiding me there.
I began my tenure in Washington, DC in 2002 as New York City Congressman Joseph Crowley’s executive assistant. In my role I demonstrated confidence, staffing the Congressman at briefings and leadership meetings, keeping his schedule on track and maintaining order in the office. Upon the departure of our office’s press secretary and within just four short months of starting my job, I began to write press releases, proactively pitched reporters and was promoted to press secretary, one of the youngest on the Hill. I quickly became the manager of a three-person press operation, split between the Bronx and Washington, and I earned the respect of my peers—the camaraderie and teamwork was unique and it gave me a worthy template for my future job running a congressional office.
During the summer of 2004, Congressman Crowley asked me to go to Buffalo, NY and head the communications operation for Brian Higgins for Congress, a hotly contested open-seat race in need of someone with solid management and press skills. I went to Buffalo for four months, and as part of a major national campaign effort for this open seat, led the Higgins campaign to a narrow but decisive victory. When I arrived back in Washington, now-Congressman Higgins’ offered me a tremendous opportunity—running his Washington, DC office. I accepted, having fallen for the City of Buffalo, with all its grit, exceptional people and real potential for major change.
As Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director for a freshman member of Congress, I have had the chance to build Congressman Higgins’ operation from the ground up, hiring over twenty staff members and implementing a unique and effective office structure. I have honed my leadership skills as part of a team that has taken charge in the on-the-brink city of Buffalo, working assiduously to actualize on vastly untapped urban potential. The successes we’ve achieved in twenty-two short months in office, following Congressman Higgins’ prescient vision of what Buffalo will someday soon be—no longer a dying industrial center but a vibrant metropolis awash with new opportunities—has been astounding. I am proud to be a part of leading this great Western New York revival, making an impact in the most economically depressed region of my state. Building on these leadership and development skills in my hometown of New York City, which has its own unique development challenges, will be exhilarating, and I look forward to being a part of leading it into its own 21st century renaissance.
Kellogg’s location in the greater Chicago metropolitan area seems to be a perfect fit for what I am seeking. It’s positioning along the Lake Michigan shoreline—a shoreline that Buffalo is taking great pains to emulate in its own development process—is a testament to Kellogg’s importance to the vibrancy of the area. I would be excited to live in a city that has successfully and astoundingly experienced its own exciting resurgence, and my time in Evanston would serve as a bridge between my days working for the City of Buffalo to my future in the City of New York. I am particularly interested in creating a partnership between the Chicago Loop Alliance and Kellogg, using the skills we cultivate as MBA students to assist the local community in planning, development and strategic decision-making.
Kellogg will give me the tools I need to develop and execute my plans for efficient governance. I am excited to collaborate with the diverse student body from unique backgrounds at Kellogg; I know I will have much to contribute given my unconventional background, which I have constantly evaluated and am deeply proud of. The team mentality and methods at Kellogg will build on my strong foundation while adding new dimensions using up to date, real-world models which are pertinent to the fast changing world my classmates and I are living in. At Kellogg, I will be particularly interested in the intersection of business and public policy, specifically classes like Public Policy Analysis for Managers and Local Public Economics and Business Strategy and look forward to actively participating in the Kellogg Business Issues in Government Club. I will also look to gain serious finance and quantitative skills, which will serve as a foundation for many future decisions I make.
After business school, but before I move back into the political arena, I will seek out work experience in the for-profit sector through strategy consulting. Such a trajectory will equip me to help the Mayor’s office and the City of New York improve performance, allow me to get hands-on training and develop my business acumen in a corporate environment, and it will undoubtedly be intellectually challenging. It will certainly be enticing to remain in the post-business school world of consulting. But I know that my ultimate calling is back in the public realm, in the Mayor’s office, where I can guide the extraordinary New York City, serving as an agent of positive change by making a profound statement of service to others.
Sample Eleven
My arrival in Spain at the age of 13 marked my first experience in a “developed” country. I was awe stricken by the dazzling skyline, the massive infrastructure, the flashing neon signs, and a world very much controlled by machines and gadgets. In contrast to daily struggles in India, life seemed too comfortable to be real. Towards the end of this trip, I kept asking myself “Would India ever be like this?” thinking of the economic prosperity and technological advances of Spain. It was when I started pursuing my degree in engineering that I realized the potential technology holds for any society.
In 1993 when I left India, it was a poor country facing numerous social and economic challenges. At one point, my father needed to choose whether to work in a foreign country to have a high paying job or to be close to his family without a job in his field. In the late 1980s, when he chose to be with the family, we paid the price by losing the major source of family income. Financial hardships followed for our entire family for the next several years. It was not that India lacked the “human” resources. What it lacked was the “startup” mentality - to take risks, be innovative, and create opportunities. My long-term goal is to become a partner at a venture capital firm interested in incubating technology companies in India to give India a chance to develop this “startup” mentality.
About seven years ago I decided to move to San Francisco to follow my dreams and to experience the entrepreneurial spirit of the Valley. I see the “startup” mentality as taking risks, thinking big, and adapting to a dynamic workplace. I had received an attractive job offer from Veritaon in the Chicago area after graduating with my Masters degree from the University of Chicago, but in the end, I decided to work for a startup company in San Francisco. I saw working for a startup as a way to cultivate my management skills and be exposed to the “startup” mentality.
In San Francisco I have not only lead design efforts for cutting-edge innovative wireless products but also gained hands-on experience in various phases of the product development cycle. After working for five startup companies and learning from the highly volatile technology industry, I have grown and matured. Presently I am a Senior Design Engineer for LINKA Communications, a San Francisco company focused on providing innovative wireless solutions. A typical day in my current job often starts with trying to put out several fires at a time. I may provide mentorship to staff members, oversee development of a product to be used by Intel Technologies, or I may lead a team to implement improved testing procedures for a special shipment to Veritaon. In my role, I encounter challenging leadership opportunities everyday and I make critical decisions and follow through on them. My education prepared me well to handle the technical problems, but it is the “startup” mentality that allows me to be innovative, resourceful and creative in such situations.
My recent trip to India left me with an optimistic feeling about the country. The Indian spirit is willing and teeming with optimism. India is hungry for business opportunities and wants to transform itself into a sustainable economic powerhouse. I anticipate that in the coming years India will need business experts and incubators to capitalize on this talent and produce extensive economic growth, and I am determined to be part of this development.
An MBA from Kellogg is the ideal bridge to connect my strong analytical skills with the business perspective I need to achieve my career aspirations. In order to succeed as a venture capitalist, in the short-term I plan to complete an MBA from Kellogg and work as a management consultant for a strategy firm specializing in technology companies. This consulting experience will broaden my exposure to multiple disciplines of growth strategy, business operations, finance and resource management. I believe that a successful technology company is born out of a complex interplay between a deep understanding of technical knowledge and creative insight of an entrepreneur. I will apply my in-depth technical knowledge to understand the market, while my training at Kellogg and work experience will give me the tools and experience to incubate competitive business ventures.
My heart has been set on Kellogg ever since my visit to its beautiful campus. There was galvanic energy in Jacobs Center, and I continued to find this stimulating dynamic in the corridors, by the “Purple chair” and in each of the classes I attended. During the MKTG 454 Advertising Strategy class by Prof. Pearlman, I was enthralled to know so much about strategies implemented by Pepsi vs. Coke, how eBay captured market share using the “it” campaign, and how Apple’s innovative ways keep winning over PC’s customers – all in 90 minutes. This energy and enthusiasm continued to manifest later in the evening during Kellogg’s weekly TG.
I am excited about the prospect of attending Kellogg, and learning the tools and skill set that will enable me to embark on my journey and participate in India’s development. I look forward to contributing to that galvanic energy in the corridors and classrooms of Jacobs Center.
Sample Twelve (Excerpt)
After completing my MBA at Kellogg, I would like to work for a leading luxury goods holding company, such as LVMH, in the strategic planning group, so I can learn the secrets of building and managing a global luxury brand. After a number of years in strategic planning, I want to immerse myself in cross-functional operations of a firm such as LVMH from manufacturing to merchandising to prepare me for a future general management position for one of the brands. LVMH is a global leader in the luxury retail sector, employing 77,000 people worldwide and managing branding and retail operations for over 60 luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Moet champagne. There are few other companies where I would be able to learn so much about building a dynamic, global luxury goods brand.
In the long run, I want to be the general manager of a luxury goods company and can imagine launching my own elite brand at some point in the future. There will be many hurdles to overcome when it is time for me to set out on my own – from recruiting and managing the right team to mitigating the currency risk and inflation fluctuations in the countries we do business in. By pursuing an MBA from Kellogg, and later through experience working for a company such as LVMH, I am confident that I will build the capabilities and acquire the knowledge I will need to turn my dream of being a leader in the luxury goods sector into a reality.
Sample Thirteen (Excerpt)
At this juncture in my career, I have gained expertise in implementing marketing systems and processes, but I fully understand my current limitations to make lasting positive change within an organization. My career goal is to become a senior executive within the retail industry, leading teams to develop strategies from concept to execution. In order for me to attain this goal, I need to acquire the skills a strategic planning group at a luxury goods retailer will value. The critical missing link is an MBA from Kellogg. While at Kellogg, I want to broaden my understanding of business principles, build my expertise in marketing and consumer behavior, and fine-tune my effective teamwork and leadership style through classes, club activities, and international experiences.
Kellogg is my top choice, and I firmly believe that Kellogg is the right place for me. Beyond the top-notch academics and renowned professors, there is one main reason why I am so passionate about Kellogg: the student-driven community. I am eager to join Kellogg to learn how to more effectively work in teams, take initiative to lead new activities, and become actively involved in Kellogg’s community. After being introduced to Professor Besanko and the Managerial Economics class when I visited in October, I immediately felt the inclusive and supportive nature of the community. Even within a lecture, the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration at Kellogg was evident. I am excited to learn from my classmates and equally prepared to give back.
I look forward to contributing to the collective business school experience. I would like to work with fellow students to create and lead a GIM course and trip focused on sourcing and product development issues in Asia. I intend to join socially responsible student-run initiatives; I aspire to give back to the community through Neighborhood Business Initiatives. I can apply my consulting experience and marketing skills to develop new marketing strategies for local non-profit businesses, such as Chicago Children’s Museum, and drive new initiatives within the local Chicago community.
I will bring my energy, spirit, and positive attitude to the Kellogg community and look forward to contributing and growing as a leader inside and outside the classroom. The business acumen, team and leadership skills, social entrepreneurship experiences, and lifelong connections I will gain at Kellogg will enable me to fulfill my dreams of becoming a successful leader within the retail industry.