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Describe
the individuals that you look up to as role models in your
professional work. (Michigan)
Describe
the characteristics of an exceptional manager by examining
someone whom you have observed or with whom you have worked.
Illustrate how his or her management style has influenced you.
(Tuck)
If you
could walk in someone else’s shoes for a day, whose would
you choose and why? (Chicago)
Business
schools learn a lot about your professional development through
your description of your mentors. They can determine not only
what you have learned but the types of people from whom you have
learned. However, like the accomplishments question, this
question shows a lot about your values and standards. It is a
little like getting to know a person by the people with whom he
or she chooses to spend time. If you are skeptical, consider the
different impression you would have of the candidate who admires
a dynamic, colorful, public leader compared with someone who
looks up to an accomplished but soft-spoken academic.
Who you
chose is more important than how you portray that person. In
other words, do not choose a person because you think it will
impress the committee. Name dropping is not only obvious, it is
ineffective. If your mentor is a public figure, be sure to
demonstrate that you have a real, direct relationship with and
that you learned tangible lessons from the person. Keep your
essay short and simple. Never elevate your mentor at the expense
of yourself. Show admiration, not awe. In other words, choose a
mentor, not a hero. A mentor is someone whom you realistically
aspire to emulate, whereas a hero’s qualities are beyond our
reach.
If the
question calls for more than one mentor, try comparing two very
different people or people from two unrelated areas of your
life. Show how you incorporated the best pieces of wisdom from
both. As always, use concrete examples both when describing
these people and when demonstrating the effect they have had on
you. Do more than list their qualities-tell a story that shows
how they have put these qualities to use.
You can
follow these steps to structure this essay:
1.
Introduce the person and the context in which you know him
or her.
2.
Describe a few of the mentor’s key qualities that you most
admire.
3.
Relate one or two particular scenarios that demonstrate
these qualities.
4.
Describe what you have learned from the person. What do you
now do differently as a result of having known your mentor?
How have you or your actions changed?
5. Be
concrete. Cite specific examples of things that you have
learned. Describe the situations in which you learned these
things. Show how you have used this knowledge to your
professional advantage.
A
variation on the question is, “If you could walk in someone
else’s shoes for a day . . . .” This is a cross between an
ideal career question and a role model question. Whereas the
other role model questions ask for mentors, this question asks
for heroes. You do not need to make your response as
realistic-feel free to loosen up and have fun. However, always
consider what committee members will infer from your choice.
Answer this question more concisely than you would the role
model one. Simply state who you would choose and answer why. Did
you choose this person because he or she is similar or
dissimilar to you? Did you do choose your mentor for what you
can learn from that person or to effect a change? Would you ever
seriously consider this person’s life as a career, or are you
just having fun?
SAMPLE
ESSAY:
Note:
This essay appears unedited for instructional purposes. Essays
edited by EssayEdge are substantially improved. For samples of
EssayEdge editing, please visit EssayEdge.com.
Describe
the characteristics of an exceptional manager by examining
someone whom you have observed or with whom you have worked.
Illustrate how his or her management style has influenced you.
(Tuck)
In
management consulting, strong analytical skills are valued as
much as, if not more than, effective managerial and leadership
skills. Unfortunately, for some consultants, these
characteristics, at times, are mutually exclusive. I was
fortunate, however, to work with [name] on my first major
project at [consulting firm]. As my project manager, he
demonstrated a superior combination of leadership, managerial,
and communication skills. As a result of our interaction, I
learned several important lessons and tools that I used on
subsequent projects to improve my effectiveness as a team
leader.
To begin,
[name] is a true leader who exhibits courage and dedication. A
powerful trait rarely found in the realm of business, courage is
unique in its ability to unify and motivate people. Moreover,
his courage is balanced appropriately with professionalism,
strong values, and humility. He is sensitive to others’
feelings and recognizes that different people require different
types of direction and treatment. Although he often works with
diverse and difficult groups, he always seems able to reach
consensus and create a shared vision and purpose. Furthermore,
he excels at establishing priorities and proactively setting
direction.
As an
effective manager, [name] also is able to translate his broad
direction into discrete, tangible tasks. Since consultants often
use difficult or creative analytical approaches, clearly
articulating tasks and defining outputs is very important. In
addition, he exercises the appropriate level of supervision.
Rather than micro-managing his team members, [name] establishes
clear accountabilities and expectations and pushes work down to
the correct level. As a result, he creates a strong sense of
ownership and leverages the skills of his team members.
Furthermore, he excels at creating a supportive environment and,
when necessary, coaching team members to help them develop new
skills.
Finally,
[name] is a masterful communicator. He is the only project
manager I have had who gave me consistent and constructive
feedback, importantly, both positive and negative. Such feedback
not only provides clear developmental objectives, but also
signals to others that he values their contributions. This type
of balanced and open communication quickly forms the foundation
of mutual trust and respect. Furthermore, [name] excels in the
art of negotiation and debate. He states his points with
remarkable precision and is expert at remaining objective and
recognizing all sides of an argument. And, regardless of the
volatility of a situation or the strength of his feelings, he
always listens to all positions patiently and effectively
controls his demonstration of emotion, thereby gaining the
respect of others and lending additional credibility to his
positions.
Given my
limited experience managing teams, my exposure to [name] was
central to my early success at [consulting firm]. For example,
although I had considered myself a leader in athletics, I had
not learned to translate those skills into the business arena.
[Name] taught me several effective methods to lead teams.
Admittedly, as a highly motivated young analyst with very high
work standards, I also lacked many of the skills required for
effective team leadership. However, I quickly learned the
importance of flexibility and became more comfortable providing
feedback and directing the work of others. Furthermore, through
his example, [name] taught me the importance of objectivity and
the utility of several effective communication techniques. For
example, I learned to use my sense of humor as an effective tool
to persuade, disarm, or motivate others.
Early in
my career at [consulting firm], I had several rare opportunities
to lead client teams. In part due to the lessons I learned from
[name], these projects were a great success. As a result, I went
on to manage a half dozen diverse and difficult client teams
that ranged in membership. With each project, I further refined
the lessons I learned from [name] and developed new techniques
for leading and managing teams. Due to my rapid development, I
was promoted to [position], a managerial, post-M.B.A. position
at [consulting firm], signifying that I can progress to the
partner level. Although I realize my tool kit is far from
complete, these skills will be invaluable both in business
school and beyond.
COMMENTS:
This is
another essay that stands out because of its solid writing and
superior organization. It starts with a bold assertion to
catch the reader’s attention and then uses the assertion to
introduce the mentor’s most outstanding quality. Each of the
next three paragraphs clearly asserts and describes an
additional supporting quality. The essay concludes with
examples of how the mentor’s influence has tangibly affected
the writer’s actions and work performance, resulting in
rapid promotion.
From
ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO BUSINESS SCHOOL, by Amy Burnham,
Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan. Copyright 1998 by Dan
Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's
Educational Series, Inc.
