MBA Quick Tips: How to Build Your Resume

Summary

In this video, admissions directors Andrea and Michelle from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business provide valuable tips on crafting a standout MBA application resume. They emphasize leadership experience, cross-functional collaboration, and measurable impact, recommending the use of the CAR (Context, Action, Results) format. The video highlights the importance of quality over quantity in both work and extracurricular activities, with a focus on transferable skills, career progression, and community involvement. Formatting tips, clarity in presentation, and aligning the resume with career goals are also discussed to help applicants create a compelling and authentic resume.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on **leadership experience** in your resume, showcasing how you've taken charge, influenced outcomes, and led teams or projects.
• 😀 Highlight **cross-functional work** to demonstrate your ability to collaborate across departments and achieve common goals.
• 😀 Use the **CAR format (Context, Action, Results)** to effectively illustrate the impact you've made in your role or organization.
• 😀 If coming from a non-business background, emphasize **transferable skills** and how they relate to your MBA and post-graduation career goals.
• 😀 Highlight **career progression** by including promotions and growth in a reverse chronological order to show your professional development.
• 😀 **Extracurricular and volunteer work** is valuable—focus on quality, not quantity, and ensure it aligns with your values and leadership skills.
• 😀 Keep your resume **concise and focused**—ideally no more than one page, though longer resumes may be acceptable for certain industries.
• 😀 Avoid including **personal demographic information** or an objective at the top of your resume. Save space for more important content.
• 😀 Be aware of **employment gaps** and clarify any gaps of two months or more in your optional essay to avoid confusion.
• 😀 **Authenticity** is key—ensure your resume reflects your voice and experiences, and make sure it's free from grammatical errors.
• 😀 When crafting your **career goals essay**, integrate your past experiences from your resume and align them with how the Ross MBA can help you achieve your goals.

Q & A

What is the first thing the admissions committee looks for in a resume?

The admissions committee looks for leadership experience first. They are interested in seeing how you have led teams or projects, made decisions, and influenced outcomes.

What should you focus on when demonstrating cross-functional work experience?

You should highlight your ability to collaborate across different departments. Share quantifiable examples where you worked with people from different functions to achieve a common goal.

What is the CAR format and why is it important for your resume?

The CAR format stands for Context, Action, and Results. It is used to demonstrate the impact you had in your organization by explaining the situation (context), the actions you took, and the results you achieved.

What should non-business background applicants focus on in their resumes?

Non-business background applicants should focus on transferable skill sets from their current career experiences and explain how these skills will help achieve their short-term career goals within business post-MBA.

How should you present career progression on your resume?

Career progression should be highlighted in reverse chronological order, focusing on promotions or changes that demonstrate your growth and development.

What is the importance of including extracurricular and volunteer work on your resume?

Including extracurricular and volunteer work helps to present a fuller picture of who you are as an individual and shows the impact you've had in your community and other organizations.

What is the ideal resume length for business school applications?

Business schools typically prefer a one-page resume. If your industry typically uses longer resumes, you may have a slightly longer one, but try to consolidate and keep it concise.

Why is it important to avoid including personal demographic information on your resume?

Personal demographic information (such as age, marital status, etc.) is unnecessary and does not add value to the resume. Instead, focus on professional experience, skills, and achievements.

How can you ensure that your resume is properly formatted when submitting it?

Before submitting, save your resume as a PDF to avoid formatting errors. Check it thoroughly for any issues with margins or conversion, and ensure there are no errors in spelling or grammar.

How should you approach the nonprofessional work experience portion of your resume?

For nonprofessional work experience, highlight extracurricular activities or volunteer experiences. Focus on quality over quantity and provide specific examples that reflect your impact. Only include relevant experiences from your undergraduate degree onward.

What is the importance of focusing on recent and impactful experiences in your resume?

Recent and impactful experiences should take up more space on your resume because they reflect your current skills and achievements, which will be most relevant to your MBA program and career goals.