Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying for an MBA and how will they contribute to your professional career? (major essay). This was written for an MBA program.
I plan to develop a career in international brand management within consumer product companies. Working in advertising has provided me with a first-hand view into life on the Client side. L'Orial especially included their agencies in many of the processes not traditionally considered 'advertising,' sharing their marketing plans and consulting with us on new product concepts. Communications is an important building block for brand development, and my experience to-date will no doubt provide me an advantage. Since working on the Nestli Central Team, I have been exposed to the heart of strategic communications. Because we are removed from day-to-day market issues and short-term profit considerations, we focus on the big picture. Working with top-level clients and Publicis managers, I have learned how to develop a durable brand positioning, how to connect with the consumer, and how to develop a total communications plan. However, I wish to be a part of the larger picture. I am currently working on a project to improve in-store communication for bottled water. Although my input pertains to the medium and the message, the work is to a certain extent incomplete. Without understanding key account negotiations and the functioning of the sales force, I am unable to propose a realistic implementation plan. While we are hired as communications experts, I am interested in managing a brand in its entirety. I also wish to work in a more analytical field. While I initially chose advertising for the creative aspect, my strength lies in business, and I would like utilize more 'hard' skills. Communication is highly strategic, but based on creative intuition. While I appreciate creativity, and will certainly need to understand it as a brand manager, I am a businesswoman at heart. Working internationally and on global projects is important to me. I took the position in Paris in order to realize my dream of working in France for a few years and to gain some international experience before pursuing my MBA. Instead, my career direction changed. I have learned the importance of understanding the global marketplace. A sound business plan is ineffective if it does not take into account how the local consumer thinks; likewise, the executive must comprehend how a company functions in another culture. To operate in the international arena, it is vital to arrive at a balance between international necessities and local realities. This is the ideal school for me because it provides a global management education. While other top programs can provide the marketing skills, the general management focus, and the access to high-level faculty and business people, only this MBA program provides a true international education. Furthermore, the graduates land internationally focused positions worldwide, not only at conglomerates such as LOrial, but also expanding companies such as Nars Cosmetics. Globalism has become a catchword, and international opportunities are becoming more and more prevalent at MBA programs today. While I think these have merit and would certainly take advantage of all offerings at another school, only this MBA program truly infuses globalism throughout the curriculum. I recently had the opportunity to visit the school and sit in on a class, and felt the same vibe as at an international seminar for Nestli. No one culture is prevalent; nobody is providing the international viewpoint. The education was truly global.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Essay #1: What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals?
In search of my calling in life I have faced a dilemma: Art or Business? Over the years, I have discovered that a career in media and entertainment management will offer me the best of both worlds. My fascination with the media industry dates back to the years following my immigration to the United States. Coming from Russia, a country with a single bias in all of its mass communications, I was amazed by the myriad news interpretations, messages, and advertising floating around freely, giving the audience an opportunity to choose. Intrigued by media's unobstructed access to people's minds and emotions, I began studying the industry's economics at my leisure. Eventually, I realized that everything I was learning echoed concepts I had already studied in my economics classes, like the function of supply and demand, opportunity cost, and pricing models. My interest further prompted me to redirect myself from serving an exclusively consumer business clientele at Deloitte to working on media industry risk assessment and controls assurance projects. I have discovered that the framework which is used to assess operational and transactional risk at consumer business clients is also applicable to the business model of a media company. However, what distinguishes a media business from a retailer is the elevated role of creativity underlying business decisions. Creativity is crucial for managing content development. It is also essential for sustaining working relationships with program producers and directors of programming. I am confident that a career in media will employ both artistic and analytical aspects of my personality. My immediate post-MBA goal is to work in Media and Entertainment Strategy consulting. In consulting I will learn the rights and 'wrongs' of running media businesses. I will help companies react to market and technological opportunities by optimizing content distribution channels, boosting cash flows, and enhancing revenues. I will also help them develop solutions to address industry risks, including regulatory issues, competition, and piracy. This will be an invaluable experience, preparing me to deal with typical roadblocks and familiarizing me with emerging opportunities. After several years in consulting, I plan to join one of the major television broadcasting networks, like affiliates of News Corporation, Time Warner Inc., or Viacom Inc. There, I will be managing projects with profit and loss responsibility and will be developing operating plans. As a manager of a business unit, I will be making decisions concerning program purchasing, content development, and airtime management. My long-term goal is to get promoted to Director of the Corporate Strategy and Development. In this role, I will oversee all operational and financial aspects of the organization. As a leader of a broadcasting company, I plan to engage in larger scale projects, negotiating strategic partnerships, choosing and piloting new media technologies, and devising strategies to deal with issues facing the industry, such as competition, piracy, and market fragmentation. As I build industry expertise, enhance my network, and gain decision-making power, I will seek involvement in the international media community through various industry organizations that promote freedom of information distribution. In developing countries, the role of media is vital in setting a tone for progressive thinking. It serves as a catalyst for change and a source of awareness. Sustaining competition among media companies is essential for achieving objectivity in delivery of basic facts. Thus, I plan to span my pursuits beyond American borders, helping smaller media companies in developing countries compete by sharing my experience in devising successful business strategies with them. There are many aspects of Columbias MBA program, which will greatly contribute toward a successful realization of my goals. Perhaps, the program's renowned emphasis on entrepreneurial thinking will be the most invaluable among them all. In my mind, there is an element of entrepreneurship in any situation, which requires a problem to be solved, or a business decision to be made. Managers with strong entrepreneurial skills bring outside-the-box solutions that no one has yet seen. They are quick to see and capture profitable opportunities across a wide variety of situations. I believe being an entrepreneur and an effective manager are integrally linked. Thus, an MBA from Columbia will be essential for building that kind of a mindset. Nonetheless, the outstanding Ivy League caliber of academics will be equally important for my professional realization. The core coursework in general management, organizational behavior, marketing, and finance will give me a solid theoretical background to succeed in the management aspect of my future career. The elective courses from the Media, Entertainment, and Communications concentration will help me build industry specific foundation to succeed in the business area of my choice. The media specific courses in the program have a distinctively broad approach to the industry, which will be of great benefit to me as I have had limited exposure to segments other than television. The clearly pronounced global focus of Columbia's MBA program will help me develop the skills and insights necessary to maneuver around the global marketplace. The media industry is a highly competitive market with business opportunities around the globe. I am convinced that the Chazen MBA Exchange Program and Columbia's non-academic resources for studying cultures will help me become proficient in dealing with cultural, regulatory, and management issues at any geographic location. I plan to continue my involvement with community work and believe that Columbia's Social Enterprise Program will put me in contact with students who, just like me, value social responsibility. In addition, I will certainly strive to join CWIB and will continue my involvement in promoting women's issues and in networking with women leaders. I plan to make a positive contribution by integrating the network I have built through Women Influencing Public Policy and Deloittes Womens Initiative Network organizations. I have experienced the business of media and entertainment from two angles, as an audience and as a consultant. However, I have not had a chance to undergo a formal business management training tailored to the specific needs of this industry. Perhaps, I could experience the industry from yet another angle -- as a manager. An MBA from the Columbia Graduate School of Business will offer me a superior mix of academic and non-academic educational resources, which, together with a world-class career management service, will position me to succeed.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Essay 2: In discussing Columbia Business School, Dean R. Glenn Hubbard remarked, "We have established the mind-set that entrepreneurship is about everything you do." Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity.
I am not a teacher. However, I strongly believe in continuous learning and in using my knowledge and experience to impact people's lives. At work, however, learning and sharing are limited to corporate functions designed to only boost employee's professional savvy. Hence, I had started seeking opportunities to venture outside the professional setting in pursuit of my personal aim. One morning, as I was getting coffee in the office pantry, I saw a bright pink slip on the message board: 'Junior Achievement Volunteers Needed'. I had heard about the Junior Achievement organization and its mission to bring corporate world to schools across America before. However, confined to the unpredictable work schedule, extending beyond the 'normal' hours, volunteering for it seemed unthinkable. Now, my situation at work has become more flexible, as I had advanced in my career and gained more control over my time. I was aware that teaching would require a high degree of discipline and organization. Yet, the personal benefits from this experience, in my mind, clearly outweighed the costs. Several phone calls later I was set to teach the economics of life to high school juniors. In preparation for my classes, I pulled material not only from textbooks, but also from my life archives. I shared with the students my personal philosophy that a success in life and a success in business are a function of setting goals, building on strengths, and taking calculated risks. In one instance, I dedicated a lesson to Corporate Ethics and discussed the reasons why lost trust results in failed business. In another, I shared with them my love for independent film documentaries by taking my class to the movie theaters they never knew existed. I even invited my students to spend a day in my office, lifting up the curtain covering the mysterious corporate world. Teaching turned out to be only one part of this experience. Another was my own edification. My candid audience was intolerant to dry lecturing. To keep the students interested, I had to bridge our differences and demonstrate an understanding of what mattered to them. I accomplished it by being open-minded to the perspective of this twenty-first-century generation of X-Box players, MP3 listeners, and Internet surfers. Entertained by my illiteracy in sports, my students taught me the rules of baseball. I learned quickly, and later used that knowledge to draw a parallel between the concept of 'labor specialization' and the roles of different players on a baseball field. Teaching as part of Junior Achievement was a perfect opportunity to impart my life and work experiences onto my students. Hopefully, it made a difference in their lives. The thirty pairs of eyes fixated on me and the e-mails I continue to receive still are an indication my messages have been heard. For me personally, the value of this experience also lies in that it reinforced my belief that my career and life should be founded on the same passion, same goal, and same principles.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Essay#3: What personal value means the most to you and why?
When I was sixteen I learned a valuable lesson. After a year-long practice, I decided to drop out of my last city-wide high school chemistry competition in Saint Petersburg. I was three days away from immigrating to the United States, starting a new life, and saying farewell to my teachers and friends. What significance could one last chemistry competition possibly have? As it turned out, quite dramatic. To this day, my chemistry teacher's words resonate in my mind: 'The only time you are allowed to be selfish is when you choose your commitments. Once you make a commitment you should treat it as an absolute priority. Your personal interests should be secondary!' Her explicit criticism was painful. I accepted it silently as I realized how easy it was to lose someone's trust and how hard it would be to restore the lost confidence. Since then, integrity has become an unwavering tenet of my life. My current position in life binds me to exceptionally high personal standards. My junior teammates look up to me for advice, support, and motivation. My managers rely on me to deliver a quality product, to manage daily tasks, and to contribute creatively and intellectually to the efforts of my team. My clients seek competence in my professional advice. My loved ones stand by me and expect the same in return. What helps me balance such a load of responsibility? It is the notion that their trust is fragile and the bulletproof shield of integrity that my teacher's words instilled in me.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Essay#4: What do you feel passionately about in life? (250)
My ultimate passion is expression through art. Art helps me express what I feel, understand who I am, and it has shaped me into who I have become. The lessons I have learned through art are many. Dancing has taught me not to yield to stage fright. Hearing an audience burst in applause was my first glance at success as the result of hard work. That life has its peaks and troughs, I have learned by both winning and losing solo parts. Expressing my emotions in public was perfectly acceptable as long as I had guitar in my hands. I sang my maid of honor toast on my two best friends wedding day. I doubt that words would have done a better job of expressing my feelings. I sang about the pain I felt after 9/11. The beauty of guitar is in its portability. I took my guitar everywhere I went. It was an instant ice-breaker and an incredible magnet for new friendships. What could not be sung I would paint on canvas. Painting has taught me to appreciate the details that make up objects, characters, and experiences. Attention to detail has proved to be essential in building fulfilling relationships founded on reconciliation of individual differences. It helped me foster closeness and mutual understanding within my family. It helped me subdue formality and promote genuineness in my relationships with colleagues. In my paintings, just as in life, I use wide strokes, reinvent the world, challenge the norms, and search for balance.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What past decisions have you made that contribute to your current decision to pursue an MBA? How will joining the MBA program at our school at this time in your career further your short and long-term career goals?
My past decisions to pursue an undergraduate Finance degree, accept a Management Trainee position with XXX Corporation, and then transfer into the Audit & Advisory Services department have led me towards the decision to earn an MBA. From preparing draft expenditure approvals as a Management Trainee to analyzing expenditure justifications as an auditor, I broadened my experience in analyzing investment options and furthered my interest in financial analysis and strategic investments. Therefore, after graduating from the MBA program, I want to work as a financial analyst for a multinational firm with a strategic planning group. In the long term, my objective is to secure a management position in that strategic planning group so that I can analyze current and future investments. Since strategic planning departments are often small groups with employees experienced in the company and industry, I want to first build my experience as a financial analyst. To that role, I will bring my internal audit experience in identifying financial anomalies and proposing management solutions. For example, during a recent audit in the Netherlands I identified an inconsistency in the financial consolidation process which skewed the revenue and expenses reported to the parent company. Additionally, my BBA in Finance and technical audit knowledge provide me with strong analytical skills to build upon. An MBA program will allow me to broaden my Finance knowledge as I study specialized, complex financial topics like currency hedging and global financial policy. A functional knowledge of such topics will be valuable as I evaluate international investment and financing options in my future career. Specifically, this school offers an ideal location in which to study Finance, a strong Finance curriculum, and the flexibility to tailor my areas of specialization to meet my short and long term goals. Sterns global curriculum, including its Global Business and International Finance specializations, will also enhance my international business perspective. I have been fortunate to study and work abroad throughout Asia, Europe, and South America. While overseas, I have enjoyed learning about local business environments, including the impact of social benefit requirements, political structure, and labor laws on terminal investments. Based on these interests, I want to strengthen my knowledge of global markets and their implications to worldwide business practices, supporting my goal of a multinational career. In order to meet my long-term career objective in strategic management, I want to pursue strategy and negotiation courses. Courses such as Game Theory & Business Strategy relate to the aspects of my professional experience that interest me most, but in which I lack a powerful analytical toolkit and formalized training. Taking strategy courses and relating these concepts back to core fundamentals and advanced Finance courses will allow me to develop a sophisticated skill set with which I can evaluate existing and potential alliances as well as other investment opportunities. Concurrently, I will enjoy sharing my strategic planning experiences from the maritime shipping and terminal management perspective with classmates and professors. For example, I assisted the International Strategic Planning Director with due diligence related to a container terminal in Poland. I evaluated the due diligence team's findings and pointed out potential problem areas with the investment, affording me with invaluable insight into due diligence procedures. Moreover, I will bring my audit experience in identifying investment risks and achieving management buy-in of my conclusions and recommendations. In addition, a primary reason for me to pursue an MBA degree now is to formally educate myself in management skills. I joined XXX Corporation's Management Trainee Program out of college and then moved into Audit & Advisory Services. My decisions to accept these positions were, in large, due to their high profile natures, the ability to provide recommendations to management, and the opportunities to gain a unique breadth of company knowledge while working with employees worldwide. I was promoted earlier than the standard timeframe allots, progressing from Trainee to Senior Auditor in less than two years and quickly finding myself in a leadership role. Although I will continue to grow as a leader with my upcoming promotion to Project Supervisor, a management education will increase my effectiveness as a supervisor and, eventually, as a manager. In conclusion, my past academic and career decisions have allowed me to develop my interests and experience in the financial and strategic analysis of global investment opportunities. An MBA will provide me with the advanced analytical toolkit, formal management education, and strategy courses that I currently lack, but which are necessary to meet my long term goal and will make me a more competitive candidate for my short-term goal.
