The Master of Business Administration program also called the MBA program, is a program that can be great for networking and developing your business and leadership knowledge. Even if you already have years of experience, this program can make it easier for you to move into a higher position in your industry. However, to get accepted into a program, you need to submit an MBA application resume, and these programs can be extremely competitive. Here’s an MBA resume format that you can use to create your own.
Because an MBA is as much about networking as it is about learning, you really want to highlight that not only will the MBA resume be beneficial for you, but you’ll also be beneficial for the graduate school presenting this program. You need to bring as much to the table as possible because the admissions committee wants to make the class as helpful as possible for everyone in it.
Your resume template will at least partially have to do with the resume layout you choose. The chronological resume is typically going to be perfect for an MBA resume, especially because most MBA resumes require a lot of experience. The headings you use will be the same regardless of your MBA resume template, however.
Your resume header is where you put personal information like your contact information, your name, phone number, location, email address and your job networking profile links, including your LinkedIn. This provides your contact information at the very top of your resume so the reader can easily refer to it when it comes time to contact you.
This section is where you’ll feature your resume summary or resume objective. This would be a two to three sentence paragraph at the very top of your resume that gives an overview of your professional experience and particular skills. If you’re writing a resume objective, then you’ll also include an objective for the resume, a career goal like “Seeking to become an MBA graduate to improve job prospects and work more effectively with my company.”
Skills on an MBA resume should center around the types of skills that will benefit you in the business world. For example, here’s a list of bullet points you might see:
Most skills on an MBA resume will be soft skills. You may still include hard skills and technical skills on an MBA resume but soft skills play a bigger role. This is primarily because the resume writing process is all about showing why you’re a benefit to the recruiter, and soft skills will usually be most beneficial for an MBA.
In your work experience section, include up to ten years of experience. List your job titles that are related to the reason you’re getting your MBA. Additionally, list them in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent jobs first.
The last section of your resume is typically your education section. If you have existing college experience, list all degrees that you have attained. You may also want to include extracurricular activities, especially if you don’t have a lot of work experience. This is also one of the few resume types where a GPA is actually critical, so list previous GPAs upon graduation. Also, list any honors such as Dean’s list and summa cum laude.
Yes. Typically, a cover letter is required in an MBA application. Even if it’s not required, a cover letter is a critical component of arguing your case to an MBA admissions expert. It lets you put your professional resume into context, making it the perfect addition to any MBA application. If you’re not confident in writing a cover letter, you can use the ResumeNerd cover letter builder.
Work experience is typically prioritized in MBA programs, partially because an MBA is as much about networking as it is about getting certifications. However, if you want to apply without much experience, then you want to emphasize both your skills and exactly what business school would do for you. For example, you can include your current position, your career goals and more.
Because MBA programs are so competitive, you may want to submit to multiple MBA admissions teams and then decide which one you want to attend based on who calls you back to start the application process. If you’re applying to multiple programs, personalize the program to each application, resume and cover letter.
