MBA aspirants with career gaps often have apprehensions about how their profile would be perceived. Though their fear is justified, there is a way to address this gap in the admission process. While a few business schools don’t see the career gap as a significant issue, there are a few who would need your explanation in such cases.
So, what is the best way of communicating your gap year to the admissions committee? We bring you a few tips which might help in doing so.
Don’t leave it Ambiguous
The more you try to ignore or be unclear about it, the more speculation the admission committee would have about your gap years. Hence, you should address the issue upfront instead of trying to dodge the question. If you mention the gap year without giving any explanation for it, it may do more harm than good for you. When left to the imagination, the admission committee may speculate worse than what the reality is.
Show your sincerity
Show your integrity when you are answering about your gap year. Be open about the time of your gap. If you restrict information, it might come across as someone who is trying to cover something. Your attitude about the gap will reveal a lot of your personality traits to the admission committee. Hence, you would want to keep it simple, sincere, and open.
Share your experiences
Gap years come with their lessons. You sure would have had your reason to take a gap. Hence, highlight how the gap in employment changed you as a person and what are the things you have experienced. You should be ready with the lessons you have learned during this time and the factors that influenced you to get back on the market. You can also talk about how the gap gave you time to work on your self ( your strengths and weaknesses) and how it made you the person you are now. Put your points with confidence, integrity, and a positive attitude, and you should be good.
Make most of the essays
Essays give you an excellent opportunity to explain whatever you want to convey. If you have a chance to choose an optional topic, which provides you with an opportunity to elaborate on your employment gap. Unlike interviews, essays would not have a time limit, or you don’t have anyone asking leading questions. You will have a platform to tell your version of the story without any interruptions.
Don’t blow it out of proportion
Don’t stress too much about your employment gap. It is not that uncommon to have an employment gap, and you might not be the only one with a gap applying for the B-school. Sometimes it may affect you negatively if you overthink it and try to overcompensate it in your admission process. You might falter on other aspects of your admission if you focus on your employment gap. Hence, it is good to be prepared with an answer but not to over-stress about it.
If you have a gap year in your employment, you can handle it well with the above suggestions and tips. If you know how to handle it right, it will never be a problem for you.
Best of luck!