Struggling to express your impact on MBA resume? Read this : INSEAD

I often encounter applicants who have a hard time quantifying their accomplishments on their resume. They have a narrow view, are limited to their current role, and inadvertently neglect the broader landscape. Their attention is usually focused only on their immediate company, the ongoing project, or a specific area they are well versed with, so they overlook the broader impact of their contributions.

This limited view (is seen as limited business acumen) shows up on their resume when quantified metrics or accomplishments are presented without the necessary context that connects their accomplishments, team dynamics, and overall impact on the organization’s business and objective. This oversight is a major missed opportunity because their resumes do not stand out in a sea of similarly structured applications.

Here are 3 use cases of how applicants can broaden their approach to quantifying impact on the resume

1. Techies and engineers

Software developers or technology consultants, often focus their achievements on the direct impact their solutions have on client operations. But many times, they miss recognizing broader synergies. For example, they might overlook how the same technology might have been used on other projects to enter new categories or markets or extend contracts with existing customers.

Here's a draft of a resume bullet when the applicant has a limited perspective

“Designed and developed End to End supplier network visibility for client and flow of material traceability tool with AI-ML based recommendation."

The same can be made more impactful along the lines of

“Improved client’s supply-demand planning process through an AI-ML-based solution that provides visibility on material flow and traceability, as well as accurate detection of capacity bottlenecks; the Cutting-edge solution led to $XX Mn in further collaborations with client.

Similarly, people who come from the manufacturing sector are somewhat limited in their perspective on production metrics and timelines.

They should, however, realize their contributions are more far-reaching and include critical factors such as substantial cost reductions through recycling or optimizing processes, strategic timing of market entry/market launch, optimal use of working capital, or mitigating lost revenue by avoiding supply/production bottlenecks.

2. Bankers or Financiers

Investment bankers, who can be excellent salespeople can also have difficulty presenting their achievements effectively. They tend to focus too much on deal size metrics, which are an important part of their role. However, fixating exclusively on transaction volume can obscure their broader impact.

In the investment banking world, every deal requires careful research, thorough due diligence, and complicated templates. While these elements are critical to individual transactions, they also hold hidden potential for synergies. Processes, methodologies, and templates developed for one deal can be used effectively across multiple projects and clients within the same industry.

Investment bankers often develop customized solutions to complex financial challenges faced by their clients. While these strategies are tailored to specific scenarios, they can also be applied to similar situations.

Tools developed or polished by investment bankers go beyond individual projects to improve efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making across different ventures.

3. Management/Strategy Consultants

Surprisingly enough, many management consultants too face a similar challenge. Consultants often focus on criteria such as project scope or size, geographic reach, and industry expertise. However, this limited focus can sometimes cloud the larger impact of their work.

For example, consider a management consultant leading a supply chain optimization project for a specific client. The refined processes and best practices put in place as part of the project could have broader applications across different clients and industries (this sure is an opportunity to demonstrate further impact).

In addition, the consultant's recommendations could lead to cost savings and operational efficiencies for the client, increasing profitability and competitive advantage. This ripple effect illustrates how a consultant's influence extends beyond a single project to positively impact clients, beneficiaries, and the industry as a whole.

Heres a winning example with added benefit for the client beyond the scope of deliverable
• Led analysis in an 8-member team at India and US offices to increase adoption of a new and efficacious lung cancer therapy in reaction to competitor launch; Drug adoption doubled to 75% via impeccable metadata aggregation followed by targeted marketing campaigns

With guidance from an expert, prospective MBA applicants can learn how to clearly highlight various impacts on their resumes strategically. An outside perspective does help connect the dots between their individual accomplishments and the broader outcomes they have achieved..

Get personalized advice tailored to your specific situation.. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need help navigating your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process.

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, ex INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
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