UPDATE: This article was originally posted on May 5, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

An MBA CV is a sales document that helps you sell your experience and education to the admissions committee. It speaks to your career path and accomplishments and can be the deciding factor between an acceptance letter and applying for the next round of admissions.

Even if you have a CV that has worked well for applying to jobs or internships, an MBA CV is distinctly unique. It must fit business school CV standards along with international CV practices that may be different than those of your country.

In this post, we’re sharing 9 things your MBA CV must have if you’re applying to a prestigious business school. If you’re going to spend hours preparing the perfect application and studying for the GMAT or GRE, why not invest a few extra minutes to ensure your CV is at the top of its game? 

There’s also a free, printable checklist you can download at the end of this article, which lists each must-have so that it’s easy for you to refer to when working on your CV. 

 

1. One page only

It’s important to show your impressive experience and education, however, brevity and clarity are also key. Keep in mind admissions committees read thousands of CVs, so the likelihood of your four-page CV getting their full attention is unlikely—and this means you miss out on the opportunity to communicate the highlights of your career and education.

Many programs, like Stanford GSB, are clear in stating they require one-page CVs. 

(Image courtesy of Stanford GSB Website)

If you have a story to tell or want to provide more context, look to your MBA essays as the proper outlet to build a narrative. Your CV should be short yet powerful. 

A CV is like a billboard, not a textbook.

 

2. Correct MBA format

A CV you’d use to secure an internship or job begins with your education history first. However, business schools have different expectations. 

Your MBA CV should be structured as follows:

• Contact Info

• Work Experience

• Education

• Community Involvement (if applicable)

• Additional Information

In the work experience, education, and additional experience sections, use no more than 5 bullet points and short statements. 

Notice the difference:

Developed the plan, strategy, and implementation for a $4B USD oil refinery in Northwestern Brazil. I led six people including coordinators, consultants, vendors, and clients and worked with IT, marketing, logistics, sales, and finance departments. I delivered a one-hour presentation to client leadership and BCG partners, showing our results. We saw a 13% reduction in operating expenses.

OR

• Developed the implementation strategy for a cost-cutting initiative of a $4B USD Brazilian oil refinery; managed six internal and external colleagues across 5 departments.
• Partnered directly with BCG and client leadership, delivering presentations to all stakeholders with final results; achieved a 13% cost reduction.

Not only does the first option lack “punch” and impact, it includes unnecessary words that don’t communicate the true value or achievement. We’re distracted by extra information!

With bullet points, the reader knows exactly what’s important and impressive.

Looking for MBA tips and templates that our clients used to get admitted? Check out our MBA Resource Center. With hundreds of essays, interview mocks, CV templates, and much more, you’ll have everything you need to land a spot at a top program! Join here!

 

A note on MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan has very specific requirements for their CV, which differ from other programs. 

First, MIT asks for you to list your education first, then your professional experience. As such, make sure you switch these sections around. 

Finally, they ask you to use Times New Roman, 10-point font. 

MIT is very particular about following instructions, so make sure your CV is perfectly formatted according to their requirements. Here is the complete list:

 

3. Clear, action-based language

The purpose of an MBA CV is clear. It isn’t merely to show the tasks you’ve completed or your responsibilities; this isn’t a job description, it’s a sales document! 

Building context around your education and work experience matters, but don’t fall into the trap of simply listing tasks you have completed. This is the time to show your achievements.

Which of these is better?

Sent emails and led client meetings for CPG clients during cost-reduction initiative; received promotion. 

Or

Partnered directly with C-Suit clients during a cost-reduction transformation, delivering a 15% annual decrease in spending and US$56M in total savings. 

The second one is much more powerful, right? Using clear language and powerful action-based verbs will ensure your successes truly shine.

If you need inspiration, ask yourself: what was my biggest accomplishment in this role, and what did I achieve?

 

4. Quantifiable outcomes

While you may know that you managed a big-budget project for a client, the reader of your CV does not. They don’t know if a project generated a $2k USD consulting fee or a $5M USD consulting retainer, so give them the information they need to understand your experience and success.

Can you spot the difference?

Managed many associates and interns during a very important project. 

OR

Managed, delegated, and mentored 5 associates and 6 summer interns during 4 debt restructuring projects, each with an average value of US$75M

In the first example, we’re unaware of just how many “many associates and interns” might be. Is it 3 or 30? What made these projects “very important”? To whom?

With the improved version, we know exactly how many people were managed, the context of the leadership, and understand this wasn’t a small endeavor but a multi-million dollar project.

Be aware of quantifier words like “very” or “many.” Not only are they vague, but they miss the opportunity to add actual data to your experience.

Instead, use quantifiable outcomes to show off your achievements. Using dollar amounts, percentages and ratios clues the reader in and subtly allows you to demonstrate how important and impactful your work is. 

 

5. Accurate dates

Two important points MBA programs consider when evaluating your application are how many months of work experience you have and if you have any gaps in your work experience. 

Since this is one of the most first things an admissions office will look at — and something they will cross-reference against the information you provide in the online application form — you want to make sure the dates presented on your CV are accurate. 

You will ultimately have to pass through a background check after being admitted (a process that confirms all information stated in your application is indeed true), so be especially careful not to mess up your employment dates. 

After all, simple mistakes here can lead to big questions about your application later on, and it’s never a good idea to give admissions officers any reason to ding you. 

 

6. Extracurricular activities

An MBA CV is factual and professional, but that doesn’t mean an MBA applications committee isn’t looking for the person behind the work experience and education. They want to be sure candidate achievements continue into their personal life and that their interests complement or contrast those of the MBA community.

Here’s what your Additional Information section should include:

• Languages: Include the languages you know beyond a basic level, plus any certifications/tests that show your knowledge (ex: TOEFL)
• Travel: Show any cultural exploration and travel interest in this section. Include the number of countries you’ve visited and any unique or memorable trips (ex: backpacking the Appalachian Trail or studying abroad in Mongolia)
• Courses and Certifications: List any training or courses you’ve completed as well as certifications you’ve received after university. Include the name of the institution or program, plus the year completed (ex. CFA Level II, 2016)
• Volunteer Work: Show the admissions committee your humanitarian side by listing volunteer projects you’ve participated in. Name the organization, your role in the organization, and the years you participated.
• Personal Interests: List what you love doing outside of the office, including your diverse and interesting hobbies like running marathons, visiting museums, practicing jiu-jitsu, or surfing. Don’t be afraid to show who you are!

Business schools are seeking well-rounded, dynamic, and interesting candidates who will add to the community and make it diverse; few MBA programs want carbon copies of the same candidate profile because it creates a one-dimensional community that does not reflect the real world.

Sharing your interests and unique qualities creates rapport and a connection with the admissions committee and potential interviewers. Who knows? Maybe you and your INSEAD interviewer both love cross-country skiing and this creates a strong, positive impression on top of a stellar interview.

If you’re want to send a perfect MBA CV, look no further than our MBA Resource Center. With multiple résumé templates and exclusive guides, our Resource Center includes all the tools you need to submit a winning MBA application. Join here!

7. Consistent information

When you apply to an MBA program, the admissions committee has seen your essays, CV and read recommendation letters from your references, so any inconsistencies will become obvious. 

For example, if your CV shows you held a fairly low-level position in a hedge fund, your essay should not suggest that you were leading multi-billion dollar investments or calling the shots alongside the CEO. You absolutely don’t want to damage your credibility, even accidentally.

Think about how your CV will affect your interview as well. Are you overselling your abilities or experience, a fact that will come out in your interviews?

Whether it’s your CV, essays, interview, or recommendation letters, honesty and consistency are non-negotiable.

TOP TIP: Read your CV line by line and compare each line to other parts of your application, including your essays, letters of recommendation, and interview answers. Look for any contradictions or inconsistencies and update them right away to what’s accurate!

 

8. Program-Specific language

If you’ve researched your chosen programs, you know each one has unique values and priorities and they look for students who match. HBS highly values leadership, while Stanford is more focused on entrepreneurship, for example.

To further show your fit for each program, use your CV to showcase that you, too, hold these values. 

If you’re applying to both HBS and Stanford, your HBS CV may include more emphasis on leadership during your university years or an initiative you led at work. However, you may focus less on the startup you’re building outside of work where it’s only you, and there are few leadership opportunities.

However, your Stanford CV would devote some extra focus to this startup, speaking to the value Stanford puts on entrepreneurship. Showing how you’ve taken initiative on internal projects that required an entrepreneurial skillset can also demonstrate this value.

While you don’t necessarily need to have completely different CVs for each program, do consider where to augment or change your experiences and skills based on the program’s values. 

 

9. Zero errors

It may seem obvious, but you should be absolutely certain your CV is error-free before uploading it. 

Small errors in formatting, spelling, and grammar may not seem like a big deal, but they can be seen as tiny indicators that you are a lazy applicant — definitely not the best way to make a good first impression. 

For non-native English speakers, admissions consultants will also be looking for mistakes that indicate your English may not be strong enough for their rigorous program. After you’ve come so far, don’t let preventable grammar errors keep you from an acceptance letter.

As such, it is absolutely essential to ensure you check, double-check, and triple-check your CV for errors. 

TOP TIP: reading your CV out loud line by line or printing your CV can be great ways to spot new errors you might have missed in previous revisions. 

We’ve helped numerous candidates secure a spot in top-ranked MBA programs and have a 98.9% success rate doing so. One of the reasons is our sharp eye for detail when analyzing a client’s application materials — including their CV.

If you’re not sure how to turn your bullet points into bragging points or just want a second pair of eyes, our award-winning editors can ensure you develop a CV that truly sells you to elite business schools.