By Theodore Phillits

Like any graduate application, a business school personal statement gives you the opportunity to show the college admissions committee that you are one hundred percent dedicated to committing yourself to this degree and a bright future in the world of business. Business is all about sales and, in the simplest terms, your personal statement is your advertisement for yourself.

Show Your Experience

Unfortunately, MBA programs are looking for students who show that they already have a good foundation in the world of business. When you write your business school personal statement, you want to focus on your experience out in the world. Unlike your GPA and classes listed on your transcript, when you list the jobs and job titles you have held, they are not always self explanatory. Spend a little time getting into what you’ve done out in the world. Despite the fact that you are applying to a school, people in business are one of the last groups that place a little bit more emphasis on real world experience than book learning. Degrees are a plus. Experience is a necessity.

Flash a Little Lingo

If you’ve spent any time at all out in the world of business, you know that there is a language all its own that the big players are using. When discussing your business experience, be sure to throw in a few zippy words and abbreviations that are particular to the industry. This has a tremendous effect of raising you up in their view as a colleague instead of one of million peons all vying for their attention. We’re talking words like ‘global village’, ‘B2B’, ‘IPO’, ‘M&A’, ‘synergy’. You could be their next protégée. Letting them know that in your personal business school statement with some well placed language will go a long way in securing that impression.

Tell a Story

Imagine yourself over lunch with your admissions committee. You’re trying to sell them yourself as their next junior executive. You want to show them that not only are you knowledgeable in their industry, but that you’ve got experience working for the other guy (but not so much that you’ll be difficult to mold) and that you’re a great person to have around everyday. The only way to do that is to be that person. You can’t tell them how wonderful you are without coming off like something of a jerk. And who wants to work with a jerk? You’ve got to tell them a funny story in your business school personal statement.

Anecdotes have the dual effect of giving someone an intimate look into your experience and viewpoint and creating a visual image in their minds that will make you stand out from all the other applicants. Make the anecdote entertaining, even funny. Make sure it applies somehow to business – maybe a mistake you made that you learned from or a mistake that your boss made that you had to cover for. Whatever it is, it has to make you look good. And keep it short. A business school personal statement has limited space and as much as a good anecdote can go a long way, you want to be sure that you have time to show your serious, well organized, detailed and efficient side as well.

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