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Taking 5 months off before the MBA starts

consulting employment gap MBA
Neue Antwort am 7. Juli 2023
11 Antworten
443 Views
Anonym A fragte am 30. Juni 2023

I've received an admit to an MBA program starting Jan. I was wondering if quitting my job now so that i could take some time off and mentally prepare myself for the program. I can use this time to recharge batteries and do some travelling too. 

Wondering if this would look badly on my CV when applying for consulting roles post MBA? 

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Adriane
Experte
antwortete am 1. Juli 2023
FIRST SESSION 50% OFF | Ex-McKinsey EM & Associate

Hi, 

I am a huge advocate of taking breaks as long as they serve you and are set with an intention. 

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Cristian
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 3. Juli 2023
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there,

That sounds like an excellent idea. Go for it!

Realistically, there are very few moments in life when you have the certainty of starting something great and having some space until it actually begins. It's the case with education but also with having an offer from a top firm. 

No, it doesn't reflect badly on you. You don't need to account on your CV for every month of your life and if you work with somebody who knows how to position your CV, it doesn't matter at all. What matters is the story that you can tell, not what you ‘did’ throughout your experience.

Hope you enjoy the time off!
Best,
Cristian

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Andi
Experte
antwortete am 30. Juni 2023
BCG 1st & Final Round interviewer | Personalized prep with >95% success rate | 7yrs coaching | #1 for Experienced Hires

Hi there,

If I were you, I'd take the time off. 

It won't negatively impact your chances in on-campus recruiting - consulting firms across the board are not strict about such “gaps” in your resume and beyond that they'll respect your motivation to take time off, in the unlikely event that they ask.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

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Francesco
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 1. Juli 2023
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Q: Wondering if this would look bad on my CV when applying for consulting roles post MBA? 

It won't look bad if you can explain what you did during that period (they will probably ask during interviews). Whether to do it or not depends on how much you need the break.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

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Ian
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 30. Juni 2023
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Look, that's your call. It sounds like you want to, and are looking for confirmation. If you're asking “is it a bad idea”, then no, it's not!

Personally, I took 3 months off before starting my MBA and lived in Colombia. It didn't negatively affect my career in the slightest!

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Pedro
Experte
antwortete am 1. Juli 2023
Bain | Roland Berger | EY-Parthenon | Mentoring Approach | 30% off first 10 sessions in May| Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

By itself, it won't look bad on your resume. Taking that time off is not a problem.

There is only one scenario where that can be a negative: if you don't have 2 years of experience. I.e., with less than 2 years of experience you may be perceived by some firms as quite inexperienced. You should make sure you get close to the 2 year mark (and it doesn't have to be 24 months exactly, but definitely more than 18 months).

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Benjamin
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 7. Juli 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

As someone who used to review CVs, no - this will not look badly on your application at all. 

The fact that you made it to MBA means that there already is strong experience that you've accumulated up until now. The firms will be looking at that, plus your MBA itself as reason to interview you :)

Have fun!

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Udayan
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 30. Juni 2023
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

Go for it - you will be fine. They will not care about the 5 month break given you have other relevant work experience to rely on.

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Sophia
Experte
antwortete am 30. Juni 2023
Top-Ranked Coach on PrepLounge for 3 years| 6+ years of coaching

If you have a good amount of work experience already (>1 year at least), this won't look bad on your CV at all! 

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Daniel
Experte
antwortete am 1. Juli 2023
Ex-Bain | Effective case prep for DACH & Middle East | Offers from 5/6 recruitment processes (3 regions, '20 & '23)

Hi there,

 

congrats to the successful admission to an MBA program. Exciting times lie ahead of you.

I do not think that a few months break look bad at all, especially when you have already the next step lined up. You might also use this time to learn a new skill or gain some experiences you were always seeking for, both will help you in drafting stories for the fit part of the consulting interview. 

All the Best,
Daniel

 

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Agrim
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 5. Juli 2023
BCG Dubai Project Leader | Learn to think like a Consultant | Free personalised prep plan | 6+ years in Consulting

Many people do what you are thinking about. Shouldn't be much of a problem. Just be clear on what you would like to do in these 5 months and make something out of it. Don't waste them away. Either try for personal enrichment or professional enrichment.

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Cristian

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