Short Job Tenure Before MBA - A Red Flag?

Question

I'm a recent admit to a top MBA program. After progressing from a grad to a senior role in a large corporation over a 4 year span, I spent the next 2 years with a startup before it downsized. To maintain finances, I took a role in medical devices this April but the company was acquired soon after I joined and the role has changed. Now I'm considering quitting after just 3 months to travel and rejuvenate before the MBA. However, I'm concerned that consultancies might see this short stint as a red flag. Should I stay until December/January when my MBA starts, or would leaving now be acceptable?

Answer 1

Your current line of argument seems honest, logical and earnest enough - few people might find an issue with that.

You can add some clarity around why you took up the Med Device role v/s any other role. You can also add some realisations you had in this 3-month stint that prompted you enough to leave and go for the travel.

It is not uncommon for consultants to take year-long sabbaticals to travel and explore oneself.

Alternatively, you can choose to omit the 3-month stint from your CV since there might not be much meat to talk about.

Answer 2

Hi there,

Yes, it's totally acceptable to take a multi-month break ahead of your MBA.

Would not worry too much about it, consulting firms are quite understanding when it comes to hopping across industries, switching roles, sabbaticals and other gaps in your CV etc. Beyond that, there can be many legitimate reasons for the intended move that you described.

As a former MBA CV screener, I can assure you that in terms of screening, they will much rather focus on the quality of your profile and candidacy, much rather than calculating tenures.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Answer 3

Hi there,

I subscribe what the other experts say - my only additions

1) The gap will attract less and less attention (assuming it will) the more years you have on your belt before the MBA and the longer the stints at each company

2) I would not leave out of CV - would add a proactive statement in the CV page about the rationale of it and what you did that made you grow as individual

3) I would prepare a structured and succint way to explain it in the interviewer, should this come up

All the best for your path.

Answer 4

I took 3 months off prior to my MBA to live in Colombia. I then got a BCG internship + follow-up offer that fall.

You are totally fine taking 3 months off to travel prior to your MBA.

In fact, I personally believe you should. The MBA is very tiring and requires you to be refreshed. Go for it! (But, I recommend a few weeks at the end between travel and school where you're at home, almost getting “bored”…rather than traveling up until the last second)

Answer 5

Hi there,

Q: Should I stay until December/January when my MBA starts, or would leaving now be acceptable?

If you want to have a break, you essentially have 3 options:

Stick until the beginning of December to avoid gaps and keep December as a full gap month before starting the MBA
Leave now, have a 6-month gap, keep the medical device role on your CV
Leave now, have a 9-month gap, exclude the medical device role from your CV

With options #2 and #3, they might ask for the reason for the gap during interviews. However, if you can provide a clear answer there shouldn't be any issues.

Whether to opt for the longer break or not depends on how much you need it compared to the shorter option, so it is more of a personal decision.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 6

Hello,

You'll have plenty of work experience on your resume already, your career trajectory story makes sense, and also many people take some time off to rest or travel before their MBA. I don't think a few months' gap will be seen as a red flag at all.

Answer 7

Hi there,

It's not worth spending months of your life doing something you don't enjoy just because of the vague possibility that somebody might misinterpret that.

My advice is the following - drop the job, go travel, do what you want, then save 200 dollars and pay an expert to polish your CV and storyline. A good coach will not only incorporate these timelines so they don't raise flags, but they'll position your CV so it goes within the top 10% of CVs in the recruitment pipeline.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 8

The way I read it, you took a short term role while you were taking care of your application, and then you took some time off before the MBA. All of that is fine.

In any case, consulting firms like people that enjoy doing project type of work. This means that short tenures are not necessarily a negative - you can even portray it as a positive.