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?
Get Active in Our Amazing Community of Over 452,000 Peers!
Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Case Partners to connect and practice with!
Taking 5 months off before the MBA starts
Overview of answers
Upvotes
Hi,
I am a huge advocate of taking breaks as long as they serve you and are set with an intention.
Was this answer helpful?
Best answer
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
Was this answer helpful?
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
Was this answer helpful?
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
Was this answer helpful?
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!
Was this answer helpful?
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).
Was this answer helpful?
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!
Was this answer helpful?
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.
Was this answer helpful?
If you have a good amount of work experience already (>1 year at least), this won't look bad on your CV at all!
Was this answer helpful?
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
Was this answer helpful?
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.
Was this answer helpful?
Related Cases
Expert case by Francesco
Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many students as possible to complete studies and prevent that they drop from the school system, in particular in disadv
...
Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many stude
...
(Open whole case)
31.7k
Times solved
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco
Style:
Our client is a BlissOttica, an Eyewear Manufacturer that is looking to reach a 10% increase in profits. How would you help our client?
Our client is a BlissOttica, an Eyewear Manufacturer that is looking to reach a 10% increase in profits. How would you help our client?
(Open whole case)
13.7k
Times solved
Intermediate
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco
Style:
Our client is a supermarket chain that is considering whether they should enter the emerging online grocery delivery business where consumers order their groceries online and have them delivered to their homes. Currently, two competitors have entered the online market in the client's area in San Fra
...
Our client is a supermarket chain that is considering whether they should enter the emerging online grocery delivery business where consumers order their groceries online and have them deliv
...
(Open whole case)
8.1k
Times solved
Intermediate
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco
Style:
Your client is the Performance Chemicals division (revenues of $500 million) of a Specialty Chemicals Company with total revenues of $14 billion. The CEO wants the company to become the fastest-growing specialty chemicals company and has therefore asked all the divisions to present growth strat
...
Your client is the Performance Chemicals division (revenues of $500 million) of a Specialty Chemicals Company with total revenues of $14 billion. The CEO wants the company to become the fast
...
(Open whole case)
8.0k
Times solved
Intermediate
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco
Style:
Our client is a German-owned water provider company based in the southwest of the United States. As the biggest water provider in the region, they serve the majority of the southwest region.Profit growth has slowed down considerably in recent years, and the company is finding it difficult to co
...
Our client is a German-owned water provider company based in the southwest of the United States. As the biggest water provider in the region, they serve the majority of the southwest re
...
(Open whole case)
7.6k
Times solved
Intermediate
Difficulty
690
Meetings
29,324
Q&A Upvotes
130
Awards
217 Reviews
