The only one who put in so much effort

“Let’s pick her. The only one who put in so much effort.”

I wasn’t supposed to see the email. I was copied by mistake.

I had applied for the very first director job in my life. It was unpaid and unglorified. Director of Student Events at my alma mater’s chapter of the Association of Women MBA.

I felt slightly embarrassed. Reading an email about me that I wasn’t meant to see felt like eavesdropping.

More than embarrassed, I was surprised.?

It seemed to me that if you wanted a leadership position, you had to do more than just say “pick me”.?

But the other candidates had simply raised their hand. I had been the one who made a case why I wanted the position and what I would do if selected. I had talked about being inspired by RBG to pave the way for other women to succeed. I had done it half a decade before the acronym RBG became a thing in 2013.?

Now, what on earth does all of this have to do with you, my dear reader and MBA hopeful? Here’s what.

In the MBA admissions race, your most fearsome competitor won’t be the person with the 780 GMAT.

It will be the one who put in so much effort. The one who did not see the three optional GSB essays as another annoying hurdle. The one who rejoiced that the GSB gave them three more shots at showing their impact.?

What about you? Who will you be in the MBA admissions race? The one who simply says “pick me”? Or the only one who puts in so much effort??

Onwards and upwards,

Petia

P. S. As I promised last week,?here are the full analyses of the difference between Round 1 and Round 2.