ESMT Berlin MBA Application Essays 2023-24
Essay 1: Describe your specific career aspirations and your reason for pursuing an MBA at ESMT Berlin.
Essay 2: Failures are rich learning opportunities and help us grow. Tell us about a setback in your life (personal, academic, or professional), your reaction to the setback, and how it changed you.
Essay 3: You can invite one guest for dinner, be they living, dead, fictional, or other. Who would you invite and why?
ESMT Berlin Winning Sample Essay-1
Essay 1: Describe your specific career aspirations and your reason for pursuing an MBA at ESMT Berlin.
Working on multiple strategic initiatives as a sales representative in a manufacturing organisation has honed my leadership skills and motivated me to step up to a strategic management role. I am at a point in my career where I can leverage my skills and pivot from sales to strategic account management. Benefiting from my diverse experiences across technical consulting, and deep understanding of sales function, I’ll be able to deliver actionable, evidence-based solutions efficiently and help organisations be sustainable in the current industry. To make the transition, I must master the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the international business environment.
German excellence and international relevance, sum up why I chose to apply for the MBA programme at the ESMT. The carefully curated program structure with focus on developing different competencies through customizable modules would help me build strong business acumen. I am particularly excited about the Managerial Analytics course as it will equip me with tools and tackles to amplify my problem-solving ability and substantiate strategic decision-making with objective data-based evidence. Furthermore I am impressed by the focus that the school places on developing the individual competencies through pre-program language lessons and summer internships, which would help me stand out of the crowd with confidence.
In conclusion I am confident that ESMTs focus on leadership, diversity in class, philosophy of inclusion, and unique approach towards career development, would allow me to develop a multi-disciplinary creative approach that will provide me with a better framework to achieve my goals
Essay 2: Failures are rich learning opportunities and help us grow. Tell us about a setback in your life (personal, academic, or professional), your reaction to the setback, and how it changed you.
In 2019, I was working on a novel and complex project to manufacture optical fibres in India. I was quick to get involved and after several rounds of discussion we achieved the technical and commercial closure by offering higher discounts.
During the commercial discussion, the customer requested a long credit line and no price change policy for the supply. Though our management was reluctant, I managed to convince them by estimating a good deal of after sales revenues 2 years down the line.
However, I miscalculated the execution timeline and the project commenced 6 months after the order finalisation resulting in higher commodity prices which put further pressure on our margins. Moreover, due to the nature of processes involved there were many post order changes, culminating in rework and loss of productivity of the plant.
I was caught under scrutiny from the management over the failures in execution of the project. Assessing the situation, I decided to go back to the customer and negotiate an upfront spares proposal. The customer agreed to the proposal which increased order value by more than 30% and increased the overall margin due to the sale of loose components.
This project execution taught me the importance of strategic decision making when faced with pressure and adversities. While overcoming the failure I was able to come out as a resilient and a strong executive. This experience made me stronger and patient while handling assignments having complex project charters.
Essay 3: You can invite one guest for dinner, be they living, dead, fictional, or other. Who would you invite and why?
Growing up in a neighbourhood of a Telco employee colony, I have always been influenced by the work of Mr Ratan Tata, the former Chairman of Tata Group. His leadership of the Tata Group forged in principles of employee welfare and set the standards of corporate governance in a profit-driven industrial atmosphere. Inviting him for dinner would be a great honour and an opportunity to learn from his vast experience and knowledge in business and philanthropy.
He has often emphasised the importance of integrity, humility, and long-term thinking in business, and I would love to learn how he has applied these values while driving growth and innovation in a diverse group such as Tata. As I work with senior executives on strategic initiatives in my organisation, his insights on business ethics and how to be a force of positive change without compromising the core values keep me motivated to be a responsible executive. Taking inspiration from his leadership philosophy, I have set my long-term goal of sustainably leading a technologically driven organisation.
Furthermore, Mr Tata is a vocal advocate of responsible business practices and youngsters’ role in shaping the country’s social structure. Influenced by his work, I decided to contribute to a social project by lending my expertise to streamline the operational framework of the group. While at ESMT, I intend to join the Meraki Club and share my experiences with my peers to motivate them to join the cause.
ESMT Berlin Winning Sample Essay – 2
Essay 1: Describe your specific career aspirations and your reason for pursuing an MBA at ESMT Berlin.
My career aspiration is to transition from my current role as a software engineer to a product manager, specifically in the field of AI-driven technologies. At LinkedIn, I’ve been implementing AI solutions to enhance job matching, which has sparked my interest in leading innovative products that can make significant impacts on businesses and society.
Long-term, I aim to become an entrepreneur, launching a tech startup that leverages AI to solve real-world problems. I believe AI will revolutionize business operations, much like the internet did, and I want to be at the forefront of this transformation.
I’m pursuing an MBA at ESMT Berlin because of its strong focus on innovation and technology management. The program’s curriculum, which blends business fundamentals with cutting-edge tech trends, aligns perfectly with my career goals. ESMT’s location in Berlin, a thriving hub for tech startups, provides an ideal environment to network and gain insights into the European tech scene.
Moreover, ESMT’s diverse student body and emphasis on global perspectives will enhance my cross-cultural competence, a crucial skill I’ve begun developing through leading international hiring initiatives at LinkedIn. The school’s connections with leading tech companies also offer valuable opportunities to apply my learning in real-world settings, preparing me for my post-MBA career transition and eventual entrepreneurial journey.
Essay 2: Failures are rich learning opportunities and help us grow. Tell us about a setback in your life (personal, academic, or professional), your reaction to the setback, and how it changed you.
In 2019, I experienced a significant personal setback when I underwent major surgery to remove three tumors from my neck. This health crisis was followed by another blow when my grand-uncle succumbed to cancer just six months later. These events were not just physically challenging but also emotionally devastating.
Initially, I struggled with feelings of vulnerability and regret. I had always prided myself on self-sufficiency, but the physical and mental toll of the surgery opened my eyes to the stress these treatments cause. I regretted not recognizing my own symptoms earlier, and I felt guilty for not noticing my grand-uncle’s declining health sooner.
However, this setback became a powerful catalyst for change. It profoundly reshaped my understanding of health consciousness and the importance of early symptom recognition. I pledged to be more proactive in my family’s health matters. This new awareness paid off when I noticed abnormalities in my grandmother’s health. By insisting she visit an oncologist, we caught her cancer early, leading to successful treatment.
This experience changed me in several ways. Firstly, it made me more empathetic and attuned to others’ well-being. In my professional life at LinkedIn, I now ensure I dedicate time to discuss non-work-related issues with my team, creating a safe environment for them to speak about mental and physical stresses.
Secondly, it inspired me to give back. I became an active volunteer at the American Cancer Society, raising awareness about early detection and providing support for those battling the disease. My contributions have helped increase monthly donations by 30%.
Lastly, this setback taught me the value of vulnerability and seeking help when needed. It’s a lesson I carry into all aspects of my life, making me a more balanced and compassionate leader.
Essay 3: You can invite one guest for dinner, be they living, dead, fictional, or other. Who would you invite and why?
If I could invite anyone to dinner, I would choose Alan Turing, the pioneering computer scientist and cryptanalyst. As a software engineer deeply interested in AI, I find Turing’s contributions to the field of computer science and artificial intelligence profoundly inspiring.
Turing’s work laid the foundation for modern computing and AI. His concept of the Turing machine is fundamental to the theory of computation, and the Turing test he proposed is still a benchmark in AI development. Given my experience implementing AI solutions at LinkedIn and my aspirations to lead AI-driven products, I would be eager to discuss with Turing his vision for the future of AI and how he views its current progress.
Moreover, Turing’s life story is one of remarkable resilience and dedication to science in the face of personal adversity. As someone who has faced health challenges and learned the importance of perseverance, I would be keen to understand how Turing maintained his focus on groundbreaking work despite societal pressures.
I would also value the opportunity to express gratitude for his contributions, which have shaped my career field. Discussing the ethical implications of AI with its conceptual founder would be invaluable as I pursue my goal of creating AI solutions that positively impact society.
This dinner conversation would not only be intellectually stimulating but also deeply inspiring for my future career in AI and technology leadership.
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