Should I Avoid Switching Jobs During the Application Process?

Quite frequently, clients move jobs for different reasons. I have the privilege of working with some of the most dynamic and self-aware people, with excellent judgment. Their decision to make a job switch is often a good thing.

I would very rarely advise someone to avoid switching jobs. You are making this decision for certain reasons, and when your reasoning is sound, it is easy to explain to admissions committees why the move is the right move for you. In general, the application doesn't dictate your life decisions. Your life should dictate your application. For instance, I have had multiple clients who worked at a company for a handful of years and wanted to spend a few months before the MBA testing out their target career path via a pre-MBA internship. I have also had clients who had a friend or relative starting a startup and saw an opportunity to move from a big corporate to a small startup to explore what it is like "on the other side." These were fantastic opportunities that would have been missed out on if we were just looking for the cleanest, easiest application story. I find people are sometimes nervous when their path is not linear, but I actually think the non-linear paths make some of the most interesting stories when we explain them well.

Depending on the timing of the move, we decide together the appropriate timing and approach for sharing the news of your job switch, and most importantly, the reasoning. We may find our approach to be slightly different if your job switch is before you submit applications or after application deadlines, or during interviews. For instance, if you submit your application before making the change, we may not address it until you have made the move and settled in, but if you make the move before your deadline, we would likely address it. Additionally, if you make a move very close to decisions coming out, we will think about what disclosing the job switch might add at that time.

One thing I do really try to avoid is a big gap. This does not mean a gap in paid employment. This means a gap in staying busy. If you leave your job in the middle of the application cycle and will have eight months before starting the MBA, how do you intend to spend your time? How will you add value to others or yourself? How will you build yourself into a better future contributor to the MBA classroom versus if you had stayed in your role? Perhaps you decide that you have a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in your favorite community service organization for a few months, or maybe you have family overseas that you would like to spend extended time with before life gets busy with the MBA. I have also had clients who have left a role to take care of an ailing family member, and that is certainly something to be valued and shared. All of these instances say a lot about who a candidate is and how they show up for their community or family.

I sometimes have applicants for whom leaving is not a choice. I have had clients who are laid off in the middle of the admissions cycle, or face various difficult circumstances at work that make staying at work difficult. The goal is the same: transparency on why it was not the right place for you, and clarity on what you will do with this opportunity to do something different before you start your MBA.

Occasionally, clients will ask me if we can avoid disclosing the job change to the schools. I generally do not advise doing this. Most importantly, there is nothing to hide, and you should be confident in and proud of the important career choices you have made. Even if there was something to hide, upon your admission, schools will run a background check. You will know before it happens, but you will want to be sure all of your job history is up to date so the background check comes back accurate. Often, when I am asked this question, I remind the client that the job switch is a chance to show something new in your profile, and to show how you take advantage of an unexpected opportunity to grow.