How to use SWOT analysis in MBA Application

You are applying to a B-school for an MBA. You know you fit the school and have done enough research. When you start writing your essays, you are expected to write about yourself and you don't know why it is taking so much time just to write about yourself. Introspection, "a conscious mental and usually purposive process relaying on thinking/reasoning/examination of one's own thoughts and feelings" is probably you have to do and find it very difficult to express your own self.

SWOT analysis is something which can come in handy for a situation, personality or organization analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Although extensively used in marketing reports, one can use it to analyze a personality in a methodical manner.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors while opportunities and threats are potential external factors. Strengths can serve as a foundation for building a competitive advantage, and weaknesses may hinder it. By understanding these four aspects of yourself, you can better leverage your strengths, work upon your weaknesses, capitalize on golden opportunities, and deter potentially devastating threats. Thus with a successful analysis, you become clear in expressing yourself and thereby improving yourself.

Your Strengths can be:

• Your academic record
• GMAT Score
• Quality work-ex
• A unique leadership experience
• A unique hobby
• A unique skill
• Community participation
  
• Knowledge of a foreign language
• An initiative taken at workplace to solve a complex problem
• Enthusiasm, energy, imagination. Your qualities.
• ... the list can go on. Just spend some time and make an exhaustive list.
  

Your weaknesses can be:

• Poor undergrad grades
• Low GMAT Score
• Less work-experience (how was the quality?)
  
• No managerial/leadership role (bad can you justify your abilities?)
  
• A bad habit (procrastination, laziness, poor communication skills?)
• No international work-ex.
  

Now when an internal analysis is done, we'll see how your strengths can be used to grab possible opportunities and how your weaknesses can be possible threats so that you can work on them before it is too late.

Some of the opportunities can be:

• A perfect fit for XYZ school based on your experience (Your marketing stint in the IT company fits with your post MBA goals of marketing, etc.)
• Your GMAT score is above the average GMAT score of the school.
• Your international experience was considerable.
• Increase in no. of seats this year. ;)
• just research the school and fit yourself in, building up on your strengths.
  

In a similar fashion, corresponding to the weaknesses, threats can be identified:

• average GMAT score is increased this year
• More number of people have community involvement.
• Many people have international work-ex which you do not.
• You are part of a large applicant pool.

A SWOT analysis template is available which can be used. Remember that SWOT analysis is just one method which can be used for building up on significant achievements in your life and building a story. Apart from MBA application, it can also be used for within the company appraisals, although I have provided examples targeting MBA Application.

Hope this helps in bringing out your true self and writing a genuine application. Although I do invite other ideas from the readers which I might have missed out on.

6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

It has been a very long time since I have written something useful targetting self-improvement. In fact, I haven't made any additions to the blog since like half a year. This post, basically is not about GMAT, but can be useful in writing essays for applications or AWA.

Well, it's one of the things I would like to improve about myself is good writing. And for that, vocabulary and word formation are important aspects. While surfing through Daily Writing Tips website, I found the following information very useful, so sharing it with everyone:

Whether you like it or not, foreign expressions represent an integral part of the English language (and of many other languages, too). Knowing the meaning and usage of the most used ones is very important. First of all because it will enable you to understand pieces of text that include them. Secondly, because you might also need to use those expressions on particular situations (avoid using them just to sound smart though). Below you will find 6 foreign expressions commonly used in English, enjoy!

1. De Facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means “actual” (if used as an adjective) or “in practice” (if used as an adverb). In legal terms, de facto is commonly used in contrast to de jure, which means “by law.” Something, therefore, can emerge either de facto (by practice) or de jure (by law).

And what of the plastic red bench, which has served as his de facto home for the last 15 years and must by now be a collector’s item? (NY Times)

2. Vis-à-Vis

The literal meaning of this French expression is “face to face” (used as an adverb). It is used more widely as a preposition though, meaning “compared with” or “in relation to.”

It’s going to be a huge catalyst in moving the whole process forward and it really strengthens the U.S. position vis-a-vis our trading partners (Yahoo! News)

3. Status quo

This famous Latin expression means “the current or existing state of affairs.” If something changes the status quo, it is changing the way things presently are.

Bush believes that the status quo — the presence in a sovereign country of a militant group with missiles capable of hitting a U.S. ally — is unacceptable. (Washington Post)

4. Cul-de-sac

This expression was originated in England by French-speaking aristocrats. Literally it means “bottom of a sack,” but generally it refers to a dead-end street. Cul-de-sac can also be used metaphorically to express an action that leads to nowhere or an impasse.

But the code of omerta was in effect for two carloads of fans circling the cul-de-sac to have a look at the house. (Reuters.com)

A cul-de-sac of poverty (The Economist)

5. Per se

Per se is a Latin expression that means “by itself” or “intrinsically.”

The mistake it made with the Xbox is that there is no game console market per se; there are PlayStation, GameCube, and Xbox markets. (PCMag.com)

6. Ad hoc

Ad hoc, borrowed from the Latin, can be used both as an adjective, where it means “formed or created with a specific purpose,” and as an adverb, where it means “for the specific purpose or situation.”

The World Bank’s board on Friday ordered an ad hoc group to discuss the fate of President Paul Wolfowitz (CNN)

Calling all Oversleepers

Steve Pavlina is a genious. That was another problem of mine. He suggested a solution to get rid of procrastination. Now he told me "how to become an early riser".

To all oversleepers and to all people who want to become an early riser, go throught his article. A long one, but really helpful.

If you found this helpful, he has written more on this: How to Become an Early Riser - Part II.

Found a help - Overcoming procrastination

Man, who knew I wrote this article. Yesterday I wrote "Procrastinating me" and today while browsing, accidentally, I found this article - Overcoming Procrastination.

Long one. But interesting and helpful.
For those like me, go through it "now". Do not leave it for tomorrow.

Procrastinating Me

Yes, I know someday I will fall, and fall real hard. Because of this..... habit, characteristic, or whatever you may call it. But I have it in me and I really do not like it. I never learn.... rather I don't learn (I changed the phrase because somebody told me:

"Always and never are two words you should ALWAYS remember NEVER to use."

And because I don't learn, I am writing it down so that everybody in the world knows that I am trying to improve.

I have to apply to ISB this year and the deadline is fast approaching. The deadline 10th Dec and now there's hardly one and a half month left and I haven't even prepared a rough draft of my essays. This is my third attempt and I do not want to ruin it. I want the progress chart to reflect progress only.

Attempt 1: "Ding"
Attempt 2: "Waitlist"
Attempt 3: Has to be "Admit"

Even though this habit has been too rough on me in the past. Whatever failures I have had in the past, my contribution to those have been major. And of that too, procrastination was a big reason. I'm gonna start fast and I'm gonna start now.