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With its straightforward approach to the traditional goals statement and just one other required essay (with two prompt options that applicants can choose from), the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University seems interested in getting right to the heart of the issues it considers most valuable when evaluating its applicants. The admissions committee wants to first know your professional aspirations in both the short and long term, along with how you envision benefitting from the Johnson MBA program and what related strengths you already possess. For the other essay, you can elect to discuss how you see yourself being a contributing member of the Johnson community or what is special about you that makes you memorable. An optional essay is available, if needed, to address the usual topics of problematic candidacy issues or any outstanding qualifications that might not be represented elsewhere in your application. Read on for our full analysis of Cornell Johnson’s essay questions for 2025–2026. 

INSEAD candidates must respond to two career-focused queries and provide three motivation essays. In addition, applicants are tasked with completing a video component in which they answer four questions—the first three as separate video recordings and the fourth requiring a written answer. Given the total number of prompts, tasks, and questions involved, some candidates could find INSEAD’s essay gauntlet a bit intimidating and likely arduous as well. Read on for our full analysis, which we hope will make the process a little easier to manage.

Rather than framing its required application essay as a traditional “essay,” the MIT Sloan School of Management instead requests that applicants submit a “cover letter,” including even the standard formal correspondence elements of an address and opening salutation. Writing cover letters will undoubtedly be a large part of students’ career development efforts at Sloan, after all, so why not start now? Candidates must also submit two brief video “essays.” The first is a one-minute self-introduction video in which they are expected to convey their personality. For the second, applicants will be given an open-ended question and must respond extemporaneously within 60 seconds. MBA programs generally use these kinds of videos to evaluate candidates’ communication skills, grace under pressure, and potential to contribute to classroom discussions, as well as to gain insight into who the applicants are as living, breathing people, rather than one-dimensional aggregates of words and numbers in a folder. And finally, Sloan asks candidates to submit a short essay on how their past has influenced the person they are today. While somewhat unorthodox, the school’s “essays” allow applicants to deliver a balanced view of their professional and personal profiles, with a good amount of leeway for creativity. Read on for our full analysis of MIT Sloan’s application prompts for 2025–2026.

Yale School of Management (SOM) is one of the few top MBA programs that give candidates just one required application essay with which to make an impression on the admissions committee. The school offers applicants a choice of three topics to, as the admissions committee states, “ensure that you’re able to write about something important to you.” Applicants can expound on a significant commitment and its underlying impetus and meaning, discuss a particularly significant community involvement, or describe a major challenge they have faced. The essay has a 500-word maximum, so you need to be clear, direct, and rather succinct in your response, without much preamble or extraneous text. If you feel your primary essay does not allow you to share an aspect of your profile that you believe is particularly important or compelling, or if you have an issue in your candidacy that would benefit from further explication, you can use the “optional information” space to fill in the blanks. Our full analysis of the school’s essay prompts for 2025–2026 follows.

We have all been reading about how the economy is affecting job availability, especially for MBAs, and although this is true, we also need to acknowledge that candidates are still landing (great) jobs. And regardless of the state of the economy, the core principles of job searching remain the same. In this post, we discuss four key qualities that can make you a more successful job seeker in any job market.

Generosity (definition: the quality of being kind) – In the context of a job search, generosity means making introductions, building genuine relationships, and expressing sincere appreciation for help. 

• Take the call. When someone affiliated with your undergraduate or graduate institution reaches out for advice or guidance, respond. Offer feedback on the skills required to land a specific job, make introductions, and share the individual’s resume with relevant hiring managers.
• End every networking interaction with appreciation. In addition to saying, “Thank you for your time,” make sure to extend an offer like “If you think anyone in your network who would benefit from my areas of expertise, please feel free to make an introduction.” You could also ask a more direct question like “Is there anything I can do to help you?” Write a customized thank-you email after each interaction. 
• Share open positions at your company on LinkedIn as well as with people in your network. 
• Keep your network updated. Let your contacts know what actions you took based on their advice. 

Resilience (definition: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties) – At times in life, and especially while job searching, you are going to face rejection, so always remember the importance of believing in yourself.  

• Learn from each conversation. Take notes on what you felt you could do better in the conversation, and find ways to improve. Think of new questions to ask networking contacts based on previous conversations. Rejections do not mean that you are not qualified or that you will not find another opportunity of interest.
• Focus on your transferable skills and functional expertise, not just your industry knowledge. Reframe your goals: perhaps you need to take a baby step before landing your dream job. Find ways to secure a role in the short term that will keep you on your dream job trajectory.
• Demonstrate comfort with ambiguity. Hiring processes can be slow. Remember that even though landing a job is your number-one priority, your hiring manager could have more pressing priorities. 
• Give yourself permission to be frustrated when an opportunity of interest does not come to fruition, but do not spend too much time dwelling on it. Find time for self-care; reenergize and celebrate mini milestones. 

Curiosity (definition: a strong desire to know or learn something) – Learning should not stop when you graduate.    

• Develop and share your perspective on an industry of interest—including products, business models, innovations, and disruptions—and use it as a basis for networking conversations. Post about it on your LinkedIn newsfeed.
• Take online courses to build skills or gain expertise on new technologies. Learn by following your target companies on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. 
• Ask your network for help. Brainstorm questions to use in networking conversations that will solicit robust conversations, show the depth of your passion, and offer actionable next steps. Seek guidance from your contacts on courses to take or free resources to tap into.

Preparation (definition: the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use) – The job market is full of qualified candidates; find ways to stand out.  

• Set realistic role and timeline expectations. Have a Plan A and a Plan B (and even a Plan C). Craft a larger than usual target company list (approximately 25 organizations). Double (or even triple) your efforts. Do not settle for one or two networking calls a week; aim to conduct three to five each week. 
• Focus on how you will help your target employer; check out our blog post on building your career narrative. Be clear with your value proposition, and connect the dots between what you have done and the needs of your target audience.
• Optimize your resume and LinkedIn profile. Ensure that your marketing documents are tailored to your audience (and are Applicant Tracking System compatible), and demonstrate the impact you have had in prior roles.