MBA Resume Examples in 2023

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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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An MBA, or Masters of Business Administration, is a popular program for people who want to take a leadership position in their industry, and for good reason. Three months after graduation, the average employment rate for MBA graduates in 2019 was 85.2%. Most MBA graduates go into the tech industry, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to grow 11% from 2019 to 2029. The business and financial industry is another popular industry for MBA graduates, and it’s expected to grow 5% in the same time period.

There are over 1,000 MBA programs across the United States, but there’s also a lot of competition for admittance, especially to the best schools. To help your application stand out, it’s important to submit a strong resume. Below are downloadable resumes for people with limited experience and those who have spent many years in the workforce. You’ll also find tips on writing a better resume and how to cater your resume to an MBA application.

Downloadable Resume Examples

Entry-level
MBA_Entry-level.pdf

Example #1 Entry-level

Mid-career
MBA_Mid-career.pdf

Example #3 Mid-career

Senior-level
MBA_Senior-level.pdf

Example #4 Senior-level

MBA Resume Examples

Years of Experience
  • Entry-level Entry-level
  • Mid-career Mid-career
  • Senior-level Senior-level

Haruto Ito
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
1012 Second Avenue, St. Louis, MO 43568

Profile

Results-driven technology entrepreneur with innovative ideas and a community focus. Experienced at managing projects to bring products from idea to market. Planned and developed a clothing line that grew to $1 million turnover in two years.

Key Skills

  • Experience starting and running a business
  • Business planning
  • Networking and negotiation skills
  • Risk assessment and management
  • Project management

Education

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship
University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, September 2014 – June 2018

Professional Experience

Founder and CEO, BetaWear, St. Louis, MO
June 2018 – Present

  • Manage all parts of running a business, including planning, product development, marketing, manufacturing and sales
  • Lead a small team of passionate employees and work collaboratively to ensure the business gets the benefit of their diverse experience
  • Negotiate with venture capitalists to secure $2 million funding to expand the business

Sales Manager, Gamma Clothing, St Louis, MO
September 2014 – June 2018

  • Implemented new training program to ensure each salesperson understood the products, leading to 28% increase in revenue
  • Managed team of six people, including providing professional development opportunities to ensure staff could develop skills
  • Responded to complaints and issues from customers

Kamilah Ahmad
(890) 123-4567
[email protected]
6567 Third Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 76543

Profile

Experienced financial analyst with 7 years of global experience in the finance industry. Able to handle budgets of up to $2 billion and find innovative ways to save money and grow revenue. Strong communication skills and able to work with diverse teams.

Professional Experience

Financial Analyst, Delta International, Charlotte, NC
October 2017 – Present

  • Lead team responsible for all financial analysis for international manufacturing firm
  • Implemented new procedures that lead to 32% decrease in errors and increase in efficiency of 72%
  • Identified inefficiencies in budget, leading to savings of 25%

Financial Advisor, Omega Banking, London, UK
June 2013 – September 2017

  • Collaborated with team from around the world to expand Omega Banking into new markets, including India, Brazil and Australia
  • Created database to identify top-performing stocks

Education

Bachelor of Science Business Administration in Finance
University of North Carolina – Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, September 2009 – June 2013

Key Skills

  • Accounting
  • Financial modeling
  • Data visualization
  • Budgeting
  • Managing teams

Certifications

  • Chartered Financial Analyst

Keahi Mahelona
(876) 543-2109
[email protected]
9890 Fourth Road, Tampa, FL 87654

Profile

Dedicated project manager with proven track record of leading teams to successful implementations. More than 12 years of experience planning and managing multi-million dollar projects that pair business needs with technological solutions that drive improved processes and revenue growth. Looking to share project management expertise while developing new skills.

Professional Experience

Project Leader, Kappa Consulting, Tampa, FL
June 2012 – Present

  • Guide implementation of new IT systems for variety of clients, including security systems, disaster recovery and data protection
  • Manage budgets of up to $5 million and teams of 20 developers, programmers and network specialists
  • Define and communicate processes best suited to each project

Information Technology Specialist, Otto Systems, Orlando, FL
June 2008 – May 2012

  • Created support documentation that enabled users to extend skills and find resolution to system issues without requiring support team intervention
  • Analyzed network security to assess areas in need of improvement and developed solutions, leading to 22% decrease in network security infringements

Education

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, September 2004 – June 2008

Key Skills

  • Analytical and critical thinking skills
  • Expert in project management methodologies
  • Business strategist
  • Costing and budgeting
  • ROI Analysis

Certifications

  • Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute, 2018

Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for MBA Resumes

Resumes written to apply for an MBA program are more likely to be read by an admissions officer than scanned through an applicant tracking system (ATS), but that doesn’t mean keywords and phrases aren’t important. The admissions officer will be looking for applicants who have the skills and proficiencies needed to succeed in their program. Including the key skills and action verbs they’re looking for can help your resume stand out and help you move through to the next stage of the application process.

Key Skills & Proficiencies
Analytical skills Build relationship
Business Collaboration
Communication skills Decision-making
Delegation Interview
Leadership ability Management experience
Problem solving skills Project management
Results-oriented Strategic
Team player Willingness to learn
Action Verbs
Achieve Advance
Collaborate Communicate
Consult Contribute
Delegate Focus
Innovate Lead
Learn Manage
Mentor Negotiate
Network Organize
Solve Succeed
Train

Tips for Writing a Better MBA Resume

Quantify your work experience

Applicants for MBA programs often have similar education and work experience, so their resumes can look similar. One way to stand out is to show the value you brought to your previous roles. Use numbers to demonstrate the results you achieved and make your resume stronger. Some of the metrics that can enhance an MBA resume include:

  • Number of people you trained
  • Budget amounts
  • Number of visitors to your website
  • The amount of money you brought to the firm

Example #1

Good


Oversaw $15k training budget and conducted internal training classes for 150 current employees on how to use the new billing software; billing errors were reduced by 78% following the training.

Bad


Conducted internal training for new billing system

Example #2

Good


Created and implemented a customer data model that analyzed information from 20,000 consumers, which helped a media company develop new products that netted $1 million in the first year of release

Bad


Developed an effective customer data model

Use your professional profile to highlight your value

Admissions officers are looking for more than evidence of your ability to complete certain tasks. MBA programs are looking for people who can lead, think critically and innovate and those with potential to change the world through business. Programs also want students who bring value to the school, as MBA programs are great opportunities for networking and building connections. Use your professional profile to highlight the attributes you can bring to the school, through your business, volunteer and educational experience.

Example #1

Good


Entrepreneur of five years, with experience identifying customer problems and bringing innovative solutions to market. Used online marketing techniques to grow sales by 10% each year. Eager to advance leadership and management skills while sharing insight into eCommerce and building businesses.

Bad


Five years of experience selling products online through my own business. Hoping to learn about leading teams.

Example #2

Good


Recent graduate of Anytown University with a 3.8 GPA. Two years of freelance experience as a financial advisor, working with global clients. Founded a non-profit that provides mentorship and financial advice to high school students in low-income neighborhoods who want to start their own business and worked with a team to expand the program to multiple cities.

Bad


Recent graduate with experience as a freelancer. Have done volunteer work with underprivileged youth.

How to Align Your Resume With the Job Description

MBA programs don’t have job descriptions for you to follow, but each school does look for a particular blend of attributes and experience in their students. Schools list what they’re looking for in applicants on their websites and in application packages. It’s important to craft your resume in a way that mirrors what the school is looking for, as it can be crucial to standing out from the many other applicants.

If you’re not sure what attributes and experience you should be featuring, look at the information put out by the school. Highlight attributes that are featured prominently or mentioned multiple times in the literature. Focus on your notable achievements, contributions and community involvement and steer clear of copy and pasting and generic descriptions.

Example MBA Applicant Description


Advanced School of Business looks for innovators and critical thinkers from a diverse range of social, cultural and educational backgrounds. Our students demonstrate strong leadership skills, the ability to work in teams and a record of achievement. We look for students who can contribute to our MBA community and communicate their experiences and knowledge to fellow students. Advanced School of Business has an innovative spirit and we look for students who share our creative vision and ambition to shape the future.

Responsibilities:

  • Take advantage of learning experiences offered through the program
  • Be an active member of the school community
  • Work independently and as part of teams to complete all required assignments
  • Communicate and learn from the diverse perspectives and experiences of the MBA class
  • Think critically about the information imparted

Qualifications:

  • Complete or near-complete bachelor’s degree
  • Demonstrated leadership skills
  • Willingness to learn
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Work experience preferred
  • Strong communication and networking skills

The literature from the school shows that the ideal applicant should have the following qualities and experience:

  • Leadership skills
  • Communication and networking skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Able to work independently and as part of team
  • Innovation
  • Willingness to learn
  • Accepting of diverse perspectives
  • Willing to become part of the community

Take what you’ve highlighted in the application literature and make sure you include experience and skills that match in your resume. Below is an example of how to best integrate the information into your resume. 

MBA Work Experience Example


Business Development Associate, Alpha Ltd, Atlanta, GA

January 2015 – Present

  • Led a team of IT professionals to create a new CRM that saved $100,000 in operating costs
  • Create an innovative UX for the website that focused on building a community and giving customers and staff opportunities to network
  • Use critical thinking skills to analyze customer needs and communicatefindings to executive group, which assisted in developing new products that brought 15% growth
  • Independently develop training program within the business that allowed staff to share diverse perspectives and took opportunity to learn new skills from colleagues