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Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Candidate

  • Whitney Johnson

job description essay

It’s often an overlooked step in the hiring process.

If you think the job you’re hiring for hasn’t changed in the last five years, or even in the past year, then it’s probably just about the only thing in your organization that hasn’t. Job postings should be reevaluated and rewritten every time you need to hire. The author offers four suggestions for composing and positioning a job description: 1) Know what you need now, but also envision the future. 2) Understand the hiring context. 3) Avoid limiting language. 4) Think about meaning.

Far too many organizations miss golden opportunities to bring onboard best possible talent for the tasks at hand — and those of the future. When it’s time to recruit, hire, and onboard, the most common approaches are routine and rote, prone to misjudgment and error. The process is costly and, in the end, unfruitful.

job description essay

  • WJ Whitney Johnson is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent-development company and author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company .

Partner Center

Job Descriptions .

How to write a job description (with examples), how to write a job description.

Job descriptions are the cornerstone of the recruiting process. They help to attract top talent, set expectations for qualified candidates, inform prospects about the role and company, and streamline the search process. Plus, a well-written job description gives companies a chance to make a great first impression. So while writing accurate and compelling job descriptions can be frustrating, finding the time and resources to do so is well worth it.

job description

Importance of Job Descriptions

No matter how many job descriptions you write, they never seem to get any easier, especially if you are writing them for roles you know little about. We’re here to help. For starters, let’s discuss the importance of job descriptions, and then we’ll tackle how to write them.

Job descriptions are helpful for both prospective candidates and employers. Here’s why:

Attract Prospective Candidates

A concise and compelling job description will play a major role in attracting qualified candidates. With resources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and email, the ability to post and share jobs is instantaneous and has exponential reachability.

Set Expectations

A clear job description will set everyone up for success. Prospects will understand what is expected of them, more-qualified candidates will apply, under-qualified applicants will move on and you will save loads of time sifting through applications and communicating with potential candidates.

Prepare for Interviews

A well-crafted job description can help both applicants and interviewers prep for the big day . Applicants will be able to prepare for likely topics of conversation and interview teams will be equipped to ask questions that will accurately gauge the candidate’s qualifications.

Make a Stellar First Impression

Job descriptions are often the first point of contact candidates will have with your company and can shape their first impression. Just like resumes and CVs, any jargon or grammatical errors will turn a candidate off and leave a lasting negative impression.

Simplify the Search

Searching for jobs is incredibly time-consuming, especially for the 73 percent of candidates who are passive and currently employed. Clear and concise job descriptions help prospects compare salaries, benefits, perks and even company culture to determine what roles are worth applying to.

Establish a Baseline

Once a candidate is hired, the job description will stand as a baseline to measure growth, reference during performance reviews and consider future training opportunities.

Recommended Reading 29 Recruitment Strategies With Real Examples

Great job descriptions are thorough yet concise. They use specific terms and keep a professional tone. It’s OK to be a little quirky, but don’t overdo it. If you don’t take the job description seriously, top candidates will move on to other opportunities.

Important Parts of a Job Description

  • Company Bio/Mission

Role Summary

  • Role Responsibilities
  • Role Requirements (Must-Have Skills)
  • Time/Location
  • Next Steps (How to Apply)

Here’s an outline of the main sections every job description should include.

Make the job title clear, concise and industry-specific.

43 percent of job seekers look for career opportunities on job boards that use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Job seekers are also likely to search based on the terms they know, so don’t stray from the standard industry language of common job titles. Be sure to include specific terms, like the programs required for the role. The title Lead Front End AngularJS Engineer is much more descriptive than Developer and will attract more qualified candidates. If your job can’t be found, it can’t be applied to.

Company Mission

Include a company description or mission, but keep it to about two to four sentences.

72 percent of job seekers noted they would be more likely to apply to a job posting with a company description. At the same time, don’t get too lost in the details. Most companies have a lengthy mission statement with core values and a culture code. For candidates looking at multiple companies and open roles, the missions start to sound the same. If candidates decide to pursue the position, they can read about the company’s full profile on the website. 

Consider writing a templated version that can be repurposed whenever you need to write a new job post. It’s also more common to include the company description or mission at the beginning of the post.

Write a brief three to five sentence summary about what the candidate will do in their role, who they’ll work with and any general qualities your team is looking for in the individual.

Job Responsibilities

90 percent of top-performing job descriptions include clear responsibilities and duties, according to Built In research. Responsibilities and duties are essential in order for a candidate to understand the role. They also set expectations for the hired employee and can be used as a baseline for performance reviews down the line.

Give five to 10 bullet points on what the candidate can expect to do in the role. Here are a few tips:

  • Write in complete sentences.
  • Be thorough. Candidates will be better prepared for the interview and role if they know what is expected of them.
  • Don’t be excessive. You don’t need to include every single possible thing a person might encounter during the work day.

Must-Have Skills

Job descriptions include an average of eight distinct qualifications per job post (including must-have and nice-to-have skills), according to Built In research. List five to seven bullet points that are absolutely necessary for a candidate to be successful in the role they are applying to.

  • Include quantities when applicable, like years of experience.
  • Be sure to clarify what the application requires, like a portfolio, writing sample, video recording, resume, CV, cover letter, etc.
  • Other important information includes education, experience, certifications and knowledge of specific platforms.

Nice-to-Have Skills

If there are any other qualities that are nice to have, include those here. Don’t feel like you have to include this section, but it may help candidates know what to include in the application or interview to stand out. This section is lower priority and should have fewer bullet points. 

Compensation

61 percent  consider compensation information to be the most important part of a job description. However, 99 percent of top-performing job descriptions don’t include compensation information, according to Built In research. Many companies still refuse to provide this information in job descriptions, but it’s time to get over this discomfort to garner a larger applicant pool.

It’s best to be upfront about the time frame you need employees to work. Flexible work hours are more common for full-time employees, time zones may play a role, and certain industries and markets work around different schedules.

Candidates will consider commute time or relocation efforts in their employment decision, so help them determine fit before they embark on the application process. Embedding a Google Map onto your website is really quite simple and can be done with this guide .

Working Conditions

Keep working conditions and workplace expectations clear. People want to know what to expect in their future work environment. Are there any physical requirements for the role? What is the expected dress code?

Call to Action

Make sure it is blatantly obvious where a candidate is supposed to apply. Do not make it complicated or frustrating to apply because that’s just going to reduce your applicant pool for the wrong reasons. This is one area that companies should customize to the location the job is being posted. Make sure they know where to click or who to email to get the process started. 

Disclaimer Statements

Most companies include an equal opportunity employer statement and that the employee may be required to perform additional job functions beyond the description. Do your research because disclaimers can help companies prevent serious lawsuits .

Elements to Improve Job Descriptions

Some companies include additional details in their job descriptions to help differentiate them from other employers. There’s certainly a balance between writing a thorough job description and being excessive, and that’s up to your team to decide. Here are a few additional sections to consider including in your job description. While these items are optional, they may turn a good job description into a great one.

Non-financial benefits are often a deciding factor for prospective candidates —  61 percent of job seekers expect to see benefits packages in job descriptions, yet only 43 percent of top-performing job descriptions included such information, according to Built In research.

Things to include are your company’s:

  • Health insurance and wellness plans
  • Retirement and stock options offerings
  • Childcare and parental leave options
  • Vacation and PTO policies

Remember that perks are not the same thing as benefits. Perks are nice add-ons the company offers its employees to improve work-life balance and help them live happier, more productive lives. 

Company Culture

Sure, it’s a buzzword, but the people have spoken and the best candidates expect a strong company culture . In fact, 47 percent  say that company culture is the main reason they’re searching for new opportunities.

Word Count 

It’s best to keep your job description in the 250 to 500 word count range, as supported by a study that found the majority of job postings had a similar word count trend. Top-performing job descriptions contain an average word count of 457 words, based on Built In findings. 

Average word count also correlates with average time on page for job descriptions. Job descriptions with a word count between 251 to 500 words see an average time on page of one minute and 39 seconds (1:39), which is closest to the average job description reading time of one minute and 41 seconds (1:41). It’s clear that job descriptions which adhere to word count best practices are much more engaging than their lower-performing counterparts. 

16 percent of job descriptions as analyzed by Built In contain obvious typos, which could be detrimental to applicant reach and a company trustworthiness. Similar to how many recruiters disregard applicants with typos on their resume or application, candidates may come away with a negative impression of your company for not doing its due diligence. Remember to always have at least one other person read your job description before posting.

Job Description Examples

Job descriptions aren’t one-size-fits-all. While the company bio and mission statement sections may remain the same for each role a company posts, the main sections — which include role responsibilities and requirements — should be uniquely tailored to the job at hand.

For instance, a job description for a highly specialized role will usually go into more detail about the types of tools and software programs qualified candidates are expected to possess, while a JD for an entry-level role may spend more time broadly discussing the mentality or passions a candidate should have. In any case, job descriptions that have enough detail specific to the role gives job-seekers a better sense of the position and it gives you an opportunity to make a positive first impression.

Below we’ve rounded up some in-depth guides and job description templates for several roles:

Creative Roles

  • Art Director Job Description
  • Technical Writer Job Description  
  • UX Designer Job Description

Data and Analytics Roles

  • Business Intelligence Analyst Job Description
  • Data Analyst Job Description
  • Data Scientist Job Description  

Developer Roles

  • Front End Developer Job Description
  • iOS Developer Job Description
  • Java Developer Job Description
  • PHP Developer Job Description
  • Product Manager Job Description
  • Salesforce Developer Job Description

Operations Roles

  • Operations Manager Job Description
  • DevOp Job Description  
  • Project Manager Job Description

Marketing Roles

  • Marketing Manager Job Description

Sales Roles

  • Account Executive Job Description
  • Account Manager Job Description
  • Customer Success Manager Job Description  
  • Sales Development Representative Job Description  
  • Sales Engineer Job Description
  • Sales Operations Manager Job Description

How to Write a Job Description: Data-Driven Results

We gathered cold, hard facts from a sample of the top performing job descriptions across our seven markets. Here’s what we found out.

builtin-job-description-statistics

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Hiring process

How to write a standout job description (50+ templates)

Simple steps to help you write the perfect job description, plus 50+ templates of knockout job descriptions you can use to find the right candidate.

Alessia Musso

Last updated: 

One of the most essential elements of a job post and hiring teammates is the job description . A stellar job description needs to be inclusive and informative while sparking the interest of keen talent. And not just any talent — you’re looking for qualified, enthusiastic and diverse candidates to join your growing team.

This isn’t always an easy feat though, and (we hate to break it to you) a generic and lengthy list of bullet points just won't cut it in today’s competitive job market. It takes a well-structured, thoughtfully-written job description to attract and help you connect with job seekers for each and every role you’re hiring for at your company.

Whether you work in human resources or are a hiring manager, read on for straightforward steps for creating a job description that actually attracts talent. 🤩

  • <a href="#best-practices"> Best practices for writing a job description </a>
  • <a href="#structure"> Components of a good job description - the essentials </a>
  • <a href="#bonus"> Bonus job description sections </a>
  • <a href="#example"> Example of a good job description </a>
  • <a href="#templates"> Free job description templates </a> ‍

What is a job description?

A job description is a straightforward and concise description of a role . It clearly summarizes the responsibilities, qualifications, expectations and skills needed for the job and the type of work that will be performed.

An effective job description should have the right amount of detail (without going overboard) in order to “sell” a qualified candidate on the role and your company, with the hopes of getting them to fill in your job application form . For candidates, it will act as the guiding document throughout the interview process. For companies, it’s a key part of your job post and a must-have hiring process .

A job post (or a job posting or job listing), takes the job description a step further — it is the complete advertisement for the open job which includes the job description.

<div id="best-practices">Best practices for writing the best job description 🏆</div>

Textio analyzed over 300 million job descriptions to provide a few concrete guidelines that will help you improve your amount of quality candidates. Here are the job description best practices we stand behind for writing your own:

1. Limit the bullet points

For a gender-balanced candidate pipeline, only 1/3 of your job description should be made up of bullet points. Candidates view bullet points as boxes to check. Research shows that women are less likely to apply to job posts if they don’t check off 100% of the boxes (read, requirements) listed, while men will apply when they meet just 60% of the listed requirements. The fewer bullet points you have the less likely qualified candidates will self-select out of your hiring process.

2. Keep it simple stupid (KISS)

Simple, concise sentences between 13 to 17 words perform best for the job description itself. If candidates are spending less than six seconds looking at your job ad, chances are they won’t stick around to decipher long, confusing sentences.

3. Balance out gender-coded language

Research shows that some words appeal more to one gender than others, which can result in a skewed pool of applicants. Make sure your job description is neutral by running your text through a tool like the Gender Decoder . You could even consider skewing it more towards minorities for roles in which minorities are typically underrepresented.

4. Be brief and concise

Job descriptions with 600-700 words perform best. This is relatively short and should, therefore, help you to get to the point and not go too deep. It is after all an extremely early stage of the hiring process where the candidate merely needs to decide if they're interested.

5. Make it personal

Use "you", "we" and "our" pronouns throughout your description. For example, instead of using sentences like "A suitable candidate will have knowledge of the industry", make it more personal: "You know all about our industry."

6. Review and edit your job description

It’s crucial to get a second set of eyes on your job description before publishing. Ask another team member to double-check it for typos, jargon-y terms and missing sections. Also, check if you’re breaking one of the job description best practices.

<div id="structure">Components of a good job description - the essentials</div>

No matter the type of company you have or work for, a job description that actually attracts talent should be made up of the following sections and have a fairly similar structure. When creating your job description, make sure you’re confident that it’s a true reflection of who you are as a company and what the role will entail.

- Job title

A job title is a brief description of the role that sums up the job you’re hiring for. It should accurately represent the job you’re hiring for in that particular industry and be immediately familiar to potential candidates. If you’re not sure, research the job title you have in mind to check if it matches the responsibilities of this role. You could even reach out to someone in your network to make sure you’ve got it right.

For example, you wouldn’t want to put a job post out there for a Graphic Designer when you’re really looking for someone to perform the job duty of a UX Designer .

We also suggest you avoid “creative” job titles (think sales ninjas, digital gurus and marketing rockstars). 🙅 They may be fun and quirky, but it’s best to opt for clarity (like Applica has donw in the example below) by using job titles people are familiar with and that are easily searchable on job boards.

If you’re itching to write creative copy, reserve it for rest of your job post.

job description essay

<div class="inpage-callout-container"><p class="inpage-banner-text"> 💡 Pro Tip: Be sure to follow SEO for job post best practices — particularly for the job title. This will help potential candidates find your job description online.</p></div>

- About your company

A great job description should show off your company. In the about section, you can include your company mission, values, your most well-known customers, a sneak peek into the culture and most importantly why candidates should be excited to work there.

Include a short description of your team. Take time to write out what the vibe is at the office, the working conditions, what the general interests and backgrounds are of your team and the kinds of things you like to do together (Trivia? Bowling? Board games? Sports?). If you’re struggling, include anything that illustrates what makes your team unique. This can go a long way in swaying interested candidates.

💡 Be sure to consider how candidates end up on your job post. They could be coming from an ad they saw on LinkedIn or maybe a friend direct-messaged them the job post, making it the first (and maybe the last) thing candidates see from your company. With this in mind, be sure to hit the highlights! You can always link to your career page which should go into more detail on your company for curious candidates.

job description essay

- Job specification (a.k.a. job responsibilities)

In this “About the job” part of the job description, describe the role you’re hiring for. This may also be considered the “key responsibilities” or "duties" part of the JD. Get your writer’s hat on and tell a story about the impact this person will have on the success of the company.

While you should let your prospective candidate know what their duties will be in this role, focus less on tasks and more on the outcomes and impact of the work they'll do. What will they own and be able to take charge of? How will their assigned duties contribute to the overarching goals and mission of the company? Tell them who they'll be working with and what that'll be like. Also, touch upon the opportunities for growth they’ll have in your company.

Other information to include in the job summary part of an effective job description:

  • Tech and tools they’ll use
  • Exact job location
  • Set or flexible hours
  • Work environment (remote, hybrid, in-office)

job description essay

- About the candidate (a.k.a. job qualifications)

Also referred to as the qualifications, this section should include the list of requirements necessary for your job applicant to do the job. It can (briefly) list the requirements for hard/technical skills, soft skills, education, work experience and certifications.

This is also where you can specify the number of years of experience preferred. However, we recommend giving this a second thought. Your job description may fall victim to the “experience-needed syndrome" which can lead to talented young workers getting shut out of the job market, as well as seasoned workers with relevant experience in other fields. Check out Job Descriptions and the “Experience-Needed” Syndrome for more info.

Ask yourself if experience in years really is important or if you're actually looking for a specific level of ability that isn't necessarily defined by experience. You can tap into some great talent by stating "Ability to create high-quality designs" instead of asking for "5+ years experience as a designer".

job description essay

<div class="inpage-callout-container"><p class="inpage-banner-text"> 💡 Pro Tip : When writing job descriptions and hiring candidates, it’s best to keep an open mind. For example, not everyone should (or can) have a Master’s Degree. Consider if the qualities you’ve previously listed as requirements are indeed necessary to do the job well.</p></div>

<div id="bonus">BONUS job posting sections ⭐️</div>

If you're struggling to find the right match, you need to go that extra mile to attract candidates that fit your company.

It's not about adding loads more text, but instead letting candidates glean what it's like to work in this specific role and discover whether they would feel at home in your company. You can do that with the following sections.

- Perks and benefits

The “what’s in it for me?” part of the job advert. It’s common to show candidates the benefits they’d receive on the job, along with the expected salary range (more on that below!). 👀

While the monetary stuff is important, perks go beyond just the dough. 💸 After all, not every company can afford endless, costly perks.

In a business that values its employees and fosters a strong company culture, meaningful perks and benefits can be a variety of things. They can be simple but impactful things like fresh coffee, working in a beautiful building, occasional team lunches, a central office location, flexible working hours, outdoor meetings when it’s sunny or being able to work from home. When writing job posts, don't underestimate the inherent (non-monetary) perks your company has to offer.

job description essay

Additional job perks could include:

  • Dog-friendly office
  • Office snacks
  • Learning and development budget
  • Gym membership
  • Generous vacation policy
  • Pension contribution
  • Parental leave policy
  • Home office setup budget
  • Public transportation stipend
  • Visa and relocation assistance
  • And anything else that might make your company stand out from the rest. For example at Homerun, we make sure to mention our four-day work week and our Oliva mental healthcare offering.

ℹ️ What about adding salaries to job descriptions anyway?

Adding compensation to job posts and job descriptions is a step in the right direction when it comes to transparency, but it’s important to understand the pros and cons of it. Our view is that this is easier to do in companies that have a clear compensation strategy; where roles are leveled and where employees know exactly what’s expected of them in their roles.

It can be harder to specify a salary range for companies like small startups where roles are often more flexible and teams can be more open to hiring people with different seniority levels. You can first create a compensation philosophy and a career framework , and then go from there.

It’s important to note that in some U.S. states it’s become mandatory to add salary ranges to job posts.

- Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) statement

Displaying your commitment to diversity statement on a job description shows potential applicants you’re serious about fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. It’s a signal to anyone reading (particularly minority or marginalized folks) that your company is a safe space for them. And who doesn’t love that?

Remember though, it’s not just about quickly writing down your commitment to DEI&B — it has to be genuine, action-focused and true. Ideally, you already have a diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace policy so your inclusive job description can be an applicant-focused version of that.

👉 As an example, check out Geckoboard’s commitment to diversity statement in their knock-out job description (spoiler alert: their job description was created with Homerun’s job post live editor !).

job description essay

Think of this in a holistic way. If DE&I is important to your company then it shouldn’t only be reflected in this section but in the job post as a whole. You can do this by adding photos of your inclusive work events, including information about the accessibility of your office and being aware of gender-coded language (more on this below).

<div class="inpage-callout-container"><p class="inpage-banner-text">📣 How to avoid hiring bias in your hiring process </div></p>

- Overview of the hiring process

While this is a “bonus” section, we highly recommend adding the hiring process to your job description. It can be hugely helpful for candidates to know what they're in for when applying for a job at your company. Bullet points work well here so list the steps with the number of job interviews and assignments involved in the hiring process, along with the time duration of each. This’ll help candidates make the right decision for them about whether or not they’d like to (or can) apply.

Overview of the entire application and hiring process at Homerun.

- Other visual elements

Your job description can’t attract talent all on its own. When writing and crafting your job post , show what it's like to work at your company and make it visual!

Get creative by adding attractive visual elements to your job description. This can include:

  • A photo gallery with fun photos of the team around the office and team events
  • Create a grid of photos with each team member.
  • A Spotify playlist of office tunes that your team likes to listen to.
  • Your tech stack with logos of the tools you use regularly (Slack? Trello? Figma?)
  • A video of a team member explaining the job role.
  • Your company's Instagram feed embedded on the job post.
  • A map that shows where your office is located or where your team members are based.
  • A grid of logos of your coolest clients.
  • A list of perks and benefits displayed in a visual, artistic way.

For many people, choosing to apply somewhere is often an emotional choice. The impression they get about the culture of your company is what's going to win them over.

A highly-visual job post and job description can look something like this (plus it’s easy to make when you use software like Homerun ):

Example of a visuals-focused job application, created with Homerun's hiring software..

<div id="example">Example of a good job description</div>

Zooming in, when you put all of these tips and elements together, you can get a job posting like this! Plus, you can easily make a job description as unique, engaging and effective as this example with Homerun’s hiring software for small businesses (you can give it a shot and start a free 15-day trial of Homerun – no credit card required).

Example of what makes a good job description, with notes on each element.

Hiring software can help you create and post engaging job descriptions that actually attract talent.

<div id="templates">50+ free job description templates</div>

To kickstart your hiring and save you the hassle, we’ve written a bunch of job description templates so you don't have to. Each job description template follows the guidelines listed above.

⚾️ How to use these free job description templates: Copy the "about the company" section of the job you’re hiring for and tweak the text to fit your company and what you're looking for in your next hire. You can also use a job description template to gather inspiration from or you can use it as a starting point for future job descriptions. ‍

Use Homerun's hiring software to seamlessly create and post effective job descriptions, and streamline your hiring process.

job description essay

Job description FAQs

How long should a job description be.

A good description should be about 600-700 words, so it should be concise and get to the point quickly. Use the few words you have to attract your ideal candidate and keep their attention — a lengthy and wordy job description can easily put off candidates.

How do you write a perfect job description?

Be sure to follow the following steps to write the perfect job description that attracts the right candidate for your company:

  • Nail down the structure
  • Write a clear job title
  • Summarize the job and how the candidate will make an impact
  • Sell your unique perks and benefits
  • Include concise and open-minded qualifications
  • List the core job responsibilities
  • Highlight your diversity, equity and inclusion commitment

How do you make a job description?

To make an engaging job description,  job description templates  can go a long way in getting the applicants you’re looking for. They speed up your workflow and help you save time on tedious writing. To take efficiency to the next level, a hiring software can help your company easily connect with candidates, collaborate with your team and hire great talent with an all-in-one system. From organizing your candidate pipeline to communicating with potential hires, it takes the messy (and manual) work out of growing your team. An ideal hiring software will help you put the candidate experience front and center, enabling you to  hire top talent  in less time. Learn more about how to make a great first impression with your job description and streamline hiring  Homerun .

job description essay

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  • Job Application Documents

How to Write a Job Application Essay

Last Updated: September 24, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 195,271 times.

Many employers now require a writing sample, or job application essay , to accompany all applications or résumés — even if writing is not a significant part of the position. The goal of the job application essay is to ensure that applicants have the right communication skills for the position offered. Sometimes, potential employers will provide a specific topic or series of questions for your essay to respond to. However, you may also be asked to provide an essay with no guidance whatsoever. Either way, approach the essay seriously so that it highlights the skills and assets you could bring to the company. [1] X Research source

Outlining Your Essay

Step 1 Read the job listing and essay description carefully.

  • If you don't know much about the company, do a little research on it before you start writing. You might look at their website or do a general internet search with the name of the company to see if any news articles or other reports come up. Go beyond the four corners of the job listing so that you understand who will likely be reading your essay.
  • If there's anything in the job listing or essay requirements that you don't understand, contact the employer and ask about them. Employers are often impressed by applicants who clarify the employer's intent rather than making assumptions.

Step 2 State your theme or thesis statement upfront.

  • For example, if you're applying for a position in sales, you might want to write an essay about your ability to tailor your pitch to specific clients and close the deal. If you have the ability to be more creative, you might tailor your essay to "sell" yourself directly to the employer.

Step 3 Brainstorm 3 or 4 points that support your thesis statement.

  • For each of your points, think of a specific example you can relate briefly that illustrates the point. For example, if you've described yourself as a "team player," you might include an example of how you came in on your day off to complete some of the more monotonous tasks that no one else wanted to do so a project could be completed ahead of schedule.
  • It's a good idea to have more than one example in your outline for each point, even if you only end up using one. That way, if you start writing something and it ends up not working as well as you thought it would, you'll have a back-up handy.
  • Brainstorming can be difficult. If you find yourself churning over the same thoughts, stand up and take a break for a few minutes. Step outside or go for a walk to clear your head, then come back to it.

Step 4 Gather documents and information to fill out your points.

  • For example, if you want to describe how you increased sales in a specific quarter, you would want to state specifically how much you increased sales. Your former employer may have sales figures that you could ask them for. You might also have that information in your records.
  • Wherever possible, use specific numbers and dates rather than making general statements. It's okay to estimate, but make sure your estimate is conservative. Saying you led your sales team to the highest sales in a quarter is impressive — but only if it's true.

Completing Your Rough Draft

Step 1 Start with an introductory paragraph that describes you and your essay.

  • Think of this paragraph as telling the hiring manager what you're going to tell them in the essay. Outline the points you're going to elaborate on in the essay that back up your theme or thesis statement.
  • Sometimes it's best to go back and write your introduction after you've written the body of your essay. That way, you can make sure the introduction provides an outline that matches the body.

Step 2 Organize your essay logically.

  • If the employer listed specifically what should be included in your essay, follow their order, since that's what they'll be looking for when they read the essay.
  • Write in the first person and make yourself the star of any anecdote you include as an example. Use action verbs to focus on what you did rather than focusing on what happened and how you reacted to it. [7] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

Step 3 Create transitions between each paragraph of your essay.

  • For example, if you're writing about your skills as a team player, you might note that you discuss doing routine work that others found monotonous so they had time to work on other parts of a project. You could use that detail to move on to a section describing how you're detail-oriented.

Step 4 Use your closing to summarize your essay.

  • For example, you might write "My business school education, skills as a team player, and focus on detail make me the best candidate to lead your sales team."

Finalizing Your Essay

Step 1 Proofread your essay for spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.

  • For example, you might start by looking solely at punctuation, then read through again focusing on spelling.
  • If you find that you tend to repeat a particular error, go through your essay looking for that error specifically.
  • If your grammar isn't particularly strong or you're writing in a language other than your native language, have someone else read over your essay as well.

Step 2 Read your essay out loud.

  • If you find that you stumble over a sentence while reading aloud, that's a sign that your writing could be clearer. Work with your text until you have something that you can read aloud with ease.

Step 3 Edit

  • If the prospective employer did not specify a length, try to keep your essay under 2 double-spaced pages. Remember that hiring managers are busy and don't have a lot of time to read a long, rambling essay.
  • Eliminate all unnecessary words or sentences that aren't relevant to the subject of your essay. The majority of your sentences should be short, declarative sentences with action verbs.
  • Apps such as Hemingway ( http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ ) or Grammarly ( https://app.grammarly.com/ ) can help you identify portions of your essay that are more difficult to read. Both of these apps have a free version that you can use to edit your text.

Step 4 Work backward through your essay to proofread a second time.

  • Working backward is particularly helpful for noticing spelling mistakes, especially hard-to-catch homophone errors, because you're seeing the word out of context.

Step 5 Print your essay and read through it a final time.

  • It may also help to print your essay in a different font or font size than what you used to type it. This breaks your brain's familiarity with the text, which can make typos and other errors more noticeable. Just remember to change the font back after you print it.

Job Application Essay

job description essay

Expert Q&A

Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM

  • Give yourself plenty of time to work on your essay. Ideally, you should plan to work on it over the course of at least two days, so you have the time to set it aside after writing before you move to the editing and proofreading stage. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

job description essay

  • Unless you're applying for a position in a political or religious organization, avoid including anything in your essay that identifies your political or religious preferences or beliefs. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Avoid using humor, especially sarcasm or ironic humor, as it can be misconstrued in text. Additionally, humor may lead the hiring manager to believe that you aren't serious about the position. [17] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae)

  • ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/writing-sample-job-application
  • ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/30/essay-how-write-good-applications-jobs-or-grants
  • ↑ Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 May 2021.
  • ↑ https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/government-job-application-essays-made-easy/
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/application-essays/
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
  • ↑ https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/proofreading-tips
  • ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/200906/the-dreaded-writing-sample

About This Article

Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM

Job application essays can seem scary, but they’re really just an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and explain why you’re suitable for the role. Read the job listing to find out what traits and skills the company is looking for, like time management, working under pressure, and leadership. If you don’t know much about the company, read through its website and do an online search to find articles about its work. In your introduction, you’ll want to to describe yourself and introduce the main points you’ll be making. Then, write a paragraph for each trait or skill. Use real life examples from previous jobs, your recent studies, or extracurricular activities to support your points. For example, you could highlight your leadership skills by talking about a time you led a group project that exceeded your targets. For more tips, including how to write a compelling conclusion for your job application essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Surgery — A Surgeon: the Job Description

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Words: 630 |

Published: Oct 31, 2018

Words: 630 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Works Cited:

  • De Leon, A. (2019). Mexican Americans: A brief history. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Garcia, M. F. (1997). Mexican Americans: Leadership, ideology, and identity, 1930-1960. Yale University Press.
  • Montejano, D. (1987). Anglos and Mexicans in the making of Texas, 1836-1986. University of Texas Press.
  • Acuña, R. (2007). Occupied America: A history of Chicanos. Pearson Longman.
  • Gonzales, M. (1999). Mexicanos: A history of Mexicans in the United States. Indiana University Press.
  • Valadez, J. R. (2014). An overview of the historical, social, and cultural contexts of Mexican-origin individuals and families. In Mexican American psychology: Social, cultural, and clinical perspectives (pp. 3-19). Routledge.
  • Meier, M., & Ribera, O. (1993). Mexican Americans and the law: Ael pueblo unido jamás será vencido!. University of Arizona Press.
  • Gutiérrez, D. G. (1995). Walls and mirrors: Mexican Americans, Mexican immigrants, and the politics of ethnicity. Univ of California Press.
  • Haney López, I. F. (2006). Racism on trial: The Chicano fight for justice. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
  • Pena, R. (1997). Mexican American women activists: Identity and resistance in two Los Angeles communities. University of Houston Press.

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > 2023 – 2024 INSEAD MBA Essay – Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

2023 – 2024 INSEAD MBA Essay – Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Mar 10, 2023 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

2023 – 2024 INSEAD MBA Essay – Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

INSEAD is one of the most popular business schools in the world, and among the best 1-year programs globally. With campuses in France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and now in San Francisco, it is truly “the business school for the world”. INSEAD is among the few top schools globally with two intakes in a year – September intake and January intake. Candidates, therefore, can plan their application in a manner that instead of applying late to one intake, may apply early to the next intake.

insead mba essay analysis

Here are the INSEAD Application Deadlines for the September 2024 intake.

INSEAD MBA Application Deadlines 2023-2024

INSEAD also has one of the most demanding MBA applications out there, with about 7 required essays to be submitted by the applicants. The two types of essays asked in the application are:

Job Description Questions

Job Description Essay 1

Job description essay 2, job description essay 3, job description essay 4.

Motivation Questions

Motivation Essay 1

Motivation essay 2, motivation essay 3.

In this article, we will go deeper to analyze the expectations and the right approach for each of the essays that the INSEAD MBA application requires.

INSEAD MBA essay – Job Description Essays

Job description type questions

Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum)

Schools often ask this question somewhere in their application, not always categorizing it as an essay. INSEAD has dedicated a full essay to it, clearly with the intent of understanding your current role deeper – remember, it’s a one year program and you will start connecting with recruiters even before your program is mid-way through.

Straightforward as it may seem, there are a few imperatives you should stick to while writing this essay:

  • Do not lift and drop from your job description. JDs are the worst way to introduce a function to the Ad-Comm. You don’t want to sound like a boring HR officer reaching out to job-seekers.
  • Instead, you may want to break your work down into smaller nuggets, simpler pieces. But I won’t stretch this exercise to the level of explaining it to a six-year-old kid. Remember, the Ad-Comm is a group of accomplished individuals, but they may not be accomplished in your field. Hence this is the first test of your MBA application — how easily can you explain a complex value proposition to a client if you were consulting them at McKinsey. The skill to simplify your job but not vehemently play it down is what this essay begets. For example, something like:

“I am the sole contact in the first line of defence for risk portfolio of structured rates derivatives and exotics focused in EMEA region, supporting an HFT desk based out of London. This also requires an examination of market movements in rates, tenor volatilities, curve spreads, and time decay. I am also responsible for issuing dealing authority to designated Volcker sub-desks for effective market making and to curb intuitive punting.”

… can be presented as:

“I serve as the primary analyst for assessing and managing market risk in EMEA portfolio of structured rates derivatives and exotic products worth $20 billion. I support the London desk, which deals in high-frequency trading. I have been working in this role for last 3 years. The role requires on a daily basis, a detailed analysis of factors of market volatility. I am also responsible for issuing guidelines to Volcker desks to ensure legal and risk-appetite boundaries are not breached. I work in a team of eight people, of which two report directly to me. The job requires intense analytical, quick-thinking, and cross-functional skills.”  

  • Short, crisp sentences
  • Avoid industry acronyms and jargons
  • Simple explanation, but not utterly simple
  • Clear mention of teamplay (working in a team of () people, working across cross-functional teams, directly work with several lateral teams, etc.)
  • Managerial leadership (if any)

One may find it tempting to copy-paste certain points from the resume, but remember, there are no shortcuts to success (certainly not at INSEAD). The adcom has your resume as well, and it may not be exciting to read the same lines again.

What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (200 words maximum)

Tricky, but not difficult. Applicants often present how they have hit a glass ceiling and that an MBA will be the solution to all their problems. Bad idea, always! If you can’t show that you are doing awesome at work, you are more likely looking for an exit route and not the path to success. This question seeks to understand how well you are doing.

This essay demands a candidate to lay down a roadmap they have envisaged for themselves — MINUS the MBA. What if you hadn’t thought of doing an MBA? What if you saw multi-fold growth in your current role/organization/sector? What if you loved your job so much that nothing could break you away from it? What if you didn’t have Colin Farrell from Horrible Bosses at work? What if due to a financial constraint, or God forbid a personal issue, you just couldn’t go for an MBA? Well, the reason isn’t important—you ought to think, what if you were going to continue in the same firm?

Here, INSEAD wants you to introspect. The Ad-Comm wants to give you a chance to see if you could convince yourself that you needed an MBA before you wrote it down for them. What are the next steps you should be taking to climb up the professional ladder in your firm? How long before you were going to hit a promotion? Are there any pockets of learning in your current role that you are yet to consider? How would your responsibilities change, evolve, and transform over time? All these questions would give you an ideal springboard to ace this essay!

Towards the end, it would provide a nice footnote if you candidly addressed the gap that an MBA degree would bridge, and that without an MBA, you won’t reach where you want and deserve to be. This should round up a great essay for you!

Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum)

This essay requires you to rationalize the professional decisions you have made since graduation. From the outside, it looks like a simple task. You could glorify your decisions by painting a nice, ideal picture of your job. You could associate unparalleled benefits with your current role, which prompted you to take up the job in the first place. Learnings, virtues, experiences, ideas, avenues—everything that your career choices brought, you could list them down and submit a flawless essay.

But we all, including the Ad-Comm, are well aware, that most of our choices in the closely enmeshed social structure of the society are externalized. Our choices are governed by external factors such as parental expectations, peer pressure, societal norms, labels of the coloured collars, etc.—unless you were one of those few fortunate ones who heard their calling in the very beginning itself.

Thus, this essay beckons you to accept your decisions as your own. You might have made a rookie mistake of following the herd, but that doesn’t vilify you or question your decision-making abilities.

Accepting those erroneous judgments showcases a strong character. On the other hand, if you were smart enough to make all the right calls, justify that with examples. The key is to stay aware that any or all of your choices must have provided you skillsets, perspectives, insights, and experiences. It’s imperative that you clearly mention what you learned from them, as it shows that you aim to make the most of your decisions, whether right or wrong.

This essay also serves as a nice spindle of your career trajectory, thereby showing how streamlined or wayward your career has been. However, the good part is, that an MBA serves both kinds of audiences. Thus, there are no negatives of an essay that says you need an MBA to help you make an informed career choice/switch; or one that says that you want a launchpad to move further in your pre-MBA discipline.

Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with or without an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum)

This could have been a standard MBA essay, but INSEAD has given it a major twist this year by including a “without an MBA” clause to it.

“With an MBA from INSEAD”

Here, INSEAD wants you to contemplate on your rationale behind wanting to pursue an MBA, and how it helps your cause in achieving your long-term career goals. At the same time, your short-term goal lays down a clear indicator of your thought process in making conscious career decisions. It wouldn’t look too coherent if you aspired to build an ed-tech venture for differently-abled people in the long run but were to seek a finance/banking role straight out of your MBA.

“Without an MBA from INSEAD”

This is tricky because, for most of the candidates, MBA serves as transportation from their current job to their aspirational role. They all rationalize the MBA as the next or the first step towards their long-term goals. In such a situation, to rationalize the same set of goals for the near and long-term without an MBA could be an uphill task, while to furnish a different set of goals could highlight your indecision.

In such a situation, the most astute way of enlisting your goals is to keep them realistic while being ambitious and visionary. You should give it a good amount of thought and come up with more than one way of achieving your targets. For this, surfing LinkedIn to see people with different profiles working for the same organization could be a good starting point. You could also look at several certification courses being offered online, which intend to cover at the least the theoretical MBA curriculum. Be sure to put forward some realistic estimates on the timelines by which you aim to achieve these goals if an MBA didn’t happen. It can act as a marker of clear and resolved thinking.

INSEAD MBA Essay – Motivation Essays

Motivation types INSEAD MBA Essays

Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (500 words max.)

This has been a trademark INSEAD essay for some years now. From the outside, it may give off as a mirage of a professional essay wanting of you to wax a lyrical about your strengths, while passing a few weaknesses off as hidden strengths (read: extreme workaholism, not able to say no, strict ideals, and principles, etc.). No. A big, fat, blunt NO. One shouldn’t make the mistake of treating it as a method to perform a SWOT analysis, or even risk weighing it as a medium to make the Ad-Comm hear what they might be reading in five thousand other applications. The key to ace this essay is simple—EMBRACE AND NARRATE YOUR VIRTUES AND VICES ALIKE.

This essay is more about what makes you…you. Who were you as a child? What was your upbringing like? Those childhood fantasies, parent/sibling relationships, your neighborhood, your school. What drove your first major decisions? Was there a laughable incident during childhood when you exhibited your first business model to the outside world? Or a seminal moment when your sibling or a friend introduced a novel concept? Some personal experiences leading to a fundamental shift in the worldview?

Remember—every applicant in your pool is hard-working, dedicated, honest, meticulous, and so on. The Ad-Comm reads about the same set of qualities over and over again. What truly sticks is the story behind each virtue. You’d never be remembered as a team player. But there is a higher chance of being remembered as a high-performing team player who copped the fall for a collective failure so that the weakest member wasn’t fired. [ example ] STORYTELLING, remember.

Here, do NOT hesitate in laying bare your inadequacies, if there were any [ unless you believe otherwise ]. Remember, this essay is about you the person, not you the achiever. Unfulfilled dreams, inevitable disturbances, any inclination you couldn’t make big in—IT IS OKAY TO BE IMPERFECT. Characters are made during adversities, so recall what you learned off your bad days. Self-awareness makes a person attractive, cover-ups don’t. A balanced mix of your strengths derived from situations resulting from your weaknesses is the cornerstone of this essay.

By this time, you should be 375-400 words into the essay. At this point, your essay is in the weeds, and this is where you exactly want it to be. Now is the time to thread every narrative into a streamlined, cohesive plot and answer some pertinent questions to put a decisive floor to your story:

  • How does an MBA add to your personal development? How does an MBA specifically from INSEAD consolidate this point?
  • Professional achievements aside, what is it that you really look ahead to achieve? What makes you happy? Does this step bring you any closer to that goal?

Before you set out to write this essay, try this small exercise—think of one word that best describes your whole life as of yet. Just make that the title of the story you are about to narrate!

Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned. (maximum 400 words)

Usually, B-schools ask candidates to write one essay on a standout achievement, and another on their lessons from failure. What INSEAD has done here is squeeze a lot of things into one essay—achievement, failure, interpersonal relationships, and impact on them, learnings, etc. Hence, more than descriptive, you ought to be smart here.

In an ideal structure, this essay should follow a 200-100-100 scheme. 200 for the two anecdotes you want to pick up for success and failure. 100 are to be devoted to the impact they might have had on your interpersonal relationships. Final 100 are your insights, learnings, and takeaways.

Selection of events

Many candidates come up with this question—”what should we pick as the biggest achievement of my life?” There are certain markers of an “achievement” being the right fit for this essay:

  • Look out if your “achievement” had any major external impact. You could have been a topper throughout, but that’s not the kind of achievement this essay is looking for. You could have helped underprivileged kids with what you learned at school and helped them pass their exams with great marks. Or you could have invented something or discovered a cool scientific fact during college and received a patent. Again, without undermining your achievement AT ALL, it’d have sounded a much better fit FOR THIS ESSAY had you also set up a college patent advisory to make your peers understand the nuances of patent registration and safeguarding their intellectual property.
  • See if any of your achievements are global/international in nature. INSEAD is big on global experience and international exposure, and such an achievement could really turn the tide in your favour. For e.g., were you in London on the day of Brexit helping your firm evade losses due to market crash? Or did you initiate a global movement for handicraft artists and raised big funds to help their cottage businesses? Or do you like mountaineering and have managed to scale some or all of the seven major peaks of the world? Measure the international quotient of your achievements.
  • Another thing that can really hit a home run is success against an impediment. All humans are susceptible, and all susceptible are humans. Each one of us has struggled with an impediment at least once in their life. They may come in the form of a disability, an addiction, a personal loss, repeated failures, bullying, racism, sexism, conservatism, disturbed surroundings, etc. What really matters is that you or anyone trumped that impediment and came out of it. Such an inspiring story weaves your strong character, tenacity, and resilience into a nice fabric of wholesomeness and makes you a strong candidate in the eyes of Ad-Comm.

When it comes to “failures”, again there are a few markers. The Ad-Comm expects to read about the moments where despite your hard work, efforts, and sincerity, you failed to achieve desired results. Your failures may be attributed to one or several reasons—lack of ability or training, unexpected roadblocks, or any other external factor. Explain the circumstances in which you were stranded in a failed situation. But do understand this—in no way, this narrative is going to make your application any weaker. In fact, a joke goes around the candidate circles that the bigger the failure, the stronger is your essay. Your choice of the event reflects your ability to own up your failures as much as your successes, which in turn speaks volumes about your character. However, more than the selection of event of “failure”, you should focus on HOW you coped with a particular failure. We may have relatively smaller failures which simply called for a correction of course. And then there are some life-altering failures that change your worldview for good. You need to pick those inflection points and translate them into this essay.

Learnings and relationships

The next 200 words represent the fulcrum of this essay. You are required to showcase how efficient and judicious you were in learning from your laurels and your mistakes. It also shows your ability to break the situation down into simpler pieces and segmenting your life-events with rationality and precision. It is equally important that your successes don’t lift you off the ground, and your failures don’t drive you into it. Your successes shouldn’t give you an Imposter Syndrome, you should be able to weigh them absolutely. You ought to mention the key insights you got about your own character, personality, and behavior from this retrospection.

You are also required to reflect upon your interpersonal relationships as your life went through ebbs and flows. What were some key soft lessons you picked up about people? Have your achievements and failures made you appreciate the diversity of thought and humility? Have they made you a better team-player? Do you understand the difference between authority and leadership? Are you now able to delay your judgments about others until they have proven themselves? More such examples about people-relationship should give your essay more colour and an extremely productive ending.

Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words)

INSEAD is highly focused on the extra-curricular achievements and activities a candidate has been a part of throughout their career. The Admissions Committee looks for those who have maintained a parallel hobby/passion while pursuing their mainstream professional goals. In this regard, it helps greatly if a candidate has remained engaged with a particular activity even after college since most of the extra-professional activities are given a platform during that phase. Hence it carries a lot of value to have remained loyal to your hobbies.

At this juncture of your application, the Admissions Officer going through your profile knows very well about your career trajectory and aspirations. While you could have laid down some great points about your professional decisions, MBA demands an all-round personality and not a proverbial bookworm. Thus hobbies like sports, music, visual and performing arts, traveling, quizzing, etc. are valued highly. Any engagement with social impact also finds its space in this essay (unless you have a long-term career goal in this field and have already described it in previous essays). Initiatives and participation in education, environment, gender and sexuality, disaster management, political awareness, etc. are invaluable additions to this essay.

One critical point to AVOID for candidates is to treat this essay lightly. Any mention of leisure activities such as “listening to music, reading books, watching movies” can be hugely detrimental, since these kinds of activities do not project a candidate’s all-round and unique development. However, an extended interest in these areas—such as blogging/vlogging about movie/literature reviews, members of a music club to explore hidden talent, and bring it to limelight through social media pages and distribution channels, etc. are also qualified ingredients for this essay.

For the second part of the prompt, candidates should focus on soft skills they develop apart from hard skills learned for an activity. A solo sports player (ex. Badminton) can narrate about their lessons in self-motivation, self-control, personal regime, and tenacity; while a team-sport player can cite learnings like teamwork, adaptability, compassion, collegiality, responsibility towards others, loyalty, etc.

The same goes for engagements in music, dance, other artforms, social work, traveling. You could pen stories about the kind of people you met during your travels and what all did you learn from them. The romance of roaming around in unfamiliar streets and still finding a charm in doing that, or the beauty of enjoying the process of working towards a common humanitarian cause while it lasts.

This essay should bring out your social and cultural quotient, and basically tell the Admissions Committee how much fun and congenial you can be. Do note that INSEAD categorizes this as “Motivation Essay” for a very strong reason. What you do beyond your work, things that drive you on a daily basis, activities, and interests that you are passionate about, deeply establish your motivations in life and the qualities that define your personality.

Applying to other top schools? You may benefit from the following:

  • Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis
  • MIT Sloan Essay & Cover Letter
  • Wharton MBA Essay Analysis
  • Yale SOM Essay Analysis

About the Author

Prashant_Tibrewal_US_News_Business_School_Rankings_2020_Analysis

Prashant Tibrewal is the founder of Admit Square Consulting and has mentored 1000+ MBA aspirants to get into top global universities such as Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Oxford, HEC, ISB, etc. Prashant has also served on the Board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and led the AIGAC Conference 2020, attended by admissions officers from 25+ top-ranked MBA programs.

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, and admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019. With a team of Consultants from top business schools such as MIT, Yale, LBS, and Oxford, Admit Square offers 100% Money-back Assurance on its services. You may send your details to [email protected]  for a free profile evaluation.

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