kefka95 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I know this seems a bit off topic, but I know that many successful business school applicants have a good deal of experience with volunteer work. Since my undergrad degree is in music with a business minor, I feel my chances of getting any "real" work experience in the next few years is slim to none, so volunteering seems like an equally attractive alternative (obviously for reasons that go well beyond simply having a good resume). I'm interested in doing some international volunteer work (Africa?), probably for some variety of NGO. The problem is, there are literally tens of thousands of groups out there! How do you find out what they do, whether or not you can work for them, what kind of workers they're looking for, whether they're a good group to work for, etc etc? Any help would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 How about UNDP? WorldBank? UN? IFC? If you have 0 WE now, maybe what you need is to get some WE in business and teach music to kids??? This would qualify as volunteering work as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurdip79 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 hi GMATbong , I too want some advice I have been instrumental in starting a society for metntally retarded and poor kids can i show some of my gaps as full time wrk thr(which more or less i am doing ) does it make sense to work there for a year will that help apart from that i have 3.5 years WE kindly advise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 well... yes and no. if its peace corp they know you are there for full time but if its just a society for mentally retarded and poor kids, they will start to wonder if you are doing that because you lost the job??? At least thats what I will think. And if I think this way, reader will probably think this way as well. If you are special ed teacher (with cert.) then reader might buy it. or if you teach english oversea in japan, they will buy that as well. Just quitting the job and work full time look too suspcisiously like a layoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurdip79 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Thats gud suggestion infact ..... well actually i have international WE but that was kind of odd jobs as i didnt get any good job so to cover few mnths WE gap i thought of putting society work as full time But in any case ,i hope co founding that society is of any help (which i did ) what kind of community work is expected ? I am so confused about all this How can i cover those odd jobs abroad one suggestion i got is that is that i dont mention the months in my CV can free lancing be of any help ? kindly advise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 You can claim its free lancing but I think reader will have to give you some benefit of the doubt. If you are doing odd or contract jobs and doing free lancing in between, chances are readers will think you're filling in the gap. cofounding the society will help. But now I am looking at your profile and have to say your biggest weakness is not ExtraCurr, it is the meat and butter piece which is your WE. Without a decent WE, blue-blooded bschool will be less likely to take you such as H/W. S might be more interested in you, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurdip79 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Ya i understand that ,well i not looking at Top tier schools neway but cud u look at my profile as in CV ,it goes like this 1)2001- 2002 Teaching Assistant engineering college in India(After my engineering) 2)2002 - 2004 Lecturer in same college 3)2004 - 2005 Technical support in a small s/w development and s/w education comapny 4) 2005- tilldate Assitant manager in same company This covers my gaps inbetween in when i travelled to UK I am not putting society work as full time kindly look at this now and give a sincere advice I will be highly obliged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 If you are not aiming for top tier schools, extra curr plays a relatively small role compare to WE. BTW, you probably has to cite months for 1,2,3 &4 instead of just years since you had only 4 years of WE at most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurdip79 Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 but mentioning months i will leave open 2 gaps in between which harms the continuty If i mention odd job in between how it will look i have reasons for it as i travelled to UK for some time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 I think in the MBA application, you will be forced to mention months. And I think its certainly ok to say you are travelling around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurdip79 Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks GMATbong if i compile by work summary it goes like this August 2001 - Dec 2003 Teaching assistant and lecturer January 2004 - May 2004 Travel to UK June 2004 - February 2005 Technical support Feb 2005 - Oct 2005 Travel to UK ( odd jobs) October 2005 - tilldate Assistant Manager now advise do i mention odd jobs during travel in work summary or skip the months part mentioning just years plz guide regarding my profile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMATbong Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 You probably should include the odd jobs since they will be wondering where were you during your time in UK. In your application, I don't think you have a choice for NOT disclosuring in monthly term. Basically, its a drop down box in your MBA app You can do what you wanted in your own resume but not in the MBA app. Before you just put whatever down in the app, schools do do background check after you get admitted - esp employment dates and title. (In US, they use the same agency - Kroll so if you get kicked out by one school, you get kicked out by others) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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