Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I have a question from an MBA applicant who asks:

Q) I was fired from my job. Should I apply to top business schools?

If you were fired outside the publicly announced layoffs or downsizing in Technology, Management Consulting, or Banking, you need a very different approach. 

1) Demonstrating Competence

The first thing that you need to address head-on is proving your competence. I remember during the peak of the pandemic, my friend, who was in the Technology industry for more than 15 years and who is in the top 5%  in terms of productivity & performance, shared the news that he was laid off because his entire department in the Defense industry was let go. Still, my first response was that – was it the bottom 20% who were let go? I felt embarrassed to categorize him as the bottom 20% of the workforce, even though he was a top performer. But it is the first impression someone has when they hear firing or downsizing. Recently a renowned admissions manager from a top 10 US school, who transitioned to Management Consulting in the Talent Management function, announced her layoff from the role in just one year. And again, my first impression was whether she was competent enough to transition into a corporate role. 

Don’t try to assume the best-case scenario and address the common misconception about getting fired. 

For that, the #1 deliverable you need to strategize is your recommendation letter. If you have given a stellar performance and committed to the hours required from your supervisor, and the layoff had nothing to do with your performance, seek the letter from the same employer that laid you off. This deliverable will immediately address any doubts about whether your firing was related to your performance. 

The 2nd reason that I often hear about layoff or firing is cultural-misfit.

2) Cultural Misfit

If missing the performance milestone is based on a mismatch in culture, be honest about it. I have heard stories and narratives of blaming office politics or a peer for the firing. Even if these were the real reasons for getting fired, I would not use them in my optional essay explaining the gap in employment. It is extremely common for a startup person transitioning to a large bureaucratic organization and losing purpose, which eventually led to the firing. I also heard accounts of employees who worked in large organizations finding it hard to transition into the chaotic startup environment. Whichever culture you fit in, build a narrative highlighting how you will excel in that culture post-MBA. 

If you are really strategic, you will choose schools that match your working style and culture. If you need help shortlisting schools, you can subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning service 

3) Plan for the Gap Months

The third thing that you must plan if you were fired recently is the gap Months.

Even if you go by the culture narrative or the narrative about the economy that led to your firing, you must be strategic in planning for your gap months. It can last somewhere between 2 to 6 months in a slow economy. 

Make sure that you join a non-profit for two reasons. One, you can immediately get validation by applying your skills outside the core domain. Second - it is challenging to lose your job, not just from the financial security perspective, but it is a big hit on your self-esteem and your confidence in applying to top schools. By focusing outward and helping beneficiaries with your core and non-core skills, you can bounce back pretty soon. 

Also, prioritize your job search first before taking the GMAT/GRE or even starting with your essays. I have seen applicants struggle to manage all three together. You always have round 2 in January if you were fired between April and August. Push the application to round 2 and focus completely on getting back on your feet.

If you need guidance, feel free to contact me, Atul Jose