Professional Experience

Work experience is not required for entry to the Stanford MBA Program. We welcome applications from college seniors and recent graduates, as well as those with all levels of work experience.

We value diversity of experience in our student body, so no specific industry, function, or background is preferred over another. We are more interested in the impact you have had in your workplace than in the name or stature of the organization.

This section of the application presents the opportunity to describe your employment history. How have you made the most of your professional opportunities? Are you cultivating your leadership and team skills? What impact are you making? We look at your responses along with your letters of recommendation to understand how you have contributed to your work environment(s).

If you are applying for direct enrollment for next fall’s class, do not include internships and part-time work during college in this section. If you believe any of those experiences are critical to your application, you may include them in the “Activities and Interests” section. Meaningful part-time work after college may be included here.

If you are applying for deferred enrollment, you may include meaningful internships and part-time work from college in this section.

Business Resume

Include a one-page resume. Unless you have a compelling reason, such as more than 10 years of work experience, please do not submit a resume that is longer than one page. Do not include photos in your resume or other application materials. Photos embedded in English language testing agency reports are permitted.