2021年12月22日 星期三

每週一MBA生涯公益解惑日:生涯顧問心中M7 Essay題目「金酸莓獎」

即便是國際上,也從來沒看過有單位根據Essay題目的出題邏輯來進行評選。

當然Essay問題的專業水平見仁見智,而各校都有治校方針與招生策略,有權開出其視為最能達成招生目的的題目。
然而,身為買家的申請人也不是一路挨打,或為了拿到學位鍍金而把學校捧到天上去。
這方面還需要有第三方專業單位,來制衡商學院的招生與出題邏輯。

本系列評選乃出自筆者曾於美國最大MBA徵才會上,有幸擔任史上首位華裔職涯顧問的經驗,及曾成功協助眾多個案錄取哈佛、耶魯等長春藤MBA並拿下獎學金、並進入世界頂尖企業如:Google、Amazon、Nike等知名品牌美國總部,實現快樂致富生涯;
同時,由筆者長年諮商生涯管理的經驗、及所歸納出的「情緒流體」與「生涯金字塔」等理論角度出發,
從「生涯遠大於申請」的前提,回歸「學位僅是生涯積累中的冰山一角,而不是全部」的長遠邏輯,以此評價學校每年開出的Essay題目,其對申請者競爭力與適校條件之鑑別度。

而號稱世界頂尖學府的M7名校(哈佛、史丹佛、賓大、芝加哥、MIT、西北、哥倫比亞),其出題邏輯由於具有示範作用與影響力,事關重大,因此先就其出題邏輯的精緻度與深奧性做出評比。

本週要來頒發的是「金酸莓獎」。

得獎的是...同樣是MIT Sloan的”Organizational Chart”題型。

Organizational Chart

To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting.

Organizational charts should not be more than two pages and keep the following in mind:

  • Give us as much details as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
  • Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
  • If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
  • Most applicants only submit one page. However, you are welcome to submit a second if you recently changed positions or companies.
  • If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our FAQs for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.


其實這題應該早在五、六年前出現時,許多申請人就已經覺得匪夷所思,然而因為出題學校竟是如此具有百年威望的MIT,當時也看不出如此盛名的學校會出什麼亂子,也就覺得不以為意~ 因而久而久之積非成是,竟然也就即便乍看之下心裡覺得奇怪,但也說不出個所以然,那麼既然也沒什麼人特別把這個情況視為怪異,那麼就姑且回答吧~
尤其在FAQ中還解釋了各種隱私疑慮,既然都說了企業機密可以不寫,那就能寫多少就寫多少吧~

然而,即便是如此極富盛名的學校,究竟為什麼會被生涯顧問以為要冠上「金酸莓獎」呢?
原因很簡單,正因為它的盛名,也不能凌駕於法律。
雖然筆者不是法律專業,但只要看得懂英文法條,任何人都能看出這題明顯違反了美國乃至世界各國的憲法、隱私權法及商業機密法。
這部分還請懂國際法律的民間高手們不吝指教。

美國憲法第五修正案及許多其他修正案、以及各州法律都有對隱私權進行規範。
第五修正案其中最後一句條款中,由於商業機密屬於企業資產,受商事法保護,任何要求提供隱私資訊的作公開使用的要求,都需要有對應報償。

Fifth Amendment 

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-5/

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

以及商業機密法:
https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/mep/marinaslides.pdf

Trade Secrets Law: TRIPS Art. 39 (2) Undisclosed information “Natural and legal persons shall have the possibility of preventing information lawfully within their control from being disclosed to, acquired by, or used by others without their consent in a manner contrary to honest commercial practices so long as such information: (a) is secret in the sense that it is not, as a body or in the precise configuration and assembly of its components, generally known among or readily accessible to persons within the circles that normally deal with the kind of information in question; (b) has commercial value because it is secret; and (c) has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances, by the person lawfully in control of the information, to keep it secret.


而能夠以GMAT中位數730錄取此等名校的申請人,一定都具備超強智力能看出此題的”unspoken purposes”--為什麼當學校用「想知道學生於組織內影響力」為理由來要求學生提供企業機密時,竟然會要求學生提供管理者姓名呢?
在商業與政治間諜如此猖狂的年代,以及連「買入名校」、「成就間諜之道」這類紀錄片都在Netflix上熱播的今日,難道不會有人合理懷疑這題有滲透企業機密乃至高層主管的可能性嗎?
甚至連FAQ中都出現此地無銀三百兩,冠冕堂皇地指導軍人申請人如何提交軍隊組織圖。
這樣不就知道可以不費半毛錢,就看清各國軍隊的編制了嗎?
在如此瞎搞了N年之後,不得不頒發一個勘稱實至名歸的「金酸莓獎」,以協助申請人養成獨立思考與判斷的能力,而不要被校名聲望所迷惑,並保障自身所服務單位的機密。
講難聽點,這學校有可能背棄了自己的百年聲望,而開啟了滲透的後門。
(待續)