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Is it OK to do bschool research at work?

May 10, 2017 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

So there’s a school you’re really interested in. And they’re holding an MBA chat on, lessee when was it? Oh yeah. Wednesday at 9am.

“WEDNESDAY AT 9AM?!??

WTF, SCHOOLS?!

I’M SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING RIGHT THEN!”

Yeah.

Most chats unfortunately do happen during business hours, since that’s when the admissions people are available. It’s rare to see one offered on weekends or evenings, though from time to time it does happen. (Note to schools: Maybe you can offer more of these?)

Most people applying to bschool end up doing a lot of their MBA application work during work hours. We know this, based on the timing of when submissions come in to EssaySnark for review, and when people make purchases of our MBA guides and such.

Is that ethical?

Well, sortanotreally.

When you’re at work, they are paying you to work. Not to work on something that’s going to let you escape the work and go on vacation better yourself for the next two years.

One possible exception might be if your company has offered to sponsor you, in which case, sure. They’re on board with the whole get-an-MBA thing. They’re paying for it. It can be (slightly) more justified to be spending your working hours on the project of getting in.

The other wriggle-room area is when you’re working at a crazy-demanding job when you’re at the office for 80 hours a week and you’re tied to your cell phone the remaining hours. If you’re expected to be on-demand and available for your job nonstop including evenings and weekends, then yeah, we can see how it might be justified to spend some standard business-hours time doing MBA research.

But do keep in mind, applying to bschool is a PERSONAL project. It’s for you and you alone. Your employer should not be subsidizing those efforts. It’s not even a grey area; it’s pretty cut and dried. It’s using company resources and time on a personal thing. Different companies of course have different standards and it’s not like you’d be fired at most places in this modern era of work. But some bosses may frown on it, and some may start to get actively annoyed by it.

Does that mean you keep doing it but just hide it? When you’re on a bschool chat, have a separate browser with work stuff loaded up, and be ready to flip to it when someone walks by?

That seems kind of lame, too.

How about you formally acknowledge that you’re doing something for personal time and trade out a regular work time block for it? So, if you normally take an hour for lunch, then on the day of the school’s webinar, you use that as your “lunch” time and then work through the standard lunch hour by eating at your desk? Or you stay late an hour, to give your employer the time that you used for the webinar?

It really depends on your environment.

Participating on an MBA chat from your work computer might be no problem for some companies, but others may not like it. Having your cell phone available – and stepping outside the office for a break to do it on your own time – could be a better way to handle things.

No matter what, we do NOT suggest using your work email account to sign up for school accounts or for EssaySnark stuff. That’s just really not appropriate. Use your personal email for all of that. Work stuff should stay at work. It might seem insignificant to you, but having clear lines like this is one way to keep clean.

 
 

You may also be interested in:

  • Set up an MBA-only email address
  • Tips for participating in MBA chats
  • See more: EssaySnark posts on ethics

Filed Under: general tips Tagged With: ethics

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From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
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    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
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    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
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    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
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    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
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