IMD Business School Executive MBA (EMBA) Essay Questions & Analysis
The Institute for Management Development (IMD)’s Executive MBA (EMBA) program is ranked #17 in the world (and top #10 in Europe) in the Financial Times Executive MBA 2024 rankings. The newly redesigned EMBA program offers increased flexibility with two innovative learning formats, a customizable curriculum, and additional global immersion opportunities, calling itself a program “designed for the realities of today’s world”.
Here are the IMD Executive MBA (EMBA) essay questions and analysis for 2025- 2026.
Essay 1
Describe your career progression to date. How has your experience prepared you for an Executive MBA program at IMD? (500 words)
In this essay, IMD asks you to walk them through your career so far and how it has led you to the IMD EMBA program. A good approach is to start with the role you held right after graduation, followed by key transitions and achievements in your career.
First, create a clear outline of the companies you joined and your role and key responsibilities, and progressions within these roles. Over this time, you will have also developed a better sense of your professional purpose and goals for the future. Focus on what you learned at each stage of your career and the “why” behind your career decisions (like switching roles). Make sure that you demonstrate a clear upwards progression, and outline how your leadership skills have grown with your increasing managerial responsibilities. As always, quantify your achievements and contributions wherever possible.
Next, explain your current role and specific key achievements, and how they have led to your decision to pursue an EMBA at this point in your career. The prompt specifically asks how your experience has drawn you to IMD, so it’s important to link your career choices and core skills to IMD’s values: experiential learning, leadership that inspires change, cross-cultural collaboration, innovative problem-solving, and adaptability. You need to show how your professional experience has enabled you to not just participate, but thrive in IMD’s EMBA classroom and its global community.
Essay 2
What areas of personal and professional development do you hope to explore during your time in the Executive MBA program? * (500 words)
In this essay, you are being asked about how the IMD EMBA can help you develop personally and professionally (and indirectly, how it will help you achieve your career goals).
Start with a brief story that establishes what you are most passionate about. What do you hope to achieve in your career and why? With this context, you can then explain the short and long term goals that will help you achieve this mission. Your short-term goal should be specific and clear, including your target role, companies, and geography. It will be the stepping stone to your long-term goal, which can be more ambitious, but still aligned to your mission.
Now, while you may already have some of the skills required for these goals, there will still be skill gaps to fill (which is why you’re doing the EMBA!). Highlight these areas of improvement; for example, you may need an EMBA to explore new markets and familiarize yourself with their regulations and policies, grow your network internationally, meet other industry professionals, stay updated on cutting-edge technologies, or for leadership development. Connect each area of development to specific opportunities at IMD that will help you build these skills. Choose 2-3 areas that are most relevant to your goals and mission.
For example, IMD’s global immersion weeks can help you immerse yourself in local contexts in emerging markets and gain a better cultural understanding of business environments in different countries. If you want to broaden your digital transformation skills for your career goals, point to IMD’s Learning Labs where you can collaborate with your peers and faculty on your real-world work challenges. It doesn’t have to be entirely professional; if there is a personal passion you would like to explore at IMD, research its clubs and student societies and talk to current EMBA candidates about how you can engage deeper with these. Be specific about the opportunities you are interested in, how they will directly contribute to your goals, and how you can give back to the IMD community.
Optional Essay
Additional information that would be helpful for the Admissions Committee to be aware of? (e.g., periods of time not employed, health-related challenges, academic circumstances, or any other unique situations)
This optional essay allows you to provide additional context and details about your application that you may not have fully addressed elsewhere. Consider using this space to discuss:
Low GMAT/EA scores: Explain any extenuating circumstances that may have impacted your performance on standardized tests. You could also highlight other academic achievements or experiences that demonstrate your aptitude and potential for success in the program.
Choice of recommenders: If you chose not to request a recommendation from a current or former supervisor, explain your reasoning.
Gaps in employment: Address any gaps in your employment history directly and clearly (without making excuses!). Highlight any relevant experiences or skills you gained during that time, such as volunteer work, travel, or personal development.
Extenuating circumstances: Discuss any relevant circumstances that may impact your application like family responsibilities, financial hardship, health issues, or criminal records. he bill.
Are you applying to the IMD EMBA? Get in touch for a free 20-minute consultation.
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