MBA Career Recon Package for Military & Veterans Applicants
This targeted package is designed for military and veteran applicants who know they want an MBA but need to define a clear, compelling post-MBA career goal. Admissions committees require a razor-sharp career vision; we will look past the standard cookie-cutter veteran tracks to build a personalized, realistic strategy that aligns your military leadership with your authentic long-term aspirations. Our career reconnaissance will focus on: - Operational Inventory (Internal Audit): We will review your military and personal background to isolate the specific leadership styles, projects, and functional activities that actually bring you energy, shifting the focus from what you can do to what you want to do. - Expanding Horizons Beyond the Standard Pitches: While consulting and investment banking are excellent paths for some people, they aren't the only options. We will look past the typical veteran recruiting pitches to explore high-upside roles in tech, operations, climate, defense, entrepreneurship, and more. - Comprehensive Intelligence Gathering (HUMINT & SIGINT): We will approach the civilian market with a two-pronged intelligence strategy. You will leverage SIGINT (using AI-enabled research and deep dives to explore roles) and HUMINT (conducting highly targeted networking and informational interviews with people embedded in your industries of interest). - Strategic Constraints & Feasibility Mapping: We will map potential industries against your unique skills and interests, then stress-test them by cross-referencing each path with your real-world constraints, like salary requirements, geographic preferences, and family considerations.
What's included
I use a hybrid coaching model that blends collaborative, face-to-face video calls with asynchronous review. I intentionally front-load the engagement with live video sessions so we can dive deep into your unique background and interests. Once that foundation is built, we shift to a flexible, asynchronous workflow focused on rapid iteration and information synthesis.
- 3 Feasible & Desirable Career Plans: A comprehensive dossier detailing three distinct, highly tailored post-MBA career pathways, complete with clearly defined short-term (immediate post-MBA) and long-term goals.
- The "Why MBA" Narrative Blueprint: A clear, cohesive narrative thread that seamlessly connects your specific military background to your chosen post-MBA goals, giving you the exact baseline needed for your application essays and interviews.
- A Targeted Networking Map & Outreach Playbook: A structured list of target positions, companies, and professional profiles to pursue, paired with proven outreach templates designed to maximize your response rate when networking with current MBA students and industry professionals.
- A Reality-Checked Constraints Matrix: A practical decision-making framework evaluating each target career path against your lifestyle, financial, and geographic constraints, ensuring your chosen track is sustainable for both you and your family.
Meet your expert
Ian K.
Military & Vet Applicants | 10+ T15 Admits | Army SOF Vet | Stanford MBA/MS
I graduated from Cornell during the financial crisis, which derailed my plans to go into finance but turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise. Instead of spending my 20s crunching spreadsheets in a cubicle, I tried out for the Army Special Forces and was assigned to 1st SFG, where I deployed to Iraq and the Philippines and conducted joint training exercises in South Korea and Thailand. As my team's communications sergeant, I became fascinated by the technology that we were using and spent my free time on deployments writing code and learning about radio waves and cryptography. That led me to quantum computers and the threat they posed to the cryptographic protocols that we rely on to keep our communications safe. Determined to understand the science of quantum computers, I deferred my admission to Stanford GSB to complete a second undergraduate major in physics at Columbia. At Stanford, I combined an MBA with an MS in EE and interned at a Rigetti Computing to get hands-on exposure to the technical and business challenges of the emerging quantum computing industry. During that period, I also explored my interest in finance with internships at Goldman Sachs, Bridgewater, and Virtu Financial. After graduating, I took a job in venture capital at Khosla Ventures, which was the perfect way to merge my interests in technology and finance. At KV, I supported over $1B in new financings and a portfolio of over 60 startups, many of them in deep tech. Since leaving Khosla, I've become a full-time coach, working primarily with founders at early-stage startups and executives navigating life and career transitions. I'm a strong believer in the power of meditation to balance the nervous system and build self-awareness. I started meditating while in the Army to help manage stress and have been practicing regularly ever since.
