MIT Sloan's MBA Organizational Chart

MIT Sloan’s MBA application set replaces the traditional essay question format with two unique requirements:
The Cover Letter
The Organization Chart
We examined the cover letter in depth here, including examples of what to include and what MIT looks for.
For a winning MIT Sloan cover letter based on successful previous candidates in the MIT Sloan MBA program, head over to MBAConsultant.com’s MIT Sloan MBA course.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the Organization Chart, or as it's known informally, the Org Chart.
The Question
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 detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.
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.
If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our FAQs for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.
Please upload an organizational chart that outlines the internal structure of your place of employment. Limit to two pages.

The Organization Chart is a creative exercise that asks you to give AdCom a visual representation of your current or most recent professional role. MIT Sloan wants you to display how your work and influence fit within the broader context of your organization, project, or team. There’s no right or wrong format here! Your chart should be clear and easy to understand.
This is what the AdCom looks for in an organizational chart:
Your role in the organization and how it relates to other roles.
The relationships you maintain with various stakeholders—both internal and external to the organization.
The hierarchy, dynamics, and flow of your work environment.
Sloan additionally advises applicants:
“We should be able to see your line of reporting to the top of your organization, and to easily find you, your peers, your supervisor, their peers, and your direct reports, as well as any other recommenders from your current organization.”
Why does MIT Sloan need an Org Chart?
The AdCom browses through thousands of resumes. For bigger, global organizations, it may be obvious where your role fits in, as your career progression will be clearly outlined for them to understand. Like consultants, who start as Analysts, move up to Senior Analysts, and then Associates within a timeframe and promotion schedule typical for the industry.
But for smaller or less streamlined organizations, it may be difficult for AdCom to understand the importance of your role, where your team or department fits in, whom you report to, and how you interact with other departments and leadership. It may also not be clear how you have been promoted, how your role has evolved over the years, and how much influence you exert in the company.
Enter the Org Chart. This is a visual, structured way for the AdCom to understand your role in context of the larger organization and how you have evolved over time.
What to Include in the Organization Chart
The people you work with:
First, identify key individuals or teams you work closely with. Don’t include their names, just their titles. These could include:
Direct reports (if applicable).
Supervisors or managers.
Peers or colleagues in cross-functional teams.
External partners, clients, or stakeholders.
Recommenders
Include colleagues you report to, colleagues who report to you, and colleagues at your level whom you collaborate with. Group teams or persons who aren’t directly relevant to your role.
How they relate to each other:
Show formal reporting lines (traced all the way to the top) and team structures.
Highlight your role and recommenders (if applicable):
Clearly mark your position in the chart in red. If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart, highlight them too (in a different color).
Finally, include the company size and number of direct and indirect reports in the chart.
We made this easy for you. Get our downloadable MIT Sloan Cover Letter template here!
What if I have an unconventional internal structure?
MIT Sloan provides guidance for professionals who may have an unconventional or complicated internal structure:
If you are a consultant:
MIT Sloan advises consultants to submit a chart demonstrating the structure of a recent project they worked on, rather than the overall consulting firm. Highlight the role you played on that team.
If you don’t have any direct reports:
Managing people is not a requirement for the MBA application. The school wants applicants to clearly lay out their place in the organization and with whom they interact, rather than count how many people report to them.
If you are a military applicant:
Military applicants may want to showcase both their military and civilian professions. If you are currently serving, you can submit two organizational charts: one outlining your previous civilian job and one representing your current military role.
If you are a solo entrepreneur or external contractor:
The school recommends that you place yourself at the center of the chart, then make branches representing the various constituents and stakeholders you interact with (for example, clients, suppliers, investors, board of directors).
If your organization has a confidential internal structure:
If your organization has a classified internal structure, redact names, titles, or any other confidential information if needed. Try to visualize your role in the organization as much as you are able to. You can also display the structure only up to a certain permitted level if needed.