Blog Archive Monday Morning Essay Tip Do Not Start with Platitudes

Blog Archive Monday Morning Essay Tip Do Not Start with Platitudes Platitude (plat’e-tood) 1. Commonplaceness; flatness; dullness 2. A trite or obvious remark, uttered as  though it were fresh or original Many candidates unwittingly start their essays with platitudes. For example, when responding to  the HBS essay question “Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision,” a candidate might mistakenly write the following: “Managers constantly face difficult decisions.  Still,  everyone hates indecision.” The writer doesn’t “own” this idea and can’t lay claim to this statement. A simple alternative would be to insert his or her experience and viewpoint into the sentence: “Yet again, I was in the boardroom with Steve, anticipating  that he would change his mind on  the mbaMission file.” By discussing your unique experiences, you take ownership of your story and engage the reader. Avoiding platitudes and generalities and ensuring that you are sharing your experience,  rather than  one that could belong to anyone else, is a simple but often overlooked step toward creating a compelling message. Share ThisTweet Monday Morning Essay Tips