Which job to take to increase HKS MPP chances

[Kaeru]

Hello. I am planning to apply to HKS in a year or 2 and right now, I have an offer to work for 2 national government departments. Both have their merits, but thinking ahead, I would like to know which one in your opinion would look better in my application for an MPP in the future. One is an anti-corruption commission, which is essentially my forte, and the other is a public policy making entity of the Office of the President, but without a particular focus and covers a wider range of topics.

Would having worked with the president of a nation carry more weight then a more concise and directed field of concentration, such as anti-corruption?

[wasistdas]

If i was on the admissions team, the actual roles and responsibilities that a candidate took on matters a lot more than the title of the job or employer. Leading a team, spearheading a project and generally taking initiative would seem to mean a lot more than filling a coffee cup at a fancy pants job.

which job will give you the opportunity to take on a leadership role or make a significant change? If the answer is equal, then the answer is still just as tough. Is more experience in your planned field of study a good thing? of course, but breadth of knowledge and experience is perhaps just as important.

sorry for being absolutely no help.

[fenderpete]

I would take the job you have a passion for as you're going to throw yourself into it and may well end up contributing more and getting more out of it. That'll definitely come across when writing your SOP. I think looking at things in terms of which looks best is the wrong approach, as Gael says - what are you going to get out of it?